Karin dodged out the way of the sword swinging for her neck, bringing the hilt of her still sheathed Gladius down on the back of the mans head, knocking him clean out.
She sighed and glanced around. Noticing members of her crew having fun with slaughtering innocent civilians. They were attacking a fishing vessel for fucks sake. What her captain hoped to gain from this was beyond her.
Spotting another of the fisherman charging at her, wielding his sword high over his head, she put her Gladius back into the holder on her lower back and prepared herself for his attack
"Pirate scum!" He yelled as he swung down on her from above, she side stepped and brought her hand up and slammed her palm into his chin, sending him slightly airborne. She spun and kicked into his stomach, sending him flying into the banister of the ship.
She doesn't like hurting innocent people, but she has to at least be convincing that she's okay with it, otherwise her crew will probably kick her out.
Would that be so bad? The question she has asked herself multiple times rears it's head again, once again filling her with a sense of unease and uncertainty. She's been with this crew for so long, through so many hardships and joyous celebrations, she can't just up and abandon them, she owes so many people her so much. She owes her captain her life.
Speaking of which, he was currently walking towards her. He stops in front of her and glares at her, she shifts uncomfortably, unsure why he was staring at her.
Without saying anything he draws his pistol and aims at the man at her feet, the first man she knocked out. Before she can do or say anything he shoots the unconscious man in the back of his head, Karina cringing at the sickening squelch it made. He then turns and shoots the man slumped against the banister in the same way.
He turns to glare at her again "Still got that silly moral code huh? Don't worry, you'll lose it eventually" He leans in close to her ear, a bony hand snaking it's way to her throat "I'll make sure of it" He let go and turned to the rest of the crew "Everyone back on the ship, we're leaving"
She sighed shakily but headed back to the ship as she was told, jumping up to grab onto the railing of their much larger vessel she heard and felt the rush of air that followed an explosion. She pulled herself up and turned around.
Karina stared off the side of the ship, the one she has called home for the last decade of her life as the fishing vessel off the port side sinks below the surface of the water.
She sighs, her crew used to be a peaceful one, the type that people didn't have to run and hide from at the mere sight of the ship, they used to actually be known for their good deeds.
She glanced over at her captain, cleaning his sword of the recent blood. He was an older man, in his early sixties at this point and she had considered him somewhat of a father after he took her in ten years ago.
But two and a half years ago there was an accident, he hasn't been the same since then. He decided that the crew would drop their "Goody two shoes act" as he put it. Since then she can barely recognise the people she used to call family.
Liam, a tall broad man wandered over. He was probably the scariest looking dude here, with his spiked black hair, large lightning bolt scar down his face and body covered in tattoos. Yet was also one of the few who refused to drop his moral code when the rest of the crew did. He was older, but not as old as the captain and you can see the signs of age on his face, crows feet, laugh lines and a sprinkle of wrinkles here and there.
"How you holding up kiddo?" He asked as he leaned his back against the railing of the ship, dropping a large tankard of what she assumes is a alcohol into her expectant hand.
She mutters a thanks before fiddling a little with her bow "I'm alright I suppose" She let out a sigh, the thousandth one in the last week, Liam knows how much all these...bad deeds, are weighing on her.
"That's a lie" He said and she shot him an incredulous look "That's the fifth time today that you've decided to give your bow some maintenance and it's only just past midday. You only do that when; A) Stressed, B) Angry, C) there's somethin on your mind or D) All of the above" She scoffed, stupid Liam and his stupid good intuition. She took a swig from her tankard and appreciated the burn of the alochol.
"Okay fine" She stood up and turned to face him fully "I dunno how much longer I can do this for" She brushed a hand nervously through her hair, she knows that Liam won't rat on her to the captain but she was still nervous "All this killing, stealing, kidnapping and...and" She let out a shaky breathe, she couldn't bring herself to say the last one, he just put a large hand on her shoulder to comfort her, he knows what she's been through.
"I get it. And that's why I feel I should tell you that we're heading towards a large port town right now and I can tell you that the captains intentions are anything but nice" She grimaced but nodded "Pack a bag, jump ship when we make landfall and get on one of the merchant ships that will flee once the attack starts" He strokes her hair "Get yourself away from this hellhole" This time it was his turn to sigh
"I don't wanna do that, there are still people on this crew that I care about" She grabbed his wrist and took his hand off of her head
"The captain is past caring about his crew, all of us are gonna get left behind at some point, best to do it now of your own volition instead of later when there's not any option for survival" She dropped her gaze to the floor, he has a point.
