The old lady told you about Wano.

You kneeled on a coarse rag as she patiently applied an herbal paste on your hair before combing through it. All the while she talked about her homeland, how it used to be and how it was now. You learnt of a legendary samurai named Oden, the last one standing up to Kaido. You learnt of the twenty-year prophecy, of Onigashima, Orochi, the factories that polluted air and water. Of Kaido's men coming, taking, killing at will. It became clear why there weren't young men around: they were enslaved to work in the mass production of weapons. And even if they weren't, it was illegal to carry blades, or any weapon, unless at service for Kaido and Orochi.

At first you didn't give a shit. All you wanted to know was the geography of the place and as much intel as possible over Kaido's ranks (it came, with time, at least what little the woman knew). But then the flow of her ancient words dragged you in, just as the soothing hands in your hair slowly relaxed your stiff shoulders.

«Why do you want to learn about this stuff anyway?» Yusuke asked, rocking back and forth on his butt while his finger ravaged his nose.

You glared at him, a silent warning to shut up.

«My, O-Kotori-san.» the old lady's hands paused «The ends of your hair are very ruined. I'm afraid it'll hurt a little if I continue.»

You reached back to touch the area and your fingers met a towy mess.

«Cut it out.»

«What? But you've such nice hair.»

«Cut it out, it's in the way.» your lips tightened for a moment «I should've done it ages ago.»

The old lady didn't like the idea but didn't protest either, reaching for a thin wire with a sigh.

«So what are you really here for, nee-san*?» Yusuke charged again, taking advantage of the moment.

«I told you, I'm a tourist.»

You felt the woman stretching your hair, then the wire began cutting through it. You didn't realize you were holding your breath until your coiled locks fell on the floor and your head was lighter.

«Yes but you lied.»

Why is it always brats for me?

«Yusuke-kun, you should not be pressing our guest. She saved the village.»

«Mh, whatever.»

You fingers were mindlessly fiddling with the shortened locks. It felt weird.

«I'm looking for someone.» you heard yourself say.

«Someone from the vast sea?»

Your eyes met Yusuke's.

«It's safer if you don't know any more than this. In fact, don't tell anyone about me.»

He shook his head.

«I won't.»

«O-Kotori-san, no one will utter a word about you. It would get us in trouble as well.» the old lady reassured, her hands spreading a new herbal unguent on the now scarce length of your hair. It was softer, knot-free and more rebellious than ever.

The woman took a couple of steps back, then kneeled profoundly.

«I wish I could offer you more than this.» she said, forehead leaning against the floor «Our water is poisoned and we have no food. I only have an old kimono to replace your clothes.»

Your nose twitched in doubt.

Your clothes were ruined by the shipwreck, barely holding together over your skin, but the idea of ditching them for a kimono wasn't too appealing. Those things didn't seem to offer much protection.

«You said you had another weapon.»

The woman was startled by your abrupt change of topic, but she recomposed herself quickly.

«Yes. Please wait here.»

She stood and, with another bow, she left the hut.

«If weapons are forbidden, how come she had a bow?» you asked, turning to the kid.

He shrugged.

«Someone made it to hunt. People do that in secret.»

«I thought the meat of the animals here was toxic too.»

«It is.» he picked his nose again «Just sometimes it's better to die from that than hunger. Especially for little kids, you know. When they're hungry they cry, and they cry, then the mother kills a rabbit, they eat it, and they don't cry anymore.»

You stared at him for a moment, taking in his nonchalant rocking as he talked.

«Wow, this place is a hoot.» you muttered.

«Hey, nee-san.»

«Mh.»

«Will you go back to the vast sea when you find your friend?»

You hesitated, and the old lady returned.

She carried something in her arms, something enveloped in a dirty cloth and cradled like a newborn.

«This belonged to my son.» she spoke softly, lying her treasure on the ground in front of you.

You leaned over and pulled at the cloth to reveal the object underneath.

It was a bow, one of the tallest you'd ever seen, and as white as snow. Nothing like the cheap manufacture you used earlier.

«It was made in Ringo, from the wood of the sacred snow cherry trees that grow there.» the lady continued as your fingers brushed the lucid arch «Ten of them were donated to the Damiyo of Hakumai, for his royal archers.»

Yusuke crawled by your side and stared at the bow in awe.

«Your son was a royal archer of Hakumai?»

