A/N: wassup readers guess who's back?? Hahahaha okey I'm just gonna pretend like I havent been gone for so long anf leave this story hanging. Hehe~
11. Cardinal Pirates, the 8 executives
Wait for me...
Maria has been walking around aimlessly in agitation. Her anxiety rose higher when the explosions above the deck getting louder, shaking the ship and even caused cracks and chipped wooden ceiling to fall. The women hurdled together, some holding hands praying for the best while some looked after the injured ones that are currently immobilized on the bed.
She took a quick glance at everyone's worry face, then quickly turning away. She's getting worried. Her habit of chewing her own lips worsen when her agitation rises.
But she didn't want to scare them all. She didn't want to show her worried expression to them all.
She knew they have high hope on Mirra, herself included. But she also can imagine what exactly is going on on the deck, unlike them who'd never watch the fight before. If she can do anything she has already set her foot on it. But she can't. Not in any ways.
Heck, she even already did that once before. When she saw how injured she was and started to lose conscious she had unconsciously ran to the deck and begged them all to stop. But dit it work? No..
Their attention shifted to her instead. Multiple hits reached her crippling body.
Mirra had stopped them, offering her own body as a punching bag and to leave her alone. And they gladly accepted it. Mirra was left in her own pool of blood to stain the deck that until this day hasn't be washed off properly... And it scarred her to death, seeing her soulless eye, but still pulling a small smile telling her she was okay...
It was Maria's first and last time seeing how bloody injured Mirra was.
Mirra seemed to move on and forget the pain.But Maria still stuck in the memories of that night. For the rest of the next four month's nights, Maria kept having nightmares, seeing how Mirra's beaten body stood over her frame protecting her despite staggering and bleeding.
So now Maria didn't want the same thing to happen again. If she is only going to be in her way, causing the red-haired to get beaten even more badly, than she rather stays in the tiny room, praying to the God that she could hold herself until the crew that she talked about come to her rescue. After all, that's what Mirra had asked them to do. Never leave the room, never step into the deck.
Maria believed in fair and justice. And she believed that Mirra's kindness and sacrifices will payoff. All of them, will be freed again.
30 minutes earlier...
Surrounded by the rest of the executives and her captain Mirra crouched down on her knees as the mark on her back seared and burning her skin. She gritted her teeth, bearing the pain at her best while listening to her captain's babble.
"So you are saying, you failed the mission, and dare to come back here alive, again?" The captain, sitting leg-crossed on his usual throne-chair in front of her scoffed upon his sight. He was leaning to the right, resting his cheek on his palm, while his other hand rested firmly on the arm-rest of the cushioned-chair. His eyes never stop watching her trembled body.
He'll never get bored seeing people bowing to him, even by force.
At both of Mirra's left and right the executives sat on their own designated place, four by three, facing each other. She is currently in between of them, kneeling in the middle with the path covered with a red carpet that extended from the door to the feet of her captain. This is the place where the executives must present themselves upon returning from their missions. Bowing to their captain as a sign of obeying him before passing the news, and the other available executives will join as well to hear the report. And it's better to be a good one. Otherwise...
"Do I accept failure?" He darkly asked.
"N-no captain. I'm ashamed for not being strong enough." Mirra pleaded.
"And why don't you die in the mission?"
"I almost die. He left me battered in deep wounds and injuries after our fight. But I somehow managed to survive." She panted. "I tried att-tacking him again on our next encounter, but he caught on my skill and took me out again." Mirra closed her eyes and held herself back, to not scream to the pain.
"Is that an excuse for your failure?" The captain narrowed his eyebrows and the pain increased, numbing her back, forcing her to bite her lower lip more.
"No. It's not..." Mirra's breath ragged. She is at the brink of screaming. She needs a break.
'You fail, then you get tortured, but you need to remain silence throughout the pain', that's her captain's policy.
"Very well."
Immediately she felt the tense leaving her body. Her captain has dismissed the power. And she's very grateful. It hasn't even been 10 minutes ever since he activated it, but it was enough to send Mirra powerless and writhing in pain. What a fearsome power.
"It's good you come back alive. You still have more missions to do. But you know what happens when you fail, right?" The way he mocked almost make her snapped and shoot forward to him, but she hold back, remembering her plan later.
"Yes. I know very well." Mirra nodded, and calmly took a deep breathe. She lifted her face and her eyes meeting with his, watching him pulled another wicked smile.
