Here comes Sabo, and if you have not already guessed a very serious plot point. If Sabo is here already what happened to the scene where Luffy is tortured for information? How will Lucy now gain Sabo and Aces trust? Will she ever? Find out next time on The lost ones tale. Now on to the story!
Son of whitebeard: Thanks, but don't you mean Makino? Sure I gave Dadan some screen time but that was irrelevant next to the Makino scene.
Lily E. Miller: well she was always a pessimistic character, I tried to establish it that way since the very start. Part of her growth as a character is trying to be more optimistic. She starts as a very withdrawn pessimistic person who would rather not exist and becomes more confident and out spoken as the story goes on. That's why the character development chapters are important. Thanks for the compliment.
Golden King Gilgamesh: well you're not wrong…she is depressed. That's kinda the point at the moment in the story. As for the power, well I read your review and wrote in a part in the chapter explain mentally what she's feeling about it. Its not that she doesn't want it, more that she doesn't like what it will make her, that's a valid normal response. (She will become more powerful don't worry, the road is just really long and bumpy)
Kanachan876: Depressed people are usually less focused on being innovative, and more focused on not letting their negative feelings dominate them. Thanks for the comment about the mini arc, no one has talked about it positively yet. Now I feel better. Long Live freedom!
Writing in italics
Techniques and devil fruits in underline
Daily fun fact: The original name of ''Bank of America'' was ''Bank of Italy''
I DON'T OWN ONE PIECE, and I never will
My thoughts go out to the citizens of Beirut, to those who have lost loved ones, and those still looking for those missing. May they be blessed with good fortune in this time of great need.
Chapter 15 start:
At this point it was getting ridiculous. Were the Gods playing a repeating gag? Whenever he wasn't needed Ace would pop up, though most annoyingly it was whenever one thing ended and another began. She finally finished the bet and secured the changes she want's and here comes Ace. It wasn't very funny at this point. Or any other point for that matter.
This time Ace had brought a friend, as the saying goes 'prepare for trouble and make it double'. Sabo was exactly like she remembered him, top hat with goggles over the top, ragged noble cloths and a pole in one hand. Unlike Ace who looked like his usual broody self, Sabo was upbeat and smiling. While there was no doubt caution in his eyes he seemed to give off an air of childish mischievousness, a behavior that one wouldn't associate with a noble. If Lucy hadn't already known about his inheritance then she doubt she would have been able to guess it from his demeanor.
''Who the hell are you!'' It seemed that the shock of Ace's arrival had worn off and Dadan had come to her usual response to things she didn't understand.
Ace was about to respond by the look on his face, and by the look of it not in a nice way either when Sabo interrupted with a hand on his shoulder. Ace didn't have time to object before the top hat wearing boy responded ''Hi! You're Dadan, right? I'm Sabo, nice to meet you!'' with a large grin on his face that directly contrasted with Aces scowl.
While coming down from her drunken state Dadan still took a couple of seconds to pause, blinking all the way. Then with a concentrated look in her eye muttered ''Sabo? Sabo….Sabo…Sabo, Sabo….Wait your that Sabo!''
It seemed as if the ginger hair bandit had figured out who Sabo was because she very quickly reverted to her previous stance ''I don't care who you are! Why are you at my house!?'' In response to her outburst Sabo simply smiled as he walked closer into the clearing, everyone staring at him. Then he said the one sentence that would be Dadans worst nightmare…
''Ah! Sorry for the intrusion…but Ace has told me I could stay here''
Dadan paused for a second to let that sink in, then muttered rather loudly ''Let you…stay here?''
Sabo not realizing that he was standing on a faulty land mine nodded enthusiastically and excitedly replied ''Yes! Would that be acceptable?''
One….Two….Three….For a few of seconds Lucy thought Dadan was going to explode, considering her head was a patch work of veins that was a very valid theory. For that Lucy was thankful, Dadan was loud, not as loud as Garp but she could shout to save her life.
She had only a couple more seconds to be thankful because Dadan much like a volcano had reached a point where the pressure was too much and she burst outwards ''NO WAY IN HELL!''
Considering that Lucy hadn't been expecting an outburst she had let her guard down in a sense and so was so blindsided that the outburst caused her to cringe back. The effect was like a stun grenade, not only was Lucy effected but so was everyone else in the surrounding area.
''But I heard you were an old hag…''Sabo tried to counter but quickly realized that calling Dadan an old hag was counterproductive when the woman's face became overshadowed in rage. Transitioning quickly he corrected himself ''A good old hag who would cave to other people who were in need?'' With his bit finished he let out a large grin that highlighted his missing front teeth.
Everyone braced for the explosion, it seemed as if Dadan was going to burst out again. Except she didn't. Instead she muttered out ''Old hag Hugh?...If you're really the Sabo I've heard about your supposed to be one hell of a kid.'' Then a certain look crossed over her face, and in that moment Lucy knew to prepare for the worst. She was proven again when the matron of the hideout suddenly burst outwards ''Right now I don't want to deal with anymore BLOODY BRATS! These two are enough already!''
Sabo who had been thinking the he had won was caught off guard in much the same way Lucy had been earlier. The look of shock quickly passed from his face as he turned to Ace who was standing by his side and muttered in a low voice that Lucy only just caught ''Ah, it didn't work. Different plan.'' Ace didn't comment, though he gave his top hat wearing friend a small nod of encouragement. Sabo gave him a small look that Lucy couldn't decipher and then after a small intake did the one thing Lucy didn't expect. He begged on his knees ''Please Mrs. Dadan I am a simple orphan who needs a home. I have heard that you are a woman of great charity''
Dadan a woman of charity? Who was he kidding?
Dadan also took offense to that statement but in a different way ''What is it with people calling Mrs, I'm not that old!'' By once again not making any sense at all. To be perfectly honest Lucy didn't want to make any sense of it either.
