Chapter 5: The last element
The youngest child of Whitebeard just woke up. The pirates knew that she loved to sleep in, that's why they gave her a room for herself. A place she could draw and sleep as much as she wanted. A place of her own.
Shayla was training her fire and was getting better control of it every day. She tried to switch between the elements while she fought Vista. Shay punched with earth gloves, kicks with the wind, and breathed fire like a dragon. It's going really well for her.
Shayla was so happy with the results that she wanted to show the captain but noticed that her father wasn't at his throne chair like normal. She decided to look for him in his room. Shayla walked into the room and saw a lot of bottles on the floor, "Daddy. What's going on" she asked concerned.
"Come here my treasure" Whitebeard smiled sadly at her and she went over to the bed and sat next to the captain, "Today is the day we two met a year ago. It's the happiest day of my life but also the saddest, do you remember why?" he asked her, and her eyes widen, "Today is the day Mama died".
How could she forget her mother's death and she laid her head on her father's leg. "I want you to express whatever emotion you are feeling, don't hold back," he said and rubbed her back, but she didn't want to cry.
Shayla was sad but as her father said, it was a happy day too, "Daddy, Mama doesn't want us to feel sad today. We found each other so we should be smiling too" she was struggling to give a sincere one as tears became visible.
Marco came with food to them at some point and the crew soon realized that they won't be coming out anytime soon. The father and daughter sat there for the entire day talking about the one they both loved and lost. In the end, she fell asleep grateful that they still have each other along with the rest of their family.
It's been a month since their little moment happened and the two felt even closer. Toki was in labor inside the ship with unimaginable pain giving birth to hers and Oden's child. A few hours later a baby boy was born, and the crew suggested names like Tamago, Kombu, Chikuwa, Tsukune which were all ingredients for the oden dish. Hahaha funny.
"Oi, knock it off. He needs a better name" Oden said and stood beside Toki with their baby in her arms. Oden then took him and lifted him up lion king style "A name that conveys that he will be invisible! Your name son is Kozuki Momonosuke". Shayla smiled, finally, she wasn't the youngest anymore. She had hoped they would know to treat her like an adult, but of course, that's not going to happen. Despite how mature she seemed she was still a child.
Izo was still loyal to Oden and he showed him his poster, "Oden-sama, you have a bounty now. You've become a fine criminal. For the sake of Toki-sama and Momonosuke-sama shouldn't you return to Wano sometime soon" he said concerned, "Izo, I haven't found the answer I'm looking for" Oden sighed. "And we'll be fine" Toki supported.
The next island, the crew visited was a snowy one. They just fought some pirates and at the end taken all their treasures. Shayla had never seen so much and jumped into it.
Whitebeard realized that the crew was getting bigger and had a great idea, "You are appointing division commanders" Oden asked, "Yeah, we are getting quite many recruits nowadays. How about we split into 5 divisions?" the captain suggested.
The pirates were volunteering to become a commander, "You take second division" Whitebeard said to Oden, "I don't want that kind of responsibility" the samurai made a face of dislike, "Just do it" everybody yelled at him.
The next day, Shayla wanted to learn, her last element but she didn't know a way to fully master it. She could make it go from side to side even splash it a little but not anything else. She pouted on the rail with half her body over the ocean looking down when Marco came over to her.
"We are going to stop here for a couple of days to the ship coated, yoi" she looked at him disinterested, "Don't know what that is," she said and looked down again. The older pirate smirked knowing she would love to see it, "It's a giant bobble that going to cover the entire ship so we can go to Fishman island. An island at the bottom of the ocean, you". That got her attention, "What, really?" she said with stars in her eyes.
"Yeah, but it's going to take a couple of days. So, enjoy the island" The crew explored the island and there was this boy a little older than her who came up to them.
"You're not really fishermen, are you? You're pirates," the boy said before bow down before Whitebeard, "Please, I have nowhere else to go" he begged the captain, "What's your name, boy," he asked, "It's Teach," he said a single tear, "Alright get on board" just like that he was welcomed.
Shayla wanted to see the bottom of the ocean so badly that could hardly stay still. Her excitement was clear on her face and the pirates smiled at her. 'Fishman Island how was it going to be' she wondered.
The coating was finished and in Shayla's opinion, it has been the longest three days in her life. There was this bobble-thingy on the surface of the ship and she jumped round in it, for once acting like a kid her age. She has always been smart for 7-years old, but she still was this goofy child-like energy ball.
