"I don't like you" by BloodyMarryMe
The new chapter is here! Finally! (Sorry for the wait everyone) ^^ I've been trying to finish it soon for you guys, since I'll be even more busy from tomorrow so I won't be able to write much. :/ (I can't wait for all my exams to be over so I can just write without having to do anything else. . ) But unfortunately that won't happen soon. :(
Aww but I gotta say, I was in such a bad mood the day after publishing chapter 33 and then I came home and read all your comments and they really made my day. ^^It brought a smile to my face. :D So thank you for that!
Now let's answer some questions as usual:
SeveredReality: first, that's ok, you weren't mean and I didn't lose the will to write. The reason I don't upload so often anymore is because I have a lot of exams and work for college right now so it's hard to find the time to write. :/ So don't worry, it's not your fault. ^^'
Yes, I really wish Oda would show more of Law's abilities or at least a little of his past. :/ Or just explain the whole Punk Hazard more. Hopefully we'll get some of it in the next chapter though I have a feeling we'll just be left with even more questions. -.-'
Yeah I didn't make that many adventures, but it's because the ones I write are pretty long I guess. Perhaps I should make more of short one-chapter adventures (though one might be coming up soon). So if every adventure had about 6 chapters and there was a shorter span of time between each, this story would be waaaay too long (I'd have like 50 chapters already ^^') and so I would have to speed up Law/Miyako progression too, cause people would become impatient. But I'll try to put some shorter adventure as well and that way it'll seem like more time passed by but the story won't be too long. :)
About the strength flaw, I agree the character could have a character flaw as well. Hm, if I had to list Miyako flaws well let's see….She's can be awfully stubborn and doesn't listen most of the time (when she should ^^') which results in her doing things on her own and getting into trouble. I think her biggest character flaw is that she isn't really a "people" person so she doesn't know how to act around people sometimes and that's why she gets shy or confused, especially around Law. Since she didn't have much friends she was never a 'team player' and that's also why she does things on her own. She isn't used to relying on people or having people she trusts. So now that she has people that are getting close to her and someone to call a friend, she feels confused and not used to it. But it's also changing her little by little. (which is the answer to your question; "What happened to the 'other' Miyako?") However, the other Miyako didn't disappear and won't (cause it wouldn't be fun then. : ).
I think you can notice that most characters in my story have two sides. For example; Miyako has a side where she is untrusting towards other, relying solely on her own, sarcastic, sometimes rude…But she also has a side where she doesn't have much confidence and it unsure because she's not used with people getting this close to her. And that side is slowly coming out. But she can still be badass when she needs to. :) The 'two sides' go for Law too. You said you didn't like the interaction because it was Ooc for Law, but I think he handled it quite well with his usual stoic face and no shown reaction, just as always. Still, thoughts are another thing and what I want to remind everyone of is that Law is still human (sometimes hard to believe though, no? XD) But he should have his own innermost, deepest thoughts, wants and such, as well. After all, without it there wouldn't be a way for him to be attracted to Miyako, no? (Cody and Josh also have 'two sides' but I'm trying to keep this short so I won't be going into that too now. ^^')
Actually I think that Nyan interaction was more Ooc for Miyako than Law. But the thing that saves it is that Miyako had to do it cause she lost. And she takes her promises very seriously. So if this was a bet she lost at, she would take her 'punishment' without excuses. Besides, it was kinda fun to write and I have a feeling Shachi from the manga would do something like that too if he could. XD
About Law's wounds, well I plan to have him take some minor damage, especially when he comes to the New World or fights some high-ranking marines but nothing critical. Though who knows…I don't have it all planned out yet either. ^^' And yeah, there will be more marine involvement from now on cause I don't want to left them out and it seems I have been doing it lately. They are an important part of OP after all. ^^'
Yes, for Miyako's true journey and her realizations, we will have to wait some more. I can't wait to write that epiphany. ^^' But don't worry, it's not forgotten because that will actually make a big difference in her life and story. :)
About the nickname…still, what's done is done. I think it wouldn't look good if I changed it now after such a long time that she had it.
About the wire, yeah I know it's kinda overused in such situations but, you know, strings and all…what else can they do? ^^'
Well I won't say anything about the kidnapper and such because you'll find out now anyway. :)
And I wanna see a Straw-Hat pirates/Heart pirates day too! That would be more awesome. Especially if there would be more situations like Law/Chopper one and I just know there would be. :D I bet the Heart Pirates would be scared of Nami too. (Except Law of course) XD I think they'll be going after Big Mom since she has been mention a lot lately and Luffy kinda already declared war to her over the den den mushi on Fishman island. I don't think Luffy would go after Shanks, I think that's exactly why he asked Law which emperor he wants to take down before agreeing with the alliance.
So there you go! I think that's all. O.o Sorry I didn't really answer in order but I felt that some things were connected so I wanted to cover them all together.
Satoshistar7: I completely agree. The reason why Miyako goes off on her own and does things on her own is because she's used to it and isn't used to team work. So relying on others and working with others still seems strange to her. She always took care of herself and her own problems so it's weird when you suddenly have other people to worry about as well. (And don't worry about the spelling, I didn't have any problems reading your review. ^^)
Izzie: Hehe thank you for the best wishes. :) Yep, it'll take some time before I have time to upload frequently again like in the beginning. ^^' And yeah, Shachi is a total pervert but I think Law secretly wishes he could've seen it himself. ;)
About Miyako's 'true purpose'; she's still in the process of discovering it but small details like her wanting to protect everyone and such are all parts on her big road that will lead towards realization. :) So yes, the things you mentions are actually very important on that path.
Law'sfan: Hehe thanks, and yeah, I definitively need to come up with a suitable punishment for Shachi. ;P
Star03: Thank you and yeah, I hope Oda will show us more about Law soon. I'm so curious. .
MangaFreak55: Sorry for making you wait. ^^' But this time I think I actually posted sooner…I think. O.o I have no idea anymore, everything feels mixed up! XD Anyway, yeah seemed a lot of people like the cat ears on Miyako. I thought it would be cute/funny to do something like this for a change since Miyako is usually serious and a bit stuck up. So this was really out of the ordinary for her. :P And I really wanted to write Law's reaction to it. XD
Anyway, that's all and I think I covered all the questions. O.o For everyone else who made a review; thank you and I'm so glad you like my story. ^^
Now let's go! :D
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece nor any of its characters but I do own the OC Suzune Miyako.
CHAPTER 34
Miyako looked around as they walked through the village but then turned to the smaller streets and alley that headed away from the center square. There were almost no people there and as they walked on, there were no people at all anymore. At first she couldn't recognize where they were but then her eyes widened slightly. "Near this place, Samue's body was found. Are we going there? Does this have anything to do with Samue-san?" Miyako asked looking at Muso's broad back.
"Yeah…just follow me." Muso was never a talkative guy, but now he was being even more mysterious, which left a frown on Miyako's face.
After a while they reached a rundown building that looked like an empty storage house. Muso opened then wooden doors, almost ripping them from the hinges in the process since they already looked busted. Miyako looked at him with a look that was both suspicious and said 'are-you-crazy?'
"What's in here," she asked as she walked in, carefully looking around the big empty room except for some garbage and half-destroyed crates around. Everything was in pitch darkness and Miyako focused her eyes in order to see better. "Is this where Samue was killed?" Miyako remembered Law saying something about how Samue wasn't killed on the street where they found his body, which could be seen by the position of the blood around him and the position of the body that didn't match. She wasn't really sure how it went down, but since this place was pretty close to where the body was found, it could've been the murder scene. Perhaps there were more clues to Samue's murder here so Muso wanted to show her after he found out. But that still didn't explain the fact why he was so secretive about it. What exactly did he find here? She was even more suspicious now and concentrated in case she felt someone's presence, but she only felt Muso behind her. However she felt it strange when she didn't get an answer so she turned around, and just at that moment Miyako felt something amiss. As she turned she saw Muso standing over her with the katana raised in the air. It was too dark to see his face or anything except the large form towering over her.
