. Life and times as a Heart Pirate, in snippets and drabbles .
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"Jana!" Shachi turned towards her with a grin looking between her and the newspaper. "You got a Bounty poster!"
Jana choked on her coffee. "What?" she coughed out.
"Look!" he turned the paper around and indeed, there was a picture of Jana. A very ridiculous one, but it was definitely her.
"Does it say what for?" she wiped her mouth. "I'm pretty sure I didn't even breathe ominously." Her picture made her look like a zoo keeper, not a pirate; she even had a smile on her face. Not even a creepy smile.
Penguin snorted. "Probably because you were seen with the rest of us and are wearing the uniform and jolly roger?"
"Ugh" Jana rolled her eyes and returned to her morning drink, it was too early.
.
"Why Beast Master?" Jana stared at her wanted poster.
"Oh I don’t know, maybe the animals you're so good with?" Penguin employed a 'duh' tone. Her picture spoke a thousand words.
"I guess I'm sort of good with animals-" Jana didn't consider her ability all that great, just because they all listened to her did not make it useful beyond her usual intent checks.
Though the crocodiles did make a difference when they had to cross that river.
"There is no 'sort of' there if you can growl and point and have animals attack!" Shachi interrupted.
"Ha ha," Jana scratched her head. "It’s hardly that easy."
.
Jana sighed as she looked back at the cake in front of her. They remembered her birthday. Birthday that she offhandedly mentioned way back at he inn. The inn.
"You are all such dorks." she sniffed, smiled at them. "I love you all, thanks for the cake." this brought out a series of laughs and whines about love and friendship.
Jana grinned and simply took the time to look at each of them. Her friends. She had so many friends now. She was so happy she wanted to cry.
.
"You want me to talk about feelings?"
"Well you're a girl."
"You really don't want me to talk about feelings."
"But you're our only chance!"
"Boys, I laugh at funerals," she drank a bit of her coffee. "You don't want me to talk about feelings."
"We're doomed!"
“Don’t look at me, you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel here.”
.
Jana stared at Law trying not to crack a rib. Luffy was hugging him heedless of onlookers like a rubber noodle. Law stared right back at her daring her to laugh..
Such a beautiful friendship... she fought a smile, but a grin spread across her face.
"Boys," she addressed the rest of Heart Pirates not taking her eyes off of the two captains, "Captain made a friend."
There was a certain cooing quality that made Law scowl even more.
There was a moment of silence before everybody broke into laughs with wails of 'Captaaaaain' and tear wiping. Law looked embarrassed for a moment, but relented with a mere eye roll.
Jana was happy for him; Luffy is probably exactly what he needed.
.
"Any pain?" Law asked as he examined Jana's unseeing eyes.
"None." there was silence after that.
"I'll miss reading the most I think." Jana broke it.
"I have a Devil Fruit encyclopedia here."
"I can't-"
"I'll read it." was all he said. "In any case you should rest so lay down."
Law read the passages out loud and allowed his crew-mate to silently cry in grief.
"Jana?" mother of this body called. "Could you wash the dishes?"
She called back in affirmative before fishing for a bookmark to mark the page. Jana rushed to the kitchen ruffling the hair of her two younger sisters before getting to work.
When she was young, in her previous life, she loved washing dishes by hand; a silly tradition really and one she hated doing in the winter because back in her previous life there was no hot water in the kitchen. Here there were no such setbacks.
That made her cry sometimes.
The Sable family lived in a small village named Plume; on a Summer Island called Hook Island, Grand Line, Paradise.
First time she learned of this Jana had been torn between laughter and sobbing, not that she could be blamed for that, knowing the dangers of the world she was born in.
Clinking of the plates calmed her, smell of detergent made her focus on her work; but her mind did drift into slight introspection as these were all practiced movements. There was plenty to wash, their family ran an Inn - or rather her grandmother ran an Inn and the rest of the family just happened to live here.
This was one of grandmother’s grumbling complaints, so Jana had little issue lending a hand.
When she realized where she was, at age of three, she threw herself into reading any book she could reach. She considered herself very lucky to be born as a nobody and far away from the plot as possible; but she knew it might not stay that simple.
