My Cold Heart [Closed]

[Dandead10]

Predictable. How ironic that the man was to say that despite the large slice along his leg that would now openly drip crimson fluid onto the floor, allowing him to bleed severely with a lack of mobility. Why, she could have sliced off his leg. Though...she supposed that she was getting overzealous, feeling an unmistakable lust for bloodshed spreading through her. She twisted, aiming to strike the man’s spine. However, it turns out that he wasn’t completely incompetent. He was simply underestimating this girl. For one thing, he was utilizing gauntlets, heavy weaponry that were meant more for defense of the body, especially with his particular brand of bulky surface area. On top of that, he wanted to fight her on her preferred terrain. She would in order to avoid this attack simply roll backwards in the snow, entering a crouch position as his strikes would logically then have no way to reach her with the increase in distance. However, he’d find that moving his right leg was all but impossible with the wound delivered, or at least incredibly difficult with the blood loss. She wore incredibly light wear, and it did prove most beneficial in a battle of delivering fast strikes.

She’d rise onto her two feet then, her eyes glazing across these individuals as she narrowed her eyes. “Of course it doesn’t matter...Hihihi. Though you’re all becoming a real pain in my side. I’m starting to think that it’s not worth it anymore.” She lazily looked at them all as the top notch Nihilist known as “Kuro” waited for someone else to dare approach her, strike at her, or otherwise. Of course none of the civilians were going to get involved in such a dispute, and in fact were getting as far away as possible from the event with only a few bystanders to watch this event. Though watching the giant man talk about breaking her bones made her twitch her right eye, then tilt her head to the left. “You can try~ Though you’re right. It doesn’t matter.” She coldly observed them with a long exhale of her breath before he openly commanded his bird to get assistance. The question became clear then. Why did she end up the way she was?

Well, seeing majority of everyone was gone already, there was no harm in answering these three strangers. “I’ve been raised on this island...but not born here. I had been growing in the church here on this island for many years, ever since my infancy. However, times have grown tough, especially during the age of piracy with the death of the Pirate King. People stopped attending church. So...the minister needed a way to secure money, which lead to me being “lent out” to strangers for money while drugged.” She stabbed her blade handle into the ground before rubbing her forehead in disgust at the thought. “It went on for years. So I realized something really grand. There is no God, and there most certainly isn’t any meaning in anything. Things happen simply because they do.” With that revelation, the bitter frost blew across them all, and her hair blew in front of her face as those red eyes stared on with a blank like expression.

“So...I dare you to tell me it matters. Tell me that my life and purpose wasn’t meaningless.” She’d rip her blade from the snow before flicking it outward with an inward sigh. “Otherwise? Just lie down and die.” Her sob story told in vague detail, she’d stop momentarily as she imagined a man with glasses, greyed out hair, smiling with that bright optimistic grin as he’d reach out and place his strong hand on the head of a much younger Nihi. ‘God Bless you Nihi. I don’t know what we’d do here without you.’ The swordsman’s left arm shook though as she could hear her younger self smile back and respond with a cheerful, ‘Yes father! Erh..but what do you mean? I don't do that much?’ She glared out at them all with a dull hatred at nothing and everything as she pointed her blade outward at the three of them. “Well? Back to it shall we? I need to kill you all so I can eat.”

[Deleted]

She was fast. But nothing special. Kobei had seen worse. She was psychotic, though, and that made her dangerous. She lost her reason for being, and now she's a monster because of it. Still, Kobei remained unflinching. He stood up, taking a look over to Wolfric who seemed to be doing well. He dropped his guard and sighed, walking past this woman with such speed that it looked like there were more than one of him. The leg wound was nothing compared to the pain he had suffered before now. He would not let it stop him.


Kobei was now by Wolfric's side, placing a hand on their shoulder and looking to them.

"Are you alright captain? I suppose I could take a stab at your wound and say it hurt, but you're alive. What should we do now?"


Kobei was now completely ignoring this woman as if she wasn't there. If she wanted to believe that nothing mattered, then that would mean she does not matter. Kobei hated unimportant tasks. Unwanted work. Unneeded trouble.

