Hi again,

So two chapters in the same moth! =D Lil surprise, I guess. Kind of. Heads up, I'm going on an exchange program so I won't be able to do any updating or responding for the next two weeks! I'll be in Japan studying and travelling for a bit. I hope you guys don't mind! I decided to put this chapter up early as a present instead?

Let me know what you guys think about this side of a different Charlotte?

Reviews:

Lucy Jacob: Technically, it's been exactly 2 weeks since you read/reviewed the last chapter so I hope that makes it up. I'll try my best to get more written and chapters flowing back to a bi-weekly updating schedule. =D

If you don't mind my reading it, would you please let me know what it's called/where I can get it? (I don't know if I can access your university's magazines, prob not lol).

I have to agree, getting cannon characters in characters is a tough task, I'm always worried about them not being in-character. Especially with the ones who aren't as unique or quirky cuz there's so much you don't know, but you kind of figure it out as you write along. It's kind of like the character grows on you much like your own OC does and you just somewhat know as you write it. At least that's how it goes for me. I don't know if that made any sense ;P So I'm very glad and thankful for you in letting me know that the characters like Law and Sabo are written well. It means a lot to me, thank you!

If you haven't tried it before, I'd definitely say try it! I'm not a big fan of taking other's ideas and implementing it because then I feel like I'm just taking your idea, so instead, we can try a collab if you're interested! If not, I may just prob your brain for help when in writing my originals; I worry about having too many characters and all of them developing too similarly.

Jag: You are smart! I'll try to update the next chapter soon. Depends if I get it done before Sat because my flight is on sat. But I doubt it cuz I haven't started packing or anything yet.

Lilnightmare17: Will do, promise!

StarliteOracle: Thank you!

Thank you all for the reviews. I hope to hear more from you guys! I know there's more of you reading out there!

As always, enjoy and review!


Disclaimer: I do not own OP, only the OCs


Chapter 28.

Flipping over, Charlotte skidded to a stop looking much more like a three-legged animal. "Why did you even bother to treat it?" The doctor had taken the very same ankle he just helped her reattached. It was floating not too far left from his face.

"You shouldn't move too roughly. You'll reopen your wounds." Law commented easily. Not much of a care in his voice.

"I won't die though." Charlotte promised, smirking. Even in the middle of a battle like this, they still managed to find the time to verbally mock each other. She was going to miss these verbal banters. But she couldn't waste anymore time here. "Eno," She called and Law tensed. "Go to the sub and bring me my belongings. Her attention never left Law as she grabbed the excited beast's horn. "But don't harm anyone on board."

"You'll bleed out of your leg." Law reminded and Charlotte only straightened against him.

"You can have it." Again. Just like her heart. She'll forgive any part of her body as long as she can move on. It was because of things like this that Law could never get her to listen. Survival really was her top one priority. "You shouldn't be so shocked about that." She murmured, her breath tickling the back of his ear. Charlotte plucked the foot out of his hand, landing up right. She found it amusing how Law always seem shocked as if she was the first one who he has met who prioritized life over a body piece. "I mean, if I could keep it. Why not?" She smiled. Feet reattached. Outside the range of his dome

Like a base collapsing, Charlotte's aura disappeared, folding deep inside her. "I owe you and your crew for many things." She was a huntress above all else and as one, she values her trades and absolutely loathes being in debt. "One of those things being my life. Why would I tarnish that by taking one?" Charlotte poked her head into the small cottage. "Tell the twins I say 'good night and to be good'. Law is calling for you three."

Law watched Charlotte's back precariously. She had left it open to him on purpose. Law knew that she knew better than to keep her back to her opponent so openly. And he was right. Little wisps of her aura could be found still floating around her probably to signal to her that Law had broke into the area. There was no sign that she'd fight back though. So she was aware of her dangers, but she wasn't going to act out on his movements either. She had no intentions of fighting him. Odd considering, she always leaped at the chance. Law watched the barely visible wisps. They were quite tame compared to earlier in the day. Her battle with Joval must have satisfied something in her.

"Tell us that yourself." Kora huffed, appearing next to the huntress, shocking all of the adults. "We're going to drop you off." Kora announced, loud enough to shush her mother and father who were about to rebut.

Charlotte sighed. She knew better than to argue with the children. They were stubborn if not anything else. There weren't going to budge until they got what they wanted. A few more moments together wouldn't hurt. That was what Charlotte thought, but the twins knew better. The whole family knew about the battle that almost raged on outside their house. They couldn't possible do that with the twins there, not after their promise to their father.

The walk back was mostly in silence, except for the few words the twins would exchange to each other and with Charlotte. Though the woman didn't seem to be very fond in responding, often keeping her response to a small one syllable sound. It was an odd walk back to the submarine for the adults. They all knew that it could very be their last one together. Law had failed in his plans for once and Charlotte had proved to be the better hunter. She had gotten back the one thing that has been keeping her anchored to the crew and they don't know what the huntress was thinking of next.

Too bad they didn't know that was the least of their worries.

"Ouch, why did you stop?" Charlotte grumbled as she bumped into Law's back. Glaring, she shot a look up at the silent male. He hadn't even realized that she had collided into him. His eyes focused on something else.

The once beacon-like yellow glow of the obnoxiously bright submarine had been quelled with a deep and dark iron red coat of the Heart Pirates' blood.

"What. Happened. Here?" Law demanded through gritted teeth. He wasn't the only one upset with the turn of events. His crew had been decimated. Not defeated. Decimated. Limbs were sliced opened, body pieces gouged out, bones smashed and bodies pinned by their own weapons. Their blood stained everywhere. They were still alive, but that was clearly done on purpose so that they could slowly and tortuously die.

Law knew better than to suspect the Marine. Law doubted the navy-trained man was capable of creating such a feral carcass. The closest battles scene he ever saw with a similar signature was Charlotte's most recent battle with Joval and the remains of the Charlotte's kohai's. But there was no way this could have been Charlotte's work as well. She was with them ever since they returned from the Forest of the Undead.

Then who?

Charlotte, on the other hand, knew exactly who had done this. She recognized these scenes far too well. They were well engrained and forever burned into her memories. These were how the best 'beasts' would leave their prey for the rest of the audience to enjoy as they slowly and torturously finish them. The lucky ones would be the one who died in battle fast. The fewer of them that remained, the longer the torture. Charlotte knew of these secret rules to the 'better life'. She abided by them before. Way back when she was still fighting in the sick blood battles.

But she wasn't in the ring. They weren't anywhere close to that place. So why, why was it that the Heart Pirate crew were laid out as the sacrificial lambs of the night? Charlotte tucked her chin into her scarf, and swallowed hard.

"RIKE!" Shachi yelled, snapping Charlotte out of her thoughts quickly. Her platinum eyes quickly landed on the coughing medic and like everyone else, she quickly rushed to the conscious man's side. Her eyes glossed over as she noticed the dagger stabbed through his hand, and his two useless legs. She wasn't the only one.

