Charlotte dropped onto the metal hull of the submarine as quietly as she could. Her Haki abilities only allowing her to see the several sleeping bodies below, but not where the doors or items on the submarine were. She cursed when she bumped into something she didn't recall being there. Someone had moved something.
Arms stretched out wide Charlotte patted along the crate towards the wall, using her hand as a secondary guide to the floor plans she had memorized back when they were docked on Amazon Lily. She inhaled silently, fingers twitching to curl and send her karambit spinning outwards as she stood before the metal door to her target's office. He wasn't asleep like she had hoped he would be. Freaking sleep-deprived masochist—
"I know your there. Come in, Hunter-ya."
—observant paranoid bastard. She finished cursing as she entered. His back was to her. His hands ghosted a spine of another book, fingers dipping into the top edge to pull it out of the shelf. He waited for her to slowly step back out into the dimly lit room before speaking, "You may have Haki, but I know everything that enters my Room."
Charlotte's eyes adjusted to the dim light, noticing the thin blue film around them. A twisted grin on her face as she met the doctor's dark eyes. "You had all the lights off on purpose." Charlotte clicked her tongue. Usually there would be night lights lining the bottom of the halls so they could see if they were unexpectedly ambushed or attacked at night. However, there weren't a single shred of light in the yellow submarine tonight. As if the darkness from Kukonda Island had infected the little submarine. She couldn't help but respect his preparedness. Even if it was against her.
"Fast as always." Law commented, easily and Charlotte wasn't sure if it was a compliment or an insult. "You're late. The meet time was sundown." He added before Charlotte could decide. He cracked open the book, pretending to read the words there. "Where are the others?" His eyes fell towards the metal glinting in the dim light. Cole had only given her back one of her weapon. How cautious.
Charlotte blinked, off-kilter by the question. Her fingers flexed and her blade shifted slightly. He couldn't really think she was just simply late in getting back, could he? "They're in jail." She answered, not sure what the game the other was playing. Surely, he had to know she was here for him, right?
"And why aren't you there?" Law hummed, skimming through another page.
"I was." His page flipping stalled. "I escaped first." He flipped the page, tattoo hand resting over the page and blocking the text he wasn't reading. His attention focused on listening instead. First, she had said. So, the others should be coming soon. "If they're not dumb, then they would have snuck out before the sun rises."
He closed the book and turned towards the huntress slowly circling him. "Why before the sun rise?" They couldn't see in this dark. Waiting until sunlight made more sense.
"Because everything resumes once the sun rises. The Zālians only operate during working hours. Those are the hours when the sun is up. Night is the only time to do things undetected." Charlotte answered and Law took a moment to appreciate the intel she collected.
"Was it cold on your way back?" Law pivoted suddenly, noticing the red hue on her bare arms in the dim lights and the slight trembles of her body.
"There was a bit of wind." Charlotte responded absentmindedly, eyes scanning the room. The overtly long sword wasn't with him, but she doubted it would be far away. Likely in the range of his room should he need it urgently.
"...how did you get caught?" He watched her eyes drop to her bound arms and Law raised a brow at the scarf now acting as sleeves. "The cuffs." He answered in recognition and Charlotte nodded.
"They drew unwanted attention." She said, brows knotting together, and Law noted how she really didn't like to be in the center of attention. It didn't seem to be from lack of self-confidence. Charlotte's behaviours never waned under attention—still equally and agile and strong. And troublesome.
Are you going to remove them, Captain? The cuffs? It kind of feels like we're keeping her prisoner. No one else wears cuffs. Rike was the most recent one to add his thoughts about Charlotte's unusual accessories. Now it was causing them trouble. "So, it seems." He stated with a light hum and Charlotte lifted her gaze towards the male, finally seeing him in detail as the sun rose, lights streaming through portholes. The bags under his eyes were heavier. Was he waiting all night? He turned towards his table, long fingers dipping between several winter diseases and illness books to pick at a piece of metal.