"Then get prepare..."
The sound of shuffling chairs and the growingtensing air immediately took place after the three words, and Mirra had pulled her own blade, sensing the threats coming. She put on her defense mode, and ready to strike, at whoever jumps on her first.
- - -
"Did you hear it? Mirra the assassin has returned," the pirate said while playing around with the lit cigarette between his fingers. His voice caught the attention of his intoxicated friend next to him, that dangerously leaned towards the railing and risked himself to fall overboard, which will be a good thing anyway.
"That bitch gonna be the one stopping us from getting to the women. Tch!" He sucked hard the cancer stick and puffed the smoke out in irritation.
His friend isn't paying attention to him, busy rubbing and snuffing two leaves together in between his fat fingers. White powder dropped from the gap in between and his dumb lovey-intoxicated face shows how high he is at the moment. Too detach from the real world and nothing is matter other than the powerful drug in his hand. This must feel like in heaven.
Another pirate next to them gulped down a mouthful fully ripe rum, then released a heavy sighed before wrapping an arm around the cocaine-high friend's shoulder, and hic for the tenth time that minute.
"Ya know, she jush killed tens of ushh this eveshing. She was sho f-fast.. They can't see a thing with her asshack." He hiccupped.
They swayed slightly following the gentle sway by the boat.
"Serve them right." The cocaine guy gleefully and pridefully smirked. "We told them."
He felt no remorse for his losing comrades. He dug in for another round big sniff of his white powder. Their death means nothing to him. Rather, he took it as a joke and willingly offered to piss on their graves saying 'I told ya, ya dumbass hahahahaha' and will continue pissing till he got nothing else to piss.
And his laugh spread to the cancer sticks lover as he cracked another joke as well.
"Well they are bunch of idiots anyway. They can easily be replaced and there's always people up for their job. Besides, we already warned them the assassin bitch gonna return soon, yet they still do it openly on the deck. They got what they asked for. To bad they are dead now," the smoker replied, exhaling the poisonous carbon monoxide out of his system.
"Shey are the new reshruits anyways. Shey shon't shnow the danger of our shassasshin, hehe~" slurred the drunken one.
"We don't need weaklings in our group", cocaine guy grinned.
"Busst we're weak againsh her shoo." The drunk slouched.
The smoker guy bite his lips at his attempt to scoff, and the cigarette dropped into the ocean at his hiss.
"That bitch think she can do anything just because she is executive." He pulled out another white roll. "If I get to drug her to sleep, I swear I have her till she mentally breaks down," and he continued, taking another big draw from it.
"Hah! Bullshit! We know you won't dare to do that 'cause you will die on the next day. She will kill you!"
"You're right." He sighed, agreed to his friend. At no way will he ever get into her angry side.
"But I didn't see any news reported a new kill done by her. Isn't she supposed to hunt Trafa- "
Loud explosion stopped them midway and they immediately turned to look at the source. The door to the meeting room located at the left side of the deck was blown apart, flew from its hinge and landed somewhere on the deck. A figure of male, cladded in black shirt flying out from the room, knocked against them unexpectedly.
"What the fuck! Sir Gery, why are you flying from the door?" the smoker,the lucky one that didn't get knocked out unlike the two, screamed.
Then ringing sound penetrated the silent night, like the sound of guns and blades clashing and they stopped everyone's doing and alarming them instead.
Mirra suddenly skidded out from the room, hoped onto the railing and jumped to the deck below, which scared every pirates there. Bunch of arrows suddenly rained down on the previous railing and her current spot, but as quick as she could be she easily dealt with it.
Two, three executives rushed out from the broken door taking their position.
"Shit! Th-the assassin, Mirra!"
"That executives are fighting! Get away now!!"
The pirates quickly try to reach the door to the lower deck to hide, leaving the deck to be their fighting ring.
Mirra sucked in big amount of air into her mouth, puffing out her cheek and blew strong hails and cold hurricane to chasing executives. She clicked her tongue watching them avoiding it at the same time she pulled out a dagger to cut incoming arrows. The archer, Mika, pulled few more arrows into the bow, ready to shoot but Mirra threw her dagger first to her.
The dagger plunged to the wall behind her as she avoided it swiftly, but what she didn't see was the string attached to the its grip. The other end of the string meanwhile coiled around Mirra's fingers.
Before Mika could react, ice formed around Mirra's fingers and chased up the line with such speed, reaching the end of the dagger and exploded into sharp pieces like flower petals, stabbing and scratching her.
