Missing Piece

Chapter 28

"Cut me! I told you to CUT ME! Slice me up. Come on! Cut me! Right here!" Charlotte drew her arm across her midsection from her left hip to the right. "You're a surgeon, it's your job to cut people up!"

The Heart Pirates stared at the huntress as if she had a screw lose. They were on their descend towards Fishman Island, and as a result of the coating job, it was the first time any of the Hearts were able to stay on deck while their submarine remained submerged in water without being thrown off and in Law and Charlotte's case without being at the mercy of the sea water.

"You already let me waste who knows how many hours of opportunity when you left me asleep." Charlotte paused. This felt familiar. "What's with you and leaving every island while I'm unconscious?"

Law tapped his finger against his bicep as he watched the huntress' crazy antics. It had started the night before when she refused to let them depart, not without first catching her a fish. "Technically, you were awake when we left." He corrected, watching her bloodshot eyes. It took them far into the night for to catch the fish. She passed out as soon as they caught one. Still clutching onto it.

"Though whether she was of sane mind at the time is highly unlikely." One of the Heart Pirates added from the sidelines. "Whether she's of sane mind at this moment is also very unlikely." Penguin added quickly and as if to prove his point, Dan reiterated "She's telling Captain to cut her in two!"

The group nodded, sounds of agreement filling the air like a chorus at the statement. That was not what they expected when the huntress finally woke up. Then again, this was the first time for many things to be seen. Never had they been able to venture so deep into the waters before. While their ship was a submarine, there was only so far they could go before the water pressure made it unsafe.

"Woah, what kind of fish do you think that is?" One of the Hearts asked, and Charlotte's attention was instantly pulled towards the sea creature they were looking at.

"That's a Viperfish!" Charlotte answered immediately, face lighting up despite the large fangs on the long fish that looked anything but friendly. "It's a fierce predator of the sea! It's rare for humans to see it!"

"You really know your fish, Charlotte." Rike said, lifting his head from the book he and a few others were hunched over. The A to Z's of All Things in the Sea and the only personalized item of Charlotte's from Sabaody Archipelago was spread open against the deck. They have been using it as a guide to identify the different types of fish they came across.

"It's not a compliment. It just means ya a fish nerd." Cole added when he noticed Charlotte's beaming face. "How are ya so energetic anyway? Ya looked like ya wanted to kill anythin' that moved just earlier." Shachi had gone into wake her earlier knowing her love for fish only to almost lose his head from the exhausted sleep deprived woman.

Charlotte pointed a gloved finger in a random direction behind her. "There. Are. Fish." She declared as if it explained everything. A school of fishes skirting around behind her pointed finger as if proving her point.

"Wow, I didn't know you like fish so much." Bepo beamed, happy to have a fish buddy. "Which one is your favourite one to eat?"

"I don't think eating them is what she likes about them." Penguin corrected before Charlotte could respond, he added, ignoring Bepo's immediate sad 'sorry', "Isn't that why you're always sitting by the portholes when we're submerged? To watch the fish." Penguin offered with an easy smile. Charlotte's face flushed red, and she pulled on her scarf to hide the blush. The color only making it much easier to notice. The others smiled at her reaction, calling her cute in their minds.

"... Not just watching. My childhood dream was to swim with the fishes in All Blue." Charlotte muttered quietly, the words leaving her mouth before she even realized it. Panicked, she avoided eye contact with the crew, waiting for them to laugh at her dream or the mystical legendary sea where all North, South, East and West seas meet.