004

— a rare breed —

THERE WAS A SMALL MOMENT TO BREATHE, CHECK THEMSELFS FOR WOUNDS BUT VISENYA STARED AT THE STRAW HAT BOY. He was proud, he had the right to be but what had surprised her was the ghost of a smile on her lips; but it was still nothing compared to Luffy's grin. Visenya clicked her sword off, removing the map to put the handle back on her belt. Visenya started to walk to Luffy, but he was in front of her in a second. "I believe this," Visenya held out the golden map, "is yours."

Luffy took it with a smile. He turned to Visenya and nodded, "Thank you, Visenya. You are a great fighter, I mean—" Luffy waved his arms as he held her sword. He huffed and dropped his arms to his sides. "We make quite the team." It shocked her for a moment, her eyes widening at his kind words. Nami and Zoro walked over and Luffy turned to them without a second glance at Visenya.

Luffy smiled at Nami and held the map out towards her. Nami's eyes widened as she looked between the map and Luffy. "You're giving this to me?" she asked.

"You're the navigator," Luffy said with a small, but confident shrug.

"Let's get out of this clown show," Zoro spoke up, trying to walk past Luffy but he grabbed his shoulder.

Luffy looked around at the people chained to their seats, "Still one more thing we have to do."

Visenya stepped out in front of Luffy before he could walk away. Visneya raised her hand and the chains began to rattle. Nami and Zoro's eyes darted around the circus tent as Luffy stared at Visneya in wonder. The bolts that held the people chained in place slipped out and the chains loosened, falling limp to the floor. Visenya slowly lowered her hand, the chains sliding down the small stairs and into the sand.

Visenya turned back to Luffy, and he stepped closer, smiling at her. "You're a great fighter, and quite the inventor," Luffy said with pride as he nodded at the sword on her hip, "I think you should join my crew." His voice was stern, but he kept his sweet smile.

"Are you our new captors?!" A man from the crowd shouted. Visenya didn't answer Luffy, instead they both turned to the man with the large white beard.

"What?" Luffy asked, his head tilting.

"Well, you're a pirate, aren't you?" The man clarified.

Luffy smiled brightly, the sides of his eyes wrinkling, "I'm a different kind of pirate." He turned back to Visenya and shrugged, "What do you say?"

"You don't even know me," Visneya argued, though she badly wanted to say yes. Luffy was nothing but persistent and kind, both making it very hard for Visneya to turn him down.

Luffy laughed, "You saved my life. I think I owe you."

Visenya smiled but she quickly looked down, forcing the smile to vanish. Luffy waited in silence, his smile still there. Visenya looked up at Luffy, and while she didn't smile Luffy saw the smile in her eyes. "I suppose I could join your crew," Visneya said with a nod. "Monkey D. Luffy."

Luffy threw his arms up, shouting loudly as he cheered. The sudden yell made Visenya jump but that didn't stop Zoro and Nami from laughing at her. Luffy ushered Visenya on and he rushed past Nami and Zoro and out the front entrance. Visenya shook her head and jogged after him, catching up to Zoro as he stepped out into the sun.

Zoro took a moment to look at the destroyed houses around him, but he quickly kept up with Visenya, following the path out to the dock. Nami and Zoro jumped into the small sailing ship, Nami moving quickly to ready the sails. Visenya walked along the edge of the ship, pulling the ropes away and disconnecting it from the dock.

The people of the town walked quickly to catch up to Luffy, the bearded man holding a crate of pieces of bread and fruits. "We don't have much," The man called, making Luffy turn. The man smiled at Luffy and urged the food toward him, "But please, take this as a token of our gratitude."

"You need it more than we do," Luffy insisted.

"Come on Luffy!" Visenya shouted, tossing the ropes onto deck.

He turned, walking down the dock but stopping halfway. He stared at Visneya for a moment before he quickly turned and raced back to the townspeople and took a small slice of bread from the top of the crate, "Well, maybe just a snack."

Luffy ran back to the ship jumping aboard just after Visenya. Visenya reached down to push the boat off the dock and the townspeople shouted, yelling goodbyes and waving the small crew off as they caught the wind and drifted out to sea. Luffy and Nami were quick to pull the sail down, letting the wind carry them off, the town slowly fading from view.

