][Malice][ =One Piece=

:: Chapter Eleven ::

Sabaody Archipelago was their next destination. Malice grew uneasy at the thought. She’d taken off in the middle of the night without saying goodbye to Rayleigh or Shakky. They took her in and Rayleigh trained her in both the use of her strange ability he called Haki and in formal combat. It felt too comfortable and she feared she’d forget her real purpose in going to the Archipelago. She knew if she said goodbye they’d talk her into staying, but she had to find her father. Would they recognize her now? It was a little over ten years ago.

“Malice!” Killer called jarring the girl from her thoughts.

She turned curiously to find everyone crowded on the deck around some upturned crates preparing for their usual nightly card game. The feral orange gaze of the captain lingered a moment too long as he watched the girl.

“Join us for a game of cards.” Killer waved her over.

“I’ve never played cards.” Malice shrugged and returned her gaze to the sun set on the water’s horizon.

“We’ll teach you.” Kid barked gruffly already losing his patience.

“I don’t think you have enough patience to teach anything to anyone.” Malice teased.

“Just play the damn game.” Kid growled.

Malice rolled her eyes at this and abandoned her post at the hull of the ship and headed toward where Heat, Wire, Killer and Kid were gathered. She took the remaining seat, an upturned barrel, between Kid and Killer and watched Killer shuffle the deck of cards with expert care. “New deck?” She asked nonchalantly as her mind quickly calculated which cards were where based on Killer’s shuffling style.

“Yep. New deck every night.” Killer commented.

“Because the captain usually throws a tantrum and destroys them?” Malice asked snidely as she continued watching Killer shuffle.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”Kid snapped from her right causing her to smirk and the others to chuckle.

Malice turned her dark garnet eyes to the captain and trained her hearing to continue following Killer’s shuffling.  “It means you have the temperament of a toddler.” She smirked.

“Captain.” Killer groaned in an attempt to keep the irate man under control.

Kid relaxed slightly and Malice grew uneasy as she spotted a wicked gleam in his feral orange eyes, “How about some stakes.”

“It’s her first time.” Killer attempted to protest.

Malice waved him off, “What did you have in mind, Captain?”

“Rather than stakes, how about we just make this more interesting.” Wire suggested feeling wary of Malice’s calm demeanor.

“I think we should let her get a feel for the game firs-.” Killer tried once more.

Malice waved him off again, “Just spit it out already boys, I don’t scare easy.”

Kid smirked as he caught what Wire was suggesting, “Strip poker?”

Malice held back a laugh; they were in for a world of hurt. In all honesty she’d never played cards. But Rayleigh had a bit of a gambling problem, and he didn’t mind if she tagged along to watch. It was amazing how much she’d picked up by watching Rayleigh play.

Killer quickly explained the rules of the game to the best of his ability in hopes of giving the girl a chance at escaping mortification. Malice felt a small twinge of regret, he was so nice, perhaps it was cruel to slaughter him so cruelly.