Charlotte pushed the double barrel doors open as she entered, the small bell going off to signal a new customer had arrived. "Charlotte-chan!" came Baako's sickly sweet voice to greet her. He winced at the sight of her. The bandages and taping were so thick that her usual leather glove was missing from her right. "You look like a mummy having a bad wrapping day!" He joked and Charlotte knew that was as close to an apology she was going to get.
She pulls up in front of the scotch glass. "The job is done." She stated matter of factly. "The authorities have arrested Kline and his... gang."
Baako exhaled through his nostrils at the response as if readjusting to the new weight on his shoulders. "I knew I can count on you." He cheered, enthusiastically, giving the girl a wink and thumbs up. She only stared at him over the rim of her cup. Brow raised. The thick bandages over her right hand looking like a comical mitten against the adult glass. "It's rare to see you covered in bandages." He admits after a while.
A young Charlotte whimpered meekly against the floor, blood spilling from her many wounds that covered her body. Her limbs were far too sore and fatigued to move. A choked cry escaped her when her Master kicked her hard in the ribs. "Treat you?" He spat as if it was an incredulous request. "Do you see bandages on monsters out in the wild? Monsters don't get treatment! That's reserved only for humans!"
She pushed the empty glass back towards the bartender, silently asking for a refill. Even though it was never filled. "The Hearts make it a habit to ensure that I'm wrapped up in as many bandages as physically possible." She grumbled, but the small smile on her face revealed her true feelings. "It's annoying. It makes it hard to move, but apparently that's the point." They gave her an earful when they caught her unwinding them. They wrapped her up even more after that with the sole purpose of ensuring she couldn't move her limbs to undo any of the work. Apparently, she has three broken ribs and moving was really bad for recovery.
Good. Baako thought quietly. Treatment was a rarity for her in the past. She often came back from her hunts covered in so much blood, he thought her a ghost. Luckily, most of it tended to be her target's blood and not hers. But it often masked just how injured the huntress is when she came back. Selfishly, Baako wished she still came in without all the masking tapes and gauzes so he wouldn't know how badly hurt she was. He knew the job he had asked of her wasn't fair, but he did so regardless. Part of him wondered if Charlotte knew the extent to which he had set her up.
"You know we're a bar here, right?" Baako teased, placing a glass of milk down. He didn't doubt that she would have taken the job regardless.
"Didn't you know milk is great for bones?" That was what made it sting all the more.
She quirked a brow at the male again. "You got something you want to say?" She lowered the cup, giving him her full attention. The same way she often did when he was training her. Except this time, her platinum eyes were duller than usual.
He opened his mouth to speak, but his voice failed him. Stuck somewhere in the past.
"Speaking of wounds, why do you have some?" She asked instead and Baako wondered if she did it purposely for him. She was always kind like that.
Her eyes pulled back towards the information broker at the nervous chuckle that transformed into a booming laugh filling the empty bar. "I got into a drunken fight with someone. It's pretty embarrassing actually. But you should totally see the other guy!"
She leaned her chin against her good hand, a ghost of a smile on her features. Here she was worried for the man tight walking around her.
A tentacle paw plopped on the top of her head. "You found yourself a good group." He muttered under his breath then added, "It's almost unfair..."
She lifted her head off her fist, "Huh? What did you say?"
The tentacle paw slipped off her face as he leaned back. His smile disappearing into the shadow of his face. "What can I do for ya? I taught you well enough to never do anything without intention. Need anything to help with your hunt? Trafalgar Law is now—what? Your longest hunt?" His thin lips pulled into an ugly smug. "You sat around for four months debating on whether to hunt him and now that you have, it's weird why it hasn't been done yet. Do I smell a romance budding?"
Charlotte gave the other a pointed stare, one he knows too well. I can never keep up with your moods. Baako quirked a brow when she didn't say anything, then finally, she slid a small piece of paper towards him. "As payment for the stupid stunt you pulled." As if she wouldn't realize the set-up.
He made a face like he got punched or stabbed. "Wow! And you still took the job. What a great mentee I have!" He exclaimed dramatically, despite them both knowing the truth. He would have been disappointed if his protégé hadn't picked up on it. That's why he set it up so that she had no choice but to.
