Chapter 9: Therapy
"Hey Lexi, Zena time to wake up." A gentle voice called.
Lexi groaned in protest as she tried to ignore the voice, while Zena tried to force herself up as fast as possible.
"Good morning Zena." Sabo greeted.
"Good morning Sabo, Ace." She greeted back.
"Lexi come on you need to wake up." Ace said trying to shake her awake.
"Go away, I'm tiered." She mumbled.
"You know a young lady such as your self shouldn't waste the day away." Ali stated.
"Putting that aside, you need to eat something Doctors orders. Come on. You have a therapy session to."
"I don't like doctors." She grumbled as she woke up causing Ace to chuckle.
"Even so, you should hurry doctors are scary when their mad." Ace warned.
"Okay." She yawned while rubbing the sleep out of her eyes cutely.
The boys sighed. 'They're way to vulnerable.' They thought. 'Oh well nothing a little training can't fix.' They suddenly felt a cold shiver go down their spines, coming from the cold glare Ali was giving clearly saying 'you touch them you die.'
The two girls climbed out of bed.
"Here you can change in to these, the bathrooms over there." Ace pointed out. "Hurry up, alright you and Rachel have to eat on schedule."
"Yeah yeah." She mumbled she flinched as her stomach growled. "I'm sorry." She whimpered.
"Hey it's okay alright. Relax." Ace reassured growing a decent sized fireball. "Here eat this before you go."
"Okay, thank you." She said before swallowing the fireball.
"No problem."
MDB
"Alright you two time to get up yoi." Marco called.
"Huh? Right right I'm up." Rachel said getting out of bed and stretching her arms, wincing slightly when she stretched one of her wound on her back.
"You okay?" Marco asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Alright, you need to get dressed so you can hurry up and eat. You have a schedule to keep."
"Okay."
"Do you mind waking her up? I would do it but she might freak out yoi."
"I'll do it, it'll be easier on her." Sherbet volunteered.
"Okay."
"Here yoi, these are a change of clothes the bathrooms over there."
"Thank you."
"Where am I?" Valerie mumbled through her dazed state, before her eyes widened in fear and she slapped her hands over her mouth.
"Ah she spoke." Rachel observed.
"She definitely spoke yoi."
"She said she didn't say anything." The cat said for the panicked Valerie. "But you did, we heard you and nothing bad happened see." Sherbet calmed.
'Yeah I know.' She thought. 'I know but, I need more time.'
'Well you have until the therapy session because I won't be speaking for you there you need to get over this.'
'Okay I understand.'
MDB
"Hello ladies, I have prepared an amazing breakfast for you." Thatch greeted.
"Stop flirting already yoi." Marco teased.
"Hey look Val it's Thatch." Sherbet pointed out.
"How'd you know?" Thatch asked.
"Val can see into the future, and you happen to be in on of her visions." Sherbet answered.
"So I'm in her future huh?" Thatch leered, going to make his move on the blonde girl.
"Hold it their buster it's not what you think, she doesn't just see her future she sees everyone's. It's unpredictable." Sherbet said grabbing Thatch by the collar.
"Yeah Thatch leave her alone, your not her type." Ace added.
"How do you know, don't tell me you already made a move on her?!" Thatch explained.
"Okay okay enough. Let them eat." Sabo intervened. Ace and Sabo inhaled their food in a blink of an eye before eyeing everyone else's.
"Wow I thought only D's eat like that yoi."
"You can say he's been around us long enough he practically inherited the gene." Ace spoke for him.
"Yep I was never able to break that habit." Sabo said with a grin. Valerie grinned with him and gave him, her food. No one told Thatch, that Valerie and Lexi didn't eat normal food.
"Thanks." Sabo said.
"Hey no fair." Ace pouted.
"Here." Lexi sighed.
"Thanks."
"Good morning ladies, did you sleep well?"
"Yep, that was the best sleep I ever had." Lexi announced. "I've never slept on a bed before."
"This worlds the best, I was able to sleep the whole night without worrying about my phone ringing. She say's happily."
"Phone?" Sabo asked.
"Yeah it's like a Den Den mushi." Sherbet answered.
"Hey Rachel you okay yoi?" Marco asks as he watches Rachel force another spoon full of hot soup down her throat.
"I'm fine, almost done." She answered focusing solely on her soup.
"Rachel, you shouldn't push yourself. You've eaten more than enough for now." Dan said coming around the table to sit next to her.
"But, I mustn't waste food, you never know when you'll get fed next." She mumbled as if in a trance.
