Hey! Artists Can Be Strong, Too! [One Piece - Trafalgar Law]

Episode 11 - Kase

The scene abruptly changed again to familiar surroundings. She had all her senses now, but she still remained unable to move. Yuria numbly watched the one-sided slaughter of the old tyrants of Cape Castle. During the handoff by the trafficker, she had taken that chance to escape. She let them put the shackles on her. It was the only time she remained aware as she lost control of her own Devil Fruit. As a six year old, she had to accept that she already had the blood of hundreds of people on her hands. It also hadn't been just a rumor that the walls were painted red. She had been found amid the carnage using her hair to give the castle walls a makeover with drawings for every body. A routine that had been ingrained in her.

Yuria continued watching blankly as if it had nothing to do with her as she stared into the soulless eyes of the dead. She remembered each one as vividly as the day they became to be. Right before she knew the Seo couple would barge into the room she was in her vision snapped to inky darkness once again. 

Even though she couldn't swim, she imagined this is what floating on water would feel like. The silence was comforting in its own way as it gave her reprieve from the screams, but it didn't silence her mind. She had managed to lift her hand at one point and whatever she was floating seemed to have dyed her as it stuck to her skin. She couldn't tell how much time had passed as she floated. Her thoughts felt too loud as they echoed in her head.

She wondered how much damage she had done this time. She wondered if she would ever come to again. She wondered if Luffy and the others had come to save them yet. She wondered if Nami and Robin were afraid of her. She wondered if she did come to if she would be viewed as a heartless monster. She wondered...if she would be able to stay with them. 

Suddenly she started sinking into the unknown substance and she panicked. However, her panic subsided when she felt that it was rather warm and comforting. She hadn't felt this kind of warmth in years. The last time had been when her mother had hugged her close when she had finally let down her guard for the first time. She was never able to receive that kind of warmth again as her mother's illness started to take a hold of her. Yuria could only watch helplessly as the bedridden woman's hair turned white and cursed white patches formed on her skin. She closed her eyes giving in and for once her chaotic mind was given some respite to drift into the void. 

Yuria strained to open her eyes as the strong light hit her in the face. She blinked rapidly before turning her head to get away from the sunbeam. She groaned in pain when she managed to sit up and her whole body burned. She was in her old room at the Seo family home. It felt like she hadn't slept in days as her eyes burned and her head throbbed.

"Oh! You're finally awake, Yuria!" Chopper's sudden voice had her jumping startled and she immediately regretted it when a sharp pain went through her back. Chopper exclaimed in horror before rushing over to her. "Oh, no! Did you reopen a wound?!" 

The reindeer-human used his hooves to push aside her hair to view her back and sighed in relief when he didn't see any blood seeping through the fresh bandages. Chopper cleared his throat with a hoof to his mouth as he pulled a clipboard off the nightstand. By how normal he was acting, it didn't seem like he viewed her any differently.

"How are you feeling right now, Yuria?" After Chopper had explained the extent of her injuries he had ended off with that question. The little reindeer had very throughly and very worriedly informed her of her injuries which included multiple large lacerations and bruises across her body- the worst of the bruising being around her wrists. As well, all things considered, at least she didn't break anything this time, but she really had been steps away from death with the amount of blood she had loss.