With different eyes

First training and freewill swimming

First training and freewill swimming

Lucia's POV

Waking up to a movement next to me. I panic and look around in fright. Only when I realise that I am with Ace I calm down again. I lie down on Ace's chest and fold my hands over his heart, resting my head on it. Slowly, Ace's steady breathing and heartbeat calm me again. From half-closed eyes, I look him in the face. I must never put him or the others in such a situation again, in the end history would repeat itself only with me in the leading role. I gasp and close my eyes completely. What fighting technique might suit me? I never thought about it, it wasn't necessary in my world. I bite my lower lip and unconsciously start drumming my finger on Ace's chest. Would sword fighting be something for me, or rather a gun? I rule out weaponless close combat. I could do more damage with a pillow. A finger runs over my lower lip, which I had previously maltreated, and I startle. I open my eyes and look directly into Ace's dark eyes. He smiles and says in a voice rough from sleep, "Morning!" I hum and lay my head back on Ace's chest.

After a few minutes I gasp and finally get up. I have to train and can't lie lazy in bed all day. You've seen what comes of it. Quickly I get dressed and ignore the pouting Ace. I want to earn my place in this family and not just be an appendage. I walk to the door and actually want to leave the room. But as I touch the handle, I freeze. My heart races, through unfounded fear. The last time I left a room without Ace, I was kidnapped. 'I'm here on Moby, nothing can happen to me,' I try to calm my panicked mind. My mind understands, but my body keeps sending me to run away. My heart races and my hands shake. "Lucia?" Ace asks me cautiously. I swallow hard and finally want to push down the handle, but when I try it doesn't work. It's like it's not my body anymore and I have no control. My whole body starts to shake.

Suddenly two arms wrap around me and I cry out as I wince. "It's all right, Lucia! I'm here!" I hear Ace say softly as he carefully runs his arms up and down my body. Slowly, I calm down again. "Come on!" Ace tells me after a while and takes my hand. Together with him it is easier to leave the room and I don't feel quite so helpless. We walk along the corridors to the galley and Ace keeps giving me worried looks. I look down at the floor in embarrassment, I shouldn't have exaggerated like that, I should have kept it under better control. My hand clenches around Ace's hand. Reassuringly, he runs circles on the back of my hand with his thumb. We enter the hall and everyone looks in our direction as we walk to the commander's table. I don't look up, but just walk quickly to the table.

I sit down next to Haruta and Ace pushes Fossa a little to the side so that he can sit down next to me. Ace, being the big brother hen that he is, quickly puts a huge plate of food down for me. Who is supposed to eat all this? I dig into my food while Ace devours one plate after the other. I turn around suddenly when I hear a bang behind me. Frantically I look around and discover that someone has just dropped a cup. I swallow hard. Then I feel a hand wrap around my wrist. "It's all right!" I hear Ace's calm voice say. Turning back to the table, I only now realise that I am clutching the knife in panic with one hand. Startled, I let go of the knife. The others look at me sadly. I don't want to be the reason why these people are sad. Then I remember a sentence I once heard: "Be the change you want to see in the world". I don't want to be weak anymore, I want to be a full member of the family! I bow my head and say in Marco's direction, "Please Marco, train me!" I hear silence fall in the hall and everyone looks in our direction. I look up and see a big grin on Marco's face. "Your training will start after breakfast. Vista will take the start while I teach Ace the basics of haki!" Ace head jerks up from his plate and his face takes on a determined expression. We will both work on ourselves!

With this decision, I already find myself on deck. Vista is standing in front of me, tapping his forehead. "First you run around the Moby to warm up!" Inwardly I groan, but I start running. Slowly at first until my muscles have warmed up, then I pick up speed. As I stubbornly put one foot in front of the other, I mentally call Vista a whole series of unpleasant names. I had said I was training, not that I don't curse the trainer. Vista beckons me after three rounds and I more or less drag myself to him. My lungs are about to give up and my legs are shaking, but somehow I feel good. Now he wants me to do some stretching exercises. Sighing, I follow his instructions. After the exercises I look at him questioningly. He looks at me and then just walks away. What am I a hopeless case in his eyes? I watch him go below deck and call out to me to wait here. Ace gets thumped in the face by Marco all the time. He has a blindfold on and is supposed to anticipate the attacks. But it doesn't quite work. Marco gives Ace annoyed instructions and pays him back for his grumbling with a punch. Somehow I feel sorry for Ace right now. Don't they have any other way of training besides getting hit all the time?