The Moby Dick went down into the ocean quite fast and Shayla had this admiration in her eyes. As the ship descendant, the world around them became more beautiful. It was like a dream where they were floating around in the night sky. Down, Down, down they went into a new world that awaits them.
At some point, it became really dark and Shay wasn't scared one bit. She was the daughter of Whitebeard and there's no way she'll be scared of the dark creepy ocean she lived on every day. But the creatures that lived down there was another story.
Shayla couldn't see that well, so she fired some fire into the water. It was there she saw the most terrifying sharp tooth evil eyes supposed to be fish. Even the color made it look like monsters.
Seeing his daughter scared made him realize that she was still very young to be a pirate. But what could he do? There was no place that he trusted the people enough to care for her life other than this ship. He would rather let her stay here than let her out of his sight. He refused to lose her to anyone before going over to her and lifted her up.
"Daddy, I'm not scared," she said, and he smiled. She was so much like her mother, "Of course, not. You're a pirate" he encouraged, "Yes, I am" she smiled all proud. Whitebeard thought of a thing, "I know you're not scared, but I as your father need a hug or I'll get scared" he said in a teasing voice, and Shayla nodded, "Alright daddy. But only for you" She didn't know the hug was more for her than him.
Marco and the rest of the crew smiled at the scene. Even though they knew Whitebeard loved them all equally, there was still a special bond between the two. One that the rest of them won't understand or have with him. The only one coming even close to understanding this was Oden, but then again they all each have their own bond with their captain, too.
The Whitebeard pirates' Moby Dick got deeper, and everything became completely silent like they were the only people alive. But as they say: you'll see the light at the end of the tunnel and here Fishman island was. It was in a gigantic bobble and a smaller one with coral and water inside. There was sunlight at the bottom weird. Shayla got really happy seeing this and quickly took her book to draw the rare sight.
Some guards came out to see if they were in danger, but prince Neptune apparently knew the captain and invited them into the country. Shayla jumping around. She had a hard time controlling herself but who could blame her. This island was unbelievable.
It was an island of mermaids and fishmen a race that could breathe underwater and breathe on land. Shay went up to the prince and touched his tail, "It is real. Does everyone in the country have this" she gazed up with curious eyes, "Not everybody, Jamon". Neptune explained that there were different kinds of races on the island, but Shay didn't really understand, and she just nodded.
Shayla was walking around the island when she realized that she was alone. This was the first time she ever gotten lost. Huh, whatever. She saw some kids praying around it the water and wanted to join, too. She went over to them and admired a whole new world, "What are you looking at human" someone said to her, "Nothing, I'm just watching" she didn't even look at him.
Somehow that made him angry. He and his friends came up and made a circle around her. Shayla looked at them not afraid in anyways and used her earth to make them move to the side. "You ate a devil's fruit?" someone asked, "No, I didn't" she responded.
One of the fishmen took her by the neck and pushed her into the water, "People with a devil's fruit and humans can't breathe in water. That's what makes you weak." He said and took her deeper into the water. At some point, she could no longer hold her breath and let the water into her lungs. It was getting darker and she soon passed out.
"hay… sha….ay…. la…. Shayla wake up!" the little girl opened her eyes recognizing the voice, "Mama…" not really sure it was her. "Hey baby, you can't go to sleep,. You need to fight" her mother encouraged, "I'm tired, mama," she said and slowly closing her eyes again. "Shayla, you can't sleep. You need to go back to your father" the girl was getting lightheaded, "It's okay, mama. I'll come with you" she was getting closer to the bottom.
"No, your time is not up yet. Water is the element of change. Find a way to use it. You need to survive, NOW" her mother's yell echoed through her ears and her eyes shot open. She needed to go back up quickly!
Shayla calmed her mind and let the energy in the water flow through her. She swung her arms in wave motion and could feel the hand on her neck gone. She turned around to see the 3 fishmen all frozen. She didn't have any time to care.
Shay spun around and a small whirlpool took her up to the surface. She landed on her legs on the ground finally able to breathe and she coughed out some water. She could see someone looked at her in concern but she ran away from them and back to the ship.
"Shayla, where have you been, yoi," asked a worried Marco, and when he saw her face his heart broke. She was all wet and had red eyes from tears, "What happened" he asked and went over to her, "Nothing" she said while crying.
"What are you talking about. Of course, something happened, you are wet and crying" she didn't look him in the eyes, "I don't like this island" it was almost a whisper and that was all she said. Marco didn't push for now and took his shirt off and wrap it around her, "Okay. Just tell me when you are ready" he was smiling at her, she nodded and he lifted her up to help change her clothes.
