Children of the Sun

Nightmarish Dreams

Happy Birthday, Freckles! I did post a small one-shot and honor of his birthday.

A lot of new original characters are introduced and took some inspiration from other anime character names.

The Graphic Violence warning really starts in this chapter.

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Vienna found passage to the next island on a traveling merchant's ship. She paid for her ticket in labor, helping with chores around the ship, and loading goods on and off the ship. Every night, during the week she spent on the ship was a dreamless silent sleep. No clues as to how Ace was doing or what could happen to him. Nothing in the newspaper either, so that was good news at least.

During the first night on the next island, Ve finally dreamed again. It was Ace standing off with Jinbie, a battle of water and fire until both pirates passed out from exhaustion just as Whitebeard's ship arrived.

This time she saw a little more as the dream continued to show Ace attacking Whitebeard again and again. He failed every time, thrown from the room or off the ship as Whitebeard laughed, like it was a game, a mouse attacking a lion.

She saw Ace sitting by himself and Marco approaching with a bowl of soup. She saw him sit down next to her brother and could make out parts of the conversation. Ace wanted to know why they called Whitebeard pops. Before Marco could answer, the scene switched to Ace celebrating with the Whitebeard crew, a fresh tattoo covering his entire back, Whitebeard's jolly roger.

Vienna woke up that morning with a smile on her face. Ace was going to find his family, his place in this cruel world.

While enjoying her lunch in the local tavern, Ve noticed how quiet the town was, in a good way. There was almost no navy presence. The locals didn't even spare a second glance at her wings. The village children still stared in awe hiding behind skirts and Ve would just offer them a small smile.

"I haven't ever seen someone quite like you before." The young woman running the tavern approached Ve with a dirty rag and mugs in hand. Vienna couldn't sense any ill will from the woman, just a curious soul.

"Yeah, there aren't a lot of people like me walking around." The woman laughs,

"Well it's nice to meet you, I'm Momo, owner of this tavern. I welcome you to our quaint village of Heroes Point." The large smile that graces her face calmed any anxious feeling left in Ve.

"I'm Vienna. I'm just traveling the Grand Line on my way to visit family."

"Where are you coming from?" Momo asks while washing mugs behind the bar.

"A small island in the East Blue." Momo raises an eyebrow,

"The East Blue? You've traveled a long way. Especially a lone young woman on the Grand Line. You must be one hell of a fighter." Ve chuckles,

"Yeah, grew up with brothers so I was always fighting and running, this is just on a bigger scale." Momo laughs using her wrist to brush her hair behind her ear as her hands are covered in soap suds.

"I've got an older brother, a younger brother, and two younger sisters. Each is crazier than the last." The girls spent the rest of the day talking and sharing stories of their siblings. Of course this entire time Momo was still working, running the tavern. Eventually, Ve just helped, following her around to continue the conversation. After the last customer left for the night, the two were met with a silent room.

"You're pretty good at bartending. Could use someone like you around here." Momo laughs, putting away her broom. She turns to the winged girl a large grin gracing her face,