Queen of the Silver Jubilee
Disclaimer: I own nothing (unfortunately); all rights and characters in One Piece belong to Eiichiro Oda and other respective owners and creators. I gain no profit from this; it's purely for fun. I do own my OC's.
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Note: This takes place in an AU 30 years after the Strawhat Pirates made it to the end of the Grand Line and found the One Piece.
The New Age Arc
Chapter 1: A New Age Begins! My Name is Aleyn Laura!
It was at that time of day when the scorching hot sun rose highest in the sky, signalling to the people of Kaishi Town that they had to gather all their wealth and valuables quickly. The small community had practically been stripped clean of dough this month, but that didn't stop each individual from trying to make as much money as possible, and Kara Kyd was no exception. The only difference between her and the frantic people of the town was that Kara was 99% confident she was getting the money she needed today.
She wiped her brow with her sweaty hand, stained with dry paint. A beaming smile shone on her face as she practically jumped off her small bed and nearly banged her head against the ceiling of her bedroom. ''It's finally done!''
Wasting no time, she grabbed her finished portrait of the town harbour. It was beautifully painted, displaying the sea and dark, night sky with wonderful splendour, and ships as tall as mountains dotted around in multi-coloured sails. It may have taken her nearly all day to work on this masterpiece, but it'll all be worth it when she hands it in to get paid. Carefully, she manoeuvred out of her room and down the stairs, making sure not to stain the paint. Unfortunately, she didn't have time to wait for it to dry, so all she could do now was hope the quick-dry paint didn't smudge and get it to her buyer before it's too late.
Before she could hurry out of the door, she was stopped and nearly knocked off her feet as her mother came walking by. ''Whoa, careful there, kiddo.'' She exclaimed.
''I'm sorry, mother. But it's finally done. I have to get it to Mr Sukizo now! Before they arrive!'' She was about to rush by when her mother placed a firm hand against her chest to halt her.
''Hold on, let me see it first.'' She pleaded and waited in anticipation, whilst Kara looked towards the ground shyly before begrudgingly handing the painting over to her mother. Kara waited for her verdict with folded arms and blushing cheeks. The older woman's face lit up and she shook her head in disbelief at the work of art in her arms. ''Wow! How long did it take you to make this?''
Kara shrugged her shoulders. ''Just a few hours…painting it, it actually took longer standing at the harbour to remember the view.''
''I'm jealous.'' Kara's mother grinned before turning towards the kitchen. ''Gareth! Come and look at what Kara drew this time.''
''Mother.'' Kara hissed through gritted teeth.
From the doorway that connected to the kitchen, Kara's father, Gareth, came strolling out on his makeshift wheelchair. He offered Kara a warm smile, which she gladly returned. ''What's up?'' He asked his wife.
''I think I have a new favourite.'' Kara's mother said and passed the painting towards Gareth, whose eyes widened as he inspected the painting. ''Hmm, judging by that look, I'd say you feel the same way.''
''Elizabeth, my dear, you are not wrong.''
Kara brushed aside the strand of hair that fell over her forehead and twiddled with it between her fingers. ''I don't think so.''
''No?'' Gareth inquired.
''I just did it because that's what Mr Sukizo said he'd pay for. It's just to raise the money we need for today.''
Her parent's faces turned grim at the mention of today. They looked at each other and then forced a smile when staring at their daughter once again as if that would make things any easier. Elizabeth gave the painting back to Kara with shaky hands. The young woman took it and slowly walked past them and out towards the front door. But before she could fully leave, she heard her father call out to her. ''It's a shame because that is a really nice painting.''
The smile on Kara's lips was genuine. ''Thank you.'' She said before scurrying out of the house and towards Mr Sukizo's shop.
As she ran through the town, Kara could tell that everyone else was feeling just as nervous as she was. Uncertainty on whether they each had enough money for today. But Kara was sure, she was promised more than enough to cover for her parents and herself today once Mr Sukizo bought her painting. By the time she arrived at his shop, she was practically out of breath and her throat was nearly as dry as the paint on her artwork.
She walked in, greeted by the chime of a bell on top of the door. The place was beyond messy and unorganised, with stacks of items, papers and other little bits-and-bobs lying about all over the place. Even if things weren't chaotic today, this would still be the usual site for Kara whenever she came to this place, not that she liked coming here anyway. Mr Sukizo wasn't on her list of favourite people that she knew, but he was offering her money for her painting, so for today at least she could pretend they were friends.
