Vivi waves her hand in front of Chaka's face. "He really can't see us?" she whispers.
"Or hear us as long as we don't break contact," Karmen says with a giggle. "You don't have to be quiet." She pulls Vivi down the hall, careful not to lose her grip on her forearm. "Come on. This will give us a head start." Knowing they would be hard stretched to get out of the palace without a guard, Karmen had written a quick note and left it on her pillow dictating that they were stepping out for some girl time. If there was one thing Karmen didn't want to experience again from her life as a noble it's constantly being followed around by people who might get in the way of her work. Not that the Alabastan guards would prevent her from hunting down dangerous animals, but all guards get a "kill first, apologize later" attitude when a situation seems deadly but is otherwise perfectly handled. Karmen plans on keeping everything she encounters alive and feels this is the best way to go about it.
She'd loaded a pack full of empty vials and specimen jars with some water and enough food for a lunch out on the sands. They really didn't plan to go far, but she wanted Pierce to focus on his training, not what snake she'll have curled under her pillow that night. They get outside and Karmen instantly spots Lashes, the adorned guard camel, being groomed by three female servants. His eyes are heart shaped and he has a Sanji worthy expression on his face. Karmen directs her cloak so that he can see them and his face brightens instantly as they approach. "Hey buddy," she says. "Would you mind giving us a ride into the desert?"
He nods furiously, startling his attendants, eyes shooting hearts. Vivi gives him a winning grin. "Thank you, Lashes." He lies down and they climb onto his fabric-draped back, careful not to break contact, and Lashes trots off palace grounds, leaving the trio baffled by his sudden departure. "You could go anywhere like this," Vivi says excitedly as they trot through town.
"Mostly, yes," Karmen says. "It gets a little tougher around people who have strong observation Haki. I used to only be able to do it if no one was looking at me. I've gotten stronger but I can't hide from everyone yet. I'm surprised your guards didn't notice, actually."
"They'll go on a full training course after they realize what we've done," Vivi says, unable to keep herself from giggling. She smiles at the sky. "It'll be good for them. They've been looking for ways to improve themselves since Crocodile was taken down. You've given them a higher standard to strive for."
"Oh, you give me too much credit," Karmen says, unable to hide a smile. "Those dears would beat themselves black and blue if it was for you and your father. You give this place hope and amplify everything you come in contact with. Your love for your people is palpable. Remembering that places like this exist will help me in the months to come." She glances around at the smiling people they're passing. "This will be the image I strive for."
"I wish I could come with you," Vivi says, smile faltering. "Hearing the kind of childhood you described, the life you came from… it's almost too much to bear." Tears well in her eyes. "I had no idea what you were going through when we first met. I'm sorry."
Karmen turns in the saddle and places a hand on Vivi's shoulder. "Don't cry for me," she says. "I have more support than I could ask for. It's the slaves I worry about. Even when they're out of their shackles they won't be entirely free." Her eyes scan the city. Even now, months after the battle with Baroque Works there is still lasting damage. "Just like your country, they will have a long recovery process until they can stop looking for monsters in the dark."
"But you have your own monsters to face," Vivi says.
"Those guys are on the other side of the Red Line by now," Karmen growls. "I'll go find those cowards after I reunite with my crew."
Vivi looks surprised. "You're going to wait that long?"
Karmen gives her a reassuring smile. "I can't do it all alone. The Gallowcombs and Davenwells have powerful pirate allies on top of being protected by the navy. If I'm going to take them all out then I'm going to need my crew." She faces forward again. "For now I'm just going to make working with them very difficult."
They reach the outer limits of the city and the guards open the gates for Lashes, not finding anything wrong with the camel wanting to take a desert stroll. When they're outside Vivi lets go and Karmen drops the cloak. "There was something else I've been meaning to mention," Vivi says. "You shut down pretty fast last night."
Karmen leans over to examine a rock cluster for any signs of life. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"It's ok to be scared. I was."
"I'm not worried about the rescue missions."
"So what are you worried about?"
Karmen curls slightly into saddle. "I'm going to have dozens, maybe even hundreds of traumatized people in my care. Not all of them will have families to return to. We've got everything ready to start their rehabilitation so that they can regain a healthy mentality and live normal lives, but I don't know anything about being a leader." She hangs her head. "I'm not the princess of a country or the captain of a ship. I'm just a girl who can't stand to lose anything else."
