][Malice][ =One Piece=

:: Chapter Nine ::

Seagulls cawed overhead as they circled the docked ship at the harbor. People bustled by in the town beyond the harbor getting their morning shopping out of the way. Malice smiled softly to herself. Finally, they’d made port! Perhaps this was the perfect opportunity to learn more about the locket.

“What are you smiling about?” Kid asked disdainfully as he appeared on the deck beside her.

Malice smirked, “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

Kid glared, “That’s why I asked.”

“Um, Captain, shouldn’t we get organized?” Killer asked curiously as he leapt from his perch in the crow’s nest.

“For what?” Kid grumbled as he continued watching the dark haired girl suspiciously.

“We can’t stay long; marines will be here in a couple of hours for a prisoner exchange. We should plan out who gets-.”

Kid waved him off nonchalantly, “I’ll leave that to you.”

Killer sighed, “And what about you, Malice, I suppose you’ll be neglecting your duties as well.”

“I have some business to attend to.” She shrugged.

“At least go with the captain, he has a bit of a short fuse, and we can’t afford him to be getting into any trouble here-.” Killer began but paused as he realized he’d just asked the one who frustrates the captain most to accompany him, “On second thought-.”

“I’ll babysit.” Malice smirked receiving a glare from Kid and causing Killer to groan.

“We’re doomed.” Killer grumbled under his breath as he watched the captain and the infuriating girl make their way into town.

Why was she so infuriating? Captain Kid watched the woman out of the corner of his eye as she fell in step beside him. She nonchalantly grasped the locket in her hands as she stared off lost in thought. Was there some story behind the locket or was this another trap to make him snap? He wasn’t going to be naïve enough to fall for it again.

“What business do you have here in town?” Kid asked the girl gruffly as they wound further into the city and soon lost themselves in a rundown urban section of the city where most tourists didn’t dare to venture.

“My business is my own.” Malice shrugged as she continued walking searching for a particular shop sign.

It took all he had to keep from lashing out at the girl in anger. He kept his mouth shut and threw her a glare. Why was she so secretive all the time?

“Bandits!” Someone cried from the outskirts of the rundown suburb.

Malice’s body suddenly went rigid causing Kid to pause and turn to her. Her face was a completely blank mask of apathy, but her dark garnet eyes revealed a fire unlike any other he’d ever seen. They were smoldering with rage. She clenched her fists so tight the knuckles were white as a sheet and blood dribbled from her palm and dripped to the dirt path below.

Her dark gaze zeroed in on a band of men dressed in black and carrying a slew of weaponry. They were loud and raucous, pushing people out of their way and dishing out threats as they went. A child began to cry in the street as the group of men drew nearer and Malice watched as the child’s mother ran to his aid. An image of Izra being shot flew through her mind just as one of the bandits barked at the young woman and her child.

“Malice?” Kid attempted to jar the suddenly catatonic girl back to reality.

“Excuse me for a moment, Captain.” Her voice sounded distant and cold.