To Tame A Beast

Abducted

Nobody deserves misery but sometimes it's just your turn.
-Unknown
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**Trigger Warning: This chapter has depictions of violence that may be unsettling for some readers.**

             The sun began to set, sinking lower and lower beyond the horizon; burnt orange and pink bursts streaked through the clouds as dark blue quickly spread across the sky. Lana looked up, seeing the outline of the moon in the sky; it would be a full moon tonight. She began counting the money she had made for the day, careful not to miscount. She pulled a leather-bound book from her bag, flipping the book open, knowing exactly what page to turn to. The page showed a pink piggy bank sitting on a stand, bathed under a golden light. She studied the page, a smile twitching on the corner of her mouth; anyone besides her would think it was an ordinary journal with random sketches.             

          She ran her hand over the page stroking the page with a featherlight touch, a pale green glow emanating from the pads of her fingers as her hand reached into the page; when her hand entered the page, it appeared to look like a pencil sketch. Finally, her hand grasped the piggy bank pulling it out from the page. She stroked the smooth glass lovingly, still in awe she had this power. She remembered the first time she stumbled upon the strange fruit; Lana had collected seashells on the shoreline when she was six. She recalled the squawk of a seagull flying overhead as something it dropped hit the sand behind her. The plump round fruit had swirls of abstract color splotches. Lana's mother was supposed to grab her for lunch but had been running behind; unable to wait, she gobbled down the fruit greedily. Then, finally, she snickered, remembering her regret because of how awful the fruit tasted but had just assumed it was rotten.             

      Her mother had collected her sometime later, and they went off to find her father to go eat together. Her smile quickly melted to a somber expression placing the money-filled bank back through the page; that was also the night her parents were murdered. She pushed the thought aside, snapping the book shut and quickly shoving it into her bag. The sun had set entirely by then, and the street lamps had flickered on; Lana sighed, starting to pack up her belongings to go home. The heavy steps of feet in front of her caused her to pause. She saw the group of obnoxious pirates from that morning making their way over to her. The look on their face revealing twisted intentions in the depths of their unblinking eyes.

"I apologize, gentlemen, but I am closed for the evening. You'll have to come back tomorrow." She said, continuing to put her supplies away, her hands shaking. Lana peered around her to see if there was anyone else around, just in case she needed to call out for help. His gruff laughter sent a chill down her spine, and the hairs on the back of her neck raised.

"Forget the painting; that's a neat little trick you just did. Didn't expect to see a Devil Fruit user here in such a shit hole." He chuckled darkly, squatting down to her eye level.

Lana's heart started hammering in her chest; she had been careless. Nobody in town knew about her Devil Fruit power, and she made sure not to flaunt it; she had been careless never expecting someone to be spying on her.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I believe you are mistaken." She lied, her voice quivering as she tried to force a smile, but she knew he wouldn't buy it. The man lowered his face closer to her, and she grimaced at the foul smell of his breath. He grabbed her face squeezing it hard, she made a small whimper, trying to pull away, but he held her in place.

"Back on my island, pretty girls who lie have their tongue cut out." He hissed, shoving her backward; she fell backwards off her stool, smacking her head on the stone wall behind her. Then, with a kick of his foot, her easel flew, wood splintering in the street.

"No!" She shouted, scrambling towards it; it was the only thing she had left of her fathers. Her hands shook as she tried to pick up the pieces, tears pricking behind her eyes like needles;  she turned towards the laughing pirates, her eyes narrowing.

"Tch. What's with that look in your eyes, girl? You have something to say?" He bellowed, laughing as his large stomach jiggled.

"Just leave me alone." She growled, putting the pieces of broken wood in a pile; she might be able to put it back together if she collected every piece.

"You misunderstand; I truly wanted one of those little paintings of yours until I saw your true talent." He said, his tone serious, yanking her to her feet by her arm. "Grab her bags; let's go." He barked at the men with him beginning to lead her towards the direction she knew the docks were.            

         Panic rising in her throat her heart thumped wildly in her chest, Lana dug her heels into the ground, clawing at his hand on her arm. His hand bit into her arm harder, pulling her against him. He opened his mouth the speak, but before the words could leave his lips, she swung her arm back, punching him in the face. The audible crunch of the break tore a howl from the man as blood began pouring down his face. His hands instinctively releasing her to clutch his face, she took that opportunity to escape running towards his cronies, throwing her foot up to kick the one who held her bag in the throat. The bag slipped from his hands as he clutched his throat, wheezing; Lana snatched the strap flinging the bag over her shoulder and making a run for it.

"After her!" The husky pirate roared as she heard their heavy footsteps behind her; she screamed out for help, hoping someone was still in town in one of their shops. But, unfortunately, every light in every window was out, and her stomach dropped; if she could just get over the hill, she could dash through a small forest and hide out.

           She continued to run with them directly on her heels; Lana could tell she was more physically fit than them and knew she would outrun them shortly. She saw the clearing of the trees ahead of her, and relief washed over her; she was so close. As her foot made contact with the threshold of the forest floor, Lana felt a sharp pain digging in her shoulder blade from the dagger thrown at her, knocking her off balance. She cried out in pain as Her foot caught the root of a tree, and she fell forward, throwing out her hands to break her fall. Her lungs burned as she gasped to catch her breath, her arms burning from the scrapes on her skin. She felt the dagger ripped from her back and yelped, trying to push up from the ground. Pain exploded behind her eyes as she felt a large hand snatch her braid from the crown of her head, pulling her to her feet.

           Hazel eyes narrowed at her as the pirate's nostrils flared with anger. She struggled against him, clawing at his hand; when his hand tightened further, she reached out, digging her thumbs in his eyes, grunting in another attempt to escape. Finally, he dropped her yelling out.

"You bitch!" He roared, punching her in the side of the head; she crumpled to the ground, her head feeling light and dizzy.

          She blinked hard to regain equilibrium when a heavy boot made contact with her ribs. She cried out, feeling the hard kick; she tried to push herself up but was knocked back down with another kick. She groaned, feeling a shooting pain in her ribs; he flipped her over with his foot crouching down over her. Lana looked up at him, whimpering in pain as she struggled to maintain consciousness.

"Vicious little thing, aren't ya?" He huffed, breathing heavily from the chase; he yanked a piece of rope from his pocket, swiftly binding her wrists together. 

             She blinked hard, trying to clear her head, but the dizziness wouldn't subside. Finally, letting out a low sob as he picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder, her body falling limp against him as she slowly blacked out.