BASH!
''Ouch!'' Kara jumped at the sound of something hitting the underside of the front desk before a startled, pasty-looking old man emerged while rubbing the top of his head with a pained expression on his face. He opened his eyes as the pain lifted slightly, and he froze on the spot when he noticed Kara standing at the door. ''Oh…Kara...hi, uh, what are you doing here?''
Still feeling rushed and out of breath, Kara paced herself towards the front desk and placed the painting on top of it. Sukizo looked at it, his mouth agape and eyes sparkling in astonishment, clearly delighted with what she had painted. ''I did it! Just like you said!''
''I only gave you this commission last night. Yet you managed to finish it before noon? You are a talent.''
''Thanks, so that's 500 beri! Right?'' Kara spat out excitedly.
Since the shopkeeper before her had given her the commission, Kara's heart had not stopped beating. From fluttering with inspiration as she watched the harbour and sea the night before, to try to calm herself after sprinting from her house to here just now, her heart was a truly a well-oiled machine. However, when she saw a gulp go down Sukizo's throat and sweat drops appear across his face, her heart finally stopped and her blood turned cold.
''Well…you see…there's a bit of a problem,'' Sukizo stuttered. ''After you left my shop last night to go and paint your picture, a gentleman came in soon afterwards and offered me this fine looking antique lamp,'' He then reached beneath his desk and lifted it up to show off, but Kara couldn't care less as he continued. ''Apparently, it was surviving wreckage from a Marine Ship that sunk during the Throne Wars, so I bought it off him!''
''What does this have to do with my painting?'' Kara questioned as tears slowly began to coat her eyelids and her heartbeat once again gained pace.
Sukizo scratched the back of his neck nervously. ''The thing is…the money I used to pay for the lamp, was the last bit of spending money I could afford. The rest I need to pay for today. I'm sorry, but I can't pay you.''
Kara's whole body shook with fear, and a single tear crawled down her cheek as the reality of her situation finally dawned on her. ''But…my family doesn't have enough money for today. You promised!'' Her voice was hoarse and her fist tightened causing her knuckles to crack and sting.
''I'm sorry, that's all I can say! And to be honest, I thought you were just joking about being able to paint this in one day.''
A gasp escaped Kara's lips when she heard those words. ''A joke?'' She whispered in disbelief. Suddenly, the hurt and fear that was plastered on her face was gone, replaced with anger and fury. The tears began to fall freely, and her breathing grew to uncontrollable levels. ''You think I'd joke about this!?''
Sukizo held out his hands in defence. ''Hold on, I didn't phrase that right…''
But by now, it was too late to calm her down. She slammed her hands against the desk, one hand thumping against her painting, bending it slightly. ''The last time my family couldn't afford to pay those damn pirates, my father ended up in a wheelchair! Do you really think that I would joke about this?'' She cried out and didn't even give Sukizo a time to respond before grabbing her painting and sprinting out of the shop, leaving the shaken keeper alone to wallow in his guilt.
''I'm sorry,'' Sukizo said to no one in particular. ''But I don't want to be the next one in a wheelchair.''
Kara sat against a small picket face, her teary face buried against her knees. Her cries were muffled and broken, but no less painful. She knew there was no time to find any other buyers for her painting, and even if she did, they wouldn't be able to offer the amount of money that she needed. Everyone in this town was already at their limit. Some questioned whether this was all worth it, going through this terror every single month, including Kara. But she remembered the consequences of not paying the pirates, and what would happen if they didn't come.
Finally lifting her tear-stained face, she glanced over towards her painting, which was now bent out of shape and the paint somewhat smudged where she gripped it earlier. Seeing her last chance of earning enough money to keep her family safe for a little while longer ruined and useless, made her feel pathetic. Her body rocked back and forth, and her heart threatened to beat out of her chest. She even had trouble breathing at a steady pace now…things looked beyond bleak.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Kara felt something soft land on top of her head. Hesitantly, she reached up and grabbed whatever it was and pulled it down, causing it to slip over her face. Kara reeled back from the sticky feeling of the banana skin and tossed it to the side. Just then, another peeled banana skin dropped to the ground next to her. She looked up over her shoulder and was taken back by what she saw.
On the other side of the picket fence stood a tall tree, and in that tree, lying lazily on one of the thick branches was a young woman, devouring another banana in one gulp. The woman didn't seem to have a care in the world as she relaxed under the cool shade of the leaves and branches above her. Soon enough, the woman shifted her body so that she could look down. Once she saw Kara looking up at her, she swallowed what was left of the food and waved. ''Hey there, sorry, I didn't see you.''
