This short story takes place in the world of One Piece with two "new" Characters. Our main character and protagonist of the story, Majorelle Blue, is a young and aspiring bounty huntress. She has short blue hair and wears a black backless, high-collared halter top, intersecting belts over her chest; a lurex skirt opened at the front to reveal black shorts, armored boots, and arm bell-shaped arm gauntlets. The girl is surprisingly good with a gun blade and has the Toro Toro no Mi. And wouldn't you know it, it's Aqua from Kingdom Hearts! Without the magic and the keyblade, that is. Our second protagonist, Tasuma D. Nezuel is a tall and skinny yet surprisingly well-toned Marine with white-highlighted black hair and dark-red eyes, and he wears the standard One Piece Marine attire. The story fluctuates between both of their points of view. I hope you enjoy this story and please don't forget to review!
Majorelle purposefully made her way towards Dawn Island's town square. The blue haired Bounty Hunting lass had been in the capital city plenty of times, more specifically whenever she had to collect a bounty. The one thing she didn't really like about the city was the number of Marines that roamed around. It was inevitable, but sometimes Marines prevented Bounty Hunters from doing their respectable jobs of catching Pirates and turning them in. It was how they made their living. And if they didn't have Pirates to catch because the Marines were all over them, Bounty Hunters made no money. It's not as if she didn't like the Marines themselves. She respected them and knew that they, too, had a job to do. The Marines should not only be respected, but feared. Although she didn't always liked the way that they did things, they kept the peace in the world and deserved admiration for it. Majorelle also loved sightseeing and loved the fact that every time she went to Goa, there was always something new to be noticed by the small town girl.
In the shadows, a pickpocket had placed his eyes upon Majorelle's purse, which hung from her belt. It had definitely not been the best day for a pickpocket living on the back streets of Goa. He was filthy and hungry and he had even lost his trusty knife! He had noticed that Majorelle was too busy sightseeing and knew that it was as good of a chance as any. But his luck just so happen to turn for the worse, for it was bad luck enough that Majorelle had managed to see him reach for her purse. Moving as promptly as possible, he decided to snatch the purse anyway and made a run for it, running down the road. "Hey!" Majorelle gasped in astonishment. She didn't think he'd have the nerve to steal from her after she had let him know she was well aware of his presence. She was caught off guard and he was too fast, so he had managed to gain quite a bit of ground on her before she finally took off after him. "Stop, thief!"
The blue haired girl was surprised at the scrawny pickpocket's speed, but she was already gaining on him. Looking back, the thief noticed this and panicked. He saw a farmer's wagon filled with apples up ahead, and it was on the crest of the hill, too. He smiled with renewed hope and then jumped on the wagon, using his momentum to push it forward a bit, just enough to make it roll down the hill. Majorelle noticed this and picked up her speed. This man was so desperate that he was willing to steal a farmer's wagon to get away? She wanted more than anything for nobody to get hurt, and for that, she needed to stop him right away! Where were the Marines when you needed them?
Majorelle managed to catch up to the wagon before it gained full speed and was too fast for her to catch. Majorelle lunged at the thief, but he was still too fast for her! He jumped out of the wagon and into a small crowd of people that broke his fall. He would still be getting quite a few bruises from a jump like that. But that was Majorelle's least worry. Her eyes bulged as she realized that she was on a run-away-wagon headed straight for disaster! It rolled down the hill at high speed until one of the wagon's wheels caught a rock, sending her and the majority of the apples through the air…. and into a group of Marines, causing a loud crash.
The Goa kingdom was located on Dawn Island, a rather small island that was still in an age period where nobles ruled by divine right. A system where there were the few nobles that lived plentiful lives and few middle class citizens that lived normal lives. The majority of the populace would be outside the walls of the capital city in a place called Grey terminal. Not even considered a part of the town it was made out of metal scraps and thrown away junk. The citizens living there often made it their life's work to find at least one useful thing within the multitude of piles in grey terminal. To make a long story short, he didn't like the place.
So what was he doing here? Well he didn't have much of a choice in the matter. While marines often chose their missions sometimes they didn't get a say on them and this was one of those times. An esteemed agent of the world government had wanted to go to the Goa Kingdom, most likely to look around and mock the citizens, as he was doing now. He had been assigned along with three other marines to escort the agent around the town and make sure nothing would happen to him. He didn't know the three other marines but it seemed like they were just as annoyed by the agent as he was and should anything actually happened he wondered if they would do anything to help him...they probably would, if they wanted a promotion.
