As the auction was dwindling down to a close, the front entrance doors burst open followed by the sounds of labored breathing and clinking of chains. Malice turned to the commotion and felt her blood begin to boil as she spotted a useless lard of a World Noble sitting atop a human man’s back with a humiliating saddle. Kid reached out and gripped her wrist in his hand to keep her from launching herself at the worthless scum as he began kicking the weary man.
“Don’t draw any attention to yourself.” He hissed in her ear as she clenched her fists angrily at her sides as she watched the brute’s horrible display of power.
The nobleman was quickly shown to his seat and Kid kept a tight hold on the seething girl to keep her from slaughtering anyone. Curiously the nobleman turned his head in their direction and before he could take notice, Kid shoved Malice roughly behind his back concealing her behind his fur cloak. Heat clapped a hand over her mouth as she opened it to protest and they watched the nobleman make his way to his seat.
“For item number fifteen we have a real treat ladies and gentleman, a real pirate captain!” Disco cheered adamantly as two handlers struggled to get a terrified looking gruff man with a mess of dark hair wearing a hat with his crew’s jolly roger on the front to center stage. Malice shoved her way out of hiding and threw her crewmates a quick glare before returning her attention to the stage.
Malice smirked as she watched the man stumble, “Clever bloke.”
“What do you mean?” Kid pondered.
“He bit his tongue.” Malice pointed as the man suddenly blanched and stumbled to his knees. Blood splattered the floor causing a few of the patrons up front to panic. Memories of how she’d killed her handler on stage and made the patrons scream filtered through her mind. She killed him in front of Rayleigh and her father, what had they thought of her at the time?
Disco quickly covered with a cheap story about the pirate being nervous and getting a nosebleed to ease the crowd before having the handlers bring out a covered tank. “And now ladies and gentlemen our biggest catch of the day…”
Despicable, they were all despicable, everyone here sitting on the edges of their seats to see what the big draw of the day was. Bidding on humans like they were mere property, it was revolting and Malice had had enough. The cover was drawn and a terrified mermaid with a pink tail and choppy greenish blond hair stared at the crowd with wide saucer eyes. Malice wondered if she’d worn a similar expression when she was suddenly faced with the massive crowd of disgusting individuals. She remembered glaring at them but the initial shock she couldn’t remember how she’d reacted.
“Now let’s start the biddi-.”
“FIVE HUNDRED MILLION!” The fat blob of a noble who’d arrived late cried.
“Scum.” Malice muttered under her breath.
A strong hand clapped down on her shoulder and she felt a gentle reassuring squeeze as Kid steered her toward the door. “It’s like a symbol of how messed up the world is.” He mumbled dryly, “I’ve seen enough of this farce.” His hand gave her shoulder another squeeze and she realized he was leaving for her benefit because he knew that she was upset.
Malice allowed him to lead her to the door. Just as they rounded the corner, Kid suddenly pulled her against him as the front doors practically exploded. A flying fish with three riders soared past them at an alarming speed before crashing into one of the back sections of patrons. How had she not sensed it? Her nerves were a mess because of this hellhole. It was affecting her perception.
“Oy! Why didn’t you land that better?” A boyish voice complained from amidst the cloud of dust from the collision.
Kid smirked as he recognized the young man sporting a blue vest and a pair of black shorts. Malice’s gaze lingered to the straw hat atop the young man’s head and her eyes widened for the briefest of moments. So it was the same hat, the same one she’d seen in one of her father’s older wanted posters. What connection did Mugiwara no Luffy have with her father?
Before she knew it the young man was charging down the aisle raucously calling the mermaid’s name. One of the members from his gang of crewmates and friends charged after him desperately trying to get him to cease his charge.
“This won’t end well.” Malice muttered as she recognized the man trying to wrestle with Mugiwara no Luffy. She’d met him when she was staying with Rayleigh.
“What?” Killer asked curiously.
“He’s a fishman.” She replied softly just as Hatchan stumbled back and his hidden arms were revealed to the crowd.
Patrons began to panic in disgust and call out disgraceful prejudiced things to the frantic fishman. Malice clenched her fists. The world was so twisted. Anything and anyone who was slightly different from the norm was ostracized and abused. Those in power were nothing more than bullies.
“Hachi!” Malice gasped as the fat blob of a world noble took out a fancy musket and shot the octopus fishman. “I’ll kill that bastard.” She hissed.
Kid held her tightly against him to keep her from attacking anyone and continued watching the display before him as Mugiwara rushed to his fallen friend’s aid.
“You promised you wouldn’t do anything, no matter what you saw, remember?” Hachi choked in an attempt to quell the enraged boy’s fury.