Neither did Ace because he finally joined in the conversation snorting in his usual annoying way and then stating ''Just do it you old hag'' with his eyes overshadowed. Lucy stared at the freckled boy, something was off about him, it might have been the shadows playing on his face but he seemed…worried. It was gone in a second when the boy noticed her gaze on him, then her eyes met his coal black eyes. For a moment again she saw the emotion again and she confirmed it, fear. Why was he so afraid? Why wou-….Unless…If Sabo was here then something had happened. Even when Ace's gaze turned cold at her, she carried on the thought process. In the manga Ace and Sabo had stolen from the Bluejam pirates, that leads to Luffy being captured and the three of them becoming friends. But in this timeline She hadn't followed Ace around, she hadn't been in that situation, she was here doing chores. That meant that the bandit, who Lucy forgot the name of at this moment, who was tasked with getting the money back failed. And that naturally meant that Bluejam had decided to take the matter into his own hands, thus it was now too dangerous for Sabo to be in the Grey terminal.
It all made sense, why Ace was scared, if this failed then…then Sabo would be forced back into the grey terminal with nowhere else to go. It would be like leaving him for the wolves .
Then the real world kicked back in, and for a second she was disorientated as it all came back to focus. She almost didn't catch Dadan shout of ''I don't need you starting Brat!'' It seemed to be muffled. Then with a breath of the muggy jungle air she caught herself again and looked back at Aces eyes. It seemed that he wasn't focusing on Dadan either as they both continued to stare back at each other. Trying to break the ice she reluctantly gave him a small twitch of a nod, he rudely didn't respond instead opting to stare at her.
They continued this until Dadan once again shouted in such a manner that Lucy couldn't help but flinch and look at the woman ''No means No!'' Sabo at this point was also seemingly on edge; perhaps he thought that Dadan was different from this? Well that's what alcohol does to a person. He kept looking over to Ace as if silently begging for some support but Ace was focused like a razer's edge on her. Despite never knowing Sabo before she felt sorry for him.
Still despite not having Ace as moral support Sabo handled it well and with a semi-fake smile cheerfully said ''But I'll get you food Dadan''
Dadan much like a hard headed bull was having none of it. With a large wave of her meaty arms she exclaimed with a voice of annoyance ''I don't need food I need labors! That one's just managed to worm herself out of that job. Oh heaven help me with these kids'' Just after Dadan mentioned 'that one' she pointed the spoon she was holding from before at Lucy causing everyone to look at her. Though everyone quickly turned back to Dadan when the woman literally burst out into crying in front of everyone. The giant barrel of a woman then dramatically dropped to the floor and sat down with her knees to her chest, snot was dripping everywhere and while it seemed hilarious when on paper it just made Lucy repulse from disgust. Turning away from Dadan she stared at Sabo who was slowly losing his cool.
That same feeling came back from earlier, the feeling of pity for Sabo. He had done nothing against her and here he was falling apart. In a way he reminded her of herself, the feeling of struggling to get anything to go your way. He probably didn't have anywhere else to go to, someone else had forced him here and now he was desperately trying to save himself. All of a sudden she lost control of her mouth and spoke out with haste ''Dadan if I could interrupt'' Then when she caught herself again it was too late. Everyone in the clearing all the bandits, who had been silently watching unsure of what was happening, Dogra, Magra and Makino, who were just behind her uncommenting, Ace and Sabo, who had both paused to look at her from their attempts to convince Dadan to let them stay and the woman herself looking up through her tears. Lucy paused unsure of if she should continue, then after a couple of seconds quickly tried to get it over with, pointing one finger at Sabo and saying ''there's one right there''
Dadan who was still crying blinked for a second, then another, then a dangerous small smile crossed her face, one that screamed 'I smell blood'. With an overly loud sniffle, she whipped the tears from her eyes and turned to look at Sabo, who was now not even covering his discomfort. Then in a sickly sweat voice she said ''…So Sabo how would you like to stay here. You only have to one tiny little thing for me.''
Sabo at the offer was openly backing away, but with each step Dadans beady little eyes followed him and so he stopped, paused like prey in the gaze of a predator. With an audible gulp he cautiously asked ''And what's that Dadan?''
The small smile widened at his apparent discomfort. Carrying on in a voice that didn't suit the woman at all she said ''you see I now need someone to fill a certain deficit in chores being done. And I think I just found the perfect solution.'' That seemed to be the final straw as Sabo started sweating profusely underneath his hat, then jerkily he turned to Ace and in a hushed whisper, that everyone caught, said ''Ace I think I might stay somewhere else''.
Ace had only one response
''Take me with you''
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The rest of the evening was so weird that Lucy forgot most of it. That's not to say she was in a trance or that she simply retreated back into her mind, she just chose to forget it all. It was that bad. The only good thing was that by ten Dadan had gotten so dizzy that she was forced to go to bed mumbling that 'I got the last laugh'. When she did leave the room let out a shared breath in relief, Lucy would be tolerable of the Gods if they prevented Dadan from ever getting that drunk again. After that Lucy spent the rest of the night listening while Makino talked to Dogra and Magra animatedly about her as a child, and as any mother would do told every awkward story from the time called one of their customers a different name to when she slipped at the pier and fell in. By the end the three of them were happily talking about life in general. Ace and Sabo had secluded themselves in one corner, muttering between themselves like old wives. Sometimes she caught the two of them looking at her from behind her back, Ace unsurprisingly glaring at her and Sabo giving her small apologetic smiles for being caught.
Considering the time, Makino was forced to stay the night or risk the predators of the jungle. Still when Lucy finally started flagging around eleven, Makino excused herself and carried Lucy in a cradle, muttering ''you're really too heavy for this now, Lu'' with a smile on her face. But she didn't care what the bandits thought, what Sabo or Ace thought, she just felt….drained. Not only physically but also emotionally from everything today, the talk with Ace, the talk with Dadan, Makino's confessions and then making all the wooden objects. She just wanted to go to sleep and stay that way until it was high noon. Why couldn't her days be less frantic and emotionally charged?
Unlike previous days her wish was granted because when she finally woke up her tiny room was empty. Someone had added another two, poorly made, mattresses into the small wooden box that she called her bedroom and that meant everything was cramped.
