Star Gaze, Chapter 2: Blood and Desire

Did you know that the world nobles are not divine? They may act high and mighty and control the World Government like a plaything, but in the past their ancestors were mere kings. There was nothing divine about them. A fact that most people don’t really know.

However that is not the main focus of me bringing them up. In the last chapter you probably noticed when I got cut. It was a minor mistake, but one that revielded something … sinful. You see in the past, before the World Nobles became World Nobles the Innes clan use to rule over a island, and on that Island there was clan of warriors born with demon blood in their veins. The clan was Kuro clan, Kuro for the black blood that runs in the veins.

I don’t know why, and honestly I don’t care, but my ancestors took offense to the idea of conquering the land that the world nobles now lived on. They did not see it as right, nor did they support their actions in taking. As a result my clan was deemed traitors and were banished to Rusukaina Island. There they all died, well not all of them obviously. Actually most of them survived. For you see the clan leader had a particular devil fruit that allowed him to send his people forward in time. This power spared most of his clan from death, but left him to die alone in a harsh environment.

So now we come back to me, the glorious Star Gaze. As probably guessed by now I am not as distant from my clan actions as I first stated. As a matter of fact I was a little girl when we got banished, thought to be honest I don’t remember much from that time. Maybe some of the old guys in the clan probably would have known, but they all died off during the twenty years we were in the New Era. New diseases, old bodies, you know the science. Anyway the major point is that I am of the Kuro Clan, and though it may have been ages since we rebelled against our old King, I am a hundred percent sure they remember. The World Nobles may be decadent fools, but they are not stupid. Also …

“Star”, came a cry breaking the fair maiden from her thoughts. The Illustrious Star Gaze stopped in her tracks and turned on her heels. Running up to her was a fine specimen of a marine soldier. His hair was a messy black and combed down in a futile effort to give it some order. His eyes had a golden hue to them similar to that of the moon. His face was quite plain though, which was a bit of a turn off, but his well toned body kind of made up for it. It was almost as if he was chiseled from stone. A testament to the relentless training he submits himself to daily. This young man was none other than Hikari Froúrio the second. However Star called him Ashigaru, it was a quaint nickname.

“Seaman First Class Ashigaru”, spoke the fair maiden as she let a delicate smile slip across her face. Star was practically boiling inside. She just knew she looked perfect at this moment. You could stop time right here for all eternity and the heavens would never complain.

“I heard that you ran into The Red Cap”, he spoke. The stare of admiration in his eyes were clear, well to the fair maiden at least. Everyone else saw his stalwart scowl he was so well known for, but not Star. No she was special. She could tell the slight difference in his eyes. She could look past the first layer of his hostile mask and see the true feelings that were buried underneath. It was not often, to be honest it was mainly only when he was talking to her, but Ashigaru had a innocent gleam to his eyes that marked his admiration. He was truly a cute kid.

“Yes I did meet Crimson Falcon and his pet Bluu Falcon. They were quite the opponents the two. The Gravelord lives us to his name. His skill with the Bochi Bochi no Mi was admirable, but it was no match for my skill with the blade and my fine control of my …”

“Hold on a second, I heard you lost.”

Suddenly a fearsome expression crossed over Star’s face as her eyes narrowed and her vision settled on Ashigaru’s plain face. “Excuse me”, she hissed cutting off the lad from taking. “I did not lose. A lost means that I am not perfect! And as we both know I am picture of perfection! The only reason that knave is not sitting inside of impact down right now is due to the fact that my clothing was damaged.”

“Yes my …”, started Star, but her mind drifted back to the image of herself half dressed reflecting form the ocean. Blood began to rush to her head and her cheeks flashed a tomato red. “Hmm”, she coughed to clear her mind. “My dress was damaged in the fight and I was forced to retrieve new clothing. I could not walk around the town half dressed now fighting pirates. Think of the headlines. Marine captain seduces town, mass ma….”

“You let a pirate go out of embarrassment’, scoffed Ashigaru. “Absolute Justice …”

“How many times do I have to tell you boy! Absolute Justice is a dead dinosaur. Glorious Justice! That is what we all should be expiring to. Justice that is always pure, always true. Remember kid there is no point in performing justice if you look like the bad guy in the end. You need to always glamorous and always look as if your in the right. If not then people …”

“Will judge it as they see”, spoke a calm voice from behind the maiden. Star turned her head to the side to look who was speaking, though she already knew who it was.

“Vice Admiral Mitsuhide”, saluted Ashigaru.

“Vice admiral”, saluted Star Gaze as well, thought her salute was far from as crisp as Ashigaru’s. As matters of fact go it was quite lackluster. This due to more of a expression of her distaste for the man rather than her ability. The White Flash, was the one who taught her how to wield a blade, and the one man who knew her darkest secret. A secret he often held over her head whenever he needed a favor.

“Ah Star Gaze, my greatest pupil”, he smirked. Star hated that line. He used it every time he would blackmail her into doing his job. “I see you are still trying to spread your trash philosophy to the younger ranks.”