"That's true, you never know." Lexi added. "Ace you better not leave me okay." Lexi said grabbing Ace's arm, causing him to blush, and Sabo to chuckle.
"Yeah Okay. I won't."
"Promise?" she pushed.
"Promise." He said
"Good."
"Rachel we promise you'll get another chance to eat later. If you eat more than you can handle right now, you'll get sick." Dan said causing her to stop eating and look up at him. "Besides it won't go to waste. Ace will finish it." He said. "Okay."
"Okay." She nodded sliding her half full bowl to Ace who downed it in one gulp.
"Alright come on you guys, your first therapy session starts now."
"Aw man." Lexi complained.
"Come on." Ace chuckled holding out his hand to Lexi she deflated but took it anyways.
"You feeling okay yoi?" Marco asked Rachel.
"Yeah, I'll be fine after awhile. Just ate to much." She responded slowly getting up.
'You ready Val?' Sherbet asked.
'More of less.' She sighed.
"Alright now, have a seat." Dan said gesturing towards the eight seats in the room.
"So how're you going to start this anyway?" Lexi asked.
"Well fist can anyone tell me why you here?" Dan said getting out a notebook and pen.
The girls looks at each other and then Sabo and the commanders with an, 'is he serious look?' but the only shrugged as a response.
"You told us to come here. You said that we needed therapy and after breakfast today you said it was time for out sessions to start. So we followed you here." Zena answered.
"I did say that, very good, but Zena is that the only reason you're here? Because I told you to?"
"Well, yes didn't you say it was a good idea?" Zena asked getting confused. 'And with that it was obvious to everyone that Dan was going to start with Zena.
"I did. Zena why do you do everything, everyone tells you. Even if they are trying to hurt you?" Dan asked.
"Because if I don't follow orders, I won't be a great person." Zena answered her eyes showing confusion."
"Are you saying that you're friends aren't great people?"
"No they are. They're very nice." Zena replied.
"Really but they don't follow every order given to them."
"What?"
"See watch, Lexi?" Dan called.
"Yes?" Lexi asked confused.
"Leave." He said calmly.
"What the hell! Why? You told me to come her in the first place!" She yelled crossing her arms over her chest.
"See does that make Lexi a bad person?" Dan asked.
"No it doesn't."
"Why?" Dan asked.
"Because she…she isn't a bad person." Zena replied.
"But she didn't follow my orders. Didn't you say you follow orders because it makes you a great person?"
"Yeah but I still think she's a great person."
"I see. Zena leave." Zena looked startled at the command, but slowly started to get up. "Why are you leaving?"
"Because you told me to." Zena answered.
"Why are you listening to me?"
"Because if I don't listen to you, you'll hate me." Zena said. "And then I'll be rude which is bad."
"Why do you think I'll hate you?"
"Because, Father says, that women should always follow a mans orders otherwise she'll be hated."
"Well you're father can…."Lexi was saying but Valerie cut her off by covering her mouth." The Pirates, and Sabo chuckled inwardly at this but held it in because of the situation.
"I see, so it starts with your father?"
"Yes he said, that to be a great person you have to listen to what your told. 'People will like you more if you do what they say.' Is what he said."
"I see. When you were younger was there ever a time you didn't listen to what your parents told you?"
There was a moment of silence before Zena answered in a dead tone. "Yes, I was told to go practice the piano, and I refused because I thought it was boring."
"What happened after that?"
"My father…he grabbed me by the arm. It was the first time I remember him hurting me." she explained gabbing her right arm. "He dragged me down to the basement. It was…dark I could barely see anything, and it was so cold. We stopped in front of a door. I remember hearing metal clinking, and a click. He then grabbed me by the arm again and threw me in a room. I remember getting slammed into a wall. I heard the door slam shut and then another click. I felt around the room. It was a small room. Like a shoe closet. I don't know how long I was kept in there but, it felt like days before I got out. I remember being so hungry." Zena explained.
"So he would throw you in that room if you didn't obey him?"
"Yes.
"That happened to me to." Sabo spoke up causing the room to look at him. He let out a sigh before continuing.
"When I was ten years old, my father forced me to come back with him. I only did because he threatened to kill my brothers if I didn't. When I went back they still treated me like a worthless son. They even adopted another to replace me when I ran away." Sabo rolled his eyes at the memory. "Anyways, I tried to run away again, because I found out something."
"Something?" Dan asked.
