From Ninja to Pirate

15

I shall drink your wine
take away your food,
deprive you of shelter
and dry up your well.
You have hurt me
just once, and must pay
to the distant day
when you manage to give
me the flagon of peace,
only Hemlock will silence
the hatred in me.

-Herbert Nehrlich

The two of them reappeared at the cave where Natsuki and Fuyuki were found by Haruki, earlier in the day.

Haruki gagged, nearly throwing up, then ended up puking in a nearby bush.

"What did you-"

"Listen boy-"

"I'm not a-"

"Listen boy! Do you think you're the most unfortunate in the entire world?"

"Of course not! There are tonnes of other children younger than me who have seen their parents die in front of their eyes."

"Then why do you act like you're the most unfortunate in the world?"

"No I don't!"

"Oh really? Then what was it that I heard earlier I wonder? 'What would you know! I bet you're some girl who doesn't know pain! Who's been protected by her grandfather her whole life! Who doesn't know what it feels like to be powerless! Who hasn't seen a loved one die! Who doesn't know how much it takes to hate someone so much!!! How can you, much less imagine, than understand, how I feel like!' Was it?" She imitated.

"How'd you remember what I said?"

"Not the point. So, just looking at me, you assumed that I was some sheltered girl who hasn't seen death?"

"Well, that's not what I said..."

"It's what you connoted. Firstly, I know pain. I was neglected by my parents for nearly my whole life, well, my first pair of parents, and I was treated like a demon by the rest of the villagers. Now, that won't compare to what you've seen and experienced. Of course not. From what you seem to be experiencing, what you remember is far worse.

Next thing, I haven't been protected by my grandfather my whole life. He wasn't there most of the time because of his duties. Besides, you see these scars on my body? Half were made by him.

Also, you shouldn't challenge me when it comes to feeling powerless. When I was twelve, my father's arm was torn off, because I wasn't strong enough. I saw my brother die in front of my eyes because I was powerless... I saw my village burn because of my ignorance.

As I just said, I have seen a loved one die. He was one year younger than me. When he was twelve, he was gone. Also, to hate someone? Shall I just briefly explain the person I hate the most? Because if I'm going to have to list the people I hate, we'd be here for a very long time... Well, the person I hate the most, well, is a group of people I guess. In the last place, it was my whole village who tortured me, those who tricked me, those who forgot about me, and in this place, I hate the world government! They killed my brother, and I will avenge him! Is what I want to say, but revenge is bad." Haruki looked up.

"Why do you say revenge is bad?" Truthfully, he wanted to know her response toward revenge, since that was what he had planned against the pirates who killed his parents.

"Of course it's bad. You know, a friend I once had, Sasuke. He came from a prestigious clan. He was like a noble in my village. Though when he and I were seven years old, his older brother, a trained assassin, killed their entire clan, leaving him on his own. He sought for revenge on his brother, and when I was fifteen, Sasuke killed his brother, only to find out, that there was a reason behind the assassination, and it was done to protect him. He regrets it so much.