"Captain'll fix you up immediately, just you wait." Penguin promised though there wasn't any point to. Law was already pulling the knife out with a quick and quiet warning to Rike.

"No… first!" Rike gasped, stopping Law's movements. The two medics ignored the rest of their mechanic's shouts and cries for his care. Law knew something was wrong if Rike was refusing medical help in his state. Something had to be of more importance. "C-Char… lotte…" The female blinked and Law finally stopped dressing the wound.

"Charlotte did this to you?" The mecha trio asked, shocked. They had been asking for the culprit when he called. There was no way, no possible way. Charlotte had been with them the whole time.

Unlike the mecha trio, Law had assigned Rike work over when went to fix the twin's home. Law wanted Rike to gather intel on Charlotte. Still. "You can tell me what you found out afterwards." Law replied, causing the huntress to snap her head at him, a questioning look on her face. Law had sent Rike to gather intel on her?

"No… T-take… Ch…" The medic grew limp, his skin pale.

"Oi! Oi! Rike! Don't you dare pass out on me! What in the world happened?!"

Take Charlotte away, NOW! The twins jolted, the man's last thoughts reaching them instead of the crew. The twins didn't hesitate one moment. Both of them latched out grabbing either of the huntress hands, darting off. "What's going on?" They could hear the huntress question, confusion clear in her voice, but they couldn't answer. They didn't know what to answer. All they knew was something was wrong, greatly so.

"Charlotte?" The rest of the pirates questioned. She gave them a confused glance back over her shoulder.

"Oi." A murderous voice called, freezing all three of them immediately. Though unlike the two twins who could only freeze, Charlotte's body reacted in the opposite direction. Her blood spiked and her palms grew sweaty. She recognised the voice. "Where do you think you're taking her? I've been waiting here for so long, I grew bored." The voice sighed, raising his large bloody arms in a shrug to 'subtly' gesture to the mess that he had created while he was 'bored'. Though the large Wilderbeast that Charlotte had tamed dangling upside down dead was enough for the remaining Heart Pirates to grasp just who exactly did what to their crew. "It's been a long time hasn't it, Deathbringer?" He sneered as the female reluctantly turned back to face him, face shadowed by her hair.

Deathbringer? The rest of the Heart Pirates questioned, glancing back at the still girl. This was the first time they had ever heard such a name. Well, except for Law. 'Deathbringer' was the only thing that Joval called Charlotte by.

Lifting her face slightly, Charlotte's eerily platinum eye glistened as she greeted the large male with spiky ashy-grey that ended around the base of his neck where a large scarf mask did a better job than the small vest in covering his exposed tanned skin. She greeted his every growing grin, single-wordily.

"Aceteon."

"Just what in the world is going on?" Ignacio questioned, staring up at the grey clouds swirling in the sky. The rain had finally let up not moments ago. Then the grey storm clouds started forming suddenly, curling and swirling around until the blue sky was no more, replaced by nothing more than dramatic shadowed fissures ripping through the ash grey clouds. It looked like a storm was brewing soon.

The marine glance down towards his shivering wife. Her pale face paler than normal and green eyes wide as she grasped at her own clothes in a sad attempt to conserve heat. He frowned slightly at the actions, discomfort easily visible on his face. It wasn't cold, they were in the middle of their summer months, but, nevertheless, the marine shrugged off his suit jacket to wrap across his lover. This was why he wanted his family to remain away from any violence. Shock and guilt was never healthy.

"Elora!" He screamed, catching his trembling wife as she fell. His eyes quickly scanned her for any injuries, though he already knew the cause of it. It wasn't physical.

"I-It's not that, Honey." She murmured, cupping her husband's cheek lovingly. There was still the shock and most definitely the guilt. That was something she'll have to get over with time. But right now, the problem was something else.

Their abilities were a double edge sword. It provided them with the ability to basically feel another's mind. But at the same time, they were all exposed to each other's experiences. If someone was to get badly injured then, those around them would feel it too. This was exactly why the town was quaint and peaceful, never to fight. It would be suicidal if they were to. The only people who didn't know this unwritten rule was those who couldn't feel—the Deadens. This was exactly why they had to removed the Deadens because they were dangerous for everyone else. However, with the Deadens dead, that only leaves outsiders.

"I'm… I'm fine… the impact's not… full… since… we're so far away…." She panted, trying to steady herself. "T-the town… I need to go make sure that th-they're okay…" Elora panted, gripping at her husband's arm. Her grasp barely doing anything to the cloth there, despite her using all her efforts.

"No, you need to rest." Ignacio corrected, scooping her up and returning her to their bedside. "I'll go make sure the town's fine on your behalf. They'll understand why you couldn't go. You're the most sensitive and if you're down from this, they'll know it's dangerous for them too." He promised, tucking the already exhausted women into bed. He planted a kiss on her forehead, the Shimigami already asleep. "I'll be back, I promise." He said before running out of their little house and towards the village.

Something was up. Something was definitely up. Ignacio may have been one of the dullest people in this quaint town, but even he and his dull senses could pick up the negative emotion flooding across the town. And if he could then what about the rest of the people who were more keen than him? His wife was the town's shimigami and she could barely stand, despite being so far away from the source.

Fucking pirates! Can't even listen to a goddamn order. Ignacio hissed, running off towards the city after.

He needed to ensure everyone else was okay.

Then he'll go deal with them.

"KORA!" Kozu shouted, turning towards his unconscious twin, holding her small body up in his own small arms. "Kora!" No response. "Kora!" He shook the limb body in his hand, erratically, his own fears building up. Her small pale arm tumbled out, hitting against the wooden deck. "Kora!" He cried, before snapping his head around towards the stranger danger male. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO KORA?!" He screamed, tears pooling around his eyes.

He wasn't the only one questioning what in the world had happened in the last few seconds. The rest of the Heart Pirates were on guard, all of them questioning the same thing. Aceteon hadn't moved, at last they didn't see him move. Either he had haoshoku haki or he was faster than anyone they have ever came across thus far. Charlotte included. The second thought was a much deadlier thought that they really rather not have. But the first one wasn't something to joke about either.

"I'm flattered that you think it's me." Aceteon started, his one visible dark void of an eye boring into the small boy. He chuckled lightly at the fear that emitted from the kid as soon as he set his eyes on him. And here the normative boy was trying to play the hero when he didn't even have the slightest clue on who had knocked his sister out. "But it wasn't me." His pitch black navy pupils slithering over to the figure next to the crouched boy. "Was it Deathbringer?"

"Charlotte?" Kozu questioned, glancing up at the still huntress. She hadn't moved at all. Surely, she wouldn't have harmed Kora. Charlotte likes Kora! "Charlotte?" Why wasn't she responding? He just wanted some reassurance from all of this.

