I own neither One piece nor Naruto.
When he opened his eyes, he was in a broken town, if it could even be called as such.
He could tell that there was a big fight. The familiar town had turned to rubble, and it looked like remains of a battlefield from straight from the Fourth Great War, with the constant orange glow of fire shining ominously in the background. But that did not last long either. The fire had died down by the time anything moved. The tall wall of flame had shortened, and most of the buildings had fallen.
A green-haired swordsman knelt before a towering tyrant.
...It felt strange, being the only one in thing in this place that could not move, and aside from those two, they were the only ones who were alive around here aside from some faint presence in the background.
The green-haired swordsman was injured, almost fatally so and he felt that since the swordsman had survived, he should live on despite the bloodlust emanating from the large tyrant before him.
He started walking aimlessly because he thought it would be dangerous to just stay there unguarded, keeping a careful eye on the swordsman and the Tyrant. He was not really concerned about getting noticed by the other people lying around him. ...Probably because, over and above the caution that had been hammered into him, he had a stronger feeling in his mind.
That what was happening before him was important. That it was something he had to see.
It was already a wonder that the swordsman was still conscious, so he couldn't expect to be saved if the Tyrant moved against him. He won't survive. Whatever happens, he won't be able to escape from this red world. It was such an absolute fact that even he as a distant observer could understand it.
And then the swordsman bowed his head.
Was it because he had no hope? Was it because he had nothing left to give in his body?
This should have been the end.
The soul of that swordsman should have fallen to the ground.
But it seemed that fate had found a different path, he could hear the two speaking amongst themselves with words he could not hear. Yet the very fact that the tyrant seemed willing to listen had seemingly lit a fire within the figure of that swordsman, so subtle that he could have missed it if not for these keen eyes of his.
Though the swordsman remained unwavering he could see tears welling in his eyes, delighted from the bottom of his heart that he had found a way to save someone who must live. It was because he looked so happy...
As Sasuke moved closer, a single sentence from the swordsman penetrated the haze.
"Luffy is the man who would become the King of Pirates!"
Sasuke flashed into existence in a burst of speed– he found it to be almost as convenient a way to travel as the Sunshin itself, kicking off the ground using all his strength numerous times to create an astounding eruption of speed– and appeared in the alley behind The Maiden's Adobe, having already ensured that nobody could have witnessed his arrival, and made his way around the inn to enter through the front.
His mind so preoccupied with recent dreams and grave information given to him by an innocuous girl who knew secrets that could almost completely desecrate the image of the World Government that Sasuke almost did not pay heed to the lone man across the street who seemed to start at his sudden appearance and whisper something into his sleeve.
The enslavement of an entire race, and its subsequent removal from history itself as it was pushed into legends and fairy tales at the whims of an organization that sought to control the world.
In the long flow of time, living things know nothing of their ancestors, except for the genes they have inherited. Only individuals have history, and only they could learn from their past. Having a history differentiates the sentients from all other living species, from mere animals. Sasuke could not understand what the World Government intended by removing the very existence of Lunarians from history itself.
Indeed, for as long as history continues goes on, the past would continue to accumulate. History was more than just records of the past. It was also proof that civilization has continued to advance to the present and yet that very same proof was being eradicated on whims. It was said that the most effective way to destroy people was to deny and destroy the own understanding of their history
What secret were they so keen to destroy? First the Void Century, and now this…
But those were thoughts to ponder upon later, Sasuke had learned more than history from Sariel for what she told him could directly change the course of the future just as well.
It was no wonder that the authority of a Celestial Dragon had been personally used to protect the ship carrying Sariel. The Lunarians were not enslaved for more than the sole purpose of labour and entertainment. This project Seraphim…
Sasuke wondered whether they could actually succeed— if they could truly create absolute weapons strong enough to usurp the thrones of the seas from the Emperors in the New World and create a new world order where the justice of the World Nobles dictated the norms of society.
Sasuke had long realized that they knew too much and knowing the world government there was only one way to mitigate the consequences should such information be callously released and that was to silence them both.
All the World Nobles could do was to ensure that neither Sasuke nor Sariel spread this information ever…
Sasuke frowned and imperceptibly slowed himself, entering the old inn as casually as he could, ensuring that he would not seem overtly suspicious to any unfortunate bystander. Once inside, the avenger noted there was one person at the bar, which seemed equally odd since it was quite early but perhaps it might have been someone also staying at the inn who had woken up early. He could smell the distant aroma of cooking food due to his Mantra, though he was not sure if that was a lingering smell from yesterday or if it was a new smell coming from the kitchens right now.
The man at the bar had his hood partially pulled back, revealing a curly mess of black hair as he regarded the shinobi with his brown eyes for a few seconds before nodding to himself and returning to the seemingly amusing task of staring at the door which led into the kitchens.
Sasuke narrowed his single eye but did not spare him another glance as he made his way up the steps and was in his room shortly, rays of gentle morning light pouring in from between the window slats. His gaze immediately went to the lone figure in the bed. The Lunarian was awake.
Sariel sat up slowly as Sasuke entered and removed the cloak enshrouding his form, the smooth cloth disappearing somewhere with a flicker, revealing his white shirt and his mismatched arms which looked as if they did not belong here. Black eye met amethyst.
Sasuke nodded towards her in greeting, mind still revolving after everything that he had learned. "How are you feeling?"
Sariel pulled her legs up and hugged them to her chest while remaining partially under the covers. She still found it strange that she was being treated so kindly by a human, and she was not sure if she'd get used to it anytime soon. "I feel... better." Her voice was soft and timid, like it had been since she had first started speaking to him.
Sasuke was just glad that she was no longer a crying mess and seemed to be regaining a little bit of vitality compared to when he found her. It was a wonder just how much a drop of blood taken infused with Hashirama cells alongside some food could do in less than a day as Sasuke once again admired the innate talents of that lineage. Sasuke went and replenished the pitcher of water by her side again, noticing it was empty, and poured her a cup of water handed her a cup of water, which she gratefully accepted and finished in a few gulps.
"Do you feel rested enough to head outside for a change? I imagine you must be bored being inside all day," he asked as he proceeded to remove the unneeded ninja pouches hanging hidden inside his clothes, leaving only the white casual clothes that he had been wearing. He might need them soon, he thought.
"Maybe..." She looked unsure. She had not even left her bed to go to the bathroom. Thankfully Lunarians had a much hardier constitution than humans, and were able to go longer periods without needing to relieve themselves, but it had been a while since she had so the pressure was certainly mounting. As a slave, she had been used to going in a bucket that was usually placed near wherever she was assigned to sleep, but there were no buckets in the room she was in so she had been holding it all this time.