Miyako gasped and quickly jumped backwards to dodge the blow. "What are you doing?!" She exclaimed as she dodged another slash, but no answer came. She couldn't believe it! Was Muso really an accomplice to that masked man! Was he in on this? Why was he doing this? She didn't have time to ponder much about it since she had to keep dodging and Muso was quite quick despite his age and body build. Miyako stepped backwards to dodge another swing with the katana downwards, but she tripped over something, something that felt like a wire, and in the back of her head she realized it must have been the string that the masked man used. So he was here somewhere too? Or his traps were at least. As she tripped, Miyako stumbled backwards, losing her balance for a second, but that second was enough for the katana to slice at her shoulder. The same one that was already bandaged from the piercing wound she got earlier that day.
The girl cursed under her breath and she was able to land on one of her hands, using it as support as she flipped backwards, kicking her leg in the air in the process and managed to kick Muso's katana right out of his grip. She landed on her two feet in a crouch and stood up quickly. Muso was still not talking and he ran at her even without the sword. She jumped over him, using his shoulder for support as she landed behind him and took the katana that was on the ground. Still, she didn't want to kill the man, especially since she needed him for answers and he had a lot of explaining to do.
So Miyako took a stance and reversed the blade so the blunt part was outwards and she rushed forward just as Muso did. He threw a punch at her with his big fist, but Miyako jumped in the air dodging it, then as she began falling she swung her sword and landed a slash with the blunt side right at the back of Muso's neck while he was still leaning forward from the punch he threw. She made sure not to use full power so she wouldn't break his neck, but she had to hit him hard since the man was all muscles so he wouldn't go down easy. Miyako landed next to his body that fell to the ground. She was surprised the man didn't even let out a sound of pain when she hit him. She knew he was strong, but that seemed a bit too much, even for him. Miyako crouched next to him and felt his pulse, sighing in relief when she felt the beating of his heart. *So he's just unconscious…good. He'll have a lot of explaining to do when he wakes up.*
She stood up and sheathed back the katana, tying it around her waist for now and Miyako was just about to leave when she heard a muffled sound. It was coming from the darkness ahead and was barely audible, but Miyako managed to pick up on it, and then heard it again a second later. She walked carefully into the darkness, a hand on the hilt of the katana just in case. Her eyes widened when she noticed a figure sitting in the corner and Miyako ran forward to see that it was Azuma Reiji, bound and gagged with wide fearful eyes. "Reiji-san!" Miyako exclaimed and hurried to release him quickly.
Reiji gasped for air as she did. "Y-You're Suzune-chan, right? Thank you so much for saving me. At first when I saw the two of you enter, I thought you were with him."
"What happened?" Miyako looked over the young man to see if he was injured, but didn't find anything special. His glasses seemed broken on one side and he had bound marks on his pale wrists, but other than that he seemed fine. She completely forgot that she had her own shoulder wound to worry about, though when the adrenaline lowers she would sure feel it.
"M-Muso-san! He went mad! He hit me over the head and when I woke up, I was here tied and gagged. I don't understand what came over him." Reiji was still breathing hard and his eyes remained wide as he had trouble calming down from the experience.
Miyako took the ropes that Reiji was tied with and tied Muso with them instead. She wasn't sure if the ropes would hold such a big and strong man like him, but that was the best she had at the moment. "We need to tell the authorities," she suggested and when she turned around she saw Reiji towered over the two of them. She was a bit surprised since she didn't even feel his presence nor hear him come, but that was probably because she was still in her own world, musing about Muso's strange actions. "I-I just can't believe Muso-san is in on all this. His daughter went missing too didn't she?" Then Miyako's eyes widened. That masked 'man' was tall but slim. It didn't have to be a man at all. It could've been a disguised Izumi. Perhaps they were in on this together! *But why? And wasn't Samue his friend? How could he have killed him!* Miyako remembered how broken Muso was both when Izumi disappeared and when Samue died. He didn't seem fake in those situations at all, he looked like he truly cared. *I can't believe he was just faking…* Miyako was completely confused, none of this made any sense.
"You're bleeding!" Reiji's worried voice brought her to reality and she glanced at her shoulder.
"Don't worry, it's just a scratch." It really didn't seem like a big wound, though she knew two medics that were definitively going to scold her for it. Miyako sweat-dropped at the thought.
"But we need to bandage it! Come on, my shop is just up ahead."
Miyako blinked at him, confused. "Shop?" Why would he take her to a doll store at the time like this?
"Oh, you see my house is actually connected to the shop. I live in the back." Reiji explained as he smiled sheepishly and scratched his head.
The girl looked back at Muso. "But we can't leave him here, we need to call the authorities. I'll stay here and you go get them first." Miyako ordered and Reiji nodded then ran off out of the storehouse.
It didn't take long before he was back with two officers. He said something to one of them and pointed at Muso. The officers nodded and took the unconscious man away. Miyako sighed as she stood up. "I guess it's not over until we find the other culprit though." Her voice sounded tired, but it was more due to disappointment that Muso could be involved in this. She thought he was a good man, with honor and one she could trust. Was she mistaken? "I'll go back to the submarine and tell captain what happened," she mumbled, not really pleased with this idea since Law will now know she disobeyed him once again and this time there would be no escaping a far greater punishment.
A hand on her healthy shoulder stopped her. "But you can't just walk around with that wound. It'll get infected or something; you've already left it unattended for far too long. Come on." Reiji almost pushed her out of the storage and towards his shop. Before Miyako could even protest she found herself in his house in the back of the shop, sitting on a chair and Reiji cleaning and attending to her wound. Though she couldn't leave afterwards either since he made tea for them. So she took the time to examine some of the dolls that were there. They were all really so marvelous and so realistic.
She hopped out of her chair and walked to one of the dolls which was the size of a small human child. It had brown hair and big chocolate eyes. Even though it was made out of porcelain, its face looked realistic. Miyako lifted its hand, but then blinked when she felt it was much heavier than she expected. "Wow, how can this be so heavy? I mean, isn't porcelain supposed to be lighter than this?" She asked and turned when she saw Reiji coming over.
"Oh, well it's not pure porcelain. I mix them with some other materials to make it less breakable." He explained and then moved Miyako lightly from the doll. "Now, your tea is getting cold." He gestured for the table where two small cups of tea stood and he smiled gently.
"Ah, thank you." Miyako smiled back, feeling a bit guilty for touching the doll. It was obvious Reiji didn't like that since he hurried her away from it, probably so she wouldn't break anything. She walked over there and sat down, taking the cup in her hands and sipping the hot liquid. She smiled at the taste, telling Reiji silently that it was good.
He smiled again and reached for his own cup, then brought it to his mouth. And as he did, his sleeve fell down a bit and revealed a bandaged wrist. Miyako's eyes twitched for just a second before her face returned to a more expressionless state. She hoped Reiji didn't notice that little surprised act, but even though she looked completely calm on the outside, she became more nervous. *He has the same bandaged wrist as the masked man! Is he really the culprit?* Reiji always seemed a bit out of it and in his own world, but he was also nice and seemed very gentle. Nobody even suspected the always-in-the-clouds Azuma Reiji. Yes, Miyako did think about it since he made puppets so it seemed natural to suspect him, but Reiji didn't act or look like a ruthless killer at all, and he would have to have great fighting skills to use those strings like that.
Miyako was brainstorming about what she should do and how she should get out of here. *It's fine, he didn't realize I know yet so I can just make an innocent escape.* She looked at her tea and stiffened slightly; who knows what he could've put in it. She only sipped a little, but maybe that was enough if it was some kind of poison. She put the cup down and smiled at the man, standing up slowly. "Well, I should really get going. My captain is going to kill me for going off on my own again." Well no lies there.
Reiji stood up as well with a smile. "Ah, the great 'Surgeon of Death', Trafalgar Law. He must be a scary man to have as a captain."
Miyako sweat-dropped at the thought and memories of all Law's dark looks and glares that were enough to send a chill down your spine. She laughed nervously. "W-Well…" But this was no time to think about that. She shook her head lightly and bowed to Reiji. "Well then, I'll take my leave." She turned around, remaining calm so he wouldn't suspect anything, and walked towards the door that led to the shop and front rooms. But just as she was about to walk through the door, a voice stopped her.
"Where do you think you're going?" The voice sounded dark and cold, nothing like the man behind her that she knew. It didn't even sound like Reiji's voice.
