The Pirate King's Son

by AsianFighter

Long before he was a pirate, he was simply a boy growing up with bandits. This story is a creative re-telling of Portgas D. Ace's early days on Dawn Island. Coming of age story featuring Ace x female OC.

22. The Final Bow

NOTE: This chapter is 15,000 words long. I usually try to keep them between 5-10k but this one is… a doozy. The end is in sight and I think I'll end up with long chapters until the story is actually finished. Buckle up, kids. I hope you enjoy the ride!

I am so excited and I hope you all are, too! Now without further ado, here is chapter 22!

Love always,

AsianFighter

P.S. There is a song referenced in this chapter. It has words in the recording but I played it on repeat as I wrote this so I could hold onto the vibe. If you so wish, you can listen to it by searching "Stereotype" by Black Violin on your preferred music site or app :)

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South Blue, Baterilla, A Long Time Ago

Viola huffed. Her fingers grasped at the cool grass. Sweat rolled down her forehead, her shoulders, her back. The South Blue sun was merciless as it beat down. There was no sign of wind, no sympathetic gale. Just her mother's withering stare and the sound of cicadas screeching in the distance.

"Get up," Shih barked.

"Mom," Viola complained, "I'm exhausted. I want to eat."

"You think your enemy's gonna care? You think they'll have mercy because you get tired during battle?"

Vi glared at the woman. Small as she was, the men who picked a fight with Jaeger D. Shih were few and far between. The Hero of Baterilla had gained the name for a reason. She was single handedly responsible for keeping the island safe from pirates and external threats. Shih took her job seriously, even if that meant training the ungrateful miscreants around her.

Shih stood with her arms crossed. The white and gold coat seemed to glow in the blinding light. A finger tapped impatiently as she waited for her daughter to get back on her feet. Ever so slowly, Viola grunted and pushed herself to standing. Every muscle silently screamed in protest. She could feel sore spots that would most likely darken and bruise within the next few days.

"Took long enough," Shih spat.

Viola's lip curled in anger. She brought her fists up. Her hands were dark and haki imbued, ready to tear a hole in her enemy's defense.

"You wanna eat?" Shih asked, her eyes narrowed. "You have to earn it."

The girl's grip tightened. "Then let's finish this," the teenager growled.

Shih laughed coldly. "It's your move, dear. You want to be done? End the fight or your opponent will gladly do that for you."

Viola kicked at the ground. To any normal bystander, she disappeared. Her body, long and lean, made a dash for Shih. The woman was unphased. She casually lit a cigarette. Viola appeared low, an upper cut inches away from her mother's chin.

"Too slow," Shih said as she bent back, the glowing stick still in her mouth.

Her daughter roared and aimed a hit at the woman's exposed stomach. Shih turned her body sharply. Her hands grabbed onto the girl's exposed arm. Viola yelled as her own momentum was used against her. She was flying through the air until a tree broke the fall.

"Sloppy," Shih said. "Pathetic. Your objective was to land a single hit. Just one, damn it. You couldn't even manage to do that."

Viola groaned. She could feel fresh scratches on her arms and back from the broken bark.

"I want to be done," Viola said in defeat. The teenager didn't meet her mother's eyes. They were too busy glaring at the ground beneath her feet.

"You wanna be done, huh?"

"Yes!" Viola yelled. "Why do we have to do this? Why do I have to train every day? Why can't I just go to school and do things that other kids do?! I just want a normal life!"

Viola's eyes were full of liquid fire. Her mother's were cold and hard.

"You can't," Shih said simply. "You're a Jaeger. You don't get to have a normal life."

"That's bullshit," Viola said under her breath.

Shih was on her in an instant. The woman was barely over five feet tall but she held her daughter up by the throat and pinned her against the broken tree.

"You want a cozy little life full of weakness and ignorance?" Shih asked, her voice a low hiss. "Then leave. Go find it. But mark my words: without strength, the sea will eat you up and tear you apart." The woman let go and Viola fell to the ground, grasping her throat as she gasped for air.

"I will," Viola promised after she recovered. "I can't wait to get away from you. I hate you!"

Shih turned her back to her daughter. "Justice" loomed in front of the girl's face. "One day you'll appreciate all I've taught you," the woman said. "You'll see how cruel the world is after it gives you a good ass kicking." Viola rubbed her sore neck as the woman walked away.

"I'd rather have the world kick my ass than my own mother," Viola said, more to herself than to Shih. The woman didn't slow or turn back when she responded.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," Shih said. "One day you'll wish you were dead… but when you find yourself still alive, you'll be that much stronger than you were yesterday."

"Crazy bitch," Vi muttered. She leaned her head against the tree. The sun was hot on her dark skin. She let a few hot, salty tears roll down her face. "I do wish I were dead. Maybe you'd care about me then."

Shih finally stopped and turned to her daughter. Her face was still unsmiling. "I do care about you," she said seriously.

"You don't care about my health… or my happiness," Viola said to the sky. "Or my education… or dreams…"

Shih sighed. Daughters. Honestly. Always so dramatic.

"Yes, Viola, I do… but I care more about your strength. In this world," Shih said softly, "that's the only thing that matters. You'll do well to remember that."

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East Blue, Dawn Island, Present Day

"Oh, you're doing so well! Look at you," Kaiya cooed. She stroked the golden blooms and poured a small cup of water into the pot. "You've gotten so big lately!" Kaiya said lovingly.

"Are you talking to your flower again?" Chrissy asked. "I can't believe you still have it."

"You don't?" Kaiya asked. She turned and raised a brow. "Plants were like the first topic we covered."

"My flower was dead in weeks."

Botan emerged from the bathroom, her fiery locks messy as usual.

"Jeez. All you have to do is water it," Botan said to Chrissy.

"I don't live on a farm like you do," Chrissy sneered. "My family doesn't make a living taking care of plants."

"Yeah, and I don't come to school with all my shit smelling like shrimp and stir fried rice every week," came the quick response.

"Beats the smell of cow dung on your boots."

"One fucking time-"

Kaiya rolled her eyes and smiled at her two friends. She slipped her backpack on, checked her reflection. Honestly she didn't care for the white, yellow, and brown that her school had chosen for its colors. Made her feel like a banana. But the daisy was the Goa Kingdom's official signal and as much as she resented the island the first time she came here… it was starting to really feel like home.

"We're going to be late," Kaiya said, interrupting her friend's argument.

The argument ended with Chrissy sticking a tongue out and Botan throwing up a choice finger.

"Kaiya," Botan said as they entered the hall, "you really oughta transplant that thing."

"What? Why? Goldie's doing so well," Kaiya said.

Botan's emerald eyes rolled in their sockets. "Well Goldie ain't gonna make it if you keep her in that tiny ass pot."

"She's healthy. She might die if I put it in a different container."

"Maybe," Botan said with a shrug. "It might get stressed out at first but I'm willing to bet it'll be bigger and better than ever."

Kaiya hummed. "You think so?"

"Please," Botan said. "Trust me, I guarantee your li'l bloom'll be fine."

Kaiya thought back to something her aunt once told her. "Nothing grows in a comfort zone, right?"

"Yeah," Botan said with a shrug. "Something like that."

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Dawn Island, Friday, December 6th: 12 o'clock p.m.

"Should we run it again?" Kaiya asked. Her feet were sore. Her arms were aching. The voice in her head hoped Chrissy would say no.

"Ugh! I'm done for the day." Chrissy gave a deep exhale and sunk to the ground.

Kaiya nodded and gratefully began to untie the pale pink ribbons. Her flats were looking… well, pretty tired considering she'd only gotten them a few months ago. The bottoms were filthy and the drawstring was threatening to come undone. When she slipped the shoes off of her feet, she could see how worn the inside had become.

Was it normal for flats to last such a short amount of time? This had been her first year taking a formal dance class… Kaiya looked in the mirror at herself. She'd spent four to five days a week in this room. Her legs and feet had grown stronger. Her body looked thinner, more lean than it usually did. Being in a skintight outfit all week had made her self conscious about what her body actually looked like. She had never really put much stock into it before but now…

Well, there was a lot of competition at a school comprised entirely of females. It wasn't fun to be the pudgiest girl in ballet. It didn't take long for her to start eating less and practicing more. The progress had been slow. Weeks of sore muscles had finally, finally seemed to turn some of the baby fat into muscle.

Kaiya slipped the ballet flats into the hand sewn linen bag. She stood and turned. The tutu was cut lower than she would have preferred. The material pointed down to her mid-back. However, Kaiya talked Chrissy into decorating with a large bow on the backside. Chrissy was all over the idea because it sounded "absolutely adorable!" Kaiya didn't care as much for the aesthetics. She was just thankful she had something to cover the scars.

"What a week," Chrissy said with a sigh. She had already changed shoes and packed her bag. It looked a bit odd to see her wear sneakers with her tights and tutu but it was much easier than changing her entire outfit. "Only a few more hours, though. I'm so ready to go home."

"Yeah," Kaiya nodded. She slipped on her own street shoes and stood with her own bag slung over her chest. Chrissy cocked her brow and gave Kaiya a smile. "Well, I mean, your home, anyway," Kaiya said.

"Did you finally get ahold of your uncle?!" Chrissy asked excitedly. The girl was walking backwards as she talked. She had no regard for the people trying to walk in the opposite direction and she certainly didn't seem to care about the fact she wasn't walking in a straight line.

"No…"

"Oh," the white-haired girl said, deflated.

"But I'm going anyway," Kaiya said with finality.

"What?" Chrissy asked, her eyes wide. "Are you serious? Won't they kill you?"