Iced-chase, Mirra muttered, letting go of the coil while Mika screamed curses to her.
Mirra turned. One down, six more to -
And a revolver pressed against her temple as she immediately ducked instinctively, before the trigger got pulled.
Mirra glared up, at the same time swinging her leg to drop-sweep Azuma but he stepped on her leg instead, jumping away. Mirra backed away, pulling out her blade and aimed to his face. Blood trickled down from her forehead, getting injured from God knows where.
"That was fast, Mirra-chan~ Impressive... But it won't be fun if you drop dead too early, right?" Azuma cooed, cocking his gun around.
Few more other executives joined to surround her, and each were grinning and smirking with own weapons readied in hands. The rest of the Cardinal pirates that had been lounging around the deck had scurried to safe places, though their heads peeked out interested to watch the fight.
Mirra eyed each one of their faces, mentally calculating the hours left before help will arrive.
Just few more hours. You better don't back on me, Tra-san.
- - -
"Captain, you okay?"
Law blinked, momentarily blank with slightness of confusion before realizing that he has been dotting his pen on a same place causing the ink to bloat and Penguin saw it before called him out. He hasn't noticed he was in trance all this time and he tried to play it cool, clearing his throat as he stole a glance at Penguin then back to the paper to continue writing.
"Certainly," he levelly replied. Bored, pretended to, he ended whatever he was writing on the paper before resting the quill pen in between his index and middle finger. Shachi came from behind, placing a cup of roasted black coffee next to him then slide in on a bench next to Penguin, opposite to him.
Law took the cup by the handle and brought it to his mouth, blowing the heat away before letting the rich taste invading his bud. But he immediately noticed the difference in the taste between Shachi's and Mirra's coffee. It caused him to pause and briefly looked at the drink, staring at it, but because he didn't want Shachi to question his odd behaviour he pretended it to be nothing and continue drinking.
And he's disappointed knowing that he preferred hers over his despite she just been there for 3 months.
Shachi noticed the pause he took, but he didn't say anything about it because he got another thing to talk about.
"Captain, what do you think about Mirra-chan?" And he didn't want to beat around the bush either.
Law placed the cup back on the small plate, the other hand twirled with the quill pen seemingly trying to ignore the question. But knowing Shachi he could be annoyingly persistent, especially when it's about woman so rather than get annoyed he rather answered.
"She will be fine."
Lies... Law actually did doubt she will be perfectly fine on her own with her crew. But if he considers their distance and time needs for them to reach he thinks she will be just fine, to at least not to die yet.
He hoped she wouldn't, and also won't lose his scalpel in the midst of her fight. Who knows what she will do with it. There's chances she might use it as a throwing dart to any of the enemies, or as a last weapon to hold against them. If that truly happens she better pray she is really dead.
"She must have reached the island and meeting the crew now. I'm really worried that she will be called to present herself the immediate she reach. Because there's no way we can reach there before the fight's done." Penguin folded his arms over his chest.
"I know." Said Law.
"Can't the sub go any faster?" Whined Shachi.
And Law released a heavy breath through his nose. He looked up at his two mechanics, that by this time is immuned to his glare.
"You have seen the condition with your eyes. Forcing our Tang to go faster and we risk wearing her out and won't be able to reach the island at all."
"Aaahhhhh why is this happening now?" Shachi wailed, hit his forehead on the table while pulling his messy red locks.
"We better start planning where to find replacement for our submarine's part. Tang won't be able to fully operate at this moment." Law turned deaf ears on his wails as he found his work more entertaining.
Penguin slumped at the reprimand, sliding his body down the bench and tucked his chin under the collar of his boiler suit, sulking.
Yes, their Polar Tang is important. But so is Mirra. She is at least important to the two mechanics, and to a bear navigator. So if Law didn't want to be in part of it it doesn't matter. But he has to allow them to get annoying with their constant wails.
As Shachi got his forehead glued on the table and Penguin's upper body laid on his back both imitating a dying baby seal cries as a protest. The sound gradually increased at certain interval, laped with each other and created something that totally incomprehensible. The problem is it didn't sound like a baby seal at all but more to a choking chicken trying to lay eggs with its head under water. Super duper annoying.
Law closed his eyes, eyebrows knitted and he took a really long deep breath.