Miyako stopped in her tracks, but didn't turn around, still having her back turned to him and standing there silently.
She heard a light, dark chuckle behind her. "I can't let you go now…since you know my little secret. Though to be honest I never intended to let you go anyway." Another chuckle.
Miyako was still just calmly standing there in complete silence. But then her hand went to the hilt of her sword, her thumb pushing against the tsuba and unsheathing the katana a little. She turned around slowly, her head turning towards Reiji and for the first time he could see her expression. Her eyes were cold as was the rest of her face, deadly seriousness there. Though her golden eyes looked like they were really burning in the slight darkness of the room. She didn't say anything, but kept her deadly stare.
The doll maker smirked, his dark eyes narrowing behind his thin glasses. His face looked disfigured in the slight candle light, the shadows falling over him. He looked even sicklier and paler than usual with big dark circles around his eyes, as if he was working hard and staying up every night these couple of days. "Hoo? What's that look now?" He looked amused by the situation as he grinned almost madly.
The girl kept her serious expression as she turned around completely towards him. "I have just one question before cutting your head off….Why?" Her voice was cold, but there was just a hint of bitter anger in it.
Reiji started chuckling, but it soon turned into a full loud laughter. "HAHAHAHA! Why? WHY? Hahaha Because it's Art of course!" His eyes were wide and he looked completely mental and excited at the same time as he spoke, like a complete fanatic. "They should be glad! I'm sure they're all happy now that they became timeless." He gestured around at all the dolls and puppets. "Look at them all! Aren't they beautiful! Only True Art can be this beautiful!"
Miyako's eyes narrowed as she wasn't sure what he meant with referring to the dolls as 'them', wasn't he talking about his victims before. Then suddenly her eyes fell on the human sized dolls and they widened in both surprise and horror. She remembered how that doll just now felt so much heavier and understood…it was because it was made out of a human body. Miyako's expression turned into one of pure disgust. "You….You didn't actually…." But the insane grin on Reiji's face gave her the answer to that. She shook her head in disbelief. "You're insane…"
He stopped his chuckling and his face turned deadly serious all of a sudden, his voice having the same seriousness in it. "No…I'm a genius! My puppets that I use as I please, my dolls that look so perfect and realistic…Look at them…and it's so easy. So simple." His grin started returning. "You just remove their insides….a few unnecessary parts, replace their eyes and put on my special mixture over their skin that looks like simple porcelain but it's so much more. It stops decaying, the smell, and still saves all the lines the body had. It's perfect! They're perfect! And I'm perfect!" Reiji started laughing maniacally again, spreading his arms. "They are my perfection! Forever so beautiful!" Then he looked at Miyako with those wide, twitching eyes. "And you should be happy, because you will be joining them soon. I will make a real beauty of a doll out of you so don't worry. You will be so happy."
Miyako's eyes narrowed as the hand on the katana twitched. "Who would be happy with something so disgusting!" She spat the words deliberately.
Reiji's expression darkened and he glared at her dangerously. "Watch your mouth….don't insult my Art or you'll end up like that old geezer of a samurai!"
She glared at him, not letting him threaten her. But at the mention of Samue's name, she just couldn't sustain herself as she gritted her teeth. "Bastard."
Reiji only smirked at her comment. "He was a pain in my neck for far too long already. Ever since I took his son, the guy has been snooping around. And if he was a bit smarter he could've realized it was me all along. He even wrote the clue in his diary and never even realized it." Reiji's smirk turned into a grin, but then suddenly disappeared. "Everything was perfect, but then you came! The damned Heart Pirates. I knew I had to get rid of Samue and his diary when you started helping them. Unfortunately the book was lost, but I'm sure your captain won't realize the clue in it either." Reiji's grin returned. "And even if he does, you will be long gone by then so don't count on him saving you this time."
Miyako's eyes narrowed. "I won't fall for your tricks again. I will be enough for the likes of you." She had a disgusted look as she glared daggers at him.
But the puppet master didn't look fazed by it at all. He was in his own little world, planning on how to make a doll out of this new body. He returned to reality quickly when he noticed Miyako's hand on the katana twitch again, so Reiji continued his story. "I thought I could use you pirates though. Make you get blamed for all the disappearances. On one hand your arrival was like a blessing to me. I could get all these new bodies and everybody suspected you! It was perfect. I even used one of my puppets to destroy one of your engines to keep you here longer; you were so useful after all. Aren't the puppets just precious; they don't need to breath under water and are strong…it was all so easy to do."
Miyako had enough of this. She only had one more question left though. "What about Muso-san, how is he involved in all this?" She saw Reiji's grin grow even wider if possible and he looked even more insane then before.
"Oh, that was just priceless. You should've seen it! I made a puppet out of her…a human puppet though, not the wooden ones you saw. Oh you have to see her, she is perfect! My true Art!" After a few chuckles, he continued. "She appeared to him from the distance and he came after her. Before you knew it, he was in that storehouse with the masked man. I told him I would give him his daughter back if he brought you to me. Hahahaha He didn't even notice from afar that she was already dead! Hahahaha!" Reiji went into another insane fit of laughter, his glasses falling down the bridge of his nose a little. "When he brought you there, I waited and then brought him to unconsciousness in the dark. These strings are really so useful, you know. When he was attacking you, he was already unconscious and I was manipulating his body with the strings! And now he is to blame for everything and he will be executed while I will be back to my merry little life, making my lovely Art."
The girl had reached her boiling point and gritted her teeth again. "I wouldn't count on it." She unsheathed her sword and pointed it at Reiji just like the time in the forest. "I will end your insanity, here and now!"
He tilted his head and looked at her with an undefined expression. His whole face looked deformed by the sickly grin and his one eye was wide while the other seemed half-lidded. He stared at her for a moment, fixing his glasses and then smirked. "I wouldn't be so sure if I were you," he hissed. In an instant he turned around and ran into the darkness of the back rooms.
"Tch!" Miyako cursed under her breath as she saw the man run. She walked slowly and carefully into the darkness as well, aware of her surroundings with her Haki. "Will you really run and make me chase you? I don't have time for foolish games," Miyako called out but no answer came. Then whipped her head as she heard a sound of door closing. She narrowed her eyes as she tried to peer into the complete darkness but with no use. *Seems I'll have to rely on my other senses here.* She walked slowly and soon came to a certain old door. Miyako opened it carefully and saw it led down as if going to the basement. There were small candles with candlesticks attacked to the walls, giving her at least some light.
As she went down she could feel the change in the temperature as it became much colder. Miyako narrowed her eyes as she heard laughter from below as if Reiji was inviting her. She felt like she was walking into his trap, but didn't have much choice.
Miyako found herself in front of an old wooden doors and she opened them carefully, peering into the darkness that was inside. She couldn't see much so she had to rely on her other senses and her haki to lead her. She stepped in the room and looked around. The room was filled with puppets and dolls, numerous tools and materials, and there were even hooks on the ceiling with puppets hanging off them from their strings. Miyako walked slowly through the room, passing by the lifeless dolls. It was dark, but she could see their glassy eyes glistening in the darkness and the gruesome forms surrounding her made her even more jumpy. The enemy could be hiding somewhere among them as we speak. Then Miyako bumped into something and she turned, but as she did, her golden eyes went wide with shock and she stumbled a back unconsciously. On one of the hooks, there was a familiar form hanging.
*Izumi-san.* Miyako looked at the body in horror. She definitively recognized the woman even though she was turned into a puppet now. She wasn't made of wood though. There seemed to be a thick layer of something covering her skin, probably making it harder and to stop the decaying. She had small holes in her limbs and other body parts where strings went in and came out of her back again. That's when Miyako realized…that there weren't only wooden puppets surrounding her. The girl looked around at the forms that lifelessly hung with their heads down. *How many people did this man kill!?*
The samurai clutched the katana and gritted her teeth in anger, before taking a deep breath. *No! I mustn't give in to anger and lose control. That would only make things harder. I need to stay sharp.*
Suddenly she heard a slight sound behind her as one of the puppets lifted their head. Miyako swirled around quickly as a certain puppet came to life, lowering itself on the stone ground, or to say it better; the one controlling it was lowering the puppet. But Miyako saw no sign of Reiji.
