Shivered Timbers
by Kaline Reine
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story. I do own Shiori, she is my character. I also own a few other original characters in this story (not affiliated with One Piece), which will be introduced as they are needed.
WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content and language, explicit sex scenes, possible violence, gore, cursing, adult themes, etc. I do not censor my writing, but I do my best to warn people about the subject matter and potential subject matter. So if you don't like that kind of thing or can't handle it, then I suggest not reading this story. You have been warned. Also, I know this doesn't follow canon but it doesn't have to, that's why it's a fanfic. xD
Also... The beautiful cover image for this story is by my friend, EzariaUmiko on DeviantArt. All credit for the image goes to her. c:
Chapter 21: Behind Blue Eyes
In the late hours of the night, the albino girl was woken to the sounds of a scuffle. Two of the other slaves, both of them women, were fighting over a piece of bread. A few others joined in the fight as well. They'd been served dinner several hours ago, and she hadn't eaten anything, but she refused to take food from the others. She was too weak from hunger to even bother, and she really didn't want to hurt anyone else... Not when they were all just as bad off as she was.
Shiori could feel the dirt on her face, as she sat up and rubbed her cheek, cautiously trying to roll over and go back to sleep. There was something she was supposed to do, but she was unable to fight off the sleep-induced fog of her mind long enough to remember what it was. One of the guards came in to break up the fight, his harsh voice booming over the commotion that had filled the room.
"Hey! Knock it off! Don't you know Alvida-sama is trying to get her beauty sleep? If she hears you all, she'll-"
"I've heard just about enough about that fat old hag!" A scruffy looking middle aged man who hadn't even been involved in the fight stood up. "We wouldn't have to fight for our food if she fed us properly! But instead, that... That greedy whale hoards everything for herself!"
The fighting and bickering had stopped at that point and all eyes were on him.
'Uh oh...' Shiori sat up quickly. 'Well I'm awake now!'
"You will not speak that way about the Captain!" One guard yelled, drawing his sword and rushing toward the man. Several others joined him.
They all had Shiori's attention by this point. Their deafening voices and angry banter made it impossible for her to sleep anyway. She knew this wasn't going to end well. She watched as the guards beat the man to a bloody pulp, right in front of everyone, and others came in to take the scrap of food away from both girls who had originally been fighting over it. There was a blonde one and a brown haired one. She recognized the darker haired woman as the same one who'd been cradling the little boy last night. He was sitting on a cot off to one side, looking up with sad, hungry eyes.
'She must be his mother... Poor things. Wish there was something I could do. Guess we're all in this together.'
The albino sighed, curling up in the corner and trying to pretend she was anywhere else but here... She didn't want to call any attention to herself at a time like this. She opted to stay out of all the fights. It really made her mad, the way Alvida's crew starved them to death, but she knew she had to lay low for the time being.
She'd already seen many horrible things during her journey, but being on this ship was one of the worst experiences of her life thus far. It couldn't quite compare to the massacre, but it was still brutal and terrifying. Instead of being attacked all at once, it was like a slow massacre... Every second of every day she faced a new kind of terror, some new threat that hadn't been there previously, and she was constantly having to keep an eye out. It was like being forced to fight in a never-ending battle.
From the moment she'd been taken as Alvida's prisoner, to the very minute she'd realized how horrible things were here, she'd made a silent vow never to get involved in anything while she was on board. A few dirty looks and harsh words were thrown her way from time to time, sure, but they couldn't really find any concrete reasons to overtly dislike her. And so long as she followed orders obediently, the guards left her alone, for the most part.
There was no point waiting for the fighting to stop, since it never would. But the man who had spoken so ill of their Captain and attempted to rise up against the guards was dragged out of the slaves' quarters and taken outside, onto the main deck. The little boy was now crying and his mother was consoling him.
"And you! Shut that brat up!" One of the guards struck her, but no one could help her, unless they wanted to meet the same fate that the other man had.
It was impossible for Shiori to sleep with all of the chaos going on around her. She had rolled over and tried to go back to sleep but it was obvious that it wasn't going to happen. Not between the guards' harsh yelling and the young boy's crying. It was a lost cause.