Laughing, Baako picked up the paper as he dodged a hook from the huntress. "Isn't this—what are you doing, Charlotte-chan?" She tilted her head at him, brow quirked. "You are still hunting the doctor, right?" The several bandages around her suddenly look far too comfortable. "Don't tell me you actually fallen for the prey. I don't think I need to remind you that this is not a hunt you can afford to fail."
Her finger stilled around the edge of the cup she was tracing. "I don't think the one who upended his life to chase a one-sided love should be advising. Look at where's that gotten you." She gestured to the empty bar and the other made a face, blaming the timing of day. It was the middle of the night. "You don't have much leg to stand on here, Baako. I'd say you're in debt with me."
Baako placed the small scrap of paper down, hands folded seriously over each other. The laugh lines missing from his face. "I'm serious. He's looking for you."
Even though Baako hadn't directly specify who he was talking about, Charlotte knew who. Charlotte knew who without a doubt. She didn't need his next words to confirm what she already so desperately knew and wished not to know. It was cruel, actually. The fact that he actually said it.
The scar on her shoulder itched.
"Aceteon is Outside."
A shudder ran down the large muscle fishman's back at the cold stare he swore he saw in the shadows behind her. "I want that info, Baako."
The choice was hers.
Several beautiful mermaids of the infamous Mermaid Café huddled worried around a certain pirate drowning through his sorrows. A large empty bottle belonging to another establishment on the other side of the island clutched in his hand. It was a surprise that the bottle remained in one piece when the one carrying was covered in scuff marks and wounds. A bar fight, the mermaids thought unanimously as they helped to patch up their customer.
"You sure are strong. Not everyone can come back from fighting Baako-san with only a few injuries. One of them giggled. She pressed a gauze against the wound on his cheek. She gasped when he instantly grasped at her dainty wrist, pulling her close. A flush spreading across her cheeks at the flames in his eyes.
"Not strong enough." He cursed, slamming his head backwards. The noise caused the others to jump in worry. He breathed and threw an arm over his eyes. The tale he heard earlier still ringing fresh in his mind. To think that that was the environment where she developed Kenbunshoku Haki.
"Haven't you ever wondered why Charlotte's littered in scars?" Shakky's point even more obvious now. "Fuck. Way to make one feel like an ass." He murmured, remembering the way he had reacted to her training regime. It wasn't something to easily share with others. Hell, she probably didn't even want to remember it. And he had invaded that privacy and brought the information. He rolled to his side. Fuck, I'm such an ass!
"Are you okay, Cole-kun? Does somewhere else hurt?" The others questioned, worrying over him.
"How the fuck am I supposed to apologize to that goddamn witch after all that? I don't even know what face to make when I face her!" Cole snapped, angrily.
"You can start by offing yourself."
"I agree. Off yourself first, ya perverted lazy ass."
Cole and the mermaids turned towards their new patrons in surprised. They didn't even hear them enter, and there were a lot of them to be missed. Several pairs of eyes staring at their crew member, draped from one side to the other in beautiful mermaids, with disdain. Despite being the one forceful to save them, Cole paled at the sight of the entire Heart Pirate crew filing in.
"To think while Charlotte was busy saving us, you were here stuffing yourself with women!"
She rescued them? Cole snapped flabbergasted. She went a job! He gritted his teeth, anger rising. She was making me look bad! He turned his head around, trying to spot the purple-haired woman. His gaze landed on their beloved captain. "I swear, I was the one telling the damn Witch to go save you lots! She wanted to do a job instead!"
"She finished her job too!" Bepo chimed in happily, inadvertently adding fuel into the fire.
The damn high-efficient worker! "Where is she anyway? I don't see Ms. Does-It-All!"
Weren't you going to apologize to her? The mermaids thought awkwardly. Cole looked more than ready to end her.
In the backroom of the café, Charlotte greeted the large shark mermaid. "The deed is done. Your mermaids are safe." She wondered if she should have brought some evidence with her. She had decided against it at the time, thinking that her client would probably not take to graphic evidence so well. Or at least the staff wouldn't. Now she wasn't sure, Madam Shyarly was a shark after all.
"Thank yo—my gosh, your injuries!" She hadn't expected that. The crystal ball just showed that she would take care of their situation. She didn't know at what cost though. Guilt bit at her.