"Oi, the brat's talking to you, Deathbringer. You should do the proper thing and respond." Aceteon sneered as he stalked forward towards the motionless huntress. He paused right before her, far into her personal space. He brought his face towards hers, grinning at the expression on her face. "Or are you too scared to even speak?"

Scared? That word didn't exist in the huntress' vocabulary. The Heart Pirates knew that for a fact. How many times have they—in an attempt to avoid anything unnecessarily dangerous—have to watch in shocked and frustration as the huntress run head first into a battle, a sea king, a marine base, and a forest full man-eating beasts? Fear was not an emotion the huntress was capable of understanding. Nothing that was even remotely dangerous or extremely dangerous affected the huntress at all. She'd still run in head first, announcing to the world of their presence. It didn't matter if it was one vs a hundred, or a thousand. Charlotte would take them on all in a heartbeat—no hesitation, no fear, no nothing.

"Oi!" Aceteon snapped, straightening up, his dark eyes squinting in annoyance. He wanted something fun, some reaction. This blank stare of hers and her still movements wasn't what he was looking for. There was a reason why he had sent the two tag-team stupid hunters and the idiotic Joval to her first instead of just seeing her when he first found her. He really wanted to too, but he had to restrain himself. He wanted to know if Deathbringer was still there. He wasn't disappointed when she came back instead of Joval. She had proven herself on both occasions. Deathbringer was still alive in the escapee, so what the hell was this farce?! "I'm talking to you." Surely, she wasn't that scared of him. Maybe she was just frozen from shock of seeing him. She did think she was getting away in time.

Maybe he should remind her exactly just what he is capable of.

Aceteon lifted his arm towards Charlotte's left shoulder, grabbing the bone there harshly, already digging his thumb into the joint. "I'm offended that you cover up the lovely present I gave you." Aceteon started lowly, whispering into her ear. He couldn't help but hide the excitement in his voice as he remembered their past together. He rubbed away the powder, revealing the large and nasty scar across her left shoulder. "It isn't fair how you always get the special treatment. The rules don't apply to you right? Freedom, a life, a second life." His gripped tightened.

"Ahahaha…ha….ha….ha….." Bloodletter Aceteon laughed as he repeated thrusted the knife in and out of the trapped body beneath him. His laughter faded as he realized that the screams mirroring his laugh was no longer there. He plunged the blade back into the shoulder, and waited patiently. Nothing. He jerked it to the side. Nothing. Spun the imbedded sword around. Dug deeper. Stabbed another place. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing! "Why aren't you screaming anymore…?" He murmured quietly. "I didn't stab you in the heart." The emotionless boy questioned, glancing at the limp body pinned underneath him. He couldn't even see her face anymore, her matted purple hair had spiraled all over, covering her face. "Does it not hurt anymore?" He questioned, applying more weight onto his left feet to pull her arm further apart from her body.

His attention left her motionless face when he heard the barely connected muscles snap and break from the little movement, an excited smile blossoming on his face. It didn't last long though as he realized just how big of a bloody mess he had created. Deathbringer's dirtied rag clothes were almost completely stained red from the amount of blood pooling out around her. She looked like she had been chewed out by a giant monster. By him. "Boring." He stated, realizing that she probably died from blood loss. He twisted on his heel, getting off the small girl's chest as he turned away from the dead, listening to the grinding and popping noises of her bisected arm and the pool of blended flesh and bones that remained in the crevasse with glee.

"And the winner of this epic undefeated vs. undefeated champions goes to Bloodletter Aceteon. As always he never failed to disappoint! For all those who had betted properly and would like to collect their reward money, please go over…" Aceteon blocked out the rest of the boring message, along with the rest of the audience and the two hazmat suits running over to dispose of the carcase. The only thing that remained on the fourteen years old mind was the fact the look on his opponent's face as he repeated stabbed away at her life. The fear that radiated in them. She—the other best beast, the other undefeated—was scared of him. Just like everyone else was. He was powerful, almighty.

He was the strongest.

Or that was what he thought until he was called in a year later by his Master. He didn't know what had happened or why he had been called in. Maybe his Master finally realized how good of a tool he was and was going to praise him. He did win the last battle and along with it a lot of cash. Unfortunately, that wasn't it.

"Did you know that Deathbringer Charlotte's still alive?" Aceteon's eyes widened as he was forced onto his knees by two long curved spears that forced his head to the ground. "Do you know how much money I had to return because you took pity and didn't kill her?!" His Master shouted, though the words didn't seem to have any affect on the teenage. He was too busy shocked at the fact that Charlotte somehow cheated death from him. The Best. Not only that, now because of it, his Master wasn't pleased with him either. His Master was actually thinking that he had purposely left her on the brink of death and not death itself! There was no way, he would have. He wanted to play with her more. Wanted to torture her and to hear her lovely screams. The screams of a beast just like him. The squeals of his dying rival!

"Bring me the acid. The brat needs to punished!"

"You should have been dead. Yet you manage to spend a year in extensive recover, with scientists and doctors reconstructing your arm to make your comeback like some deity who defies all laws." Aceteon gritted, his hands causing the bone there to creak. A little more pressure and he probably could have it crack form just his grip. "They cleaned you up nice too. Made the scar as faint as possible to go with your stupid new resurrected play. All that nice and crap treatment towards the loser while I, the winner, had to be punished!" Aceteon cursed loudly, his body shaking in anger as he glared at Charlotte, his long bangs falling to the side to reveal his hidden eye.

Unlike the other dark black eye, this one was opposite in color. It was white and cloudy. That wasn't all, the skin reaching from the side of his face towards the blind eye was marred too. They blinded him!

"You had your fun. It's time to return things back to how they were." He pulled a large green-grey bomb collar from under his large cloak-scarf. "Don't worry, this time I'll make sure you die. But first, I need to return things to the way they were!" His grip tightened indefinitely as he brought the collar closer to her neck. Charlotte's bones grinded uncomfortably together.

MOVE! Charlotte screamed mentally for the nth time, trying to get her body to respond to her. It had been a failure so far. Nothing of her body seemed to work anymore. Nothing but her eyes and ears. Her body was frozen and no matter how much she wanted to get away, she was forced by her own body to stand there while she watched the man that killed her slowly reached for her, speak to her and promised to kill her again. It didn't matter how many times she tried chanting, tried commanding her body to do as she pleased, it refused to. YOU HAVE TO GET AWAY! She reminded herself, again and again. YOU HAVE TO—"G-GET AWAY FROM ME!" Charlotte finally managed to screamed, shoving at the male before her.

If only she was actually strong like her words. Instead of Aceteon stumbling backwards from the impact, the Heart Pirates watched in great shock as Charlotte was the one to fall down from her own push, landing on her butt. The male having felt none of it. What was worse was the look that they could all now see the look etched the huntress' face.

