Disclaimer : I do not own one piece or Their characters but I do own Rinka (my oc)
This will be a Law x Oc story and it is rated Teen because of blood and language . If anyone reading this likes it and is also good at writing we should team up.
Title: I'll get even
Chapter 16 : Home sick
After watering the many plants she had in her greenhouse, Rinka showered and went to dinner where she met up with her friends. However, their breakfast was soon interrupted by Jasper's voice over the speaker; "We are reaching a new island in about 20 minutes. Everybody, prepare for resurfacing."
"Yeah a new island! It's been too long since we last docked." Shachi exclaimed, happy not to be cooped up in the submarine anymore.
"Good, it was starting to get really hot and stuffy in here." Bepo said as he button off his jumpsuit collar.
Penguin sighed, looking at the bear. "You alway say that when we're underwater."
"Yeah you're right. Sorry." Bepo bowed his head in depression.
"Bepo! Stop apologizing so much!" Shachi yelled at him, causing the bear to say "Sorry" again.
Rinka eyes the arguing trio, rather Shachi and Penguin ganging up and simply yelling at Bepo, she begins to chuckle at the group. "Well let's think about it. He's a bear, a polar bear in fact. An animal that is meant for cold temperature so I'm pretty sure it's really hot in that fur while wearing a jumpsuit," She defended.
"Thank you, you're the only one in the entire crew that has some common sense. If only Penguin and Shachi couldn't be such stupid punks." Bepo said while zipping down his jumpsuit a little bit more.
"Yeah! Well right back at you jerk! Both of them shouted in perfect unison.
She giggled at the group of arguing friends right before she fell asleep on her plate of food with one hand still up with a piece of meat still attached to the fork.
"She fell asleep!"Everyone who was sitting at her table shouted in perfect unison.
-x-
It was already dark when they docked so Rinka couldn't see much of the island or the village they came to. There were some street lights illuminating their way as they walked towards one of the bars. Since it was so late, Law decided it would be better to gather information and supplies in the morning. So he only took a small group of his crew with him to find out when the log pose was set here. He only took Shachi, Penguin, Zane ,Lucas, Rinka and Bepo in his small group .
Rinka would glance around the streets, which suddenly made her realize the village seemed awfully familiar. She couldn't really understand why since she certainly never visited the island before.
Still, the buildings and the structure of the whole village looked awfully familiar.
After Law opened the tavern's old wooden doors, the group followed him inside as they found a vacant table and sat around it.
Only when they walked inside the tavern and Rinka saw the village folk did understand why she felt so home sick.
They were dressed in simple clothing that people in her country use to wear.
Women would wear a traditional Dirndl dress, while the men would wear a traditional Lederhosen outfit. That's when she realized the whole village along with the stony and wooden buildings and houses looked like a typical Vernal Kingdom village.
Not wanting to worry her crewmates, she tried to act normal as possible but it was hard to do so. Since looking at this village brings back such awful and painful memories and experiences she had from her now non-existing country.
"What will it be Heart Pirates-ya?" A new voice startled them, Law and Rinka didn't even seem fazed as they glanced in the direction of the new voice with their usual calm faces. The group looked up at a tall bartender around 30 years old. He was quite a large man; they all noted.
He put down the empty glass he was cleaning and gave the group of Heart Pirates a welcoming smile on his scar but also his young-looking face.
After the group ordered their drinks, Rinka could feel or sense a certain presence with her Haki that made her extremely uncomfortable.
Her body tense up in pure terror, every breath she took started to become shorter. This presence of this single person, made the fearless knight who jumped in the "War of the best" for some stupid hat was now shaking in fear. "It can't be. No he can't be here, of all places" She thought to herself.
"Hey check this out!''Her anxious state was forgotten when Shachi's voice brought her back to reality. He was holding the newspaper the bartender had only a few minutes ago. "Our bounties had gone up!" He smiled with a goofy and pink face.
Rinka's eyes widened a lot when she saw her wanted poster. "Scarlet Knight Rinka; 110,000,000 Beri," it said. Yes, she was shocked when her bounty increased by more than double. But what really got her attention was her new picture for her wanted poster. She was looking right at the camera doing a sexy pose while wearing nothing more than a bikini.
"Why that picture, I like my old one better...it was a lot more badass..."She whined, sounding muffled from her own arms, but the group heard her anyway and chuckled, while Law smirked in response.
