Hello, fellow One Piece obsessors! I hope you enjoy this fanfic. Its an AcexOC, I intend to bring this story up until the current manga arc (dressrosa) but for now it starts with when Ace heads out to sea. Please forgive me for any OOC-ness and grammatical errors, this is a long chapter and I may have skimmed over editing 😅. Please review, I want some constructive criticism! All the characters you recognize belong to Oda, where as Asuna and other OC's as well as Cassiopeia belong to me. I'll update every week or so with monster chapters like this (Almost 7,000 words here) Thank you and goodnight!
A playful breeze tugged at ends of her flowing robe as she stepped out in to the inky night, chestnut waves billowing about her slim form. Intelligent amber eyes scanned the dark, timbered terrain as she swiftly headed South, concealing herself in the shadow provided by the towering trees. The night was silent save the muffled padding of her boots on the lushly vegetated ground and the sound of her bag swinging at her side as she accelerated up the sloping ground towards the coast.
Asuna slowed into a steady jog as she could make out her destination: a small clearing atop the cliffs that lined Cassiopeia's coasts like the colossal walls of a fortress. A blissful smile graced her delicate features as she settled into the familiar patch of soft grass and inhaled the salty smell of the sea, allowing the soothing whisper of the waves to wash over her as she concentrated on steadying her breathing.
Once her heartbeat was calmed, Asuna turned her attention to the dark expanse above her. A canopy of deep blue stretched out as far as she could see, millions of glittering stars scattered across the night sky. However Asuna's gaze was locked on to the luminosity of the night's full moon. A soft sigh escaped her lips. It'd only been 24 hours since she had last seen the stars but it felt like centuries ago. She spent her days dreaming about the moment when the sun would finally set, giving way to the enchanting darkness with it's sparkling stars and glowing moon. The night and this view was- ultimately- what she lived for.
Reluctantly, Asuna removed her hands from the velvety grass to her bag and went about setting up her telescope like every other night. She began by leveling her tripod and equatorial mount then balanced it by adjusting the counterweight and the telescope in its cradle. Her nimble fingers then aligned the scope to Polaris, the North Star, once the entire assembly was in its starting position.
Sliding in an eye piece with a swiftness one acquires only through repetition, Asuna observed the magnified stars and made notations on the star-charts she had drawn up that morning in her elegant hand. All that was heard was the scratching of pen on the thick paper along with the crashing of waves against the cliffside as she was absorbed into her work.
She carefully focused her telescope onto Cassiopeia, the constellation that served as the island's namesake, in the north sky. The constellation represented the Ethiopian queen, Cassiopeia, chained to her throne in the heavens by Poseidon after boasting of her unrivalled beauty. She made note of the four brightest stars that formed Cassiopeia's 'w' shaped constellation: Alpha Cassiopeiae, a double star; Beta Cassiopeiae; Gamma Cassiopeiae, a shell star with a high level of rotation; Delta Cassiopeiae, an Algol-type eclipsing variable star. After changing the eye piece for a higher magnification, Asuna could just make out the two dimmer single stars, Epsilon and Rho Cassiopeiae, but failed to find the four dimmer double stars of Cassiopeia that the astronomy book to her left had specified. Professor Hermann had told her all about Eta, Iota, Sigma and Psi Cassiopeiae when he had lent her the book at dinner that day.
Hermann-san was the Professor of Astronomy at the House of Wisdom, Cassiopeia Kingdom's great university, in the capital city of Cassia. He was a dumpy man somewhere in his late fifties with a round face that always flushed a most alarming shade of red whenever he passionately spoke of his profession. He lived with his wife in a little house not far from the modest cottage Asuna and her father shared. He often ate dinner with them on the basis of lending books to her or talking to her father, with whom he had been childhood friends, but Asuna had always suspected that he did this to get away from his sour-faced wife. Hermann-san commuted to Cassia everyday from Liscia city, insisting he would not want to leave his hometown but it was clear he did not want to live in the noble-populated capital, nor would he be able to afford residence there with the scant pay that professors received from the beli-hoarding Royal family of Cassiopeia Kingdom.
