It had been a long trip to Alabasta, but Karmen, Vivi, and Carue had made it back all in one piece. The duck and princess instantly re-accommodate themselves to the warm environment and the sentient Venus fly trap Karmen had brought back with her turns a sandy tan color and spreads its mouth as a sunshade. She'd found about a dozen of these plants and, with their permission, sent them back to Batoidea for further study. This one though, had saved her life and therefore had been given the choice of traveling with her, which it readily agreed to. She'd set it up in half a glass pod and had strapped it to her back for easy carrying. They'd found several poisonous plants to send back for the garden and had taken several venom samples from insects and reptiles. By the time they left, Karmen's pack had been all but empty and her supplies sent home, save for the few she wanted to experiment with right away.
They'd arrived back to the desert isle in the middle of the night and had taken a brief break on the warm beach which still retained the heat of the blazing sun, and had begun their walk back towards the capitol. They passed through the palace doors just before lunch, shaking the desert sands off their boots and finding Cobra, Chaka, and Igaram attending business with advisors in the throne room. They are deep in discussion and don't notice them enter until they're three steps in.
Karmen watches as Cobra's face lights up with a wide smile as he completely abandons his paperwork, sending it flying, attendant forgotten. He runs to embrace Vivi. His strong arms and long sleeves completely enfold her. He squeezes until she's tapping for air and holds a few seconds longer. She sees how the princess becomes awash in his infectious happiness, absorbing his glow and excitement. Karmen's own smile thins as she watches the display and she turns to let them catch up. She has things she needs to drop off and a bodyguard who needs a progress check. After making a brief stop in her room she goes to the basement entrance and hears angry murmurs as she descends, which she takes to be a comforting sign.
Down below Pierce is standing very still next to one of the pillars near the center of the basement. He has his wings wrapped around his body like a cloak. Pell bows his head as she approaches.
"Hello, boys!" Karmen calls.
"Ah. We didn't expect you back so soon," the falcon guard captain says. "I am pleased to see your safe return."
Pell has a peculiar smile on his face and Karmen leans in curiously. "Did I interrupt anything? You look like you're hiding something."
He grins as Pierce's wings wrap a little tighter. "Nothing that would be an appropriate conversation topic in a woman's presence."
She leans in towards Pierce. "No hug? No, 'let me make sure a dinosaur didn't bite off one of your limbs?'"
Her guard shuffles slightly. "I know you can take care of yourself and I could tell by the tone of your voice upon arrival that you had a pleasant and successful trip."
She turns back to Pell, obviously not getting the full story from the other. "You aren't hazing my bodyguard, are you? He's not wearing a dress or something under there?"
Pell nearly burst out laughing. "As if I would have him do anything that he would consider… unnatural."
This seems to be a slight at Pierce somehow because the bodyguard's jaw tenses and Pierce seems to be trying to figure out how to maim Pell without moving his wings. Not finding a way to do this, however, he simply glowers. This makes Karmen even more curious. "So what's going on beneath this wing-cloak then?"
"Not much," Pell says, voice pitched slightly higher than normal to contain a laugh.
Karmen's eyes have begun to adjust to the dark room and she spies shredded cloth in the far corner. Realizing what he's saying she can't help but crack a smile. "I see. Have you done this the entire time we've been gone or is this a new occurrence?"
Pierce's cheeks grow so hot they're practically glowing in the dark. "I… made a full transformation," he says.
"Oh, dearie. Winston is going to have a field day when we get back," she says with a little giggle. "You won't leave his workshop for a week." Most bat species have a fold of skin connecting their tails to their legs that extends all the way down to their ankles, and in some species, their toes. If Pierce made a full transformation into his beast form then the shredded material across the room is what used to be his pants and underwear.
Pierce sighs, unable to defend himself in his current predicament. "I'm going to go change."
When he's gone upstairs Karmen turns to Pell. "What does he look like with a tail?" she asks.
"Like a big bat." Pell picks up the shredded clothing. "I'll dispose of these for him. I assume Vivi's up there?"
Karmen nod. "With the king." She takes another look at the shredded fabric in the guard's hand and can't help but laugh.
Upstairs, though his ears are still hot, Pierce can't help but smile. She'd been right. If he wasn't stark naked under his wings he would have rushed to her as soon as her feet left the stairs. Though it's at his expense, he can't help but smile at the sound of her laughter. It had been over six days since he heard it last. He'd missed the lavender sound of her voice.
Back near the entrance to the basement, Karmen snags Pell's arm. "He practically hates his transformations," she says in a low voice. "How did you get him to make a full one?"