"No, they won't kill me…" Kaiya said a bit hesitantly. She thought of Ace and how that friendship had turned out after they decided to sneak out and visit the Grey Terminal. "I mean, they won't be happy at first but I'm sure it'll be okay after they see the performance."

"I'm super excited," Chrissy said with a broad grin. "Are you?"

"Yeah." Kaiya smiled. "I mean, I'm a little bummed we don't get to ice skate next week. But I know I'll be more excited when it gets closer."

"Yeah, that's the one sucky thing about next week. Who picked the date, anyway?" Chrissy asked with an eyeroll. "Performing on a Wednesday? Ugh."

Kaiya laughed. She looked out the window as they walked. One of her favorite things about coming back from the studio was the view from the main hall. The giant windows let in plenty of natural light and she enjoyed seeing the people that passed by Main Street.

A very portly man with a red face and large mustache hurried down the street. His coat looked much too small and she could see his shirt bulging beneath the buttons. A mother struggled with a very young child as she walked parallel to the building. The child seemed more interested in playing with dirt than whatever they were supposed to be doing. A boy wearing blue ran perpendicular to the building. Kaiya raised an eyebrow. For a moment he looked intent on running headfirst into the brick but he surprised Kaiya by diving into the bushes.

"Oh!" she gasped.

"Everything okay?" Chrissy asked. She was walking on the locker side; she had completely missed the boy in blue.

"Uh, yeah," Kaiya said. She blinked. The boy had to be ahead of her somewhere, crouched low in the brush. She hurriedly grabbed a scarf out of her bag.

"Chrissy," Kaiya said, "would you mind taking my bag back to our room?"

"Sure?" Chrissy said. She took Kaiya's ballet bag with a confused look on her face as Kaiya began to literally run down the hall. "Where are you going?" Chrissy called.

"Uh, nowhere!" Kaiya responded. "I'll be right back!"

Chrissy watched her friend hurry back down the way they came. Kaiya turned a corner. Chrissy was left standing with both of their bags and a very confused look on her face.

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"That little shit!" The man growled and looked around the street. It was lunchtime on Friday. You think he would have heard shrieking or something if a little blue blur had come this way. Of course all the snow had melted on the street and the only white that remained was in the corners of buildings that never received sun. There had to some tell tale sign of where the damn runt went…

"Maybe he went another way, boss," came a shaky response.

The boss turned and smacked his lackey over the head. "You know where he is?"

"No," his subordinate murmured.

"Then don't fucking tell me 'Oh, he went another way, boss!' unless you can tell me which way he went!"

Sabo was frozen in a crouch. He could see the men walking his way but they couldn't see him. Seemed like the boss was busy telling off his minion. With any luck, they'd take a right or left and he could book it all the way back home.

Unfortunately, the thugs began to hustle his way with a determined look on both of their faces. Sabo nervously ducked down and held his breath.

"Hey, kid! Don't fucking move!"

Sabo accidentally hissed a curse. He was a moment away from jumping up and fist fighting them. He'd lost his pipe in the chase and fighting two men in hand to hand combat wasn't his first choice of action. Thankfully, though, he didn't have to.

A soft voice answered, "Can I help you, sir?"

"You see someone come this way?"

"Yes, actually! There was a man who went this way, a lady and her baby who went that way, a-"

"A BOY!" The man yelled. Sabo risked a glance but all he could see was a very frilly skirt. "Short, blond, wearing blue!"

"Hm… no, I don't think so."

"FUCK!" Sabo winced at the volume. His fist clenched as the man began to bark orders at his subordinate once again. "Find that little shit NOW!"

"Good luck!" Kaiya called with a wave. The sound of retreating footsteps and exactly 90 seconds later, Sabo heard her say, "You can come out now."

Sabo clambered back through a gap in the bushes and came face to face with… Kaiya… wearing a pink and white tutu. There was a white scarf draped around her shoulders and arms but he caught glimmers of numerous diamonds on the front of her outfit. The braid she usually wore was absent and her hair was pulled into a large ballerina bun. The only thing out of place was the pair of sneakers she wore.

Regardless.

Sabo still thought she looked beautiful. There was a smile on her face as she said, "I thought you looked awfully familiar when you zipped by."

"Oh!" Sabo swallowed and scratched the back of his head. He lacked his usual top hat and tufts of blond poked out from beneath his found winter hat. His hair had grown longer than he usually kept it… "Uh, yeah. Just me, heh…" The nervous laughter sounded so stupid coming out of his mouth.

Time had ceased to work properly. It moved so slowly as Kaiya simply gave him that adorable smile… dimples were ever present at the corners of her mouth and her eyes were pushed up slightly. He could tell it was genuine. The thought actually made him feel a flush of heat despite the temperature outside…

"You must be freezing!" Sabo said suddenly.

Kaiya was clutching the scarf tight around her body. Her frame - had she always been that thin? - was shaking. He could see her knees, covered only by a pair of thin tights, wobbling together.

"It's a little cold out here," Kaiya said sheepishly.

"Here, take my coat." He hurriedly began to slip out of the faded blazer.

"Sabo, you don't have to! I'm fine. I wasn't planning on being out long. I just wanted to make sure you were okay first."

"No," Sabo said, "I insist. Here." He quickly placed the coat around her shoulders. Kaiya gave him a thankful glance that made him feel like he could melt right on the spot. Sabo could see one or two stains on the coat and suddenly he wasn't so sure about his choice of action. What if it stunk? What if it smelled like the Grey Terminal?

"Thank you," Kaiya said with a smile. Sabo grinned back. "Also what did those guys want with you, anyway?"

"It's nothing important," Sabo said nervously. He didn't dare glance back at the bushes where his little bag of goods rested. He cleared his throat. "So, uh, what are you doing here?"

Kaiya pointed upwards. "Goa Kingdom Girls Academy" was written in large letters on the side of the building. Sabo's face mimicked the pink of Kaiya's skirt as he dumbly realized they were standing outside her school.

"I was walking back from lunch break when I saw you."

"Oh," Sabo blinked. His eyes glanced down at her unusual clothing and asked, "You ate lunch in that?"

At the mention of food, her stomach gave a very audible and very embarrassing grumble. Now it was Kaiya's turn to give a nervous laugh. "No, I didn't eat. I was practicing for an upcoming performance."

"You skipped lunch?" Sabo asked with a frown. Maybe she was thinner than last time... He saw Kaiya wrap the coat tighter around herself.

"It's no big deal," she said. He noticed her eyes had turned downward when she answered. They met his a moment later and she put on another smile as she said, "The performance is next Wednesday at GKCT if you want to come. Show starts at 5."

Sabo looked at her blankly for a moment.

"Goa Kingdom Capital Theatre," she said, answering the question on his mind.

"Oh, yeah, I knew that," Sabo lied. "It's been a while since I've been there."

"Really?" Kaiya asked. She got a faraway look in her eyes as she said, "I've heard it's beautiful. I can't wait to see it."

"Yeah," Sabo said with a nod. "It is."

To be honest, he had actually only seen the outside of the building. His parents would never allow him to go to a public theatre, of all places, but since he left home he had never had a reason or chance to see the inside… still, it was a magnificent looking building. Large, intricate columns adorned the front and the entire facade was composed of white stone.

"So it's going to be a ballet performance?" Sabo asked.

"Oh, no, actually." Kaiya must have seen the confusion on his face. "It's a school wide talent show. Chrissy and I are going to do ballet while we play our instruments. She has a viola and I play the violin so we thought we'd do something a little different."

Sabo nodded. He remembered her white haired friend from the night of ice skating. "It sounds like a pretty cool performance. I'd love to go see it."

"Really?" Kaiya's face lit up like fireworks on New Year's Eve. The Goa Kingdom always put on a spectacular snow. Sabo usually had a great view of it, too, from Trash Mountain. He almost wanted to ask what she was doing that night…

"Yeah," Sabo nodded.

"I have two tickets for my aunt and uncle but I could buy you one, too, if you wanted!"

"That isn't necessary," Sabo said with a frown. "You should just save your money. I'll find a way to watch it."

"Really?!"

Sabo had never seen Kaiya this excited before. He was brought back to the ball where he had unintentionally bumped into Kaiya. Seeing her in that white and gold dress had been dazzling, but it was nothing compared to the way her eyes sparkled when she danced.

He gave a nod and she let out what could only be described as a squeal. Her hands came together and Kaiya clapped in excitement.

"I can't wait!" Kaiya said with a giddy laugh. Her arms suddenly wrapped around Sabo and he was engulfed in the smell of something warm… like cinnamon and honey. He also caught a whiff of sweat, but not body odor, but that was easy enough to ignore. He stiffened for a moment and wondered what he smelled like. Hopefully nothing too bad.

He had just placed a nervous hand on Kaiya's back when she pulled away. He was acutely aware of the single hand that rested lightly on his forearm. There was a broad grin on her face. "I really hope you can make it."

"Yeah," Sabo nodded. "I'll definitely be there!"

The clock tower struck and a single, deep note bellowed throughout the city. Kaiya's eyes grew wide and she looked at the building in horror.

"Oh, no, I'm late! I'm so late! I'm sorry, I really have to go," she said quickly. Kaiya turned to leave and then turned back to face Sabo. "This is yours," she said with a laugh. She shrugged the blue blazer off and folded it in half before handing it back over. "See you next Wednesday?"

Was that… hope he heard in her voice?

"Yes," Sabo nodded, "Capital Theatre. 5 o' clock."

Kaiya gave him another dazzling smile. She was missing a few of her baby teeth and he couldn't help but think that just made her cuter. "You got it. Have a good night, Sabo!"

