Man's Manipulation

Sometimes can merit

Total devastation

Then at times

What we know as

A temporary sensation

All thou popular opinion

May never bring true

Vindication

All while never truly tapping

In to what, it really takes

In order to generate

A positive stream of enterprises

To flow

Through 't the nations

-Angel A. Lockwood

Uki calmed down after a while, and all the rain died out, the sun shining through the clouds as she hiccupped.

"Uki-chan, have you ever had a fruit which looks really weird before? It probably tasted disgusting as well."

"Um... I did eat a weird swirly fruit when I was small, by accident."

"Ah. Well, Uki-chan. Have you ever heard of a devil fruit?"

"No. Why?"

"Well, they're fruits which grant people special powers. Like Fuyuki, he can control snow." Fuyuki smirked, and opened his hand, where a small snowman formed. Uki momentarily forgot about her broken doll, fascinated by it. "We think, that you may have eaten the rain fruit. The, ame ame no mi. Not the candy fruit, which would also be the ame ame no mi, but yours is the rain fruit, which was thought to be a legend. It allows the user to make it rain at any strength and speed they want, and also choose who not to get wet., along with what type of liquid to make rain."

"What makes you think I ate it?"

"I have a feeling that the fruit responds to your emotions, because you haven't done any training to control this power. When you were crying, the rain started, and it got worse and worse, as you cried more and more."

"What a sad fruit..." Uki sympathised.

"Though I would think of it as one of the strongest fruits out there Uki. The fruit is a logia fruit, meaning no one can touch you unless they can use haki, which for instance, Fuyuki, Aki, and I can use. Also, since your body will become water, technically, you will not drown, since you will only reform, rather than get captured in the sea demons' curse."

"Curse?"

"You see, a devil fruit is-" Natsuki started a story about the fruits, as she sent a silent message to Fuyuki, who complied; walking back to the base camp for the children.

"Uki! Did you find Uki!?" A girl, around the age of seventeen, with moss green eyes and tree bark brown hair asked.

"Calm down Aki. She's fine. Natsuki's calming her down. She was fairly upset because her cuddle toy broke."

"Shun! Shouhei! Genki! Issa! Come here, right now!" She yelled, and four boys inched their way forward, all glancing at their feet with fear and nervousness. "You four should know that the toy you tried to snatch away was the only thing she had left of her parents!" They looked down guiltily.

"It's alright Aki-nee. I need to grow up." Uki said.

"Uki! Where were you!? I was so worried!" Aki almost crushed the season of rain with her hug.

"I'm sorry Aki-nee. I was with Natsu-nee." She smiled brightly, and Aki sent a thankful nod to Natsuki.

"What were you two doing?"

"I told her that I wanted to join her pirate crew!"

"You what!? Natsuki! Surely you didn't tell her that she could join!"

"It's her own decision along with mine Aki. Not yours. I understand that you're overprotective of the children, but sometimes you have to let go."

"I thought you wanted me on your crew, take me! Not her."

"Well, personally, I would take the both of you, but what would the rest do without you?"

"We'll be fine." Shun, the leader of the bullies and the children interrupted.

"You're only a child! But I can't leave Uki! Argh! You're all making this so hard for me!!!" Aki complained.

"It's alright Aki. We can take care of ourselves. You go with Uki. We know you always wanted to be a pirate."

"Bu-" Aki was interrupted by Fuyuki and Natsuki suddenly yelling at them to get down.

"What's going on?" Aki whispered.

"There are around fifty men nearby."

"Schist. Those are the king's men. They come once in a month, but normally it's not this early."

"Do you mean king Kashmiri?"

"Yeah. Heard of him?"

"The one who's basically being manipulated by his advisor?"

"Yeah. The advisor's the actual one who sends men after us."

"Aki, Haruki, you two attack them. I want to see how much you can hold on your own."

"You can't tell me what to do!" Autumn whispered harshly at Natsuki, who calmly slid her mask on.

"Well, you see. I kinda can. I'm your captain now, remember?"

"I didn't agree yet!"

"You were going to." Uki inserted. Aki begrudgingly admitted it, and swiftly ran closer to the men along with Haruki.

The two of them were strong as a pair. Haruki attacked openly, slicing the men down with his sword, and punching them with armament haki, which was still rather unstable. He lacked experience, but was spontaneous and unpredictable, reminding Natsuki of herself, as Naruto. He disappeared in and out through his attacks, camouflaging himself.