Fear.

Charlotte didn't fear anything. Not even the deadliest of things. Not even of the things that could leave the pirates trembling in the pajamas at the dead of night. So, if Charlotte really was truly scared, then what did that mean for the rest of the Heart Pirates? Just how strong was this Aceteon guy for Charlotte to actually be scared of something.

Move! Charlotte started the useless mental shouts again. She needed to get up and to get away! She knew close proximity was a bad thing. Always knew it was. It was what could kill her—the attacks would get to her faster than she could respond to them. She knew that. That was why she was always cautious of it when people came into her personal space. But no matter how much she knew it. Or her body knew it. Charlotte couldn't get herself to move. Move! Her eyes widened as she saw him take a step forward, into her personal space again and just like before her body froze up again.

Breathe! She screamed, frustrated at herself. Breathe and move! She was hyperventilating again. Her shallow breaths barely reaching her lungs before being expelled at a faster rate. Quick! Before he gets closer! Another step and her breathing worsened. Deep breathes! In and out! In and out. In. Out. IN! In and—MOVE THIS STUPID BODY OF MINE! She screamed, shivering eyes glued towards the advancing man. It's not hard. Just MOVE! Still her trembling body refused to do anything as she said, but to stared wide up at the large man.

Kozu glanced down at his unconscious sister, and bit his lower lip hard, trying to stop his trembling. Placing her down gently, Kozu shakily pushed himself up onto his wobbly legs. Taking a giant gulp of air, Kozu forced his body to ignore their natural desire for a split moment. He ran forward, closer to the scariest man he has ever met and never wanted to meet.

MOOO—! Charlotte's eyes widened as she felt herself being tugged to the side. Kozu in his own scared state was grabbing her hand and running, pulling her distorted and half-responding body with her.

Get Charlotte away. Now! Rike's words echoed in the small boy's mind. He didn't need that warning anymore, but he couldn't agree more with it. He knew better than to leave her with Aceteon, especially after he seen what the male had in planned for her. The mere thought of what he was going to do had Kozu ready to pee his pants. He probably already did. But that wasn't going to stop him from trying to save his Charlotte. He had to do something to protect the one he likes. He likes Charlotte and he didn't want that to happen to her, no matter what.

"You have to move Charlotte-nee!" Kozu shouted, tugging on the large lump. "Charlotte-nee!" He cried. He couldn't pull her along the deck like that forever. It wasn't right! But—Kozu's throat seized up at the sight of the monster closing in on them. "Charlotte-nee!" He huffed, managing to pull the still woman a little bit further away. He doubted he could do that again. It took all his strength just to do that one now.

"You're annoying." Aceteon silenced, setting his monstrous aura onto the small boy. His dead eye narrowing on the kid. Aceteon laughed when Kozu fell backwards from just one look at his scarred face. The kid had just peed his pants.

"Come on, Deathbringer, this is just sad. A child saving you?" He jeered, staring down at the limp body before him. "The only entertainment in that is seeing your limp body mopping the deck." It wasn't enough for him though. He wanted to see more, hear more, feel more, smell more, taste more. If only she wasn't shock frozen. He needed her here, not hiding in the recesses of her mind. "SHOW ME SOMETHING MORE INTERESTING!" He screamed, kicking the huntress in the stomach, sending her hurling forward.

She was moving! Finally. "Seems like Joval managed to do damaged after all." Aceteon smirked, enjoying the way the huntress was struggling on all fours, blood dripping form her abdomens. His glee didn't last long as he caught sight of the white bandages around her waist and his frown returned. Getting treated after a battle was against he rules "Rules after rules. You break them." He growling, stalking forward towards the debris. "The least you could do is show something interesting after you do so!" Aceteon halted, his gait faltering for a moment. Someone had stabbed him in the back of his leg. Glancing down, Aceteon smiled at the look in the little warrior.

"I won't let you harm Charlotte-nee!" Kozu hissed back, applying as much pressure he could into the karambit. Even as fear ebbed into his gaze and into his mind when Aceteon reached for him, he didn't lean up on the knife. "Charlotte-nee! Are you okay?" He called into the dark hole instead.

With ease, Aceteon lifted the small boy up by the throat. His large hands easily wrapping around the small kid. The appearance of it reminded him of how he used to look with the oversized bomb collar. Except, unlike the metal, he could choose how tight the 'collar' could be. Kozu had a smaller neck than Aceteon remembered having himself. Which only mean that the boy's neck was easy to snap. "Be gone, bug." He was done with interruptions. He still had a mission to do.

A twig snapped in the boy's place.

"It'll cause me a great deal of trouble if he was to die." Law announced nonchalantly. The small kid perched on a barrel behind two other healthy pirates. Their captain was standing not too far before them. The bodies that once decorated the deck were all missing. Aceteon would have liked to believe that the Hazmats had grabbed and removed them from the field of play, but knowing how they weren't in the ring. They were probably still alive somewhere in an infirmary. Aceteon couldn't have that. But he couldn't help but smirk at the fact that they had a clean field again. It was getting rather crowded.

Scanning the tall male, Aceteon could easily tell that he was pirate's leader. "I have no business with you." He looked too weak for be worth playing with. Even the pirates themselves proved to be weak. Their resilience made it just a tad bit more entertaining, but still they were done too quickly. The one thing that gave him the most satisfaction playing with was Deathbringer.

His mouth curved into a giant smile as he peered into the dark hole only to noticed it empty. His pretty prey had finally managed to get out of her shell shock. She was running away! The thought excited him and he had to do his best to hold himself back from running forward to find where the little mouse may have run off too. He didn't want to end his fun too early. It was really a struggle within himself.

"Deathhhhh Bringeeeeeerrrr!" He cooed, eyes wide with mania. Never had anyone see anyone this excited over a little game of hide and seek.

"I don't know who you're looking for, but there's no one named Deathbringer here."

Aceteon snapped his head towards the intruding voice. His mismatched eyes landing on the pirates and he frowned. Why did things always seem to want to get in the way of his fun? He finally had his prey within his hands and all these bugs keep trying to interfere. They should all learn their place and get lost! A fly wasn't even worth his time or breath.

"Captain's talking to you." Aceteon ignored the cry, scanning his surroundings still. Deathbringer had gotten up. She was on the move and he couldn't have her running around too long. She only needed enough time to believe in the idea of escape. He wanted to watch the light of hope dwindle from her eyes as he made it more and more clear that there is only damnation in her life.

"'Drip. Drop.'" The pirates stared at the strange man with slightly more caution than just apprehension now. He was lazily cocking his head from side to side with ever sound he made as he stalked around. To the pirates, he looked no more than a man gone insane.

In reality, he was just an animal. His hearing keener than theirs. Unlike the confused pirates, he could hear the drops of blood seeping through Deathbringer's bandages, falling from the white and splatting in a beautiful drop against the hardwood flooring. And that alone was enough for the beast to figure out where his prey is.