Wiping the drowsiness out of her eyes and yawning she looked out the window expecting the starry night sky of the early morning but was blinded in an instant. Who turned the lights on? It took her blinking repeatedly for the small white dots to fade from her vision. When they finally did she wondered over to the window and looked outside.
It was too light to be early morning, closer to mid-morning by her estimates. She had finally slept in, the first time in three months. It was a miracle of great proportions!
Still joking about it in her head she climbed down the little ladder to her sleeping area right into Dadan…
…Who was out cold on the floor. Not only that but she was snoring so loud that if there was any windows in this hideout they would all be rattling. In fact due to Dadans size and sound she seemed to resemble a walrus more than anything. Dadan the ginger haired walrus, coming to be a baby sitter where you are today! In her mind it sounded exactly like a TV peddling merchant trying to sell things on the telly shopping channel.
Now immensely amused she quietly walked out the room and into the connecting hallway, slightly snickering all the way. It took around three seconds before she was in the main eating hall, and there she found Magra and Dogra talking to Makino in calm tones. Pausing for a couple of seconds to reorient herself, she took a breath in and then walked over being noticed in the process. Dogra was the first to react saying ''Oh your awake br- Lucy'' Noticing Makino stating at him, he called her by her name. Lucy didn't give the dwarf an answer simply taking a left over cushion that one of the bandits must have left and putting it down to join the loose circle. The next to respond was Makino who didn't comment but instead handed over a slice of bread and a bowl, one of the ones she had made, full of last night's crocodile meat stewed. Crocodile tasted better than one would think.
''So Lucy now that you're up, we can discuss your new list of chores'' That was a good way to ruin a meal, not that Magra knew that, she had a good poker face. To answer his question she simply nodded, despite the non-verbal comment he carried on ''It's been decided that with Sabo here now around you should focus on the carving''
She paused for a second thinking, Sabo? And then all the repressed memories came back. To be honest she'd much rather not remember that but still she couldn't just ignore the top hat wearing boys existence forever, better sooner rather than later. With the comments going around the table it was finally Makino's time to talk, with a small smile she said ''He seemed most adamant that you don't worry yourself with doing them after hearing about your past experiences of them''
Sabo had taken her remaining chores? She took a moment to process that and then made a mental note to thank him later for it. With that out of the way Dogra listed off all the items she would need to make today to fill the quota set. It was small, but apparently that was the point. This whole idea was so unique in premise that it would take a couple of weeks of trial and error to see if it stuck. As such the idea of flooding the market would come later; right now it was all about whether there was actually demand for anything she produced. The quantity that was demanded of her to supply was so small that she would be done within a couple of hours, and then she should probably help Sabo out. It felt wrong to leave him to take all the pain; she had basically just transferred it from her to him.
With everything planned out she started walking towards the backdoor, ready to get everything finished then rest before doing a couple of chores when a small ''Lucy'' stopped her. With a confused eyebrow she looked back to Makino, silently asking 'what?'
Makino's smile receded slightly as she gave the bad news ''I'm leaving for Foosha village, Lucy'' That stopped her heart in its tracks. With a small spin she turned around to stare at the green haired barkeep, not prepared for the idea that Makino was leaving she blurted out ''Now?''
A small nod was her answer, then Makino calmly spoke ''I think I've left Mayor Wood-slap to guard the bar for a bit too long'' She didn't think of that. Everything else apart from up here had been shoved violently aside as yesterday meandered from one roller coaster to another. Still the thought that Makino was leaving so soon set something off inside of her, she knew that it was coming, don't get her wrong she had quietly realized that was an inevitability. But still it crept up so fast that it was on her like a tiger, and Lucy didn't like the feeling.
Not responding to Makino verbally, Lucy walked over and hugged her. Makino didn't respond either, simply curling her arms around Lucy shoulders and holding her tight. They stayed like that for an eternity, it silenced any comments in her head about the unfairness of life, all that mattered was Lucy and her not mother. Then, and with great reluctance they parted, Makino almost not realizing it reached down and with one hand slowly ruffled her hair. It seemed to have become a habit, though Lucy wasn't complaining.
''Will I be able to see you?'' She asked quietly.
Makino smiled at the question, then in a voice of a mother comforting a distressed child said ''Always''
They shared a smile between them, well Makino smiled, Lucy's was more of a lip raise than anything. She had never been a good smiler in this life or the last. Then Makino calmly said ''Well, I best be off, Dogra has offered to be an escort and I rather not be wasting anymore of his time'' With that they both looked at the dwarf who was quietly chatting with Magra about who know what in hushed breaths. Both bandits looked up when they noticed hers and Makino's eyes on them, with a small final comment Dogra got up from his seat and walked over ''Makino, Lucy.'' He said with a nod, before continuing ''is everything finished?''
Makino, ever polite, nodded back and said ''Yes I believe everything is ready, Mr Dogra'' Then she kneeled down to Lucy's height, and Dogra's, and after kissing her on the head said ''Never forget Lucy'' When she said 'Lucy', Makino put one of her perfectly manicured nails on Lucy's chest, right over her heart ''Never forget that you are not alone. We are all here. Can you do that for me Lucy?''
Lucy wanted to say so much, all about what she thought, what she felt. She wanted to get out all these emotions that were building in her chest, paint them into pictures that she could share with Makino. But with every breath nothing came out. In the end she just nodded her head, in a silent promise. That was enough for Makino, who with a small smile stood back up.
Then she turned from Lucy, saying ''Mr Dogra If you would be so kind as to escort me back to Foosha village'' In response, and clearly not used to someone speaking in such a manor he merely replied ''Uhh ok Makino, I mean Miss Makino!'' By the end he was flushing with embarrassment over not getting it correct. For his troubles Makino simply chuckled and with mirth said ''Lead on brave knight'' That really made Dogra blush. With her teasing done she winked at Lucy while Dogra was walking to the front door in embarrassment. Then Makino too got up from her knee and walked to the door, Lucy's eyes were following her the entire time.