"They'll heal."
"You're here for something else." Madam Shyarly realized, suddenly nervous. "Baako said he'd deal with the payment."
"There's an outstanding balance. Baako didn't factor in the cost of collateral." Charlotte explained and then at the other's confusion, she added. "My crewmates were injured from the little stunt you two pulled to ensure I take the job and we lost some of our goods from the traffickers."
Madam Shyarly shivered at the bloodlust that seeped from the mangled woman, suddenly very aware that despite the bountiful of injuries. Charlotte could easily overtake her. "I-I needed you to go... it only worked if..." She couldn't find words big enough to fill up the guilt that clawed at her as she stared at the fresh blood staining the white of her bandages. "B..Baako..."
"I know." Blue eyes snapped towards steady platinum for a moment before pulling away. She knew, yet she still went. God, they were awful.
"I'll give you a discount." Blue eyes flickered back to the huntress, surprised. The murderous intent no longer stifling or even present. "Because you didn't explicitly say that it, the Old Fart didn't join in." She was certain that Cole would have stormed right in if he knew the Hearts were being held there. That meant he could have been another person Joval used to rile her up. The injuries on Shachi and Clione weighed heavily on her already. "I want you to show me something."
"T-That's it?" All she wanted after putting her friends at risk and forcing old traumas to the surface was to see something? This additional cost was starting to sound not too bad. "W-what would you like to see?" The color from her face drained as Charlotte lifted a finger to point at the large crystal ball in the back. A treasure and shackles for the clairvoyant.
"The future."
Charlotte's brows unknotted as she pushed through the door separating the backroom from the front, her attention pulled to the ever-rambunctious crew. "Where is she anyway? I don't see Ms. Does-It-All!" Huh? Is someone missing? Charlotte questioned, unsure of the conversation she just walked into.
"Charlotte-chan is currently at a well overdue rest." Their words and haughty noises only edged the technician on more.
"Oh, so the job is done!" The mermaids chimed quickly, with bright smiles. "That's truly a well-deserved break then!" It hadn't even been a full day. "She worked so hard as a café maid too!"
Café maid!? The Heart Pirates stiffened. Their minds immediately jumped to what a maid mermaid of Charlotte would look like. How lovely! They thought unanimously and snapped their heads towards the one member who could confirm it.
Cole rolled his eyes. "Who cares! It's just the same ol' Witch!" He grumbled and they soured instantly, muttering how ungrateful he is or how it wasn't fair that the only one who saw it was the one who could care less. "Tell her to come here and–"
"She's right here." All heads, except Cole who only flinched, turned towards the stern voice of the huntress as she walked over. Mouths dropped open and eyes popped out of their sockets, and for once Charlotte realized she really hadn't thought her plan through yet when she greeted them.
Slowly prying her shoulders away from her ears and peeling open her shut eyes one by one, Charlotte peered back at the several emotive faces around her nervously. The shocked and concerned faces of the mermaids, to the disapproving and stern looks of the crew, of Rike, and finally frustrated look of their Captain.
"You were supposed to stay resting in the infirmary." Law scolded promptly.
Charlotte simply shrugged. "Your fault for leaving it unattended." As if the sleeping and recovering Shachi and Clione was enough to stop her should she choose to, unsurprisingly, not follow orders. Plus, how were they expecting her to sleep with the two snoring so loudly?
"YOU!" Cole exclaimed, grabbing onto the huntress and yanking her to him. Angry hazel eyes locked with platinum purple ones, voice low in a growl. "Tell them the truth! Tell them how I was the one saying we had to go save the others while you just wanted to a random job!"
"Ouch." Charlotte flinched when his grip tightened, and Cole glanced down at the arm he grabbed. The various injuries and heavy binding covering her coming into view. Her arm. Thigh. Chest. Hand. Head. All wrapped in heavy layers. He took a step back as if surveying the scene again. As if zooming out would maybe show where skin showed more than bandages. Maybe. It didn't. The arm he captured earlier, slipping out to drop still next to her, heavy and limp. A bloody red handprint staining the white bandagers where he grabbed. A similar layer of red coated the inside of his palm.
