Chapter 1.
When the sun sets I am going to leave my island forever. No plan, no money and no idea what is waiting for me over the horizon. I am going to leave the life I have known for the open seas. The last of the small amount of possessions I do own are already packed onto the sailing boat I've hidden in the cove of the island. All that remains now is that I perform my duties one last time.
There is a knock on my door. It echoes through the room as I hook the final piece of jewellery, a heavy gold necklace, in place. I turn to the mirror, a tall broken piece of glass riddled with web-like lines and coated in a thin line of dust. Despite my surroundings, a dark mold filled room, I look surprisingly elegant. The numerous gold bangles and chains clamber loudly with each of my movements, and my short bright dress, which would look scandalous in any other situation, is exotic and seductive. I look exotic and seductive. As I should.
The knock on the door is louder this time and an angry voice bellows from the other side. "Crystal, hurry up in there! Do you think I have all day?"
Although my name, my real name, is not Crystal I answer anyway. As I always do.
"Yes Master, right away."
I take one last glance at the mirror. If I take just one of the precious jewels I am wearing, I won't have to worry about money for a long while after I depart the island...
But it is a useless thought to entertain.
I open the door with some difficulty. Master—no Alistair, always forgets to take the chains off the door after he had unlocked them.
"You're on in five minutes Crystal, go join the girls."
It is always painful to enter the main room. The heady scent of perfume always hangs in thick clouds at the entrance where the other girls stand in clusters, often discussing last minute changes to the dance routines. The lights also give off a blinding shimmer that mimics the spotlights on the stage but contrasts the dim blinking lights that we are supplied with in our rooms. I make my way through the crowd of girls to find a space in the corner. They move systematically when I come through. No one touches me and they all avoid eye contact. None want to be the reason why the main star is unable to perform.
The entire room is silent by the time I reach my corner of the room. It's nothing out of the ordinary. Supposedly, I am the master's favorite. I get the best pick of the clothes and I get to perform alone, without the stress of making sure my entire group is performing perfectly in sync like they have to. Although they don't say it aloud, they think I am an informer, secretly telling the master about their escape plans or reporting them when they are slacking on their training.
They are, of course, wrong.
But I don't correct them. I have no reason to. If they knew what I had planned they would sell me out as quickly as they thought I would sell them out. In this world I can only count on and trust myself. Today, I can sit with my head high and stare at every single glittering face without embarrassment. It will be the last time after all.
"Crystal, you're up."
The last time.
I walk towards the stage and my legs tremble beneath me. Not from fear—I've done this a thousand times before— but from anticipation.
Anticipation of what I am about to do.
The spotlight dims and the crowd grows quiet. I step onto the stage, letting my body follow the routine that has been beaten into it. I dance to the increasing rhythm of the music, swaying back and forth with increasing fervor until all I can hear is the beating of my heart and the roar of the crowd.
Then there is a scream and the lights cut off. A large, scar faced man rises from his seat and fires a gun in the air to call for order. He looks at me dead in the eye before throwing a single bejeweled knife in my direction. It embeds itself in the wall inches away from my face, but I don't flinch. Instead, I grab the knife and point it in the direction of main hall.
"The gold is in the chambers past the main room." I say, trying to suppress all the emotions that are threatening to pin me to the ground.
Master—Alistair is glaring at me with a look of utter shock and uncontrolled rage. There is a Denden Mushi in his hand, no doubt summoning the guards he had hired to protect his business. The scarred man whistles loudly and dozens of men come scurrying from all directions. Some wielding bloodied knives, others smirking in a way that suggests that they like to torture their victims in other ways.
The people in the audience are fleeing by now, but the pirates show no interest. As I had hoped, they are only interested in the gold. One grabs me by the collar, twisting the gold necklace that hangs on my neck and nearly pulls me off my feet.
"We're here. So where's the rest of it?" He spits.
I try to pull free but he is stronger than me. "I told you, go through the main hall and start from the room furthest down. It's Master's room, that's where he keeps most of it."
"Master eh." He says, tugging at my necklace. "That guy sure has you well trained. Maybe we should take you with us. I'd like to be your master."
With one swipe I unclasp the necklace and free myself from his wretched grip. I look back in the direction of the main hall but Alistair and the scarred pirate captain have disappeared.
"You have to hurry." I urge the pirate. "Alistair has a few devil fruit users employed who guard the gold. If you waste your time here your captain might be in trouble!"
The pirate scowls and slaps me across the face. Hard.
"I don't need you to tell me what to do." He scolds.
I pick myself off the floor and head in the direction of the exit. I half expect the pirate to follow me, but my face must be so pathetically swollen that any traces of my beauty has disappeared, along with any interest he may have had in me. I throw away the remaining jewellery around my wrists and ankles and run as fast as I can towards the cove. Shamelessly, I am leaving behind the girls whose frighten faces swelled at the sight of the invading pirates and Alistair, the man who had made my life a worthless existence for the last five years.
I run as fast as my legs allow. I run until the sea comes into view and my dreams of an everlasting freedom is almost a reality.
Almost.
Before I can reach the cove, an overpowering sensation runs through my body; a dreadful anticipation. I slow down and approach the cove cautiously, going through the bushes rather than using the path. Up ahead I catch sight of a movement. A broad man with a pick axe is hacking away mightily at a ship.
My ship.
My breath catches, and I stare motionlessly. My bags, which I had packed with the few decent clothing I could find in the hall, are floating into the open sea. Tears stream down my face. Alistair had sent one of his guards to find my ship. Perhaps he had known all along of my plan and this was his twisted attempt at humoring me, to show me the futility of trying to escape.
But, I can't let him win. I can't let him win. I can't let him win.
I stand on shaking legs and run along the border of the island. I don't know where I'm running to but I know where I'm running from, and it makes me go faster and faster until I can no longer feel the ground beneath me. The wind sweeps through me, blowing my black hair like curtains over my eyes until I've run over the edge of the cliff into the cold waters below.
