Latest Posts by clover1412 - Page 6
"Don't Skip: Read My Story & Help 🚨🙏"
"A Plea for Hope: Ibrahim's Family's Struggle for Survival 💔"
1,731/20,000 ‼️🚨
For over three months, we have received no support. We urgently need to raise 4,000. Is it possible to achieve this goal ? 🙏🏻
Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on the list is ( #220 )✅️
Vetted by @90-ghost ✅️
I am Ibrahim Almughanni. I once dreamed of a peaceful future for my family, but those dreams were shattered by the horrors of war.
I am married to Soha Fouad,
and we have three children: Toleen, 9 years old; Wateen, 6; and Tayseer, 4.
My children from inside UNRWA shelters
"Toleen, Wateen, and Tayseer are currently in the UNRWA shelter. With your support, we are striving to bring them happiness despite the challenges. Please stand by us for the sake of these children."
The Day Our Lives Shattered
I remember the day vividly—explosions began in the distance, growing into a deafening roar. Smoke and fear engulfed us as we watched our neighbors flee in terror. We grabbed our children and ran, pushing through a sea of panic until we could run no more
The Day Our Lives Shattered
We once lived a simple and peaceful life, with my children learning and thriving. Now, we are left with nothing in a UNRWA shelter, lacking all basic necessities.
Your support and contribution can make a real difference and change our reality for the better. 🙏
✅️Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on the list is ( #220 )✅️.
✅️Vetted by @90-ghost ✅️
Hello everyone, I am Firas from Gaza🇵🇸, I support my family of 9 people.
The temperature is now 10 degrees Celsius, it is very cold especially inside the tent we do not know what to do, we are even afraid of starting a fire because of the reconnaissance planes exactly (quadcopter).
Anyone can help, donate to us we need to buy some necessities such as:
-Some fabrics and blankets to make the tent warmer from the inside.
-Nylon covers to protect the tent from the rain.
-Some warm clothes for the family.
Honestly: We spent all the money we saved during the last displacement especially since transportation was very expensive. In addition, food prices are crazy, a 25 kg bag of flour costs $300.
Donate what you can to save my family's life 🙏💔
Thanks to you we have managed to raise 1,144€ since the beginning of our campaign, and like every other Palestinian fighting for his life against the oppressors, I do not want to surrender to the murderous regime. Please, together we can raise enough to provide basic necessities and also enable us to escape through the border crossing once it opens.
We bear witness to God that the situation is so tragic that it cannot be written or described.
When the rain falls, the tent becomes a floating home on a sea of suffering.
Cold, dampnes 💔💔
My family suffers a lot in winter
My family need your support. Donate now to provide blankets and warm clothes 💔💔
Together we can make a difference 🙏🏻🙏🏻
https://gofund.me/73ed107b
My campaign vetted by
@nabulsi
@el-shab-hussein
🚨 We Need Your Kindness to Survive 🚨
Hello, My name is Mosab Elderawi, and I live in Gaza with my family. Life here has become harder than I ever imagined, and I’m writing this with hope in my heart that you might hear our story.
The ongoing war has devastated my family. We’ve lost 25 family members—each one a beloved part of our lives, taken too soon. I miss them deeply—their laughter, their presence, their love. Every day is a reminder of this unimaginable loss.
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We are now facing daily challenges to survive—things that most people take for granted, like food, clean water, and a safe place to sleep. The harsh realities of life here have replaced our dreams with the constant fight for survival.
Our Current Situation:
💔 Lost Stability: The war has left us without work or a stable source of income. 🍞 Basic Needs: Food and water are becoming harder to afford with rising prices and scarce resources. 📚 Dreams on Hold: Like so many here, my family’s dreams have been replaced by the need to simply survive. 😢 Unimaginable Loss: Losing 25 loved ones has left a void that can never be filled.
How You Can Help:
I’m sharing our story with the hope that someone out there might care. Even $5 can make a big difference for us, and if you’re unable to donate, just reblogging this post can help spread the word.
Your kindness, no matter how small, is something we’ll never forget.
What This Means to Us:
Your support is not about changing our entire situation—it’s about giving us a little relief, a little hope, and a way to keep going. We are not asking for much, and we understand if you can’t donate. Sharing our story is just as valuable to us as a donation.
Thank you for reading this far. It means the world to us to know that someone is listening. Your kindness gives us strength and helps us believe in a better tomorrow.
With all our gratitude, Mosab Elderawi and Family ❤️
✅️ Vetted by ✅️
@gazavetters, my number verified on the list is ( #309 )✅️
@fancysmudges @brokenbackmountain @just-browsing1222-deactivated20 @mothblossoms @aleciosun @fluoresensitive @khizuo @lesbiandardevil @transmutationisms @schoolhater @timogsilangan @appsa @buttercuparry @sayruq @malcriada @palestinegenocide @sar-soor @akajustmerry @annoyingloudmicrowavecultist @feluka @tortiefrancis @flower-tea-fairies @tsaricides @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @visenyasdragon @belleandsaintsebastian @ear-motif @kordeliiius @brutaliakhoa @raelyn-dreams @troythecatfish @theropoda @tamarrud @4ft10tvlandfangirl @queerstudiesnatural @northgazaupdates2 @skatezophrenic @awetistic-things @camgirlpanopticon @baby-girl-aaron-dessner @nabulsi @sygol @junglejim4322 @heritageposts @chososhairbuns @palistani @dlxxv-vetted-donations @illuminated-runas @imjustheretotrytohelp
you cannot fix that blond man please step away and let the professionals take over
having a mutual who’s a good artist literally feels like beyonce saw me at a supermarket and decided to make me her best friend
lucy’s character arc really is everything to me. how am i ever supposed to get over her staking her happiness on the idea of being rescued and loved unconditionally by someone just for her to end up becoming the agency’s lifeline who saves them all over and over again. while asking for nothing in return. are you kidding
Hey guys! So excited to be sharing the piece I wrote for the @opspacezine! This was a super fun project and I loved the space zine and the opportunity to write these guys as chaotic friends <33
https://archiveofourown.org/works/62050039
Including the preview again for fun (and cuz it’s cute)
under your shadows
another tsujitsuji fic <3
also i didnt tag graphic depictions of violence because personally (as someone who does not do well with gore) it wasn't too bad. but if there's ever anything wrong with my tags please do let me know! i always complain about people who don't tag correctly but lowkey I'm bad at tagging so let me know :)
as usual fic under the cut as well <3
~ ♡ ~
Each breath was becoming more and more of a struggle to take. Her lungs felt like they were burning. Gripping her gun weakly, she tried to take a step forward, attempting to aim at the man attacking her.