She thought about asking Sasuke for a bucket but then thought better of it. Why would he want her to relieve herself in a bucket that would be staying in the same room as him? Obviously, he would be against such an idea. She would just have to bear it for now and then maybe relieve herself outside somewhere when she had some time.
Sasuke went to his barely used bed and laid down, staring up at the roof as he noted that it was not the most comfortable bed and was curious as to how Sariel was finding the accommodations. But there was little more he could do considering the increasing need to remain innocuous, they had to leave in a few days lest the government catch up to them both.
"Think about it, you can do what you wish. Though I cannot imagine you're having much fun cooped up in here," he told her, not really looking at her as he told her what was on his mind.
Her head turned so she could better see him. "Fun...?" she repeated, her body starting to squirm slightly now that her thoughts had touched upon her need to go to the bathroom. Hopefully, she could distract herself enough to lessen the pressure.
"Indeed. Fun!" Sasuke turned towards her, knowing that she must have had little pleasures to indulge in as a slave. He would rather she enjoy herself as a free person than stay inside even though the situation did not allow for it. Also, it was about time they left the island and moved to a safer location. "You know, pass the time enjoyably doing something entertaining and... stimulating..."
Sasuke trailed off as his thoughts turned towards a slightly lewd direction by his own words and if he were the sort to blush at such innuendoes, he would've. Uchiha did not blush, never.
Sariel considered his words. She had done things like that when she was younger, when her former home was still peaceful and happy and her life was easy and carefree. But that felt like a lifetime ago now, and a world away.
"Anyway," Sasuke broke the somewhat awkward silence, "If you're feeling up to it, you should head out with me later. We must keep moving."
"But..." she hesitated, a worried look crossing her pale features. "Is it safe?"
Sasuke did not answer right away, which made the Lunarian worry even more. "Well, no one seems to have picked up on us yet, but I suppose it would be nigh foolishness to say they never would. They would chase us, that much is certain." Sasuke frowned in distaste before his eye softened and he looked at her timid figure who looked downwards at his words. "But do not worry, I would keep you safe."
Sariel continued to gaze at the blanket clutched in her hands, she could not bring herself to think that the man before her has anything to do with the government or any other organization set to harm her, and perhaps, she had long stopped caring about it even if he was.
Despite what had been revealed to him and knowing full well who she was, he still refused to abandon her. Something he should have done something ages ago— anyone normal would have done something ages when they came to the extent of her messed up history. But Sasuke apparently was not anyone and he had shown time and time again that he truly did not care about who she was. When he had decided to save someone, then it was all that mattered . . .
At first, she simply thought that Sasuke could not understand that she was too dangerous and he needed to let her go. But he had not given up even when she tried to convince him, and show him the truth. Sasuke now knew everything about her, but he simply did not care— even though he understood, he continued to look at her with a gaze that might as well rip her soul.
She inwardly floundered at his incredible stubbornness and determination as he promised to protect her. He had said it numerous times before, but beyond her heart, she had never realized the truth behind those words before as she could now. It was almost as if he had made some kind of vow.
And her breathing picked up because she was beginning to realize that he would never let her sacrifice herself. As he'd said before— those who abandon comrades are worse than trash!
But she did not want him hurt! She did not want any of them hurt! Sasuke's incredible kindness only made it harder for her. But faced with such words, she could not doubt his sincerity.
Unable to say anything with her words stuck in her store, Sariel could only let her eyes remain fixated on something on the floor as her hands idly played with the hem of her cloak even as a comfortable warmth burned her cheeks which were turning red. It was the only piece of clothing that she had, something that Sasuke had gifted to her. The fabric was comfortable enough on her skin, far better than the rough rags that she had been forced to wear before, so she was grateful for it.
The avenger took note of the cloak, realizing that she definitely needed to get some more clothes besides it and underwear. He remembered that she was not wearing any. Again, if he were the sort of man who was capable of blushing, his face would have been red. He sighed and tried not to think too much about an underwear-less girl before him.
The Lunarian turned her head and eyed him curiously, hearing his sigh. Her cheeks were still a bit pink from earlier. "W-What is it?"
"Are you hungry?" Sasuke instead asked, partly in genuine concern and more because he wanted to change the subject, ignoring her when she gave him a strange look that he could not quite place before she nodded nonetheless. "I think Chuck is preparing breakfast downstairs. We can go down and have some food for ourselves."
"Chuck?" Her brow furrowed even as she squirmed some more.
Oh, right. She did not know who that was because she had not met the man yet. "He's the innkeeper here at The Maiden's Adobe. He was concerned about you the first night we arrived, believe he would appreciate seeing you with his own eyes and ensuring that you are okay."
She looked down at her hands in her lap. "He's... human too?" Something strange that Sasuke could not understand was laced in her voice, and he frowned.
"Yes. He is a kind enough man, maybe somewhat distant and guarded but nice nonetheless." Sasuke was on his feet and by Sariel's side, extending an arm out to the young woman. "Come on, you need to move a bit, staying in a single place for too long would not help you. It would be fine. I assure you."
Her amethyst eyes studied his hand for a moment before she reluctantly took it and allowed him to help her to her feet, which Sasuke noted were bare as they pattered softly on the wood floor.
"Hold on," he said as she had already taken a couple of steps to the door. She stopped obediently. Reaching for one of his bags, he quickly pulled out a pair of simple leather boots and handed them to her. "These are of my size but I would get you better ones soon."
Sariel's face registered surprise. Though simple in design, the boots appeared to be made of good-quality leather. "What-"
"I do not want you walking around outside without shoes," he explained. She was recovering and might step on something dangerous. It would simply be irresponsible for him if he allowed her to do so.
"Thank you," she managed to say as she put the boots on the floor and maneuverer her feet one at a time into them.
Sasuke noticed that she had an almost exceptional balance and did not need to use him for support as she stood one-legged for a few moments to put them on. Almost, as if she were a dancer or a warrior…
The boots were too big and her feet were swimming in them, but she was not going to complain about another gift from the man who had saved her. She would make do and get used to them. It was more than she had before. They were not her size but somehow they felt perfectly snug.
"Thank you," Sariel said again, a bit louder this time. One of her wings stuck out from under her cloak as she looked down at her feet, exposing the perfectly streamlined raven appendage which was almost as large as she was- somehow these wings could fold themselves in a manner so compact that they were not noticeable when covered by a simple cloak despite being as large as an average human.
Sasuke reached out and adjusted her cloak to hide it, causing the young woman to stiffen at the gesture and her cheeks to flush again.
"It'll be best if we can hide your wings for now," Sasuke said calmly, not really making much of her reaction for he had seen it so many times before that he almost ignored it. "Come, let us eat and be on our way. We have lots to do."
