Chapter 27
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, but Kyra was my idea.
It is quite late; the rest of the crew has retired for the night, and Trafalgar Law is standing in the galley in front of Kyra's hunched figure. The Supernova keeps a scowl on his face, but at the moment he is too irritated to care about his facial expression. Law is becoming very, very annoyed with his magician's behavior.
"This has gone on long enough," he informs her calmly, reaching down and taking her by the elbow. "Time to sleep. Come to bed."
Kyra does not even deign to verbally answer him. She simply shakes her head and makes a weak attempt to free her arm. The Dark Doctor's grip tightens significantly.
"That was not a request. Come to bed. Now."
The girl looks at him, a wild and mutinous gleam in her blue eyes. In the three nights that have passed since Law allowed his magician to go back to her home island, Kyra has continued to refuse sleep. As far as anyone knows, she spends each night holed up here in the galley, wedged into a corner just like now. She refuses to give him an explanation and has yet to answer most of his questions about what exactly happened on Veneficus. Thanks to Jambarl he has an account of everything up until the big man was knocked out, but afterwards is still irritatingly vague. Law wants his answers. He wants Kyra to stop acting like something is going to jump out and kill her at any moment.
And, quite frankly, he is fed up with sleeping alone.
"You can stand up and walk to our room yourself, or I will drug you and take you there anyway."
"Drug me and I'll ditch your damn crew, Captain."
His eyes narrow at the mocking quality of that last word. The surgeon is sure that is simply an empty threat, as leaving the crew would mean leaving the boy and the closest thing she has to a family now. Even if her magic will allow it, such an act would not break their soul bond. It would achieve nothing, and Kyra is as much aware of that as he is.
Law crouches down to her level, still keeping a firm grip on her arm as he examines the woman's exhausted face. "Why are you being needlessly stubborn?" he demands quietly. "You are plainly tired. You need sleep. The bed would be a much more comfortable resting place than the floor in here."
"I don't want to sleep," Kyra snarls, trying once again to yank free. "Why don't you just leave me alone?"
Law would take issue with that, but the tone is more a suggestion than an order. He brushes it off. "Why don't you want to sleep?"
She doesn't answer him at first. The Surgeon of Death waits patiently, moving his hand down until he can play lightly with her fingers while his magician stares mulishly at the floor. She opens her mouth, closes it, opens it again.
"It said to wait for it in my dreams. I don't... want to see it again. I don't ever want to see it again."
Ah. "You're talking about this Divine you freed?"
Kyra nods, moving her fingers to squeeze his own. "You didn't see that thing. You didn't see what it did to those people. You didn't feel the power coming off of it. It's... just... fuck."
Law watches her flounder for the proper words for a moment before speaking. "Show me."
His magician's hold on his hand tightens. She does not look up at him, does not move to comply. Her mouth closes and presses into a thin line. The obstinate set to her jaw makes Law grin. He moves closer, wraps his arm around Kyra's waist and pulls her into his chest. She is unsurprisingly tense against him as he stands and loops his free arm under her knees. The pirate carries her toward their room and places her on the bed, shucking his clothing and slipping on his favored lounge pants before crawling in next to her. Strong fingers stroke through unruly curls with care as the other hand presents the girl with a tiny syringe full of a faintly amber liquid.
"Do I need to use this, or are you going to be a good girl and go to sleep?" Law teases gently, watching her face closely as she stares at the miniscule needle. Kyra shudders against him, burying her face in his bare chest as old fears rise to the surface.
"I can't." The words are so soft that his sensitive hearing only just picks them out of the silence of his chamber. Law carefully uses the fingers in Kyra's hair to pull her head back, forcing her to meet his gaze in the dark room. Only the moonlight coming through the windows illuminates her features, casting shadows that make the blue of her eyes spark more fiercely. He draws her up his body, skimming his lips over her throat until he finds that spot he most favors. A lingering kiss is pressed there as he flips them, hovering over her pliant body and taking a moment to once again enjoy the sight of her underneath him.
There is no fight, no struggle as the doctor carefully slips the needle into a vein at the elbow. One small hand is wrapped tightly around his unoccupied wrist, the tremors threatening to break from Kyra's control transmitting through that touch.
"I don't want to see it," she whispers as the syringe is discarded. Law smiles slightly, trailing ever-curious fingers up her arm to her throat to her face. He traces the outline of her quivering lips, feathers touches over smooth cheeks and closed eyelids. He pauses to use his thumb to smooth the crease from the middle of her forehead before twining his digits in her hair and moving to lie at her side.
"I do," the pirate captain counters as his magician gropes for him in the dark, one hand curling around his side to dig her fingertips into his back. "So I am going to pull rank on you, my magician. Do forgive me, won't you?"
"Jackass," Kyra breathes, her eyes already closing under the influence of the sedative. She is asleep soon after and a quick self-administration of the same drug allows him to follow her in a timely manner.
The next thing Law knows he is in a dank chamber lit by a flickering light source that he can't seem to pinpoint. Empty cells line the walls while the dancing light shows an impressive coating of dust on most everything but a stone table directly in front of him. Kyra is sitting on this surface in a cross-legged position, gripping her knees tightly with an uneasy expression on her face.
"These are the dungeons where I was tortured by Merrick and the shaman. The Divine was sealed underneath this slab."
Law cocks his head to the side and studies her, a question nagging at him. "How did you get it out of its prison? Actually, how did you return to the island in the first place? If I remember correctly, you made it sound like the only reason you were able to go back last time was due to your cousin acting as guide."