"But what about you? What about Lox or Shunko?" She tried making some good points, all of which he didn't seem to care about.
"Look Karina, you have the most potential for a successful life out of all of us here. You're the strongest of us, the smartest, after Shunko at least" The crews resident tactician popped into her head, the girls head of wavy strawberry blonde hair and face full of life and freckles, Karina has always had a crush on the woman but she was married to the crews sharpshooter - Lox.
"How's the haki training been coming along?" He asked, she recently managed to tap into her observation and armament haki. She just wish she could say she was good with them.
"Ehe not very well to be truthful"
"Yea makes sense, kinda hard to train when the only other one with haki on the crew is the captain"
Yea and to hell training with that psycho she thought to herself
Before she could say anything, the captain shouted over to them "Karina, a word please" He shouted before disappearing into his quarters. She shared a look with Liam, who was trying his best to keep a neutral expression. He knows what "a word" means when it comes to Karina.
"Get out of here Kar" Liam said before walking off
She watched him leave before steeling herself. She knocked on the captains door before opening it and walking in.
He sat in his large chair although it was more like a throne, his back turned to her as he looked at a map on the table in front of him.
"You wanted to see me captain?" She said as she walked round into his field of view.
"Ahh Karina, there you are" He said, standing up, his whole six foot five inches towering over her five foot three inches.
He pointed at an island on the map that was laid out on the table "This is our target" She scoffed at his use of wording but looked at where he was pointing, an island called Ramrod island.
"There I want you to take point" Her head snapped to look at him, taking point meant all eyes would be on her, meaning she wouldn't be able to get away with not killing. He was testing her and her loyalty to the crew, to him.
He walked round behind her and she tensed as he leaned down to be level with her ear. "I know you've never taken point before my dear" His hand went to her waist "But I have the upmost faith in you" His other hand went to the other side of her waist.
"And If I refuse" The hands tightened their hold on her and she bite back a groan of pain as it got tighter and tighter
"Now now" His hands started moving up her torso and she had to fight the tears that threatened to form "You wouldn't want to disappoint me now would you? My dumbass daughter" She wanted to so badly throw her elbow back and crack his nose, his jaw, anything as long as it got his hands off of her.
Yet, she couldn't, her body was frozen stiff. All those years spent in her teenage years in situations similar to this has made her body completely freeze when she feels in this sort of danger. She couldn't hold them back anymore and the tears formed in her eyes and immediately trailed down her cheek.
His hand reached her chest and he cupped her breasts and she bite back a cry. Fight. Push him away, come on you damned idiot She screamed at herself to do something, anything. But I owe him so much. He took me in and kept me safe during the lowest point of my life, I belong to him.
She was sobbing at this point, her head spinning, making the world feel like it was trying to throw her off, her chest was starting to grow painful and she was sweating. She was spiralling into a panic attack, this only seemed to fuel her captain as he brought his hand back down and went to put his hand up her shirt.
His cold hand touched warm flesh as he started to trail back up the inside of her shirt but a quick knock on the door made him pause "What is it" He shouted, annoyance lacing his voice.
Loxs voice came through the door "Captain we're nearly to the island" The captain grunted in annoyance as her pulled away from her. He flung open the door and walked out.
Lox was about to walk away but a strangled sob made him stop. He peered into the room and cursed under his breathe. He ran into the room and closed the door behind him. He crouched down next to Karina and made sure to get her attention.
"Karina it's me Lox. I'm gonna touch you okay?" A strangled noise made it's way out of her throat and he hoped that was an affirmative noise. He didn't want to risk making her panic attack worse by her thinking it was the captain coming back to finish off whatever it was that he done to her.
He grabbed her gently and pulled her into a hug. Noting how she still flinched hard at the contact, hoping he didn't make a mistake he started to rub circles on her back, noting how clammy she was. Poor thing was sweating buckets
"It's alright I'm here for you kiddo" He muttered. He noticed that she wasn't making any sound, he couldn't even hear her breathing "Karina I need you to breathe for me" He turned her head so she was looking at him. Her face almost broke his heart, she looked terrified, hair wet with sweat, clinging to her forehead and face. Her eyes were cloudy and unfocused as they darted around, like they were trying to find some invisible threat.
"Breathe with me" He said "In" He waited till he knew she had taken in a breathe "And out" Once again he waited for her and she did eventually release the breathe, albeit very shakily. Her entire body seeming to shudder at the effort it took her
A few more times repeating that and her eyes were much more focused as she was solely looking at him instead of everywhere but him. He could see the usual life coming back to her eyes and he smiled at her, they were through the worst of it now.