Kara looked away nervously. Not the best strategy when confronting someone she'd never met before, but at this point in time, her emotions weren't in the right place. She hoped the woman would take the hint and leave, or ignore her altogether. However, that wasn't going to happen, as Kara nearly leapt out of her skin when the woman jumped down from the tree and sat next to her.
The woman must have noticed Kara's tears because her face turned serious for a second before becoming light-hearted and offering a warm smile. ''Hey, if you're having a rough day, nothing helps more than a bright red, juicy apple.'' She then reached into her pocket before pulling out exactly that, presenting it to Kara.
The artist was unsure of what to do. She had never seen this woman before. She'd never even seen the type of clothes this woman was wearing before. To Kara, this stranger was like someone from another world, and the pair couldn't look any different.
Whereas Kara's blond hair was short and neat, the stranger's was long, messy and dyed bright blue. The stranger's arms were quite muscular and strong, with biceps that deserved to be shown-off, while Kara was most often compared to with a twig by the townspeople. But the sense of fashion was really what stood out most. Kara was far more conservative, in a simple shirt and shorts, and the stranger was covered in all kind of gear. She wore a light blue top with a dark blue streak going diagonally along, and baggy beige trousers. On her belt was a compass, a telescope and a gun holster only without the gun and instead had a pear in its place. Lastly, what really caught Kara's eye were the two small scars on the woman's face; one over her right eyebrow, and the other over her top lip.
''You going to stare at me all day?'' The woman's voice brought Kara out of her thoughts and made her realise that she was indeed staring at the unfamiliar face. Trying to hide her blush, she took the apple and held it in her trembling hands. ''You're supposed to eat it, you know?''
''I know,'' Kara said weakly. ''I just don't feel like eating, but thank you.''
The woman nodded and began to clip-clop her sandals against the grassy ground. ''So what's the problem?''
Kara almost said something, but before she could get ahead of herself, she turned to the new face in confusion. ''Hold on, who are you?''
''Hmm, oh, the name's Laura. Yours?''
She hesitated before answering. ''Kara.''
''Nice to meet you, Kara!'' Laura greeted happily. ''So, you live in this town, or what?''
''Yeah…yeah, I live here.''
Laura immediately sat upwards so that she wasn't slouching anymore, and turned to fully face a bemused Kara. ''Good, then maybe you can tell me what's with everyone in this town. Every single person that I passed came up to me and asked if I wanted to buy something, or if I had any spare change. What's the deal? Is this a charity town or something?''
Kara was a bit slow with realising the danger Laura was putting herself in by just being here, but when she finally did catch on, she pleaded. ''You can't be here! You need to leave this town now!''
''Huh, that's funny, that's the other thing a few people have said to me as well,'' Laura stated.
''I'm serious. Today is…'' Kara hesitated. ''Today, some people are going to be arriving in the harbour, and if they catch you here, you could be in very big trouble!''
''Why's that?''
''I can't say.'' The artist mumbled before turning away in shame.
''Why not?'' Laura waited for some kind of answer as she watched the shy girl with a perplexed expression. When the huddled-up woman was unresponsive, Laura shifted back into a serious manner. ''These people aren't threatening you, are they?''
The only audible sound around them was the gentle breeze of the sea air, passing through the trees. The hot sun was now hidden behind a few passing dark clouds. Kara suddenly felt very cold as she wrapped herself in her trembling arms before uttering with a low voice. ''Pirates…''
''Sorry, couldn't hear you,'' Laura said while leaning in closer.
''Today, we have to pay these pirates 1,000 beri for each family within Kaishi Town. Every month they come, take our money, and in return protect us from bandits, rogue pirates and the Bea…'' Kara froze, a sudden shock passing through her whole body as if the mere mention of what was going on in her mind was numbing her very soul. ''It doesn't matter! What does matter is that you need to leave now? They don't like it when people from outside interfere.''
''Sounds to me like they're more bullies than protectors.''
''No, no, they do protect us…but…'' It hurt her to even think about offering any praise to them. The pirates that take their money every month, the pirates that drive the people towards insanity and put Kara's own father in a wheelchair. The tears threatened to fall freely again.
Noting her distress, Laura offered a sympathetic look. ''Is that the reason you're crying?''