The avenger then opened the door and ushered her out, carefully helping her as they descended the staircase even as the girl continued to fidget for some strange reason Sasuke could not fathom.
Chuck was waiting on the man Sasuke had seen at the bar earlier, who seem to have ordered quite a meal and was drinking something steaming out of a cup. The man glanced at them again even as he hungrily dug into his food. Sasuke narrowed his eye again.
The innkeeper moved over to the two of them when they took a seat on the opposite end of the bar from the only other patron. Chuck's small eyes regarded the girl closely, and were it not for the fact that Sasuke felt he meant no harm and that he had shown concern for the girl a couple of times before, the avenger would have been more than upset at the man's obvious staring.
"Hello, miss..." the innkeeper glanced at Sasuke, who gave him a cool nod. The man returned to looking at the platinum-haired girl. "You're looking recovered. Are you feeling, okay?" asked the innkeeper brashly in his gruff voice. He seemed genuinely concerned for her well-being, as Sasuke had noted before.
Sariel nodded quietly but did not speak, and neither did she look the innkeeper in the eyes. She simply inched closer to Sasuke, taking comfort in his presence as she reached out for him and softly held his sleeve. She had not stopped squirming but instead only increased its intensity.
The innkeeper noticed the subtle movement, and after another moment, the big man nodded as well and then turned his attention to Sasuke, his short spiky hair as white as winter snow due to the throes of age. "You want your daily meals, I take it?"
"Hm." Sasuke gave him his trademark grunt.
Chuck nodded and left for the kitchens, returning with two bowls of steaming hot stew that he placed in front of them. "Chicken stew this time," he stated. "Drinks?" he looked at Sasuke expectantly, apparently concluding that the girl had no interest in speaking with him at all, not that he seemed to take offense to that.
"What do you have that is not alcoholic?" Sasuke asked.
"I have coffee, tea, and water," stated the big man flatly even as Sasuke continued to stare at him as if waiting for him to add something else. It was not an extensive menu to choose from.
"No juice." Chuck's eyes bore into his own as if daring him to make a comment about his lack of juice.
Sasuke, unperturbed, glanced at the shuffling Lunarian next to him, her wings hidden by her raven black cloak. "Sariel, what do you want?"
Sariel looked up at him and then quietly said in a hopeful tone, "Tea?"
"Tea it is, then." Sasuke repeated her order.
The bartender grunted and left, but Sariel's hand did not let go of his sleeve, much to Sasuke's surprise. Instead, she just clutched at it even more firmly.
"Do you want anything else?" Sasuke asked, almost as an afterthought as he turned to face her, his lone eye resting at the sight of her squirming around uncomfortably. A single onyx orb narrowed, he asked, "Are you... okay?"
Her squirming was a bit more noticeable now. Her attempts at trying to ignore the call of nature that was now growing within her were failing. She could not very well relieve herself in bed and neither could she do it here, especially with Sasuke right there a mere few feet away. That would almost be nightmarish. She tried really hard to stamp down the feeling of needing to go and swallowed hard. "I... guess."
Her cheeks flushed heavily as she lowered her head. "I..." she hesitated, bowing her head, and not looking him in the eye. "I need to go."
Sasuke was somewhat confused. She looked almost like she was feverish and about to have a seizure or something, but she had looked fine only a moment ago. What had happened? And what did she mean by the need to go?
Did she want to leave his company? Perhaps he had said something to upset her, though he could not think of what it could have been. He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees.
"Okay," he said seriously. "Where do you need to go?"
Sariel turned away and mumbled something.
"What was that?" Even his hearing enhanced constantly by Mantra could not catch that one, impressively enough.
"To go pee," she whispered, still not looking at him.
"Oh," Sasuke said, then his onyx eye rounded in sudden understanding. She had been in his room for two days now, almost three if he counted the time he had taken to rescue her and bring her here, and God knew how long had she been denied something so basic when she was with slavers. "Oh!"
Blue. The world was filled with a myriad of blue as far as the eye could see, roaring and twisting as if it were power incarnate for all of eternity. For almost all, the Grand Line was overwhelming and suffocating, as the brutality inside this sea torn between pirates, marines, revolutionaries, and kings threatened to crush any foolish being that dared to callously step foot into the watery graveyard. For most, this sea was a death sentence. For Aokiji, this place was Paradise.
The Admiral girl seemed to float in the middle of the ocean, seemingly standing still on nothing but a pad of ice as wide as his shoulders, as his curly black hair which was usually tied now cascaded down his back. Cloaked in the white marine uniform gothic, the Admiral's eyes stared at an empty space in the middle of the sea strange combination of apathy and annoyance. His ears seemed to twitch at the sounds of warships blaring their horns off in the distance, as the sound seemed to radiate throughout the void.
This was not the emptiness he had expected. It seemed that CP0 had been dispatched far before the Navy ever had, seeing that this empty expanse of sea was practically swarming with them. Frowning, Aokiji felt the energy inside of him begin to seep out beneath his feet as the platform beneath his feet expanded an inch or so but just as he was about to calm himself and curb his annoyance, he stopped. The icy power slowly began to recede as the Admiral turned to his right, his eyes instantly catching onto the faint trail of Haki floating throughout the gap. It was pure unbiased power yet it felt so dark…
With a thought, he moved over to the trail and carefully ran a hand through it, only to nearly dissipate it entirely. His eyes traveled upward, to the empty skies above and he sighed. This was not just a random string of power, but a carefully placed declaration.
Her interest peaked, he almost began to follow the trail, even though he knew it would lead to a dead end. But before he could his portable Den-Den Mushi rang.
"Hello, this is Aokiji." He sighed and picked up the call, knowing that this could not just be ignored. Those who knew this number were all in high positions of power.
"Admiral Kuzan, it is a pleasure to talk to you once again." A sickeningly sweet voice drawled out, deliberately exaggerating his words. "My operatives report that you have arrived at the scene. That was rather quick of you."
"What do you want?" He questioned, ignoring the attempt at small talk and his eyes narrowed as he glanced at the ships in the background. "The CP0 has already been all over the place already, and I know your organization has long been finished with its investigation. I do not understand why would the government want me here."
"It is impressive that you understand the situation already, I would not have to waste my time then." The voice drawled, again deliberately stretching out the words. "Yes, we have finished our investigations and located the target. We have summoned you just to destroy it and secure the asset."
"Located already?" Aokiji could not help but ask, almost impressed if not for the identity of who he was speaking with.
"The trail was done rather beautifully concealed, the best our organization has ever seen." The voice sounded almost impressed, as it informed him, "But they were too kind-hearted. The injuries of the asset were most probably too severe to be overlooked and the target had to rent a room at an inn in the end. These sorts of things rarely escape our notice, especially when the entire organization is put at a high alert around a thousand-kilometer radius."
