Domino panted finally collapsing to her knees before falling forward her sweat pooling around her and her eyes nearly closed. "I can't..." She stated shaking her head as vice admiral Kuzan watched her roll over as he laid lounged in a makeshift cot, he had set up for himself in the training facility.
"Man watching you fight made me tired." He called out. His blue sleeping mask covering his face as his marine jacket laid opened slightly almost touching the ground. He moved his right leg to scratch his other as Domino rolled her eyes gaining enough strength to sit up. She leaned over her knee slightly and called back to him.
"At least it's doing one of us good." She stated before holding out her hand watching as a thorny steam wrapped around her arm like a thorn gauntlet. She wiggled her fingers as the thorns began to wrap around them. "I've been bashing my arms against your ice for hours and not a damn thing. It's like I'm in a rut." She spoke throwing her hands down slightly cracking the layered ice she sat on. She didn't know why she didn't want to fight. She loved fighting she just felt different.
Kuzan nodded his hair bouncing lightly as he did so. "You're right, so let's give it a break this is boring."
Domino sent daggers his way before she punched the palm of her hand with her thorn gauntlet. And bounced up her legs wobbling as she did so.
"No, I'm not done yet. I won't give up that easy you overrated ice machine." She called out. "More!" She yelled. Promptly as she said that a shard of Ice grew from the crack she made and jabbed her in her ribs sending her flying with a terrified scream.
"Done yet?" Kuzan called out barely opening an eye to see Domino flat on her chest again. "Is that all you got? Your ice ani't even good nough to be in my snowcones!" She called out still unable to move from the ground.
Kuzan sighed and rolled over to let his fingertip barely touch the ice that covered the ground and immediately heard Domino yell as she was flung to the other side of the room.
He heard her grunt "I can still stand!" and opened his eyes to watch her try and force herself up first by getting on her hands and knees. He quickly sent another burst of ice her way but this time to his un-shown surprise she jumped out of the way and stood triumphantly hands on her hips and smiled.
"See like I said overrated..." Another blast of ice forced her against the wall pinning her back, arms and legs leaving just her head and hands in real air.
Domino frowned a trickle of blood coming from her mouth before she spit it at the approaching Vice admiral. It landed a few feet from her splattering on the ground as he blankly stared at it before running his hand through his hair and sighing.
"Can we be done now? I'm sleepy." He asked her knowing full well she was stuck there till someone thawed her.
He watched her head drop and saw as her hands kept moving as she spoke. "You're always sleepy, you're tired from being tired. Hell there has not been a single time I've seen you and you haven't been sleepy." She stated and let out a breath of air threw her nose trying desperately to break free. "I need to get stronger, you are a friend. Help." She stated her body going lax as she watched his face.
"Kuzan!" She yelled as he shook his head and patted hers. She sighed as his massive fingers almost covered her whole face. Even as she stood at 6'0 he towered over her. "Dude.." She groaned and began to try and break the ice. "Unfreeze me!" She yelled.
Kuzan took a second going wide eyed before going back to a relaxed look and put his hand to his head. "Sorry, I can't unfreeze." He stated in his relaxed and sleepy tone.
Domino took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "You son of a bitch!" She hollered trying harder to break free. He made a face "I could break you free. But I don't want to ruin your voluptuous figure." He sighed and began to walk out the door of the large ice covered hall when another vice admiral barged in, instantly causing the ice on the floor to steam up.
Domino craned her neck to see who was causing the steam to see Vice Admiral Akainu march through the doors. Domino stiffened and tried desperately to make herself seem as invisible as possible. Vice Admiral Akainu was a stern square faced man who was just as tall as Kuzan however unlike Kuzan who was skinny for his tall figure Akainu more than doubled in muscle mass. Not only that, but he was by far the strictest of Vice Admirals. Rumors were beginning to spread like wildfire he would move up to Admiral soon due to his pure strength and raw talent, much like Kuzan. The only difference between the two is She preferred the lazy sleep mask wearing Vice Admiral then the Marine baseball cap wearing Akainu.
Almost everyone loves Kuzan versus Akainu. But that was neither here nor there. And here she was stuck, with both of them when she rather be anywhere but there.
Right now in this tense moment Domino could feel the numbness from the ice grew throughout her body as she desperately twisted her hands around trying to work her devil fruit as the two stared each other down.
"Oh..." Kuzan stated holding out the 'O' as Akainu gave him a once over. "I'll forgive that." Akainu stated before he looked around and saw Ice lay all over the giant hollow room with training mats laid around the floors.
Domino took in deep breaths as the steam began to grow thicker. She frantically forced the thorns through the thick Ice as Akainu inspected the area and grunted his distaste. "You don't know how to hold back do you?" He asked spreading out his arms and shaking his head at the newfound ice rink.
