Romance Dawn
S1.E1
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The Beginning of a Novel Start
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Sixis Island
A woman sat, still and quiet, her legs scooped under her, as her hands set against her katanas that lay on the side of her thighs. Red hair blew softly in the wind, curls tangling as they soared away only to fall back onto her soft but chiseled chest.
Sharp and calculated forest eyes watched as the man beside her lit the candles that circled them. The man leaned back, away from the candles, matching the woman's seated position.
As he settled in his place, both their eyes fixated on the candles, their minds far from touching. Slowly, her green eyes were covered by her lids, as she exhaled a soft breath, the world falling quiet around her.
Crickets chirped in the distance, she could hear a rabbit rustle through the grass. Then she caught what she was looking for, a man's heartbeat, not the similar one beside her, but foreign to her ears.
It was quicker than a normal man's, he was nervous. He's right to be, she thought to herself, as she switched her hearing to his steps.
Stomp. Stomp. Snap!.. Stomp.
She heard his boot hit a stick, he paused before continuing closer, from behind the tree line.
He's here. She informed the man beside her, that they had yet to know who 'he' was, but they'd known for miles they were being followed.
The man beside her turned his head from the candles to gaze over her peaceful but concentrated expression, she always seemed at peace when using her powers.
He turned forward, staring at the flickering candle, his back to the tree line the man was yet to come out of.
"You can come out."
Finally, the trees were pushed, and a man walked outwards, his hair bright red, much redder than the women's, his hair spiked up high in the middle of his head. His voice echoed through the forest.
"People often visit shrines to light candles for those they've lost. Who are yours for?"
"This is for someone we knew a long time ago." The woman opened her eyes, her abilities were no longer needed. The red-haired man spoke up again, not fully satisfied with the woman's companion's answer. "And the other?"
The man next to the woman didn't answer, but she did, her hands rounding her katanas, holding them.
"You have been following us for three days."
Like they had rehearsed it, the duo stood, their long blades tightly in their grasp. The man spoke up.
"What do you want?" He questioned, sharply.
"You may call me Mr. 7. I represent an organization known as the Baroque Works. We are interested in your unique set of skills, Pirate Hunters, Roronoa Zoro, and Valeriña Adelía Vursòs."
Zoro and Valeriña turned to Mr. Seven, a small paper card held out to them. "What are you?" Zoro asked, allowing Valeriña to finish his words. "Some band of assassins?" Their tones stayed on the point, but her words trickled towards the end.
The redheaded man inclined his head, still holding the card further out. "We are much, much more. You should know it's a high honor to be asked to join our ranks." The duo shared a glance, sharing words with no more than their eyes.
"Kinda got our own thing going on," Zoro spoke, as they both turned back to the small flickering flames.
Their disposition told Mr. Seven it was time to leave, but the man couldn't quite take no for an answer. "The membership would make you two more invincible, more feared."
Valeriña didn't think they needed to be more feared, and together they were practically invincible. Zoro agreed, sending Mr. Seven a rude remark.
"Does it also come with a free face tattoo? My favorite is number one." He piqued, making fun of the man's tattoo, as he and Valeriña stuck a middle finger over their shoulders.
Their hands dropped, as Valeriña dropped to her knees, Zoro following behind. They leaned back over the candles, Valeriña dropping her head as she realized the man would not leave them.
"To turn down Baroque Works is to forfeit your lives." Mr. Seven said Valeriña let Zoro answer, as she did not completely understand the man's words.
"If they were that serious, they should've sent someone better than Number 7." Zoro murmured purposefully loud, as he tried to get the man to leave, he realized his strategy was not working well and he would get an earful later from the woman next to him.
As they heard the shing of blades behind them, Valeriña read the man's mind.
He's gonna try to kill us. Oh, really? Zoro replied mentally, earning a glare from the women.
The redhead stopped forward, his blades coming down on the duo, only to be stopped by Zoro's own blades. He spun, pushing Mr. Seven's blade away from him, and specifically Valeriña.
He then tossed Valeriña the katana that was left by his feet. She sent him a quick thanks telepathically, as she stood, they both clicked their swords back in their hip holders.
The red-headed man charged them again, throwing his arms down to each of them. The duo both, boredly, walked backward, neither bothering to pull a katana.
