A New Challenge
Atlantis sighed frustratedly as she planted her fist in the other kid's face. The older boy dropped to the ground with a pinched off scream as the others in the group backed off from her and Luffy.
Spitting out in front of them she turned to the ring leader with a smile, “Say it again. I don't think I heard you right the first time.”
The group backed off from her with scared eyes as they went back and forth between her tense form and Luffy's clenched expression as he gazed down at another kid that he had knocked to the ground. Quickly they jumped up and called out to a passing Marine while pointing fingers at them.
“These brats attacked us when we tried to help them,” the ring leader cried as the marine stopped. Quickly the kid allowed a smirk to grace his face as the marine approached them with a disapproving glare. Atlantis pulled Luffy back as the man prepared to start lecturing them only to stop and salute.
With a sigh, Atlantis turned to watch as Smoker approached them with a questioning eyebrow raised. “If they can't hold up against someone fighting back they should pick better targets,” Atlantis muttered as she wiped her fist off on her pants.
Meanwhile, Luffy stuck his tongue out at the kids before grabbing onto Atlantis’ sleeve and waving at Smoker, “Hi smokey.”
Smoker shook his head before dismissing the marine standing in front of him. “These two are mine.”
The marine turned shocked eyes to stare at Atlantis’ white hair than to Smokers before backing away with a surprised expression. “Yessir!”
“What happened?”Smoker asked as he turned and began to walk away, causing them to follow after them.
“Loser didn’t like that I was a girl,” Atlantis muttered as she turned to glare back at the marine recruit she had punched.
“Loser,” Smoker and Luffy muttered at the same time. Quietly they turn to stare at each other with narrowed eyes before turning back to face forward.
Smoker moved them back into his training area as he sat down in the middle of the platform. With a sigh, Luffy moved over to the side to work on his aim while Atlantis came to sit in front of Smoker.
“Alright,” Smoker breathed as he manifested his devil fruit powers. “Think about your powers alright and then try to imagine the same thing that happened before okay?”
Atlantis nodded her head while she closed her eyes and began to think about the spirit ring she was wearing. Or at least that's what she had begun to call it. The ring had manifested a weapon before but she couldn't explain that to Smoker without questions so she had lied and claimed it to be a devil fruit.
This had led them to this exact moment, Smoker was insistent on her learning to utilize her power and they had begun lessons to try and draw out the weapon.
Of course, Smoker had also begun training her with many different weapons in mind, while also setting aside meditation times to work on her power. Until they knew more about her power meditation was all they could do.
Atlantis tried to manifest the sword she had seen before. The one she had summoned to protect her and Luffy all those years ago. She had summoned it once but never again. Unlike that sword, she was able to quite easily summon a different sword, a broad sword.
It was a beautiful sword, but it was large and thick. The handle started with a deer face and then horns branched out making a set of antlers that surrounded the grip. It was a beautiful sword, one she had come to call Mriga’s Totem. The name coming from the fact that it represents a warning to the future if someone is to face this blade. Its full capabilities are unknown but it is known that the blade is capable of landing a blow before it is swung as long as the blade follows through with the swing. It was intriguing to see damage occur before the weapon landed on its mark, but it was intriguing. If this blade could do this then what of the other one, what if there were more? Other than that the blade held no other abilities. While intriguing it truly meant little to her, if someone dodged the blade they would need to dodge the pre-slash or it would land. It was nifty but if she couldn't hit someone in time or get close it meant nothing to her.
While thinking about this she felt a weight form in her hands. At first, she expected it to be Mriga but instead, she felt a lighter weight. Opening her eyes she came face to face with the first sword she had ever summoned.A black katana with a purple gem and line etched into its blade allows for her to predict the movements of an opponent before they enact those movements. She had found that it could sense those who would betray her, hence the fight from before. She had begun to call it The Omen.
With a smile she showed Smoker proudly who nodded his head before clearing his throat, “That took a lot less time than before. See if you can summon something else.”
With a grunt, she narrowed her eyes before relinquishing the weapon and thinking of something else. Something like how hungry she was. ‘Dang, it would be nice if I could summon food. Sadly I already tried that and it didn't work.’
“Grandpa is here!” Garp shouted as he busted into the training facility causing both of the kids to shoot up in response and ready a stance. Smoker simply sighed as he moved out of the way while Garp chased the two children in circles.
“Go away, Geezer!” Luffy shouted as he tried to escape Garp who simply laughed.
“Fist of Love!”
“Gramps calm down,” Atlantis muttered as she backed up into Smoker with her hands up in a calm gesture.
Garp laughed before he turned his attention to Smoker, “Have you decided?”
“Yeah.” Smoker huffed as he placed a hand on Atlantis’ shoulder. “I’ll train her, but not him.”
“Noooo,” Luffy whined with a pout as he ran to grab onto Atlantis. “I didn't want to be here anyway, Smokey.”
“Then get lost,” Smoker grumbled as he patiently moved aside as Atlantis patted Luffy’s head.
“I won't stay away long Luffy. I just have to attend an initiation and then I can come back home for a while.” Luffy whined as he tightened his grip on her before moving away slowly.
“I understand.” Luffy nodded his head with a pout. “I don't like it, but I understand.”
“I’ll be back soon. Just a few months okay?”
“Okay, you better be back then or I’ll come to find you.” Luffy threatened before he mopingly made his way with Garp back to the ship.
Atlantis watched them go until she jumped as Smoker tossed a staff to her. “Training time.”
“Okay,” Atlantis sighed as she moved into the proper stance to stare Smoker down. She was doing this for Luffy. So it didn’t matter how much it hurt to be apart from him for the first time in almost four years. Plus Luffy would have Ace soon. He wouldn't be alone, not for long. He'd be okay and she would become stronger.