It was dark and the collar around her neck dug into her skin painfully rubbing it raw. The others said it would explode if she tried to escape, said they’d seen it happen before and some poor frantic man had his face blown off in the process. She’d been training with Rayleigh for days on end and had finally collapsed from exhaustion to sleep it off. They must have snatched her in her sleep. Slavers were wretched despicable creatures that didn’t deserve to be called humans; they’d lost their humanity, treating others like property for trade.
“I think she’s coming to.” A soft feminine voice whispered somewhere nearby.
Malice opened her eyes after a moment and spotted a kind young woman with a collar around her neck and shackles on her wrists kneeling beside her with concern lingering in her hazel eyes. The others in the cage looked relieved. The young girl had mouthed off to one of the handlers and had been severely beaten, they weren’t sure if she was ever going to awaken.
“How are you feeling, sweetheart?” The kind woman smiled.
“I’m fine.” Malice grumbled dryly as she forced herself to swallow the remnants of blood lingering in her mouth so as not to concern the others by spitting it out.
“Number 13.” A gruff voice barked from the cage door and Malice held back a wicked smile as she recognized the handler who’d nearly beaten her to death.
She slowly dragged herself to her feet and allowed the man to haul her away. He’d pay for what he did to her. Sweet thoughts of bloody revenge quelled her rage enough to allow her to throw the man an innocent smile.
“What are you smiling for, brat?” He snapped as he marched her toward the stage where the auctioneer, a flashy man by the name of Disco, was currently getting bids for a pretty dancer.
“I just thought of how I’d like to kill you.” Malice grinned, “I won’t even use a weapon.” She giggled softly.
“Creepy brat.” The man backhanded her once more as a chill ran down his spine at the wicked gleam in her dark garnet eyes.
He roughly shoved her on stage forcing her to stumble and fall to the hardwood floor making it appear as if she’d attempted to wrestle away from him.
“This feisty little spitfire is sure to be a big seller.” The auctioneer laughed a little nervously as Malice kicked at her handler while he dragged her back to her feet. He continued trying to up sell her ‘spirited’ qualities while she glared at the crowd of despicable lowlifes bidding on her.
Her dark garnet eyes paused as she spotted a familiar face in the crowd, Rayleigh! He smiled at her reassuringly and mouthed ‘It’s alright. Look who’s here.’ He motioned to the opposite end of the auction house and she immediately began scanning for who he was indicating.
A flash of crimson hair, her crimson hair, caused her heart to race in her chest. He was here?! Why? Where did he come from? How did Rayleigh find him? She was too afraid to meet his gaze too afraid to see the look of disgust and utter disappointment at the child he knowingly discarded. He didn’t want her to begin with, why did she think it would be a good idea to set out and look for him? She was a disgrace, nothing more than a street urchin desperately clinging to a wretched life she never deserved.
Now that she was so close, she wasn’t sure she wanted to meet him. What if he truly didn’t want her? What if he’d suggested to her mother to get rid of her? She was a burden, a nuisance, a mistake. She was never meant to be. Her heart hammered in her chest so loud it drowned out the auctioneers dramatic antics. Panic and the overwhelming need to flee gripped her.
She focused on the shackles weighing her wrists down and the collar digging into her neck. Run, she had to run, far away. The thought of being rejected after coming so far was too painful. ‘Pop.’ The collar and shackles sprang loose and clattered to the floor.
“What the-?” Her handler gaped.
She didn’t need to be a burden on anyone; she could take care of herself. The man reached out to grab her and she brought her elbow back quickly hitting him in the throat. A small smile wormed onto her lips as she heard the familiar crack as his hyoid bone shattered. He collapsed to his knees desperately gasping and spluttering as shards of bone began to cut up his throat. Blood dribbled from the corners of his mouth and he soon began retching and more blood and even some torn up esophageal tissue spilled onto the stage causing the patrons in the front row to scream.
Malice turned and sprinted for the exit using her newfound aura to knock out the guards standing in her way.
“Dove?!” Rayleigh called after her as she swiftly slipped through the exit doors. He always called her Little Dove; he said it was because her voice was soft and sweet like the coo of a dove. She’d miss him and Shakky, but she had to run. She couldn’t face him yet, she wasn’t ready.
“Malice?” Killer nudged her gently as she paused at the entrance to the human auction house. It had been ten years since she’d last been here, ten years since she’d disappeared without a trace. She knew Rayleigh had scoured the entire island for her, but she dyed her hair and stowed away on a merchant ship at first light. “Are you alright?”
She looked down at her trembling hands and quickly stuffed them in her pockets, “I’m fine, where’s the captain?”
“Inside.” Killer reached out as if he were going to press his hand to her forehead to check her temperature.
Malice swiftly dodged and headed inside without another word. Her heart skipped a beat as she spotted Kid leaning against the back wall with his muscular arms folded in front of his bare chest staring at the buzzing crowd with disdain. His feral orange eyes snapped to the doorway as he sensed the young woman’s presence.
“Took you long enough.” He scoffed and Malice felt herself begin to relax.