Mr. Seven backed up, changing his attack, he spun his blades, making the duo, finally get into position, their blades being pulled.
He rushed at them, missing when they ducked out of his swords way, he then took a swipe at Valeriña, making Zoro immediately block it for her, he then took a swish at Zoro, making him walk away to avoid being hit by it.
Duck.
The man swung at Zoro again, but as he listened to Valeriñas perfectly timed instruction, he ducked down, backing away slightly.
Mr. Seven swiped his sword again at Valeriña this time, making her pull out her second Katana, raising them both to block his.
Zoro followed Valeriña's actions, pulling out his blades, as the duo fought against the man, swiftly.
Zoro knocked his blade away from Valeriña, and the woman did the same for him.
Valeriña swiped out the back of the man's calf, making him stumble as Zoro swung his sword at the man's throat, making him lean his head back quickly, to not get his neck sliced.
The man stepped away, his hand falling to his leg to touch the cut, his hand swam in his blood as he pulled it back up to stare down the duo.
In a tick of a second, Zoro and Valeriña leaped into the air, their swords zipping around to make a wide circle. The wind blew the man backward, blowing out all the candles as it did.
Mr. Seven attacked the kneeling duo, as they were still turned, but Valeriña was still standing in the red-haired man's head, taking and turning the man's thoughts into instructions for Zoro to follow.
Swords crashed for another few moments before the green-haired man, and ted-headed woman managed to both get a cut on the inside of Mr. Seven's wrists, making him grunt sharply and jump away, to stare in shock at them.
The duo straightened themselves, raising their blades above their heads, snapping them together, before lowering them back down again.
As Valeriña scaled his mind, she found he was going to attack again, she sent Zoro an idea, one that had to be fast and precise, but they'd done it before.
Zoro nodded, stuffing his katanas away, he dropped to his knees, grouping his hands, as Valeriña landed herself on them, readying herself.
Ready? Ready.
Zoro pushed his cupped hands forward and up, as the man yelled out, charging toward them, Zoro propelled Valeriña upwards. She gracefully turned her body mid-air to hold a skilled arial.
Just as the redheaded man raised his blades on Zoro, he yanked his katana back out, slicing through his lower torso, as Valeriña cut through his upper torso.
Just as 7 raised his blades, Zoro pulled out one katana, slicing at his lower torso, as Valeriña cut through his upper torso. His three body parts fell to the floor.
Valeriña watched as Mr. Seven's body fell to the ground, Zoro kneeling behind him. He took a deep breath, glancing over Valeriña as he stood, before cutting out the finale candle, making it go nox.
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Standing in the pitch black, with just moon glow showing her the stars, Valeriña used her mind to find Zoro's beating heart, her hand moved to his shoulder, softly feeling where she felt a bruise growing under his shirt. "¿estás bien?"
Zoro raised a hand to her waist, to center himself, before he moved it to her cheek, rubbing off some blood that shimmered in the gentle glow.
"Estoy bien. You okay?"
The corner of the woman's mouth raised softly at him. "I'm fine." They both let go of each other, taking the body as they left, heading to their next stop, the bar.
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Valeriñas powers are strangled.
Sometimes they were freeing, she could feel emotions, read other's minds, feel for presences, hear what no one else could, but sometimes she felt a force around her neck, pushing on her throat, and she would become overwhelmed with emotions, thoughts would rattle in her brain like chimes in the wind.
She wouldn't be able to control them, they would take over her head, take over her heart. She wouldn't just feel people's emotions, she becomes them, and she feels everything they do.
When someones is angry, she's furious, someones upset, she's destructive. If someones crying, Valeriñas is on the floor sobbing. Valeriña even feels it with pain, if someone's chest hurts, she's huddled over shaking, someone feels sick to their stomach, she's already throwing up.
Valeriña becomes overwhelmed by emotions, by pain but if it gets strong, the emotions, pain, or thoughts become worse for Valeriña.
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Valeriña had a difficult time walking through the packed town, but Zoro stayed patient, even with the sun blasting strong beams of heat at them, he always stayed patient.
The woman had frozen in the street, tears pushing through her eyes, and her heart felt like it was cracking in half. Zoro instantly noticed her change and turned to her.
A couple was breaking up just around the corner, and it was hurting her. Zoro tried to grasp her arms, but she pushed them away, rubbing her eyes, and wiping the tears away. "I'm fine."
