Task 1:

Kash wandered around the town of Drum Island, shopping for a winter coat WITH...the fur inside because necessary. She had never been so cold in her life and some would say she's the coldest woman alive, or used to be. She's still been practicing her "empathetic woman" routine. It was dull to her life but she was trying to be better.

A lot of the crew was out and about as well, doing their own things so far. She was in a small clothing store on her own to find the jacket to suit her. The people of Drum Island had been quite welcoming to her and the crew, they seemed like nice folk. On top of that, she hadn't run into any trouble so far either since they've arrived.

"Hmm..." she would say admiring a dark grey long coat with white fur inside.

"Ahhh, yes cuuuuuttteee! You should buy it!" A girl who worked in the store would say excitedly coming around another rack of clothes.

Kash would look at the younger woman trying to understand her enthusiasm. It was so...much to her.

"You're not just saying that because you get paid on commission are you? Because that...would be unfortunate," Kash would say looking the woman in her eyes, reading her.

"Oh no, haha. I'm sorry, I just love seeing new people and that coat definitely fits you. You have such an edgy style and I think this would just make others gasp in awe. So fierce!" She would explain, urging Kash to try it on.

Kash would put the jacket on and admire the look in the mirror. It did give a certain appeal. She looked like a winter warrior especially considering her weapons at her waist and posture.

"Not bad, I think you may be right after all."

"Told you! Oh. My. God!" The girl seemed to have seen a ghost the way she had suddenly begun to act.

Kash stared at her in confusion and began to look around for trouble. "What?!"

"Oh! Nothing, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you but have you...ever considered dying your hair?"

Kash looked at the girl as if she was the drunkest bastard in the bar.

"I just think, you'd totally be a triple threat with perhaps pink hair? Yeah, a deep pink, not too soft but not too vivid. Beauty and bravado! Girl I'd do you!"

Kash raised a brow. She had never thought about it and the suggestion was completely nonsensical...or was it?

"Hmm, I'll consider it. But for now, I think I'll just take the coat please."

The girl would help Kash check out and she would step back out on the streets in her new coat. Kash checked the time on a nearby clock on a building. It would be getting dark soon. She wondered what the crew would be doing on this island while here? She assumed it would be a short stop but with these pirates, who knew?

Kash heard Leparo's voice and turned to see that he had did a bit of shopping himself as well.

"Of course I did, it's cold as fuck on this island! What is this shit?!" Kash would say, smiling at first but actually getting very serious with her inquiry. She was not accustomed to such whether and it was really annoying her that something like this could actually be possible.

As Kash stood there, hands in her coat pockets and glancing around, she noticed movement to their right a short distance away. The area grew quiet and a bell would ring as if announcing their arrival rather than announcing the time of day. The movement belonged to a group of 8 men in black tattered cloaks and all looked serious. They moved in two rows of 4 with synchronized steps that was more eerie than their clothing. Kash narrowed her eyes as she watched them march in their direction.

"Well, this looks serious..." she said somewhat joking but placing her hand back on the hilt of her sword.

As they got closer, Kash noticed that the group of men were of varying ages. One looked as young as 19 while another 47. It was an interesting dynamic that made Kash wonder if they were here for them. But the group of men would walk past Leparo and Kash as if they had been invisible. Kash's eyes widened and she would punch Leparo's shoulder to direct his attention. The group of shady men were walking toward Luther who was wandering around looking for Kash.

"By order of the King, we are here to apprehend you, the prime suspect of murder." one man would say toward Luther who would look up in confusion.

Kash would begin to walk over toward Luther and try to understand what was going on.

"I'm sorry, it seem we have a misunderstanding here fellas," Kash would say looking Luther in the eyes for a moment to assure him things would be okay.

[color=violet]"There is no misunderstanding. This man is a wanted criminal by the King's decree. He can either be taken in....or killed Another man spoke up from the group. Kash started to become visibly annoyed and tightened her grip on her sword.

"Wait a minute!" Kash exclaimed as the men began to step forward and attempt to arrest Luther.

Kash would draw her blade the moment the shady men would put their hands on Luther and put shackles on him.

"I said you have the wrong guy!" She shouted as her blade became electrified and would cut through the air toward one of the men near Luther. Her blade however would stop mid air, somehow one of the men had gotten next to Kash and grabbed her by her wrist, stopping her swing. Kash would look into the man's eyes and see that they were practically empty, lifeless. Something was very off about these men.

Meanwhile Leparo had already hit one of the men into a wall. But that wouldn't be enough because the man was already getting back to his feet as if he wasn't affected. The way he moved, slow but with purpose, it bothered Kash. This was all so strange.

