Bitterness
Author's Note: I just noticed something. I don't have a disclaimer. Well, better late than never, I guess:
Disclaimer: If you haven't noticed already, I'm not Eiichiro Oda (WORSHIP HIM), because if I was, Black Silk would be a canonical character and I would be making millions of dollars off of this, just like he is (lucky…). Instead, I'm posting this on a site called (take a hint, people), and making NO money whatsoever on this, and in fact hoping for just reviews, let alone movie contracts. Thank you.
Reviews:
Leo's Katanas: First of all, awesome name! ^^ Second, thanks so much. I hope you like this new chapter!
Anyway, on with the story!
…
Oh, yeah. Warning: slightly sappy stuff at the beginning and the end, and lots of numbers. They made my head spin. ^^'
Chapter 3
Silk smiled, remembering that day. Later, they had found her, several times, actually. But she managed to resist, and it became a running joke with them. She toyed with the band on her upper arm, the one with the Whitebeard pirate symbol. It was identical to the tattoo on Ace's back. She'd made it one day, out of a whim, and the crew made sure never to let her live it down. They treated her like a little sister, and she gladly enjoyed both their company, and the adrenaline of escaping from the ship. Every time, it seemed, she had to break out of the Moby Dick with everyone chasing after her.
She loved it.
"So, the Grand Line again…" Marianne mused, before catching Silk's wrist and pulling her out of the room and into another, which was Marianne's storage. It was full of actual things she sold, whether it was to the Marines or to pirates. But she gave Silk special discounts, or some outright free.
"You'll need a Log Post…a few Eternal Posts…some Sea Stone for fruit users…maps…books…a Den-Den Mushi…and a few tricks up your sleeve. Give me a moment, dear…" Marianne said, rustling through the piles of stuff. There were Log Posts, Eternal Posts, some rough Sea Stone, a Den-Den Mushi cage, and many other things. Eventually, Marianne came out with her arms full. Laying it all on the floor, she showed Silk what she had. There was a Log Post that Silk put back—she had plenty of her own, a few Eternal Posts to the Shambody Archipelago, to Arabasta and a few other places, a cute baby Den-Den Mushi, some maps and books that Silk sorted through, putting down the ones she didn't need, and finally a knife made of Sea Stone.
"It'll keep for a while. Sea Stone's a hard thing," Marianne said.
"How much do you want for the lot?" Silk asked. Marianne raked over the pile of things with a business eye.
"Normally I'd say just under 500,000 beli—that knife isn't something you just wave around. But…let's just say, 210,000 beli for the lot, and I'll throw in a few good words about you to Howell." She heard that Howell was the island's shipwright, who was brilliant at what he did. He was originally from Water 7, but moved when he heard that Lougetown had no shipwright. He may not have been as good as the legendary Tom, but here, he was the best. A little rough, but well-meaning. Silk often traveled in little ships, usually a caravel of sorts, called Midnight Ride. She had compiled it of many different types of ship designs that she had seen and shown it to a friend of hers in Water 7, who first refined it so that it would actually float, then helped her build it. He even put in a few surprises, which turned out to be useful. It erred on the smaller side of most caravels, with only two masts, but the sails were huge and it was rather cozy, but comfortable inside. Also, it was mostly automated, so that she could man it by herself. The only thing was, it rarely came away from her adventures unscathed. Howell would have quite a bit of a surprise on his hands.
"Thanks, Marianne," Silk said gratefully. The elderly storekeeper rarely passed on messages to others, let alone good words. That was a service she withheld for only those with extremely deep pockets and for Silk. All in all, it was well worth the price, which she handed over willingly in the form of the golden plates. Raising an eyebrow, Marianne looked at her.
"Would you be a dear, Silk, and take this over to the pawn shop?" she asked. "My arms aren't what they used to be." Silk laughed.
"No problem, Marianne. Oh, and keep the change, too." With that, she gently swept out of the shop and walked out into the well-lit streets. Here, it was a bit cleaner than back there in that little hovel.
She eventually came to a darkly lit but well-kept shop that proclaimed in wooden letters wrapped in gold leaf, "Milton & Co." In one of the windows, a few signs stood. One said 'Open'. Another said 'Loans taken with a 25% interest after 15 days'. The last said, 'We deal in gold. Exchange rate: 1oz=5.94117647 beli.'