Kara tensed her hands together, causing her knuckles to crack. ''I don't have enough to pay, and if I don't have enough…they'll…they'll…'' Before finishing, she once again stared at the beaten painting that lay behind Laura. ''That was supposed to be my ticket to the last bit of money I needed.'' She gestured towards the discarded artwork.
Laura followed her gaze and finally set her sights on the painting, and after a few good seconds of looking, the pupils in her eyes turned to stars and a wide-grin formed on her face. ''No way! You painted that?'' She gasped and grabbed the painting, holding it up and continuing to stare at it.
''You like it?'' Kara asked bemusedly.
''Are you kidding? This looks frickin fantastic! I love cool drawings and paintings! When I buy a ship, I want to decorate my whole cabin with all kinds of pictures!''
''You came to buy a ship?''
''Yeah! I've been saving up for the last few months. The only problem I have is finding a place that will sell me a ship,'' Laura said with a disgruntled tone. ''Apparently, it's not a smart thing to buy a ship the size I'm looking for without finding a crew first. It's catch-22, I can't hire a crew without a ship, but I can't buy a ship without a crew. It's frustrating as hell!''
Kara inhaled sharply as two and two were put together. Looking for a ship and a crew? She shifted nervously. ''You're…a pirate?''
Laura smiled. ''Technically kind of! I'm looking to be a captain, but I can't really do that without a ship or crew. Am I right?'' Her smile then turned into a frown. ''You don't have anything against pirates do you?''
''Oh no! It's just…other than the Cofresi Pirates, I've never met another one before.''
''The Cofresi Pirates?''
''That's the name of the pirates that take our money. They're named after their captain, Cofresi De Soto!''
''Not much of an ego then, naming his crew after himself.'' She said sarcastically.
Mentioning the pirates by name reminded Kara of the dangerous situation the naïve pirate was putting herself in. ''Listen, I'm not joking, you need to leave this town now! If Cofresi finds you, he'll…''
''How much were you selling this for?'' Laura asked out of the blue as she stared at the painting.
Taken back a bit, Kara's mind went blank as she remembered the number. ''I was commissioned and promised 500 beri...''
''What?'' Laura yelled in shock. ''This should be worth way more than that! But if you insist!''
''Huh? What do you mean…'' Kara didn't even have time to finish her question before Laura had pulled out a stash of money from one of her many pockets and practically forced it into Kara's hand.
''If you ask me, I'd say this was a steal…ironic since I'm a pirate!'' Laura giggled at her own joke.
As the joyful pirate laughed away, Kara stared hard at the money that had practically just been given to her, burrowed in the palm of her hand. This had to be a dream or some kind of cruel joke! But no, once she clutched her hand over the money and felt the material in her hand, she knew this was real, she had a saviour. Her lip quivered and the tears came once again, raining down her cheeks uncontrollably.
Once again, Laura noticed the tears running down the other girl's face and immediately began to panic. ''Whoa, sorry, if you were looking for more you should have just said. I told you it was worth more than…'' She was cut short as Kara practically leapt forward and hugged the pirate as if she'd known her all her life.
''Thank you.'' Kara gushed messily through her weeping.
Laura sat there with her arms out stretched, still holding the painting, and her eyes shifting from left to right as Kara hugged her tightly. She remained unmoved against the emotional artist before a familiar smell drifted across her nostrils. ''Hey, do you use shampoo?''
Eventually, Kara let go of the pirate and moved back to give her some space only just realising she was probably overstepping some boundaries, although Laura didn't make any objections. After wiping her tears away before answering. ''No, why?''
''Cause your hair smells like bananas.''
For the first time today, Kara released a real laugh.
However, that moment didn't last, as the sound of bellowing horns signalled across the horizon. Kara's body instantly tensed, whereas Laura looked up in confusion. The horn repeated over and over again. ''What's going on now?''
''They're here.'' Kara hushed in a frightened tone. She quickly leapt to her feet. ''You need to leave! Now!''
Laura barely had any time to respond before Kara already started making a run for the central part of town. ''Hold on, maybe I can help?'' The pirate called out.
As she jogged, Kara turned to yell back at her. ''It's too dangerous. You can't take on Cofresi and his crew yourself! Just leave and come back to the town tomorrow after they leave, and thank you so much for the money!'' That was the last thing she said to her before turning the corner and disappearing from Laura's view.
