Serious: The Blizzard Pirates Chapter 2: Treasure Hunting in Magmaztec Island. (CLOSED)

Roko aproached the volcanic caverns from where the lava flowed, the only way to enter the volcano was through those holes, apparently. But Roko couldnt put his crew in such a danger, no, so he had to look for other ways in. Well... They could dynamite their way in... But they didnt have dynamite, and thay coild make the rocks collapse and kill them all... Thinking, thinking, Roko looked up to the sky, and because things of chance, he saw that there were 2 holes above their heads in the volcano. That was it! They had to check the holes and see if they could go inside through there... But how to climb up to there?

"Hey guys! I think..." -Roko started.- "That we can go inside through those holes up there, but how can we get up to there? Any ideas?"

He speaked this out loud so all his crew could listen to him. Suddenly... He had an idea, he looked at his broadsword, but decides to listen his crewmates's ideas first.

Alice looked at Cameron, she knew that he wasn't happy because his devil fruit powers still didn't appear but she knew that they would, unless he hadn't ate a devil fruit, maybe it was something that taste bad like one, but wasn't actually one, but they would only know as time passes by and either his powers appear or they don't, which will show that he didn't eat a devil fruit.

"It's..complicated, but really I'm fine" Alice said not wanting to worry Cameron about herself, she didn't want to worry anyone, she didn't feel that herself was a good cause to cause worry to another person, eventhough she did not feel fine.

Cameron looked at Alice, he didn't want to be sad, he was her friend, so her emotions were his problems too. He gulped and put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her, feeling a little jumpy inside for some reason, although he had no idea why.

"Look" he said "You can tell me anything, your my friend, I can help if you want" he said, blushing a little.

He felt really comfortable around her and..no, he didn't want to think about it. What if he had crossed the friend line with her, what if he was...in love? He quickly laughed that theory off in his head though, but still felt weird around Alice.

Meanwhile on the other side of the jungle, a certain king sitting on a tiger with a hiking bear and a southbird walked through a forest clearing to be met with the delightful sight of some ancient crumbled stones with bizzare eroded cravings. "Right, this is definitely the ruins around here! Good work Hecran! Your now offically the head of searching for ancient ruins!", King Zastur said, promoting the tiger's rank from comfy seat. Hecran merely nodded in thanks, while eying the jungle overgrowth, incase any of his crew members leapt out. He never complements us. Ted mumbled resentfully, to which Peck added, Well, he never complements anyone really. Zastur hit the pair with the back of his free hand and snapped; "Damn it you two! Stop complaining and start searching for the treasure!", as he leapt off Hecran and began looking round carefully for anything that looked valuble, which his royal servants sighed and started lokking around as well.

Leif looked up towards the holes Roko had indicated. It was pretty high up. To high to safely reach without some sort of handhold or whatever. Leif considered the problem for a few seconds and then he nodded sagely.

"Um...maybe," Leif called back down to Roko. "I might have one!"

Dashing a little farther up the mountain, Leif reached the cliff face. He pulled back one arm and punched it into the rock in front of him, then he did the same with each of his feet. He pulled himself up with the holes and punched another hole for his other arm. Slowly he ascended the mountain, using his arms and legs to create the handholds he needed. It took him a couple of minutes, but Leif reached the top safely and hauled himself into the hole above. Turning around, he looked back down at the others and waved.

"Try to follow my path!" Leif bellowed down to them.

Roko saw what Leif had done, he was very intelligent, indeed, and he had some good abilities. Roko looked at the path that Leif had made... It seeme difficult tk climb, and Roko was a differeny size than Leif... So he decided to use somrthing else.

"Wow, that's awesome Leif!"- Roko complimented his crewmember.- "But I might use something else to climb."

Roko took his broadsword and placed the earth crystal in it... He remembered that his dad had told him that if the mass of rock that the sword was trying to lift was too heavy, the broadsword stayed sticked to the rock. So Roko jumped and stabbed the volcanoe's rock, exactly half-way of the way between he ground and the hole above them. Roko was hanging from his saber and used Leif's holes to climb up, then stepping in his broadsword he climbed up. Leaving it there, for someone that could want to use it he said.