"Is that so?" Aokiji hummed, the sea beneath him freezing ever so slightly at his moves, "But if the target was forced to rest at an inn then it means that the target was alone since he had to find a place to leave the girl unguarded in order to search for supplies. This rules out pirates and the revolutionaries then."
There was a pause and there was no trace of amusement in the voice this time as it replied after a moment. "The coordinates would be sent to your location soon. You should know better than to ask too many questions, Admiral."
And that was the end of it, as there was a beep signifying the end of the call.
Admiral Aokiji frowned, once more annoyed, as he stared at the turbulent waters ahead which represented uncertainty and turmoil. Whatever had left the trail was powerful, apparently strong enough to slice warships in two but more importantly, he was careful. So much so that even the head of CP0 admired his skill in subterfuge.
But both the power and the skill of this new unknown were unknown, for his days were numbered now that both the marries and the CP0 were sought his head.
His eyes flashed and a cold snort escaped his nose as his frown deepened.
"I would find you…" And with that, the Admiral's form flickered in a burst of speed, as he headed toward the ships in the distance. Disappearing in an instant, there was an eerie silence radiating throughout the area.
The cool morning air was already starting to warm as the sun slowly rose into the sky. Sariel clutched the hem of Sasuke's sleeve in a tight grip as they walked through the streets of the only town on this small island. She was a step behind the raven-eyed man with spiky black hair, peering carefully from around his torso at the city as it slowly came to life around them.
She had never been to such a city before, instead having always seen it from a distance whenever her previous ship had docked to resupply. Pillars of smoke rose from countless chimneys in the winter. She always imagined what it would be like to live there, a place so very different from anything she had ever known. Never would she have thought to actually see it for herself.
There were so many people. Too many humans. It made her feel very uneasy. Some of them looked their way, and she desperately tried to avoid meeting their eyes as she had been told when a slave. She was very much aware of how her cloak moved as they walked and she kept adjusting it for fear of her wings being exposed on accident and possibly causing them any trouble.
Sasuke had reassured her numerous times that nothing would happen to her- that even if people saw her wings and actually tried to do and even if they did actually try to do anything, he would protect her. The way he had said it so calmly had made her feel better, but it did not get rid of the feeling of unease completely. Moreover, it was far better to avoid trouble in the first place.
They were heading for the market in the middle of the city and according to Sasuke, and it was there that she would be able to get more clothes for herself. She protested at first, saying that she was fine with what she had and he did not have to go through the trouble, but Sasuke would have none of it. She did have to admit that having no underwear was a little... embarrassing, and uncomfortable, but only if she thought about it.
Which she definitely had been for the last half hour while they walked. She kept readjusting the bottom of her cloak, not that it was riding high or anything since the cloak went down to her knees. And between her constant adjustments to her cloak, looking around at the city, and keeping her hair in check, she was very fidgety. Not that Sasuke seemed to mind.
"We are here," said Sasuke as they rounded yet another corner. There had been so many that she had lost count.
Sariel had heard the sounds and breathed in the smells of the market well before they reached it thanks to her senses, and the anticipation and apprehension had only been building because of it but to finally see it was something else and she stopped in her tracks, causing Sasuke to stop as well since she was still clinging to his sleeve.
Colours. So very many colours. The multitude of colours that assaulted her eyes were astounding, and beautiful in a certain way. Then there was the actual size of the market itself- it spanned the entirety of the main square at the heart of the city. There had to be close to two hundred stalls, maybe more, selling all sorts of things and the food! There was a lot of food. Even though she had just eaten at the inn, and from the smell of the foods found here she was sure that she would enjoy the taste of whatever food was available.
She had come to the realization that the food Sasuke had brought for her last night was probably from somewhere in the grand market, and Sariel secretly hoped they could get some more. Not that she would ever actually ask for any, especially since they had just eaten. She did not want to appear needy or anything like that. She did not want Sasuke to think she would be too much of a burden for him, financially or otherwise, or else he might think to abandon her.
The thought of it made her extremely anxious and she found herself grabbing Sasuke's arm along with the hem of his sleeve and holding him even tighter than she had before, as if he were going to disappear on her right then and there. It was a terrifying thought, to be lost in this crowd of people alone. The most people she had ever seen in one place.
He turned and poked at her forehead with his index finger. "I am not going anywhere," he reminded her as if he had just read her mind, and she shot him a grateful look.
"It is early in the morning, so it's not as crowded," he told her, "So we should get done with our business before it gets really busy. Crowds can be... troublesome."
"Okay," she said meekly.
They plunged into the market. There was a low ever-present buzz of conversation that hung over the market, along with the occasional laughter or shouting. The sights, sounds, and smells were all quite overwhelming now that she was in the midst of it all and Sariel was glad that she was keeping a hold of Sasuke because she felt as if she might have gotten lost otherwise.
Sasuke spoke to a few of the merchants, who pointed them towards certain section of the market that was apparently more focused on women's clothing. It took them about ten minutes to make their way through the somewhat narrow passages between stalls – some of them looked more like huge tents than stalls – with Sasuke stopping at a few to take a look at some of the items being sold. He pointed out a few bits and trinkets to her that looked interesting as they walked, but she did not say much, though she did take it all in.
She tried to ignore the curious glances cast her way by some of the people. Their attention towards her made her anxious, both because she was afraid of being identified and because she was not used to such neutral gazes.
When they reached a row of stalls that were selling all manner of clothing for women, from dresses and shoes to cloaks and most importantly underwear, he turned to Sasuke and told her to get what she needed.
She stared at him. She had thought that he might pick stuff out for her and that would be that, but to actually have a choice in what she would wear was surprising. "I... get to choose?"
It was his turn to stare at her, an amused expression crossing his face briefly. "Of course. I am not going to tell you what to wear. You are free now." he as if it was the most natural thing he had ever spoken, and she stared at him in astonishment and then shrugged, "Besides, I have no idea about women's fashion. So even if you told me to choose, I would probably pick something that would ill suit you."
"But... I do not know anything either," she replied with a frown. The problem with being given the choice was that she did not know what to choose at all.
She had never gone shopping before, and any clothing she had ever had was something someone else had given her. Whether it was clothes the other Lunarians had made for her or clothes that her masters had made her wear, the fact remained that someone had done the choosing for her and she simply wore it without complaint.
Sasuke sighed. "I suppose that is a problem. Thankfully, the solution seems simple enough. We ask for professional help."
He walked into the nearest stall, one of those that was more like a big tent, a wide tarp of various blues, greens, and yellows covered the space. Wooden racks full of dresses, shirts, and pants packed the square space underneath the tarp, along with plenty of other items of clothing.