"I found out that the nobles were planning to set fire to the Grey Terminal, where they dump their trash, where those who can't afford homes live. I had to go warn, Ace and Luffy, so I tried to escape. Of course I was caught thanks to the stupid guard's. My parents then threw me in the basement and locked me in. But I escaped again, I wouldn't let them steal my freedom from me. They didn't care about me, and I didn't care about them. It should be the same for you. Don't let them control you especially now when they're not around."
"Exactly, you only followed their orders so you wouldn't get punished right?"
"Yes. I don't like that room." Dan narrowed his eyes at this.
"How often were you locked up in that room?"
"Well when I was around 4-5 it was at least once or twice a week. Then when was 6-7 Once or twice a month. 8-10 occasionally. 11-12 barely I tried my best to avoid it but sometimes. I did something unladylike or disrespectful. Then when I turned 13 till now, I pretty much understood everything I should and should not do, so I didn't get sent to that room."
"And if you were to guess how long were you in that room for?"
"About three days. No food. No water."
"I see. How do you like the dark now?"
"I hate it." She answered bluntly.
"Why?"
"It's scary, and lonely."
"And how are you in small places?" she tilted her head cutely to the side.
"If I'm small enough I fit." She answered. Blink Blink the room broke out in quiet chuckles.
"I mean. Do you like being in small places?"
"No, I can't breathe, it seems like the walls are closing in around me. I don't like feeling trapped."
"I see, and how did you like your family?"
"My mother was from a rich family to, so she went through the same training as me. She never spoke, and did exactly as she was told. She never went against my father, and I never saw any emotions on her face. She was like the perfect puppet. The perfect trophy wife." She explained.
"Why did you use the words puppet and trophy when describing her?"
"That's what it feels like. The way the women in our society was treated... Well that's what I felt anyway, like I was just some tool for my Father to use as he saw fit. He didn't care about my feelings at all. One time we had guests over my father wanted me to show his clients son around. I knew my father saw him as a potential husband for me. If I were to marry him our family status would raise. While I was showing him around he made me feel uncomfortable, and I… just had enough so I slapped him and ran. Of course I was punished even after I told my father what happened it was still my fault. So to put it bluntly I hated my family." She finished. 'Especially after that incident.' She thought. Ace looked at Sabo when he noticed another thing the two had in common. He noticed how his brother's eyes were showed over by his hat.
"Well thank you for your cooperation. You did good for today." Dan said.
"Am I finished?"
"Yes for today at least, now I notice you're usually really quiet. You mentioned that it was because you can't talk out of turn, but I want you to try and talk whenever you can okay."
"Okay." She said.
"Alright then, see that wasn't so hard. So who wants to go next?"
"I don't understand how something can be hard when it's not tangible." Zena said.
"You know I'm starting to get the feeling that you're the type of person who's blunt, brutally honest, and takes everything in the literal sense." Sherbet said. "It's going to be fun having you around."
"Really?" She asked.
"Yep." The Exceed laughed.
"Why don't the three of us play rock paper scissors to determine who goes next?" Rachel suggested.
"Because I'm not very lucky that's why." Lexi answered.
"Well I'm not lucky either you know." Rachel pouted.
"I know how About we have Ace, Sabo, and Marco play." Sherbet suggested getting confused looks. "Well they have a lot of luck."
"Whatever they're not doing anything anyways. I call Ace." Lexi announced grabbing on to Ace. "You better no lose." She whispered into his ear.
"I want Marco." Rachel called.
"Then you get Sabo Val."
"How did this happen yoi?" Marco complained.
"Doesn't matter, let's just play." Sabo said.
"Bring it on I am not going to lose." Ace declared.
"Rock, Paper, Scissors!"
"And Marco Loses. Looks like Rachel goes first. Now let us watch as the battle becomes even more intense as the two brothers ready their fist in the next epic match. Now Who Will Come Out On Top!"
"What do you mean? Come out of where?" Zena asked.
"Yeah what will the brother that's on top come out of?" Lexi asked faking innocence. Ace and Sabo blushed at the question before glaring at everyone who laughing.
"That's not funny!" Ace yelled.
"Are you kidding?" Lexi asked between laughter.
"Go on finish your battle." Rachel laughed.
The two brothers sighed before. Finishing with Sabo coming out on top.
"That's unexpected. I always thought Ace would be the Pitcher and Sabo the Catcher." Sherbet said causing more laughter.
"What the hell. How'd a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors become something like this?" Sabo groaned. "An what do you mean I look like a Catcher!?"