"I guess I can't give you much advice on how to start things off since I've always been a princess," she says. "But you've got the qualities of a leader, even if you're afraid to show them. The important thing is that you listen to your people. Find out what they need. Don't be afraid to show them that you're human, but remember to stand tall for those who are too weak to stand on their own. It takes hard work and dedication, but you have what it takes. I know you can do it."
Karmen looks over her shoulder. "You think?"
"You're brave, determined, and you're willing to make sacrifices to protect people you care about," she says. "Infiltrating Baroque Works was one of the scariest things I've ever done, but you grew up in a situation like that. I remember what it's like having to watch your every move. It's exhausting and stressful knowing that one wrong decision could cause someone to suffer. I can see how 'killing' yourself was the only way to find the freedom to just breathe. Change is scary, but scary isn't always bad. You just have to make sure that you show the scary things that you can be scary too. And you have powerful allies who are willing to put themselves through Hell to make sure they're strong enough to back you up, because you know what you're fighting for is right and much more powerful than anything they can create. People fighting with their full strength for the right reasons is enough to make any enemy second guess himself."
"I have been told I can be pretty frightening," Karmen says with a small chuckle. She's suddenly feeling a lot better. "Do you think Pierce is going through Hell right now back at the palace?"
"Probably," Vivi admits. "Pell speaks softly and always has something insightful to say but he can be ruthless when it comes to training."
"Well then I'll try my best too, just to keep things even." She picks up the reigns and urges Lashes into a trot.
She finds a rocky area that, according to her Haki, is crawling with life. Crouching low, she stares face to face with a serpent. It's black tongue flits curiously, defensively from its arrow-shaped head. Large venom glands sit just behind its eyes, puffing up, flexing its golden scales. "Sync." She sways with the serpent, face mirroring the movement of its head as it raises into a coiled position. She follows it by sitting cross-legged in the hot sand.
"Karmen," Vivi says cautiously. "That's the Icarus Viper. The bite makes the victim think they can reach the sun, making them jump off high places. If they don't it still kills them after six hours."
"Then his venom will be a nice addition to my collection," Karmen says with gentle awe. She begins making the initiative, leaning in and swaying her head side to side in a serpent-like fashion. Almost hypnotized it follows her movements as if she were a snake charmer. Deciding it doesn't want to be charmed, the viper rears back and strikes with lightning speed. Vivi gasps, but Karmen brings a bottle up at the same speed to meet its fangs, milking several large drops of venom. The serpent strikes again only to meet the glass of the bottle. This continues until a fourth of the bottle is filled and the snake has exhausted itself. Seeing as Karmen is not actually threatening him or trying to keep him there he decides to slither off into the rocks. She smiles happily at Vivi. "This will last for months," she says. "I can't wait to study it."
She finds spitting lizards, twelve different species of vipers, six cobras, and twenty-three types of scorpions. She milks them all, finding enough of each to fill several bottles. Vivi is good at spotting the reptiles and has interesting facts about them including some mythology about where they were believed to come from. Karmen takes all of this into consideration while thinking up names for attacks. She thinks that most of these will go into her lunches. After they eat they decide to head back to the city.
Chaka and Igaram give a sigh of relief as the girls ride Lashes back into the palace. "Pierce was only able to translate half the braille message you left for him," the guard captain says. "He rushed out into the sunlight and got sick again. Pell took him downstairs and said they'd begin training as soon as he recovered." They thank him and Vivi goes to get cleaned up.
After putting her samples in her room Karmen walks into the basement and frowns. She can sense Pierce in the room but his presence is coming from thirty feet above floor level. She follows a column up to find Pell in half-beast form clinging to a small ledge of the column with clawed feet and holding a very bruised Pierce by the ankle with one hand. "How's it going?" she asks. Pierce's cheeks flush and he turns his face away.
Pell looks thoughtful. "I think it would go better if you stood directly under him," he says.
Karmen moves into place without argument. "Here?" She looks up into Pierce's horrified face.
"Mistress, please move," he pleads. "I can't… I haven't been able to do it."
"If you don't want to crush her, fly," Pell says flatly.
Karmen smiles up at him. "I trust you."
Pell lets go.