Kyra's brow furrows in thought. "I think... I think my magic was trying to protect me. I've tried in the past to go back to Veneficus, to reach my mother. I always ended up getting dumped in the ocean. I don't think my powers wanted me to because of the shaman. With Jericho accompanying me, I guess the magic just kind of gave up on keeping me away from there."
Law nods his understanding. "And the Divine? How did you free it?"
"I have no idea. I tried that thing you always make me practice, to see if there was really anything buried down there in the first place. The damn monster just about tore my brain to pieces, thinking I was that bastard shaman come to toy with it. Once it realized I wasn't, it raided my memories until it decided I wasn't a threat and then told me to sit on this table so I could free it."
The captain of the Heart Pirates approaches his magician, putting his hands on the cold surface of the slab to either side of her and leaning in. "Go on."
Kyra sighs, letting her head fall forward so that it rests on his shoulder as she continues her betrays no emotion throughout. It is only when coming to the part about the slaughter of the islanders that a glimmer of fear leaks through. "Jericho was there. It brought him out of the crowd and killed him right in front of me, along with the zombie that used to be my uncle."
Law frowns, disappointed. He had wanted to kill that smug little shit. Now this Divine creature has robbed him of any future opportunities to do so.
Damn it.
Kyra does not seem to notice his frustration. "It said I could leave if I wanted, that it was eternally grateful and that it would come find me soon. It said to look for it in my dreams. I ran back to the dungeons to grab Jambarl and got us back to your sub."
"And you have refused to sleep for fear of this Divine invading your dreams," the surgeon concludes.
"Yeah."
He leans against the table beside her, noticing how even in this dream world Kyra is trembling. "Why are you so afraid of it? If it is indeed grateful to you for freeing it, I doubt it plans to hurt you. It might actually be useful to us."
While his magician gives him a look that clearly indicates he is insane, Law is thinking of all the things this creature could do for him and his crew. It could take them straight to One Piece. It could deliver Rear Admiral Merrick - possibly stripped of all strength so as not to be a threat - directly into their hands. Power, riches, the title of Pirate King, and his magician's long-awaited revenge; so many things that the Divine might be able to give them.
Kyra shudders violently, letting go of her knees to grab his biceps and pressing her head harder against his chest. It is obvious that she does not share Law's enthusiasm for the idea, even before she opens her mouth and whispers, " I don't want it anywhere near you, or Aaron, or the crew. I can't protect you from it if it finds us. It could kill us all and there's not a damn thing I could do about it."
The pirate moves his hands to grasp the woman's thighs, squeezing them until she hisses at the pressure. "I do believe that you have developed something of a savior complex if all you ever do is worry about protecting us. It really isn't healthy, my dear magician. Nor are the men completely helpless."
The girl tenses in anger right before her head snaps up so that she can glare murderously at him. "That's not the-!"
Her words abruptly cut off as she catches sight of something over Law's shoulder. Instantly the surgeon finds himself staring at the opposite wall, Kyra having slipped quickly around him. He can feel the girl pressing up against his back, trembling all over, and he knows the cause even before he turns to place calming hands on her shoulders.
The Divine is with them.
"Hello again, little one."
Kyra had not been exaggerating about this creature's appeal in this particular form. It is a flawless specimen of human male, the type of perfection that makes the Dark Doctor's hands itch to find a scalpel with which to give that unmarred skin a few scars. The wings folded behind its back are so dark they very nearly blend in with the shadows of the chamber. Piercing green eyes that look decidedly human are gazing at Law's magician with such naked emotion the surgeon would like to gouge those orbs out of its head to get rid of that look.
Except he is currently having quite a bit of difficulty breathing, much less crossing the room to deal bodily harm to what is undoubtedly the source of the pressure trying to crush Law's lungs.
"You have avoided me, little one. Why?" Those transcendent features focus on the pirate captain. "Has this human kept you from your dreams? I will rid us of him."
Kyra's heroic impulses actually come in handy as she swiftly springs to his defense. "No! Don't you dare hurt him! He's my soul mate, don't kill him!"
The pressure suffocating him vanishes. Law realizes that Kyra has her hands pressed to his chest, worried eyes on his face as he gasps for breath. He gives her a small grin, amused as always that she actually cares enough to be worried in the first place. Teasing her about it will have to wait; for now the being that has just attempted to kill him is standing several feet away, staring apologetically at his woman.
"Perhaps you should introduce us, my magician," Law suggests calmly, indicating the Divine with a tilt of his head. Kyra reluctantly turns back to the creature, staying close to him with hands balled into fists at her sides.
"Like I said, he's my soul mate. We're bonded. His name is Trafalgar Law; he's my captain. A pirate captain." Her voice is rather venomous as she adds, "Don't you ever hurt him again. You stay the hell away from him, and our crew."
The Divine smiles indulgently; Law starts a mental countdown to how long before Kyra snarls another threat before the being even says another word. "Of course. Those who are precious to you are now mine to protect. No harm shall come to your mate or any whom you call a friend." Those bright eyes, filled with more knowledge than should be possible in such a youthful face, move to the surgeon even as Kyra bristles. "My apologies, human. I was not aware that my savior had a mate."
Law is fairly certain the Divine could really care less whether he forgives it or not. There is something hostile in those eyes, as though this creature has already pegged him as an enemy and has resolved that its opinion will not be changed. Any idea of using it for his own gain is instantly discarded; it will not be helping him no matter what he asks of it. He smiles lazily, wrapping his arms loosely around his magician. "No harm done, friend. Is there any particular reason you've decided to invade our shared dreams this fine evening?"