Liscia was just one in five of the settlements on the island, excluding the capital. Liscia was home to the Liscian warrior clan of powerful fighters. The men of Liscia formed the royal army of King Cepheus, one man from every family. The city's population was somewhere around 2,500, in comparison to the capital's 3,000 making Liscia the second largest settlement in the kingdom. Liscia was towards the southern coast of Cassiopeia, encompassed by high trees and with the coastal cliffs at the city's edge.
Liscian fighters served as the kingdom's patrons of security. Asuna's father was a senior warrior of the Royal Army. She lived a modest life with her father, he strongly believed that luxury was a lifestyle not meant for true warriors. Warriors, in his opinion, should live simple lives dedicated to perfecting their fighting skills- not beli-chasing. A philosophy her father had inherited from his commander. Hence they lived in a simple cottage and wore simple clothing, only ever spending a lot when it came to weapons, not that her father's pay could afford anything luxurious anyways.
Fiddling with the intricate knobs on her telescope once again, Asuna fixated her view to Perseus, southeast of Cassiopeia. Perseus was the saviour and husband of Andromeda, daughter of Cassiopeia, after Cassiopeia and the King attempted to avoid Poseidon's wrath for Cassiopeia's boasting by sacrificing their daughter. Cassiopeia Kingdom's King Cepheus shared his name with the real Cassiopeia's husband, the King of Ethiopia. The constellations Cepheus and Andromeda lay north and south of Cassiopeia. Despite all the trouble, the mythological family was still together until this day thought Asuna as she accurately plotted their locations onto her charts.
Feeling exhaustion wash over her, Asuna decided to take a break after working some hours into the night. Yawning, she nestled onto the spongy grass as she slowly surrendered herself to sleep.
Asuna awoke with a start. Eyes wide and alert, she unsheathed the two daggers strapped to each thigh from the side-splits in her silken dress, removing her robe for easier movement, as soon as she was on her feet. Naturally assuming a feline crouch, she stood with her feet apart and her dagger-armed hands positioned to defend. Her eyes darted across the shadows in the forest she had passed through not long ago for the source of the loud noise. Closing her eyes, Asuna diverted her concentration to sound. Hearing a muffled thumping sound close by, she decided to confront the source. She darted into the forest, pupils dilating to adapt to the darkness as she stepped cautiously to ensure that whatever it was wouldn't hear her coming.
As she neared a clearing, Asuna ducked into a patch of thick foliage for cover. The source of the thumping was right ahead of her now. She could hear some harsh coughing and gasping. Asuna could feel her heart beating in her ears. Her eyes widened even more as a gurgled scream rang in her ears. Her hands tightened their grip on the daggers; Asuna's knuckles were white. Pushing back her fear, she gathered the courage to peek out from behind a leaf. In the centre of the clearing was a person keeled over and coughing up copious amounts of blood, hands clutching helplessly at their throat.
Asuna hastened to the stranger's side and positioned them on their back. She sheathed her daggers onto her thighs then abruptly sent a powerful blow to the choker's stomach. Five dark seeds soared out of the stranger's mouth along with some crimson beads of blood, some if it splattering on her dress and exposed chest at which she grimaced but made no comment.
Sighing in relief, Asuna slumped against a nearby tree and let her gaze wander to the recovering stranger whose yellow shirt-clad back was to her. He was definitely a teenager, if his lean yet gangly form was anything to go by. His head of raven waves shook as he coughed violently on his knees, supporting himself with his hands. Black cargo shorts and boots clothed his lower half. Asuna's eyes rested upon the cowboy hat attached to his neck by strings, even in the limited light she could tell that it was coloured a most horrendous and outrageous shade of orange. Unconsciously, her lips curved up into a smile as her shoulders shook with laughter, its melodic sound filling the cool night air and catching the attention of the outlandishly dressed young man.
Asuna took in his features as he turned to her with a scowl, making her laugh harder. Her sharp eyes noted the generously lashed onyx eyes and sculpted eyebrows above freckle splattered cheeks and a defined nose. He was handsome, Asuna thought, but revoked that thought as soon as his scowl turned feral. Asuna's honey-coloured eyes narrowed, her smile instantly turning into a thin line as she felt the atmosphere change around her. The tension was as tangible as the hostility she could sense coming from the now red-faced stranger. She went to unsheathe her daggers but was too slow. In a blur, she found herself pinned to the tree behind her. His forearm across her collarbone and his knee quite painfully lodged in her abdomen with one of her own daggers at her throat, leaving Asuna winded from the impact. A small cry of pain escaped her pale lips.
