Night hides many horrors from the eyes of the world. It blends colors, muffles cries and breaks hearts. It wipes away fallen tears, makes death less cruel, like a sweet deliverance with the moonlight as its only witness.
This night is no different from any other. There are moments of joy and love, but also of sadness and death.
At Whiskey Peak, it's death and pain that take center stage, as a man holds a blue-haired girl to the ground. One of his deadly blades sinks into the throat of this young princess, who will soon leave this world if things continue as they are. Like a knife on a fine silver thread that will break at any moment, like an icy breeze that carries souls away from all pain.
That pounding heart, that blood still warming that frail body. Those hazel eyes glistening with tears of helplessness, and the pain of cold air entering her lungs.
It's probably when death is closest that you become aware of everything around you. Every movement of the air around you, the blood coursing through your veins. The feel of the ground against you and the beauty of the moon and stars, the only witnesses to your end.
The man holding this poor girl down begins to slide his blade, already red with blood, across the neck of his prey, wanting to see those eyes extinguished and her blood further staining his weapon. Nothing and no one can stop him as the blade sinks into an inch of flesh.
The assassin's eyes, once emerald green, are now almost ruby red. All that's left is a tiny spark of that magnificent color, reminiscent of springtime and the beauty of the wilderness. But now, they're tinged with death and blood.
More... Just a little more...
A crazed grin plastered on his face grows crazier and crazier with every drop of blood that appears a little more and colors that red-handled blade.
Soon, no one will be able to stop me!
Pinned to the ground. The princess's eyes grow duller and duller, and the little energy she has left gradually leaves her. Her body can't take it anymore, it just wants to fall asleep and forget the pain in her body and soul. With a slow blink, her eyelids close, letting the last tears roll down her cheeks, pale from lack of blood.
The demon smiled even more powerfully as the little green spark remaining in his eyes began to flicker to extinction.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" The world began to shake with a power he'd never felt before. Every muscle in his body refused to move. The air around him vibrated powerfully, shaking the ground in mighty waves. His eyes widen and his breathing stops as he hears footsteps approaching him. There's nothing he can do, just feel the person moving behind him and gently place a hand on his to draw the blade away from his prey.
No! No! NO! So close!
He watches helplessly as his sword moves further and further away from the neck he so desperately wants to slice. His muscles are so tense that he can't even turn his head to look at the person preventing him from moving.
Let go of me! Let me move!
A hand settles over his practically ruby eyes, completely blocking his view of his prey and forcing him to point his head skywards. He doesn't even feel Kitetsu being taken from his hands. The pressure that fills the air vanishes all at once as this person approaches to whisper directly into his ear in a soft, calm voice.
"Wake up, fingerling. Don't let it take control. Drive it from your mind." Zoro's eyes widened and he took a deep breath, as if in apnea. The red fog that had invaded his mind dissipated in one fell swoop. Revealing a perfectly calm lake where a crescent moon was reflected.
Nooooooo!
Gently, slowly, the hand left his face, leaving him to contemplate the starry sky. His eyes, which had been tinged red, returned to their usual green. His breathing is labored as the presence at his back moves away from him and turns to the poor princess who has fainted on the ground.
Zoro stares up at the starry sky, not understanding what has just happened. Slowly, he blinks several times, as if to rid himself of the strange sensation that has enveloped his mind for the last few hours, then takes his eyes off the sky to look at the person who stopped him in his killing spree. He's not surprised to see that it's an older version of himself, already rummaging through his bag for medical supplies and beginning to treat the neck of the almost-dead girl. Out of the corner of his eye, he spots his red blade on the floor next to his twin, but out of his reach.
"Why?" Asks he, not knowing himself what he's asking. Stella doesn't take her eyes off her patient for a moment as she soaks absorbent cotton in antiseptic and applies it to the deep cut to clean it of the blood leaking from the wound.
"Why what? Why did I stop you? Why were you on a killing spree? Or why am I treating this young girl when she's supposed to be our enemy?" Asked she, pulling out a roll of bandage and starting to wrap it around the fragile neck.
The young man blinks several times before looking down at his bloodstained hands and equally red blades.
"... That mist... What was that?" Stella barely glanced at him, but still pointed to Kitetsu beside her, whose murderous aura was directed at the adult.