There is a snap of leather and Karmen is suddenly encased, rocketed into a horizontal position, and rolling across the floor with feet in her face. Despite the sudden shock of being swept off her feet, she is completely unharmed. Pierce had taken the brunt of the impact, adding more bruises to his back and extremities. He groans and unfolds his wings before they shrink back into his shoulder blades. Sitting up, he brushes his hands over her face and shoulders. "Are you ok?" he asks.
"Fine."
"Good," he sighs. He leaps at the column, hands and feet forming claws that dig in as soon as they make contact with the ancient stone. "You crazy bird-man!" he yells, practically fuming as he climbs. "I'll pluck every single one of your feathers!"
Pell chuckles and pushes off the column just before he's within reach. His wings extend out as he fully transforms into a falcon. "You'll have to catch me first." Pierce opens his mouth as he leaps from pillar to pillar, unable to keep up. Karmen wonders if Pell can hear Pierce's supersonic calls that he uses for echolocation. "It's become obvious that you aren't self-motivated," he continues. "So let's give you some." Karmen had barely gotten up to brush herself off when Pell's claws hook under her arms and she's lifted off the ground until his wings brush the ceiling. The flurry of his wings buffet her hair around her face and makes it hard to hear. She looks down. It's a thirty foot drop from the tips of her toes. A fall from this height would be crippling if not life threatening. She thinks she knows what Pell has in mind. "Do you still trust him?" he asks.
Karmen looks up at Pierce's gaping mouth and wide sockets. Her eyes close and she extends her arms out wide. "With my life."
Pell drops her. Pierce leaps from the column, arms stretched forward to catch her.
His arms wrap around her torso and his wings snap open, then a second pair, then a third. The six wings alternate awkwardly, but they carry them both gently to the ground. "With all due respect," he says, breathing heavily into her hair, "you are both insane."
Karmen peeks around his arms to look at his drooping wings. "Six, huh?" she says. There's the two usual ones coming from his shoulder blades, two more from his lower ribs, and the last pair from kidney level.
"It's certainly different," Pell says. "Let's do it again."
Pierce's grip on Karmen grows tighter. "Not on your life."
"But it's not on his," Karmen says before cloaking herself. Despite his best efforts he can't keep her from slipping from his grasp. She appears a few columns away. "Go for round two." Pell has her snatched up before Pierce can even turn around.
"If you want to protect her, come and take her from me," the guard captain challenges. "You aren't a fighter, but you are a protector."
"I can pretend to be in distress if that would help," Karmen says. "Save me from this strong, capable warrior before he takes me out into the burning sun."
"That is not helpful, Mistress."
"I could drop her again," Pell suggests. His claws "slip" and Karmen releases a complimentary gasp. Pierce instinctively tries to take off. His six wings tangle and he crashes to the ground. Karmen flinches in sympathy. "Concentrate. It will become easier with practice."
Pierce closes his eyelids and takes a deep breath. The lower pairs of wings shrink back into his skin. He focuses on control of his original set. Karmen closes her eyes. "Sync." She can feel the muscles flex in his back as he extends his wings, the stretch of his skin between his long, sequined fingers, the warmth of the blood flowing through them and how it accelerates with each ounce of movement. She can tell that he can feel the pull of the air beneath them as he resists gravity and begins to pull away from the ground. She opens her eyes and watches him rise towards her, mouth slightly open to echolocate and avoid obstacles. His wings are just as powerful as Pell's, or maybe more so. Their aerodynamic qualities slice through the air, propelling him upward. He hovers for a moment, getting used to the strain of unused back muscles and the falling, tingling sensation in his stomach. Pell keeps Karmen just outside of his range as he pursues them.
As time goes on they move faster and begin fancy maneuvering. Karmen has to move to Pell's back to keep from growing nauseous. They perform this change in position by Pell dropping Karmen and swooping under her just before Pierce could snatch her out of the air. She giggles and waves at Pierce. "You almost had me that time. Keep trying."
Pierce pants and narrowly dodges a pillar. "You almost seem to be enjoying this, Mistress."
"It's not every day that I get to fly and Pell has some beautiful feathers," Karmen says, stroking the base of his wing as he pulls into a glide. "If you ever lose any be sure to save them for me," she tells the guard. "They'd make great quills."