In the middle of it all was a small wooden desk, behind which sat an older woman with brown hair and a purple dress with black designs and highlights. She appeared to be the vendors, and Sasuke approached her with Sariel following close behind.
It was the older lady with brown hair tied up into a bun who spoke first. Her brown eyes so dark to be almost black seemed to size them up, and her gaze stayed on Sariel for a few heartbeats longer than it had on Sasuke. The Lunarian fidgeted under her gaze.
"Good morning, sir and madam!" the woman greeted enthusiastically, probably happy to have someone enter her sizable stall. It had been empty when they arrived. "Welcome to Violet's Vestments, I'm Violet. What can I help this dashing couple with today?"
The lunarian's cheeks went red for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. "W-We're not..." she tried to say, but thankfully, Sasuke diverted their attention back to himself with a small frown which seemingly drew all attention towards him in a way that seemed almost impossible as his presence grew.
"Are all these made by you?" he asked curiously, his gaze sweeping across the rows of clothes, even as Violet subconsciously straightened her back and snapped to attention while Sariel remained quiet and tried to busy herself with looking at the various clothes on sale next to her.
Violet nodded. "Most of them. Some were made by a few of my business partners, others I bought if I felt like it," she gestured to the rows upon rows of clothes before mustering the courage to smile at him again. "But the majority of it is the product of my own hands."
"Excellent. Sariel here would like some help picking out some new clothes. And..." Sasuke paused momentarily, his usual stoic mask tightening for a moment before pushing on, "Some underwear."
The brunette smirked, one eyebrow raised as she glanced between the two mischievously as she eased back to her practiced casual tone which seemed almost custom-made for attracting customers. "We would be happy to help, sir," Violet finally replied after a beat, seeing that Sasuke's expression remained unchanged.
"I do have a budget," Sasuke told her, "I want to see what you come up with whatever I can get for this." he placed a pouch of money on the counter. It sounded all too heavy, and the way Violet's smile stretched seemed to indicate that she had noticed. "For now, that is, I may come again soon if the need arises and if I find your service acceptable by my standards."
Sariel's head whipped around to look at him, not that she knew he could sense that since she was behind him. She did not know if he was being serious or not, but if he was, then that meant he was for whatever reason promising to buy her more things from this place in the future. Unless... there were other women in his life, which was entirely possible. Yes, that was probably it. He probably meant that he would purchase those for other women, not her. He would not buy her more than she needed, that would be absurd, she thought. They had only just met after all, and she was not all that important to him surely.
She realized then how little she knew of him.
"Is that so?" Violet asked skeptically, sizing him up again. Her fingers tapped the wooden desk between them.
"Hm" Sasuke gave his trademark grunt, standing straight with a single raven eye that remained unwavering as it stared right back at Violet. There was a long stretch of silence in which Sariel grew uncomfortable. She hoped there would be no trouble on her behalf.
"Very well, sir." the vendor finally said evenly as she swiped the rather small pouch of coins that he had put down, feeling its weight in her hand. There was a twinkle of excitement in her eye. "I accept the challenge."
"Hm." the raven-eyed man grunted again, sounding pleased. "Now, I do have some other errands to run. I trust you would take the utmost care of Sariel until I return?"
"But—" Sariel started to say, worry washing over her like a flood that threatened to drown her.
"Of course," Violet assured him. "We will take very good care of her. And when you come back for her, I'm certain you'll be wanting to return here for more."
"We shall see," Sasuke sounded unimpressed. He turned on his heel and went up to Sariel, who was looking very much as if she was going to break down in the middle of the place. And in fact, she was definitely feeling that way as terror gripped her that he might be abandoning her here with these strangers.
"You're... leaving... me...?" she said, sniffling and choking back sudden tears. She did not know why she was abruptly crying. How did she get so attached so quickly?
Here she was thinking about trying not to be too needy, and now she was being so incredibly needy. But she could not help it. Somehow the thought of him abandoning her was too much to bear and her heart simply broke. He had saved her, the one human to have shown her kindness and compassion, to have treated her as something more than property or a tool, and to be rejected by him would be worse than him not ever having saved her in the first place.
His face was unreadable as he stood in front of her, and she braced herself for whatever harsh words he might have to say, but then he reached out and poked her forehead again with his fingers. It felt really good and she found herself relaxing as almost as if he had embraced her and was stroking her hair. She sniffed and rubbed her eyes with her hands.
"I promise would be quiet, Sariel." Sasuke spoke, almost as if he had read her eyes. "Stop worrying so much. Did I not come back every time I went out yesterday?" he said so quietly that only she could hear.
She nodded, her eyes dampening for reasons unknown as if a burn had been removed from her very soul. Why did she feel that way when she herself was more than confident in her capability to keep herself alive?
"I just have to take care of a few things. I promise to be back soon. In the meantime, this lady would help you get what you need. You would be safe with them. You do trust me, right?"
She nodded again, though she continued clutching his sleeve tightly, and he made no move to push her away.
"Is everything alright, sir?" asked Violet carefully from somewhere behind Sasuke.
"Yes. Everything is fine," he said calmly, "She is just not used to being on her own in public."
"Aw... how precious," came the reply. "We'll take good care of you, Sariel. Don't you worry about a thing!"
Sasuke finally made to pull away and Sariel could only reluctantly let him go. "See you soon." And with one last look at Voilet, conveying that they better take care of her or else, he walked out into the rest of the market.
Sariel held her hands together and shifted uneasily as the other woman came up to her.
"We've got our work cut out for us," said Violet as she looked the still sniffling and timid platinum-haired girl up and down. "Let's get started."
Sasuke worked his way through the morning crowd at the market, walking with a purpose. Soon he found himself among some food stalls that he recognized from yesterday and he purchased a few items with the money that he had at hand- after purchasing clothes for Sariel, he was down to about three million berries.
Almost casually, he placed his purchases and his money purse into one of his hidden shinobi pockets, grateful that he had such a thing. It was so very convenient and clearly one of the greatest ninja inventions that Konoha had produced making space management almost a trivial concern.
With that errand out of the way, he now focused on the big task at hand. He walked back towards the north end of the market and then left the market altogether, passing by the Town Hall and weaving left and right through a few streets until he was somewhere between the market and the Commerce Guild. There were not too many people about in this area at this time of day. And then, when he rounded a corner and saw that nobody was within sight, he simply vanished into the shadows using a clever trick of light which was standard amongst shinobi.
He did not go anywhere afterward, however. He simply stepped off to the side and simply waited, arms crossed as he leaned against the side of a building. There was a man following him, and based on how pitifully the stalker had tried to hide himself and mask his presence, Sasuke was able to conclude that the man was no real threat to him.