"Catcher? Like the guy that catches balls in baseball?" Zena asked.
"Yeah it's the guy that catches balls alright." Lexi Laughed.
"See I told you Zena would be fun to have around." Sherbet said.
"Yeah but her innocent comments are not helping." Sabo mumbled. "Anyways moving on. The order is Rachel, Lexi, and then Valerie."
"Buzz kill." Lexi muttered Zena looked confused but decided not to say anything.
"Sabo what's wrong, you look upset?" Zena asked with concerned eyes. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No of course not, don't worry I'm fine." Sabo smiled while patting her head causing her to blush.
"Okay Rachel, do you remember much about when your parents were together?" Dan asked.
"Umm, lets see. I was really young during that time so I don't remember much. I remember my dad used to work all the time so he was barely home. My Mom worked to but I still saw her everyday. But when my dad was home it was usually when my mom wasn't. I didn't really think much of it at the time, but my dad he was always really nice to me he would hug me whenever he saw me. However when both my parents were together they would always yell and get into arguments."
"Do you remember what they were about?"
"No sorry. Anyways one day I woke up and I found my mother crying in the kitchen. She told me that my dad abandoned us and is never going to come back. She hugged me and asked me if I was going to leave her too. I said no. Then she asked if I loved her. And I answered yes."
"How did you feel when she told you your father left?"
"At the time I didn't really understand. Now I really want to know why? Why did he just leave us like that? Leave me?"
"Do you hate him for it?"
"Yes. If he didn't leave my Mom wouldn't have changed so drastically."
"How did she change?"
"She become so …possessive, so controlling, she'd…" Rachel paused chewing on her lips looking conflicted before she continued, "do things she never did before?"
"How did she become possessive and controlling?"
"She'd always want to know what I was doing, and who I was doing it with. She'd make me text her every hour just to let her know where I am."
"And if you didn't?"
"I'd be…punished."
"And how would she be possessive?"
"She'd, she'd always do things. J-just little things… but… it felt… strange, I questioned it once but she just freaked out so I let her do it, to keep her happy." Rachel answered body tense and gaze focused on her feet.
"Rachel what did she do?" Dan asked gently.
Rachel shook her head and drew her knees up to her chest resting her forehead on her knees so no one could see her tears.
"Rachel, you already admitted she'd beat you, did she do anything else?" His answer was shaking shoulders.
"Did she ever touch you in an inappropriate way that made you feel uncomfortable?"
Rachel took a shaky breath as she slowly lifted her head but still hugged her legs.
"Yes…it grew more subtle each year. Probably because she knew I would start to notice more as I grew older."
"What did she do?"
"Well she would always give me goodnight kisses but after dad left they …changed…before the were short and I don't know normal I guess. She'd either give me one on my lips, checks, or forehead. But then she…" Rachel stopped and swallowed her throat felt dry.
"After dad left when I was around 7-10 they were more intense. They lasted longer and sometimes she'd use tongue. I didn't like it but when I said something she'd just freak out. So I let her do what she wanted. Her touch also felt different mostly at night, or when I leave or just get back to the house."
"What do you mean?"
"Well ever since dad left she always wanted to sleep together. I never understood why. To be honest I still don't. Was she trying to use me as some kind of replacement?"
"I'd rather not think about it but it's possible, from what you've told me so far." Dan said.
"Well anyways, I would always feel her touching me, her hands gliding over my body, rubbing my thighs, and she became extra clingy to she'd hold on to me and never let go. Probably afraid that I was going to leave her too."
"How did this make you feel? How did you react?"
"I couldn't reject her." She said voice barely a whisper. "Even if I wanted to I couldn't. I didn't like what she did to me. It made me feel sick most of the time. Used. Dirty. She did it in way's that made it seem like what she was doing was normal. Like it was perfectly natural to touch your child…like that. Like if I were to tell someone they would shrug it off like it was nothing special. " She spat out bitterly. "And she'd make me feel so guilty, when I try and stand up for my self. She'd say, "So you really don't love me, you want to leave me to just like your father.'"
"You said she'd freak out when you refused her, is that what you meant? She was worried that you were going to leave her?"
"Yeah."
"What kind of punishments would she give you?"
"She would beat me, whip me, thinks like that."
"Why do you think you're fat?"