Pell chuckles back. "I'll keep that in mind." Karmen watches Pierce for a while. He's been slowing down recently. He hadn't been dodging columns as well and his wing beats were beginning to desynchronize. Pell notices as well and lands, setting Karmen securely on her feet before transforming back into human form. "We'll call it there for the day," he says.
Pierce lands gratefully and runs his hands over Karmen's arms to make sure she hadn't been scratched. "I'm fine," she says. "You?"
"I have no complaints, Mistress," he says. Almost immediately after his stomach growls loudly. The sound echoes around the basement for several seconds. He leans against a column and folds his hands over his stomach. "Ignore that, please."
"Of course, you need protein. All these transformations must have taken a toll on you," Karmen says. "Actually…" Her stomach growls slightly too. "Vivi and I were having so much fun out in the desert that we only ate half our lunch." They both turn their faces towards Pell.
He smiles knowingly. "Dinner will be in an hour. We can go clean up to pass the time."
When they exit the bath and head to dinner, Karmen and Vivi find Igaram and Cobra giving them faux glares of disappointment. "Sneaking out like a bunch of teenagers," Chaka says, joining in on the ruse.
"We didn't even leave the island," Karmen says, admiring a bottle of amber venom. "Wait a few days and we'll give you something to really worry about." Cobra can't help but laugh.
"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself," the king says. "I do hope you're being careful."
Pierce sniffs towards the bottle. "Is that viper venom?" he asks. "What effects does that one have?"
"Vipers?" Igaram asks.
"I don't think we should mention the part where you held your hand out to the cobras and said 'bite me,'" Vivi whispers to Karmen. Pierce snorts.
"Don't worry, Iggy," Karmen says. "I'll have antidotes for all the samples I gathered today before the week's out."
She pours a fourth of the bottle in her hand into her tea and sips it happily. "I made one for this ten minutes ago." She sets another bottle on the table. "If I keel over put a few drops of this under my tongue."
Pierce leans closer. "What kind of venom is it? You never answered me. Does it make people bleed from their eyes?"
"Eyes, ears, teeth, you name it," Karmen says, taking a big swig from her teacup. "And it tastes like cactus fruit mixed with copper."
"That's very specific," Pell says.
Karmen wonders if she's responsible for Pierce's fascination with viper venom. She thinks of all those hours she spent reciting scientific facts about snakes and venom to him while he'd been unconscious on Law's submarine. How much of all that had he actually heard and how much information had he stored subconsciously? "How long before we can use it on an overseer?" Pierce asks.
"Let me spend some time with Sherryl and I'll get back to you on that," Karmen says. She doesn't mind the idea of making someone who whips slaves for a living suffer a little, but she doesn't want to send anyone into full blown organ failure. Viper antidotes would have to be very thorough. "Be patient, dearie."
After dinner Karmen heads to the roof and stands near the edge, looking out over the shimmering desert under a full moon. The last time she'd been here she'd had black bruises covering her back and she'd had too many toxins running through her veins to be of any use to the crew. Now that meager amount of bloodroot and red poppy seems laughable. She could take that dosage with breakfast and keep piling them on until lunch. She'd had her first real connection with Sanji on this rooftop. It was the first time she had been willing to take a passive role in her activities and let others take care of her for a change.
She senses Vivi climbing the stairs after her. She wonders how often the princess comes out here and just revels in the kingdom that she had saved, in the fact that she had made it home alive at all after things had seemed almost hopeless, in how much her people love her and her father. It must be a humbling and beautiful emotion to behold. She doesn't turn around when Vivi walks up behind her but she can hear the smile in her voice. "I remember you coming up here to think," the princess says.
Karmen smiles back. "I can't help but miss the crew while being here," she admits. "I trust them all to be ok, but I can't help but wonder where Kuma sent them. They'll be so much stronger the next time I see them. I'll have to work hard so I don't get left behind." She looks at Vivi. "At least I get to see one member of the crew." She fidgets with the lining of her collar. "I found something out about a week before we were all separated. I've regretted not being able to tell the rest of the crew while I could, so I'd like to tell you, if that's ok." Vivi gives an encouraging nod. "In an attempt to recruit me, Doflamingo revealed that I was not born into the Gallowcomb or Davenwell families. I have no memory of any other family but the Gallowcombs, so it's my belief that I was taken as a young child or even as a baby. Someone very powerful who knew my parents made a deal with the nobles to keep me from the kind of harm Pierce has suffered. Despite this, they were still planning on killing me indirectly through the marriage they had arranged.
