Shivered Timbers - Chapter 38

Shivered Timbers
by Kaline Reine

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story. I do own Shiori, she is my character. I also own a few other original characters in this story (not affiliated with One Piece), which will be introduced as they are needed.

WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content and language, explicit sex scenes, possible violence, gore, cursing, adult themes, etc. I do not censor my writing, but I do my best to warn people about the subject matter and potential subject matter. So if you don't like that kind of thing or can't handle it, then I suggest not reading this story. You have been warned. Also, I know this doesn't follow canon but it doesn't have to, that's why it's a fanfic. xD

Also... The beautiful cover image for this story is by my friend, EzariaUmiko on DeviantArt. All credit for the image goes to her. c:

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Chapter 38: Stranger Danger

Shiori was alone... It was her, and the darkness. While she was in there, she had plenty of time to think about all of the terrible sadnesses that plagued the world. She recalled each injustice that she'd ever seen in vivid detail.

And she also remembered the beauty... The tragic beauty of everything that she had ever loved, as it was torn away from her. The stark beauty of each thing that she'd ever felt, and those memories that completed her. Most of all, she thought of Ace. Of his kindness, of his coldheartedness, and his ruthlessness... She contemplated the dual nature of all things, and she saw it for what it truly was. All things considered, everything negated itself. There was nothing left but death, staring her in the face; waiting...

And all she could do was wait for it to take her.

She felt happy, and also sad... And bitter, and angry. She screamed at the top of her lungs, and sang to her heart's content. It didn't matter. There was no one there to hear her.

After a while, she didn't know how long it had been really, the Valkyrie heard soft crunching sounds. They were so small at first... And gradually, the little noises began to grow louder. It sounded like they were getting closer.

'Something's coming nearer to me...' She realized, looking up what she assumed was the ceiling of her icy tomb, in confusion. 'But what? And why?'

There was more soft crunching. It seemed to go on for hours... Though she didn't know why, something compelled Shiori to reach up toward it. She turned a single hand to snow, as much as she could, and concentrated her abilities to make sure it was compacted enough to still form the shape of her hand. This way she could avoid the dangers of frostbite. She began to dig upward, meeting the flurry of movement halfway.

It could cause a cave in, but it also might get her out faster... And she had reinforced the cavern she was being held in, after all. She had been down here for a while, and starvation pains were already present. Each heartbeat sent a new pang of hunger through her. She was starting to become lightheaded from oxygen deprivation as well. What did she have to lose, really?

'...hear... me?' A little voice echoed. She thought it might be in her head, but she'd been stuck in this hole for so long she wasn't sure anymore.

"Is someone there? H-hello?"

'Hello,' A familiar voice called to her. 'My friend... here to... get... out! ...closer!'

'Vanora-chan?' She projected her thoughts upward.

'Yes! Hi!'

'Oh I'm so happy it's you!' Shiori was digging faster than ever now, her face lighting up, and she could hear her lost companion's pace speeding up too. 'Those little crunching sounds must have been your paws hitting the snow...' She reasoned.

'No, really? Ya think?' The cat replied, her specific brand of sarcasm all too welcome. Anything familiar was a welcome sight to her right now.

'I'm really glad you found me! How did you figure out where I was?'

'Something just led me here...' Vanora had become serious again.

Once she saw a paw come through the roof of the snowy cave, Shiori breathed a sigh of relief. Her fingertips touched the soft pink paw pads, just as her hand returned to normal.

'Vanora!'

'Shiori!'

The two hugged one another when the little kitty leapt straight into her arms. It was adorable. She held her close, and instantly felt like she was back home again... Safe, in the snow-covered mountains deep within Drum Kingdom, in the forest just outside the Monastery where she grew up. It was magical... Shiori inhaled her scent, making sure to clutch the kitten close to her chest to help warm her up. It was the least she could do after all of the biting cold she'd just endured for her sake.

'I'm so happy to see you!' She giggled, knowing her little friend could understand her now. Their thoughts were no longer muffled, and came across with perfect clarity.

'I'm just glad you're alright.' The white cat licked a single paw, indignantly. Cats were so aloof... 'You had us all really worried.'

'All of you? Who else is with you?'

'At the moment? No one,' She made sure to cut her off before she could get her hopes up too high. 'I came alone. I took off when I heard you call out for help.'

