#but what lana really needs to do is find moxie

[a-master-procrastinator]

*cue angry Lana in the background*

[pure-garbage]

Spades Full! Menace In The City Of Water

Chapter Warnings: Violence

Lana's first priority when they arrived in Water 7 was buying a new weapon. Her balisong had been hopelessly lost when the rag-tag survivors from Beckham's crew fled for their lives.

"Maybe not a knife this time," she pondered as she left the ship.

"Get a sword," Zoro suggested. "How much do you have to spend? You can get some decent steel for about fifty grand."

"Potentially," she mused. "Or I could get something less lethal, like Nami's staff."

"Swords don't have to be lethal. You could always use the backs of the blades," Zoro pointed out.

"I've never seen anyone use a sword that way in my life," Lana scoffed.

"That speaks to the lack of creativity and skill of your average swordsman," Zoro tsked.

"Swords are really heavy. I liked my knife. I used it for a lot besides fighting."

"The reach on a knife leaves a lot to be desired. Just get stronger. Then it won't matter how heavy your sword is."

"You're giving this a really hard sell," Lana noted. "Do you just want us to match?"

"No, I'm just being practical. Swords are the best weapons," Zoro insisted.

"You just want us to match. That's cute."

"I am death incarnate," Zoro grumbled darkly. "I'm not cute."

"Cutie-pie," Lana teased. 'I'll be back by night fall, 'kay?"

"Fine. Hey, if you get swords, get at least two."

"We'll see."

The day wore long while Lana shopped and explored the city of water. She visited every weapon shop she could find, window shopping with wide-eyed wonder at the dazzling selection of deadly implements on display. Possibilities swam through her mind as she imagined the ways she might need to adjust her training to accommodate any of the weapons she cast her eyes on. In the end, she circled back to the very first one, where a set of knives had caught her eye at the beginning of the day.

"Sword. What am I gonna do with a sword?" Lana muttered to herself. The set she bought was seven smaller daggers and a belt.

"Spades, huh?" the shop owner mused. "You throw?"

"Uh, sure," Lana said as she paid. The sun was getting low in the sky and she was anxious to get back to the Merry before dark. She didn't actually have any idea what the man was asking her, but she glowed with happiness as she left his store.

"What a bargain," she grinned. "Now even if I lose another knife, I'll have plenty of backups. I just hope 'death incarnate' isn't too disappointed when I show up without a sword... aaand I really need to stop talking to myself."

Content as she was, it still didn't escape Lana's notice that she was being followed by two or three men. They were dressed conspicuously, and oddly so at that, in ragtag outfits with eccentric personalizations and more than a few star motifs. They were taking some pains to be sneaky, but their efforts were bumbling at best, hamfisted at worst.

'Weird... who the hell are these freaks? What do they want? Are they robbers? If so, should I deal with them now, or try to make it back to the ship?'

Lana's thoughts were interrupted by her intuition. She dodged the attack she'd seen coming, casually kicking the man who'd come at her into the canal.

"Fine then, I'll deal with you now," she decided, slinging her bag over her shoulder. 'Bet I can deal with them without dropping my bag.'

"Damned pirate scum!" one of them cursed her, wielding a cutlass. "You and the rest of the straw hats are gonna pay for wrecking the Franky House! Get her, Moxy!"

"Okay, well clearly you already know my friends," she sighed. The two men who remained on the walkway with her lunged simultaneously, but she wove away without letting them touch her. "Luffy must have stirred up some kind of trouble while I was shopping."

"Aarrrggghhh!"

Moxy charged her while her back was to the water.

"Too easy. He clearly didn't pick a fight with you for fun."

Picking fights for fun was certainly not something she could put past her captain, but these foes didn't seem fun enough to interest him. Lana frowned to herself as she continued her evasion, not yet invested enough in the scuffle to fight back.

'If my friends didn't challenge these guys for fun, that means they must have provoked Luffy... if they did something bad enough to piss him off... I hope everyone's okay back at the ship.'

