Chapter Five
*"You can't keep doing this to him!" The girl with black hair shouted at her long time friend as she pointed toward Shave. "And take that stupid thing out of your mouth. You look like a total user." She grabbed the cigar from the sixteen year old boy in front of her.
The boy grabbed the cigar back and pulled on the end of it, letting out a cloud of smoke. "Look, I forgot, and you can get over this cigar. You're not my mother. Hell, you're still just a kid."
"I'm twelve not stupid. I know when something is bad for you." The tall skinny girl bent down and rubbed at the Shave's slowly graying hair. "And you're right," she glared at him, "I'm not your mother. I'm your friend. Forgive me if I give a shit."
The boy rolled his eyes, "Okay, whatever, thank you. I said I was sorry okay." He crossed his arms over his chest and glared right back at those deep greens.
She sighed in aggravation, "I wouldn't be mad at you if it was the first time. This has been going on for months now. You can't keep forgetting to feed him. He depends on us," she pointed to him then herself, "You and I, to keep living. How do you think you forgetting about him causes him feel?" The dog leaned his weight on the girl's leg and panted. "When you forget to come here and visit him because of your oh-so-busy life, he goes hungry." Her hand dug into the dog's fur and scratched, "We made this schedule to be fair, now I have to come here every day just to make sure he is fed."
The teenage boy jabbed a finger at the girls' chest. "I said I was sorry, that is that. I have a life, friends, and school. See the difference? I'm busy having a life."
The look on her face told him how crazy she thought he was. "That's great for you, but Shave is also your friend, and he is mine too."
"That's why you don't understand," The boy threw his arms up in the air. "Your only two friends are me and a dog. Why don't you go get a life, like I did." He pointed at her chest accusingly.
Shave whined between the fighting pair, asking them to stop. "Fine," the girl growled in a low voice. "I don't ever want to see you and your ugly mug again. If this is how you treat your friends, the group you hang out with must be so lucky."
On that note she turned and ran. The boy scrubbed at his head as if doing so would help him. Damn, he really shouldn't have said that. He started to move in the direction Belle had run off to only to have Shave jump in front of him. "Hey boy, I'm just going to go apologize." The dog growled and barked at him, refusing to let him chase after her. "Oh come on, you're not mad at me to now, are you?" The dog snarled in response. He sighed, great, now even animals thought he was an asshole.
The boy looked around him at the alley way that Squad 7 had made their base out of years ago. It so happened to also be Shave's home. Over the years children had brought in boards of wood and nails and had made a small haven out of the closed in walls of the alley way. They had all drifted apart as the years had passed. All except him and Belle, but he had just fucked that up.
"Belle, Belle where are you?" Hours had passed since their fight, she hadn't returned and it was getting dark. All he wanted to do was apologize, but she never made that easy either. He was on his way to her house to see if maybe she had just gone home. As he approached the shut down restaurant he saw a woman standing in front of him looking out toward the street, her mother. He ran up to her and stopped as she smiled and greeted him. He was always shocked at how lovely Belle's mother was. They barely looked anything alike. Belle was so skinny, with corded muscle, and always looked like she got roughed up by someone. Her mother on the other hand looked fragile and soft. She had long black hair darker than ink and thicker than it also. Her onyx eyes where soft and kind. How they where related he couldn't fathom.
"Have you seen Belle?" Her mother asked, concern lacing her words. "She is usually home for dinner by now, are you joining us?" She looked at him as though he would answer questions without hesitation. Well, he at least knew where Belle got some her traits.
The young Smoker scratched his head and met the Mother's eyes sheepishly. "We got into a fight, and I've been trying to find her to apologize. I thought maybe I would find her here."
Belle's mother sighed and rested her hands on her hips, "And what were you two fighting about?"
The boy told the older woman everything they had fought about, even though he knew he sounded like a total ass.