"I merely wished to see you again, Kyra." All of the Divine's attention is immediately focused once more on the girl in Law's embrace, the threat gone and only softness visible on that perfect face. "My domain has been cleansed. It is yours, the gift I promised to you. Remember that you need only ask, and anything you desire shall be yours. If you do not wish for me to approach your... companions, you need only think your request and I shall hear you."
Kyra shakes as though she has just been dunked in a bucket of ice, straining forward while simultaneously reaching back to grab hold of Law's arms hard enough to bruise. He tightens his hold while putting his mouth next to her ear. "I have you," Law whispers, not pleased with this sudden turn of events. "Calm down." Louder, so that their unwanted guest can hear, "If that's all, perhaps you would be so kind as to leave. Your presence is making my magician uncomfortable."
As if to back up his statement, Kyra rotates around to bury her face in his chest once again. She does not see the look which passes over the Divine's face upon witnessing this, but Law does. Kyra does not see the insane amount of jealousy that springs to life within those eyes, does not see the glamour of perfect man falter or the features of the beast flash into view for an instant before the creature regains control of itself.
Law does. And Law is anything but amused.
The angelic immortal draws its wings around itself so that only a pair of glowing green eyes can be seen within those feathery depths. "Very well. I wish you pleasant dreams, little one. Remember that I am as your slave. Farewell for now."
And just as suddenly as it appeared, the Divine vanishes.
"Well," the sadistic surgeon muses, breaking the ensuing silence as he tilts her head back so that he might grin down at her. "I might be mistaken, but I do believe that you have earned yourself an admirer. If I were a different type of man, I would be jealous."
Kyra's only reply to that is a sharp pinch to the flesh of Law's side, coupled with a rather intense frown as bountiful indication that she does not find his comment amusing in the least. He decides that such a look is not suitable for these dreams, not after all this time spent apart. He will have to get rid of it, but perhaps somewhere other than a dank dungeon would provide more pleasing scenery...
When the drug wears off sometime later, Law wakes up with a smirk on his face and a very satisfied lover wrapped up in his limbs. She looks up at him with something that might be a glare if not for the things he has done to her in their dreams.
"You're an evil bastard," she mutters, disentangling herself and scooting towards the edge of the mattress as though planning to get up already. There is no rush, as it is only barely dawn, so the Dark Doctor has no compunction about reaching out to grab her wrist and tugging her back to him. She doesn't need to get up yet. The Divine will not be bothering them again anytime soon, the men are still asleep, and no one is attacking them. Law drags his magician over and makes himself comfortable, ignoring the grumpy expression on Kyra's face.
No one ever said the girl was a morning person, after all.
There's something seriously off about this place.
Kyra stands tensely at the railing of the Heart Pirates submarine, arms crossed over her chest with a deep frown cutting into her face. The vessel is cutting smoothly through the water, eating up the distance and drawing ever nearer the tropical island toward which the Log Pose has pointed them. The fine hairs on Kyra's arms and neck are standing on end. Her muscles are tight with tension. The closer they get to this newest spit of land, the more apprehensive she becomes.
Not that she's going to say anything to the crew. After the fiasco regarding the Divine and her state of near-paranoia ever since, the sorceress very seriously doubts that the men will give her words more than half an ear. Why should they? She spent three days freaking out thinking the Divine was going to appear at any moment to kill them all and snatch her away, only for nothing to happen. Neither Kyra nor Law has said anything about their dreamtime conversation with the dangerous being; so as far as the crew is aware, Kyra has cried wolf and no such threat has materialized.
Skeptical bastards.
So she is forced to bite her tongue as the sub comes to a stop near the shallows and the crew begins to gather on deck. Kyra runs a cursory eye over them, relieved that Bepo is conspicuously absent; Aaron will be staying on the ship, then. Sachi bounds up to her in a flutter of excitement, his best friend Penguin trailing behind as always.
"Smile, Kyra!" Sachi commands with a giant grin, grabbing her in a choke hold and swiping her hat off so that he can noogie her. Kyra retaliates by stepping none-too-gently on one of his feet, causing the man to emit a high-pitched yelp and jump away. Penguin holds out her hat without a word, a smirk playing with his lips as she returns it to its proper spot. Sachi in the meantime has seated himself on the deck and is rubbing gently at his abused foot, pouting childishly up at the mage.
"What's got your panties in a bunch? Bepo just about bit my head off when I asked him if he was gonna come look around with us. Guess that means I better steer clear of Captain; if you and Bepo are both in a mood, gods forbid anybody do something stupid enough to piss him off. Man's got a temper worse than -"
"Than what, Sachi?"
Kyra cracks a grin as every drop of color leeches itself from Sachi's face, leaving him roughly the same color as his diving suit. Slowly, jerkily, he glances over his shoulder to where Law is standing nonchalantly against a previously empty section of the deck's railing. The Dark Doctor looks especially relaxed to Kyra's eye, longsword leaning casually against his shoulder and hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans. Cool grey eyes lazily study his subordinate as Sachi scrambles to his feet and blurts out, "Neil! He's an asshole, Captain, pretty sure that soufflé he made last night's got my stomach all screwed up. I'm gonna go chew his ass out, he does this shit on purpose 'cause I won't modify the oven for him! Come on, Penguin, where the hell is that perverted cook? Bastard makes those damn fancy desserts when he knows I've got a delicate constitution...!"
His words fade away as he all but sprints across the deck in search of his selected scapegoat, Penguin moseying after him. Law watches them go with a knowing smirk for a moment before turning his attention to Kyra. All amusement instantly disappears from the pirate's expression; evidently some of her unease must be showing. She doesn't move as Law draws closer, one hand coming up to brush against the tattoo on her neck.