‘You’re going to shoot me?’ He scoffed, ‘You can barely stand.’
He was right; she’d sustained too many injuries in the fight. Her vision was blurring, there was a pounding in her head, and she felt like she had been shot at some point.
She glanced back; there was a figure slumped over by the shutters. The pale blond hair, stained with blood, revealed his identity to her. Ayatsuji-sensei. Unconscious. Hurt. Dying.
The man was stepping closer to her now, pulling out a knife. She tried to steady her hand, reinforcing her threat of shooting him even if it was a weak one.
‘Now, now,’ he was being condescending, talking to her as if she were a child throwing a tantrum. ‘We don’t have to do this the hard way. I’m sure those drugs are doing a number on you.’ Drugs? She couldn’t remember how he’d gotten them in her. ‘I don’t want to cause you any more pain than I have to.’
‘Step back,’ trying her hardest not to sound scared. He continued to move closer, so confident that she wasn’t capable enough.
‘Still protecting him? You government agents are truly foolish people.’ The muzzle of her gun was against his chest now. ‘Well, are you going to shoot me?’ He cocked an eyebrow at her.
She pulled the trigger, but nothing happened; the telltale click of an empty magazine echoed in her ears.
He chuckled as the panic filled her features. How could she have run out of bullets?
She made a move to grab his knife, but the drugs in her system were slowing her down. He dodged easily. It was pathetic really, for a trained agent like her to be knocked to the floor so effortlessly.
Lying at his feet, she felt an overwhelming sense of defeat. She was going to die here. She was failing the division. She was failing Ayatsuji-sensei. She was failing herself.
Looking at his shadow, cast on the floor next to her. Maybe she was nothing without her mother’s ability.
‘Mother,’ it came out more like a cry, ‘I’m sorry.’
~ ♡ ~
Tsujimura jogged to catch up with Ayatsuji as they entered the building. ‘Sensei! Wait up! I don’t have a good feeling about this building.’
‘Why should you? It’s most definitely a trap,' his flippancy shocked her.
‘A trap?’ She fumbled for her phone. ‘Should I call for backup?’
‘Do whatever you wish,’ continuing to walk into the warehouse. He began to take in the room. There were modern additions to the older structure. There were large frames with items still on them blocking the entire room from view.
‘That's strange. I can’t get any signal in here,’ she lifted it, shaking her head in confusion. ‘We’re within city limits here.’
‘Signal jammer,’ he continued to smoke, seemingly unbothered by the situation. ‘Whoever’s doing this seems quite determined to get us alone.’
‘Maybe we should come back later with backup,’ she turned around, ready to get out of the creepy place, but there was a loud mechanical groaning. Tsujimura to stop the door from shutting. What followed was her exasperated shout and a loud clanging sound.
‘It would seem they have gotten us alone.’
‘This is bad, Sensei. The division doesn't know our location, and we cannot contact them.’ She pulled out her gun from its holster and joined him. There were no signs that there was anyone else with them, but she couldn’t shake off this awful feeling pooling in her stomach.
They were considering their next move when smoke started to fill the room.
‘We need to get out of here!’ Tsujimura started to move, but Ayatsuji grabbed her hand.
‘Don't move,’ he was looking around, trying to figure out what their next move should be whilst they still had some visibility. That’s when he noticed something strange with the smoke: ‘Tsujimura, don’t breathe. Don’t talk. We need to move now.’
He dragged her along, heading out of the storage area. The smoke was virtually nonexistent in the corridor area they were in now.
‘Sensei? What’s going on?’
‘A trap,’ he was looking around for a way out, but all the shutters were closed.
‘You’ve already said that?’
‘The smoke was to lead us here and to split us up, probably.’
‘But the smoke was drugged?’
‘So you noticed it too? Not bad, special agent.’ Despite their precarious situation, she felt a little proud of herself. ‘Yeah, a low dose of an anaesthetic. If we’d attempted to stay, we’d slowly lose consciousness.’
‘Giving us no other choice but to come here,’ Tsujimura spoke as a figure emerged around the corner, ‘and to fall into this trap.’
Clapping, loud clapping, ‘Bravo! You truly are as good as they say you are, Ayatsuji Yukito.’
He remained emotionless, regarding him as if he were a pedestrian on the street; he tipped down his sunglasses to glance him up and down. ‘Do I know you?’
The man stopped 10 meters away from them. ‘I don’t think we’ve ever met.’
Ayatsuji took a long drag of his kiseru before he spoke again, ‘You went through a lot of trouble for someone who doesn’t know your name.’
‘Oh,’ he winked before he carried on. ‘That’s the beautiful part. You do.’
Tsujimura remained glued to the spot, unable to do anything. Her instincts were telling her they needed to get out now, but she couldn’t move, no matter how hard she willed her legs to.