He smiles ruefully at her. "I sprayed a handkerchief in Vivi's perfume and used it to make him think I was tearing your veil."
"So where is my veil now?" she asks. Her face had felt naked without it as she'd passed back through the city.
Pell nods towards the stairs. "He's got it. He was ready to maim me when he made the transformation." Pell's face gets a distant look and Karmen's haki flags a change in his heartbeat. "He didn't calm down until I'd proven that I hadn't actually damaged it." He resumes his pleasant smile and shrugs. "He wouldn't give it back after that."
"Ok. Now tell me what you aren't telling me, before he comes back into hearing range."
Pell sighs and leans against a pillar, folding his arms and staring hard at the floor. His smile is gone. "It's obvious that he's not a normal Zoan, but there's more to it than that," he says. His voice is barely above a whisper. "When I make a transformation, I take on traits and strengths of the falcon, but I don't take on the mannerisms or instincts of it. When he became angry, it was almost as if it was all he could do to not to be consumed by animal nature. Whatever they gave him, he has to fight against it each time he transforms."
Karmen exhales heavily. "Is it dangerous for him to use his abilities?"
Pell shakes his head. "I think it would be more dangerous for him not to. He's already tried burying it and you've seen what happens. He explodes and he can't control it. The more he's trained it and become used to it the less that has happened, even when he became stressed over you and Vivi reaching the latter range of your given time of leave." He shakes his head. "I knew pushing him like I did today was reckless, but I felt it was important to see what he was fully capable of. I didn't tell you the full truth earlier. When he's completely transformed he looks like an armored bat with lots of sharp claws all over his extremities and bat heads for hands. That or single giant claws, razor sharp. He kept switching between the two. I'll admit, seeing hands snarl left me briefly disturbed. He was very animalistic. He can do some real damage in that state. I'll do what I can while you're still here, but that is what he needs to learn to control."
"Thank you for telling me," she says. "It would be hard for him to admit it himself. He's so keen on getting back into the field. I can't help but wonder if he's shoving too much aside to do so."
"While I find your concern admirable, you shouldn't let it hold him back. He's a creature of habit. He has an instinctual need to protect those he cares about, and right now that's you," Pell says. "The more he has to protect, the harder he'll work to do so. I wish you could have seen the determination in him while you were gone. He was almost desperate to make progress, and he did. I'll have him give you a demonstration once the air outside cools, before we move to weapons training tomorrow."
"So he's actually comfortable flying now?" she asks.
Pell reaches into his sleeve and pulls out five large feathers. "He plucked these out of me right before you arrived." He straightens his robes as she looks them over. "The jaws his hands form are pretty powerful."
Karmen's eyes scan over the ground with a more cursory note. The dust that had sprinkled the floor before she had left has practically been swept to the corners of the room, leaving spiraling patterns near the wall. It takes powerful airflow to leave swirls that violent. "He didn't actually hurt you, did he?"
Pell grins. "He tried. I've been at this far longer than he has." He rubs the back of his neck, grimacing with memory. "Getting him to actually pay attention to what I was trying to tell him was the hard part. I practically had to throw the veil at him." His eyes become set with such a serious focus that it makes it hard to look away. "I don't think he would ever turn on you like he did me, but if he did, will you be able to fend him off? In certain situations he may not be completely himself."
Karmen flourishes a quill. "I always have a contingency plan," she says. Her thumb rubs across the hollow where one dart is missing. "I only hope I never have to use them."
"For both your sakes, I hope the same."
They ascend the stairs together and Karmen finds Pierce, now dressed in Alabastian robes, standing at the door of the throne room where Cobra and Vivi are still chattering in excited voices. Pell continues down the hall as Karmen approaches him. Pierce draws in a long breath, turns to face her, and opens his arms. She steps into them willingly, letting him enfold her in a strong embrace. He squeezes her tightly and lays his cheek on top of her head. "Well, you still have all your limbs, I see." He lifts his head and replaces it with a hand, feeling her hair. "Did you cut your bangs?"
She gives a soft chuckle. "I fought a giant dragonfly for a pair of shoes. He had really sharp mandibles. Don't worry. I bit him back."
"You bit… a giant dragonfly… over shoes?" His arm tightens around her and his other hand moves to the back of her head in a protective gesture.
"They're special," she says softly, finding it hard to take a full breath to speak any louder. "I ended up only getting one. The other fell into a volcano."
His grip tightens to near crushing. "I swear I'm never letting you out of my sight again."
