Lara's POV;

“I can see an island!”, shouted Olsy from the crows nest. The little guy was a great help so far. He cleaned the kitchen and was our lookout most of the time. He also helped with moving the sail. Sure it was possible to sail such a little ship with two people, but less work was always welcome. And he was more experienced with it than Lia or I. All we have is book knowledge.

Anyway, he got the best food he had in his life in return and was happy to not be hit by someone for a change. He mostly stayed with me or alone, I don't think Lia even knows his name.

Both Lia and I now wore the clothes we decided to have for some time. Lia wears black boots that reach her knees. Then black hot pants with red flames on it and a tight fitting black t-shirt with a Kyuubi on the front. Her hands and arms were clad in black gloves. A black pouch was strapped to her side and a pistol on her other one. The pistol was only for show, it's going to be changed into a black Dial pistol once we reach the Grand Line.

I had black boots and black shorts with my standard green flame template. Then a t-shirt in black that exposed my bellybutton and a black, sleeveless, and high collared coat that became segmented in four parts further downwards. The lower parts of my coat were also designed in a green flame pattern. I too had black gloves, but they did not reach beyond my hands and had the same green pattern as my shorts.

I had my sword strapped to my hip like Lia had her poach. My personal opinion of us was that we were really hot!

The pirate captain looked almost dead by now, probably got an infection in his wounds. Not that I cared, he will be executed anyway. But a bounty is handed out in full when the target is alive. A dead one will only give 75%. The guy I froze also has a bounty, but was so little that we threw him overboard.

“Let's dock directly next to the marine ship”, I said and Lia pulled the ship towards where I pointed. We have taken down the ugly jolly roger of the pirate captain, so we are not instantly seen as a pirate ship.

Half an hour later we had moored the ship and jumped down. Olsy had to climb down a ladder.

A squad of marines greeted us. “Good morning, may we know your intentions in Loguetown?”, asked the highest ranked member of them.

“Sure, we want to resupply and hand in a bounty of a pirate, what was his name again Olsy?”, I answered and turned my head back to our guest.

“Zeno, he liked to call himself Zeno the Great”, answered our tack along.

“A moment please”, asked the marine, he looked through a pile of bounty posters and I was relieved to see that Luffy was not among them. That means that he has not yet left Conomi Island for long or was not even there yet.

“Do you have proof of such claims?”, asked the officer. I nodded and Lia jumped back up before coming down with the captain grabbed by his coat. The guy stunk of death by now. The bandages were yellow from the pus and his complexion deathly pale.

“He's not in good conditions but alive, we thought it wouldn't matter as he's going to die anyway”, I remarked with a shrug. The friends of the officer turned green by the sight of the pirate but grabbed him nonetheless.

“Please follow us, Captain Smoker will want to see you”, said the officer, he turned around and began to walk without waiting for us, so we followed him quickly.

“What about berthing taxes? We want to stay for a few days at most, not longer than a week”, I asked while we walked through the town. The marine base was located in the middle of it. Near the scaffold.

“Oh yes, sorry. That would be a hundred Berry”, answered the officer embarrassed. I gave him the money and he wrote me a piece of paper that allows us to dock for a week.

We reached the Marine base a few minutes later and were greeted by Smoker and Tashigi, one of the marines has informed them. Tashigi was blatantly staring at our ears, Smoker had more self-discipline but looked at them longer than normal as well.

“So you're the ones who beat Zeno? You don't look like much”, grunted Smoker with a blow of his smoke. He was big, nearly four heads taller than me and Lia and twice as wide. Tashigi herself was taller than us.

“Yeah, the guy wanted to rob the ship we were travelling with. My sister thought it might be good to change ship, so we boarded them and took it. Is there any law for taking a pirate ship?”, I said.

“It's yours now, we can give you the names of a good merchant that is willing to buy it off from you”, he said in his deep and raspy voice. “Follow me, we have to do some paperwork”, he said and turned around. Tashigi turned with him and almost tripped. She went red as a tomato but none of us said anything.