"Yeah," Sabo said wistfully. "You too…"

Only when Kaiya had retreated and turned out of sight did Sabo smack his forehead. Oh, idiot! What had he gotten himself into? He couldn't sit and attend a performance at the theatre! He always met Ace on Wednesday… and they already had a heist planned.

Sabo shook his head and began to walk back to his safe haven in the Grey Terminal. He had almost forgotten his treasure bag and ended up having to go back to get it. It was hidden safely beneath the coat he held. The cold didn't bother him; his mind was too busy with other things.

He would never hear the end of it if he canceled on Ace… but he had been dumb enough to commit to something he shouldn't have in the first place… Kaiya had been so excited, though… and she looked so pretty in her outfit… he really didn't want to let her down… but Ace was his best friend and he couldn't let him down either…

During the walk home Sabo also realized he had forgotten to thank Kaiya for covering for him. Again. The boy groaned and shook his head at himself.

Well, the only course of action was to meet up with Ace, go through with their plan, and then find a way to see Kaiya's performance. That was it. Simple. That's what Sabo would do. Besides, what could go wrong?

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Wednesday, December 11th: 2 o'clock p.m.

"This is it," Viola said with a smile. "Kaiya's first big performance."

Ryoku frowned in the mirror and adjusted his tie, pulled on the black vest his wife had insisted he wear. Honestly, he hated these things. He could go the rest of his life without wearing a suit and that would have been just fine with him.

His wife had meticulously trimmed his beard and mustache, slicked his head hair back. The white seemed to stand out more than the black nowadays. He guessed he didn't look too bad for an old man, though.

"You look very nice, my love," Viola said as if reading his thoughts.

Viola, though…

She had on a floor length gown. It showed off her bare shoulders and the material, a light cerulean, faded into a deep, midnight blue. It hugged her curves in all the right places before cascading into waves at the bottom. There were studs and sparkly bits that made him think she looked like the very embodiment of a beautiful starry sky.

"I clean up pretty good," Ryoku said with a smile. "But you…"

He held out a hand, which his wife quickly took. Viola laughed and twirled around once for him.

"Not too bad for an old lady, huh?"

"Not too bad at all," he murmured. Ryoku stepped forward and pulled her close. She let out a very girlish sort of a giggle. "You look beautiful, Viola."

Viola's eyes sparkled in the low light and she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. "Almost ready," she promised. Her touch trailed along his arm as she flitted to the vanity where lots of little creams and containers were sprawled.

"Don't be long, my dear," Ryoku said. "We have a boat to catch."

"Yes, yes," Viola said with a wave of her hand. "I'll be just a moment."

Ryoku smiled and walked into the living room. Viola had placed the most important items on the coffee table. He made sure to grab the card, the present, and the flowers for Kaiya. The shop bell chimed as he entered through the back door. The front of the store was comprised entirely of glass and he could see a familiar rowboat down at the docks.

Ryoku took a deep breath. The boat usually collected him on Fridays and Mondays to pick up and drop his niece off to the academy. Kaiya was a smart kid. He figured she was more than capable of taking a straight path to the docks but Viola seemed to think otherwise.

He sighed. As much as he wished she had been, oh, he didn't know, training or doing something more physical, he was proud of her. He had to tell her that more.

Every weekend, Kaiya came home and diligently played the violin. If he heard the same song, it was always better than the last time she'd. She poured over books and often surprised him with what knowledge she'd recently acquired. She had more booksmarts than he ever did at that age. Though he never quite cared for art, he had to admit the girl had a knack for it.

Ryoku fingered the neat little bow Viola had tied around the present. "White wrapping paper and a gold bow for our little golden girl," Viola said proudly. The women smiled and held it up. The gift had been custom made and much too expensive, if you asked him, but the deed was done. Viola was so excited to give it to her, he simply didn't have the heart to squander her enthusiasm. Besides, not like he was getting those berries back anyway…

The man put the items in a large, glittery bag (once again, his wife's idea) and hung it on the door. A quick glance at the time and he tutted.

"Viola, time to go," he called. "The boat's here!" Ryoku pushed through the curtains and back into the living area. "Vi?" No answer from the bedroom.

Ryoku paled and hurried to the bedroom. He felt his blood freeze as he saw Viola… lying in the middle of the floor.

"No," he whispered. Ryoku dropped his cane and was at her side in an instant. He ignored the pain that he knew would come as he scooped her into his arms.

"Viola," he said, tapping her face lightly. "Viola!"

His blood rushed thunderously in his ears. There was no doctor in town that could help her… the only hope was…

"Hey! Hey!"

"Is that… Ryoku-san coming this way?" The confused men watched for a moment as the man limped down the hillside with his wife in his arms. "It's him! Get out! He needs help!"

The two men ran to meet the merchant. One took Viola in his arms. The other grabbed Ryoku just before he fell. The old man yelled in pain and clutched his left leg.

"Wh- what do we do?"

"Boat," Ryo hissed. "Get her to the boat."

The worker hurried along and stepped into the boat with the woman in tow. His partner helped Ryoku limp to the docks.

"Sir, you don't have your ca-"

"Leave it!" Ryoku snapped. "Get her to the city. We have to find a doctor, NOW!"

Ryoku held his wife in his arms. He covered her with his coat and clutched her tight. He'd been with her for… decades. There was no woman who had ever loved him as dearly as she and there would never be another. He couldn't lose her now. They had finally done it. Finally settled down and gotten a child. Sure, Kaiya wasn't theirs biologically but it was always Viola's dream to have a kid… a family…

Ryo cursed.

"Kaiya," he whispered. He looked at the city walls in the distance. It grew steadily closer. The men beside them were grunting and sweating as they rowed faster than they had ever rowed before. He let out a curse as he gazed down at his wife. "Hang in there, Vi," he said quietly. "If you don't do it for me… please, just do it for her."

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Wednesday, December 11th: 4:30 p.m.

"Ha ha! See you later, suckers!" Ace taunted.

Sabo snickered. The bag of goods felt heavy in his hands. Money and jewelry and who knows what else was in it! He couldn't wait to find out. The cold wind whipped at the blond boy's hair and face. It made him feel alive. Refreshed.

"Whoo hoo!" Sabo's voice turned heads as he ran with Ace at his heels. The boys zipped through the city's back streets. They knew these slums, knew the shady parts of town better than most of the Goa Kingdom capitol's residents.

The thugs were hot in pursuit but they were no match for the two young boys. Ace and Sabo were small and nimble. Their youth wasn't a bad advantage, either.

"Don't stop running!" Ace called from behind. "Not until you know we're in the clear!"

Ace might have been stronger but Sabo was faster. To be honest, they were quite evenly matched when it came to a fight but tonight, they were allies, not competitors. They took right turns, left turns, even hopped a low rooftop just to be sure they wouldn't be caught.

The weather was crystal clear. Not much of a moon but there were stars in the sky and torches illuminating the streets of the upper middle-class residents. The boys had mugged the unwitting bandits in the Grey Terminal. They should have been good by now. It felt good to escape with a nice sized bounty, Sabo thought. This wasn't chump change they were hauling. It was the real deal. It could have gotten them in a lot of trouble if they were caught but… well they weren't going to let that happen. Not tonight.

The wind whipped through their hair, stung their faces as they laughed and ran. The boys hooted and hollered as they tore through the city streets.

It was a great night to be alive.

"We should be good," Sabo said, finally slowing down. They had reached a nicer part of town where the street corners were illuminated with tall torches. There were few residents out in the dark and cold, which was fine by them.

In the distance, Sabo could see a tall, white building jutting out from the homes and shops. The Goa Kingdom Capital Theatre broke up the line of dark pitched roofs and towered above the rest of the buildings in the immediate vicinity. The clock was close to striking five and Sabo remembered the one other thing he had wanted to do tonight...

The thought didn't stick around for long, though.

"Hey! I see 'em!" A man whistled and waved when he caught sight of the two young boys.

"Run!" Sabo said. He yanked Ace in the direction of the theatre. How'd those guys even get here? They had to have men on standby… no way those bums outran two boys a fraction of their age.

"Shit," Ace said under his breath. "Sabo, they're gaining on us!"

"Ace…" Sabo said hesitantly. He looked back and, surely enough, the distance between them was closing little by little. They were each hauling two large bags of goods, way more than their usual bounty. "We might have to lose the baggage."

"What?! No! We robbed 'em fair and square!" Ace argued.

Sabo could have rolled his eyes had he not been busy trying to find an actual hiding spot. He didn't tell Ace his plan. The ravenette hated the idea of hiding. Sabo didn't really care for it, either, but sometimes self preservation had to come before pride.

"There!" Sabo said, pointing to a massive and ornately decorated building. The city's largest public theatre, reserved for the biggest events that allowed commoners. The cover of darkness and a show could be just what they needed.

"No way," Ace said. "No fucking way."

Sabo gave an exasperated sigh but he refused to slow. Ace had a thing against fancy places and things. Why, Sabo had no idea, but it was awfully inconvenient at times like this.

"Suck it up!" Sabo told him. "Look!"

A side door opened and a man wheeled out a cart full of what appeared to be trash. Someone must have been smiling down on him.

"Ugh."

"Come on," Sabo said, pushing his legs to go faster. The man propped the door open and began to whistle as he hauled the trash away. Sabo took it as a sign and bolted for the open door.