“Disgusting fish! Even after he’s been shot, he still keeps blabbering.” The blob of a World Noble slurred his face too fat that it appeared to take real effort to force air between his engorged lips to make sound.
Luffy glared at the nobleman.
Malice noticed Law’s mouth move, but hadn’t heard what he’d said as he threw Mugiwara a look of warning.
“Is he serious?” Kid scoffed as Luffy looked ready to attack.
“I hope so, because if he doesn’t I will.” Malice hissed. She watched with a smile as Luffy punched the portly World Noble right in his fat face with enough force to send him flying back.
The entire crowd was stunned into silence. Law smirked at Mugiwara’s actions and Malice looked up to see Kid smiling. In a matter of minutes all hell broke loose as Saint Roswald began firing at Mugiwara. The crowd of patrons scrambled for the exit. Kid and the others repositioned themselves against the wall to watch the chaos unfold, Law and his crew remained lounging in their seats as if they had all the time in the world. Disco started to flee backstage as the auction house was filled with guards.
“I’ve got something to take care of.” Malice smiled wickedly as she watched the wretched man disappear backstage.
“Do you need a hand?” Kid asked curiously as the others threw them questioning looks.
“I’m sure I’ll manage.” Malice smirked.
“Need a weapon?” Kid chuckled as the cryptic young woman shrugged out of his hold.
“He doesn’t deserve a quick death.” Malice shrugged before flitting away.
Silent as death itself, she slipped backstage following the panicked cries of the sniveling coward as he called his superior from his office. The door was slightly ajar and she easily crept inside closing it softly behind her making sure it clicked shut. Disco jumped at the sound and nearly dropped his receiver to the Den Den Mushi he’d been calling his superior on. He turned cautiously and gaped at the scrawny young woman leaning with her back against the door smiling. There was a wicked glimmer of madness in her garnet eyes.
“Th-those eyes.” He gaped.
“What?” Whoever was on the other line sounded irked at being called in the first place and now more so that his subordinate was spouting nonsense.
“Eyes like hellfire.” Disco paled as the young woman folded her arms in front of her chest.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“It’s really you?” Disco took a shaky step back as the receiver slipped from his fingers.
“It’s okay if you want to cry.” Malice smiled softly as she locked the door behind her and stalked toward the terrified man, “It’s more fun if you scream for me though.” She continued using the lines he’d used on her.
“What’s go-.”
Malice picked up the receiver, “I hope you don’t mind, but I’ll be killing your subordinate now. You can listen if you like.” She smiled wickedly as she placed the receiver on the table.
“Mr. Doflamingo, help!” Disco cried.
Doflamingo? Malice paused and stared down at the receiver curiously. A warlord? Why would a warlord have such a subordinate? “You don’t deserve to be saved.” She said softly as she gripped the cowardly man by the front of his shirt as he attempted to scramble away from her.
“P-please, just make it quick.” He begged.
“I think I’ll draw it out, like you did. Make it as excruciating as possible.” She beamed.
“N-no!” Disco cried in an attempt to alert the guards.
“First we’ll have to do something about that noise your making, shall I rip out your tongue or your voice box, which do you prefer?” Malice smiled maliciously.
The lowly cowardly man began to sob hopelessly.
“I suppose you’re right, I don’t want to touch your tongue.” Malice shrugged and sunk her nails into the sobbing man’s neck with practiced care to keep him alive as long as possible. Blood seeped down her arm as she carefully extracted his voice box with nothing more than her fingers.
Choked gurgling sounds came from the man’s throat but he no longer had words.
“I won’t be able to hear your screams.” Malice sighed, “But neither will anyone else.”
She sensed another burst of energy from the auction hall this time, Rayleigh was on the move, she had to be quick. He couldn’t see her like this. She didn’t want him to see how warped and twisted she’d become over the years. Someone tore down the hall and began rifling through things frantically drawing ever nearer to Disco’s quarters.
Malice muttered a curse under her breath, she’d have to hurry. Silently she returned the receiver to its dock, ending the call to Doflamingo and plunged her hand into Disco’s abdomen. By using her Armament Haki she easily broke through the soft flesh. Blood poured from the wound as Disco suddenly shuddered against her his mouth ripped open in a silent scream of pure agony as she gripped his small intestine and easily pulled it loose. The rest of his organs began to spill to the floor in a vile gory mess.
She released her grip on the despicable man and watched him retch on the floor. His body writhed in sweet agony for a few moments before death’s cold embrace took hold. He deserved more suffering for what he did to her and all the other nameless victims before her. All those innocent lives he’d taken because of his sickness. A single tear slid down her cheek as she thought of all the victims she could have saved had she ended his existence long ago, had she only been a little stronger she could have resisted the tranquilizers and killed him then. So many others were forced to suffer because of her weakness.