The puppet was wooden, much like the one she fought in the forest, but this one had a form of a woman. It lifted one hand and metal-like claws came out of the tips of its fingers. Miyako prepared her katana as the puppet rushed towards the girl. It slashed at Miyako, but the girl dodged and jumped away, then blocked an attempt for the puppet to pierce her. But suddenly Miyako's eyes widened when the thin claws lengthened as they kept coming out of the wooden fingers and headed for Miyako's eyes. The girl jumped quickly backwards, whirled around and made a cut through the air, releasing a slash of haki. The puppet was fast, however, and jumped in the air, dodging the blow. The few puppets and dolls behind it smashed into pieces.
The puppet ran and disappeared among the lifeless forms, but Miyako noticed the blur as it passed behind her. The samurai girl ran after the puppet, avoiding the hanging bodies. It was better for her to stay in the offensive than let the puppet disappear and get a surprise attack from it later. Still, Miyako knew the most important thing was to find the puppet master since he was her real enemy, so the girl kept a close eye on her surroundings, searching for Reiji.
She stopped once again when she reached what looked like the end of the room, but then she noticed there was a big dirty sheet making a wall there. Miyako didn't waste time as she cut through it, making the obstacle fall to the ground. Behind it she saw what looked like a workshop for doll and puppet making. There was a big leather chair in the center with the lights shining brightly at it. Around it were metal tables that reminded Miyako of the ones in Law's infirmary meant for holding operating items. The floor and walls were marred with sticky red fluid; human blood. She walked closer when she noticed there was something strapped to the chair…but as she got closer she noticed it wasn't something, but someone. And the sight made her sick.
She stared at the mutilated body of what was once a little girl, approximately 10 years old. Her wrists, ankles and forehead were bound with leather straps. Her little body was bare and cut open, some of the organs missing. Instead of the eyes, there were two dark holes and gaping darkness inside them. Miyako saw a bucket on the floor where the organs were discarded, but quickly looked away from the whole sight. She took the sheet that was on the floor and covered the girl with it, silently paying her respects. It was the least she could do. Yet she knew there were more important matters now that she had to focus on.
"Did you see it? My new work material. She will be so lovely." Miyako could hear the raspy voice coming somewhere from the darkness, behind all the dolls and puppets. She looked around, narrowing her eyes to find a moving form among all the still ones.
"She will become immortal too! All of them will! This whole village will become the reflection of perfection. Reflection of my art!" The voice got louder and more excited as Reiji continued spouting his nonsense.
Miyako, who had her head bowed, lifted it and looked towards the darkness. Her eyes were completely cold now, a dark color of golden replacing the usual fiery one. Her face was as icy cold as her gaze, but then her eyes narrowed a little, becoming half-lidded and she looked almost bored. "Would you shut up already? You're getting on my nerves with this shit." She turned towards the darkness completely and prepared her sword, lifting it up toward her face and moving it so the light of the metal reflected the light in the center of the room. "Instead, why don't you stop playing a coward and come out. I'll slice up both you and your precious dolls."
She could swear she heard an angry sound coming from the darkness, but she couldn't dwell on it for long since that woman-puppet once again rushed towards her. However, Miyako was already pissed enough and no puppet could stop her now. *I'm going to finish this quickly.*
She blocked the incoming claws. The puppet stretched out the other arm and a scythe looking weapon came out of its forearm, slashing towards the girl's face. Miyako crouched, barely dodging the slice that cut a few strands of hair on her head.
She spun in the crouch, hitting the back of the puppet's knees with her leg but as it started falling down the strings behind it tightened and it stopped midair. Still, that was all Miyako needed as she pierced the chest of the puppet with her katana. As expected that didn't stop the puppet, but it was enough to damage it. It slashed at Miyako, but the girl already removed her katana and jumped away.
The girl put a hand on her hip and tilted her head with an evil smirk. "What's wrong? Your "Art" looks pretty weak."
She heard an angry growl and suddenly a new puppet appeared at her side. This one had a man's form and had a katana in each wooden hand. As it came towards her, so did the woman's puppet and Miyako had to jump upwards to avoid them both. However the puppets easily went up on their strings, flying and rushing towards the samurai girl.
*Dammit* Miyako cursed at the sight, but didn't plan on losing now. Not to them and certainly not to Azuma Reiji. She prepared her katana in one hand and took the sheath in the other. The first katana of the male puppet tried to pierce her, but Miyako moved her head to the side and the steel passed by her cheek, inches from her skin. The next katana came, but she blocked the slash with the katana. The woman puppet was now right next to her and slashed with the scythe on her forearm, which Miyako blocked with the sheath. Then she stepped on the male puppet's shoulders and used it as a lift off to jump higher in the air, dodging the sideways slice from the woman puppet with her thin claws.
Now Miyako had an advantage as she was higher in the air and she decided to make good use of it before the puppet master decides to act again and bring them upwards. Still, there was a big problem; The puppets could fly, but Miyako couldn't. It was only a matter of seconds before gravity did its work, so she had to act fast.
*Guess I'll have to use that.* Miyako turned headfirst towards the puppets and dove down towards the floor with her katana in a parallel position to her body, the point facing downwards. An aura swirled around her and haki begun to form around her sword in a swirl. She was falling right in between of the two puppets. 'Ittoryu no Haki: 18 strikes.' In a flash, Miyako passed the puppets and landed on the ground. Only a second later both puppets fell apart and the pieces fell on the ground around her, smashing even more.
She lifted her head towards the darkness and then sprang ahead, running fast towards the real enemy. "You have nowhere else to run, Azuma," she yelled.
"You wretched girl! I'll make you pay for this!" Reiji yelled and she could finally see him through the darkness.
The samurai girl didn't even bother going around the dolls and puppets that were hanging there. She sliced through them, unstoppable at this point. She felt a presence behind her and dodged just in time when a new puppet appeared behind her and shot senbon out of its mouth. Then she noticed another one heading right at her. *How many of these does he have!?* She was starting to get bored with this, though she didn't stop. She armored herself with Busoshoku Haki to defend from the upcoming attacks. She won't be taken by surprise this time.
The puppet ahead of her had enforced fists with steel and small spikes on the knuckles. It rushed towards Miyako and was just about to hit her, just as the puppet behind the girl shot more senbon and tried to pierce her with a short sword. The samurai jumped in the air suddenly, making the two puppets collide with each other and destroy each other in the process.
Something glistened in the darkness and Miyako found herself surrounded by those deadly strings. They were just about to close around her, but once again she activated Busoshoku Haki and the force reflected the strings. The girl landed on the ground supporting herself with the katana and panting hard. She wasn't used to using so much Haki and so often. It was already taking a toll on her body and she could feel herself weakening. But this was no time to let her guard down or rest; who knows what Reiji had in plan next.
*Still, I can't use Haki anymore. The next time I use it, I really won't be able to stand up again.* She lifted herself from the floor and clutched the hilt of her weapon, walking towards the moving form. But even with her tired look and slight panting, Miyako's expression was as hard and cold as ever. "Give up, Azuma."
She could see the expression on the man's face now. His eyes were wide behind his thin glasses, one twitching constantly. His mouth was pulled back in a snarl, showing his white teeth. "Never! I can't lose to you! Because I am perfect! Only I can make such perfection! Only I can achieve immortality through my Art! You can't beat me with your narrow-minded beliefs! You will never beat me!" He outstretched both his arms, the strings attached to the metal rings on each of his fingers flied in the air and towards Miyako. He moved his fingers as he controlled the path of the strings. "And you will be mine too!" He yelled as the strings once again encircled the girl.
She tried to jump away and upwards,but one of the strings caught her leg and Reiji moved the strings left, making Miyako fly into a nearby wall. Another set of strings tried to get her throat but she put her forearm upwards and the strings cut into her fist. Still, she was able to stop them from circling completely around her neck and strangling her on the spot. Reiji moved his arms again and Miyako flew in the air and landed hard on the ground on her back. The girl gritted her teeth as pain traveled through her spine.
She could hear Reiji laughing in that sick way again and blabbing something about true art and how he will prevail. She didn't have time to listen to him though, since she was a bit busy with trying to get free from the strings that painfully cut into her skin. The katana was now lying on the ground, a few feet away since Miyako released it after the first blow in the wall.
