This Dream of Mine
Somewhere in the Grand Line, hidden away in an underground cave, stood seven statues frozen in battle. The first statue of stone was crouched in a protective stance a little ways ahead of the other six. Daggers pointed towards an invisible enemy. Mouth open in anger, its words never given the chance to leave its lips.
The others: a mix of fear and apprehension were carved onto their faces; and yet... their eyes held the same glint of determination. Their weapons were drawn: a gun, a sword, a mace, some fists. Some looked ready to leap to their captain's defense, for this was a pirate's crew and these pirates were loyal.
For ten long years, these frozen statues stood silent amongst the drip-drip-drip of the underground cavern. Ten years of waiting- but for what?
You see, they waited for what all pirates sought out in the seas: Freedom!
And alas, today - this day - there was something different in the stagnant air of the cavern that held them. A small gust of fresh wind. A creak of stone. A tiny movement that sent small pebbles crumbling to echo off the cavern floors. At the head of the crew, the first statue shifted.
Ten years and this cavern finally hears the first breath of air taken. Crumbling pebble dust falls to reveal flesh. Daggers inch forward to find its long gone target. Slowly, yet surely, this statue broke free; and with it, the first words left her lips:
"-And I'll deep fry your tiny-" She shrieked, lurching forward to drive her twin daggers into his filthy flesh, only to find empty air. She tumbled onto the ground and whirled back around, thinking he dodged it. The slimy git!
"Where the hell-" She stopped short. Her eyes widening at the sight of her still frozen crew. A clatter of metal and stone echoed against the cave walls when she dropped her weapons in ice cold shock.
"Everyone-!" She cried, "How?" Her shock turned to white hot anger and she roared from the top of her lungs. "WHERE ARE YOU? ADRIAN-! YOU COWARD! I'LL KILL YOU!"
She retrieved her daggers and dashed throughout the spacious cavern in search for her enemy. Twenty minutes of screaming and the pirate captain was slowly coming to the understanding that her enemy had long since escaped. The only question was how long ago.
She dropped to the cold floor in front of her crew of statues, silent and shaken. How could this happen? She had promised them- swore on her blood- this crew would never be broken! Never!
Never.
And now, she stared up at them listlessly. Her first mate, her cook, her doctor... her friends. She could see the fear in their stone expressions. A captain's job was to reassure their crew. Eve Sinclair had failed.
With a venomous cry, she slammed her fist onto the ground, over and over again until her knuckles stained red.
"Everyone-!" She sobbed. "I'm sorry!" A moment's later and exhaustion took over her stiff body and she lost consciousness. Even if Eve didn't know it, ten years was a long time to stay frozen.
When Eve awoke, she hoped it was all a bad dream. She hoped they were back on the ship, joking around and exploring the seas. But the pain was too real, it wasn't a bad dream. It was a living nightmare.
She staggered to her feet with a tear-stained face and bloody knuckles. She couldn't look at them. She had failed them. But anger fueled her determination. Not a second time.
Eve swore once again. She would fix this, and they would all be laughing and shouting together soon. She took her daggers and left the cave.
Author's Note: Dear readers, this is a one-shot. Why? Because I have an unhealthy habit of procrastination and if I start ANOTHER story, well, let's just say the other two would be doomed to indefinite hiatus. Regardless, I appreciate reviews! I also accept short story prompts and I will write for funsies if I'm interested in your prompts.