It was only when both of them passed the curtain of the front door that she realized that she might want to catch up. Quickly walking over the wooden floor she covered the distance of the hall in what felt like a time that was too long, way too long. She ducked under the carpet so fast that it burst outwards in a big swish. There was only one thing that Lucy didn't account for, the moment she got outside, she was blinded by the ambient light of the sun. Everything was white for a few seconds, even when she was rapidly blinking her eyes. Then when it died down a little bit, she noticed Makino and Dogra were almost past the little clearing to the small path.
Lucy watched them, to the best of her ability half blinded, walk down the path, even when they disappeared past the foliage of the jungle. It was only when Magra walked outside too and put a hand on her shoulder that she realized that she couldn't wait all day staring at the same spot of undergrowth. With a nod to the chicken man she walked back inside, to get to the little wood chopping area, and her new life.
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Wood crafting clearing- Dadans hut, roughly 14:00:
The only thing hard about her new job was the heat, being outside all day in a very humid place was not the best experience. That and the fact the fact that the sweat really got too much sometimes. There was a couple good things though, firstly sunburn didn't seem to be something that existed here, or maybe it did and somehow she wasn't effected due to being a D? Regardless it was nice not to spend all her time looking like a strawberry. Secondly, everything on her to do list was the stuff she did yesterday, plus one or two extra things that were more 'see if you could make these and if not, oh well'. She had started two hours ago and had made an equally impressive pile to yesterdays. In fact she probably beat it. Thirdly and finally, with this operation having the potential to bring in a lot of cash, she got help. Magra had left her a helper in the form of one of the random bandits who were not out of the hide out and lazing around in their rooms playing cards.
Nakamura Chōbei was an ok person, he looked like the average bandit, to be honest with this world being cooked up by a Japanese creator, average was black hair, brown eyes and a white complexion. Most of the time he stood around bored as she worked silently. The only time he really did anything was when she asked for something, Like 'Could you get me some water?' or 'Can you move that piece of wood a little closer?' When that happened he would look up and then do the thing she asked without complaining. Still the fact he didn't talk her ear off, asking question after question like a nosy Grandmother, or talk back at her made him a bearable laborer.
When she finally finished for the day she turned to him and said ''everything's done, you can go now'' He looked up from his nail cleaning and with a simple nod said ''Ok'' then walked off.
Lucy didn't pay him any mind as he walked back over the ridge of the small hill, instead looking at her small pile of objects. Like yesterday it was predominantly made from bowls and spoons, but now there was cups, chop sticks and a lot more wooden animal carvings. They were the worst of the lot, she still lacked the control to get any of them to a good detail. She had never really been an artist, crafting even less so. Still there was no doubt that she would receive a lot of practice, there was nine years until she was seventeen. Who knows she might even get good enough to get some money out of this.
Or she could be a total failure, she hadn't figured out which yet.
As she focused on twiddling a spoon in her hand, silently existing in her mind she failed to hear the footsteps coming up behind her. The only thing that warned her was a slight breeze on her neck that she would later realize was someone breathing behind her. Then ''so hello there!'' she jerked so hard in surprise that she unconsciously activated her ability and partitioned the handle of the spoon into five as she clenched her hand into a fist. It was only when she literally jumped to her feat, spinning around so fast that she stumbled and the pieces slipped from her hand.
For a moment it felt like she was falling as she lost her balance and tipped, then a hand reached out from a place didn't know and grabbed her, stabilizing her at an awkward angle. Not quite falling but still on her feet. Then with a sudden pull she was catapulted back upright and it was there were she saw the familiar top hat and goggles of Sabo.
Said boy seemed to have noticed her staring because he awkwardly smiled, apologizing in a joking manor ''Sorry if I scared you! Hehe guess I need to be less sneaky next time'' Lucy didn't know what to say, her heart still racing from being frightened, its rapid beat made it rest uncomfortably in her throat with each deep inhale. The one thing she did do was to stare at the arm holding her at such an awkward angle, the fabric of one of the only few tops she owned stretched uncomfortably. Sabo seemed to realize this too because he let go over her suddenly with a ''Sorry!''. With her support gone Lucy was left to flounder for a couple of seconds, then she got ahold of her balance and jerkily stood back up from the half crouch she had ended up in.
Now that she was stable enough not to worry about her feet, she looked over at Luffy's other brother. Was he like his depiction in the Manga, or was he like Ace in that his personality became slightly warped when put into reality? Ace seemed to be so much colder than his depiction, perhaps it was her who had caused it to change? But what did that mean for Sabo? Could she take his depiction, or what little she remembered as fact? Where should she start going about him? Like a character? Or a human?
While she was debating how you go about talking to people who you know from a two dimensional perspective and converting it into a three dimensional person Sabo was stood there waiting. While she wasn't focused on him an awful lot he seemed to have an eye brow raised in annoyance, arms crossed over his chest with one finger tapping his arm in a steady beat. Finally it must have clicked in his mind that she wasn't going to start the conversation because he in an annoyed tone said ''Not one for conversations are you? I hear you are called Lucy, well it's a pleasure to meet you Lucy!'' Though by the end of it a sort of cheer overcame him as he offered over a hand
With that the ball was in her section of the court, and realizing having a debate about whether people from One Piece would be the same in real life was not the best idea at the moment, she reluctantly got out ''….It's a pleasure to meet you too, Sabo'' then she robotically shook his hand. Each word that came out her mouth sounded increasingly more cautious to her ears than the last.
Sabo took a couple of seconds to let that sink in, then in an mildly amused tone, smile on his face said ''You know your nothing like what Ace was saying'' in such a way that it seemed to be completely 100% fact.
Now that caught her attention, Sabo seemed to be much more liberal with his opinions and secrets than Ace. With an opportunity to finally get to understand what was going through ''And what was he saying?''