The woman smiled, a distant smile lost in her memories. For a moment, a tear threatened to glaze her eyes, but she managed to hold her composure.

«Yes. They fought proudly against Kaido until the end.»

Your hand took a hold of the grip and you wielded the weapon in front of you, examining the state of it. The fight took place twenty years before, but the cord wasn't loose, the wood wasn't rotten. Even the lined around the grip was perfectly smooth.

«My husband was a royal archer before our son. I've been tending to bows my whole life.» the woman explained, reading your thoughts.

«You kept it hidden all this time.»

«Yes. It's the only thing of my son I could salvage. I couldn't bear the idea of surrendering it to Orochi.»

«I'm assuming you'd be killed if they were to find it.»

«Yes.» she bowed her head «And the whole village burned.»

«Baba-chan**, this is incredible!» Yusuke exclaimed, untouched by the threat to the village.

«So this is the only memory of your son, which you guarded for twenty years at the risk of a bunch of lives,» you said, eyes darting to her «And you want to give it to me.»

«Yes.» again, she bowed «I won't be long here, O-Kotori-san. After I'm gone, this bow will rot and crumble to dust. Or worse, it will fall in the hands of the people that enslaved my country. I believe in the words of O-Toki-sama. Twenty years have passed.»

She raised her gaze.

«This bow was forged to protect Wano. It shouldn't sleep forever. I can feel it becoming restless by the day.»

Yusuke watched as your nimble fingers danced and the bow spun in your grip.

«Baba, I didn't come here to free this country. I don't mean to stay a second longer than necessary.» you said.

She shook her head.

«It doesn't matter. Please accept it. In your hands, it will find its way.»

Your mouth crooked to the side.

«Do you have arrows too?»

«Twenty of them, one for each year I waited. I made them like I used to for my husband, and my son after him.»

The woman stepped back and removed one of the wooden boards from the floor, revealing a bundle of long arrows. She lifted it, and offered them to you with both hands. You took one and notched it into the bow, finally stretching the string to your cheek.

The grip was different from the bows you trained with in your youth, but it was intuitive. This weapon was also much lighter.

The white bow croaked, but it wasn't a strained sound like the one you broke before. No, this one was vibrating in excitement.

This wood is eager for battle.

You released your breath and slowly relaxed the hold.

«Does it have a name?»

The old lady nodded.

«Yūgure no Taka.»

Hawk of the Dusk.

Your eyes scanned the wood one last time.

«Fine, Baba-san.» you finally said «I'll take this bow. I won't make any promise, but I'll try to return it before leaving Wano, if I can.»

«You don't have to. It is yours to use as you see fit.»

«This is so cool!» Yusuke said, gazing at it from your side «Can I hold it?»

«Absolutely not.»

You spent the night with the two of them, huddled in a corner of the hut, the kid gradually inching towards you from his spot, until he was rolled up against your side.

In the morning, you changed your clothes for the old grey kimono, figuring it would help you blend in a little more.

«Can I come with you, nee-san?» Yusuke was nagging, trotting beside you as you walked out «I can fight!»

«No way.» you said, adjusting the ragged cloth that concealed the bow and strapped it to your back at the same time «You're gonna get killed so fast, and I'm probably gonna get killed just as fast if you're around.»

«But you don't know anything about Wano!»

«I know where to go next, which is something.»

«Where?»

«Flower Capital.»

According to the old lady, the capital was one of the few rich cities left in Wano, and the biggest at that. There you could find all the supplies you needed. The major problem was that the city teemed with Beast Pirates and Orochi's loyalists, headliners, military posts and all that jazz. While this posed as a high-risk passage for you, it also offered the chance to gain some intel on your objective. The woman had spoken about a labor camp too, a place where many prisoners and rebels were kept (Udon or something?), but it would take you days across polluted heathland to reach it. Too much of a risk without the guarantee that you would find what you were looking for.

«And do you know which way?» the kid insisted, interrupting your considerations.

«North.»

«Where's North?»

«There.»

«That's South.»

«No, it's not.»

«Yes it is. The sun is literally rising from East, so–»

«Oh, what do you know? You're just a stupid kid.»

«You're gonna get lost fast, nee-san.»

«Shut up!»

«Excuse me, O-Kotori-san...?»

You both turned to the feminine voice interrupting your exchange.

«What?»

It was the girl from the day before, accompanied by the woman with a bandage over her head.