Ace continued grumbling behind him but Sabo paid no mind. He didn't want to duck into a fancy theatre either but he really didn't want to let go of their newfound treasure. Plus, he doubted the ruffians following them would likely follow them in. Even if they did, the two boys had a better chance of hiding in the dark than the group of grown men. And not to mention, if he played his cards right, he might be able to catch a glimpse of Kaiya's performance.

Sabo skidded as he turned and ran inside the large theatre. They found themselves in a hall with chipped and faded paint. There were no photos or pictures. The only wall decorations were black skid marks along both sides as if someone pushed equipment around and didn't really care whether or not they scuffed up the building.

It wasn't what Sabo was expecting.

"Huh," Ace said. The boys slowed to a walk and looked around. "I guess this isn't so bad."

They could hear the rumble of an audience somewhere not too far off. An announcer used a microphone to announce "Goa Kingdom Girls Academy's Annual Talent Show!"

"Where are we…?" Ace murmured. Sabo didn't answer. He continued walking in the hopes his heart would slow down. A glance behind confirmed the thugs hadn't followed them into the building. That was a good sign. That meant they were in the clear… at least for now.

. . . . . . . . . . xX - L - I - N - E ~ B - R - E - A - K - Xx. . . . . . . . . .

Wednesday, December 11th: Show Time

"They're not even here…" Kaiya mumbled. She peeked out at the audience and her heart seemed to drop right into her stomach, where it was slowly being dissolved. Every performer had two seats reserved for their loved ones. Kaiya had memorized the location of her aunt and uncle's. The two seats were one of the few gaps in the audience.

She felt a hand squeeze her shoulder. "They're probably just running late," Chrissy said hopefully.

Kaiya hummed in disbelief. Her aunt was a stickler for punctuality. She would have left Ryoku behind if she thought they were behind schedule…

"Something's wrong," Kaiya murmured. She placed a hand over her stomach.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Chrissy reassured. "It's normal to feel nervous before a show."

"Is it normal to feel a sense of dread?"

Chrissy shot Kaiya a withering look. "Well, you volunteered to be first. There's no going back now. You ready?"

Kaiya honestly felt like she could have bent over and wretched. She clutched her bow and violin tightly, just to steady her nerves.

"Girls, you're up!" The stage manager ushered them to center stage where they waited behind a gigantic curtain. Lights flashed and danced beneath the gap in material. Kaiya could feel the adrenaline coursing through her system.

The announcer's deep voice came on. "...Christina Li and Jaeger D. Kaiya!"

"Now or never…" she whispered to herself. Chrissy flashed a nervous smile and they both took their positions. With a nod to each other, the girl's grinned and prepared to dance and play like they never had before. The curtain opened and they were blinded by light, deafened by a thunderous applause. The girls took a single collective breath and waited for the piano to cue the start of their piece.

. . . . . . . . . . xX - L - I - N - E ~ B - R - E - A - K - Xx. . . . . . . . . .

"Hey, what're you doing here?"

"Uh oh," Sabo said. He turned around the see the trash man had returned.

"Get back here!" the man demanded.

"Run!" Ace said. The ravenette took the lead this time and picked a random door to open.

Sabo heard the man begin to sputter a "Wait! Not that d-"

Unfortunately he was abruptly cut off. The slam gone unheard; a roar erupted as people clapped and cheered.

"There's a performance going on," Sabo said to Ace. "We can hide for a bit and then slip out when no one's looking."

The dark haired at an illuminated sign that indicated a stairwell. "Let's go that way."

"Sure," Sabo said with a shrug. Why not? He didn't really have a better idea.

The door behind them was pushed open and the man in uniform glared at them. "Hey! You two don't belong here!"

"Book it!" Ace said.

The boys followed a winding set of stairs. It was poorly lit and they felt where they were going more than they saw. They hurried up like the man was hot on their heels. The sound of music was getting louder.

The boys finally reached their destination - an abandoned balcony at the left side of the stage. At a glance, it appeared the balcony across the theatre was empty as well. The seats were elevated but certainly not the best ones in the house. Probably because there was a large spotlight that dangled from the balcony. Thankfully, there were no attendants to be seen.

Sabo looked down below. There were a few empty seats near the aisle.

"This is a dead end," Sabo said. "Ace, let's hide the goods and come back for them."

"What?" Ace hissed. "Are you crazy?"

"Think!" Sabo said, flicking the ravenette in the forehead. "That guy's gonna be sniffing around here soon. We can collect our stuff later."

Ace frowned and rubbed his head. He'd have to get Sabo back another time. "I don't like the idea of leaving our stuff."

"Neither do I," Sabo said. "Look. Let's duck into those seats. We'll get our stuff as soon as there's the chance."

Honestly, he didn't care for taking orders but Sabo did have more experience with the city. In the wilderness, Ace was the king. In a place like this, though… he would, begrudgingly, admit Sabo had more practical advice.

Ace gave a dramatic sigh. "Fine," he grumbled.

The boys quickly hid their spoils in a pile of what appeared to be sand bags and thick cables. They used the cover of darkness to slip down a ladder into the aisle. A few heads turned their way. Sabo took off his hat and led Ace to two empty seats right at the end of the row. It was a good spot for a quick getaway.

Ace crossed his arms and tapped his leg. Sabo cleared his throat and elbowed him. "Be patient," he hissed.

"Easy for you," Ace grumbled. He looked left and right. People in fancy getups were fanning themselves and reading over a small booklet. The place reeked of perfume and cologne. Nauseating and expensive smells. They gave him a headache.

"...and now," a deep male voice said, "it is my honor to introduce a pair of lovely little ladies who have worked hard to combine their love for ballet with their love for strings. That's right, folks, you're getting two performances in one this time around. Performing a piece titled 'Transcendent' on viola and violin, respectively, Christina Li and Jaeger D. Kaiya!"

"Wait a minute…"

Before Ace could openly complain, the audience clapped in anticipation for the next act. There was a thick maroon curtain across the stage. The announcer held out a hand and began walking out of the spotlight as the sheet was pulled. The stage was huge. Every spotlight was focused on one area in the center of the stage, illuminating Chrissy Li and… her.

Kaiya wore a very form-fitting costume that hugged her from her shoulders all the way down to her toes. The outfit was white on top but it gradually faded to a pale pink color to match her shoes. There was a flowy skirt around her waist, poised and ready to fly when she spun.

Her feet were frozen in fifth position and Sabo couldn't help but think that looked a little bit painful. If it was, she didn't show it. There was a smile on her face, apparent even from where he was sitting. Her feet were pressed together and there was a violin sticking out from beneath her chin. Her bow hovered above the instrument, ready to play.

She looked… beautiful. Regal. And very elegant.

Her eyes darted towards the audience… right at Sabo and Ace. Ace gulped. For a moment he was worried she would call out his bluff, alert someone that something was wrong, that he was an intruder. But Sabo gave a grin and a thumbs up. Ace's eyes narrowed as he looked at the stage. The smile grew wider on Kaiya's face. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

The notes the girls produced started out slow, solemn. They were haunting, ambient sounds. Kaiya and Chrissy mirrored each other's movements, their arms slowly pulling and pushing, their bodies swaying gently in slow, deliberate motions. They were in perfect sync. Their feet swept the ground as if they were scared they would disturb something there.

Dun dun. A flash of red.

Purple lights. Two strong notes and the entire song changed. The tempo picked up, the sound of strings grew louder. The harmonic duet became a high energy call and answer.

Red. Dun dun.

The girls bent their knees in sync but their movements stopped mirroring each other. It was like… a deep conversation, a talk that left you vulnerable and contemplating your own existence. Kaiya's arm jerked this way and that as she played. Emotions flashed across her face, pain, angst, apparent even from their view point.

Sabo leaned forward in his seat. Ace frowned but followed suit. The boys watched in a captivated silence.

Their dance played out like a story. Cold lights engulfed both girls. Though they both played and danced, it was apparent who had more heart in the performance. Kaiya's part was hard and fast. Her feet furiously flitted across the stage. Her body bowed and bent as if she were fighting against the very monsters that pulled her limbs and tormented her soul.

Chrissy's part, lighter and not as rapid, was like a calling, a hand reaching out into the darkness. A friend trying to help a friend. A warning not to get sucked in too deep. Chrissy danced closer to Kaiya and then farther, as if a force too strong to fight had pushed her away.

Blue, purple, and red lights followed the girls.

Kaiya's violin rang out, clear and true, as if it's very soul was trying to reach out and touch the hearts of the audience. Listen to me, it said, feel the pain that I feel.

Sabo glanced at his ravenette friend. Even Ace seemed captivated by the performance. Sabo vaguely remembered his parents dragging him to the opera house in High Town to see plays and shows but… nothing like this.

Chrissy leapt around the stage with all the air and grace of a fairy. She jumped and twirled, nearly touched the top of her head with her toes as she played. Kaiya had retreated to the far corner of the stage. Sabo realized her instrument had been placed on the floor. She ran and - with a gasp from the audience - jumped into the air, her body twirling as she did so. The barrel turn was as flawless as she was.

As soon as she landed, Kaiya began to spin. She twirled in a dizzying blur of colors, the gems on her outfit sparkling. One foot would point out and bend back to her body, the momentum moving her round and around. The other foot pointed and flattened in time. Sabo lost count of how many times she had twirled. Simply watching was making him dizzy.

She retrieved her violin with a beautiful bow and began to play as if she had never stopped. When the girls played those two notes in sync, they rang throughout the theatre in an unmistakable cry.

Hear me.

Chrissy danced slow circles around center stage as Kaiya sank lower and lower as if gravity itself were becoming too much. Her song pierced the hot air and quieted suddenly, like an unfortunate victim in the moments before death.