Visenya walked to the front of the ship, her hands pressing to the wood as she looked at the small waves hitting the sides of the boat, the smell of sea salt filling her senses. Luffy was standing beside just moments after, his hands on his hips, his smile still bright. She glanced up at him, noting the pieces of straw that had started to poke out of his hat.

"Luffy, I don't mean to alarm you, but your hat is damaged," Visenya said, keeping her voice soft. Luffy's eyes snapped open, and he grabbed his hat, spinning it in hands looking at the slash one of the clown knives had left. He started to ramble on, a messy mumble of no's and how's, and Visenya was quick to shake her head. "I can fix it," she said, taking the straw hat from his hands.

She took a seat against a crate and grabbed a small piece of scrap metal from the floor, and a handful of straw from the crate. Luffy watched her closely as she slimmed down the metal needle. She attached the straw to one end and let the needle float in hands before controlling it with small directions of her fingers, sowing the hole together.

Luffy opened his mouth to talk but Visenya shushed him softly, the sound of the sea filling her ears as she focussed. Luffy sat across from her, his hands on his knees as they bounced, but his eyes never left his straw hat. Visenya shook her head softly, "Almost done," Visneya assured, keeping her voice soft.

A few moments passed before Visenya finally placed the needle aside and handed the hat to Luffy. He grabbed the hat and checked over the damage but there was nothing here. "You fixed it!" He said with a bright grin. He pulled it on and looked at Visneya, "Thank you!"

Visneya nodded softly and put the rest of the straw back, "Well, it seemed quite important."

Luffy smiled as his finger traced the outline of the hat, "It is."

Visenya unclipped her long black cloak and pulled it off, folding it neatly before setting it beside her. Zoro looked at them both before walking over to them. "Have you come to join us, swordsman?" Visenya asked, looking up at him.

He sighed and sat on the hammock that was tied between the sail poles. Zoro swung just behind Visenya, his swords resting against his left shoulder. "Is everyday gonna be this crazy with you?" Zoro asked, his eyes closed as the sun ran over his skin.

Luffy's smile grew and turned to face Zoro. "Shanks always said that if the path to what you want seems too easy then you're on the wrong path," Luffy recited.

Zoro opened his eyes and looked over the water, "This Shanks guy sounds all right."

Luffy smiled and moved quickly, jumping over Visenya to stand on the very edge of the boat and pointed over the water. Visenya looked up at Luffy, chills running over her body in both excitement and nervousness. Luffy grinned, "Next stop, the Grand Line!"

◈

Visenya pulled Orion free from his binds and he collapsed into her arms, his body entirely consumed with pain. Visenya let him fall into her, his body relaxing for the first time in nearly an entire week. He tried to push himself up, but he whimpered as his arms collapsed, a searing pain shooting through his body. Visenya cooed at him, shushing him softly as she combed her fingers through his bloody sweaty hair.

She held onto the boy as tight as she could without hurting him, all while listening closely to the ticking clock echoing through the old house. It was more common than not that one, or all five of the children in Niles care had been locked in the basement. Tough punishment, Niles would call it, kids like you deserve it.

Orion had settled, his body still sore but he had his eyes open, looking up at Visneya through grey, tired eyes. Visenya dragged her finger nails down his face, the ticking clock growing louder in her ears. "I have to go," she whispered.

Orion nodded softly and used what little strength he had to push himself to the wall, sighing in relief when he could let his muscles relax again. Visneya stared at him for a moment, her eyebrows turned in as she watched Orion struggle to sit comfortably. She reached forward and squeezed his hand softly before she stood and walked to the basement door, leaving it unlocked.

She rushed up the stairs and onto the underground level of the house where Visenya, Orion and Sari's rooms were. Elowen was. . . It was better if she didn't think about it, and it was a rule not to go to Rhiara's room. At some point there were 12 of them, and Visenya tried hard to remember their names.

Draven,

Cassian,

Quillan,

Kaelis,

Taranis,

Marcellus,

Tauriel,

Elowen,

Rhiara,

Sari,

Orion,

And Visenya.