The rest of the crew got higher bounties as well, but unlike Rinka, they seemed happy about it and even toasted with their beers. Law just kept his smirk, but was also pleased when he saw his bounty now reach 300,000,000 Beri.
"BURN IT!"Rinka shouted while pointing at her wanted poster.
"Awww...But why? You look so freakin hot?"Penguin complaint.
"That's my problem! NOW BURN IT!"She pleaded.
"Okay ,okay," Zane said, holding up a cigarette lighter.
After the piece of paper was reduced to nothing more than ashes, Rinka stomped on it as well.
As Rinka was stomping on what used to be her wanted poster, she realized everyone in the tavern was staring at her with bewilderment. She swissly but quietly went back to her seat, trying to act nothing strange had happened.
"So...does anybody know when the log pose sets?"Rinka asks while taking another sip of her bubbly soda.
"I'll ask."Penguin proposed with a smile and walked to the bar to sit down. The rest of the group just sat down as they watched Penguin converse with the innkeeper. After a while, he returned and sat down with the rest of them.
"What did he say?"Lucas asked.
"Well, the log pose takes 3 days to set here, so we'll be staying for a while. The island's name is Tidal Island and the village is called Sajan Village," he explained.
After Penguin was done explaining what he had just learned about the island, a man crashed down into one the tables and everything went flying. A few loud voices were heard as a fight started. The pirate group looked at the scene with bewilderment.
Soon after, the whole tavern became a chaotic mess as everyone started fighting and then she heard warning whistles as the authorities ran towards the tavern, ready to stop the whole mess.
Law stood up slowly, one hand resting his nodachi on the shoulder and the other in his pocket.
He looked bored and did not want to get into pointless violence that surrounded him and his crew. "We should probably leave before we get caught up into this mess."
His crew nodded and stood up as well. Just as they were about to leave, the authorities came inside. There were at least more than 20 of them with either guns or swords attached to their waist. Since they were too busy with the all intoxicated people in the tavern, that's when the Heart Pirates took that chance to escape the scene completely unnoticed.
"Does anybody have an idea for where we will be staying for tonight?" Shachi asks.
"I think I saw a Hotel just down the street." Rinka suggested.
Rinka led the group of Heart Pirates to the hotel that she saw a few blocks ago.
-x-
The whole crew was gathered in the hotel lobby, while Law was talking with the receptionist . After getting the rooms arranged, Law walked over with several keys in his tattoo hand. Standing in front of them, he quickly gained their attention.
"Sleeping arrangements will be done in pairs. Our rooms are on the third floor. " He began calling out names and handing out the keys to the rooms. Man began heading towards the upstairs to retire for the night. The numbers downstairs quickly diminished until there were only a handful left.
"Zane and Thorn." Zane stood along with his best friend and took the key from Law.
The two headed upstairs as well, which only leaves the captain, Rinka, Bepo, Penguin, and Shachi.
Rinka laughed nervously and turned around. "Um… I'll sleep outside! Yep,it's a beautiful night, I'll be fine." She said, not wanting to share a room with a man, especially the 2 perverted mechanics.
"Yep...just like a pile of soft pillows" She exclaimed loudly while trying to get a comfortable position on the not so comfortable hard stony ground.
"Alright, but you're always welcome in my room if you have a nightmare." Law told the stubborn girl with a smirk. Knowing she will never do that in her entire life.
-x-
The Beast Pirates ships and her master, everything drowned red in a thick haze of blood, its awful stench stifling her breaths until it felt like she was choking. Then she saw it, her master the same woman who is also the best mother that anyone could ask for, the king of Vernal kingdom that was so kind to all, and the queen who was also a cool aunt, and her fellow knights that treated her like family, all of them were now strangling her. Each of them with a hand gripping her neck angrily in revenge for being too weak.
"It's your fault, it's all your fault. You couldn't do one simple job and now we're all dead because of YOU!" All of her dead friends shouted in anger.
"Hahaha...It really is your fault. Isn't that right old friend?" A man with light blue hair tauntly exclaimed with a wicked grin.
-x-
Rinka's eyes snapped open, pulling her abruptly out her violent dreams and back into the nightmares of reality. "Malachite…''she whispered while shedding a few tears. While she was crying rain started pouring down and she could hear loud thundering as well.