"If anyone wants to use the sword to climb up, they can use it, I'll leave it there until the last one of us has climbed!" -then turned to Leif. -"Great idea! We should wait for the other crewmembers here."

He took a peek inside the cave. Although there was anothe cave... The red light that came from the lava inside the volcano indicated that this one went inside the volcano.

Cameron saw that Roko and Leif had made it to the top of the volcano. For Cameron it wouldn't be that hard since he had Gueppo, he could just jump up and up till he reached the top. He then looked down at Alice and sighed, he needed to follow Roko but wanted to talk to Alice more. He then smiled and looked at Alice, then at the cliff.

"Need a lift?" he asked

If she said yes, he would lift her up onto his back and gueppo up the mountain side next to Roko. If she said no, he would do the same, except without her. Either way afterwards he turned to Roko and smiled.

"I'm good, boss" he said

Alice really didn't feel like climbing all the mountain by herself, I mean she had soru so it would take her really little of time to do so, but it was too exhausting and she didn't feel like doing so, but then Cameron offered lifting her up the mountain, which was really nice from his part, and Alice really appreciated it, besides she liked him.. kind of, she still didn't know her own feelings, and even less if Cameron actually felt something for her, which made her doubt about her own feelings in the fear of not being corresponded, which would be really sad and Alice doubted that it would be possible to recover from such a situation.

Alice herself didn't like opening and showing her feelings, she had never felt something like she felt for Cameron before, and it was all new to her and she didn't know what to do, she didn't know if she should risk herself and tell him everything although she herself didn't know what 'everything' was, and she didn't know what would the blonde's reaction would be, and she didn't want to be rejected, it would break her heart in million pieces, and that was bad and she didn't want that to happen.

One would say that no one wants their heart to be broken, but Alice herself didn't more because she had never experienced something like that and it would encourage her to never love again, and that would be really bad because Alice is a good girl, she has a nice heart, and even if sometimes she really lazy and everything she doesn't like to hurt the people she cares about, like everyone in the world, and she is nice to everyone, although she's socially awkward and doesn't know how to express herself and everything.

So Alice in resume is a good girl and deserves to learn how to love and be loved, she doesn't deserve to be rejected and be afraid of rejection, opening herself to someone and then be told by the other person that she's not what he's looking for, not that Cameron would say that, possibly. She would be too afraid to love a person, to open herself, she would never be able to do so again, and that would be a pity, that would be too sad, the world would miss someone awesome as Alice, and that's bad, the world needs to know the real Alice, the awesome Alice Heart, and soon they will, if everything goes right with Cameron, which would be awesome.

Alice nodded she would really appreciate if Cameron did that, she smiled towards him and said "I would really be happy and, appreciate not having to use my soru to go over there, since you know, lazeeeeh" she said while giggling she stood up and hugged him slightly, then looking away with a small blush on her cheeks.

Cameron smiled and hugged her, laughing a little at the way she said 'lazy' and blushing slightly. He then went over her statement again in his head thought about it for a second; she had soru! Cameron looked at her, astounded.

"You have soru too?" he asked "How did you learn it?"

Cameron had learned it, of course, in his training course when he was with his father; Saint Christian. He then, because of this, began thinking about home. He sighed, remembering all the friends he left behind, his mom, his sister, and ex girlfriend, which Cameron didn't mind very much. He sighed, and decided to put it past him, its not like they'd be near him any time soon. He then turned to Alice and waited for her answer.

Yes indeed Alice had soru, how she had learn it was a long story coming back to her childhood, she had been a really naughty and peeped at the marine's training, doing it herself, that way, and with practice in dojos and everything eventually, she learnt how to use soru.

"Well.. it's a long story haha" she said scratching the back of her head, she didn't really like remembering her past, specially how the marines had taken importance in her childhood, how they had ruined her life.