"It was him. He's trying to get into your mind and take control of it. Since killing doesn't usually pose a problem for you, you didn't realize it. And it might also have gone unnoticed if your eyes hadn't changed color." She finishes her bandage, tying it properly, before noticing that Zoro is looking at her with eyes full of incomprehension.
"My eyes?" Stella nodded before reaching out and gently taking the swordsman's hand to remove the blood-soaked bandage.
"Yes, they were starting to turn red. The same as Kitetsu's, if you're wondering." Zoro's mind is far too disturbed to think of removing his hand from the care it's receiving.
Bitch! You can't stop me possessing him!
The woman barely glances at Kitetsu before returning her attention to the sticky red bandage that sticks slightly when she gently pulls on it.
"You're probably confused, but to put it simply... Kitetsu almost possessed you completely. And... I think it's my fault." She confesses, completely removing the dirty bandage and using disinfected cotton to remove all the blood.
The young man's emerald-green eyes widen at this admission, and a sense of unease begins to creep into his mind.
"What do you mean by that?" Stella said nothing for a few seconds, just long enough to see that the small scratches on his palms had all but disappeared, so there was no need for a new bandage.
"Do you remember Usagisuta? And how quickly he took over your body?" She asks, gesturing to her other hand, still red with blood. Zoro frowns at the memory, but extends his hand anyway after placing Yubashiri and Wado on his lap, sitting cross-legged to be more comfortable.
"Yes, I remember it very well. But what's that got to do with it?" The disguised woman hums as she removes the bandage.
"Imagine your mind is protected by a wall. Normally, Kitetsu shouldn't be able to get through, unless... there's a hole." The swordsman frowns even more, not knowing what she's trying to tell him. He remains silent as he watches the disinfectant-soaked cotton pad pass over each of his fingers to remove the crimson color that's beginning to cling to his skin. "When you took the Usagisuta, it went through the wall like a needle through a sheet of paper. You didn't feel a thing, but it left a small passage, a small weakness in that wall that wasn't filled in time before you got your hands on Kitetsu. And like any cursed blade, it tried to possess you, but it only had this small hole to get through. Gradually changing your behavior as the hours passed, seeking to kill and take the souls around you to strengthen itself. Haven't you noticed that you're a lot more on edge? Of course, I have a lot to do with it. But come to think of it, would you have acted like this under normal circumstances?"
Zoro's mind focuses on his behavior before and after taking Kitetsu in hand. Things had started to go wrong in Logue Town, with that marine woman who looked like Kuina... His face closes as he thinks of what might have happened without Stella's intervention then... He... He would have killed her... His heart aches horribly at this revelation.
His breathing quickens and his heart beats faster. He grabs his shirt at his heart and squeezes it with all his might. He... He was really going to do it... Even if it wasn't her, his Kuina... She looks just like her... His second hand settled over his mouth to stifle the urge to vomit that seized his stomach as he curled in on himself.
Stella immediately notices the change in her pupil's behavior, which alerts her a little as he convulses, as if something wants to leave his body but he's doing everything to stop it. She quickly puts away the medical equipment before moving to his side and running her hand up his back to try and calm him down.
"Hey... It's alright... It's not your fault... If anyone's to blame, it's me..." Whispers she in a soft, reassuring voice as she continues to make comforting circles. Zoro continues to gag as he imagines Tashigi's lifeless face on the rainy ground because of him.
Listen to me! It's not Kuina! Stop thinking about it! My mistress died years ago! It's a marine who looks like her! It's not Kuina!
The woman's gaze fell on the white blade, who was screaming and shouting at the top of its voice, trying to make itself heard by its master. Unfortunately for it, Zoro is not yet able to hear it. But this allows Stella to know what's wrong with her pupil.
"Do you blame yourself for almost killing that dark-haired marine in Logue Town? The one who looks like your childhood friend?" The swordsman's body comes to a halt before he slowly raises his head, looking at Stella with an incredulous gaze. He stares into the eyes in front of him, which look at him with a hint of concern, but mostly a lot of remorse.
"Ho... How do you know?" A small, shy smile answers her without taking her eyes off him.
"Wado told me. I mean... It's more like it's been screaming for a while that you need to stop thinking about it, because this marine isn't its former mistress." The pirate blinks before looking down at the katana in his lap. The sight of that white blade with so much red on it makes him uncomfortable. He's always very careful not to dirty it, as it represents the bond and promise he made with Kuina years ago. Seeing it full of blood like this is like soiling his promise and his friend's hands.