[Fox]

“Sure, sure, no problem,” Wolfric waved dismissively when Ember said he’d consider it. That was all she really wanted. As he moved away, she sat and watched with her legs wiggling back and forth in the snow. Wow. The big guy sounded really upset. But he did ask one of Wolfric’s big questions. Why the heck was the meanie so mean?! She sat forward and leaned in for the answer.

In short, her explanation...sucked. It sucked so bad that rage boiled up in her, threatening to choke her. Stupid! Wolfric snarled and shot up to her feet right as Kobei returned to her side.

“It matters to ME! If you think your life was so meaningless, why aren’t you laying down and dying?! HUH?! Stupidhead! Meanie!” Wolfric snarled with unusual ferocity.

Her fists clenched into tight balls. The brand on her back burned. Her mind flashed back to her time as a slave and what she endured. She stepped out of the armor. Wolfric, a tan young woman with a scar across her eye and long silver hair toted two huge greatswords on her back. She drew one with a single hand, its blade dark and jagged. Jabbing it into the air at this big Meanie, Wolfric stood her ground defiantly.

“I’m going to be the King of the Pirates! I won’t die now,” she declared with firm resolve.

Lowering her blade, she looked at Kobei dead serious. “I’m gonna kick her ass.” Sticking both her swords into the ground, Wolfric jumped back into her armor and surged forward, grabbing them as she darted up beside the giant friendly guy.

“Oh, I’m Wolfric by the way. I got your back."

[sneaky]

Ember's eyes began to water he dropped his shield and sat on the snow. "THATS THE SADDEST STORY I HAVE EVER HEARD!!!" Ember wailed he covered his face and began to cry... his tears where proportional to his body so... bigger than normal. "Poor tortured child!" Ember kept crying for a solid minute before he abruptly stopped, he stood up and dusted himself he sniffled a bit his nose now red. "My child... I plead to you... leave in peace do not force my hand upon you." Ember hoped this broken human being accepted his kindness and left peacefully... if not he knew he had no choice but fight back.

Ember watched as the young man approached the haunted suit of armor he noticed his damaged leg. "Friend... you should rest... if you keep moving like you are you will risk bleeding out!" Ember was in a bit of a tied situation... he could defend himself or... help the bleeding man. Ember grabbed his shield putting it infront of himself the large rectangular shield nearly his sized covered him up he stood in front of the young man and the suit of armor defensively... awaiting Nihi's next move... her next reaction his reddened watery eyes stared straight at Nihi's red eyes... staring deeply...

Suddenly from the distance what seemed like a small black cloud began to get closer and closer... the flap of hundreds of wings and squaking of crows was loud and audible. Slowly but surely they would make their way over... it was only a matter of minutes. The cold cutting weather continued the gray feeling of the land and the handful of gray faced inhabitants that watched the situation... horrible people they where. Suddenly the 'haunted armor jumped out revealing to be a woman! Now... that was a bit confusing for Ember but he kept his mouth shut and watched as she dashed forward to attack Nihi. "No!!! No!!! No!!! Not yet stop!" Ember yelled, he grabbed his shield tightly. "Bear Protects Cub!!!!" Ember yelled using his heavy shield he lunged himself forward and in front of Wolfric blocking her way.

[Dandead10]

Why didn’t she lay down and die? Because despite it not mattering, she hated to suffer. This was the delusion that she told herself and yet she refused to acknowledge the contradiction within herself. Despite her arrogant talk of meaningless existence and pointlessness of everything, she wanted it to matter. Nihi Lista remembered when things did matter, when she did try, and when she could care with such fervor like she used to. However, there was a crack in that reality, and she just wasn’t able to pick it up. As Wolfric yelled outrage, she saw sorrow in the face of another, and apathy in the face of the third. This soul had already chosen it’s destiny, and she’d grasp her blade once more with her right hand, pointing it outward with a dark shade covering her eyes with the darkest most sinister overtone she’s had in years.

“I have no evidence that life doesn’t matter...but you do not have evidence either that life does matter. So then, let’s let it be a clash of my will against yours.” She disregarded Ember, his feelings, and she charged forward at the same time that Wolfric would. Akuma no Mi. Was that what it was? Hmmph. How funny it was that a devil of the sea was to chatise her on the meaning of existence while so proudly boasting her own. It was funny. So then, if this woman was to become king of the pirates, then Nihi would act as the first obstacle to overcome on this journey. It was when both combatants were nearing closer for the climactic clash of meaning and meaningless did the giant man step inward, daring to block Wolfric from getting to the red eyed girl that casually killed for her survival.