"If you are just gonna practicing your dying cries I suggest you go to the bridge. And see if Bepo won't shred your bodies to pieces with that annoying sound."
"But captain! We are worried of Mirra-chan!!" Penguin screamed.
"Yeah! Just like you!" Shachi pointed his finger.
Law's reaction was quick. His eye visibly twitched and his glare intensified.
"I'm not worrying about her. She is capable to hold her own fight, if you guys have forgotten. And you guys better get enough rest so you won't ruin the plan."
Shachi pouted, feeling slightly hurt for their captain to incredulously accuse him. And Peng. Had he forgotten who they are? They are his right and left hands, person with power to give command when he's down, and members of the elite team that only comprise of him, Penguin, Bepo and Law, (established and claimed by himself). There's no way they will screw up.
"Com' on, captain. Mirra-chan might be strong, but she is currently facing six male executives, one female executive and a captain. No matter how strong she is it's already tough to face them eight."
Penguin said while furrowing his eyebrows.
"She got the guts to take my favorite scalpel. She is fine on her own."
"That again? I'm pretty sure your scalpel is fine.." Penguin said.
"Yeah.. Besides she is just using it as a tool to lure you so you will help her regardless what." Shachi added his two cents.
Law stopped writing as he just stared at the paper below. He wasn't reacting aside from the frown that he pulled lower.
The silence now is much louder than the light rumble of the Tang, making the two shifted in worry noticing how awkward it has suddenly turned to. They believed they didn't say anything taboo earlier but Law might have misinterpreted them.
"You two...know where I got that scalpel, right?"
Law said lowly, just enough for the two to hear him.
Fuck... Penguin and Shachi knew they messed up.
"It wasn't just a normal scalpel. It's his scalpel. I can't lose it."
There's hint of loneliness in his voice. And Shachi and Penguin remembered back at the day Law showed them his scalpel for the very first time. The scalpel that he'd been carrying around everywhere ever since they met.
It wasn't their intention to mock it at all.
"We get it, captain. We'll get back that scalpel back to you no matter what." Shachi promised.
"We'll do anything for it." Penguin too made a promise.
When Law heard them he stopped thinking of whatever was running in his mind. He continued going back to work, acting like nothing had just happened and he'd never actually brought that topic.
The two older friends waited patiently, letting few minutes passed in silence to make sure that their captain is emotionally stable. And won't cut their heads for their next question. When they deemed it is fine enough to bring out another topic they started dragging their words.
"Soooooo captain. What are we going to do with Mirra-chan after saving her?"
They watched Law suddenly stopped writing, and a smirk formed on his face as he chuckled, as their eyes slowly met. They saw the glint in his onyx hues.
"I'm extracting her heart right in her face as a lesson for stealing from me." Law effortlessly made the room chilled.
Both whined, dragging Law's name even longer, giving him a disapproval look. The younger captain's smirk dropped pulled into a frown.
Law sighed, hand threading in his hair and he then leaned on his knuckle looking sideways. "Just let her be and let her get her wanted freedom. She has nothing to do with us and we're not keeping her in the submarine any longer. We're just paying her back for her previous help and that's the only thing keeping us in contact till now." He borely said.
"Hmmmm... You remember she said she loves adventure, right?" Shachi tilted his head.
Law hummed, nodding.
"Then let's recruit her as a Heart Pirate!" The redhaired beamed brightly.
Penguin copied his grin, as he smacked the former's back, eagerly agreeing.
"With all this rescue thingy she gonna get indebted and agrees to our request in a blink!" Penguin linked his arm around Shachi's shoulder and they started singing.
"Stop." Law sternly said.
Their smiles dropped, and they turned looking at him in a flash, making him almost believe that they snapped their necks if not for the fact that they are always like that.
"What?"
"We're not doing that. And we're not making her feel indebted to our help. She had saved us once, we are only repaying her. We are even. That's all."
"But captain -"
"If you are going to use the excuse of saving her life as a card to guilt trip her then you're no different from the Cardinal pirates, making her join by force."
Law watched how they shut their mouth, as realization settled in. Guilts showed in their faces though it was hidden by their stupid hats (and shade, for Shachi). There are many things that Law can tolerate in this world. Being constantly disturbed by his two favourite mechanics is one of them. And he resolute to ignore them till they got bored themselves. But this time he's going to stop them from whatever they are planning, and make them realize what is actually wrong with it.