Her focused homed in onto the tiny key, unblinking platinum following the dull metal. Law's words but a buzzing in the background. Fingers shoved at the red muffler, forcing it between the cuff and her wrists. "I can undo them if, and only if, you are—" Charlotte appeared before the doctor. Knee registering in his vision as it smashed into his face, sending him flying. Her free hand snatching up the tiny key as she landed quickly in place.
She managed to slot the key into the keyhole before Law shambled it away. Glaring at her through his fingers nursing his new head wound. The blood blurring his vision only added to the fierce leer she shot back at him. "I was talking." He clicked his tongue when she glanced away, no longer interested in him and his lack of key.
The key glistened as it caught the morning light. The two of the darted forwards, racing for the dingy key. Or so Law thought so until Charlotte pivoted at the last moment, twisting to the side. He jerked bark barely missing the kick to his chin as she cartwheeled away. His hand stopping short of reaching the key as he did so. When he tried to reach for it again, he was met with her karambit piercing the floorboards between him and the key. He cursed, realizing a moment too late that he had brought into her bluff and a little too late of her plans. The key was a distraction. Tucked neatly underneath her arm was a wooden chest. The wooden chest that held her heart. "How did you know it was in there?"
Her lips pulled upwards. So, she was correct. Her heart was in there. "I am a hunter."
The two of them crashed into the hallways, tumbling past the edge of Law's room. Law twisting out of the way at the last second, dodging Charlotte's blade from embedding where his face was just moments ago. "I thought you wanted me alive." He said to the woman now pinning him down. He wasn't quite sure whether to believe her confirmation with the look murderous look on her face.
"Worried?" She tilted her head to the side and leaned the blade against his throat. A thin red line spotted across his skin.
"Not really." He grinned, planting his feet flat against her stomach for a kick. One that moved with far too little resistance.
She pickpocketed the key from him then, using the kick to put extra distance between them. Charlotte landed on the balls of her feet with ease, and she darted off immediately. Chest gripped in one hand while the other held her karambit close. Her wrists lifted before her to line the keyhole with the dingy key hanging between her lips. Eyes sparkling when the key finally inserted.
"Room." A blue hue shot past her, tinting the world blue again. Immediately, the huntress pulled back, slipping the key into her mouth as she balanced on one leg. "Shambles!" Law appeared in the space before her like she expected. She landed a hard roundhouse on Law, smashing him into the porthole.
Throwing the chains between her cuffed hands over his head, she yanked hard, using her knee against his back as leverage. "Did you know the links on the chains alternates between seastone and regular?" Charlotte whispered into his ear. The blue film of his Room dissipating. The chain sapping away his strength.
"What is your intention?" Law grunted out. One moment she'd be going for the key to unlock her hands and the next she was using her bound hands to strangle him. Or she'd forgo a shot at him to grab ahold of her heart that she's also thrown back at him to stop him from getting the key.
Charlotte yanked at the chain hard, her karambit curving too close to his cheek for comfort. "I'm surprise you haven't figured it out yet." She hummed next to his ear. She's a hunter on a job and Law was her target. Isn't it obvious where she priority was even amongst other temptations.
"I'm surprised at how long you've managed to move like this." Unlike the other times Charlotte challenged him, she was a lot more coordinated. He doubted that she was acting the other times to throw him off and judging from how the sea properties were impacting him, he was sure they still drained her.
That they did. Sweat beaded down her forehead and her breath was ragged. The sea properties were still draining her, but at least with her scarf shoved in between her wrists and the cuff itself, it provided some relief. "Let's say I'm slowly improving day by day by having to wear these constantly. Though the cloth barrier helps too." Law remembered the scarf hiding her wrists. She must have stuffed them through the cuffs themselves to keep the illusion of sleeves going. That's how she realized the hack.
"It seems I'm unable to copy your ability still." She added with a frown and Law was secretly pleased by it. Her abilities were still sealed. "How lucky for me." He slotted his fingers between the chain, making sure to only touch the regular links and pulled the metal away from him. His ability returning into full. Just enough for him to call for his nodachi. He impaled her with the hilt. Hard.
