𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 | 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑷𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆 ✔️

28 ~ Willow D. Ena

The next few days were no better. No one, not even Smaug could get Nova onto her feet as she stared blankly at the waves while seated on a cliff with nothing but a tight-lipped frown. Her eyes were plastered to the sea and her throat was dry from the dehydration along with her lips.

 It felt terrible, but the way her insides felt as though they were getting torn and pulled at before being returned seemed to hurt even more and in the scariest way, Nova was beginning to feel a little numb to the feeling. 

When the sun finally began to set, the skies turning a mix of red and yellow, footsteps crunched against fallen leaves behind her but the red eyed wyren didnt bother looking back. Whoever it was would leave eventually, too tired to even deal with her sad and depressed state. The figure sat next to her, his hair swaying gently along with the gradually colder summer breeze. And then he spoke only to be interrupted.

"If you're here to comfort me, go away."

He closed his mouth before opening it once more. "You got a letter. From that boy, Koby."

'Koby...' Her hands balled into fists. She forgot about him for awhile, was he alright? Nova didn't want to lose anyone else to this dumb war, there was already so so much death. The red haired captain next to her placed a sheet of folded paper into her lap before grabbing gently onto raven locks and cradling a head to his side while shifting to be closer to the red eyed wyrens side.            

Nova tried to pull away but couldn't deny how amazing an embrace felt, how warm it felt and she ended up snuggling closer to him while droopy eyes struggled to open the letter. Shanks began to stroke her hair, speaking softly as onyx eyes inspected the fish that had been snatched out of the water by a bird.

"I may not be Whitebeard, Asterope or even Ballu, but I can be your brother. I hope my embrace feels even the slightest bit like theirs." The captain noticed she was unfolding the letter a little slower than before and took it as a good sign to continue speaking. 

"When my captain died, everyone was happy to see the king of pirates gone from this world. They cheered because he had refused to bow down to the world government and worked for his own freedom, even if thats something that should be given from birth. Anyways, the pain that accompanied his death wasn't like anything I had ever felt before and I felt hopeless. I didn't have many people there for me but I did have enough, and I ended up fine."

He ignored the skeptical look Nova gave him and continued. "It's important to know that you haven't lost everything, even though it feels like it. I'm here for you, as are the crew and the dragons. You arent alone Nova."

"I dont care about any of that," Her words were harsh, cold but honest. "I just want Mama and Ballu."

The red haired captain released her from his hold and stood up, knowing any other words he could offer were useless. As long as she knew she was loved, thats all that matters to him. Leaving her to the letter with one last message, he then proceeded to walk into the forest towards where the most wanted man in the world was waiting. "Ace is talking to some blonde whos name is Sabo, apparently they're brothers. Dragon and Pops are waiting for you, we all are."

A crack in her voice the next time she spoke, "Go away, Shanks." and then she opened the letter and read to the best she could. Nova realized she also needed to read the letter her birth-mother had given her, she knows Asterope would have wanted her to do so.

Nova,

I'm sorry. My apologies are all I can offer, I never wanted this to happen. Even though this was an execution for a pirate, we were in the wrong and blinded by corrupt justice. I'm sorry that Great Wyrm Asterope is gone and I can say with confidence that I'm sorry Ace is gone too. This war was just an excuse for meaningless bloodshed, a massacre, and I'm on the side that declared it.