A/N:
Vi-Violence: regarding whether dairy products could help when someone was poisoned or not, I'm not really sure about that. I never learn that in school (as far as I remember). So I cant really answer you that. Am sorry
And at the same time I would like to thanx everybody who has been following my story so far. It excites me knowing at least there's some souls enjoy this eventhough I am very terrible at being punctual in uploading new chaps. And I know there are lots of mistakes here and there, but trust me I really try my best! The stories sound better in my brain than how I depict it, but the reason must be on how I wrote them. Shame... Wish I was very good in english.
9. Mirra, the Silent Killer
I just want to trust somebody again. Anybody..
Law dreamt of fire raining down like falling stars.
Standing on the pieces of crumbled building he watched as the once beautiful and pristine white country turned to ashes. Everything was at chaos. Screams and wails came from every direction, feared for owns life, feared for the chasing death. The fire that burnt everything and still licking whatever it can reach stretched as far as his eyes could see, and even beyond that he knew at the other side is burning like hell too, because he could see the sky is painted in red and orange. And that's something that's not usual to be seen.
Law attempted to reach out his hand to the running people that passed him, to offer any help that he could give, to get the answer of what is going on here. Eventhough he already knew what was it. But even so his hand failed to grab anyone, to save anyone. It simply passed through their physical bodies as they continue running with screams at the top of their lungs.
Why? Why can't he touch them? It was like he's invisible. But he can see his body very well. Opaque and not lucent. But everyone couldn't. So why?
Law knew whatever he attempted to do is useless. He'd reached this conclusion ever since he'd dreamt this for far too many times; he'd lose count of it. The worse thing is that this felt like some sort of a punishment, that he's not sure if he deserved it. He thinks he doesn't deserve this. Because he is one of the victim too, just lucky to be escaped, so why this memory kept haunting him? This isn't fair. He's only allowed to see, stand and try to do something that will fruit to nothing. And he will not just stuck in one scene, of where people are screaming and running, but there were more of it, which will transitioned by itself. Like a film roll played by a den-den movie projector.
And right now, in front of him, marching across the Flevance streets are an extermination crew; wearing beige-coloured suit, gas mask strapped on their faces and weapons fully loaded, with the bullets chasing after the fleeing civilians. More screams and agony filled the air, and the only thing Law did was swallowing his saliva thickly to control himself.
The scene left to a new one, bringing him to a situation of where his helpless kid self watched his parents's body laid soullessly, just got shot. The blood was still fresh, pooling and soaking their clothes from where the bullets had hit. Someone heard his cry and headed to him, so he broke through the window glass to run away. He found safety under a bridge. Once he was sure no one was after him anymore he came out of it, - mind clouded - dragging his feet to get back to his house. Unfortunately on his way he bumped into the dead bodies of his school friends, scattered on the road. Every, single one of them. No mercy, no pity. Not even one was sparred. And they were only kids! Like him!
The sister, oh even that sweet sister that promised him that helps were in the way was dyeing in nothing but red, arms curled around a little girl giving her the most protection she could give. His knees buckled, and his tears never stop rolling.
Law stared at the back of his helpless weeping child version. He clenched his teeth tightly for the worst is yet to come, which, as speaking of it, changed to the said scene bringing him and his kid self to their house - also big enough to be the hospital in the city -, of which currently turned to nothing but ashes that there's no way anyone inside could survive. Again, and just like how his little heart couldn't take it any longer, he kneeled, pushing the brim of his hat down to hide his eyes, as he screamed for his sister's name.
Lami, will never be alive inside.
The scene slowly getting blurry, noise losing the sound and white patch growing from the center, getting bigger and bigger with increasing blinding brightness forcing Law to close his eyes. As he started to leave the haunted realm his consciousness bringing him back to the reality, where the first think he heard was the familiar beeping sound coming from his machine. His mind internally sighed, at the thought of finally leaving the reoccurring dream. There's no point of sleeping if it will only play his nightmare over and over again.
Law cracked an eye open, grateful that the brightness of the room wasn't too suffering, set at the right level for his eyes to accept after hours (maybe?) shutting down. He blinked few times to chase away the haziness he felt. Still light-headed and weak, he resorted to keep staring at the ceiling and not to be in rush to move.
As he thought to himself, I'm supposed to be in the cave with burning fever, he's lost at recalling his memories. How did I end up in my own infirmary room?
His train of thought was interrupted as he heard the sound of a flipping paper at his side.
"Congratulations, sir. You're alive."
And the voice of the female that he'd gotten used to greeted him casually.
Law craned his neck slightly to her direction, seeing her is sitting on a chair that has been pulled to his side with one of his medical books in her hands. She'd slipped a small coloured paper in between pages, closed the book and stood up, glancing at the monitor next to him before nodded in approval.
"I'll get your crew." She said lightly and turned.
But Law was quick to grab her wrist and stopped her.
It had startled her, and she had jerked her hand slightly but stopped midway when realizing who it was. Law had saw the slight panic painted in her eyes, though it diminished immediately when meeting his, and he was contemplated of whether to let it go or ask about it. However his mouth had acted first before his brain could consider anything so rather than asking about her he asked about himself.
"What had happened to me?"
Mirra looked straight into his eyes, and turned to fully face him again. Law let her wrist go, disappointed at the losing warmth from his cold fingers but he ignored it.
"You were poisoned by Barith, Tra-san. I managed to create an antidote, but I'm not truly sure if you have fully cured from it. You might need to carry out the test on yourself since you're more expert in this area."
Law'd heard her clear, but what questioned him is had her voice always be this gentle, sounded so smooth and/or silky? On top of that, there's a pair of yellow-white shaded wings on her back, and a bright yellow halo on her, reminiscing an angle. What's going on here?
Law opened his mouth to speak again, at the same time blinking few times but after the third blink he noticed that the wings and the halo had disappeared, replaced with the view of her figure in his signature yellow-black hoodie. His jolly roger looking proud on her front.
