The gray room was filled with silence, that kind of typical stubborn hush what has too many words behind, and what creates even more thoughts. Only I was there without any company to talk with, however I didn't have the mood for conversations. But still, I simply loathe silence. It awakes too much memories and doubts what I should bury deep instead letting them flow inside me, echoing in my mind again and again. I tried to concentrate on something else, but this place was not suitable even for that. The musty, old cell with the shabby bed inside I was sitting on, and the overwhelming stress here had a sharp contrast with the warmth and blooming cherry trees on the outside. The white walls of the Springbase Marine stronghold were a border between the calm life of civils and the hell inside. Because if hell does exist, this is how I always imagined it. Cold, empty, without colours… Like noone is here, just endless silence. I knew there are cells way worse than this, in a place far away where the prisoners can really feel every brutality of „hell", but I didn't want to think about it more. Not only because of the fear I may end up there too, but because of an image what flashed inside me, what made my stomache cramp from the nervous and mad feelings, and after the weakness now hate ran through my veins. It gave me enough power to pull me out from the self-pity, and actually trying to find a solution.
- I need to get out of here… - I murmured just for myself as standing up from the bed, my eyes were constantly moving fast at the iron bars, trying to find a weak point and escape. - As soon as I can… I have no time sitting here…
I knew already that it's sure worthless, if they let me alone here for a while they are sure not afraid of I may get away, so I obviously can't just cut or kick an entrace for myself and slip away all badass. Life is not that easy. I looked around with the anger of not being able to do anything, feeling like a trapped animal, my heart was beating fast as my eyes moved quickly from side to side, and the tension was growing by every passed seconds. I grabbed one of the bars, feeling the cold touch of metal on my palm and fingers, looking at the other side of the room hopelessly. There was a table, with a bunch of papers, a den den mushi and some personal objects. The dark chair behind the table was empty. I didn't really know why am I here alone in this place, but I was sure that the owner of the chair and the room will soon arrive. I knew that they want to interrogate me, but I was not sure why. As if…
- …The bag… - I whispered quietly, my voice was trembling with nerves. My eyes widened as I realised, thinking about my bag and the thing I was protecting in it, and just like I was shocked by electricity I quickly let the bars. - Damn it…
I didn't have more time to think, because suddenly the voice of steps coming could be heard on the corridor. I turned my head slowly toward the door, trying to calm myself down to my weak panting not be heard. I knew I couldn't let to myself to fall into despair in his front. I sat back on the bed in hurry, leaning my back against the wall and breathing deep. As the doorhandle moved and the door opened with a creaking sound, I was sitting with a phlegmatic face without showing any of my emotions. I glanced up, seeing the man in Marine uniform as he closed the door carefully, and sat down on the chair. So now, he was here. Awesome.
- My name is Raoul, I am the commander of Springbase - he said on a deep and calm voice as he looked as focusing his eyes on me. His hair was cut short by his ears, but above his gray hair way messy like not really caring about gravitation. Despite that his gray eyes showed staidness, wit and experience, and I could know it by first sight that I won't have an easy time. He typically looked someone who has been in this job since long enough, and who can not be made upset, never, with nothing, at no circumstances. Well, we will see that. - I am here to ask some questions from you. If you explain what case you got into and you collaborate with me answering to everything honestly, I will give you food and water. I can help to ease even your punishment.
I looked up instinctively for a second. But still, I said nothing, and silently kept wondering about how could I go away from here.
- Even if you stay quiet, we both know you have many things to talk about. Right… Willow Dana?
I could feel his look on me what made me nervous, making me feel like he could see through me. I thought the best to turn my face away, so I hushed intractably with my back lied against the wall, thinking deeply as raising my face. The sunrays gently shone on the colourless ceiling, and the noise from the street could be heard through the small window with bars. Those voices from outside started to annoy me more and more. People always praise the Marine so much, living close to the base in peace like only the pirates could be the bad guys and Marines are their heroic saviours, but when the things start to take a different shape and the lines between good and bad melt into gray, most of them simply turn their heads away and continue their life as everything's alright. And this made me upset. But I couldn't blame them by all my heart… All they want is just a normal life. The truth often hides behind, and we mostly notice only what it lets us to see, or what we want to see. If they believe that the Marine is only for keeping peace and protect them without doing anything what would sully their image of the „justice" they so often like to use, they can live relieved as believing this, just like the children who want to hear from their parents that there are no monsters under their bed and the world is always just good and nice, so they can rest their head down peacefully sleeping. Maybe I could have been the same too, if my life would have gone on different way. That careless chatting and heartfelt laughter from the outside makes me pissed off because civilians can't see the bad side of Marine… or because somewhere deep inside I envy them…?