At the question Sabo once again took a pause, as if trying to get the correct words to say. Considering he had been brought up as a noble it was likely that he had been taught the finer details of conversation, a miss slip from a child could cause disaster to those in power after all. After a couple of moments pondering what to say Sabo once again bounced back and in a quieter voice said ''that you would bend over backwards to kiss Dadans ass, but from what I can see you really don't like the woman, and she doesn't really like you''
Now that was an understatement. While she wasn't as angry as she was yesterday, she was still not that pleased with Dadan at the moment. That wasn't a surprise, these feeling usually take a while to die down completely and most likely unless the ginger haired bandit leader did anything for her, it would remain forever if diminished. With that out the way she analyzed Sabo other comments, 'Kiss Dadans ass', is that what Ace seriously thought she was doing when she was doing for the last three months. And She bet that Ace believed she answered to Dadans beck and call, well screw him she wasn't a do-….a dog. Is that where the stupid dog comments had been coming from, was he four years old?
Probably because he was not used to Lucy's mannerisms, considering this was the first they had ever interacted, Sabo carried on with haste after he realized she was not going to comment ''He also said you were probably the most annoying person he had ever met'' At the sound of him carrying on, Lucy stopped any comments in her head to listen, but it only fit the narrative she had created. Ace was being a brat, though she didn't need Sabo to highlight that to her.
Before she realized it her amusement at how childish the person who she had started to dislike had become burst out, and without meaning it her mouth responded faster than her mind could stop it ''Has he ever looked in the mirror?'' Then her brain said 'Stop!' and her mouth closed just as fast as it opened. Sabo was left staring at her in surprise.
…
Now she had done it, Sabo might have been an angel next to Ace but he was still the freckled boy's best friend. Considering that Sabo was perhaps the only person in this hideout who was in anyway normal, though the top hat wearing boy was pushing it, alienating him was probably not the best idea. The formal noble however surprised her by bursting out into giggles that quickly devolved into laughter ''Pshshs hahahahaha! That's a good one!'' He managed to choke through. Lucy not really sure how to respond simply stared as he struggled and failed to hold it in. After a while it died down, only small hiccups periodically emerging, with a large grin on his face Sabo said ''You know you're not that bad, Lucy''
So she hadn't ruined a potential relationship with Sabo? Um… that was that went better than expected. She never got such a good reaction on the first encounter she had with someone. Sabo smile was really something, it wasn't as large as Garps he took the cake, but it was still a great smile despite missing a tooth. The smile fell slightly as the silence dragged on, then it seemed to dawn on him that it was rude to stay silent and his noble heritage reared its head as he quickly pivoted from the comment to staring at her wooden pile.
He walked over and bent over, grabbing one of her bowls and with a gentleness that surprised her quietly admired it. Then he got back up and seeming to realize she was staring at his grip, threw the bowl into the air and caught it at just the right time without even seeming to notice he was even doing it. With a quirked eye brow her asked ''So what are you doing? No one's really told me what's going on, and Ace is grumpier than usual, he's tighter than a clam''
Realizing that she couldn't stay silent forever, and as an adult it reflected poorly on her, she made an attempt at a joke ''Even grumpier, can such a thing exist?'' Sabo rewarded her with a renewed smile. His only response a shrug. With Sabo clearly wanting her to carry on, by using her own method against her no less, she carried on ''Right now I'm producing todays quota of objects to be sold in Goa city''
At that moment, Sabo who had been throwing the bowl up and down stopped. Then his smile turned lopsided as his eyebrows raised slightly, one more than the other, then his eyes glanced quickly around. With that done he turned his black eyes back to hers ''But I don't see any tools?''
Her first thought was, what? Hasn't Ace told him? Then it was why wouldn't he? Then as Sabo stared at her with the intensity of someone who had potentially caught a good secret she thought, how do you tell someone about the fact you're not quite human?
Realizing quickly that she couldn't attempt to explain it in the detail required, and quietly acknowledging that she needed to replace her destroyed spoon she walked over to the small wood pile she had been using to create objects from and grabbed a reasonable sized chunk of wood. With that done she walked back at Sabo who had been staring at her questioningly every step of the way. When she reached him, she put her finger to the piece of wood, making sure that Sabo could see it, and partitioned a handle.
His response was swift as sprinter, ''What the-?!'' and just as amazing to watch…he jumped up…as in two meters up and backwards. The bowl he was holding went flying off to the side as he quickly reoriented himself, landing in a crouch with the fluidity of a cat. After a couple of seconds were they both stared at each other, Sabo's eyes reflecting his caution, then he straightened himself. Then he walked over taking measured steps before stopping just before her arm length and peered at the piece of wood in her hand. Lucy watched in silence as he walked over, when he finally stopped and showed no sign of taking another step forward, she held out her hand after a moment of consideration and offered it to him. Sabo obviously cautious stared at her, then took the handle of off her, turning it in her hands and marveling at every angle. He took in a small breath, then in a voice said ''Woah, what happened? It's like magic''
Lucy stared at him for a second as he continued to admire her ability, then she quietly said ''I ate a devil fruit'' At this Sabo reacted just as suddenly, his face shooting up from where he had been looking at it. Then with open wonder, blurted out ''they exist?''
It never stopped being funny watching as people reacted to her power. Despite making it a goal of hers to learn everything about her power in the forest, she had stalled in that regard. It's not that she didn't want to learn about what she could and couldn't do, it's just that she had so much going on that it distracted her from perusing it.
….No it went deeper than that, she feared it.
While superpowers were considered to be this amazing thing, to the point that people would fantasize about what amazing things they would do with them. It felt off to Lucy, her power, it was strong in a fight, a great fruit on paper. But somewhere in the back of her mind she recognized it was perhaps the most dangerous devil fruit put to paper. Lets say for a second she managed to find a way to bypass one of the rules she had found, take for instance the one about distance. Right now it was five meters, now lets say it suddenly got extended to infinity, or a diameter that encompassed the world. With a swing of her hand she could theoretically cut the planet in half, Beerus style. That was not even taking into account what would happen if she used it against a human, she could still remember what she did to Higuma. If she tried to push her power, what amazing power would she wield, enough that it would be beyond what she could comprehend now…..but what would it warp her into. Power corrupts, now she had theoretically power beyond anything people could imagine and it was a part of her.
