Your voice could be heard echoing through the heavens above. Not in pain, but in anger. You attempt to drag your body towards the sweet commander, still taunting you by looking down at your immobile body. You reached your limit, your limbs could no longer move. Your arms trembled as you fruitlessly forced yourself to stand up. Only to slam down against the dirt when your legs didn't want to coöperate.
"... Damn it" you muttered, voice cracking as your try to avoid crying. "DAMN IT!" you wanted to keep going, prove your worth as the man towered over you.
Katauri could only look at your pitiful attempts to fight back, unaware of the raging storm going inside you.
"There was no chance you could beat me." Katakuri glared at you from above, guessing you felt shame. "The least you can do is accept your defeat honorably..."
"IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF THAT! " you snapped at the man with a crack in your voice. Frustration coursing through your veins.
Katauri raised his eyebrow, his observation haki sensing a fire burning inside you.
"I wanted to give you a decent fight, a struggle, a challenge... I could care less about winning." you pant. "But I couldn't even handle half an hour in a serious fight with you." you grip your fists, your mask preventing your tears from spilling.
Katakuri didn't need to speak but you saw the confusion in his eyes. "What's the purpose, if it isn't to become victorious?"
"..." Contemplating on your answer you finally decided to respond "It's my gift to you." you say softy, biting the side of your cheek in embarrassment. It probably sounds like a ridiculous reason.
Katakuri was at a loss for words. His eyes furrowing together as he repeated your words over and over inside his head. You're his enemy, why would you want to give him such a gift?
"Sweet commander Katakuri!" the soldiers shouted from afar.
The mochi man cursed under his breath. He hated being interrupted. "Nevermind that, you are now our prisoner." Katakuri narrowed his eyes, placing a hand on the back of your neck. "Goodnight captain."
"Wait wha-!?" you tried to shout before your eyes slid back, falling unconscious.
Katakuri picked up your unconscious body and tossed you over his shoulder, surprisingly being careful with your face mask.
"Whoa, is that the moonlight thief?" one of his subordinates asks in amazement.
Katakuri silently nods, balancing you on his shoulder.
"Let's see how this woman truly looks like-" Another soldier approached your unconscious body, his malicious hands aiming towards your mask.
Katakuri gave the soldiers a dangerous side glance, not only scaring the soldier who wanted to remove your mask but also rest of the crew. "I am in charge of guarding the prisoner, the rest of you capture her tribulation."
The big mom pirates stood straight, no doubt trembling in fear at the sweet commander either because of their respect for him or his conqueror's haki. In any case, they ran off to do their job, leaving Katakuri alone with you as he headed to his ship.
_______
Everything is fuzzy, like numb static fumbling through your senses. Your sight, your head and even your limbs. The moment you gained consciousness did you finally feel how sore you are, abruptly hitting you at once. Just like your memory of the fight.
You gasp awake. Finding yourself sitting in a dim-lit room. You tried to curl up in a fetal position to lessen the ache in your body but there was something preventing you from leaning forward. The rattling of chains. You tried to create a portal with your devil fruit only to feel the restraint of sea stone handcuffs behind your back. It's nauseating effect starting to make you feel sick and weak.
"The hell-?" you mutter to yourself, struggling against the chains.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." a voice echos in the room. "I'd rather deliver you to mama in one piece." the voice threatens.
The room is too dim to see properly but you could tell there's a large figure at the opposite of the room, squinting your eyes until they grew used to the lack of light. Distinguishing the figure to belong to Charlotte Katakuri.
Your own personal jailer, how comforting.
"Oh, it's just you jellybean." you sigh in relief. Gaining a raised eyebrow from Katakuri.
"What's that suppose to mean?" he asks.
"I would've been scared shitless if it was one of those sadistic siblings of yours, like that Charlotte Cracker fella or the one who makes juice." you say rather nonchalantly, leaning against the wall.