What if one of the more horrid pirate crews anchored here? what if pirates attacked her village? what if Marines decided to kill her entire island off?
What if, what if.
There was a myriad of possibilities that could end their peaceful lives here.
Gol D. Roger was executed when she was three, which left her quite some time until plot happened, assuming she didn't die before then, due to whatever. After all the main plot is not all there is.
One thing that she was certain of was that no one could know of the knowledge she possessed. It would place her family in danger, an entire world in danger, should there exist a person whose Devil Fruit could read minds.
Jana wanted to take no chances.
Best way to confuse a mind reader, who probably wouldn't be looking for any information under 'reincarnation' was to hoard huge amounts of knowledge. That was Jana’s take on the issue.
Little bits and pieces that would become credible clues to things she knew from before. Just so that a possible mind reader - and it was quite possible such a Devil Fruit existed - would consider her an investigator rather than an outsider with knowledge of the future.
She unplugged the sink and watched the soapy water drain away. Jana knew her parents were worried that she had no aspirations outside of reading and training her dog.
She smiled as she dried the plates.
How happy they were that she finally had a friend of sorts. Even if it was an animal. Jana had never been able to connect to her older sisters, not in the way sister's might; as she treated all four, both the younger and the older set of twins, as children.
Which they were, but being a young girl in body made it seem weird to others even if Jana was mentally thirty, twenty three years older than her body.
As soon as she was done she called to her grandmother that she was going out and grabbed her book again. "Jana!" her mother called out before she could disappear. "Don't forget to clean your room if you want to go with your father tomorrow!"
"I won't!" a rare grin spread across her face. She loved going with her father to the bigger city. A city that reminded her of her past life with it's tall buildings and numerous roads. No cars unfortunately, but still nostalgic. Jana loved to explore while her father did his work for the building company.
As an architect in a city like that he had no shortage of work; more than in their village of course, as pirates were more prone to anchoring and destroying in bigger cities.
While she did get in trouble sometimes, Jana was usually fast and nimble enough to escape and drunkards and delinquents that wanted to harm her.
After one incident which granted her a cut on her upper arm she made sure to run every morning if only to build up stamina.
This payed off in the busy streets of Lissel City where she learned to weave in and out of crowds with impressive speed, and manage to get back to her father unharmed every time since.
There were some of her father's friends that taught her how to punch properly once she returned with a black eye, courtesy of a fisherman's son who wanted to rip her book (he looked worse).
Her parents might have been worried that she would become a delinquent or a criminal, but her sisters pitched in with evidence that most kids in their nearby school were just jealous of Jana's smarts. After the elder twin's pleading she was left alone about any scrapes she gained, and if her father encouraged her to learn some self-defense and her grandmother looked suspiciously proud that was another matter entirely.
It was after the incident with Marines that her father encouraged her to broaden her physical training.
Jana didn't trust Marines, not by a long shot.
Mostly due to the fact that she was privy to their dirty secrets than anything else. Logically she knew there were good and bad Marines, in relation to civilian populace, just as there were many types of Pirates no matter what World Government said.
It was due to this that she gave Marines she encountered a benefit of doubt.
That was her first mistake.
Honestly, though, she knew there were some brutes out there, but to physically attack a seven year old was over the top. She didn't even bump into them or anything and being addressed as 'Hey you' didn't really clue her in that they were talking to her.
Jana returned home with a broken arm and an angry expression. Her parents panicked in short order, but only looked resigned when she said that it was the Marines.
That was the day she learned that her grandfather had been a pirate.
She also learned that Marines looked for any excuse to bring their family down. Villagers around here didn't like the Marines either, especially since they knew the Sable family and had no issue over long dead pirate relative. It was a small town, a close knit community.
Even if they had issues with each other, they had more beef with the Government.
Marines excused this as prevention. Keeping an eye on them in case any of them decided to turn pirate. Her parents' worry over her injuries looked to gain more weight with every moment.
It was the city dwellers who helped her once they heard her scream out from the pain; they escorted her back home after filing a complaint against the Marines. Her parents thanked them, but didn't expect it to go though, these things never did they said.
It was the first time they inflicted a serious bodily injury to a member of the family and her father worried that it might escalate.