‘The string of murders recently across the globe,’ the man nodded in delight as Ayatsuji spoke. ‘One man, high-profile targets, a very impressive killer. They call you Vipère?’
Tsujimura interrupted, ‘French?’
‘Correct!’
‘Just like his shoes,’ the criminal laughed, but Ayatsuji continued. ‘Named for his use of viper poison to kill his targets. The first of which was a French bureaucrat.’
‘You’ve done your research, detective,’ he took off his hat and took a bow, ‘how flattering that is to hear.’
‘You still haven’t told us what business you have with us.’
‘Us?’ He chuckled as if he’d just told a particularly funny joke, only he was the only one in on it. ‘No detective, my business is only with you. Sadly, your babysitter will not be joining us today.’
It happened before she could even react. He snapped his finger, and she felt something wrap around her—scaly, cold, squeezing her—a snake winding around her, binding her legs and arms.
Ayatsuji tried to step closer. ‘I wouldn’t do that if I were you,’ he motioned to the snake as it wrapped around her neck before stopping. ‘As you probably know, this particular species of snake isn’t venomous; however, I’m sure this wouldn’t go in her favour here.’
He stayed still, his face twisting into an expression of disgust. An ability user, he’d overlooked that.
‘Perfect, now,’ he stepped closer to them, ‘to deal with you.’
Tsujimura tried to scream out, to tell him to get out of the building, to leave her, but the snake was slowly constricting. At this rate, she was going to run out of oxygen before it crushed her bones. All she could do was watch.
Ayatsuji put out his kiseru, tucking it into a pocket before taking off his coat and hat. ‘Usually, I would’ve asked Tsujimura-kun to hold my stuff; I’d hate to put it on this filthy floor.’
‘Sorry,’ he shrugged noncommittally, ‘I can’t have her interfering.’
He sighed before abandoning his stuff on the floor. ‘Well, whatever this is, maybe we should get it over with.’
‘There’s nothing I’d like more.’
She wasn’t sure what happened in the following moments, the lack of oxygen keeping her out of focus. It wasn’t until she felt the snake writhe and let her go that she had some semblance of what was going on. As soon as her vision returned, she grabbed her gun and scrambled away from the body of the snake. She could only guess how Ayatsuji-sensei had managed to kill it.
‘Tsujimura! Get up!’ It was Ayatsuji shouting; he was being pinned to the floor.
‘You just couldn't die, could you?’
She didn’t waste any time, aiming for the man attacking them. She shot at him twice, the latter grazing his shoulder.
‘That bitch,’ he snarled, releasing his hold on Ayatsuji, allowing him to escape.
She kept her gun trained on him; he didn't try to move. Instead, he began laughing again. It was starting to seriously piss her off; nothing about this was remotely funny.
‘I was hoping it wouldn't have to come to this, but I guess this was never going to happen the easy way.’
That’s when the corridor began to fill with smoke, much quicker than the storage area.
‘Ayatsuji-sensei!’ Tsujimura had lost sight of him immediately. ‘Where are you?’ She heard movement all around her, struggling to place the other two people in the room. Why isn't he responding to her?
She tried to breathe normally; the last time this happened, they had been able to retreat, regroup, and plan.
‘Sensei!’
‘Idiot! Stop speaking; you are alerting him to your whereabouts.’ He sounded in pain, but the voice was close by. She spun around trying to pin down his location when she felt an arm on her shoulder. She nearly shot him but recognised the gloves.
‘Sensei,’ she whispered, ‘you're hurt.’
‘The bastard got a couple of hits in,’ he wiped the corner of his mouth. ‘Listen, we have to get out of her-’
She blinked, and he was gone; there was a loud crashing noise as something collided with shutters. ‘Sensei!’ She swore she saw something huge attack him.
She felt breath on her neck, ‘Now to deal with you.’ Before she could react, she felt something pierce her skin.
Turning around, she fired her gun. Three shots. She could tell none of them had landed. She needed to deal with the criminal, needed to check on Ayatsuji-sensei, and needed to get out of there. But with every noise, she was flitting around like a butterfly. She had fired twice more, feeling something near her; she was sure at least one had hit him again. But now she only had one bullet left; she couldn't use it until she was completely sure.
Just as the smoke began to subside and she felt a flicker of hope, she was knocked down. Something had hit her knee, hard. ‘You really are just a stupid bitch, aren’t you?’
He was swinging a metal pipe at her, a crazed look in his eyes. Almost serpentine in its appearance.
She dodged, trying to grab her gun from the floor near her. Watching her struggle, he took a step back. Taking pleasure at how lethargic her body was, her weak grip on the gun, and her difficulty in standing up.
‘You're going to shoot me?’
~ ♡ ~
The man had turned around, loading his own gun, preparing to kill them both. He was muttering to himself, Ayatsuji first, then that stupid agent. She breathed shallowly as the shadows at his feet seemed to expand. She blinked, wondering if the drugs were messing with her brain. When she saw the shadows lift off the ground, she was sure she was seeing things in her last moments.
However, when she felt the shadows surround her, she was sure it was real. She had not felt this presence since Ayatsuji-sensei’s ability had killed it. Yesterday’s Shadow Tag.
It was weaker, unable to hold its own form. But it was strong enough to use her, lifting her to her feet and cloaking her body, giving her a renewed sense of strength. There was a time in her life when she would have hesitated to use this ability, but this was not that.
She waited for him to turn around, watching his expression distort into one of fear.
‘What the fu-’
She didn't want to kill the man before he could serve his sentence for all his crimes, so she knocked him out. Wrapping him in shadows so he couldn't try to escape and dragging him out with her.
