Destined for Flames (One Piece Fanfic)

Days After

Raya's POV

I wake up to see the rest of my nakama still sleeping peacefully. All except Vivi, who I see sitting at the windowsill, her forehead against the glass. She's smiling softly.

I silently swing my legs to the ground, vaguely aware that someone's switched my familiar clothes for a long cotton nightgown similar to the one Vivi's dressed in. I have never in my life worn a nightgown, not even as a child, and I find that it's too... breezy for my liking.

I tug at the gown's long sleeves, my nails biting into the fabric. I subtly flex my sore areas; they ache, but not to the point where I'm unable to move.

"You're up!"

Smiling, I nod in Vivi's direction. "Seems like I'm the only one," I reply, stretching my arms high above my head. I take a look at my my sleeping nakama, my smile widening. They deserve the down time, more than anyone in this shattered country. I sigh slighlty, realizing we'll never receive credit for this. It's not like I really care, seeing as how I'm a pirate, and don't particularly want to be seen as a do-gooder. But it means some random ass Marine is going to receive all the praise. Just like Bayer, so long ago, when my parents were killed.

I shake away the memory and stand, crossing the room to stand at Vivi's side. Speaking of Marines... "Hey, Vivi," I say, tapping her shoulder. She looks at me with a pleasant smile, to which I smirk slightly. "I need a favor."

"Anything," she says, nodding her head adamantly.

"I need hair dye and colored contacts."

Baffled, Vivi only stares at me, mouth agape. I thread my hair through my slender fingers, lifting it for her to see clearly. "I'm a little too recognizable," I tell her, shrugging. "And there's something I need to do that requires me to not get arrested by Marines. So, can you do it?"

Third Person POV

The city of Alurbarna is still in partial ruins, but the people's spirits are steadily rising from the ashes. People mill about the city, some helping with reconstruction, others shopping in the undamaged streets. Two Marine ships are docked at the at the coast, close to Nanohana, though there's a notable exception from their ranks: Captain Smoker.

He's returned to Alubarna for a single day to survey the recovery of the capitol. 

With two cigars clamped between his teeth, he leans back against the wall of a what used to be a restaurant. Dozens of people walk past him, not noticing the Marine symbols on his jacket, presuming him to be just another devastated citizen. One girl, though, clearly recognizes him for who he is. She smiles to herself when she spots him and hurries over.

"Captain Smoker."

The Captain looks down at the shorter-than-average girl, one eyebrow cocked. Everything about her is dark. Her hair the color of ravens, her eyes onyx, her desert clothing pitch black. Her smile, however, is radiant, and he feels he's witnessed it before.

"Who're you?" he asks gruffly, kicking one foot up against the wall and crossing his arms. She sheepishly rubs the back of her neck. "Ah, see, I can't tell you that," she says, offering a weak smile. He narrows his eyes in suspicion and she quickly continues. "It's just that, well, you would, uh, arrest me if you knew my name. So I'm just gonna keep that a secret."

And then it clicks for Smoker. That voice... it's the same one that gave him the slip in Nanohana, along with Fire Fist Ace. "Red Haired Demon, Flynn D. Raya," he says, and her eyes widen, feet instinctively backpeddling. But she swallows, and forces herself to remain standing in front of the menacing Marine. She isn't afraid of him, but she came here on friendly terms, and isn't interested in starting a fight.