Katakuri shook his head. How is it possible that you aren't afraid of him? He's the one who captured you after all!
"I can't tell if it's confidence or sheer stupidity. Either way it's annoying." the sweet commander stood from his chair, slowly making his way up to your chained body sitting on the ground.
"Glad it's hard to tell." you snicker, eyeing the man dangerously making his way up to you.
A heavy hand slammed itself against the wall right beside your head, causing you to jump in surprise, the man slowly leaned towards you in. The only light source in the room was from a torch on the wall where Katakuri was sitting on, the light casting shadows over the visible parts of his face, especially his magenta eyes. This man is more than capable of killing you with the flick of a wrist. But it only thrilled you to no end.
Feeling your heart beat against your rib cage, but definitely not because of fear. You were almost afraid he would be able to hear it.
"It wouldn't be too hard." he whispered in your ear in a menacing tone, his gloved fingertips brushing against the edge of your neck. "All I have to do is choke the life out of you and tell mama you died along the way."
"But you won't." you smile reassuringly.
"And what makes you so sure about that?" Katakuri grumbles.
Trying to prove you wrong. He wrapped his hand around your throat, pressing his fingers against the sides of your throat but not enough to cut your windpipe.
You know there is something messed up about you the moment his death threat didn't affect you. Instead sending pleasant shivers down your spine before pooling in your nether regions, going as far as to swallow a whimper that threatened to leave your lips.
But there is another reason you don't fear him.
"Because you returned my mask..."
Katakuri curses under his breath, releasing his hand from your throat.
"You could have destroyed it and see my true face, but you didn't." you said in a sing song voice. "Why is that?" you hum curiously.
The sweet commander contemplated on answering you, after all, every time he spoke to you it was like tossing wood to an every growing fire. He figures you will die anyway once mama gets her hands on you, so he could humor you just this once.
Katakuri lowly mumbled something under his breath, but you couldn't hear him.
"I'm sorry, i think you gave me a concussion or i didn't hear you. What did you say?" you joke... Partially.
"I said... it's because you gave me my scarf." Katakuri admits in a low voice, almost like he didn't want to admit it. But it was a respectful gesture he had to recognize, especially coming from an enemy in the middle of a fight.
"Ah, that..." you replay the memory in your head. "Your welcome~"
Katakuri mentally groaned to himself, already imagining how you will taunt him later on and make the rest of the trip insufferable for him. But it never came.
"Also, i guess i should thank you." you say truthfully, without a single drop of sarcasm or mockery. Just honest gratitude.
The sweet commander isn't as vocal as you are, just giving you a curt nod in your direction.
"That doesn't change anything between us." he says firmly, but you disagree. "Once i deliver you to mama she will decide your fate, whatever torture she picks i'm sure it'll be painful. So hold on to that keepsake of yours as long as you can."
Katakuri returned to his chair, crossing his arms over his chest and throwing a leg over his knee. Although he had his eyes closed you could tell he's using his observation to keep tabs on you, he's just that strong.
"Such a stoic man." you sigh to yourself.
There isn't a doubt you got on his nerves, refusing to even respond to your jokes. Giving you the silent treatment is the worst punishment he can do to you.
You throw your head back, organizing your thoughts and contemplating your options. You're positive big mom wouldn't receive you kindly in her court. So, escaping is your preferable option, but considering the current circumstances you'd have to wait for the right moment to show the trick under your sleeve.
For now, you just need to stall for time.
"I never imagined it would end like this." you leaned back into the cold cell wall, not getting a response from the Charlotte you decided to head straight to the point. "Tell me jellybean, while I was unconscious did you... peek...?" you tilt your head to the side, showing off the mask still intact on your face.
"No. " he responded dryly, sitting on a chair as he kept an eye on you.
You lean your body towards the sweet commander, feeling intrigued by his answer.
"Really? Aren't you curious to know who's behind the mask?"