A muffled scream had the pirates on edge, snapping their heads towards—their surprise—Charlotte. A spiked blade was sticking out of her fair thigh, four inches above the knee. When or where the wound had come from, the pirates were clueless until Aceteon spoke again.

"Ah." He said lightly, however as he spoke next, he couldn't keep the excitement from showing in his voice. She really was the one. "Four inches off." He had been aiming for the knee and he never misses. Charlotte had moved in time.

Charlotte knew of the attack.

Even then, she still got hurt.

Yanking the knife out of her thigh, Charlotte darted off, ignoring the pain just as Aceteon crashed into the area she was at before. Breathe! Charlotte instructed herself. Escape. She rolled to the left, dodging another incoming blade. Cleaner than the last, but still not without harm. A flesh wound appeared on her arm. Escape. Escape. Escape. Escape. Es—She fell backwards. A jerk from the scarf.

Her struggles ceased instantly as Aceteon hovered over her. Fuck. Charlotte breathed. Today was a day too full of coincidences and engagements with something better left in the dark. She wasn't even on Sabaody. Move. She shouted again. Throw your weight to the left, grab his ankle behind your knee and swing yourself up, grabbing the arm he puts out to catch himself and swap your leg's position. Then pull. Pop his shoulder. Then grab your knife from his leg and rip out the arm. She could see the whole move out in her mind. See how it would work, yet her body refused to listen. Refused to move. Then so did her mind when she locked eyes with him.

"Why doesn't she attack back?" Shachi questioned. Charlotte was never this docile. She had avoid attacking him at all. Only choosing to run away or remain completely still at any given moment.

Kozu clenched his shaking fists. His wide eyes no longer focused on the sad excuse of a battle before him. Instead, he was too busy trying to rid his mind of the promised battle Aceteon had delightfully shown him. He exhaled slowly. "She's scared." That much was obvious. She was traumatized. That was her excused. But… "What are your excuses?"

They were notorious pirates. People who fought on a regular basis and here they stood, only watching the battle befall with questions when they themselves haven't dared to move a muscle towards the fray. Even Kozu had managed to move to save Charlotte's life a bit and here the two mechanics were standing in mock prowess when they hadn't even moved. They hadn't even noticed what was pinning them down until the boy spoke.

They too were scared.

Subconsciously, even before having faced the man, they already marked him out of their league. Too strong for them to beat. It would be wiser for them to remain in the back. They were glad that it wasn't them who was the man's target. It was the girl who was going to leave their team. There was no affiliation between them and the monster. The affiliation link—Charlotte—had been severed already. Except it hadn't. They were just using all of it as an excuse as to why they hadn't acted.

The truth was they were pinned by his murderous intent. Pinned so tightly that they couldn't even shake in fear.

"Isn't this familiar?" They weren't even the one at the end of that blood thirsty blade. Aceteon was straddling the trembling woman. He had her arms pinned down by the wrist and pulled taut away from her center. Twirling his thin, spike-like blade in his hand, he grabbed the hilt-less tip harshly—a mantis hold—and quickly sliced off the dress' left strap and sleeve. "Now," He whispered against her ear, letting the cold metal sink slightly against her skin, pressing against a vein around her neck. He drew back, grinning in excitement. "Shall we get started?"

He lifted the blade.

Charlotte darted her face to the side, eyes shut tight and lips bitten, eating her own scream.

"I want to see the look on your face!" Aceteon yanked Charlotte's face back until she was facing him. He grinned at the fear that quickly glossed over her eyes at the sight of him. "That's better." He flashed the blade before the huntress, licking the red blood there. He slid the blade back towards her shoulder, dipping the metal into the hole slightly before lifting the blade again. "Don't disappoint me."

Law's eyes widened when the blade came down and a muffled cry filled the air. Echoing the cries were the crazed kind of a laughter. The type that send chills down your back and stuck in your nightmares. It grew with ever deep plunge of the knife.

Law gazed down at Charlotte as she slept. She looked kinder in her sleep. Not a single line or furrow along her skin. No indicator of pain. Not that there would be any. The surgery was successful. The bloodied butter knife that they found embedded into her shoulder was already removed and placed on the tray. The only thing he didn't expect was the x-ray results. Law took a second glance at the view box as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Sixty-seven breaks in the small area starting from the collarbone until the halfway down to the humerus.

They were old wounds. All properly healed. But the amount of damage should have rendered her arm completely useless. Yet, she uses it as if nothing ever happened. Sleeps without a shred of pain from it. It was like she was never injured.

But she has. The breaks were clear. The wounds weren't just old they were deliberately done by some sick bastard out of pleasure.

Law had finally met the sick bastard.

"Shambles."

Bloodied spiked knife struck against the hardwood ground. "How long do you intend to interrupt?" Aceteon growled at the head captain. The huntress wrapped in the crook of his elbow. Her useless left arm was nowhere near the state it was supposed to be yet!

A warmth spread across Charlotte's body, thawing her mind as it spread. This feeling…! She gasped, glancing up at their Captain, somewhat surprised to see him. Then again it made sense. No one else here had a devil fruit ability besides the two of them. And hers just copied his. It didn't look like he was aware of it though. His stormy grey eyes were staring forward. An unforgiving flame in them.

"How long do you intend to use my ship and crew members for your own personal entertainment?" There was only so far Law was willing to take. He passed the huntress towards Bepo with a quick word to get her out of here. Never once did he glance to look at her. "You caused a great mess on my sub." Law drew his large nodachi. "I hope you are intending to clean it up as well."

Aceteon didn't pay the man any attention, his eyes following his prey escaping. With a low growl, Aceteon shot forward only to be blocked off by Law. His prey still in the arms of a two-legged bear off in the distance. Aceteon jolted to the side, managing a step forward before Law appeared before him once more. Again and again. The two danced side to side, one appearing only moments after the first. Gritting his teeth, Aceteon sucked in a loud breath, "Deathbringer!"

"Charlotte!" Bepo's voice was full of concern. Charlotte had collapsed at the male's voice. Her hands clutching at her head, covering the ears. "Charlotte…" He murmured again, crouching down next to her, his white paws ghosting over her trembling form. Unable to hold her still.

"There is only one way out of the ring!" Charlotte's eyes snapped open before settling slightly on the ground before her. They've made it off the ship already. She was standing on the concrete by the beach side. She wasn't even on the beach anymore. She really made it far away from the battle ground. But… she paused at her clean hands. There wasn't even blood on her hands. Neither her or her enemy was dead yet.

Bepo watched the trembling woman stagger to her feet with concern. His paws still ghosting her, unsure what to do. Law had ordered to get her away, but where was he supposed to take her that was safe? Their getaway ship was being used as a battleground and it was clear that the huntress would be better off further away from it. If only the huntress could for once know what was good for her.

