Happy Holidays to you all! As a little holiday treat, please see below for the next chapter! As always R&R and let me know of your thoughts and please enjoy your time with Charlotte (the OC) and the rest of her adventures with the Heart Pirate Crew.
-Airi
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, just the OCs
It was a normal day for the young North Blue pirate crew as they lounged around Sabaody Archipelago while they waited for the Polar Tang to finish coating so they can pass through Fishman Island and make it to the other side of the Grand Line. Or it should have been had it not been for the Straw Hat Pirates.
The news had passed by quickly of Luffy's attack on the Celestial Dragons and everything went downhill after that. An admiral had been called in. Their Captain was somehow involved, and they had to get off the island with the coating job half done. They managed to round up their crew from all corners of the island, and escape with few injuries despite running into a Pacifista.
All was good again. The chaos was over and that was everything.
That should have been everything at least.
The Heart Pirates stared at the lone female standing on their main deck, arms crossed over her chest and a pair of heavy leather gloves tossed on the ground before her. She looked a bit worn out, dried blood coating the corner of her lips and small cuts coating one of her thin arms.
The technician glanced over at Shachi and leaned in. He curled a hand over his mouth. "Hey, you were with Capt'n on the island. Who's the girl?"
Shachi scratched the back of his head, wondering what the fastest way to inform the group was. "Ugh, I think her name was Charlotte or something?" He honestly didn't know much. "She been following Captain since this afternoon, but she hasn't really done anything."
Cole crossed his arms at the vague respond, hazel eyes flipping towards their calm Captain staring off with the woman. His nodachi was leaning casually against his shoulder despite the slight uneven breathing and the scuff marks from fighting against the Pacifista. "Capt'n, can you reject the woman already? We can't submerge with both of you standing on the deck." He sighed, picking at his ear with his pinky. Leave it to their Captain to get some island stalker in less than a week.
"I challenge you to a duel!"
Cole nodded. Arms crossed over his chest. Yes, yes, now get the confession over with.
"A duel? That's rather direct." Law responded with a slight tilt of amusement in his voice. Cole nodded. Yes. It may be direct, but direct was good. Direct would be faster, clear and then they can get—
A duel?!Hazel eyes snapped open, darting between the two standing. "… it ain't a confession?!" He muttered out loud. Wasn't she a crazy lady fallen for their Captain's charms?
"I would have expected that the element of surprise was a common tactic used by all bounty hunters." Law continued. She was a hunter after their captain's bounty! Cole shot Shachi a look. Way to leave out the important details!
Charlotte unfolded her arms and shrugged, "Figure there's no point in an ambushed when we've already fought alongside a battle together." She didn't miss the way Law's gaze immediately drew towards the pink paw prints in the middle of her hand. She eyed the elevated skin too. Guessed they did look grotesque. "Plus, at the rate where things were going, I wouldn't get a turn in where we would be alone." Killer had showed up the first time and that extended until Luffy showed up and now the whole crew's here.
Law turned so he was fully facing the woman. So that was why she hadn't attacked him in all those earlier situations. "You didn't strike me as the shy type." Law said.
"A woman deserves some privacy." Charlotte replied easily, without missing a beat before rephrasing strangely honestly. "I'm not a fan of attention." She couldn't afford any need for unnecessary attention or prying eyes.
Law eyed the swollen pink paws on her hands. "Mystery draws attention." He warned. He lifted his sword off his shoulder. "You should know by now you can't win against me." He lifted his other hand, a small ring whirling beneath his hand. "I just have to avoid those hands of yours and you can't use that ability if you can't get close." Their conversation was coming to an end.
Charlotte dropped her arms beside her, karambits snapping out as she clenched her fists. "But are you able to keep up? I'm quite fast if I say so myself." She already slipped past his formation twice and with her Kenbunshoku Haki, she could avoid his attacks.
Law hummed, seemly stumped. "Probably not." He admitted honestly much to Charlotte's surprise. "But you won't be able to move at your top speed. You injured your leg in that last fight. So, I'd say the odds are in my favour."
"I'm impressed. The doctor title wasn't just for show." Charlotte said, though she didn't look the slightly bit surprised. Annoyed maybe. He noticed!