"The hell, Woman!" Cole cursed, unsure where to leave his gaze between all the injuries demanding attention. "Did you take the job with the intent to die?" The number of wounds on her far too great to be normal. Far too severe. Baako's warning of Joval and his unique fighting style echoed in the recesses of his mind as he stared at the arm completely wrapped. He swallowed thickly as he watched the red easily seeped further; the handprint quickly growing into a larger, lopsided stain. What kind of mess lies underneath the bandages? How mangled up is it? Are there pieces missing? Why did you accept the job knowing that this would be the outcome? He couldn't keep his thoughts from wondering. "Why didn't you ask for help..."
Charlotte leaned in at the quiet mumble she couldn't quite hear and jolted when the other snapped his head back to her. Hazel eyes boring into wide platinum ones. Charlotte inhaled with surprise. "Are you actually worr—" He looked away, guilty for something she couldn't quite understand.
He's injured too. Why? She noted the scuff marks on his face and the slight occasional heart bandage from the café. She frowned when she felt his intense stare against her arm, and she felt the urge to hide it. "Did you take on the job knowing that you'll be in a life-or-death battle with Joval?"
The world spun and somewhere in the back of Charlotte's mind, she remembered that the crew was still standing there. Law too. All within listening range. The question, did they hear it? How would she answer it? Why was he asking about it? Did he know something? She inhaled deeply, eyes shutting close.
No, there was no way. She told herself, reassured herself. Only Law was present. Only Law had seen the battle—the carnage. She could practically feel his cold, calculative eyes burning holes into her back, hanging off her answer. He heard Cole's question.
When she opened her eyes again, she saw the suspicious scuff marks on Coles' face again. Who did he fight with? "Joval's a perverted freak. How am I supposed to know how a freak's minds work? I'm not a mind reader." Charlotte scoffed, hoping it would be enough.
Law lips drew thin. He begged to differ. He remembered how well she knew his movement when they met. How immediately she knew of his strengths, his habits, his tendencies to use the crew against her. She was skewing the truth.
Cole stared at the way her visible hand was trembling in silence.
"Plus, I have zero intentions of trading my life in. My life is far too valuable for that!"
Law quirked a brow at Charlotte's reflection in his mirror. Her hands clasped around the door she had just locked behind her. "Are you here for another attempt at my head?" Despite the question, he continued towel drying his damp hair. It wasn't every day that the huntress tried to go at him fresh from a shower. "Though, I'd say given your wounds, you won't have much luck." At least the colour in her skin had returned before she disobeyed the bed rest order this time.
The awkwardness grew in the still silence. Charlotte didn't know how to act around Law after he witnessed the battle. She was certain that he also saw the burn on her back. Yet he hadn't asked her anything about the fight or the mark. While she was grateful for not having to figure out what to say back, it unnerved her. Why hadn't he asked her about it? Why hasn't he told anyone about it? Why was she still on the submarine? He couldn't possibly be serious about wanting a monster aboard. She killed the thought as soon as she felt the slight rays of hope fill her. The thought as poisonous as it was ludicrous.
"Are you really not going to ask any questions?"
Law dropped the towel, leaving it to hang around his neck. He turned towards the huntress. "Are there any problems?" She looked at him confused. "Are there anything that can pose an immediate danger or threat that I should be made aware of?"
Charlotte shook her head.
"Are you ready to share?" Like he had expected, she shook her head.
"Then, no, I don't have any questions." Law replied and Charlotte's eyes chased for a face—an expression to help her understand. She only caught a glimpse of chin instead. A tattoo hand pressed against the top of her head and in a single movement, he pushed it down, forcing her expressive and vulnerable gaze away while he turned back to her. He hid her expression from him. "I mean what I said. I won't push you, but if you want to, I'll be here to listen."
"... and staying on the sub?"
He raised a brow at the strange question. "Don't think you can get off my ship that easily."
"... you're okay with a monster aboard?"
His gaze softened at the shaken huntress. What kind of question is that? He had a pandaman, a bear, a mini giant given Jean Bart's size. Far typical than your average joe crew. "You look pretty humane to me."