No matter how much she valued her pride, she slowly and quietly walked up to the third floor.
She stopped at where Law's room was located, then lightly knocked on the wooden door, waiting for someone to open it. "Who is up this freakin late?"Law tiredly mumbled to himself while getting out of his bed.
When Law opened the door to his shock, he saw his favorite and only female swordsmen.
Before Law could say anything Rinka started talking or rather stuttering. "Hey Law I would lik-e to take up your of..offer."
Law did not want to make Rinka feel more awkward than she already felt and also saw how wet she was, he just nodded his head with no questions asked. Rinka didn't care that she was going to spend the night together with her captain, with Law, the person she could barely stand when she first joined his crew.
She would gladly sleep in the rain but that dream really shook her up. And she really needs some type of company to get her through the rough night but Law's room was the only room that had an empty bed. So she had no other choice but to choose him.
Just before they both fell asleep a silent "Good night" came out of her mouth and echoed in the darkness. She didn't get a response, but she wasn't expecting one anyway even though she knew he wasn't sleeping yet.
Knowing Rinka had fallen asleep. Law moved on his back and closed his eyes, putting his left arm over them. So now he was again lying in the bed with his mind filled with annoying thoughts and the whole scene was just too familiar.
He turned his head and looked over at Rinka's bed, but couldn't see much since it was pitch black in their room. He saw a still formed, already asleep, "What the hell am I even doing."
Even more annoying thoughts started running through his mind; She doesn't want you. The only reason why she's on your crew and following your orders is because you force her to do so.
She will never love you. The only reason why she is sleeping in your room was because of the rain.
Law gritted his teeth in anger, pissed off from his own thoughts that kept circling around his mind. " Is she manipulating me? Is she trying to lower my guard, why can't I figure out this woman's real intentions. How can this woman be so basic and also very complex, I don't like not knowing things. Cut the crap Law! You are only lusting over her, it's not love, it's only lust." At first he was angry with himself, but little by little that anger was slowly being directed towards the sleeping girl. He knew it didn't make sense and once again he was completely irrational, but a part of him was blaming her for it, saying it was her fault. It was her fault for getting so freakin close to him and breaking down the walls he has been building for a many years.
But then he would remember the girl's innocent and grinning face, or that light tint of red on her cheeks she would always get when he came close to her. Even if she was good at masking her blushing face Law could always tell, but he always had to hide and delighted smirk or a chuckle when noticing it. It was a fun game they would play, while either reading the medical reports together or training their swordsmanship skills by dueling each other.
"True, they both have a lot in common, they are both skilled young doctors, their main weapon is a sword, both have weird sleeping habits, but what they truly have in common is that they both lost someone who was truly dear to them. It was pretty much a match made in heaven.
Law was in conflict with himself; arguing and thinking of arguments for both sides, but for the first time his calculating mind wasn't helping him the slightest with these types of situations.
With a huff, he closed his eyes and tried to empty his mind from all of the bad thoughts.
After a while, darkness overtook him completely, and yet the last thing he saw before completely falling asleep was her peaceful sleeping face.
Rinka walked down the muddy street with the rest of the pirates as she painfully but happily looked around. Now that it was daylight she could clearly see the similarities between Sajan Village and Vernal Kingdom. The main street, which was full of small stores, Sausage-shops and breweries, was filled with people everywhere.
Looking at those smiling and cheerful faces really brings her back to the good old days. When she was still a prideful knight whose job was to protect anyone who couldn't defend themselves rather than relying on a life of crime to make ends meet .
Feeling a little too emotional, she made up a good excuse to ditch the group of Pirates. "Well… I'm going to check out a cool bookstoreI just saw a few blocks ago. So you guys can go look around without me. I'll be just fine."She said while giving them a fake smile.
Just after Rinka said that she quickly ran away from the group without looking them in the eyes, especially Law. Not wanting to worry her captain or her crewmates at all.
Law, being observant as ever, knew something wasn't right so he ordered Zane to go follow her.
Since Law knew out of the whole crew Zane and Logan had the best relationship with her, but since Logan was still back on the sub. He had no other choice but to only order Zane to chase her down.
Zane was confused when he saw Rinka was heading to a dark alley rather than the bookstore like she said she was going to . "Are you okay ? You're kneeling on the ground. "Zane stated.
"I'm hugging the floor." she retorted.
