Cԋαρtҽɾ ϝσυɾ
I used to try, and try, and try. But I never reached my goals, never got what I wanted or needed. It always seemed impossible. So I just gave up after a while. I lie, cry, live, and laugh, but sometimes I wished I had died and stayed dead, but nothing ever worked out. So I tried again. I tried and tried, and tried. Nothing. It always ended up in pain and hurt. It hurt me. Did a similar thing hurt others? How much? Am I being too nosy? Annoying? Probably.
Sitting on the soaked, wet, moist, floor of a random, stolen, quiet, lonely... that's a lot of verbs... ship in a place I never charted, I got lonely. Can you blame me? Yeah, it was all my idea in the first place.
I arrived in the south blue a month ago. Travel time is a bitch. And I got busy, I stowed away on multiple merchant ships, plus two pirate ships, stayed on a marine ship that would allow an extra passenger, then pretended to be my older brother, Forneus, while staying on an island. Then, while on that island, I found somebody selling little 'infinity pouches' that hold anything I should've been more incredulous when I bought it though, but because I was in the ONE PIECE world, I thought about nothing other than better storage, even if it takes thirty minutes to find one singular thing...
Even though I've spent so much time in the South, it wasn't sufficient enough.
Why the heck have I not found any solid information about this place!? Breathe you idiot. Breathe! OKAY! What do I know about the south blue?...erm...not much... Franky was from the south...or was he...I forgot. Wasn't Kuma a king or something in the South blue? And I'm pretty sure that Bonnie was Kuma's daughter...maybe. Chopper went to an island in the south...Torino kingdom was it? With the birds and the super smart cave people or something, with the library of medical knowledge? Ace was born in the South too...but that's kinda, really, irrelevant... Weren't the main guys of the kid pirates, Kid, Killer, Heat and Wire, from the south blue too? I wonder if I could find them...
My boat was sinking. Not a random fact I keep avoiding! I accidentally kicked a hole into the bottom when...well...there was a spider...and I jumped...I blame it on the bad material... I trained for many, many months, and I got much, much, stronger, with Soru working 3/4 of how it would be ideally, so 7.5 steps in the blink of an eye, and Shigan, though it hurts about as bad as being shot with a paintball because I can't move fast enough, but even with that, I am still afraid of a small, puny spider.
The worst part about all of it is that it's not just spiders, it's all types of bugs or small insects! Other than bees and hornets and wasps and crickets, that is. It is a weakness.
Anyway! Back to the fact my boat is sinking, like a... I don't know... the Titanic? Why do I act like this when I panic!? Why do I act like this all the time!? Why am I afraid of something as stupid as an insect, and why am I not doing anything!?
Once I stood I started frantically pacing from side to side, trying to find something to plug the hole that would cause my inevitable death if I didn't move quickly enough.
"Ah fuck it. Fuck life." I got my little pouch thing out of my pocket,
I wonder if I can sew it into my pocket?
then proceeded to shove my hand in it in an attempt to find something that floats.
What I found - after five minutes of taking random shit out of the stupid, stupid pouch and putting it all back - wasn't in the pouch at all. My saviour took the shape of an island, that appeared to have a castle at the top, the castle was shaped sorta like a crown...an expensive crown...
I wanna break in.
"Oooh! Paddles! ...when did I get paddl...no wait that's just one paddle... Did I steal this?"
At this point, I was surprised nothing other than my feet were being eaten, and digested, by ocean water! Also...do you know that feeling you get when your shoes and socks are wet and every step you take just makes this squelching sound and you wanna take everything off just because? Yeah me too.
"Ew. Yeah. No. Take 'em off. Take 'em off... I need to invest in waterproof socks." At that instance, I made a lifelong vow, and I didn't even know it.
I wonder if Dr. Vegapunk would make them?
I need to stay on topic! You can't keep doing this, you off-topic-addicted fiend!
I sat my dumb ass back down on the little bench in the middle of the boat and threw my soaked ankle-high shoes into the sky.
