Chapter 63
Taming Attempt : Tenderness

The unexpected taste burst onto her tongue and Eli couldn't resist the little moan that it aroused from her chest. The flavor and the texture were so new and exquisite that the girl let her eyelids close as the exciting savor ravished her palate. It was as light as air but far from bland, delicate with spicy notes as well as a hint of sweetness; the flesh of the cloud fish was worthy of being called heavenly.

"It's delicious Sanji," Eli said dreamily, her green eyes glimmering with a sensuous delight.

"Really surprising," Nami added, a contented smile plastered on her face.

As he was observing the pirate girls savoring his dish with such ravishment, the cook's eyes had long turned into hearts and now, swooning and wriggling, it looked like he was more than satisfied.

"I'll make you some more !" Sanji said, his voice quickly fading away as he gamboled over to the kitchen.

A light, twinkly chuckle and Eli took another bite, not quite believing how good the fish was, no matter how simple the recipe was. Moaning again as the delightful taste slowly spread on her tongue, the girl was surprised when something hit the top of her head. Dazedly, she looked over her shoulder for the source of the blow. Her south bird appeared in her field of vision, his frown making her tilt her head to the side questioningly.

Loudly, the south bird chirped as he pointed her plate with his colorful beak.

"You want some ?" Eli asked, completely turning around to look at the bird.

He nodded and the corners of the pirate girl's lips curled up into a smile. Southy, as she called him, was somehow quite grumpy and so, taking this chance to gain his affection, Eli stood up and put her plate on the guardrail next to him.

With a peck, Southy took a morsel of the dish and gulped it down, a bright blush reddening his feathery cheeks on the spot. The bird took another bite and another, apparently very pleased with his meal. For a moment, Eli gazed at him, the sparkle in his little orbs warming up her heart. The living compass looked so happy that the chronicler decided to leave him the plate, and soon, she returned to her logbook.

Being much closer to the sun and without any clouds above them to shield the sunlight, the temperature was rather elevated. Eli unbuttoned the shirt that Ace that had lend her and exposed her pale skin to the sun, loving how its golden caress warmed her body thoroughly.

The Knight of the Sky had left about an hour ago now, and the pirates were sailing toward a strange formation of clouds that looked like a waterfall. Nami's logpose was still pointing upward, therefore, the Straw Hats were looking for a way to reach the white-white sea.

The cloud-slider hadn't reappeared after their rescue and no other ship were in sight in their creamy surroundings. Their course was smooth and all of the pirates occupied themselves with their usual activities. Sitting on the railing, Luffy, Usopp and Chopper were fishing, providing Sanji with their catches. The ship's cook gamboled from a side to another of the ship, giving a taste of his dishes to the pirate girls and swooning with delight upon hearing their compliments. Nami and Eli were on the ship's bow.; the navigator, comfortably installed in a canvas chair, was reading the newspaper. From where she was sitting, Eli could hear Zoro's regular pants; next to the main mast, the swordsman was training, apparently very determined to help his body adapting to its new environment as quickly as possible.

"Hey."

Ace sat next to the chronicler and the girl wasn't so surprised to find herself sighing. Since their little quarrel, the two pirates had been busy but Eli hadn't quite forgiven his chauvinist reaction. Focusing on the pages of her logbook, she tried to write down the latest events, despite the burn partially incapacitating her hand.

Surely, the young man was aware of Eli's remonstrance. Ace shifted a bit closer, the knuckle of his hand brushing against her exposed thigh, and already, the girl felt her conviction growing weak.

"What are you doing ?" Ace asked, while his skin was almost imperceptibly caressing her own.

His voice was quiet and soothing and Eli tightened her grip on her pen; the pain jerking her out of the soft daze that was taking over her as his warm touch gradually washed over her.

"Writing, obviously," she said and tried to sound as neutral as possible. "I don't want to forget any detail."

"I see... Listen-"

"Elisabeth~"

Like a graceful whirlwind, Sanji appeared in front of the couple, his hands holding a new dish for the girls to taste. Raising her face to look at him, Eli saw the blonde's usual charming face faltering into a frown.

"Are you okay ? Do you want me to clear the filth ?" he asked harshly.

Rustling paper got Eli to look at Nami who was peeking at the cook from behind her newspaper. She saw the redhead rolling her eyes before resuming to her reading.

Filth...? The chronicler turned her head around to look at her plate now being almost emptied by her south bird. Maybe Sanji wasn't so happy to see his cooking ending up in Southy's stomach.

"Oh I'm sorry, Southy wanted to taste your dish," she said sheepishly. "He really likes it !"

For a few seconds, she beamed at the blond, hoping that he would forgive her upon seeing her smile, and soon, her wish was granted. Sanji's frown melted and his blue eye sparkled as he handed the girl yet another plate.