She pushes lightly on his chest and he releases her but doesn't step very far away. "Pell said he gave you my veil?" He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the wrinkled swatch of fabric. She takes it lightly and smooths it. As promised, not a stitch is torn. "I swear I'm going to start making you iron my clothes if you keep returning it to me like this." She gives a content sigh and tucks it away. "But at least you're returning it. That means you trained hard. I'm proud of you."
"Mistress… Did Pell say anything about the training?" he asks.
"Nothing that I didn't already expect," she says truthfully. "Is there something that you think I should be aware of?"
His hands fold behind his back as he stands in a dutiful posture, defaulting to his soldier-like nature. "No, Mistress."
She rocks on her heels slightly. "I'm happy to have you, Pierce. I don't care what you look like or what you need to work through. You have done more for me than I could ever repay. I will always, always be here for you," she says. "You know, if you ever want to talk, all you have to do is ask."
She turns and steps into the threshold of the throne room, not yet entering. She feels taking even a step further will interrupt the happy reunion inside. Pierce's arms enfold her and his chin rests lightly on top of her head. "The same goes for you." He doesn't let go but joins her in observing the happy family. "So tell me about these shoes."
She lets herself shrink against him, wanting his arms to be able to fill the growing hollow in her chest. "I bought them with the money Kuma gave me after my eighteenth birthday." His arms tighten. "I don't have anything from him. I couldn't leave them there in the jungle. Not when he's…" She turns down the hallway, pulling him with her, suddenly feeling a need to change the subject. "I brought something else back with me. You should meet."
Pierce lets one hand drop while the other slides down to her hand as she drags him to her bedroom. "This is something sentient?" he asks, almost groaning.
They pass through the threshold and she places his hand on top of the Venus flytrap who has turned a sandstone color that matches the color of the walls. "This is Vishtunalli, the camo-morphic Venus flytrap. I call him Tuna for short."
"Him?" Pierce asks, rubbing both hands across its head. "You nicknamed a plant Tuna?"
"Tuna saved me from falling into the volcano."
"I am very pleased to make your acquaintance, Vishtunalli," Pierce says with a sudden change of demeanor. He holds out a hand to shake and Tuna lightly grasps it with his mouth. The plant's flesh turns black and horns sprout from his head. Small wings sprout from his stem and flap lightly. "What… just happened?" Pierce pulls his hand from its mouth.
"Oh, my, gosh, Tuna you look adorable!" She holds her fists in front of her mouth and gives a small squeal. "He looks like you in bat form now. He changes like that sometimes. He makes poisoned spines too. He's a plant Swiss army knife."
"It sounds like you had an incredible trip," he says. "When do I get to hear the whole story?"
"Lunch," she decides. "I need a bath. My feet have been steamed from going from the ocean to desert and I need to unwind."
"I think I'll take one too," he says. "It's been a long morning." Karmen gathers a change of clothing and they make their way to the hot spring.
Karmen pauses at the door dividing the women's side from the men's. "You'll get out if the heat starts getting to you, right?"
He gives her a reassuring smile. "You don't have to worry about me." He takes another step towards the doorway but pauses. "You'll check for…?"
She chuckles softly. "Of course I will." They enter their sides and Karmen gives a content sigh as she rinses off before entering the water. "No eels."
"Thanks."
Karmen lies back and floats, letting her hair sprawl out like seaweed. She thinks about what Pell told her. If Pierce already hated his transformations, how does he feel now that he knows how malleable his body is? The one thing Ikaika and Celestial Dragons are good at is making people feel like they were less than human. She exhales and senses for his heartbeat, wondering if it will give any indication to his current mental state. She sits up and turns away from the wall with a gasp when she finds it close to the top of it. "Geez, Pierce!" she exclaims. "I know you're blind but you shouldn't surprise a girl like that." She pulls her knees up to her bare chest and looks to where his damp head is peeking over the divider.
"Sorry," he apologizes, a little flustered. "I was just wondering… did you want to talk about Kuma?"
She rests her chin on her knees and wraps her arms loosely around her shins. "I think we've covered everything there is at this point in time." She ticks off the hours of their previous discussions in her head: Their childhoods, the Revolutionaries, his old allies, his work with the government and navy, the deal, government secrets, apples, ideas about where he'd gotten that spotted fabric he loves so much, religion, philosophy on consciousness and humanity… "Is there something you wanted to talk about?"
"No," he says, shaking his head. "I was just wondering if you were thinking about him when you came back."
"I'm always thinking about Kuma," she says. "Why should this time be any different?"
"I just noticed that you didn't go to greet His Majesty." His voice is soft, concerned, reminding her of the hollow feeling in her chest. She's sure her heartbeat does something funny because his mouth thins as he waits for an answer.