"Hahahaha! What's wrong Suzune-chan? You look a bit worried! Haaahaha!" Reiji mocked her as he continued smashing the girl into the ground and walls.
Miyako gritted her teeth. She had enough. In the next blow she saw that she would be in reach of the katana. Reiji threw her in the air and then was about to slam her in the ground, but the samurai turned in the air so she could land on her feet. When she did, she quickly took a hold of her katana and was about to cut the strings, but only managed to cut the ones holding her leg before more of them came and encircled around the hilt of her katana and the hand that was holding it. She could feel the force as Reiji tried to get the sword out of her hand. Miyako clutched at the sword. *Well if I can't go against him…I'll just go with the flow.* Miyako smirked as she suddenly rushed towards Reiji, ignoring her bound hands.
This took the man by surprise and he stepped backwards, but soon got a hold of himself. He swung his arms, changing Miyako's direction, trying to slam her into the wall again. But this time, she had one small advantage; free legs. She turned and landed on the wall with her feet. The strings weren't tight anymore and she could use her hands more freely, springing from the wall and right towards Reiji's side. He tried to move in position to manipulate the strings again, but she didn't give him enough time. His eyes became wide when he realized he won't be able to dodge or use his strings in time as Miyako came closer by the second. She swung at the man's face. But just as she was about to slice his head open, Miyako turned the blunt side of her katana outwards and hit Reiji with it in the face. The man flew backwards, but before he could take her with him, Miyako sliced all the strings attached to her with the blade.
"Gaahf!" Reiji made a choking pained sound as he landed on the ground, his face completely smashed, nose broken, teeth missing and glasses shattered. His whole face looked like a broken mush of blood. Miyako landed on the ground and walked slowly towards the man who managed to look up at her with wide fearful eyes.
She stood over him and pointed the tip of the blade at his face. Her face was completely cold and emotionless.
"Wfy…I'm…alife..?" Reiji managed to let out a question between his broken teeth and jaw.
Miyako tilted her head. "Why are you alive? Because a swift death is too merciful for you." The man tried to inch away from her but with little luck. "Oh, don't worry….I won't kill you. It's a favor actually."
"Fafour..? So…you'll lef me gof?" There was a speck of hope in the man's voice.
Suddenly Miyako pierced Reiji with her eyes, an evil grin on her face. "I didn't say it's a favor to you."
The man looked at her confused but fearful, seeing the evil grin on the girl's face.
"What Miss Miyako is trying to say…is that it's a favor to me." Suddenly a new voice was heard and a familiar figure walked out of the darkness, in his usual slow, non-worrying pace. Law had his nodachi resting on one shoulder and his other hand in the pocket of his trousers. "Because I will be the one to finish you."
Miyako turned around a bit surprised. "Captain! You found us." However she sweat-dropped when she saw the dark look Law gave her in return. Oh, she was in trouble again…But she remembered something important that needed to be done so Law's wrath will have to wait. Now that Law was here, it saved her time to bring everyone down here and explain. While Law is having his fun, Miyako will have to go to the Station and get Muso out of jail. He was about to be executed after all.
She turned around from Reiji's lying body and passed Law by with a nod. "Muso was blamed for everything so I'll get him out of jail before they execute him."
It seemed Law didn't need more of an explanation to understand and he nodded, meanwhile unsheathing his nodachi. He stopped and towered over Reiji. "So I was right…it was you all along. Now then, we still didn't finish our conversation about manners from before. You should really be thought some." The pirate tilted his head and a slight smirk appeared on his features.
Reiji looked at the man wide-eyed, before turning his head to look at the leaving girl. "W-waif…you faid….you fouldn't kfill me!"
Miyako stopped at the doorway and gazed back at the man with half-lidded eyes and almost a bored expression. She couldn't believe Azuma would act so pleadingly after all that he's done. For someone who was so arrogant he didn't seem to have any pride at all in the end. "I didn't lie. I won't kill you….He will." Her eyes turned towards her captain for a second before walking away and out of the room.
Reiji's eyes went wide as he watched a blue sphere surround him and a nodachi lifting above him. "B-buf…Thifs can't bfe….I'm pferfect! I'm thfe cfreator! I mafe truef Arf! I-I-I…hehfehfehhfe..Yef…I can'f die….hfehfe…I can nefer dfie…!" Reiji started snickering, his glassy eyes unfocused as if he was looking through Law at something else. He started babbling about his true Art again, the maniacal look never leaving him.
Law could see the man was out of his mind completely. Still, that didn't excuse him in his book. He played with the Heart pirates…And now a Heart pirate will play with him. Or with his body parts to be exact. And he would make sure it would be as painful as possible. "You can't die? Then let's test that immortality of yours, shall we?" Law licked his lips in a sadistic way, as if he was about to perform an exciting operation.
~….~
Miyako swayed down the street, supporting on Muso's big arm. She didn't know if anything was broken, but her whole body hurt from those blows, and in some places she had her skin cut from the strings. Her shoulder where she got wounded twice that day hurt like hell, the bandages almost ruined completely. Not to mention her T-shit was ruined with blood and tears.
Muso looked a bit better, but had a splitting headache and a very sore neck that he kept massaging with his other hand, hoping it would help with the pain. He held Yawarakai-Te in the same hand that he used to help Miyako with, the katana back to its rightful owner, much to Miyako's dismay. The girl was able to convince the authorities about what really happened, which wasn't very hard since they were still afraid of the Heart pirates, even if it was a beat-up girl. She explained everything to Muso as well and apologized a billion times for what she did to him in the storage house though the man just looked glad that it was all over. In the end, he was the one on his knees, begging her for forgiveness because of his betrayal that led Miyako to the trap. And it didn't help when he found out it was all for naught since Izumi was already dead. So in the end they decided they were even and to forget about it.
As they walked, the two noticed a big fire up ahead and noticed Azuma's house/shop was completely in flames, Law standing there in front and looking at the burning house as if admiring the chaos. Miyako didn't even want to know what he did to Reiji inside. The girl could've killed Reiji for what he did and she wouldn't even feel sorry for it, even though she never liked killing, but she wasn't the one to torture and enjoy other people's pain. Law was the sadistic master at that one. She also saw Bepo, Shachi and Penguin there and they ran up to her when they saw the girl coming towards them slowly.
"Miya-chan! Are you alright?" Penguin was the first to come to her and he looked at her wounds.
"Yeah, I don't think it's anything serious. I'm just exhausted. " Miyako smiled reassuringly at them.
"You sure? You won't die, right!?" Bepo asked hastily in panic already.
"Idiot! Of course she won't die!" Penguin yelled at Bepo and his depressing thoughts.
The first mate just bowed his head down apologetically and said "Sorry" as always. Miyako couldn't help but snicker at the whole sight. These guys never changed.
Shachi helped Miyako towards the submarine, but before they could start walking, Law's voice stopped them. "Shachi, let go of Miss Miyako for a second, I need to talk to her in private. Go to the submarine and wait for us there." Law still had an unreadable expression, but his face showed complete seriousness and no room for arguments.
The two mechanics and the bear looked at each other uncertainly, but then Bepo nodded and Shachi let go of the girl. "S-See you at the sub Miya-chan," Shachi said and they all walked towards the docks.
"I'll be waiting there as well," Muso added as he cleared his throat, seeing or rather feeling the suffocating black aura rising from the pirate captain. He knew this was not something he could get involved in.
When they were alone, Miyako gave Law a nervous smile, trying to lighten up the atmosphere around them. "Before you start can I just say-"
But a loud sound of a hand slamming right beside her head and onto the wall behind her made her shut up instantly and her eyes widened a little in surprise.
She saw Law's darkened, deadly look and he looked pissed like never before. Miyako opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. She had a strong need to take a step backwards and she probably would if she wasn't already backed up against the wall.
"No." Law growled a simple word, almost in a hiss thorough gritted teeth. "I've had enough of your excuses! Have you any idea what could've happened!? Do you ever think about the consequences?" As he spoke, the captain's voice became louder and firmer and what surprised Miyako even more was when she realized Law was actually yelling. This was the first time she had ever heard him yell. Snarl? Yes. Growl. Often. Hiss or speak in an extremely icy tone. Almost always. But she has never heard him lose his temper and control and actually yell at her, never in these 8 months. She didn't know what to make of it. She already had a 'Law's anger scale' that she made a few months ago after pissing him off enough to know how he would react each time, so in 1 to 10, how pissed was he now? She'd say….15.