Help me.

A gentle piano played somewhere and the girls moved closer together. Their movements became one. They each swayed with the melodic breeze. Their big, bold motions shrunk down until the girls seemed to grow tinker and tinier. The purple light slowly changed. The red slowly faded until nothing a cold blue shone on the girls. They each sank to a knee. The other leg was pushed at a very painful looking angle until they bowed down under the invisible pressure that they could endure no more. The lights dimmed, the music gradually diminished to nothing...

The audience erupted in a thunderous roar. Kaiya and Chrissy moved downstage. They grabbed hands and gave a bow in unison. Chrissy blew kisses towards three spectators with the same stunning, silvery hair. Kaiya's head turned to look right at Sabo and Ace.

She gave a nervous grin and a quick wink. Ace heard Sabo clap and give a loud whistle beside him.

"Wow, ladies and gentleman, what a show!"

The announcer, a handsome Goa Kingdom man, took the stage once more and ordered another round of applause for the girls. They each gave a respectful bow before moving off stage and out of view.

"Wow," Sabo breathed without thinking. Ace blew a raspberry beside him. Sabo caught the dark haired boy's glare. "What?"

"Of all the places we could have gone," Ace said with narrowed eyes, "we just happened to be in the same place as her, huh?"

Sabo gulped. Ace said 'her' the same way he said 'him' when Roger was mentioned. The syllable was like pure venom on his tongue.

"Crazy coincidence, huh?" Sabo asked nervously. He could almost feel Ace fuming beside him. The dark haired boy let out a low growl. Sabo's gloved hand balled into a fist. He had respected Ace's feelings for this long. He hadn't pried into the moody boy's reasonings for why he hated her so much but Sabo was getting sick of it.

"Coincidence, sure."

"Look," Sabo whispered firmly. "I don't know what your problem with Kaiya is but I like her. She saved our skin at the masquerade and she covered for me last week when you were nowhere to be found. I owed her," Sabo told him. "...so I told her I'd make it here to see her dance, okay?"

Ace smacked his forehead. "I can't believe you brought me here because you- wait." Ace's eyes narrowed. "You like her?"

Someone turned and shushed them. Sabo quickly apologized. Ace scowled.

"I do like her," he whispered. "And I'm sorry you have bad blood of whatever but that doesn't change how I feel."

Ace was quiet. He stood and turned to leave.

"H-hey!" Sabo protested. "What are you-"

"I'm leaving," Ace said coldly. "Don't worry about the stuff. I'll grab it on the way."

A glance to the stage confirmed Kaiya was long gone. Sabo followed awkwardly behind, not sure what to make of his friend's behavior. They found the ladder to the balcony and shimmied back up. No one was paying attention, anyway. The curtain was opening and a different group of girls had taken the stage.

Ace began to collect their things. He stood with all four bags of stolen goods and looked at Sabo blankly.

"I can help take some of that, too," Sabo told him. Ace shoved two bags into his hand and began to retrace their steps. Sabo felt a churning in his stomach, like he'd said something wrong. For a guy that didn't enjoy being in the city, Ace had a knack for finding his way out of almost any situation. The sound of the announcer and the audience clapping for the next act faded as they reached the familiar hallway. Ace stuck his head out first.

"Clear," he said emotionlessly. Ace pushed the door open with his body and stepped into the hall. The fluorescent lights were a stark contrast to the dark theatre.

A door closed nearby and both boys cursed.

"Hurry," Sabo whispered. Ace booked it and turned the nearest corner but a voice held Sabo back.

"I think it was really good," someone said happily. "Don't you?"

"Sabo!" Ace stuck his head out from around the corner. He frantically motioned for the blond to follow. Sabo held up a finger. One minute. He dropped his bags unceremoniously and kicked them towards the wall. They always put their goods in old bags so they didn't look terribly conspicuous.

"I think it went very well," Kaiya said. Her voice didn't sound very convincing, though. It sounded… sad.

Sabo found he was frozen in place. The girls turned the corner and he gulped. Chrissy caught sight of him first and stopped mid-step. Kaiya had previously been staring at the ground as she walked. She caught sight of a pair of familiar blue boots and naturally followed them to the owner's face. For a split second, he swore she looked forlorn but the expression didn't last.

When she saw him, her cheeks pushed her eyes upward. He had that familiar melting feeling as she approached. However, he simply grinned and waved as Kaiya ran towards him.

"Sabo!" He stepped back from the force of the impact and laughed. Kaiya wrapped her arms around him and quickly pulled away to beam. "I can't believe you made it!"

"Y-yeah," Sabo said with a smile. Her face wasn't very far from his and her hands felt… really warm on his shoulders.

"Well?" Kaiya asked, cocking her head. "What did you think?"

"It was incredible," Sabo breathed. "I can't believe you danced and played your instrument. You must have worked really hard."

"Yeah, we did." She gave Sabo an odd look and asked, "Are you here by yourself?"

"Uh… no?" He looked at Chrissy who seemed to perk up at the news.

"Is your friend with you?" Chrissy asked excitedly.

"Ace?" Sabo asked. A lightbulb went off in his head and Sabo grinned mischievously. "Yes, actually. He went to the bathroom but I bet he'll be back any minute."

This seemed to please the silver haired girl. Ace smacked his forehead. The sound was audible and it echoed among the quiet hall. Chrissy's grin widened.

"Oh, that must be him!" Chrissy giggled. She missed the withering look Kaiya shot her.

Ace groaned and rounded the corner with his hands in his pockets. There was no sign of their spoils on him. That was a good thing.

"Hi," Chrissy said with a smile. Ace regarded her with a cold up and down look. The white haired girl cleared her throat. "It's been a little while," Chrissy said a little nervously, "I can't remember your name."

"You don't need to know," Ace said. He looked her dead in the eye and watched her silvery gaze deflate. She had been twirling a loose curl with her finger but that stopped immediately.

"Oh. Well, I'm Christina," she said with a weak smile. "Chrissy for short."

Ace debated on whether or not he wanted to give his name. He glanced over at Kaiya. Sabo had begun showering her with pathetic little compliments and her cheeks seemed to match the darkest pink of her outfit.

"Ace," he answered after a moment.

"Oh, right!" Chrissy said. "What's it short for?"

"...Ace," he repeated in irritation. Christina gave a nervous laugh.

"Yeah… So… you caught the show, right?" Ace nodded once at her question. "Wasn't it cool?"

"I guess."

His eyes flicked over to Kaiya. She was biting back a grin as Sabo droned on about something or other. Her face was still flushed. Maybe it was just the physical exertion, Ace reasoned. She didn't seem to notice or even care that Ace was there. That was fair, considering how their last few interactions had gone. True to his word, Ace had been diligently playing his part and trying to keep his distance. Funny now it didn't seem to work one bit.

Sabo droned on about something Ace had never even heard of. Kaiya was biting down on her bottom lip but he could still see the gaps in her baby teeth as she smiled. She couldn't really have a thing for Sabo, could she?

"I, uh, didn't expect you to be here tonight," Chrissy said. Her gaze wandered down and to the side as she spoke.

"Neither did I," Ace said flatly. He took a step and elbowed Sabo hard in the side. "This was totally random, wasn't it, Sabo?"

Sabo stopped mid-sentence. He looked a little guilty as he rubbed his sore rib.

"So… you guys didn't plan this beforehand?" Chrissy asked, tilting her head. "We were told tickets were really hard to come by."

"Oh, ha, well we got lucky," Sabo said nervously, scratching the back of his head. "We ended up with pretty good seats, too." Ace narrowed his eyes at the blond.

"Uh huh," Ace said in a deadpan voice. "Lucky."

Kaiya and Chrissy looked between the two boys. The tension in the air was unsettling.

"Riiight," Chrissy said. She grabbed onto Kaiya's elbow and began to steer her towards the green room. "Well, we better get going. There's an awesome a capella group on deck and I definitely don't want to miss it!"

"A capella," Sabo nodded. "Yeah, wouldn't want miss that!"

Ace didn't know what the hell that was and frankly he didn't care. All he cared about was retrieving his goods and getting the hell out of there. There was a big, beautiful tree in Middle Forest calling his name.

"Um, well, it was nice to see you again," Chrissy said to Ace. She nodded to Sabo.

"Yeah," Sabo mirrored the movement. "Likewise." The blond gave a polite smile to Chrissy. Ace didn't miss the dopey grin he shot Kaiya, though.

"Maybe I'll see you another time?" Chrissy asked. She looked at Ace hopefully.

He snorted. "Maybe. Let's go, Sabo." He didn't bother to mask his impatience.

Kaiya shot Ace a dirty look. He happily returned it. The angry sparks between them were silent but obvious. Chrissy frowned and looked between the two dark haired kids.

"Uh, yeah," Sabo said. He turned towards the girls and tipped his hat ever so slightly. "You ladies had a very nice performance tonight." His words addressed them both but his blue eyes were locked on Kaiya, who simply beamed at the compliment.

Ace scowled when said golden-eyed girl pulled his friend into a hug. He dropped his eyes and looked away.

"Thanks for making it tonight," Kaiya whispered to Sabo.

"O-of course," Sabo murmured back. When Kaiya pulled away, she held onto his shoulders for a moment longer. He couldn't help but think about how her eyes looked like diamonds when she smiled like that. He'd have to save that for the book he was going to write one day… "I wouldn't have missed it for the world," he said earnestly.

The joy on Kaiya's face was well worth the glare Ace was shooting him. If looks could kill, Sabo would have been reduced to ashes on the spot but that would have been perfectly fine with him.