"You heard that?" Shiori gasped, voicing her thoughts audibly this time. Her familiar still understood her, giving her a cute little nod. 'But how???' She wondered.

'It was faint, but I heard it.' Vanora purred. 'Must be our bond...'

'Do you know of a way out of here?' Her kitten looked up, indicating the small tunnel she'd dug. It was only wide enough for a small cat, but it served as proper ventilation, so it would give her more time anyway. 'Oh... This still buys us more time though. I think I can dig my way out if I just widen it a little...'

'Or you could turn into snow and slip through.' The she-cat suggested, jumping down and flicking her tail. 'I've seen you do it before.'

Shiori scooped her back up. 'Hold on tight! I'll get us both through!'

'But Shi-chan, I can't-'

It was too late. The Valkyrie let her entire body fade into snow, sending it all into the tunnel in a powdery white flurry. Vanora was still fully whole, having not changed with her. That was something her powers just couldn't do... She still carried her favorite feline with her, ushering her back out the tunnel in the ceiling, effectively dragging her the way she'd come. The tunnel was pretty long, but nothing she couldn't handle.

Even in this form, she could sense the light of the sun... It warmed her, making her melt a little. Just like...

'Just like him.'

She shook all over, trying not to think about it. Once she'd made it all the way out of her snowy prison, Shiori re-materialized instantly. She found that she was still holding Vanora.

"That was a handy little trick, thanks for the advice!" She beamed at the snow-covered kitten. Her fur was shimmering with all the tiny ice crystals that had gotten stuck in it. 'And thanks for coming to get me. I still couldn't have gotten out by myself.'

'Don't mention it.' The she-cat shook herself off and leapt onto her usual place on Shiori's shoulder.

"Do you know where we are? Did you see anyone on the way?"

'I noticed that freckled guy walking back toward the ship with two other men and someone else. I didn't recognize the other person, it was a girl I think?'

'A girl?' That made Shiori wonder... What could they be doing with another girl? And why only two other guys and not three? Had something happened to one of them?

'Don't worry,' The cat patted her back with a soft paw. 'I'm sure he only has eyes for you.'

"N-not what I meant! Bad kitty, no!" She shook her head side to side adamantly.

'Relax, I wasn't serious. You really should focus. Now that I've found you, I'm not sure if I recall the way back... I might be able to sort it out though...' She leapt onto the ground, feeling the cold hit her paws, and wincing. She looked all around, her ice blue eyes scanning the horizon in all directions.

Shiori looked all around too, but didn't see a single soul nearby... It looked like the avalanche had formed a medium sized hill and they were near the top of it. There were many trees, most of which had been destroyed in the avalanche. She wasn't sure what to do now. There was no sign of Ace and the others, and no telling which way she was supposed to go. All she recalled was that their destination had been to get to the mountains to look for the treasure that was said to be there.

Taking it out of her pocket, she looked at the map again. She hadn't been able to grab her bags or any of her stuff, but at least that was still with her. It was hard to figure anything out without a compass though. Unfolding the paper, she realized that her path was now clear.

'Those peaks...' She gazed up at the mighty mountains that stood before them. She showed the faded piece of parchment to the cat, who only tilted her head in confusion. 'They look like the ones here. Maybe we should just go up until we can figure out what else to do. We might be able to see the ship from there too.'

'Guess there's nothing left to do but press onward...' Vanora nodded, following her in the direction of what appeared to be a path.

They walked for the remainder of the day, all the way until dusk. And it had been morning by the time Vanora found her. Even though the avalanche had knocked her much closer to their original destination, Shiori knew just how massive the island was when she realized how far they still had left to go.

They were close enough to see that the path they were following would lead them to the base of the mountain, and onto a slippery slope that lead upward and then to the left. It seemed to wrap around the entire mountain range, almost. It was an impressive sight, and if she weren't feeling so down on her luck, she might have even found it beautiful. As things stood, it was all she could do not to cry...

'I wonder what Ace is doing right now and where he is and if he's okay...' The Valkyrie was unable to stifle the weight of her thoughts. She began to imagine horrifying scenarios.

'He's okay,' Vanora chirped cheerfully, letting out a soft purr. 'I know it. I passed him on the way to find you, remember? He was headed back toward the ship.'

