Ace's Unwanted Ally

"Who are you!?" Nesi demanded, scrambling to get out of Shanks' loving hold.

She didn't know how he managed to get on the ship without her hearing him, but the man with crimson red hair and light stubble was beaming with happiness. To be fair and honest, he was handsome, but Nesi didn't know him. He could be a rapist for all she knew! He wasn't doing anything that signaled such a thing, but he was nuzzling against her and holding her tightly in his arms. Well, more like a singular arm. The other one was more or less almost acting like a hook. His body was pretty hard and sturdy, classic of a man, but his best feature seemed to be his eyes. They gave his casual, suave charm a bit of pizzazz and forced one to look into them. She took note of the scars across his eye but didn't mind them. She had to take in as much of a person's identity to label folks properly as friend or foe. Though his friendliness was admirable... the cuddling was not.

"You're so soft, beautiful lady," Shanks complimented, rubbing his stubbled cheek against hers.

"Sir, compose yourself! Who are you?" Nesi demanded again, scratching at the ground to get away from the redhead.

"You left me so quickly; I couldn't tell you it before. I've been looking everywhere for you," Shanks replied, no longer nuzzling Nesi but locking eyes with her. That last sentence caught her attention. She seemed more confused than flattered. He then continued, "Don't you remember? We locked eyes lovingly last night. You took my breath away. You're the one, beautiful lady. I simply must have you!"

"S-s-sir, please! I think you're looking for someone else. I've been here almost all night. I even had time to go shrimping to make my morning shrimp and grits! What are you talking about?" Nesi demanded, trying to push Shanks away. Man was not budging. "There were other girls around here, too! I know there were! I spoke to them!"

"You're wearing the same perfume from last night, though," Shanks said, unconvinced that Nesi wasn't the dancer from last night. His black jacket practically covered both of their bodies. It was warm under it. He then said, "That rose and sweet orange fragrance mixed with a spicy aroma. Kinda like cinnamon or sweetened ginger."

"Cinnamon. The boys prefer my cinnamon oil when I hang their clothes to dry, and I was washing the laundry!" Nesi tried, ripping the wood off the floor to try to escape the man made of stone and... love?

"Have breakfast with me, beautiful lady," Shanks said with a bright smile, resting his chin on Nesi's shoulder. "Your cooking smells quite nice!"

"Huh?"

__________________________________________

"Y'know..." Shanks started, munching on beignets. "I was so distressed about losing you, I forgot to eat. These are fantastic!"

"Um, thanks, but I really do think you've got the wrong person," Nesi tried again, watching the man eat.

Ace was going to kill her when he found out she took some ale and rations from the treasury. It wasn't a lot, but... it was his ale. A gift from the Tongueless Siren fleet as part of their alliance worth its weight in silver. Some of it was missing now. She politely escorted the mystery man to the lounging circle on the deck with a plate of food and two sn-omato ale-mosas in front of him. She still had the remainder of her own breakfast, so she just took her morsels and walked him out. He never said his name or why he thought she was his destined lover. She was certain they never met, and she never pined for a lover. She only wished to be a better friend someday on the wishing star, not whatever he was looking for.

"I know it's you, beautiful lady," Shanks said through more munching.

"How? We never met," Nesi replied, more lost than before.

"That's how," he finally said with a serious tone. He wiped his mouth with the napkin Nesi provided and took a sip of his ale-mosa. She was one hell of a cocktailer! He then continued, "I know everyone on this piece of land including the women. I don't know you. You're the girl that danced for me last night. Do you have more of these?"

Nesi wasn't sure what to be more scared of. The man's sudden change of expressions or his healthy appetite. She politely answered, regardless, and said, "Oh, I'm not allowed to take too much of the ale. Captain's orders. I have more sn-omato juice that's bottled up. Baragon likes to pick fresh ones from the garden corner for snacks. The boys will only eat them if I make other foods. Salsa and bread chips are a favorite."

"Your garden is pretty nice over there," Shanks complimented, drinking his ale-mosa. "You built it?"

"Well, I started it against the captain's wishes. The boys rebuilt it," Nesi admitted, smiling happily at her new garden corner. "I thought having a few fruits would make traveling longer distances easier without having to dock so much. Pirates live such vulnerable lives, especially if the value of their bounties keeps increasing."

"Vulnerable?" Shanks questioned, interested in the observation. "Some of the most powerful men at sea are pirates. The best ones are the most feared by the government and its nobles. You're on a pirate ship by yourself. You're more vulnerable than anyone, beautiful lady."