Pushing open the door, she heard the little brown bell tinkle and the smell of velvet and precious metals wafted to her. Standing behind the counter was a small, slightly mole-like man closely examining a diamond ring, as one would examine a crime scene, only without any disgust. One look at the man's face, and you would think of a father tenderly searching for a faint birthmark on his son. He had a bald, oval head and an over-large nose. Spindly fingers, ratty clothes, and strange glasses, one with a regular lens and the other with a magnifying glass, completed the look. He did not look up, engrossed in his work, and so Silk dumped the gold plates close to him, making him start violently, fumble with the ring, finally catch it and peer at her irritably with one eye much larger than the other, but both bulging out of his head.
"You know," he said in his posh accent, "You could knock like civilized people do," he sniffed. Silk smiled innocently, resting an elbow on the glass counter and cradling her cheek in that hand.
"But what fun would that be, Milton?" she said, mirth over spilling into her voice. He sighed, reverently setting the diamond ring down on the velvet in the counter, the way one would set down a baby bird.
"It's a good piece, you know. One of my best. May 24, 15, 12:34, brought by the Go-Go Pirates, captain 'Speedy' Jojo. Crew, 48 when he came. Origin, North Blue. Blonde hair, green eyes. Tanned, with a five o'clock shadow. Wore a cowboy hat. Brought it in, told me to bring out the money. Needed it pretty badly, too. Then just walked out." He sighed, staring at it through the glass. "Been looking at it for twenty years, still haven't found a flaw in the diamond. A neat piece of work." Silk coughed in a not so discreet fashion. He looked up at her. "So, what do you need, Silk?" he asked in a world weary tone.
"Can you give me an appraisal for all this?" she asked, first gesturing to the plates before setting down the jewelry, except for the two rings on her fingers (not that they escaped his notice—he followed her hands the entire time), the goblets and a few candlesticks that she found still in her pack. Milton's watery blue eyes searched through the items.
"May I?" he asked after a moment, hand outstretched to the nearest shiny item, which happened to be a candlestick. She nodded. Milton held it in his hands, taking note of the weight. Then he knocked it gently against the metal lining of the counter, listening to the sound. After several more tests, he set it aside, saying only "3,000 beli."
Knowing Milton, it would take a long time. Oh, he could just look over it and tell her the price, but when it came to buying and selling, as he knew she ultimately wanted to do, he was terribly tedious.
Meanwhile, Silk looked at all the treasures under the bulletproof glass. There were necklaces, bracelets, silverware and glassware, gold watches, silver timers, even a gem-encrusted Log Post.
One thing in particular caught her eye. It was a pretty earring, and looking at it, she fingered the empty piercing hole in her right ear thoughtfully. The artfully tarnished silver, catching the light in the perfect way, seemed starkly out of place in the glittering masses. It was a sort of snake that was eating its tale, and crowned in flowers. It surrounded one of the most unusual gems she had ever seen. It was a sapphire that was cut in such a way that it wasn't too small, but it wasn't gaudy. Inside, there seemed to be a coil of darkness, like the ocean.
"Silk?" Milton asked, looking at the girl. He had known her for a long time—he was the one who gave her one of his first loans. He remembered it well.
Author's Note: Aaand, another psydo-cliffie. To tell you guys the truth, I'm kinda way ahead of you guys right now in terms of chapters, since I'm trying to actually plan this out so it has a lesser chance of dying. ANYWAY, I want to know your opinions. What other pairings should I have (other than the one I've mentioned…I'm pretty sure you guys all know who's paired up with Silk)?
LuNa (LuffyxNami)
Ruffy (RobinxLuffy…)
Lupper (LuffyxChopper…if this actually exists. Dunno if I could write it…)
Nanji(NamixSanji…does anyone use this acronym?)
Ronji (RobinxSanji…)
Frobin (FrankyxRobin…do any of these acronyms I'm using actually exist?)
Anyway, if you didn't already know who was paired up with Silk, you probably know now. Also, if you want any other pairings to go on here, feel free to make it up.
The next chapter will show a little more of her past. :) Until then, good luck!
This is Will, signing out.