'Oh yeah... Then... Wait, then that means...' She felt the harsh tears threatening to overwhelm her again. 'They went back to the ship? He's leaving me behind?'

'I can't say for certain. Only know what I saw.'

The cat looked at the girl sadly for a moment, before noticing something in the bushes and guiding her toward it as they walked. There was a large patch of berries there.

'I have no idea if these are edible or not, but I guess we'll find out...'

Shiori started picking them, plucking each ripe sweet berry from it's place on the small branches. She knew there were plenty of other things to worry about, but right now this was her only source of food. She didn't even have a weapon to kill anything she came across, although it's not like she really had it in her to end the life of a living thing to sustain herself anyway. She supposed it was just as well.

'It will be dark soon,' Vanora warned her, after eating her fair share of the berries too. They tasted terrible to her, but it was better than nothing and they were both hungry. 'We should maybe find a place to sleep?'

'Against this tree will have to do...'

The albino girl plopped herself down against the base of a tall tree that stood in the middle of their path. She didn't care if someone found them right now, and there was no point building a shelter since the weather wasn't too bad, and it wouldn't do any good in protecting them from another avalanche. They didn't even have the basic tools to build a fire, they had nothing.

'A tree? You're serious?' The cat appeared to make a face.

'Yep.' She only nodded and sat down, her jeans crunching the snow softly beneath her as she shuffled around.

It wasn't easy, but sleep did eventually find them. The pair sat with their backs to the forest, looking up at the heavy mountains that loomed over them. An ordinary human would have probably already succumbed to the cold, but Shiori's Devil Fruit ability was protecting her, while her companion was warmed by what little body heat she provided. She was thankful that she still had her sweater.

Halfway through the night, she noticed that Vanora was shivering, so she took it off completely to wrap her in it. The fluffy down was more than enough to protect her and Shiori didn't mind going without it. Now that she'd had something to eat to stave off her hunger, she was feeling a little better, but was still unable to get much rest throughout the night.

The next morning, the two left their little camp and silently continued to follow the path that would eventually lead up the mountain. It was still early morning when they came to the base of it. The narrow ledges and rocky crevasses looked particularly intimidating when viewed at such a close range. Shiori hesitated, her rose mauve eyes scanning the distance ahead of them for any signs of danger. Her hands trembled, as she held her little companion, nestled safely in her gray and white sweater.

'What's the matter, dear?' The feline questioned. 'Having second thoughts already?'

"N-no... Just thinking of-"

'Another way around-' She tried to finish silently, but was too shocked to continue either way when she felt a presence looming behind her.

"Well, well, well..." A sultry, feminine voice cut her off the moment she tried to speak.

Shiori whirled around, turning on her heel to see that the voice did indeed belong to a woman. She didn't recognize her. All she could do was gawk in surprise...

The strange woman wore ruddy brown flat boots that cut off at the knee, where she sported reddish maroon pants that split up the side and a red leather vest that was partially open in the front, exposing most of her large breasts for all the world to see. The only indication of her occupation appeared to be the large black tri-corner hat she wore, with accents set in gold. It looked like the perfect picture of a stereotypical Pirate Captain's hat. She wondered if it were real...

"Who are you?"

"Me? Oh, I'm sure a smart girl like you could figure that out rather easily, Shiori-chan..." She laughed, and it was heavy and full of scorn. Emerald eyes narrowed at her target, as she readied her sword against the skinny albino girl's throat. "Such easy prey..." She leaned in close to her.

"What are you d-doing?" Shiori was doing her best to prevent her voice from cracking, but it was no use. Her stuttering problem always reared it's head at the worst times...

"Hmm... On second thought, nah..." The blade dropped back to the woman's side. "It wouldn't be worth it. I'm sure I could do a little better than defeating you when you're already half dead like this." The redhead scanned her from head to toe, seeming to scrutinize everything about the girl with those cold eyes of hers.

That was when Shiori noticed there were others with her. Behind her, there stood a sizeable crew of about thirty or forty people. All of them had sinister grins and some were muttering among themselves. She couldn't tell what they were saying, but it came off as incredibly judgmental, whatever it was. She'd never felt so naked as when their cruel eyes raked over her, despite the fact that she was still clothed in her favorite blue sweater beneath the larger gray one.

"I uhh... What are you all doing here?"

