The Devils in the Fruits

10- Hanna

I sighed as I watched the ten year old child sniffling in the furthest corner of the ship's dark storage room.

It had been two years since the destruction of her home island and yet she still wept over its loss and the death of her loved ones and mother.

She tried to laugh as her balled up fists vainly wiped at her never-ending stream of tears, but it was no use as her sobs overpowered her will to laugh through the pain.

She had to be quiet, though. She was a stow-away after all.

Nico Robin clenched her jaw shut as tight as she could, seemingly afraid that the ship's crew members would hear the chattering of her teeth in the cold winter air.

I knew that the child didn't have to do such a silly thing like that, swing as how the entire crew was on deck having a party.

It was Christmas Eve, after all.

As the night dragged on, I watched as her face became flushed with a growing fever, but her lips and fingertips took on a blueish tinge.

The chattering of her teeth never stopped even when she finally fell asleep and her tears turned to ice as they hit the creaking dark wood she sat on.

I wasn't like a lot of spirits. I remained neutral to everything in most cases.

I had learned to live with Robin many years ago and I sometimes even enjoyed my time with her.

So seeing the child in a condition like this... well I wasn't comfortable with leaving her like that.

I searched the storage room for a few minutes before finding a heavy wool blanket.

Flying back to my little master, I took a more solid form and swaddled the child with the blanket, then sat down where she had been and pulled the girl into my lap, wrapping my arms around her frail body.

I sighed once more and shook my head.

"I can't believe I'm doing this..." I muttered, then opened my mouth and forced my voice to cross the barrier between devils and humans.

"Come stop your crying, it'll be alright.
Just take my hand, hold it tight.
I will protect you from all around you.
I will be here, don't you cry..."

I didn't know if she could hear me or not, but my master had begun to relax in her sleep and her body temperature began to rise again.

It was in that moment that I heard the ship's crew begin to cheer from up on deck and I sighed for the third time as I began to stroke Robin's sleek black hair.

At least nobody will know about this... Hie would humiliate me if he found out... I muttered to myself, then smiled ever so slightly and kissed the top of the child's head.

"Merry Christmas, Robin."

{Hanna: Hanna-Hanna no Mi (Flower-Flower Fruit)
Hie: Hie-Hie no Mi (Ice-Ice Fruit)}