"What's the matter, my magician?"
Kyra shrugs uncomfortably, turning to face the island again even as a shiver dances up her spine. "I'm getting a bad vibe from this island. It's... cold."
Her captain shoots her a quizzical look. "A tropical island? I find that hard to believe."
Kyra merely shifts her weight from one foot to the other and says nothing. She had not been referring to the place's actual temperature. Only an idiot would dub this place a winter island when sweating in the heat from this far out. She doesn't really know what she's talking about, or how to explain it to Law. There is simply something... not right about the island, something off that has Kyra's stomach almost cramping in worry even as her magic races in excited anticipation.
Law takes one wrist and tugs, leading her toward the group of men who will be going ashore. Jambarl, Penguin, and Sachi will accompany her and the captain. Kyra is relieved at the small size of the scouting party. Less people will make it easier for her to protect them all. The quartet of men have all made sure that they are touching her - ever-playful Sachi earning a rather fierce glare from his captain that has his hand hastily relocating to Kyra's shoulder - and so she wraps her powers around them with the distant beach at the forefront of her mind. Hot sand appears under her bare feet seconds later.
"You want us to split up, Captain?" Penguin asks as they all move to study the wild forest that begins at the edge of the white sand. Though the heat is sweltering from the sun beating mercilessly upon their heads, the thick plant-life looks strangely dark. Foreboding. The thought of her crew separating, being away from her and without her protection, has Kyra's stomach twisting so that the taste of bile is strong in the back of her throat.
"Don't," she blurts out, interrupting Law just as he moves to speak. The group regards her in surprise while the man bound to her soul raises a single eyebrow in question. "Don't split us up. That's a seriously bad idea. Please don't."
Her hands are actually shaking, the magic within crying to be released in the form of a protective shield. Sachi had said that Bepo is in a mood; does the bear feel like this? What is this? What the hell is wrong with this place to draw such a reaction from both sorceress and animal?
The men look to Law for further instruction. He in turn studies Kyra for a moment before saying, "No. We'll stick together for now. Let's go."
The group has barely taken ten steps before a hazy bubble encases them all, earning the resident witch more than one questioning glance that she ignores in favor of moving as close to Law as she can without knocking the man over. The pair move out to the front of the party, trailed by the silent trio and preceded by a protective wall. The shaking of Kyra's limbs has not abated, and she finds herself fisting trembling fingers into the fabric of Law's hoodie as they step into the jungle. He glances at her for only a moment before wordlessly pressing forward.
The air around them is impossibly still. There is no breeze whatsoever, no sound of animals moving through the underbrush, no chirping of birds from overhead. Nothing but the plants, the heat, and the utter certainty in Kyra's bones that they should not be here. The further they go into the island's interior, the worse this sense of foreboding becomes. Everything grows darker as the trees become more numerous and closer together, the only light being what filters in through the thick canopy. Behind her Kyra can hear Sachi cursing under his breath as he trips for the dozenth time on a hidden root or a clump of dense weeds. The protective shield passes harmlessly over the foliage, further indicating that there are no animals within to be uprooted and pushed aside. This does nothing to reassure the Heart Pirate magician, who is positive that she can feel eyes watching them. Her magic is roiling within, the voice whispering words of caution and promises of protection. Alone they may appear to be, but Kyra is not fooled; something is here, and it is studying them closely.
When it happens, it is so fast that none of them have a chance to react.
Kyra whirls at the scream from behind, leaping towards the tumbling Sachi even as she registers that the bottom half of the man's left leg is no longer attached. All that remains is a bloody stump that cuts off smoothly just below the knee, scarlet liquid spewing from it to soak the green underbrush. The rest of the leg from the top of his calf down is lying two feet away from its owner, the gory mess of muscles and bones inside visible from the top.
Law is instantly at Sachi's side, nodachi forgotten on the ground as tattooed fingers clamp over the horrifying wound in a futile effort to staunch the bleeding. Kyra yanks her magic inward until her shield is so close that it pushes against Jambarl's crown, head and shoulders as he is above the rest of them. What the fuck just happened? How did anything hurt someone within her protection? There is no time to ponder as Penguin suddenly slumps to the ground without a sound, blood staining his uniform at the shoulder as though something has stabbed him in the upper arm. Jambarl lets out a furious growl as he moves towards his wounded comrade, curses dripping from the quiet man like the blood dripping through Law's fingers.
"Kyra." The Surgeon of Death's voice is low and furious, the look on his face when she turns to him terrible to behold. "Get us out of -"
Jambarl's cursing cuts off abruptly. Kyra pivots just in time for her giant friend's head to bump into the side of her foot, his eyes staring sightlessly up at her as his body flops to the dirt a yard away.
Pain erupts from her stomach as something blows past in front of Kyra, bending her double before she finds herself lying on the ground, blood in her mouth and a wide gash dominating her abdomen. She chokes on the wetness in her throat, eyes rolling wildly in her head as she searches for Law. The power within is already trying to heal her, but Kyra is more concerned about the crew and her captain.
"Take that as a warning, rookie. Get outta my territory if you don't wanna die. I already claimed this place under the name of my crew, so fuck off."
Law is leaning over her, absolutely furious, his blood-covered hand joining hers over the gradually shrinking wound in her stomach. Kyra takes one hazy look at his face and feels a fleeting moment of pity for whoever the stupid bastard is that just harmed the Heart Pirates. They might not have figured it out yet, but they've obviously just signed their own death warrant.