"Get your hands off of..." Kash began to say but stopped as she could feel the man's grip on her arm...get tighter and almost grow in size it felt. Then suddenly she was thrown a short distance away, hitting the ground and rolling to her feet. Who were these people.

"We won't say this anymore. This is a royal decree by the King himself of Drum Island. This man is to be apprehended...dead, or alive!" A different man would say to everyone in the vicinity. After saying such, more men would appear from the surrounding crowd of civilians. These men weren't dressed like the 8 before them, these were obvious soldiers bearing the colors and insignia of Drum Island.

Kash wasn't sure how to play this. This was so unusual, she knew they couldn't let these people take Luther but at the same time, these men would possibly kill him if they kept resisting.

"Who did he kill?! When?! We just arrived and you're saying he killed someone?!" Kash was attempting to take a civil route and make a plea for Luther's innocence. As she spoke she looked at the civilians faces and even the soldiers, they all looked as if they knew she was telling the truth but were still allowing this to happen.

The 8 men ignored her questions however, continuing to arrest Luther and beginning to haul him away. 4 of the men would form a line facing Leparo, ready for him.

Kash's grip on her sword was so tight her hand was shaking. She looked at Luther's face as he put up a facade. How would he be able to handle this? This was a lose/lose situation. Leparo of course was doing everything through his fists, the only way he knew how. Most times that would work but Kash just knew this wasn't the time or place. Was this what it's like to be in the Grandline? Helpless? Kash was so frustrated and honestly fearful of what could possibly happen in this place that she was unable to move.

This all took her back to a time where she was once helpless before...

"Today's supper! Eat up pretty," said an older, fat and greasy man as he would drop a spoonful of God knows what on the ground in front of a cage.

Inside that cage was Kash, just 17 years old. She had gotten herself captured after an operation with a group she had been running with fell apart. She was wearing torn clothing and her body was covered in grime. This was a low point in her life, at the mercy of slavers.

Kash stared at the "food", flies wasting no time migrating to the slop. She had been in the cage for days and for days this is what they served. At first, she dared not touch the food, but when your body needs food and you're intent on surviving, you'll eat what you have to. That was after awhile but this day, Kash wasn't touching it. In fact, she hadn't eaten anything for the third day in a row. Her eyes looked up toward the disgusting man. That look in her eyes held all her resolve. She was getting out of there...

Kash closed her eyes, trying to think of a way out of this cage they were being thrown into. But if her past has taught her anything it's that sometimes you have to play the game. Kash focused on Leparo, she could tell he was just getting started. But if he kept up, it wouldn't just be Luther they'd have in custody...or worse.

"Leparo," she would say, her voice a lot more calm now. She wanted his attention, she wanted him to stop. It wasn't that she was giving up on Luther, but that they needed to play this right if they wanted him back.

Kash watched as Leparo fought against his own habits and held back from fighting more. Fighting wasn't gonna get Luther back, not right now. Kash's hand would stop shaking and she would sheath her blade. She watched Luther be hauled off, guilty without proof. Not even a trial?

Kash looked around at the crowd of people who had been watching everything go on. She looked at their faces with frustration. All of them just looking as if Kash and Leparo were wounded animals that they wanted to help but no one budged. No one said anything. They just held their heads down.

"Fucking cowards," she would say angrily. She didn't really mean in but she did. She knew these people probably couldn't have done anything. Hell the same thing likely happened to them or someone they knew.

Kash was ready to turn and start walking back to the ship with Leparo so they could figure out a way to get Luther back when a young woman would step forward from the crowd toward them. She was shorter than Kash with short brown hair and green eyes. She wore a light blue dress and white shoes. She'd look like the typical country side beauty if it weren't for all the dirt and tears. This girl looked as if she had been through some horrible things. Kash was no stranger to it.

As the girl walked forward, fumbling with her fingers and her head down, Kash wondered what possible reason she could have for approaching them right now.

"Hello, I...I'm so sorry they took your friend away," she would say, bowing so hard Kash thought she'd hit her head on the ground.

"Uh...it's fine," Kash would say unsure how to actually react to this empathy. "We're going to get him back anyway, that's a promise."

Kash's bold and confident response caused the girl to rise up quickly with a fearful look on her face. It was like Kash had said she was going to kill everyone on the island or something.

"Excuse me for saying this but you will die," the girl said with an look of equal confidence. It actually chilled Kash for a moment.

"Who are you?" Kash asked with a stern look on her face. She wasn't mad but she was concerned about what was happening on this island to give this girl such assurance that they would die.

"My name is Lisa Heart."