She was a monster. Yet, Nihi in that moment, not expecting such a noble and kindhearted notion slashed. Upon hitting that flesh though, a mere millimeters deep, she’d stop that blade. She hesitated, and yet she could not explain why in her psyche she would do such a thing. She’d step backwards, and with it, her red eyes were widened to their full extent. “Why?” It was a simple question that held a thousand inquiries in that tone. It made no sense on the matter. She had boldly stated her lack of care, and yet that blade stopping short had contradicted her inner being as Nihi looked upon the giant’s back. Her eyes were completely widened, and for a moment, they shook with a lack of comprehension and shock. For it was through this moment that she was no longer an adult. She was but a younger girl in a warm church filled with bodies and a man standing before her. “Father…”

Crimson memories, black memories, filling her mouth with a bitter sweet taste of licorice of both kinds. The silty taste of blood and the acrid taste of vomit. Nihi no longer could bear to be here, for she felt otherwise, she’d go insane. Her eyes shook further when her head began to ache and scream. ‘Why? Why?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! GOD DAMN IT WHY?!’ Angered by her lack of her solidified conviction, she slowly stepped backwards, feeling more infuriated with herself than she had ever known. Her reasonings and her hesitance made her slip into a state of insecurity, and for some reason, this was an unacceptable reality. Her red eyes looked to the man’s back. Her sword faltered. It was from this moment, Nihi was already defeated. The girl had questioned herself, her own conviction had been phased.

Nihi Lista hated herself. This reality she was starting to realize. She hated herself for caring about things, and it was for that reason she wanted to stop caring about everything. Though those thoughts lingered, and it was her greatest flaw and weakness that she could not fully sway from one side to the other. Was she insane? Or was the world becoming insane? Maybe both.

[Fox]

Wolfric pulled up short when the big guy got in the way, looking up at him angrily. Why was he getting in the way?! He even went so far as to point his giant shield at her. The Meanie was the one who started this! She didn’t care if her story was sad. That didn’t give her the excuse to just casually attack people. Especially not Wolfric or her friends! She tried to wiggle around the shield, catching a glimpse as the Meanie cut into his back. Wolfric bristled but frowned as she saw the Meanie back away.

Her own hostility fading, Wolfric sheathed her blades and stepped out of her armor. The cold air bit and stung her bare skin. She’d endure it. This was something that needed to be done eye to eye. She glanced up to the big guy and gave his shield a couple pats to let him know that it was okay.

Stepping around it, Wolfric approached the Meanie with a stoic sort of determination in her face. But, rather than lash out with a strike, she just stopped and crossed her arms.

“That doesn’t give you an excuse. You don’t see me whining,” Wolfric said and jerked a thumb to her back, turning slightly.

An ugly red brand peeked out from under her clothing. The brand of a slave. Scars covered her back. Lashes and deep wounds that healed only recently. Some still looked puffy and angry. Others were very old and faded, but her back showed the tapestry of years of abuse.

“I didn’t matter to anyone,” Wolfric declared, “But I did something about it. I found friends. They matter to me. I don’t care if the world doesn’t give a damn about us. I have them and that’s all I need.”

Her dreams. Her aspirations. Her friends’ dreams and aspirations. She’d achieve hers and help them achieve theirs. They could all matter to each other. Wolfric didn’t need anything else. Well, except maybe something to eat. But first. Wolfric balled up her hands into fists and lashed out with a punch.

“This is for Kobei!”

She launched another punch.

“And this is for the big guy!”

Even though he hadn’t officially said yes yet, even though he had tried to stop her, even though all of those things, he was still thinking about becoming one of her crew! She liked him and that was all she needed to care. The frustration built up in her was sent in those punches. How could this girl not even try?! How could she just give up?! Wolfric had been through hell too! She couldn’t stand to see this. What she could have been.

“Shape up!”

[Deleted]

Kobei sighed and walked up to Wolfric and put his hand on her shoulder. He knew he couldn't understand quite what either of them had been through. He had never been a slave, but he had lost everything before he met Wolfric. He had a secret he hadn't shared with even her, both because he didn't see the relevance and because he had lost all hope. So in a way, he could sympathize.