Grunting, Charlotte staggered back, struggling to keep her knees from touching the deck. She braced her injured side, glaring at the tall doctor. Like he thought, the drain was getting to her. He bent over to pick at the fallen items. She eyed him curiously as he picked up the fallen key that she spat out by accident. The chest completely ignored.
"That's just not fair, leaving my heart on the ground somewhere." Charlotte hissed, realization hitting her. He shambled her heart out of the chest long ago.
"I would have thought you didn't care with how you kept handing the chest." He shrugged toward the growling female. Taking in the sweat beads on her forehead and the hard pants. It was only a matter of time before she tires out. Exerting so much energy while being zapped by sea stone meant that she can only keep moving for so long. He just needed to outlast her. Or that was the plan. "You can't fool me forever. I know you managed to get them off." She was gripping on to the cuffs to choke him. Holding onto the the regular chain links.
Her lips twisted upward in a silent compliment. She didn't think he'd realize so quickly. She thought her acting was good when she ate the key. With a flick of her wrists, the cuffs cluttered loudly against the floorboards. Like a heavy weight. "Looks like this is your loss, Trafalgar." She cocked her head, peering at him smugly.
Law returned the look with a smirk of his own. "Yet, here you still stand, Hunter-ya." He had already decide on getting rid of them. "Weren't you going to leave on the first island we docked on? We are currently docked." This was intriguing.
Her lips curved furthermore and Law echoed the way her stance lowered, muscles coiling like a snake ready to attack. "Why leave only to come back here?" Law blinked, surprise flittered across his face. Come back? "I have a perfect opportunity to capture my hunt right here right now. Why would I walk away from that?"
Eh? Law stared at the huntress a moment more. She was serious in her words. No false promises or misleading words there. "Are you saying your plan was to pretend to go off on some random island and follow us?"
"It's not pretending if I actually do it!" She corrected quickly. All sense of the fight forgotten, replaced the urgency to not be labelled a liar.
To think that Jean Bart was right; her hunt would have kept her close by. "That's what you want to correct?" So, he was correct on everything else. Law's lips curved, amusement ringing in them as he watched realization flash across her quickly reddening face.
"Wouldn't it be easier then to just stay on the sub rather than following along? You'll be closer to your target" She turned back to face him from where she was trying to hide the flush behind her red scarf. Surprise and bewilderment clear on her face.
Shakily, Charlotte raised a hand to point at the tall doctor. "Are you saying you'll allow a person targeting you to stay on your ship?" She blanched. Confusion reaching a peak. A pirate who can't swim sailing in the sea, and now offering to provide sanction to the person hunting him. Was something wrong with his mind? Or was he just an ironic idiot?
Law folded his arms over his chest, grin widening at the growing bewilderment as he spoke. "I said I want you apart of my crew, didn't I?"
Crew. Friends. Charlotte chewed on her lower lip, tucking her chin tighter to her body. The words brought warmth to her and a smile ghosted on her features—then it flattened out, disappearing as if it never existed. Charlotte inhaled shakily, forcing the jarring image of blood and bodies out of her mind along with the silly idea and its silly warmth. "And I thought I told you, no." She replied, settling back into her fighting stance. A liability. Feelings like this were a liability.
Then they were off again. Another dance where bodies shifted ever so slightly, just in time, to slide past each other, dodging the deadly slices of metal meant to draw blood. A dance much faster than before. Law cursed, realizing now just how fast the huntress truly is without the weight of the sea stone slowing her movements. He swears she was faster than he remembered her to be. Charlotte grinned, appearing behind Law's shoulders, body twisted and legs already mid kick for an attack to his temple.
He skidded back, grabbing his spinning head. By the time he reoriented himself, she was already before him, peering up with an enthusiastic grin. How feral. He couldn't help but think before the face jerked roughly up. The wooden chest on the floor knocking right into her chin like an uppercut would curtesy of his ability.
