One Piece characters, setting and storyline is owned by Eichiiro Oda.
Original characters are mine.
Celeste tried her best to cut onions while the ship trashed in the storm. She had nearly cut her finger once already. If the choice had been hers, she wouldn't even be here. But when one becomes victim of a pirate attack, there usually isn't much choice in the matter. She wasn't sure if her situation was a blessing or a curse. She was the only survivor of the trading vessel bound for Water 7. The pirates had killed rest of the crew. Whatever had caused them to spare her escaped Celestes' mind. Either they just wanted a personal kitchen slave or the captain of these gruesome people, Ruby Eye pirates, had taken fancy of her. The captain in question hadn't done anything towards her yet, but Celeste was certain it was only a matter of time. As much as shed managed to hear before being ushered into the kitchen was the captain ordering the ship to retreat into the Florian Triangle nearby because the lookout had detected a marine ship in the horizon. Pirates were certain the marines wouldn't dare follow them into the mist.
The name of the pirates came from a red ruby their captain had in place of his right eye. It had a nasty effect of glimmering always when their captain was focusing his gaze on something interesting. It had happened when he'd first seen Celeste. Her long, gold coloured hair and stunning looks had always attracted men, in more or less pleasant manner.
Despite the captain having done nothing unpleasant towards her so far, intention had shown clearly enough from his eyes, even from the ruby one.
Though the ship had been in the storm only for few hours, roughly, but for Celeste it felt like days had already passed. The oppressiveness of the situation grated more and more on her mind. Even the kitchen knife she was using to peel onions started feeling like a tool of salvation. She was certain once the pirates would eventually leave the storms of Florian Triangle behind and the ship stabilized, their captain would start having his fun.
Whatever Celeste planned to do was lost forever as a terrified shout from outside shook off her stupor. Edging to the window, she gazed out to see what had caused it. At first nothing out of ordinary was happening but soon she saw the crew beginning to gather around one of them who was frantically pointing towards the horizon. Celeste moved to the other window in order to see better. What she saw made her wish she hadn't.
Three gigantic dark columns were standing against the horizon. Middle one had huge, malevolent red eyes. Whatever it was, it was clearly gazing towards the pirate ship and getting bigger. It was approaching the ship. Celeste immediately pulled away from the window. Whatever it was she had no clue but the unnatural feeling which emanated from it caused her to recoil from its sight. She couldn't understand but gazing it even for a second had caused a shudder of nameless dread in her. Celeste despaired even more as she realised there was nowhere to escape, what ever would happen, she would experience same fate the pirates would.
Then her eyes focused on a cupboard. As ridiculous as it seemed, she wanted to try it. Crawling quickly to the cupboard, she opened the door carefully. Fortunately it was mostly empty so she didn't have to move anything from there. Carefully and as silently as possible, she entered the cupboard and closed the door. Then she hugged her legs and held the kitchen knife in other hand.
For a while, nothing out of ordinary happened. Crew yelled frantically and captain was yelling orders. They clearly were attempting to get away from the approaching threat. No one came to check on her, she was totally forgotten. For a short while it seemed the pirates had managed to outrun the thing but suddenly the crews voices grew even more horrified. Not long after that, ship began thrashing more violently. Cannons and pistols were fired but as far as Celeste was able to tell, they didn't have any effect.
Few splashes sounded as well, apparently some pirates had panicked and jumped overboard. Thrashing of the ship became more and more violent, obviously the thing was getting closer. Just when it seemed the ship couldn't take it any longer, it stopped. Crew was still firing with abandon when suddenly the shooting stopped. Right after that horrified screams began. Even from such a bloodthirsty bunch as those pirates were, Celeste never could have believed they could scream like that, let alone any human being. They were screaming for their life and sanity. Voices became so shrill that Celeste had to cover her ears. Then the voices died out like cut. Absolute silence fell.
Despite the silence, Celeste didn't dare to leave the cupboard yet. The thing might still be out there. Her reasoning was correct as a strange sound began emanating from somewhere. At first it was barely audible but soon it began increasing its tempo. More the volume increased, more it began to disturb. Soon even covering the ears didn't help as the sound reached maddening levels. Noise itself wasn't ear shattering but it sounded so disturbing and horrible it almost felt the same. She wanted to scream but realised the moment she would do that, the thing would know there was one person left alive.
Trying to focus her thoughts amidst the increasingly growing sound, she grasped the kitchen knife tightly and had a realisation. She placed the wooden handle of the knife in her mouth and bit hard to prevent screaming. Then she covered her ears as much as she could.