"Get us out of here. Now."
Kyra is quick to obey, depositing herself and all four of the men on the deck of the submarine an instant later. She is hurting, the injury to her stomach having closed but still feeling extremely tender. Law shoves her hand out of the way to take a look for himself, running scarlet fingers over the new scar before nodding curtly and moving to see to the others. The sorceress sits up slowly, wincing at the ache in her gut but quickly brushing it off to focus on more important things. Like, say, her dead crewmate whose head is right next to her.
"I'll fix him," she croaks, reaching out and picking up Jambarl's head before staggering to her feet. Her own is spinning slightly, clothing sticking to her skin from all of the blood she has only just spilled. Kyra glances woozily over at Penguin's prone form, debating for a moment before shuffling to his side. She collapses back onto the deck, jabbing at his neck with clumsy fingers while still cradling the human head in her other arm. Only now does the battered mage realize that Penguin's suit is stained red on both arms at exactly the same spot. Satisfied that he indeed possesses a pulse, she drags her hand down his chest until it rests over the man's heart. Magic pours out of her without the need for prompting, white energy that sinks into the still body under her palm. Shit, his spine. Somebody jabbed something through Penguin's shoulders, slicing his spinal cord and completely crippling him. He probably can't so much as twitch, which would at least explain the blank stare.
Sachi is sobbing off to the side, Law's voice uncharacteristically harsh as he speaks to his patient before yelling for the rest of the crew. Kyra does her best to ignore all of this, focusing on helping her paralyzed comrade as her powers carefully heal the damage inflicted upon him. The task is completed just in time for the bloody little group to be surrounded by shouting and concerned pirates. She brushes aside the bellowed inquiries as to why the fuck she's holding Jambarl's head in her hand and takes only a moment to make sure Penguin can move on his own. As soon as it becomes apparent that he will be fine, Kyra scrambles across the deck towards the headless corpse.
Do you not feel helpless, little one?
Kyra's entire body locks down inches from the torso, that fucking voice ringing in her ears even as she registers that it is only in her head.
Were you to allow me to stay by your side, this would not have happened. Your dear ones would not have been hurt. Your attacker would have kissed the ground upon which you walked before I ended his life.
"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!"
Everyone freezes at her sudden scream, torn from a throat made raw with unbridled fury. Law says something, her name and other words that she should be listening to, but all she can hear is that damned creature's words in her mind.
Why are you angry with me, little one? Have I not stayed away as you requested? I had no part in your misfortune. I merely witnessed the event.
"OH, AND I SUPPOSE YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THAT, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" Kyra shouts at the top of her lungs, placing Jambarl's severed head back on his neck and pouring magic into his body to reconnect the two pieces. "WHAT ELSE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THROUGH MY SHIELD BUT YOU, FUCKING MONSTER!"
It is not your fault, dearest Kyra. Mortals die; it is the way of the world. You are powerful, as I made you while still you slept in your mother's womb, but you are not invincible. This day is merely a reminder of that. Had you heeded the warnings of your instincts as I intended, you would have stayed safe and not allowed these humans to put you into danger. I know that you sensed great peril - I made it so. Why did you not listen to what your body tried to tell you? If you insist on rushing back into danger, then have no fear: your powers will not fail you again. I simply wished to make a point, and it has been made.
She is shaking violently, tears dripping down her face to splatter against Jambarl's rapidly cooling flesh. His head is now reunited with the rest of his body, but at the moment Kyra can't concentrate enough to call his soul to her. Oh fucking gods, this is all her fault. If she hadn't let that thing out of its prison Jambarl wouldn't be dead in the first place. Sachi's whimpers cut through the girl like knives, and what if Penguin ends up with lasting damage somehow? All this because the Divine wanted to make a point to her. All this because Kyra let it out of its cage.
Do not cry, little one. It actually sounds worried about her, as though her anguish is not completely due to the owner of that voice. Your tears distress me. I shall remove your troubles. Let go of the human corpse, Kyra. I shall dispose of it for you.
"FUCK YOU!" She will die before she gives Jambarl to this beast. Trying to calm herself, calling upon the strength of her powers, Kyra encases her friend and comrade in a white globe. She throws out her senses, desperate to find the soul she wants, frantic that Jambarl might not have lingered for whatever reason. He has to still be here. He can't have gone to wherever dead people are supposed to go. "Jambarl? Jambarl?"
Warmth envelops her. The smell of sweat and salty sea breezes and the faintest whiff of sandalwood.
Kyra-crying-too-damn-emotional-what-is-a-girl-doing-as-a-pirate-anyway-stop-crying-everybody-dies-eventually-
Oh thank gods.
"You're not staying dead," the relieved mage barks out, blocking the Divine's next mental message and focusing completely on her task. "I'm bringing you back. Don't you dare try to argue, just let the pull take you and you can bitch when you're alive again."
Damn-girl-always-bossing-me-around-miss-being-captain-didn't-take-orders-back-then-from-little-girls-with-too-much-power-and-no-sense-of-self-preservation-
"Yeah, well, suck it up, buddy."
Why do you do this? He is merely a pirate, yes? Not your lover or family, simply a man with whom you travel. It is not wise to tamper with Death, little one.
"Fuck. Off. Okay, Jambarl, are you ready? Here we go, you're going to feel a really strong pull, don't fight it you stubborn bastard..."