"Don't play so naive!" The woman in charge growled, shoving her violently to one side. She stumbled awkwardly, not even resisting. "I know who you are and why you're here... What do you think you're even doing here?! This island is, by all rights, mine! You got that?! So just go running home to your lover boy before things get weird."

A single wave of her arm was all it took to get everyone moving again. The entire army she had with her began to trudge up the mountain. They moved along the path with ease, not even seeming afraid of it. Shiori gawked as they marched past her. She noticed that some of them carried large empty sacks and others were pushing huge wheeled carts up the path. They seemed to know what was supposed to be there too.

'The treasure...' Her cat made the connection also. 'They must be after it!'

"I don't even think I'll fight you myself, no..." The redhead was still carrying on, rubbing her hands together as she mulled over her plans. "You're not even worth it. I'll have one of my crew do it, haha... That'll show you! I think that even fighting you would be beneath me, at this point."

"What? What do you mean? I'm not sure what you're even t-talking about..."

Her inquiries were met with only a dismissive wave of the woman's hand. "And to think that I once almost considered you a threat! How ridiculous!"

She blinked, and a brilliant flash of green from her makeup could be seen. Her lips were a dark red. She appeared to be very vain, taking great care in her appearance.

Shiori was getting irritated now. "L-listen, I don't know who you think you are and what kind of games you're playing, but I asked you a question!"

"Awww, listen to the silly little girl, trying to act all big and mighty... Hahahaha!" The rest of her entourage soon joined in her laughter. "Sweetie, I think it's obvious what we're here for. If it isn't, you're an imbecile. The same thing you and that joke of a crew of his are after, I'm sure. But it's mine by birthright, so I'm here to claim it. You showing up here too just happens to be a rather unfortunate occurrence... For you, that is."

"Why is that?"

"Because," The woman dreadfully caressed her cheek with one hand. It was gloved and did not feel soft at all, only calloused. "After finally seeing you for myself, I have to say... He has developed rather poor taste. And after your pathetic people killed my brother back in Drum Kingdom... There's no way I could possibly allow you to live."

The Valkyrie's face twisted into a scowl just then. 'I have a very bad feeling about this...'

She looked to her feline sidekick, who appeared to be on edge too. Every little tuft of fur on Vanora's body was standing on end. When the redheaded woman leaned in a bit too close, she hissed at her.

"You really should teach that wretched beast not to spit in people's faces! Ugh, how rude!" She wiped her face, advancing on them again. "I'll see to it that it's killed too."

'Vanora...' Shiori called out to her, in her mind. It was a long shot, but she had to try something. 'Run! I don't know who these people are, or what they want, but I'm sure it won't end well if we both stay here.'

'No.' She protested. 'I won't leave your side!' 

'But-''

"Oh my, yes... I think a slow and painful death for both of you is in order," The woman continued on her rant. "But firstly, I'd like to know something."

"And what is that?" Shiori was merely humoring her at this point.

She looked around to see what kinds of weapons she might be able to make use of. She was pretty sure she could take this snobby bitch on, but she had no idea how she was going to manage to take on all the rest of these people... Each one gave her a cold look and muttered snide remarks as they walked past.

"Where did you get the map?" She then sighed at the girl's confused look, flipping her choppy shoulder-length red hair to one side. "I know that's the only way you managed to actually find this island. I'm sure you got it from somewhere, but the thing is... My siblings and I are the only people who are supposed to have access to them. There were only two in existence and I have the other one. Wherever did you happen to find it?"

"I..."

She considered actually explaining it to her for a moment. She'd gotten the map from Whitey Bay, after all, and she was probably half a world away right now. There would be no way that anything bad could come of it right now, but that didn't mean that someone couldn't make trouble for her later down the line.

"...I'll never tell you."

"Excuse you, what did you just say?" She scoffed.

"You heard me." Shiori crossed her arms over her chest, standing her ground firmly. If Vanora wouldn't run away, then neither would she. "You won't even so much as tell me who you are, and you expect me to just hand over information? No... I think I'll keep it a secret, since it's something you don't seem to know."

Another woman, apparently a little older than the redhead she'd been tangling with, approached from the rear of the line that was marching by. She was wearing a fiery red flamenco dress with gold along it's edges, which looked absurd in these conditions. And she was walking all this way in gold-clad high heels. Her brown hair was plated along her back and had golden decorations woven throughout the singular large braid. Shiori stared at her, wondering if she were crazy or what. Her olive skin and dark eyes leered at the girl, uncaring for her assumptions.