"I am a doctor." Law said simply.
And Charlotte darted off.
"Room."
It was a battle of speed after that. Charlotte made dashes towards Law, arms outstretched to try to land a touch against him while Law would swap her or his position with another object or even another pirate on the deck. Charlotte didn't seem bothered by it at all, quickly readjusting to the new orientation or new position and darting back towards Law.
Her fingertips grazed the edge of his yellow hoodie before he disappeared, reappearing where a barrel of water had stood previously. She twisted her body, propelling herself off the floating barrel. It crashed against the deck, water splashing out.
She's adapting fast. Too fast He thought. The smile on his face missing. If this keeps up, she'll reach me. He reached for his blade.
Charlotte pivoted, pushing back and out of the blue doom as soon as his hands wrapped around the hilt.
"Oh? You seem well-aware of my abilities." Law said and drew the blade, nonetheless.
"Knowledge is wealth. Though hearing that from tactician like yourself, I'm honoured." Charlotte smiled and Law couldn't quite tell if she was mocking him or if she meant it. "You can't cut anything from afar that is not within that circle." Charlotte said stating it more than asking for confirmation.
Law stared at the now-distant huntress, hanging by the upper deck. "And you can't get close without risk of being cut up. We're at what they call a stalemate."
"So, it would seem…" Charlotte nodded, though she didn't seem the littlest bit concerned. "Though I must say being cut up by you doesn't seem that bad." Charlotte winkedand stepped into the blue circle much to the Heart Pirate's surprise.
Insanity.
Insanity was the only word that came to mind as the Heart Pirates watch the woman run knowingly into their boss' attacks. She managed to dodge the first few cuts curtesy with her Haki and the distance, but Haki was only as good as the user's agility. If she couldn't react fast enough, it meant nothing if she could see the attacks coming. It wasn't long before her leg got severed at the calf, and then an arm, her bottom half, and then finally the other arm. Her fingertips grazing his yellow hoodie just slightly.
"You are one scary woman." Law commented with a grin. He wasn't quite sure whether to respect the woman for her tenacity or to write it off as stupid. His sword sheathed and hand how fisting the signature red scarf to bring her to eye level.
She grinned at him, but her glare remained strong, even if she was having difficulties maintaining eye contact given her unanchored position. "Not that difficult when there's no actual dangers of injury." Charlotte tried to shrug but the action was lost amongst her floating body pieces. "See, everything works fine." She waved a severed hand at them, the pink Nikyu Nikyu paw catching Law's attention.
Law grin turned feral. Even still. He thought. Not many were able to charge head-first into a blade even knowing that it wasn't fatal. A cut was a cut. She didn't even flinch. Just who is this woman?
"Trust me I would have already sent my hand at you if I could." Charlotte said, curling her fingers and cutting the pink paw from view. Law didn't doubt it, but it didn't make him any less wary of her hands. She leaned back, letting her weight hang completely against Law's grip on her scarf. "Unfortunately for me, you already stopped my means." She peeked at the chopped of remains of her body. A bored look on her face. They were all floating in midair, pieces too far from each other to be of use and too far from any objects to use as a bouncing board. She frowned. She hadn't expected Law to figure out her plans so quickly.
Dropping her gaze back towards the doctor, she raised the question. "So, what are you going to do? Leave me like this forever or piece me back together knowing I'll go after you as soon as you do?"
Law watched the wicked grin on her face. Smug. Calm. "Aren't you worried that I could kill you? It wouldn't be difficult. You're just a torso now. Vulnerable. Susceptible to any attack. Unable to defend yourself."
His eyes narrowed when her grin grew challenging. "Except you already would have if you could."
His lips curled up and the rest of his crew shuddered at the ominously dark look. Far too familiar with the expression that they only really seen on his experiments. Law lifted his hand, tattooed fingers spread out slightly and bent at the knuckles. "Correction: if I wanted to. I didn't, but now… you brought this on yourself." He pressed his tanned fingers against the exposed split of her stomach. He locked eyes with the hunter.
"Shambles."