He rubbed her hair, a weird thing that's always helped her calm down. Lox has helped her through multiple panic attacks, although never pried as to what caused them.
He has a pretty good idea what the cause is now.
Another couple minutes go by and her breathing is finally under control, although she still lets out a strangled sob every now and then.
"Sorry Lox" She manages to get out, putting on a smile that he could tell was forced, in hopes the man would feel better and not worry so much about her.
"You're alright Kar" He patted her knee and stood up straight "I'm gonna grab you some water, be right back" He went to walk away but her hand grabbing his wrist stopped him "Don't leave me alone. Please?" She said, sounding surprisingly calm, but her eyes showed how panicked she was at the idea of being left alone. He put his hand over hers and sat down with her again.
"You know Shunko is pregnant?" Her head whipped round to look at him. He knew that would help get her mind occupied. Although his wife will definitely kick his ass for telling her without he being there.
"What? When? How far along is she How? Actually don't answer that last one" He chuckled at the barrage of questions
"We found out a couple days ago. She was throwing up a lot so Doc done an exam and found it" Karina beamed at him and wiped away a stray tear
"Congrats, I'm so happy for you guys" She said, and she meant it. While she had a crush on Shunko she couldn't deny that the two of them made a great couple. Lox was a great guy and would keep her happy and safe. Not that Shunko needed protecting, she was one of the strongest fighters on the crew "And I'm sure you'll make a great dad" She added on
He laughed and put a hand to his head "Just gotta raise the kid how my dad raised me and it'll turn out great. Just like their old man" He smiled at her and stood.
"You gonna be okay chilling here for now? Pretty sure everyone has already went onto the island so the Captain won't be back for a while" She nodded and smiled appreciatively up at him. Just now remembering how she was supposed to take point, The captain probably got tired of waiting and just took point himself.
He ruffled her hair and left out the door. She smiled at the door as it closed, thankful to the sniper for once again helping her through her panic attack. She really needed to try and grab a present for the two of them to congratulate them. She sat there for a few more minutes, letting her mind roam to some ideas for a gift, that was a mistake.
Flashes of her captain touching her came to mind and she shuddered again. It's not the first time he's touched her and everytime he does she just freezes up and just let's it happen. She hates her feeling of helplessness when someone touches her in that way. She's well aware of why she does but she still doesn't like it. She shakes her head before taking that horrible trip down memory lane. Putting a hand to her head and groaning she shut the memories out, storing them away into the darkest room of her mind and locking the door. She shouldn't repress all the horrible memories. One day they're gonna spill out and she'll be left broken. But that's future hers problem.
After another few minutes she stands up on shaky legs, not fully recovered from sitting on the floor for so long. Walking slowly over to the door of the captains quarters she opened it a crack and peered out. The deck of the ship was mostly empty, save for the usual members that stay back to protect the ship.
She stepped out and almost immediately spotted Lox and Liam talking near the front of the ship. Shunko joins them moments later and, turning to look at her Liam spots Karina standing there. She must look a mess cause Liam immediately looks pissed and starts coming over to her.
Not being interested in talking to anyone right now she holds up her hand to stop him where he is across the deck. Although he looks conflicted he does stop where he is, she walks off to the women's quarters, a small room shared by five girls including her.
She took a quick shower to wash the horrible feeling of the old mans hands off of her. Stepping out after she was satisfied she was clean enough, she slips back into her clothes and slaps her hands to her cheeks. Enough wallowing in self pity, time to suck it up and be a big girl. She's been through this shit before and always came out just fine.
Exiting the women's quarters she sees Liam, Lox and Shunko in the same spot as earlier, only this time they were all looking at her.
She stared back at the three of them, knowing they were urging her to make her choice about leaving the crew, she dropped her head into her hands and groaned. She hated making tough choices like this, despised it. She's pretty sure she would a horrible captain cause she would rather curl up and cry than make tough choices. But alas that wasn't a good solution to this situation.
Wanting a chance to think with a clear head she headed up into the crows nest, a good view of some mountains always gave her a weird sense of peace and helped clear her head.
Once up there something immediately caught her eye and she felt her blood run cold. On the other side of a large hill, a hill tall enough to hide the mast of a ship from anyone on the deck of the boat, peeked out a flag that was clearly from a pirate ship, the flag had a skull and crossbones wearing a straw hat.
It was the ship of the emperor Straw hat Luffy.
She may be a little naive of the world but even she knew about the straw hats pirates and the fact they're a goddamn emperors crew.