That was the reason he introduced a broader training routine into Jana's schedule. Her elder sisters used to have their own when they were her age, but they were also less prone to getting in trouble.
Jana thought that this was the issue of her mental and physical age difference because she tended to mis-estimate danger.
It happened many times, but it was this time that she didn't manage to escape. Not that Jana made any mention of those previous times, not wanting to worry anyone, but it was this time that such an error was brought to her attention violently.
Three months passed since then. During the first month Jana shied away from people more than ever and her family fretted that her trust in people was broken irreparably.
What they didn't realize that it was her trust in herself that had been broken.
Jana grew more and more uncertain of her own knowledge of people, interactions and emotions.
Because, why couldn't she read the situation that time-why couldn't she see?!
It was Luca, her dog, who saved her. It was him who really saved her. Her family saw him bring her out of her shell, but they didn't see the whole picture.
Jana learned quickly that Luca was a good judge of character, he could smell it, sense it, whatever it was that he could do; he could definitely tell people's intentions. Jana let him take the wheel.
Everywhere she went Luca followed and Jana took cues from him.
From his slanted ears, bristling fur, bared teeth or low growls. She attuned herself and her observations according to him and pulled through.
Jana only allowed her shock to last for a moment. Heart Pirates were in their foyer.
She glanced at Coco, the resident mutt, he wasn't growling.
In fact he looked quite happy to see them, his beady eyes on Bepo. The polar bear looked embarrassed at such a reception.
Jana looked them over in silence before sighing. "Welcome to the Sable inn,” she nodded and shifted the groceries in her arms. "Did grandma bring you here?"
Before the captain could answer, and he had been eyeing Jana as well, grandma Iris chimed in from the kitchen. "I sure did dear."
Jana wanted to sigh, this just meant more trouble from the Marines later, but she supposed it would happen anyways; they all had their routines.
This way at least the reasons for harassment would be justified - in a way. There was no law prohibiting them to house pirates, but Marines would swoop down the first chance they got. Things had gotten more hectic since Van and Sara moved further away, but Jana was not about to leave her aging grandmother alone to their mercies.
She wanted to resort to sarcasm, but settled for sending a look in the direction of the kitchens and turned back to the whispering pirates.
"Have you already settled on the rooms?"
"We've settled on the number, five double rooms, but not on which ones." Trafalgar Law spoke, his eyes were calculating. "Would you mind telling us where we could get supplies?"
Jana nodded and went to place the groceries in the kitchen before continuing. "You might want to wait until tomorrow though."
"Why is that?" there was no infliction in his voice despite the slight smirk.
"Marine patrol." chatter broke out among the pirates.
"Are they likely to come here?" Law went straight to the point.
"Unfortunately for you these guys have issues with us," she motioned between herself and the kitchen where her grandmother was working. "but," she added when they looked worried. "They can't search here without an actual warrant."
Jana also had Van’s number in case they tried.
"So-so they'll definitely come?" Bepo spoke with a paw to his mouth and Jana looked to him surprised, despite knowing he spoke it was still amazing to see.
"Sorry." Bapo apologized taking her awe negatively. "What are you apologizing for?!" some of the crew yelled at him and Jana almost laughed.
"They always do." she gave grimace. "They have patrols elsewhere tomorrow, also the Log Pose sets in seven days in case grandma didn't tell you."
"Of course I told them dear." Iris tutted. "I'm not that senile yet."
"Um," Shachi started. "Why exactly do the Marines have it out you?"
Jana blinked for a second, considering how to put it, before nonchalantly motioning to Iris. "It's all grandma’s fault."
Iris chuckled with a leer. "Grandfather was a pirate so we'll be suspicious for a few more generations yet." Jana rolled her eyes; logic of child paying for parent's sins was so backwards she didn't know where to start.
"You married a pirate?" Penguin gaped at Iris and Jana just shook her head as she served the drinks around to those who hadn't already grabbed them.
"Psh, marry him? I'd have never married him," Iris grinned. "Just had a child by him." She chuckled at his expression. "It's not my fault folks around here got no sense of anything much less adventure." She turned to Jana and continued. "Like that Martin boy, from a line of idiots I told him."