Wait, my hoodie?
Law lose what he supposed to say as his eyes glued to his cloth on her body.
Mirra looked at him worriedly, cocking an eyebrow telling him to continue and speak whatever he wanted to speak but as she saw that he's not reacting to her question she looked left and right, unsure of what to do, while caressing her neck. At the end she decided to leave to get what she originally intended to get.
Law watched her retreating form, blinking few times in confusion as to make sure his eyes aren't playing tricks.
So many questions in his mind. What'd actually happened? How's the enemy's side? Who'd won and who'd lose? Is his crew okay? Any fatal injuries? How could he'd been sleeping when his crew most likely hurts and injured? And his clothes… His hoodie… Who let that girl wear it? He swore if any of them purpo -
Law snapped from his thoughts when he heard rushing footsteps heading to the room he's currently occupying. The thumps of their boots echoed within walls and throughout the hallway, until the door banged open harshly, crashing against the wall behind as many mouths spoke - scream in a high pitch voice - at the same time.
He woke up to a sitting position, entertained by his crew trying to enter together resulting in pushing and shoving on each other faces, and getting their limbs tangled. He sighed watching their antics. Despite appreciating their worries and cares he'd actually preferred them all to be more cautious and calm down so they won't worsen whatever injuries they'd gained so far. But he'd no energy to tell them to stop. Nor giving them his signature glare.
Thankfully in between the chaos the crew started to back off (or being forced so) judging by how their bodies suddenly slide backwards away from the door, (their faces utterly in surprise), as they got pulled by the legs and were tossed away eliciting whacking and wincing sound. Once the door completely empty Bepo and Penguin quickly made in and locked it, sighing in relief of what they'd did to their friends.
Law waited for them to get closer while watching them taking their breath to calm down.
When they're by his side and he looked up at Penguin to speak he was suddenly shoved to the older's chest, embraced in a hug. Penguin's arms coiled around Law's neck pressing him more to his chest, and restricting Law's air entry without him noticing it because he was busy streaming salty water through his eyes.
"P-Penguin…." Law grumbled at being suffocated.
"Dammit Law, you almost die. You could've died! I can't believe we almost lost you!"
Penguin tightened his hold and Law staggered backwards, palm pressing against the bed on his back to stabilize himself.
Bepo meanwhile had ploughed his paws on his legs, refusing to budge as he also competing with Penguin who can create more river from their eyes.
"Bepo -"
The mink wailed louder and drowned Law's voice as the younger captain cursed to himself.
Law appreciated their sentiment feelings, and care but he didn't appreciate them to suffocate him, and wetting his clothes and pants with their tears. But maybe he could overlook this. Because he almost died, according to them.
Bepo snorted loudly, sucking in his snot while at the same time begging the captain to not do it again, to not ever leave them.
Law couldn't hear Bepo well, because his mouth practically muffled by his pants. So he tried to console him (them) by petting him (them), while all the time mumbling to himself I can't even get what you are saying, Bepo.
Then Penguin suddenly slide down, changing from having his chest pressing against his face to his face pressing against his chest, so he can listened to his proper beating heart because he is having a hard time to face the reality and wanted reassurance that the same heart is still functioning. While Bepo has the audacity to plant his face even more on Law's legs.
By this time a good amount of tears probably already pooled under Bepo's feet.
"Stop crying. I can't hear you two. And someone please tell me what exactly had happened." Law again, sighed, rolling his eyes in the process. Maybe waking up is a bad idea after all. Maybe he should have continue sleeping despite the nightmare.
"You… you were poisoned. According to Mirra-chan, it was Atropa Belladonna and another dose of it could have killed you immediately. And you already on your third dose… If we were any longer late…." Penguin refused to finish his words.
"Yeah? What else? You know I hate skipping points, Penguin. I need the whole story."
"Mirra-san shid her bessh and shull all nighsers shust sho shreate the anshidose!!" Bepo blew his snort.
Law could see his pant spotted few white spots. New pattern. Great…
"Okay, okay, I get it. I almost die. Will you stop cryi - "
A sudden loud bang on the door jerked them all up as they stopped simultaneously from crying and babbling. It's amazing how they ignored his order but reacted at the bang on the door. And the said bang didn't stop there, as a constant pounding followed suit with the door knob rattled heavily.
"Captain! Captain! Are you okay? You guys, open the door!! Open the door now!!!" Shachi's scream could have scared a mama panda across the sea.
Law had first glad that Shachi wasn't here because that man is loud, too loud for his sanity to take and he speak at a very fast rate when he nerved, scared and (rarely) excited. Having Bepo and Penguin by his side now is already hard to control. He can't imagine if the third guy come in.
But his contentment died because the said man is currently at the other side of the door. And before he could stop Bepo from letting him in the furry mink had already by the door, unlocking it and let in whatever feral creature there to bolt right away to him.
As "oommphh" what came out from Law's lip (it was very fast. Shachi didn't even hesitate a second. Even the bear could only feel a strong breeze whipping his fur and a loud cry of "CAPTAAAIIINNNN LAWWWWWW" when Shachi get in) the younger male was almost knocked out back to a dreamland, pushed flat to the bed in messy tangle with the two humans.
Whizzed out air through his lips as he cursed the two who refused to let him go his eyes met with Bepo's, who's looking at him longingly. The fear of neglecting his lovely captain and not to show the same amount of love to him like his other two bestfriends were clearly in his eyes. And Law could read just how much he didn't want to miss the group hug, so he….
"Wait, hold on Bepo. Stay there, don't come here!"
Law's begs are futile as the said bear already skipped steps and tip toed before lunging forward. It ended up with three of them got crushed by a heavy polar bear, with the most injured and sickest patient at the bottom bearing a weight of two men-adults and a freaking monster.