Did the sky just sparkle?
SPLASH!
Nope. Just my imagination.
Then I shoved the wrinkly socks that I previously throttled until they were even relatively dry into my pocket, and grabbed my single paddle, proceeding to use said paddle to row as fast as I could, making very large splashes on each side.
Note to self, when stranded in a sinking boat, with the nearest land at least 5 kilometres...erm...that's what...5000 meters? ...Five kilometres. away, trying to row your boat at high speeds will probably destroy the boat...or sink it quicker...
Right, left, right, left- god this is taxing-
And it did, as I rowed slower and slower, the boat started sinking lower and lower. It was hardly noticeable at first, I just chalked it up to the large splashes leaking some water over the sides, but that idea was scrapped as quickly as I started sinking alongside the little dingy.
"Ah, shit. So much for not taking a swim today. The day wasn't even that nice, or warm outside at all either!"
...it's really cold...I need air...I wonder if everything in my infinity pouch would be wet if water got in...uh oh.
Once I regained my senses, I quickly let go of my paddle, made sure my pouch was safely tucked in my pocket, and I was facing the correct direction to swim in, that direction being up, I gripped what I could, nothing but water, and swam froggy style for some much-needed oxygen.
I should work on how long I can hold my breath... I should write down things I need to do... Dang it! I hate 'To Do' lists! ...Buuuut, if I were to add things I should stea- buy, then is it really a 'To Do' list? Probably... Who cares- No. No, no, no. You're still swimming. Stop straying away from focusing on what you need to do!
I had been pushed slightly off course of the docks I had been aiming to swim to, as I had stopped paying attention to my initial path. So, I redirected myself to the rocks instead because I realized I was too short to climb up the side of the algy-covered posts.
"Argh! Why does this always happen at the best of times!" I scraped my leg against a particularly sharp rock because I didn't realize I could stand in the now shallow water, It didn't hurt all that much actually, I just like to be a little dramatic sometimes, though I don't think about it much nowadays so that part of me got a little subdued.
As I dodged the sharper rocks to save my bare, pained, feet from any more pain, I started thinking, which doesn't usually turn out all that great for anyone in a 15-meter radius.
Will this scrap get infected? Should I go see a doctor? Will there be anything worth stealing in that castle? Can I kidnap someone to force them to be my friend? Is that legal? No? Oh... Well...is that alley empty? Is there rogue water in my infinity pouch?
Pendant- oh wait...that's French...I could make a persona that is based purely on the stereotypical French guy, despite me not being French at all... AH! Focus, Fl- wait that's my real name. So... Who am I? I've been my brother this whole time... Let's switch it up. I can't be Remi because that's my government agent persona... I'm trying not to be Forneus... That leaves Francis, my least favourite sister.
No! No! You have a task to do Fran- urgh- Francis!
Like I was previously saying, as I was walking through the busy (and kinda stuffy) streets, I realized that they were clearing a sort of path, probably because I'm quite bloody, the cut on my leg isn't too deep but it's deep enough that it'll leave a nasty scar I'm gonna have to cover for any other disguise.
That being said, my problem could also be because I'm covered in dirt and soaking wet, as well as the fact my face probably had leftover makeup residue stuck to it, my eye bags are most definitely prominent to anybody with anything better than blind eyes, my oversized t-shirt is ripped in several places, AND the fact everyone around looks either posh, extremely fancy, OR extremely posh doesn't help in the slightest.
Therefore, I STAND OUT WAY TOO MUCH!
This led to me, entering the previously mentioned alley, and dumping everything out of my pouch, all that was supposed to be in it was there, as well as stuff that I might've stolen...
The only thing I wished was there that wasn't, was my trombone. Leaving me in forever sadness. The only reason it was missing was because I had to sell it a week ago for some money, but... at least got 36 000 Berries for a trombone in perfect condition, hardly used, that's a great deal.
Once I wrung everything that was more than slightly moist, one thing at a time, I shoved everything in, only to realize it was noticeably starting to get larger.
