"Is this why you wouldn't go out with me?" Alex lifted his gaze, his specks of blue blazing. His fist clenched, quivering as a boiling fire pit that rose within him, ready to spill its animosity to whoever came in contact. Not even the sun that gleamed in the sky rivalled it.

Alex questioned Rue's taste in men; why them and not him? She yielded to some stranger's demands, but not his own; she dined with those ruffians, but not a fine and wealthy captain like himself. One view at them through the thin windows where the group once sat made his face sour as his blue eyes glared daggers at them. With a swift kick, he sent their serene moment into a chaotic rapture dispatching many customers to flee.

The captain's attack delivered air ripples, sending the once peaceful atmosphere into an array. Now, the bustling restaurant was left in the mayhem. A gaping hole crashed rubbles of the walls to the ground and produced small gusts of dirt. Shattered glass and plates were laid on the wooden floors or in the cherry booths. The shouts of fleeing passersby and customers produced panic among the hidden workers, a few under the dining hall and kitchen wooden tables. The ceramic plates crackled as the slot of fleeing people stomped, creating further pieces on the ground.

Though the place was rowdy, Alex's cold gaze remained on the woman of his affection, drowning out the noise. "You rather have fun with them instead," though void and empty, the Marine Captain gritted his teeth. His following words made everyone's body stiffen, "You rather act like a whore."

The room temperature dropped with such speed that the glimmer of the sun became useless from the brewing storm. The many employees of the restaurant's eyes widen in disbelief at Alex's words.

The duo of swordsmen's jaws dropped, sweat building up on their foreheads. Zoro's aura darkened while his eyes squinted, a glint of red shining beneath the clothes of his green bandana. His jaw clenched, wrist tightening his hold on the handle of his blade. Yosaku's body jolted at the pressure of the atmosphere, almost choking him at the hostility his friend emitted.

As her two sisters behind the captain remained silent, Laurette gasped at his harsh words; her pupils shook at the man she admired. Well, no, she wondered if he was even worth any admiration. Her mind pondered on it further. Alex, captain of this marine base of Gastonia Island, has not once acknowledged her nor her sisters. Though she was aware of his...attitude towards others, especially women, she thought he would change for the better if he had someone he liked by his side. Now, she contemplated if that theory was nothing but a dream.

However, surprisingly, Rue endured in her stance at her daughter's side. Her eyes revealed nothing, only staring at the captain's form. Her lips were in a thin line; the blood on her sleeves was still dripping its red consistency on the ground. Its drops slapped the broken ceramic, producing a pink hue with the porcelain. Slowly, she whispered something into her daughter's ears.

Aisha nodded furiously, slapping her hands on her ears, shielding them from noise. A sudden curiosity bubble soared within; the child released the pressure from her ears, a slight breeze passing through her fingertips.

Like any other child, Aisha didn't obey her mother's orders.

Noting no reaction from the silver-haired woman, Alex continued, "You should be glad I paid attention to someone like you." He sighed heavily, ranking his fingers through his locks of dark hair. He shut his eyes tight as frustration consumed him at the thought of her hanging out with these hooligans." Usually, women with children aren't my thing, but I made an exception since you are beautiful."

Should she be thankful?! The employees thought to themselves, voices in a whisper with a tinge of anger, watching the drama unfold behind the wooden counters.

What the hell was his problem?! Johnny yelled out to himself, his voice echoing in his head. Though his lenses hid his eyes, Johnny's specks narrowed at the captain's attitude. He and Yosaku witnessed the rejection he received from the silver-haired woman and thought that the captain would get the message. More sweat built itself on his brow, not from the haze of the light sky, but from the rising tension. He knew Zoro attempted to keep his composure, but the glimmer of anger in his eyes was to ignite like a ticking bomb.

"It made me wonder why such a beauty like yourself was single?" Alex picked up a random discarded chair and sat on it while crossing his legs, a pitying gaze on Rue, "You probably passed yourself around a lot and ended up like this."

A few steps away, Yosaku swallowed the waves of the breeze but couldn't cool him from the animosity Zoro directed toward the marine captain. Slowly, Yosaku shifted his weight to Ayame, that watched the scene nervously. The brown-haired girl's pupils shook while the bold-headed swordsman sheltered her view in case another incoming threat appeared.

Zoro's eyes widened at the scene as he switched his gaze to Rue; again, the dark-skinned woman's poise engulfed her. Not a word left her lips nor an action executed from the top of her head from her toes. Not an inch of a movement from her. Though she remained aloof, Zoro noticed Rue squeezed her hand into a tight fist, quivering slightly.

The more Zoro observed her, the more a flame rose within him.