Alice smiled at Cameron, so he wouldn't be worried about her and hugged him again, she hoped he didn't mind that she hadn't told him how she had learnt Soru.

Cameron nodded, and was in the end happy she didn't tell him where she learned soru, because that meant he didn't have to tell her anything about his past, and Cameron didn't think she would be to thrilled to find out he was basically a World Nobel. He then hugged her back again, a little confused on when this had started, but happy anyway. He then looked over to where Roko was looking; the bottomless cave, red with lava that was out of site. Cameron shivered at the thought of trying to find treasure in a fiery pit. Cameron shook his head and returned back to where Alice was and looked at her.

"C'mon, we're friends, you can tell me whats wrong" he said, putting his hand on her shoulder

Jelly followed his captain humming Bink's Sake to himself he didn't feel to excited about the treasure hunt which is why he was humming but he was happy to be part of a crew with such an array of different people.

Jelly would've offered Alice a hand climbing up but he was too caught up in the song which he was humming, Jelly used the sword to wrap his tentacles around then lifted himself up and used his tentacles once again to reach Roko and Leif, once he was there he put his body back together again and joined them in the cave. Jelly then asked, "So where abouts do you think this treasure will be?"

Friends, For some reason, Alice felt like saying 'Exactly, friends, that's one of the problems', but she didn't say it, because she knew that Cameron would not understand it and when he asks what Alice meant, not even herself would be able to explain her own words, because she liked Cameron as friends, but wished they were more, she knew now that she kind of liked Cameron as more than friends, but she was scared, really scared about saying something about it, since Alice really didn't have faith in herself, she thought that Cameron would reject her, and that was something that Alice didn't want, at all. Because if he rejected her, then not only would it be impossible for them to be something more than friends but they would also loose the friendship they had, and THAT was something Alice really didn't want to happen, because Cameron was Alice's only friend, and he meant a lot for her, and loosing him totally was something she didn't want, she would break if he stopped being her friend.

Alice didn't know what to tell him now, she didn't know what to do, if to be honest about her feelings, about everything, or if she should say lies and tell him that she was ok, everything was so complex about her, she didn't like that at all, she wished she was a normal girl with a normal life and she was able to be lazy all day long, not that she wasn't already, but she wanted to be completely happy, having no worries about things such as love and stuff like that, she didn't mind fighting though, because fighting was one thing that actually took her mind off problems and made her feel better, but she hasn't fought since some time ago, and wondered when would be the next time she got to fight someone, it didn't matter if the other person wasn't as strong as she was, because it was hard to find someone who was at her level, she just wanted to have some fun, maybe even let them suffer with cuts and burns, who knows it would get really entertaining.

She certainly didn't know what to say, if she lied about being fine, everything would change and she would feel bad about lying, but if she said the truth she risked the fact of Cameron rejecting her and their friendship ending, something that, as said above, she didn't want to happen. Although something hadn't crossed Alice's mind before, there was still the possibility that Cameron felt the same way, he indeed was nice to Alice and everything, more than he seemed to be with the rest of the crew, so she thought that it was actually possible that he felt something for her, and that it was the kind of feeling Alice felt for him, so it would actually be corresponded, and everything would turn out nice between them, that would be perfect, and Alice didn't know if she should risk everything for that to happen, she didn't know if she should risk telling him her feelings to see if he felt the same for her. She thought about if for a second and came to a conclusion.

Breathing deeply Alice blushed slightly and smiled at Cameron before telling him what was wrong.

"Besides having a really bad past with the marines, which was how I learned soru, it's also because of my feelings for you are too much complicated, I don't know what to do with them anymore because it's like every time we spent time together they become stronger and it makes me want to tell you how I feel but I'm afraid that you'll reject me and not even will I be sad about it but our friendship will also fuck up, and that's totally something I don't want it to happen, so the feelings I'm telling you about are that I.. that I like you Cameron, it's the first time I've felt something like this for a boy and I don't know what to do, I'm afraid, I'm confused, I wished I was a normal girl and was able to be normal and stuff and happy without romance and stuff to worry about, but no I have you and I want to know if you feel the same way, I don't know what I'd do if you don't though because it would be really sad for me and I don't know why I'm telling you all of this because it's probable that you don't feel the same way and you'll just reject me and that's.. sad" she rattled.