She hissed. Her chin throbbing. She crushed the empty wooden box in her hand. When her eyes finally lifted to see him, she stilled. "I honestly thought you didn't mind if I kept onto this." The boxed heart now thumping loudly in his hand. Law chuckled, watching the way her eyes zeroed in on it immediately. She was like a cat.
"As if you... wouldn't make a go for it if you were in my situation." She retorted. As if any sane person would realistically leave their heart with someone else. An enemy. She leaned forward, ready to pounce for it when a sharp pain stabbed through her. Her chest suddenly suffocating as if someone was crushing the air out of her. Instinctively Charlotte's arms pulled towards her chest, trying futilely to pry away the invisible hands that gripped at her. Instead, they gripped at the cloth that bounded her body, but even that didn't do anything to stop the feeling of her ribcages imploding.
Sweat beaded against her forehead as she slumped forward, falling to all fours. Platinum eyes piercing as she glared up at the doctor leaning against the other wall, still nursing his spinning head. Her heart crushed in his left hand. It thumped harshly against the hold, almost as if struggling to break free. "You can't honestly believe that you can close the distance before I can squeeze your heart" He drew his lips together to send her a tired but cocky smirk. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he didn't doubt that she just might be able to in the future.
"You bastard." She spatted. She threw her karambit out and Law's eyes widened, unsure if it was purposeful or if she was having trouble seeing through the pain. The blade flew towards the trapped heart.
"A-are you insane?!" He shouted. The blade stabbing his cuff towards the wall instead of his hand. The grip on her heart releasing. Just as she figured, the pain disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. She pushed off the ground.
The two of them tumbled through the metal doors towards the deck. Falling from the dimly lit halls into the bright open sky. Sunlight lighting up the once pitch-black world and reflecting off the pure white floors that crunched softly as Charlotte rolled on top of Law, pinning him down below her. Her legs wrapped around his and one hand over his wrists.
Her heart rolled to a stop a bit further away, forgotten about.
Law winced at the impact and reopened his eyes slowly to adjust to the onslaught of bright light. He expected to be in trouble being a prey trapped by their predator. But grey eyes widened at the view before him. Her gaze and attention were focused elsewhere, eyes sparkling with curiosity and wonder as she stared out at the endless white around them. A soft breath escaping into the air around her as she pressed her hand into the blanket of white beside him. The snow easily giving way and her center of balance shifted, sending her falling slightly. Her long tresses to fan out over him like a curtain, brushing lightly against his cheek as she caught herself against his chest. She pulled her hand out, amazement filling her eyes at the handprint that appeared. Then her attention shifted skyward, gloved hands reaching out to gather the small white dots drifting from the sky. "What is all this?" She asked, her voice light with bewilderment.
"It's snow." Law breathed softly like he didn't want to break the spell that allowed him to see such a look on her face.
Charlotte leaned back on her heels, then she slowly straightened to her feet. Attention taken by the soft crunches that echoed with each step she took. Her face tilted towards the sky as she gaped at the field of white around her like she had never ever in her life seen anything so dazzling before. Her purple tresses spiraled around her as she spun around. There was white everywhere, just pure white as far as the eye can see. Her lips pulled into a large smile and her eye shone with a mixture of emotions: confusion, curiosity, excitement, and mostly, awe.
Her cupped hands pooling with white fluff which quickly melted into a puddle. She lifted the liquid closer to her face, studying it curiously and brought it to her lips, drinking the water. She made a face and then shivered as the cold invaded her inside.
Law picked up her forgotten heart and shambled it with a winter jacket in his closet. He shrugged the black furry long coat on before leaning against the rail. His long blade cradled between his elbow and chest as he watched the woman. Her attention solely captured by the white fluff blanketing the world. Her usual guard completely gone for once and Law wondered if she even realizes where she was or where he was still. Was her Haki off now too? Was that even possible? "Have you never seen snow?" He asked after a moment's pause.
"Snow?" She repeated after a while, the words finally registering. Her gaze still focused on the tiny white dots. "Is that what this is?" She mumbled, awe and wonder still in her voice.