Walking over to Ayatsuji-sensei, Shadowling had slashed through the shutters next to his body. This allowed her to pick him up and exit the building. The ability stayed until she managed to get back to her car, carefully placing Ayatsuji in the back seat and handcuffing the other man.
When the shadows disappeared, she used the last of her strength to call for help. Holding out until she heard the sirens approaching them. She let herself rest when she knew her job was done.
~ ♡ ~
Hello everyone,please listen to me 🥺, Please don't ignore me 🥺. I am Mohammed from Gaza. Before the war, I finished my high school studies and got a grade of 93.6 (excellent). I dreamed of studying medicine. But because of what happened now, I cannot complete my studies and I cannot achieve my dream. 😭💔 I need your help, my campaign is going very slowly,donate even $5, it make a difference 🥺✅️Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on the list is ( #398 )✅️ https://gofund.me/17056170
VERIFIED; #398 ON THE SPREADSHEET BY @/gazavetters
PLEASE SHARE THIS FUNDRAISER AND DONATE IF YOU HAVE AT LEAST $5 TO SPARE. EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS TOWARDS SAVING LIVES!
$1,835 USD/$50,000
Side to side.
Isuka x Ace. One Piece.
Why am I struggling to write a 300 word reflection rn. That’s how much I write on my notes app to yap about a fic 😭😭
Putting them in my pocket.
🪺 Sticker Club OPEN ⭐
Allo and Happy New Year! ⭐
My sticker club is officially open! Please check out my club tiers! Each tier offers something you might be interested in! 💛
🪺 Eggo - $3 ⭐
This tier lets you:
see my works in progress
vote in the poll for the sticker sheet's theme
🐣 Hatchling - $6 ⭐
This tier gives you:
a digital sticker sheet you can print for personal use!
10% discount on all my ko-fi shop items ✨
all benefits from the eggo tier
🐥 Fledgling - $13 ⭐
This tier gives you:
a physical A6 sticker sheet! shipping fee already included ✨
all benefits from the hatchling tier
✈️ Shipping policy I can't ship to all countries so please check if yours is listed 🙏
🪺 HOW IT WORKS? ⭐
The themes for the 1st and 2nd month of the sticker club are already set, so the poll for the 1st month will be for Mar 2025.
The poll will be open until the last day of the month.
The cut off for joining Fledgling tier is at 10PM PHT on the last day of the month.
The sticker sheets will be ordered from my printer on the 1st day of the next month.
The parcels will be shipped out on the 1st or 2nd Monday of the next month.
⭐ January Sticker Sheet ⭐
My club's very first sticker sheet features our favorite brothers: Ace, Luffy & Sabo! 🧡💛💙
Members (hatchlings & fledglings) who joined by Jan 31st can get the ASL sticker sheet reward! ✨
⭐JOIN MY CLUB HERE ⭐
For questions, you can send me an ask or email me!
Reblogs are very much appreciated! Thank you! 💛
🚨🚨🚨I am Ahmed from Gaza
I take care of homeless cats, knowing that these cats lost their mothers due to war and lack of care💔🥺
I found these cats on the street in a difficult condition. I am very sad for these cats and I do not have anything to help them. Therefore, I ask you to help these poor cats and donate to them, even if just a little, to keep them alive.😭💔🥺
I hope to reach my goal🙏🥺
Donations link👇👇
Save my children from life's danger 🇵🇸💔
I am the mother of a family consisting of 8 people. I have a little girl who is 14 years old, her name is Farah. Help her to escape from death. She suffers from kidney failure and autism. She is a person with special needs. She has a motor and mental disability. I ask you to contribute to alleviating my suffering. Have a good night’s sleep, as she does not know how to sleep. I live in Palestine. In Gaza City, amidst the horrors of destruction and hunger that are tearing us apart, and the mysterious and terrifying anxiety, there is a lot of sadness and pain in my country, and fear restricts our thoughts every hour. We wonder: Will we die? Will we live? Will my child die from her chronic illness? Are we all going to die? We are truly suffering. Winter will come, and I will not have a shelter to protect my family
I am a patient with autism and chronic kidney failure. Please, you are my only hope.
I hope to live a decent life and enjoy support and help. The inevitable death befalls me, my family, and my little girl every time and day. She needs permanent treatment, medicines, detergents, diapers, and special food. Kidney disease is a chronic disease to escape dialysis. I have no ability to buy her needs. I am tormented by staying in the hospital permanently. The kidneys evade potassium and air. A dangerous element that leads to death and cardiac arrest
I have been living with an early awareness since her birth of the inevitability of death from this disease, accompanied by the fear of waking up to losing her and losing her life. My little girl is certain that she is heading towards death in the absence of treatment possibilities and the availability of her requirements and that the expected end of her illness journey. I ask God for everyone who helps me not to complain of pain. Sickness, you do not know it. When sickness visits you, the world becomes smaller before your eyes, and all your wishes become insignificant in the face of health, and to see your child playing and enjoying good health. I am looking for someone to help me to alleviate the painful reality. We are suffering from my heartbreak for my sick child. She is lost before my eyes, and my homeland is devastated.
My life before the war was more beautiful. I hope that this pain and injustice that we are exposed to will end. I have the right to live in safety.
Happy new year everyone!!
My only resolution this year is to finish as many wips as I can 😭😭 some of them really need to see the light of day
This year has been so fun! Love the little parts of the fandoms I’m part of! Wishing you all the best for the next year!!
Save My Brother Samer’s Life 🚨
If you scroll past this, you are ignoring a life that can be saved.