The squad of marines left us at a corner and all five of us entered an office that stunk of smoke.

Obviously Smoker's office. The marine captain sat down behind a desk, Tashigi kept standing behind him.

“Please explain what happened and who you are”, he then said.

“My name is Lara Lonore, my sister Lia Lonore and I wanted to visit Loguetown. Olsy, who is from the same island, came with us. We were a few weeks away when we got attacked by pirates. Their ship was faster than ours so we took it”, I explained and lied a little about Olsy. He would not have an easy time if I tell them that he was part of the crew, even if an unwilling one. And calling him a friend might give him problems later when we have some infamy.

“Which Island and how did you beat a group of pirates?”, he asked without missing a beat.

“Shell Town, and by shooting and cutting them. I'm skilled with the sword and my sister pretty good with the pistol”, I answered with another lie. The longer it takes for them to find our family the better.

“And him?”, was the next question with a nod to Olsy.

“Olsy is not yet much of a fighter but he wants to learn and has the wish to join the marines”, I replied. Olsy nodded with a salute and stood a bit straighter.

“Tashigi, bring him to the enlisting office”, snarled Smoker. Tashigi nodded once and left, but not without looking at the sword at my hip.

“The money will be prepared in half an hour, mind telling me what long-ear-humans are doing in East Blue?”, asked Smoker once the other two were out of the office.

“We would need to kill you if we were to tell you”, Lia said with a deadly serious expression and Smoker tensed in preparation for a fight. I laughed out loud and Lia giggled cutely. Smoker did only frown deeply.

“Funny, anything else you want to tell me?”, he asked. Now annoyed.

“Yes, is it possible to buy sea stone? Preferably in the form and size of marbles?”, asked Lia.

“No”, Smoker said with no room to argue.

“And hand cuffs? We might come along a Devil Fruit user”, I asked. We could use a pair and might be able to form the others ourselves. It was widely thought that sea stone was hard to process and we should not be able to.

“That would be possible, a single pair costs 500.000 Berry”, he said with a moment of thought.

“Good, we're going to take ten”, I said with a clap of my hands. Smoker nodded and scribbled something down. He then stood up and signalled us with a wave of his hand to follow him.

Our path led us through the base into their armoury, there he gave the piece of paper a clerk behind security bars and in return received ten sea stone handcuffs in a bag.

Tashigi chooses this moment to come back to us, Olsy was not with her.

“You'll get the cuffs when you have the money to pay for them”, growled Smoker he was grabbing the pouch as high as possible.

“Captain, private Olsy is now with the other recruits. He wishes to express his thanks to the Lenore sisters for helping him”, reported Tashigi with a salute. She then got back to staring at my ears and my sword.

“Is something Ms Marine-Officer?”, I asked with a grin. Smoker took a deep breath from his cigar and glanced at the unsure looking Tashigi.

“You can ask her, Tashigi”, he said after blowing a big cloud of smoke out.

“I wish to spar against you. It is my wish to become a strong swordswoman”, she shouted with a bow and dropped her glasses. She hastily picked them up and placed them back on her nose.

“So? Do you agree?”, asked Smoker from the side, a calculating glint in his eyes.

“Sure why not? We have time anyway, do you want to watch Lia?”, I replied with a shrug.

“Sure, it's always fun watching you beat someone down”, answered Lia with one of her beautiful smiles. Smoker coughed and had a small pink tinge when he saw her smile. Tashigi looked angry to be not seen as a treat.

“We can spare in the courtyard”, she pressed out and stomped off.

“Great dear sister, now you've made the green behind the ears officer angry”, I laughed and followed Tashigi.

“But dear sister of mine, isn't it funnier this way?”, asked Lia back with a laugh. Smoker just trotted behind us, now smoking tow cigars and not one.

We reached the courtyard with Tashigi already waiting inside. She had her sword drawn and stood in position.

I gave Lia my coat and drew my sword, the scabbard was held reverse in one hand with the sword in the other. “Any time you're ready”, I said and waited for Tashigi to move.