As soon as your gaze landed on her, she bowed her head and stretched both her hands toward you, holding something between them.

«For you.» she said, her voice thin and acute «An offering for the protection bird.»

It was a wooden mask, sculped to resemble an owl. Minute feathers were carved all over the face, standing longer at the corner of its temples. The eyes were tapered, the beak designed to conceal your nose without covering the nostrils.

«She worked the whole night to make it.» her mother added as you scrutinized the offer with a suspicious frown.

You looked over at her skinned fingers, her rough hands.

A mask was going to come in handy.

«Thank you.» you said, taking it.

She bowed deeper.

«Is it common to give masks as gifts?» you asked the kid as he escorted you to the end of the village.

«It's a Tengu*** mask.» he explained «For Yōkai. Tradition as offering, yes.»

«I'm a human though.»

Yusuke shrugged. You put it on, and he laughed.

«You look ridiculous, nee-san.»

A scoff left your throat and you flicked his forehead.

It was actually better than you thought. It allowed you to see and breathe fine.

«So... will you ever come back?»

You turned to the kid as he kicked a rock with his foot.

«Probably not.» you pulled at the edge of your kimono to cover a little more of your legs (it was damn short!) «Don't die.»

«You either.»

You smirked and stretched your hand to him.

«Deal?»

He grunted and grabbed it, trying his best to put on a strong façade.

«Bye, nee-san.»

«Bye kid.»

It took you more than it should have to reach the rim of the Flower Capital. Probably because you didn't realize you were walking in the wrong direction until the sun started setting, marking West. It was night when you finally sneaked into the city. There were check points at the main entrances, but most of the perimeter was just loosely guarded, and it wasn't hard for a master of Observation haki like you to slip past unnoticed. Once in, you slithered through the shadows, following the distant call of night life up to the Pleasure District.

If you weren't so thirsty, hungry, and exhausted, you would have probably been fascinated by the scenery.

The Flower Capital was different from anything you had seen before, and you had been places. Not the perks of the Pleasure District, those were always the same no matter where you wandered: food, drinks, and sex. But this place had a unique aesthetic to it, with its colourful kimono, the smell of seafood from the street vendors, and the lanterns hanging all over the district.

Your stomach started growling in hunger immediately, and your dry throat burned.

At last.

You dragged your feet through the groups of people, laughing, drinking, flirting. Most of them were in kimono, some wandered the streets with a katana on their obi and a stern look (guards, you guessed), but there were a few men in Beast Pirate uniform as well. You chose one of them, in a dense group and drunk enough, picked his tingling bag while passing by him, and spent all the money on water, then food.

God, the food was delicious. Crab, shellfish, shrimps, noodles of any kind, cooked in so many different ways! You wanted more, you were ravenous, but you had to force yourself away from the stands. After two days with no food, overeating would get you sick, and you couldn't afford it. You stayed away from alcohol for the same reason. Instead, you opted for a lesser inn to spend the night.

Your eyes almost teared up at the sight of the bathroom. After wandering through jungle, dust, and mud, the prospective of hot, clear water felt like a dream.

Your body had almost shut down when you pulled yourself into the futon. A soft, warm futon after a hot bath.

You weren't impressed by the stark contrast between the newfound comfort and the misery outside the capital. You had seen it quite a lot in your marine days, visiting islands under the World Government. It looked like things weren't so different past the government's grip. On the contrary, the last feeble thought that lingered in your mind before you fell asleep was that this life didn't seem so bad. Maybe you could have lived it forever, away from everyone's eyes, forgotten by the world, just you, your few skills learnt by a past self, and that comforting loneliness.

The bubble-gum popped between your lips, a few sprinkles of saltwater reaching as far as your face. The sea was agitated that day. Nothing that would worry the expert fleet though, and the warship proceeded placidly across the gates, like a giant, steel turtle.

«Lieutenant Commander L/n.»

You lazily turned from your position, sprawled against the taffrail. Your rebellious locks whipped your face in the wind, only half-tamed by the marine hat. However, when your figure fell below the imposing shadow of Vice Admiral Onigumo himself, you stood to attention.

Onigumo scanned you from above with unforgiving eyes, maybe even a note of disgust.

«Go down to the brigs and guard the prisoner for the next shift.»

One of your eyebrows rose.

«With all due respect, sir, I have been assigned to this mission as a lookout.»