"It first after my father left. The same day actually, woke up and my mom was crying. She didn't make breakfast of course and I didn't ask because she looked so sad. Then lunch came around, and I was hungry so I asked for food, I would have done it myself but I was never allowed in the kitchen, and I couldn't reach the shelves anyway. She gave me two granola bars and went back to sitting on the couch. I ate the food but it didn't fill me up. Then it came time for dinner…so I asked and she got so mad. She said all I ever thought about was food… well of course I didn't get dinner that night and I was to afraid to ask for breakfast the next day. My stomach growled because I was hungry and she just so happened to be around. She got mad again. She said I should stop thinking about food and start think about losing some weight. A few weeks later she bought me some new clothes. She was so excited and wanted me to try them on, but they were so tight…She tried to force them on me I couldn't breathe or move, and then…the clothes ripped. Of course I was punished. She beat me saying I need to lose weight. She been doing that for years, so naturally I become more self conscious about my weight."
"I see one more question." Dan sighed and watched her wipe away tears from her face. "Then your done for today." He said gently.
"Okay."
"Why did you react the way you did when Pops asked you to join him?"
"I associate the words father with abandonment. Sorry." She shrugged. "I know my father probably wasn't a bad guy. Maybe he just couldn't deal with my mom anymore, but he could have taken me with him. Then again he might not have left something could have happened. His disappearance is a mystery to me after all." He nodded his head and then turned to Lexi.
"Alright Lexi, I know you've been dying for your turn."
"Damn it." She mumbled. "Look this really isn't necessary is it? I mean what's the point, of bringing up old memories anyways?"
"So you can move on."
"Yeah well I don't see how it helps." She replied defiantly.
"Well how do you know if you won't try?"
Lexi groaned. "Look, I'm only doing it because you got Zena, and Rachel to spill their guts already okay, so lets just get this over with."
"Sabo what does she mean I didn't spill anything?" Zena whispered.
"She meant, that you spoke about your past." Sabo answered with a small smile.
"Hey Marco, you okay you look pretty tense?" Ace whispered.
"Just feeling a little agitated yoi. I'll be fine."
"Lexi what was the earliest memory with your mother?"
"My earliest memory? I don't know it all kind of blurs together." She answered honestly.
"Okay how did your mother treat you when you were younger?"
"Lets see, well I remember when I was around five and younger she'd put me out on some street corner, with a can or box. Something to contain money in. She'd make sure I was wearing a tank top that was a little to big so I could wear it as a dress, and she'd makes sure one sleeve was always hanging off my shoulder. Then before she'd leave she'd say something to me. I can't remember what she said but I remember it was enough to make me cry, and then she'd leave."
"Why did she do that?"
"She wanted me to beg for money. People would take more pity on me if I were crying."
"Did she pick you up afterwards?"
"No, I would always have to find my way back."
"Even when you were three?!"
"Well yeah, I said I always had to find my way back. I never said it didn't take me awhile."
"She'd always get mad if I didn't find her that night though. Not because she cares but because I wouldn't get her, her money. "
"Did anything happen during the time you begged for money?"
"Like what?"
"Did you meet any unpleasant people?"
"Yeah all the time, it wasn't a very good neighborhood, it was the streets." Lexi answered unconcerned.
"Could you talk about some experience you had?"
"Sure I've met a lot of people with different intentions, I think I've experienced everything. Well there was a time I was almost kidnaped but I got away, actually that happened like a lot, there was this one time during the winter I thought I was about to die but then this nice old man took me to his home. Well at least I thought he was nice until we got to his home. Umm there were these guys that would steal money from me. Uh some prostitutes would give me shelter from the not so pleasant weather on certain conditions. That pretty much the main stuff." She finished leaning back into her chair ignoring the looks people were giving her. "Am I done now?"
"Nope sorry far from it."
"Great." She said sarcastically.
"Lets see here, guess will work our way backwards. You said prostitutes would give you shelter on certain conditions?" He asked.
"Oh yeah, what about it?"
"How did you feel about that?"
"How was I supposed to feel, I was great full if it weren't for them I wouldn't have made it."
"What were these conditions?"
Lexi shrugged before answered, "Their customers, liked it when there's an audience, so they'd make me watch." She answered her elbow on her thigh and her chin in her hand looking as board as possible.
"And how'd you feel about that?"
"I don't know. I was tired and wanted to go to sleep. When I was younger I had no idea what they were doing. I just thought they were really loud and they were doing the weirdest things in the world. As I grew older I figured out what they were doing and I felt sick every time I had to watch. They would do the most shameless things in front of me, I felt so disgusted. How would you feel?"
"What else did they have you do?"
"I didn't do anything else, the other condition is that they wanted to practice some new techniques on me but I would rather sleep on the streets."