I’m writing as a brother watching Samer struggle for survival. His health has deteriorated to the point of falling into a coma, and we are unable to provide him with the necessary treatment. 💔
Samer suffers from bipolar disorder, and his stability relied on daily medications including LeponeX (Clozapine), Depalept Chrono (Sodium Valproate), and Lithium CO3 (Lithium Carbonate). These medications helped stabilize him, but without them, his health has worsened significantly. Every moment is crucial, and the pain and worry are relentless. 😞
There is no place for my brother in the hospital, and we cannot secure the treatment he needs. Imagine being unable to help your own brother as he struggles, without a way to provide the medicine he needs to recover.
Your donation could be the only hope to bring Samer back to life, giving him a chance to heal and come back to us. 🙏
Every contribution, no matter how small, could make a tremendous difference in saving Samer’s life. 💙
My campaign verified by:
@dlxxv-vetted-donations & @a-shade-of-blue
@gazavetters , my number the list is ( #75 )
paliliberation , my number the list is ( #171 )
Our important links here
⏰ 🚨 attention please🙏🚨
Dear friends and compassionate supporters,
This is Eman Zaqout, from Occupied Gaza, Palestine. I am a Biotechnologist ,🩸💉 and scientific researcher contacting you at a really desperate moment.
I am seeking your assistance to raise funds for saving our lives, facing the starvation in Gaza and help me achieve my doctoral degree dream after being awarded OWSD PhD Fellowship for inspirational women🍉👩🎓
just like any motivated and loving life woman, and for years, I poured my heart and soul into my work at Al-Shifa Hospital and Turkish Palestinian Friendship Hospital, as Biotechnology Specialist serving cancer patients with compassion and skill.
photos of Turkish Palestinian Friendship Hospital before and after the IDF destruction
photos of Al-Shifa Hospital before and after the IDF destruction
I also gave medical lectures to students at different universities and training centers in Gaza👇☑
As a result of my outstanding grades in my study and the excellent performance in my job, I have been a holder of different scholarship and I am active participant in many research visits and scientific missions. 💪The last scholarship as at McGill University in Canada three months ago before the starting of the genocide in Gaza.😫
However,😥
My life changed dramatically when Israeli military launched a sweeping war against Gaza. My home and our neighborhood in the North have been destroyed along with our belongings and precious memories early in this crisis.😢💔
My job and my husband's job are gone. Israeli military forced us to evacuate from the north Gaza to the south where they claimed it would be the safe zone but it is not at all. Our sweet home and neighborhood have been destroyed 😥😭💔
Forced to flee with nothing but the clothes on our backs, today, we find ourselves sheltering in a displacement camp lacking access to sanitation, medical supplies, food and drinkable water. I will not talk a lot about the dire and unbearable life we have to go through, as no word can express it fairly 🥺😣
The good news in the midst of this tragedy, that I am one of the 22 women from the developing world who have been awarded OWSD- PhD fellowship to pursue my PhD study in Malaysia🍉💪. But now I am stuck in Gaza unable to achieve my dream because Israeli army has occupied and closed all the border crossings 😭💔
Meet 22 fellows awarded OWSD PhD fellowship
This genocide has been 11 months of hell and horror. We have reached a point where there is no hope left for us here in Gaza, where we are unfortunately just waiting for our turn to die.
Nevertheless,
I refuse to succumb to despair, holding on to the belief that brighter days lie ahead.
With your kindness and generosity🥺, I hope to survive the genocide and reclaim the path to achieving my doctorate 💉🩸
Your compassionate aid would mean the world to me and my family.🥺🙏❤🇵🇸✌
KID: *tips top hat* m'eitantei
Conan: *tips deerstalker hat* m'gician
Masterlist of Vetted Fundraisers from the Palestinians who directly contacted me (18-26 December)
26 December
Wael Jamal Alshawish (@aya-1993, @wael-86): Wael and Aya have 3 children: Rahaf, Leen, and Aseel. They wish to evacuate from Gaza. (https://gofund.me/e3e253e3) (#372 on @/gazavetters vetted list) (€18 raised of €70K goal)
Israa Alwan, Shadi Alwan (@esraa12gaza, @esraaolwan): Shadi has 5 children: Wedad, Shukri, Saja, Farah, and little baby Mira. Shadi also has 2 sisters: Noor and Israa. Israa wishes to become a teacher and has a degree in Early Childhood Education. Shadi is also caring for his aging mother and his father has been absent for years. (https://gofund.me/775caf47) (shared by @/90-ghost)
Abdulrahman (@abadborhm): Abdulrahman’s family consists of 6 members: his parents, and his 4 siblings. (https://gofund.me/249db7e8) (#359 on @/gazavetters vetted list) (€150 raised of €25K target)
Muhammad Ramadan (@moh12ram, @mohammadram): Muhammad is 24 years old and he studied engineering. He is married and has a 1-year-old daughter. He also has 9 sisters. He suffers problems on his cornea and has had various operations on both his eyes. (https://gofund.me/14bf968b) (#313 on @/gazavetters vetted list) (€614 raised of €30K goal)
23-24 December
Walaa Moneer/ Walaa Mounir (@walaa95famely): Walaa (28) is from northern Gaza. She is married and have 3 children: Yamen (10), Kinan (8), Alma (3). (https://gofund.me/ab22ef91) (vetted by @/90-ghost) (€97 raised of €25K goal)
Nadaa Alrai (@omzaki): Nadaa and her husband Adnan have 2 children: Tulin (8) and Zaki (7). Nadaa suffers from severe migrain while Adnan suffers from high blood pressure. They have been displaced and the children are cold and hungry. (https://gofund.me/69b10735) (#376 on @/gazavetters vetted list, shared by 90-ghost) (€295 raised of €30K goal, fundraising since September)
