Thank you Shaeril McBrown for your review. Because of that I was inspired to edit and add another 1,100 words to this chapter. I am not the best at grammar so forgive me for any mistakes I know I made.
My hands were bloody.
That was my first coherent thought after it was all over. I had done it. I was free.
I was free but... but what I did... I feel nothing. Absolutely nothing. I should feel something, I told myself. Horror or disgust or something to tell me what I did was wrong. Because I knew it was, but I didn't feel any guilt.
The crimson color gleamed in the moonlight. My blood soaked clothes screamed at me what I had done. My hands felt like I had thrust them into boiling water but were rapidly cooling in the breeze. The cooling made it somehow worse, the blood congealing between my fingers turning into a disgusting sensation. I could feel my stomach heave but I pushed down the bile I could feel raising up my throat. Looking down at the blood on my hands was more than I could take and when my stomach heave again I didn't bother trying to resist.
After it was over I move my gaze and almost against my will looked at what I had done.
I had done this. Not him. Me. I wanted him gone so I made it happen and I couldn't find it in myself to feel the slightest bit of guilt. Which just proved what I never wanted to face. I was just like him.
With that thought the smallest bit of emotion started leaking through the utter emptiness I felt. My previous calm giving way to anger, so much anger. Once identified it was like a dam had broken and I felt like I might black out with the force of it. I had to let it out otherwise I would explode trying to keep it in.
By the time my voice stopped echoing around me my throat felt raw and it somewhat hurt to breathe. The rage had left just as quickly as it had came and the emptiness set back in, but this time I was grateful.
I still had a lot more to do if I wanted to be safe. So I got up and ignoring my soundings as best I am able, I gathered my supplies I had packed in preparation of what I would do tonight and opened the door and not looking back as I sat off into the dark.
Not bothering to look around me I move along the familiar path at a run. I wasted too much time I had to hurry or I may never escape from here.
Stopping by the river I used to get water form I turn the water bloody as I cleaned off my hands and arms, splashing it over my face just in case. I didn't bother with my shirt just tossed it in the river and got a new one from my pack. After that was done I set of at a run again hoping I wasn't too late.
By the time I reached the harbor my heart was beating wildly from the effort of running and fear but it was worth it when I saw the ships still docked. Grinning in relief I focused solely on going unnoticed.
Getting on board was so easy it made me embarrassed I worried so much over it. Apart from the look out it look like everyone else was asleep. I tried to pick the ship with the least amount of people on it but I only had so many options and I didn't have time to wait so I picked the one nearest me and hoped I could hide somewhere.
Avoiding the places where I heard snoring I sneak around and found my way to an empty closet and hoped I would go unnoticed until the next island the ship docked at.
Settling down in a small place that could only house a kid I try to sleep. But soon realized it was useless. The color red wouldn't leave my mind and the scent of iron in my nose was overpowering. So I sat there slowly rocking back and forth with the waves.
It was only a few hours later I heard people moving about the ship. Still I didn't move, didn't make a sound and waited.
By the time everything was silent again on the ship I felt like I would die of stiffness from keeping my body so still. Not wanting to risk going out and I would only do so when it becomes unbearable to hold it in any longer. Everytime I left my hiding place my heart beat went twice as fast and would stay that way for a few minutes after I was safely tucked away again.
Still I made it and I almost cried in relief when my feet touched unfamiliar ground. Limping because of my stiffness I walked away as fast as I could. I saw a village but ignored it in favor of the forest. I didn't want anyone to see me just in case they started looking for me.
The first night I slowly moved my body in various ways, trying to make my body move like I wanted it to. That was how my first few days went. Getting back in shape and moving deeper into the forest.
I had no problem finding food. Although the forest was different from mine it was still the same animals and edible plants. Only it seems these animals were a bit bigger, and by a bit I meant a lot. Which brings me to my current problem.
"Fuck! Aren't you tired of chasing me yet!" I yelled at the oversized hog that been after me for the last hour.
It wasn't like I meant to antagonize it in the first place. I was sleeping in a tree. It would have went right past me if I didn't at that moment wake up screaming from a nightmare causing me to fall right on top of it.
I'm not sure how I was so unlucky. My nightmares don't happen all that often. Often enough for me to sleep in the lower branches but still kinda rare. For me to have one right when the hog was below me was amazing. I'm in awe of my misfortune.
The hog in a sudden burst of speed caught up to me enough to make a swipe at me with his tusks. Jumping to the side I dodged most of the damage but was left with a large gash on my side.
