Chapter 5 – Training and Combat Drills
The next few days were a blur for Skyler. When she had initially arrived at the Victoria Punk, under unknown circumstances, she did not expect to fall into a place where pirates were going rampant and there were weird fruits that could give abilities beyond comprehension. Having suddenly appeared on the deck of an unknown ship, she was surprised to have some people that were able to help her, despite being surrounded by so many that suspected her.
Quincy had helped her with her clothes but, more than that, had welcomed her warmly, offering to help in whatever way she could. The ginger woman had been kind to introduce Skyler to the other few women that were aboard the ship. She had even asked Killer about Skyler being able to take a bunk from the women's room to sleep on while she was aboard the ship. Once Kidd had heard of this, he had teased Skyler relentlessly, telling her that she would be sleeping outside or on the crow's nest. Not that it would be the worst place, at least she would be keeping distance from the hot-headed captain. At the same time, she had to try and find a way to convince him to let her stay but helping a stranger didn't seem to be in his list of priorities.
Killer had kept his side of the promise and had addressed the issue with his captain but Kidd had been rather insistent on denying her stay given that he knew nothing of her intentions. Even so, there was always these small glimpses she could catch in his red eyes, moments of hesitation whenever she or Killer would bring it up to him. More moments of indecision especially when it was her voicing her need to find a way back home, hurling promises of not bothering him further if he'd help her with this. Killer had even suggested that she could stick around to help teach the newcomers to fight and, although initially refusing it, Kidd had eventually allowed it, granting her some form of routine.
When it came to the training drills, Killer would teach and train more offensive methods whereas Skyler would help with self-defence and disarming. Before or after these sessions with groups of the crew, she would ask Killer if he could spar with her, so that she could at least sneak in a bit of practice.
But she only started that once she got the green light from Heat about her wounds, especially her thigh. It seemed to have already healed, leaving a dry scab behind and rosy scarred skin peaking from under the cracks.
Heat was an odd character and Skyler didn't have much of an opportunity to learn more about him given that he was very quiet. He almost looked like a zombie or a mummy, a very unique look. But, much like a zombie or a mummy, not very talkative, reduced to grunts as a reply to her questions and giving her some quick instructions for care of her wound.
That was as much as she would get from him for the moment.
This morning was no different, having woken up early, had breakfast and she was already on deck, waiting for the new group to arrive. This time though, it was not Killer that was going to help her with the training but rather the captain himself.
Skyler was surprised, given that Kidd would usually prefer to use his devil fruit to fight and, from the little she had seen and heard of, he didn't seem to choose close combat without his devil fruit's assistance. Still, she would welcome a bit of help, given that the pirates could be unruly at times and would slack off.
"Killer is not coming?" She asked, stepping to towards the captain, stopping a few steps away from him.
"He's busy with charting out path, seems we deviated a bit from the path to the next island." He explained, trying to sound nonchalant.
"So he's your navigator?" She asked out of curiosity but quickly regretted it when she saw a suspicious look on Kidd's face. "I'm asking because all I've seen him do mostly is train others with close combat… I was just curious, sheesh." She looked away from him, hiding the pout she had but it didn't go unnoticed by the captain that had a smile that grew wide on his face. Still, that smile didn't last long because he felt unnerved by the fact that she seemed more enthused to be with his first mate rather than others. Unknowingly, that seemed to bother him and he couldn't quite understand why that was.
"He won't be gone for long but for now you're stuck with me." He poked her forehead with a bit more force, before shrugging off his coat, leaving him in a simple black t-shirt, the same one he wore on the first day, when she had helped with the repairs of the ship.
The clothes, despite being rather loose, would give away glimpses of his form, leaving enough mystery for the imagination to work with and try to figure out how sculpted his body really was. He had even lost his yellow printed pants and was just wearing some basic black pants that seemed to be of a stretchy material.
