The Language I Spoke Yesterday

11/10

Yan reformed with a squeaky gurgle, smirking from under his currently colorless mustache. He chuckles as he stroked his beard. "You must be taking it easy on me."

The cluttered sounds of battle were distorted into one continuous buzz behind me. The only thing I knew for sure was that Andromeda had joined the fray and killed her chosen opponent.

I panted, watching Yannick warilly. I had no real way of fighting a Logia type just yet. The one skill that would work I had yet to perfect, and being this drained only made it less likely to work. I couldn't afford to take any chances with the Amber Soldier. One touch could potentially prove fatal.

He stepped forward. I widened my stance slightly, bending at the knees, and held Kikoku at the ready.

"Behind!" Andromeda's ragged scream wrenched me around. Yannick's sword clanged against Kikoku's flat, stopped less than an inch from my cheek. His nostrils flared as he bared his teeth and snarled.

Between the tomato and the Amber Soldier, Weis grinned, determined to make eye contact. I smirked. In his hand was a pair of thick handcuffs. He must have found them when I used half of the marine building as a weapon.

Yannick pushed against my defenses, stepping closer to me in an attempt to throw me off balance. Both hands gripped the hilt of his sword. "I can't wait to see how long you last."

I gritted my teeth into a semblance of a grin. "You took the words out of my mouth, Yan-ya. Shambles."

With a twitch of my fingers, I traded places with Weis. Yan stumbled as he suddenly met no resistance, and Weis deftly secured the cuffs over his wrists.

"You arrogant whelp!" he blustered even as the strength left him. On his knees, the Amber Soldier looked less like a hero and more like a prisoner.

I was finally able to release my room. The energy I had already expent today wouldn't fully recover until I had rested for several hours, and I still had more to do. For now I put it from my mind, and bent over Yannick's shoulder to whisper, "I survived for thirteen years. I don't think you'll last thirteen days."

/-/-/-/

Weis carried me on his back. I pretended that the smoke inhalation had made me really lightheaded and exacerbated my stress sickness, but the truth was that my body was aching and weak. I could barely feel my limbs, and what I could feel burned and tingled. I was barely able to keep both arms around Weis's neck, hands clasped almost desperately around Captain's sword.

Apparently he made a habit of not carrying it, but usually only handed it to Bepo. I certainly wasn't going to be the one to drop it. After all, I was hardly worthy of carrying it. If I failed at such a simple task...

Law had wrapped a steel chain around the sea-prism stone links, and used it as a lead to drag Yannick's limp body through the snow. As a whole, the Pirates of Heart left town with a swagger in their steps and a celebratory atmosphere. Dark, angry, scared gazes followed us down the street as we made our way to the Polar Tang.

Weis brought me straight to my room and let me clamber down to the bed. I gave him my best smile, although it made my lips feel like they were going to crack into a million bloody pieces. "Thanks, Weis."

"Don't mention it." He grinned, clapping me on the shoulder. It sent white hot pain shooting up and down my arm, leaving my fingertips tingling.

"Weis?" I tried not to sound too uncomfortable. "Would you have carried anyone else in the same position?"

He blinked at me, then broke out into a toothy smile. "I'd probably give 'em a load of shit, but if they were serious, of course. You think you'd be getting special treatment for being a girl?"