With a sigh, Nami stood up, folded her newspaper several times and put it on her canvas chair.

"Let's go Sanji," the redhead said as she grabbed the blonde's arm and pulled him away.

"Yes Nami~," he said in a singing voice. "Call me if you need anything, Elisabeth."

Eli nodded and Sanji slowly walked away, Nami still pulling the young man. From the distance, she saw that the blond kept an eye on her and Ace until Zoro muttered something to him. From where she was, the girl didn't hear the swordsman's words but his mocking tone was quite unmistakable and the cook's reaction was instantaneous. The faint sound of the two young men's quarrel vaguely reaching her ears, the chronicler's eyes set on her logbook resting on her lap.

"Why don't you go to the crow's-nest ?" Ace asked and gulped a few bites of the girl's dish. "It'll be more peaceful to... write."

"I'm good." Eli said, while her eyes glided upon her last words to find again the train of thoughts she had lost upon the flame user's arrival.

"I could come with you," Ace insisted.

The tip of her pet tapping on her bottom lip, the chronicler smiled. "How peaceful that would be then."

"Well... We could talk..."

"We can talk here," Eli said her voice showing sings of annoyance at the young man's multiple interruptions while she was now glaring at her page.

"Talk... or something else."

"Listen, I'm- OW !" The chronicler's head snapped around to look at her bird as he had hit the top of her head with no apparent reason. "What's wrong with you ?"

She saw Southy rolling his little eyes quite greatly before pointing his beak at Ace and, following his insistent stare, she finally looked at the young man's face; his dark brows furrowed in a little frown, he was rubbing his forehead.

"Oh..." Eli mentally snapped her fingers and felt her cheeks growing a little hotter. "Something else..." she repeated quietly, now understanding what Ace meant.

"I can't believe that you're actually more stupid than a bird." Ace sighed deeply which caused Eli to mumble a few indistinct insults.

A soft smile brightened his freckles face as he gazed at the embarrassed girl. His eyes were so sweet, and his invitation so embarrassing, that Eli found herself unable to look directly at him. Her face growing unbearably hotter, her gaze trailed down, the girl's throat tightening when his chiseled chest appeared slowly in her field of vision. Her gaze kept trailing down to finally end its course on the flame user's hand that was caressing tenderly her thigh.

Oh boy... Eli's eyes squeezed shut, while her heartbeats accelerated tremendously. The girl was a novice in many domains, but this... This was completely out of her grasp.

"Let's go ?" Ace asked softly, leaning toward her as he spoke.

The chronicler opened her lips several times only to find that her voice was gone. Shyly, she nodded and Ace stood up on the spot.

As a deep sigh escaped her mouth, Eli's tight insides loosened enough for the girl to breath almost normally. Carefully, she placed a bookmark in between her pages and closed her logbook. Taking her time to let her mind's race ease, she put the book in her bag and slipped its strap on her shoulder.

Patiently, Ace was waiting for her, and somehow, his smile, if sweet, felt heavy on her shoulders. If it wasn't enough, soon, Southy started chirping out of impatience and motioned the girl to put an end to her diversion. Stupid bird...

The two pirates walked over to the mast and the girl oddly felt that she was being motioned into the lion's jaws. As he walked in front of her, Eli stared at the flame user's bare back; the muscles moving beneath his slightly tanned skin making her mind grow wild.

All gentlemanly, Ace let Eli climb at the rope ladder first... or maybe did he want to make sure she would flee...? The soon to be eaten girl, felt anticipation shoot up in her rushing mind as the crow's-nest was reached far too quickly in her opinion.

She planted her feet on the wooden floor and stared with big eyes in the distance while chewing her bottom lip nervously. In this peaceful and very dream-like scenery, the girl's mind was tempestuous and in her wound up body, her blood was yearning for the rush of a race.

Was that how it was supposed to feel ? Imprisoned, enchained in her own body, her mind was like a wild, scared beast, crying to get unleashed. Above the howls, Eli heard the sound of heavy footsteps drawing near, each thud making her dread throb harder in her chest.

"Eli." Ace placed a hand on her small shoulder and, despite how expected the touch was, the girl startled. "Listen..."

Warmth spread from where his palm was, the gentle flow making the beast grow weak. With a light pull, Eli slowly turned around, her eyes setting on his freckled face. It was warm, just like his voice, just like his touch, and the girl found herself drained from her thoughts as well as the perception of her surroundings. The tempest died out and her body went lax.

"I know you can fight," he said.

Ace took her hands in his and pulled her down. The both of them sat on the wooden floor and his warm fingers left hers, caressing her exposed thigh as they did. Heat flowed from the soft touch to the confines of her pounding desire, making Eli bite her bottom lip out of excitation.