Law clutched his nodachi with his other hand, but she couldn't tell was it just from anger or was he about to use it. A worrying thought came through her mind; he was armed and she wasn't. And he didn't leave her much room to dodge or get away since he still had one hand on the wall next to her and his body leaving her little room to move. Suddenly he let the nodachi fall on the ground and grabbed both her shoulders with his arms, squeezing them enough to hurt. It didn't help that one of her shoulders were injured, but he didn't look like he cared at all.
Miyako flinched and bit her lip, slightly narrowing her eyes. But as she was about to protest, the pirate captain cut her off.
"What were you thinking, Miyako!" No formal pleasantries added this time. He took a deep breath as to calm down and closed his eyes, when he reopened them he had a cold, dark look in his piercing stormy eyes, as burning anger was replaced with a cold one. He squeezed her tighter and Miyako let out a wince as his fingers dug into her wound.
The girl glared at him, though she doubted she looked very scary with a pained expression she was currently wearing. "Law…let go of me." She breathed a threat, hoping it had enough of a deadly edge to it to sound threatening.
Law ignored her though and only tightened his grip more. Miyako's body reaction was to double over, but she couldn't because Law was still holding her and he slammed her back into the wall. Like she didn't get enough back blows from Reiji already.
"Law…," Miyako warned through gritted teeth.
"No." He cut her off again with such a simple statement, but she felt his grip relax a little and sighed in relief when there was no pressure on her wound anymore. At least not like anything before. He released one of her shoulders, unfortunately the healthy one and gripped her chin, making her look up at him in the eyes. "Why do you always do this? Don't you care what happens to you? Don't you care who you worry?"
She blinked as her eyes widened at his questions. His voice was softer now, though still had a severe edge to it that showed Law was nowhere near relaxed and certainly didn't forgive her. But at least his initial rage went away.
He had to hold back with all his power not to ask if she knew how much she worried him. But he could never say it. Besides, he'd be damned if he's showed weakness to this girl and more importantly at a time like this. No, right now he was too pissed for that. He was too pissed to analyze what he'd do if Miyako had died tonight.
The girl looked down as if uncomfortable with his questions, but Law didn't intend to give her that option. "Look at me!" His voice was sharp enough to make her lift her head back up immediately.
"I-I just….I'm not used to it…People worrying about me or…working with others. Isn't it easier to just rely on yourself?" Miyako asked in a soft voice while looking sideways. She just couldn't bring herself to look at Law right now.
Her captain sighed, something between exasperation and annoyance. "What do you mean? You're a part of a pirate crew aren't you? Teamwork is important if you want to survive. This way you're just endangering yourself and the crew."
Miyako looked at him with guilty eyes that almost made Law feel sorry for her. Only 'Almost' though. *She deserves a punishment, not sympathy.* He moved away from her a little, releasing her and taking back his nodachi. He gave her a stern look. "You already had 8 months to get used to being a pirate. You have nakama now so you can't act on your own anymore. The next time you do, I will have your head, no matter that you are a part of my crew. " He turned his back to her as he rested the nodachi on his shoulder and started walking towards the docks.
The samurai was a bit surprised at Trafalgar's words. *Nakama…do I really have nakama now? Can I consider them that?* She remembered all the times she spent with the crew and how they fought together. But she was always alone, especially after her master died. She didn't even know how she was supposed to act around them. It was always so confusing and new and strange. She was slowly getting closer to this people without even realizing it and it was changing her. As if they were slowly breaking through her hard-built walls she had been creating for 19 years.
She looked at Law's back while he was walking away. He was changing her too. She felt differently around him, around all the Heart pirates, than before when she got on his submarine. Somehow she felt like he was chipping at her walls the most and it scared her. She was already feeling uncertain and confused most of the time around him and that just wasn't her. It wasn't the girl she knew. But what scared her the most was one thought alone; 'What will happen when he finally breaks through?' She didn't know how to deal with that. So as always, she shunned the thoughts away, shaking her head roughly.
Still, there was one more thing that seemed to interest her…or perhaps bother her. Miyako bit her lip and she hurried towards Law until she was behind him only a few steps away. "D-Does that mean….I'm Law-san's nakama too?" The voice was soft, barely audible, but Law definitively heard it, if the fact that he stopped in his tracks and his back stiffened were any indications.
Miyako walked next to him and looked up at his face questionably. She blinked a few times when she noticed a strange look on his face that she couldn't quite understand. Law saw she was trying to see his eyes for any answers and he subtly turned his head away from her gaze. That made her lean sideways and tilt her head as she tried to catch his gaze for any answer that wasn't coming from his mouth. Finally Law just closed his eyes for a second and started walking again. "Let's go, they're waiting for us." Miyako frowned as the captain pushed pass her without any explanation, but she quickly followed him.
Law didn't really know why that question made him uncomfortable. After all, she was a part of his crew and therefore his nakama. He already thought of her as one. So why did he feel strange when he had to say it out loud. Why did that answer sound different than if he had to answer whether Shachi or Penguin were his nakama? What was the difference?
Meanwhile, Miyako decided to change the subject since Law still looked in thought and out of it. She put her hands behind her back and looked up with a serious face, but one that looked playful. "But you had to admit I did good."
He glanced at her with the corners of his eyes, but never stopped walking as he hummed something that was neither a denial nor approval. Miyako frowned. That was just like him.
She looked at the ground while she walked, trying to think of what else to say to lighten up the mood. She looked up at her captain whose face was lightened by the orange flames of the fire not far behind them. The shadows under his hat looked even darker now as more of them danced across his tanned face. She sighed knowing there was only one thing she actually could do now.
Law felt a small tug on the sleeve of his hoodie, and looked behind him with a questioning eyebrow. He saw the girl standing behind him, staring at the floor and frowning lightly as if she was battling with herself. Finally she lifted her head and looked at him with a serious face, but it almost looked comical to Law since it looked like she was still very bothered with something and that something was making her so uncomfortable it almost looked cute. Did he just think of Miyako as cute? Law mentally shook his head and stared at the girl with question in his eyes.
"I'm sorry." She finally said in a rush as if she finally lost in that battle against herself. Miyako put the hands behind her back again and looked somewhere to the side, a slight frown still present. "I know I usually say that after I go off on my own and you get angry, but don't really mean it…" Law raised an eyebrow and his look darkened. Miyako sweat-dropped, "Ok, so you didn't know that…*ehem*" She cleared her throat trying to ignore Law's rising black aura and focus on the task. "But this time, I really do and…and…" She looked sideways again before looking Law right in the eyes with a guilty look. "…and I'll try and be a part of the team from now on. I'll work on my…issues." *At least as long as I'm on this submarine…and going towards Wano* She added mentally, though she was slowly beginning to realize she didn't know what she'll do once they get to Wano. The initial plan was to escape from the Heart Pirates there and set herself free…but why was she so uncertain about this now? Was she having second thoughts?
Law raised his eyebrow again, but the dark aura disappeared and he smirked ever so slightly. "Try?" He repeated her words questioningly.
Miyako rolled her eyes. *Really, this guy! He's never satisfied.* "Hey, give me some time. People don't change that easily. But…I'll do my best." Then her face became more stern as she pointed an index finger in the air and leaned forward. "Don't write me off from your crew just yet!"
The pirate captain tilted his head with a smirk at the girl's attitude that seemed to change every second. Then his smirk became a bit more evil and he towered over the girl. "Miss Miyako, did you just give me an order?"
The girl sweat-dropped as she realized it too now, and her expression changed into one that made Law even more amused. But then she straightened up and looked at him with one eye closed, trying to ignore his question. "You know if I should work on my issues, you should really work on your problems with people telling you what to do. It's not always an order…more like a suggestion, or an exclamation. It's really hard to talk to you when I always have to be careful of what to say." Miyako huffed like a little child would while complaining to their parent.