“Ignoring your petty insult toward my school of though sir. Someone must teach the younger generation how to act. If not we will have more charlatans in the marines. You know the kind of officers that like to hold things over their subordinates heads and abuse their power of office. Glorious justice ...”

“Is nothing more than a excuse for you to indulge your narcissism. Listen Star, necessary Justice is the way to go. It is far more effective than absolute justice and …”

“Hold on a second, there is no way you are telling me that absolute justice is …”, started Ashigaru.

“You are to young for this”, stated Star. “You have not seen the real world and as a result you don’t understand that absolute justice ..”

“Does not work”, finished Mitsuhide. “Absolute Justice does not work when you reach the Grand Line. There are reasons …”

“He will find out”, interrupted Star. She did not want to break the young boy’s heart. He was a good soldier, but if knew of the evils that took place in the grand line.

“Find out what”, demanded Ashigaru. His expression grew grim as he stared at the two officers before him. They were hinting toward something that he was not sure he liked.

“Speaking of which, can you make that transfer’, spoke Star forcing a change in topic.

“Should I”, responded Mitsuhide as he gave the maiden a stern stare. There was clearly some tension going on now.

“Hold on a second. Don’t just …”

“Hikari Froúrio the second, I order you to return to the fort and pack up your things”, stated Mitsuhide.

“What …”, started Ashigaru.

“You heard the Vice Admiral’, started Star. “He gave you a direct order to pack your things. You are being transferred from the base to the deck of a vessel.”

“Wait! You mean I get to …”

“That is right kid, you get to sail with the big boys now. Your strength is great and you seem to follow orders. I am sure that Captain Gaze will be delighted to have you on her crew..”

“Wait, Captain Gaze? That means that …”

“That is right kiddo, you get to sail on the Dazzeling You will get to see my brilliance first hand. I know you feel honored …”

“Oh come on! Why can’t I sail with Onibushi. Her crew is suppose to be going to the Grand Line. I want to …”

“Sorry Hikari, but you are not ready for that yet”, stated Mitsuhide. “Sailing on the Grand Line requires more from a soldier than just strength. You are going to have to toughen up mentally before you are sent there. At the moment …”

“I can handle …”

“Onibushi”, stated Star.The pupils in her eyes seemed to fade away and her hair began to stand up on its own. Each bane of hair began to slither around like snake as a dark expression crossed her face. “You telling me that you would rather sail with that giant oni than with me, the perfect, illustrious, Star Gaze. I take that as a high insult boy. So high that I might …”

“No, no, no, no, no “, apologized Ashigaru as he waved his hands back and forth. Ashigaru had been around Star Gaze long enough to see her go on one of her, rants. That was the best work to describe it. It often gets ugly for everyone involved. The last time she went like this was when a seaman first class stated that another recruit was prettier than she was. Needles to say it did not turn out well. The only reason she kept her rank was due to the fact that she was strong. Her conduct was far unbefitting of a captain, but they needed her power in a free moving position.

“I think it is time you went and got your stuff boy”, interrupted Mitsuhide as he shoved Ashigaru off. “Report to the ship asap and let the first mate give you a briefing.”

“Yes Ashigaru, wait on the ship. I need to have a little word with Onibushi.”

“No, no you don’t”, roared Mitsuhide! Not that it did him any good. She was still in berserker mode. “If you take one step toward the captain I will tell ..”

“Alright enough”, stated Star Gaze as her mind suddenly cooled. Her hateful eyes rested on Mitsuhide, but in the distance Ashigaru starred in wonder. What in the world could she be hiding, he wondered.

“Speaking of which”, stated Mitsuhide as the current situation brought a topic to his mind. “I have moved the little Hikari to your ship as your requested. However I don’t want to hear any reports about sexual harassment.”

“Excuse me”, retorted Star Gaze as she stared at the Vice Admiral with a lowered browl.

“As if I would …”

“I see the way you look at that boy.”

“Oh please, get over yourself and your sick fantasies. I see Ashigaru as nothing more than a intriguing pawn. Why do you think I gave him such a nickname. There is only one person deserving of my devotion. Her beauty …”

“I pray to the seas that you are talking about another women and not yourself.”

“Come now master”, she chuckled with a coy smile. “You already know that my first and final love has always been myself.”

“Yes your narcissist knows no bounds, but still …”

“You have my word that I won’t break the cutie, well at least not in the bed. He will see combat fighting under my banner.”

“He fights under the World Government’s banner”, corrected Mitsuhide. His eyes stared into Star’s with a unwanted intensity.

“My banner is the World Government Banner. We are one in the same. Just because …”

“Don’t worry about it”, suddenly spoke Mitsuhide. “I misspoke. It will not happen again.”

“Hopefully so.”

“Still, I would not have guessed.”

“I think this conversation is over”, spat Star Gaze as her eyes looked around. “I have some things I need to take care of before we leave port.”

“Indeed”, stated Mitsuhide as he let the conversation end there. “I have some more duties to take care of as well. Calm seas and easy battles.” With that he began to walk away.

“May all of your battles be glorious”, stated the maiden.