"Hopefully you know how to fight…" She mumbled under her breath and dashed to the middle of the deck when she heard him roar a "Ah!?" at her. She let out a chuckle that left him breathless for a moment. It had been heartfelt joy that she had voiced through that laugh and it seemed to have some effect on him. He didn't linger long on this feeling as the group that was supposed to train today made their way out to where Skyler was standing, hands on her hips and as proud as ever. Kidd took the time to admire her as she started orientating the pirates to what was supposed to be done, explaining the day's drills. His ears perked up to the sound of her voice, noting how, despite trying to have a clear sound, there was a hoarseness to it, making it sound sultry.
As the rest of the people paired up to do the drills, Kidd remained on his spot, not moving at all, taking the time to silently appreciate how she sauntered towards him. "You're just going to watch then?"
"This is too basic. I'm not going to waste my time on some warm-ups." He discreetly teased her, trying to get a reaction, to which he did. He revelled in how her mouth twisted into a scowl but then transforming into a grin. He was caught off guard when she took hold of his wrist and pulled him to the middle of all the pirates.
"Well then, you won't mind showing them how it's done?" She spoke a bit louder so that everyone could hear her and turn their attention to where the two were.
"By myself?" He teased, trying to hide that his body was highly aware that her hand was still holding his wrist. He felt hypersensitive to her warmth but he didn't let that shake his will.
"Of course not! This first part is for self-defence and disarming so… Let's show how it's done, you and I." Her smile grew even wider and she could hear some bickering within the group that was watching them. Skyler stepped away from the captain, making sure to indicate the others to give them more space.
"You asked for it." Kidd replied and took not time to lunge at her.
Reacting out of instinct, she was quick to turn, swiftly sliding her arm close to his, deviating the trajectory, her palm hitting him square in the chest with enough strength that pushed air out of his lungs. Skyler stepped back regaining again space between them and leaving him baffled, only for a moment.
"If you want to be the attacker, so be it." She was able to speak out before he lunged again towards her, aiming at the stomach, but she was quick to react again, pushing away his arm, leading into a twisting motion, turning his arm outward, before she slipped to his side. She had placed her foot behind his own, managing to slip it from under him, and making Kidd fall flat on his back. She had not released his arm yet, making sure that she could keep control of him while on the ground. "With self-defence, you want to incapacitate the opponent to create and opportunity for yourselves to attack or flee." She started to explain to the rest of the group, this only riling up the captain that was still on the ground.
As she explained further, she failed to notice that Kidd, reached out for her leg and pulled it towards him, making her fall backwards. He quickly scurried to her, wrapped his legs around her waist, pulled her onto him and held her head in a chokehold.
"Don't push your luck." He grunted, his breath feeling hot against her scalp. She felt him tighten the hold and quickly grabbed his foot, pushed it down and sat on his whole leg, creating space for her to move out of the hold. She quickly slipped out of his grasp, catching him surprised by her sudden movement and sat on his abdomen, locking his arm under her armpit.
"And that is how you get out of a chokehold while on the ground." She continued to explain as if Kidd had no effect on her. She actually was having fun with it, amused by his frustration. This was cut short when she saw a blade heading straight for her head. She dodged it off to the side but noticed that the blade turned around and came to a full stop just behind her back, the tip of the blade poking at her skin. "This was basic training with no devil fruit powers, Kidd." Her green gaze fell on the red-head that was below her, a huge grin plastered on his lips.
"Tough luck. Out there they don't care if there are rules or not." His grin only grew wider as he saw the frustration twisting her features. He took this opportunity, thrusting upward with his hips and pushing her over him. She yelped as she suddenly was flipped around and pushed down to the ground, with Kidd on top of her now, pinning her hands next to her head.
"Yeah but for now we're doing step by step!" She pointed out as she regained her breath. "And it was supposed to be no additional powers and what not, understand magic girl!?"
Kidd could only smile at her, enjoying this feisty side of her that she was showing him. He did quite enjoy a woman that would fight back and she seemed to be doing exactly that. Plus, despite her situation, she didn't seem to be afraid talking back at him, the person that had control over the choice of throwing her overboard or not.