"Get off Bepo!" Shachi shrieked.
"Bepo, I can't breathe!!" Penguin talked with his mouth muffled to Law's torso.
"I sw-wear… I'll kill you three… - whiz - if you won't get up n-now…" Law's eyes rolled behind as only the whites can be seen.
"Sorry!!!" Bepo flattened them even more in an attempt to apologize.
And the three shouted, "just get off already!!!" simultaneously.
Mirra leaned against the door with a small smile, silently listening to their small fights. She then pushed herself off from the door, directing her feet to the kitchen. Now that Law has woken up the crew will be having their appetite back.
She has to get back to her duty again.
- - -
It's midnight, and the ravenette could no longer sleep. There are many factors to it. Part of it was because he had sleep a lot previously when in general he's not a heavy sleeper, second because the burning sensation he felt at the pit of his stomach, even after he'd taken his medicine and settled to toilet twice that evening - prove that the antidote Mirra had worked for him is lacking and he needs to fix it to get fully heal again - and third because the crew's snores are too loud, especially when they combined and resonated together in a certain manner and tune.
Yes, the crew has decided to sleep with him together in the infirmary room. And since the beds are not enough to accommodate all of them at the same time so they laid plain covers on the floor and settled in. Within an hour of sleeping many of them had sprawled away from their original places, infiltrating someone's else bedding and stealing the others blanket leaving them shivering and also feeding each other faces with their feet, if not arms or elbows.
Surprisingly even Xan, the most antisocial person joined in. And unsurprisingly Clione, who is marked as the betrayal is in the same room as well, after being threatened by everyone to stay together to make sure he won't do anything funny again (Clione had begged to not kick him out of the ship, at least until he talk to Law again), eventhough he's far at the other side of the room, alone, because everyone is still mad at him. The only person not in the room is the female, which Law understood why.
He gazed at the empty bowls and glass on the table nearby. Mirra had made him a soup for dinner, and as usual, an edible one. He had never realize he had been so starving all this time when he thought a bowl of it was enough, but he later found himself requesting for the forth round that night which much to everyone's happy.
And Mirra had obliged to give him more.
Thinking that he needed some fresh air, Law pulled out the IV drip from his wrist and made his way between scattered bodies on the floor. He dropped one or two blankets to the ones that got theirs stolen, and fixed those that are sleeping in a posture that will cause their neck get cranky tomorrow morning. He is thinking to use the infirmary room's door to exit, but since Ray is leaning right next to it, he directed his feet to another door which is connected to his personal office.
Law's infirmary actually connected to two other rooms that are separated with two metal doors; one is the surgery room, located behind the infirmary, and another is his office, where he usually locked himself inside to run his specimens and experiments. The office is at the right side of the infirmary, and it is actually accessible through two doors; from the infirmary itself and from the outside like normal.
Upon entering his office he noted not much of the room is looking out of order despite being used by Mirra to create his antidote. The only thing that looked disturbed is the long metal table at the left side of the room. All his experiments and things that he cultivated for medicinal research purpose were pushed to the right side, while the other side is where all Mirra's research things resided. These included papers on information of the said poison, the said dried Atropa Belladonna (the roots, leaves stems, flowers and flowers bud), test tubes containing her experimented antidotes and his blood, and few more other things.
Of all the things Law is more interested on the said papers, so he took it and skimmed over her scribbles.
He could see words like Datura stramonium, Hyoscyamus niger, Scopolia carniolica and few more has been listed before reaching to Atropa belladonna circled in bold bright red ink at the bottom of the paper. He deduced Mirra probably was listing the solanaceous plants that could have poisoned him and reached to a conclusion that Belladonna is the one. The second page contained list of symptoms that he had experienced because of Belladonna, - dry lips, flushed skin, enlarged pupils and high fever with difficulties to sweat - that some of them still affecting him now. And if he includes hallucination as what written at the end of the page then that could answer why she grew wings on her back and has a halo on her head earlier, and also donning his hoodie, because Shachi never said anything about that when he asked about it earlier.
Law then flipped to the next page finding it much more interesting. There are the detailed chemical properties of atropine and scopolamine (the two most important Belladonna alkaloids that responsible to his poisoning) and list and properties of required herbs and ingredients to make the antidotes that she fetched from the doctor's journal, lied at the side of the table among many other things. Law noticed she didn't even refer to any of his books regarding the plants, because he definitely didn't have one. So her knowledge on the said poison questioned him at what else she knows, and why she has such knowledge if she's not a medical practitioner.
….
Or maybe she is, seeing how she could tackle the poison in his body, just that she never tell them that. But that still didn't bode him well because, she'd been handling their food all this time. Eventhough he kept eyes on her there's still chances that she could've poisoned them, finding the right time to drop it into the food. The reason why she didn't do that maybe because she didn't have any malicious intent. Or because she couldn't because she didn't carry any poisons (he'd checked her stuff on the first day he brought her for the treatment, the only thing questioning is the unusual amount of short blades in her bags, excluding those in her boots and strapped around her waist).
But no one can read a person's heart. So is she truly innocent?
Law silently think about it. His next step is crucial and yet he haven't think one. He will be careful in accepting new members from now on, an deal with Clione necessarily later. But as for Mirra who is no one but had threaded a fine relationship with his crew he didn't know whether to let her still stay on board or drop her off soon.
And there's also a problem that there are chances Hiro will become more hostile towards her now that someone had betrayed them.
Law sighed, fingers playfully played with the items on table. His eyes fell on another set of papers that recorded his ECG pattern.
ECG, or known as electrocardiogram is one of his machine that he depends on when monitoring his patients stability in terms of heart beating. It is a reliable technology that useful in hinting type of toxin involved from the specific change in the pattern.