They were walking around the town center watching the agent look at the buildings with a scowl. On the way to the town he had mentions the smell Grey Terminal gave off and perhaps he could smell it. All he could smell at the moment was the agent's cheap cologne, he seemed to have spilled the entire bottle on himself accidentally or perhaps simply like his own smell. Everything was fine when suddenly something hit him in the head. He looked down to find that it was an apple. He looked around and noticed a strange site; a girl in the air surrounded by multiple apples, headed straight for the agent. Out of his peripheral vision he saw that the three marines with him also saw the site and, like he, weren't moving to save the agent. After a second or tow the girl and the apples landed on the agent sending him to the ground.
Majorelle hit something hard and everything went black. When she was under, familiar visions came into play. The same reoccurring dream she was used to after so many years. It was Majorelle and she was with her family and friends, all gathered around a birthday cake. It was her thirteenth birthday, and everyone she knew was there to celebrate. The next thing she knew, she couldn't blow out the candles, and the flames went out of control, consuming everyone and everything except for Majorelle. Pirates came into view, but she could never see their faces. She could only ever hear their throaty laughter as they stared at her with empty faces.
Only a few seconds had passed when she finally came to, pushing herself up with her hands. Her vision flashed white and black and pain coursed her entire body. Luckily, nothing was broken. However, the loud, booming voice that she heard was not helping with her headache whatsoever. She smelled him before she saw him, and only her curiosity forced her to look up. It was a rather important looking man dressed in his best. His face was red with rage and he was pointing at her, as well as the marines he was surrounded by. She noticed that his clothes had been torn, possibly from the wagon having landed on him. There were apples scattered everywhere. Not far away, the owner of the wagon was staring at the scene despairingly, but he hid so as to not face the important man's anger. "My apples..."
Immediately, Majorelle came to her hands and knees as she bowed like any soldier would bow to his King. The girl was well aware that the man was no King, however, he was ranked high enough that she knew to show respect, and right now, she was practically begging for her life. Men have been known to die for less under the hands of an agent. Even if she explained herself, Majorelle doubted he would hardly care. She bowed her head.
"Forgive me, sir! I was chasing a thief who stole my purse and was trying to escape with a wagon.. I tried to stop him but he managed to get away and... this happened... I take full responsibility. Please accept my humble apology."
Apparently the girl had been knocked unconscious by the landing. Unfortunately the same could not be said for the agent who was now shouting at the top of his lungs in his normal annoying voice. 'Get this…. peasant off of me!" He hissed, basically screaming the word peasant. As usual it didn't look like the other marines would do anything to help the agent which left him to do everything. He gently grabbed the girl's limp body and laid it gently on the ground after checking to make sure she wasn't bleeding or in any serious condition. After making sure she was ok he helped the agent up. he started to see if he was injured but the agent shooed him away and instead started yelling at him to arrest the girl for assaulting an agent of the world government.
He heard movement behind him and turned seeing that the girl was now on her hands and knees bowing to the agent. He quickly stepped to the left side of the agent as to not get in the way of any conversation he might have with the girl. He seemed to listen to the girl's story but at the end of it his face was still red and he could see a vein popping out on the top of his head. The agent straitened himself out "Well then," he said making sure his hair was in place, "since the assault was not your fault I suppose I could be lenient and not kill you." He paused and looked down at the girl with what he considered was him most compassionate face. "Instead I'll have you pay for the damages, including my clothes, and spend 5-10 in the local jail." He started laugh.
"Sir, if I may." Nezuel said, causing the agent's laughing to stop. He looked at the girl for a second knowing that the crime was not her fault and any decent person would let her off with a simple warning or fee. It also wasn't her fault the man she had run into was a complete jerk. 'If she was mugged by a thief, perhaps it is better to have her work to catch the thief. This way we get a criminal off the streets and she'll be better able to pay for the...damages." The agent didn't look like he liked the idea and was about to open his big fat mouth when one of the other marines did a fake cough. He looked at the three marines and then back at Nezuel. He could see the wheels in his head turning. Even if he was dumb he wasn't dumb enough to walk around a town with a couple of marines that hated his guts, "Fine, but in order to ensure that she actually does the job justice, you go with her, marine...whatever-your-name-is."
Major could practically feel his anger the tension was so high. It caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand. It was not that she couldn't hold her own against him, but she had never actually done so. Major preferred to stay on the good side of the law rather than the bad. She had put several bad men in prison herself. That is why when the agent had mentioned putting her in prison; she felt her heart skip a beat. It was a good thing her head was bowed for if it hadn't been, he would have seen her eyes nearly fly out of their sockets; the things that would be done to her in prison...especiallyas a woman. Everything inside of her screamed to just make a run for it. It would be much better to be an outlaw than to be imprisoned to be tortured for her petty crime.