His eyes sharpened and you swallowed.

Aokiji had warned you against playing cheeky with Onigumo. He was one of Akainu's firm supporters and he had a zero-tolerance policy.

«Are you questioning my orders?»

Your gaze fell.

«No, sir.»

«Then stop wasting my time.»

You saluted and headed below deck, but still caught the words he spat as you parted.

«If you weren't Aokiji's direct subordinate, you'd be feeding the sharks by now.»

Guarding this prisoner was a four-people job, even if he was behind bars, chained on a seat with seastone cuffs. As you joined the little party as fourth element, the other men, all much taller and bigger, looked down at you in contempt. You did not give them the time of the day, used to such treatment any time you would join missions with other squads, and approached the brig to take a closer look at the ragged man in chains.

His head was low on his chest, the messy hair hiding his face completely, and the bare torso lined with wounds and bruises.

«Don't speak to the prisoner.» one of the marines said, his posture rigid as he stared in front of him «Don't rail him up in any way. If he moves, we can shoot his limbs.»

Your eyes travelled on the pirate. The gum popped outside your mouth.

One of the marines turned to you.

«Oi, you're getting too clos—»

«Shut up.» you snapped, burning glare darting to him «Let me remind you that I outrank you all, you assholes. Talk to me like that again, and if I shoot you, it won't be your limbs.»

You patted the rifle strapped onto your back to highlight your promise. They gritted their teeth and resumed their rigid positions, clearly seething, but didn't dare to talk back.

I do like to be beloved among the subordinates.

Just as you turned back to examine the prisoner, you heard a hoarse chuckle rumbling in his chest.

«A scrappy official.» the weak yet cheeky voice commented «You remind me of someone.»

You frowned, moving the gum from side to side in your mouth. The man fell silent again.

It wasn't every day that you could face such a big shot, especially without fearing for your life. Now that you looked at him closely, so broken and bound, he didn't seem so terrifying. But you knew that, if only those chains were to come off, the whole warship would be swallowed by flames in a split of a second, dragging everyone to the bottom of the sea.

«What are you thinking?»

The words left your mouth before you could ponder them. The closest marine stiffened but you ignored him.

The prisoner lifted his face ever so slightly, maybe surprised by your question.

«Why do you care?»

«I'm curious. You're very famous. A legend, almost.»

And now you're going to die.

A bitter smile lined his barely-visible lips.

«A legend, huh?»

«Almost.» you remarked.

He didn't add anything else so you spoke again.

«Are you regretting your life choices?»

Again that smile, more insolent now.

«No. Are you?»

You blinked, then chuckled.

«Firefist Ace.» you let his name roll on your tongue «You know you're about to cause a war? Many people will die today. Some of mine, some of yours.»

You struck a nerve.

Suddenly, his cool façade dissipated, and his eyes flicked on you, a grimace taking over his freckled features.

«I didn't ask for this. You're the ones orchestrating the whole thing. It's you who want a war.»

«You're very naïve, Firefist Ace.»

Refusing to see that it was his pirate life that led him to this point. Each one of his choices, disseminating havoc in the Grand Line, challenging pirates and government alike, rejecting the title of Warlord, becoming a Yonko Commander****, all of this made him the perfect tool to ignite the fuse that would shake the world.

And yet, as his black eyes burnt through yours, you caught a glimpse of the angry boy behind the Yonko Commander.

Your fingers instinctively traced the grip of your rifle.

Stray like me.

You rolled the gum over your tongue.

«I assume you meant Isuka-san before.»*****

A flicker of realization entered his gaze.

«She took a leave of absence.» you continued «I don't know if she'll ever be back.»

Firefist's face fell back on his chest.

«Did she.»

Isuka was one of the few officials you didn't mind. She used to chase Ace's crew around Paradise when he was just a new upcomer in the Grand Line. Something had transpired between them, before he even joined Whitebeard, although you never knew what exactly. After that, she started making herself scarce, and that led to her slow downfall in the Marines.

«You shouldn't compare her to me.» you said, leaning your back against the bars «You won't see her face today at Marineford.»

«It's not your faces I will be looking at.»

«Yeah, no one ever does.» you turned, pointing your gun-mimicking fingers at him «Until we're the last thing you see. Bang.»

He glanced at you in surprise, then an amused scoff left his throat.

«What's your name, officer?»

«I'm Lieutenant Commander L/n.»