Cameron watched Alice think for awhile, and waited for her to start talking. He then heard her began to talk...VERY fast. He kept up with her long, run on sentence, and after she finished, he began to figure out what it actually meant, unjumble all the words she just said. He then listened to what she said un his head till he realized what she had said. She liked him! Cameron had no idea what to say, it was so unexpected, he hadn't expected her to like him back. Like him back...Cameron then realized he had just admitted to himself he liked Alice as well, which was nice, not nice, amazing. Cameron had no idea how to confess his feelings to her, but knew it would be a hell of a lot easier now that he didn't have to worry about rejection or ruining a friendship, his only friendship. He began to think of so many things to say, so many...He then, without really knowing what he was doing or why he did it, kissed her quickly on the lips then looked at her, smiling a little.

"I like you too...a lot" he said Well He thought That takes care of what I'm gonna do

Alice was waiting for Thor's reaction, she was worried that he was going to reject her because he was taking his time in answering, she didn't know what to do, she was about to start crying, due to the suspense and not knowing what to do, some tears were building up in the corner of her eyes, her blue eyes that resembled the sea, so deep, so cold usually, but now for some reason they didn't look cold, they looked afraid, scared, sad.

But then Alice's eyes widened as Cameron's lips touched hers, it was only a second but it felt like million of years for Alice, that single touch, that single moment, meant a lot for Alice and she would never forget about it. She felt million of butterflies inside her stomach, going up and down, tickling her stomach a lot, she felt something in her throat that made her unable to talk, she felt really energized, as if Cameron gave her energy with that kiss, as if she could do anything now, she felt great, and it was all because of Cameron.

Then he told Alice that he liked her too, a lot! Alice was so happy to hear that, she hugged Cameron tightly and smiled at him "R-Really?" she asked with a blush on her cheeks, she felt like this was really impossible, that it was impossible for Cameron to like her back, she thought that Cameron was too good for her, and that she didn't deserve him.

As he was figuring out his reply, he had noticed something; Alice had been on the verge of tears. This made Cameron really sad, he liked Alice a lot and didn't want her to be sad, especially sad because of him. He then, in his head, vowed that he would never allow her to be hurt again. And then when she hugged him, he hugged back smiling. He blushed slightly from the fact that him made her blush, and hugged her tightly for a few seconds, then let her go. He then brushed his hair with his fingers, a little embarrassed that he had just been so romantic, since it was unlike him, and didn't really go with his image, but it was for Alice, so he delt with it. He had been so busy with his thoughts he had forgot to answer Alice. He then looked at her and smiled.

"And yes, Alice, really" he said, beaming

"What's next captain?" Leif asked Roko. "We're here...and, well..." He looked down further into the cave. "It's all red. And hot. Really, really hot. I might even have some trouble with taking the heat." He returned his gaze to Roko. "By the way, do you have a treasure map or something that says that there is treasure in this place? I've been wondering about that...because it looks like just a regular ol' volcano to me. Except for the lava canal."

Leif was talking quickly and loudly, trying to drown out Alice and Cameron's conversation. Apparently those two had forgotten that they were not alone and Leif didn't want the others to overhear them. Not that he expected having himself talk over them would do anything, but at least he was trying.

Roko started looking around, seeing how his crewmates climbed the volcanoe to get inside the cave. Roko saw inside, it looked something intimidating just to see the red light coming and feeling the heat. But well, if it was not possible to continue they would turn back and look in another place. Roko looked at Leif.

"Well Leif, next let's go to see what is at the end of the cave." -then Leif complained a bit about maybe having trouble and a treasure map or something. -"Ah, well I got the map of where the island was situated from a man in York Island, an old man that told me there was said to be a treasure hidden here in the island... although he never said that it was inside the volcano, but it seems like a very good place to hide a treasure, dont you think so?"