Warm tears bubbled at the corner of her eyes and Charlotte bit her lip, grateful for the hand pushing her head down so only the floor could see the look on her face. The large hand was incredibly warm. Shakily, she brought her hands up above her. Her bandaged one slotting against Law's. Much to Law's surprise, she flattened hers against his, keeping the warming hand against her head rather than shoving it away. Her lips trembled, tucked behind tight teeth. "Are you sure?" Last chance.
He watched their entwined hands for a moment. "Yes." He breathed and Charlotte tried to hide her hiccup.
Law watched her trembling form with a small smile. I hadn't taken you for a crybaby. "Aren't you scared of getting burned?" He rubbed her fingers between his. The bandages thicker than normal.
Glutton Joval, a cannibal and a gladiator from the New World and Charlotte's past life. Charlotte knew from the name alone that he would be dangerous. And worse, his crew would be at risk. The Heart Pirates wouldn't survive in the New World as they are now. After witnessing their battle, he had to agree with Charlotte's initial judgement. They needed to get stronger.
Law hummed, attention returning to the huntress as she called for him. "I won't ask you either on you past. Unless you want to share." The marine file came to mind and her fingers tightened around his to keep him still. "I just ask that you'll share any dangers with me too."
Law stared at the shorter woman and their entwined fingers. The corners of his lips tugged up warmly. Seems like she was no longer upset with him. "Yeah." He promised, feeling that he would sooner than later. He understood where she was coming from. He didn't like not knowing while she went off to do her own dangerous things either.
"You really do like the sea." Rike commented, coming up next to the huntress leaning over the back railing. A week has passed, and they were ascending away from Fishman Island now, finally entering into the New World. He gave a light chuckle at the weird sound she made. Talking took up too much effort. "You probably could have protested with Captain. I'm sure he would be willing to spend a bit more time there after what you did for us."
He expected her to react; jolt up and run over at an instant to make his suggestion a reality. But she remained still, staring at the shrinking lights of Fishman Island. Perhaps, she really was too tired. As a doctor, he was pleased with that info. It meant she was too tired to run around and reopen healing wounds. As a friend who knew of her dreams, it saddened him. Maybe he should ask their captain to wait a bit, until she recovered more.
"It's fine. I saw plenty." Charlotte said somewhat melancholy. "I was able to stay underwater, see between the colorful corals, and swim with the marine life."
"As if you could swim. You just sat on a floaty the entire time while the rest of us trained!" Cole sneered, still sore from Law's order of additional training lessons while she rested and recovered. The huntress was starting to sound like a lovesick princess.
Charlotte smiled at the loud 'bonk' as one of the other members smacked the technician on the head. Fast so that Charlotte wouldn't herself and reopen old wounds. She hoped it was Bepo. His punches hurt. They stung too afterwards, a strange effect. Charlotte thought it was a Devil Fruit ability at first but gave up that idea when she wasn't able to copy it. Bepo said it had something to do with being a Mink. "Besides, Grandpa's right. It's a pipe dream anyway. I'm cursed to drown in the waters." The others frowned at that.
"Why did you eat a Devil Fruit if you loved the sea so much?" Penguin asked with an agreeing Shachi and Bepo. Even Law had to admit he was interested as he arrived on deck. It wasn't always that they got to hear about Charlotte. Especially not from her own mouth. Cole's lips pulled into a thin line. The information he brought on her rushing in to fill gaps and he grimaced. He'd rather be ignorant.
Charlotte stared out at the sea, eyes testing the water.
Sixteen-year-old Charlotte stared at the strange fruits filled with swirls in her dirty, chained hands. It looked just like a regular pomegranate, but it had an awfully boring hue. If the tales she heard before were true, then this was a Devil Fruit; a fruit that grants anyone who eats it the powers of a devil – amazingly strong powers. But whoever eats it will be cursed to never swim again. The fruit waited a ton in her hands.
Charlotte licked her chapped lips slowly. What about her dream of swimming with the fish in the sea? Traveling with them like one of their own.
Another cheer resonated through the coliseum, shaking the ground and raining dirt down below. Charlotte closed her eyes tight, her hands covering ears to squeeze out the noises that haunted her mind. The laughter of the masked people up top were nothing but screams to the slave. Screams and shouts and other horrible cries that wanted her to do more.