At the end of his tale Belle's mother smiled in a way he didn't understand. She waved her hand in front of her as if to dismiss his confusion, "To be young." She said this as if that explained it. Belle's mother rested her hand on his shoulder and looked him directly in his eyes. "It's hard growing up, with expectations, and different kinds of pressures. It's easy to lose sight of not only who you are, but what is right." The boy blinked, not quite sure where she was going with this. "What you must always do, is listen to what is in here," she pointed at his chest, right over his heart. "Listen to what you believe is right, no matter what anyone else says or thinks. Because if you follow what u know is right, it may not be easy, but it will always turn out for the best. You follow that, and you'll find my Belle." With that Belle's mother turned away and started to walk to the house behind the restaurant. "Bring her home before her dinner gets cold, I'll have a plate ready for you too."
What was that suppose to mean? The boy shook his head unsure of the mother and of himself. He tried to think, where his strange wild friend would go if she wouldn't even go home. He could only think of one other place but he had spent over an hour waiting for her there and she hadn't come. She couldn't have gone there…but. He started off back toward the city, toward the HQ of Squad 7.
She was there; sitting next to the aging dog, hugging him. Her head came up as he got close enough to stand over her. There were clean lines on her face standing out harshly from dirt that usually covered it. He put his hand out to her, "Come, let's go home."*
"No devil fruit powers," Belle made her one allowed conditioning in the fight.
Smoke nodded, "The first one knocked out of the ring is the loser." That wouldn't happen, Belle was going to beat him without using the technicality.
The two took up their stances and started without counting, an old habit. Smoker rushed Belle before she could properly get herself situated. So that's how it's going to be. She threw up her forearm to block the kick that flew toward her head at the speed of a runaway train. Her eyes narrowed as the force of the kick caused her to slide a few inches. This wasn't going to be easy, it never was with him. Moving with her renowned speed she gripped his leg and twisted it to the other side of her body and up. She watched his body closely as he twisted. He tried to plant his hands on the ground to steady himself, but she knew he would that. She kept his leg up to expose his side. Stealing herself, she kicked as hard as she could into the White Hunter's side. He grunted but refused to let go of his purchase. With a growl he retaliated with a kick of his own, forcing his opponent to back off to avoid the deadly blow. Showing his swiftness that was at odds with his large body, Smoker hopped to his feet without a moment to spare. Belle cursed, it was as if she hadn't even kicked him. She shouldn't have expected any different from him. He wasn't any normal man, who would have been crushed under the force of her blows.
Belle was forced to dodge and block as Smoker rushed her again. Damn, the man wasn't going to give her time to use her gentle fist. He was going to force her to concentrate on blocking and less on attacking. As Belle blocked a punch she caught the edge of the ring closing in on her from the corner of her eye. Damn! He was pushing her off the ring. So that was his plan. Well, two could play it that way. As the edge approached she changed her tempo and moved in close with her body causing him to shorten his blows. This would only make them more potent if they landed, but he wasn't going to hit her, she hoped. He seemed to be expecting her to try to move closer and went to introduce her to his knee, causing her to block the blow with her thigh. Pain laced through her leg, the force of his blow shaking her body. Yup still hit as hard as a wrecking ball, or two. Ignoring the pain she latched onto his jacket and used the edges to propel her body between his legs and away from the edge of the ring.
Quickly getting to her feet she set into position and ran at his back as he tried to get his balance back. He seemed to also be expecting this and threw a donkey kick toward her. Belle jumped to the side and was forced to back track to get away from the edge of the ring. Smoker took off his jacket and threw it where he had taken off his jutte. Belle took in the large expanse of his naked chest then focused on the scar on his right pectoral. Her eyes narrowed then focused back on the large body in front of her, preparing for him to attack her.
Their bodies met in the middle as they threw punches and kicks, each trying desperately to hit the other. Belle was able to ready her stance before they had clashed, making it easier for her to face off with his considerable size. The flowing constant movement of her particular fighting style never wore her down, always gaining speed and power as she flowed in her own circle, her dance. Sweat poured from both their bodies, as they both continued to push their limits. One moment he would have her by the edge of the ring, the next she would be herding him to his end.