She did so eagerly and made a downwards swing with her clearly better sword. I did not give her the time to bring her sword down and jumped forward. My sword moved upwards and stopped only short of her throat. Her arms were still raised.

“Winner Lara Lonore”, declared Smoker who took the role as the judge. Tashigi was wide eyed and looked at the sword with some fear.

“You should work on your speed and first move. A downwards slash leaves you open at the start and someone fast enough can get close for the kill before you are able to bring down your sword. An upward slash from the side is better”, I advised and sheathed my sword.

“Thanks?”, she stuttered and shakily put her sword back as well.

“That was faster than expected but not too surprising”, commented Lia, she gave me a kiss and handed me my coat back. I gave her a thankful smile and looked at the wide eyed Tashigi and pink tinged Smoker.

“You've kissed”, blabbered Tashigi out.

“So?”, I asked, getting what she means, but having to much fun to not ask.

“You're both girls and sisters”, she nearly shouted and looked as if that would explain anything. It did not in my book. Sex between siblings should not be stranger than sex between two unrelated people. The only difference is if there is pregnancy or unwillingness involved. As well as a child, because you can raise your child to like it, not something that should be done.

“Again so?”, I asked. Tashigi spluttered something incoherent and tried to find some reasons that were good, but settled down with an embarrassed blush and eyes fixed on the floor.

“Captain Smoker, the bounty for Zeno”, said a marine with a briefcase suddenly. He walked over to us and opened the container. Two lines of neatly stacked bills showed themselves.

“Take five million out, they bought sea stone cuffs”, grumbled Smoker in a slightly relieved tone. Must be because the subject we had wasn't comfortable for him.

“Yes, sir!”. The soldier took most of the stacks out and left only eight for us. Lia took them and put the money in her pouch, before giving the briefcase back to the marine.

“If that would be all?”, asked Smoker, he must be annoyed with us by now if I can interpret his tone correctly. It's slightly more grumpy.

“Tashigi, you wouldn't know a good place to forge a sword?”, I asked the only other present woman.

“Eh? A forge? I think Vilo is the best smith in Loguetown if you are in need of a new customised sword. But the weapons you can buy in Arms Shop, it's owned by a man named Ippon-Matsu, are of better quality”, she said with a new regained posture.

“Thanks, I want to make my own sword. And that would be all, am I right Lia?”, I said and looked at my sister.

“Yeah, I need to buy some things while you make your sword”, agreed the beautiful girl I so much love.

“See you then, tata”, I said and we walked away from the marine base.

A few questions later and I found Vilo's smithery. It was located in the artisan district. A nice small house with a chimney that blew dark smoke out. It is not large enough to create the necessary heat for my metal but I can compensate with the application of my vibrations.

Thanks to the skill [Blacksmith] I knew exactly how I have to forge a sword that was supreme in durability, cutting and could hold out my vibration powers. It should be on the same level, if not higher than one of the twelve legendary swords.

“Hello?!”, I asked loudly after stepping inside the entrance. A few weapons and other forged items were on display. None of them really of spectacular quality. If the others are as good as this then I am really disappointed about the smiths in East Blue.

“Yeah?”, asked a middle aged male voice from the back of the house. A moment later a man in his forties came to the front. He wore the right clothes for a smith.

“Hello, I wanted to ask if I can use your forge for a few days. I will pay you for the inconvenience that comes along with such a request”, I asked in a friendly tone.

The man looked at me as if I was stupid and then shrugged. “Twenty thousand Berry for a week”. I gave him the money wordlessly and walked past him. The forge was in rather good quality and neatly ordered. Good, he has at least good work ethics.

I began to take the metal and other resources out of my inventory and stacked them on a table. Qi-metal, the blood of a golden dragon, wood of a millennia tree. All things I gathered in worlds with an abundance of Qi. They are of the best quality and exactly what I need for a nearly indestructible sword.

“Hey lady, you want to start now?”, asked the man from behind me. He eyed the ingredients for a moment and then looked at me.

“Of course, when else? I wish to not be disturbed for the next ten hours. Only a woman that looks exactly like me with braids is allowed to come in”, I said and began with my work.