Yousef Osama (@yousefosama2): Yousef is only 14 years old and he is from a family of 8. He is from Gaza City but he and his family have been displaced and are now living in a makeshift shelter. (https://gofund.me/df5ee605) (#375 on @/gazavetters vetted list) (€55 raised of €3K target)
22 December
Haifa homeid (@haifa823): Haifa has 3 children: Youssef (8), Jourie (6) and Joan (6). Their house has been bombed and they are now displaced. (https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-haifa-and-her-children-rebuild-their-lives) (#356 on @/gazavetters vetted list)
Mohammed Zatr, Mahmoud Zatr (@mohammedzatr): Mohammed has been seriously injured from an airstrike, and his wife is also pregnant and worried for their unborn child. His brother Mahmoud’s wife gave birth to their first child outside of Gaza but Mahmoud has not even seen his first child because he is trapped in Gaza. His little brother Azzouz is seriously injured. Their financial situation is also dire and they are now in debt. (https://gofund.me/995e1b2a) (promoted by nabulsi, vetted and promoted by @/gaza-evacuation-funds)
Hadeel, Ali (@hadeelali111): Hadeel’s husband Ali has been injured in the foot. They have 2 children: Ayman and Yasser who are suffering from asthma and malnutrition. They are from northern Gaza but are now displaced and living in a tent. (https://gofund.me/c9ea31b8) (#216 on @/gazavetters vetted list)
Majd Sweedan (@majdd-99sn): Majd is 25 years old. He has a motor disability. He has lost a huge part of his family and also his house. (https://gofund.me/c6baa568) (#364 on @/gazavetters vetted list) (€35 raised of €50K goal)
Ibrahim Alhabil (@hema-1999): Ibrahim is from a family of 7. He is 25 years old and was studying accounting. He has 4 siblings: Mohammed (5), Mustafa (4), Rimas (14) and Lana (9). (https://gofund.me/6348dd92) (#331 on @/gazavetters vetted list)
Mohammed Nasseer (mohamednaser1995, @mohhnaser): Mohammed is 28 years old. He has a baby daughter who was born in the middle of this war. (https://gofund.me/40f22662) (shared by 90-ghost)
20 December
Ibrahim Alhabil (@ibrahimfamilys-1, @ibrahimfamily-1): Ibrahim is 27 years old and is an engineering student. Their house was bombed and 3 of his relatives were killed in that bombing. Ibrahim and his family of 12 is currently displaced in Deir al-Balah. His father suffers from severe back problems, while his mother needs surgery for kidney stones. (https://gofund.me/2080b8d1) (shared by @/90-ghost)
19 December
Hoda, Sobhi (@huda123sblog): Hoda is 20 years old and her husband Sobhi is 24 years old. They live with Sobhi’s family, which consists of 14 people. Their house has been bombed. They are now eating animal food because of the lack of food. Hoda couldn’t finish her studies because of a lack of money. She wishes to have children. (https://gofund.me/d98cb739) (#314 on @/gazavetters vetted list) (€100 raised of €50K goal)
Mohamed Fayez, Ruba Fayez (@rubafayez, @mohamedfd): Mohamed’s family consists of his parents and hsi siblings. His father was severely injured in a bombing. (https://gofund.me/0f201517) (shared by 90-ghost) ($190 USD raised of $40K goal, fundraising since September)
Hamdi Ali (@abuyasin156): Hamdi and his wife have 4 children: Malak (20), Dareen (19), Youseef (15), and Yasin (7). Their house has been completely destroyed. They’ve managed to evacuate to Egypt but they are now allowed to work there. (https://gofund.me/1de8737b) (Vetted by association! Hamdi is a cousin of @/mohammedyasers (shared by 90-ghost))
Hadeel (@palestinianhadeel1, @hadeelfamyli): Hadeel 27 years old and she had a skin care company. She has lost her father, her husband, and her brother in this genocide. Her daughter Almas witnessed her father’s death and is severly traumatized. Hadeel also gave birth to a baby boy in November 2024. She is also taking care of 2 nieces, Samira and Najwa, who have been orphaned. Najwa and her sister Kanaria have recently been killed. (https://chuffed.org/project/113386-help-hadeels-family) (#5 on @/gaza-evacuation-funds list here, shared by 90-ghost)
18 Decembeer
Abeer Salem (@abeersalem): Abeer is 55 years old and have a daughter named Judy. They are from Gaza City but they have lost their home and they are now displaced in Al-Nuseirat. (https://gofund.me/8579cbff) (Vetted by association! Abeer Salem is the cousin of Noha Ayyad @/helpnohafamilygaza (#78 on the Operation Olive Branch verified fundraiser list, shared by 90-ghost). Abeer is also a cousin of @/mohammedyasers (shared by 90-ghost)) (£501 raised of £40K goal)
Nour Al Madhoun, Momen Al Madhoun (@momenalmadhoun3, @nourfamily3, @momenalmadhoun1): Nour (30) and Momen (35) have 2 children: Ezzdeen (8) and Ameer (6). The Isralie forces only gave them 5 minutes to evacuate their home. They are from Northern Gaza but are now displaced in Deir el-Balah. (https://gofund.me/416f9e71) (#291 on @/gazavetters vetted list) (€2,414 raised of €50K target, fundraising since April)
Mariam Ab Yossef (@fuzzysandwichchaos): Mariam has 7 children. Her child Mahmoud suffers from brain damage, congenital malformations of the urinary system and a blockage in the urethra. (https://gofund.me/e89a8593) (Vetted by association! This campaign has been vouched for by Sahar (@/a-ss-123, @/soperfectionbasement, @/strangekittengalaxy) (vetted by association, also see post here)) (£10 raised of £50K target)
Mohammed, Faisal (@babygentlemenmusic): Faisal’s brother Mohammed has a water truck and wants to help provide clean water and other basic necessities for the people around him. He is fundraising to keep the water truck operating and to keep it filled. (https://chuffed.org/project/117914-food-and-clean-water-for-displaced-people-in-central-gaza) (Vetted by association! This campaign has been vouched for by Sahar (@/a-ss-123, @/soperfectionbasement, @/strangekittengalaxy) (vetted by association, also see post here)) ($201 Raised of $200,000)
Click here for my Google Doc with my complete masterlist of all the Palestinian gfm asks I've received
Info on how gfm campaigns vetted: See here, here, here and here.