She rolled and let Moxy fall shouting into the canal, leaving only the third goon. He raised his cutlass high and ran at her with ferocity to spare, but little tact. Lana ducked to avoid his slash, then whacked him hard in the side of the head with her bag. Her knives clattered noisily inside while he reeled, causing her to fret a little.

"Aw crap, I hope I didn't nick the blades already!"

She opened the bag to check while the cutlass recovered and came at her again. Worry was beginning to knaw at the corners of her awareness, lending a fresh sense of urgency to her desire to get back to the Merry.

"Oh good, they all seem fine. I think... come to think of it, seven blades is a lot," she realized with a sigh, easily dodging a series of attacks that her intuition warned her of in advance. "I hope I'm not biting off more maintenance than I can chew."

She turned her full attention to the man, still swinging at her. Now that she really looked at him, he seemed like someone had already dealt him a hell of a beating. Her crew? It stood to reason.

"Say, your buddies are gonna end up pretty far downstream if you don't fish them out," she said pointedly. "Let me give you a hand with that!"

The third man didn't go down as easily as the others, but Lana still managed to grapple him into the canal after a minute or two. The others were hauling themselves out of the water down the way, but Lana wasn't interested in going a second round with them. She high-tailed it back to the ship.

Lana's endurance was certainly higher than it had been a year ago. Her intense training had seen to that. Even so, her mad dash back to the Merry ended with her sprawled on deck in a panting heap, staring up at their jolly roger in a fatigued daze as sunset claimed the city of water. The light of the fading sun caught the cascading falls with brilliant resplendence, making it seem at a glance as if the city had caught fire in gleaming, jeweled tones of scarlet, pink and orange.

Nami interrupted her recovery, bursting out of the cabin excitedly only to deflate a little when she set eyes on Lana.

"It's not her," she called back into the cabin, audibly disappointed.

"It's not?" Lana asked with a cocked eyebrow. She pulled herself up off the deck and followed Nami into the cabin. "Who're you waiting for?"

"Robin's been missing all day," Nami informed her grimly. "One minute she was with Chopper, the next she vanished. She didn't say a word to him or anyone else."

"That's not that weird for her," Lana pointed out. "This is a big city, if she saw something that caught her interest-"

"That's not all. You'd better come inside," Nami sighed. "A lot happened today. I guess you missed it."

Lana remembered the thugs she'd dealt with on her way back. Like as not, they'd only recognized her because she carried a bounty. With a sickening start, she realized Robin also had a price on her head.

'Those guys couldn't do much more than hassle me. Could they really have gotten the drop on Robin? Her devil fruit power is formidable... but she's still not a fighter. Is it possible they took her hostage? Or worse?'

"Fine Nami, start at the beginning," Lana requested. "Tell me everything."

_________________________________________________

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== First Chapter ==

[shemakesmusic-uk]

This segment features artists who have submitted their tracks/videos to She Makes Music. If you would like to be featured here then please send an e-mail to shemakesmusic@hotmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

Emily Kate

Toronto-based recording artist, Emily Kate perfectly bridges the gap between country and pop with her unique sound and lyrical storytelling. Pulling from real life experiences, her music conveys relatable thoughtful messages weaved with fresh, soulful melodies. Her meaning filled lyrics coupled with her warm sound is often described as Kelsea Ballerini meets a motivational speaker. She has just released her new EP All In. “These songs have taught me how to love myself, feel inspired, chase my dreams, have fun and grow as a person,” says Emily. “They've been my reminder and helped me through heartbreaks, insecurities, and now they get to be yours. All In features a track which I wrote the morning after a fun night out. This upbeat song is about going out with friends and meeting someone who takes your breath away. Its lyrics are a twist on the common saying, you had me at hello, and instead, this song is about someone having you ‘The Whole Time.’” Listen below.