She had already worked out that this was obviously the other Pirate crew that they'd seen on the island. Did they sail on the Eyphah Maura that she'd heard so much about recently? She wasn't sure how this strange woman seemed to know so much about her when they'd never even met.

"Don't sweat it, Captain..." She cackled. "I'd be delighted to take care of her for you." She began to draw a large golden sword from a sheath at her hip.

"Oh? You fancy a fight, Rita Maria?" The redhead's angry expression was promptly replaced with a smirk. "That's unusual. Okay, I like this... I believe I'll leave you to it, then."

"Yes! You can go on, O'Hara-sama. Just leave it to me!"

"Right. Just make sure to bring me her head when you're done. I'll need it to collect on her bounty later... Not to mention the added satisfaction I'll get when I use it to taunt her friends. And get rid of her mangy little cat too."

Shiori wasn't sure exactly what she was witnessing at first, but before the words were all the way out of their Captain's mouth, her eyes fell to the golden blade that was coming at her face. She dodged it, the sharp edge slicing into the trunk of a nearby tree.

The Captain watched Rita begin the fight, pursuing her latest victim with her usual flare, without even waiting around to see how it would end. She had the utmost faith in her crew and she turned to follow the long line of Pirates that were rapidly disappearing up the slope. They were ignoring the stranger they'd come across. It didn't take a lot of guesswork for Shiori to figure out that they were here for the same treasure that she'd already promised to Ace's crew. And they seemed a lot more closer to getting it than the Spades were, at this point.

It boiled Shiori's blood. She wished that she'd been able to grab a weapon before the avalanche hit her. Despite not being able to properly defend herself, the albino continued to dance around the swordswoman's every blow.

"Why are you doing this? There's no point in fighting someone who doesn't even have a weapon! That's cowardly!"

"I'm certain you are a swordswoman!" Her opponent remarked, still attempting to land a hit on her. "I can smell it on you! So I'm sure you'll make do... If not, it'll be your execution!"

She felt it was clearly a bluff, even though this inappropriately dressed Pirate wench was a threat to be taken seriously. Shiori's main goal at present was to protect Vanora, at any cost. She hadn't been willing to run away, so that meant she would have to make sure nothing happened to her. At least it might be easier having her close by... She could keep an eye on her better that way.

She was thinking of an exit strategy when the young cat jumped from her arms, right onto the other woman's shoulders. Vanora's claws dug in deep, but that wasn't enough. The moment it happened, the woman tried to grab her, but the slippery little cat managed to elude her grasp at every turn. She then swiped at her face.

There was a shrill cry of pain. Vanora jumped down onto the freshly fallen snow. Rita let out a growl and came at her then, ignoring the cat until her rage was quelled. Her target was the girl. Those had been her orders.

During the chaos, Shiori managed to pick up the largest rock nearby she could find that she was able to lift. She held it in front of her face, just as the golden edge of the blade came down against her. It might have grazed her, had she not been so quick to find a way to defend herself. She danced backward, avoiding glancing blows left and right from the angry swordswoman.

The rest of her crew had already gotten so far up the mountainside that they'd completely disappeared from view. But that was probably that O'Hara woman's plan all along... Shiori didn't know who she was, but she seemed like a nasty person.

She wondered how she was going to get out of this. 'I still have to figure out a way to beat them to the treasure! I can't let them get away with this! Ace-kun will be so upset, and I can't let them take all of it after I promised him I'd give it to him as payment for bringing me here in the first place!'

'This way!' Vanora called out to her, her tail twitching as she ventured up the ledge that led along the path they would need to take to go deeper into the mountains. 'Worry about that later. We need to hurry... Forget her, you have no means of fighting her anyway. She'll just have to follow us.'

'You're right... I can't take on all of them by myself! There's no way!'

Despite her previous protests, she knew that her friend was right. Shiori darted toward the path, but was cut off by an angry Pirate in a flamenco dress. Blood dripped slowly down her face. It seemed that Vanora had gotten her good.

"And another thing!" She panted, having cornered Shiori against a large outcropping. "I've heard rumors you're here for that sword... I'm sure you know the one."

