Chinese swords are different from Japanese katana, please do not confuse them!
Chinese swords are called Jian (剑), and they are STRAIGHT AND DOUBLE-EDGED. But actually there's no real shape defined for a Jian, because a Jian/sword can have different sizes and lengths (especially in this fantasy world). But the most common shape will be a slim, straight blade around the length of 70 cm. Jian are handled with one arm. You can read more on Wikipedia since I am no expert on swords.
Vermillion is a jian. I would say she's a little longer than 70 cm in my imagination. Maybe 73? What a weird number hahaha
Wait I just realised I wrote Vermillion's pronoun as a "she" in chapter 4 as well. HaaAHHAHA would you look at that, I am
so amazing. I guess it was only me that thought I had been writing "it" the whole time. Okay, so I'm going to standardise this. Vermillion is going to be referred to as a "she" by the humans in this fic. But during narration, Ver is going to be a "it". Idk why just roll with it.
She laid her tunics beside the fire to dry, wearing only her zhong yi (中衣)*. It only took a single look at Vermillion before the sword reluctantly went to cut the fish up.
Vermillion threw a few of the fish guts in Yue Xin's way as a form of protest.
Yue Xin picked up a pebble with a sharp edge that would make some nice scratches on Vermillion's black metal body.
The intelligent black sword went back to work right away with ten times the effort. Vermillion was extremely scratch-resistant, but it hated the feeling of sharp things raking down its beautiful, polished body. There was always the fear of them leaving a scratch on its body.
Dappled sunlight shone through the emerald leaves, the heat of the afternoon sun intercepted by the tall crown of the trees. Yue Xin didn't venture that far from the river since her stomach was already grumbling. A hungry Yue Xin was an irritated Yue Xin, so they just plopped down on a shady spot and began roasting the marlin-fish.
The crackle of the fire and the chirping of the birds created a peaceful illusion.
Yue Xin could almost smell the spices her mother would always bring to a camping trip, which they would add to the meat they hunted for extra flavour. She could almost hear her father setting up their tent, sighing about some missing equipment he forgot to pack.
A hunt (which was always Yue Xin doing the work), then a scrumptious meal, then a few hours of training with her mother while her father read a book while lounging in a chair, or between the branches of a tree.
It was the familiar routine they always followed whenever they went on a camping trip.
Yue Xin opened her eyes to the smell of burning fish, and Vermillion hacking the blackened fish sticks away from the fire.
She stuck out her tongue at the black blade. "Oops."
Vermillion knocked Yue Xin on the head with the flat of its blade, pointing at the inedible fish like a disappointed mother.
"We've still got the crocodile. How about you get it?" Yue Xin looked cheekily at the sword, "I'm feeling kind of lazy."
The murderous glare Vermillion gave her almost burned a hole through her forehead. Yue Xin laughed sheepishly, "Just kidding, Vermillion."
Vermillion waved as if to say: I'm not your damn servant you twerp.
"Hm? Really? You've been cutting meat f— OW! I'm just joking—I'm sorry!"
Yue Xin didn't expect to find three familiar faces roasting her crocodile.
The three boys only paused for a millisecond to recognise the clean and sparkling Yue Xin was the blood-soaked girl from their morning encounter.
"Wow! It's myftfefy gorl! And Worfy!" Luffy yelled with his mouth full.
Vermillion shivered in disgust at the nickname.
"That's my crocodile." Yue Xin pointed at the carcass that had only bones left. The rest of the meat was currently being inhaled by the three boys.
"Catch another on— Luffy! That was mine!" Ace screamed when the glistening piece of golden brown crocodile meat was snatched from his hands in his moment of carelessness.
Ace grabbed Luffy's retreating rubber hand, prying his fingers from the bone, "It's my last piece of meat— give it back!"
"Mmfm! No!"
So rubber powers are really useful in stealing food as well, Yue Xin concluded.
She had no choice but to catch another one. The little girl prodded over to the river bank and waited.
Sabo raised his head from the meat he was devouring. "You won't catch any waiting like— EH?!"