"Power is just like intimidation. Its reach is short in the landscape of the politician and its ruling bodies. I don't care about anyone's devil fruit powers if that's what you're implying by the term 'most powerful men'," Nesi replied, equally as serious as Shanks. "Never did. Only the power that the earth or the countries bless you with is of my concern. I'm certain there are men who haven't indulged in such a shortcut for power or land or recognition. I just haven't had the privilege or the chance to meet them yet. I've a lot to learn before I make it there. If the heavens part to approve of my one prayer in this life, I'll at least know I'm getting closer to making my dream come true."

"What's your dream, beautiful lady?" Shanks asked, considering her words.

"To serve the countries..." Nesi answered, looking out to sea with a determined look in her eyes. "But, not the 'normal way' as some people like to say it. There will come a day when the rulers will crumble. Time is a friend to no man. History has proven that when an era begins it soon will end, but the undying, unyielding, and unwavering spirit of humanity thrives on the very struggle of existence and survival. The most powerful men in history were not always pirates. They were often the ones who challenged and/or protected that spirit. The notoriety and sense of freedom that follows the legend of a pirate is what people tend to remember or embellish. Pirates are lovers of fun and criminality. They interest and excite. There are many who strike fear into others just by whispering a name. I won't sit here and say all pirates are jesters. If you're one of the strongest men at sea, it's because you had to shed blood the way you shed that nice hair of yours. Frequently. There were rulers in the past who gave their subjects death, and they loved them for it. You may not bring death, but a pirate always has a day when he must be violent. Those days... are celebrated by others far more than you think. Violence fascinates us. Rulers are just like that. Their subjects love them for what they bring to the table. Rarely is it ever what they put on it."

"And if a pirate gives others peace?" Shanks asked.

Nesi smiled at the question, thinking of her father, and said, "I think that's a beautiful way to protect humanity. It makes surviving worthwhile and sharing love with another priceless."

"Peace has nothing to do with that gloomy thought you had earlier," Shanks reminded, curious to see if Nesi would get serious again. "You said pirates either bring fun or fear."

"I said pirates love fun and the use of intimidation. It's part of their legend. Powerful men protect. I've no doubt that pirates will see the same fate as the leaders of the government," Nesi then said, cuddling up on her side of the sofa. She spotted a sea gull cawing above and just watched it as she spoke. "You might be alive to see it by then and you might not, but it'll happen regardless. The era of piracy will come to an end someday. Same way the era of the Five Elders will close out when there is no benefit to their rule. I have no reason to serve a ruler that will meet his end in an era that is already limited by time. But... I have every reason to protect and serve the countries. My dream is on a bloody and a lonely path, but I will walk up to the Mary Geoisie drenched in blood if that's what it'll take to pull them from up there and bring them down here."

Smooch.

"How are you so fast!?" Nesi yelped, flying to the other side of the ship.

"Oh! I couldn't help myself! You spoke so passionately just now," Shanks said, smiling brightly again and blushing. He swayed a bit like he was swooning. "You'll need to work on your speed if you want to make it to the top like that."

"Meaning?" Nesi questioned, flinching at his movements. He just returned to his seat to drink the other sn-omato ale-mosa.

"I'll have to teach you some tricks. You'll at least be able to protect yourself better. I'll have to find you a bodyguard in the meantime," Shanks said, chuckling at Nesi's shy, reserved behavior. "Come, come, beautiful lady! You hardly touched your food!"

"Why do you keep calling me beautiful lady anyway? My name's Nesi! Nesi Llandala!"

"You are beautiful, Nesi!" Shanks complimented, toasting to her. "That's why I came to get you. I wanted you to dance at the party."

"I can't go..." Nesi said, pouting.

"Why?" Shanks asked, tilting his head curiously.

"The captain told me to stay on the ship, so I just had a party for myself out here instead," Nesi explained, leaning back. "I think some pirates hopped on the ship while I was stationed here, but they left quietly, so I moved to a different spot just in case. Some girls were walking by over there and decided to dance with me. We talked about this guy for a little while. I thought maybe I'd dance about him to make them laugh."

"What guy?" Shanks asked.