Jana froze. Martin? "You didn't say that to his face?" Jana frowned at her grandmother, ignoring the pirates watching the display.
"Of course I did," Iris waved it off like nothing. "I'm old; I'm due some old age rudeness."
Jana pinched the bridge of her nose. "You don't say that to a man whose son recently harpooned himself by accident."
"That must have been the reason he was glaring.” she muttered before continuing. “Well, there goes my proof, natural selection." Iris grinned unrepentant.
Exasperated sigh escaped Jana's mouth and she looked over the pirates stopping her gaze on Law. "If you don't mind I'm going to go and apologize to the man," she glanced at Iris. "Try not to insult our customers too."
Jana is twenty years old in body the first time she kills another human being.
She was doing errands in the city on the day which, unfortunately for all involved, the town happened to be attacked by pirates.
Jana didn't think, only reacted.
Twisted out of men's holds and picked a knife off of their belts.
She slit their throats and buried the weapons in their heads. Marines arrived just as she saved lives of a couple of merchants and children. This improved her standing in eyes of some Marines which was a welcome reprieve.
"Remember," Van reminded her again like a mother hen. "Do not use these unless your life is in danger."
They've all been babying her since mother died; it was probably because she hadn't cried, preferring to mourn in silence and occupy herself with work.
Or maybe it was because ever since her death their father had been falling deeper and deeper into depression, leaving their grandmother to care for those who were not yet of age.
It had been two years already, but things weren't looking up. His immune system kept failing and he kept getting sicker and sicker.
"I know." she sighed as she saw him to the door, he wouldn't be checking in for a while. "I don't want to get you in trouble."
She doesn't believe things will get any worse. She's wrong.
"I'm not too concerned with fighting itself," Jana spoke haltingly. "If I can avoid fighting I will, so I need to be quick enough not to get caught."
She looked up at Van imploringly. Jana knew what she was aiming for, Rokushiki Technique: Soru, but Van didn't. He certainly seemed contemplative.
"Why are you asking me?" he might have suspicions, but he couldn't provide a viable reason of Jana having any knowledge of Rokushiki.
Jana gave him a look that made her face a picture of teenage frustration. Exactly what she was aiming for.
"You are the only person with formal training that I know?" he winced slightly and gave her a sheepish smile.
"Right." he scratched his neck before giving her a considering look.
Jana tried not to squirm through the long minutes of silence and keep her mouth shut aside from giving him some impressive raised eyebrows.
"Well," he started with a frown and a sigh. "There is something I can try to teach you, but it will take a lot of time and dedication."
Jana shrugged when he seemed to be looking for a reply. "It's not like I'm busy."
Van merely looked to the ceiling trying very hard not to roll his eyes. "You're seventeen I know you're not busy," he licked his lips, but to his credit he avoided a patronizing tone.
"I mean that it would be terribly difficult and that you might not even manage to do it due to your body's limitations."
Now Jana was certain now that he was talking about Rokushiki.
"Won't know unless I try." she smiled at him. "When do we start?"
Things didn’t get better for years, but Jana's improved mobility granted her a reprieve of broken bones. She mostly evaded attacks, not bothering to throw punches that did not carry a lot of weight behind them.
She was quick and slippery, silent and observing.
Most of her enjoyment came from playing big sister for the younger set of twins both of whom loved to listen to her read. She enjoyed their wide-eyed expressions at some of the more ridiculous Lore she uneathed.
When she entered puberty for the second time at thirteen was when she finally caught a break.
One of the elder twins was involved in a serious relationship.
This wouldn't have been so groundbreaking if this particular man had not been a Marine. It was due to this relation that scrutiny on Jana let up. It bothered her something fierce that she had to become 'another Marine's turf' to be left alone.
Van, her sister Sara's boyfriend, was the kind of a man who gave people faith in the system. He was a good man and a good Marine, which was unfortunately an achievement.
Jana was relieved that he was the one dating her sister. Van was also the one most bothered by the fact that Jana was picked on so much.
After witnessing an altercation himself he made it his personal duty to teach her how to fight. This was how Jana learned Marine combat style.
Mostly submission holds, trips and pressure points, but something which made her really smug the next time a Marine decided to grab her.