See post here for other verified ways to send aid to Gaza.
Daily Clicks on Arab.org. Every click made is registered in their system and generates donation from sponsors/advertisers.
They should really lock those doors
Oh my gosh! If you Google Shinichi Kudo, there is a little APTX-4869 pill on the page. Click on it! You're welcome!!!
@lilflightlessbird731 @iusedbeimherefordcmkmemes @stealingmyplaceinthesun I thought you all would appreciate this!
conversations in secret
now with a chapter 2 :)
Chapter 1: to be close to her is to be vulnerable
~ ♡ ~
‘Tough case, I hear.’
He sighed as he took a seat opposite the woman, and she continued to flip through the file. He had a long week, with Tsujimura constantly on his back about reports and endless case requests.
They had a serial murder case at a Tokyo restaurant: guests had been dying mysteriously. Initial reports couldn’t find traces of any poison in any of the dishes, and combined with the fact that the guests had all previous health problems, it had been ruled out as natural causes and coincidence. However, the latest victim had ties to the government, and that meant they were called in. It turns out that the maitre d’ had been poisoning guests that looked down at him; years of anger had led him to take such drastic measures. Of course he had ended up dead at the end of it all, his prize swordfish being his undoing.
‘Yeah, well,’ he took out his kiseru and lit it, ‘we got him in the end, so what difference does it make?’
After the whole Kyogoku ordeal, he had promised to visit occasionally. To keep her updated on her daughter’s situation. She seemed to look forward to their meetings; she obviously couldn’t have too many visitors. Considering she wasn’t technically alive, and even though Ayatsuji pretended it annoyed him, she knew better.
‘I heard she threatened to quit.’
‘She does that from time to time,’ he leant back, blowing smoke, regarding the pattern on the ceiling. ‘She never has though.’
Tsujimura has her phases; he’s not sure what brings on these mood swings, but they are quite entertaining. She had accidentally fallen into the fish tank attempting to retrieve a possible piece of evidence, blaming him for not holding her. He had warned her that he had only been contracted to solve mysteries, not entertain wild goose chases. He had also apparently deliberately kept her out of his plans, leading her to once again be thrown at a wall. So still damp and in pain, she told him that if he kept up with this, she would quit.
‘I’m sure you would regret it if she actually did quit,’ she chuckled at his recollection of events. She had already read both of their reports, and Tsujimura’s one had clearly been written with bitterness, her writing looking extra scratchy when it came to his name.
‘Yes,’ he took another long drag from the pipe. ‘No one else in her department is quite so easy to control.’
She shook her head, disappointed but not surprised. She knew her daughter’s character, her stubbornness, her strengths, and her weaknesses. She could be partnered up with worse people; she knows the department is full of them.
‘And?’
He shot her a confused look, ‘And?’
‘How much longer are you going to deny it?’ She’d read about the Kyogoku incident in detail. Details that her daughter was never made aware of, like how he had made the choice to let Kyogoku go in order to save her life—of course that was before he knew the whole truth. Or how initially he had chosen her life over his. It was exasperating to watch him put on this performance of not caring.
‘Deny what?’
She shut the folder and sighed. She forgot how difficult he could be. With that sharp tongue of his, ‘Aren’t you tired of this?’
‘Again, I’m not sure what you’re talking about,’ he sat up, making eye contact with her. ‘Mizuki Tsujimura-dono.’
She shook her head, the lengths he would go just to avoid talking about things he didn’t want to. She could see why her daughter struggled to take charge of him; she was much too insecure in her own strength. And perhaps unaware of just how much power she had.
‘After everything you’ve done for her, are you still going to deny what she means to you?’
‘Ah,’ he went quiet for a second, choosing to look away. ‘You seem to forget that your daughter isn’t like us.’
‘Meaning?’
‘In this business you have to keep everyone an arm’s length away,’ more cryptic nonsense. He went back to leaning, choosing to smoke instead of elaborating. He just couldn’t admit it, could he? Even though they both knew what he was thinking. However, what was clear was that he had put a lot of thought into this; how anyone could forget he was human was beyond her.
‘I fear you might be past that now.’
His response was almost immediate and almost too quiet for her to hear: ‘She doesn’t know that.’
‘You underestimate her, Ayatsuji-kun; she’s grown so much,’ she smiled fondly, recalling all the reports she’s read about her daughter over the years.
‘I don’t disagree,’ he remembered the first time he had seen her. It had been soon after she received the news of her mother’s death. She had just started at the military academy, and Ango was offering her a job after she graduated, courtesy of her new ability. To everyone’s shock she had requested to be placed near him, usually people requested the opposite. ‘Tsujimura-kun has changed considerably, but I—I don’t know.’
'Don’t know what?’
‘I don’t see a future where it will end well.’ Their lives were in constant danger. His is in the hands of the government; what happens when they decide they don’t need him anymore? Tsujimura didn’t take the last kill on sight order well. Well, she didn’t listen at all, choosing to risk her life instead. Would she do that again? More importantly, he didn’t want her to, nor did he want to hear her cry like that again.
‘You forget Ayatsuji-kun, that even you cannot predict the future.’
‘Well forgive me for being a realist,’ he stood up to leave, dusting his clothing and tucking in the chair before turning away.