She sat on her knees on the tiny cot, staring down at her pale, cold hands. That was when she remembered... Nischela had told her to be in the laundry room at midnight! There were no clocks in the slaves' quarters, so she couldn't tell what time it was. A quick glance out a nearby porthole told her that it was very late, and not yet morning... Twinkling stars glittered, shining in the distance amidst a dark sky. She watched them play over the water for a bit.
"Might as well get started..." She sighed, eventually getting up and heading out to start on her chores early. No one would complain about that. The others were still arguing with the guards anyway.
The moment she walked outside, Shiori was accosted by the blood-curdling screams of the man being whipped. She didn't think that he'd done anything to deserve such a harsh punishment, but her path to the laundry room was being blocked, so she had to stay and watch. Sometimes that was the worst part of it all... As if one's own suffering wasn't enough, they had to watch others suffer too. Alvida was very big on teaching her servants lessons by example. And this man would be no exception.
They had him tied up in the middle of the main deck, and several of the guards had already had a go at him, as evidenced by the numerous welts and marks already upon his skin. But the worst had yet to come. Shiori watched on in abject horror while several guards used their whips on the poor man. He had his share of scars already. Apparently, he'd been in trouble many times before. One particularly harsh blow landed right between his shoulder blades, slicing his skin open. Some landed on his sides and along his ribs. The thin narrow lines crisscrossed and overlapped, dripping fresh crimson.
'This is sickening...' The Valkyrie bravely fought back tears. It made her want to cry so badly... But she knew that if she did, she would likely be next.
"Please no! I didn't mean it!" The man cried and begged for his life. "Please, I beg you! Spare me!"
"How does one not mean to steal from the Captain?" A tall man in a black hooded mask asked him, his voice cold and unwavering. "You were caught with an extra piece of bread and we could've let that slide, but then you were badmouthing her as well!"
He was unable to say anything, due to more harsh lashes of their whips being aimed at him. All he could do was cry out from the terrible pain.
Shiori inched her way past people, headed toward the laundry room. It was all she could do not to rise up against Alvida's entire crew right that instant... If only she had the nerve to do it on her own. She was determined to at least see if Nischela was there. She hadn't spotted the strange girl anywhere on deck, and it was overrun with guards. It seemed like everyone had gathered around to gawk at this poor man being tortured. She hated every second of it, yet was unable to tear her eyes away from it. She loathed them for it.
When she finally did make her way to her destination, it was dark inside. But before she could locate a light switch to flip it, something touched her. Hands grabbed her from the darkness, causing her to want to scream. But one of them pressed over her mouth, preventing her from doing so.
"Shhh, it's me!" A familiar Pirate drawl greeted her. "I was wondering when you'd show up. Come this way, and don't make a sound..."
The Valkyrie allowed herself to be led to the far side of the room. She could tell this had been planned out beforehand, although she didn't know for certain just how much of it. The man could have angered the guards of his own accord, but a lot of things here just didn't add up. They could do whatever they wanted. She was far more terrified of her current predicament than facing the men outside, however. She had no idea what this lunatic wanted from her. Eventually her mouth was freed and she could speak.
"H-how can you see where we're going?"
She heard a grating sort of scraping sound, and then a door opened. Shiori could feel the cool air brushing past her. They stepped through and into another smaller compartment. It was cramped inside and still black as pitch.
"Night vision glasses," Nischela hastily explained, flipped a switch to bring on a set of small multicolored lights hung on a cord that illuminated a narrow passageway. "They come in pretty handy."
"Where are we?" She looked around.
"In a secret compartment that I use to travel between different parts of the ship. It's also kinda nifty, eh?"
"I guess so..." Shiori blinked, her eyes still adjusting to the new source of light. All she could see was the wooden paneling inside the walls of the ship. It looked like it had been deliberately widened or hollowed out in some places. "Do the others know about-"
"No. And you're not going to tell them. You're good at keeping secrets, right?" The brunette tucked a small strand of her hair behind one ear.
The albino only shrugged. She really didn't know what to make of this... They were alone, sharing a cramped space together, in a place that no one else knew about. Why was she so intent on hiding everything?
"What do you want? Why did you ask me to come here so late like this? What is it that's so important?"
"Calm down. All of your questions will be answered in time, so long as you answer mine. That was a serious question. I want to know if you're any good at keeping secrets. But maybe that's a stupid question, since no one else has even noticed your bounty or who you actually are yet."
"How do you even know all of these things?" Shiori's rose hued eyes narrowed. "Have you been spying on me?"