She rushed back down the ladder, why hadn't Lox notified everyone about that? Maybe he had descended the ladder before it came into view properly but even so, everyone was in danger. This is the crew that's responsible for defeating Kaido for gods sake.
She's just glad she always carried her bow, a quiver of arrows and her Gladius, she didn't have time to be running around looking for them just now.
Hoping off the boat and rolling when she hit the ground she took off in a sprint, running aimlessly through town in hopes to find someone. She doesn't know anything about the straw hats but she's sure they have to be pretty terrible if they're considered bad enough to be an emperors crew.
A distant commotion rumbled the ground and she ran towards the source. Hoping that her crew waqs safe, the ones that she cared about anyway, there was still some good people on the crew. Turning a corner she spotted her captain on the ground, a well dressed blonde haired man towering over him. She knew who he was, Sanji, a member of the straw hat pirates who had over a 1 billion berri bounty, six hundred million more than her own bounty.
Part of her didn't want to go help her captain, not cause she was scared but because this horrible cycle of pain and torment he put her and so many others through.
You idiot, it doesn't matter how you feel. That man saved you when you were at your fucking lowest, you owe him your life and you better blindly follow him as payment Her own voice screamed at her in her head.
She saw Sanji reach into his suit pocket and, not wanting to risk it being gun she drew her bow and with deft fingers quickly nocked an arrow. She aimed and let the arrow fly, the blonde merely leaned his head back just before contact and flicked his gaze her way as he pulled a lighter out of the pocket
Sanji almost immediately bolted her way, his legs somehow morphing it a swirl he moved so fast "Well hello pretty lady, might it say it's so very pleasant meeting you. Oh and what an excellent shot that was, if I knew it was fired by one as pretty as you I would have willingly let it hit me" Karina just stared at him awkwardly, not used to this sort of response.
"Leave the girl alone pervy cook" She jumped to the side, the man she recognised as Roronoa Zoro said from next to her so suddenly, she wasn't even sure when he got there. But things were getting more and more dangerous, she definitely couldn't beat even one pirate with a bounty over one billion let alone two of them.
"Huuuuuh? And where the hell have you been you damn mosshead? We've all already started eating without you" The blonde shouted at the swordsman who just looked as though he was ignoring him.
"Got turned around. Could have sworn the restaurant we agreed to go to was on the west side of the island. Headed west and all I found was a forest" He scratched lazily at his jaw, looking around at the people unconscious on the ground.
"This is the west side of the island you moron, you probably headed east not west" Zoro just clicked his tongue then walked away, away from the restaurant they were just discussing.
Sanji booted him in the ass a couple times to get him going the right direction, before turning back to Karina "Sorry about that, miss...?" He was clearly waiting for her name but she didn't really feel like sharing that info
"You the one that beat up my crew?" She asked, one of her hands one another arrow in her quiver
"I am, they barged into the restaurant that my crew and I were dining in and, like barbarians threw perfectly good food on the floor. I don't like food going to waste so I taught them some manners" He said with a sweet smile on his face, definitely didn't like food being wasted.
She glanced over his shoulder to her captain and the crew members that were scattered around the street, there was a hole in the wall of the restaurant that this guy clearly knocked them through.
"Understandable" She muttered and dropped her hand away from the arrow "Can I?" She motioned to move past him and he happily stepped aside.
She stepped up to her captain and knelt down next to him. He looked a little banged up, some nice bruising already forming on his cheek "Where the hell have you been? You were meant to take point dumbass" He grunted, his gruff voice sounding accusatory.
"I don't give a shit what I was meant to do" She fired back, images of him touching her involuntarily coming to mind, she almost hated his ignorance to how he torments her more than the actual act of him touching her. Shaking her head she grunted annoyedly.
She stood back up after confirming he'll be fine "I warned you this would happen eventually" She could feel her temper rising "I warned you that if we continued this stupid temper tantrum at the world horseshit that one day we would come up against a crew that would give you a taste of reality" She angrily grabbed an arrow, nocked it and aimed it at him "I should kill you now, the harm you've brought on this world, all because someone died" She was well aware that she was shouting at this point "Well guess what, people die. You don't get to then go and take your anger out on innocent people that had nothing to do with it. People die and the people they leave behind? We have to deal with the hurt and the loss. You're not the only one that's lost some one. Get in line jackass" She put the arrow back in the quiver and started to walk away.
She didn't realise that her shouting had garnered her an audience. More people from the restaurant, she recognised the other members of the straw hats as well as some people she assumed were the restaurant staff.
She turned back round and walked over to help him out "Sorry about that captain" She reached her hand down which he happily took.