She was planning on running back.

Rule 3: The battle's never finish until someone dies.

Spreading her legs out wide, Charlotte lowered her top half, keeping one arm behind her and her other wounded arm hanging uselessly, the hand touching the ground. Grab my weapon from his leg fi—

"—Oi! Shitty woman!" The two jumped at the suddenly new voice. It was Cole. He was the one in charge of keeping an eye on everyone below. But why was he upstairs on deck? Everyone was in bad conditions. "Don't you dare come back here with that weak-ready-to-die attitude. I thought you don't take orders well." That was right, she made it her job to be professionally bad at receiving orders. "Bepo, take her out of here!"

Bepo knew how the huntress enjoyed her personal space. That was why he had never touched her. He didn't want to offend her. Bepo liked Charlotte. She was nice no matter what anyone else said. She gave him her share of fishes, and would even help him scratch an itch. But this time. He scooped the trembling woman up, cradling her to his soft chest. This time he just wanted to remove that pain-etched look on her face. He wanted the strong and Charlotte back.

"Outsiders should just remain outside." Aceteon growled when Law blocked off his path again. It wasn't that Aceteon was giving up on a chance to maim. He'd jump on any chance given to him just like how Charlotte would jump at any chance to annoy Law. The only thing keeping him from lashing out at the annoying bugs surrounding him was the fact that he didn't want to waste any time he had with his precious toy, Charlotte. She was the one that he's been lusting to maim. And he wasn't going to lose the chance. "You don't want to be made my business."

"You made it mine when you attacked my crew." Aceteon blew his hair out of his face, not that it was blocking his vision or anything. It was just more interesting than the stuck up pirate who was pretending to be all that. He was mad because he attacked his crew? Please, the man should be thanking him. None of them suffered that bad of a wound. They were all alive after all. Any other wound was forgivable; no sacrifice was too great for the purpose of living. It was their fault for being weak anyway.

Just like how it was his fault that Charlotte still lived.

"Blame them, yourself or Deathbringer." Aceteon shrugged. He didn't really care. They were weak. Probably the level of Joval. Aceteon frowned. Deathbbringer was not at her prime to be injured by someone at Joval's level. Life outside had been terrible for her skills. That was the fault of treatments. The thought of it made his blood boil. He doubted that she was the one treating her own wounds. She was like him. They didn't know to treat their wounds. That only left he possibility that someone else was treating it for her.

A doctor? "Were you the one who treated Deathbringer's wounds?" Anger filled Aceteon at an unsurmountable speed at the reply. Another rule broken. Just how many rules did the stupid girl think she was beyond? She was just like them! No better than them! Special treatment is disallowed! Aceteon faced Law for the first time since they started. "I do have a reason to kill you after all." Anyone who helped her with that can thank her for their deaths.

Law scoffed at the threat. Beads of sweat rolled down his neck. As calm as he looked, Law knew better to underestimate the man. His malicious aura wasn't as strong as Charlotte's to give him a premonition about his moves, but it wasn't far behind it either. Here he thought Charlotte's was over excessive. Turns out, it was a normal standard. They really didn't let up on the whole intimidation.

Sadly, Law wasn't one to be intimidated.

"Tact." The lifted crate did little to slow Aceteon's movements, but the second was enough for Law to shambles his position away from the submarine and onto the mountains lining one side of the beach. He wasn't disappointed when Aceteon leaped forward, following Law away from the submarine.

"You react better than I expected for someone as thin as you." Aceteon scoffed. He hated to admit it, but it was like Law knew about their rules of the ring and how one was supposed to fight in those rings. "It's mostly the ability though."

The ability was annoying. It made Law's reach further than the already ridiculously long sword he had. But the increased danger was nothing. It's the same as if he had a really, really long sword is all. Any basic weapon, Aceteon could deal with no problems. It was the same with Charlotte. No matter the type of weapon used against them, it would all be the same to them.

The two of them had a lot of similarities, Law noted. Not only do they have an insanely malicious blood thirst, but their way of satisfying that blood lust was similar. They moved like wild beasts—fast, untamed, feral, and instinctive. Nothing was strategic. It was all natural. Their moves and the way their bodies responded to the slightest change. It was as if their senses were heighted. It wasn't an adaptation. Adaptations wouldn't get them to this speed or sensitive. Their bodies developed this way. Both of them

The only difference was that Aceteon was more dangerous in every aspect of the word. Unlike Charlotte's tunnel vision, Aceteon had a sense of everything around him. He mastered his kenbunshoku haki well while Charlotte only grasped it. The only clear thing that Charlotte succeeded Aceteon in was speed. Even in her frozen state of mind, she managed to react fast enough for her to just make him miss the mark. Which meant if Law could follow Charlotte's movements, Aceteon shouldn't be too hard.

Even their beliefs in lost appendages was the same, Law noted not too long later. Aceteon didn't as much as blink when Law managed to lopped off two of his fingers. That wasn't all Law was aiming for, but it was all he got. Aceteon's senses were sharper than Charlotte's.

"They still work fine." Aceteon noted, pleasantly surprised that his fingers still worked. All he had to do was grab them and stick them back. There was no blood. No cut. No nothing. There was pain, but pain was just pain. It's not like it was something he couldn't deal with. A malicious smirk grew on Aceteon's face. There was practically no harm in getting sliced. He doesn't have to worry about dodging those damned blades anymore.

Aceteon's outlook of that wasn't exactly what normal people thought so Law was surprised when Aceteon didn't show even the slightest hesitation in charging in into Law's slashes. Not even as he turned into cubes. He still held that same creepy grin and Law soon knew why. He couldn't shamble the body pieces fast enough.

"Aren't you a monster." Law commented, crossing weapons with Aceteon, who had pieced his body together fast enough. He wasn't even the slightest bit disoriented from being cut apart. The lopping of two fingers was enough for him to understand and even those two fingers didn't surprise him at all. He just gave up on them instantly, now allowing him to be worried about any small sacrifices. Aceteon's grin seem to glow with sordid glee at Law's comment.

"A limb is nothing." As long as I win. Law really was facing a monster. It wasn't his first time hearing such a brazen thought. Charlotte had the same explanation. As long as I live. Although hers was slightly less material.

Their similarities are uncanny, and their differences are small. The thought irked Law to a point, but he couldn't afford being distracted right now. Law pulled back, letting another spike of rocks appear in between them at the command of his finger twitching. Law could tell that Charlotte and this Aceteon person had a past together. "What did you do that traumatized her that badly?" The real question was what kind of past did they share and what happened to them fir them to develop this way.

The question surprised Aceteon. He had thought that someone willing to go through all this trouble to protect someone would have at least known some things. Guess they were just greater idiots than he originally thought. "All this trouble when you know nothing about her." The earlier bug that Aceteon stepped on was asking him questions all about their little 'Charlotte'. Shouldn't have someone taught them not to talk to strangers or that curiosity killed the cat or that people keep things secret for a reason? Well, they can learn the hard way. "I killed her."