«Wow, is that what your parents named you?»

You chuckled.

«I have no idea what my parents named me.» you said, finally returning to your post among the scowling soldiers «But if they could see me now, I'm sure they too would agree on "bitch".»

Firefist Ace smiled.

The morning after, all the cosy feelings from the previous night were gone.

The noise of foreign people starting a new day on the streets woke you up from your tangled dreams, and you found yourself into unknown sheets, under an unknown ceiling.

What were you deluding on, carving a life for yourself in such a place and forgetting all the rest?

You sat and rubbed your palm on your face, a bitter smirk soon lining your lips.

Since the moment you touched land, you had avoided thinking about why you were in Wano in the first place. Sure, you pushed forward and gathered info, but that was you on autopilot, only focusing on placing a foot in front of the other without stumbling. And stopping to think, that felt like stumbling.

But sooner or later, as I pushed forward, I will have to face my demons. I'll have to face the severity of what I've done, of what I'm still doing. I'll have to face...

A shock of red hair flashed in your mind, a glimpse of sadistic smile and amber eyes.

You threw the blankets aside and stood.

Next up was getting decent, clean clothes.

The Flower Capital during the day had a different flavour. Just as the name suggested, it was a flourishing city, with lots of people going about their day and busy shops everywhere.

There weren't many Beasts Pirates around. For the most part, the population seemed wary of them, obsequious even, but the Shogun's samurai outnumbered them no problem.

Your attention was caught by a female Beast Pirate looking at a jewellery stand. She was alone, not much bigger than you, and her outfit offered certain perks compared to any kimono you could purchase. A crooked smile tugged at your lips.

You took off your mask, made sure your face was in the shadows, and hid in a dark alley just as she passed by.

«You! Hey, you!» you scream-whispered as she walked down the main street.

The pirate turned to you in surprise.

With that dirty, ragged kimono and the unwrapped hair, you certainly looked like a stupid commoner to her. You waved enthusiastically and then flipped her off with both hands.

«What the fuck?!»

As expected, she charged at you furiously.

«I'm gonna have your life for this!»

You waited for her to be close enough, then quickly dodged her sword, grabbed the wooden beam hidden behind your back, and hit her in the head with all your strength. You added a little bit of haki for good measure.

The woman fell on the ground unconscious, so you dragged her to the end of the alley.

«I swear, sometimes I feel like you small-timers only exist to serve main characters' purposes.»

You changed into her clothes as fast as possible, nervously glancing toward the main street a few times, but no one seemed to notice the small commotion. After you finished, you bound her mouth and hands, and dumped her into a big garbage container.

The new outfit consisted into a lather bodysuit that didn't cover your legs nor your arms, gloves, boots higher than your knees, fake horns, and the usual shoulder-padded cloak of the Beast Pirates. It wasn't exactly comfortable, and it fit a little loose on your chest, but overall you could make it work. You completed the look with your mask and the concealed bow on your back, then stepped into the sun.

«ANOTHER KILL!! The infamous Kamazo the Manslayer strikes again! Come and read the latest issue! Everyone knows it's him but no one can caaatch him! Two more men killed in District Two! Come, come, buy the latest issue!»

A boy with shaved head was yelling and waving a paper around. At his feet, two caskets filled with what must have been the new issues. There was a wooden post behind him, with a board covered in sheets. You threw a look, they reminded you of the wanted posters hanging all over Marineford.

«Beware of the killeeeer! Buy the new issue!»

I guess they have murders in this place too. Not so different from any other city, after all.

A small crowd was surrounding the newspaper guy already.

Just as you were passing by, a woman from the group fell on her knees beside you, pressing her hand on her sobbing face.

«Hana-chan.»

Another woman crouched in front of her and rubbed her back.

«I can't... I can't look at that face...»

Curiously, you glanced up at the sheet on the board. It was a sketch, an attempt to portray the likeness of the night murderer.

Kamazo the Manslayer.

One of the women noticed you. As soon as her eyes lay on your uniform, she frantically bowed, forehead on the ground.

«I beg your pardon, guard-sama! We did not intend to disturb you!»

You looked down at her. The other woman didn't stop weeping.

«Oh.»

«P-Please forgive her!» the first cried, trying to get her friend to bow as well «Her husband was just killed by the Manslayer. She doesn't know what she's doing.»

«It's all right, no harm done.»

«I'm truly sorry!»