Emily Kate · The Whole Time

Jordana Talsky

Jordana Talsky is a singer-songwriter and vocal looper who fuses multi-genre influences into her own sound. She accompanies herself by voice with a Roland Boss RC505 loop station. Her ethos is to incorporate digital means into live performance in an organic way, and with the loop machine, she creates a choir on the spot with no pre-recorded parts. Her new single ‘Oh Yeah,’ represents a moment of awakening, like when you remember something you had forgotten about a dream that all of a sudden comes back in a flash, a moment to stand outside of yourself and contemplate, embrace, and inquire of your life. “It takes work, all the time, to choose not to look away and to be honest with ourselves,” says Jordana. “These moments, delicate and challenging, are insights into our authentic selves, that may offer a fresh vantage point from which we can choose to heal and evolve. Inspirational, fun and harmony-rich indie-pop, ‘Oh Yeah’ is about listening to your inner voice and taking faith in the spark you uncovered deep within you.” Listen below.

Jordana Talsky · Oh Yeah

Nimkish

To fully immerse in the multitudes of rising queer Indigenous star, Nimkish, is to honour the past, look ahead to the future, and bask in the resplendent present all at once. The Vancouver-based artist is fearless in her lyricism, confronting anti-Indigenous racism and colonial violence alongside other hard subjects like anxiety, grief and heartache. To the great tradition of singer-songwriters healing through their music, Nimkish brings a bright-eyed aim to flourish in all she has experienced. Nimkish’s lyrics give affirmation to past pain while living in the moment. To some it may sound like escapism, to others it may sound like moxie-driven R&B-pop pulsing through the club. What’s certain is her fortitude — she’s on a mission, combining the coolness and creativity of the TikTok generation with the lucidity and confidence of a grown woman. Nimkish’s anthemic new single, ‘YSB,’ features ASCXNSION and is about the need for healing, freedom, and to be heard. "’YSB’ is about the need for healing, freedom, and to be heard,” explains Nimkish. “Are you listening? Do you hear me? Am I screaming out into nothing? This song is about feeling like you can't get ahead, and specific issues that we as Indigenous women work through on a daily basis. Our generation has been left to deal with trauma and we are continually fighting for equity. It can feel exhausting to constantly try to be truly heard. I wanted to go deeper on this project and write about real shit. What we have created is anthemic, resilient, and confrontational, despite the vulnerability that it took to write about our lived experiences. This release is about showcasing Indigenous excellence and the need to amplify our voices. Our time is now – the future is Indigenous.” Listen below.

NIMKISH · YSB (feat. ASCXNSION)

Tana

Tana is an artist, writer and a topliner with charge and a unique flair for lyrics and melody. Her rich and diverse views on gay culture, have strongly influenced her musical and personal journey. Tana’s music is unapologetic, revolutionary, and liberating. At heart, Tana is a true artist, and is inspired by many things around her - people, sexuality, her heritage (being half Italian and Nigerian), the city she grew up in, and the LGBT community. She places diversity at heart and aims to make music that relates to the masses, whilst pushing her creativity at all times. Her array of influences create new ideas and sounds that break traditional boundaries. Think Halsey & The Weekend. She has just released her new single ‘Bad Habits (Keep On Coming)’. Tana says of the track: “I wrote ‘Bad Habits (Keep On Coming)’ over lockdown, and it’s about wanting to grow from a toxic relationship. I found myself holding onto flaws and limitations that really effected my personal growth, and writing about it helped me recognise these issues and learn from this experience.” Listen below.

Love Crumbs

Love Crumbs is a folk-rock and Americana group based in Massachusetts. Known for blending poignant lyrics with evocative vocal storytelling, their nostalgic, timeless, heart-on-sleeve sound harkens to a bygone era. They have just released their new single ‘Ellipses’. “The track is about trying to connect with someone and not being able to despite the best of intentions,” says Mike. “It's about the things that aren't said or are left unsaid. It's about a meaningful relationship that ended kind of suddenly. The person was typing to me (as evidenced by the "...") but I never got to hear their response. Closure isn't something that someone gives us, in the end. It's something that we have to come to on our own. The sonic influences for me on this track, probably in particular the chord changes in the verses are Neil Young, the pre-chorus Tom Waits.  I wanted to stack Ali's vocals because it has an unreal sound (not occurring naturally, similar to Royals by Lorde) that can work in the right context.” Listen below.