"Surprised?" Aceteon slowed to a still. His prey was now in shock and it wouldn't be any fun if he was too stun to scream deliciously. Cold blood also flowed slower. "You can't beat me if you can't even kill her." He was stronger than Charlotte. He proved that when he killed her nine years ago.

"Shock rather." Law responded, his voice another mirage of his mock politeness. The tone displeased Aceteon. It was as if Law was making light of his feat. In all intended purposes, Law was. "Charlotte can't be here if you 'killed' her." Did no one teach either Aceteon or Charlotte how simple life worked? "Let me guess, you thought you killed her and now that you know she's alive. You have a personal vendetta for hunting her down." Law is an intellectual. He didn't need a miracle to figure out that Aceteon was targeting Charlotte.

Aceteon only shrugged in response. He couldn't disagree. It was shocking to him actually how fast Law pieced it together, but what else could you expect from someone who had lived life like a scholar? It also didn't matter if they knew or not. It wouldn't change the outcome; what Master wishes shall be granted. His own personal vendetta was an additional thing.

"I don't want Deathbringer dead yet." Was all he added, shocking everyone. If Charlotte was to die now, then that would be no fun. He'd rather torture her to the brink of death, only to not ever give her the bliss that is death. Again and again. It would be a place worse than Hell. A personal Hell dedicated to her at the pleasure of his. There was also the fact that Master requested for her alive. But that was just an addition. "Master's calling for her."

"Until otherwised stated, she is still a part of my crew." Law informed. He wasn't going to mention that she already declared her intentions on leaving. "And I'm not fond of anyone harming my crew."

Charlotte's eyes bugged and she collapsed into herself. M-Master? She gaped, paling instantly. Her Master wanted her back after all that she's done?

"...If you were to go on a trip... where would you like to go?" Kuma asked suddenly, slipping his black glove off his right hand.

"DEATHBRINGER!" A nameless voice cried. "CHARLOTTE!" It was a familiar voice. One that she had knew very well since her first day into the world. Even in the chaos of everything—fallen debris, smog smoke, spitting bullets, echoing footsteps, and blood curling screams—-Charlotte could single-mindedly take that one voice out from all the noise.

It was her Master's voice after all. "YOU ARE TO REMAIN HERE ON MY COMMAND! YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE! YOU ARE MY PROPERTY YOU HEAR. YOU DO AS I TELL YOU TO!" He was stuck somewhere on the second row of the ring. Probably tapped under some debris. Hopefully trapped under some debris. "YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE! COME HERE CHARLOTTE!"

The voice was further away. He hadn't moved. He couldn't reach her! The realization struck Charlotte hard. "CHARLOTTE!" Though she already knew somewhere deep down that he, her Master, couldn't stop her this time around. Somewhere in the back of her subconscious. There was probably a reason why she was so focused on the opponent before her, why she was so drawn to run straight to him as the first thing she did in all this chaos. "I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU AGAIN. YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO LEA—"

The rest of the same cried was drowned out. She didn't need to hear the same needless cry. As if she'd really wanted to stay a second longer in this hellhole. "Anywhere off this blasted island." Her words seemed to slice through the air despite being nothing more than a mere whisper. It was like her Master had somehow been able to hear her little wish through all the chaos. She couldn't tell if he was in shock. Probably, but she really did not care.

Her lips cracked upwards for the first time that she could remember. A silent thank you to the man she knew nothing of. Never had she thought she would ever thank anyone for slapping her.

Pink engulfed her vision.

Pop!

She can't go back. There was no going back for her. She disobeyed a direct order. Going back was the same as a death wish and it seems like her Master has not yet forgiven her. She wasn't expecting him to either. She was nothing more than a lowly slave. Something that could be easily disposed of. For him to be sending people to bring her back, she must really have pissed him off that time she ran out. I need to get out of here!

Charlotte's attention drew back into the present when she realized that she wasn't moving as fast anymore. Bepo had slowed down. His ears pressed low against his constantly shifting head. The loyal animal was constantly switcing back and forth between his Captain and Charlotte in his arms. Worry was clear in his small black eyes.

They were starting to get too far away to see the battle. They were already out of range to be of first responding help and that in itself worried Bepo. He trusted his captain with all that he had. Law was strong, he knew that. But so was their opponent. Their opponent was someone who decimated half their crew. The crew also needed to tended to quickly. They couldn't waste too much time. Their get away was the sub, so he couldn't be too far from it. There was just so many things to worry about.

"Sorry, I'll take care of it. It's my problem anyway." Those were the words that should have came out of the strong and independent woman. Never did she ever ask for help or wanted it. She could do things on her own terms. But those words weren't the one that came from her lips. Charlotte couldn't say anything. Part of her wanted to stay and watch Law defeat Aceteon for her, the other half knew that he couldn't and should be taking this time to disappear. Except she did none of that. She just stayed still by Bepo's side, unable to carry herself a step further away. Their captain was busy fighting.

That was when she noticed something fatal.

You were the only one to escape that day. Aceteon was a slave combatant. Somewhere in the midst of their battle, Aceteon's large scarf had been ripped off. That was when Charlotte saw it. The metal necklace that holds life like an unstable toddler learning how to walk for the first time on a tight rope. And it was coiled around Aceteon's neck like it was some sort of weird fashion trend. Aceteon was still a slave combatant.

All slave combatant favoured a style in fighting—favoured a weapon. Charlotte often had curved or hook-like dulled swords, it translated into her karambit. Joval loved throwing his weapon and using the fabric on the hilt like some kind of hand protection. That why he had a scissor. Aceteon, on the other hand, he favoured shark teeth whip.

So why was he using short blades?

He wasn't weak with them either. Short blades were easy for them to use. That was what all their weapons started off with. Somewhere along the way, they just evolved their use of short blades. What was the style that Aceteon made? It was one that caught Charlotte off-guard and the one that turned their battle around. She never saw anyone use such an efficiently and violent method.

"Charlotte?" The huntress blinked. "Does your arm hurt that much?" Her hand had absentmindedly grabbed her shoulder with a death grip, so much so that blood was seething out through her fingers.

How had it started again? He had taken her weapon and from individual knives he formed a new weapon. One that didn't conform to the typical rules of a short straight blade. He made a vicious whip out of sharp steel that had teeth that rip and cut. It cut flesh well, leaving nothing free from being ripped into shreds. The scary part was he could swap between the flexible blade and short blade with a single draw of his arm.

"Charlotte, you have to relax!" Bepo shouted. His white paws turning red as he struggled with Charlotte's hand. The wound was bleeding profusely now. Her own nails had dug into her shoulder, yet the pain didn't seem to recognize on her shell-shocked face. "Charlotte!"