«It's fine, it's fine, just... maybe take your friend somewhere else?»

«He slashes his victim with his scytheeees! When will they catch him??» the news guy continued yelling and selling issues, unfazed by the little scene.

Scythes?

The weeping woman felt sick, and her friend finally dragged her away.

You stood there, contemplating the vague features of the sketch.

«Oi, news-boy.»

The youth stopped yelling his slogans and turned to you.

«Yes, guard-sama?»

You reached into your pocket and flicked a coin in his direction. He caught it, grinned, and offered you an issue.

The night came.

Shadows stretched, then merged, until the district was enveloped in silence and darkness.

There were no bars, no lights, no pleasures to be sought in that corner of the city. Just narrow alleys littered with dumpsters, rotten woods, and rats.

What am I doing here.

A cat slid away on a low roof.

What am I waiting for.

A drainpipe dripped in the mud.

Then steps. A feeble light, approaching, dangling slowly.

The middle-aged man passed your hiding behind the dumpsters, swaying with the lantern in his hand, probably drunk and returning from the Red Light District.

You lay still, the white bow resting against your chest, bare this time.

Your Observation haki had been in an active mode for so long that an unpleasant ache started spreading behind your eyes. But it was still water in your head, no alarm had even flickered.

There was nothing there, just solitary men coming home for the night in the more desolate gutter of the city.

You listened to this one hobbling to the other end of the alley. When he was far enough, you shut your eyes and pinched the bridge of your nose.

I'm so desperate, I'm grasping at straws.

Then all the alarms in your head went off, so sudden and strident that they slit into your chest. A ring flooded your ears and you fell forward, hands in the mud and bow beside you.

Maybe that's why you couldn't save the man.

The fluid shadow darted down from the roofs, and a choked cry cut through the night. Red blood gushed in the darkness. The man fell.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then you heard it, the acute, piercing laugh that froze the blood in your veins.

It's not him.

But why the syrens of your haki wouldn't stop? Blasting full force, stretching the cords of your senses to maximum in a way you'd felt before.

You crawled to edge of your hiding place.

The shadow was still there, in the middle of the hallway, wide, the poodle of blood spreading around its feet. Its head was thrown back and its shoulder were shaking, that terrifying laugh still whipping the night. You could see the long hair glimmering against its back, in the faint shadow of the lantern, just as the blades of the scythes.

«Killer?»

The figure stopped moving.

Suddenly, the night was silent again.

You could physically feel your heart drumming in your ears.

The shadow didn't move.

Your fingers tightened around the grip of the bow.

«Is it you?»

Seconds passed, each one thicker than the previous, until you gritted your teeth, notched the arrow in and aimed.

«Turn around, now.»

Your hold was so tense it was trembling.

Finally, its locks glided aside and the shadow tilted its head ever so slightly in your direction.

You frantically squinted in the darkness, but couldn't make out the concealed features.

«Why are you here.»

The hiss dried your throat as you desperately tried to get your mind to work.

Was that his voice?

You were soon distracted by other calls.

«That way, I heard something!»

«There!»

«Hurry!»

Lanterns approached fast from somewhere behind you.

Fuck.

That moment of distraction cost you.

Your irises had only flicked back for a moment, and that was enough for the shadow.

It covered the distance between you in an instant. You immediately regained your focus and shot the blow but it was too late, he was already on you, and the arrow darted in the void ahead.

A huge hand harshly grabbed your masked face, taking away your sight and muffling your scream. The bow was ripped away from you.

He overpowered you in less than a second and there was nothing you could do.

«That alley, he's there!»

«The assassin! Hurry!»

It all happened so fast.

One moment you were struggling to breath in its grasp, the next your back hit a cramped surface, and a dull crack slammed above you, sealing you in darkness.

The icy laughter echoed in the night.

You gasped, sucking in the oxygen in ragged breaths. Your eyes were blinking, but everything was black.

«He's gone.»

«How is it possible?! I heard him a second ago!»

The voices were all around you now.

«There's a body here.»

«It was the Manslayer! Spread out!»

«Wait.»

There was a crackle of wood sliding on wood, and a flickering light entered your world again.

«There's someone in the dumpster.»

Somebody grabbed your arm and hoisted you out. In the motion, you felt the thin bow rolling on your stomach and grabbed it with your free hand.

Two samurai pulled you out and dropped you on the ground of the alley without much care.