Ignoring the pain I took the opportunity to slice down the knife I had in my hand on the hog's neck causing blood to spray out, tilting my head to the side to avoid it. I moved backwards as fast as I could successfully dodging its flailing.
After that I only had to wait for it to bleed out. I didn't want to be near the small of so much blood for long so I only stay long enough to cut off a few slices of meat then ran away as fast as I could, not wanting to get caught up with any of the more powerful predators I've seen.
A long time of moving carefully through the foliage later I was washing the blood off me and checking my wound, which was worrying still bleeding and looked quite deep. Digging in my roughed up bag proved fruitless because in my hurry I didn't back any bandages or first aid.
My blood flowed through my fingers that were attempting to stanch the bleeding. The familiar sensation made me feel nauseous but it was easy enough to ignore. I needed supplies and that meant one thing. I would have to go to town. Since I didn't really know how to get to town after getting turned around in this forest for the last few days I sat out following river, one of my shirts pressed against my wounded side.
A few hours later I was rather surprised to see a few tall buildings peeking out over the trees. It wasn't the village I saw when I first came here, in fact it looked more like a city than a village. Still I let out a sigh of relief. My hand was wet with my blood the shirt I was using as a makeshift bandage was almost soaked through. I wasn't feeling dizzy yet but it was only a matter of time.
As soon I was close enough I climbed a tree to wait until nightfall. This didn't look like the kind of place that would allow someone like me in.
Even after washing in the river I was covered in blood from my still bleeding wound, I even smelled like blood. My deep purple hair was dirty and matted and my shirt and shorts where clearly well used.
After nightfall, I used my smaller size to slip past the guards and into the city. Walking around I look for anything first aid like. It was harder than I thought it would be. Even though I was often hurt I was usually just thrown the supplies needed, I never had to get them myself so I had no idea what I should be looking for.
Looking through random shop windows was getting me nowhere, I had no idea just what I was looking at. Some had clothes another's had weapons one was just a room full of tables and chairs. Just about to give up and hope I eventually stop bleeding I turn into an ally into a confusing situation.
"What if Gol D Roger had a kid?"
I stopped in surprise at the young voice, not expecting anyone to appear in front of me so suddenly. Seeing a black haired kid about my age talking to three very drunk grown men was not what I thought I would have ran into. I was just about to make my exit when one of the men responded.
"A monster like that having a kid would be an abomination. The blood would make it nothing but evil. "
I stopped, frozen. Hearing the words repeating in my head. Monster. There was no bigger monster than him. I tried to pull myself together I already knew what being that man son meant for me. Hadn't I already proven that I was just like him. I didn't need to be reminded. Snapping back to reality I was walking away when I heard a roar of rage coming from behind me.
Looking back in time to see one of the men take a pipe to the knee, I just stared. I had no idea what that kid was thinking, trying to take on three grown men. He barely came up to their waist. I watch as the man howled in pain before kicking the kid into a wall, the pipe the kid was holding onto falling out of his hands and rolling only to stop at my feet.
I stared at it only to look back to the kid getting roughly pounded into the ground. I sighed, even if I was a monster I didn't have to be a coward. Picking up the pipe I looked over the men for the best one. I'll only have the element of surprise once I need one of them out of the picture.
As I was deciding the kid kicked a leg causing one to fall to the floor. Well, why let this opportunity go to waste?
Running up to the downed man I swing the pipe down as hard as I could and heard a crunch. Not stopping to wonder if I had killed someone else I immediately attacked the next man closest. I was too short to hit the man's head so I hit behind his knees bringing him down to my level. Much like the first I heard a crunch as soon as I landed a hit on the back of the man's head.
Seeing the last man was standing there in shock the kid throws a rock hitting the man in his head. Grabbing the man's shirt I tugged hard enough to make him fall. Feeling the pipe yanked out of my hands I step back to watch the kid hit the man the same as I did only this time there it was clear the man was only knock out instead of the unclear state of the men I hit.
The kid was clenching his side but was forcing himself to stand tall and stare at me with mistrust.
"Who the hell are you?"
If I wasn't feeling the burn and the sudden gush of blood I would had walked or ran away but as I was in a rather pitiful position at the moment I suck up my pride.
"Do you happen to know where a pharmacy is around here?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Do you not see me here dripping blood?"
I knew it was night but there were street lights and to me it was pretty hard to miss. As the kid looked at me and the blood dripping through my fingers creating a red line where my pants soaked up the excess only to give my a hard stare.
"Why should I help you?" He asked defiantly.
I sighed, resigned. "Alright." I walked out of the alleyway deciding I would go back to the forest and hope for the best, it was already late enough to be considered early to some people and I couldn't get into any more fights.