"An annoying and childish little thief. I don't need to remove a mask to know that." the sweet commander told you with venom in his voice.
"Aww, you think I'm annoying~?" you smile before laying your head against the wall with a sigh. Closing your eyes as you contemplate your next choice of words.
There is a faint noise coming from outside the walls, it's barely noticeable but it's enough for you to hear it. The sound of your eminent escape.
"We're not so different you know that?" you say all of a sudden.
"Don't jest with me thief, we are nothing alike." Katakuri opened his eyes at you, leaning his upper body in your direction. Gaining your attention.
You smirk from under your mask. Sitting up in a more comfortable position, or atleast as comfortable as you can get whilst being chained up to the wall.
"Come'on jellybean you're smarter than that, don't tell me you haven't noticed the similarities?" you poke fun at the Charlotte before explaining. "We both have something to hide, but there's one key difference separating us."
Katakuri didn't speak, so you took it as a sign to continue.
"The only difference is that, even with my limitations i technically have more freedom than you." you say slyly. It was enough to pull a reaction from Katakuri. No doubt striking a nerve.
"Freedom huh? That's amusing coming from a prisoner." Katakuri taunts you, shaking his head to the sides in disagreement.
"But I'm not the only prisoner here." you respond without missing a beat. "Even with all that strength and talent, there's still something preventing you from living as you please. I can tell, because i have my fair share of skeletons in the closet." your voice soften into something more akin to sympathy with that last line, being truthful to some degree.
"Don't play with me thief." Katakuri growls.
"I'm not, I'm being serious for once." you made eye contact with the man, even though yours aren't visible, you know he was looking directly at you.
The sweet commander stood from his seat, pacing back and forth in frustration. "There's no point in doing this, whatever it is you're doing! Your so-called 'gift' and now conversing with me." The large man was growing impatient with you, suddenly pinning you by the neck with his extended solid mochi. "What do you gain from this??" Katakuri asks you more aggressively, mainly because of his lack of understanding your motives.
"Why does there have to be something to gain?" you strain to talk with the mochi surrounding your neck, but you continue nevertheless. "Is it hard to believe it's something i want to do? When i want to do something, i just do it, as simple as that." your words come out as a choke, feeling the mochi tighten around your chest and lungs. "That's... the freedom i have..."
Katakuri narrowed his eyes at you, watching you struggle within his mochi grasp. Not only did you get on his nerves during fights, but even in conversation as well. The worst part is that deep down, he knew you were right. Even when you joke around, there are moments where you make sense.
And he hated it.
There had to be more of this thief than meets the eye, how else would she know so much about you?
Just as quick as the mochi was on you, it slowly removed itself from you.
You cough at the oxygen returning to your lungs, trying to take in as much as humanly possible.
"Who are you?"
"If i told you, it would ruin the fun." you say between coughs. Giving him a strained smile from under your mask.
"You and your games. They're gonna be the end of me." Katakuri shook his head lightly. "Why am i even listening to you?"
He crouched in front of you, eyeing you with a mix of both curiosity and annoyance. Out of all the enemies he has made in the past, and even his current opponents, there has never been one that can effortlessly piss him off and interest him as much as you do.
Maybe it's because of the mystery surrounding her?
"What if i remove your mask and get this over with." Katakuri wonders to himself, his index finger tracing around the edges of you mask.
Even when crouching, Katakuri is still a large man, needing to stand up from your spot just so he wouldn't tower over you as much. "But, how about I offer you a deal instead?."
This intrigued Katakuri, catching his interest. "I won't let you go if that's what you want in exchange." he says in a stern tone.
"No, no, no." you immediately shook your head. "I want something more interesting than that. An eye for an eye, or in this case a mask for a mask." you grin eagerly.
"Wait. You want to see my face?" Katakuri's eyes widen in surprise, that was the last thing he figured you would ask for. "Why?"
You shrug. "I'm extremely curious."