Aki, on the other hand, didn't have the element of surprise, but covered it with her experience by her fists and haki. She used what looked similar to the Hyuga-clan's gentle fist style, coating her fists with haki. She weaved around the men, hitting parts of their body, making them immobile.

After another minute or so, all the men were on the ground, Spring and Autumn, breathing heavily.

"Well done, Haru, Aki. Haruki, you still need improvement in using your devil fruit, along with your ability with a sword, but well done with the haki. Considering how you only began learning it recently, you've made excellent progress. Keep up the great work! Aki. You're certainly amazing with your hands only, but you're a little bit too stiff. I think a training regime, focusing on your legs and some on flexibility would do you good. But all in all, both of you well done!" Natsuki praised, and both seasons wondered if this was what it felt like to have an older sibling.

Fuyuki nodded at the two seasons in absolute silence, which would've scared them, if it weren't for Uki, giggling on his shoulders, pulling his hair in all directions, yelling at him to run up the hill. Aki and Haruki smiled, high fiving each other.

"This is cute and all, but captain?" Fuyuki reminded, gently placing Uki back on the ground.

"I know. Haru, Aki, Uki. Fuyuki and I will be back in a mo. Stay with the children for a while. We've got business to attend to." Natsuki grinned, grabbed Fuyuki's shoulder, and they both disappeared.

Summer and winter reappeared in front of a massive castle, with tall titanium gates, and guards on each pillar. Each guard within sight became tense, readying their spears at the intruders, though they all collapsed within seconds, as Natsuki's eyes turned silver.

"When did you come here?"

"I was bored. That answer your question?"

"Yup."

Fuyuki took Natsuki's arm and floated over the gates, into the castle grounds. The place was absolutely silent, without a whistle of a wind, or a chirp from a bird to be heard. Though the two of them weren't stupid. Natsuki made a shadow clone, and let it walk through the pathway.

Almost immediately, machine guns, lasers, traps and holes appeared, the clone popping to its 'death'. Next, Natsuki sent another clone to jump high into the air. This time, arrows, bullets and tranquiliser darts were shot at it, the clone popping again.

"So, how do you think we should enter?"

"Well, my clone noticed that there were no bones at the bottom of the hole, and nor do I see any faults in this garden, so that means there's someone who cleans the place, or at least checks the intruders. So why not go with the easiest? We drop down the hole and wait for the audience with the king and his advisor."

"Oh no..." Fuyuki already regretted coming with her, when she grabbed his neck and sped forward, jumping down the massive hole.

They landed with a thud, to a stone-cold floor, chilling them to the bone. Teeth chattering, face decolouring, feet shuffling, Natsuki glared at Fuyuki, who was having his silent revenge. So soon enough, the cold air died down to a normal temperature, and another pair of feet were heard to be coming closer to them.

That someone coming closer, was holding a lamp high above his head, allowing Natsuki and Fuyuki to realise that they were behind bars.

"Who are you?"

"For Kami's sake! When you want someone else's name, you tell them your own!" natsuki said for what felt like the thousandth time.

"You're not in a position to be able to say that." He countered, pushing up his glasses.

"True. Well, my name is Summer. His is Winter."

"Hm. You don't seem to be lying. Very well. My name is Toramp. I am the advisor if King Kashmir."

"Oh, the one who used to be a pirate?"

"How- I mean, yes. I was, in the impel down for thirty years." He stumbled, and Natsuki's suspicions started.

"We came here to see the king."

"Why on earth would you want to do that?"

"Because I can. According to this kingdom's law, any person is allowed to seek the audience of the king, as long as it is a valid reason. I have a valid reason, so why can't I meet him? Is there a reason why I cannot?"

"No. Not at all. I'm sorry for the traps, times are getting difficult, with all the people wanting to hunt the king down."

"Of course." Natsuki smiled with one hundred percent insincerity. Fuyuki was just, there. Looking at his captain with hidden awe and humour, feeling lucky to be her first mate.

The man, Toramp, got out the keys and opened the barred exit, letting the two of them out, warily staring at Fuyuki, who was a head taller than him.

"Where is the king?"

"Oh, this way." The man adjusted his glasses with the palm of his hands, and walked down the half-lit corridors with two seasons in his wake.