Recalling his discussion with Penguin and Shachi he remembered they mentioned the female didn't know how to read them. So accordingly someone who couldn't read them can't be a medical practitioner. A toxicology then, maybe, meaning she could've played a lot with various poisons and toxins like he played a lot with frogs and sometimes - most of the time when he couldn't test medical exam on an amphibian but a human instead so he catch a notorious pirate that happens to pass him (also with bad reputation of killing the innocence) - for his medical practice, but that doesn't make sense because if she's one then what is she doing here on a pirate ship? She should have been far more interested in having a better place, where she could own her own lab for her tests and experiments. So why love to travel? Why loves to be on the sea?
Law didn't get it. The more he thinks about it the more he's stressing himself. Why? Because he wanted to know, what is her true intention? What is she after? Because he already did the mistake of letting four traitors boarding his ship and risking the lives of his true comrades he's not going to repeat the same mistake. So why?
Releasing the unhelpful sigh he put back the papers on the table, ignoring the next page of which his heartbeat record from electrocardiographic test is written. Again like what Penguin told him, she didn't know a thing about it too. She believed as long as there's up and down in the pattern instead of a flat line with long 'beeeeeeeeeeppppp' screech that means he's alive. Technically, yes. But in the case his heart weakened or too erratic she won't know that pacemaker is needed to fix it back.
And that's why it became Ray, Shachi and Penguin's duty to take turns in watching over his vital rates while she working on the antidote.
Bepo would love to be as much as closer to him like them but someone needed to take the charge to lead the crew when the captain is down so who else if it's not one of the senior members that without opposable thumbs and can't grip most of the small items in the infirmary?
He'd sulked, but he got no choice.
All these things just to treat me, a stranger that happened to help her after being beaten by pirates. Why?
Law pinched the bridge of his nose, silently praying to the universe above to tell him why. That eyebags that he saw when their eyes met no doubt told him she'd done a lot for him. For a stranger. But again, why?
At the end he surrendered, dropping back the papers on the table, making sure it aligned and nothing else is out of his definition of tidiness. He guessed there's no point in thinking about it. If he wants the answer then what is a better way then confronting the owner of the body?
Law closed the door behind him slowly as he walked towards the stair, to descend to his own room. He just reached the foot of the stairs when he noticed the light from the moonlight reflected on the floor. The door to the deck is slightly opened, indicating someone is outside. Knowing obviously who it is he changed his course and climbed the stairs, quietly as to not startle her.
Law noticed the faint sound he heard gradually increased as he got closer to the door. He thought an owl is hooting but it couldn't be since he could hear words within the melody.
~ Running out of air, buried in a sadness~
~Want a way out of this paralyzing world~
He pushed open the door as he slipped out of it.
He saw the female, sitting on the floor next to the railing with her legs out between spaces looking at the sea ahead.
She didn't noticed him.
~When the night is cold, and you feel like no one knows~
~What it's like to be the only one buried in this hole~
Law leaned against the wall next to the door, hands crossed infront of his chest.
~Searching for a way to escape the madness~
~A dire need for change as we fight for better days~
~The hurt and the pain cut deep like a razor blade~
He'd shoved away the fact that she could sing at the back of his mind, deemed it to be not important information.
~Holding in a cry for love~
~Abandoned and afraid~
~When the night is cold, and you feel like no one knows~
~What it's like to be the only one buried in this hole~
Yet Law could feel the emotions lingered for each word she uttered. There's something she wanted, but seems like she couldn't bring it. He noticed.
~You can make it to the sunrise~
~You can make it to the sunrise~
But if she's not gonna say a thing about it then there's no way he could guess. Maybe there's something about her that make him wants to confront her regarding it. But then again, they are strangers. He is a pirate captain, she is a hitchhiker. It is not his duty to know what's going on in her mind.
Even so Law still staying to listen to her singing until she finished. Then he pushed his body away from the wall when it got silent again, and retreated back inside, leaving her alone lost in her deep thoughts.
Whatever the female is feeling, or in sad for, he wouldn't know, unless she starts talking. And that didn't look like an easy task to be done since he himself is known as a bottled up person.
- - -
The next day Law showed up in the galley a little bit late than usual, but still within breakfast hour because apparently Mirra woke up late too - also the rest of the crew - so 9.45 is still considered legit breakfast hour. His presence there however, startled everyone because they still worried of his condition and expected him to be in his bed and they will bring the food to him. They nicely tried to make him to go back to the infirmary or his room, to rest, but the single glare he directed to them immediately put them to shut up and stop nagging.
Do they dare enough to go against their own captain? No, they definitely not.
"Where's Mirra-ya? She's not eating?" the captain questioned as he couldn't find the female among the eleven heads in the room (Clione is sitting far at the end of the table because everyone is distancing themselves from him).
"She said she's not hungry for a breakfast. So she head to the deck just now to hang out."
"I see… get her inside soon. We're going to resume our sail," Law ordered.
Earlier, when Law started to show signs that he slowly adapting to the antidote they have sailed away from the island, leaving the remaining living Gumbos alive despite how much they want to kill them (Bepo threatened them if they go after them and fight and come back with new injuries then they will lick their own wounds because no more medicine he can prescribes to them). Their intention was to look for a town and find a doctor to give him a better treatment, though they are skeptical for getting one with their reputation and names. However when Law woke up on the fourth day, the submarine surfaced, everyone crowding his side and put on hold their mission to find a doctor, unless he says so.
"What about him, captain?" Hiro pointed his thumb to Clione, momentarily disrupting everyone's eating, as they looked at him and he guiltily looked down.
Law stared, eyes never leaving Clione's trembling form before looking back to his food. He took a deep breath considering his decision.
"I'll have a talk with him. And depending on his answer, he either come out alive or we drop him on the next island."
Clione paled.
And the rest chorused "haii~".
The only options available is those two, meaning Law wasn't considering of accepting him back. So that's it. Heart pirates is no longer his home, he gulped.