The relief that floods her when a newly resurrected Jambarl opens his eyes and meets her gaze is so strong that for a moment all Kyra can do is sit there and shake. She needs to get up. Sachi's leg has been cut off, she needs to go regrow it. Kyra tells herself this several times, hands fisted tightly in the material of Jambarl's sleeve as the big man slowly sits up and looks around.
"What happened? When did we come back to the ship? Kyra? Are you hurt?"
I will never allow harm to come to you, little one.
Right, so the part of the last half hour where the Divine screwed with her magic and got her gutted never happened. That's not blood on her shirt, it's fucking food coloring.
You were only caused pain because these pathetic humans cannot protect you. They use you, Kyra. Can you not see that? You are a tool to them, a means of defense against stronger foes. Why do you allow yourself to be used by weak creatures such as these? I would make them your slaves. All would exist only for the manner in which they could serve you. My chosen liberator should not be tied in servitude to people who do not care a whit for her.
"Shut up. Don't talk about them like you know anything. Go crawl back into that hole you came out of and leave me the fuck alone already."
She can feel the eyes of the crew on her. They're probably trying to figure out just who the hell Kyra is talking to, but the infuriated sorceress is too preoccupied to enlighten them. Uncurling her fingers from Jambarl's sleeve at last, she stands up and stomps angrily over to where Law is bent over Sachi. Penguin has joined his captain while his best friend lies with his head in the other man's lap, pale as milk and hands clutching Penguin's in a white-knuckled grip as he bites his lip to keep from crying out in pain. Someone has brought medical supplies, which the Dark Doctor is currently using to try to get the blood flow from the stump under control. He glances up as Kyra plops back down beside him, his eyes cold and clinical.
"Regrow it," he orders shortly, hands busy holding a fresh bandage against the ghastly wound.
Listen to the way your mate speaks to you, little one. He commands as though he has a right to do so. Why do you abide such behavior? It is you who has all the power, Kyra, and not your human lover.
Kyra does her best to ignore the Divine's continued whispers, focusing instead on getting Sachi back up to snuff as quickly as possible. That is what matters: her crew and their continued wellbeing, not the mutterings of a dangerous monster with access to her mind. Sachi's leg is a hell of a lot more important than the Divine's opinion on her guys and their relationship. Just ignore it. She'll fix Sachi right up and then have a talk with Law about which one of them gets to kill the fucker who dared to do this. Kyra shushes her poofy-hatted friend gently, motioning for Penguin to cover the injured man's eyes when the sight of his own limb reforming from the bone outward starts to distress him. The process is quick, and in no time at all Sachi is whole again.
"You lost a shitload of blood, but if you take it easy for a little bit you'll be alright," Kyra reassures him once his leg is perfect, sticking out of the chopped-off material of his boiler suit as he wiggles reformed toes in awe.
"Th-thanks," Sachi stutters, finally releasing poor Penguin's faintly blue fingers to prod at his new limb. "Thanks a lot. You know you're pretty freakin' awesome and I love you and all, right? 'Cause really, you are and I do. Like a lot."
She barely manages a tired smile, even when Penguin dumps the ginger's head from his lap and scoots over to give the mage an awkward hug. "Thanks, Kyra," is all he says.
She wants to cry. What the fuck are they thanking her for? If she hadn't let that fucking monster out of its prison they would never have gotten hurt in the first place. It's Kyra's fault, and her friends are sitting here talking like she did something good. Not knowing how to respond, not wanting to deal with the grateful looks she doesn't deserve, she looks over to where her captain should be crouched only to find the space empty. Bloody bandages are discarded in a heap where last she saw the pirate, but he himself is gone.
Turning, the exhausted sorceress quickly spots Law over by Jambarl, the rest of the crew clustered off to the side out of the doctor's way as he feels the large man's neck and asks quiet questions.
Not even an inquiry as to your welfare. This is your mate, little one? He barks out orders and then ignores you when he should pamper you.
Ignore the damn monster. Jambarl's just been killed and then brought back to life, of course Law would want to check on him. And anyway, it's the Divine's fault any of this happened in the first place, so the fucking thing can take its hurtful observations and stuff them up its -
"Kyra."
Law's voice jolts her out of the trance she has sunk into, yanking her attention back to him. He beckons for her, so the mage rises on shaky feet to plod back over to him. He stands to meet her, bloody fingers reaching out to jerk Kyra's shirt up while his other hand runs along the new scar on her stomach. Kyra waits patiently as Law reassures himself that her guts are not in danger of coming out of their proper place, running a critical eye over Jambarl and wondering if there is any lingering stiffness in his neck.
"He's fine."
Blue eyes meet grey, and she very nearly flinches upon seeing the cold anger in Law's gaze. The Surgeon of Death slips his arm around her waist and turns slightly to speak to the men, one of whom steps forward to hand the captain his long sword. "We'll be back later. Penguin, Sachi, Jambarl: take it easy. The rest of you start getting us ready to leave. We will return as soon as the Log Pose sets. I want all preparations completed by then. Kyra, take us back to where we were when we came under attack."
The sorceress does as bid without comment, dumping the two of them once more in the middle of the jungle a moment later. The feeling of terrible foreboding has lifted, shadowy surroundings nowhere near as worrisome as they had been a short time before. The smell of blood is heavy in the still air, Sachi's original leg just to her left and a crimson puddle soaking the ground off to her other side. Law does not move for a long moment, gripping Kyra's hip tight enough to bruise and eyes fixed on the severed limb.
"Why did they pass through your shield so easily?" The question is so quiet it is very nearly a whisper. Kyra swallows heavily, aware by this low tone that her captain is beyond furious. He's only going to get worse when she answers - Law developed an extreme dislike for the Divine after their single meeting and tends to get rather testy when the creature is brought up in discussion. It is therefore no surprise when the Supernova's face wipes itself of all expression when the sorceress explains what the Divine has told her.