He did not have to wait long as a man in a grey cloak hurriedly turned the corner, took a few quick steps down the street, and then stopped abruptly. He appeared to be slightly out of breath. His head swiveled around as if looking for something, or someone, and then he cursed. Several times.
When the man turned to walk back the way he came, muttering something to himself, Sasuke calmly walked up to him without making a single sound, and wrapped an arm around the man's shoulders.
The man yelped and reflexively tried to jump away with all his pitiful strength, but Sasuke's arm held him tight and kept him from moving anywhere. The man's light brown eyes were wide as saucers as they stared at the dark shadow with pure raven hair that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
"Why were you following us?" Sasuke coldly asked.
The man's breathing began to quicken as the panic started to set in. And then his hand reached for one of the daggers hidden in his cloak.
"Surrender and you might-" Sasuke began to say, but then the man had already brandished the dagger and stabbed him in the gut, only for the dagger to fail to pierce even the skin beneath his mundane clothes which he wore.
The man's eyes bulged as he strained to push the dagger pressed against Sasuke's gut, but it simply would not pierce through his skin. "How...?" the man asked weakly.
At his level of strength, he could not be anything more than a Seaman First Class who most likely worked for an intelligence department that had probably recognized Sariel because of a classified arrest warrant.
He was not anyone relevant enough to know about their exact circumstances, but this meant that information about Sariel and him had already spread to the government. They had most likely ordered every officer in the vicinity to search for them without revealing the exact circumstances and the result was now before him.
"No, I am the one asking questions here, not you." Sasuke coldly stated, and then sighed as the man pulled the dagger back and tried to stab him again and again. Sasuke spoke again, almost bored after the fifth time the man tried to stab him. "This is not going to work no matter how many times you try. You are not strong enough, perhaps if you were actually a ranked officer."
"Th-This... can't b-be... happening..." the man stammered, shaking his head in dismay. Then in desperation, he lunged for Sasuke's throat, only for the dagger to once again be turned away as if his skin itself was made up of iron.
"That is enough," stated Sasuke as he grabbed the blade of the dagger with a firm grip, the sharp edges not cutting him at all, and with a quick twist he broke the man's wrist, since his hand was clasped so tight around the handle, and tore the blade off from the hilt with ease. He casually flung the blade into the nearest stone wall, the metal embedding deep into the stone with a small cloud of dust, and a web of cracks emanated from where the dagger was now buried.
"Ahhh!" the man yelled painfully as he gingerly clutched his now broken wrist with his other hand. The hilt of the useless dagger clattered to the ground. "Y-You broke my wrist!"
Sasuke extracted his arm from around the man's shoulders, spun around, grabbed a fistful of the front of the man's cloak, and seeing that there was still nobody around, jumped.
The two of them disappeared in the blink of an eye, reappearing a little over five meters feet above the city. The wind gusted loudly, buffeting the man but seemingly not affecting Sasuke as much. The cloak worn by the avenger was moving as if it were being gently touched by a simple breeze, and Sasuke appeared to be perfectly at ease despite their surroundings.
"What the hell?!" cried the man, bewildered and very much afraid. He was looking frantically around, his hands suddenly scrabbling and grasping at Sasuke's arm for dear life as he became acutely aware that they were now somewhere very high up.
In a single jump, Sasuke had leaped across more than a thousand meters and reached the skies themselves. It was a strength almost unheard of for such a low-ranking officer who had probably only worked on administrative support, the fact that he was so scared by a feat that Rear Admirals could casually perform only confirmed his theory.
"We are a few thousand meters above the island," Sasuke informed the man casually as if he were speaking of the most normal thing in the world. "Comply with my demands and I might just let you go."
His tone was level and no emotion was visible on his face, but on the inside, his mind was reaching. The hypothesis that a search warrant had already been issued for him also implied that the marines already knew where he was and were most probably preparing to strike as soon as backup arrived. Sasuke remembered that two strangers had been observing him in the inn and he cursed.
Someone must have seen him enter the inn with Sariel, which had apparently been enough to attract the attention of CP0 and the marines. The fact that even reserves meant for auxiliary support knew of him only indicated how grave the entire situation truly was.
"This isn't real. This is not real. This isn't real..." the man kept repeating to himself over and over as he shut his eyes tightly.
He had been careless; he never should have stayed in a single place for more than a day and he should not have allowed Sariel to be seen anyone. But then again, she would not have survived without proper rest and treatment and going by how quick the response was, chances were that the Government would have found out about them anyways even if he had tried to be more discrete...
"The terms are simple enough." Sasuke continued, a menacing smirk slowly spreading across his face as he ignored the minor panic attack his actions seem to have caused. The man whimpered. "I would ask you a question, and you are going to answer"
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! P-Please do not drop me!" he pleaded, tears streaming down his face. "Please! I will... I'll tell you anything! Anything at all. I'll do anything you want! Name it!"
Sasuke sighed, looking almost disappointed, and began his interrogation.
Sariel was poked, prodded, and measured by the woman who seemed needlessly enthusiastic— embarrassed and ashamed all the while as the tailoress casually remarked on her body as if she did not think Sariel could hear, or perhaps she thought she would appreciate what they were saying. She did not. But she quietly endured and cooperated whenever needed so that she could get this all over with.
Surprisingly, she did not feel as apprehensive or as angry being alone with this human as she thought she might be. Whether that was because Sasuke had seemingly trusted them with her, or because she was a woman and therefore not at all like the terrible and cruel men she had interacted with at the farm, the Lunarian was not sure. It probably helped that she did act friendly enough.
When they were finished, the Lunarian breathed a sigh of relief and was given a moment of respite as the older woman went to gather a few specific items from their stock that Sariel was supposed to try on and see if she liked. But when she came back the Lunarian was left with her, who fidgeted uncomfortably under the intense gaze of said woman.
"So, you need underwear, huh?" Violet asked with a mischievous grin.
Sariel gave her wide-eyed a nod. She did not anticipate where this was going.
Violet's grin inched wider. "What happened to your old underwear?"
Sariel's face was beet red as she shook her head. She did not trust herself to speak and she was so embarrassed that she had to resist the compulsion to run away and hide under her bed in the inn.
"Something happen to them...?" the older woman trailed off and Sariel did not like what she was insinuating. Vela's grin improbably widened further at the girl's reactions. "Was it him? Did he... destroy your underwear?"
Sariel spluttered and shook her head vigorously, looking simultaneously aghast and embarrassed. "N-No!" she managed to say rather forcefully. "Th-That's not-"
"Oh, so you can speak? Come now, dear. You can tell me. I can keep a secret," the woman interrupted Sasuke's attempt at explaining her situation, licking her lips, her tone conspiratorial. "I bet he's quite the man in the bed-"
"Epp!" Sariel's cheeks reddened even further, as an assistant came in and placed a pile of clothes on the desk upon her return from scouring their inventory. Violet looked almost pleased with her reaction, her grin widening but sensing her discomfort she did not further pursue the matter. Sariel thought she was about ready to die from embarrassment and silently thanked the woman for her timely pause, though she wished that she had been even faster. Not that it mattered now.