The emotion Leparo was fighting back hurt him. He hadn't been put in a situation where he couldn't fight back in so long that it confused him. He was losing his friend before his eyes and he felt so helpless. It hurt him to say the least. Leparo kept looking trying to process this but he couldn't nothing nor no one could help him through such a time like this. Luther walking off with those men just lit a fire under Leparo that not even he could ignore. As Kash's hand stopped shaking Leparo's began to shake. Kash called those watching cowards which Leparo didn't agree with because these people weren't gifted with the same level of skill Leparo and Kash were gifted with. If they couldn't defeat those men what made Kash think these random town goers could. "Don't hold them responsible Kash, they have nothing to do with your rage nor mine.. All we can do is hope for the best and figure out a way to get our boy back" Tears escaped the eyes of Leparo as he thought of losing his crewmate, someone he respected and trusted too a system that he was once apart of. Hopefully Leparo and Kash could find a way to avenge their mate and save him.

Walking over to Kash Leparo placed his arm firmly on her shoulder. He was understanding of her fear for Luther especially given her past with confinement and their own meeting through such an event. The duo had bonded through so many traumatic events in life and now they had to bond through another event that would do nothing but bring them closer to one another and their brother in arms, Luther. As the duo was prepared to go back to their ship a small girl came up to the duo and apologized for their friend being taken away and Kash quickly thanked her but assured the girl Luther would be back within the fold soon. The girl made the picture clear as day, the two would die attempting to get Luther back which made Leparo raise an eyebrow at the child who spoke such nonsense. Kash asked the girl what her name was and it was short and sweet, Lisa Heart. "Well Lisa Heart. I hate to break it to you but we aren't your average pirates. When we give our word, nothing stops us from keeping it" said a scoffing Leparo who was full of emotion right now.

Task 2:

"I'm aware, but it changes nothing. Not without insight at least. Do you have somewhere to stay?" Lisa would ask, a concerned look on her face.

Kash looked over at Leparo before responding, "We have our ship but are you offering?"

Lisa cocked her head slightly, a bit annoyed it would seem.

"You really should work on your people skills," she would say.

Kash was taken aback by the sudden criticism considering the circumstances and would simply let the comment go unchecked.

"But yes, I do have somewhere you both can stay. It's not much but it's warm," Lisa would say before beginning to walk away.

Kash would look at Leparo for his response before making a move. They didn't know this girl and everything about this place was now rubbing Kash the wrong way. Could they trust her? Kash honestly wasn't sure but she knew they had no friends on this island. Perhaps Lisa was genuine and could really be of some help, even though the girl had no faith in either of them.

"I suppose it wouldn't be too much to at least check her place out. Maybe she has some information that could help us figure this place out. I at least want to play this smart before resorting to outright violence."

Kash wanted to get their friend back just as badly as Leparo and the old her would've made every attempt to kill those men before. But this would obviously require some finesse.

"Well, are you two coming or not?!" Lisa had stopped to yell back at them.

Kash waited for one more moment before going on and taking steps to follow her. She'd just have to take a gamble at seeing what the girl was about. What it was they could do to get their friend back. Plus they needed to rest and Kash didn't want to spend the night on the ship.

This little girl was sure she knew what she was talking about in reference to Leparo and Kash losing their friend. Her words actually concerned Leparo since this woman obviously knew something that they didn't. The question was what? Could she say something that the duo didn't already know? Was it some means of saving their friend? Or was it information about those who took him to begin with. She then asked the duo if they had anywhere to stay which prompted Kash to look back for Leparo's blessing which he nodded his head for letting the woman know they have their ship but if she was offering it was more than okay. Even though this Lisa Heart woman spoke of the Gold Leopards people skills she herself wasn't the best with words as she often came off as rude "You're one to talk" chimed in Leparo who wasn't in much of a talking mood right now given the circumstances. Lisa would say the place she had for the duo to stay at wasn't the nicest but it was something which was okay with them. Leparo could tell the woman wasn't lying given her heartbeat and things of that nature and decided to trust her, once more nodding at Kash giving her approval to okay the movement. Leparo looked around at his crew members "Oi, head to the ship. Me and Kash will return soon, with our brother!"

The uproar of cheer Leparo's comments gave let his crew know things were going to be okay, but in reality he didn't really know that for himself. Leparo watched as the woman began to walk and Leparo looked at his crew to make sure the were making their way to the ship without incident. The crew wasn't really ready for the seas ahead but Leparo was going to protect them through it all because they were his comrades. Protecting Luther was his next priority and he was going to do that no matter what. Luther and Kash had grown close to Leparo's heart and he wasn't going to let anything happen to either of them. Especially if it was his fault. "Let's get a move on" joked Leparo to Kash as he began to follow after the woman, hoping her heart was as pure as her last name.

