Dracule Marya Zaleska, Oni Phantom, Devil Fruit Origins

Thwack! The newspaper slaps the table, “Care to explain this?”

Thin sheets of print spread out before him, revealing the headline. Mihawk shifts his golden eyes to her, swirling the wine in his glass. “I don’t know that an explanation is necessary.”

“How could you?” Marya glares with the same golden eyes, his golden eyes, “after everything that has happened. After what they did? How could you work for them?”

Mihawk sighed as he placed his glass on the table, gesturing for her to sit, “Please, your food is getting cold.”

Balling her hands into fists, “Are we even going to talk about this? Don’t I get a say in any of it?”

Turning to her, he replies with a deadpan stare, “No, now eat. There is nothing to discuss. A decision needed to be made, so I made it. It has nothing to do with you.” Picking up his knife, he begins slicing into his tenderloin.

A shiver jets down Marya’s spine. Taking a sharp breath. “I am not hungry!” Spinning on her heels, she stomps out of the room.

Silverware clanks against the plates when he tosses his utensils. Resting his head in his hand, he mutters, “Elis, it is times like these when I miss you the most.”

It is late in the morning the following day when Mihawk decides that he has allowed enough space for his daughter to process this decision. Cautiously knocking on her bedroom door, “Marya.” He calls out to her again when she does not respond, but there is no reply. Lips pressed, “I am coming in.” Scanning the empty room, he saw a note on her bed. Gripping the paper, it reads, ‘going to visit mom. Be back in a few days.’ The paper crackles in his grip as he groans.

Securing the small boat to the dock, Marya stands, taking in the clear skies and mountainous horizon. This completely contrasts with the dreary island she and her father had recently taken residence. She was pretty irritated when her father decided for them to move again, this time to the gloomiest place she could have ever imagined. To make matters worse, there were these ridiculous apes who continued to assault them every time they stepped away from the castle. To add to her frustration, her father started insisting she be the one to handle them. While it may have been an excellent opportunity to hone her sword skills, it was still annoying to deal with those things.

Breathing deep, she strolled through the tiny town where she and her mother lived. Small cottages and food booths lined the cobbled streets as vendors hustled about. This town and this island were peaceful and out of the way of significant incidents, which is why her mother chose it for them to live.

Reaching the outskirts, she opened the gate and searched for her mother’s grave. Kneeling, she began sweeping away the leaves and clearing off the headstone. Standing, she sighed, “Oh, Mom, you won’t believe what he has done now. He is working for the very organization that,” she reached up, wiping away the tear about to fall down her cheek. Sniffing, “He didn’t even ask me about it. He just went and did it. Like what I think doesn’t matter.”

“Excuse me, miss.” She turns to the random voice calling out to her.

Surprised, she rubs away her emotions, “me?”

The older woman smiles, “Yes. You wouldn’t, by chance, be Marya?”

Brow creased, “yes. How do you…?”

The lady smiles, “you haven’t changed that much. I bet you don’t remember me.”

Shaking her head, “Um, I am sorry, but no.”

“I was a friend of your mother’s. She used to bring you around when you were little.” Standing next to her, they were the same height. Marya noted her large round eyes and dark shaggy hair. “You take after your father.” The woman laughed when Marya rolled her eyes. “I have something for you that your mother left.”

Marya’s head whipped around, “what?”

The woman smiled, “Come with me. I think she would want you to have it.”

“Who are you?”

Linking their arms together, she grinned, “Come.” Marya offered little resistance as the woman guided them to an arbitrary cottage on the outskirts of the town. She watched the woman shuffle around the two-room house, rummaging through random trunks. The space felt familiar, but she wasn’t sure why. “Ah! Found it!” She thrust a small box in the air as if conquering the world. Holding in front of Marya, “This is for you!”

Hesitant, Marya takes it from her, “Thank you.”

“Oh, and there is one more thing.” She retrieves a small notebook with a letter from the table in the middle of the room. “If you could please deliver this,” she places it in her hand.

Marya reads to whom the letter is addressed, “Monkey D Luffy?” She looks up, and the woman is gone. The house full of makeshift furniture is now in ruins. Marya spins around in complete confusion. “Hello!” Answered by silence, she goes outside. Noting the absence of a slamming door, she looks back, and the door is gone. The house she was standing in, is a pile of rubble. She looks down at the items in her hands. One hand is a package with her mother’s name on it, and the other is a letter addressed to Monkey D Luffy and a tattered notebook. “Luffy?” she says out loud to herself. “I think I might have known someone named Luffy once. Why does that name sound so familiar?” Shaking her head. “Why did she give this to me and tell me to deliver this? How am I supposed to do that when I don’t know who this person is?” Sighing, “Whatever. I am too hungry to figure this out right now. I need to get something to eat and a room for the night.”

“What the hell was that back there?” Marya stares up at the ceiling of the tavern room. The blanket falls as she sits up in bed. She looks at the items she placed on the small table by the door. “It happened; I know it happened. I have proof, but…” Flames flash through her mind with distant screaming. Blinking the thoughts away, “no.” She holds her head, “I don’t want to remember.” Taking a calming breath, she stands and retrieves a case with her mother’s name on it. Sitting, she opens it. It is full of letters, a journal, and an eternal pose. A small picture is tucked behind the letters. Lifting, she gasps. It’s all of them together when she was little. It is a family photo. This must have been taken before …. Holding the image to her chest, tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably. “Thank you, mom,” she sobbed.

The following day, she woke early and started thumbing through the journal. The pages were full of etchings of devil fruits, trees, and parts of a compass. The writing was hard to read since some appeared to have faded, and other parts were illegible. She was able to decipher the words consortium, origins, and parts. Rubbing her temples, she put the journal aside and started opening the letter. Leaning back in the chair, her eyes move across the words, ‘My darling daughter.’ Gripping the paper, she forces the tears back as she continues.

Standing on the dock, she lifts the eternal pose. Light reflects off the glass sphere as if it is the guide to her future. She checks the direction the needle points. “Okay, I have made my decision. Sorry, father, but I think I have to do this.” Climbing into the small boat, she pushes off and sets the small sail.

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