The man shrugged and walked back to his shop.

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Lia's POV;

Sigh, this town gets boring at some time. Lara was busy forging her new sword. She was now four days inside the forge and only left to go to the toilet, eat something or sleep. She even got an audience after the second day. Anyone that has some knowledge about creating a sword now knows that she is a master in the field.

The owner of the forge must have peeked on her at some time. I watched her as well, the sheen of sweat on her skin that glistened in the light of the fire was just so sexy. I could hardly wait until she came out of the bath.

But I had things to do as well. I sold a few of my unrefined diamonds and used the money to buy a giant fridge. I also bought a lot of food and put it into my inventory for future use.

And then there were the different Log Pose I bought. A single normal one for our adventure and a couple eternal ones. Funnily enough, there were only a few eternal Poses in existence. Loguetown had one for Jaya, Alabasta and Sabaody Archipelago. Those were the Log Poses I could buy.

I also began to process the sea stone handcuffs, only eight of them. Having one or two in reserve was always good. I tried to cut them, but it didn't work, so I asked Lara to use a vibrating knife to cut the cuffs in pieces. We had to use one of her better quality knives, every normal knife wasn't strong enough to take the strain of her vibrations and cut the cuffs. I now have something close to 80 pieces which I pressed into marbles. I first wanted to use bullets but they are more likely to come back out of the target and that is something that I did not want.

A Devil Fruit user will be useless if I hit him with a sea stone bullet. The power of the sea will cripple his body. I couldn't be sure to always hit the head. We'll also have to make sure to find more of these cuffs. 80 bullets are by far not enough if the enemy can evade only a few.

I also got enough paint to repaint a marine ship and supplies that might be needed like wood, metal, nails, sails, tows and so on. Going to sea is really troublesome, no wonder it wasn't shown in the manga how much they had to do. Nami always delegated some tasks and that was it.

I know that Lara would be able to do all this as well, but I don't trust her with the money. She will only spend all the money for chicken and then come to me for some diamonds so that we can buy the other things. I might not be against using this ability but everything has a limit and I don't want to be hunted just so that some idiot can use me as a diamond fabric. Even I know that we aren't strong enough to fight anyone with a real name.

It's bad enough that we will be hunted for our piracy, our heritage, our looks and soon enough even for Lara's sword. Life was so much easier when I simply could smash any opposition with a swish of my tail. But it was also way more boring.

“How much for five baby Den Den Mushi?”, I asked the latest vendor. We also need Den Den Mushi. Small ones that could be carried around for shore leave. “Oh and a normal Den Den Mushi as well”, I added. And also one for larger distances.

“One thousand Berry for each baby and five thousand for an adult”, answered the clerk.

“These animals are fascinating, how do they work, to begin with?”, I asked and poked the shell of one of them.

“They use radio waves to communicate with each other. We merely attach a receiver and clink in on the frequency”, explained the clerk while preparing the snails for me. Come to think of it, Lara should be able to reproduce them.

“Can you show me?”, I asked out of interest. I know that radio waves aren't audible for the normal human ear, but what about long-ear-humans?

“Sure”, replied the clerk with a shrug. He finished with the attachment of their equipment and gave one of the baby snails to me.

“Here, you just have to call the number that is unique to each transponder equipment”, said the man while rotating the telephone wheel. He finished and my snail woke up from her sleep. She began to blare “Bulle bulle bulle....bulle bulle bulle...”, until I picked the microphone up from its equipment.

The face of the snail then morphed into the expression of the clerk, while his snail got suddenly long ears. “See? It's easy”, he said and I heard him and something else in the background. It was squeaky and not truly understandable.

“Yes, thank you. I'll take them, what do they eat?”, I said and put the microphone back on the snail. The animal instantly went back to sleep.

“Mostly salad but they like fruits a lot, however, don't give them something salty. They are still snails”, explained the clerk while putting each snail in a container. I thanked him and left with six snails. I couldn't put them into my inventory, as they are alive, and had to bring them back to our ship.