"For the longest time I was afraid to be claimed by a name that was not my own. Learning the truth was like finding out that they had forced me to marry into the Gallowcomb name without my knowledge. I jumped off that cliff so that I could rid myself of it, to claim and be parted by death. I kept the name Valentine because I have no memory of my maiden name and it's the only thing I can hold onto without questioning the very nature of my existence. I know who Valentine is. I created her. The child taken from their home and used as a pawn… I don't know who that is. My whole life up to the past two years was lived as a slave. Sometimes I feel like I'm planning on rescuing people in captivity so I can figure out who I really am. Is that selfish of me?"
"What's wrong with being selfish every now and then?" Vivi and Karmen turn to find Pierce standing behind them. With the cooling night air he's actually able to step outside without almost dying. In fact, if it weren't for the warmth seeping from the building he'd be risking hypothermia. Mihawk would have tried to slice Karmen up for letting her guard down enough to not notice him coming up the stairs. "You've been selfless your entire life," Pierce continues. "You sacrificed your personality, safety, and mental stability to try to make sure that other people didn't have to suffer through the worst that humanity has to offer. You've acted as a shield the entire time I've known you. You came back to the place that bore the worst memories of your life to rescue someone as insignificant as me. Even now, here amongst your friends, you aren't letting yourself relax. Not really."
"How many times do I have to tell you that you are far from insignificant?" Karmen asks.
"You're missing the point!" he yells. He clears his throat and composes himself. "If you need to be selfish to get to know the person I aspire to be like every day then so be it. Drink another vial of poison. Take a joyride on Parvati. Kidnap the princess and go to Little Garden. Heck. Call Master and tell him you want to go apple picking." He runs his hand through his hair and paces a few times. "If you want to know why Master made a deal that saved you from this," he waves his hand across his chest, "then ask him. Ask Saaresto. Ask your Uncle. Heck. Hunt Ikaika down and ask him at the tip of your quill. But no matter what the answer, only you can decide who you are and whom you wish to become."
Karmen looks over at the princess. "Vivi, I think this rooftop might be magic," she says. "Every time I come up here I end up hearing the exact words I need." She reaches under Pierce's arms and pulls him into a hug. "What would I do without you?"
Vivi smiles. "I'll let you have a moment alone." She heads towards the stairs but pauses and turns back to them in the doorway. "And even though it's confusing, I can't help but be happy that you don't have to associate yourself with the Gallowcomb name. I agree with Pierce. I believe you'll be rescuing the slaves for selfless reasons, but I hope you can find some answers along the way."
When she is gone Karmen turns to Pierce and asks, "do you really look up to me that much?"
He rests his chin on top of her head. "Figuratively speaking. I wouldn't have signed on for a second tour if I didn't. The Karmen I know is an amazingly strong person." He smooths her hair. "I'm sorry I suggested calling Kuma. I know that's not something that's safe for either of you to do." His hand pauses on the back of her head. "Why haven't you asked Winston and Saaresto who your real parents are?"
Karmen laughs through her nose. "It's not because I haven't been dying to," she admits. "I know they're still alive, so if they haven't contacted me after all this time then it can only mean two things. Either they're under just as much surveillance as I was, or they don't really…"
He holds her tighter. "Don't think like that. There isn't a person in the world who wouldn't want to get to know you."
"I've been hoping that's the case, but do you really think so? They wouldn't find me morbid and creepy?"
"That's the best part about you. My Karmen isn't herself if she doesn't consider stabbing someone three times on a slow week."
Karmen can't help but laugh. "I don't care if you never fight again, if your armament Haki stays undeveloped, or if you never use any of the training you received here. Your support is invaluable to me. You make me a stronger person. Thank you for staying with me."
"As if I could let you go on these dangerous missions alone," he says. "I'm not as repulsed by my transformations as I was a week ago. I promise to train harder. I want to be able to offer you more than verbal support, so don't let me hold you back from doing what you need to do, even if it means putting us both in a lot of danger, even if you need to set this whole revenge plan aside to find your real parents."
