So I said I was reading Side to Side over and I just finished my Musnia and Tas and Hanzi chapters and I really like to think about how when Ruby got her bounty back by “kidnapping royalty” they hang her wanted poster and any news articles about her up on the police station boards.
Also the day that the island was liberated from those bandits is an official holiday where people are encouraged to wear ruby colored items.
I think it’s very funny of me that my two main girls are polar opposites when it comes to fashion.
Ruby is like “imma dress like a slut and yall are welcome for seeing it.” Tits and ass out. Tummy showing, long legs perfectly shaved and tanned. No underwear. High heels. Be grateful for the sight.
Yrelia is like…I’m going to wear this dress and it’s my most risqué dress because it’s two inches above the knees. Don’t worry I’m wearing stockings to cover my legs. And a sweater over the dress. You can’t see anything except my neck and collarbone. Thank you for not staring.
And it’s both born from trauma because I love hurting them.
Ruby took in a staggered breath as she stared at the ground. Blood was on the floor under her, it was covering her arms and legs, her dress was torn, her hair was a mess and she was so tired. She closed her eyes, feeling blood drip down her mouth and onto her chin. She had to keep it together. She had to be patient and wait for someone to find her.
Which was frustrating. She didn’t want to play princess in a tower. She wanted to fight. She wanted to be by Law’s side. God knows what he was doing and if Doflamingo had met with him yet. She heard the door open and worked up a glare. Just because she had been tortured a little didn't mean she’d let this insane family believe she was in pain.
Ruby didn’t falter when it was Doflamingo’s wife that walked through the door. Ruby stared her down, challenging her to do whatever she could. She looked at Ruby, her gold eyes studying her before she closed the door behind her. She stared at the door and sighed.
“You have a real plan don’t you?” Ruby narrowed her eyes at Lucia and stayed silent. “Do you?” She prompted. Ruby didn’t say anything, glaring at her back. The woman turned to look at her. “Well?”
“If you think I'm going to tell you anything, you're delusional. Then again, you must be crazy to be a member of this so-called “family,”” she snorted. “Did he send you to keep watch?”
“He doesn’t involve me in such things. I know that you must be dangerous to him if he's keeping you this close, though. Your captain...Law, the one Doflamingo wants so badly, is he coming here?”
Ruby glared furiously at her. “I just told you I'm not giving you any information,” she spat out. She would protect her captain until her very last breath and there’s no way she would give away any information to someone she couldn’t trust.
Lucia’s eyes filled with pent up rage and frustration. “I don't need to know the details, I just need to know if something is actually happening!” She shook, clenching her fists at her side. Ruby stared at her as she looked behind her, as if to check if anyone heard her outburst. “If there’s a real chance that you and your allies can beat these people, I’ll help you, however I can. I've seen too many go against them and fail, but I can tell this is different.”
Ruby let out a breath and sat up straight. “Why should I trust you? You're his wife , after all.” Ruby knew that she’d always be on Law’s side, and would do whatever it took to protect him. She assumed Lucia was no different when it came to Doflamingo.
“Because I want to get out of here as badly as you do,” Lucia said and Ruby rolled her eyes in disbelief. There was no reason to believe her, no matter how desperate and beautiful she was. After a moment, Lucia rolled up her sleeves and Ruby’s breath hitched against her instincts.
“He did that to you?” Law’s scars played in her mind. Law’s demons played in her mind. She knew those scars. She felt ill, knowing exactly what those meant. Her heart started to ache as she tried to keep her wits about her.
“That and more,” Lucia replied, her voice and expression flat. “I've never had a real opportunity to get away from him.”
“How do I know you’re not lying about all this? You could just be some masochist, here to use a sob story to get information to give him.”
“Even if I am lying, it wouldn’t benefit me at all. Like I said, I'm not trying to find out exactly what your plan is, so I can’t tell him anything. And you're already trapped, so if I was truly on his side it would be in my best interest to just leave you here. But I'm offering you a chance, if you'll give me the same.”
Ruby went silent, thinking over Lucia’s words. She wasn’t incorrect in her reasoning. There was no way Law was in the castle and it was far too early for the trade off, so there’s no way Doflamingo was luring her into a trap to kill her in front of Law. Besides, she needed a way to actually get to Law. She needed to help him. She sighed after a moment and stared at Lucia, determined.
“Fine. If you think you can actually get me out of here, so I can get to my captain, I'll do what I can to help you escape.”
“Thank you.” She looked genuinely grateful. “There’s still a chance that I won’t be able to help, but I’ll do my best. I'll find out what everyone is doing and try to get your key.” Ruby nodded and swallowed, watching Lucia leave the room. Ruby relaxed slightly, staring at the cobblestone. The glimmer of hope grew a little but...how was she to leave the castle after Lucia found the key? She stuck out. The churning in her stomach grew. She had to get out of here and find Law. If he was caught by Doflamingo…
Ruby’s head snapped up at the sound of the door opening. Lucia walked in, nothing to show for her efforts.
