Dealing with Devils

[Blaka]

Home...

For days, Kulira had been lost. She should have been content. Afterall, she had everything she wanted. A loyal crew who would heed any command their Captain would utter. Cages full of helpless people she could play with all day. Meals cooked by the apparent vessel of a demon, who had allied herself with the cyborg. And yet - at night, when all the fun was over, Kulira felt a hole within herself. There was a goal she had promised herself to achieve: Find her sister and make her pay. However, there just one problem there. Where would one even start looking? Really, the answer was simple:

Home.

With a ship like the Gehena, strong and sturdy as she was, they could try the dangerous undertaking of sailing up the Reverse Mountain. Up to the Grand Line, on to the Crescent Moon Kingdom.

And so, Cheteria got up from her pompous bed, snuck up to the deck and gave the command:
"Set sail towards the Red Line!"

Personally, she didn't have a clue where exactly that was. But the handfull of capable pirates at her fingertips sure knew. Quickly, men were woken up, sails were adjusted, and the new course set, no questions asked.

---

Home...

Here, inside this cozy little house on this tiny little island in the far south west corner of the North Blue, Arlette was safe. No clouds were covering the sun, no rain was pouring down from the sky. It was a calm and quiet life, just her and her family. The kids were playing in their room upstairs. Their dad was out working. Arlette would spend her day relaxing at the kitchen table near the window, sipping on her coffee and reading the papers. She liked following the news in here. Some good, some unfortunate, but nothing to worry about, as none of it involved her. There was good material for small talk in here after all. Sometimes, she would take a look outside the window and greet the neighbour across the street. He was a bit of a grumpy guy, but Arlette still liked to engage in small talk. Surely he would cheer up some day.

"Good morning!" she smiled "Wonderful day, isn't it?"

"Please shut up..." her neighbour wheezed.

Arlette wouldn't let herself be deterred.
"Were you at the grill party down the street yesterday? We weren't invited, but it smelled nice even over here."

"What the hell is wrong with you!?"

"You keep saying that, what do you mean?" There was honest wonder in her voice.

"Open your damn eyes, Arly!"

Hesitantly, she did as she was told. Half a second later, the world around her broke down. There was no kitchen table. No house. No family. No neighbour. Instead there was crying, blood and awful smell everywhere. She was still trapped in one of the cages inside the horrible pirate ship, together with the other survivors from the raid on the Ludus. Everyone else had been brutally murdered and all of them in here been senselessly toyed with by the sadistic Captain. There was no point to it, the woman just seemed to enjoy their suffering. Once proud gladiators turned into bawling piles of misery. Arlette was hyperventilating again. Quickly, she made sure to close her eyes once more, to escape. To the back of her mind, to the kitchen table and papers, the happy life, where everything was fine. Home.

"You know, I think I'll get another cup of coffee. Talk to you later!"

"GRAAAH!"

---

Home...

Down here in the waters, Natasha was home. Nothing was better than the feeling of gliding through the seawater, past algae, fish and crustaceans. Here, she could feel most like herself. There was no act she had to keep up to be respected, nobody ordering her around, no people looking down on her. Well, she was here on the mistress' orders, but all she had to do was keep a lookout. The Ludus was late, they should have been meeting up a day ago. Supplies were badly needed however, so waiting a little longer was alright. If they took too long, they'd just get a paycut.

However, what they couldn't afford was Marines or rivals showing up. Thus, piranha fishwoman Natasha 'The Teeth' had been put on guard duty. In large circles, she would swim around the mistress' ship, using her keen nose to spot any ships getting too close. Not that they expected anything to happen. It was a standard safety measure, nothing more.

As chance would have it, there was suddenly she did notice something. It was but a ripple in the sea, but enough to take note. Her green skinned head popped out of the water to get a better look at what was approaching. Her yellow eyes spotted a vessel on the horizon. Rather large, A pitch black hull with flames painted on it, three masts - with a jolly roger on it. Definetely not the Ludus. And definetely not invited. Time for them to change course.

[Kami-Gaz]

Screams… Shouts, and wails. All of these sounds that were fairly common on the Gehena, sounds that rang out in the night, played during the day. These were all sounds that would drive even the brightest of sparks down into a deep pit of despair. For Cheska however, she was already there, she was used to these sounds and was able to zone them out as she worked away in the kitchen. Wearing a knee length red dress the woman would move from counter to counter moving plates and utensils around from storage to prepared for cooking. Her skin was clean, and mark free. What bruising she had gotten since the fight with the dragons was gone, healed away by her tough Drum body.

“What do you mean?” The woman asked softly, looking towards her mask that was propped up against the wall by the fridge. It was still within arm's reach from the woman as she worked away grabbing ingredients and tools so she could cook away.

