Silence that overcomes

Freedom

POV Noir

2 months later

"Hey kid are you alright" a distant voice called to me I couldn't answer verbally so I lifted one of my legs to show I was alive the other slaves where my only company now that the guy who bought us decided to leave us alone for awhile as we where nearing his home island, from what I've gathered we left Sabaody and where heading for his house in the east blue.

"Harry do you think he'll change his mind about leaving us alone?" said another slave to my right I don't remember his name my mind can't process this whole situation let alone their names, it hurts why does it have to be like this even though he's leaving us alone I don't want to relax I can only think the reason behind leaving us alone is only to do worse thing to us when we get to his home.

'I can't take that no... no more no more, it hurts so much when we have his "playtime" I can't take it' my thoughts spiralled further into the abyss that was my life reaching my hand over my left shoulder feeling the burnt skin slightly knocking the metal collar on its way over. Scars from the times he would whip me and burn my wounds stating he did not want his favourite toy to die so early.

I was property I don't talk anymore; I don't cry anymore, I don't feel anything anymore that what he liked he always screams about it how 'why can't us slaves just shut up' or 'your voice is making my ears bleed stop screeching' while he was whipping us.

No mercy only pain "I don't think that bastard would change his mind till we reach his house, so he can torture us more that sick bastard is only thinking that if he lets us rest he can go at us harder when he's back on his land." Harry said back in an annoyed tone making clear he knows things are only going to get worse from here onward we all knew he was right some of them just didn't want to think it.

After he said that silence once again overcame the room as no one knew what to say back they couldn't refute the truth dread overcame the room as yelling started above us it sounded panicked, rushed almost as if something had scared them. Loud bangs were heard as the crew ran around to what sounded like fighting.

It all escalated so quickly they were clearly losing, but to what I couldn't say "what do you think happening" one said in a curious tone, "pirates probably think this ship is carrying treasure" an older voice answered.

"If it's pirates we will most likely be killed or used so don't get your hopes up" the old voice said it's not like any of us had any hope to begin with, the fighting seemed to have calmed down loud footsteps were heard coming down to us below deck all of us held our breath as light flooded in hurting our eyes. "Captain! There's people down here" the pirate yelled. I couldn't make out any details he had as I ducked my head under my arms curling further into myself as the man brought more people back with him.

"Ugh... there slaves I thought these guys where scum, but there worse then scum now!" exclaimed a loud voice. I still didn't want to look up from my ball in the corner of my cage. I also stopped listening to what was happening and was busy wondering if they would kill me or use me for their fun just like the man who wants me to call him master did.

"Hey there little guy, do you want to come out? I promise nothing is going to happen" a calm mature voice said 'was he talking to me? He couldn't be talking to me' my thoughts were hurried trying to think of why this man was talking to me so gently.

"I would let one of us get the kid out he doesn't talk nor does he move from that corner the sicko that bought us always torture the kid the worst." Harry said to the gentle voice trying to convince him to back away from me only for the gentle voice was asking Harry questions, "Noir it's okay we're going outside now" I looked up when the voice said my name surprised that someone knew it finally seeing who the voice belonged to he looked rugged and strong.   

Strangely I felt less scared of him than the others I had come into contact with even the other slaves don't give me this sense of calmness, hesitating for another moment before I reached out one of my legs to him just in case this was a trick and it was a test to see if I would run away.

"Yes that's right we're helping you please don't be scared" the man said reaffirming what he had already said making me believe that he really meant it moving my whole body now slowly towards this weird man 'finally maybe this is real I won't be hurt anymore' my thoughts had finally caught up with my body as I reach out for the man's hand.

"BENNNNNN WHAT'S TAKING SO LONG DOWN THERE!" A loud playful voice boomed making me freeze in place like a deer in headlights, but before I could curl back up into my ball the man now named Ben grabs my hand pulling me close to his chest. I couldn't process what was happening. This man Ben was holding me not hurting me just holding, while I was still frozen he picked me up and started moving toward where the loud voice had come from which was up above us.

Ben started toward the stairs out of our rotten prison under the deck. It had been so long since I was brought above I was scared but this man, a pirate who held me in his embrace somehow made it better.

He starts to ascend the stares towards the top deck I doesn't take him long to do this as the light of the sun burns my eyes, I quickly bury my head into Ben's chest "Shanks you need to be quieter there are slaves below deck you scared most of them with your bellowing" he rumbled out in a low voice as to not scare me more at that's what I think.        

"Ohhhh sorry sorry... I didn't realise that there was a kid down there, I thought all of them were up here" the red haired man said in a slightly guilty tone he seemed to be the captain of these pirates, but the man I'm holding onto for dear life seems just as important if he can tell the man with the red hair off.

'I don't know who these men are, they are helping us, but I'm still scared that it's all an act and they'll just try to use us or sell us later. I don't trust them' I think to myself no longer looking at the captain burying my head back in Ben's chest to somewhat hide myself from these people.

"Hey there little guy you're free now so you don't have to be scared" the man shanks said in a gentle voice. It almost made me turn around and believe what he was saying, but if I did that only disappointment would wait for me. After a few moments of me not moving and the red haired captain trying to get me to look at him instead of Ben's chest, "man he didn't even move Ben you should try your the one holding him" Shanks complained to Ben which made me twitch.

"Noir you can trust me" Ben said in a whisper, this made me look up from his chest to look into this man's eyes, they spoke volumes even in such few words I felt that this man would not hurt me. His eyes said what was left unspoken with this. I felt a single tear fall from my eyes ' how could I not trust you after that it hurts.'

Narrators Pov

Noir after hearing those words started crying out all his pain and sorrow there was no one on the ship that could not hear the agony that this child had experienced in his time on this ship many of the red haired man's crew felt rage toward the slavers that had inflicted all this pain. The young fishman child cried for what felt like hours knowing that he finally could see a tomorrow without the fear of being hurt. 

Shanks gave his orders to leave the slavers ship and return to the red force so they could get on there way to a safe place where they could help and treat the slaves that they had rescued. Things were finally looking up for our little one. Hopefully he can survive what the future holds for him. It's going to be a wild adventure!