Kash, Leparo, and Lisa walked along a path in the frozen forest as the sun was beginning to set. Lisa was leading while Kash walked beside Leparo, behind her. The wind was beginning to pick up and Kash was so glad she had got her knew jacket. The old one would not ever stand a chance in this weather. While they all walked, Lisa began telling her tale about how her family had been highly regarded folk and reduced to nobodies.

"My father actually used to work within the royal court as an aide. He was very respected and because of that, our family was able to live beyond comfortable means. But...someone began spreading lies about my father, saying he was a traitor. That was the first step," Lisa told them, her eyes staring down as she walked.

"The first step?" Kash wondered.

"Yes. It all started out as rumors, with no real evidence or reason to believe it. But rumors spread like wild fire. People began wondering, talking about us. They were making up their own little stories about our family and "what we were up to". We would ignore them, staying strong in our bond as a family and keeping our heads up. It continued for months and was actually beginning to die down, but then something came up in the court. Some "whistleblower" with their reliable evidence of my father's treasonous actions."

Lisa would stop walking for a moment and turn to look at them.

[color=brown]"They framed my father for something he didn't do, something he couldn't even begin to do That "evidence" and the actual arrest of my father sparked those rumors again and they began their witch hunt. They executed my father for treason and some plan to assassinate the king and his heirs. They took my mother, who I haven't seen in years and made her their slave in the castle...or so I've heard. My older brothers are prisoners as far as I know, leaving me alone. Our home was seized, as well as our assets. I was forced to the bottom and scrapped my way to something I can call home.[color]

Lisa would turn and begin walking again. Kash was at a loss for words. Just like that, out of nothing, someone had usurped Lisa's family and took everything from her. But why? Kash assumed that Lisa doesn't even know, probably couldn't think of where to begin to look for answers while also trying to survive here.

As they were coming upon a more dense area in the forest, Kash noticed footsteps in the snow around them with no clear direction or trails.

"Wait, stop!" Kash shouted noticing something just in front of Lisa on the ground but she was too late. A rope would ensnare Lisa's ankle and begin dragging her away toward the right quickly. Kash would run after her but before she could get too far, several shrouded figures would appear, dropping from the trees in the forest. They were similar to the men in town but obviously different as well. She wasn't sure if they were affiliated.

Lisa could be seen strung up from the tree, hanging by her leg several meters behind the crowd of figures.

Kash would draw her blade, ready for battle. As she did, one figure would step toward Lisa as if admiring his work. "Finally, the traitors' daughter has been caught. We can do whatever we want with you and no one on this island would even care."

Like a fire bursting into life, Kash's pent up anger unleashed itself and she would stab the first figure closest to her with her blade and using it, would throw the body toward the man only for it to be intercepted by another enemy.

"I care."

Being from such a warm place Leparo hadn't really experienced snow much besides on a few occasions in his childhood. But this weather was something to behold, especially the way Leparo and Kash dealt with it right now. Bot bundled up in their coats thanking that they managed to go shopping before everything with Luther happened because it gave them the chance to prepare for this cold. "I don't know why this log pose thought it would be a good idea for us to end up on such a cold island. Donquixotes and cold weather don't go together. Ever" said a brooding Leparo.

Even with the rather fond mood Leparo was in he couldn't help but think about Luther and his safety. With the sun starting to set it was clear they were wasting time and Leparo wasn't a fan of that. Letting his friend wait for their help this long. During this little walk Lisa began to give some insight into her own life. Her father use to be one of those men that took Luther but propaganda derailed the life he set up for his family. Kash beat Leparo to the question as to what the first step was. Considering his own experience with this situation Leparo understood like no other.

She went on to explain her father was framed for a crime he didn't commit which ultmately led to his arrest and eventually his execution and Lisa becoming an Orphan. As for her family, they had mostly been broken up by the King and his people. That hurt Leparo on a deep level given his own personal struggles with such a situation. He felt for the girl honestly. "That sounds like something royals do" said a bothered Leparo who was more determined than ever to free Lisa's family and take down those who ran this island.

Getting further into the woods Leparo stopped and thought for a second. He's been hearing a foreign noise for awhile now that didn't come from any of the trio currently here. Once he looked down and noticed footsteps he sighed "Shit" said Leparo before Lisa almost immediately got taken by what appeared as a zipline. Kash immediately sprung into action followed by Leparo who watched as a group of shrouded figures arrived making Leparo smile. Cracking his knuckles Leparo would smirk at his opponents as Lisa hung from a tree. "I was born ready to dance" immediately as that was said Leparo dashed forward before spinning, sending the heel of his left food crashing through the face of one of the men. Along with Kash that meant two of these men were down. "Good times" joked Leparo as he stood near Kash.