. . . . . . . . . . xX - L - I - N - E ~ B - R - E - A - K - Xx. . . . . . . . . .

"Wow, what was that about?" Chrissy asked.

"What?" Kaiya asked.

"Is blondie your boyfriend now?"

"No," Kaiya said quickly. "I've already told you, Sabo's just a good friend."

"Hm." Chrissy side eyed the girl. "Well lucky you," she said dryly. "Ace didn't even give me the time of day."

Kaiya groaned. "He's just like that. I wouldn't waste your time trying to get to know him. Trust me."

Chrissy stopped. She turned to confirm both the boys were long gone before she asked, "So how do you two even know each other?"

Kaiya was reaching for the green room door but her hand froze in midair. She slowly placed a hand on the doorknob. "Family friends," she muttered.

"How so?" Chrissy prodded.

Kaiya sighed and turned to face her. "My aunt and uncle know his family really well," she said, unsmiling.

"Oooh. So you guys have spent a lot of time together, then, huh?"

A very unamused expression found its way onto Kaiya's face. "We've spent enough time together. Trust me, he doesn't get nicer over time." She opened the door to the green room where half a dozen upcoming acts were warming up and anxiously waiting for their turn. Girls sang and stretched and Kaiya even saw a group of girls huddled in prayer before they performed. No one paid attention to them as they walked through the large room.

"How long have you two known each other?"

Chrissy was relentless and Kaiya was growing irritated. "What does it matter?"

"...I was just wondering," Chrissy mumbled. "I think he's cute."

Kaiya raised a single brow. "You think he's cute?" Her voice came out louder than expected and the nearest group of girls turned their heads. Chrissy swallowed and gave a guilty nod. "You… like Ace?" Chrissy nodded. "Like like Ace?" Another bob from her silver haired head. Chrissy had a guilty expression on her face.

Chrissy was silent as she anticipated Kaiya's reaction. The dark haired girl wasn't usually quick to anger but there was a prominent wrinkle between her eyebrows. Thankfully, the heat passed like a cloud and Kaiya's face turned stoic.

"Two years," Kaiya said eventually. "And he's just as mean as he was when we first met."

"What did he do that was so mean?"

"The very first time we met, he spat in my face and told me to go die," Kaiya said flatly. Sure, she'd left out some details but it was still true. Besides, Chrissy was a loud mouth and she didn't need to know any more than necessary.

The girl's silver eyes opened wide in horror at the thought of her dream boy committing such a dastardly deed. Thankfully, Chrissy didn't get the chance to get any more questions in. A woman in a suit approached them with a stoic look on her face.

"Are you Ms. Jaeger?"

"Yes," Kaiya said with a nod.

The woman frowned and looked between the girls. "I'm afraid you're going to have to come with me."

"Did I do something wrong?" Kaiya asked, her eyes as large as saucers.

"No, no," the woman reassured. She had a grim expression on her face. "It's nothing like that. It's just… your uncle is here to pick you up."

"...my uncle?"

"That's right," the woman nodded. Chrissy and Kaiya shared a dark look. Chrissy gave Kaiya a weak smile.

"I'll see you later, Ya-chan."

"Yeah," Kaiya said with forced pleasantry. "Later."

. . . . . . . . . . xX - L - I - N - E ~ B - R - E - A - K - Xx. . . . . . . . . .

"Uncle Ryo?"

The man had previously been sitting on a bench outside the auditorium. Music spilled through the elaborately carved doors. When Kaiya approached, she noticed her uncle's usual wooden cane was absent. He had what looked like an old man's walker, with a plastic handle and four sturdy points at the bottom.

He was dressed in a tuxedo. The hair was pushed out of his face for once and the scraggly beard he usually wore had been neatly groomed. She later had the thought that he could have passed for a noble that night.

His face turned towards her as she walked, her steps silent and light. She still had on her flats and tutu. A tight smile stretched his face and he said, "You look beautiful, Kaiya. Just like your aunt said you would."

Kaiya could feel her stomach solidify. The lump in her belly was hard. She could taste vile liquid in the back of her throat. For some reason, she could feel her heart beat faster and faster. Her uncle was sweating. His eyes were red and so was his nose. His lips were chapped.

She approached hesitantly, almost like he had a disease she could catch if she got too close. "Where is she?" Kaiya asked nervously.

Ryoku's eyes changed. Pain distorted his features and he sat up straighter.

"Where's Auntie Vi?" Kaiya asked, her voice growing louder, more frantic. "She said she'd be here! Where is she?!" The guards at the entrance looked over curiously but didn't intervene.

Kaiya ran to her uncle and grabbed onto his lapel, wrinkling the freshly ironed suit. "Uncle Ryo!" Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. "Please, answer me!"

She froze. For the very first time, Kaiya watched her uncle break down. He covered his eyes but the tears and snot ran down clear as day. His shoulders shook and he sucked in long, shuddering breaths.

"She's gone," came the raspy whisper. "Kaiya, she's gone."

Kaiya let go of her uncle's clothing and sank to the cold stone floor. She knew her aunt had been sick but… she'd been feeling so well lately. Last time she'd been home, Auntie Vi almost seemed like her old self. She'd been humming and cleaning and…

A very well dressed young man approached. He cleared his throat nervously. "Excuse me, sir, do you need any assistance?"

Ryoku gave a hard sniff. His face was still covered. "A tissue, perhaps, if you have one."

Miraculously, the young man produced a handkerchief and offered it to Ryoku. The merchant wiped his eyes and violently blew his nose. Kaiya always thought he'd uncle sounded like an elephant trumpeting. The thought usually put a smile on her face… but not today. Ryoku unceremoniously dropped the soiled cloth to the floor.

"Sir, um, is there anything I can help you with?"

Ryoku cleared his throat and regarded the attendant with bloodshot eyes. "No, young man. There is nothing anyone can do to help me now."

. . . . . . . . . . xX - L - I - N - E ~ B - R - E - A - K - Xx. . . . . . . . . .

The trip back home seemed longer, slower, and more solemn than any other trip Kaiya had taken. The men who rowed were diligent as they worked. It was silent aside from the sound of lapping water and the creaking of the oars.

Kaiya and Ryoku said little. In fact, the only thing he said to the two men was a quick, "Thank you." Ryoku slipped an extra large bill in his payment for their troubles. Kaiya grunted as she held her suitcase and violin case. Her uncle usually helped her carry one up the hill but his mind was elsewhere today.

She silently struggled against the wet ground. Her feet kept slipping as she trudged up to the cliffside but eventually they both made it to the house. They hadn't spoken since the theatre. Besides, Kaiya didn't know what to say.

The shop bell jingled as Ryoku pushed it open. The door hadn't even been locked before he departed. He held the door open for Kaiya and she dropped her suitcase inside as soon as she could. Her violin was her baby and that's what she was going to take care of first.

Ryoku's usual commands were absent. Kaiya expected him to say "lock up" in his usual, gruff voice. Instead, he glided right past her. The borrowed cane was loud as it clicked on the shop floor. She latched the door anyway. It had become habit by now.

There was a sparkling bag hanging on the doorknob. She could see her name written in neat script. As much as she loved presents, she left it alone for now.

The knot in her stomach was ever present. She found herself holding her breath as Ryoku slowly pushed the door open. The house was quiet and cold.

Though Kaiya didn't care for the fire, she found it a little disheartening to not have it lit. Her aunt was always cold so it was usually always on in the winter. Kaiya had become more accustomed to having it in the corner, quietly crackling, neatly contained behind her aunt's black screen. She looked at the woman's empty chair, looked at the books neatly stacked on the side table, bookmarks sticking out part of the way through. She eyed the blanket carefully folded and placed over the back of the recliner.

Whenever Kaiya got home from school, the house usually smelled like food. Warm buttered rolls or steamed dumplings… a boiling seafood soup or fried meat… a beautiful fruit pie or a neat tray of cookies… There was always something to look forward to when she finally got to come home on the weekends but…

Ryoku slammed his door shut and yanked her out of the day dream. Kaiya silently made the trek to her bedroom. She turned the handle and closed her door quietly, so as not to disturb her uncle.

Auntie Vi was always adamant about tidiness… taking a shower before going to bed was an absolute must. Kaiya knew there was sweat and dirt on her body but she didn't care. She should have showered but instead she slipped out of the tutu, peeled off the tights… and laid down in bed anyway. Part of Kaiya hoped her childish defiance would make her aunt appear, even if it meant she received a firm scolding. She wished she could hear the thin woman's heavy footfalls around the house, the clanking of dishes, the hum of her sewing machine lulling her to sleep just one more time.

Uncle Ryo cried in the next room over. Kaiya laid in bed and held her favorite stuffed frog with the crossed eyes. Above her, the pasted on stars glowed weakly. It was so dark, she couldn't even see the glitter in her ceiling. Kaiya clutched the soft toy to her chest and listened to the sound of her uncle sobbing until she fell asleep.

. . . . . . . . . . xX - L - I - N - E ~ B - R - E - A - K - Xx. . . . . . . . . .

The next morning was dark and overcast. When Kaiya woke up, she laid still, unsure of whether or not it actually was morning. The sweet song of the winter birds was enough to make her sit up and look out of the window.

The East Blue was… well, it looked more grey today.

The clock indicated it wasn't even 7 a.m. Had she been at school, she would have just been getting ready to shower and prepare for the day ahead. But no, midterms had come and gone. The talent show was over and a curious part of her wondered if she had even gotten a participation award.

The house seemed oddly still. No sign of Uncle Ryo moving about, no rustling of the morning paper, no kettle whistling on the stove.

