You fight good [One Piece × Mulan]

~ Fourteen ~

You watched the change of light all day, as it fell upon your father's sword through the thin opening of the tent's dark fabric which was now your only source of hope.

At first, the anguish was horrible as the choice he forced you to make crawled under your skin and tried to tear you open, nerve by nerve, his words straining against your flesh to end you.

You thought of your family the most, and your home. The cherry blossoms of the garden, and the small bench under it.

Your dad, placing a flower behind your ear before he embraced you, telling you that you are perfect the way you are.

That was when you decided that no matter what it takes, you won't let him go into another war, while the last one already took his arm, and injured his leg forever.

You made your decision hours ago.

Since that you have been calm again. There is nothing else you can do, just wait for them to return.

As the minutes pass, you slowly empty yourself because you know that once again, you will have to leave yourself behind.

You have been [Y/N], and you have been Ping. Whatever name or fate you will have from now on, you wish to face it bravely. You must, for all those who believed in you before.

The evening creeps up on you like a howling beast, the shadows rising around you as it closes you in its long claws.

You see blood on your hands, blood on the cold metal of the sword you cherished. Blood on the land you once called your own. The blood of others, who called it the same.

You don't have anything or anyone left as you slowly drown inside it, reaching for the surface while nobody searches for you.

Eustass Kid told you the truth never taught to you before, but you were not ready to face it.

Now, you are, when your prison opens again, and the tall man walks inside, his steps silent and confident.

He smiles widely as you stand his shining gaze.

Only your hand shakes in your shackles while you open your lips and talk emotionlessly about your choice.

"I want to-"

"Are you hungry, little soldier?" he asks suddenly with a grin, clapping once to interrupt you, which makes you shiver.

You have never been more starved in your life.

The man rolls his head while he walks to you calmly as if he forgot why he came here.

You glare into the nothing with widened eyes as he leans down and removes your ropes. His scent falls upon you like a warm blanket of the night.

He steps back, and you try to stand up confusedly, but you lose your balance after more than a day tied against the pole.

Eustass catches your arm and holds you up as if you are light as a feather. You pant softly for air, and all your muscles ache.

He supports you as you take an uneasy step forward, desperate to set yourself free from his touch that follows you.

The hold you only saw death and suffering in, closing around you like a protecting temple as he helps to walk.

Your heart is racing.

His arms are gentle around you, but you feel fragile and vulnerable, aware of how he could snap you in half if he wanted.

Why is he doing this?

The man brushes the hair away from your face, and you tear up even if you promised yourself you wouldn't cry, whatever they will do to you.