"Don't worry about it Karina. I'm well aware how you feel about me at the moment" He pulled her in for a hug she reluctantly reciprocated. She remembers a time his hugs made her feel so safe and accepted. Now they feel like danger and empty promises.
"My dumbass daughter" He stroked her cheek and she had to force herself to not physically recoil. She likes to think she's a good actor, to anyone watching they probably look like a happy father and daughter who are making up after a squabble "But I'm afraid your insubordination has grown to be annoying" He smiled at her and she heard the click of a pistols hammer being pulled back.
Without looking away he fired his pistol into her gut. The sudden flash of pain caused her to buckle and fall to the floor, she heard someone shout and glanced up in time to see her captain with his boot raised just above her head. She rolled to the side and sprang to her feet.
"Oh come on, Just let it happen you little bitch" He said to her, raising the pistol to point at her. But before he could fire it a hand stretched over and yanked it out of his hand.
Following the arm she noticed that Straw hat Luffy had grabbed it, a large chunk of meat stuffed into his impossibly stretched mouth and his other arm stretched and wrapped tight around the blonde cook who was yelling profanities at her captain and clearly trying to get over to him. Devil fruit user. Got it. She noted how he was staring at her. Like she was some form of entertainment. She thought about saying something to him but thought better of it, she snapped her attention back to her captain when he roared and charged at her.
Bringing her arm up she blocked a punch aimed for her face. She jumps away and glares at him. "Finally lost it huh you old bastard?" She growled out. Dodging a series of punches she starts to smile. Maybe this was the out she needed, beat up her captain and she won't have anywhere to go back to. "Fine. Let's fucking go then" She yelled.
Blocking another punch aimed for her cheek she steeled her resolve, making sure to build up all her hate she could muster for this man that has been her main source of torment for the past two years. Pushing his arm away she landed two punches to his gut, ducking under another swing she rocked a punch across his jaw, following the same arm through she slams her elbow into his nose, sending him sprawling to the ground. But before he got away from her she grabbed the collar of his shirt and slammed her knee into his gut, lurching forward she landed an uppercut to his jaw.
Bouncing back from the beating surprisingly well he brought his head down onto hers. The crack of his skull against hers was deafening and she had to fight not to stumble backwards. Regaining her composure she noticed the kick aimed for her ribs just in time. Letting the kick connect she trapped his leg to her side and moved back, straightening out his leg as far as it would go. She pivoted and brought her arm up and slammed her elbow down onto his knee. The sickening snap sound made the restaurant staff watching cringe away.
The shout of pain that ripped out of his throat made her feel good. She stood over him. A small trail of blood coming from her hair, a gash she got when he headbutted her.
Watching him writhe on the ground while gripping his now broken leg, she grabbed the hilt of her Gladius and yanked it from it's sheathe. It's been a long time since she last took it out. Growling low in her throat she stood over her former captain and plunged the Gladius down towards his throat, ready to snuff out his life, freeing the world from another horrible old man.
She stopped inches away from his throat.
She muttered to herself. Trying to convince herself to just do it, take the opportunity to end his life. No one would miss him. Memories flashed in her mind. The day he first welcomed her onto his ship after finding her adrift in the tiny sloop.
The day he introduced her to Shunko, the woman who would go onto become her best friend.
The day he cried over her coming out of her first big pirate fight on the verge of death and how he never left her bedside until she was better.
The first day he called her his daughter, that had been one of the happiest days of her life.
The day he gave her the Gladius that was now inches from taking his life.
She threw her head back and laughed, more at herself than anything else. Even after the last two years she couldn't bring herself to do it. She was pathetic.
She stared up at the sky and was about to stand up when a sharp pain in her thigh gave her pause. She looked down and saw his own dagger stabbing into her leg. She barely had time to react before he yanked it out and stabbed her in the chest with it.
She groaned but shoved him off of her, making sure to grab the dagger out his hand so it would stay in her wound and not make her bleed out faster. Stepping away from him she fell to a crouch
Someone was shouting but all she could concentrate on was the fact her vision was blurring very quickly. Crap, his poison dagger. She cursed to her self for not realising that's what he stabbed into her. She knew it wasn't a strong poison, it was more meant to knock people out, make them an easy kill. The edges of her vision darkened and she groaned as she fell back. She could barely make out the figures that rushed to stand above her, she could make out a set of blonde hair, some green from who she suspected was Zoro and what looked like some bright orange hair.
She strained to listen to what they were saying and made out "Chopper get over here" before she slipped into unconsciousness.