She would stumble but she would always remember them, because if she didn't, no one else would. Tauriel's power was so strong he had to hide his face behind a mask, but she would remember his dark curls hidden underneath. Visenya would never forget the way Marcellus's eyes would glow gold each time he used his powers. Taranis was always getting himself into trouble— or maybe it was Kaelis.

She was just a kid; she couldn't remember everything.

Visenya was barely 6 years old when Draven first disappeared, vanishing completely in a single night. Niles was red hot with rage and punished them all, then slowly the others disappeared too. Draven was 17 when Visenya was dumped into his room, bloodied and malnourished. They didn't know each other for long, three months at most but Visneya would remember him, he was the kindest person she had ever known.

Visenya's steps slowed as she stared at Sari's door. The paint of the door had been scratched away by sharp horns and bones, like claws or nails.

Sari had tried to run once, race out the front door, but she didn't make it very far. Nies had tossed her in her room and left her there for nearly a week. She would have died but Orion would slip her food at night. Until Niles noticed the extra food going missing. Sari stayed silent in fear, Visenya refused to tell Niles it was Orion and Orion refused to answer him. When Niles threatened to lock Sari away for the rest of the month, Visenya shouted she was taking the extra food. She was lying and Niles knew it instantly.

Visenya looked away from the door, shaking the thoughts from her head before they could run much further. Visenya swallowed the lump in her throat and looked at herself in a dirty mirror that was hung up on the wall beside her. She used the inner lining of her old grey shirt to clean the dirt off her face then she was rushing up the next set of stairs to the first floor.

Sun streaked through the windows, the dark emerald and golden wallpaper, the array of flowers and plants shone under the sun. It looked almost like a real home, with no secrets burned into the very wood that held the house up. Niles sat in the dark emerald velvet armchair, a coffee in front of him on the small glass table with the terrible smell of burnt alcohol lifting along with the steam.

Sari stood at the other end of the coffee table; her hands clasped in front of her as she waited for Niles to give her more instructions. She was a few years older than Visenya and she had already cleaned herself up so her dark hair has soft and wavy, and she could see the soft pink scarn on her face. Niles had turned to look at Visenya, but Sari didn't even dare, not even as Visenya stopped beside her. Visenya held her hands behind her back, her eyes cast down to the table where a mess of Berri and papers scattered over the cloth.

Half of the papers were pirate wanted posters, the bounty in some so high Visenya wondered if there was that much Berri in the world. Visenya had spent a lot of time trapped in the old house, but she wasn't clueless that the Marines were hunting pirates and that hunters had become their best friends, but this much money for the Ghost Pirates and the Devil Captain. She hadn't heard of him, but Visenya was already weary of the price.

"Is something concerning you, Visenya?" Niles asked, catching her attention. Sari stiffened, as if she wasn't as still as a board as she was. He took his coffee cup and looked up at Visenya and Sari. Visenya looked up at Niles and shook her head softly, muttering a small no sir. Niles hummed and set his coffee on the table, "Very good."

He stood and both girls straightened on instinct. "There's some very vicious pirates, they've taken an entire town," Niles explained, his voice filled with sarcastic excitement as he walked around to grab his coat. "And what do vicious, egotistical pirates present when they attack like this, Visenya?"

Niles turned his back to the girls, and Visenya and Sari turned to each other, fear taking over their faces. "Opportunity," Visenya turned to Niles, "sir."

◈

THE SUN POURED OVER THE DOCKS AND SENT CRYSTALYS SHIMMERING OVER THE DEEP BLUE WATER. Ships moved in and out of the large harbour, sailors and villagers waving as they traded goods back and forth. 12-year-old Oaklyn Evergreen sat on the edge of the dock, her curled, twisted hair falling just above her shoulders, gold butterfly clips scattered through.

She had a basket and a tin beside her, the tin slowly filling with money as she sold herbs and remedies for the town folk of Syrup Village. The small golden scarab crawled from its place on her necklace and crawled over her shoulder and down her arm toward the herbs Oaklyn twisted in twine.