"What do you want?" he growled out, moving the dagger threateningly close to her jugular vein. Asuna hissed. His dark eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"What do I want? Is that how you show gratitude to your saviour?"
"I didn't need help. Now, what do you want?"
Asuna rolled her eyes. "I want you to get off of me, that's what!" His eyes, if possible, darkened even more at her tone.
He pressed the cold metal of the dagger firmly onto the delicate skin of Asuna's neck."Unlikely. Where's the nearest town?"
"Get off of me first", Asuna growled through gritted teeth, "then, maybe I'll tell you or even be courteous enough to escort you there". Asuna watched a look of indecisiveness flick across those onyx eyes before he gave a nod of consent. Slowly, she felt his hold on her slacken and his shoulders relax as he stepped back. Even in the dark, Asuna could make out the pink colour on his cheeks. To her astonishment he bowed deeply in an odd fashion, muttering his apologies awkwardly. Unused to such formality directed towards her, Asuna patted him on his back whilst telling him it wasn't a problem at all and that he could stop bowing now.
"You foolishly ate fruit from a Sapodilla tree, they have hooked seeds and dry out the mouth", she said conversationally, glad to be out of that painful position. "Speaking of which, are you thirsty?"
"Yeah, and hungry, do you know where I could find something to eat?" he asked, sheepishly raking his fingers through his raven locks his intense gaze switching to her. "Oh, uh, sorry" he muttered as he returned the dagger. Asuna swiftly sheathed it by her thigh, noticing how the pink tinge on his cheeks intensified as his eyes followed her movements to the high split in her dress.
"I can help but first I need to get my belongings. Follow me" she said as she dusted herself off and began leading the way back to the clearing on the cliff. Asuna could hear the almost silent padding of his boots along with hers as they walked.
"I'm Ace, by the way" he offered, scratching his head.
"Asuna," she replied swiftly, not turning her head from the clearing up ahead, "I've never heard a name like that before, nor have I ever seen such weird clothing. You're not from here, are you?"
"No, I'm from Goa"
"Mm, that makes sense. Very well", she clasped her hands together as she turned to face Ace, "welcome to Cassiopeia Kingdom, East Blue's largest island" she said with a grin and a wide gesture as they entered the clearing. Ace watched as Asuna hastily packed up her telescope into her bag and swung it over her shoulder. "Ready? We're going north from here, towards the cottage my father and I live in. I think we should be able to make it there before sunrise if up to it in your condition" she said, consulting the leather watch on her wrist.
"I'll be fine. So, you're an astronomer?"
"Not quite, I'm not qualified as one but I believe I'm no less knowledgeable than the students of Cassiopeia's finest schools" she responded as they made their way back to the cottage, "in Cassiopeia it is seen as unbefitting for women to study."
"That's ridiculous-" he began.
"I know. But it doesn't matter, there is only one university on this island and it is reserved for the nobles of the island or the wealthier common folk of Cassiopeia. Even if women could study, I wouldn't be able to because of our financial conditions" she explained with her gaze on the forest floor, extremely aware of the sympathetic look his intense eyes aimed at her. "We're here".
Ace looked ahead to the partially moss-covered cottage as they entered the front yard through a small wooden gate, watching patiently as Asuna retrieved a key from behind a plant pot on the window then unlocked the door. He was surprised at the wide interior of the cottage; his gaze raked over the plain walls of what he supposed was the living room. Towards the left there was a simple open-plan kitchen and a wooden table that would seat no more than four. His eyes returned to Asuna's slim form as she bustled about the kitchen to fix him something to eat. Ace could make out the contractions of the muscles in her back through the thin navy blue material of her dress as her chestnut brown waves spilled over her shoulder with movement. He had to force himself to direct his gaze elsewhere as he felt the heat rise to his cheeks.
After a while, Asuna set down a generously proportioned plate of steaming rice and lamb in front of Ace. The heavenly aroma of herbs and meat had him drooling. Asuna grinned widely as she took a seat opposite him at the table after placing a jug of water and a cup at his side. Her eyes shone in amusement as he practically inhaled the food within a few seconds. With one of her melodic laughs, Asuna promptly stocked his plate with seconds and plated the rest of the food she had cooked, only for it to be devoured in a similar fashion.