Ah. So that's why fewer people have pouches like this... It's a one-use thing once you take everything out. Not cool...so not cool...
"What the hell!"
-0-0-
"Run! Go! Go quickly! If you want to be free, then get onto the ship! You'll be safer there!" Those words were heard throughout the island, over and over again in different sequences by different people. There were people, men, women, children, slaves.
They were all slaves that were freed by the revolutionary army not even an hour prior. They all lost their freedom, some lost it when they were teens, adults, maybe not all that long ago, but there were also the children that might've been mere infants, newborns when they became slaves.
It was honestly disgusting, vile, but they were going to relearn how to live free. And if the revolutionaries got their way, they would never lose it again.
One whole day ago, I started to plan. I had to steal a rather large bag to stuff all my belongings into, there could've been better but when you steal from rich people for things with real purpose, and not just class, you get what you get.
I changed into a pair of pants from my dirty shorts and tied my hair into a high ponytail, I knew I still would've stood out if I looked too casual so I stole some garments that servants must have put outside because the rich people are 'too good' to do it themselves, so I stole that, then I got super tall platform heels because there's no way in hell people will believe I'm the age I'm acting as if I'm 4'6".
Stupid short, stubby legs! If I don't hit a growth spurt in the next three months I'll be the shortest 12-year-old anyone in this world has ever seen! ...I love having time for exaggeration and dramatics. I thought this was such a terrible problem.
But you realize how trivial and dumb your problems are, 'specially when you are stuck in difficult, and potentially dangerous, situations.
I realized it not too long after I snuck into the fancy castle at the top of the island.
But after I got caught, I was naive enough to think I could get away on my own...maybe it wasn't all bad in the end...
I only realized it after I found that kid, a new friend, no older or younger than me, in pain and suffering from sickness.
I decided to stay long enough to see them free, by me or by anyone else, the same day or a week later, a month, a year even, though I was hoping it wouldn't be that long, it didn't matter, as many of the slaves on that island as possible, the smell of rotting flesh, blood, and ignorant rich assholes backing up my wishes in the process.
A long while after that (three days, six meals, and two nights to be precise), the revolutionaries came and infiltrated the ranks of fanciness and poshness, I only knew because I was chained outdoors, where disobedient slaves sat, that's also where I met my new friend...but she never told me her name...actually- is she dead now? If she did die then...well...let's say I thought I wouldn't be alone again, because going off of the chit-chat of the dumb ass guards - talking about that in front of their captives - the girl was there often...
We talked awhile before she fainted (I hope it was just that), simple small talk...if things ranging from our favourite colours to how we would kill a person in a very specific way and how we would dispose of it is simple small talk...or did it become something deeper, truly opening up to each other? I mean, I was happy in those short, yet long two days, and if we felt the same feelings, we were expecting a long, fun and painful relationship, full of steep hills- mountains of trust issues and seas of loneliness, but quality over quantity, I guess...and those trust issues are gonna make it hard to find others...as long as we do become friends because of reasons other than circumstance.
Those had been my thoughts at the time, long having forgotten the revolutionary army coincidentally being there meer days after I arrived.
After one night, said army - could it be called that... they just sent like... 8 men after the first 3 made it to the castle and saved as many slaves as they could - which was all of them - defeating most of the guards with minimum aid while doing so.
I carried the passed-out girl as soon as my yelling caught the attention of a passing revolutionary, and was freed.
But that was hours ago. I have been inner monologing for a while...not to mention the several hours spent on deck and in the infirmary watching over my previously passed out/ostensibly dead new friend.
Anyhow... according to a random revolutionary talking to another random revolutionary, no other residents had slaves, only the subordinates or the servants in the castle knew about them, which was great, not to mention convenient.
Where are all these conveniences coming from? Am I just lucky? Gahahahaaghgahaggdjdhdh! Not a chance- wait did I just mentally laugh?