Call her a coward, but she didn't want to wield amazing power if she lost herself in the process.
Not realizing how deep she had gone, Sabo enthusiastically responded ''Which one? How did you get it? Can I have one?'' Each question was asked without a breath between them and Lucy was left just staring at Sabo for a couple of seconds as she reoriented herself back to the physical world from the mental. The transition left her half stuck in her thoughts about her mass murdering power, Sabo however was not as accommodating as many people she regularly spoke to and pushed her forward with a ''Lucy?''
Suddenly with Sabo in her face, she faltered before her mind provided her with a valid response, having nothing else she used it ''ummmm lets start at the first question. It is the partition-partition fruit, it allows me to partition anything within a five meter radius of myself. I didn't get it, a good friend of mine had it and I ate it while he wasn't looking. You have to find one yourself, I don't know how to get one.''
Considering it was her mind that dictated her words it was factual and to the point, naturally it meant that she spilled more information than she wanted to. Sabo not realizing, or caring, for her blunder pouted. Then in an annoyed voice said ''Aww that's a bust, here I wanted amazing magical powers''
Did Sabo realize how messed up the idea of devil fruits was? Not only did they turn people into living weapons of mass destruction but she was pretty sure they were curses more than powers. They turned a wielder into an freak of nature. Still despite her thoughts she responded by saying ''I'm sure that if you look hard enough you will get one'' Though it was more of an automatic response, born from years of being told to be polite.
Once again Sabo missed her inner comments, perking back up again ''You think?'' when she gave him a nod of her head in answer to avoid talking anymore, he gave her a big smile, eyes closed and with an amused hint in his voice said ''Well guess I've got my work cut out for me if I want to have a super cool superpower''
Was he seeing this as a serious future goal? He didn't have it in the original story, so why now? She was pretty sure that was said as if he was planning on going on a great adventure. Did she tell him, what she thought about her power?
In the end she did nothing.
No surprise there.
Not responding to his comment caused Sabo to believe that the conversation had ended. Instead after waiting a couple of seconds for her come back, he walked over to the bowl he had thrown across the clearing when he did his very impressive jump and picked it up. Then he walked back over, each stride confident and measured.
When he was about ten meters from her he pointed to the bowl in hand, that was only covered in dirt and not broken thankfully, and said asked questioningly ''You produced the bowls for the hideout?'' Despite not wanting to talk at the moment , she still had to respond so Sabo only received another head nod. Still that was enough for him and so while once again throwing the bowl into the air and catching it he threw out ''So that's why Ace seemed so surprised over some simple eating wear''
Ace had been surprised at the spoons and bowls? Well colour her surprised, she didn't think Ace could be surprised. He only seemed to have three emotions, angst, anger and misery. Despite not wanting to at the moment she seemed to be forced to carry on this conversation. Pausing to take her time to get back in the mood, and only finding partially success, she cautious shared ''…I had to make those bowls to be allocated this job.''
That made Sabo pause, instead of once again throwing the bowl back in the air he kept it in his hand. Then with a tilt of his hand politely asked ''Ah, you enjoying it?''
Enjoying it, not really. Was it the best of a bad bunch, yes.
Not wanting to seem rude, She in return responded and asked politely ''Well it was certainly better than what I was doing before….how are you doing? Not to hard?''
Unlike what she was going to expect a large smile crossed over his face again. With cheer Lucy didn't think she could ever possess when discussing a job, Sabo enthusiastically said ''Great! I'm used to working hard and compared to what I'm used to it isn't much''
So he wasn't affected by the work that had literally robbed her of all her energy, the very same one she had been cursing for the last three months. To him it was…easy. She was mentally twenty eight years old and a eleven year old had more mental resilience than her, that hurt to rationalize. Naturally with her focus being distracted in her mind, her mouth floundered ''Oh'' Then after realizing her mistake, Sabo staring at her confusedly, she tried to divert attention from her blunder by saying something she had been meaning to for a while''…Um…Thank you for taking my share of the burden, you really didn't have to''
Probably not sure what to do with someone you don't know thanking you, Sabo defaulted back to his noble upbringing and quickly and politely stated in a confident tone ''Well I had to thank you for stepping up for me and allowing me to stay here. I guess that makes us even, yes?''
He took on her chores because he felt indebted, the thought made her feel bad. She didn't do it to gain leverage over him, in fact she didn't mean to do it at all. Now she felt that she owed him a debt, not that he had just paid one of his own to her. Still the look on Sabo's face offered her no attempt to deny his action, in the end she just made a mental note that she owed him one later on.
It was when she was going to accept his offer that things got interesting. Just as she said ''Ye-'' a voice broke through their little talk. One large boisterous voice that surprised Lucy so much she almost recreated Sabo's two meter jump into the air.
In an annoyed voice Dadan, screamed ''what in Gods tarnation is going on here!?''
Both her and Sabo quickly turned from their little talk and looked towards the hideout, low and behold the overweight bandit was marching up over the little hill. If Dadan was a walrus then right now she was an angry walrus, and if Lucy knew one thing about angry walruses they were vicious. With veins popping over her face Dadan was a sight to behold, and her eyes while wondering to Sabo occasionally and even the pile of wooden goods, were fixated on her. It took Dadan little to no time to cross the distance from the top of the hill to them, each step frisk and to the point. When she was within their close vicinity, she stopped and in an enraged voice ''Lucy why the hell did you leave? And who the hell are you?!''
Both her and Sabo shared a look, as Lucy glanced at him he seemed just as unsure as she was. Did Dadan not remember anything? She knew that Dadan was completely drunk yesterday, but to the point that she forgot everything. How do you proceed from here? Sabo was just as unsure but he masked it better, cautiously saying ''Um I'm Sabo, Dadan, the person you allowed to stay in your home yesterday''
This backfired on Sabo however as Dadan quickly rounded on Sabo, pressing her face as close as possible, looming over him. With murder in her voice she quietly spoke in a voice that proved why she was the leader of a group of murders ''I have no clue what you're saying brat? Let you into my home? What sort of ridicules fool do you take me to be to fall for that huh?''