"Though Goa Kingdom is close, I still don't understand how you ended up here. Where is your family and how did you manage to get onto this island. The coasts of Cassiopeia are lined by cliffs, the only way to get onto the island is by the canal that runs through the capital, Cassia, from the sea but that is strictly monitored by the Royal Army", Asuna inquired as she cleaned away the dishes. Ace had halfheartedly offered to help but she waved him off, he seemed to be far too occupied slumping in his chair and rubbing his stomach with a blissful expression on his face.
"Mm? Well, I left Goa about a week ago then my boat got caught up in a storm and got wrecked on some rocks near the coast, here. I couldn't find any low ground so I climbed up the cliff. I got hungry and ate one of those weird fruits then started choking, that's when you found me. What were you doing there alone?"
"Like you said, I'm an astronomer, qualified or otherwise. I was drawing up some star-charts and maps", Asuna answered as she slipped back in to her seat. Pulling her bag towards herself, she got out some maps and charts to show him. She watched carefully as Ace's calculating eyes examined her work.
"These are- they're amazing, you have a good hand" he commented, running his fingers over the thick paper with his eyes still admiring her handiwork. Asuna sighed in relief, she did not know why but she found herself wanting the approval of someone she hardly knew.
"So, why are you travelling alone?" Asuna observed the painfully wide grin that graced his features in response and raised a questioning eyebrow.
"I'm a pirate!"
Try as she might, Asuna could not suppress the small smile that curved her lips. She couldn't help it; the happiness he exuded from uttering that short sentence was contagious.
"Where's your ship? Your crew?" she questioned playfully with a small chuckle. She laughed even more when his dark brows knitted together and his lips pressed into a thin line in a determined expression.
"I don't have a ship or a crew yet, but I'll have a navigator very soon", he gestured to her. Asuna quirked a brow in incredulity.
"Baka! I said I was an astronomer not a navigator! Why would I become a pirate? I have a safe home and a father to look after."
"These maps- you must at least know some astronavigation or you could learn, we wouldn't even need a compass, your calculations here would allow us determine our location and course by simply counting stars" he said, his eyes never leaving her intricate maps and charts.
"That may be true but I have a life here, in Cassiopeia. Just because you found it so easy to leave home for the high seas does not mean everyone will be just as willing."
"You will join my crew. You will be my astronavigator" he concluded. Asuna scoffed at the certainty in which he declared her future.
It was sunrise. Golden rays spilt through the gaps in the curtains, painting the room with a celestial glow. Asuna rested her head on her palm, observing how his callused fingers gently appraised her work. The pair sat in comfortable silence until it was broken by Ace's yawn.
"Come, you must be tired after your journey, you can sleep in my room", Asuna motioned for him to follow.
Doing as he was told, Ace trailed closely behind the swishing of Asuna's dress as she led the way up the stairs to a small room on the right. The walls were lined with shelves full of books, skimming the spines of the books Ace found titles ranging from astronomy and navigation to medicine and poetry. There was a large telescope set up in front of one of the windows and a desk littered in pages of intricate diagrams. Asuna directed him to a small bed in the corner with soft blue bedsheets then promptly left on the account of making breakfast for her father who would be back from working his night shift, guarding the capital city.
Ace removed his shirt and shoes, placing his hat on the nightstand as he made himself comfortable. He nestled into the soft blue material, noting how it smelt of Asuna, like the pages of a book and something sweet. In no time at all he could feel the fogginess of sleep begin to cloud his mind, he was surprised his narcolepsy hadn't already taken control. Gradually and gladly, Ace fell asleep.
After preparing her father's breakfast and explaining the teenage boy who was currently sound asleep in her bed, Asuna relaxed her muscles beneath a stream of hot water in the shower. Sighing contentedly, she tangled her fingers into her mahogany roots, massaging her scalp in an attempt to push back the migraine she was developing from the lack of sleep. Basking in the wet warmth for as long as she could, she reluctantly stepped out of the shower to dry up and put on the fresh set of clothes she managed to sneak out of her cupboard without waking up Ace. She slipped on a sleeveless oriental dress that went just above her knees with a high neck, strapping a leather dagger-sheathe to each thigh. She polished her daggers, returning them to their places by her toned thighs beneath the side-slitted black silk. Her slim hands moved to fasten the golden buttons along her chest and neck then down again to smooth out the fabric across her flat abdomen. Switching her attention to her hair, Asuna pulled the now dry waves into a braid down her back, a few loose strands of hazel framing her face.