"Oh by the way, captain, Mirra-san said that she wanted to have a talk tonight after dinner. With everyone.." Bepo informed lightly, not noticing the sadness looming over the traitor.
Law raised an eyebrow telling the mink to proceed telling him why, but the latter replied with a burp instead - apologized in a heartbeat - before shrugging his shoulder.
Law eventually dismissed it with a nod knowing that his navigator didn't know the reason why.
- - -
Dinner went (awkwardly) quiet that night. Aside from clinking sound made when spoons meet with plates, slurping and gulping as someone eat and drink, and the slight humming of the machines that vibrated through the walls, no other noises are made. While all eyes are very focused on their food and the occasional glances will happen as they exchanged among each other, telepathically asking why is the only female in this sub spacing out, and playing with food instead of feeding on it, none of them dared to voice it.
They'd noticed. The signs were there but wasn't subtle.
It'd begun since that morning. As example, Mirra had ignored Shachi's first morning greeting as they bumped into each other at the hallway; she simply telling the red-haired that food is ready ignoring his "hi" and disappeared to the deck. Then she hadn't heard Ray's loud voice calling her from the deck's door telling her to get inside because they wanted to submerge. She was also spacing out reading a recipe book before lunch hour with the book upside down in the galley. And Bepo's small appreciation in a form of a cup of tea wasn't even touch until the content is thrown into the sink.
And now, she wasn't even paying attention to her food, nor anyone in the room as she continue poking the meat. Even Law's deep glare that could be felt miles away wasn't affecting her.
"Mirra-san?"
"Hmm, Bepo? What's wrong?" Mirra blinked as she suddenly felt a paw tenderly brushing her face, where her hair had hung loose being swept to behind her ears.
"Your hair is in the food. You should focus when eating," Bepo said, casually wiping off some of the curry sauce that stick to the strands.
"Oh… thank you."
"Mirra-chan. Is something…bothering you? I heard you want to talk to us?" Shachi took the chance to grab her attention immediately before she started to lose focus again.
Mirra looked up, noticing everyone is staring at her and mostly had finished their dinner, arms crossing against their chest or draped over the next person's chair, waiting for her. Shachi had one of his arm on Penguin's shoulder as he leaned next to the older male looking at her face.
She coughed, dropping the spoon back on her plate as she get up.
"I'll do the dishes first. So if you may wait…."
"I'll help you", V offered without hesitating, and already started collecting his captain's plate.
Mirra didn't have the energy to stop him, so she let it be.
Once everything is done and she had back to the table with Ray serving everyone tea and biscuits she plopped back on her previous seat, in between Bepo and Anko. She declined the offered tea and instead passed it to Anko.
Law, two seats away, opposite to her, had his head bowed down reading a medical textbook with a cup of tea in one hand, which she had no idea when and where did he got that book from, but ignored it not wanted to get distracted. She intended to come clean tonight.
She took a deep breath, battled with her inner mind of her final decision before she released a heavy breathe and looked straight to Law.
"Trafalgar Law, the truth is, I come here with a mission. Which is to kill you. And I don't think I can delay this anymore."
As she watched him slowly lifting his head from his reading the others' quickly reacted.
Chairs scrapping the floor loudly, table slightly shook and a cup tilted spilling the tea until she found weapons aimed at her. Mainly Ray - main weapons are daggers -, Anko and Hiro - had pulled out their short knives from under their breast flap of their boiler suit - had their knives really an inch away from her eye, throat, and for Anko, jugular part at the side of her neck.
Clione at the end of the table is blinking non stop, confused and looking baffled.
"Anko!"
Shachi noticed the knife pressed by the younger drew blood from her neck, and Mirra had flinched. He extended his arm to stop him, but he himself halted halfway when hesitation surfacing.
Was defending Mirra is the right thing when she'd just announced her intention to harm their captain?
But does letting Anko harm their so-called friend is a right thing too, before listening to what she got to say?
"Let's not rush to things guys." Bepo waved frantically, popping Shachi off of his own thoughts.
"Guysss…" Mirra meekly called, paused for a long second as she batted eyes with Law.
Law noticed her twitchy eyes. He knew she's gonna act soon if his crew won't retract the weapons. So he got up from his seat, nudging Hiro and Ray to move and make spaces as he slide in and sit at the chair infront of her.
"Calm down everyone." He waved his hand down signing them to drop the weapons.
"But captain…"
Law stopped Anko's whine, dangerous glare met with a nervous one as the younger reluctantly pulled away, hand trembled from the tight grip of his knife.
Seeing Anko's withdrawal Hiro and Ray, also the rest excluding Shachi, Penguin and Bepo lowered their weapons, but still on feet ready to strike anytime.
"Mirra-chan? What's the meaning of this? Are you… really here to kill captain?"
Mirra couldn't see Penguin's face as he uttered that. The brim of his hat covered most of his eyes but she knew from the tone he was disappointed.
Tired with all this betrayal and killing activities Penguin just wanted a nice, safe and peaceful voyage that has been overdue ever since he became pirate. But even that sounds impossible now.
"I really hope this is April fool so we can all laugh it off, hahaha" Rain solemnly laughed.
But the forced smile on his face dropped as no one reciprocated.
"It's not a joke." Mirra eventually spoke after a pregnant silence. She got up from her sit - immediately everyone except that trio and the captain lifted their weapons again, - went to the kitchen island and fetched a bundle of newspapers at the side of the countertop. She got back to her place, spreading them on the dining table with pages flipped to certain news.
It became apparent to everyone at who - or what - she's pointing at. The figure of a person clad in black, or the censored rotten bodies, or the slight off-camera shots of the yellow daisies next to the limbs on a pool of blood greeting their eyes.