The scarab had been a gift, of sorts, but she never truly knew who gave it to her. It was a girl, and she was kind, and she saved her life. That was all Oaklyn needed to know. She had always thought it was an old hunk of junk, too big of a jewellery piece to actually wear. But she did anyway. Then one day she tripped and scraped her knees. While she sat on the side of the street and tried to cry or curse, the scarab hummed against her skin and crawled over her shoulder and down her arm.

Oaklyn stared with wide eyes at the scarab crawl onto her knee and stitched her skin with golden thread, but it was entirely painless. It had terrified her for a while, but now they had come so accustomed to the little scarab with a mind of its own, crawling around and helping Oaklyn whenever it could. But normally it would just sit on the centre of her crescent moon necklace, still too large to be a necklace, but she loved it.

But there was one thing the poor scarab could not help with: her poor friend Usopp. He was the kindest person she knew, and just as stubborn. His mother had taken Okalyn in when she was 9, and he had just turned 8. Their birthdays were at the end and start of the year, it really meant they were the same age, but she held it over his head with pride. She had grown up with Usopp, they were like family. But she could never stop him from ringing that bell and screaming about pirates.

The thought barely passed through her head before the bell started the chime, the heavy sound echoing through the entire village. Without hesitation, she scrambled to pack everything away, shoving all her supplies into her satchel. The scarab ran back up her arm and found its place on her necklace as she jumped to her feet and started to speed her way through the streets.

The young boy with dark skin and a dark orange bandana raced toward Oaklyn and before he could zip by her, all while shouting about pirates, Oaklyn grabbed his arm, quickly stopping him. "Usopp!" The boy looked up at Oaklyn and grinned. "What—? What are you doing?"

"The pirates!" Usopp shouted as if it were the most obvious thing, "They're coming!" He fixed his grip on his satchel and continued to run down the street, continuing to yell and shout.

Oaklyn watched him disappear, letting out a ong breath as she did. The vendor across from her, a man in his late thirties with golden streaked hair named Taul looked up at Oaklyn with that same tired gaze he always did when Usopp would rush through.

Okalyn fixed her bag on her shoulder and walked to the man, keeping her smiling. "He's a handful," Taul scoffed, restocking the small display shelves.

Oakley pulled her lips into a tight smile, "He means well," Oaklyn defended, tapping her hands on her bag. "I have some things for sale that might interest you."

"A restock on the lavender oil?" Taul questioned, his entire mood changing as he watched Oaklyn pull out the small bag of oil. He nodded quickly and pulled out nearly 100 Berri, handing it to Oaklyn blindly.

She grinned as she flicked through the Berri. "Pleasure doing business."

A few things had changed in the passing years. Oakly had finally gotten herself a vendor stand, one she ran with her friend Keeli, a shorter girl with an obsession for bandanas but also a little ray of sunshine who flirt anyone into buying anything. Usopp however, had stayed the same. Maybe he was little taller, but not taller than her. 

He would still run through town, no matter the hour.

A very tired 16-year-old Oaklyn lifted her head from her hand and grimaced slightly at the bell tolls echoing through the town. Keeli had groaned but continued to flick through the new nose rings she had bought. And like clockwork a few moments later Usopp was racing through the streets, yelling about pirates as he continued to do nearly. Every Day. Oaklyn wiped a hand down her face, trying to push sleep out of her mind.

Usopp noticed her vendor stand and ran back to her, slamming his hands against the wood tabletop. Oaklyn looked up at him and his large smile. "Morning," Oaklyn said leaning back in her seat.

"Are you coming down to the docks?" Usopp asked, the usual peppy tone persistent, even in the early hours of the morning. "Morning Keeli."

Keeli turned to him and smiled, "Morning."

Usopp turned back to Oaklyn, and she stared up at him. "Are you going to stop yelling about pirates?"

Usopp shrugged softly, "I can, for now." The comment made Keeli laugh and Oaklyn groan.

She looked over her shoulder at Keeli who nodded quickly, flashing her sweet smile. "Yes, I can," Oaklyn sighed and grabbed her bag, stepping away from the table and walking down the street. Usopp rushed a head and linked his elbow with Oaklyn's.

— lethal lust —