"Okay, what else did your mom have you do? I know begging on the streets stops working after a certain age."
Lexi growled, and looked away.
"You never sold your body right? That's what you said yesterday, so it couldn't have been that bad. Besides no one here will judge you." Dan said gently.
Lexi rolled her eyes before finding the ceiling very interesting.
"As I got older, things go harder. Like you said no one would give money to a kid who was perfectly capable of working. Problem was jobs were hard to come by for those living on the street. My mom would beat me everyday because I wasn't bringing in any money. That was when she told me, what I was, that I had a rapists blood running through my veins. She told me that she never wanted an ungrateful bitch like me. She said since she brought me into this world I belonged to her now, and I have to work for her. She took me to a…"
"To a…" Dan pressed.
"Stri(cough)pers (cough)bar."
"What?"
"A strippers bar okay! She took me to a fucking strippers bar a persuaded the fucking owner to let me work there."
"Huh?! How old were you?" Rachel asked wide-eyed.
"10. I was fucking 10 when I first started taking off my clothes for fucking money." She growled in anger and embarrassment.
"Wha-Ho-why?!" She spluttered.
"I know I know it a sick world we live in. At first I was just supposed to work as a waiter till I was 14. However that all changed when the God damned manager found out about how everyone's a secret pedo on the inside. Sick bastards."
"You've got to be kidding me?!" Ace muttered wide-eyed.
"And we thought grey terminal was bad." Sabo added.
"Well it's bad but in a different way."
"Anyways how did that make me feel, I was pissed. Having thousands of perverted fucks eyeing me like I was candy and grabbing my ass every time I walked by was not fun. But you do a good job, you get a lot of money, my mom stays off my back, and that's why I didn't enjoy the check up yesterday am I done now?"
"No not quite. You said you had a lot of kidnapping attempts?"
"Yeah. When I was a kid fucking creepers would watch me from the shadows while I was begging for money. They would wait till it was dark before they would make their move. Or they'd follow me as I tried to find my way home. Or some of my more eccentric fans would delude them selves into thinking I was in love with them, or some bullshit like that. Let me get this straight if you're paying someone to take off their clothes for you and dance for you. They do not like you and they most defiantly don't love you. In fact they think you're a creeper and they'll curse you to death if you don't pay them for their efforts. That's the only reason they put up with you for the money. That's the only reason they're there. They don't like getting fucking molested by strangers. And I digress anyways I'd pick up a few stalker fans that want to take me away with them. They think I'd like being locked in their closet and used by them personally. I don't know what they're thinking really." She sighed shaking her head.
"Am I done now. I wasn't raped so I don't have anything else to talk about really?" she stated something in her eyes changing when she said rape but Dan let it go. 'Well technically it wasn't rape that's what my so called mother said fucking bitch.'
"One more thing. You seem care free now but on that smugglers ship you seemed distressed when these guys found you. Care to explain?"
"I don't like being trapped and forced into anything. I don't like the feeling of being owned. That man was going to sell me to be a slave. My mom was going to do that to, so I ran. I thought it wouldn't happen again but I was captured, so of course I was a little distraught."
"What brought about those feelings, was it the kidnappings."
"Yeah sometimes the kidnappers would work for the black market. When they'd capture you they'd take away your clothes. Clean you up personally. Then they'd keep you on drugs so you're not aware of anything that's going on. They could be fucking you and you wouldn't know it. An no that didn't happen to me I was brought to their base once so I saw it before I escaped."
"How did that make you feel?"
"Scared, really scared. I've never been more terrified my entire life. That's why the idea of being owned scares me. You can't fight against your masters. You can't you have to do exactly what they say. No mater what it is and that's scary."
"I see." He sighed. "Alright that's enough for today."
"Yes." She cheered.
"After you answer this question."
"Awe." She whined.
"Why didn't you want to join our crew?"
"I hate men. Sorry no offence to you guys its just every single guy I met was a perverted pedo, that liked to molest me, and then my father is a rapist." She sighed. "That kind of really sucks since I'm not attracted to women at all. No offence or anything. It's just I've seen two women going at it and it seemed kind of boring. But hey to each his/ her own right? I'm sure there's a guy out there for me."
"Yeah try right behind you, the hottie with the freckles." Sherbet recommended, making Ace turn cherry red.
"Shut it cat!" He hissed making Sabo laugh.
"Lexi you really broke his heart just now." Sherbet said giving Ace a pitying look.
"She did not."