"I know of no such thing." Shiori lied through her teeth, not even caring whether she believed it or not. Her reasons for being here were every bit as valid as any of theirs! "But I do know that my reasons for being here are my own. And it'll stay that way!"

"Well you're already too late, Señorita! It's mine!"

She blocked another blow with the rock she was holding, using it to partially shove her away. Rita hated it because it was making her sword dull. No self-respecting sword fighter would want to swing against a rock.

"Ugh," Shiori grunted, still on the defensive. "Go away!"

"I'm sure that's heavy," The brunette swung again and again, none of them landing as the other girl was doing unnatural movements to dodge them. "Why don't you put it down, hmm? Fight me like a real Pirate! You have no honor!"

Using a massive surge of her powers, the albino girl shoved her backward in a flurry of snow. "Don't talk to me about honor! You know nothing about it!" She spat

Rita was panting heavily, obviously a bit tired from all of the exertion. "I'll bet you are here for the legendary sword... I'm sure you've heard about it." Her smug look was impossible to mistake, as she smirked knowingly, showing off her golden blade, the sunlight glinting off of it. She noticed the other girl's eyes were drawn to it. "That's right, this blade of mine is the one that you seek. Unless you think you can take it from me... You're too late! We've already beaten you to both parts of the treasure that your crew so desperately seeks."

Her face fell for a moment, she looked away sadly... 'No... It can't be!'

"How do you even know that's why we're here?" Shiori decided to try bluffing, even though she had a terrible poker face and always gave everything away. "For all you know, we c-could be after something entirely different."

She was only stalling now, luring her opponent higher up the ledge. They were already about a few hundred feet off the ground and climbing ever higher. If she could just get a little further, maybe she could try to figure out some way to escape or fight back somehow.

"Yeah right!" The darker skinned girl scoffed, swinging at her again and missing. "You're Pirates, aren't you? It's so obvious! Why else would you even be here?"

Shiori decided not to engage her any further. Talking to someone so stubborn was completely pointless and it would only make her question her own path. She didn't have time for this... She would have to end it. Somehow... There had to be a way. She noticed that the weather was getting colder too. Summoning all of her remaining strength, she summoned a flurry of snowflakes, sending them to fly in the other Pirate's face.

Rita winced, jumping back at the sudden attack. It was freezing... And the weather was beginning to turn against them too. The higher up the mountain's edge they climbed, the colder it was getting. She had no doubt that it would be snowing soon. It made her wish that she'd covered up more.

The Valkyrie made sure that it got colder and colder. Her attempts at removing the sword from her opponent's hand weren't working. It was all she could do just to fight her off with the rock. She picked up a branch and began using that to her advantage too. The worst she could do was try to stab at her with it, but she wasn't falling for it. The branch wasn't even that sharp. But coupled with the rock, the two served as a good enough distraction to keep the mad swordswoman at bay for a little while.

She hadn't been able to truly land a blow yet, and that was something Shiori prided herself on. Her thorough knowledge of the rare fighting style that had been taught to her by the Nuns back at the Monastery when she was only a child was helping her a lot in evading her opponent's attacks. But how much longer could she keep it up?

Suddenly, there was an opening...

'Shiori, now!' Vanora's thoughts guided her.

She saw the opportunity and took it. One misstep was all it took for Rita to give her an opening. Shiori darted forward, then danced backward immediately after, and finally used the rock's leverage to pry the shining sword from the woman's hands. She screamed like a banshee once she was separated from her blade. In her deep doe-like eyes there was a familiar look, and in that moment, all of her cowardice came out.

"Give me back my sword! You wouldn't even know what to do with it, Señorita!"

"Like hell I wouldn't."

There was hell in her eyes then. In a flash, the albino had used her graceful movements to trip the wretched woman at the cliff's edge, slicing across her shins at just the right moment. She began to fall, reaching out to grasp for anything. Her golden heels didn't help any, only serving to trip her up more. The tips of her fingers very nearly grazed the edge of Shiori's sweater, but then...

"Reeowr!" Vanora screeched as she firmly bit her hand, wrenching it away from Shiori. She let go, leaping back to the safety of the Valkyrie's shoulder as her enemy fell backward.

"Now we're even. Bitch." She grinned, watching her fall all the way to the rocks below.