The horns thundered across town. Thankfully for Kara, she'd had time to regain her breath and was now able to pay her family's share towards the Cofresi Pirates. Sprinting along the roads, she turned her head and caught sight of the Cofresi Pirate's ship sails over the horizon. Their flag flapping in the wind, proudly displaying their jolly roger, a skull with coins in place of the empty eye sockets, and beri bills crossed against each other instead of bones.
She huffed and puffed, desperately trying to make it back to town before the pirates docked. At last, she turned the final corner and made it to the centre of town where everyone else brave enough to be the ones to pay stood terrified. Kara nudged her way through the crowd until finally finding her parents. ''Mum! Dad!'' She called out and rushed over to them.
Gareth and Elizabeth turned to face their daughter, hugging her tightly when she got close enough. ''Is everything alright?'' Elizabeth asked.
''Everything's fine now! I got the money.'' She sighed with relief and showed them to money, proving their disbelieving hearts wrong.
''But,'' Gareth stuttered. ''We saw Mr Sukizo, and he said he didn't pay you. Where…''
''I had a last minute buyer. I'll explain everything…'' Kara stopped and looked down the road that led towards the harbour. Her parents followed their gaze and quickly understood the fear on her face…the Pirates were here.
Walking down the road were about a dozen or so pirates, all dressed like they were ready for a battle with swords and pistols at the ready. None of them really stood out, except for one, their captain himself who was a giant of a man without technically being a giant. At over eight feet tall, and with muscles the size of canons, Cofresi De Soto towered over everyone around him.
His jet black hair flowed down his back and reached his belt, which carried a holster with a golden pistol, and on the other side was a gold-hilted sword which the people of Kaishi knew well, as they were still repairing the inn he tore apart with it. No one in this town could hope to stand up to someone of his clear strength and power, and even if they could, there would still be the rest of his crew and their firearms to deal with.
''People of Kaishi Town!'' Cofresi shouted with a deep voice. ''I'm sure you know by now why we're here. So, let's get today done with quickly because I have a serious hangover right now.''
That last comment made Kara want to spit out at him with disgust. Though they always state they are using the money to add further protection for the town, they were most likely using the money to drink to their selfish heart's content.
Cofresi waved his hand for one of his pirates to come forward, while the captain stood to the side and let out a long, drawn-out yawn. The crew member carried an empty sack with him in one hand, and a rolled up piece of paper in the other unfolded it quickly, and read aloud from the list. ''The Aku family!''
From the crowd of townspeople, one person emerged and walked up to the front. His eyes constantly shifted over towards Cofresi himself, as if afraid the behemoth would attack him any second just for walking slow. Picking up the pace, the man reached into his pocket and practically threw his money into the bag before hurrying back into the crowd. While Cofresi smiled greedily, the pirate called out from the list again. ''The Bertrand family!''
One by one, someone walked up to place their hard-earned money into the Cofresi Pirate's sack, as the pirates themselves chuckled along gleefully. Kara's heartbeat raced and she stood panic-stricken, knowing that her family were getting closer. She may have the money needed, but that didn't make this any easier, it just meant they had another month to gather the money without worrying about medical bills or equipment for her father.
Before long, Kara felt someone grasp firmly on her arm. She turned to see her father moving forward. ''Give me the money, I'll pay.''
''No, I'll…'' Elizabeth tried to argue.
''It's fine, dear. We have enough. I just want to be sure nothing goes wrong, and neither of you is put in harm's way.''
The two adults confronted each other, quietly debating over whom should take it. Meanwhile, Kara stood motionless, holding on tightly to the money in her hands. She didn't want her father to go up, even if things appeared fine for them as they could pay, it was sickening that Gareth would have to do this with the monster that forced him into his chair. Desperately wanting to speak up, her lips trembled and her voice threatened to break through, but nothing came.
''The Kyd family!'' The pirate called out.
Kara flinched and her mind went blank. She felt hundreds of eyes turn in her directions, and she felt so much smaller than usual. There was a moment when she felt like she was going to pass out, both from fear and the exhaustion she'd put herself through today. Suddenly, she felt a tender hand take the money out of her hand, and when her mind became clearer, she realised her father was wheeling his way over to the pirates.
He placed the money in their sack with a plain expression on his face. As he was about to return to his family, Cofresi had to get a word in. ''So you have the money for this month?'' He grinned devilishly.
Gareth felt like he had a dagger plunged through his heart, and his skin crawled as the memories of Cofresi and his crew beating him filled his mind, almost making him want to vomit. The cruel laughs of the pirates behind him didn't help matters either.