Kuzan gave a slight glance at Domino who was now trying to shiver quietly before he took a side step and covered her frozen statue with his back rubbing his hair once again. "I guess I got carried away." He yawned "But I'm done now." He stated beginning to walk off.
Domino went wide eyed and looked back and forth from where his back was and the Vice Admiral Akainu who stared at her. She gave a sheepish smile still desperately trying to weave her vines through the thick ice slowly chipping at it to know one else's knowledge but hers of course.
"Kuzan..." She mumbled as he realized mid step that he was trying to hide her. Domino watched as Kuzan jumped back in front of her his body straightening and his legs gave a small clapping sounding as he went stiff.
"You, who are you." Akainu's voice stated, his gruff voice rumbling like a bubbling volcano about to erupt.
Kuzan sighed and moved over "Ah.. yeah that was my bad." He mumbled as Domino rolled her eyes and snapped her head at him. "You think!" She called out when a rumbling sound appeared and she looked back towards a man who's molten lava began to spew over the ice and through the mats and the floor.
"Do not ignore me Private." He growled. Domino turned her head slightly as Kuzan let out an audible distressed sigh.
"Captain sir." She stated through gritted teeth as her vines where barely just about to break the Ice.
He tilted his head "Excuse me?" He asked approaching her. Domino watched his steps with wide eyes as now her vines where very noticeable under the clear ice. It was like green veins running away from her ready to spring at any moment.
Kuzan noticed the green vines growing under the ice and lifted his foot watching where they ended. He nodded knowing what she was planning to do and leaned back anticipating her escape.
"I didn't stutter sir." She stated her body beginning to tingle. Domino watched as his face which showed more emotion then Kuzans, morphed into an angry maul.
"You will show respect to your superiors, officer." He stated his fist growing red and the magma beginning to drop from his arms and dropping on the ice. Domino watched as it barely missed her growing vines. In hindsight if Akainu had paid attention to where he walked what was about to happen would have never happened. But he wouldn't know that. He was to busy approaching Domino.
"I am giving about as much respect as you deserve sir." She stated not knowing why her mouth spoke such words. Why her mouth spoke at all. In fact she just sat there smiling at him like a fool. She noticed Kuzan leaning back and let out a soft breath of relief.
"What is your name! I will make sure you never see the light of day again you disgrace for a marine." He stated harshly now walking quicker.
Domino bit her lip as she could feel her vine from behind her arm attach to the one she had growing from the Kuzan's cot on the other side of the room.
"Well sir. I'm sorry you feel that I am a disgrace. And even more so you feel as if you need to hide me from the light. However if you kindly step aside that would help." She stated with a calm tone internally grimacing at what she was planning.
"Why you!" He hollered before another voice silenced all three. "Domino you Brat! Where are you!" Garps gruff voice yelled across the compound. Domino felt her heart rate increase even more.
The sound of his voice grumbling got louder until finally the doors once again flung open. Causing Kuzan to look over and gave a slight glance as Akainu was sent flying in a spiral of air. There where Akainu stood and as Domino lost all breath and life out of shock Garp stood proudly with his arms on his hips. Then frowned when he saw Akainu pulling himself up from the spare sparing mats that where rolled up on the other side of the building.
"Oh, you're not Domino?" He asked then looked down to see the green vines as Domino shook her shock out of her head and let out a small and nervous laugh "Garp! Hey!" She continued to laugh her face morphing to an uneasy smile.
Garp stopped and stared at her in the Ice he put his hand on hips and watched her cheeks growing red and her breath showing. "What are you doing up there?" He asked with a confused look.
Domino wanted to shrug instead she just twisted her wrist more. "OH, you know just chilling!" She nervously laugh "Garp, please move!" She laughed more the pain in her body was almost unbearably numb and she couldn't hold it any longer.
Garp gave her a look before Domino yelled "Watch out!"
As just as suddenly green tightly wrapped vines sprung from beneath the ice layers at a time break and shattering the ice around the 3 until Domino stood free vines wrapped around her now growing blue body and snow began to fall.
Garp turned slowly watching as three vines nearly impaled him where he stood. His aura growing dark and menacing as Domino hunched over and coughed trying to keep from shivering.
"You brat!" He yelled and approached her before she feebly held out her hand. He stopped as she doubled over shivering and coughing harder. He looked between Kuzan who was asleep on his feet and Domino before quickly dropping his jacket over her and picked her up. Of course, he couldn't carry her bridal style, instead he tossed her over his shoulder. She felt a numb sensation as he did this but couldn't find strength to register what was happening.