No Auntie Vi.

She had… Kaiya swallowed the lump in her throat. She had left and it seems she had taken some of the house's spirit with her, as well. The young girl wondered where her aunt was at the moment… but the thought of her aunt, cold, alone, and far away from home was enough to make her stomach turn.

Kaiya wrapped her bathrobe around her, grabbed a change of clothes and quietly slipped into the dark living room. All of the curtains had been drawn. There was nothing but shadows in the quiet living room. The fireplace was still. Uncle Ryo's door was shut. The only evidence of her uncle's activity was a collection of bottles littered around his chair. Some had made it back into the cardboard box. Others were standing, some leaning against the furniture, a few rested on their side.

She ignored the mess and stepped into the bathroom. A glance in the mirror didn't make her feel any better. Kaiya never, ever wore make up but Chrissy had convinced her to for the show. Now, there were sparkles and dark circles around her eyes. The lipstick she wore had smudged around her mouth. The ballerina bun she had done again and again until it was pristine was a misshapen lump of black hair sitting atop her head at an odd angle.

Kaiya started the shower and carefully picked all of the black pins out of her hair. Her stomach was empty and so was her heart. Her mind, however, simply kept running and running. The young girl slipped under the hot water, unsure of what liquid came from her eyes and what came from the pipes.

It just didn't seem real.

Auntie Vi was right here not too long ago. Last time Kaiya came home, her aunt greeted her with a warm hug and a bright smile. They had sat together and caught up over a cup of steaming tea. Her aunt had started a new sewing project and Kaiya remembered watching her aunt's machine hum as the needle bobbed up and down, creating flawless stitches in the material as she worked.

"Pay attention, Kaiya," Viola said gently. "Sewing is a skill every young lady should learn."

"Why?" Kaiya asked. "Why do I have to learn it just because I'm a girl?"

"Well," her aunt said slowly. She looked down through her round spectacles. "You shouldn't learn it simply because you're female… but it's a very good skill to have, regardless. Clothes get ripped. Things get torn."

"Yeah, but we can just buy new clothes," Kaiya said simply.

Viola gave a knowing smile. "Yes. We're very fortunate, Kaiya. We have the ability to buy new things when we need to, but there very well may be a time when you can't. Sometimes you have to make do with what you already have. Most of the wear and tear we put on our things can be fixed with just a little time and love."

Kaiya hummed as her aunt worked. "Daddy used to help people fix things sometimes. He said a lot of people try holding onto stuff that can't be fixed because it's sentimental."

Viola mused silently as she began to hand sew the finishing touches of her project. "Well, darling," she said in a low voice, "nothing is meant to last forever. If something can be fixed, there's no reason not to try, but if it can't…" Viola gave a heavy sigh. "When something is sentimental, it has a lot of emotions attached to it. Sometimes we hold onto things even if it's too far gone to repair."

"What then, though? If something's beyond repair shouldn't we just throw it away?"

Viola tucked loose hair behind Kaiya's ears. "Sometimes, Kaiya, you may hold onto something because it serves as a reminder of the past, and that's alright." Her aunt brushed her cheek with her soft fingers. Kaiya closed her eyes as the woman cupped her face. "Other times, my little love, you just have to let some things go."

Kaiya began to shiver as the water turned cold. She promptly turned the handle and grabbed her towel. One thing she was thankful for was the ability to take a long shower without interruption. She wished she could have just stayed in the shower and savored the feeling of the water washing away the weight on her shoulders.

Nothing is meant to last forever…

She thought her aunt had just been talking about clothes and material things… but the woman was a lot wiser than Kaiya gave her credit for. She was talking about people, too. Morality wasn't something Kaiya enjoyed thinking about. The temporary thing that was human life… it just seemed so fleeting. So unfair.

You just have to let some things go...

Kaiya hadn't even been on this earth for ten years. Her aunt had lived five times longer but it still seemed like she should have had more time. Then there were people like little Ian, her sweet little brother, who hadn't even gotten to celebrate his fourth birthday before he was taken away.

The girl angrily dried her hair.

It wasn't fair.

She already had everything taken away once. Her parents, her siblings. Things were finally starting to feel like home. She had just started to fall into a good routine. She was finally starting to feel like she belonged somewhere and now…

Uncle Ryo coughed in the next room over. Kaiya quickly lotioned her body and dressed in a fresh pair of pajamas. It wasn't night time but she didn't have plans to go anywhere or do anything today. Besides, she wanted to see Uncle Ryo and see how he was doing. She needed to.

The bathroom door creaked as it swung open. Ryoku had been sitting in his chair in the living room. The merchant looked at Kaiya with half lidded eyes. She never thought her uncle was a very attractive older man but even with his hair nicely trimmed he looked… downright awful. There was something dried in his mustache and beard. He was still in the clothing from last night. His wrinkled button up had stains on the armpits. He had a bottle in one hand and a foul smelling cigarette in the other. Cigarette?! In the house?

"...good morning, Uncle Ryo," Kaiya said timidly.

He grunted in response and took a swig of his drink. She cautiously approached. There was a frown on her face.

"Uncle Ryo," she said quietly, "it's morning time. You shouldn't be doing that."

His crusted eyes narrowed at her. The words he spoke were slurred. "And whothefuck're you t'tell me what to do?"

Kaiya's thumbs quickly found each other and began twiddling together. "I… I don't think it's good for you," she said unsurely, "and you don't look well."

"Well le'me tell you, kiddo, you dunno what's good for me. You dunno whass good for you." He laughed suddenly, a quick, crass, "HA!" The sudden volume made Kaiya jump. "Whaddyou know? You're si- six? Seven?"

"I'm eight, Uncle Ryo," Kaiya said flatly, "and it's too early for you to be like this." She took a step towards the man and placed her hands on his arm. "Let me help you get to bed."

"G-get the hell offa me!" Ryoku pushed the girl away with a jerk of his arm. Kaiya stumbled backwards and onto her bottom with a thud. "I already toldju," he said with a frown, "you dunno what's good ferme. Y'dunno nothin!"

Kaiya picked herself up off the floor and stood. She gave the man a hard stare and he only looked back at her, dazed and angry. There was a nervous feeling in her stomach.

"Uncle Ryo," she said, making every attempt to keep her voice steady, "you're scaring me."

"Scared? Ha! Little girl you dunno fear." Uncle Ryo began to laugh. Not his deep, warm laugh but something more like the bark of a mad man.

Kaiya slowly backed up until she felt the wall. Her eyes shifted left and right. There were two exits. One required her to go around her uncle, into the kitchen. She could rush through the double doors or…

The closest path would be to go straight into the shop. She could lock the bolts behind her and grab her shoes and coat from the foyer area. Yes, that was the best choice. Uncle had weapons on the wall. She just had to grab one and…

Uncle Ryo stood suddenly. He took a heavy step towards her, swayed a bit, and took another. Kaiya willed her body to move, move! She was frozen in place. Her uncle's gaze was hostile and his eyes were… glowing?

The air around her seemed to stagnate. It was like all the oxygen was slowly receding and there wasn't enough to fill her lungs. Kaiya's heart was thudding in her chest as she gasped for breath.

No… what was going on…? Was her uncle doing this? But how…?

The little girl sank to her knees. She couldn't take her eyes off her uncle. This wasn't him… this wasn't right… He towered above her, over twice her height. Kaiya used to think her uncle was like a strong fortress, full of kindness and quiet understanding. Now, though, his presence was anything but warm. He was an ominous stranger in her uncle's body, staring down at her with cold, dark eyes…

"U-uncle…" Kaiya sputtered. "P-please…"

"You," Ryo hissed. "Little thorn in my side."

Kaiya's eyes grew wide at the words. Ryoku stopped a few feet away. The look in his eyes… it sent shivers down her spine. Her head hurt, like an immense pressure was trying to crush it. The world around her was fading and it seemed like the only thing left was her and her uncle. If she didn't act, if she didn't do something, then she would be gone, too…

"Spoiled little girl," Ryoku hissed. He glared at her gold eyes, her dark hair and skin. It infuriated him. Enraged him. She looked too similar… she looked too much like…

Viola. He could still see her at 17. Beautiful and dangerous. From the first time he laid eyes on her, he'd been captivated. She was smoking a rolled cigarette and laughing at a table full of rough looking men. She had on a sleeveless shirt and a very small pair of shorts that made her legs look like they were a mile long.

He had walked into the crowded tavern and, of all the women in that Baterilla bar, she was the only one to catch his eye. She must have felt his gaze on her because her narrow face looked right back at him.

"You want my picture or something?" Viola asked, her eyes narrowed.

Ryoku cleared his throat. "Actually," he said, "I was wondering if I could get you a drink."

Her eyes scanned him quickly. He knew what he looked like. Scrawny and tall, his muscles hidden by the loose clothing of a samurai. He wasn't overly attractive but he knew he wasn't that bad looking. His hair was more or less a constant state of messy that, at the moment, he had pulled into a low ponytail. He still wasn't quite sure what to do with the facial hair that had started to grow in rather thick.

Her gaze made him feel flustered and uneasy. She was judging him with those cold, keen eyes. He could feel it. Viola's sudden laughter was genuine and rowdy, just like her.

"I'll pass," she said with a turn. Her long, straight hair twirled behind her, blowing something floral and fragrant in his face. Lavender? He didn't miss the mischievous smirk on her face as she spoke. "Thanks for the offer, swordsman, but I already have a drink. Why don't you ask again later?"