Violet continued to speak after a moment, "Anyways, I've got a few things that'll look great on you. You would like them! I think, hopefully. Anyway, the fitting room is in the back of our privacy tent. Are you ready to try them on?"
Sariel hurriedly grabbed the pile of clothes that the woman had picked out and made her way toward the fitting room without saying a word. She really hoped Sasuke would not take too long to come back.
What followed was perhaps the most strenuous hours she had experienced since her saviour had freed her…
The two women once again gazed at each other, after having spent several hours now trying dressing her in all manner of clothes as if she were some life-sized dolls. Violet had first fixed up her hair, which she apparently thought was rather pretty, and it now fell straight as a platinum waterfall onto her shoulders, where it pooled and cascaded down her back.
But then she had tried getting her to actually try on these dresses and show them to her.
That had been a challenge she still could not overcome, and a big surprise. They had to practically chase the girl down as she repeatedly refused that they touch her cloak at all, despite their assurances that they were only trying to help her and that they were not trying to do anything bad to it.
If she had not been so thin, then she might have destroyed the entire shop trying to escape Violet's grasp considering her attempts to get a hold of the girl. Unfortunately for her, Sariel was leagues stronger and faster than she could be and the end result was that the Lunarian girl quickly hid herself behind one of the bigger racks of clothes faster than Violet could react, covering her ears up and seemingly folding in on herself on the floor.
Then she proceeded to whimper and looked at Violet with a gaze that made it seem as if she was begging her them not to hurt her. Violet could only share a sad look with herself as she spent the better part of an hour talking to the poor girl and coaxing her back out. When Sariel finally did calm down and came out of where she had been hiding, the cloth vendor who also worked as a tailor also had to prove that she was not going to hurt her or treat her any differently than how she already had. After calming her down, Violet asked her several questions that, while uncomfortable, were something she needed to know.
Questions such as if Sasuke was her master or if he had been abusing her or treating her poorly in any way, something that the Lunarian had vehemently denied. Apparently, he had actually saved her from such a life, and that had relieved Violet.
They took things a little slower after that, and the tailor seemed to be even more willing to spend her time and effort getting the best outfits that suited Sariel. And though Sariel continued to barely speak, she seemed to at least be a bit more comfortable in their presence. That was significant progress considering how everything had started off, and how the Lunarian was almost certainly holding a deep mistrust and fear directed towards all humans not named Sasuke in her heart. Something that was unlikely to be shaken off so easily.
"Yes," Violet grinned approvingly, sweeping a critical gaze over the Lunarian, "I think this will do nicely, but more importantly, what do you think, Sariel?"
Sariel looked at the outfit Violet was holding and could scarcely believe how much life had changed for her, she who used to be a slave just days ago but was now looking over dresses and shoes. The one which Violet was pointing towards was a simple white form-hugging dress that puffed out more below her waist. The dress was long enough to go went to a bit below her knees and had long sleeves of white lace which would have shown some of her pale skin beneath the intricate flowery designs, giving her an almost elegant, ethereal look.
Over the dress was a leather corset dyed a royal blue with a pattern of thin gold stripes running vertically. A leather strap of resembling blue rounded over each delicate shoulder and attached to the top corners of the corset on either side, making it look almost like a brassiere - except the corset was not meant to go over her breasts, covered as they would be by the white dress.
"I like it," Sariel hesitatingly admitted, with the barest of smiles as she continued to admire the dress.
Violet placed the other outfits she had decided Sariel would bring back with her into paper bags for easier transport. The vendor looked tired, her efforts having taken both a physical and an unexpectedly emotional toll.
"Then why don't you try it on, it'd look good on you." Violet urged, her eyes practically sparkling as she urged her customer for what seemed like the thousandth time.
Usually, her customers were more than eager to try on her dresses which she had so meticulously selected and prepared, increasing the popularity of her shop with its high-grade customer service which she personally took care of, and also providing her ample entertainment which helped her pass her time.
But for some reason, this shy girl, who was also the cutest customer to grace her shop seemed more than hesitant to try on her clothes than any other person she had seen before. But then again, she was also the most troublesome customer that had ever graced her shop in a while.
Never had she seen any person as difficult to handle as Sariel, who at times seemed to resemble a shy kitten hiding inside the corners of her shop whom she had to patiently with gentle words coax out time and time again to get anything done.
It was frustrating in a sweet way, but the results were more than satisfying. Her reactions to teasing could not be described by anything other than the word cute.
"Sasuke-san would be quite pleased by this dress, don't you think?" she asked in another attempt to get Sariel out of that boorish cloak. "You should show it to him."
"Um…"
Sariel finally hesitated for a single moment, and Violet almost cheered in triumph as her customer showed signs of compliance for the first time since entering the shop. But her excitement was short lived, as Sariel vehemently shook her in denial almost as if trying to remind herself of something important.
"I must not…" she finally ended up whispering, after a thousand different emotions Violet could neither understand nor comprehend as flashed through her face.
"Oh, come on!" Violet almost pouted in frustration, acting in a manner unlike her age as she reached out in a pitiful attempt to try and drive her customer toward the changing room. Her hands unknowingly grazed her unguarded back…
Oh…
Violet felt two soft bumps as her hand barely grazed the back of Sariel who jumped back when she realized what exactly had happened. She almost could now understand what had happened.
There were two huge protrusions growing from Sariel's back which were hidden by her cloak and suddenly everything seemed clearer than it was before, as it all started making sense to her—
Oh….
But while for Violet it was just a normal touch that revealed the answers to some questions that had been troubling her, for Sariel that simple act almost broke her world.
Perhaps these nice conversations had broken down the walls of caution which had always or perhaps these days without her masters made her forget what a moment of carelessness could cause. She could not remember how or why it had happened, but the very fact that it did broke her small happy world.
It was not as if she was not aware of what might happen if the worst came to be.
It already seemed as if it were already a distant past, a world long gone where she and Violet enjoyed that pleasant fleeting relationship. She had let a human discover her secret and there was only one kind of shock worse than the totally unexpected- the expected for which one had refused to prepare.
Her heart continued to beat, but against a chest that felt hollow. Her amethyst eyes continued to see, yet the world that was so close around me seemed far away. Her mind began to shut down, unwilling to think anymore. Perhaps this was what shock meant, but Sariel was not really sure.
Being rescued by Sasuke, she had almost forgotten. But she was now reminded with startling severity about the truth of the matter. She had always been vulnerable, never safe, never capable of complacency. Hunger and death and endless, meaningless violence.