She re-entered her bedroom to find Ace still peacefully snoring, a snot bubble inflating and deflating simultaneously with the rise and fall of his chest. Suppressing the laugh that was surely forcing its way up her throat, she quickly slipped on a pair of low black heels and a dark silken robe, tying it at her waist on her way out of the room. After scoffing down her own breakfast she walked speedily to Liscia's town centre, waving and smiling to the few locals who greeted her good morning.
Once at the town's centre her ears were assaulted by the sounds of the lively market: the persuasive yells of merchants; the playful shrieks and giggles of children; the soft chattering of women; the sweet symphonies of the violin-playing buskers. Asuna allowed the infectious atmosphere to wash over her, deeply inhaling the floral scents of a flower stall nearby as she expertly weaved her way through the crowds of shoppers. Liscia was not grand like Cassia, nor did it boast anything like Cassia's great Zuexo Mall, but it had charm. The charm that only a run-down and over-populated town could have. Cutting through a narrow alleyway, she allowed her body to lead the familiar route to the Army's HQ as her thoughts drifted to the head of thick raven locks snuggled in her pillow. Asuna scoffed. She remembered clearly the certainty with which he had claimed her as his navigator. Maybe it was because she found his bizarre manner amusing or maybe it was because she liked the way his dark hair and eyes appeared a deep brown in the morning light, as if the black shade in any other lighting was some sort of ruse for everyone aside from her. Whatever the reason, a part of her believed his words whilst the other part of herself wanted to. Asuna was intrigued and gravitated to his presence. Later she would talk to him some more but for now she would concentrate on her forte: intelligence.
Though only men were permitted to join the Royal Army, there were many females like Asuna who worked in the intelligence sector, gathering information on underground movements or operations as plain agents and occasionally assassinating an unsuspecting drug lord. Most assassination jobs were reserved for the older women; it sometimes required a trip to the bedroom to make a man bleed. Ensuring she was not tailed, Asuna entered the small dingy pub to her left. She was regrettably confronted by the smell of stale urine and alcohol, her face contorting into a look of pure disgust. Covering her mouth and nose with her forearm, Asuna hurriedly made her way to the back door of the practically empty bar as she tried to beat down the urge to gag. Or vomit. She understood perfectly that secrecy and anonymity was a vital part of her organisation but, seriously, was that horrid bar a necessary means of concealing HQ?
Gladly, she exited into a small courtyard and nimbly scaled the opposite wall, her black sleeveless robe flowing behind her. Once atop the three-story building she swiftly descended down into the bowels of the bricked edifice, towards the intelligence director's office, ready for the tedious hours of work.
Asuna was unenthusiastically greeted by her boss with a feeble gesture to take a seat. Obediently, she settled herself in to a leather chair in front of his desk. Her sharp eyes did not miss the dark circles beneath his usually alert grey ones, nor did she overlook the seemingly deeper wrinkles lining his pale face. Augustus Wren, was a greying man of steel, literally, he wielded the Suchīru Suchīru no Mi. His steel-coloured hair and angular features just served to emphasize it. He was a taciturn man in general, always curt with Asuna and only speaking when absolutely necessary. Despite his lacking sociability, Asuna found this mysterious old man to be highly trustworthy and reliable. Her thoughts were soon cut short by the entry of her azure-haired partner, Vienna, who swiftly took her place in the chair next to Asuna.
"You're late" Wren stated in his gravelly voice, hardly raising his head from his report littered desk.
"My apologies, sir, I-", the older woman was silenced by a arthritic hand.
"I have an important job for you two". Both Asuna and Vienna turned their gazes to the grave expression etched into the intelligence director's face; warm gold and sky blue meeting with steely grey.
xxx
Ace arose to the sound of wood clashing against wood. He squinted as he sat up to look around the cluttered room for the source of the racket. Finding the room to be empty, he reluctantly crawled out of the warm bed and went to explore.
