Missing Piece

Chapter 26

And he wonders why he's targeted more. Charlotte rolled her eyes. She flinched when an explosion sounded seconds later and her head snapped towards Shakky, who only shrugged back at her. "Weren't you going to shamble away the dangerous ones?" She mouthed to Charlotte's silent question of "What kind of items do you collect?"

"That was a GRENADE! How in Roger's name was I supposed to dodge that?!" Cole yanked off his blindfold and stormed over to the huntress. The others taking off their own blindfolds at the commotion. They spotted the paint coating each them and laughed at how ridiculous they looked.

Charlotte gave him a once over. Only soot and dirt covered his sweaty body. "It's just a few scratches, don't be such a crybaby."

"Crazy Witch! I am done with ya and this stupid training!" He pivoted, missing the way Charlotte's face dropped. Her arm shot out instantly, grasping his jumpsuit and he swiveled back just as quickly as he turned away, rage flaring. "Don't think ya can tell me what to do! Who died and made you boss?" He shouted, punctuating his point by shoving his gun at Charlotte's forehead. The other's jumping at the sudden danger.

Charlotte gaze flattened and slapped the barrel away and pointed to the grove their captain had disappeared into earlier that day. "He did! Now suck it up, princess! I don't see anyone else complaining!" She pointed at the crew still confused over the paint covering them.

"Do you even know what you're doing? Have you ever taught anyone Haki?"

Charlotte pulled back. "No, but I—"

"Then how do you know this will work? You don't even know what you're doing! Are you going to take responsibility if we get hurt?"

A flash of red flames and spilt blood against hot desert stones blinked into Charlotte's mind. She could still remember the taste of soot and smoke, and the sounds of a child wailing ringing clear as day in her ears. Her hands coils into tight fists. "The New World isn't a peachy place! The enemies you'll face there are far worse than some boo-boo you get from this! If you're going to cry about this, then you're not cut out to be in the New World!"

Cole's vein popped and he pressed his face closer towards her, snarling. "I don't want to hear that from some coward who ran away from the New World with a tail between her legs! If Haki's all it takes to survive there, then why are you here?!"

Charlotte grew silent.

"Oi, Cole! That's enough!" Shachi interjected, reaching for the other's shoulder but the male ignored him and pressed further into the silent huntress.

"If you really want to teach us, then why don't you tell us exactly how you woke your Haki!"

Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die.

Charlotte tumbled to the side unceremoniously. Her cheek on fire from where the knife dug into the flesh as she rolled away. She coughed, body lurching and tears streaming down her face. She felt like throwing up.

Charlotte was so tired, so, so tired. She barely had the strength to remain conscious, much less move, but she couldn't stop herself from wailing at those around her. She hated it all. Hated the fact of being forced to kill or be killed. She hated the pain that ran through her battered and bloody body and more importantly the pain that ate away at her heart. She hated it all. She hated how she couldn't do anything about it. She hated how weak she felt. Most of all, she hated how they wouldn't shut up.

Please. Die. Sorry. I'm so sorry. But I can't—I ca—I just need you to die.

She seen it, heard it. Their attacks, their thoughts, as they tried to take her life again and again. Their pleads and last-ditch attempts to save themselves.