“What do you mean what do i mean?” A harsher, colder voice replied,, it made the woman look at the mask with a little more confusion for a second before she carried on preparing for the crew sized meal. “I mean you’re weak, you do nothing but roll over and let people walk all over you. If i did not step in that robotic bitch would have put you in another cell and would be torturing you like she does the others.”

Cheska stopped… The harsher voice of Vizard was right, there was a massive chance that she would be shoved into a cell and torn to pieces. Bit by bit torn apart even more by the heartless monster of a captain. After a moment she picked up a knife and slide a cutting board over to be in front of her, by the mask. “Maybe… But she didn’t, she even said she would take me home! I don’t like that she hurts those people so much.” The blonde muttered as she pulled over a couple of carrots and with the knife started to peel them without looking down at her hands.

Without any other sounds apart from the peeling the room fell silent, tense. After a minute chopping started. Slice, slice, slice, slice. “That is because i threatened to rip the robot arm off of her.” Still slicing the woman would not respond to the masks comments of her defence. Slice, Slice, slice, slice, slice. “Cheska… You’re too precious and weak to do anything like that yourself.”

The slicing stopped as tears welled up in her eyes, the mask had struck a chord in the young woman. “I can… I should… I just want to be useful and go home, i want to see Vicktor.” She said slowly crying away, letting the carrot she was holding go and the knife fall. With the clanging noise growing louder with each bounce. “But… but I-i caaaan’t… I’m n-not strong enough.” She cried quietly, slowly reaching for the knife again as her tears dropped onto the counter, the slicing of the carrots had started again, still crying as she did.

“That’s why i am here fairy blue, I keep you safe, i am your strength.” The harsh voice replied, trying to calm the crying chef. A few seconds would pass before any other words echoed in the empty kitchen. “Cheska… don’t get upset at me, i am right.” She carried on, trying to cheer up the still teary eyed Cheska… and was failing, hard. “You are weak willed, frail of heart and broken… The only thing you have is that unwavering kindness.” The mask carried on trying to prove her point as she did the knife stopped chopping and the diced carrots were placed into a pot.

“And… Okay… Fine, i will show everyone how tough i can be on my own.” She said softly, poofing her cheeks out in a childish manner to try and look tough. “I can do it and i show everyone i don’t need you.” She said trying to prove her other self wrong. With a grin on her face she moved and picked up a slab of minced meat and started to put some into a pan.
“Cheska, you do need me. Do not be reckless fairy blue… I need you as much as you need me.” The vizard explained trying to stop the pathetic blonde from doing something stupid. She knew better than anyone Cheska could take some words to heart too much, that she would try and prove that she was a perfectly capable person on her own… and that she was destined to fail because of her softness, weakness and kindhearted nature. “Hey, no stop it!” She shouted out before the mask was slipped back onto her belt and then covered in simple cloth to hide it.

“I said i can do it, trust me. I can cook, clean and and all this other stuff… i can fight too!” She said with a soft smile, chuckling softly at how much she knew it was a bad idea. The long blonde haired woman would carry on her frying off of the meat before placing it into the pot with the vegetables and some already made stock to let the giant vat boil for a few hours.

From the doorway stood Cooler… her mouth agape, she knew Cheska was crazy, but not talk to her self in the kitchen with 2 separate voices crazy. With her hand raised she would slowly walk in and knock on the door, pretending she never heard a word of this conversation. “Mistress Cheska… The gladiators have their meals… Vox however does not seem to have eaten… again.” She said, she knew that the former slave was difficult, but was he still set in his ways of only eating when being told too?

“W-what?” Cheska asked, jumping slightly as she let the pot lid clang down. “U-uhh, I’ll g-go and t-take him s-some... ” She said quietly not asking how much the green haired woman had heard. She didn’t even stay long as she pulled a ready made meal from the fridge and moved out of door with graceful speed.

[viruswithshoes]

OOC: Cheska used with permission.


Once more Vox had fainted in the Gehenna hallway after an exceedingly difficult day of trying to mold worthless slaves into gladiators. Music Slave, Thirsty Fly, Phlegm, and the unfortunately named Rump who kept his own moniker because Vox knew it bothered him. Vox tried to teach them what was best in life; Spill blood in the name of their Captain and Goddess, earn her mark and then the slaves would be reborn as gladiators who live only to fight and fight only for their Captain.

Having fellow slaves around to train made the sentimental ache of watching the ship he grew up on sink flaming into the ocean easier to bear. Still, he missed The Ludus, at that moment mostly because people told him when to eat. The Gehenna had no such structure which Vox found disconcerting. Apparently people just ate at chaotic times, another thing he would have to get used to.