"Bastard," Zoro chimed, tone etched with vexation at the man's unnecessary words, "What the hell's your problem attacking us out of nowhere!" His voice got louder and louder, practically booming across the broken walls of the restaurant, "Are you trying to pick a fight!"

Ignoring the green swordsman, Alex's frown deepened at the lack of Rue's reaction. If he had to admit, one thing he disliked about her was her quietness. Rue may not have been on this island long, but he knew how quiet she was. It never displayed what she was thinking; he pursed his lips into a pout at the thought. She just remained silent about everything he did, though in a way he didn't hate because a woman that can keep their mouth shut was the best type too.

On the other hand, annoyance flashed on the green swordsman's features at the lack of response, "Oi! Im talking to you, Idiot!" He bared his sharp fangs as he yelled at the marine for dismissing his presence. The arms of the duo swordsmen wrapped Zoro's arms and waist to prevent him from escaping. Johnny and Yosaku struggled to keep the seething man at bay from attacking Alex.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Rue's voice tickled their ears, sweet and soft, "I didn't know I was obligated to report my actions to you, Captain." She finished with a closed-eyed polite smile. Though her heart filled with glee that Aisha and Ayame were safe, a nasty feeling was planted. She took another deep breath, her chest filling with air while slowly releasing a gulf of a breeze.

Stay calm, Rue, she echoed in her mind, Think, don't feel! She repeated in her mind like a mantra. She gripped the blue crystal on her neck as she momentarily shut her eyes. Then, she opened them again, her specks of blue gazing at Alex's form. "These men were lost and hungry, so I offered them a meal."

Though Rue spewed nothing, but the truth, to her, she had reasons of her own.

Reasons that were no concern to him.

Claudette frowned, biting her nails in annoyance at Rue's attitude. The eldest triplet was desperate to knock her down a few pegs. Then, an idea popped into Claudette's mind like a lightbulb. Her lips curved into a smirk as her gaze lingered on the silver-haired woman's child, "Did you pass yourself around so much that you don't know who the child's father is? "

Laurette stared at her sister wide-eyed at her comment while Paulette snorted, clasping a palm on her lips to prevent a burst of giggles from escaping. The eldest sibling's emerald eyes no longer held with brightness, but pure venom directed at Rue—a crease formed on her brow, unbelieving the display of Claudette's behaviour spewing such nasty words.

As she released the grip on her yellow dress, Laurette stretched out her hand to her elder sister, "Claudet─"

Claudette slapped Laurette's hand away, a glare etched on her features turning Laurette frozen like a sculpture as she gazed at her sister wide-eyed with her lips parted. With this, Claudette swivelled, facing Rue, "Your kid's father must have been one of those dirty men that liked brothel women. How disgusting!"

Rue grew rigid, her mind halting from activity at the mention of Aisha's father, heart racing a little faster than usual. She gripped the necklaces dangling and slightly glowing. Taking deep breaths, Rue remained reverent and calm like the stillness of the seas at night.

Alex's lips lifted into a smirk at her reaction while Aisha looked up at her mother curiously as she tilted her head to the side.

"Mummy," Aisha spoke, her voice laced with curiosity. Her chocolate eyes shined under the gleam of the sun, almost making them hazel like, "I have a papa?"

Rue remained quiet, a shadow over her eyes.

"The bastard abandoned you, didn't he?," Alex shook his head in disappointment. He understood; he was a man and Rue, a beauty, any man would have attempted to have one night with her. " What a pity. Is that brat even his? She looks nothing like you."

Everyone in the room whipped their heads to Aisha as she tilted her head to the side cutely. The child's hands, now, dropped to her side, and the other clutched her mother's sleeves at the amount of attention.

Aisha shared no resemblance to her mother, not one single trait. Rue's silver coils of hair meshed with Aisha's short raven hair. Sun-kissed skin matched the sun's hue, while dark-skinned shimmered with gold. Rue's aqua specks were like the calm belt of the sea, while Aisha's shined with gleaming chocolate.

No one dared to utter a word; it was evident and apparent that Aisha had no similarities to her mother.

Zoro observed the frosty-haired woman from the corner of his eyes. Rue looked down, closing her eyes, taking deep breaths and releasing it through her lips. His brown specks roamed her form, the silver-haired woman visibly shaking at what was said, her hand clenching into a fist.

Claudette smirked up a storm, almost releasing a giggle at Rue's reaction. She watched as Rue lifted Aisha in her arms and held her.; whispering something in the child's ears while attaching something to Aisha's waist. Aisha only nodded a determined sparkle in her eyes.

