A/N: Here's the revised version of Paths to a Dead Heart. I hope you enjoy it as it is what I perceive as a big improvement from the earlier version. I will post the rest of what I have of this discontinued story if anyone is interested in reading the rest. Thank you and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, what-so-ever.
Don't judge a thing until you know what's inside it
Don't push me
I'll fight it
Never gonna give in
Never gonna give it up, no
If you can't catch a wave then you're never gonna ride it
You can't come uninvited
Never gonna give in
Never gonna give it up, no
You can't take me
I'm free
- Bryan Adams (You Can't Take Me)
"Mommy," voiced a young girl as she played with her mother's hair, "When can we go to Shirayuki's house?" The harsh wind from the winter storm rattled the thin walls of their small cottage. Chilling breezes crept through diminutive cracks. The child edged closer to her mother's warmth as the older wrapped the thick blanket tighter around them.
"I'm not sure darling. It's a four day journey. Maybe after winter is over." Said girl pouted.
"Then why do we live so far outta town?" Her mother sighed.
"Honey, we've been through this conversation many times. It's safer. Besides your father will never find us out here." The candle's flame flickered.
The memory crept away from me, a sigh escaping me as I opened my eyes. The sun glared down at me through the thick canopy of leaves. I took a deep breath and leaped out of the tree, landing on something... soft. Plush. Furry.
There came a muffled snarl from the creature as I stepped back, alarmed. Its jaws snapped at me. Backing off, I watched the creature warily as it continued to growl deeply in its throat. Fangs bared; saliva dripping from its teeth. I cooed softly, hoping to soothe the aggravated beast. The mammal shook its matted crimson mane, pawing its blue muzzle; its black tail dipped down obediently. Fiery scarlet eyes clashed with confused yet serene green ones.
He huffed, for I had now identified it as a male, and laid down with a pant; his ears flattened back. I studied the starving wolf before setting down four large strips of dried deer meat. Leaving it a few feet in front of him, I retreated in another direction. I paused for a few moments, hearing padded footsteps. He drew near and I felt his cold, wet nose touching my fingers. After a few sniffs, he licked my fingers hesitantly. I bent down slightly, cautiously stroking the cool blue mask covering his brow. He kept still and silent, tail wagging lethargically from side to side.
Straightening up, I continued down the path to nowhere with my new companion. The dense forest gradually faded to a small town, bustling with activity and busy people. Countless eyes watched my hooded form warily, whispers of gossip following me. With my head bent low, I entered a weapons shop.
The wolf's claws clacked on the wood softly as I glanced at the weapons, ignoring the swords, daggers, and arrows. I came upon my desired item: ebony leather gloves with unbreakable, thin wire. I picked them up and strode over to the clerk, setting down two gold coins for him. He glanced at me, only finding my mouth was visible, and bowed at the generous amount of money. I walked towards the door, clucking my tongue to let my friend know that we were leaving. His red eyes glanced up at the man, who shrank back from the demonic sight, before jogging back to my side.
I pushed open the door, the little bell tinkling as I stepped out onto the gossiping streets. Stopping by several stands, I bought various fruits, one of which I split with the wolf. As we wandered, so did my thoughts. The wolf... I glanced at the beast at my side. Why did he seem so familiar? I racked my brain for an answer but none came to me.
I was jolted from my thoughts as a group of marines thundered down the street, surrounding me and the wolf. He crouched lower to the ground, snarling and prepared to pounce when necessary. The townspeople stood by, away from the inevitable fight but close enough to watch.
"Kiyuna Yukina." My face split into a sudden grin. And here I thought my day would be relatively uneventful and boring.
"Yes?" I answered amiably, shifting into a subtle battle stance.
"Do not resist," one of the Marines commanded. "We are under orders to restrain and capture you on the grounds that you have infiltrated a Marine base and murdered majority of its scientists, including the famous Professor Shinra. If you resist, we have permission to shoot you."
"Oh really?" I raised an eyebrow. He seemed quite confident that I would surrender. "So sorry, but we really must be on our way." Something in my mocking tone must have ticked him off. He fired a round into the air, a deafening bang echoed through the silent town, causing the people around to flinch. The tension was so thick I could taste it. He lowered the gun, aiming it straight at me.
"Last chance."
Ignoring his warning, I took a step forward. Another shot rang out and I jerked, biting back a scream as searing pain shot through my left thigh. A quick spurt of blood exploded from the wound before it settled into a small trickle, crimson droplets staining the dirt road. With a snarl, my companion charged at the nearest Marine. His massive set of fangs crushed the pitiful man's neck, only relinquishing his deadly hold until the enemy was dead. Taking advantage of the distraction, I swiftly kneed the shooter in the face. I felt his nose crunch, crumple, and break beneath my knee and kicked back off of him, satisfied with the damage. He wailed, stumbled back, and tried to regain his balance while grasping his nose.