Roko turned back to look at Cameron and Alice, it was cute how they just had... started a relationship. Roko had said all of that while walking into the inside of the cave, but when Roko saw into the cave, the only thing he saw was a sea of lava, not a way to the right or something. but across the sea of lava, he saw another cave. The sea of lava separated the two solid platforms by 10 or 9 meters.

"Damn... Leif! You see that cave at the other side of the lava? I think we have to get to there, but how???" - He looked back at his crewmates... did any of them have something to say? Did any of them have any item that could help them cross this river of magma?

Then Roko noticed that he had left his broadsword in the wall of the volcano, so he ran, picked it up, and ran ack to the entrance of the volcano again, where the sea of lava was.

Leif followed the captain into the volcano and looked in the direction that the captain had indicated. He could see the cave, but he wasn't sure how to get across lava. Except maybe by throwing someone. And that would be too risky. Metal or not, if they messed up and fell in it was all over.

"No, captain," Leif said. "I don't know how to get across. I can't fly..."

Roko analyzed the situation... and seeing that trying to do anything dangerous would just put his crew i trouble and in a great danger, he decided to try and look for another entrance. And then he remembered! He remembered that when he had looked up the volcanoe, he hadn't seen only one entrance, he had seen two of them. Two holes, and the other one was not too far from this one, maybe they could scale the volcanoe in the direction of the hole so they could go in through that one.

"hey guys, I dont want us to do anything out of our minds... that could end up with one of us dying... sooo... remember that there was another entrance besides this one? Well, I think we have to try and have a look there." -Roko said as he walked out of this small cave and peeked over the wall of this cave. He could see the other hole, there wasn't a bright red light coming out of it like the one they were in at the moment. -"Ok, let's use this rocks in the way between the two holes to get to the other one!"

Roko started climbing, he placed each of his feet over a rock that came out of the volcano and started walking the way to the other cavern, it was difficult, but at last, rock by rock, he had gotten to it without falling.

"Let's go guys!"

After sometime of aimlessly searching, in hope of finding, well, anything that looked expensive, Ted and Peck managed to move a slab of aging stone to reveal something quite suprising. Sire, I belive we discovered something for your intrest!, Peck announced to King Zastur, how staring at a rather large block with ancient writting, before deciding to go over to see what his southbird discovered, still sitting on Hecran the tigers back. As all of the Zastur group crowded round they saw a rather dull set of stone stairs leading down to some unseen area, as it was mostly pitch black. "Where there's a secret passage, theres something worth finding! Onwards!", the king bellowed out as he speed down the stairway, his loyal animal companions not too far behind. Sure is warm under here, it's like were walking to an oven, Ted complained, not used to warm climates.

Alice was glad that Cameron actually felt things for her, and that he really liked her back.. even if it sounded impossible for Alice, she was glad that at least Cameron said so, even if it was a lie. But then the insecurities came, Alice knew that she was really lame, lazy and antisocial, besides being ugly, or at least that's what Alice thought. She also knew that she wasn't strong enough, Cameron, even without a devil fruit, would win against Alice, who had a devil fruit and also a katana. But Alice didn't like that, she wanted to prove herself to be worthy of Cameron's love, so she came with a decision.

Smiling at Cameron, she ran up the volcano, to where Captain Roko Cloud, the loud captain who had accepted Alice into his crew, was. Alice knew what she had to do, and she hoped Roko would agree in that, if not, she would just have to leave without his approval, because she really needed to do this. When she arrived, Alice smiled at Roko Cloud, she was really nervous inside though, expecting the captain to be mad at her, but then shaking those thoughts aside, Alice stepped forward and talked, slow and in easy words so the loud captain would understand easily.