His muscles burned and his body ached as he dodged another potentially deadly blow. Damn woman had gotten better, way better. If she landed a palm on him, he would be finished. All he could do was dodge her as best he could and counter as best as possible. He had to think his way out of this, but everywhere he stepped she met him. It was like fighting a tornado that wouldn't reach the end of its life. He studied the way she moved before, but she hadn't been moving at this speed. His eyes narrowed at her feet, maybe he could use her own speed against her. She wouldn't stand a chance against him if he could get her to the ground. She may have speed, but he had his size. He ducked abruptly and swung his legs under her feet. She jumped to avoid the ground and used gravity to help her as she aimed a punch at his head. He rolled as her fist created a nice sized crater in the ring. She struggled to pull her fist out, he used the opportunity to rush her. She pulled her fist out but she wasn't able to move in time. His body hit hers, he could see the ground under them, outside of the ring. At that moment he felt the strangest sensation. A jerking movement, that's when he realized she had gotten enough purchase before their bodies had collided to twist. Now she was pulling at his arm and using their momentum to complete the rotation. Fuck!
CRASH! The world went fuzzy and then abruptly refocused, way to painfully clear. Smoker blinked and lifted his head to see the woman laying on his chest. Her head came up and their eyes locked. Her cheeks were flushed with exertion, the air pumping in and out of her lungs as if she couldn't get enough oxygen in the damn things. He was doing the same thing, it was a good fight. And that's when she smiled, that big shit eating grin he remembered as a kid. She had won, by a technicality, but she had won nonetheless. Looking at her he felt the oddest thing, an almost fluttering feeling in his chest.
Belle rolled off of her rival and thrust her arms over her head and kicked her feet. SHE HAD WON! It wasn't the way she had wanted, not fully satisfying, but she wasn't leaving either. She sat up and grinned at her friend. He sat up also and just growled. She laughed at him as he stood up and walked to his jacket to get his cigars. Belle took the moment to look around her at the crowd that had gathered at their fight.
The same group of men who had been watching Captain Adonna train where standing on the second floor looking down at the pair, they were crying. "Our Superiors are monstrous," one man said.
"Not human," another one countered.
Belle couldn't hear the mutterings that shifted through the throng of Marines. Her ears where still ringing, but damn, she could care less. She had won for the first time! She stood up and threw her arms up in the air, "Drinks are on me at the next island we stop at!" The crowd cheered.
"Get back to work you slackers!" Smoker shouted over the cheers, effectively quitting them.
She frowned at Smoker as he pulled his jacket, and weapon back on. The crowd had already left by the time he reached in his jacket again and pulled out his lighter. Belle watched as he took a big drag off the two coffin nails in his mouth. "So tell me about the Straw Hats," She turned to start walking toward the top of the ship. "I'm guessing it was their last sighted location." She took the stairs that would lead where she could find the Navigator of this vessel.
She heard him grumble, but answered clearly, "Yes, they were last spotted at Firework Island." She heard his heavy foot falls as he caught up to her. She looked up at him as he looked right back down at her, "A request for an eternal pose was already sent out."
Good. "There are three different directions they could go from there, depending on where their pose takes them." They were almost to their destination. "You've been chasing after them for a long time," He growled. "Where do you think they would go?"
They walked into the room, he letting her go through first. What a gentleman. The Navigator saw them and saluted, greeting them both. Belle nodded in acknowledgment and ordered the man to get her a map. Once the parchment was laid out before her and Smoker, he pointed to where the island was. "Here is Fireworks, I would think they would go this way."
Belle looked to where Smoker was leading with his finger, and blinked. "That is a class one danger zone." Her brow furrowed in confusion.
"Trust me," confidence was plane in his voice, "that is where their Captain will take them."
Looking up, Belle met Smokers sharp gaze. She nodded, "I trust you. Then that's where we are going to want to go after restocking in Fireworks." Smoker nodded in agreement. "Alright then," Belle stretched her body reviling in the aches and pains. "I'm going back to my room." She could feel Smoker's eyes on her as she left.