"He was concerned for his daughter's safety while we were gone, much like you were for mine, I'm sure," she says. "I was giving them room to have a family moment. Besides, I wanted to make sure you knew I was back."
"I guess we've never really had one of those, have we?" he asks.
"I got a hug from you. That's all I need."
"Do you need another one?"
"Pierce, I swear, if more than your nose pops over that wall I'm going to start throwing things," she says, giving him a firm look that she hopes he can hear in her voice.
"Oh. Right, naked. Sorry," his cheeks turn pink and he lowers his head a little. "It's hard to tell when people are wearing clothes sometimes. If it weren't for Winston I'd probably forget about them entirely in the right atmosphere." Karmen's lips tighten and she forces air through her lips, creating a raspberry sound before she bursts into laughter. "It wasn't that funny."
"I can just imagine you living on your own someday, casually forgetting to put on pants before walking outside." She chuckles again and wipes her eyes. "You'll have to have high walls or distant neighbors."
He hums in amusement. "I'm sure the breeze would remind me before I got too far." He hums again, thoughtfully this time. "I've never really given too much thought about living on my own. I'm not sure if I like the idea."
She unfolds slightly, settling a little deeper into the water so her shoulders are submerged. "Then I guess it's a good thing that we have so much work to do."
"Those lousy nobles do give me job security," he says. "Promise not to kick me out before the job is done?"
"Please. I'd be lost without you."
"You're a terrible liar, but I'll take that as a no," he says.
"Go get cleaned up." She lies back so that the only part of her out of the water is her face. "Pell promised me a demonstration this evening."
Pierce's smile tightens. "Right. Flying. Outside."
"Oh, come on. You'll be great. Pell had nothing but praise for you."
"I'm sure he just didn't want you to worry. I'm still pretty terrible." He gets a strange look on his face and she knows he's thinking of this morning's events.
"Why? Do you have anything to add to his side of things?" she asks, deciding this might be a good time to give him an opportunity to talk about it.
"I'm going to finish my bath now."
"Ok."
She closes her eyes and sinks beneath the water as his head sinks behind the divider. She won't push him. It has to be his decision. Maybe she should have told him about her reaction earlier, but like the mission plans, she wants to think it out and understand it herself first. Maybe it was the same for him. She can't help but wonder if the heads his hands form have eyes. She'd never been close enough to tell for sure. If they did, a key factor between them and his brain must be severed or else he would have been using them constantly. How much more frustrating would that be? To have eyes and still not be able to see? The alternative would be that they have empty sockets too, and if that was the case then how taunted he must feel. Her heart aches for him. He wouldn't accept her feeling sorry for him, so she composes herself before rising back to the surface.
She washes and dries, pulling her hair into a tight braid and dressing slowly in a loose blue dress with detailed beading. When she steps out into the hall she finds Pierce leaning against the wall in the robes he'd changed into earlier and soft cloth shoes. The sight of him warms her and she can't help but smile. "I'd like that hug now."
Wordlessly he pushes off the wall and takes two purposeful strides towards her. He wraps his arms around her back and pulls her close as she does the same. Her frame is so slight against his that his arms reach both of hers and she feels fully engulfed. "Would you mind… if I don't give a full demonstration tonight?" he asks softly. She can feel his fingers tighten on her arms. "I'd like to keep my clothes on this time." His heart does a little flutter against her ear. He could care less about his clothes.
"I'd like to see what you're comfortable showing me," she responds. She thinks about the hands again and hers tighten on his back. "I accept every part of you and I'm already proud of the progress you've made. Nothing can change that, so I hope you don't feel the need to hide anything from me."
He sighs into her hair. "I'm perfectly comfortable with you, Mistress," he tells her. "It's me I'm not comfortable with. Some of my transformations… need work."
"Promise you won't quit trying?"
He holds his breath for a second and she hears him rub a thumb against a forefinger. He exhales slowly. "For you, I promise."
"Good." She pulls back and his hands slide down to hers. "All that training this morning must have left you starving. Let's go eat."
They find the others already in the dining hall, just starting to take their chairs. "Ah. There you are," Igaram says cheerfully.
To her surprise Cobra leaves his chair half-drawn and takes large steps directly towards her. He hugs her tightly for a few seconds, leaving Karmen dazed. "Thank you for keeping your word to me and bringing Vivi home safely," he says, voice full of emotion. He withdraws, eyes glistening with sincerity. "And thank you for taking care of yourself. I don't think I could bear it if either of you had been injured."
