Newbie's Skill

Twenty-One

"That boy is in a lot of trouble," Pops growled from their end.

"Sorry, Pops...but I had to go. I let Teach kill Thatch. Right in front of me," I said. Tears dripped from my eyes, and Ace hugged me close.

"Do you know how worried we were," Jozu asked.

"He gets it," Ace mumbled to them.

"I don't think he does because he always repeats his actions in a worse form!" someone shouted. A sob raked through my body, and Ace hid us temporarily. "And then he cries to get on everyone's good side. I don't think he's worth the trouble keeping him on the ship."

"That's enough out of you, Bleau (Blue)!" Marco snapped. "You haven't liked him since he came on board. From wanting to starve him, and now this. He's a kid!"

"And so was Ace, but you didn't see him doing any of this. Salom D. Ashlo has you all wrapped around his finger. That's all there is to it!" Bleau yelled. I couldn't take it. I pushed Ace away and bolted.

"Ash!" Ace hollered. I heard Marco yelling something on the com, but I didn't care. I ran and ran. This was Alabasta, and I knew the island behind it. Ryker's island. I hopped on my boat, setting sail with Ace coming up on my tail. I'd be back to find Teach. I had to. He killed my friend. One of my brothers.

"Imperium," I said, and the paddles moved swiftly. Ace was cursing, looking around frantically. I sped up my pace, moving around to keep the balance. Something shuffled in my bag, and a small creature fell out. "Champ?" I yelped. "Oh, Buddy. You shouldn't be here," I cooed. "I told you to stay on the boat with Pops." He whimpered, licking my face repeatedly. "I'll leave you with Ryker. Will you please stay with him?"

He barked, and I finally sat down. He curled up in my lap. It was only an hour-long voyage to get to Ryker from this island. I hoped he was okay. I hoped he made it away from that scene alive and well.

I sighed, looking up at the sky in agony. Why can I never find a safe home? Even a safe place to stay. I wanted to be loved. I wanted to keep that loving hand of a parent. The warmth of a family. The rivalry between brothers.

Tears once again flowed down my face. I couldn't stop them. God...I was such a crybaby. All I wanted was attention. I'm an abomination that should have never existed in the first place. If I didn't exist, then no one in my life would have ever felt such a negative way.

"I miss Pops," I cried against Champ, and he stayed with me. He let me cry on him. He gave me someone to lean against. That's how he's always been for me. I've given him so much hassle over the three months we've been on the sea together. It was time he had a safe home on land. I owed him that retirement.