Lila wandered through the town, a little confused by the way people were reacting to her. Wherever she went, people seemed to avoid her, crossing the street or looking down to avoid eye contact. It wasn't exactly fear—it was more like everyone was being extra cautious around her, like she was a walking time bomb. She sighed, running her hand through her hair in frustration.
"What is going on here?" she muttered under her breath. Every time she approached someone to ask what was wrong, they'd either pretend not to hear her or just flat-out ignore her.
Just as she was about to give up and meet back up with the crew, a tug on her sleeve caught her attention. She glanced down to see a tiny girl with ragged clothes and big, wide eyes looking up at her.
"Miss, do you have any food?" the little girl asked, her voice small and hopeful.
Lila's heart melted. "Oh, you poor thing. What's your name?"
"Gina," the girl whispered.
"Alright, Gina. Let's get you something to eat," Lila said, patting the girl's head.
As Lila looked around, trying to find a food stand or market, she suddenly bumped into something—or rather, someone. She blinked and looked up to see a tall, muscular man with a creepy white mask staring down at her. His blonde hair peeked out from under the mask, and his posture screamed "intimidating pirate."
It was Killer, right-hand man of Eustass Kidd.
"Sorry about that," Lila said casually, not realizing who she had bumped into at first.
Killer stood there, frozen for a second, clearly not used to anyone brushing off his intimidating presence so easily. But then, something strange happened. He wasn't angry or irritated. In fact, he just... stared at her. Or, at least, Lila assumed he was staring through his mask.
"You're really pretty," Killer said suddenly, his deep voice coming out muffled through the mask.
Lila blinked, completely caught off guard. "Uh... thanks?"
Killer cleared his throat, straightening up and crossing his arms, trying to sound tough but clearly flustered. "You, uh... you wanna go out with me? Maybe... dinner?"
Lila raised an eyebrow. "A date? You mean, right now?"
"Or later," Killer said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, now looking a little sheepish. "Whatever works for you."
Lila stared at him for a second, then glanced at Gina, who was tugging on her sleeve again. "Maybe next time," Lila said casually, "but right now I've got to get this little girl some food. She's starving."
Killer looked down at Gina and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh. Right. That makes sense..."
Lila smirked, looking Killer up and down. "But you know, if we ever do go on a date... I'd prefer my man didn't wear a mask. And he's gotta be stronger than me."
Killer stood there, stunned for a moment, processing what she'd said. He awkwardly put a hand on his mask, as if considering taking it off, but then stopped himself. "Stronger than you, huh?"
"Yup." Lila gave him a playful wink. "Gotta keep up, you know?"
Killer was silent for a moment, clearly heartbroken, but he quickly pulled himself together. "Fine. I'll ask you again tomorrow."
Lila chuckled, shaking her head. "Sure, sure. You do that."
As she walked away with Gina, Lila couldn't help but smile to herself. Killer, one of the most dangerous pirates in the South Blue, was left standing there like a love-struck puppy. She glanced back over her shoulder to see him still watching her as she left.
"Every day until you leave the island!" Killer called after her, his voice determined.
"Yeah, we'll see about that!" Lila waved him off, amused.
Gina looked up at Lila with wide eyes. "Was that man scary?"
"Not really," Lila said with a grin. "Just... a little weird."
----------
Lila and Gina sat at a small food stand in the quieter part of town. The place wasn't fancy, but it had the delicious smell of grilled fish and freshly baked bread that made Gina's eyes light up. Lila ordered two large plates of food, smiling as she watched Gina tear into the meal with the enthusiasm of someone who hadn't eaten properly in days.
"Slow down, you'll choke," Lila chuckled, watching the girl devour her meal.
Gina paused, grinning with her mouth full of food. "Thank you, Miss Lila. I was so hungry."
"Hey, no need to thank me. Just eat as much as you want, okay?" Lila smiled warmly, feeling good about being able to help out the girl.
As Gina continued eating, Lila leaned back, stretching her arms and glancing around. "So, Gina, where's your family? You're all alone out here?"
Gina's face darkened for a moment as she slowed down her eating. "I... don't really have anyone. Not since the pirates came."
Lila's expression softened. "The pirates? You mean Kidd and his crew?"
Gina nodded quietly. "They took over the island. They scare everyone. My parents... they didn't make it when they came. Now I just try to stay out of the way."
Lila clenched her fists under the table. She had heard of Kidd's reputation, but hearing firsthand about the damage he had done left her feeling a mix of anger and sadness. She had always been on the side of adventure, not destruction.
"I'm sorry, Gina," Lila said softly, placing a hand on the girl's head. "We'll do something about this."
Before Gina could respond, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from behind them. Lila didn't even have to turn around to know who it was.
"Lila," a familiar voice called out, a little too eager.
She sighed, turning around to see Killer, who was standing a few feet away. His masked face seemed to loom over the small food stand, casting a shadow over the table.
"Oh boy," Lila muttered, rolling her eyes.
Killer crossed his arms, looking slightly more serious this time. "I've been thinking about what you said earlier."
"And?" Lila raised an eyebrow, half-amused.
"I want a fight. You said I had to be stronger than you, right? Well, let's see."
Gina, sensing the tension, hid behind Lila. "Is he going to hurt you, Miss Lila?"
Lila smiled down at Gina and shook her head. "Nah, don't worry about it. He's harmless."
Killer bristled at the word "harmless," and stepped forward, his voice firm. "I'm serious. Fight me. Prove that you're stronger."
Lila turned back to him, her smirk growing wider. "Killer, I don't like picking on the weak."
The insult hit hard, and Killer's body visibly tensed. Without another word, he charged forward, his large frame barreling toward Lila. With a swift motion, he swung his massive blade in an overhead strike aimed straight at her.
Lila didn't even flinch. With one hand, she grabbed her spear from her back and lifted it, blocking the heavy swing with ease. The force of the clash caused a gust of wind to kick up, but Lila remained completely unfazed.
"Too slow," she muttered.
She sent a light but precise kick to Killer's midsection, pushing him back without breaking a sweat. He staggered a few feet, surprised at how easily she had handled his attack.
Killer regained his footing, ready to charge again, but before he could even blink, Lila vanished. She used Soru to appear directly behind him, her spear thrusting forward with pinpoint accuracy.
The sharp tip of the spear stopped mere inches from Killer's masked face.
His body went rigid, the realization that he had been bested sinking in fast. The mask didn't hide the sheer shock on his face. Lila's spear hung there, suspended in the air, a hairsbreadth away from what would have been a devastating strike.
"That was fun," Lila said casually, her voice lighthearted as if the whole thing had been a game. Then, with another flash of Soru, she vanished from Killer's sight, reappearing a few feet away near the food stand.
Killer didn't move. His shoulders slumped, and he stood there, processing what just happened. Lila was clearly out of his league. But instead of feeling defeated, he felt something else.
Admiration.
Lila turned back to Gina, who was staring at her with wide eyes. "See? Told you he's harmless."
Gina giggled, clearly impressed. Killer, however, was still frozen in place, staring at the spot where Lila's spear had been moments ago.
"I'll ask you again tomorrow," Killer said, his voice still determined, though slightly more humbled.
Lila laughed, waving him off. "Sure, Killer. Ask me tomorrow."
With that, she grabbed Gina's hand and walked away, leaving Killer standing there, silently vowing to keep asking her every day until they left the island.