More than the lack of food, the lack of hair dye concerned the flamboyant slayer of slaves. After some vigorous washing the teenage Skypien's hair has reverted to it's original white, which according to his father and his own blurry memories, was passed on from his mother, along with a love of music. Now it was a blank canvas waiting for color. Dye had been provided to him before but the timid slave didn't wish to bother his new owner with requests for cosmetics.

Hungry and shivering underneath his generously provided white fur coat accompanied with a flamboyant red and black spots making Vox feel as if he were some sort murderous peacock. The thought of adding further red color to the coat appealed to Vox. Training gladiators lacked the life and death excitement of fighting in the ring, especially for the honor of Kulira, his captain and current owner.

A bowl of something that cruelly reminded Vox of his hunger was set next to him by the cooking woman who was a slave to her masked persona. Mask, he respected as a fellow warrior, but this other woman seemed no more than a common slave. It made dealing with her awkward and dangerous as he wished to stay upon Mask's good side.
"Gratitude. Please tell The Mistress that I regret disappointing showing while on The Ludus. And am thankful she has allowed me to eat again."

Rather than watch the steam from the bowl of stew hypnotically rise into the air and vanish Vox focused on the kitchen slave.
I humbly requests an audience with Miss Mask, Cheska."

There was a great deal of hesitation emanating from Cheska but the timid kitchen slave could not help, Vox needed the strong woman and her nodachi present to make himself more of a value to his mistress.
Vox knelt to one knee and presented his right hand to Cheska/Mask with his index and middle fingers extended in the sign called 'Missio' used for when gladiators gave up. Vox used it as a non-verbal way to acknowledge the woman's martial might.
"Madam, if you are willing, I would like to learn this air slash technique from you."

[Blaka]

When she first heard the sound, the first image that popped into Kulira's head was that of an oversized spider. She could only hear it because she was standing at the Gehena's bow. For anyone else it was likely too quiet to pick up: A scuttling noise sounded through the cold air. Multiple limbs were hitting the outside of the ship's hull in quick succession, getting louder as the being that caused them crawled upwards.

The noise ripped Cheteria out of her thoughts about home. Quickly, she hurried over to the railing, taser inside her hand ready to fire at whatever seamonster was coming up. By the time she got there however, said monster had not only crawled sideways, towards the middle part of the deck, but already hopped over the jagged railing. Next, what happened did so so quickly, it was hard to follow with mortal eyes.

"Keze A Bukott: Hel Sikoly!"
Chete fired her taser at the invader, but missed by a long shot. The creature's shadow had jumped at the mook who was unfortunate enough to stand the closest. Before anyone could stop it, a strong hand was pushing the man's head to the side, so that his throat was easily accessible. Half a second later, red was spurting out as dozens of needle sharp teeth burrowed themselves into his flesh and ripped a giant wound in it. Screaming, the man fell to the ground and rattled his last breaths in a sea of his own blood.

Anything before now went unnoticed by most on deck. Yet, the scream drew everybody's attention. There stood a light green skinned woman among them. Skinny and rather small, she was chest height of the Captain at best. On her person, she had nothing but a mustard yellow kimono, three sized too big for her, cut off just above her knees and half way down her lower arms. On top of her head grew a mass of full black hair, cut into a neat bob cut. Fresh blood was running down her chin, a scoffing look on her face exposed razor sharp fangs. Her eyes, which quickly assessed the situation around her, seemed weirdly backwards: Instead of a common white sclera, her's was brown, with a white iris in the middle of it. Still, the strangest part by far about her was the thin membrane between her fingers. A fishwoman.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" the stranger snarled.

[Kami-Gaz]

With a gentle nudge on the dark wooden door it would slowly sway open and reveal the cold air of the north blue, it was not much but a gentle gust blew the rising steam of the soup back into the chefs nose and filled it with the hearty scent of a chunky curried vegetable and bacon broth. The aroma of the spices would make her scrunch the button up, it was good but a bit too strong for her in this case. A few more steps and then her free hand was moved to shield the bowl of warming broth from the harsher winds of the north. After a quick glance around the sparkling golden orbs locked on the brightly coloured, fur covered, Vox. With a quick skip over the young woman would place the bowl down on the crate next to the man and smiled. “M-Miss Cooler told me you weren’t eating. S-so I-I brought you something to eat!” The woman said, trying to not stutter on every word as she has done in the past.

‘The mistress? Chete? … was she not letting him eat? That’s mean, even for her…’ The naive girl thought in reply to the man’s words, his voice box deep and slightly crackled as the cold breeze licked up and around the pair as they stood in the open. The shuffle of men around them looked at Cheska as if she was actually insane, stood there in her red dress as if nothing was wrong at all. Well to her this cold was nothing. Being raised on drum had prepared her to walk in beach wear in cold worse than this. “E-e-eat w-when you a-are hungry….” She said softly, looking rather upset as she did, this was her attempt at giving an order… she didn’t want the man who could do what he did to die of hunger on account of not eating… It was her job to give him food to be not do that!