"Loyalty can't be bought. I don't care who you feel like wanting to have onboard. But to join the crew they must willingly do so, otherwise we'll have backstabber like before." Law continued.
His warn reminded them back of what Loki, Kyle, Clione and James had did. Instantly their excitement died, and their lips pressed into a straight line.
"But, we just want her to be part of us..." Shachi bowed his head in shame, lips pouting.
"Yeah... She's fun..." Penguin did the same.
Law studied their sulking face, burning their reactions of guilt and embarrassment to the back of his mind, momentarily giving a thought about their words before continue back to his writing. The scribbling sound sounded louder now that the two mechanics stayed quiet, that Law had wished he'd gotten it since the beginning.
"Captain -"
"I never said anything of not accepting her as our crew." But Law interjected, knowing well what Shachi's gonna say next.
That perked up their attention immediately.
"If you guys want her, and the rest feels fine to have woman's presence in this ship then I can consider. I'll extend the offer to her normally. But whether she accept it or reject is it's her choice. No qualms, no regrets on both side."
Law firmly decided.
The captain noticed something is sparkling in front so he looked up, and saw histwo mechanics' faces shone brightly, very happy, very big smile on their faces. Deadpanned, he questioned the functionality of their brains, but then remembered that they are female-deprived half of the time (another half is pranking-thirsty) so he turned an eye blind.
Law thought the conversation is over so he's back to focus on his work, but Shachi and Penguin didn't give him a break as they kept pestering him with promises and swear in the name of a pirate captain to not backtrack on his words. Irked, he slammed the table loudly, threatened to swap their eyes and removed their vocal cords, and will truly ignored his previous words if they don't stop now.
Frightened, the two immediately backed off, agreed to not bother him for the night and headed to the bridge to find new victims, which happens to be Bepo and Anko.
Finally found the peace he's seeking, Law exhaled sharply through his nose, and sat back on the bench while pinching the bridge of his nose. It started to get lonely again now that the two idiots disappeared, and when it becomes silent and lonely and calming Law tend to get lost in his thoughts.
Law is a man that always think. When the night falls and the silence taking over his brain actively work, doing a lot of thinking even about trivial things. That's why he always need his crew to be around, so they can keep himself grounded to the current time, and not lost in the sea of thoughts (marines, Polar Tang, money, new chef, Shachi's Photophobia, medical supply, Anko's addiction to crossword puzzles, Penguin's refusal to have a better hat for clearer vision, his past, Cora-san, the crew, Doflamingo, his plans, and many more that randomly appeared) which normally will make him sulking and moody at the end of the day.
But this time, the main object running wild in his genius brain is Mirra.
Sure he did say he will ask her to join the crew, since he has no problem having her in knowing that she can fight well and protect her ownself, like what he expects from each of his crew mates, but does he really wants too? And he also worried on how she can lives with 10 men in one ship under the sea? One of them already shows displeasure to her presence. If they can't cope with each other the risk of having the crew divided is high. And who says they won't act stupid, and commit sexual harassment when drunk and she's in vulnerable state? (though he's still yet to see her being openly vulnerable).
The crew has to find ways to behave in her presence, knows their boundaries and respect each other. If not then having her join them is nearly impossible, and the same goes for any woman that they intended to recruit next in the coming future.
Law closed his eyes. He placed the quill in his hand into the bottle of ink next his papers, as he crossed his arms infront of his chest. Now that he thinks about it, he needs a proper room for the female if she's joining. He also needs to consider having own bathroom installed in her room so she won't have to share with the men. But that requires space and money. He can't just simply changed the layout of the ship-
Loud footsteps resonated, bouncing against the thin walls before the door is burst open. Bepo, panic stricken screamed to relay his message. "Captain, we are reaching Wooley Island in five minutes!" he said nervously.
Law stood up, dismissing his previous thoughts as he grabbed his sword and headed straight to the control room. On his way he heard how his crew screamed to each other to get ready and prepared. There are idiots that tend to use the toilet first before going for a move, so they are rushing to the said destination as per said. There's also a blockhead that will want to munch on something before get into action, and he also on his way to search for some lone crumbs (if lucky enough) from kitchens cabinet.
His men is full of antics. And that's what make him proud of them.
Law smirked, catching their shouts and screams to be lively rather than annoying. He is feeling more eager to begin the plan and free the red-haired woman.
And also to instill some fear on her for stealing his possession afterwards...
He promised he will do that.
To be continued
Thanx for reading
- redheaded997 -