A flush of heat rushed through her veins and traveling throughout her body, burning up the tiny blood vessels and arteries that made up her body. The heatwave raked its way around her system, and she felt like her blood had been burned away, replaced by liquid fire. Charlotte gritted her teeth, body convulsing at the feeling of being burned alive from the inside out. Her body felt limp for a moment, and then it pulsed. The heatwave retracted, rushing back towards the five points on her stomach where his fingers were pressed against her skin.
In what felt like an eternity of being roasted alive from the inside out was actually very quick. Not even half a second had passed since Law had touched her. His lips still forming the nameof his attack.
Charlotte coughed and lifted her gaze towards the doctor, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. Ah, I hate Devil Fruit users. She cursed between grinning lips. Her platinum eyes glowed with determination and a will that was yet defeated. There was a thin layer of perspiration on her skin and her breath was ragged.
"It hurts." Law stated matter-of-factly. He eyed the physical reactions with controlled boredom, misattributing them to his attacked. "Your organs have all be forcibly shifted. Nothing's where it should be, but your body is still trying to function as per normal. I wonder how long before your body breaks down."
Her severed arm twitched. "… I… better hurry then." She mumbled. Law quirked a brow at her words. He rested his free hand against his hip, interest waning quickly. The battle was over. She lost. His eyes drifted towards the floating appendage.
Her fingers curled slightly, bending at the knuckles. The digits distanced slightly from each other in a way that looked oddly familiar to the doctor. The palm was facing down so he couldn't quite see and—his eyes widened.
The pink paw was missing from her palm.
"'Room' was it?"
A ring of purple spun from just underneath her fingers before spreading out to envelop the two of them in a fashion that Law was far too familiar with.
The blue dome shrank and a matching purple one grew in its place. Jellied boxes that should have been a clear blue appeared but in a light purple, decorating the air like lanterns. Each one containing a different organ of sorts. Most of them where Charlotte's own organs, shot out of her now re-pieced body, to limit the damage that Law was talking about. Except there was one organ that had a matching pair that no regular human would have two of.
It took the Heart Pirates a little time to realize the fact though. Their minds still trying to process what they are seeing. It was their Captain's ability. There was no mistaking that. Except it wasn't blue like usual. The tint was purple, and it was coming from the huntress!
"W-what's going on?!" One of the pirates finally managed. "T-There's no way for two people to have the same devil fruit ability!"
Charlotte dragged her karambit down in the air before her and Law's stomach spilled opened, revealing the contents. Slowly, she placed each of her organs back into place using Law as an anatomy reference. His arms had long been sliced up and sent to random corners of the deck. His crew too. Whenever someone came running to his aid, she'd 'shambles' them elsewhere, trading them with a one of his arms or with another crew member.
Law narrowed his gaze. She had good control over his ability. But the largest question remained unanswered. "What is this?"
Charlotte turned towards him, slight surprised on her face but amusement clear in her eyes. She was enjoying the fire in his eyes. She glanced curiously at the boxed heart in her hands. "Shouldn't you know? You're the doctor." The rest of her organs already sorted and accounted for. She raised a finger and pointed to his chest. "This is your heart."
Law followed the finger towards the boxed hole in his chest and for some reason Hawkin's earlier warning ran in his mind.
Be careful not to misplace anything of importance or you'll find yourself forced into an unfavourable situation.
"That's not what I meant!" Law shoved the stupid fortune away. There were more burning questions to deal with. "There are no two identical Devil Fruits. Each Devil Fruit holds one unique ability, and that ability is cursed upon the person who eats the fruit. And it stays with that person until they expire. So, how come you have the same Ope Ope ability?!"
Charlotte's expression flared into life. Sarcastic and sardonic. "You know," she started, drawing out her words. "I don't think I owe you an explanation." She pivoted on her heel, eyes scanning the many pirates glaring at her. She glanced over her shoulder towards the limbless doctor. A smug grin split her face in too. "You were right about one thing though: surprise is a common tactic of hunters."
And that's a wrap for the little longer introduction! Please leave a comment and let me know what your thoughts are about Charlotte so far and her interactions with the One Piece characters. Anything you like in general or don't like? I'm curious haha. Also, was there anything you guys picked up that doesn't exactly line up yet? ;) (hint and for future: I do like scattering little foreshadowing easter eggs, I wonder how many you guys can find!)
Hope you enjoyed reading!
-Airi