At first it seemed to help but the noise just kept getting louder and higher, soon it felt like it wasn't even overtly loud. The noise seemed to have reached reality shattering levels when it stopped rising but still kept on. The noise felt like it was tearing through her skull. Celeste nearly screamed at that point but instead managed to bite down even harder on the knife handle. She begged in her mind for the noise to stop but it was no use. Tears streamed down her cheeks as the sound kept going. Soon she couldn't even think anymore. She bit down on the handle so hard that her teeth dug into the wood and splinters scraped her mouth and lips. She was close to losing her mind when the noise suddenly stopped.
At first it didn't even register to her that the noise had stopped. She had gone totally numb due it. Spittle and blood streamed down her chin. Even after a wood creaked somewhere, she didn't react at all. When it finally dawned her that the noise was truly gone, she fainted.
When Celeste came back to consciousness, at first she didn't know where she was. When her numbed mind realised it, she froze. She didn't dare move at all. How long had passed since she fainted, she couldn't tell. But she was still alive and in the cupboard. She wasn't sure if the thing was still out there but she wasn't taking any chances. She listened long time for any kind of sound which would tell that. Slowly her ears picked the sound of waves gently rocking the ship and wood panels creaking.
Despite those calming sounds, she didn't dare move. It could easily be a ruse to lure out unwary. Slowly, she removed the knife handle from her mouth. She kept herself from crying out as the splinters detached from her mouth and lips. Once the knife was away, she began picking the remaining splinters away one at a time. When all were removed, she remained still, listening for anything which might betray the creatures presence.
Later, but how much later she couldn't tell as she had fallen asleep at some point, she thought shed heard something. At first she thought having imagined it but as the sounds began increasing, she was certain of her senses. She was apparently hearing a ship which had stopped next to this one. And soon voices of several people began emanating too. She couldn't tell if they were friendly or not.
Sounds of several boots hitting the deck echoed throughout the ship. Since any distinguishable speech hadn't been voiced, she wasn't sure if the boarders were marines, other pirates or someone else. To be on safe side, she decided remain in hiding.
Moments passed and voices echoed from all over the ship. Celeste remained sitting in the cupboard, holding the knife in her shaking hands, preparing to use it the moment door was opened.
Suddenly she tensed, several people entered the kitchen. At first they didn't seem to pay attention to the cupboard but then one person seemed to stop just outside the cupboard. Door handle was turned and door was pulled wide open. It happened so fast that Celeste was shocked. She quickly thrust the knife towards the person in front of her, not caring who it was. Target of the knife, a marine, barely managed to pull back before making contact with the blade. Two other marines in the room pointed their rifles towards Celeste, third one managed to recover from the assault and lifted his rifle as well.
Celeste didn't move. She remained sitting in the cupboard, holding the knife in front of her. She saw the marines but her shock state was so severe that she didn't recognise them in any way, she just stared them all blankly.
For several seconds nothing happened, then one of the marines standing by the doorway leading to deck yelled for their captain. Moments later a tall uniformed marine captain stepped into the kitchen. Celeste noticed the new arrival but didn't react to him in any more specifically than to the other marines.
The captain studied Celeste for a while. Then he ordered one of the marines to fetch lieutenant Sakai. The marine at the doorway saluted and then run from the kitchen. Soon he returned with a female marine lieutenant. She was average looking, short brown hair, slightly shorter than the captain. She had a pleasant and calming appearance. When she saw Celeste, her face took on a look of pity and understanding. She slowly walked towards Celeste, finally kneeling before her. Celeste stared her transfixed, knife still in hand but not pointing it towards lieutenant Sakai.
Sakai looked upon Celeste with a warm and compassionate expression. A so powerful loving warmness radiated from Sakai that Celeste felt the horrors clouding her mind beginning to fade. All the problems seemed to lose their significance. Weariness of past hours began sliding from her shoulders. Sakai's expression didn't falter, instead it seemed to become even more welcoming and understanding. She felt like a person who could take away all plaguing problems and they would dissipate like never having been there.
All this was thanks to the Devils Fruit lieutenant Sakai had eaten. It allowed her to calm even the most raging or frightened person. Even a wild animal. It had served her several times in the past. Calming down victims of pirate attacks and against pirates which nothing conventional could stop when they were needed to capture alive and unharmed, hostage situations for example.
Celeste cried out from anguish and relief. She jumped to Sakai's warm embrace and sobbed. Sakai gently caressed her like a mother comforting a distraught child. Seeing the situation under control, other marines in the room departed. Sakai held Celeste until her sobs finally stopped. Then she bade Celeste to rise.