"But you are crying as well.."He exclaimed with a little concern in his voice.
"Just go away, I'm fine!"She shouted with tears still coming down from her face.
"You're lying, just tell me what's bothering you. And I promise I won't tell anyone,"Zane said while gently touching her shoulder.
"This island, this village, the culture, even the fashion it's just like Vernal Kingdom. The same country I watched being completely destroyed right before my eyes. The same country that I fail to protect!" She cried out.
Zane didn't know what to say, this is a side of Rinka he has never seen before, the girl who is usually strong-willed and has a smiling face is now crying in a dark alley all by herself.
Zane, knowing Rinka well as he did. Knew that the girl didn't want any type of pity or comfort, so he just gave her some time to herself to let out all of her painful emotions. But just before he left the crying girl he heard a soft spoken voice. "This is our little secret... remember what you promised me."She reminded him with a hint of relief in her voice.
He nodded, ensuring her he is not telling a soul about this little incident then left the girl to herself.
After she came out of the dark alley, she started checking out the cheerful town and looked at what the town had to offer. That's when she came across a store with traditional Vernal kingdom clothing.
The female display models were wearing a colorful Dirndl dress , while the male ones wore Lederhosen outfits and feather hats.
"That really brings me back, back when I still have you, Phyllis-ya." She muttered quietly under her breath.
-x-
When she finally reached the submarine, she could already see the rest of the Heart Pirates crew working at the docs as they loaded up crates and boxes or mopped the sub's deck.
Jean Bart and Lucas were standing on deck and talking about something while staring at a map.
Lucas was maybe charting the new island and the more experienced navigator was helping him.
Only sparing her crewmates a small glance while walking on the deck submarine then headed back to her small quarters, and hopefully just remained there until her stay on this island was over.
After Rinka reached her room, she was now sprawled on her bed, staring at the metal ceiling.
She wanted to leave this island, not wanting to look at stuff that brings back terrible memories, heck she would rather be in a marine base then here.
Rinka definitely wasn't in the mood to do anything, not even sword training , so the next best thing she could do is have some peace and quiet in her small quarters.'
Just as her eyes became heavier and she started drifting off to slumber, a loud knock was heard on her metal doors.
Sitting up from her bed, she slowly opened her door then men started coming in from left and right. First came Penguin, Shachi then Zane, Thorn and finally Lucas right behind them.
She let out a heavy sigh. "Let me guess, you guys did some stupid prank and you need a place to hide." She suggested knowing they had done that multiple times in the past.
"What no, there's going to be a big festival tonight and we are wondering if you would like to go?" Penguin asks. Then Shachi excitedly holds up a flyer with beer on it. " Oktoberfest! Tonight! Come one and all for games ,feasting, and all you can drink booze." She read out loud.
"Law gave everyone some time off so most of the crew is already planning to go to the festival."Lucas added with a cheeky grin.
Rinka didn't really like the idea of getting wasted and she was still a bit shaken up from all of the nightmares she was having. But in this case she would make an exception.
With one light nod from her head the men dragged her out of her room and into the village.
The group glanced around the village and saw that people were preparing for the festival, decorating the village and putting up different stands outside. It would start in just a few hours.
"Yeah, Now we can actually have a good excuse to get stupidly drunk. "Thorn grinned and Rinka rolled her eyes at his statement.
"Like anyone needs to get that wasted, "she commented.
"You have a point, " Thorn answered with a tilted head.
"But this is going to be awesome!" Lucas jumped from excitement. The navigator could sometimes act like such a child. Still, that made Rinka chuckle a bit.
"Come on, let's go find a drink."
Zane snickered. "You have always been quite an alcoholic."
"I honestly don't get it, for such a tiny person he can really drink? "Shachi whispered to Rinka as they strolled around the village, receiving a punch to the back of his head by Thorn. In an instant, a new argument started.
The swordswoman smirk. "How do you even convince them you're not underage when you look like you still belong in elementary school."
"Shut up! I am a man damn it! Not a freakin kid! A man!" He yelled at her.
"With a high pitched voice like yours, it's not helping your case." She sticks out her lower lip at the short ginger.
The group of Heart pirates watched the two squabble with sweat-drops dripping down their heads. They all murmured the same thing in perfect unison, "You both act like children…" Good thing the two didn't hear them over their rising argument.
Thank you for reading