"Captain Roko Cloud, I'm going to leave the crew for a year so I can train to be stronger, my loyalty will always be with you and I shall wait for the Blizzards pirates in the entry to the Grand Line, which I hope you'll be getting there by then. I'll be stronger, less lazy and I promise that you won't regret, then, of accepting me into your awesome crew. I hope that you understand, now I must leave before Cameron knows.. I don't want to tell him goodbye.. not in person at least.. can you please tell him that I said something?" she said and made a pause, although she knew that she didn't have much time, so in the end she breathed in and out calmly and continued.

"I want you to tell him that I really do like him and that my feelings will stay even if we're apart for one year. And that I'll never forget him, and that one of the reasons on why I'm leaving is also so I can be worthy of his love, because I feel like I am not, which is bad. So I'll train hard to prove myself wrong and come back better than ever.. please captain Roko, tell him that I said that.." she said, the end sounded and actually was a plea, she didn't want Cameron to think that she was leaving him and never coming back, because that wasn't true. She was coming back, and she would still love him. She knew that the time she had spent with Cameron the last weeks had been the best moments in her life, yes, in her entire life. Because Alice didn't have that much good memories, and Cameron was the only precious person she had, and she treasured him a lot, even if she had just found out that he reciprocated her feelings, which was awesome for Alice.

Alice was scared as well, she was scared that when she came back, Cameron would have moved on and didn't like her anymore.. even worse, that he loved another girl now.. she didn't want to leave because of that, but her will was stronger and she wanted to prove herself, she wanted everyone to know who Alice Heart was and how awesome and powerful she was. And it didn't matter any insecurities she had, she hoped and had faith that Cameron wouldn't forget her.. and even less find another girl for him. That's what pushed Alice to make her decision.

Having finished her request for Roko Cloud, all that was left was saying goodbye. She didn't know what was going to happen in the future, all she knew was that she would survive, get stronger, get better, and come back to the crew that received her with open arms, and to her love. Cameron. She also knew that she would improve and change so much that most of the people would not be able to recognize her at first, probably even Roko and Cameron, but she knew that eventually she would get back to be in the family, and she would get up to date with everything that had happened in that year that she was absent, which was awesome. Alice always liked to listen to tales, specially if they would come from Cameron.

Now Alice gave Roko one final sad smile and nodded to herself. Now it's time to say goodbye, Alice, she thought. "Well.. I better go now.. Thank you, Roko.. really" and with that said, Alice left in soru-like speed, going to the port and stealing the first ship she saw, obviously not the Blizzards' ship.

"I hope I'll get better.. I hope nothing about Cameron will change..." she muttered to herself as she sailed to new adventures, to new progress.

Leif followed after Roko. If the quarter-giant could make it up this path, so could he. So, the young cyborg dashed up the rocks quickly, following after his captain. It didn't take him quite as long as it had Roko, but that was mostly because he was smaller and there wasn't as much chance of him falling.

When he reached the top he took a moment to look back at the ground faaaaaaar below. Leif gulped and pressed himself against the wall behind him. If he fell from this height, he wasn't sure if he would survive.

(OOC: Rodo, I'm not so sure about this crew at the moment. I keep trying to wait to let others post, but it seems to have slowed to a trickle.)

As the king and his trio of animals folowed obediently down the mysterious cavern, they realised that it was getting incredibly warm, in fact boiling, the further down they went. Sire, I do belive this cavern will probably send us somewhere completely without objects of high value, can we not just turn around?, Peck asked, with Ted pitching in; Yeah, it's boiling down here, there's not gonna be any treasure in a boiling cave boss. King Zastur leapt off Heckran the tiger and snarled at his servants; "Ofcourse there's treasure down here! Why do you think it's boiling!? Because the 'treasure' is some undreground hot springs of course! And when we find them we can sell them to the highest bidder!" Peck and Ted looked un certain for a few moments, as their king then ordered; "Onwards!", as they continued there slow plod into the caverns. Wierd, it's like were walking into a volcannoe or something. Ted mumbled to himself.

(OOC: Sorry to the guys who are active in this crew, I am cutting the thread because of the other's inactivity and I'll be doing some changes in the crew, so expect a new thread soon.)