Lucy looked on in silent horror as Sabo silently stood staring at Dadans looming face. For a moment Lucy thought Sabo was going to stand his ground but he floundered and it seemed that Dadan was going to rip him apart both in words and literally. When that happened Lucy thought, 'Shit, I need to help him' quickly thinking of what to say she blurted out ''He's telling the truth Dadan''
It worked remarkably well, Dadan turned away from Sabo. Well it's more accurate to say it worked to well because Dadan turned her attention from Sabo to her. Now that she had a moment to think, it was not a good idea no matter how noble.
She could smell the alcohol lingering on the woman's breath, it mixed with the Dadans bad breath into an odor so pungently bad that she her stomach wanted to revolt. After the smell came the eyes and Dadan loomed over her, face shadowed over in anger. There is a saying that the eyes are the windows to the soul, Lucy didn't like what she saw in Dadans. Muttering angrily the ginger haired woman exclaimed ''What do you mean Lucy? And I want to have words about you leaving in the middle of our agreement!''
The middle of our agreement? But it was already over. Had Dadan seriously forgot everything from yesterday?
With Dadans eyes watching over she quietly squeaked out''….But we already did''
That seemed to confuse her. With a raised eyebrow and a voice full of confusion Dadan got out from her anger ''Huh?'' Now that she wasn't overloaded with anger, Dadan paused for a second nose flaring. Then her eyes started to glaze over with doubt, seeping in like water dripping into a large underground lake.
Now on the offensive, Lucy with confidence she didn't feel, carried on ''We talked about it yesterday, you told me that if I won your bet then you would let me off the hook and I won.''
Then like an overweight balloon, Dadan practically deflated as her doubts over took her anger. Straightening up again, the bandit leader rubbed her large meaty neck and muttered unsure to herself ''You did?''
With the smell greatly diminished, Lucy let out a stuttering breath. Fresh air, oh how good it felt. With Dadan not focusing on her with the intensity of a lion ready to pounce, Lucy looked over to Sabo. She found Sabo looking back, a look of concerned gratitude on his face. As their eyes met he mouthed 'you ok?' to her, in response she briskly nodded to him.
The action, however, caused Dadan to stop her confused staring and reenter the conversation kicking and screaming. While pointing at Sabo, large fingers almost touching is goggles said ''Then who is he?''
Staring at the offending appendages, cross eyed Sabo politely tried to manipulate the conversation. With obvious fake cheer he turned his unease to a show of bravado, making a grand bow he joyfully stated ''Hello again Mrs Dadan, I'm Sabo. You let me stay here remember?''
Lucy wasn't sure what would happen, but even knowing that Dadan still surprised her. Much like one Hashirama Senju would do, Dadan bent over and a cloud of gloom seemed to descend upon her. In a voice deprived of any hope in this world she muttered brokenly to herself ''Oh God, they're multiplying''
The once furious Dadan had been reduced to this state? What the hell was going on? Looking over at Sabo again he was making the same face of confusion. When he finally noticed her staring at him, he turned to look at her and they stayed gazing for a second, then shrugged at her unanswered question.
Dadans voice broke through her confusion, seemingly over her random bout of depression she dusted herself off and in a much calmer voice asked Sabo ''Well if you're saying the truth I expect….what am I expecting from you brat?''
Still just as confused as her, Sabo responded with a question ''that I do your jobs for you Mrs. Dadan?''
One blink, two blinks and then three all in rapid succession was his answer as Dadan stared at him, the gears turning in her overly large head. Then a look of fake anger crossed her face as she most likely tried to prove she was still dominant. With a drag of her cigarette Dadan screamed at Sabo'' get on with it then!''
Almost like a fire had been lite under his bum Sabo, jumped to action, dropping the bowl onto the floor and started rushing towards the hideout. Not that Lucy blamed him; she wanted to leave right now too. Why was she stuck with such an insane guardian, who was mental on a good day?
As she watched Sabo's back, she was startled when he suddenly stopped and did a swift one eighty, looking back to stare at her. With a smile on his face and a wave he shouted joyfully ''See you Lucy! It's been a pleasure speaking to you'' before continuing his swift retreat.
Silence reigned as both Dadan and her watched him disappear over the ridge. Then as the blond haired boy disappeared from view a small voice broke through ''did I really let him let him stay here Brat?'' When Lucy went to look at her technical boss, she saw confusion, reluctant acceptance and something else she couldn't quite place. The firm nod she gave Dadan was a no brainer. Seemingly accepting that she now had another child to look after Dadan muttered ''great' 'under her breath.
Then with one last, long lingering look at the pile she had created Dadan started to walk back to the hideout. When she was a couple of steps away the bandit leader stopped and looked back over her shoulder again ''Lucy…'' she muttered softer than usual. For lack of a better word it seemed that Dadan wanted to say something, a light was sparkling in the back of her eyes. Then Dadan crushed it as the light faded and a hard look crossed back over the woman's face ''…Get back to work''
Wanting this to all be over she quietly stated ''Yes Dadan'' While the bandit leader paused at the lack of 'sama' at the end, she accepted the promise and turned back to walking to the hideout. Lucy watched her back as she walked over the ridge.
….Well that was interesting. What the hell had just happened? First there was Sabo, and they had a good acutance? Maybe? And then there was Dadan who had rushed in with the temperament of an enraged bull, but left with the temperate of a popped balloon.
Could this day get any weirder?
Apparently it could, because just after having that though along came Ace ''You think you're so important''. Naturally not predicting another encounter Lucy jerked to look at the sound and saw the face of one Portgas D Ace looking at her from across the clearing .The freckled boy had seemingly snuck around her back while she wasn't looking, or that's what a part of her said anyway. As Lucy took in deep breaths, fearing for her poor heart after all these encounters, Ace was sneering down his nose like she was trash on the pavement to him.