"Val-" She kept walking on, ignoring him. "Estoy bien." Valeriña said sternly. He sighed at her stubbornness, following on her trail.
Valeriña pushed herself for as long as she could before she felt a child on the side of the street, burning up in the hot sun. Her skin felt hot, like her blood was boiling from inside, she allowed Zoro to bring them to a shaded spot under a tree, forcing her to lean against the tree, her head dropping back against it.
"Lo lamento." Valeriña told him in a soft mumble, upset her powers made her so weak.
"It's alright, I needed to stop for a second anyway."
He rolled his bruised shoulder as he spoke, setting a hand on the painful spot.
Valeriña pushed away from the tree. "¿Es mala?" Zoro took his hand off his shoulder, lightly rolling it again, he would rather she focus on herself. "It's fine."
Valeriña stepped closer to him, not believing him, only a foot away, looking into his eyes.
"Are you sure?" She asked, looking down at his arm.
"Si- ow!"
The second he started up, Valeriña punched his shoulder lightly, he grabbed it again, pushing her hand away, groaning in pain. "I told you to stop doing that!"
"Y te dije que dejaras de mentir. Let me see it."
She tapped the spot on his shoulder that his shirt was covering, making him break. "Fine."
Zoro gently pulled the short sleeve of his shirt up, letting her see the black and purple bruise that was growing. He winced as he lifted the shirt up.
"Doesn't hurt, huh? Gallito." She scolded mildly. He sent her a small glare, but mostly ignored her chide as he let her check out the bruise.
Valeriña scrunched her nose at it, her hand gently touching the fragile skin, before she pulled his sleeve back down and continued on their way.
"We can stop at la tienda, before we leave.
Now, lets go get drunk."
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And to get drunk they went.
Valeriña instantly felt better in the small bar, because there were mostly just marines, who she'd always known where too stupid to have strong minds.
The duo walked in with Zoro dragging the head of the body in a bag with him, as most of the bar turning to look at them.
Zoro set the body on the side of a stool before pulling one out for Valeriña, setting a hand on her lower back, guiding her to it, as her distracted eyes were wondering to the only strong feelings in the room, he ordered something that Valeriña ignored, too stuck on the two loud pressences.
It was two boys, sitting at a table. One with pinkish hair and large glasses, and one with curly brown hair and a straw hat.
The pink-haried boy with big glasses was thinking hurtful thoughts and just overall felt bad, which made Valeriña block him out of her mind, immediately.
I'm not ebria enough for that one. She thought to herself. A beer was set next to Valeriñas hand, already opened, she took a long sip, thanking Zoro in her mind, before looking back at the boys.
The one boy with the straw hat and brown curly hair, who was shoving food in his face, was thinking happy thoughts, and was positively delighted, his only bad feeling was hunger.
That made Valeriña look to Zoro, her stomach grumbling. Food after this? Sure, lía.
Valeriña smiled gently at Zoro before she looked back at the giddy boy, wanting to bottle his happiness and keep it forever in her pocket.
Her head was turned as she felt more happiness, one of youth, skipping towards her and Zoro.
Valeriña looked over at the small girl with dark bouncy hair that was hiding slightly under the counter.
The girl giggled at them, making Valeriña burst out in a smile, waving at her.
Valeriña looked over Zoro's shoulder, who was watching the girl with an emotionless face but Valeriña knew he was smiling inside, he'd always loved kids.
The girl giggled again, waving back at Valeriña and then walked away, and as she did Zoro lent around the counter to see where she went. You're adorable.
Valeriña ventured to him, taking a sip of her drink.
He glanced over at her, shaking his head to hide his smile. Shut up.
Apparently, they were the perfect victims for little girl, as she came back only minutes later, this time with a plate that held two balls of food.
"What's this?" Zoro asked when the girl stopped in front of them. Valeriña crossed over Zoro, leaning down to be at the girl's level. "Rice balls. For you"
The adorable girl gave them a toothy smile and held the plate out further towards them.
"You made these?" Valeriña inquired the girl, pointing down at the balls of rice.
The girl nodded, her hair bouncing around her.
"You made them yourself?" Zoro asked, while slyly moving Valeriñas beer towards him, setting a hand over the top, sending a sharp glare to a Marine who had been staring at it.