Mirra tapped her finger at every figure of a person clad in black that available, before bringing the same finger to her face as she claimed. "Avoiding my identity from being revealed is easy when I put on a black cap, black cloak and mask over my mouth. You saw the daggers when you saved me last time, Tra-san? Those are my weapon of choice when doing this job. I never use my devil fruit power nor my real blade for these because I don't want to give any hints about my identity."
She paused, looking straight into Law's grey eyes that strongly challenged her to continue.
Law did remember those daggers that she kept in her bag pack when he first saved her. It was indeed a lot considering she already has a longer blade as her main weapon with few daggers strapped around her waist and hidden in the boots. But he'd waved it off on that day and had kept her weapons by his side to prevent her from using them against his crew. So regardless the numbers, it did nothing but raised questions that he never bother to ask.
But now that she'd told him their purposes he was glad that he never give her all her weapons back. There are still some safely kept in his bedroom.
Law casually took a look at the articles laid before him, not needed to reread them again. He's well aware of her assassinations because he'd always keep her as an interesting subjects, among tens of boring news reported by the writers. So he knew how skillful she is, because from the reports, she is able to aim the jugular part of the neck, or the middle between the forehead, or the heart of the victims to kill in one hit. And if the marines couldn't figure her identity till this day then her stealthy skill is a top notch too.
But those are nothing new to him. That's not a problem at all. If she's a blade user only then he can easily defeat her. But if he include her devil fruit power now that he'd witnessed so far then that's a trouble. If he doesn't plan well, he risked the possibility of her freezing everyone if not sinking the entire sub and the crew to the bottom of the sea, herself included.
"I strike you as a smart person that won't reveal your identity, let alone your mission to me and my crew. But seeing you doing the opposite, might as well just cut to the chase. What do you want then?"
"I'm glad you ask. I just have a small favour. In exchange to letting you go Tra-san, help me to kill my captain."
There's no hesitation in her voice but Law was quite taken aback by that.
"Kill… your captain?"
Betrayal is common among pirates, especially when the crew sees no more use of the crew member, or the captain itself which lead to treason. Some are materialistic driven, chasing after the bounty rewards offered by the marines.
And Law didn't like betrayals. It tasted bad in his mouth. Even though he did it once before.
"Why?"
From under the brim of his hat he glared at the red-haired, emitting pressure making the air tensed and could easily be cut with gomu gomu no butter knife.
Mirra realized the man wanted an explanation for such request no matter what. So she brought her hand to her neck, where her fingers played with the top button of her shirt before popped it off.
They moved to the second button, doing the same thing, and went lower to the third, before her eyes shifted to Anko, narrowing them in a warning.
"Would you mind?"
The context is well delivered as Anko flustered, in torn to keep an eye on her or to turn away for some respect. He decided the latter because his mama never teach him to be a jerk.
"But if I find funny business from you my knife will meet your throat immediately," he threatened, before turning away.
The others did the same, either by lowering the brim of their hats to cover their vision or turning their faces away (Bepo excluded for obvious reason and Law only tipped his hat lower slightly, an eye still peeked from under it just in case).
Reaching the last button Mirra turned before lowering down the cloth. She swept away her hair to the front, "you can see now", and uttered it quietly.
The respond was nothing but quiet gasps and deep stare.
"This is a curse mark, burnt by my captain that makes me follow each of his order."
Nothing fancy. Just a mark in a compass design with a skull in the middle and a big arrow passed behind the skull with the tip directed to the South point in between her shoulder blades. A letter of S drawn near the tip in bright red colour in contrast to the rest of the mark which is in black.
"If you did through check on me upon our first meeting you probably had seen this mark, Tra-san. But it must've passed to your mind as a normal tattoo, right? But seeing you never bringing up about the pattern told me that you probably never pry more than the obvious injuries that I got on that day."
"Right… I don't go as far as stripping you off unnecessarily. And that pattern is very familiar. I would've talk about it if I had see it." Law affirmed.
"Cardinal pirate's jolly roger, isn't it?" Ray butted in, looking at Law to confirm his guess. He'd seen it before, somewhere among the bounty posters and newspapers reporting about casualties by them. Personally he didn't like the way the treated the people and bombing everything they passed.
"Yes, and it has been 3 months and a week ever since I leave the crew to carry out this mission. I have to complete this in 3 weeks before returning to them."
She looked behind her shoulder, glancing at each of their faces that full with surprise, anger and sadness.
"The mark does nothing other than inflicting pain when it's being activated. It can't be stop or remove unless my captain does it. It's permanent. But I assume there's another way to remove this mark which is through his death." She continued.
"3 months and a week…Mirra-chan.. That means ever since we met you, you have been planning to kill captain?"
Mirra met with Shachi's eyes, lingered in sadness despite hidden by her shades. She looked away, heart broken while rolling her shoulder to wear back her clothes properly and buttoned up.
"Obviously…" She lowly said.
"So you fake friends with us to get to captain?" The red-haired sighed.
She sighed too, running her fringes between her fingers as she closed her eyes, then turned back to them with despondent, yet guilty look.
"If that makes you guys lowering your guards, then yeah…"
"Then approaching us in battered condition also part of your plan?" V has a finger on his chin.
"There's a bit change. But as long as I get into the sub, other thing doesn't matter."
She said calmly, yet her face soured when reminiscing about it.
"Then you will still be hunting our captain's head?" Bepo perked up with a beady eyes. He needed to ask. He didn't want to lose a friend that is sweet enough to cook his favourite grilled fish and cool him when he's drenching in sweats.
"If that is still my intention I won't be telling you all this right now. I need your captain's help because I can't do anything or run away with this mark on my body."
"Hmmmm but I don't get it. Why must everyone after our captain?" Rain dumbfoundedly scratched his head, stealing everyone's attention as they looked at him with the most incredulous looks that spoke 'even a baby seal knows the reason of it'. Even Clione was looking at him up and down, not wanted to be left from the conversation despite he got a time out and must stayed at the most furthest sit as a punishment for what he'd did.