"O-of course," she says softly. "She's perfectly capable, but we did have help from giants." Her speech speeds up as she talks.
She feels like she would have begun rambling if Pierce hadn't placed his hand on her shoulder. "You didn't mention giants."
"Or the dinosaur, I'm guessing," Vivi says with a sly giggle.
Both men turn their faces towards the Princess, speechless. Karmen gives a nervous laugh. "Maybe we should all sit and hear the whole story over food."
Those who are still standing sit and the food is brought from the kitchens. Karmen and Vivi begin their tale, taking turns to add details. The royal court sit dumbfound as she relates all the poisons she collected but Pierce listens intently, a smile on the corner of his lips as he listens to how her voice sparkles with happiness.
When they're finished Cobra looks like he may end up with a few gray hairs. "Vivi, it would make me a very happy father if you never set foot on that island again," he says. "But I'm glad you had fun."
"It was nice to see Dorry and Brogy again," Karmen says. "Maybe over dinner I'll tell you some of the adventures they related to us. There's one where they had a competition to try to climb the Red Line and another where they went geyser jumping and tried to make tidal waves when they fell back into the water. I've got them all written down in my room."
They finish and Pell directs his attention to his trainee, whose eyelids are beginning to droop now that he's had a warm bath and meal. "You should get some rest before tonight."
The bodyguard shakes his head, more to wake himself up than to refuse the statement. "The women just returned. I'd like to spend a little more time catching up."
Karmen places her hand on his and gives it a gentle squeeze. "Get some rest. I'll be here when you wake up."
"If you insist, Mistress." Chaka muffles a snort at the sudden disappearance of his argument. Pierce stands from his chair and bows in the direction of the royal family. "Then if you'll excuse me, Your Majesties, I will see you later tonight."
He walks from the room and they wait a moment. Pell raises his eyebrow at Karmen in inquiry and she shakes her head. He opens his mouth to speak but Karmen raises her hand to make him pause, tracking her bodyguard's progress with her senses. When his door shuts and he lies on his bed she lowers it and gives him a nod. "We're clear."
"I was hoping you'd help me select weapons for him," Pell says. "We've discussed it with King Cobra and we'd be honored to provide him with something, but we wanted to wait for you, since you know his fighting style."
Karmen smiles and traces the sharp lines of the metal quill up her sleeve. "The last time I had free reign of an armory I came out with something quite exquisite," she says. "I'd been thinking about getting him something, so I'll gladly take you up on your offer." She winks at Cobra. "I promise I won't walk out with any national treasures."
He gives her his warm smile that makes her chest twinge again. "You may have whatever you need and more. Our stores are open to you, always."
She gives a small laugh. "You're lucky I'm not Nami. She'd clean you out." Her eyes soften on him acceptingly. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I'm sure he'll be delighted to hold a weapon again."
Chaka stands and pushes in his chair. "Shall we go now, then?"
She and Pell join him and they walk slowly down the halls. "So he didn't mention it at all, then?" The falcon guard asks her.
She shakes her head. "Other than giving me a sense that he was displeased with himself, no. I'll give him a few days to bring it up himself before I try again. He did seem hesitant about tonight. If he is I may have you take the standard action. I told him he doesn't have to make the full transformation, but I still expect him to push himself."
Chaka gives a hearty laugh. "At least we won't have to worry about him when you two go home."
He opens a door and Karmen is momentarily blinded by the amount of gleaming metal inside. Fan axes, swords, spears, clubs, naginata, daggers, short swords, bows and arrows, pistols, rifles, sea prism, and more. She walks the racks, trailing her fingers across decorative and balancing fabrics and polished metals, stopping on a haladie. She moves on to a bladed staff and a set of buugeng.
"You think he'd prefer two weapons?" Chaka asks.
"He was raised and trained by Revolutionaries skilled in hand to hand combat," she responds as she keeps moving. "If he doesn't want to make those last transformations, we might as well give him something else to do with his hands." Her eyes fall on a set of riot baton-like weapons. "Those."
The guards smile. "I think those suit him nicely."
"Would you like anything for yourself?" Chaka asks. "We have plenty."
She rounds a table of hammers, daggers, chakram, and knives and faces a spear rack against the wall. She picks up one with a crimson shaft and a quillion that reminds her of a pressed flower framing the leaf-shaped blade. Her hand trails down the blue sash attached to the shaft. "Does this come in purple?"
Pierce wakes up hours later to someone closing his bedroom door. Though the familiar scent of the perfume gives him the indication that it could be one of two people he still has to give a supersonic call to verify that the person is Karmen's height. "What time is it?" he asks.