"Hey wait." A grape at the back of my shirt made me turn around and see the kid already walking away. "It's this way." Following his back my hand clenched around the gash at my side. I hoped he knew where he was going.
The walk was in silence but he did take me to a small building. Peeking inside, past the closed sign hung on the door, I see some chairs and a cot. On a shelf I see what I think I might need.
I turn my head and give the kid a thankful smiled. "Thank you." No longer paying the kid any mind I got the tap out of my bag and started covering the window with it before punching it. The tape made the noise much less than it would have otherwise.
Opening the door I step inside quietly. I quickly search for what I needed and stuff it all in my bag. Ignoring the kid who was also grabbing things I made my exit starting at a jog.
"You going the wrong way."
I looked back.
"You want to go back to gray terminal right?"
I didn't know what gray terminal was but as the kid didn't look like he belonged either I figure it would be ok to follow him. Nodding at him he grudgingly made a gesture to me. I walked behind him as he led and soon we were back at the gate I entered slipping past the inattentive guards.
"Thank you again."
"We're even now. I owe you nothing."
"Alright." Not caring what he said and not sparing him another look I ran back into the forest.
Once I thought I was hidden enough I removed my shirt and messily stitched it up and wrapped a bandage around it.
Now that that was all taken care of I climbed a tree to sleep.
After two months of little by little adjusting to my new environment I had little to fear of this places natural prearters. What I couldn't outright kill I could easily run from. Because there wasn't any need I haven't gone back to the village or the city after the last time nor have I seen that kid around either.
I've mostly been wandering around and sleeping in trees content doing nothing. But that's ends today. My clothes were little more than rags at this point. I've been saving a well maintained shirt and shots so I could go into town to sell some animal hides and see if I could get better clothes.
Because I didn't think the city would buy anything from a kid as young as me I was hoping to see if the village would. So ignoring my better judgement I gathered my hides and walk out of my safe forest and into unknown territory.
The village was what I was expecting. Small quite-
"Ah Makino! Is it time to eat yet! Meat! Meat!"
The loud childish voice almost made me drop my hides in surprise but I tightened my hold and managed to keep it secure. Seeing as these were the first people I've seen I shelved my reservations and walked over.
"No Luffy it's not time yet." The women said in a way that seemed like she's said it many times before.
"Excuse me, but will you tell me if there's a tailor around here?" I asked in my most polite voice.
The women look at me with surprise. I assume because she hasn't seen a kid like me around. With my deep purple hair and dark tan skin and bright cold blue eyes.
"Hello who are you? I'm Luffy. Do you like meat?"
Staring down at the kid who was obviously a few years younger than me, I looked at the woman who was looking at the kid with exasperated fondness and decided to play nice.
"My name is Daemon, and yes I'm quite fond of meat." I said with my best smile.
"Really?! Can you-"
"Luffy I'm sure Daemon has things he needs to do. Why don't you go inside and eat?"
"Ok!" The kid was out of my sight in less then a second.
"Just go down the street and you should find the place you're looking for?"
"Think you." I said meaning more than for just the directions, I'd hate to find out just what it was Luffy was going to ask me.
The tailor went as expected. I didn't get the price I would have if I had gone into the city but I already guessed that. While I was there I got replacements clothes. Modeled after the ones I've been wearing.
Since I did what I came for I disappeared back into the forest. Not knowing I just barely avoided Luffy.
Back in the forest I decided to explore a little more soon finding my way to what seemed like a trash heap. Maybe this was what that kid meant by gray terminal?
Walking around and seeing all this junk made me think if there was enough to build a place for me to sleep. Trees are not comfortable but I didn't have what I needed to build something, until now.
So over the next month I worked on my fort in the trees until I finally had a reasonable place to live.
While I was out gathering things I needed I spotted that kid I helped along with some other blond kid, and tried to quickly escape notice, unfortunately for me he just so happened to look my way.
Our eyes met. "Hey!" And I was off ignoring the yelling behind me.
It took me longer than I thought it would to shake them off my trail but I managed it ok. I would need to be more careful when I go back. I don't know why he was chasing me in the first place, he seem just as eager as I was to get away from each other before.
As for me avoiding him its for his own safety anyone around me is in danger.
I managed two weeks of avoiding them before they found me. I would have been much better at hiding if I wasn't carrying the wood and metals i needed. Since I needed to visit the trash heap everyday they had a much better chance at following me.
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The title will change. I just haven't thought of the right one yet. Please review, it helps and thank you for reading to this point.