"It made you vulnerable to illustrate our limits." It is not an inquiry, but a statement of fact. Kyra nods anyway, unable to speak from the sheer force of the rage directed at her by grey eyes that might as well belong to a corpse for all the warmth to be found within them. The pressure his fingers are exerting is growing tighter by the second; she does not dare attempt to free herself when Law has such a deadly look about him.
"I'm sorry," she mutters after a charged silence, not knowing if that is the right thing to say but needing to say something. And gods but she's sorry; if Kyra had even the smallest inkling that this was going to happen, she would have happily tossed those damn storybooks into the ocean and let the Divine rot in his subterranean prison for the rest of eternity.
Law is abruptly several steps away, yanking off his hat and dragging his fingers through messy black locks. His back is to her, the rigid set of his shoulders conveying his rage to the sorceress' watchful eyes. She waits for the controlled explosion that is sure to come, the outburst of violence that only ever surfaces when Trafalgar Law is at his most savage.
Kyra's expectations are dashed; after a long moment her captain calmly places the furry accessory back on his head, rests his sheathed nodachi against his shoulder and strolls off into the surrounding jungle without a word. She follows in equal silence, hands once again trembling as the magic within cries out at her to comfort the man marching stiffly ahead of her. Kyra resists the impulse - talking or attempting to touch Law just now would be a very bad idea.
He is cold to you when warmth is your due, little one, the Divine whispers tenderly into her mind.
Shut up, shitty geezer monster. You don't know him. You don't know a damn thing.
The pirate crew the pair eventually stumbles upon fairly reeks of danger. It is purely by accident that they encounter their enemy at all, as the ones responsible for the pain of Kyra's friends are older; wiser in the ways of the New World; and obviously far more experienced. It is a large crew, easily several dozen battle-scarred men who tower over both herself and Law in height. The Surgeon of Death actually looks puny before the sheer musculature of this newest crop of foes. The clearing in which they reside is littered with the skeletons of monstrous beasts, no doubt the natural inhabitants of this island who have been cut down into extinction by this crew.
Law waltzes into the middle of these men like he hasn't a care in the world, Kyra following right behind him. Quiet chatter instantly ceases as all eyes are fixed on them.
"Good afternoon," the Heart Pirate captain speaks politely into the silence. "Might I have a word with your captain?"
The desired personage steps forward. The captain is revealed to be a tall, thickly muscled man with dark tan skin and a heavily scarred face. Upon close inspection of his movements and his long, thin-bladed weapon, Kyra deduces that this is indeed the man who killed one of her friends and crippled the other. That the damage has been reversed means nothing; the crime still must be paid for.
"Thought I told you to fuck off, rookie," the rival captain intones, his voice gruff and quiet and oozing with well-earned confidence. His crew surrounds them with disciplined synchronicity, forming a wide circle with no holes or visible weak points. Short of flying or tunneling beneath the ground, Kyra and Law will have some difficulty should they choose to bolt.
"You did," Law is saying, shifting his nodachi into a position that will make drawing the blade much easier. "However, you also made the unfortunate mistake of attacking my crew. I wouldn't be much of a captain if I simply left without exacting vengeance for my fallen men, now would I, Mr. Pirate Captain?"
Kyra's magic pulses to the surface, wisps of it rising from her skin to flitter about in the still air. Muttered exclamations inform the sorceress that her eyes have bled to black, and that the shield she has erected around the edges of this clearing have effectively caged the rival crew. She shifts her attention to their leader, who has pulled out his own weapon and is eyeing her warily.
"You picked the wrong crew to fuck with, stranger," the Demon Witch murmurs. She raises her fists, looking to Law for approval before acting. He grins devilishly at her, titling his head to indicate the men around them while conveniently leaving out the other captain. The bastard always takes all the real good stuff for himself. Isn't she the one who got almost-gutted by Law's self-appointed opponent not so long ago? Probably only spared her because she is a woman. Chauvinistic to boot. Annoyed, Kyra encases her fists and arms with black magic and strides over to the nearest enemy. Before he can open his mouth to speak she has sent his head flying into the underbrush.
These men are extremely skilled, no doubt about it. They are not the type to let something like a girl punching their comrade's head off his shoulders faze them for more than an instant. They attack without mercy this time. As she works her way through the enemy crew, Kyra is subjected to slashes, bullet wounds, and blunt force trauma. She should drop from the sheer weight of the injuries, coupled with her earlier tiredness after bringing the dead to life again.
She does not falter once. The wounds heal themselves as Kyra butchers her foes. Her energy does not flag as it should. The opposing pirates don't even have time to ponder this miracle; they are dead in the next instant.
Feel my power, little one, a voice croons lovingly, its words echoing in her mind. Revel in the rush as it flows through you, augmenting your own abilities. Witness what we can do together.
The surge is indescribable. Kyra feels as though she could fly to the moon. Are these men moving in slow motion, or is she simply moving impossibly fast? She finds herself caught in the field of Law's powers, a strange sensation seizing her as the hearts of the pirates around her leap from one chest to land in another without missing a beat. One floats towards her; Kyra grabs it in her hand and squeezes, mashing the organ into a pulp. Chaos descends as crewmates call out to each other in alarm, patting down foreign bodies and attempting to figure out what the hell is going on. Their distraction proves to be their downfall, as Kyra is quick to take advantage. It still strikes her as surreal when she snaps a man's neck and a body five feet away collapses to the ground. Such is the wonder of Law's Devil Fruit, the Ope Ope no Mi.