Love Crumbs · Ellipses

Anniee

Anniee is an electronic artist and theatre composer based in Montclair, NJ just outside NYC. As a vocalist she has performed in a variety of styles and genres. Recently she has turned her attention to producing synthwave and retrowave tracks with modern and minimalist vibes. She has just released her new track 'Lonely Wolves'. "'Lonely Wolves' is moody and driving, with retro vibes and a modern sensibility—an intense journey exploring breakdown in relationship," says Anniee. Listen below.

Anniee · Lonely Wolves

Leah Rose

Emerging pop songwriter and producer Leah Rose has released her debut single ‘Goodnight’. The melancholic hue of ‘Goodnight’ arises from the sentimentality of a writer reflecting on a landscape they no longer exist in. The song was written and recorded in lockdown and is a prime example of how an artists’ time in isolation can result in the inevitable dissection of their past. Sonically, ‘Goodnight’ was inspired by artists such as Lorde, The Weeknd and Charli XCX. Leah Rose is a Cork-born artist who has spent the last 5 years based in Dublin. She spent much of that time honing her craft, finding inspiration in lyricists such as Alex Turner and Lana Del Rey. Strong imagery and colour play a huge role in Leah’s songwriting. Growing up with artists for parents meant that Leah was exposed to a range of visual art forms at a young age. She strives to create art not only through music but through her artwork, photography and overall visual aesthetic. “I see my songwriting style as atmospheric and somewhat abstract,” she says. “I love being able to use music as a tool to materialise the things I see in my mind. So when I write a song I try to place the listener right in the centre of my memories and daydreams”. Listen to ‘Goodnight’ below.

Leah Rose · Goodnight

Felyce

Felyce's alt-pop root influences shine through on her shuffling and atmospheric alternative Pop/R&B new single ‘Skin’. The Paris-based singer-songwriter Felyce shares the struggle she faced accepting the color of her skin while growing in France. Getting away from slow tempos, ‘Skin’ offers an energetic but still dark ambiance. Felyce wrote and performed ‘Skin’ and she worked with professional arranger Nicolas Lassus to make the song what it is now. She said in statement: "I wrote 'Skin' thinking about that beautiful story I heard once. A young black girl wondered why her skin was so dark and her mother told her the reason was because the sun loved her too much. That story really stuck with me". Born and raised in Paris, she spent most of her time between stage performances and school until high school when she put most of her focus on studying while writing her first full songs on the side. Felyce graduated from university in 2016 before starting a short career in HR but she realized that music was the only career for her and began learning production the next year while working on her debut EP Fear which dropped in 2018. She's been steadily releasing singles and crafting her sound since; embracing her formative influences, including British pop music acts like Sam Smith, Robbie Williams, Birdy, and American pop acts such as Lana Del Rey or Banks. Listen to ‘Skin’ below.

Kenzie Webley

Kenzie Webley has been writing songs since she was 13 years old but only started recording last year just before lockdown. Her new single 'Loveable' is out now to coincide with her finishing her A levels. Her debut album is almost finished and she already has the songs written for her second album! 'Loveable' tells the story of a couple arguing in public after a night out. It's from the perspective of someone who recognises their own culpability in the events. Listen below.

URARTA

URARTA’s new EP consists of four tracks centred around the issues of standing up for yourself and others, respecting the planet’s boundaries and looking out for your own. Musically, the band has its heart in punk, but simultaneously flirts with genres such as post punk, alt-rock, noise, Goth and indie. The lyrics are in English and in the dialect of Skåne –the southern part of Sweden where the band also has its geographical base. URARTA consists of Monica Richter (vocals), Ketty Hagmann (bass) and Tove Lorentz (drums). Listen to the song ‘D.I.Y’ below.

Vol 2: Vi Fick Fel Adress by Ursäkta Röran