“A-a-a-a-a-a-” she stuttered out as she looked at the man with wide eyes avoiding looking into his. Why did he want to talk to her? What had she done wrong? Was she not good enough for him? Was she nothing but an annoyance? Just someone not worth talking too... That’s all she was… that was all she ever was. “S-she c-can’t now…” she replied softly, the broken heart filled her voice, she sounded as destroyed as she did when she was in the cells telling Chete what she could do.

She felt inadiquette and unloved and turned around to walk away, her head looking at the floor, the golden hair seemed to droop along with her spirit… it was here that something caught her eye, a piece of paper that was caught under her own foot. “Wah…” she mouthed before kneeling down and pulling the curious thing up and closer to her sparkling orbs. Then her eyes widened, bigger and to the size of saucers. Her broken heart was quickly repaired and filled with joy she had not felt since she was a child. What was on this piece of paper was a poster.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}

And it was not just any poster. It was a wanted poster, the picture there was of a man sharing the same eyes as the young woman. The same golden hair colour. This man was her twin brother, this was her Vicktor! “Vicktor! This is Vicktor! My brother!” She exclaimed out with a smile that reached ear to ear, turning around on the spot she would show the poster to the gladiator. “That’s my brother! That’s my twin!” A fluttering in her stomach was going crazy, it was insane. Her brother was Alive, he was strong! He was enjoying his life! This was every bit full of hope as it was question raising. Why was he wanted? Why was he worth so much? No matter now, this was cause for joy.

“Mr Vox, Vizard can see what I see, hear what I hear. Whilst she cannot come out now, she can hear you.” She announced as she stood straight and watched him with a bright smile, uncharacteristically so. This was the loudest, the most energetic… the happiest the crew of the Gehena had seen this woman ever… without the mask cutting people down like a maniac. “I am sure she will teach you it if you are nice… I feel that is what she would say now.” Cheska said innocently with her smile, she herself was swaying side to side on the balls of her feet clutching the poster close to her own chest. She had to show Chete, everyone. This was great news!

Then a sudden splash of blood hit her, covering half of her porcelain white face with the warm red liquid, the mask, that was already stained with the red substance was again coated in it. For a moment Cheska stood there, her smile slowly fading as this strange woman growled her question out to everyone. The ex-slave didn’t respond… she was in a state of shock, covered in blood… again, the golden orbs grew wide as a fear washed over her. It was going to happen, again. She was going to get hurt, people were going to get hurt because of her. The memories of her first months as a slave came back and she started to hyper ventilate and panic. She was breaking down.

[viruswithshoes]

It was hardly the first time Vox had been randomly splattered with blood or the first time that same blood had violated his meal. He was pleasantly surprised to find that unlike last time, no teeth had ended up in his meal. It was a nostalgic kind of irritation.

Rather than lapse into pleasant memories of unintentional hematophagy Vox paused only to unconsciously rub the new sleeves of chain mail and faded black leather armor adorning his arms. Now seemed like an opportune time to break them in. Grasping his tuning fork, gladius-style, sword in his right and and bowl of iron-rich soup in the other the excited, but starving man took a position in front of Cheska who didn't seem to take being splattered with blood with the same aplomb.

Now that the one known as Vizard who resided within the kitchen slave Cheska became a prospective teacher, Cheska, his teacher's container, became something of immense value. She was now some sort of sub-mistress to Mistress Chete as far as Vox was concerned.
"My teacher shan't be harmed before my first lesson," croaked out a mechanical voice that belied the will beneath.

Twin streaks of white flashed due to the streaming of a white fur coat and long white hair as Vox ran towards the origin of his meal's newest ingredient. Eating on the run wasn't new to him but he would have rather had to time to enjoy his delicious broth and vegetables rather than nearly choking on the hot stew and meeting his opponent with a full mouth and nothing clever to say.

After wiping the excess soup from his lips and chin with his coat, Vox abandoned the constricting warmth for the simple mobility of a naked torso save for his new dial-powered arm protection which protected from swords better than it did the bitter cold of the North Blue winds.

"Mistress, would you like me to dispatch-" Vox froze. Typically, in battle he would have some prior knowledge of whom he would be fighting and they would typically be human. A part of him longed to fight this blood-soaked sea monster while another part felt the need to orally evacuate the food he had just eaten.

"Madam, this is Mistress Kulira Akuvutika whose property you have destroyed," referring to the dead crewman. He still could not understand his Captain having free men aboard The Gehenna rather than enslaving everyone. Still, he saw the free crewmen as his mistress's property and damaging it was an unforgivable slight.

He edged a little closer to the intruder as well as between her and Cheska while keeping an eye on Chete, ready to obey any order.