Maelstrom

Chapter 34

Mihawk's POV

Quiet trills of seagulls and waves rolling gently underneath the raft greet you when you awake. You had only meant to 'sleep' for a little while, but looks like exhaustion got the better of you. With a small grumble you rise up, slipping your feathered hat from your face as you study your surroundings. The ocean seems calm and quiet, a distant shoreline already within your hawk-eye sight, you turn to study your companion, laying next to you, her arms wrapped around your sides as she smiles softly in her sleep.

Ruse D Argenti, the woman who had just consumed the legendary Okami Okami no Mi, the devil fruit that not even the government had known whether or not it had existed. Ruse D Argenti, Rayleigh's daughter, whom the man had been searching avidly for, scoring the sea and land alike for her. A golden eyed untamed wild woman. Long unruly white hair, plush full pink lips, callous hands from working with wares, she wasn't the average lass, that was for sure. Her eyes bothered you, they were golden in contrast to your amber-gold like ones, intelligent, calculating, dangerous. Yet oddly beautiful, entrancing to gaze upon.

How had she ended up here, with you, one of the seven warlords of all people? You muse quietly, frowning slightly as you connect the dots.

The white maned, silver eyed woman had been traveling with your rival and comrade, Red-Haired Shanks and his crew, but for how long? And why did he take such an interest in her? Aside from her feminine charms and eccentric behavior, how had this young woman ensnared someone who reigned as a yonko? Were they lovers? No, Red-Hair seemed fairly attached to her, but she was younger than most women he'd bed, and from the way they interacted, it almost seemed as if he was in the process or at least debating to court her, not simply bed her and move on. Plus, knowing your rival's lack of mannerisms, you knew he wouldn't keep a woman he'd already slept with aboard his ship. The rest of his crew too, seemed as if they had almost respected the woman.

Thinking back to your first interaction with Ruse you remembered seeing her openly defy her captain, slinging an arm around Red-Hair who simply let it happen, teasing and joking with his first mate and the others, they acted as if she had been traveling with them for quite a long time to exchange words so easily. How long exactly had Ruse been with the Red-Haired Pirates, and would she go back to them? Shanks himself seemed visibly saddened to see her go, but he hadn't forced her to stay with him and the rest of the crew, rather he seemed to support her decision to come with you, a knowing smile on his face, as if he knew she'd come back to him.

Perhaps they were closer related to one another than you had thought, though with that in mind, he made no stake of claim to you, so Ruse herself might have rejected his advances. Meaning, you had a chance still-no you mustn't think those sorts of thoughts, you only took the woman under your wing because she had something you were intrigued by.

Something many would be intrigued by actually.

The Okami Okami no Mi, the Legendary Wolf's Fruit, said to hold the power of a god, a pagan-like god nonetheless, but still, it was rumored to hold that much power, if not more inside the fruit. The raw and unlimited power of a fierce warrior, something that people had spoken of long ago as fables and folklore, yet she had found it, consumed it even. The government and marines would be frantic to get their hands on her, which is why you had so readily volunteered your services to her. You really could care less of being a government dog, but when they had offered you your position, you had no qualm about accepting, seeing as there was little to no opponents for you to engage with as you had years ago. But now, things were different. Ruse had boldly challenged you, and you could see the fierce glint of determination in those golden-ombre eyes of hers as she stared at you, defiant, proud. Ruse wouldn't be able to match you, much less beat you as she was now, but perhaps after you had trained her in aspects of fighting and taught her your knowledge of using her devil's fruit, perhaps she'd be able to surprise you.