"Its just that..." The young man sighed and gently, he took the shoulder strap of her bag, slid it down her arm, and put it away before shifting his gentle gaze back at her. "I don't want you to worry about me."

"Mmh mmh..." Eli nodded, her green eyes lost in dark ones.

His large fingers curled around her arms. "And I don't want you to be hurt." His thumbs drawing soft circles onto her skin and the girl felt herself shuddering from the inside.

"Okay," she said in a breath while hoping he could just shut up and kiss her already.

"I'm sorry." But Ace kept talking, his face very close to hers, and the only thing Eli could seem to be preoccupied with was the moistness of her lips. "I didn't want to be harsh."

Eli nodded dazedly.

For a moment, it seemed that the young man didn't have anything more to say as he gazed at the girl, somehow, questioningly. The delicious motion of his thumbs in her skin dispersed but the hold was unfazed.

Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me... Was the only thing Eli could hear under the warm blanket of silence that covered her and Ace. Her eyelashes fluttered as she closed her eyes and the girl nudged her flushed face in his direction.

For what seemed like a very long moment, the girl remained in this position; her mind floating in warm darkness, her full lips had parted as she yearned for the hot contact his mouth on her. Ace surely understood what she wanted, so why was he making her wait...?

And suddenly, when she least expected it, the hearing of a suppressed laugh got Eli's eyes to snap open. The hold on her arms vanished and Ace's laughter grew louder.

"Good girl !" he said between laughs, tears forming in the corner of his closed eyes.

"Wha- Good GIRL !" Upon hearing the mockery, anger swept over her and Eli swung her clenched fist in his direction and Ace fell on his back to avoid the strike.

She gritted her teeth, the jade of her orbs burning up with hatred as she glared at the young man who was now convulsing on the wooden floor. "You're not the boss of me !"

Oh yes he was... Mortified and offended beyond a bearable degree, Eli felt her blood boiling furiously while her face flushed crimson.

"You-you !" Her clenched fist opened and Eli pointed at him, her stretched out arm shaken by her overflowing rage. "I'm gonna-" Eli was cut short as Ace grabbed her hand and pulled the girl on him.

Released, she tensed both her arms to avoid falling on him entirely.

"... kill you..." she finished in a breath while her face hovered a few centimeters above his.

Ace grinned at the futile and weak threat; it was very obvious now that the young man was aware of the girl's helplessness before him. He looked proud and Eli managed to glare at him. Yet, very inefficient was the angry stare and, vanquished, she let herself fall on him and buried her face in his shoulder.

"You're a jerk..." she muttered against his heated skin.

With a deep intake of air, Ace wrapped his arms around her skinny body. He released his breath in the form of a long and warm sigh that caressed her skin and Eli hated how comfortable she felt in his embrace. It seemed so easy for him, he just had to look at her, smile at her, touch her and she was his. She hated how weak he made her feel and loved him all the more for that very reason.

Bitterly, Eli wished that she could have the same ascendancy on him that he had on her.

Things were quiet for a moment. Ace was caressing the skin of her back and Eli was lulled by the sound of his breaths in her ear until she heard, from afar, Luffy's laugh echoing through the air. This was enough to help the girl focusing on something else that the warm sensation awakened by the flame user's gentle touch.

Slowly, she pulled out of the embrace, crept away toward the crow's-nest's guardrail and searched for her captain. In front of the Merry was a large piece of cloud. Whereas the hazy sea the ship was sailing upon, it seemed thicker, almost solid. Following the sound of the sprightly laughter, Eli's eyes soon met with Luffy's figure; he was bouncing on said cloud along with Usopp.

"Stay with me," Ace said in a seductive manner as he wrapped his arms around the girl's tiny waist.

Without a word, Eli curled her fingers around his wrists, unfolded the embrace, and jumped up on the guardrail.

"LUFFY !" She called out now looking at the teen. "Give me a hand, pleeaase !"

As she towered over Ace, Eli had a smirk on her face and the young man looked, dare she think, piqued. Of course, this was a little more than pleasurable for her.

Luffy's hand appeared to her side, and Eli stuck the tip of her tongue out as she grabbed it. "An eye for an eye, Freckles."

As Luffy retracted his arm, Eli's head snapped in the other direction. She pierced through the air and penetrated the cloud before flying a dozen meters upward. Her body bounced up and down a few times, the jumps losing amplitude each time she touched the cloud. All the while, the girl was roaring with brilliant laughter and, as she finally steadied on the fluffy cloud, her laughs died out slowly.

"It's so nice," Eli said contentedly.

Warm and soft, the girl buried her face in the cloud while Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper's childish giggles filled delightfully her ears.