"That's enough, Captain. We don't need any more violence... And you don't need to look after me so much. She's already been defeated..."


Kobei's leg was bleeding, yet he didn't even flinch at it. He barely felt it. Such punishment was commonplace among pirates. He wasn't sure what to do from here except to look at Ember.


"Thank you for defending her, but my captain can more than take care of herself. What she can't handle alone, I help her with... "


Kobei didn't like that Wolfric was willing to pick someone out just because they were a doctor. Didn't she know there was more to a crew than just what they do? Perhaps not... but he had to hope.

[sneaky]

Ember blocked her way just before he was going to tell Wolfric to back off he felt the cold sting of steel cut into his back. "Baarggh.." A squeal of agony escaped his lips... Ember felt his warm blood begin to drip from the wound warming his skin in the cold stining air. Ember felt his legs weaken so he knelt down on one leg still holding onto his shield.

Just then Wolfric patted his shield reassuringly and went to continue on her effort. Ember's face was blank he stared at the ground like someone who had just lost a game and was reevaluating their failed strategy. Sure it was accidental... Ember was sure of this or at least he forced himself to think but that wouldn't remove the dishonorable mark the scar that would be left... a coward's mark.

Just then he heard the calls of the crows they where there... he lifted his head to see a whole crowd of them... just sitting their as if awaiting commands. Ember's face showed anger... pure fury... no more Mr.Nice Guy! He stood leaning on his shield he pointed at the crows. "Stop them..." He then pointed at Wolfric and Nihi. "Stop! Stop them! At once now!" The swarm of crows flapped its wings flying all around Ember it was like sorcery... little did they know it was the work of his Devil Fruit. The crows swarmed around Wolfric and Nihi this distraction would serve as key for Ember to stop them both he ran at Nihi with the last of his strength and attemped to grab her by the collar of her shirt lifting her up, he would attempted the same with Wolfric.

[Dandead10]

Nihi couldn’t take it anymore. She was going insane with this nonsense, this nonsensical group, these nonsensical peoples. Though, seeing Wolfric leave her armor with her blades sheathed made Nihi turn, her face twisted into what seemed like a permanent frown, her eyes shadowed as she clenched her blade. As she spoke though, it seemed that the woman before her thought that Nihi cared about such a trivial things about what others wanted. She cared about what she wanted. The selfish nihilist could barely care for her own needs, much less the needs of others, especially strangers. So, as she said that Nihi had no right to complain, she replied with, “I don’t care.” The red eyed swordsman went back to her cold demeanor, staring on as she balled her hands into fists. It was an easy telegraph, it was dreadfully too easy to track. As she swung outward, Nihi raised her blade, the sharp end pointed towards the opposing fist, intent on getting the pirate captain to slice her knuckle along it.

She cared not for this Kobei, she cared not for this pirate captain, and her initial shock from attacking the big man was quickly wearing off. It was a fluke. Yes, that was it. It was a stirring of something that Nihi once wanted. She didn’t need friends. She didn’t need people. Even though that was a lie, it was the only thing that made her feel better. Nihi Lista found that there was no need to pity herself, for it was all meaningless. The wall she had made, denying everything, marking it as meaningless. It was what made her alive. Though, it was when a horde of crows began to flap into the air, a circle of death that the girl acted. Hopping backwards, she’d gain distance, a surprising three some meters as she quickly found the birds surrounding her. “Kuso…” Wordlessly, she slashed downward once upon a bird, quickly alternating her blow to a curved ascending slice. Two birds, two slices. However, it was meaningless as their swarm did not thin in the slightest.

Only as she sliced, did a small pile of birds form at her feet, crimson red absorbed into the snow, the twitching life from them slowly slipping into a nothingness as their warmth vanished in tandem. Yet, as Ember the giant man approached her, assuming he still opted to, Nihi would utilize her speed and his large size. Leaping into the air with dexterity, she’d deliver her most powerful sideways kick to his right cheek in a fluid motion, utilizing inertia to twist her body and push off of his body to gain distance. She had enough of this place. She had enough of these people. She was going to leave. If the crows decided to follow her, peck at her, rip her flesh, it mattered not. All they would be met with was a ferocious slash of her blade Kurotetsu and a cry of pain from herself as she’d leave it all behind. In the end, Nihi was nothing more than a coward that either ran from her problems or sliced them down with impunity. What a joke. Yet, someday, maybe, just maybe would this girl learn to face her problems more directly.