"Aw, is the poor baby hurt?" I cooed. "Why don't you let your big sister make it all better?" The man stared at the enormous shadow looming over him, a horrified expression across his face. Within moments, he lay unconscious on the ground. The remaining Marines looked incredulously at their fallen comrades. After a moment of silence, they turned and sprinted away, shrieking like dying banshees.
My own companion trotted towards me and sat down beside me, licking off the blood that stained his fur.
"Good boy," I praised, patting him on the head as I surveyed the damage he had caused. Five Marines were dead or fatally injured, two otherwise harmed, and three were unconscious. The citizens hid behind their stands and doors, terrified of me and the beast. It was best not to stay too long lest they do something reckless and idiotic in their fear.
Soundlessly, I continued forward with a slight limp, the wolf at my legs watching me in case I should fall. Once back into the safety of the shadowy forest, I slowed my pace, allowing nature to calm my senses. The pain had faded to a dull throb.
The wolf let out a gruff bark, heading towards the left. I followed him trustingly, knowing he would take me somewhere safe. The sound of running water reached my ears and sure enough, we came upon a river. The wolf leaped into the crystal clear liquid, the water washing away the dirt and blood that was caked in his thick fur. I entered the river, kneeling upstream from the pink, bloodstained water.
I swept my cloak behind me and examined my wound, searching for the bullet. It had been a clean shot. Opening my deer-skin bag, I pulled out a bottle of crushed herbs and a roll of bandages. I tore off the ruined pant leg and washed off the dry blood. I then smeared the paste onto the linen strips of cloth and wrapped them tightly around the wound. Finished, I turned my gaze upon my content wolf, splashing around joyfully. Now that he was clean, I realized that the sides of his red fur now bore white markings that had been unnoticeable before. I gently patted my hand on the grass and my friend looked up at me from his fun and trotted over obediently. He lay down by my right side, resting his head gently in my lap. I scratched his muzzle, my thoughts drifting once again. Who was this wolf?
The little girl hid in a bush, doing her best to conceal herself from Shirayuki. Crouching low, she poked her head out cautiously. No sign of Shirayuki. Then... what was that noise? The child turned back and came face to face with a blue muzzle, curious red eyes framed by a mask staring back at her.
It couldn't be...
"Oki?" I asked, my tone hesitant. The wolf raised his head in recognition and barked, eyes shimmering. My arms wrapped around his thick furry neck.
"Where have you been all these years?" Oki whimpered, lowering his head back onto my lap, his eyes full of sadness. I sighed. I couldn't pry even if I had wanted. Sometimes I wish I had the Hiso Hiso no Mi so I could understand him.
"Oki!" A young Yukina exclaimed, "Oki!" An excited bark echoed in response, and a flash of red and blue burst from the trees. The girl giggled as the two friends tumbled down into the plush grass. Oki licked her face, his tail wagging furiously. Yukina sat up, brushing pieces of grass from her hair. The young pup shook his fur clean before laying down next to her.
"I brought snacks," she said happily, grabbing the basket next to her. It was full of fruits and dried elk meat. The wolf yipped cheerfully and panted, waiting patiently for the treats.
The birds chirped, a small breeze rustled through the leaves of the trees as the noon sun slowly disappearing into sunset. Yawning, I opened my eyes to see Oki curled around me, his thick fur acting as a blanket. I stretched, then nudged Oki, notifying him that we were leaving. He, too, stretched and shook his fur before walking by my side again, careful to make sure that I did not fall. We walked aimlessly and the dense trees thinned out to a meadow, beyond which I could see the clear blue sea. The sun was halfway down the horizon by this time.
Before I could take another step, loud yells sounded out behind me. Oki snarled, turning back to face the threat. I stood silently, staring off at the tiny, peaceful ocean, the wind ruffling my cloak. Oki growled louder as the shouts and insults gradually faded away.
"Halt!" a young voice ordered. Raising an eyebrow, I turned to face yet another mob of Marines. A teenage boy with pale pink hair... Now that was interesting. Behind him stood a massive crowd of Marines, ready to attack at his order.
"You're a few years too early to challenge me, boy," I smiled, patting Oki's head to assure him that we were in no danger. His tense stance relaxed. Swiftly, we sprinted toward the vast ocean. The Marines let out a yell and began chasing us. Reaching the sandy beach, I turned and immediately dodged the Marines' bullets. Oki, a few feet ahead of me, barked as soon as we were a foot or so away from the incoming tide. We stopped an inch from the water.
"You have nowhere left to run. Surrender now, Kiyuna Yukina!" the bubblegum-haired boy ordered. Glancing over my shoulder, I smirked at the Marines before leaping into the ocean. Light, sturdy structures of plaster-white bones curved upwards from the water, cradling us once we landed, bones between our feet and the salty sea. Laughing, I faced the gaping men, gripping one of the many bones. I looked up, my neon green eyes glimmering with amusement.
"Better luck next time, kid," I hollered, the waves dragging us outward from the beach.