- …seems you really thought important to meet with the Strawhat Pirates, if you risked even to get caught.
Raoul's voice made me out of my inner thoughts again making me concentrate on his words, but when I turned my face toward him it was still without any expressions.
- C'mon, who thinks it so important to catch me? - I said finally. - I have never been a threat. Not even my bounty is high enough to make the World Government shook with fear from my name. Or, anyone else.
This was true. Mostly. However, if I count only myself, I really don't mean a harm for anyone. I was not that horrible as before when it was about getting into a fight, but I still wouldn't be able to handle any situations all alone. I rather tried to pass fights and fled, instead of creating them.
The man frowned thinking, but his face and voice still remained endlessly calm, watching the paper in his hand. I couldn't see it well from far, but as much as seeing I could realise it's my wanted poster with that old photo.
- Well… It has been long years since that bounty was given. I guess they underestimated you in that time.
Suddenly I started chuckle, but my voice was without any shade of joy.
- They decided to pick a bounty of 100 Belis for me. It'd be a shame even for the most screwed up pirates.
- It is true, however you need to admit you did not behave as a real pirate. Unlike your crewmates you avoided fights instead of actively participating in them and always tried to hide somewhere. According to the reports about Bailey Pirates you were the diary writer, and the Marine soldiers thought you a hostage until you hit one of them on nape from behind with a broom. This was the thing you did what most should be mentioned.
- Fascinating point of view. Well then, if I say I'm not even a real pirate, will you let me go?
Obviously I didn't expect any reaction for it, like he will come to my cell and open the door, and I walk away nice and freely like nothing ever happened. He didn't know it for sure yet that exactly why, but he had a good reason for keeping me inside.
- Completing what I have started, I mean… The thing most should be mentioned, what we know about. After you suddenly disappeared and left the crew, you didn't call attention on you for years. But recently, you appeared on the high seas again. What made you decide to take this step?
My eyes got gentle and sad for a second and I hanged my head. I couldn't get any food to eat since a few days and my stomache started to ache from the torturing hunger, I also would have done almost anything for a glass of water. My skin got paler than usual in an unhealthy way, circles round my eyes what looked weak and exhausted, I have been coughing hard since a while and I could feel myself loosing my power from day to day. I was never very strong but now especially not in my best health, so it was pathetically easy to capture me. Still… If he thinks that because of this it will be not hard to make me talk, he is damn wrong. I knew, whatever happens, I can't say about it even a word. It was not for myself, but for someone else, and this was what made my will strong enough to not break.
- I have nothing to say - I said looking in my front sitting against the grey and cold walls with folded arms. The man was gazing at me in thoughts, to the empty look what have changed too much comparing to the photo on the wanted poster, and it was not only because of the signs of years passing. The old, cunning fox felt that I'm keeping way more on the inside than what I'm showing, and that those informations I'm trying to hide can be important for the Marine also. If he thinks he can make me talk, he's wrong… This was what I was thinking, but honestly, I was scared inside. It was not just an accident for him to get to the leader position of Springbase in the New World - as I heard from soldiers as taken into the stronghold, there were no prisoners here who could leave the place without telling all what he wanted to hear. On the outside everyone could see just a smiling, kind and calm old man, the hope and protector of the people living here, but his subordinates at the base knew how the monster resting inside him is, not being afraid of anything to use to gain information and keep his position. Yes… The truth often hides more than what we would want to see from it.
The man sat back in the comfortable chair behind the table, gulping from his coffee unhurried. I still didn't care about him and kept sitting on the hard cell bed without a word, watching a spiderweb at the dirty wall like it was the most interesting thing ever, but my thoughts and feelings inside still were wreathing, swirling like a whirpool and trying to pull me to the deep with them. Raoul was watching me, trying to analyse and see behind the cold, broken countenance.
- I see. Do not worry… Our time is like the drops of the sea - he said as calmly like we were just sitting at some afternoon tea party listening to birds sound and talking about weather and another useless topics without a care. I knew this is just the start, trying to show the good guy to open me, but neither this way affected me to say a word. I didn't care about the man because of my messed up, nervous thoughts, filled with fear and guilt. I was not scared from Raoul or the navy the most, the most maddening and paralysing fear filled me when I thought about, I will run out of time. I sighed quietly, hanging my head again and closing my remorseful, tired eyes to half, as those words kept echoing in my mind, stabbing me again and again like a sharp blade. „What would he think, if he saw where I got…?"