Kara bit her tongue. She wanted nothing more than to run up to her dad and hug him and also lay a good fist across Cofresi's face. Her mother was a split second away from doing the exact thing, taking one step forward before being stopped by one of the townspeople.
The pirate with the list called out again. ''The Liano family!''
A pin could be heard if dropped with the silence that followed. No one budged from the crowd. Soon enough, mumbling started to grow between the people and everyone turned to look at each other. After a few seconds of nothing, Cofresi turned his head and like a hawk, picked out his target from the crowd. ''Mr Liano? What's the holdup?''
A tall but frail man stared back at the large pirate, shaking and dripping with sweat as he stuttered. ''I'm…I'm s-sorry…''
''Oh dear,'' Cofresi sighed. ''When I hear someone started with the words I'm sorry, it usually means they're unable to pay me.'' He started to walk over to the man, who was frozen on the spot while everyone else parted out of the way, fearful to not cross with Cofresi. ''I hope that's not what you're about to tell me. You had a whole month to save up.''
''I just needed a bit more,'' Mr Liano shrieked. ''I promise, I'll pay you more next month, I…''
Cofresi halted, standing just a few feet away from his target. Kara wasn't too far away from the commotion herself, only blocked from view by at least three other people. She was close enough for his shadow to still reach her. ''Let me explain something to you. I didn't have to offer this town protection. But you people were desperate, not just because of the other pirates and bandits out there, but because of your local beast. So I, the great Captain Cofresi, stepped in to protect you fine folk from the dangers of the outside world. However, I need funding if I'm able to buy the crew and resources I need to protect you all.''
''A-and we're grateful, I just…''
''I wasn't finished!'' Cofresi hissed, silencing the poor, defenceless man instantly. ''Here's the problem with your excuse, if one person says they'll pay me next month, what's to stop other people from saying the same thing? If that happens, I won't have the money necessary to continue looking after you all. If that happens, that terrible beast of yours will come down from the mountains and wipe out this whole town. Paying me next month won't benefit you at all if your town is destroyed and you're all dead. That's why I have to be firm with you all.''
Kara watched on, feeling so sorry for the man. It haunted her that a moment ago, her family could have been in a similar situation if it weren't for Laura. She wished for something, anything, to happen and stop Cofresi. Just then, she noticed the pirate's hand drifting towards the holster that held his pistol. Her thoughts were clouded, as she knew what was about to happen. ''Don't!'' She yelled loudly before thinking things through.
Clasping her hand over her mouth afterwards was pointless, her voice and its echoed carried over the whole area, particularly in the eardrums of the ruthless pirate. His eyes turned towards Kara's direction. ''Who said that?'' He asked curiously, but with a hint of annoyance in his tone. It was pointless for Kara to hide. Cofresi had already seen her face and glared at her with a venomous spike. ''Hey, who is this one here?'' He asked his crew member with the list.
The pirate trailed his finger down the list until he found a matching picture. ''Looks like it's the Kyd family.''
''Oh really?'' Cofresi chuckled and turned towards a shocked Gareth. ''It seems that the apple of disobedience doesn't fall from the tree.''
''P-please,'' Gareth pleaded. ''She didn't mean it.''
''Well, it sounded like she did,'' Cofresi muttered before marching towards Kara, who remained paralyzed with fear. Elizabeth wrapped her arms protectively around her daughter, though they both knew that would prove futile with the lumbering pirate getting closer and closer. ''What did you say to me?''
''I…'' Kara gasped through her hand. She wanted to force an apology, even if she couldn't stand the thought of saying sorry to a man like him, it may spare her family from any more torture. But knowing Cofresi, that wouldn't happen, she had stepped over the line. Her heart was climbing up her throat. A part of her almost wanted to tell him what she really thought, but right now, her words were stuck. ''I said…''
''If I were in her shoes, I'd tell you to piss off!'' A voice called out.
Cofresi flinched and gritted his teeth together, completely caught off guard by the loud declaration whilst everyone else's jaws dropped to the ground in shock. Disbelief seized the town. The giant of a man darted his blood-shot eyes in all direction. ''Who dares…''
''I dare, you big bully!'' The feminine voice called out again. All heads turned towards the side, standing further away and between the pirates and townspeople was Laura, arms folded and wearing a cold stare that could crack steel.
''Who are you?'' Cofresi barked.
''She's not on the list, sir.'' The pirate yelled at his captain.