Shouldn't you be paying more attention towards your target or the battle we were in the midst of? He chuckled silently, watching her continue like a child who had just found a new toy. "Was there no snow on your birth island?" He asked though not expecting an answer. She hadn't shared anything whenever they asked.
Charlotte shook her head. "The island I'm from was a desert one." She replied easily, distracted with piling snow on the ship. She was going to build a snow person.
"You're hardly tanned for someone who lived on a desert island for sixteen years." Law commented, liking her skin tone closer to the snow that she was now moulding.
Her movement stilled and the light in her eyes dimmed. A clump of the snow broke off and fell against the floor, breaking into pieces. "I... stayed indoors most of the time." She muttered and squat back down to pick up the fallen snow, gathering up the nearby snow as well.
Law felt like there was more to it, but he didn't pry. Instead, he turned back towards the land. "The others haven't returned yet." Law pivoted, frowning slightly. If they couldn't see in the night before, now they had sunlight to help.
"I said if they're not dumb." Charlotte repeated from her squatting spot next to the snow.
"Something must have happened." He corrected with a sigh, turning back to the huntress. Her shoulders and hands already twinged red from the cold. "Where's the clothes you've bought?" It was then that Charlotte realized Law had a long black fuzzy coat on now rather than the light tee he wore previously.
"Didn't get around to getting any." She responded easily and Law nodded. They were arrested before they managed to get clothes.
Charlotte plopped the second ball of snow on top of the first one, patting it down with her hands. Her gaze lifted and hands stilled from the snowman she was building when she felt an impatient glare boring into her back. She eyed the navy-blue winter jacket he held up for her from over her shoulder. "What's this?"
"A winter coat." He tossed it at her when she didn't reach for it.
"Obviously," She pulled the jacket off her face. "But what for?"
He quirked a brow up at the question. "For you to wear." He said and she looked ever the more confused. "Aren't you cold?" He sighed when she nodded. It was a little chilly. "Then wear it." He sighed again, this time at the face she made. "It's not going to hurt you. It's just a jacket."
"Your jacket." She corrected, holding it out before her with disdain. Platinum eyes studying the blue piece meticulously.
"Would you like someone else's?" He proposed, not understanding the difference. She didn't respond, attention stolen with her glare that looked as it if it could set the piece of clothing on fire with her gaze alone. "Then put it on. We're heading out."
"Where are we going?" She asked, reluctantly shrugging on the jacket. She relished in the soft fur lining on the inside warming her chilled body. The jacket fell long on her, ending halfway down her calves. She stretched out her legs, frowning. The long jacket restricted her movements like she thought. But at least she didn't see the stupid jolly on it!
Law watched her silently, intrigued as she pulled on her thick leather gloves first over her free hands before the jacket. The leather should have been icy cold now from how long they were outside for. "To the others." He explained as the huntress walked out before him first. He enjoyed the pale-yellow smiley on the center of her back—enjoyed the mark of his crew on her for a moment before adding. "Where is this jail?"
"Near the middle of the city." Charlotte answered, already halfway off the sub. She turned back towards the Captain still on the middle of the deck. "Aren't you coming? I thought we were going to save the others." She said easily, froze and then darted her gaze to the side. "I mean, uh, I'm gotta watch keep watch on my target is all. Wherever you go, I have to go too." She coughed awkwardly, a faint hue tinting her cheeks that she adamantly faulted the cold for.
Law chuckled silently in amusement at the huntress. "Yeah, yeah." He chided lightly, crossing the distance between them and towards the island. His grin stretching at the comments Charlotte shouted, to confirm that he knew exactly what she meant.
Law didn't respond and the two continued their trek in silence. His grey eyes watching her from the corner of his eyes. Her brows knotted together slightly and she tugged on the ridge of her scarf to cover the lower half of her face, an action he realized she often does to hide an emotion she didn't want others to see. There were no intentions to attack him. He chuckled again and she shot him a strange look. She truly was a strange huntress. Wasn't she planning on running away on the first island once free? Or was she taking up his offer to hunt him from within his sub and crew?