But after a moment, she held up the golden sword, inspecting it carefully. It certainly didn't look like an ice sword. And she didn't feel like it had any special powers either... Despite it's unusual color, it appeared to be just an ordinary longsword. Even if there was something special about it, the weight felt really off, and Shiori decided that it just wasn't her style. She callously tossed it over the edge of the slope, aiming right toward the fallen woman. Then she turned away, no longer caring what happened.

"You liar." Were her only words as it fell onto the defeated woman below. "It's useless."

There was a slicing sound, then raspy breathing, followed by silence.

'Her brother...' Shiori paused to ponder on the other Captain's words for a moment. 'I wonder what the redhead meant by that...'

'There's no time to worry over it,' Vanora assured her, licking the blood from her lips. 'We need to hurry if we're going to beat them to the treasure. Or maybe we should look for a place to wait out this storm?'

'What storm?' She blinked for a moment, getting her bearings before continuing up the jagged mountain's path.

'Don't you sense it? Something's coming... Something powerful.'

A whirlwind of sleet and snow met them head on as soon as she turned the corner. "Damn it! How did they even make it up any higher than this?!"

A frigid blizzard raged all around them. The snow was blinding and visibility was reduced. Shiori had no way of telling where the path ended. It was too dangerous to continue climbing and she didn't think it was wise to go on much longer. The storm had begun suddenly and because of it, the temperature was doing a nose dive, rapidly.

The timid albino girl still had a few tricks up her sleeve though... She inched her way along the mountain, making sure to keep her back pressed against it. This helped her to avoid the dangerous unguarded edge as much as possible. After all, she didn't want to meet the same fate as her previous attacker. But she knew it would soon be impossible to keep going in these conditions. It looked like this whole side of the mountain was encased in a furious snowstorm, the likes of which even she had never seen. Not even in all her years spent dwelling deep within the dreaded Drum Rockies had it ever been this bad. Not even during a blizzard. This was impossibly, bone-chillingly, hopelessly cold.

Vanora curled against her chest, shivering from the freezing air. Even though Shiori could have tried to keep on going, she knew that such a small creature couldn't withstand the subzero temperatures up here for much longer.

'We have no choice... Right now, we have to find shelter!'

Vanora only nodded, too cold to even direct any thoughts back to her. She turned yet another sharp corner and the angry wind nearly knocked her down. Trying to regain her footing, it was all she could do just to not be blown down. There was no sign of anyone else either. They'd long since lost track of O'Hara's crew by now and she wasn't sure if they were going the right way anymore. She couldn't even use her powers now because she knew she would be blown away and her body scattered by the insistent howling wind.

Another strong gale came at her with such ferocity that it brought her to her knees. The girl's knees fell, one of them catching the ground but the other slipping off the side of the mountain. She struggled to find her footing as one of her boots dangled from the edge of the slope dangerously, but the fury of the storm caught her off guard and she was thrown off.

The two of them plummeted down from the far side of the mountain. Shiori felt that they were doomed, because this was the side facing away from the ship. They were too far away for the Spades to ever hope to find them. And they wouldn't be looking for her up on the mountainside after the avalanche anyway... This was a bad idea. But it was far too late to go back now.

There was a sudden sharp impact ricocheting off her back. And the ground below her shifted away. They fell even farther, the blow softened by the gentle touch of snow. She'd been cradling Vanora against her in an effort to protect her. Luckily, it had paid off.

Shiori looked around, realizing that the ground had given way and they'd fallen into a cavern of some sort. She had a few scrapes and was a little bruised but nothing more. Something glittered in her peripheral vision, shining and shimmering in what little light trickled in from a small crack in the cave's ceiling. There was a large solid column in the center, and it was difficult to see through, but it appeared to be made of pure ice. There was something stuck in the middle of it.

'I can't find a way out, but...' She paused, noticing the strangely eerie blue glow. 'What is that?'

'Something smells strange here...' Her companion remarked.

Before she could properly gather her thoughts, Vanora had scampered down and was running in front of her. The little cat darted around several pillars and sharp stalagmites that protruded up from the cavern floor. A light coat of snow dusted the ground, but that was all. They were safe from the storm. However, that was the least of their worries right now. A strange glow emitted from the shining column. There was a low rumbling sound and an unholy howl, echoing across the walls. Her paws skidded to a halt just in front of it.

'Vanora-chan, wait!'

The tiny kitten was standing face to face with what could only be described as a monster...

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