''Ah, an outsider,'' Cofresi took a moment to regain his composer before stomping his way towards Laura, who didn't budge an inch and never took her eyes off the bully, even when he got closer and loomed over her. ''Listen here, this town is under my protection. And there is no way some shrimp like you can just stroll into town and talk to me like that!''
''It doesn't look like you're protecting this town to me. I know a bully when I see one.''
He was almost amused, as she remained unfazed, even when trying to stare her down and call her bluff. ''From the looks of things, you clearly have no idea who I am, or what I do. I am Captain Cofresi De Soto, chief and commander of the feared Cofresi pirates. My head is worth over three million beri! I'm more valued than this whole town and everyone in it! Anyone who crosses my path ends up dead.'' He quickly drew his pistol and pressed the barrel against Laura's forehead.
The townspeople gasped in shock, particularly Kara, who felt a sudden tsunami of guilt rush over her. She told Laura about what happened, she tried to warn her that Cofresi was not to be messed with, and now she feared she was going to have to watch the young pirate die. She was a moment away from calling out again when she noticed something odd…Laura smiling.
''Hmm, the gun's not even loaded,'' She commented. Cofresi arched an eyebrow and looked down at the woman with a baffled expression. Laura tapped the pistol with a finger and continued. ''What? You think this is the first time I've had a gun pressed against my head? No way, this has happened three times to me now, and their guns always felt heavy. Yours, on the other hand, is a little on the light side.''
The townspeople were like statues; unable to move as the tension racked up so thick, it could be sliced with a sword. Laura and Cofresi stared at each other for seconds, until the taller pirate smiled.
CLICK!
Kara panted hard, nearly screaming. She would have screamed if a bang had followed, however, it seemed that Laura knew her stuff. Cofresi's released his finger from the pulled-back trigger before placing the gun back into his holster. ''Looks like you're not as naïve as I thought! Yeah, to be honest, I'm not much of a gun person. Too quick and easy, I just carry this for show. A sword though…'' His slow and calm demeanour quickly shifted as he drew out his golden sword and swung at Laura.
BAM! Most couldn't even see Laura's movement, not only ducking underneath the swing of the sword, but also her landing a hard punch right into Cofresi's stomach, strong enough to make him cough blood. He gasped for breath, and his stomach felt like it was crumbling from the inside out. Laura withdrew her fist, giving the tall pirate enough space to stagger forward before collapsing on the ground.
Looking down on him, Laura grinned. ''Yeah, I'm not a gun person myself. I much prefer punching.''
Neither pirate nor townsfolk could believe what they had just witnessed. Captain Cofresi had been downed in one hit! Kara thought it was too good to be true. She was afraid that this was all in her imagination, and she was going to come to realisation and see Laura's lifeless body beneath the monster of a man. It never came to that. Instead, Laura turned her attentions towards the rest of his crew. ''So, who's next?''
None of the pirates engaged her instantly as if they were expecting someone else to make the first move. From behind their foe, Cofresi slowly rose to his hands and knees. ''Kill her! D-don't just s-stand there, kill her!'' He wheezed, wanting to shout at the top of his voice but couldn't find the strength.
His orders were enough to kick the pirates into motion, and they all charged at ones towards Laura, who raised her fists ready to fight. The first pirate in line swung his axe towards Laura. Once again, she effortlessly ducked out of the way before kicking him at his legs and sending him to ground. BAM! She laid a hard backhand against another pirate's face. BAM! She elbowed another in the stomach with her other arm. Both of them were too wounded to stop her, as she grabbed them both by their collars and tossed them into two other pirates with enough force to send them flying. Already, this stranger knocked down six pirates including Cofresi in seconds.
Just as one of the pirates was about to draw his gun on her, Laura quickly dropped to her knees and swayed both arms outwards, hitting him hard on the knees. The pirate buckled to the ground. BAM! That was followed by a kick to his stomach, sending him crashing into another pirate.
The four remaining pirates tried to cut her up with their weapons at once, but she jumped back, away from their attack. There was no time and space for her. All she could do at the moment was dodge and try to find an opening. However, it went on and she was unable to locate one, so she tried to rush things and make an opening for herself.
BAM! She punched one in the face after dodging his strike. Another jab at her, luckily she was able to move out of the way by spinning around and grabbed the pirate's arm with her own arm, trapping it over her shoulder. Knowing she had to end this fight quickly before she got overwhelmed, she slammed her arm downwards, bending the pirate's arm out of place. SNAP! He let out a pain filled scream before collapsing to the ground holding his now broken limb.