"Up next we have what you all been waiting to see. The girl from the cage. The one who has miraculously, fight after fight, win after win, years after years, managed to win within a hairsbreadth of her life. Even when no one thought she would win, she has proved us wrong. Again and again. Ten years later, she's still here. The one and only Deathbringer Charlotte."
Cursing everything around her, the girl stared at the fruit in her shaking hands. She could already hear the footsteps of the guards that would soon catch her with the fruit. They would probably kill her. Treason for stealing food that wasn't granted to her. But not before they throw her into the ring for another bloodthirsty fight that she doesn't want to be a part of. One that she could only hope to somehow live through. The footsteps were getting louder now. They would be here any moment now. It was now or never. Staring at the round fruit, Charlotte made her decision. She shut her eyes tight, tears spilling over the corners as she wished her dreams goodbye.
"It's a long story." Charlotte heard the unanimous sigh from the group, and she felt oddly guilty for it. They were looking forward to a story. For some reason, she wouldn't mind telling them one, just not this one. Not yet. Maybe a happier one. She gave them an odd laugh, "Let's just say, I wanted to live."
"Boo. That's a vague story. Where are the details?"
"Details? Like the ones in your one-sided love stories with Boa Hancock?"
"W-what? How do you know about those?"
"Try not leave excerpts in your laundry. By the way, thanks for owning up to them. Now I know who they belong to."
"Argh!"
"You didn't know who? Don't you know whose clothes are who's by now?" They all got piles of freshly and neatly folded clothes in their cabin rooms every day after laundry day.
"Iunno," Charlotte shrugged. "Law's, Jean Bart's, Bepo's and Albino Ape's are easy to distinguish from each other, but everyone else wears the same jumpsuit. I just hand them out randomly."
"Whaaat?!"
"It all looks the same. It's not like you guys knew whose who's either. Otherwise, you'd noticed what I've been doing long before now." Their argument quickly died at that.
"Ne, do you regret eating the Devil Fruit?" Bepo asked, nudging the huntress with his warm paw. Charlotte instantly rested her cheek against the soft fur. The screaming chaos behind a defending Rike and a violent everyone else quickly died. They were interested in it too. The woman who gave up her dream to live.
"I did... as soon as I ate it. The thing tasted like poop!" Charlotte made a face while the rest of them fell at their response.
Cole stomped his way through the sub, slamming door after door open. First the infirmary, and then the galley, and then the laundry room. Each of them turning up a dud. "I'm looking for that Stalker Witch!" Cole snapped before the nth person could ask him what he was doing. Damn efficient worker! The hell did she go through all her chores already when she just got the go ahead to work again. She wasn't with Captain Law either seeing as how he was walking freely with Rike, discussing about some dissection. Now that the woman was out of intensive care, he was going to get back at her for the humiliation he had to suffer over the last while for not going to their rescue. He was the one pushing to save the crew, not Charlotte. And he still owed her an apology. But that can come after and tucked between his rant and fight with the huntress.
"YOU RAT WOMAN!" Cole shouted as he slammed the door open to the dingy storage closet she had claimed to be her room. The rage-filled rant that Cole had prepared, ready to fire off at any moment, fell short and his anger quelled slightly when he spotted the target where he least expected her to be. She never actually used the closet, often resting in the infirmary or Law's unoccupied bedroom instead. He half-checked it for jokes, but mostly because he was running out of places to check.
However, it couldn't stop the rage completely. "Oi, don't play dead with me." He snapped, nudging her collapsed body on the ground with his foot. He paused slightly when she didn't respond, not even when he dug into her face with his oil-covered boot, marking her cheek black. "Oi," He kicked her over onto her back this time. "Stop playin—" Cole stopped mid-sentence when she flipped over on her back.
Charlotte's face was scrunched together in pain as she gripped at herchest, a thin layer of perspiration covering her paler than normal skin."D-don't think I'm going to... Ah! Cold...?" Cole questioned,glancing at his burning fingertips. They were red. Slowly, he reached over totouch the woman again as if not believing what he just felt. "Shit! Whatin the world is wrong with you? You're freezing!" He cussed though hecouldn't keep the anger in his voice for long as he stared off at the barelyconscious woman. "Call us even." He grumbled as his apology. He grabbedthe makeshift scarf-bed to use as a blanket and barrier before scooping her upand running off to find Law.