"Sorry. Did I wake you?"
"Not really," he says. "I've been in and out. I was thinking about getting up soon."
She sits next to his bed. "Are you ready?"
His hands trail across his robes and he frowns. "Let me put on some pants."
She steps back out into the hall and waits. When he returns he's wearing a simple pair of black pants and his soft shoes. She hums softly as he ties his hair back in a low ponytail. "Here in about a week you'll be ready for that tattoo. I'm looking forward to this."
From the air temperature inside the building he can feel that he had slept until about fifteen minutes before sundown. "What have you been doing?"
"I was in the medical wing teaching the palace doctors how to make antidotes and playing with their chemistry equipment."
He snorts. "I hope you washed it afterward."
"Only ten times."
"I'm sure they appreciate your attention to detail." He cocks his head to the side and frowns at the lack of sound. "Where is everyone else?"
"I sent them up already." They find the stairs and make their way to a large balcony beneath one of the palace's three domed roofs. Igaram and his wife, Terracotta, are standing there next to Vivi and Cobra, talking happily amongst themselves near the railings. Pell and Chaka are overseeing a few guard exercises a few feet away. The soldiers are swinging swords, but they have longbows and arrows carefully placed nearby. All in all, there are about twenty people in the area.
She feels Pierce hesitate and take a step closer to her. "I wasn't expecting so many people. I should have worn a shirt."
"You're about to grow a bunch of wings and fur. You can put a shirt on later. Most of these people are professional guards who've lived through a civil war. They see scars every day." She takes his arm and drags him forward. She bypasses everyone, giving them a wave in greeting, and goes straight to Pell and Chaka. "I'm sure if you're uncomfortable we can send the other guards to train somewhere else?" She looks to them inquiringly.
Pierce straightens immediately. "No. That's quite alright, Mistress. This demonstration is for your benefit."
She smiles. "There's the bodyguard I know." She gives Pell a wink. "I'll leave it to you, then."
She and Chaka step back and stand by the royal family. "Is he ok?" he asks softly, observing the remaining two with crossed arms.
"Of course he is." She watches his ear twitch in their direction. "The worst he could do is drop like a rock. Pell wouldn't let him die. Bruise, maybe, but not die." This gets an eyeless glare which, in turn, receives a giggle. "He's fine."
Pell rolls his shoulders, stretching his back muscles and rotating his neck. "I know you just woke up so let's do our normal warm up." She notices that Pierce begins to relax next to the guard captain, confidence building. He kicks off his shoes before they step onto the railing and fall straight down, arms trailing behind them. Everyone watches as they transform midair, one sprouting feathers, one sprouting fur and leather. Their wings catch the air as they unfurl and they continue to ride it downwards, zigzagging across each other's path until they reach the courtyard. There are some gasps from the watching guards as they level out, brushing the grass with their claws. They shoot upwards, spiraling with their backs to each other. They dive low again and sweep up the edge of the palace the way they had fallen, creating a wind that whips everyone's hair around their faces as they pass. Diving again they dodge around pillars in the gardens and under arches. Karmen notices one moment when Pierce's wing brushes Pell's, causing them both to falter for half a second.
Pell performs a barrel roll that Pierce doesn't and Chaka seems to take this as a signal. He reaches inside his sleeves and removes them with throwing knives between each finger. He has a competitive, almost dark look in his eye, but Karmen makes no move to stop him. He throws them at the pair below, either one at a time or in groups of three. When his hand empties he reaches back into his sleeve for more. Pell ducks, weaves, tucks, and rolls, avoiding all of the blades as they slide between his feathers and bury themselves in the ground. Watching him is a graceful dance of practiced discipline and skill, pure elegance in the air. Pierce… not so much.
She watches as he slams into the top of a pillar to avoid a knife, rolling off it and barely being able to correct his flight and avoid the ground. He still has to push off the grass to get back to speed. He beats his wings fiercely and just barely misses them being clipped by the second knife. The third rips his pants just above the knee but misses his skin. He loops around pillars in the garden to dodge the next volley, but one grazes his right cheek, leaving a smear of red in his fur just beneath his eye socket. He barely manages to dodge the next three using similar methods. He's never able to recover enough or predict the knives out far enough to dodge them effectively.
"Are you even trying to hit him?" Karmen asks. Chaka gives her a surprised look as she holds her hand out to him. Hesitantly, he gives her the five in his left hand. Everyone looks at her warily. Pierce's sensitive ears had heard the exchange and they could see his sockets widen in horror and the curse on his lips that is lost in the wind. She takes careful note of his trajectory and aims before throwing it. He had sped up but now has to pull back sharply to keep the back of his head from being skewered. "Come on, Pierce!" she growls down at him. "I saw you dodge better when you were ten!"