He paused turning back to the huntress who had suddenly stopped. "I thought you said it was in the middle of the city." They've only barely made it past the city's gate.
Charlotte squinted at the large legal looking building. Her brows knotted together, and her eyes fluttered closed and her Haki grew more focused. "They're no longer there. They've been moved here." She announced as she walked past the columns of the legal-looking building. The words 'courtroom' etched onto the bottom of the stones. "They're on trial."
"On trial?" Law frowned. He turned back towards the huntress. "What were you arrested for?" Clearly it wasn't something to do with their piracy. If it had, they would have been handed to the marines first thing, which meant that the Zālians didn't know who they were.
"Stealing the Remedial Core." Charlotte responded and Law quirked a brow.
"Didn't that item go missing before we arrived?" He asked as she rolled her eyes at the comment. Why was it that only the Zālians didn't seem to catch onto that key piece of info? Charlotte pushed open the large oak doors to the case that everyone in town was most concerned about.
"—Only someone who can easily move in the dead of night could have stolen the Remedial Core. While these four idiots gave no regards to Working Hours, I was able to catch them trying to escape because they could not see through the night either."
Charlotte's attention drew to the young masked male speaking in the middle of the court room, while Law immediately picked up on the state of his four crew members slumped in their chairs next to the speaking male. Something was wrong with them.
"Plus, all of them have been infected with the flu. If they had the core, then they would have used it to cure themselves by now." Law scowled. This was exactly what he wanted to avoid by leaving as soon as the pose set.
The judge stroked his beard. "Ah, so they're sick with the flu. I was wondering why they look so unwell. That does make sense, indeed." He nodded jovially, then his jaw dropped wide, and he snapped his head towards the four on trial. "They're sick with the flu!" He cried, "Quick, someone get the Remedial Core before they die!"
"Judge, we don't have the Remedial Core..." The court reporter reminded, and the Judge snapped his head towards the person. "We don't! What are we going to do? The Change is here!" He sobbed. "Ah... I think I may need a recess... this is too shocking." He slumped into his chair, laying a limp and boney arm over his forehead. His face a look of utter defeat.
"But Your Honour we already had five recesses!" The court reporter grunted as she pulled the gavel back with all her might. If he bangs that gavel again then recess would really begin. She looked like she just about had it with this case. "We need to know... where the... the remedial core... is first! Ask... about the fifth... person!" She grunted between pants.
"Oh right," He laughed, jolting back up in his chair. "I only see four people here." He pointed his little hammer towards the guard who was speaking. "Lyas, you said earlier that you caught five people."
"Yes, there was one more—a female. She was the only one who managed to escape." Charlotte flinched. A sickling feeling crawling into her stomach. She wasn't going to like this, was she? "Seeing as how she was able to get out easily during the night. We believe that she used a similar tactic to steal the Remedial Core from the outdoor fountain a few nights ago while transport was paused due to Working Hours ending earlier that day." The boy continued, voice raising with emphasis.
The audience grew noisy at the words and Charlotte could only stare wide-eyed at the baseless accusations. She was getting the blame because she had a brain to memorize the layout of the dingy cell while the rest of the Heart Pirates didn't?! Also why where they leaving the city's treasure unattended by an outdoor fountain?
"We believe that she is working independently from the rest of these four." Lyas continued. "Actually, it is possible that these four were actual heroes who have caught her originally. The shop owner who had called us also swore that her arms were kept in cuffs."
Charlotte shot Law a glare. This was why she didn't want to go on land with cuffs!
"She couldn't have gotten far. The Change's blizzard would have slowed her down. I have here a sketch of what she looks like." Charlotte flipped the hood of the long coat on quickly and drew the zipper up as high as possible. She slid her boot back quietly, making her way back towards the door. "The most distinctive feature of hers are long wavy violet locks and a scarlet red scarf."
