The Marionette

Chapter 18: Celebrate A Failure!

Badabadabada...

You watched as Law grabbed his transponder snail from his pocket and answer it was an aggravated voice, "where are you three? You should be here by now!" The two of you were currently standing on the beach, Bepo having already met back up with you a few minutes prior.

"Sorry captain," you could hear Shachi tremble through the snail, "we got a little uh... caught up..."

"Damn it, you had one job!" Law snapped back while gritting his teeth, "what's going on?" He asked while glancing your way, your eyes immediately shifting away at the intense look he had on his face. Your gut tensed at the sight, he was visibly upset and it unnerved you.

"D-don't worry, we're almost there!" Penguin cut in with a stammer as the sound of shouting and gunfire could be heard in the background.

"What did you idiots do!" Law growled while balling his hand into a fist and glaring at the snail in the palm of his other hand.

Off in the distance, the sound of screams and echoing of gunshots suddenly began to erupt. Your mouth dropped as you turned to look behind you, Bepo jumping slightly at the noise and raising his hands defensively. "Just great!" Law groaned as he hung up his transponder snail and aggressively ready his katana, "get inside the submarine now!" He harshly demanded you, your heart racing at the sudden shift in tone while submissively nodding your head and hopping onto the deck.

You swung the door open in a panic and quickly slammed it shut while standing on your tiptoes to look out the port hole, but Ikkaku quickly grabbed your arm and forced you down. You gasped at her sudden appearance and jerked your arm back in surprise, "what are you doing?" You breathily said while attempting to stand back up, Ikkaku immediately tugging you back down.

"It's better not you watch," she warned with a gentle sigh, "the captains abilities can be cruel at times..." her worried hazel eyes met your own as she offered you a smile.

"Yeah well I can be cruel sometimes too," you admitted while sitting down with a huff, some things are better left unsaid. You didn't want her to judge your past mistakes, so you figured you'd leave it off with that.

Ikkaku let out a laugh, her curly hair bouncing as she sat against the opposite wall of you. "You can be, but that won't stop me from trying to be friends with you!" She said with an optimistic grin, her hand outstretching as the sound of a large explosion rattled the submarine followed by more shouting.

You eyed her hand as more muffled gunshots and screaming droned on in the background, "I don't understand why you want to be friends with me," you said slowly while looking back at her with suspicion.

Ikkaku rolled her eyes, "isn't it obvious?" She asked sarcastically, "in a crew full of men, I've been dying to have another female to talk to!" You pursed your lips while giving her hand a shake, firm yet gentle which caused her grin to widen.

Viola's face flashed before your own, an odd feeling of guilt rising in your core as you pulled your hand back and paused to look away. "Don't expect me to be so welcoming," you said calmly while standing up once the sound of terror outside began to die down. "I'm not so great with friendships," you sighed as Ikkaku stood up as well and dusted off her jumpsuit.

"Sounds like the captain finished wrapping things up," she noted while peeping through the porthole before opening the door. You peeked outside at the bodies lying across the beach, the submarine gently rocking back and forth against the current as you stepped onto the wooden deck with Ikkaku.

"Submarine, now!" Law's voice could be heard over the waves as he directed Umi, Shachi and Penguin over to the submarine. You watched as the three scurried over, pushing past you with a look of terror on their faces as they ran inside, quietly blaming each other.