Aceteon drew his arm back.

All it takes was a split second.

"LAWWWWW!"

What the—! Law stumbled backwards slightly. Wrong move. The jagged edges tore away his flesh with every step. Shit! He cussed, hand trembling slightly over his stomach. A glint of ivory was between the following red and ribbons of tan, tattooed fingers. Law had been impaled. Impaled by a long blade with curved spikes at every joint. Aceteon's favoured weapon.

Blood dripped from the spikes, landing on his hand there. "Ha…" Law glared up at Aceteon, face pale. Blood splattered against the deck in rivers.

The weapon looked almost like a skeletal spine and tail of some ancient beast with curved spikes at every vertebra. The curved spikes were what made Bloodletter Aceteon. They'd dig, claw, and rip out all the surrounding flesh whenever the victim moves, causing an even bigger hole for blood. Essentially, it shredded up the person's inside and wound.

And more than half of the blade and its spikes protruded from Law's back side, curving onto the deck.

And Law didn't even see it coming.

"CAPTAIN!"

Ignoring the cries of the incoming Heart Pirates, Aceteon only glowered at Law. His lips curved upwards. "There are no interruptions allowed." Aceteon dragged his sword to the side, not caring that it was still embedded into Law's abdomens. The long tail whipped around, spikes pointed outwards.

Law realized what the man meant when the blade started moving towards the side. The same side that Shachi and Penguin were running forward from. Law only managed to open his mouth by the time the serrated sword ripped out his side and both Shachi and Penguin in half. Law couldn't bear to look at the rest, but he didn't need to. The sound of their bodies falling onto the deck with a squishy thud was enough of a tell tale sign.

"Bugs who don't want to be swatted should just stay away." Aceteon mumbled without a single shred of remorse as he drew his whip like blade back.

Shit! Law cussed. What kind of a Captain was he? He could feel Aceteon's presence over him. Was this really the end? Law stiffened when the male turned away from them.

Aceteon was scowling. There was a great lack of blood on his blade. However, he saw through the smoke, two figures being ripped apart. Law saw it too. So where was the blood? Aceteon stopped as the smoke cleared. His blade cracked, the spikes tilting as if the whip blade was breathing when Aceteon's grip on the weapon tightened. There before him was sake barrels, chopped in half, their contents spilling out. Where were they?

"Captain!" It was Shachi who spoke first. Penguin being too busy trying to help stop the bleeding first. Both of them were still shaken up. They thought they were going to die. They saw the blade and they knew they couldn't react to it in time. Those barrels replaced them though. "Thank you for saving us again." But their captain was able to shamble them in time.

Except he didn't. "That wasn't me." His blue dome wasn't even up.

The two mechanics stopped for a moment before laughing at the not-so-funny joke. "Who else but you could use 'Shambles'?" It was a rhetorical question for the answer should have been no one, but they all couldn't help but think instantly think of one name—Charlotte.

"D-Did I make it?" Charlotte spluttered, coughing up blood. Her vision was blurry. Her raised hand looked nothing more than fuzzy thing attached to the submarine.

Bepo didn't respond. They were fine. He could see that. Charlotte had reacted the fastest. Bepo had left Charlotte's side when he saw their captain to do the same thing as Penguin and Shachi. Then a purple film zoomed past him reaching as far as engulfing the submarine. It was a race then to which would reach first, the dome or the blade. As soon as the two pirates were within reach, she shambled them instantly. The question was whether or not Charlotte had made it in time or she just shambled body parts.

"Tell me I made it." The large purple dome flickered slightly, but remained.

They were fine. Bepo could see that. He knew it when he smelt spilled alcohol rather than blood. He just couldn't say anything back to the blind huntress. She shouldn't be the one worrying about others right now. She was the one in the most critical state. Bepo couldn't do anything but stare at the glinting knife protruding from between her breasts.

Charlotte had been stabbed!

"I knew you were trouble." Ignacio grunted from behind Charlotte. "Excessive emotions like yours only hurt our people." He drove the knife deeper. He had finally made it and the source of all the swirling fear was overwhelming. Even for him. It needed to be stopped and it didn't seem like she was capable of stopping it.

"Eh? What's going on over there?" Ignacio questioned, glancing over the huntress to the deck. His body tensed immediately at the amount of blood on board and the fallen Captain. "What the—"

"K-Kozu and Kora…" Charlotte panted and the Marine quickly located his two children, anger raising. Kora was unconscious in Kozu hands. "They're… not injured… I'll return them to you… protect… them…"

"CHARLOTTEEE!"

Aceteon swerved his head around to where the huntress should have been. There was something greatly wrong in that one shout. Something that had Aceteon's blood turning cold and—his pupils shrank at the sight. Charlotte had been stabbed. Through the heart.

A great and dark miasma erupted, easily covering the fear that once filled the air. "DEAAATHHHH BRINGERRRRR!" She couldn't die! She can't die! Not yet. Not while he wasn't done playing with her. No one was going to take away his satisfaction of killing her!

Aceteon swung his sword forward, the tip piercing the rocks there easily. He ran forward to swing himself over there. His mismatched eyes landing on the marine fighting against the bear. He had got to pay!

"Charlotte!" Bepo cried worriedly, turning towards the huntress immediately after separating her from the marine. "C-Charlotte?" He murmured when the huntress clasped his big paw with her small shaky hand.

"…Shambles…" She breathed and the two of them appeared on the deck of the submarine in the spots where the twins were once at. She collapsed against the deck, landing harshly while the purple film dissipated around them.

"You're a slave?!" They could hear Ignacio cried in shock. He had somehow forced Aceteon on his knees, allowing him full vision of The Hoof of the Soaring Dragon burned on his back. His children were hiding behind a rock not too far away. "I don't see your Master around here." He grabbed the incoming blade, the spikes breaking against his Tekkai skin. "Where's your Master?" No answer. "A rogue slave." He hummed. He wasn't going to accept that. Mainly because of the damage he was causing and here he thought that slaves were the poor one. "I'm taking you back to your Master." He was a government agent after all. He can't let this go unreported.

Charlotte pushed herself until she was on her fists, however she didn't lift her face, allowing it to be hidden by her purple hair. "…G-get us out of here." She ordered over the other's worried cries. She took a peek at barely conscious Law when they carried him over, but her eyes didn't follow them.

She gripped at the hole on her chest, her fingers digging into ruined cloth.

They could escape now while Aceteon is busy with the Marine.


Let me guys know what you guys think! Especially how Charlotte is in this chapter! I would really love how you think about it. I tried my best in working on how panic attack and fear grips at your mind and body, but I'm not sure if I got it conveyed. So let me know what your thoughts of it are!

Reminder: I won't be able to update/write in the next two weeks because of study exchange. I will get right back to it once I can when I get back. Thanks for being patient with me.

-Airi