7 As Smart As Light Yagami, But With A Childhood Thats Created Deep Scars!!!

"What was that just now?" Yggdrasill asked as Max closed the door to the guest bedroom. "I need an explanation!! Why would you show a girl you just met something that brings you so much pain? It makes no sense!!"

"Counter question...Emily knows Armament Haki right?" Max asked as he tossed his shirt and hoodie to the side, ignoring the blood that was spread across his arms, chest, and back. "So couldnt she have already beaten Arlong and saved Cocoyasi village? It just doesn't make any sense."

Yggdrasil was quiet for a moment before finally speaking. "Max, what did you notice her do after she attacked you with that punch? Anything strike you? Apart from the actual punch I mean." He ignored the fact that Max had mocked him during the last part of his sentence and came back with a witty retort.

Max sat down on the floor as he thought about it, ignoring Yggdrasil's joke. He remembered that after Emily had punched him and sent him flying into the tree, she had suddenly became short of breath and her face had turned red. After putting two and two together, Max came to the conclusion that maybe using that move expended more energy then he initially thought.

"It looked as if that one punch used up a lot more stamina then it should have," Max said to Yggdrasill.

"Precisely," Yggdrasill said with a hint of annoyance in his tone. "Haki, is actually quite tough to use. The only reason you think it requires no effort is because you see people like Luffy use it effortlessly."

"But you have to consider the fact that Emily is most likely self taught, meaning that she has had to figure everything out on her own." Yggdrasil seemed to be pulling Max into a full on lecture, so Max simply leaned back and listened. "Emily probably just figured out how to use haki and can only do a couple punches before tiring out. Not to mention that using it requires the user to focus. One has to gain experience applying it in battle in order to fully utilize it without it taking a toll on the users mental energy."

Max nodded in understanding as what Yggdrasill said made sense, even if it was just his theory. Emily wouldn't be able to pull off more then a few shots before wearing herself out, but he still wasn't sure why she hadn't gone and defeated Arlong.

"Now on to why she wouldn't be able to defeat Arlong," Yggdrasil continued, apparently not finished with his observations. "Let me ask you this.....is Arlong the only foe she would have to go up against?"

Max shook his head. "If I remember correctly, Arlong had three strong fishmen that were pretty strong and ruled alongside him as his generals, not to mention the dozens upon dozens of other fishmen he has under his command."

"Good, your still following along," Yggdrasill said arrogantly. "Now say that Emily was able to one shot each of the three generals and then defeated Arlong. She would be too exhausted to fight the remaining forces and would eventually be captured or, even worse and most likely, killed. Set as an example of what would happen to anyone else foolish enough to fight against the fishmen alone."

"What if she defeated the underlings BEFORE she fought the bosses?" Max was still trying to come up with ways that Emily could win. He was unconvinced that someone with Armament Haki would be unable to beat someone as weak as the Arlong pirates.

"You think the three generals would simply stand by and LET her annihilate each and every one of them?" Yggdrasill asked with a condescending tone of voice. "Use your head for once Max, no sane person would allow that to happen!!"

Max opened his mouth to retort but he ended up closing his mouth again as Yggdrasil was entirely correct. If Emily went in on her own as she was now, she would have no chance. The biggest difference between her and the fishmen was that the fishmen actually had combat experience. While Emily was indeed stronger then any of the common fishmen and had strength that could match one of Arlongs generals, she didn't have the necessary combat experience needed to match that. Without the necessary experience, the strength would become effectively useless against those who did, unless you could far surpass them in physical strength which Emily did not.

"Okay, now you have to answer my question," Yggdrasill said, interrupting Max's thoughts. "Why would you bring up so much of your own pain by intentionally showing them your scars and brand? Are you a masochist? Someone who gets off on their own pain?"

"I need her to feel sympathy and compassion for me," Max responded as he pushed himself up into a sitting postion. "When others feel sympathy and compassion, they're usually more trusting of the person towards whom the emotions are aimed at. I need to lower their guards against me so that way I can move about this town freely without any suspicion from them. If they feel bad for my past then me being alone for a couple of days won't seem strange."

For once, Yggdrasill didn't have a comeback, which in a way was a form of praise as the only time he usually opened his mouth, it was to scold him for being stupid. It wasn't until a few moments had passed that he opened his mouth. "That's actually a well thought out plan Max....howd you come up with it?"

"I've spent 16 years observing the habits of the ugly and disgusting creature we call human beings," Max said, closing his eyes. "They're a cruel and horrible bunch that prey on the weak, basically no better than common animals. However, there are always exceptions and Emily and her sister seem to be the type to fall into that category. Exceptions like her and Nalla are easily susceptible to things like kindness and sympathy, making them easy to manipulate and control."

Once again Yggdrasil was at a loss for words. He hadn't exactly pegged Max to be the cold and calculating type. Though he was aware of Max possessing a dark and abusive life before coming to this world, he had always seemed like the easy going type even if a little dumb. He never thought that Max's happy and gung-ho personality was all an act, it had never even crossed his mind. However after much thought, it made sense.

One with a horrible past such as his could easily break down a personality over time. Even if his original nature had been that of a kind and innocent kid, time within a negative environment would've worn it down real quick, making way for negative feelings to take place. A hatred for humans on a deep level would probably take place, making way for a rather dark philosophy and a unhealthy mindset for one still so young.

'So I'm basically looking at someone whose as smart as Light Yagami but essentially despises humans.' Yggdrasil thought this with a hint of concern but his thoughts were interrupted by Max's next comments which immediately changed his mind.

"All my life, I've been surrounded by strong people, but those strong people did nothing but surpress me and belittle me," Max stared at the scars lining his abdomen, running his fingers across a few of them. "This is the first time that someone strong has actually troed to help me become stronger, even if she did beat me to a pulp. I'm thankful....."

Yggdrasil was unable to make sense of the young male at this point. He seemed to be cold and calculative, thinking several step ahead of the game and taking advantage of others emotions, and then he was all emotional about someone helping him. It made him wonder if the boy was stable or not.

"Max, I know I'm asking a lot but can you tell me about your past a little?" Yggdrasill asked, his tone unusually polite. "Since me and you will be comrades from this point onwards, I figured you could tell me a little about it."

Max smiled and shrugged. "So you wanna hear about my past huh? Well, let me tell you, its not exactly sunshine and rainbows. Its actually quite depressing and can even make a grown man tear up. However if you really want to hear it, I'll tell you. It all starts in a hospital where a young boy was born."

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Outside the guest bedroom, two feminine figures sat outside the door, their backs pressed against the hard wood. They had been sitting their since the beginning, listening intently to Max speak, almost as if to himself.

Though none of the two were usually nosy, they couldn't help but sit there as Max had a one-sided conversation with an imaginary person. They both shared feelings of sadness, sympathy, and pain for the young man, even when he had mentioned using them for his own benefit.

The two ladies were about to get up and walk away when Max suddenly began telling his life story. They each stayed where they were and began to listen intently as the story began to unfold.