Laura leapt towards the last two pirates and they jabbed at her once again. SLASH! Although she spun herself so that her body was horizontal, one of them still managed to cut her across her side. For a millisecond, she lost focus because of the stinging pain but kept at it. She placed one hand on one pirate, and her foot on the other while continuing her leap. BAM! BAM! She landed a double hit on both, her fist connecting against the cheek of one, and the bottom of her sandals kicking the other pirate's teeth out.
They flew to the ground, and Laura rolled along, the cut messing up her landing. But that could be forgiven because she had somehow done it. She'd managed to take down all the pirates. She looked upwards with a great, big smile on her face. ''Well, that was fun.''
The townspeople looked on with bulging, disbelieving eyes and their jaws now definitely touching the ground. They couldn't comprehend what they had just witnessed, including Kara and her family. The artist was astounded; there wasn't any doubt about that. Her lips were about to curl upwards into a smile, and she nearly cheered at the marvel she had just witnessed, before she looked behind Laura and saw Cofresi not only rising to his feet but also loading his pistol with bullets. ''Laura, behind you!''
Laura's victorious smile disappeared instantly, and without looking she turned and charged towards Cofresi. Unfortunately, everyone knew she wouldn't be able to reach him in time, as his pistol was now stocked. ''I wasn't lying when I said I'm not a gun person…but on this occasion, I can make an exception.'' He aimed the gun at her.
By this point, she knew she couldn't reach him in time and couldn't stop herself from running, so she had no choice but to use her secret weapon. She grabbed the wrist of her right hand, which began to shake and vibrate violently at inhuman levels. Not only that, but it also began to glow blue. Only metres away from him, her hand suddenly formed into what looked like an oval-shaped ball charging with energy, like the wheel of a car during a burnout. ''Buzzsaw!'' Laura cried out with a powerful echo.
BANG!
Cofresi fired his pistol at her, but the bullet hit her kinetic hand, causing it to harmlessly rebound into the ground next to them. Laura didn't stop, as she swerved her hand towards his face, leaving him no time to react. BAAM! His cheek caved in, and blood spurted from his nose and mouth upon impact. He was launched off his feet towards a building nearby, which turned out to be Mr Sukizo's shop, slamming through the wall and crashing with a heap inside.
As if everyone around couldn't be any more shocked at what they just saw, though Mr Sukizo seemed to be more preoccupied with his now demolished shop. Laura continued to hold the wrist of her right hand, waiting for it to fizz out and return to its normal form as if afraid her own hand would burn off. She sighed with relief before picking herself up and striding towards the wreckage.
''Incredible,'' Kara mumbled.
''Kara,'' Elizabeth shook her daughter's shoulders, getting her attention. ''You called out her name? Do you know who this person is?''
''Well…not really, she was the one who gave me the money for my painting.'' She replied awkwardly.
Gareth was finally able to reach them both. He wasted no time in interrogating Kara. ''Who is she?''
Now, Kara realised that everyone around them was looking right at her, waiting for her answer. Heat returned to her cheeks, as she gulped loudly. ''Uh…she's…a pirate.''
Meanwhile, Laura stepped through the gabbing hole in the shop and looked down at the badly beaten but still conscious Cofresi. ''Although you're nothing more than a bully, I have to admit, I'm impressed you're still awake after that hit.''
He let out a flurry of heavy, forced breaths. Though his face was bloody and broken, his expression was filled with surprise and confusion more than pain, although there was a lot of pain. More so when a fancy-looking lamp toppled from one of the shelves and broke when landed on his head.
After not getting a response from him, she stared at him fiercely. ''You're going to leave this town right now and never come back!''
Cofresi was unresponsive yet again for a first few seconds…then he started chuckling darkly. Laura watched on unmoved, as he picked himself out of the debris until he was finally standing on his own two, shaky feet. ''You…you've just doomed this town.''
''This town's better off without you. I'm not going to repeat myself, get out! Before I throw you out!'' She spat.
''Who the hell are you? Are you with the Marines?''
Laura's confident smile returned. ''I'm a pirate!''
''Really?''
''But, not just any pirate,'' Laura raised a single hand and clutched her fist in pride. ''I'm Aleyn Laura, the one who's going to defeat the King of the Pirates himself, Monkey D. Luffy!''
To Be Continued…
If you'd like, you can follow my original stories on Wattpad. My penname is Thomas-LF. Thank you for your time, if you do read them, I hope you enjoy them.