Aisha skidded rapidly past Claudette, carefully avoiding the scattered glass and porcelain pieces. She snatched at Ayame's wrist on her way. Ayame gasped in surprise, almost stripping on her feet as her friend dragged her away. Her brown pigtails flew off behind her.

"What─"

"Mommy said we can get ice cream!" Aisha giggled, her little feet tapping away, carefully trying not to touch the broken glass beneath her. Though she did not mind it, excitement filled her with the thought of more food to fill her stomach again.

Ayame's jaw dropped with her eyes as wide as saucers in disbelief, "You just ate!" The breeze carried away her voice, getting smaller and smaller as she was removed from the restaurant. Dust coated their path, travelling through the air as their feet hurried them away.

The employers could only look at each other incredulously at the ordeal. One second, they indulged in their work in peace under the sun's gleam. Next, they were faced with they got involved in this situation.

Once more, Rue took deep breaths, her chest rising and descending. She opened her ocean eyes, her silver lashes covering them like the calm before the storm. She didn't want─No; she refused to allow her daughter to hear such things, especially concerning her father. She grabbed the crystal strapped to her neck, tightening her hold on it as if she used it to simmer the rising frustration.

Don't feel Rue, think, Rue repeated to herself like a mantra attempting to keep her calm. Amidst all this, many eyes watched but believed the dark-skinned woman was shocked. Zoro, in particular, analyzed her moves like a hawk watching its prey.

"You may say whatever you please about me," Rue began, her gaze on Alex while slowly pulling out the shards from her bleeding arm. She hissed quietly at the piece of the creamy plate, sending waves of poking pain in her arm.

"However," Her voice descended an octave lower, a slight chill went up the triplets spine at the tone no longer like a melody but monotonous. Her smile was plastered on her face, but could chill any river like a winter breeze, and her eyes withheld its warmth. A voice that would forever be embedded into their minds, "leave my child's father out of this."

A slight chilly breeze hit the restaurant, though many still swooned over this woman, finding her angry nature quite cute and endearing that she was protective of her husband. A bit of jealousy rose among them at the lucky man who snagged her.

Johnny and Yosaku visibly blushed at the woman's gesture; they embraced each other and sighed with desire, "She's so protective!"

"Would you two focus!" The green swordsman barked at his friends, sharp teeth with narrowed eyes. Zoro knew to trust his instincts, yet he was right again. Something about this woman wasn't normal. His brows furrowed; this man had been degrading and hurling insults her way; however, she remained calm, unmoving to the words said. The moment her child's father was brought up, a blue hue flashed in her eyes.

Meanwhile, Alex gritted his teeth, and anger again overtook him. His eyes had a dangerous glint to them. If she wouldn't obey him, he would forcefully make her do so. He smirked at the idea that came to mind, "Which one did you start with first?"

Rue rose a curious silver brow, "Excuse me?"

The marine captain's smirk widened, "I'm talking about which one is your boy toy."

Zoro had enough.

The green swordsman smoothly drew his blade from its sheath, aiming straight for the captain. At the same time, Alex drew a sword that seemed out of nowhere. Both men clashed, the steel sparking at the swift slashes they created. They deflected each other's hits, dodging and evading every inch of the blades. Finally, they faced each other once more, blades sliding, fractures of light emitting and flying as they duelled. They pushed with force to eventually back away; both feet skidded on the broken shards. The strength threw Alex so far back that he collided with a booth, wrecking it in pieces.

"Captain!" Paulette and Claudette shouted, their voices lingering with worry. They hurried to his side to kneel. Then, they dusted whatever debris was on Alex's body. However, the woman yelped as they were shoved away; their bodies collided with scattered glasses, sharp and glowing under the sun's haze.

Zoro scoffed, roughly placing his katana back into its sheath. His glare was unwavering as he folded his arms, unsatisfied from the battle. In his mind, the fight felt too easy and wasn't challenging, barely breaking a sweat.

Though Paulette only received no significant harm, Claudette's pale skin became tainted in red; her arm was scratched up with cuts with some pieces of shards stuck to her wounds. Through her teary eyes, Claudette lifted her gaze to the captain, glaring back at the green swordsman. Yet, she caught on to the corner of his lips, curved into a smirk.

"You dare attack a Marine captain!?" Alex yelled out, his finger pointed at him, eyes flaming with anger, "You are a danger to the public's safety and must be dealt with immediately."

"You started it first!"Yosaku and Johnny shouted back, their sharp teeth baring as they clenched their fist clenched.

Alex glanced at the silent employees, raking a hand through his dark hair. "You saw them attack me first, right?"