Her heel bumped against something hard, and the huntress lost her balance and fell backwards. The Zālians closest to her tried to catch her, hands grasping air except for one. Charlotte landed harshly on her butt. Her red scarf pulled taut between her and the hand that grabbed it when she fell. The hood slipped off her head.
"IT'S HER!!"
Cursing, Charlotte yanked the scarf back and quickly rolled to her feet and ran down the halls deeper into the court room. The exits quickly blocked by more masked guards. She heard the trumpet guns cocking and was quick to duck into the rows of seat. The weighted nets fired out haphazardly, capturing Zālians and eliciting more panic.
"Panic! There's panic in the Courtroom!" The judge shrieked worriedly, slamming his gavel down multiple times. He turned towards the court reporter for assistance, crocodile tears streaming down his face. "There's panic in the courtroom!" He cried even harder when the reporter screamed, ducking and scrambling away to avoid a weighted net. "Someone help bring order to the court!"
Charlotte twisted on her heel and grabbed the guard in the middle of the courtroom. She yanked his arms high along his back, enough so that her blade could curl around his neck while restraining him. She held him out before her like a shield. "Stop at once or that'll be it for your leader!" Charlotte shouted and the courtroom stilled at once.
"O-Order! Yes, thank you, kind—AHH!!" The Judge screamed, almost falling out of his seat at the red scarf on the woman who had just brought his courtroom in check. "Miss, you should really change." He warned genuinely, "The woman at large for stealing the Remedial Core is said to be wearing a red scarf just like that one!"
"That is her, Judge!" The court reporter and crowd yelled, frustrated.
His eyes bugged out of his face comically, "She's the thief?!" He cried, falling out of his chair this time. He crawled out from the side, face teary once more as he looked at the court reporter. "Help me!" He mouthed. She shook her head and mouthed, "You're the judge" back at him.
Peeking out from the edge of his podium, he asked meekly, "Um... where did you put the Remedial Core? Can you please give it back? We need it for The Change. You can take it afterwards."
"YOUR HONOUR!"
"Oh right," He plopped a fist in his open palm. "We still need it."
Charlotte wasn't the only one who was looking at the judge as if he had a few screws loose.
"Just give it back! Please, I beg of you. My little cousin's been infected already." Charlotte's captive promised in a hushed whisper. Emotion thick in his voice.
Charlotte stared over the male's shoulder at the crowd. Law had disappeared sometime in the commotion, and he took the Heart Pirates with him. Likely with the use of his ability. She pulled on kid's arms higher, and he groaned at the pain. "What is your name, boy?" Charlotte whispered, just loud enough for him to hear.
"...Lyas." He muttered back.
"Lyas," Charlotte started, and he swallowed thickly. "I don't have it." She pressed her blade against his throat when he tried to squirm around to face her. "But what if I can get it back?" Her lips curled when he stilled. "I'm a hunter. I can track down the real culprit and get it back." Charlotte eyed the blue film still standing off to the side, unnoticed by the crowd. "But I'll need your cooperation."
"And what's in it for you? What do you want?" Lyas whispered back, but he kept his gaze at the Zālians around him, his team around him. They could get her if he tells them to shoot them both, bind them together.
"To clear my name and for silence." She motioned to the audience and their gathered attention. "I'm rather shy and would appreciate if all this is hushed."
He doubted that. As if someone shy could demand and hold so much attention so easily. Still. "Can you really get it back?"
Charlotte leaned forward, hovering next to his ear. "Do you really have the luxury to be picky?"
He frowned at the smugness in her voice. This was no joking matter! His family's lives were at stake! Same with her friends! He grinned under his mask. She also had a stake in this! He licked his lips, inhaling, steadied himself and then exhaled, "I'll cooperate."
Charlotte yanked them backwards, stepping into the blue dome. A yelp escaping Lyas' lips as the world tilted backwards, past a strange blue edge that tinted the world blue. "Good." He heard her say before the ceiling of the courtroom disappeared.
Weighted nets shot out and flopped to the ground, capturing nothing in its grasp.