She smiled softly and made her way toward where he, Heat and Wire were standing, “Sorry, I had to stop and try on some sexy lingerie.”
Kid’s cheeks flushed red for the briefest of moments and he quickly shot a glare at Killer who’d just walked in and missed what the young woman had said.
“Ah, what did I miss?” Killer asked confused as the captain continued to glare at him.
“He watched.” Malice giggled.
“Watched wha-?” Killer asked perplexed but was cut off as he quickly leapt back to avoid the fist of his enraged captain flying in his direction, “What the hell, Captain?”
“Just kidding.” Malice smirked, causing Heat and Wire to step away from her in fear their captain would charge the girl.
Kid threw her a soft glare, “You managed to stay out of trouble?” He asked calmly causing his three subordinates to stare at him in awe.
Malice shrugged her shoulders dismissively and positioned herself against the wall next to him. “Only because this idiot refused to let me kill some lowlife scum.” She jerked her thumb at Killer.
Kid smiled softly down at the cryptic young woman, she was acting more like herself. He’d been worried; she hadn’t looked too good when she first arrived. Her skin was paler than usual and she looked weary. “Pity, you’re kind of cute when you get all murderous.” He chuckled causing Malice’s cheeks to flush with color.
Malice paled considerably as she sensed a very familiar burst of strong energy from backstage. There was no mistaking it, he was here, Rayleigh. Why was he here?
“Are you going to get sick again?” Kid asked bluntly.
She shook her head unsure if she could trust her voice or not and headed for the exit. Killer caught her by the wrist and pulled her back just as two of the auction house employees rushed to open the doors. “What are yo-.” She cut off as she was suddenly wrenched back to the group and found herself falling into a strong embrace.
Her heart began to pound in her chest as she realized it was Kid’s strong arm wrapped tightly around her waist keeping her steady. The auction house employees bowed as a man and woman stepped inside wearing strange bulky white suits with big bubbles around their heads, Celestial Dragons, descendants of the creators of the World Government, the lowest of the lowliest creatures dwelling on this planet. Malice clenched her fists. Kid’s grip around her tightened as if sensing her sudden rage.
“Celestial Dragons…Slaves…The Human Auction House…Compared to the ‘righteous’ greed of the rulers the villains of the world seem much more honorable. When scum rule the world, only more scum is bred into it. At least we can admit what we are.” Kid scoffed as he watched the nobles take their seats.
Malice froze in shock at her captain’s words. She turned and met his feral gaze as a small smile claimed her lips. “We don’t hide our evil deeds in politics and false claims to fame.”
Kid smirked, “Exactly right.”
“So what exactly are we doing here supporting their disgusting habits?” Malice asked curiously.
“We’ll buy anyone who seems interesting enough.” Kid shrugged.
“Wouldn’t it be more of a slap in the face to just steal anyone who seems interesting?” Malice challenged and paused as she sensed someone staring at her. She turned her blazing garnet eyes in the direction of the presence to find the handsome Trafalgar Law watching her curiously for a moment before averting his gaze back to the stage below.
“We can’t cause a stir here.” Kid said as if it were obvious, “The moment we do this place will be swarming with marines.”
“Good, I wouldn’t mind taking out my frustration-.”
Kid silenced her with a glare, “Along with an admiral, and I really don’t want to run into one of those at the momen-.”
“Are you scared?” Malice smirked.
“Malice.” Killer warned before she could goad the captain further.
“What’s your problem today?” Kid growled.
“I don’t like this place.” Malice shrugged as the crowd began to settle down and take their seats. The ‘show’ would be starting soon and it made her stomach turn. Remembering the terror of facing the hungry crowd; all those despicable men and women who wanted to buy her for their own sick and twisted desires, it made her nauseous.
“Chief Kid, look at that.” Heat leaned forward and nudged the captain before indicating the handsome man Malice had previously exchanged glances with.
“That’s the wanted man from North Blue with the 200,000,000 bounty, Trafalgar Law.” Kid scoffed, “I heard some bad rumors about him.”
Malice was about to retort that she’d heard more bad rumors about Kid and his crew than any other pirate crew, but held her tongue as Law cocked his head in their direction with a cocky smirk. She held back a laugh as he flipped her captain the bird before turning his attention elsewhere as if they weren’t even worth his time.
“His manners are bad too.” Kid smirked just itching for a fight.
Malice rolled her eyes at this, “I wasn’t aware pirates were supposed to have good manners.”
“And now ladies and gentlemen you’re host for today’s festivities…” Malice paled as she spotted the flashy man dancing onto the stage, Disco, the same pathetic wretch that had been here ten years ago.
“You don’t look so good.” Kid noted as he looked down at the pale young woman now clinging to the arm around her waist for support.
Her garnet eyes were wide and unfocused as if lost in some dark recess of her mind. She trembled slightly against him and he tightened his grip around her worried she’d faint.
“Malice?” Killer waved a hand in front of her face, but she didn’t respond, not even the slightest bit of movement. She was completely lost to them, trapped within her own dark and twisted memories.