"Can you at least ask some intelligent question?" Hiro folded his arm, frowning.
"Okay… so who's Cardinal Pirates?"
…
"Are you sure he's your brother?" Penguin pointed his thumb as he looked at the silver haired guy.
Ray shrugged his shoulders, looking back at the younger man with a frown. "At this point I'm doubting too."
"What did you do every time you asked for newspapers?!!" V hollered with fingers twitching desperately wanted to strangle him.
"Well you asked me to hide the crossword section from getting to Anko's hand. So that was what I did."
"What??!!!" Anko gave a sharp look at the mentioned man and he quickly turned away, whistling, feigning innocence.
Ray tried to calm them down as he stood in between them seeing Anko had marched to the latter's side for a brawl. And Rain is still turning around looking for a victim to tell him whose Cardinal pirates and why they targeting Law.
The last person he turned to was Xan and the latter - in his boredom look and monotone voice - told him to "go drown yourself."
"Tra-san. Can you get your crew to calm down and give me the answer that I want?" Agitated, Mirra rested a palm on her hip while she leaned forward, another palm against the table.
"And what answer did you want?" Law parried with a raised eyebrow unhappy with her attitude.
"That… you will help me to kill my captain…?"
"And what makes you think I'll agree to it, Mirra-ya? As a matter of fact you're on my sub, and surrounded by my people. You don't make demands when I'm in power here", Law stood up from his chair and towering above the female. Instantly everyone went silent.
This of course triggered Mirra more as she furrowed her eyebrows. She straightened her back, both hands by her side, - fisted - as she toe to toe against the ravenette.
The crew started exchanging glances realizing that things getting worse. At the same time they are amazed at Mirra's bravery to puff out against someone who is way taller than her.
"Tra-san, you do know we're in the middle of the sea. All I've to do is run amok here and we all will sink to the depth of the sea and die together. If you think I'm just all talk then you can try me."
"That sounds like an order. And I've made it clear I hate being ordered around didn't I?"
Law pressed his palm on the table and leaned forward, making his glare visible to the female.
"Then what would you me to do? Beg on my knees and say please?"
Her eyebrow rose.
Bepo's ear perked, because he noticed her voice increased in octave.
And Law's eye twitched as his frown deepened.
A pregnant silent, with none of the two backing off. The air started to get suffocating and Penguin and Shachi is ready to move into action, to hold back the two in case they started to jump on each other. And they almost believed that that is what will happen until Mirra resigned, sighing and lifted up her arms in surrendering pose.
"Okey, look. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be this bitchy when asking for help."
She resolved to sit back to her chair.
"I'm a bit edgy now that I know I'm nearing the deadline, and I'm seriously didn't want to kill you anymore but I don't know what else to do now."
Law acknowledged the invisible white flag that she pulled. So he retuned back to sit as well as he also decided to let that event slide for this time. Since he'd owed the female for saving him and the crew for few times perhaps he could fulfill her request. Under many rules of his.
"What lead to the change of your heart?"
"Honestly there's no guarantee that I will be given another mission to kill someone that might have the power to stand against my captain in the future. So I don't know when else I can as for help. And I actually started to like your crew," - she looked around at the men's faces and smiled, - "unlike my other victims so I can't imagine myself being hated by them. They're… such a good friend. And I have so much fun spending time with them this three months."
Blushes crept on some of their faces.
Hiro scoffed however. And rolled his eyes.
"Tell me exactly why you want your captain dead, and why had you joined the crew if you didn't get along with them. And what did the mark do to you, in details."
"Well that's a lot to explain. But for starter I wasn't actually wanted to join them. I was forced too. Two years ago I left my island for some journey and had been travelling around, until I entered Grand Line and reached Luna Island and stayed for months. During that time the island had a yearly celebration related to their religion so I joined it with the villagers that I've made friends with. They held a drinking contest one night. I participated, won it but got so drunk that I fell asleep. When I wake up I realized I'm no longer on the island but on Cardinal pirate's ship instead. And I wasn't the only one, as there are many other women around my age, captured and chained." She gulped as she reminisced her idiocy.
"My power allowed me to break free from the chain easily. But I underestimated their strength when I confronted them. Captain has executives, which all have devil fruit powers so fighting them all was really a stupid decision. To cut story short, I was defeated, but my power caught the captain's interest so he burnt the mark on my back, and by force, welcomed me to be part of his crew."
"The mark, then?" Law spoke a bit louder to drown the munching sound at the background that came from his crew, whom had gotten back on their seats and started to pass cheese biscuits to each other. He's a little bit irked to be honest, but he kept it to himself.
"Like I said before the mark will inflict pain when activated. And it is through burning sensation. It acts more like a torture device that captain can activates and deactivates at his own will. When it's activated the mark will be in blazing red, and you can smell something like burning meat in the air. Every one of the crew has this mark. And no one could ever leave the crew or disobey his order in fear of the pain."
All the talking made Mirra thirsty, so she grabbed any nearest cup and drank from it. The attention given by everyone tonight could pass as a bed time story vibe. And even she herself got a little bit tempted by hearing the sound of the crunchy biscuits being munched, so she extended her hand to grab a handful of it.
And unlike the rest of the crew, it seems that only Law and Ray treating the situation seriously.
"Captain, can we ask ques - "
"No. keep eating and shut your mouth."
"Haaaiiii~" a chorus of dissatisfied growl answered him.
Law turned away from them after making them cowered with his frown. And he looked back again at the red-haired that still munching biscuits but had her eyes locked on him pleadingly.
"What is it there for me to defeat him?" He brought his tea to his lips and drink it.
"I'm not sure…. I'm currently riding on your sympathy to agree this. I have nothing to offer. Except for their treasures. One of them is actually good in finding ancient gold so I'm pretty sure their treasures hold lots of value."