Following the noise, he made his way downstairs towards what appeared to be a door to the back yard. His nose was met by the scent of fresh grass as he raised a forearm to block the sunlight from his eyes. A well-built man was training beneath the baking midday sun, his bokken repeatedly striking a wooden post in precise, practiced motions. Ace observed the flexing muscles of the older man's arms and the flawless technique with which he executed each powerful blow. He smiled nostalgically, somehow this man's extraordinary strength despite his evidently old age reminded Ace of a certain ape-faced, head-thwarting marine.
"Young man," the man huffed between strikes, "are you going to stand there all day smiling like an idiot or will you introduce yourself?"
Ace could feel the heat crawling up his neck and cheeks as he jolted in surprise from being addressed. Hastily, he walked towards the ageing man and bowed deeply, remembering what Makino had taught him about manners.
"Thank you, sir, for letting me stay here", Ace felt a warm hand gently pat his back, indicating that he could straighten himself. "I'm Ace. It's nice to meet you, sir. You must be Asuna's father."
"Indeed, I am. Please, call me Vernados" he replied in his hoarse voice, shaking Ace's outstretched hand firmly.
"Your very skilled, sir. I'm surprised that post has withstood your strikes so far" Ace complimented, his dark eyes assessing the unmarred timbered post.
"Thank you, though I doubt that post will collapse any time soon" he chuckled, fingers running through his greying head of shoulder-length hair. "It is made of Adam wood, the most durable in the world. But enough about that. Do you fight, boy? It would be nice to have a sparring partner when Asuna isn't around". Ace smirked at the implicit challenge. It'd been awhile since he'd last fought or trained. He accepted the offer, selecting a sturdy Bo staff that seemed to be of the same wood as the resilient post.
Feet apart, Ace positioned himself to attack, his Bo staff held tightly in both hands. He charged at the grinning elder, aiming a powerful swing at his balding head only for the end of his staff to meet air. "Too slow", Ace heard Vernados comment from behind him, "they used to call me 'The Lightening God', as fast as light, my opponent would never see me coming. Or leaving. You'll have try a lot harder if you want to lay blow on me and-", he knocked an unaware Ace into a tree a few metres away in one fluid swing, "pay more attention, boy".
A deep, frustrated growl escaped Ace's throat. He had not expected such agility from the geezer. Ace prided himself in never running away from a fight or losing one. He was not prepared to tarnish that record now. Dusting himself off, he picked up his staff and reassumed his offensive stance, this time ensuring he kept track of his target's location. With a vicious snarl, Ace lunged at his opponent again only to have his strikes dodged. He lunged again and again at where he thought Vernados was, but was unsuccessful. Ace clicked his teeth in annoyance. He was moving as fast as he could and putting all of his power into each swing but the old-timer kept dodging them like nothing.
"Stop dodging me!"
Vernados chuckled. "Fine, fine,I'll stop."
Ace lunged once again but this time his blow was intercepted, the force of the collision ringing in the air around them. In a blur, he was smashed into the same tree, fracturing it down it's wooden middle. He could feel his head spinning from the impact, the metallic taste of blood on his tongue.
"Stop looking and starting feeling, you rely too greatly on seeing your opponent, sometimes you will have opponents you cannot see. Then, what will you do?" Ace grabbed the hand Vernados offered him, his mind racing miles an hour with what Vernados said. An opponent he couldn't see? Was that possible? Vernados must have seen the puzzled expression on his face as he called for a break so he could take a look at Ace's injuries.
"I'll explain whilst I fix you up. I believe it is time for lunch" the veteran said, patting Ace firmly on the back.
After another mouthwatering meal and 10 arduous minutes of the old man prodding at Ace's injuries, they returned to training. Vernados had asked if Ace was familiar with devil fruits, to which he gave an affirmative answer, the elder then went on to explain the Logia branch of devil fruits. Vernados told him about how Logia users could turn their bodies into a natural element or force of nature, making it impossible to hit them. Vernados gave the example of a smoke logia user. Say this user were to disperse using their ability, he would not be able to see the user's smoke-propelled fist come towards him amongst all that smoke. Though it is impossible to hit a logia, Vernados said, Ace could at least dodge their attacks but first he would have to see them coming. As their first spar showed, he could not fully rely on sight in a battle, especially if his opponent was as fast as Vernados. He would have to rely on sense. So with this newly found motive, Ace took his place opposite Vernados, Bo staff in hand and a blindfold covering his eyes.