"Sweetheart," The brunette presumed to lean against her. It was easy, since they were practically already squished together anyway. "I've been spying on lots of people... And I only know because I'm not an idiot like the rest of these buffoons."
She didn't like this... It made her nervous. This other girl was getting way too close for comfort. And she felt threatened because she didn't quite understand what was happening. It was becoming more and more obvious that Nischela was trying to get closer to her. But the part she couldn't figure out was why...
"I see... Mind telling me why you wanted me to meet you at midnight then?"
"Ah, I was getting to that." Her lips shifted into a twisted smile. "I'll tell you, because I already have dirt on you, and because I think you're smart enough to know better than to betray me... I work for someone. Several someones, actually. To get technical, an elite group of someones."
"Who are they?" Shiori stared up at her, utterly lost in confusion.
"I'm only here under the guise of working for Alvida... That wretch! She's wanted in more places than you can imagine and she's got a pretty large bounty herself. But she's not the one we're after. We're just keeping a keen eye on her for a bit, that's all."
"It's like you're speaking in riddles!" She shouted, beginning to get really irritated. The albino slave girl squirmed around a bit, trying to find whatever door they'd come in through so she could get back to the laundry room. "I don't understand any of this, and I'm not sure if I even want to know. M-maybe it's best if I go."
"You can't go." Nischela stated, matter-of-factly. "I'm afraid I've already said..." She leaned in closely to the small albino girl's ear. "Too much..."
"I... Well, I d-don't..." She was at a loss for words.
Shiori ignored her strange actions and close proximity. She had her pinned against the wall, unable to leave. She was unsure of how to take it. She'd once thought that her mentor, Whitey Bay, was trying to flirt with her, and she'd been wrong then. Or at least she thought so. She knew very little about how to interact with people. This was making her feel very awkward. Her cheeks flushed a dull pink.
Nischela breathed and a warm puff of air hit her neck, making her shiver. "Are you a good girl, Shiori-chan?"
"Wh-what-"
She was going to ask 'what kind of question is that' but Nischela's lips were pressing into hers with such ferocity that she was unable to pull away. The other girl's breasts smashed against hers, and she could feel her breathing next to her. Shiori was startled. She was unable to fully enjoy the kiss because she was panicking too much.
Her eyes went wide. 'WHAT IS THIS?! How can a girl kiss another girl?!' Her mind screamed, as everything seemed to whirl around her. 'What does this mean? Does this mean I'm- No. It's all her doing. Isn't it?'
Her lips moved against Shiori's own, and she found herself somewhat curious... She started to move a little and lean into her touch. At least she wasn't being hurt in any way. She was also thinking maybe if she complied with what the other girl wanted, she might stand a somewhat better chance of getting off of this dreaded slave ship. She knew Nischela might not actually have that much power, but even if it was a longshot, she still had to try. She began to let herself relax a bit, but not too much.
And besides, the kiss itself was not all that bad. It was nothing like she'd imagined her first kiss to be. She'd expected something, well, masculine... Hard and forceful. Not soft and tender like a woman's touch. It was over after only a brief moment. Once it was done, she pulled away, hesitantly. She really did not know what was expected of her now. But there was a bit of saliva stuck to Nischela's bottom lip, connecting them, and her first instinct was to wipe it away with her lengthy sleeve.
"I'm sorry," The slightly taller Pirate girl immediately apologized when she saw Shiori's reaction. "That was unprofessional of me. I just wanted to see what it was like... And it helped to break the tension. Although I must admit, I think you're beautiful..."
'My first kiss... Stolen unexpectedly by another girl!' It sounded absurd, even in her head...
She literally had no clue how to take this. She didn't know how to react. She didn't want to offend her, but she didn't even have enough experience with things like this to know where she stood on anything yet. It was like everything was hitting her full force. Maybe sticking to the subject at hand and pretending it never happened would work?
"Is... Is this the reason you insisted that I come here?"
Nischela turned away, backing off for the present moment. "No... I just got all caught up. But now that the tension's broken... The reason I asked you to come here is because I have something extremely important to ask of you. It's not every day that we get new recruits in our ranks, but..." She stopped then, hesitating.