Law could feel his crew giving him 'money' eyes. Those dumbasses will bug him to have a statue of mermaid in bronze in the middle of the rec room in no time.
"And also it's a good way to repay back my help in making you antidote," Mirra muttered lightly, trying to make her voice as smaller as she could to sound innocent.
Law glared up, huffing through his nose as he rolled his eyes in annoyance. Of course he heard that.
"And what happen to you if you fail the mission and go back empty handed?" He got back to his original intention of interrogating her, even though he knew the word interrogation doesn't suit in this situation.
"Captain didn't accept failure, so normally he will kill them on the spot."
"So you never fail a mission before?"
"I did, once."
"But you still alive, Mirra-san.." Bepo was confused.
So does everyone else.
"Punishment for failing is different for the executives. We'll be given a second choice, which is called 'Escape Within 24 Hours'. In other word, you fight all the executives and stay alive for the next 24 hours, or at least until each of them are defeated. If you lose, they have the right to beat you until they satisfied. And they don't have to hold back but killing is forbi - wahhh!"
The sudden bear hug she received from Bepo almost took her down to the side, as she barely clutched the table to not fall back, though she's kinda leaning to Anko at the moment. Bepo looked up, face heart broken and she raised an eyebrow not understanding why he's behaving like that.
Bepo immediately backed away. "I'm sorry", apologizing while at the same time pulling her up, before bringing her to another tight hug.
"I'm sorry but that's really sad. It must be hard for you to go through with it." Bepo burg d his cheek tightly against hers, while she went wide eyed. If words can describe what she's feeling at the moment then there's none. She's confused infact. Despite knowing that she's here to kill his captain yet he's still being nice to her… Why? She is nobody else. Why the worry? And the comforting act?
Instantly her eyes gazed down.
I really can't kill them…
Mirra solemnly returned back the hug, hand hang loosely around him while another hand patted him on the head.
If only I know where Ace is, I could ask for his help. Shirohige pirates are hella strong, and I bet Marco-san, Thatch-san and Izo-san won't mind helping me. Or to make it easier I should just ask Shirohige-san's help. A single wipe of his power and everyone will -
"Mirra-ya! Are you listening to me?!!"
Law smacked a newspaper across her face, bringing a satisfying smack sound as the whole crew smirked gleefully.
"What?" Turning back to the fuming ravenette she stopped her patting action as Bepo too, let her go.
"You daydream a lot." He stated in his matter-of-fact voice.
"Well, can you repeat yourself again?"
Mirra could see an irk forming on Law's forehead.
"You don't order me around, Mirra-ya."
…
"Please…?" she lifted her shoulder, tilting her head slightly, and gave a childish smile. Adding the magic word might make the sour puss a little bit happy.
Law sighed pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I said I won't risk the lives of my crew just to save you."
Ah… the taste of rejection. How I wish it would be sweet as a cupcake instead of bitter as a -
"So you need to provide detail information regarding your crew before we start our ambush."
One.
Two.
Three.
"E-ehhh? You are helping me? For real?"
She flinched her head up from keep staring down, bringing her face closer to his in an instant.
Law pulled his signature smirk as he casually leaned forward, closing their distance with a fisted palm under his chin as he leaned against it while another hand held his cup, sipping on his tea, boring deep gaze into her green irises. For a second Mirra got lose in his stormy grey irises before she snapped it back, mentally scolding herself.
What the??? This is no time to admire this yellow skinny noodle spotted hat! Focus to your objective, you stupid red-haired!
"Don't get it wrong. I'm doing this because you saved me and my crew. That's all", the captain placed his cup on the table, eyes closed. He slightly backed away, adding spaces between their faces.
But when he opened his eyes again he noticed she was spacing out.
His smirk dropped as he got irritated.
"Mirra-ya! Stop daydreaming!"
"Huh?? Oh right! Yes, anything you said. As long as you kill him it is more than enough."
She smiled widely, relief washed over her face and Law noticed it. She calmly sat down, the small smile is yet to disappear from her lips as she sighed.
But then she suddenly remembered something, as she dug her hand to the pocket in her pants.
"By the way before we talk more about this", she fished out a small rectangular paper from it and put it on the table.
The whole crew gathered as they started to notice the paper is inching to the left slowly.
"This paper is showing the location of my captain currently. Do you think you can bring me to there, please?" She emphasized the word 'please' to make it sound less like an order, and also to get to a better side of his. She didn't want him to go mad and cancel his promise.
"What is this?" Law's nature of curiosity made him wonder despite making himself look less knowledgeable in front of her.
"I get it if you didn't know about this paper because it's made in New World. This is called vivre card, made from the owner's nail. This card will always move towards the direction of the person. And it also displays the life force of that person. If the person in danger, it will start to burn, and if he dies, it completely disappears." She explained.
"Your captain has been to the New World? Then he must be a big shot!" Anko gasped. But Mirra shook her head.
"He didn't. His brother did, though. And he was the one that made this paper on behalf of his brother and gave it to him. If you ask me, frankly, I'll say that with his power alone he could never survive even a week in the New World. I can't imagine if I was forced to go with them to the New World", she shuddered at the thought.
"That bad, huh?" Penguin asked.
She nodded.
"Anyways, just don't let him touch you to burn the mark, then the rest is easy peasy."
"If that's so, then why don't you kill him while he's asleep?"
"Because this is where things getting interesting. That captain of mine might be weak, but his loyal executives are something else. To get to him, you need to separate the executives from him."
Mirra lightly leaned against Bepo by her side, as she sighed in content at the fluffiness of his fur grazing her skim.
The fluffy bear acted like he could read her mind, so he brought an arm around her frame to give her more comfort from all her trauma while she succumbed more to the infinite fluffiness.
And surely, some of the crew is baring teeth, jealous at the sight because the bear has again, successfully, stole the female's attention.
To be continued
Thanx for reading
- redheaded997 -