Nihi would eventually find herself back into the cold, the cold she had grown accustomed to all these years. Resting against a twisted tree, she'd slowly slide down, looking at the sunless sky. At that moment, her eyes narrowed, her right fist clenched with the vein tensing ever so slightly as she slammed her fist against the unyielding wood. "Kuso! I need a drink..." She couldn't help thinking though of the insanity of this day as the girl wondered why this day in particular was different. She killed people all the time without thinking twice, swindled, and lied. Yet, for some reason, she hesitated today, and she could not plant down some sort of definite answer. Disturbing. It was so disturbing that the very thought would linger for quite some time, at least until she got her god damn drink.



[Exit]

[Fox]

Wolfric barely registered the pain of the Meanie’s blade on her knuckles. She was by no means skilled with brawling. That was more Kobei. But she managed to jerk her fist back in time to avoid the worst of it. Except. That only made Wolfric angrier. Before she could do anything else though, her vision was obscured by black feathers.

“What’s with the birds?! Ah!”

Wolfric shielded her face with her arms as she was suddenly hefted up by her tube top. She let out a little yelp of surprise and wiggled around ineffectively as she dangled in the air. She glanced to see just what had her like this.

“Big guy? What’s going on?” She asked, relaxing a bit.

Looking around for that meanie, Wolfric’s shoulders drooped a little when she couldn’t see her through the black cloud of birds. She scratched her head as birds pecked and tugged at her long silver hair.

“Well, good riddance I guess,” she mumbled to herself.

[Deleted]

After all was said and done, Kobei had only managed to get in the way. His bleeding leg didn't bother him, nor did the cloud of craws that surrounded them. What bothered him was that the woman who had attempted to murder his captain had gotten away, and there was nothing he could do about it. There was no way he could catch up in his condition.

So, after all that, he was left with a lot of questions. Perhaps, though, before any of that, he should get his leg fixed up. He stumbled over to Wolfric and looked at her, his eyes piercing her very soul.

"She Got away. These crows aided her escape. Where did all of these crows come from??"

The Bleeding from his leg had gotten slower, but began to pool around his feet. As he turned toward the big guy that stood outside the cloud of crows, he heft a heavy sigh.

"You're a doctor right? Well let's see if you're any good... Mind fixing me up?"

[Fox]

Wiggling free from the big guy’s grip, Wolfric landed face first into the snow. Her skin turned a pale blue almost immediately, and she bounced to her feet, shivering. Crows tugged at her hair, but she batted them away with a hand as she dashed over to her suit of armor. Diving in, she rubbed her arms and sniffed.

“It’s so cold, Kobei…”

Wolfric stumbled over to him and looked at his leg. Looked kinda nasty. To answer his question, she shrugged and offered him an arm to lean on.

“I dunno, but let’s get somewhere warm for now, huh? I’m hungry…” she whined in her menacing man voice, “This island is mean and full of meanies. Let’s go somewhere warmer next time. Oh, and big guy, you can come along too if you want! We could always use a doctor.”

Wolfric scratched her head and frowned to herself. That meanie could jump them. They should probably head back for now. Wolfric wiggled her metal arm at Kobei impatiently.

“Kobeeeeei, c’mon!”

[Deleted]

Kobei sighed and leaned against Wolfric's cold armor for a moment before realizing what a bad idea it would be for damaged flesh to get stuck to cold metal. He limped slightly behind Wolfric, silent and dreary eyed. He was tired and weak from fury.


"Next time, I get to pick the destination... Alright Captain?" Kobei said as he began to drag a bit, his blood seeping into the snow. He was dizzy and cold, which was odd for him. With a thump, he fell into the snow as the world around him turned black.


He dreamt... of the past. How he got to where he was now. How he met Wolfric. How he became a pirate. He remembered all of it, and was not about to let it all go away so quickly... But he rested. He rested until he felt warmth again.

And then he slept a little more. He deserved this rest, after all!