Law straightened up as well and started walking again, turning his back to the samurai. "I don't have issues, I just don't want people telling me what to do. It's simple. And if those who can't remember it get hurt by my nodachi, it's their own fault for not having an adequate memory capacity that would help them store such a simple thing in their neuron brain cells."
Miyako sweat-dropped as Law went in his 'doctor talk mode'. She rolled her eyes, but even if Law noticed he didn't comment on it. "Right…you have no issues what so ever," she said sarcastically as she looked back at the burning house where there was probably a dismembered corpse of a certain puppet maker in there. Not to mention all other people he killed, played with their body parts, experimented on and who knows what. Miyako got goosebumps just for thinking what would it be like to wake up on Law's operating table with him towering over her with his sharp scalpel. Certainly no different than how Reiji's victims felt after being kidnapped and strapped to that chair.
"More importantly, how did you know where to find us and that Azuma was the culprit?" She looked at him questioningly, remembering the details that were still not clarified.
Law kept looking forward, walking casually towards the docks as he explained. "I was reading Samue's diary. There wasn't much in it but then I noticed Samue's kid kept talking about his friend much like Haku did. And it was written that the 'friend' came from Blue Skies. After some time of going over it, I remembered I saw something similar in one of the files of the villagers. I found it in the file of Reiji Azuma. He was from a place called Sukaiburu. It had a sign and I remembered you were explaining once it was the old Wano writing they still sometimes use with the new one. It's not strange that they use it here too, then." Law took out the small leathery book that was Samue's diary and there was a quick drawing of the sign Law drew on the book's page after seeing it in the file.
Miyako nodded as she looked at the sign. Indeed, it meant „Sky-Blue" on Wano's old writing. „Even though Wano has accepted the world's writing and language, before that we also had our own. Sukaiburu is one of the ways to roughly translate 'Sky-Blue' on the old Wano language, since it's a foreign name. Not long after that, they called a certain village Sukaiburu in Wano, I suppose Azuma came from there. The village was a small and poor one though. I don't know if it's even standing anymore." Miyako shrugged as she remembered her home island. She also remembered Reiji had told her something about a 'clue' in Samue's diary, but the old man wasn't able to find and understand it before his death. Azuma was sure Law won't be able either, but the puppet master obviously didn't know the captain of the Heart Pirates very well. She couldn't help but smirk at the thought.
Law noticed it and looked at her somewhat interested, but didn't ask anything, as they continued walking.
On the way there, Miyako told Law everything that happened after she left the submarine and she couldn't help but notice Law's darkening mood after she told him about Muso's trap. At first she tried not to mention it, but Law instantly knew she was hiding something and after some stubbornness from both sides, Miyako finally gave up and said it. By the time they came to the submarine, they had exchanged all information and Law's annoyance about Muso's doing seemed to decrease a little. Only a little though. But it was enough that the pirate captain didn't cut up Muso on sight, though Miyako suspected that was only because Law was still expecting of Muso to forge them a sword. That reminded her she still had to handle that somehow, though she didn't want Muso to trample over the word he gave to himself about not wanting to make weapons anymore.
„Captain! We're ready to go whenever you say the word!" Jean Bart yelled from the deck.
Shachi was standing next to the big navigator with a raised arm and showing a thumbs up. „The engine is working fine! We managed to fix it with only a few hours extra!" He grinned.
Law nodded. They all did a good job, even if it was with some delay, but they would have that delay anyway because of the fight with Reiji. The captain was happy to be ready and on the move again. He was getting sick of this island.
Bepo and Penguin came to them and the first mate took Law's nodachi, following the captain as they went on the deck, while Penguin was jumping around Miyako, asking if she was really ok. Her shoulder wound was reopened because of Law's rough treatment and bleeding down her arm, but other than that she only had bruises and minor cuts. Nothing to worry about in any case.
„Suzune-san! Don't forget this!" Muso's loud voice called out to the girl and as she turned, Muso threw Yawarakai-Te, which the girl caught in one hand. Her eyes were wide and she looked confused as she stared at the big blacksmith. Muso smirked at her expression. „I promised you a sword, didn't I? Will this do?"
„But...I wasn't able to save anyone. Neither Izumi-san...nor Samue-san." Miyako bowed her head in shame as she looked at the ground sadly.
„Perhaps...But you saved this village. Who knows what that bastard Reiji would do if you didn't stop him. You risked your life for others that you don't even know. For that, you have my gratitude. This sword will never be in better hands than in yours." He nodded with a small smirk on his gruff face.
Miyako looked up at him in surprise, still wide-eyed, before her eyes softened in gratitude. She clutched the katana in both hands and bowed to the man deeply. „thank you so much, Muso-san!"
Muso chuckled at the young girl before his gaze turned to Law who was standing on the metal gangplank and staring at the sight below. „Trafalgar Law..I still don't like you...But you have my gratitude as well." The blacksmith nodded to the man and Law nodded back without a word and only with his usual unreadable expression.
„Alright men, let's go! It's time to move on! Shachi, Penguin, get into the engine room and keep an eye on the fixed engine! Mister Jean-Bart, take the helm! Get the rest of the supplies in the stock room!" Law started barking orders and the Heart Pirates ran around following them, cheerful that they're finally getting off this island. Miyako turned to look at the village of Kyonin and Akai no Shima for the last time as she stood on the deck. She saw Muso standing below and staring up at the submarine. He nodded one last time at her. She smiled as an answer, before turning to go inside the submarine with the other pirates. She watched the backs of the white boiler suits as the pirates ran around her. *My nakama, huh?*
~...~
„Ow!" Miyako exclaimed, holding her sore head. She was currently sitting in the galley, bandaged and taken care of, courtesy of her captain, and finally clean, in her usual white turtleneck and plaid skirt. Joshua was standing over her with his fist raised menacingly.
„You did it again! Just after we talked about it, you did it again," the redhead yelled at the frowning girl.
„Oh, just let it go Josh! Instead be happy it's all finally over! Let's party!" Cody exclaimed and raised two bottles of rum and beer in both hands. There was even more booze on the table and some snacks that they managed to steal from Munk's fridge. The group was sitting around the table, drinking and eating to their heart's content. They deserved it after all the work they had on the Akai no Shima. Penguin and Shachi worked nonstop on the engine and so they finally had time to relax now as they drank beer and played poker. Meanwhile, Josh was still arguing with Miyako, Cody trying to calm them down. Even Law and Bepo were there. Bepo was trying to nap in the corner and Law just silently sat there, reading the newspaper and sipping from a bottle of rum. Jean Bart was also there, since Sai took his place behind the helm so the navigator could take some time off and rest. Miyako practically had to drag the older man with them in the galley, but in the end he gave up and sat there with them, sipping some beer from a big glass.
Miyako took a bottle of sake and poured it into a small glass.
„Should a brat like you really be drinking that?" Josh grinned at her and Miyako shot him a glare.
„What are you talking about!? I'm 19, I'm no brat!"
„Ha! Yeah, right! You always run around alone and get into trouble, like a real brat! Bet you can't even handle alcohol, brat!"
„I can handle it just fine shortstuff! Mind your own business!" The girl brought the glass to her mouth and drank all the liquid in one long gulp. She felt the warm sake in her mouth, throat and chest as it traveled down her body. She took the bottle and poured herself another glass.
"hehe What's wrong, you look flushed already. See, you're a total brat! Troublesome woman." Josh continued to tease and Miyako continued to argue, drinking the sake one glass after the other.
*Hic* Miyako hiccuped after who knows which glass. The stopped counting after the fifth. Josh was lying next to the chair on the floor, beaten up, which happened after enough alcohol and enough teasing for Miyako to finally lose her temper. After that scene, the Heart pirates decided never to piss off Miyako again while she's drunk. The girl tried pouring herself more sake, alas saw the bottle was empty. Her thin eyebrows furrowed and she looked at Cody…or rather two Codys since she was seeing double now. She shoved the glass towards the tall medic. "Cody, another!" The girl demanded a bit too loud.
Cody sweat-dropped at the sight. She was completely red in the face, hiccuping every now and then, her slightly unfocused eyes glazing. "D-Don't you think you had enough, Miya-chan? I thought you don't even drink," the medic tried calming her.
