Chapter One
Devils and Blessings
Blaise was having none of it, she put her hood back up and stormed out of the shop, slapping three gold coins on the table before the old woman as she went. There was no way in the name of the great Goddess she would ever have anything to do with anyone else, especially a man with fire skin who would lead her to pain?! What were the Gods thinking to say she needed help now at this point? More like a very annoying hindrance and probable cause of death. And to top it all off there were two choices and one ending in pain? That was ridiculous, she would of course decide on the path that led to peace, she had no need for anything ending in pain.
She didn't bother trying to hide as she pushed through the crowd, there was nothing more she needed here except supplies and to sell her boat. She would not risk being caught in the open sea by those fools if they had followed her. So, she would purchase a camel and travel across the sand to Rainbase. The supplies she bought were four day's worth of food for two, a large container of water and a wooden staff for sifting through the sand. There was some kind of commotion in the streets, someone was running from the Marines, probably a pirate. She shook her head and kept going, there was no need for her to get involved.
Blaise walked down an alleyway, it was basically deserted, only crates and barrels everywhere. She was mystified then when out of the whole empty alleyway, she managed to crash into none other than the mountain himself again. This time he was quite nude having divested himself of his coat and scarf. She looked up in annoyance, her brow raised and lips pursed. He looked down at her with that same idiot grin as before, what was so funny? Perhaps that out of an entire town of people the two of them seemed to run into each other not once but twice now? She didn't find it amusing.
"And again, it seems the great mountain cannot keep himself from standing in my path." She stated sardonically.
He chuckled. "Little lady it is my greatest pleasure to block your path a second time." He raised his hand to hold over his heart.
"I'm sure it is. This time you chose to dispose of the coat, think a bare chest worked better?"
"Is it working?" He asked her with a wide grin that coupled with his freckles gave him a mischievous youthful look, funny but that actually was quite appealing.
"You are an odd one mountain." Her lips formed into an endearing smile.
He cocked his head to the side and regarded her. "You have interesting eyes."
Those eyes went wide with surprise, she was even more surprised when her arm came up and she had punched him gently in the arm for that. What possessed her to do such a friendly thing?
"You sir are an incurable flirt." Blaise told him with a sniff.
"Perhaps so. It was nice to see you again Little Lady." He chuckled at her blushing face and pinched the brim of his hat, tipping it forward as he inclined his head to her respectfully, stepping aside to let her through.
"Try not to block any more paths mountain." Her smile remained as she passed him.
"No promises." Was his reply as she kept going, when she looked back he was already down the alley and gone.
"What's wrong with you girl, he is a complete stranger." Blaise castigated herself for her lapse in behavior.
Still, he was a nice enough man, if a flirtatious one, the audacity really. She smiled, turning another alley and heading to a small store she was told sold decently priced travel bags. She needed a few more and a camel. That taken care of she managed to return to her boat despite the docks running rife with Marines, she had to flash them her sign for them to allow her through, to which she was displeased and voiced so to the Marine in charge, a young woman who was gawky and awkward. The woman apologized and assured her these were special circumstances and they meant no disrespect. Blaise bowed and thanked the woman for letting her through, her boat was unharmed at least. The small skiff was sold already but they allowed her to get her items off. Blaise hoped whoever they were chasing was either caught or about to be. Pirates were all a pain.
It took her awhile to condense her belongings into a pack and carefully separate the food to last her for her journey across the sand. She took the time as she had passage across the short divide of Alabasta on a very nice fisherman's boat, he didn't mind the camel either. There was a civil war going on but as long as she stayed away from major cities she should be fine. She knew there were some serious sand storms happening lately and that water was pretty rare through the country but she would be fine, most of the time she didn't need to drink, after all she did have the blessing of her Goddess.
Blaise looked to the road ahead of her, rife with sand and danger, a smile crossed her face. For the last year she had been traveling alone, through unknown towns and villages, across treacherous seas and passed cruel creatures and people. Perhaps there was something to be said of the journey she had made; the once shy quiet shrine maiden who made the occasional tasteless joke was no longer so quiet nor shy. She had become what she had always wanted to be, like her mother, and her older sister. Blaise was so close to her rites, once the sword was attained she would be a Priestess. Blaise wanted this and this only, so she would go the ends of the earth and into the deepest fathoms of Impel Down itself if she needed, in order to have this position.
"I don't need help Goddess, not after so long. I will finish my quest, and I will return your lost property." She looked to the sky before looking back to the sea of sand before her, eyes determined.
After a few days of travel, she managed to find a perfect spot of shade to rest that was not a barely standing tree or outcrop of rocks that could barely fit a human being in its shade. The stone on both sides of this channel provided a lot of shade and a perfect place for her to rest her weary body. The sand was hot, hotter than she expected and it was causing her a bit of a problem, even with her blessing she was struggling to keep herself from the water in her pouch. But she managed, it was not the first time she had gone without proper food. According to her map she was about less than halfway to where she needed to be. Her plan was to get to Rainbase and purchase a new boat.
She absently patted her camel now as she looked at the map, many of the places she had passed were once thriving towns and she was sad to see that her first visit to them was this terrible shell of a place. Even for a kingdom of sand this was terrible. The camel stuck his tongue out and licked all the way down to her elbow before she noticed and she exclaimed in surprise as the camel laughed at her.
"Oh you! See if I give you any more water you teasing creature." She huffed.
