Pirate Chains - Monkey D. Luffy: Chapter 1

Azmaria’s p.o.v

<Glass shatters>

"You stupid twit! This is the wrong alcohol! If it wasn't there, you should've given me back my money, instead of buying this worthless trash!" My horrible uncle screamed at me when he threw the glass bottle of alcohol on the ground, causing it to break.

He picked up a piece and slashed an "x" on my cheek. It wasn't long until blood was flowing off my face. I wanted to do something, but I couldn't. I just stood there.

My name is Azmaria "Rune" Strife. If you’re wondering, “Rune” is something I can’t live down on this island. I live on Cyral Island with my horrible uncle. My parents died a long time ago, and I, by will, was put in his "care". The only way I survive on this island, is from the help of the adults. Everyone is so nice to me. The only reason I haven't run away from my uncle yet is because, long ago, he had taken my most prized possession.

He had taken my gold pocket watch, and for the longest time I still have no leads on finding it. I still remember everything about it. The beautiful carvings as a border around it with the XIII in the middle, and the dice carved on the opposite side. I can still see the picture of my parents that's attached on the inside. I remember the melody that played when I would wind it up. Everything, how light it felts in my hands but heavy in my pocket, the day my parents gave it to me for my fourth birthday... I have to remain here until I find it, then I can be free, like pirates that sail the sea.

 Judging by the way I act around my uncle, you wouldn't believe that I’m a flexible acrobat, with fighting skills in hand to hand combat (It was passed down from my parents. My mom was an acrobat and my dad was a Judo teacher). It’s like the game of cat and mouse, and I’m running in circles, desperately trying to find the hidden object or path, avoiding the sharpest of the cat’s claws at the same time.

"Leave my sights now! You'll clean up later."He said, walking away. He knows I won’t leave. Not yet.

I went into town, wiping off the blood coming from my slashed cheek. "My lord! Rune! Come here, and let’s get that blood off your face!" Shouted the market vendor. Her name is Annette. She got a wet cloth and was dabbing the blood off my face as light as she could. Her husband Joel on the other hand, was muttering curses about my uncle under his breath. Annette sighed. "I wish we knew where your watch was, so you can escape with your secret stuff that's in the forest. Thank god he didn't have salt with him..."

"Thank you Annette. I wish I knew where it was. Everyone here has done so much for me until can find it. I don't know how to repay you all; I'm in everyone's debt." I said softly.

When I’m not being my Uncle's slave, I have stuff secretly (at least, just from my uncle) stashed away in the forest. Once, he almost found it but luckily, the boys were playing there and had protected it from the sights of my uncle, since he basically gives me nothing, having live in the room under the kitchen. I lived in basically a cellar  where I only had a mattress and a blanket and that was all that was in there. My secret stuff consist of clothes, journals, sketch pads, writing utensils, money, and the gun & bullets I crafted with Cyral Island’s blacksmith team. These came from the people of Cyral. They all know my pain, story, and my search. My uncle gets around a lot, so they can’t always be seen interacting with me or bad things will happen. He’s an unfortunately powerful man, with ties to the mayor who is just as treacherous. We’d get a new mayor, but it’s passed down by blood of his family.

 The blacksmith team called the gun, "Hade's XIIIth (Seeing as 13 is a special number in my family) Nightmare". I learned to never miss my mark, EVER. Of course, that’s only on marks I made to hit on trees, I haven’t tried anything else. If I did, I would probably fail. The couple from the fabric’s shop was kind enough to make me clothes. I tried to pay them with my savings, but they won’t accept it.  Everyone in Cyral (minus my uncle) believes that I have exceptional skills with writing and illustrating. I knw I’m good, but they’re exaggerating. The couple (names are Rayanne & Alex) always gave me writing utensils, sketch pads and journals. Most are full already, and they always gave me a new one. (Why a fabric shop would have these things, I don't know) The money however, is a different case. I would always draw in the forest. Cyral is mainly a rainy island, but this is the one time in the year that we have summery days, but we still use waterproof paper. When my uncle sends me on errands, they give me the stuff for free and that allows me to keep the money. If I ever escape one day, I can't go empty-handed, or so everyone says. I don't know how I can ever repay everyone's kindness. So I always help them out with anything and everything whenever I can, since they 113% refuse to take money from me. They’re very stubborn people when they need to be.

I was walking down by the shoreline, holding onto my shoes and letting the water hit my feet when it reaches over to me. That was when I had noticed a mini ship-thing come in. (It was two tiny ships connected to each other by a rope) and three people had come off.

 One was the deadly pirate hunter Zoro, though, he looked more hungry than deadly. The girl was pretty and it seemed there was more in her eyes than one would tend to notice, I know that very well myself. The last one is a boy with a straw hat and a huge grin, it really suits him. Since no one ever comes to Cyral Island, I decided to go meet them. I was so excited that I started to do some flips, cartwheels, and aerials while get over to them. "Hello, what brings you to Cyral Island?" I asked. Even if they were pirates, I envy them too much to be afraid of them.

"Whoa! How'd you do that?! So cool!" The straw hat said cheerfully, jumping up and down on the spot.

"Is there someplace to eat?" The infamous pirate hunter had asked.

"Please mind their rude manners. I'm Nami. This is Zoro and Luffy. We were travelling and we saw this island, Cyral Island, right? Is there a place close by to eat?" Nami introduced then asked.

“Nice to meet you all, I'm Azmaria. Everyone calls me Rune though. I'll show you to Myra's shop.”