Skyler had courage, he'd give her that much at least. And there something uncanny about her that left him on edge. He was not sure what, but she seemed to always be able to bring forth memories of another woman from his past. He would sometimes even reminisce about her, Victoria, but would inevitably push down whatever memories and feelings that would stir up. In a way, he saw that Skyler was similar to Victoria in some aspects and that was what was bringing up those memories more often these past few days.
This irked him, but at the same time it was not unwelcome either.
"Go back to training, you lazy asses!" Kidd barked out and the group that was surrounding them, quickly scurried to train in pairs, trying to avoid stealing glances towards the two that were still on the ground. He focused back to her, his red gaze searing her from the inside out. Skyler could feel goosebumps crawling up her arms, and she shivered unintentionally. "And you shouldn't be afraid, this is what you asked for, right? We're training so try and get out." He leaned down towards her, his breath brushing away strands of black hair that had escaped from her bun.
"No devil fruit powers, then." She highlighted again, raising her chin up in defiance. She tested his hold on her wrists, trying to wiggle them out but he held on tight, putting more of his weight on her.
"We'll see." Oh he really was having a kick out of having her under him like that. Vulnerable to him but still she was fighting back and he adored that even more.
"You asked for it, Kidd." She gave him one last smile before pushing down and fanning out her arms and, at the same time, pushing upward with her hips with force. This made him release her, supporting his weight with his hands, so he wouldn't fall flat on his face. She took the chance to grab around his large torso, barely able to lock her hands behind his back and kicked out one of his legs, making him lose balance. Swiftly she turned him around and now she was the one on top of him again. "You told me I could orientate your men to fight." She grabbed the collar of his shirt to make sure his full attention was on her. "I don't play around especially when it's my neck on the line." Her voice took a threatening tone, making sure that her words got through to him.
His grin never left his lips as he sat up, his hand falling on the small of her back so that she couldn't get up just yet. He was enjoying the proximity and wasn't willing to let go yet. Kidd could see the blush creep up her cheeks and he indulged himself in the expression of embarrassment that she gave him.
The penny dropped as to where she was sitting and now she was hypersensitive of his touch both on her back and in between her legs. She was completely aware of Kidd's gaze that was staring intently at her, trying to dig into her mind and decipher every inch of her.
"Don't talk big and then shy away." He pestered again, his face leaning closer. Kidd could feel his stomach doing flips on itself from the excitement he was getting out of teasing Skyler. Maybe he would keep her around just so he could have this. It was selfish to think this way but she had a certain magnetism to her that called him to do these kinds of things. "If it's a 'fair fight' you want, then let's do this."
And, with that, his hand left her back, letting the cool air of the morning chill her skin again. With a strained cough, she got up from where she was sitting, refusing to look at Kidd. He took one last moment to look up to her, appreciating the embarrassment before getting up as well.
"Asshole…" She mumbled under her breath before composing herself and prepared to face Kidd who still had a huge grin on his face. Skyler was struggling to make sense of whatever she had felt while on Kidd, how his touch had affected her to such an extent but she had to push that away for now.
One thing at a time and, right now, she had to at least make sure that Kidd knew not to toy with her.
At the door to the lower deck, Killer had made his way to check on the training of the other newbies and had seen part of what had happened between Kidd and Skyler. He was curious about what the captain thought of her but, at the same time, there was a tug at his chest that he still refused to question what it was. As a pirate, there wasn't much room for emotions and sentimentality. He was there to do a task and do it efficiently so he could keep the rest of the crew and his captain safe. Killer chuckled under his breath, understanding how much of a sentimental man he actually was, wanting for the safety and wellbeing of the ones in the ship.
Maybe he could allow himself some emotion every once in a while.
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A/N:
This was supposed to be published yesterday but the website was not allowing me to upload the text into the document manager for some reason. Also noticed that the fanfic cover and profile picture keep bugging out and not working properly...
Another chapter done and this is also different from the original story. From how it's going so far, I think I am actually going to write more chapters than what I had initially done with the original story that had been posted.
I do want to keep adding onto what was already done and correct some aspects of the story that feels awkward.
Hopefully you'll enjoy this addition and I will keep writing the following chapters.