"Really I'm sorry Ace." She apologized fighting a smile.
"You didn't, don't listen to him." Ace yelled. "Anyways isn't it Valerie's turn now?"
"Yes it is. Valerie are you ready? Is Sherbet going to speak for you?"
"Nope not this time. She has to say this all by herself." Sherbet said earning a pout from Valerie. Everyone looked curiously at the girl, who shifted nervously under their gazes. She opened her mouth but almost immediately closed it.
"Come on Val that man can't any one here. You're safe, and their safe." Sherbet reassured.
"I, I know." She mumble her voice shaky.
"Okay, that's a good start now why don't you start from the beginning. Is that alright Doc?"
"Yes that's fine."
"Okay." She began staring down at her knees chewing on her bottom lip trying to decide how to start. "I used to have a family. I had a father and a mother. They were both always so happy. They never fought or argued it was like they never got out of their honeymoon faze. I also had a big brother. He was alder than me by five years. I was always taking care of me." she laughed a little. "He was always so protective of me. I used to be bullied a lot by the boys in my elementary school. I still don't know why." She shrugged. "But my big brother would always come to save me." she said smiling gently. "I loved my family so much, we were always so happy." She said her eyes getting moist. "But then everything went downhill when I started middle school. We were still happy of course that wasn't the issue, but they summer when I turned twelve. That's when it started."
"What started?" Dan prompted gently after she stopped speaking for a few minutes.
"The letters." She breathed out. "I would get them everyday. I didn't tell my parents or my brother at first. I just that it was a joke. Or someone was sending mail to the wrong person. Anyway I didn't think it was a big deal."
"What did the letters say?"
"They were different each time but there was one that I can never forget. The one that frightened me so much, it made my skin crawl because that one came with something extra. It said,
Dear my beloved Valerie,
I can not keep my feelings for you a secret anymore. I fell in love with you the moment I first laid my eyes on you." Valerie shivered as she recited one of the letters. "You're Angelic blue eyes is so captivating, I can't look away. I can't help but dream about you every night." Valerie swallowed hard before continuing. She was hugging Sherbet for comfort as her body trembled at the memory. "Last night was one of the best dreams ever. I was running my hands over your smooth sun-kissed skin. Marking every inch of it." Valerie let out a small whimper before continuing. "I remember loving the feeling of running my hands through your blonde locks grabbing them roughly so I could pull your head back and watch your face as you come for me. I remember seeing your pink stained checks, your lust filled eyes begging for me. That dream made me want you even more, so I'm letting you know I'm coming for you."
Valerie wiped the tears off her face. "I dropped the letter and the envelope to the floor after reading it. I was shocked the other letters were never as…intense. Then I noticed the envelope wasn't empty, so I picked it up to see what it was. It was a picture of me sleeping. That ma was there in my room. Right next to me while I was sleeping. I never felt more scared than in that moment. Just the thought about what he could have done." She let out a shuttering breathe. "That was when I came out of my denial and accepted the fact that some one was stalking me. The picture freaked me out so bad I screamed. My brother was the only one home at the time and he came running. He saw the picture, he read the letter, he hugged me and told me it was going to be okay that he would protect me. We called my parents and they came home immediately and we went to the police. They said that they can't do much because they don't have any leads beside the letters." She explained growling out the last part through tears. "From then on I started getting more pictures from him. They were of me walking home from school or to school. Talking with friends. Sleeping. Eating. Changing. It was horrible. I couldn't deal with it. I was jumpy I felt eye on me 24/7. And the police still didn't so anything. My brother saw how it was affecting me, so he decided to get answers himself." She was crying now, and Dan decided to let her calm down before continuing. "One week later he went missing." She whispered out. "I started getting pieces of my brother delivered to me. Pictures of him after being tortured. Voice recordings of his screams." And she broke down again. "The cops finally got involved, it took my brother dying for them to think it was a top priority case." She cried out in disgust. "But months went by and they found nothing. The next thing I know my birthday came. My friends wanted to take me out, and my parents of course let me go. They said they'd have a surprise for me when I got back." She clutched her had at the end of her skirt. "I got home before the sun went down, but I felt something was off. It just didn't feel right. He went to ring the doorbell but no one would answer. I remember feeling paniced when I realized the door was unlocked because their was no way, no way they'd leave the door unlocked. When I walked inside it hit me. The smell, it was so strong. It was metallic, iron. There was so much. I was scared I slowly walked inside my heart stopped when I came into the kitchen. My parents the floor the wall they were all covered in blood. I remember feeling so dizzy and weak I just sank to the floor. I couldn't bring my self to look away. I couldn't breath. I could hear my heart pounding. Then just as I was about to scream a hand covered my mouth. I froze. All I remember think way this had to be dream. Please let this be a dream. And then all I saw was darkness."