The suspense was killing her! "But...?" She sighed, annoyed. "Out with it! I haven't got all night. If they see that I'm missing, they-"
"They won't have anymore power over you, if you accept my offer. Or at least it'll be a lot more limited. We can't get you out of here just yet, but if you wait 'til I finish my mission, then maybe we can..."
Shiori stared at the girl, a perplexed expression on her face. "How do you mean? Please slow down and just explain."
"Okay, so I work for a secret agency, of sorts..."
"You're a... s-secret agent?" The Valkyrie was shocked.
"Yes. I work for The Agency. I can't tell you much more about it just yet, but... We'd very much like for you to join us."
"Me? Wh-why?"
"As I understand it, you have some rather unique talents. You even received the honor of serving under Whitey Bay herself, did you not?"
"How do you know all these things?"
"The Agency knows more than we are ever willing to reveal... A lot more." Nischela had this far-away look in her pale eyes just then. It was like she was staring off into space. "But I can't do much more for you unless you decide to lend us your aide."
"What exactly does that entail?" Shiori demanded, becoming even more serious now that they were talking business. "I'm fairly sure Alvida-sama wouldn't be very happy if she knew you were a double agent working for someone else."
"You're pretty sharp! You catch on real quick... I like that about you. That's the mark of a superb agent."
"Alright, what will I have to do?" She wiped her face with her sleeve, and wrapped herself up a bit more. She was getting cold in this weird tunnel.
"You'll be assigned assorted missions from your superiors from time to time. If you do well, you'll get lots of gold and possibly even be promoted in rank someday. Right now I'll be your supervisor and once you're in, I'll do everything I can to help you. All you have to do is follow orders without being too nosey. Any other questions?"
"Just one..." She began to clarify, but then hesitated.
"Hm? Go for it."
"Whose side are you on?"
"Side?" Nischela eyed her sideways. "What do you mean?"
"I mean which side do you serve? The Pirates or the Marines?"
"We are simply... Our own side. I guess you could say we're neutral in that respect. We just like knowing what the others are up to... And preventing a war if we can."
"I see..." Shiori paused, taking a moment to mull all of this over.
On the one hand, peace did sound good. On the other hand, she really had no way of knowing whether they might have ulterior motives. She didn't know for certain if this girl was even telling her the truth.
The Marines had wronged her greatly. They'd come to her village, to the Monastery where she and the Nuns had lived in peace until then. They'd cruelly slaughtered everyone and burned the once beautiful Monastery clear to the ground. They were the people who had destroyed everything she had once held dear. And the Pirates were just as bad... Even if she herself technically was one. They had taken another person she cared about deeply from her, even if he'd gone willingly. They'd even managed to pull her into their sinister little game. And perhaps worst of all, she was now one of their prisoners. Both sides had wronged her. Had Nischela's people done her any harm as of yet?
"I know it's a lot to take in," The brunette placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "But rest assured that if you work with us, I will do my best to make sure you're more comfortable for the duration of your stay here. And someday, when you're out of this mess completely, when you're no longer a slave... Together, we can build a new world..."
"The offer sounds tempting. How do I know you aren't lying?"
"I suppose you don't. There's probably nothing I can do to change your mind, but if I were going to harm you, I would have likely already done so. What have you got to lose, at this point? Your situation can't really get much worse, can it?"
"It could..." She admitted with a curt nod. "But it is unlikely. And the possible perks outweigh the risks."
"So you'll do it then? You'll join us?" Her gray-blue eyes lit up with hope just then.
What point was there in saying no? These people sounded like they could potentially help her. And if she said no, there was a good possibility that this girl might tell her captors about her bounty and who she was. But there was something else too... Some faint, vague hope also lingered somewhere in the back of her mind that maybe someone with The Agency might be able to help her unravel the mysteries about her past.
"Yes." It didn't get much clearer than that.
A large smile spread all the way across Nischela's face. "Awesome! I've got your back from now on, as long as you've got mine. I may not be able to get you out of this situation just yet, or else I might risk blowing my cover here. But I'll try to make things as easy for you as possible, as long as you're careful. There is one more thing..."
"And what is that?" It was clear that her mind was already made up.
"If you ever cross us or betray us... You will be killed. We have countless assassins in our employ, and won't hesitate to use them. As long as you're loyal, it won't be a problem."
"Once I've made up my mind to do something, nothing can stop me. I won't betray you."
