The Strange Dream (Part 2)

(Starrk's POV)

"I told you." I said, "If we get the rubbings, we can reach Laugh Tale and find the One Piece!!"

Whitebeard chugged from his gourd and the let out a massive burp.

"Ah shut up already about that!" He grumbled, "Do you got any idea about what you're saying, brat?! Waging war against a Yonko is too risky, let alone two!! Quit your bitching, what is it about the One Piece that has you wanting to go get it anyway? If you want to go find it so badly, start your own crew and set to sea!"

I sighed, "I thought I told you, old man…" i said, "Its much more complicated than that…"

"It isn't that complicated, boy." He grumbled again, "Leave this ship, start your own crew and go and find the One Piece. I am not interested in such silliness. I let you stay aboard because I like you. I consider you one of my own now, but if you only wish to start meaningless fights against other Emperor crews, then go and do it by yourself."

As I thought, today there was no luck in talking to him about this.

I nodded, "Alright, you win. Today, that is." I told him, "But trust me, I'll convince you one day."

"Bah! Sure you will." He said, "Now go and get out of my sight before you spoil my booze."

I sighed and turned around and walked away.

Cregan approached me, "Didn't work out today either, huh?" He said

I shook my head, "As stubborn as ever." I said, "I get it that I'm a newbie to the crew, but I thought i gained their trust. I mean, they know I pose no danger to them. They're not idiots."

Cregan nodded, "Thing is, you can't be insistent with the old man." He told me, "After all, you've been vague about the future. That's the only reason he took any interest in the first place."

I closed my eyes and sighed again, "You're right."

"You've blurted out several futures to me before." Cregan told me, "But something tells me that you haven't told the most important ones to anyone."

I opened my eyes and looked down at the ground. I had given it a lot of thought. I am at a point several years before the beginning of the story. I know what happens. I know the tragedy that comes.

"That's because I want to prevent those future." I said quietly

**********************************

"These guys were challenging us?" I said as I leaned against the mast of a ship, "Bunch of pushovers, eh Marco?"

"Hahaha! You got that right-yoi!" Marco said as he flapped his fiery wings above me

Marco and I had engaged in battle against two pirate crews who challenged the Whitebeard flag.

It didn't take long for us to take care of each of them.

I easily cut both ships in half and almost sunk them. They floated in the middle of the sea as the crew members aborted and tried to escape via swimming. Only a few stayed and fought.

That didn't go as well as they hoped for. Marco and I beat them down with ease and watched as they tried to flee.

This was a regular thing for me to do. It was good exercise.

"So, we calling it a night?" I asked Marco

"Yea." He said as he started to fly away, "Make sure you bring some treasure with you."

"Hey, you're making me swim?!" i exclaimed, "And with treasure chests?!"

"Haha! You can handle it-yoi!" He said

"Damn you, Marco!" I gritted my teeth

About an hour later, I was drying my clothes off at the deck of the ship. I had managed to bring around 3 chests filled with gold and diamonds. It was a good score from some low level pirate crews.

"Godamn." I said as I shook my coat, "Always making me swim…"

I then felt an odd sensation.

I narrowed my eyes and looked around the deck, it was empty. Only the lanterns that were left by the others were there, shining in the dark night.

Something was off.

I then heard a sound coming from the now calm sea.

I turned to see a figure off into the far distance.

I squinted, trying to make out the figure. I the widened my eyes in disbelief.

It was a young woman, the same one from my dreams.

She was sitting atop what looked like small rowboat, wearing a light blue dress. Her blue skin glowed slightly due to the faint moonlight.

I focused more on her, using my Observation Haki, trying to get a clearer look on her with my vision.

She was giving me a smile, the same one she gave me in the dream, piercing me with her bright icy blue eyes.

"What the…" I said as I started to get a real bad feeling, "H-Hey…."

I started to get goosebumps. My whole body was starting to be filled with some sort of anxiety.

I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth, trying to snap out of it.

"H-Hey!" I called out to her

Without saying a word, she pointed up. I looked at what she was pointing at. To my surprise, it was the moon. It was massive, engulfing half of the night sky and it shined brightly like a spotlight.