He butted her arm, she turned the other way, he laid his head over her shoulder and looked her in the eye. Her lips quirked into a smile and she wrapped her arms around his neck turning to face him.
"Oh, all right you charmer. It's not fit for man or beast out there. I'm glad we have not run into any of those bandit birds I heard about, this is the first time I am going through Alabasta all the way. Last time I took the river up, but this seemed safer considering. Plus...I will probably never be here again. Once my journey is over I will become a priestess, and my duty will be to my shrine which I will never again leave." She patted him and reached for the straps of his reigns. She smiled. "But don't you feel sorry for me charmer. I look forward to my duty, and a long rest." She chuckled.
She saddled up later, heading out from the rocks to the next stop. She had a long way to go before she reached Rainbase. Blaise stopped in at a small town, a pretty place where everyone was worried about bandits. Blaise decided to stay a night, it would not hurt to relax a little bit, it only cost her a little of her coin for a comfy room and lodgings for her charming camel. That night she walked the streets of the small town, torches lit the walks and children ran about playing happily. She heard there were rebels in town but she did not cross paths with them. The next day she heard there was an altercation going on outside, apparently bandits were attacking the town? She of course could not allow such a thing to pass on such kind people, they had made her feel very welcome here. Blaise would have a good talking to with the rebels who lived here, they should protect this place, after all it was their home.
"Come, we will deter these Bandits my friend." She pulled her camel along and set out to find them.
Blaise was not sure how or why in the name of the Goddess this happened but through some cruel or mischievous trick of Fate she slammed right into the still nude and very solid chest of the Mountain Man once more as he swung around the corner.
"Well, I have to say, I am quite surprised to see you here." He remarked with that daft smile of his.
She looked up at him and let out a sigh ending on a smile.
"Mountain, I see we need to get this out of the way, else we will be doing this again." She folded her arms and tilted her head at him, her hood fell back and revealed the orange flamed locks of her hair.
"Little Lady, I think we need to address your attraction to me. It's not healthy to follow a man you don't know across dangerous territory." He folded his arms and leaned on the building.
She shook her head at him and chuckled. "My name is Vesta Blaise. I am a Shrine Maiden. I am traveling on a sort of...spiritual journey." She held her hand out for him to shake.
He straightened up immediately and took her hand firmly for a shake. "It is an absolute pleasure, I must apologize Miss, I would not have been so inappropriate had I known you were a Maiden. My name is Portgas D. Ace. At your service." He finished his speech with a bow.
She shook her head. "Please don't worry, I have been traveling incognito for the most part and do not wish for others to know my identity." She smiled. Ace? Where had she heard that name before? "As interesting as this has been I do hope we do not have to worry about your chest gravitating towards my face any longer?"
He chuckled. "You are an interesting young lady. I will endeavor to keep my chest away from your face." Ace tilted his head in respect.
"It was nice meeting you Ace. May your journey be blessed wherever it takes you." She made the sign of her Goddess to bless him, he only smiled and watched her walk away. She was pleased to know his name at least, certain that their paths would no longer cross now. Where had she heard his name from before though? Popular name perhaps? Portgas? Hmmm...
Blaise found the journey to be calming, her camel was quite steady as she traveled towards Rainbase. Only there was slight hiccup, more like a huge one. She saw a rider heading towards her at a breakneck speed and she knew, instantly there was something wrong. Her mind went to her pouch that she protected against her stomach, no one would get a hold of the mirror or the jewel, she would die long before that happened.
She recognized the negative energy and the cruel intentions coming from the rider so she turned and raced off away.
X-X
Blaise frowned, so she was to be betrayed by those she trusted? This was the world she had stepped out into and perhaps she should have not allowed herself to think she would be able to get out of this country without a fight. She had ridden two days, barely stopping to eat food and this was what she came upon, tired and pushed to the limit. Or was she? Blaise dismounted the camel and gave him a pat on the neck. He lowered his head to her view and she found it comforting.
"You should head off to someplace safe my friend. Don't worry about me." She took the time to remove all of the bags and the saddle she rode. "You are free." She told him.
They waited for her to finish, grinning at her in a half circle as she shooed the camel away. She turned to face them now, her blue and green eyes glittering angrily.
"I am safe to assume that you have me surrounded?" Blaise asked.
"Be a dear and hand over the mirror and jewel." The ring leader held his hand out passive enough.
She gave him a sarcastic smile. "You will have to pry it from my cold dead unyielding fingers you thieving band of cut throats!" She whipped her sword out from behind her back and wielded it expertly.
They all chuckled. "You can't win against all of us little girl." The man pulled his blade, the others followed.
"No, but I can try." She told him.
"Boss said not to hurt you, said we need a shrine Maiden in order to invoke- invoke-?" He looked puzzled.
"Invoke the power of the Sun and summon the God Ninigi." She finished for him, annoyed.
"Yeah, so come quietly. You might even be allowed to go home if you behave."
She shook her head. "I have been blessed by the Sun, I will not aide those who seek this power for evil."
"Yes, we understand you have devil fruit powers. No matter, we have some sea stone bracelets for you." He laughed.
She snarled then. "Do not compare me to the wielder of a devil fruit you uncultured swine! I am a chosen Maiden of the Goddess! I was blessed with power, I didn't devour it!"
They all laughed. "No matter, we will defeat you."
She narrowed her eyes and prepared for battle.