"Um… Karmen, this is just supposed to be a demonstration. He's still new to this," Vivi says, giving her negotiating smile with upheld hands as the secretary throws the next one. It clips the edge of Pierce's wing as he banks hard to the left. "Maybe we should just-"
"No way!" Karmen declares. "He's not even trying!" She throws another knife, forcing him to catch a claw on a pillar and spiral around it as it grazes stone. Chaka raises a hand to take the last two from her and she levels a quill under her eye, poised to strike. "Anyone who tries to stop me gets poisoned, royalty included." Her unwavering voice and fierce eyes make them all draw back a step. This is the member of the Strawhat Pirates who keeps a desert strawberry as a pet. There's no doubt in their minds to her sincerity.
She throws the fourth, causing Pierce to fall off the pillar and land hard on his backside. She throws the last knife immediately after, giving him no chance to dodge. Pell catches it before it can embed itself into the soft tissue between Pierce's sockets. Sweat drips down his forehead and he falls back onto his elbows, transforming back into human form.
"Hey." The guards blanch as they realize she's addressing them. "You guys have arrows, right? Aim them at me when it's time. You'll know when." With a dark expression, Karmen steps onto the railing and over it, letting her heels catch the side of the building to slow her fall. Ten feet before she reaches the ground she pushes off the wall and performs a flip, landing gracefully in the grass. Pell smartly backs up a few paces and Pierce tries to scramble back some as she approaches. In a blink, she's closed the distance between them and she cuts off his path of escape. Reaching down, she grasps one of his horns and she hauls him up so that he has to stretch his arms back fully to support himself. A wave of weakness and nausea washes over him with the fear that pools in the pit of his stomach. "Listen here, bat boy. Just because you don't have your eyes anymore doesn't mean you're blind," she says coldly. "Bats are some of the most aerodynamic creatures in the sky. I know you've got some weird instinctual stuff going on in your head. Stop ignoring it. Use it. I told you it was ok not to make the full transformation. I didn't say you could give anything less than your best."
The look he gives her is so defeated that her hand turns white with the pressure she puts on his horn. "I'm sorry, Mistress," he says airily. "I can't. I just can't."
She shoves him away, forcing him to fall hard on his back. "Of course you can. You just need more motivation." She looks at Pell and motions up and to the right with her eyes. "Pell, plan T." He doesn't hesitate to question her. He sweeps her up in his talons and carries her high in the air.
Gasping Pierce curses and immediately gets up to chase them, leaping into the air to transform only to fall back down, still human, still weak from her touch. "Seriously?" he yells after them as the realization hits him. "Where'd you put the sea prism?!" He begins searching his pants. "You're insane!"
He finds her feather dart in his hair, ripping it out and tossing it aside along with his hairband, right as Pell drops Karmen off on the top of the tower on the far Western side of the Palace. He tosses it to the side as she begins running down one of the long window frames. "It's do or die, Pierce!" she calls to him. "Either accept your abilities, or let me fall to my death." She pushes off the tower hard, flying far out into the open air. She stretches her arms wide and lets herself sail quickly downward, not flinching at the ground that's rising up to meet her. Vivi gasps and covers her mouth, too horrified to look away. Cobra looks just as shocked, knuckles white as he grips the railing. Terracotta shows signs of fainting and Igaram supports her, face pale.
Pierce doesn't wait around to drop another curse. Six wings instantly sprout from his back and he pushes off the ground so hard he cracks the tile path beneath him. He meets her halfway, hooking his feet around her waist and thumbs under her arms as he latches onto her back. His furry chest cushions her impact as he backpedals to a standstill. The light from the setting sun shines through his wings like fleshy stained glass as he pants in her ear. "Are you alright?"
"Fine, dear," she says with a satisfied smile. "Thanks for the catch."
"Again, you are insane." He lowers her slowly down to the top of a column and she reaches out for it with the tips of her toes and holds his thumbs to her shoulders as she supports both their weights and keeps them balanced. She barely registers the looks of relief from their observers as she takes in his status.
"Do you have your breath back?" she asked as he begins to calm down.
"I think so," he says.
"Good. Then get comfortable back there, because you're about to have to use those wings." She cups her hands around her mouth, aiming her face towards where the royal guard was standing with bows drawn. "Chaka!" The jackal guard gives the signal and, sweating and gulping, the guards release a volley of arrows.