The brunette nodded, clasping her hands and leading her deeper into the tunnel. "Very good. Then you shall take the secret sacred oath!"
After making a few quick calls to some highly important transponder snails, Nischela had Shiori officially inducted into The Agency. All she'd had to do was swear her loyalty to them where their leader could hear her.
Shortly after taking her oath, Nischela had begun training her in the art of seduction. This went on for a while. She had explained that the kiss was to make her feel more comfortable with her, so she wouldn't feel as awkward while she was teaching her to use all of her charms to get what she wanted. She claimed that it would come in handy for a spy. And she might be able to charm a few of the male guards to get her way, as long as there weren't too many spectators. Though she was still quiet and shy, she stumbled her way through it.
"It helps to know what you want most," Nischela had told her at one point, while she'd been showing her the ropes. "And go after it. You have to know where your destination is before you can sort out which path you should take."
Shiori was still unsure what it was that she wanted most... Right now, she wanted to get out of this awful place and go find the ice sword. What was it that Whitey Bay had called it? Storm something...? Arashikari? She was sure it would come in handy. She wanted to further her powers, and it was the only weapon she'd ever heard of that could potentially work so well with her Devil Fruit. It was the only thing she sought at the moment. The only way to get it was to find some way to get to the mysterious island where it was said to be located. But she hadn't told Nischela any of that. As far as she could tell, even The Agency didn't know about the map or the fact that she had possession of it.
Several days had passed, and each day she practiced a little with her newfound comrade in secret. When the time would come, her new skills may come in handy. They'd even taken to singing together sometimes while they worked on their chores. Every day, she was becoming less like a Valkyrie and more like a Siren, she realized. The irony was not lost on her.
Today, Shiori was sent off to dish duty. She hated washing dishes more than almost anything else. It was her least favorite chore, oddly enough. But she did what she had to do. Her hands had only been in the water for a scarce couple of minutes, and her fingers were already wrinkling up like prunes. Her blue sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, and she tried her best not to soil her favorite sweater.
The dishwater was dark, murky, and nasty... She could barely stand the thought of sticking her hands into such a gross place, where others' discarded bits of food were left. She grimaced every time she touched something slimy underwater, or when she would stick herself with something sharp. But she got herself through it as best she could. She had no other choice.
The only upside to this was that sometimes there were bits of food left in the plates or on the serving trays and she could sneak a bite or two to eat, if she was very careful. It wasn't often that it happened, but it was better than nothing. She made do with a few scraps of half-eaten toast, leftover from breakfast. She wouldn't normally resort to something so disgusting, but she'd missed dinner last night and breakfast this morning. She couldn't remember having anything to eat yesterday either. The poor girl was starting to feel weak from not eating... So she was doing what she had to do in order to survive. She was still hungry since she didn't eat very much. Only crumbs.
Once all of the dishes from breakfast had been washed, scrubbed, rinsed, and dried, she was allowed to go off to her next set of chores. Walking outside, she relished the feeling of the sun on her skin. She was rarely even allowed outside anymore, especially on her own. Shiori made her way back to the laundry room. She knew no one would else be there this time of day, Nischela had assured her of that. They had arranged to meet here whenever possible. She wasn't sure if her friend would be here or not.
The room felt eerily empty. Shiori noticed several stacks of clothes had already been dumped onto the table. She got to work sorting them and then carried the first load over to one of the washers.
There was a creak, slight and low, but she'd heard it. The hidden panel in the wall opened and Nischela stepped through. She was carrying a blue box with a silver ribbon wrapped around it. When she got closer, the albino girl noticed there were many holes poked in the sides of it. The strange box stood out so much and it had caught her attention right away. It appeared to be about three feet wide and two feet tall.
"I'm afraid it's not much of a gift," The brunette spoke cryptically. "It's something that should've been yours all along."
"I don't understand... What's going on?"
"The Agency wants you to have this, on behalf of all of us. It rightfully belongs to you already. Alvida-sama has a policy of filtering everyone's mail on her ship, especially things that are sent to the slaves, like yourself. The carrier pelicans dropped it off for you but she had it seized and kept in the storage hold down below. It's the only piece of mail you had. We managed to procure it for you."
"So this was sent to me? From who?"
"There was only one name on the package and that was yours. I don't know why."
"Oh..." Shiori hesitantly reached out and placed a single hand on top of the box. She felt movement inside. "Any idea what it is? As far as I'm aware, no one should even know that I'm here?"