Karmen exhales against his shoulder. "I haven't asked Winston or Saaresto because if I know who and where my real parents are then nothing will keep me from rushing to them while they're still being watched and used. If I do that, then we'll all be caught up in it again. I have to get Ikaika and his cohorts out of the way so that we can enjoy our reunion. I can wait until then." Despite her words, her voice trails off slightly at the end.
"You really are the most selfless person I know," Pierce says with a marveling sigh. "At least take a small vacation? For me?"
"I do like the idea of going back to Little Garden," she says. "If I do, it'll most likely be a week long trip. Would you be alright with that?"
"I'll work hard while you're gone." He lets go of her and kneels, resting his forearm against his knee and settling his other hand flat on the roof. He bows his head, ponytail falling over his shoulder. "I have a request, Mistress."
She's a little surprised by this sudden action but knows he wouldn't take this humble position if he planned on saying something that would upset her. "You don't have to bow to make a simple request," she says, almost laughing.
"Since you gave yourself your first tattoo here in Alabasta, I would like to request that you give me one once my training here is complete."
"That's perfectly reasonable," Karmen says. "I can't say I'm very artistic. Are you sure you want me to do it?"
"It would mean more to me if it were from you," he says.
"Alright then, I accept," she responds. "What do you want and where? I'm drawing a line below the waist, so just know that a tramp stamp is as low as I'm going."
Pierce snorts with laughter. "Mistress, I could never ask something like that of you." He shakes his head as he lifts it to smile at her. "I'd like the Master's mark in the middle of my back."
This surprises her. "Where a slave mark would be? After you tore up your papers? I mean a paw print would be simple, but I'd like to know your reasoning."
"To commemorate what he saved us from."
Karmen walks around him and places her hand where his requested tattoo would be. A tattoo on his spine would be painful, but not as much as the hoof print brand of the Celestial Dragon. And instead of the three pointed toes, he'd have the four rounded pads that had provided them so much comfort and support and security. She can't think of a more fitting tattoo. "I'd be honored to fulfill your request at the end of your training."
[Author's Note: Hey guys. It's my birthday week again, so I thought I'd keep up the tradition of posting a bonus chapter for you guys to share in the festivities. This month The Scarlet Secretary passed 19,000 views, so I wanted to do something special for that as well. Thank you guys so much! To those of you who read 30-40 chapters a day, you amaze me and your commitment is impressive. Please remember to take breaks to get some water and stretch at some points. Self-care is important.
Also, I completely forgot to tell you guys the story behind Pierce's Devil Fruit in the last chapter! (My bad. I got really busy.)
Ok, so I'm a super emotional writer. I decided the details of Karmen's backstory around the Skypia arc, ~April-July of last year. I kid you not, I was crying as I typed Karmen's Confession (Yeah, yeah. I'm a big sap.) I so thoroughly depressed myself that I decided to make Pierce one big Batman joke (SoulAuron totally called it in that last review). Every time I thought about him it made me laugh and that helped negate the un-regretted sadness I felt for what I put these two through. Other than him living in a cave, being an orphan, and a virtual Swiss army knife fighting for justice, he really has no correlation with the Dark Knight. He's just the way he is to make me happy.
That being said, I still did about a month of research before I settled on the gray bat. As I was telling KeturahDiane the other day, I bounced around between the that, the flying fox, and the Honduran White Bat. For a while I considered making him one of the bat species that had big teardrop shaped noses and giant ears. About the same time I settled on Parvati's species of stingray (the Undulate) I decided Pierce's fruit. I was on an endangered species kick and I loved their free-standing feet. I felt I could do some interesting things with their susceptibility to White Nose Syndrome (a fungus that causes them to act strangely, wake during hibernation months, and often expend so much energy that they die), so keep an eye out for white fuzzies.
I find bats adorable and they are very important for the environment in ways that I will humorously tie into story in a later chapter. Bats are social animals and do not survive well outside of their colony. I felt this was very fitting for Pierce, who has only known one kind of life from a young age (Again, see later chapter).
So that's the story. I needed a laugh and I love bats. Batman also happens to be my favorite superhero, but that's beside the point. I hope you enjoyed the little informational blurb and thanks for reading! You guys make me happy every day. I appreciate each and every one of you who have read this far. You make writing worth while and I love you all.