An iron taste invades his mouth as he reaches a trembling hand for his precious blade, rubbing away the flaking blood with an almost mechanical gesture. But the appearance in his field of vision of a white cotton ball at the end of a pair of pliers draws his attention. His eyes travel up the hand, then the arm holding the little ball. He sees his own face, looking up at him with a gentle smile.
"Use this to clean it. I'm sure it will please her." Zoro looks at her idly for a few seconds, before returning his gaze to the little white ball at the end of the pliers. Gently, with a little hesitation, he picks it up and begins to run it over the reddened blade to make the color disappear, so ill-suited to this normally immaculate white blade.
Stella looks at him with a small smile before placing a small bag filled with absorbent cotton and the bottle of disinfectant beside the young man, then without a word, she turns her attention back to the princess left on the ground.
Her breathing is regular, even if her face seems a little paler despite the natural tan. She'll have to keep an eye on her until Zoro has overcome this weakness in his mind. Because if she dies, Kitetsu will have taken enough souls to take control, which will pose many more problems for the future, even more so if it's because of her. She promised herself she wouldn't interfere in fights, but right now it's a one-way massacre dictated only by a vengeful blade and not by her pupil's free will.
She'll have to put the safety of Marimo's mind first, before she starts training him, because when you're marked by a cursed blade, you stay that way forever. Her hand passes mechanically over her chest, where she can feel Hisui through the shirt.
Bitch! There's nothing you can do to stop me possessing him! And who are you anyway?! Stern eyes turn to Kitetsu, still on the ground, the blade as red as its hilt, pulsing in the moonlight.
Without an ounce of hesitation, she reaches out and takes it, placing it vertically in front of her face. The carmine red begins to dry on the metal, turning browner and browner as the smell of death fills the air.
"If you're so curious... I can show you." She growls as her eyes darken and her teeth grow sharper. Zoro's head jerks up at the sound of that voice he'd hoped never to hear again. He looks apprehensively at Stella, who is holding Kitetsu in front of her, and glares. She's obviously not talking to him.
Pfff. You think I'm scared of you? Who do you think you are? You're just a human. A bestial, carnivorous smile answered her as her eyes turned inky black, as dark as the abyss.
"'Just a human'? Funny you can't see that."
What's that? Asked the blade, beginning to feel its arrogance diminish as a green glow appeared in that intense black.
"Our level difference." Stella rises, lowering the blade before starting to head for an alleyway. Zoro is unable to move, remembering all too well what happened on that boat of woe. His body tenses when he sees his twin stop and turn his head to look over his shoulder.
A shiver runs through the swordsman's body at the sight of abyssal black eyes staring back at him with an animalistic smile.
"Protect this girl at the risk of your life, after all... If she dies, you'll lose your soul along with her. One last thing, try not to kill anyone until we get back, you never know." Snickered this entity before resuming his journey, leaving the young pirate to swallow apprehensively before looking at the blue-haired girl still unconscious on the ground.
"Fuck... Why does this only happen to me? And what's with the 'we'?" He mutters to himself.
Elsewhere in the city, a man with curly white hair is walking as fast as he can despite his aching ribs. His breathing is irregular, while his heart beats with worry and panic. He must find Princess Vivi as soon as possible! A sense of urgency has been twisting his insides ever since he woke up from his coma after being beaten by Mr. 5.
He's afraid, no... he's terrified of what might happen to the princess he's sworn to protect at the risk of his life. It's bad enough the green-haired pirate wasn't planned, but now they've been unmasked by the organization. They no longer have allies here, they're no longer safe on this island. It's imperative that they leave quickly now that it's dark and the Millions haven't yet received Crocodile's order to eliminate them. The next few hours are crucial to their survival: either they manage to escape, or... He prefers not to think about it.
With a grunt, he rounds a house, leaning on the wall to go faster. A taste of blood rushed to his throat as he spat crimson droplets onto the floor. The other agent hadn't missed him with his explosions; a little more and he wouldn't even be in this world. But he had no time for self-pity: he had to find and protect the princess at all costs, even if it meant sacrificing his life.
His legs carry him from street to street, on the lookout for the slightest suspicious movement. Apart from Vivi and Karoo, everyone is an enemy. He coughs up another spurt of blood, wiping it away with the back of his hand as his throat tightens, almost preventing him from breathing.
