𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓾𝓽𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓽| 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉ℯ𝓇 16

Ryuji squinted his eyes at the red head, he seemed familiar to him. He thought about it for a moment then his eyes widened in realization as he glanced at Rue. With a simple smile and a hush with a finger on her lips, Ryuji gave her a deadpanned expression. He sighed as he folded his arms, Ryuji may not know why she did the things she did, but he wouldn't ask.

"Mistress, are you alright?" Rue almost cringed at the name, although it wasn't Hanabi's fault. It was just her way of being courteous.

Though they were no longer on that island hearing that title...Hearing it again after years have passed felt so...Foreign to her.

Rue clutched her daughter in her arms, not noticing her daughter trying to wiggle free. It all brought awful memories.

"Mommy, it hurts!" Rue gasped as her daughter jumped out of her arms. Looking up at her mother with a pout, the little girl crossed her arms. "You squeezed me too hard!"

Rue gave her an apologetic smile, "Sorry, Shai." Shanks watched the interaction at the side. He would have never guessed she was a mother, it would have never crossed his mind. He observed as she picked up her pouting child, giving her small apologizes with a promise of a meal with a sweet smile.

The red head's eyes fell back on the corpse, its eyes wide in surprise as if caught off guard. The bruising on the neck a deep purple in contrast to his skin; the man seemed bigger than she was. Lots of questions plagued his mind, how could a woman like her take down a man in such a size?

Shanks pursed his lips, well he has seen strange things at sea before so this shouldn't be anything new. But one thing was certain, there was no way she was okay after that. Instead, he continued to watch their interaction.

Rue turned to Hanabi with a smile, "You know you can call me by my name, right?"

Hanabi's cheeks flushed, she looked away as she muttered with a stutter. "H-how dare I..." She was a knight while her mistress was someone above her, calling her by her name would be a taboo. Her brown eyes met kindness in her mistress's eyes; Hanabi fidgeted, playing with her fingers shyly. "T-then I'll call you sister if that's ok." Her voice got smaller at every syllable.

Shanks gave her a look, since when did she have a shy side. Rue huffed a laugh at her friend. Soon, Hanabi's gaze landed on the child in her arms. The silver haired woman noticed Hanabi observing the child in her arms; Aisha looked up at the raven-haired woman with a curious gleam in her eyes.

"Sister, is she..." Hanabi began, her words trailing off. Rue took a glance to the red head who hadn't said another word and to Ryuji who kept an eye out in the streets.

"I'll explain later..." Hanabi froze as Rue plummeted the curious child in her arms. Shanks almost giggled like a school girl at Hanabi's petrified expression, holding the child who became excited at seeing the new stranger. "Hanabi, This is my daughter Aisha. Shai, this is mommy's friend, Hanabi."

"Hi, Bibi!" Aisha grinned at her while sweat began to built on Hanabi's temple at the excited child in her arms. She felt a growl from the child's stomach. Aisha rubbed her stomach, a slight frown on her, "Bibi, I'm hungry."

"U-um..." Hanabi slightly cringed at the mispronunciation of her name, although she had experience under her belt, that did not include children. She looked at Rue for help, but her mistress was busy discussing something with the other guy she hasn't noticed before until now.