'And if they did,' She added silently. 'Why haven't they rescued me yet? Don't they know I'm being held here as a slave against my will?'
"That's mysterious. Well... Aren't you going to open it?" Nischela tucked a long pink tuft of hair behind her ear, adjusting her glasses and watching the timid girl try to figure this out.
For some reason, she was wary about it. This could very well be a trap... It seemed like some kind of animal was inside the box, with it's bright blue paper and silver ribbon... It was wrapped like a gift. On the other hand, if they really wanted to hurt her, they could have just unleashed whatever it was. And if it was so easily contained within a simple box, it most likely wasn't anything too intimidating.
Still, it was a mystery as to who had sent this for her, or why...
Hesitantly, Shiori pulled the ribbon until it came undone. There was a scratching sound coming from inside the box. It moved a bit. She stopped, staring at it curiously. Her big ruby red eyes were glued to the holes in the box, but it was too dark to be able to see anything. She thought she caught a glimpse of something moving past one of them.
'How strange... I wonder what it could be...'
There was nothing she could do but open it. Taking a deep breath, the Valkyrie removed the lid with shaking hands. Something jumped out and leapt onto her, causing her to cry out in surprise! Her legs buckled under her and she fell to the floor, collapsing.
She grabbed it just before it reached her throat. Twin pools of azure blue looked up at her, and blinked. A fluffy creature was pressed against her chest. Its whiskers tickled her chin and its cold nose pressed against her cheek as it sniffed her for a moment, before pulling away. It made a small purring sound.
"Is this... a kitten?"
The beautiful young cat was almost pure white with a little tuft of white fur sticking up on top of her head. Her ears were tipped with very dark chocolate gray, and her tail was white tipped and had rings around it of the same color, alternating between an ash gray and darker chocolate gray. Her face was very unusual, it sort of looked like she was wearing a dark cream and gray mask that faded with a lighter design closer to her bright blue eyes. A few cream-colored dots were almost painted above her eyes. The only other markings on her were the light tabby stripes that ran across her legs, fading from light cream to darker gray. However, all four of her paws were solid white, contrasting sharply with the smoky colors.
She looked up at Shiori and mewed. Her little pink nose wiggled. It was so adorable! She couldn't contain herself! Nischela thought it was cute too, but she was content to watch on with a big grin, one hand resting on her hip.
It was clear that this was no ordinary cat. When Shiori held her, a strange feeling ran through her... For a moment, it was like she was back home, in the snow-covered forest, surrounded by the vast mountains that spanned the distance. It made her sort of happy, but it was like she wanted to cry, all at the same time! She took it as a sign. A sign not to give up hope... Even in the darkest of times, there was always someone there with her, some reason to continue on and not give up.
'Even though I'm in such a horrible place like this... Even though it's a dark point in my life... I've been given this little piece of heaven!' She thought. 'Maybe it's not so bad after all. Maybe there's still hope! I will find some way out of this! I have to!'
"She's so tiny..." Shiori scratched her behind the ears, watching as the little one eagerly leaned into it, purring. "Ah, kawaiiiiiiii! I'll treasure her forever!"
She got up, gently placing the kitten on the floor to explore. She hoped it wouldn't run away, but luckily she stayed close by. The cute little thing pawed at one of Shiori's boot laces before becoming interested in the comfortable-looking pile of clothes next to her. The Valkyrie decided to inspect the box. Maybe there would be some kind of clue as to who had sent her or why.
In the very bottom of the box, there was a note. She picked it up and her eyes scanned each word, struggling to find some meaning, some clarity...
'Dearest Shiori,' It said. 'Please accept this kitten! Her name is Vanora! It means "white wave".' The letter was signed with only a little pink heart.
"A cat? I don't u-understand..." She folded the note, putting it into her pocket. "It doesn't really explain. All it says is that her name is Vanora...?"
"Looks like you've gotten yourself a familiar..." Nischela mused.
"A what?"
"Traditionally... A familiar is an animal spirit believed to serve someone as a spy and constant companion, in addition to helping to bewitch enemies or to divine information." The brunette explained, watching the young kitten play. "But considering that you're from the Monastery on Drum Island, it's surprising that you don't already know this."