"What…." i said as i stared at it

I started to hear a strange humming.

My body felt limp as my vision was starting to blur. I then collapsed to the floor and slowly lost consciousness.

************************

I don't know what happened. But I know for a fact that right now I am dreaming.

I was back at that field. The same field where i saw the wolves and the stag. And more importantly, the woman.

I looked around frantically, looking to see if she was there. I didn't see her anywhere. I didn't see anything or anyone.

I looked up and saw the empty black sky.

"What the?" I said aloud, "Wait…I can speak?"

This was odd. I know I am in the dream, but I couldn't speak before. What the hell was going on?

I then heard a sound behind me. I turned my head to see the massive white stag staring me down.

"Whoa…" I said

The beast didn't flinch to my voice. It merely stared at me calmly. Looking at it closely, it looked beautiful and majestic. Its as if it was some sort of spirit.

I reached my hand out to touch its snout, but before i could, it turned its head and stared off to my right.

"Huh?" I said as I followed its gaze

I saw something glowing red in the distance. I made my way to it. I walked slowly as I felt the Stag follow behind.

I reached to where the glow was coming from, it was a large stone, it had something engraved in it and flames glowed from it.

I waved the flames away, without a thought. I then read what it said.

It read:

"Caleb"

I frowned, "What?"

That word….It sounded familiar…..

I stood there, silently. Not knowing what it meant. What was it? A name? Whose?

"What does it mean?" I asked aloud as I turned around to the stag

As I turned, I saw the Stag had someone atop of it.

It was the Woman. She gave me a slight smile as she pierced me with her eyes.

"You…" I said

She pointed at me, "You don't belong here." She merely said, "Caleb."

I blinked, "Caleb?" I said, "N-No…You're wrong…I am Starr-"

"Starrk!!!!"

I opened my eyes wide, I was waken up from the dream.

"Huh?" I said as I looked up at the sky

The sun was hitting my eyes and for a good while, I stared at it while it did so.

I then closed my eyes as they burned, covering my face.

"Aghh!!" I groaned, "What the hell?"

"Oi, Starrk! Are you alright?!" I heard Marco's voice call for me

I rolled over to my stomach and groaned, "What happened?" i asked

"Beats me if I know-yoi!" Marco exclaimed, "We found you collapsed in the deck, man! You were barely breathing-yoi!!"

I groaned and pulled myself up to my knees, "Aghhh, man." I said clutching my head, "What the fuck was that dream?"

I felt the old man's footsteps as he approached me.

"Are you alright, Starrk?" He asked me, "What's the matter?"

I looked up to see him looking down at me with a concerned face.

I shook my head and stood up, "I'm fine, I think." I said, "Must've been a cold or something. All that swimming I did…"

Marco patted my shoulder, "You sure?"

I nodded, "Yea…"

Whitebeard sighed, "Good." He said, "We have some news for you, then."

I looked at him, "Oh yea?"

"That brat has requested to meet you." He told me

"Who?" I asked

"Roger's former Cabin-Boy." Whitebeard said

Marco scoffed, "What the hell does Red-Hair want with Starrk-yoi?" He said, "He can't know about his whole Future knowledge, can he?"

Whitebeard shrugged, "Beats me." He said, "He offered some West Blue Sake so I accepted."

I sighed, "alright. When do we meet him?"

"A couple of days. He's near." He said, "The Land of Giants, Elbaf."

I nodded, "Alright."

I watched as he left. I stood there, not moving an inch. I was trying to process what the fuck had happened to me.

I was on the deck last night then all of the sudden, I saw the woman and fell unconscious and was in the same dream. What the fuck was all that about?

Who the hell is Caleb?

And what the fuck did she mean by what she said? I don't belong here? What could that possibly mean?

I then felt someone watching me. I turned to see someone in the shadows. I could barely make out his face but his figure is all i need to see to know who it was.

He was creeping around as always.

"Tch." I said as I gave him a slight glare

I then turned back around and walked away.

"Fucking asshole." I muttered under my breath so he doesn't hear,

"That damn Teach…."