Everything seemed so hazy…
BOOM!
A single shockwave tore through the entire island at that moment, and every piece of glass in the town broke as a force equivalent to a meteor crashing into the earth from the heavens above exploded outwards.
Suddenly, there was an enormous roar of sound, the loudest bang that the residents of this town had ever heard. It blasted and bored its way into anything in its path. When the sound sheared through the island it was not with the gentleness of a summer breeze but the power of a nuclear-blast shockwave.
It moved over the small town with more ease than a wave over the sand, reducing the windows of generations to shards and tearing the eardrums of many as with the casual ease of human breathing. It was an event seen with more than just the eyes and it was over in a single second.
Sariel trembled, and when she opened her eyes, she saw that her small hand was caught by another larger one— one that belonged to her saviour.
The large hand covered hers perfectly, the smooth skin of the man felt strange against the rough textures of her caused by calluses formed over years of hardship. His hand was much warmer than hers and the heat seemed to rush into her, lightly dusting her cheeks, and driving away any cold doubts she had.
As if struck by a thunderclap, Sariel felt her wings twitch and her knees grow weak.
"I do not know what exactly happened, but I can assume enough of it through simple observation. His voice just as always seemed so calm and collected and just hearing it drove away the haze that had taken over her mind. "Given your reaction, I imagine that she became aware of your wings, did she not?"
Then she was clearly able to see what exactly she had done with these hands of hers. One misstep was all it took, and it all came crashing down. And it was as if the world was right there waiting for it—eager and ready to bury her in the wreckage.
The elegant furniture which was meticulously chosen was now broken and wrecked into shattered fragments of no value, the large decorated mirrors which no common man could have bought were practically gone, and the beautiful clothes were ripped to shreds as sharp shards of broken glass had torn holes through them.
The entire shop which was once so bright and radiant was now torn as if a wrathful God had unleashed his divine judgment upon it. A wrathful god in the form of a platinum-haired woman.
And the worst part of it all was the purple-red bruise which was slowly becoming prominently visible against the pale skin of Sasuke's hand. A bruise that would swell. From experience alone, she could tell that the bones of his hands were cracked…
Just that single clash had broken Sasuke's hand— a minor fracture caused more by the awkward angle of the clash rather than the impact itself but to her, it felt as if it was her heart that had broken instead.
"Umh…"She whimpered once again…
"A tap at a certain bundle of nerves situated at the backside of the neck would have induced acute amnesia more efficiently than a concussion could have." Sasuke spoke again, practically ignoring his own injury as his eyes carefully took in the destruction he had caused. "That punch would have sent her straight to the Heavens above, both literally and metaphorically."
"You were too reckless and acted out of impulse but I also should have been more careful." Sasuke chided both himself and her in the same breath, glancing at the unconscious Violet who had mostly been protected by his back and seemed unharmed aside from the single droplet of blood that slowly trickled down her head.
Sariel found herself rooted to her place— dumbfounded and unable to speak. She found no anger in his voice.
With a single motion of his wrist that Sariel was barely able to follow, a heavy black pouch appeared atop his mismatched hand which Sasuke carefully placed above the unconscious woman before picking up the plethora of clothes she had painstakingly spent hours collecting.
Another series practiced actions, so methodological and so elegant that it almost seemed a dance to her and the clothes which had been so painstakingly selected for her were now gone. Packed inside another black bag no larger than a hand purse which noblewomen were so fond of.
It seemed almost inconceivable, but then again so was everything else about this man. Her sharp amethyst eyes once again trailed towards the heavy black pouch Sasuke had placed on Violet and they saw something round and golden shine inside.
"I would teach you to control your own strength and deal with such situations later. But for now, we need to leave." His eyes narrowed as if what had happened did not mean much at all, "The marines know where we are."
Sariel barely even had any time to find her voice and comprehend his words, before Sasuke swept her off her feet as if she were a princess in one of those fairy tales that her mother used to tell her during warm nights.
"Eep!" she tried to protest, she really did but heat rushed to her cheeks as she was held by Sasuke, once again dusting her cheeks pink as all resistance instantly escaped her and she leaned ever so slightly against Sasuke's chest. It was…
With a single jump, they took off once again, leaving the small island behind in mere seconds as they headed towards a destination Sasuke had only dreamt of.
It was a place that he had only heard of in stories and legends, a destination whose location he had most probably imagined. Chances were he would find nothing but open seas and vast oceans if he took this risk. But foolhardy though it may be, he had to investigate...
There were legends in Skypiea about warriors using Mantra to see the future and it was about time Sasuke put them to the test.
Thanks for reading.
Oda in the latest chapters has blown away my expectations. We got important facts about the Void Century, the relationship between Dragon and Vegapunk, and how roughly strong the Seraphim actually are. It was awesome.
Also, some members have been raising concerns that too many OCs might spoil the story which is true if done carelessly, and I want you to know that only some of them would be characters not from One Piece, not the majority.
Questions about Sariel's looks were also asked and I cannot exactly describe how she looks beyond what I have already done without writing an entire paragraph. So, to make it simpler she resembles Okita Alter from Nasuverse— just with amethyst eyes and black angelic wings.
As for her strength, well at her strongest- she can break Sasuke's hand when he blocked her punch so even now, she is high up there. Before you all complain, I know the power levels of my story. Sasuke would beat her in a fight with zero trouble. The awkward angle was what broke his hand. Consider that he practically blitzed her when he appeared out of nowhere before Sariel could react, though she was confused at that time. This Sasuke is currently chakra less and at his weakest.
It is confirmed multiple times in Naruto that chakra boosts physical strength and this is a basic ninja move used throughout the series. Chakra augmentation is real, and aside from charka cloaks, eight gates, and medical ninjutsu— Sasuke and Kakashi are the most obvious examples. No, I would not cite where they do this, go read the manga you lazy fools:)
This was a short arc and we got a crewmate out of it. I would build her character as the story progresses, and her backstory would be one of the many reasons behind Sasuke becoming an Emperor. She plays an important role aside from being an eye candy as many OC in other stories end up becoming.
Sasuke was using Soru at the begining. Aokiji was talking to the head of CP0. And yes, the dream Sasuke had was indeed a future shown to him by observation Haki.
Your suggestions regarding crew members kept me motivated. So please, suggestions to improve and constructive criticism would be appreciated.
I kinda want to write a new OC fic but my mind cannot settle between Bleach, Fairy Tail, and Genshin Impact because I have genuine original ideas for all but too little time for them. I also had thought about a Code Geass X Slice of life anime and a Code Geass x Nasuverse story.
Anyways, I seem to have bored you enough so again, thanks for reading and have a nice day.