Marine || One Piece [ENG]

2|2

Leona screamed.

She screamed so hard, her throat burning, she choking with tears. Her eyes, full of tears.

Bloody sights were visible in front of her.

It was accidental something inside her died when she saw his face, with that calm smile on his lips, as he slowly fell to the ground, his blood falling down his stomach. His necklace beads scattered on the ground, barely audible, their sound drowned out by the pools of blood beneath him, where the red beads melted into.

And his face, remained so calm... With that gentle smile, as if he had finally found peace, as if he had finally had everything he wanted, as if the end was what he desired most.

She hated it. Why did he look so calm when she was going through agony, trying to reach him? Why did he seem so happy with the prospect of death?

She hated it. She didn't want Ace to feel this way, she didn't want him to die.

She knew he was dead.

There was no way it could be any other way. No one could survive such wounds, it was impossible for a human to survive with such a hole going through their body.

Still, she tried to reach him. She reached out her hands towards him, unable to move, held by dozens of hands reaching out from the shadows, red and sticky like blood.

Hands gripped her arms, her shoulders. A pair of hands grew from the ground, holding her legs, fingers gripping her ankles. She continued to scream through sobs until hands began to grab her face, dirty with blood, or perhaps blood itself, fingers striking her mouth, stifling her scream. 

A metallic substance filled her mouth, forced into her mouth by red fingers, slowly choking her. Her gaze fixed on Ace, whose death played over and over again, like a broken record, as she choked on blood, unable to catch her breath... 

When Leona woke up, she was barely catching her breath, panting heavily. She lay still, only tremors passing through her body, cold sweat covering her skin, her clothes sticking to her body. She stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment before slowly sitting up, then rolling out of bed, walking towards the small round window, covered by a dark curtain, and pulling it open with a single movement of her hand.

She was greeted by the sight of a calm, clear sea, gentle waves on its surface. The sky without a single cloud in it, the sun shining so brightly that she had to squint.

She rested her arms against the window frame, pressing her forehead against the glass, her gaze focused on the view outside. She breathed deeply, trying to calm down after the nightmare.

Ace was alive, she told herself.

The view outside the window helped.

This was her beloved sea.

****

Leona changed into fresh clothes after a shower, which were simple black baggy pants and a white undershirt, and went out onto the deck. Her entire arms were covered in metal bracelets as always, from her ankles to her armpits, creating what looked like light armor.

She squinted slightly against the sun, slowly getting used to it, her gaze following the people working calmly on the deck.

Some were washing the deck calmly, taking their time, talking. Others were fumbling with the ropes, making sure everything was fine, a few people were casually observing the sea through binoculars. You had to be vigilant, despite the calm that reigned, because you didn't know when it would end. The Navy could get on their tail at any moment, and the weather could change suddenly.