Your nails dug into the soil as your eyes rapidly readjusted to the faint light.

«Fuck. Fuck!»

«Oi... is she one of the Beast Pirates?»

A growl escaped your teeth and you jumped on your feet.

«Move!»

You tried to shove the men aside, but they closed around you like expert soldiers, katana already halfway out of their scabbards.

«Identify yourself.»

«Fuck you, let me go!»

You looked beyond their shoulders, towards the end of the alley. There was nothing to be seen, corpse aside.

The closest man shoved you back.

«I said, identify yourself, pirate!»

Quick like a cat, you notched an arrow and wielded the bow.

«Out of my way!»

They all brandished their katana.

«I wouldn't do that if I were you, woman.» the taller one said, standing right in front of your arrow «You are severely outnumbered. Orochi-sama won't care if we kill a crazy Waiter, because Kaido-sama won't either.»

«I'm not a fucking Waiter!»

The adrenalin was still pumping hard in your veins, but you were regaining your lucidity. You needed to calm down if you didn't want to worsen an already shitty situation.

«Well, you're clearly not a Pleasurer nor a Gifter.»

The tall one pointed at the body behind him.

«Did you kill that man?»

«No.»

You laboured breath was finally slowing down, but you didn't lower your arrow.

«Then who did?»

«They had scythes and long hair.»

«Yes, that's the Manslayer.»

The tall man must have been the commander, because he hinted at a comrade.

«Call for backup, comb the whole district.»

«Did the Manslayer throw you in the dumpster?» another questioned.

You grimaced.

«So it seems.»

«Why didn't he kill you?»

The commander studied your masked face suspiciously.

«No one has ever come in contact with the Manslayer and lived.»

«Oh, you're saying he doesn't throw people in the dumpster for fun?» you flashed a tense grin, then motioned him to move aside «Will you let me go, now, baldhead?»

His brows twitched.

«You haven't identified yourself yet.»

«I'm a fucking Beast Pirate! I work for Kaido! What more do you want?»

«There aren't many Beast Pirates in this area, especially not females. And I've never seen you around.»

These guys must be local police or something.

«I'm new, just got there. Thought to patrol this district, and look at that, it was a great idea.»

«What's your name and rank?»

«It's mindyourfuckingbusiness.»

The commander sighed.

«Fine.» he gestured to another «Call the Headliner.»

The man nodded and extracted something similar to a mini Den Den Mushi, except its shell spiralled out, forming an elongated handle.

Shit.

«Okay, OKAY, that won't be necessary.» you called, finally lowering your bow.

The men stopped and you bought time with a long a breath, your mind feverishly going through believable lies.

«I'm Kotori.» fuck, should've used a different name «I just arrived, it's true, and I answer to, huh, a big shot.»

The commander frowned.

«I'm gonna need a name, woman.»

Damn, damn, daaamn.

«Huh...»

«She's lying.» the man with the Den Den Mushi shook his head and brought the device to his lips.

Fuck!

«DIEZ DRAKE!»

They stopped again and stared at you with wide eyes.

«Yes, it's Diez Drake.» you cleared your voice «So if you don't wanna piss him off...»

Your voice trailed into nothing.

One of the samurai leaned beside the commander.

«Boss, Diez Drake arrived in the capital this morning. The timing checks out.»

At last, some luck!

Wait, Diez Drake is here?

The captain nodded.

«Very well.» then turned to his man «Call him. We are going to escort her to his post and confirm the story.»

Your jaw clenched.

«What.»

«I'm sorry woman, but you're terribly suspicious.»

The squad took formation around you and headed to the main street.

«Don't worry. There's nothing to be afraid of. If you're telling the truth.»

Fuck my life.

As they escorted you away, you threw a last glance to the darkness of the back alley, that acute laughter still ringing in your head.

Notes:

1. Nee-san: literally meaning "big sister", often used in Japan by children to address older girls, not necessarily related by blood. It can also be used within organizations with family-like structure from lower ranks to address a female member, often superior or highly respected

2. Baba: "old woman" in Japanese

3. Tengu mask: usually they are like the one Tenguyama wears, but in this case, "Tengu" is used as its original meaning of legendary creature of Japanese folklore

4. Yonko: one of the four Emperors of the Sea

5. Isuka: a female marine officer that chased Ace across the first half of the Grand Line, appears in Ace's light novel