Also, something that I worked on, I cleaned the captain's cabin and put a new mattress into it. I will not sleep in the stinking and old thing that the previous owner polluted. With my purchases done I found myself bored. Training my Devil Fruit powers would be funny. Maybe I can finally find out how to increase psychical pressure?

So with a new goal, I skipped out of the cabin and towards the market place of Loguetown. There I sat down on a bench and concentrated on people that were doing something that needs concentration. There were enough around, a guy who was singing, a woman that drew a painting and two men that carried something heavy. All of them were concentrated on their tasks and did not wish to fail.

Perfect lab rats.

Five hours later I had to leave the market. Marines were closing the whole area off. A pity really, I just got the hang out of the skill. Okay, it might have something to do with the broken feet of the two men, the woman who began to cry bitterly when she couldn't finish her picture, the singing man that got a heart attack from stage fright, the couple that broke up because of jealousy and the insecure man that tried to kill a woman when I increased the pressure of his life. Who would have known that he would slice his throat after strangling a woman that resembled his mother to death?

I still have to find out the finer nuances and there is also the fact that I might boost these things to their advantage. Like decreasing the pressure of death and creating someone who fears not?

Something to ponder over at a later time. It's evening now and I have to drag Lara out of the forge. She surely forgot to eat again. She is in some trance whenever she grabs the hammer. It's interesting and nice to watch her so concentrated but it might be bad for her health.

“But I was doing the finishing touches on my hilt. The blade is already finished. I only need to do the wedding and then ornate the scabbard”, protested Lara loudly while I dragged her out of the soot filled forge. She was a mess and looked more black than her normal white skin colour.

“No, you need to sleep and I want to hug someone. You stayed up all night yesterday”, I said, not in the mood to argue.

“But we would be able to set sail tomorrow morning if I do it now”, she said, even with the knowledge that I did not want to argue.

“Yes and then you would be all tired the whole day and let me do all the work. No, you will go to sleep now and then finish tomorrow. We will then set sail in the evening or the day after tomorrow”, I countered and flung her over my shoulder. She wiggled a bit but then decided to pout.

Now my clothes were all dirty, well, she was in turn with cleaning them anyway.

You could say what you want but Lara's sword was beautiful, as much a piece of art as a deadly weapon. A black blade with an almost glowing red pattern. The hilt was richly decorated in the form of an eastern dragon head that seamlessly connected with the scabbard.

It was insanely sharp and hummed dangerously when infused with Lara's Devil Fruit power.

“So, is it finished?”, I asked while admiring the artistic value of this fine weapon.

“Not really but I'm not able to finish it completely. There is a practice that infuses the blade with a soul. It becomes somewhat sentient and grows in strength with its use. I'm just not able to do that as it requires a lot of Qi in a form that our body isn't able to produce.

I had to be satisfied with applying auto repair and auto cleaning seals inside the hilt. The sword will cleanse and repair itself if armament Haki is applied. It is however really taxing as Haki isn't meant for such a thing. I am probably out for a day if I do activate the repair function when the sword is destroyed.

Not that that is going to be easy, the blade is made out of the hardest metal known to me and several universes”, she explained with an irritated look.

“Why is it almost glowing?”, I asked in interest. The design invites someone to touch the blade but Lara stopped me from doing so.

“That would be the gold dragon blood inside the metal. It makes the blade sharper and is keyed to the first blood it tastes. Anyone who now touches the blade will be cut, it does not matter where you touch.

At least I can have the hope that the blade develops some form of sentience with enough bloodshed and Haki. Qi is as sentient as Mana and it is not unknown for swords to gain some form of sentience over the course of time”, she said with a shrug and sheathed the blade. Now she had an eastern dragon carved into a long pole of beautiful dark wood. Almost like a priceless walking stick.

“Good for me, so can we go now?”, I asked after she finished strapping the blade at her waist.

“Sure, did you get everything?”, she asked while pulling her ponytail back in form. I nodded and we began to undo the ropes that kept us on the pier. A quick push with my powers sent us to the open sea and we were good on our way to Conomi Island.