She felt like a sack of potatoes as he carried her across the compound receiving glances from anyone who saw. But between her shivering fits and coughing she had no time to hear or care for what was being said. By the time she could make out the image of their medical wing her vision was beginning to swirl and blend together in a white heap. It felt like when she would paint and mix all the colors together with her hands. How she would move her hands in swirls to mix the colors was what was happening to her eyes. It was an interesting scene in her head that began to play. No longer were the colors blending in to the whites but now flaming blue and yellows burst across her eyes. She let out a small smile before whispering his name to herself before the colors swirled around and converged on her eyes causing a massive dark blur.
Her eyes shot open moments later and her body became extremely aware that a bright white light shown in her eyes. It was as if the sun had decided to just hang above her head constantly. She tried to shield her eyes with her arm when she felt a force pull her wrist back. Quickly she shot her eyes towards her wrists and twisted her wrist feeling a leather strap around it and pulled once again. This time the same pain shot through her whole body sending a shock that made her gasp.
Suddenly a face appeared directly above hers, as she held her mouth open in a look of pain. "Domino?" Adalines voice called out. Domino pulled at her wrist again and sent a look towards Adaline who's red hair seemed to sparkle in the light.
"Cuffs?" She asked her voice cracking. She started to smack her lips as the head seemed to relax.
"You even fight in your sleep you know that?" Garp asked standing up walking over her before unwrapping her hands.
Domino nodded and let out a low sound "mm.." As she pulled her arm above her eyes to shield her from the harsh light above her. "Can you blame me?" She asked with a small smile before looking over at the gruff man sitting back down and folding his arms over. His black and graying hair also seemed to glisten in the light. But even as she looked at him no smile on his face, he seemed to have aged another decade.
"You can't make jokes. Dom!" Adaline called out her fists to her side and eyes watery. Domino looked confused and moved to sit up more when she felt a weight on her chest holding her down and noticed layers of blankets folded over her ten times.
"That wasn't a joke." She stated softly before she weakly moved her arm to the blankets and lifted them up as she sat up. She let out another soft groan before looking between the two with a soft but pained smile. "What's wrong?" She asked the two she didn't remember what happened but whatever it was it wasn't that bad was it?
Adaline shook her head "Why where you training with Vice Admiral Akoji?" She asked her fists at her side. Domino made a face frowning "Hmm I don't know, I needed to get stronger and I thought I'd ask him. Why did something..." She stopped remembering how cold she had become and the flashes of light before she went silent and then wide eyed "Oh."
Adaline nodded "Oh is right! You almost died Dom! You had Hypothermia it was really bad girl!" Adaline called her voice carrying as she began to pace.
Domino winced at the loud pitch and nodded "Right."
Then she looked at Garp who watched her with concern in his eyes. "You gave us a scare Brat. Do me a favor and don't do it again." He stated before quickly falling asleep. The little bubble from his nose growing and shrinking as he snored.
She gave a small smile and looked back at Adaline who was shaking her fists. "I'd expect you to get blown up, or die fighting or anything but being frozen to death by one of our own." She stated moving closer.
Domino gave her a small side smile and held out her hand and watched as Adaline grasped it and shook her head "It is my duty as you're Commander to keep you safe. So it makes my job a lot easier if you do not kill yourself." She stated wiping tears away from her eyes with a soft smile.
Domino let out her cheek rise but didn't smile "Ada, I understand, however I can't do that." She stated looking at her friend determination in her eyes. "Do you think we will face people that are at a captain's level and only that? No.." she stated softly and then continued squeezing Ada's hand.
"We will be facing people 10 times stronger then us and with 10 times less concern for honor or duties. I'm a captain now." She sighed "It didn't really hit me till after ole nose hairs swore me in but." She took a deep breath looking straight towards the wooden walls. "I'm a Captain. Which means I will be commanding my own ship with a crew. All of their lives will be in my hands. And I'll be damned if I'm not strong enough to protect them. So no. I won't stop. If it helps me be able to protect and lead those in my care, I will challenge the gods themselves." She stated staring at Adalines blue eyes.
They where baby blue and innocent not like Marco's which were the purest blue she could think of and a hint of danger. She saw the twinge of pain run across Adalines face before she nodded wiping her eyes one last time.
"Who are you and what happened to the Domino I knew?" She asked with a giggle. Domino smiled and shrugged "Who knows, maybe I had an Asymphony." She stated with a smile.
Adaline laughed more "Epiphany. That is what you mean." She stated with a smile. Domino nodded "Yeah that too." She giggled.
As the two girls voices carried through the medic ward Kuzan couldn't help but crack a smile across his famous unemotional face at Domino's little speech. He scratched his head and walked down the hall. He was glad she was okay.
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