Katakuri's eyes grew in distrust before shifting to despise. "You wouldn't like what you see." he scoffs.
Nobody does.
"Neither would you." you say solemnly, lowering your view to the side. You've tried to imagine this kind of scenario multiple times, but there was no real way to know how Katakuri would react to your real identity in person.
Katakuri closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Holding the bottom of your mask between his large index finger and his thumb. "You're a nuisance." he comments, removing his hand from your mask..
"I'm a lot of things. A pain in the ass, a brat, a thief among thieves..." you pause before adding. "And most importantly, an excellent lock picker." you raise your hands from behind you back, showing you had your hands free all this time.
At the sight of your trick, Katakuri launched a mochi hand to grab you, but you avoid it by jumping out of the way. Barely feeling the strength return to your body after getting rid of the handcuffs. The sweet commander pulled mogura from his body, eyeing you intently like a fox would look at a rabbit.
"You can run all you want, I'll find you and you'll loose all over again."
"That's why I'm not running anymore." you exclaim fearlessly, holding your ground. "I'll fight you properly, like the devil intended when I ate his fruit!"
"And how do you plan to do that when you can't even last in a real fight? ." he belittles you. Pacing around you, keeping you between him and the cell wall.
"I'll become stronger!"
Katakuri eyes you suspiciously. Refusing to keep his attention off you or your determination.
"When i want something, i chase after it." you reaffirm without faltering, your voice carrying through the room like the unpredictable rough ocean currents.
"How can i believe you'll keep your word?" he tighten his grip on mogura.
An explosion rumbled through the ship, shaking the room like an earthquake but Katakuri and you remained unaffected, there was something more important than that now. Even with the room falling apart, you didn't make a move to escape, waiting to hear a response from the sweet commander as silly as it may sound.
"I promise." you raise you pinkie finger in the air.
Katakuri cracked a smirk from under his scarf, no doubt reminding him of his younger siblings.
A pinkie promise?
You really are like a child.
"You have the potential..." The sweet commander relaxed his stance. "10 minutes." Katakuri mutters, stabbing mogura on the floorboards while he calmly crosses his arms over his chest.
"Huh?" you slightly tilt your head to the side.
"I'm giving you a 10 minute head start. If you fail to, no only escape the ship, but also leave the sky island, I'll hunt you down mercilessly." the man said in a serious tone.
Nothing like your cheerful one.
You smirk from under your mask. "I can do it in half the time!" you exclaim. Jumping on the tips of your feet, challenging the sweet commander in front of you. Your body still aches, but you felt the strength of your devil fruit come back to you in comparison to wearing the sea stone handcuffs.
Katakuri didn't respond, but instead he tapped his wrist as if he were wearing an invisible watch.
But before you could slip inside one of your portals, Katakuri caught your attention by saying. "Don't forget our other deal." he reminded you.
You respond with a simple thumbs up before disappearing from the room.
Katakuri closed his eyes once more, perking an ear at the commotion happening on the upper decks of the ship. Gunshots, bodies falling on the floor, multiple shouts and even cannons being fired.
"The masked thieves returned for their captain!"
"The prisoner has escaped her chains!"
"Capture her!"
"Where's Katakuri-sama?!"
The sweet commander opened his eyes once more, chuckling to himself in a low voice.
"I carelessly chased the white rabbit and now I've fallen in her rabbit hole." he sighs to himself.
What did i get myself into?
____
A/n: 3191 words. Damn, this is like, the longest chapter i have so far!
Anyway, i hope you enjoyed! this feels like an end of season 1 lol, but don't worry season 2 will be packed with action, trying to chase your needs and other shenanigans. Maybe some of you were eager for the identity reveal (trust me, i was tempted at doing it now) but eventually i felt it's something that should be done willing and not because of circumstance (like katakuri's teeth reveal).
I'll be taking a small break, so don't expect two chapters in one day like last time xD
For now, let me know what you think! ^w^