"Aagh! Let me go! I won't let you sell me to some other rich bastards!" Whilst I was recapping, my friend awoke from her slumber. She was not pleased; thinking she was being transported or sold off again, not listening to reason. During that time, I was sitting on a wine barrel, arms and legs crossed, face neutral, watching my friend try to jump off the ship for the seemingly nth time that hour.
She was thrashing around and she kicked 4 different guys, all biologically Male, in the place where light never shines, the crotch. It was painful to watch but I saw it all through, even as they were switched out and sent flying to different directions of the ship. They never learned, not even after the 2nd guy. The pain is painful.
Deciding to stop her from wasting more energy (and from causing more men to become infertile if they were kicked hard enough) that could be used for recovering, I uncrossed my arms, then my legs from a 'criss-cross-apple-sauce' position and hopped off the barrel in one swift motion.
As my feet made contact with the wood deck, I heard my limbs give unpleasant pops, causing me to wince. Taking a short moment to recuperate, I noticed the slightly worried glances I was getting from the people on deck, likely thinking my leg was giving me pain.
Then I walked forward.
There was about 5 seconds till I reached the physically and mentally hurt girl and the man holding her back. I had not thought about what I was going to do after those 5 seconds.
5...I could bitch slap her!?
4...What the hell! That's a terrible plan! I'm tryingto comfort her!
3...I could just try to talk... Why would she listen to me!? I'm practically a stranger!
2...Is it too late to turn around? She hasn't noticed me... Feelings are stupid and complicated.
1...I hate myself.
Now standing an arm's length away from the girl and having an internal panic attack - feeling like nothing but impending doom awaits - I acted on instinct. Leaning towards the unsuspecting female and wrapping my arms around her neck, pulling her closer to my chest in a hug.
Am I doing this right? I don't think so...
"I know you're hurting." I started in a whisper.
What am I even saying!?
"But we're safe. You don't need to listen, but I promise if anyone hurts you on this ship or elsewhere, I will help you." I continued in her ear.
Why am I making promises!?
"Because this world is cruel and painful, and lonely. So I promise to be by your side as long as you wish. You may not remember us talking back when we were locked up outside, but I remember, and you are hurting. So let me help you."
Halfway through my impulsive little mumbling session, I could feel my shoulder starting to get wet. My shoulders were starting to tense up before I forced them to relax again. A little while after that though, nearing the end of my nearly incoherent mumbles, I heard sobs.
I guess...all she needed was a little bit of love...
My lip started to tremble, face heating up; not in anger, nor embarrassment, nor joy... I started crying too.
I was in the middle of that ship, surrounded by people I didn't know with a stranger I only talked to once crying in my arms. And yet I still allowed my real emotions to show.
I had much to learn and practically no time to do it. But I needed a friend, and she needed someone to hold, so we embraced each other's warmth as if we have been completely alone for far too long.
I...I think it's time to forget my past. For this girl, for this friend. I'm so sorry Hannah.
-0-0-
(You don't need to read this,)
I wanna leave you in a place that doesn't make me seem like a total lunatic...hope it worked...this was lazy...so it's short.
I deeply apologize...nah that doesn't sound right- I'm sorry for not updating for so long. I lost that thing most people have... What's it called? Motivation? Yeah, that's right. BUT I found it again just in time to be over a month late! Exciting right...sorry... I won't be updating until I have... let's say...minimum...eight chapters...so that I can reduce stress and after that, I'll start updating again, I have no clue how long that is going to take, I just hope it's less than three months... I'm being realistic...I write whenever I have barely any free time and am very stressed, if I become stress-free, I don't write. It's a bad habit.
I respect anyone that can update weekly, good job if you can.
Just so you know, 300 berries is 1 USD, therefore, 36,000 Berries is 120 USD and 157.30 CAD/16,562.94 Japanese Yen... I think... The math is probably completely wrong... thought I'd try to make sense of it somewhat... I mean...it sure puts Chopper's bounty into perspective.
Thank you for reading and have a good remainder of your week. :D