Smoker was pacing in his room, his windows closed. He could sense and feel his way through the clouds. He needed to think, to clear his head. What was he going to do now? The poster of Monkey D. Luffy's face cleared through the haze, showing that stupid grin. "You're a good man," those words rung in his head again. That stupid brat, had to say that. Think of the devil and the devil will come, he had thought of her that day. God Damn it! He had to think of something, the Straw Hats where his to capture. They weren't hers, they both had their own sense of Justice. She had her own values and he had his. Belle valued the Marines code, he on the other hand, did what he thought was best. It's what had diverged their paths in the Marines.
That's when it hit him, it was a low underhanded thing, but it would work. Her own sense of honor would be her undoing.
Belle was still combing her hair when she hung the receiver up on the transponder snail. She had updated her Superiors on the Straw Hat situation, and reported that Commodore Smoker had, albeit grudgingly, accepted her presence here on his ship.
She started to braid her long hair so that the wet strands wouldn't become to unruly. It was something she always had to do after a shower, it made it tempting to cut her hair short once more. Once she had finally finished she heard her door open. No knock, had to be him. Belle sighed and turned to look at Smoke. "When are you going to learn how to knock?" Her brow furrowed, "Where are your cigars? Oh who cares," she waved her hand as if to dismiss the comment. "What if I decided to stay in my room butt ass naked?" She put her hands on her hips and looked down her nose at the large man. He closed the door behind him and turned toward her. His eyes borrowed into hers. He started to walk to her. "Is this because I beat you," he continued to get closer, "because even if it was a technicality, I still won. Though," she stopped as she realized he was getting to close for her own comfort. "Smoke, what are you, hey!"
Smoker grabbed her and wrapped his hands around her waist. He lifted her and threw her weight on her bed. She bounced and scrambled up on her elbows, lifting her torso. She glared at Smoker but didn't get much farther as he moved on top of her, trapping her body, grabbed her head with both his hands and pressed his lips to hers.
Belle's eyes widen as he moved his lips against hers, closing her eyes she tried to push him off, but he just pressed his hard body on hers to limit her movement. Her mind scrambled. She couldn't think beyond a slow burn that had started low and deep in her abdomen. It wasn't long before her movements changed from pushing to grabbing. The heat had spread from deep within her to every part of her body. She could feel a growl in his chest as she started to kiss him back. The kiss was hard, rough and demanding, and she gave in. She opened herself to him, and he took. His tongue danced with hers adding fuel to the dangerous fire that had already started.
Without warning he pulled away. Her eyes snapped open at the rush of cold hair that filled the place where he had been. Their eyes met. His face was harsh as he held himself above her. She blinked, not understanding. Then, it slowly hit her. Why he had kissed her and why he had waited until she had kissed him back without reservation. Anger replaced the heat that lay just underneath her skin. He stood up off the bed and straightened his jacket, eyes still locked on hers. She jumped up and punched him so hard he hit the wall right next to her desk. Oxygen burned down her throat and painfully expanded her lungs. He stood up slowly, readjusted his jacket, turned his back on her, and walked out the door.
Belle ran across her room, grabbed her lamp and threw it at the door as it clicked shut. "BASTARD," she screamed, "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Tears burned her eyes, threatening to spill over. He had kissed her to break a rule. A rule she followed like she followed all the other Marine rules. A rule she had never broken until today. Marines were not allowed to have physical and emotional relationship within the institution of the Marines. Of course as recruits everyone broke that rule, but her. She cursed under her breath. Her mission was now compromised. He knew that she would have to report the incident, causing her to be reassigned. Son of a fucking bitch. There went her promotion, her goal, her dream. She wanted to be the one to capture the Straw Hats, to show Smoker up, to prove she was better. Now she would never be able to do that. Her mission would be terminated.
She rested her hand on the deep ache Smoker had left in her abdomen. Then to the even deeper ache he left in her heart, the pain of betrayal.