The door to the room flew off its hinges in a small explosion and Malice turned curiously to find the Cyborg from Luffy’s crew framed in the doorway staring at her with wide eyes as blood, bile and other questionable rancid substances dripped from her fingertips onto the gore covered floor.
“May I help you?” She asked calmly.
The man hesitated not knowing whether to shoot her or ask her for help. His wide eyes surveyed the horrific scene before him before finally resting on the wicked girl. “Key.” Was all he managed to spit out.
To rescue their friend, the mermaid. Disco kept all of the collar keys locked in his drawer. Malice kicked the lock busting it with ease and wrenched open the top desk drawer. She reached in and gripped the master key in her bloody hand before tossing it to the blue haired man.
He turned without another word too stunned to say anything and retreated to his friends just as she felt another strong burst of Rayleigh’s energy. Malice threw one last look of disgust at the lowlife laying at her feet and flitted out of the room. She stopped backstage momentarily as she was surrounded by guards and released a small amount of her aura, enough to knock them all unconscious and make her way to the auction hall.
Her heart thundered in her chest and her legs suddenly refused to carry her any further as she spotted Rayleigh standing in the aisle addressing the Straw Hat Crew and even Kid and Law.
Killer nudged Kid when he spotted her standing off to the side, but the captain’s feral orange eyes had already sought her out the moment he sensed her approach. “Took you long enough.” He smirked causing the others to turn to her.
“Little Dove?” Rayleigh stared at the cryptic young woman in awe. He saw right through her disguise.
Malice’s heart swelled at the look of utter relief that washed over him as he spotted her.
“What are you doing here?”
Malice’s gaze flitted to her captain who was staring between her and the Dark King looking thoroughly perplexed. She jumped as Rayleigh suddenly appeared before her; he was still fast as ever. A choked sob caught in her throat as he wrapped his strong arms around her.
“I’m so glad you’re alright.” He didn’t care that her hands were stained with blood or that her entire aura had become even more warped, twisted and dark than it had ten years ago. All that mattered was that she had survived. She’d vanished without a trace and he’d been so worried that the young girl had met a cruel end.
“Why are you here, Ojisan?” She asked softly.
“Needed some gambling money.” Rayleigh chuckled as she pulled away from his embrace and fought the swell of tears that threatened to fall.
“Malice, we’re leaving.” Kid called down to her.
She nodded simply and headed toward the others.
“He didn’t know, Little Dove.” Rayleigh stopped her dead in her tracks. “He had no idea you even existed.”
What? She shook her head, “That’s not true.” She was unwanted, discarded just worthless trash. He didn’t have to guard her from the truth; she knew she was a mistake all along, just another regret.
“He’s looking for you now.” Rayleigh continued.
Her body trembled slightly as her heart hurt at the thought. Why would he look for her? It was probably just to erase the mistake he’d made nineteen years ago. “You’re lying!” She snapped, “Nobody wanted me!”
“Malice!” Kid barked snapping the crumbling girl from her own self-inflicted self-hatred filled thoughts.
She met his feral orange gaze and her heart skipped a beat as he offered her a slow lazy smile.
“I thought you wanted to get out your frustrations.” He smirked and reached into the pocket of his fur cloak and retrieved the wicked bone blade she’d been fighting with when they first met.
Malice caught the barbaric blade in her bloody hand and smiled to herself at the familiar feel of the bone as it perfectly fit her grip.
“We’ll take care of the cleaning outside.” Kid scoffed, “As an extra favor we’ll save you guys.” He chortled arrogantly waving dismissively at Law and Luffy.
“Huh?” Both pirate captains looked irked by her captain’s statement and Malice held back a smile as she quickly flitted to her captain’s side.
“Ah! She’s fast.” The long nosed sniper on the Straw Hat Crew squeaked as she appeared to all but vanish and reappear elsewhere with her speed.
“You sure you want to give me this?” Malice challenged her captain softly, “If I lose control you won’t be able to stop me so easily.”
Kid shrugged, “Just try not to kill any of our crewmates.” He chuckled as he gently pat her on the head before turning serious, “None of that’s yours, right?” He indicated the blood still dripping from her hand.
She shook her head and he smiled.
“Oy! I’m not letting you guys hog all the fun!” Luffy snapped.
“And I don’t take orders.” Law added bitterly.
“Just stay back and let me handle it.” Kid growled as the other two captains joined him and Malice.
Malice trailed along behind her captain as he and the other two made their way outside. They were all hopelessly stubborn and itching for a fight. Three alphas thrown together were quite comical as they all competed like children fighting in a sandbox.
“Order me around one more time and I’m taking you out first Eustass-ya.” Law growled as the three captains exited the auction house.