“Unsurprisingly, it isn’t here, but he’ll return eventually unless we get lucky and someone kills him. Is there anything else you had that you might want back?”
“I wasn’t really carrying anything with me,” Ruby replied, shaking her head. “There’s some stuff back at the apartment where I was staying, but nothing I can’t live without. Though I will miss some of the clothes I got here, like this dress that got fucking ruined …” Lucia laughed, and Ruby looked over at her. “What’s so funny about that?”
“I suppose it’s just that we have similar priorities. Don't worry, if we get out of here alive I can make you enough clothes for a lifetime.”
“You can?”
“I’m a tailor, or was...I admit I’m out of practice, but I suppose that’s something I can work on.”
Ruby blinked. A tailor? She pondered that a bit, what an...odd choice in a wife. “How did you end up with Doflamingo if you were a tailor?” Lucia didn’t respond; she looked like she was far off somewhere else. “...Lucia?”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“I asked how you ended up with him if you started out as a tailor. He doesn’t exactly seem the type...but it’s fine if you don’t want to talk about it.”
“It’s...a long story, but I suppose we have nothing but time on our hands.” She took a deep breath. “My family…we were the court tailors. Of course, that didn’t mean much in such a poor country, but it…made us friends. Doflamingo…he…he saw the friendship between me and Princess Viola forming and used that to manipulate and control us. He wanted us to be against each other. He played us against each other so that our friendship was ruined and we couldn’t collude.” She sighed with a regretful look in her eyes. “My husband and I…we were possessive of each other. Doflamingo married me for it, everyone saw that we were together and they wanted it, but it was just another way to control me. Soon he dropped the act of him loving me and started to…use his powers on me whenever he liked, to do whatever he liked. I isolated myself from him, from them, from ever hoping to contact my family.” She frowned deeply as she stared at Ruby. “And here I am, hoping against hope that you and your allies would save this island and…save me.”
Ruby stared at her with a frown. How…horrible. She took a deep breath. “You’d like our crew,” she said softly. “I bet you’d get along with them. Maybe even my captain, once he gave you the chance.” She smiled softly. “It took them a while to get used to me as well, but they came around.”
“You say that as if you’re taking me along with you.”
Ruby shrugged. “I have a bleeding heart for those in bad situations,” she sighed. “I’ve been in some myself.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah,” Ruby adjusted. “Since you told me your story, I should tell you mine.” Lucia nodded. “I lost my family when I was young, the government used the marines to kill them. From ten years old I was alone and had to fend for myself. I took an odd number of jobs just to survive but was never able to keep one for long. Eventually, I ended up in Knotely Jobst’s crew.”
“Doflamingo mentioned him once.” Lucia looked thoughtful. “He didn’t think anything of him but at one point that man annoyed him.”
“I probably have something to do with that.” Ruby said with a grin. “I destroyed his warehouses and loot, almost dying in the process.” She sighed. “I traveled again, from island to island, until I found one that I thought I could make my home. That being said, I was still pretty sure I was going to die. Or I was trying to die, that’s more accurate. I’d drink and do drugs, it was the life that parents warn their children about when they’re young. Eventually, I stopped, I grew tired of even that. I managed to have some acquaintances when I sobered up,” she smiled softly. “Then Law and the others found me.” Lucia nodded. “After a lifetime of running from people who wanted to kill me, you’d think I wouldn’t want to become a pirate, and I guess at first I didn’t,” Ruby grinned fondly. “I even threatened to kill Law at first.”
“And he still asked you to join?”
“It’s one of the reasons he did,” Ruby chuckled. “I supposed the why doesn’t matter. What matters is that he did. Now, I’m a Heart Pirate, I had a bounty there for a bit, before it was frozen.” Ruby paused.
“What?”
“With the announcement of the alliance I’m sure Law will have his title stripped away.” She shifted and looked at the ground. “Idiot.” She murmured softly.
“You seem close.”
“We’re nakama ,” she answered automatically. “We all love and care for one another. We’re not just a crew, we’re family. Law commands respect because of who he is not just because he’s our captain. He loves us and we love him.” Lucia frowned. “What?”
“My husband...has told me of him in the past.”
“Oh boy,” Ruby started to snicker. “I’m sure it was a raving review.”
“You don’t care?”
“Nah, I know who Law really is.”
Lucia blinked but quickly covered up her taken aback gaze. “I see…” she turned to look out the door. “Thank you for sharing your past with me.” She turned to look at Ruby. “I must go, I need to make sure he doesn’t suspect anything. With what’s going on, he’ll want you secure and secluded.” Ruby nodded. “I’ll return as fast as I can.” Ruby nodded again.
“Of course,” Ruby sat up straight. “You know where I’ll be.”
Lucia left and Ruby was left alone with her thoughts. She took a deep, painful breath and let out a whimper. She was tired of putting on a brave front. Tears filled her eyes and she let out a tired sob. Everything hurt, there was blood everywhere, and she felt herself start to slip in and out of consciousness.
“God damn it, Ruby,” she chastised herself. “What the fuck have you gotten yourself into?”