Her captain is toying with his own foe. The large man is already in several pieces, his head yelling obscenities as Law moves from limb to limb with his sword. It is a testament to the Supernova's level of fury that he is so methodical no conceivable part of the body is spared. He removes each of the rival captain's fingers. He peels the skin from the other man's torso in a long sheet. He cuts a gash into a disembodied leg and sticks his hand in to pull a bundle of muscles and tendons out of the limb. In spite of the ease with which he now works Law has not escaped from the older pirate unscathed: Kyra can see the blood pouring from a deep cut in his thigh, even as she spots a tear in the chest of his hoodie and the soaked sleeve of the hand wrapped around his weapon. She darts to his side long enough to heal the damage, backing off without comment once her task is completed under the watch of those cold grey eyes. Law does not say a word, merely goes back to silently torturing his newest victim.
It is a long time after the last of his crew has died before the enemy commander is finally allowed to pass into the void with them.
These are not rookies. They are seasoned children of the sea, men who have been in the dangerous New World for far longer than a measly two years. Their fighting is impressive, their discipline impeccable. In comparison to their experience, the Surgeon of Death and the Demon Witch are as babies.
And yet it is this pair that emerges victorious.
When the sun sets and the moon rises, bodies are strewn piece by piece upon the ground, blood soaking into the soil and staining Kyra and Law's clothing red as the echoes of screams are carried away on the breeze. The Surgeon of Death has expelled the coil of tension formerly keeping his lithe body rigid; his stance is loose and casual as he oozes back into the jungle and makes himself comfortable amongst the giant roots of an ancient, massive tree.
"The Log Pose has yet to set. We'll spend the night here." It is the first thing Law has said in several hours. Kyra nods without comment as she folds her tired body into the roots a short distance from her captain, trying to find a comfortable position while her own personal boogeyman murmurs across the impossible distance between them.
Let me come to you, little one. I will shelter you in my arms and wings, and your dreams will be ones of pleasure. I will hold you as your mate should do, and you will not be alone.
She is not alone. Law is right there, hat pushed down over his face and arms crossed over his blood-splattered hoodie as he attempts to sleep. He is the only one welcome in Kyra's dreams. Get out of my head. Go away.
You are angry with me? No lasting harm has been done to you or your companions. You have exacted your revenge on those who brought you pain. Why are you not pleased?
Is this thing fucking kidding? It screwed with Kyra's powers. It has caused Law to be angry at her. It fucking got Jambarl killed, for Roger's sake. Why the hell should she be happy? Why won't you just stop bothering me? What do you want from me?
It is not a question of what I want, but of what you want. You have freed me from my prison.Will you not allow me to free you from yours, Kyra?
What could she possibly need to be freed from? What are you talking about? I'm not a prisoner. I'm freer than I've been for most of my damn life.
You are bound to a man that does not love you. I can break that bond.
Kyra sits bolt upright, nearly smacking her head on a root in the process. Surely she has not just heard what she thinks she did. What are you talking about? I'm not about to let you screw around with my soul or Law's. You can get that idea out of your head right now.
But what of your happiness, little one? Do you not want to be loved by your soul partner?
Loved? It's been years since someone loved her. Kyra has forgotten what it feels like. Love isn't important. And I'd be perfectly happy if you'd stop fucking with my life. I freed you. You want to thank me? Then leave me the fuck alone. Don't screw with my magic. Don't put my crew and my captain in a position where they can get hurt because I can't protect them. Don't poke at my soul-bond. Just leave me be. I don't want anything else from you.
That is one request that I am afraid I cannot grant. Your powers are from me, Kyra. You carry within you a piece of me. I can never leave you completely alone.
Oh, that's just absolutely perfect. Just what Kyra needs to further complicate the clusterfuck of her life: a connection via her magic with an ancient being that can turn that magic on and off at will. A creature that can supply her with that addictive rush from earlier whenever the fancy strikes it. She flops down onto her back again, throwing an arm over her eyes. I don't want you near me. I don't want your voice in my head. I don't want you in my dreams. Just... go away. Please just go away.
There is a long pause during which the sorceress listens to Law's even breathing. The Dark Doctor has at last succumbed to the exhaustion of the day newly ended. No doubt he is waiting for her in their dreams. Suddenly feeling unbearably cold even with the sweltering heat of the jungle, Kyra hauls herself to her feet and silently steps over to the sleeping pirate's side. Ever-so-carefully, she positions herself so that she lies with her head resting in Law's lap with one arm looped around his legs in a loose hug. Law's eyes do not open and his breathing does not alter - and still his fingers find their way into her hair.
The Divine's consciousness brushes against her own again. You care greatly for this human, little one?
Her answer is immediate and without hesitation. Yes.
Another, much longer stretch of silence follows. The heat is nigh unbearable. She has used an insane amount of magic today; sleep is beckoning to her like a siren's call. In the absolute darkness behind her eyelids, Kyra hovers on the edge of the dream world long enough for one more question to reach her. It is one that she has dreaded someone asking for a long time now. It is something that she will never allow to be revealed to her enemies, something even the crew must not be aware of, for both their safety and her own piece of mind. No one but Kyra must know, because that way they cannot use it against those she cares about.
You love this human, do you not?
She can never remember afterwards if she answered or not. It does not matter.
Kyra, at least, knows that had she not been falling asleep at that very moment, she would have replied with 'Yes'.
A/N: Please review. Beta'd by Tomas the Betrayer.