Two crocodiles leapt at Yue Xin, their maws open wide, eyes crazed at the enticing smell of Qi meat. Yue Xin lifted both Qi-infused arms and waited for the two crocodiles to come spearing themselves onto her small arms.
"There. I caught two."
The three boys' eyes almost popped out of their heads.
"EEEHHHHHH?"
"D-Did they just throw themselves at her?"
"The hell was that?
Yue Xin patted her full stomach.
Luffy couldn't even sit straight with his large round belly in the way.
"Man, that was hella crazy! I've never seen animals throwing themselves at people like that!" Ace gave a loud burp, which Yue Xin scowled at.
"Have some table manners, Freckle-face."
"Shut the f— "
"Woah, woah stop there!" Sabo skidded in between the two, "Let's not fight right after a meal."
"Hmph." Ace pulled back, crossing his arms indignantly.
"The animals. They seem to like me a lot," said Yue Xin as she turned to Sabo.
"I...guess so?"
Yue Xin shrugged.
Silence ensued.
Yue Xin could feel the awkward tension in the air. It was so thick it was choking her.
She caught a glimpse of the snoring Luffy.
Sigh.
"Uh— urm. Can I ask something?" Yue Xin broke the silence with a quiet whisper. "Is— is Luffy..."
"What?" Sabo and Ace leaned in closer.
Yue Xin searched for a way to make it sound less rude. "Uh...Is he, like, simple? Like...mentally disabled..."
She trailed off when she spotted the dangerous looks on the two older boys' faces. "I don't mean any offense! I'm just curious, because...because..."
"Actually..." Ace furrowed his brows.
"Actually...we..." Sabo's brows followed Ace's.
Yue Xin blanched at the dark looks on their faces. Was she being a busybody? "I mean— it's not something I should be prying into- uh it's fine- you don't need to tell- "
"We have never considered that possibility."
"That might actually explain Luffy being so...Luffy."
"Huh?" Yue Xin put her flustered hands down.
"Let's ask Luffy. Easiest way to know." Ace took his trusty metal pipe and smashed it down on Luffy's inflated belly.
Yue Xin was starting to doubt that all her cautiousness in this subject was all for nothing. "But how would Luffy know- "
"Oi. Luffy. Wake up." Ace brought his pipe down one more time when the youngest of the three continued his thunderous snoring.
Luffy's snot bubble popped. He blinked blearily at Yue Xin's flabbergasted expression and the serious looks on his older brothers' faces. "Mmyeah? Is there more meat?"
"No, there's no meat, Luffy."
"Oka—zzzZZZZ..."
"DON'T GO BACK TO SLEEP!" Ace yelled.
Sabo moved to Luffy's side, shouting into his ear, "Luffy, we've got a question!"
Luffy barely managed to force his heavy eyelids open before mumbling an indistinct 'yeah'.
"Are you stupid?"
There. The million dollar question.
Ace, Sabo and Yue Xin waited expectantly for Luffy's answer.
Luffy scrunched his face up at the question. "You always say that when I do something wrong. Did I do something wrong?"
"Uh..no." Ace scratched at his head, "I mean are you like stupid stupid?"
Sabo translated Luffy's bewildered look for him, "He doesn't know what we're talking about."
Of course he doesn't!
"Urm, it's okay, I don't need to know..." Yue Xin's voice was completely drowned out by Luffy's snoring that had begun again.
"I can't believe that we as older brothers have actually never thought about this..." Sabo sighed.
"Does it matter? Retarded or not, he's still our little brother," Ace declared with an air of absolute certainty.
Brothers.
Yue Xin's flicked over Luffy's face. Black hair, brown eyes; similar to Ace's but completely different from Sabo's. Their facial features didn't even look remotely like each other.
The Empire of Churia had a custom where people could become sworn brothers or sisters with a wine ceremony. Each of them would drink a cup of wine and declare their brotherhood. This ceremony was only for close friends that had undergone trials and tribulations together, and emerged alive from the claws of Death himself. Becoming sworn brothers was not to be taken lightly.