"I must... go on..." He stumbles and nearly falls to the ground, but catches himself at the last moment at a pile of crates. But one of them, which wasn't perfectly stable, crashes to the ground with one hell of a bang. "Shit..." He tries to get up as quickly as possible and leave, but the sound of footsteps approaching him immediately alerts him - he needs to hide fast!
Trying to be as quiet as possible, he manages to drag himself into an adjacent street and hides as best he can in a doorframe. He tries to calm his breathing while glancing at the person approaching.
"'Somebody there?" His eyes widen in horror as he sees that this is the mad pirate who killed over a hundred of his former subordinates without batting an eyelid. He clamps a hand over his mouth to minimize any breathing noises he might make. For God's sake! Why didn't he have any luck! Why did it have to fall on him! If he ever sees him, he's definitely dead. Footsteps continue to approach him and walk around the crates.
The demon looks at the splintered wooden planks on the ground and the still intact pile. His green eyes scan the surroundings until he spots a brown owl perched atop a house, looking up at him with its big orange eyes.
"Hm... It's just a fowl." He watches the bird in question puff out its feathers as if offended by this poor comparison. As if in revenge, it flies off and brushes past the swordsman, not without giving him a nudge in the head with its wing before taking off with a great indignant hoot.
"Fucking bird! You're lucky you can fly! Otherwise you'd already be skewered!" He exclaims indignantly, rubbing his head to get rid of the slight pain the blow has caused him. For all answer, he receives another hoot in the night. As if the nocturnal bird of prey were telling him: You can always try!
With another annoyed grunt, the green-haired swordsman returned to where he'd just come from without seeing the man hidden a few yards away, who swallowed hard as he tried with all his might to prevent another cough from catching in his throat. Not now! He clamps his hand over his mouth even tighter and tries to get away from this dangerous enemy. His footsteps begin to turn back, as he takes one last look at the pirate, who turns his back on him and heads towards the center of a totally destroyed street. But he stops in his tracks: there's something blue on the ground. A magnificent blue he's seen many times before, the same as...
His heart capsizes as he takes a step towards this blue-sky, wanting to see it more closely and praying to all the gods of the world and the universe that it's not what he thinks it is. It can't be! His legs take one step, then two, before collapsing to the ground as his brain registers that it's Princess Vivi's hair on the ground, unmoving. The sight of blood on the floor leaves no doubt as to what has happened.
His tear-drenched gaze focuses solely on the person he had promised to protect. His mind is so elsewhere that he doesn't see the pirate turn to him and brandish a weapon. What's the point, anyway? He doesn't deserve to live, he's... failed.
"I recognize you. You're the one giving the orders here. " His body doesn't even react when the cold touch of a blade lands on his neck. "May I ask what you're doing here?" He doesn't react, but he feels something stir within him. Irritation? Anger? No... Rage! His fingers sink into the ground, digging scions as his tears fall to the earthy floor and his eyes lift to the murderer of his king's daughter.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" He doesn't care if the sword skewers him as he hurls himself at the man he wants to see perish, he doesn't care if he dies, he just wants to hurt him as much as possible, as much as the pain burning through his heart. He screams in rage as the pirate recoils in surprise, pulling his katana away. He takes the opportunity to try and tackle him to the ground, but he's not agile enough. In one swift move, the swordsman shifts from his charge, before striking him on the back of the neck with the pommel of his blade. This immediately stuns him and he collapses to the ground.
"Holy shit! You're lucky I don't have to kill anymore, or you wouldn't be breathing." His gaze lands one last time on the princess, still motionless on the ground, before he loses consciousness.
Hi guys, long time no see! Please don't hit me!
I understand your anger! Not only does it take me more than a month to write, and the chapter is shorter. Why is that? Was I lazy? Actually no, I wrote three whole chapters before throwing everything away and starting again. Over 20,000 words gone, poof!
But it's necessary for my story, so sorry for the wait, but I promise it's worth it! Especially since the first version wasn't very happy. *Somebody was really close to dying!
Don't forget that this story is supposed to be a comedy, but the development of certain characters requires more complex events. Be patient, though, and you'll soon get to know one of the most important facets of Stella with the arrival of a certain someone.
See you soon, my little fishes!