The gleam in his eyes said it all. The captain's specks of blue turned darker, a threatening ray within them, hotter than the sun's blaze. The employees gulped, understanding the warning in his tone; they all nodded in response to his statement.

This isn't good! , the duo swordsmen thought as sweat dripped from their brows; they knew they were in deep trouble by the looks of things. They glanced back at the restaurant workers only to be met with apologetic eyes.

Laurette frowned at his actions yet gazed at her exposed toes through her sandals. Her emerald eyes met the dirtied floors of debris of the walls and broken shards of utilities. All knew no one could defy the captain even if they wanted to; money and power were enough to put the room in silence.

As the motto goes, what the captain wants, the captain will get.

No was never the correct answer.

Alex strutted, crushing the broken glass and ceramic beneath his boots, creating a path toward Rue. "Too bad your playthings will have to go to prison for a while."

Placing himself at Rue's side, a ting from Zoro's blade released from his sheath, the tip of it pointing to Alex's smirking form. The green swordsmen's heated gaze glared down at the marine, ready for another brawl.

In silence, Rue's mind twisted its wheels. Her eyes kept glancing between them, the blue hue in her specks slowly becoming coal, a smokiness covered by her silver lids. She knew the captain would only add more charges or worse if another fight were issued. She gently gripped her crystal, squeezing in slight annoyance at the situation. She kept repeating the words she kept telling herself, over and over.

Think, don't feel.

Instead of waiting for another battle to commence, she strolled passed Zoro, whose features courted in confusion as he raised a brow. Everyone in the room remained as the beauty walked and faced the man that chased after her. Rue stood, facing the smirking marine captain, his eyes roaming the woman's form like an animal ready to pounce on its prey.

Nothing pure came from Alex's thoughts as he gazed at the woman of his dreams.

Rue gripped the front of her blue dress, leaving creased and ruffles on the fabric in its wake. She shut her eyes momentarily as she inhaled and exhaled a gulf of air.

Think, don't feel.

With poise, gently, she lifted her eyes to the captain, who was frozen at the woman's appearance in this proximity. A slight shine on her silver lashes as a gaze had a small spark in them as they faced each other; he shivered at the beauty's eyes.

Alex wanted her, and he will have her.

Unbeknownst to him, the marine captain snatched her wrist, pulling her into his embrace. Zoro almost jumped into action, but Johnny and Yosaku quickly placed themselves in his way, preventing him from attempting to interfere.

"You will go on a date."

As Paulette sighed loudly, almost weeping that the man she admired only pinned after the woman again, Claudette watched from afar, still on the ground. Her emerald eyes slowly blanked in colour, the shine of green becoming swampy. Though she knew deep down the woman would only reject him, her heart cracked watching the scene.

Despite all the different swarms of thoughts in the room, everyone caught the underline meaning of his words. This time, the captain words not a request but an order.

An order that Rue couldn't turn down.

Muttering curses in his head, Zoro gritted his teeth while a vein pulsed on his forehead. His eyes flamed with anger, boiling to burst like a furnace. Though stronger than both his camerades, the duo of swordsmen held him back, shoving back as their feet skidded across the cross as Zoro overpowered them.

Calm and relaxed as the winter's chilly breeze, Rue's lips curved into a polite smile. The words that left her mouth shook the room, their voices screeching like a distressed bird to halt her from making such a drastic decision. Their eyes were wider than saucers while Alex tightened his hold on the woman as excitement heated within him.

Laurette's brows rose higher than the clouds in the sky, confused at the woman's choice. She took a moment to glance at her eldest triplet; she grew rigid at the hatred in Claudette's eyes as her sister glared daggers at the silver-haired woman.

Finally, the beast cornered the sheep.

A glint flashed in Rue's specks of aqua; unfortunately for the captain, he positioned himself right where she wanted him.

"Where shall we dine?"

"What!" The room rumbled from the burst of voices.

The beast had no clue that what lay in his trap was no sheep. Sheep do not shed their clothes like a snake shedding its skin.

Unless the beauty of the untainted sheep's wool blinded the beast, thus, the wolf in sheep's clothing strolled behind his back unnoticed, knowing well that it brewed the trap prepared for the beast.

Now, the wolf will display who was the actual winner.

꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂

Geez, the captain really needs to RELAX!

So, what do you guys think of Rue so far? 👀

What do you guys think of the story (despite just only 5 chapters)?

Y'ALL BETTER NOT BE BORED! (I'm kidding, well sorta)

I am hoping I am keeping the One Piece characters as they are! If not please let me know or DM me if you want! I am trying to stay as close as possible to their personalities.

Well, hopefully, you guys are enjoying the story so far!

Until next time!