Eventually as she regained her breath, she stood up from her slouched over position. He comes here and starts a petty dispute? Was he bloody serious!? Lucy had had enough with the child of Gol D Roger, with Garp fading on her bucket list of annoyance, and Dadan being an unknown, Ace was certainly the worst offender. Bringing forth all her displeasure she possibly could Lucy ground out ''What do you want?'' to the sneering child.
Her displeasure only riled Ace up, a dark shadow passing over his face. But it might just have been the wind but she saw something in his eyes…fear. Instead of his usual arrogant drawl, Ace emotionlessly said ''I just came to say something. Stay away from Sabo if you know what's good for you, I don't need your uselessness rubbing off onto him, Dog''
…..Did Ace seriously just threaten her? What? She realized early on that he was a damaged person from his upbringing, but to the point of threatening her with violence. That went beyond anything she thought. It was worse than she thought. Still despite the overhanging threat, her own annoyance at him was brought to the forefront. Before she realized it she quipped back ''Why are you scared that he will enjoy my company more than your misery''
By the time her mind had tried to put the brakes on it was to late. Ace was around ten meters away from her, by the time the last syllable had left her mouth Ace had grabbed her roughly by the throat.
It hurt, it hurt it hurt it hurt AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
She probably would have said it outside her head, but nothing came out her mouth, not words or noise, not even air. Soon the pain started to dissipate, not for good reasons Lucy quickly realized. Dancing in her vision were white dots that grew brighter and brighter till the almost consumed their vision.
Then everything started to fade, everything was slowing down and she had one last thought
'Why fate?'
That's what would have happened, if she didn't suddenly find herself breathing in. Cold air burnt her raw throat, but with desperation she didn't know she possessed she took in large ragged breaths. Everything revolved around her breaths for what seemed to be a painful eternity. When she opened her eyes, the dots blinded her, that's not even considering that her back was on the floor.
What had happened? She wasn't dead… She wasn't dead….wait she wasn't dead? Then her mind rebooted and a thousand voices cried out from the corners of her mind, each calling out, panicking as they protested to her that she was damaged. Then a large one vibrated through her, what happened to Ace?
Every part of her protested when she crawled up from her position lying on the floor, coughing and spluttering on the floor. Then with one weak leg, she slowly rose and looked back to look at her assaulter.
The look on his face brought out long buried surprise. Ace was….unsure. He was looking over to her with silent confliction, but with a more in-depth look she found….fear, uncertainty and pain. What?
His hand, the one that had grabbed her by the neck and squeezed until it felt like her head would pop from the pressure was shaking, little waves raking his arm…no his body.
Then they caught eye gaze, Ace was….shaken. In an action of seeming desperation he clenched his teeth to hold back the shivers rocking him. Through his ground teeth he ground out ''Stay away from him, dog'' And then he turned and quickly disappeared into the jungle like a panther, disappearing into the shadows like he was one.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII(CHA CHA CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH)IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
For the next two weeks she had a large bruise on her throat where he had manhandled her. Dadan had reacted in fury at the action and brought her wrath down on Ace, the shouting match could probably be heard in Goa capital. In the end Ace stormed out, Sabo reluctantly following to calm down his friend.
Talking of Sabo they formed a reasonable relationship, considering he was the only person who really treated her as an equal it made it far more functional than the business like relationship she had with everyone else. Unsurprisingly he was a treasure trove of information of books he had read, which were numerous considering his family's library, they spent their mornings working and their evenings talking about the mysteries of life. Sabo tried to apologize every time he saw her neck for his friend, but as much as she hated Ace at the moment, she felt sorry for Sabo for being stuck with such a friend. Ace had hardly been seen for the last two months, by anyone but Sabo. If it wasn't for the fact that the top hat wearing boy kept telling everyone he was still alive, many of the bandits would think he was dead.
Most importantly however, was the wood carving business. It went slow, the first couple of days she got nothing. Then on the third day her quota increased by a small amount, then again on the fourth and the fifth. Still the twenty percent she received was small if reasonable, not enough to even think of living off of. Then around twelve days in her quota doubled, then again the next day, then it went exponential. It wasn't enough to get close to her previous work day but it still went from 0-60 at breakneck speeds.
Then one day she was called into the hall after super, across from her was Dadan, Magra and Dogra all sat discussing something between themselves. When she sat down on her cushion they all stopped. A small staring match ensured, neither side wanting to start. Not wanting to deal with this at the moment, her pain killers for her neck bruise had worn off earlier today she briskly asked '' What have you called me here for?''
Dadan happy that she had won their little standoff said smugly ''I have managed to secure a deal with one of the largest under the table dealers in Goa city''
Under the table dealer? Had she bought alcohol? Probably. It sounded more like a drugs sale in her opinion.
Voicing her thought she jokingly asked ''You want to tell me you have bought drugs?''
Dadan responded in much her usual way, by loudly rebutting, but she obviously found the comment funny ''Don't be daft! He owns a plethora of stores that sell manufactured wooden products around Goa kingdom''
At that Lucy paused, they had a seller? Most of the last two weeks were spent just flogging her products around the capital hoping someone bit. But if they had a seller then they could funnel a large amount of goods with an assured guarantee that they would be bought. It was the best thing that could have happened right now, after all this uncertainty.
Dogra joined into the bandwagon by proudly stating ''He noticed the quality of your work Lucy, and he has inquired if he could use us a major supplier…but…''
But? Why is there always a but? Why couldn't she have something go her way without there being strings attached. Why do you care anymore? A part of her asked back, begrudgingly she accepted that fact and in a resigned voice asked ''But?''
Dadans reply didn't help her fear ''He wants to see you before he makes a deal''
Well it always goes wrong doesn't it?
Another monstrous chapter, they drain your energy I swear. Well now we are getting onto a transition into the main child hood story arc. Poor Sabo, he just chose the most unique child to be his only friend. Til next time. Bye bye