"Oh for Kudra's sake." He sighs heavily into her back.
She tilts her head back until it's resting atop his. "Come on, partner. Let's give them a real demonstration." She somersaults off the pillar and he uses his wings to weave between the deadly shafts. He has to pull in two wings to keep them from being shot through, but Karmen only feels the passing breeze from the shafts. She uses her haki to sense the direction and distance of the arrows and twist her body in the direction Pierce needs to fly to avoid them, moving in a graceful dance to the whistling of the projectiles. They're able to dodge the first three volleys this way due to the guards still being uncertain about her orders. Pierce quickens to her commands as time passes, moving with her and letting her lead the dance where she needs to, letting pure feeling take over his senses. She does not have to sync with him. They're already the perfect partners. He'd only forgotten somewhere amidst the anger and the pain. She'd make him remember.
The next five volleys are shot with more conviction. Fewer arrows fall several feet away from them and it becomes harder to dodge. Karmen pulls out her quills again and uses them to deflect spare shafts. Pierce flies faster, taking more risks as he goes. He flies sideways to avoid three arrows, putting his body between them and Karmen, wingtips brushing the grass. The projectiles tickle his fur but pass by without cutting him. While he's righting himself she notices an arrow headed toward his ribs that is outside the range of her arms. Acting quickly, she taps the fletching of the arrow with her toe, causing it to tilt upwards. The side of the shaft bounces off the top of Pierce's wing instead of the arrow tip piercing him. This off balances him and she rolls in the air, forcing him to fly upside down while she throws four feather darts simultaneously to deflect arrows that he otherwise wouldn't be able to dodge.
Not being able to right himself from this position, she flips her feet over her head until they're both vertical, dropping them to ground level. Her feet make contact with the grass and they slide backwards, facing the full brunt of the last volley in a crouched position. "Pierce?" He doesn't have time to reply. He moves five wings in front of Karmen as the arrows race towards them. The leather of his skin turns black and metallic as they close in. Dozens of arrows bounce harmlessly off his wings while others snap and shatter on contact, all but one. They both hold their breath as the single arrow slides through the last remaining space between his wings and continues straight for Karmen's chest, stopping suddenly. No one on the outside can tell if that last arrow struck home. Everyone up on the balcony grips the railing, unable to blink as the dust settles.
Pierce pants heavily, sweat glistening in his fur. Inside his wings there is a single bat head with empty sockets for eyes at the end of a wrist, clutching the shaft of the arrow in its teeth, arrowhead millimeters away from the fabric of Karmen's dress over her heart. She too breathes heavily, but there's a smile on her face. She carefully leans over the head in front of her and wraps her arms around it in a loose hug to avoid the arrow's point. "I knew you had it in you." Haki fades from Pierce's wings as he unfolds them. By the time it is visible, his hand has reverted to a claw. He sets the arrow down on the grass and Karmen sits back, leaning on him slightly as she exhales, then laughs. "That was fun."
"You," he says breathlessly in her ear, "are still the most insane person I've ever met." He rests his fuzzy chin on her shoulder. "Was that the last of them?"
"Yeah. They're empty."
"Good." He groans and withdrawals all but two wings. He wraps the remaining set around her. "Karmen?"
"Hm?"
"Thanks."
She smiles and lies her head on his. Pell approaches. "Are you-" She shushes him.
"He's asleep." She stands up and Pierce's head lulls on her shoulder, his wings adjust so that he can cling to her back more comfortably as he snores. "Think that was enough of a push?" she asks.
Pell nods and smiles fondly at her. "You work well together."
She smiles over at her bodyguard's fuzzy snout, feeling his peaceful breathing and slowing heartbeat against her back. "We always have."
Author's Note: I absolutely loved writing this chapter. I know it was long (thank you for taking the time to read it) but I couldn't bring myself to break it up because then we'd have another transition chapter and there would be too much time in between the two. I've waited for months to tell you about Pierce's new abilities and I'm so excited that he finally gets some time on the page. He has some growing to do, but I've got big things planned for the fuzzy bodyguard.
For those of you wondering about my tests, I've taken two so far and I think they went pretty well.
I'm in a commission mood. I wanted to open up a poll but they don't have an open answer option so I'll ask you here: Within the Scarlet universe, what are things you'd like to see or interactions you'd like to take place?
If they don't contain spoilers or I don't already have something similar planned out, I'll pick at least three that I like and write them out. If you have a scene you'd like for me to write then drop it in a review or PM and I'll give it a go! If I do not write out your suggestion I'll message you and tell you the reason why.
I look forward to what you all come up with!