"Mm-hm" The little girl hummed, happily. "Thank you, Nena." Valeriña said to the girl.
"What's the brown stuff?" Zoro asked her, eyeing the rice balls with untrustfulness. "Chocolate! Makes everything taste better." The girl replied to Zoro.
Just as Valeriña was about to take the plate from the sweet girl, a voice called out for her. "Rika?"
The little girl, Rika was her name, turned to what Valeriña assumed to be her mother, but accidentally slammed into a man dropping the plate.
Valeriña stood up straight, the emotions falling from the man making her grim. "You stupid, stupid girl." He exclaimed, angrily at Rika, stepping on one of the dropped rice balls.
Valeriña stepped forwards, grabbing the girl's shoulder to pull her closer to her and away from the screaming man. "Why don't you watch where you're going?"
He yelled loudly, starting to make a scene at a small accident, making everyone in the bar look directly at them, Valeriña couldn't handle the attention for long.
"Rika, apologize to our guest." Her mother berated her. Rika stuttered for an apology.
"Im... im so sorry." The man started to mock her. "I'm so sorry! Next time, I won't be so nice."
Valeriña stepped around Rika, nudging her gently back towards Zoro, who had been watching with sharp eyes. "How about you apologize to her." It was a question but Valeriña spoke it as a statement.
"Excuse me? Do you know who you're talking to?" The man said, taking a large step toward the women, making Zoro stand up straighter, ready to defend Valeriña if needed.
"Yeah i do, your an egotistical pinchazo who makes sweet girls apologize for your own mistakes. So now you're gonna say your sorry to Rika, pick up your mess, and take you, and your estupido haircut, and leave." Valeriña could feel the anger pouring from him, as it began to fuel her own.
The man looked appalled. "Or what?" He mocked Valeriña in an overdramatic version of her accent.
Zoro took a step closer as the man mocked her.
"Or i'm gonna slice your head off and shove it so far up your ass you can taste your own shit!" The man took a solid step back in shock, as Zoro spoke, stepping up to the womans side.
The man took a step back in shock, before Zoro spoke. "You dropped our food." He stepped up next to Valeriña, kneeling down on the ground he picked up the food eating it. "Mmm. Delicious."
Valeriña was only slightly grossed out, but seeing Zoro standing up for the kid and her, was pretty great, and they'd done weirder and grosser things then eating off the floor.
Rika smiled toothyily at Zoro, he picked up the plate, setting it on the counter, close to the man, leaning against the counter with his hand on his swords, threateningly. "Now you eat one."
The man started laughing in his face, but that didn't stop Zoro. "And apologize to the girl and the woman."
The man mockingly laughed in his face, stepping closer. "Do you know who I am?"
Zoro looked him up and down, deciding on his quipe.
"A shithead Marine with a bad haircut."
As Zoro turned to walk away, the said 'shit head' pulled out his sword, he heard it and looked to Valerina. Rika was pushed back by Valeriña, as she read Zoro's mind, and gave the smallest nod.
"I wouldn't do that." Zoro warned, but the man didn't listen, they never did, and they all ended up the same, with a sword in their throat.
"Oh, come on, tough guy.
Three swords? I only need one"
He laughed at Zoro before spitting a slur at Valeriña, who wanted nothing more than to pull a knife on the man, now more then before. "And a blowse running her mouth?"
Zoro turned around, looking down at the man with pure hate in his eyes.
"Okay. Now it's gonna hurt."
Zoro blocked the man's blade with his hilt as he slid half the blade out, just before Valeriña punched him, knocking him to the floor, he whimpered on the floor, as all the Marines in the bar came running at the duo.
Zoro knocked over the stool Valeriña was sitting on previously, kicking it at the closest Marine, making him fall to the floor, as Valeriña knocked down two burly Marines.
She walked up to first one, punched him square in the nose, then preceded to swipe out his feet, blocking the other Marine's throw, wrapping her arm around his, turning him around, so he was against the bar, she banged his head against the bar twice, before leaving him on the floor by his buddy.
Another one came at Zoro so he turned, slamming the Marine into the bar counter.
"Bueno?" Valeriña asked Zoro, picking up her drink as he followed in suit. "Bueno." he replied, as they both took the last sip of their beers, throwing them at two incoming Marines, in sync.