They trained for hours, how many Ace did not know. When Vernados was satisfied with his fighting skills without relying on sight, he removed his blindfold to find Asuna in the kitchen preparing dinner and the sky already a dark shade of blue. After showering (Asuna insisted), Ace and Vernados joined Asuna at the lavishly set table. Ace could hardly restrain his urge to drool; the table was set with dishes varying from ramen and meat to egg-fried rice and more meat, not to mention the heavenly smell of herbs and spices wafting in the air. With identical wild expressions, Ace and Vernados devoured their dinner, taking part in polite dinner table discourse in between mouthfuls.
"Sho haw wosh wak torray?" Vernados inquired, chomping into chicken leg.
Asuna quirked a brow. Her father wasn't usually this boisterous in his manner, she had a feeling that Ace had something to do with it but let it slide. "Now that you mention it, I'll be working tonight. Wren wants Vienna and I to gather some information on a camp of travellers towards the east coast". Asuna watched as a worried frown set into her father's face. "Don't worry, we'll be fine, father", she smiled reassuringly.
"I know, but weren't there any other people who could do this job? It seems unlike Wren to send you girls out on a job that could turn nasty. I heard the camp belonged to a group of ruffians from Giascia". Giascia was a poor settlement of factory workers, east of Cassia. The residents were known to be illiterate and hostile country folk, the rednecks of Cassiopeia.
Joining the thread of conversation after demolishing the remaining food, Ace asked what Asuna did for living. "I'm an intelligence agent. I scout and tail people suspected of serious crimes". He raised his brows in surprise but made no comment.
Vernados chuckled. "I'll clean up since I'm not working tonight so you can go ahead. I think this young man and I are going to clean out the spare bedroom so you can have your bed back". Ace nodded in agreement.
Asuna smiled. Her father seemed to already be quite fond of Ace and she could tell Ace liked her father too. "Have fun, then". With that she retreated to her room. She quickly changed out of her dress and into a black turtle-necked top and trousers, tucking the ends into her boots. She slipped on a black hooded robe, pulling the hood low to shadow her face. Lastly, she replaced her daggers and sheathes before heading out into the darkness.
xxx
Stealthily, two dark figures raced across the forested expanse, their direction northeast. They expertly dodged trees and branches with practiced ease. A melodic laugh echoed into the night.
"What part of 'shut up' do you not understand?" hissed Vienna, her aquamarine hair hidden beneath a dark hood.
"I'm sorry", Asuna chuckled, "I just feel so... alive! Don't you feel it, too?"
"No. See this is why they never let kids like you do the important stuff and because I'm stuck with a bratty 17-year-old I never get the good jobs too" the older woman breathed vehemently as they both slowed down, sighting their destination a few yards away.
Following her partner's lead, Asuna ducked low as she crept towards the hillside up ahead. If Wren's information was correct, there would be a valley on the other side of this hill where the suspected bandits were camped out. There were suspicions of a revolt from these Giascian rogues on top of rumoured robberies and sexual assaults. Asuna and Vienna's jobs were to investigate into these claims and, if necessary, spill some blood. Wren had expressly forbidden them from going into the valley, though Asuna and Vienna were both competent fighters, there was no way they could handle the estimated 200 bandits if things did happen to get ugly. In; listen; watch; out. Those were their orders. Once near the peak of the hill, they both settled themselves onto their stomachs, crawling forward ever so slightly so they could see down into the valley. Simultaneously, the girls tugged their hoods lower to blend into the darkness as they both pulled out binoculars to see better.
The valley ran deep; a small stream dissected the terrain of lush green. What looked to be around a hundred tents were scattered around the edges, their pointed roofs casting sinister shadows in the light of numerous camp fires. Drunken men populated the campsite, their raucous singing and obscene yells infecting the air. Asuna scrunched her nose at the foul mixture of excrement, urine, booze and sweat that wafted in the cool night breeze. She could sense the distasteful grimace that was also gracing her partner's ivory face.
"Gross."