She vaguely recalled learning about familiars and how they worked. But it was a long time ago. She remembered the words of Chiaki, her elder... She'd once told Shiori that if the Cat Goddess they worshiped smiled on her, she would be lucky enough to receive a small blessing, in the form of a cat or kitten.
'Chiaki-sama...'
"A servant for a servant..." Shiori muttered.
"I suppose so. I guess it's ironic."
"How do you know all of that anyway?"
"I'm with The Agency. And as you well know, we have our ways." She only smiled, mysterious as ever.
Shiori decided it would be best to accept it at face value for now. But this latest development posed a whole new set of problems. "I'm extremely grateful to have her, but... What if someone sees her? I'm in danger here and I don't know how I can keep her safe."
"You'll find a way... For now it would be best to keep her hidden. Feed her when you can, but make sure you still take care of yourself too. I've gotten you some food from the kitchen. It was supposed to be part of my lunch but I don't need it. Earlier, I hid it, so I hope it's still-" Nischela paused, pulling a covered plate from between two of the dryers. "Here you go! No one found it. I'm surprised..."
"Wow! Thank you... I..." She looked at her new kitten, who was currently playing with a bit of string hanging from one of the unwashed shirts. "I c-can't thank you enough for such a precious gift!" She kneeled before her new friend.
"No need," Nischela helped her up, with a smile. "Now get up before someone sees you... Silly!"
The two giggled together for just a moment. But they stopped short when they both heard something. Someone was coming!
"Here, kitty... We have to hide you!" She called in a hushed tone.
Shiori reached for the little kitten, but Vanora was faster and managed to dodge her. She darted under one of the folding tables and sat just out of her reach. She scampered about and burrowed under a big pile of laundry.
'Crap!' Her thoughts were frantic, and she tried to grab for the kitten, but she continued to escape her grasp.
The sound of a walking stick between every two steps told them who it was. Bob Toll entered the room, looking in their general direction, as if sensing the two girls. His big nose pointed toward them, like a rat trying to sniff out some cheese...
"Nischela-chan?" He rasped. "Are you in here?"
'If he sees the kitten, it's all over!' She continued trying to catch her, but had to be subtle about it. She took a few steps forward when the little one came tumbling down from a pile of clothes, before darting across the floor.
The elderly man continued to stare out into space, ignoring the kitten's presence.
'He can't see her!' Shiori instantly felt silly. 'He's blind, of course... What was I thinking?'
"Yes. I was just showing Shi- one of the slaves how to do the laundry. Can I help you?"
"I was sent to inform you that supper will be ready shortly. And Alvida-sama says you'll be needed on the quarterdeck afterwards. Carry on."
"Alrighty, thanks!"
'Whew! That was close!' Shiori sighed, noticing that Vanora was resting atop one of her boots, now that she'd stopped trying so hard.
She grit her teeth, already wondering if she might choke the poor little thing, before realizing how fluffy and adorable she was. All thoughts of murder left her head. She couldn't even stay mad at her... She reached down for the kitten, who leaned into her touch this time, letting out a soft mewl.
"Come here, little one..." Shiori picked her up, holding her close against her chest. "I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you. You're too cute for your own good!"
"Mrreow..." The white ball of masked fluff squeaked.
"I'm glad to know you like her," Nischela giggled, also reaching over to give Vanora a little pat on the head. "She is a cutie... Are you going to keep her name as it is?"
"I th-think so, yeah... It really suits her."
Her new ally nodded.
"Listen," She adjusted her glasses, the light glinting off of the smooth shiny surface of each lens. "On a serious note, you're going to have to figure out some way to keep her hidden. If they find out that a slave has something so precious, there's no telling what they might do."
The Valkyrie looked up through determined eyes. "I'll keep her safe... Even if costs me my life."
A/N: Shiori finally got her kittyyyyyy! Omg I'm so happy! :D I hope that was a nice surprise, haha... Vanora is going to be her little sidekick for the duration of this story. She'll have a pretty significant role in the plot as well, but I can't reveal what it is yet. I always planned for her to get a kitty, but had to wait for just the right time for it to happen...
Beware, next chapter things get complicated... And kind of graphic (due to violence). There can be no interesting story without some conflict and hardships though. This story isn't even halfway over yet, lol. Also, I want to say that... I know what you've all been waiting for and it happens after the next chapter! (That's the only hint you get.) c;
-Kaline