Seems like this country has the same custom.
Did these three undergo the ceremony? Did they even understand the meaning of one? Did they mean so much to each other—so much that they wanted to become brothers?
"We may not be of biological blood, but the familial bonds between us can never be broken." Whitebeard's voice rang in her head.
Family.
"You three are brothers?" Yue Xin raised her voice over Luffy's loud snores.
Sabo and Ace turned back with beaming pride written all over their faces. Ace was smiling for Heaven's sake—
"Yup! We exchanged sake cups, so we're brothers now!"
Yue Xin went 'oh', and turned back to the campfire in silence.
"What's with her? Why is she suddenly all moody?" Ace's smile slipped off his face when he spotted the bitter look Yue Xin had. "Does she have some problem with us being brothers? I'll punch her." He balled a fist threateningly.
Sabo's hand landed on his shoulder, "Stop it Ace, let's not waste our time on that weirdo."
Yue Xin couldn't summon any of her acting skills to give them a congratulatory smile when she saw the proud looks of the two older brothers.
Something curled in her stomach. The corner of her mouth turned down in distaste.
What is this?
Yue Xin couldn't identify this feeling that left a bitter taste in her mouth, but at least now she knew better than to do anything deleterious to either of the three. It would guarantee an extra two furious and vengeful brothers on her heels.
A distant thumping of heavy feet and the screeching of birds disturbed from their perches brought Yue Xin back to reality.
"Luffy! Wake up! There's something coming towards us." Ace shouted, preparing for battle as he faced the shaking trees in the distance.
Luffy shot up immediately, taking a deep breath—and the bulging stomach disappeared in a blink of an eye. "I'm awake!"
Yue Xin blinked. Did he just digest everything?
"It's a bear." Ace recognized the ravenous roar of the animal.
"Another bear?" It might be coming for me. No. It is coming because of me.
Yue Xin decided to leave immediately, "EXCUSE ME! I'll be taking my leave now! Don't worry about the bear! It won't attack you guys!"
"What? Won't attac— Hey! What are you talking about?! Come back!" Sabo yelled after the retreating figure of the young girl.
Yue Xin boosted herself with Qi and was metres away instantly, Vermillion right on her heels. She rounded to the left flank of the bear, away from the brothers and where wind blew her scent towards the bear.
She could see the shaking trees stop in confusion as the bear reconfirmed her location. A renewed growl shook the ground.
Back at the river, Ace watched the shaking trees veer off to their left.
"The bear?"
"It's targeting someone else. The girl." Sabo answered, a contemplative look on his face. Was this what she meant when she said that animals like her a lot?
Ace frowned. "For what? She's just one, and there's three of us here."
"Maybe she's tastier?" Luffy gave his opinion.
Unbeknownst to the three, he was actually spot on for once.
"How can she be any tastier than us? Doesn't make sense." Ace replied, looking a little miffed.
Sabo raised a finger, "Maybe girls taste bett— "
Another roar of anger in the distance interrupted Sabo while Ace threw the blond a 'Really, bro?' look.
"Should we help her?" Luffy asked worriedly, "I don't want mystery girl to get hurt."
"Nope. Why should we help her? We need to go find some oak trees to fix our house anyways." Ace began stamping out the dying campfire.
"She won't be hurt." Sabo paused. "Probably."
"Okay..." Luffy pouted.
Yue Xin glared at Vermillion when a bloody bear's eyeball came flying into her face.
"Vermillion." A warning.
The black sword stabbed itself into the dead bear's gut with more force than necessary.
"Okay, okay, I promise you, I'll get a new sword when we go back home. I won't use you for butchering meat anymore. Satisfied?" Yue Xin went up to her best friend and patted the hilt.
The sword gave a happy little vibration that made Yue Xin's lips curl into a small smile.
"We'll get home soon."
*Zhong yi (中衣）= The middle layer of tunics, the layer worn right after their underwear.
You know, I always tell myself I should plan out a story before I write it, but it never works out that way...now I'm kind of going through the cycle of regret again (which is whenever i face a lack of ideas popping out)