"Some man named Shanks," Nesi said, shrugging her shoulders. "I couldn't really imitate a guy I never met before, so I went with the next best option. Just dance about a woman having a crush for the first time. It morphed into something a bit more, but they were having fun so I didn't question it. They dressed me in this wacky get-up, picked out a song for me, and I went for it on this weird stage thing. There were a lot more people - "

Right then, it clicked for Nesi. That's how this man must've known her. He must've been one of the people watching her. She knew the girls were there in front, hence why she did some of the raunchy moves to get them to cheer or laugh or blush, but she didn't know a lot of men were there. Nesi did lock eyes with a few people to capture attention, but that was all in good fun to get a reaction out of the crowd. She didn't expect someone to come pick her up for some kind of encore!

"Didja figure it out yet?" Shanks asked, smirking. Here, it comes. She'll know who he is and that'll be that. He could laugh hysterically at last.

"Oh no..." Nesi said, face full of dread. Well, he didn't expect that reaction. She was practically covered with a darkened aura. Nesi then said, "I was at the party, wasn't I? Captain's gonna kill me... Maybe I can swim outta here fast enough."

"Oh, you're good at swimming?" Shanks asked, holding back some of his laughter. Poor girl...

"Tch! I'm so over this island!" Nesi complained. "I just found out my captain doesn't want me around anymore, I'm sitting out here in the middle of heaven knows where while he's drinking his ass off, I got called an ugly lizard lady, I'm studying a bunch of books that I don't even know are important since I'm not getting any closer to my dreams as some pirate's floor scrubber, and the one time I try to be more 'lady-like' is when some random redhead - !"

"Calls you a beautiful lady and wants to be around you?" Shanks asked, interrupting Nesi's rant. "I've been around plenty of women in my day, Nesi. Lotta women claim to be seductresses or queens of small towns. There's even a woman whose devil fruit power turns you to stone if you fall in love with her. She's not my type, so I guess it doesn't work, but you are beautiful in a different way. I like the way you dance. You're good at it. But... you also have an understanding of politics and human suffering. That's something I can respect. You're wrong about me killing people. I'm against stuff like that, but you are right about pirates having to go violent sometimes to get a point across. I've had to do that with certain people and for very strict reasons, but they were my reasons. Whatever it is you're studying, keep studying it. You're on your way to knowing how to do politics. That's something a pirate will need in the future, and the nobles will need if the old timers up there start gettin' big heads. This redhead is getting hungry, though. Got any more food?"

"You better start working for your meals, sir," Nesi replied, giving Shanks a look. "Oh, you never said your name. Not callin' you lover, sir."

"You can call me friend," Shanks said, smiling with that irresistible charm again.

Nesi laughed lightly before saying, "Valentine is better. Charmy is cute, though. Sorry for complaining so much. You're nicer than I thought."

"You're shier than I thought!" Shanks responded, laughing heartily. "But your regal flair matured you in a way. You might be shy but you're not ashamed. Your body is quite soft, though. What soap do you use?"

"Castile with oils mostly," Nesi said with a shrug. "Depends on my mood. I guess you bathe with rocks then."

"Tell you what. You dance at the party for me tomorrow night, I'll show you to the hot springs on the other side of the island. Impress me and I'll give you a gift," Shanks offered, smirking with amusement that Nesi basically said his body was as hard as stone.

"Actually, I wouldn't mind learning how to fight like you if you're any good at that instead," Nesi bargained. "You are ridiculously quick for someone who runs around in sandals. And quiet. I'd like to move around like that. I guess as my gift to you for letting me vent I'll cook some meals for you. Captain likes the protein salad I make from time to time if you're interested in that."

"Nah, I need something more special. Your captain's too mean," Shanks said, making a funny face. "Is that our deal then? You dance, I'll show you how to fight. Impress me, I'll give you a gift as part of our friendship."

"Oh, good, you'd rather be friends," Nesi sighed.

Shanks captured her in his arms again and whispered huskily, "I didn't say that."

"How are you so fast!?" Nesi questioned, now genuinely wanting to know how he went from sitting on the sofa to the other side of the ship within seconds.

"What the hell is this?" a familiar voice growled.

Oh no... Nesi and Shanks turned to a fuming Ace who was halfway covered by flames. He was not happy.

"I swear it's not what it looks like!" Nesi tried, waving a hand to diffuse the situation.

"So shy and soft!" Shanks complimented, cuddling with Nesi more. "We didn't realize someone would be here to see us in the midst of our love affair. Apologies. I suppose it is a good thing that you wanted to wait until the night. Alas, I must romance you later, my love."