Miyako huffed and made a scowling face. "I can drink if I want to, I'm not a kid anymore!" She shoved the glass closer to Cody's chest. Then suddenly she calmed down and bowed her head.
Cody, Penguin and Shachi came a bit closer carefully…but Miyako still didn't move. They came a bit more closer…Still no reaction. The three pirates inched towards her face, trying to see under her bangs that were clouding her face. "OY!" Miyako suddenly yelled and the three men fell on their assess on the floor with a yelp of surprise.
„Are you listening Cody, I'm not a kid anymore!" She crossed her hands on her chest and huffed. Then she moved closer to him, making the medic lean backwards in fear of the girl's changing drunken moods. Miyako put her hands on her red face and her eyes softened a little. „I know...Everyone thinks I'm just a brat...*hic*...a brat that can't do anything right and goes off into trouble...and can't get along with others...and has no friends..*hic*...I'm just an ugly girl who's only good at sworsman...srows...swords..man...ship...*hic,*" she finished, frowning as she battled with her twisted tongue that just would listen to her anymore.
Cody sweat-dropped as he watched the girl fall into a drunken depression with her head bowed down. "Now, now…That's not true."
„Ah! She's turning into Bepo! Quick, get the sake away from her, she'll become like Bepo!" Penguin exclaimed in panic and the two other pirates nodded vigorously.
Bepo, who was slightly snoring this whole time, twitched with his ears at the sound of his name. „I'm here, captain!" He exclaimed, still in his sleep then mumbled some more words before continuing to snore once again.
„You stay quiet over there," Penguin and Shachi yelled in unison.
„Perhaps she should go to her room and rest. It was a long day for all of us, especially the girl," Jean Bart suggested, then took a swig out of a glass of rum.
They all turned at the sound of a chair moving and saw their captain standing up. He walked over to them with a sigh and looked down at the sitting drunk girl. She seemed to have calmed down and was swaying on the chair, struggling to stay awake. Law took her by the hand, careful of the freshly bandaged shoulder this time, and put her arm over his shoulder to support her weight. „I'll take Miss Miyako to her room, you finish here and go to sleep. I don't want you hungover and useless tomorrow.
„Yes, captain." Everyone murmured except Jean Bart who just nodded and Josh who was still unconscious both from the beating and alcohol.
Miyako was still half-awake and managed to walk alongside Law as he supported her weight. They left the galley and started walking through the hallways, towards the girl's room. Then Law got an interesting idea...Everyone always says alcohol makes you honest, it was almost like a natural truth serum, so why not use it now. He had a few questions he wanted to ask her anyway, so why not? And the best part was that the girl was so drunk she won't remember any of it tomorrow.
„So Miss Miyako, how do you like it here on the submarine? I never had a chance to ask you that," Law started with something innocent and simple, a smirk tugging at his lips.
„Strange...but not bad. *hic* at first...lousy...but the crew's ok..*hic* you're all ok...I guess...*hic*...still strange..." Miyako was murmuring as if she was talking more to herself than Law. The pirate captain wondered if she was even aware that he had asked that question. Was she even aware of her surroundings?
*We're all ok, hm?* Law couldn't help but smirk. „But don't you want to go back to Wano?"
Miyako looked at the floor in though...well, not that she could look anywhere else since her head felt as heavy as led and kept falling downwards. „I guess...I miss it sometimes..." Then her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance and she gave Law a halfhearted glare. „What's with all the questions..*hic*...all of a sudden!"
Law's mouth formed a thin line as he looked at her. Did she figure him out? He didn't say anything, but kept walking towards her room.
„A reward?" Suddenly she mumbled and Law blinked, looking at the samurai in his hands again.
„huh?" He couldn't help but ask at the loss of all other words because of not expecting her question. What was she talking about?
„Do I get a reward if I answer them or somethin'?" She yawned, barely finishing the sentence and closed her eyes, ready to fall asleep while standing.
Law blinked once again in thought, before he smirked. „Sure." They walked some more in silence. It was obvious Miyako wasn't the kind to just blindly answer anything even if drunk. She started to suspect something as soon as the questions started referring to Wano and the big question of her plans in the future that she still didn't quite clear up with Law. The next time he asks about it, she'll probably find it too suspicious and stop talking, so Law had to be careful as to what he was saying. Still, there was one question that he was just itching to ask even if it didn't exactly have anything to do with her plans. But it was something more for his personal interest that he wanted to settle for some time now. Unfortunately, that would be even trickier to ask.
They came to Miyako's room and the captain opened the metal doors, leading the girl inside and closing them with his foot. He put her on the bed and covered her with the sheets.
„But you know...you know...even if I'm only good at swordsmanship I want to...well I..." Miyako stared saying something, but her face got even redder and Law wondered was it only because of the drinks or something else. He raised an eyebrow at her. The girl shook her head quickly covering her cheeks with her hands. „No, No, I can't say it! It's too embarrassing!" She started mumbling something to herself and Law furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
„Is it something about Mister Cody." Yep, he just had to ask. Even though Law was fully aware that curiosity killed the cat and he was just waiting for Miyako's words to run him over.
„Huh?" The girl blinked and calmed down, looking at Law questioningly. Then her eyebrows furrowed angrily. „Hey, is this about me liking Cody again! Gosh, you men are all the same, you don't get it at all! I don't like Cody that way at all!" She hiccuped at the end as if making a point.
Now it was Law's time to look confused. And was that...relief? He mentally shook his head, clearing it of any unnecessary thoughts.
Miyako, who lifted herself from the bed a little in her outburst, fell down on the soft pillow again and huffed. „You don't get a girl's heart at all." She murmured though Law wasn't sure was she talking about him or guys in general. In any case, he at least got one certain thing out of her and strangely enough he really felt a bit lighter with that weight lifted from his chest. He didn't know he cared about that so much until it was out in the open. Law sighed, feeling tired of everything suddenly. He was about to get up when a small tug on his hoodie sleeve stopped him. He looked at Miyako questionably. She had her eyes closed and was about to fall asleep, but just before she did, the girl mumbled, „Do I get my reward now...?"
Law blinked in surprise. Oh, that she remembers, of course! But he didn't actually plan on giving her something when he promised her a reward before. The pirate captain sat on the bed and smirked. He towered over her with one hand on the pillow beside her head, supporting him. He looked at the girl's peaceful face. She was breathing evenly, which indicated she was already asleep. „Alright..." The captain lowered until he was only inches from her sleeping face and then he closed that small remaining gap between them, closing his lips over hers. He could feel the warmth of her soft lips and Law had to admit to himself it was hard to let go. But it only lasted a couple of seconds before his logical mind came into work again and started listing all the reasons why this wasn't a good idea. With a sigh, he moved away and smirked at the sleeping girl. „Here's your reward...but you can't complain just because you were asleep."
The pirate captain lifted himself from the bed and walked to the doors. He turned around once more when he heard Miyako make a noise in her sleep and turn to her side, but luckily she didn't wake up. He walked out of the room and closed the doors behind him carefully.
Ittoryu no Haki: 18 strikes - Miyako usually uses Ittoryu: 9 strikes technique where she hits at the 9 vital point of the body really fast. But this technique doesn't actually hit the oppenent with tha katana but instead uses Haki to hit those certain spots. 18 strikes are because Miyako used the technique on both puppets at the same time, hitting all of their 9 vital spots.
Sukaiburu - This is actually how the Japanese would translate Sky-Blue into their own way of saying it. (For example how they took the word Milk from English and made it into Miruku)
What Law is referring to is kanji here and this is how the symbol would look: 空色
Finally done! Yay! Ah~ writing that last scene was so embarrassing! XD I'm not good at that stuff. ^/^ (I hope Law wasn't too OoC. :/)
And the culprit was Reiji! So pats on the head for everyone who guessed right. :) I know it would be too obvious because of the puppet business he was already in but that's why I tried to make it more interesting with some twists and turns in the plot. Hope it worked. ^^'
I was actually able to finish this sooner than I thought but you'll probably need to wait some more for the next one, cause once again a bunch of exams are starting and I can't afford to fail any. :/ So wish me luck and I'll try to upload the next chapter as soon as I can! ^^
So as always, reviews and comments are welcome, and I always try to answer all your questions the best I can, so feel free to leave them if you want. :)