Ryoku shook the memories away. No. Kaiya may have had some similar features but she was nothing like the woman he fell in love with. Her eyes were large and full of fear. They lacked the fire that was ever present in Viola's. Her face, small and round, held none of the scorn, none of the pride that Viola was chalk full of back in the day.

Kaiya was nothing like his wife.

She was nothing but a… a painful reminder of what he'd lost. Kaiya could sense his hostility. His resentment. Bitterness. His will tried dominating her, suppressing her own, but she forcefully pushed back.

Kaiya screamed and her spirit rose up like a sudden tornado. Energy emerged and hit the house like a tidal wave as it clashed against Ryoku's own. Newspapers went flying. Pictures fell off the wall and shelves. Cracks appeared in the drywall. A curious gopher outside the home fell over suddenly, paralyzed by the shock.

"What was that?" Luffy asked curiously. A gust of wind had suddenly rattled the landscape. He looked around but the handful of people who had come to the bar to eat breakfast seemed rather unphased. No one else saw it?

"Hm?" Makino looked up from the glass she'd been polishing. The boy had leapt off his stool and pressed his face against the window, trying to see something out of place, find the source of the disruption. "What was what, Luffy?"

The boy frowned and looked at the house on the cliff but nothing looked different than usual.

"...I dunno," Luffy said with a shrug. "I thought I felt something weird."

Makino smiled. "Must have just been your imagination."

Kaiya was breathing hard but she was standing. Her fists were balled, gold eyes glaring up at him, full of rage and defiance.

"Ha!" Ryoku laughed. Kaiya scowled at him. He was… sick. He was drunk and confused. Something in his head had been rattled. She was convinced he may have gone crazy as she watched him double over in laughter. "So you have it, too, hm?"

"Uncle Ryo, you're not thinking straight," Kaiya said. Her eyebrows were pulled together. She could feel her heart beating rapidly. She was still leery of the man's behavior but the fear had left her. "You're drunk," Kaiya said plainly.

The man laughed again. "Good job, kiddo, d'ya come up with that idea all by yourself or someone tell ya?"

Kaiya's mouth was a thin line. She could feel anger rising up like the smoke from his cigarette. "Auntie Vi wouldn't want you to be like this."

"What do you know?!" he yelled. "You don't know her! I know her! I spent a lifetime with her! And guess what, princess, she ain't here no more. This is my house. You're under my roof."

The words hit like a slap in the face. "I wish she were here instead of you," Kaiya said venomously. "I wish you were the one who died!" There were tears shining in her large eyes.

"I could say the same thing! Y'think I want an ungrateful brat living in my house, huh, taking my hard-earned money, consuming my supplies?"

"I didn't ask to come here!" Kaiya yelled. The tears were flowing freely now and so was a bit of snot. She sniffled angrily but it had little effect. "I never asked to live with you in this stupid village!"

"Why don't you leave then, huh? Go out in the real world, see how nice it treats you. Maybe then you'll appreciate all the shit I've done."

"Maybe I WILL!" Kaiya yelled.

"Good!"

The girl let out a scream of frustration as she stormed to her bedroom. She walked right beside her uncle's chair, making sure to kick over as many bottles as possible.

"Ungrateful little bitch!" Ryoku yelled. Kaiya didn't look back. The door to her bedroom shook the house when it was slammed shut. She ripped open her closet and reached for the backpack.

Her fingers lightly traced the initials on the front of the leather bag: KJH.

"Daddy," Kaiya whispered. Her lip quivered but she bit it to stop the movement. "Please be with me."

She moved quickly. She had to pack and unpack her things every weekend. She had gotten quite good at sorting out what she needed and what she didn't need.

First off, the pajamas had to go. Kaiya picked a pair of warm tights to go beneath her jeans. She bitterly remembered last winter and made sure to wear multiple layers of socks and shirts as well. It was too hot inside the house but she knew she'd be thankful for the extra insulation later.

Spare clothes. Essentials only. She carefully selected the few items she needed. When the bag was nearly full, Kaiya paused. An ear to the door revealed the sound of loud snoring.

Ever so slowly, she turned her handle and opened it just far enough to peek through. Kaiya pressed her lock and slipped through the opening before she closed the door.

Ryoku was passed out, halfway on his chair, half of his body dangling off. Kaiya stuck her tongue out as she traveled to the restroom and retrieved her things. Stick to the original plan. Go through the shop, get her boots and winter gear, grab a weapon.

She felt… strangely calm considering what she was planning. The rage hadn't settled from the previous encounter. The fear and apprehension she should have felt hadn't yet kicked in.

Kaiya bit her lip as she entered the shop. The jingle made her freeze and she strained to hear. Thankfully, the man didn't seem to notice one bit. His loud snoring was still audible even after she'd closed the door.

The young girl bundled up and quietly eyed the weapons along the wall. There were so many… guns, swords, knives, poles, axes… all sorts of things. For some reason. Though, there was one she always found herself drawn to.

It was a simple longbow. She had read the description countless times. "Longbow made with yew and reverse twisted Manila rope. Made in the East Blue. 20,000 berries. Note: quiver and arrows sold separately."

Kaiya grabbed a stool and ever so carefully reached up to grab the bow. It was as tall as she was and extremely light. Her fingers plucked at the sturdy string. Her uncle had caught her staring at it on more than a few occasions.

"You like that?" Ryoku asked one day.

"Yeah!" Kaiya said eagerly.

Ryoku chuckled and brought the longbow down so she could see. "When your aim gets better and you're a little stronger, I'll let you try it out."

"Really?!"

"Sure," he said. Ryo gave her a smile and a wink. "But don't tell your aunt."

"I won't!"

"You wanna learn how to string it?"

Kaiya recalled the memory and willed her fingers to ready the weapon for use. It took her a few tries. Her hands were shaking. The adrenaline had started to wear off and nervousness was settling into her bones.

But she couldn't hesitate now.

She wasn't wanted and that was just fine by her. Kaiya would find another place. She placed the bow on the counter and looked at the quivers. Uncle had a leather one on sale and she chose that one, simply because it matched her backpack.

She loaded up as many arrows as she could and slipped that over a shoulder. This was it. Target practice was over. The forest would be her real test.

Kaiya looked at the gift bag on the door handle as she approached. Her aunt was obviously responsible for it. The glitter and handwriting. The intricate bows and color coordinated paper… after a moment of thought, Kaiya stuffed the envelope and gift inside her backpack. The flowers she couldn't fit and… well, she didn't need those anyway. They were tossed onto the floor.

The girl closed her eyes and sucked in a long, slow breath.

This was it. After this, there was no going back. Her uncle didn't want her here… and she didn't really want to be here, anyway. Kaiya unlocked the shop door and stepped out into the gloomy day. The sky was dark and large, lazy flakes were just beginning to waft towards the ground.

Good. They could help cover her tracks.

A quick glance confirmed there was no one to witness her depart. It was cold and the villagers were all huddled inside the warm buildings somewhere. Kaiya could see smoke rising out of Party's Bar. She would have loved to see Makino and Luffy…. but she had another destination in mind. Kaiya swallowed and eyed the mountains far ahead of her.

She glanced at the home one last time before heading off into the woods. This was going to be a long, long day.

. . . . . . . . . . xX - L - I - N - E ~ B - R - E - A - K - Xx. . . . . . . . . .

Ryoku snored and scratched his nose. He mumbled in his sleep, turning a bit to make himself more comfortable in the recliner.

"We have a child in the house now…" Viola said with a little laugh. "After all these years…"

Her gold eyes stared out from behind her round spectacles. They were standing in the doorway of what used to be their spare bedroom. The girl was lying in her bed, her hands tucked beneath her head as she gently snored.

"I used to be so jealous of my little sister," Viola admitted. "So blessed with children… I never thought I'd be taking one of them as my own."

"Are you sure, Vi?" Ryoku asked quietly. "You're sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," she said without hesitation. "More than anything." Kaiya mumbled something and half-rolled in her sleep, turning away from her new guardians.

"...it won't be easy," Ryoku told her.

"It doesn't matter. This isn't a choice, you know. It's our duty. We may not have seen this coming but the future is clear now. She's lying in a bed under our roof and we have to do everything we can for her."

"My dear, she just lost… everything. It might be a while before she can get back on her feet."

"I don't care how hard it is… or how long it takes her to be okay. I'll be there for her." Viola looked at her husband with a fiery determination in her eyes. "And so will you. Got it, Ryo?"

"Got it, my love."

"Say it," she commanded. "We're going to do whatever it takes." Ryoku raised an eyebrow. "Say. It."

"We will take care of Kaiya regardless of how hard it is," he said.

"We're her guardians," Viola said. "The only family she has left. We can't let her down."

"Don't you worry your sweet little head," Ryoku told her. "We won't."

. . . . . . . . . . xX - L - I - N - E ~ B - R - E - A - K - Xx. . . . . . . . . .

Hi, all! I hope everyone's having a great December and almost January! This month has seriously flown right by! I really apologize for the delay with this chapter. It was so hard to write for me. I actually cheated… and I wrote some future chapters before this lol. So hopefully I can bust them out quicker. The end of the story is nigh, my friends!

I have loved writing The Pirate King's Son and I thank you to everyone who's read it. It isn't a perfect story by any means and there's a lot I want to go back and fix for future readers.

For now, I'll be wrapping up this story for the next few months at least. Then I think I'll work on some one shots and maybe even a few mini series I've had rattling around in my brain :) I have started a few that I would like to see through to the end. THEN it'll be another adventure as I actually start fleshing out Playing With Fire (which will be the sequel to this story!)

Until next time, my friends!

xoxo

AsianFighter