As they headed to walk out, the man got up, running at them with a sword. Gilipollas is up.
Valerie informed him, both of them dodging the sword flying at them, making the man get it stuck in the bar counter.
Two more Marines came tumbling at the duo, swords in tow. Zoro grabbed a Marine's arm before his sword could hit Valeriña, as she did the same for him.
Zoro knocked out his Marine by hitting his head against a pillar. As Valeriña swiftly high kicked her Marine in the head, knocking him out cold.
The other man finally got his sword unstuck, as another two Marines came at the fighting duo.
The man struck his sword towards Zoro, as Valeriña was trying to knock out her Marine, Zoro used the Marine that attacked him, arm that was holding a sword to block the mans.
He swiftly kicked the Marine's stomach, grabbing the other man's wrist, before kicking out the Marines feet as well, as the man struck Valeriña, she also blocked using the Marine, she was fighting, sword.
She shoved the man away, spin kicking the Marine's head, knocking him out, hearing him thud as he hit the ground.
She turned back to the man, throwing him towards Zoro, who then kicked him into the counter, before a quick Behind you was heard in Zoro's head, he dodged the two incoming Marines thanks to Valeriña.
As another three Marines came at her, she stepped back, flipping onto the bar to gain height, blocking one's sword with her sword's hilt, kicking that same one in the face, then slamming the other two Marines heads together.
She saw, and felt in her head, Zoro struggling with his two Marines, so she walked behind one, grabbing his wrist as he was about to stab an unknowing Zoro.
He looked at her, going to punch her with his other hand, before grabbed that one too, squeezing them tightly.
"Uh-uh," She told him, sharply, when he tried to tank his wrists away. She slammed her head against his, knocking him put cold
She watched Zoro throw the last one towards her, so she grabbed the Marine, and slammed him into a pillar.
"Wow!"
Valeriña looked over at the straw hat boy from earlier, hearing him mostly from his loud and contagious thoughts. "Good fighters."
Zoro walked towards their last victim. He picked up the man with the bad hair cut by his collar slamming him into the counter, as the man whimpered. Valeriña grimaced at his face.
"You shouldn't talk mierda, unless you can back it up." Valeriña suared, sauntering up to beside Zoro.
"Don't kill me, please. My father will give you anything you want."
Valeriña made a face at him.
Usually, I like when men beg.
Lía, you only like when i beg.
Valeriña smirked at Zoro's dead straight face, before getting up in the man's.
"Who's your father, coño?" She questioned, tilting her head a click at his answer.
"Captain Morgan. He's in charge of the Marine base."
Zoro looked at Valeriña, who nodded, before looking back at the pitiful man in front of them.
"Then he owes us money" Zoro started, pulling the man up by his collar. "But first apologize."
Valeriña smirked, This is gonna be fun.
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Translations:
asesinos - assassins
Estas bien - you good?
Estoy bien - Im good
Lo lamento - Im sorry
Es mala - is it bad
Y te dije que dejaras de mentir - and i told you to stop lying
Gallito - cocky/cocky man
La tienda - the shop/store/market
Ebria - Drunk
Nena - little girl/sweety
Bueno- good
Gilipolla - asshole/douchebag
Mierda - shit
Coño - twat/pussy
Blowse - skank/ rude woman(not a spanish word but a 1600s word used to insult women
An: this is gonna be a long one. (But important)
First off YAY FIRST CHAPTER OUT!
Second, u probably noticed the spanish ( i hope u did) its gonna be showing up alot, will probably lessen in later seasons, but with only the first season out i cant exactly say, i will always put a translation in the comments, if there is not one pls tell me and i will put one. Im part hispanic and my household speaks it sometimes so i know a little bit but if anything is wrong just correct me and i will correct it.
Third, this isnt gonna be as 'well' writen as my other book because this is just a simple story i wanted to wrote so i didnt go all out with it but Puppet and my other book im gonna post soon will both be looked over many times and re written alot.
Lastly, Puppet at the time of posting this probably hasnt had a first chapter yet but it will have a prequel unlike this story where u kinda learn with the plot. Also Puppet will probably be posted less often because I've only begun on the prequel and I've already finished this story's rough draft so hopefully this story will tie people over until more Puppet chapters come out.
I think thats it. Bye :)
Update: in the process of rewritting this book, this chap is done!!!
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