The Language I Spoke Yesterday

Sorry: for everything

"How exactly was Andromeda-ya kidnapped off my ship?"

Ikkaku, Iruka and Jean stood before me, heads bowed. The dining room was nearly full, all eyes trained on the trio responsible for watching the Polar Tang this afternoon. The only ones missing were Andromeda, Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo. Two were under observation for the night, while the others were observing. Andromeda was still unconscious when I left, but Penguin was already cracking jokes.

I scowled at the three. "Well?"

Ikkaku cleared her throat. "Jean and I were in the common room. Iruka came up and said Andromeda asked for me and a glass of water. When I got to the infirmary, she was gone."

"And no one heard anything?"

The trio shook their heads. "No, Captain."

"Ikkaku-ya. Did you take care of those responsible?" I couldn't have people thinking they could mess with my crew, could enter my home, without repercussions. Hense turning the last two inside out. I learned a great deal more about the Ope-ope no mi thanks to them. Unfortunately they didn't survive the experiment.

She cringed. "We're pretty sure the fishman died. The other guy was pretty messed up about it. After I incapacitated the human, Penguin tried to negotiate with the Fishman, but he said they were already paid."

A muscle worked in my jaw. A wave of whispers rolled over the crew. Someone had paid to have Andromeda kidnapped. Two names seemed likely. "Did you happen to find out by who?"

"No, he wouldn't say."

"Ikkaku-ya, you're on bathroom duty until further notice." I ignored her cringe and moved on to Jean and Iruka. Punishing those two would be slightly more difficult due to their easy-going temperaments. A wicked grin split my face.

I expanded a room around my trio and hovered a hand in front of the two men's faces. "Since you're clearly not using them... Mes." two small cubes slid out into my hands. Their contents spun, making their owners groan while the crew cringed and gasped.

"That went better than expected." I mused, examining Iruka and Jean's single eyes.

Ikkaku shuddered away from them as they clutched empty sockets. "That's gross. And cruel, even for you."

I turned my scowl on the cook. "No, Ikkaku-ya. What's cruel is allowing our newest, and weakest member to be kidnapped from her bed." Encased in translucent boxes, I tucked the eyes safely in my pockets.

"What are you all still doing here? I know the chores didn't get done before you stepped off." I watched my crew stiffen, then scamper off to finish their neglected duties. It wasn't often we got to visit a true winter, and I knew they missed their homes in the North Blue.

Originally we were scheduled to leave the island today. Now, I determined to stay here until I found the one responsible for endangering my crew.

/-/-/-/

Whispered voices circled the patchy red darkness. Static hummed in echoes. Broken notes began a discordant melody, footsteps fell in and out of time.

Every second that passed felt my heart rate increase

Breaths came in shallow pants

It was bone numbingly cold

All I could see were patches of red on black static

The whispers turned into a warbling lullaby

'... swear on your life... no one will cry... at your funeral...

No one will cry... at your funeral...