"I want to shower first," Shay told him, "alone" Marco smirked at her, "Alright, I get it. You are a big girl now and can do it yourself" he teased her making her pouted.
Shayla sat in the tube in silence not sure what to do now. She thought that she learned water bending but she wasn't really sure it was real. 'There is only one way to find out' she thought and let her palm face the water. She concentrated on the energy in there.
Shayla moved her hands a little and the water followed. She tried to touch it and ended up grabbing it all, but it didn't fall from her hand. It was like she was holding a small creature before admiring it.
The young pirate didn't know what click inside of her but she was suddenly playing with all her bathwater. She somehow felt like this element was her favorite. Water was soft and calm, she could already control it better without any secret trick. Just breathing and letting the energy dance around her.
After the bath, she got dressed in her PJ and Toki braided her hair. Shayla didn't really tell anyone what happened on the island. Maybe she could tell Toki but decided against it, "Thanks" she got up and went directly to her room.
She didn't speak to anybody and was worried that they'll ask her about her trip to the island. Shayla was tired of always not being strong enough and the crew always babying her. She might be a kid, but she wasn't weak and was determent to show them that, even to the people that almost drowned her.
Shay thought that she could get friends outside the crew and about her age, but it was getting less likely. It bothered her but she didn't show it. What could Shay do... force them? She would rather be alone.
Shayla wanted to be up by sunrise but her endless love for sleep prevented her from doing that. When she first opened her eyes, it was her typical noon routine. She got and wore a pair of shorts and a pink t-shirt out on the deck. Shay needed someone to train her and thought of her father, but his emotions would prevent him from doing seriously.
Who was someone strong that could really challenge her physical strength without using her power? "Oi little one. Come and eat breakfast" Oden said and the answer to her question was right there. Shay smirked at him, "Oden, do you remember the promise we made" she tried to look innocent and he blinked like he didn't know what she was talking about.
That made her a little mad, "You promised if you ended up joining us you would train me without my powers" she slammed her fist to the deck making a small fire. "Ahh, I remember. Do you really think that you can handle it?" he challenged with a smirk, "I do" she smirked herself.
After the incident on Fishman island, Shayla focused more on her training her body. She scolded herself for letting her guards down on an unknown island. She was used to the protection of others, but not anymore. The rest of the crew was having fun and was ready for any and every attack. That might explain why Oden would randomly target her wherever she was.
In the beginning, it was annoying but after 1 month she had learned to feel the vibration of the ground. After 3 months she learned to feel the difference between every person on the ship. And whenever she needed to concentrate on something specific, she just tramped the ground feeling the vibration more clearly.
Oden was helping her train her hand-to-hand combat as well as her element. Whenever they were sparing, he would yell an element she should use and making it easier for her to quickly switch between them.
The years went by pretty fast and Shayla was now 10. It wasn't easy to live on a pirate ship at such a young age but she was more than used to it by now. They really shouldn't be worried about her but rather Toki who gave birth to another child last year. A girl this time that they named Hiyori. She had her mother's unique lime green/blue hair color and her blue eyes.
Shayla often played with Momonosuke from time to time. He was fascinated by her water bending and she sometimes made ice he can suck on and whenever it got too cold, he let go. But there was one time he swallowed the entire thing and almost choking on it.
Shay panicked and quickly melted the thing and bending it out of his mouth. She looked around the deck to see if someone had noticed but sigh in relief when they haven't. She looked down at the boy and he looked at her with small teary eyes, "It's okay Momo. Everything's all right" she confronted him with a hug. He smiled up at her and she made him fly a little with her wind.
"Shayla, let's go for a swim" she turned around to see Oden, "I don't know how to," she said honestly. "That's why you are going to learn," he said before taking his kimono off and jumped to the ocean.
Shayla looked over the rail and jumped down too. She landed in the water and somehow managed to stay at the surface. "Try without the use of an element to move forward" Oden instructed, but she didn't know what to do except to move her arms as the commander did.
It didn't do anything and she was literally at the same spot, "That not it. You have to move your arms together with your legs. Try to find a balance between them" she just nodded and moved a little. Then Oden decided to show her a demonstration while she was on his back. He was swimming really fast like a fish to impressing her.
Her first time, swimming didn't go as plan but the only thing she could do was to practice. Shay was a fast learner, and it wouldn't really be a problem for her, or that's what she thought.