Major was about to make her decision when one of the Marines spoke out for the agent to take a different course of action that would be beneficial for everyone. She couldn't help herself when her head lifted up to look at the man. He stood stall and held himself with poise and his eyes were very mysterious... all in all, he was very handsome. All she could do was to give him a questioning look. The man had no real reason to interfere. She narrowed her eyes then looked away as the agent told the Marine to go with her. Perhaps he was actually a decent Marine, unlike most that she has had the unlucky opportunity to meet herself. His idea wasn't a bad one. She did need to get her money back; otherwise she would be in a bit of a pickle considering that was pretty much all she had. Then again, paying for the damages is most likely going to empty that purse completely. Major bowed her head in thanks. But she knew that she owed him more than that. "Thank you, sir..."
Thankfully the agent saw reason for a change and decided to let the girl go. Fortunately he also saw fit to assign him the mission of making sure she committed to find the thief, should he or she actually exist. Why was it fortunate that he had to go with the girl? Why?because it meant that he no longer had to sit downwind from that agent smelling his cheap cologne and listening to his annoying voice. If he found the thief it would actually help the community unlike the agent. The agent left without another word, apparently not interested in his name. He doubted he even remembered who he was much less the girl. But that was a good thing, if he couldn't remember the girl she wouldn't have to pay for the damages. She may actually come out of this encounter scot-free...besides being almost sent to jail.
He looked at the girl now, her head still bowed but this time apparently to him. He wondered if this was because she felt indebted to him or because she simply hadn't gotten over that she had about to go to jail. He noticed what appeared to be a weapon on her. From the design it appeared to be a blade but there was something else about it. Whoever she was she wasn't defenseless, something he would have to take note on. He walked towards the girl stopping while towering over her. "You bow your head too easily," he said, his voice calm and collected. He then offered her his hand to help her get off the ground. "But that is not that is not necessarily a bad thing."
Majorelle knew that the rest of them, including the agent, had walked away, but it was better to be safe than sorry. She looked up when the Marine spoke at her, blushing at his comment but decided to take his hand anyway as he helped her up. Her head was still pounding and her body ached quite a bit, but she forced herself to ignore all of that. "Perhaps you're right... but I would rather avoid a fight than to start one, if it can be helped." She said. Even towards men like him,she added on as an afterthought in her mind. Majorelle had always preferred humility over aggression, especially when it could be avoided. It wasn't always a good thing to be that way, especially when it came down to her profession. Trying to talkPirates into simply coming with her was not a very successful tactic.
Now that she was standing next to the Marine, she could get a better look at him... if he wasn't so tall. He was ridiculously tall, more than a foot taller than her, and she was by no means a short woman. His build was not strong; in fact, he was rather skinny, but still definitely looked like he could hold his own in a fight, that much was for sure. When she looked into his eyes, she felt a pang of hesitation. Majorelle had never been one to become shy over looking into a man's eyes. She liked to look at people straight in the eye when she spoke to them and it had always been a normal and respectful custom. There was something familiar about him, yet she had never met the man in her life. Majorelle became more curious about who this stranger was and completely forgot that she was still holding his hand.
"I can't thank you enough for that, mister....?"
The girl took his hand without much hesitation but he could have sworn he saw her blush when he talked. He helped her up and noticed that although she was trying to act like she was alright she was probably slightly injured...or sore from the fall. Now with the head off of the ground and her standing up he could inspect her. She was tall for a girl but of course not as tall as him. The most remarkable feature was her hair. The most common hair colors were dull like his, black or brown. She sported an exotic blue hue that reminded him of the ocean, something to him that was forbidden. Moving down from her hair she had a young face, most likely a year or two younger than him. Her eyes, like her hair, were blue; they were again a rare color and an exact opposite of his own red eyes. As for the rest he didn't really know much about fashion. The marines usually didn't have much variety in that subject.
He listened to the girl talk of why she had bowed her head and found that their viewpoints were were perhaps the same. There was already too much violence in the world already, he felt that he would rather not add even more to it. "I must agree with you," he said, his eyes softening. "Unfortunately my line of work does not always allow me such comforts." He found her starring into his eyes and himself starring back wondering why. Listening to her words, he realized that he had not in fact introduced himself yet on account of all the chaos that had been happening around the two of them. "Ah, my name is Tasuma D. Nezuel," he said with a slight nod of the head, "you may call me Nezuel. And what may I call you Miss...?" He would wait for her response before adding with a smile, "you may let go of my hand now...if you like."
"Nezuel," she said. Majorelle thought about giving him the name that many people knew her by back home, but then decided against it. "My name is Majorelle Blue. You may call me whatever you like." Perhaps he had heard of her, perhaps not. She was a young Bounty Hunter and she doubted a whole lot of people knew her name yet. Someday she would be a well-known hunter and people would even respect her. But that day was not yet there. With some embarrassment, Major released her gentle grip on his hand, letting it go free, but tried to make it seem as much of a nonchalant movement as possible.