"Hey !" Nami called out from the Merry. "Try to find a path for the ship !"

Luffy acquiesced and the four cloud-bouncers, gamboled on the soft matter, yelling the directions for the pirates to follow. At last, they arrived in front of a large open space bordered with thick clouds. At the far end of the open area, stood a large gate, and behind it, rising high up in the skies, the waterfall-looking cloud.

The explorers jumped back on the Merry and the pirates sailed over to the mysterious gate. As they got closer they deciphered an inscription that was written on a sign hung above the gate; Heaven's Gate.

"Heaven's Gate..." Robin said quietly.

"It's a bad omen," Usopp said, his voice shaken with fear along with his body. "It's like we're going to die..."

"Maybe we're actually dead already," Zoro said obviously amused.

Yet Usopp did not seem to notice the swordsman mocking tone of voice. The long nose teen slowly turned his head around to look at him, and swallowed with difficulty.

"Already... dead...?" he repeated, cold sweat trailing down his bleached face.

"This would actually explain this strange world." Sanji confirmed.

"Then we are probably about to be judged," Eli added calmly.

"Ju-ju-jugded...?" Usopp stammered while his knees shook so violently that they banged together with an amazing regularity.

"You know, if we did good or wrong during our previous life." Eli nodded and put a hand to her chin thoughtfully. "I wonder how they welcome liars..."

Usopp stunned on the spot, his face going blue; it seemed that he had stopped breathing.

"Heaven is so funny~" Luffy said dazedly.

After a few minutes, the Merry entered the gate, and the pirates observed the inside. It was a large corridor with a curved ceiling giving onto the waterfall. Tall columns supporting the arch from each side rested on some kind of docks.

The grating of a door opening got the attention of the pirates and, as they turned their heads in the direction of the sound, they saw an old woman standing there, an impassible expression on her face. Very small and pale, the wings she wore on her back had the Straw Hats speechless. Maybe they were really in heaven...

"Are you here for sigh-seeing or to fight ?" She was holding a camera and took a picture of each pirate. "Actually it doesn't matter why you're here," the angel added before the pirates could answer her question. "If you want to go up it'll be one billion extol per person."

"Angel !" Luffy exclaimed, his face distorted in horrified awe. "So that's what angel look like...! She looks like a dried sour fruit candy !"

The rude remark caused Ace to laugh loudly before hitting the rubbery boy on the head. "Where are your manners !" And soon, the two brothers wrestled childishly.

Nami cleared her throat repeatedly to get the wrestlers attention, fruitlessly, therefore she kicked the annoying black-haired pirates away and took a few steps in the angel's direction.

"We don't have the money," she said making embarrassed motions with her hands.

"Nami," Eli whispered to the redhead's ear. "We don't even know how much an extol worth in beli, maybe we can pay."

Usopp nodded rapidly his fear-stricken face.

"If you don't have the money..." the wrinkly angel said slowly causing the three plotters to turn their stiff faces around. "You can still go up."

"We want to go, granny !" Luffy said loudly. Looking at the angel, his arms were now tied to the railing and as she spoke he was kicking Ace's face. "Even though we don't have the money, we want to go !"

"As you wish," the woman said.

And just when she had said these words, the Merry was suddenly shaken. The pirates stumbled all over the deck and while they uttered alarmed cries, a pair of pincer appeared at each side of the ship. They grabbed what remained of the wooden wings and the ship elevated a bit above the sea.

"That's the white sea's special speedy shrimp," the old angel explained.

The Straw Hats, grabbed the railing just in time before the shrimp started a frantic race up the waterfall-like cloud. Looking back at the angel, Eli saw a devious smirk appearing on her wrinkled face and as her windswept hair fluttered violently against her face, the chronicler wondered what fate as planned for her and her crewmates in this mysterious heavenly land...

to be continued

Taming attempt 1 : failed ! (well it could have worked... Stupid, sexy, arrogant, steamy, freckled jerk...)

I love that south bird. It seem that he keeps an eye on the stupid girl and envoys melding with her love affair. Meanwhile, Nami also makes sure Sanji doesn't interfere. The cook obediently comply with the breasty redhead, until Zoro mocks him about how he 'lost' one of 'his' girls.

They are all very fun; those stupid Straw Hats and now they have a couple among them. At first, I thought it would be strange and very un-One-Piece, but now, when read my own words, I feel that they belong here.

I hope you liked this chapter, please tell me if you did (or didn't). You know how much I love reading your reactions. Also, I'd like to thank the readers that take time to review even if they don't have an account. Really, thank you very much :)

I need some time to revise (or rewrite) older chapters, as well as start my other side-fic so, from now on, I'll update on Mondays and Thursdays. I hope you are not too disappointed !

See you soon~