"I know. Maybe Wren was confused, these drunk bigots can't be planning a revolt" she whispered in reply, amber eyes narrowing skeptically.
"They may not be guilty of treason, but they're sure as hell guilty of filthiness" Vienna spat, covering her nose with a gloved hand.
Asuna's retort was swiftly cut off as Vienna signalled her to be silent, pointing towards a group of horse-pulled caravans entering the valley. A short, beefy man stepped out of the first caravan, greeting the accumulating crowd with a hand of stubby fingers, the his boisterous laugh visibly reverberating through his enormous stomach. More men, bandits and rogues alike, streamed out the carriages, pulling along shackled people with sacks tied over their heads. The clinking of their bindings a forgotten sound beneath the loud banter and guffaws of the foul men. Asuna felt sick. She did not know what exactly was going on but the sight of the masked and shackled people was nauseating enough. Their ragged blood-stained clothes hung off their bodies limply, the tell tale signs of malnutrition apparent from their protruding bones. Bloody and bruised shoeless feet dragged across the vegetation, staining the fresh green with gruesome red. Some of the cloaked heads were attached to small bodies, like that of a child. Others were tall, their inhuman thinness in conjunction with their height, creating ghoulish shadows. The stubby-fingered man who appeared to be the leader stepped forward, drawing everyone's attention.
"My men! Please, let your eyes take in this sight: 120 slaves. They're all ours and once we sell them we'll have all the money in the world to buy booze and ladies alike". Howls of laughter and wolf-whistles escaped the crowd at the prospect of more intoxication and prostitutes. Asuna could see Vienna stiffen and grit her teeth at the sight. "But, alas, we have slaves but we'd never be able to ship them or any of the other lots we had without help. Our generous benefactor has come tonight to meet you all", the crowd roared in excitement, "Please, welcome his royal highness, Prince Argo!"
Asuna could feel the blood drain from her face. She wanted to turn to Vienna to check if she had heard right but couldn't remove her eyes from the pointed face of their Prince. His poker-straight lilac hair swished about his shoulders as he interacted with the rednecks, a tight smile stretched across his angular features. He was followed out of the carriage by the Commander of the Royal Army, Gituku Baz, a well-built man with hair as black as night. Asuna was at ends. These two men, both notable figures of power in Cassiopeia, were involved in trafficking slaves from their own country. Her thoughts were interrupted by a fierce tug on her sleeve; Asuna tore her unbelieving gaze from the valley to her partner's livid face. Vienna gestured for them to retreat but Asuna was not going to budge.
"Asuna, let's go", she hissed, "this out of our hands. This is no longer a child's game."
"No, I can't. Cassiopeia's people trust them- my father worships Commander Baz! We have to-"
"Hey, look! Up there!" Asuna froze. The voice did not come from the mouth of her partner but from below. She instantly felt hundreds of eyes turn to their perch on the hillside, the most notable of them Prince Argo's narrowed lilac ones.
"Get them!" was the gruff order of the lavender prince.
Swift on their feet, both Asuna and Vienna sped down the hill, Asuna unsheathing her daggers as Vienna adjusted her bow with an arrow. Surprisingly, the drunken bigots were fast on their feet and were gradually catching up to the girls.
"Oh fuck, this your fault" Vienna gritted out, "we're not gonna be able to get back to Liscia with these idiots tailing us. Cover me, we'll get rid of them then run."
Following her orders, Asuna got into an offensive stance in front of Vienna. Like always, Asuna would handle the close combat whilst Vienna would take out the enemies that were out of range with her remarkable aim. Asuna cleanly slashed two men who attempted to lunge at her, leaving a deep gash along both of their torsos. She charged forward, daggers in a reversed grip, slicing her fleshy obstacles with ease. Using her victims as leverage, she leapt onto their chests and shoulders like steppingstones after cutting them down. She gracefully dodged and sliced like clockwork, a ballerina of the battlefield. Her artful lacerations decorated their filthy skin, blood trailing after her daggers like the red ribbons of a rhythmic gymnast. Behind her Vienna skilfully loaded and fired arrows at lightening speed, taking enemies out with an arrow to the heart. Or jugular. In unison, they managed to effectively cut down the numbers. With a decisive dip of the head, Vienna motioned for them to retreat. They ran away, from the slaves and from Argo, into the darkness ahead.