Celeste rose slowly. Sakai held her as they walked outside. Sakai wiped the blood dripping from her mouth with the sleeve of her uniform. Celeste had calmed enough to be aware of her surroundings. Weather was cloudy as always in the Florian Triangle. As they walked along the deck, a certain disturbing factor occurred to Celeste. There was no sign of the pirates, namely, their bodies. Nothing indicated the Ruby Eye pirates had ever even existed, other than their flag flapping at the mast.
As Sakai led Celeste towards the Marine ship, Celeste overheard few marines talking.
We've been looking for these Ruby Eye pirates for quite a while. Now that we finally caught them, they're nowhere to be found.
Indeed, only their ship is around to tell us they were here. Other than that, Id say it feels like the sea had swallowed them.
Despite the calming presence of Lieutenant Sakai, Celeste shuddered involuntarily. It occurred to her that if shed screamed, she would have shared their fate. Only the presence of Sakai prevented her from running in terror. She wanted to get away from the pirate ship, away from the Florian Triangle, as fast as possible. Almost like sensing her feelings, Sakai led Celeste to the Marine ship without delay.
Once at the ship, Sakai provided a blanket to Celeste, which she wrapped around herself. Then she was taken to a empty cabin. Sakai told her that she would have to leave her for a few moments, but a guard would be outside should she need something. She also told to Celeste that a hot meal would be delivered to her soon and a doctor would come to check her condition. Celeste nodded and slumped down on a nice couch.
Celeste barely managed to catch her breath for two brief minutes when there was a knock on the door. Celeste drew a breath, then rose and walked to the door. A marine stood outside with a serving tray. Celeste immediately opened the door wider to let the marine inside. Marine pushed the tray into the cabin, then bowed to Celeste and left the cabin, closing the door behind him.
Any hardship and exhaustion Celeste had felt during the past hours faded away when she smelled the sweet aroma emanating from the food on the serving tray. She proceeded to consume the meal, forgetting everything else.
Once the meal was done, she felt elevated. Like shed just been reborn. Despite the wounds on her tongue and lips, meal had gone well. The horror of past hours felt like a bad dream which was already going away. Since the doctor hadn't yet arrived, she wanted to catch fresh air. She picked up the provided blanket, wrapped it around herself and stepped outside. The guard saluted her as she stepped out.
She noticed immediately that the ship had began to move while she ate. The sky was clear above her. When she glanced around, she noticed heavy fog in the south. Apparently the ship had just left the Florian Triangle behind. It felt strange how the fog of the Triangle tended to dominate the sea and sky, even when so far away from it. But it didn't matter. As long as they were moving away, it was enough for Celeste.
With a warm smile on her face, Celeste watched as the fog of the Triangle was slowly getting smaller. But just little before the fog would have become incomprehensible, she caught a faint movement in it, like a shadow of some sort. Instinct told her to back away but some innate curiosity held her gaze towards the fog. And at the moment too late to back down, she realized her folly.
A brief flash of huge, red eyes, against a giant column like shadow, flashed in the fog. It was only a momentarily glimpse but it conveyed the intended message clearly enough. It cursed Celeste for daring her to escape from it. Implications behind it were all too clear to Celeste. She snapped. It was too much for her. She then screamed. Screamed like never before. Last vestiges of her sanity fled from her in a flash. Every marine on the deck was alerted to her frantic screaming. She just blankly pointed towards the fog in which the marines didn't see anything out of ordinary.
The moment Celeste gained any resemblance of reason, she turned away from the fog and ran. She ran back to the cabin provided to her. In the cabin she ran into a small cupboard she had seen earlier and closed the door behind her. After a brief period of darkness, the cupboard door was opened and the face of Lieutenant Sakai appeared. Sakai was puzzled what had frightened Celeste so badly, she had showed good progress moments ago. Spittle and a little bit of foam dripped from Celeste's mouth. Sakai once again proceeded to employ her Devils Fruit powers. Even then, it took almost thirty minutes to calm Celeste.
Once Celeste finally yielded to Sakai's power, she sobbed in her arms and only muttered two words. Home, North Blue, Home. Until she finally calmed down totally and fell asleep, she didn't say anything else. Lieutenant Sakai was puzzled. What had frightened her so much that it had nearly drawn all vestiges of reason and sanity from her? Whatever it was, it wasn't here anymore. But somehow she felt it would always haunt the poor girl in her arms. She would no doubt stay away from the sea as much as possible for the rest of her life.