She quickly stole a glance at those in the room to see they were either concerned or angry.
"When I woke up it was in a cold, dark room. I later found out it was his basement. He would come down everyday. It wasn't until the end of summer till I escaped. No not escaped, but rather he let me go. He kind of got what he wanted but he enjoyed the hunt more I guess. So he started round two. When I got out, I realized I was all alone now. I lost my family. I went to the police because I honestly had no where else to go. If I did go to my friends house they could be put in danger to. I stopped talking as much from then on. I only spoke when necessary, and I avoided other people. I would get panic attacks being around to many people, or when people started at me for to long. I had nightmares every night and I couldn't sleep, and now that bastard started texting me 24/7. We have mobile phones in our world that allows you to send and receive text messages and picture. That was the worst few years of my life. Then I turned 14 things were still bad. I was still being stalked and sometimes he would visit me at night, because he was craving my body even more since I was starting to develop more in certain areas. But they head of the police force gave my case to a skilled detective, and he took it seriously. He was also very kind to me and he let me stay with him and his wife so he could protect me better. Thanks to that. I didn't see that man for to years. He still sent me things, he'd even call to sing to me." she shivered. "but it wasn't as bad as him coming to visit. The I turned 16 and hearing from him was scarce. We thought that maybe he got bored of me because he just stopped sending me things, stopped getting in contact with me. I thought maybe things might be able to go back to normal. The detective and his wife adopted me, and I was starting to become happy again. Of course I was still afraid he'd show up again. I was still jumpy still didn't talk to much, and still avoided people like the plague. And I fell asleep at school because I was too sacred to sleep at home sometimes or I had nightmares. Then this year my senior year came. Still no sign of my stalker. That is until 3-4 weeks ago. I went to school fell asleep. Woke up to a text message. The sound still scared me. Mr. what was his name again?" Val stopped to asked Rachel who shrugged looking sheepish. Valerie shrugged to before moving on. "well our teacher, was saying something I was half a sleep so I didn't really get it something about Rachel and I being the death of him and we have to so our homework. The he falls flat on his face because of something Rachel said." She chuckled.
"Yes giving him a hard time was one of my favorite pass times." Rachel laughed.
"Well after school I went home, my mom was making dinner so I went up to shower. When I opened my door. I screamed at who I saw. He was back again. He quickly grabbed me and put a knife to my neck saying how I shouldn't have done that. My mother came running and the minute she into the room he stabbed her. He said, see if you did scream and alert her to the fact I was her I wouldn't have had to kill her. It's your fault she's dead." She paused. "She didn't die immediately, she was alive long enough to see him do his worse to me. I could vaguely hear her beg for him to stop and let me go before she died, but I was beyond caring anymore all I was thinking was it's my fault, I lost another family, and it's all my fault. I heard my dad come home, he was calling out frantically for me and mom. I didn't answer though I didn't want him to die for me. But that was wishful thinking he found us, but before he could do anything he was killed as well. After that I saw red. I lost it. My mom, my dad, my big brother. My new mom, my new dad. All of them died at the hands of this man. And for what because he fell for me. He didn't have to involve them but he did, I was just so mad at this point I took the knife from his hands. He was so surprised he didn't even realize I stabbed him. I stabbed him over and over and over. Until his body went lip on top of mine. I pushed him off and grabbed some clothes from my closet and I ran. I ran and never looked back, I didn't care where I was going I just knew I couldn't stay there anymore. Then we all met and we ended up here in this world." She finished.
"Valerie." Rachel whispered. "I can't believe you were able to hide all that from me since middle school."
"Right back at you."
"Guess you're right."
"Am I done for today?" Valerie asked Dan.
"I told you everything. Well except what he did to me that summer he captured me, or when he'd visit but you can guess right. He didn't rape me but he did just about everything else. And the reason I didn't want to join the Whitebeard pirates is because I don't want to lose another family, and I really want to join the Strawhat pirates after the war of the best." She explained.
"Yeah we're done for today." Dan responded.
Okay please tell me what you think. I know the guys didn't play a big part in this but that's because I suck at changing perspectives like that. For the next chapter I'll probably rewrite this chapter in their perspective so we now what they were thinking through out the session.