MARINES - A ONE PIECE story (ENGLISH) - Part I

CHAPTER XLVI - Honeymoon

Helio had been one of the greatest pirates of his time. He had sailed the Grand Line with his ferocious crew, plundering and slaughtering here and there, terrifying even the most seasoned Marine soldiers. His devil fruit gave him powerful abilities, but it was his thirst for violence and barbarity that most frightened his enemies. This man was not afraid of anything. Even worse, he loved being the fear itself.

It met her, one day, on the island of Water Seven, while he was repairing his ship. A woman. As soon as he had seen her, he could not have taken his eyes off her. Her beauty was matched only by her wisdom, for she was a scholar, a woman of letters and science. She seemed as sweet as honey, as delicate as a rose. When he had approached her, she had rebuffed him so firmly, so head-on, that he was at first taken aback. Yet she knew his name : there was no town where his wanted poster was not dispensed. Yet she had not been afraid, she had been firm.

- I don't want a man who can spill blood. I prefer those who spill ink on paper ! she had cried out as she turned on her heels.

Helio fell to his knees in surprise, then burst out laughing. It was decided, he would stay here. His crew, at the time, had looked at him, puzzled, then mocked him.

- What happened to the bloodthirsty Helio ? had laughed his first mate. You're not going to stay here for a miserable damsel, are you, Captain ?

- This woman is better than the bunch of scoundrels you are, the pirate replied. You can leave with the crew, you are now the master of it, instead of me. I'm staying here for her.

Once the ship had been refitted, it sailed again, without him. A few weeks later, his crew was found and decimated by one of the five Warlords of the See, former pirates in the pay of the government. Helio's absence must have angered him : he had slaughtered them all and delivered only their severed heads to the Marine.

But Helio did not care about this incident : he was not spending a day without running after this young woman. While she was only ignoring him, wandering as if nothing had happened, he told her his life, his stories, his exploits. One day, pushed to the limit, she turned around and shouted at him, her eyes full of tears :

- Don't you have any morals? Don't you realize that your only exploits involve the death of innocent people ? You are only a monster, pirate !.

As if paralyzed, he collapsed on the spot. Thick tears ran down his scarred cheeks for the first time as he screamed in the middle of the street. These words had had the effect of a blade driven into his heart of stone, and his enormous carapace finally broke, after so many years.

The young woman, a few meters away, said to him without turning around :

- Are you crying now ? Good. At least you are aware of your actions. But that doesn't change anything. You are still a killer to me.

He let her go, did not follow her.

From then on, he did not spend a day without studying in the library, without strolling along the docks and smelling the ocean air... He even got rid of his sword. Piracy was over. He was ready to do anything for this woman whose name he still did not know. For her, he wanted to go back to the right path, to abandon his faults and his demons.

...

Of course, Marines learnt of his presence in Water Seven, and dispatched the powerful Leroy there. When the soldiers landed and began to inspect the city's every places, Helio went to the young woman's house to apologize. She half-opened the door, and observed him, in the half-light.

- Here you are again... Don't you know that these soldiers are looking for you, that they are getting ready to capture you. If you're counting on me to cover you, go to hell !