‘Leaving so soon?’ Of course he would leave like nothing important had been said.
‘She’s going to chew my ear off about being late to some meeting or other,’ he gestured noncommittally; at least this time he was attempting to lie.
‘Think about it, Ayatsuji-kun,’ she called out to him as he walked away.
He didn’t bother turning back to answer, just waved as he waited for them to open the doors again.
He’d thought about it enough.
~ ♡ ~
Chapter 2: your feelings amongst the rubble
~ ♡ ~
Tsujimura dusted off the debris on her blazer, struggling to get up off the floor.
‘Tsujimura-kun!’ She heard her name being called from somewhere nearby. She tried to reply, but all she could do was cough.
The last thing she remembered was Ayatsuji-sensei identifying the killer in their latest case. Then the guy tried to use her as leverage to escape. Unfortunately for him, she tackled him to the ground, and he began crying quite pathetically. Sensei revealed that his ability would soon kill the man, and he screamed something along the lines of, ‘It’s not fair!’ Before activating a bomb of some kind, how she hadn’t noticed it was beyond her. It was supposed to destroy the exits to the building, trapping everyone in so that he could kill them all one by one. Due to the frailty of the older structure, the explosion caused cracks to form in the ceiling above where Tsujimura was disarming and handcuffing the man. Ayatsuji yelled out for her to move or she would be crushed.
She looked up, there wasn’t enough time to move. Someone, or something shoved her out of the way just in time, knocking the air out of her lungs as she collided with the wall.
She must’ve been out momentarily, waking up to dust and debris everywhere. Her head was throbbing, and her muscles ached; she must’ve hit her head. Using the wall to get up, she tried to make out where everyone was. There were multiple other people in the building as Ayatsuji-sensei pointed out the killer. She saw a hand from under the rubble, the watch on the wrist told her it was the culprit, getting what he deserved.
‘Tsujimura-kun!’ The voice was closer this time, and she was almost sure it was Ayatsuji-sensei calling out her name. She tried to make out where he was, but her vision was blurring, and when she touched her head, she felt blood. Using the wall as a guide, she tried to take a couple of steps towards the voice, though it was useless as she felt her knees buckle.
In the rubble, on her knees, she felt a sense of dread fill her. Was she going to die in this building?
The last thing she remembered before waking up in the hospital was Ayatsuji-sensei crouching next to her, telling her that she would be okay. He seemed to have suffered some slight injuries in his attempt to reach her. He was never going to shut up about that.
~ ♡ ~
‘I see you didn’t make it out of this one unscathed either.’
He shot her a glare as he made his way across the room. He had a bandage on his face and scrapes on his arm and back. He sat down in his usual chair, leaning back slowly so as to not aggravate the healing skin. She watched as he lit his kiseru as usual and relaxed for a bit before continuing.
‘So?’ She was stifling a laugh as she took in his slight wince as he moved around. ‘Shocking to see the supposedly indestructible homicide detective injured.’
‘Why are you surprised? Isn’t it part of the job?’ His eyes were shut, and he was breathing carefully; his ribs must hurt. ‘Injury and pain?’
‘Yes, but it has been a while since you sustained significant injuries in any case, correct?’ If she remembered correctly, even during the waterfall confrontation, he had a few bruises from falling into the net with force, but that was the extent of it.
He nodded, 'It has indeed.'
‘Reigo Island, I believe,’ she chuckled, clearly amused by the memory she was recalling.
Ayatsuji seemed less entertained. ‘That ability of yours has no sympathy.’
‘In my defence, I was acting under orders.’ She had been instructed to kill the ability user when she was assigned there. ‘You held your own against us, even if it was for a short time. You must have been trained well.’
‘You still seem shocked about it,’ he was sitting up straighter now. Facing her as she continued to reminisce.
‘I was informed that despite your powerful ability, you lacked any combat skills. Imagine my shock when you tried to parry Shadowling with a nearby stick.’
‘I do not wish to talk about that time in my life.’
‘Which part? The part when I nearly killed you? Or the time you learnt to fight?’
His face soured when she brought up the fighting. ‘I think you know what I’m referring to.’
‘Fine, you’ve been through enough; I'll leave this conversation for another time.’
‘Bold of you to assume we would ever have that conversation.’ His face remained unchanged and slightly horrified.
She laughed, ‘Yes, yes. I know you have no inclination to discuss your past.’ She’d tried to bring it up before, having read all the files the government had on him. He’d shot her down then too.
‘So? Is that all you wanted to discuss? Seems pretty mundane, even more than usual.’
‘What did you expect? You haven’t done anything of national importance lately.’
‘You haven’t enquired about your daughter once. Isn’t that why you wanted to meet? You could at least ask how Tsujimura-kun is,’ he folded his arms.
She smiled, he had an of way saying he cared, ‘And how is she?’
‘Well.’
It would seem he was being bratty for her earlier intrusion, ‘And is that all?’
‘Her injuries, like mine, were minor; she is fine.’
‘Fine? Was she not put under strict orders to rest because of a concussion?’
‘Miraculously,’ he seemed to be throwing some sort of tantrum, continuing to be petty. ‘She recovered.’
‘Well,’ she laughed, he could be such an annoyance sometimes. She felt it was her karma for not spending enough time with her daughter when she was a child. ‘That’s good.’
They lapsed into silence; he seemed to be out of things to say, or be sassy about.
She spoke first, ‘And how are you?’
‘Like I already said, I’m fine.’
‘No, I mean, you saw her in quite a bad state,’ she studied his expression, and although it remained largely unaffected, there was a flicker of something in his eyes. ‘I imagine that was not easy.’
~ ♡ ~
He was shaking her as she lay limp on the floor. ‘Tsujimura, wake up!’ He had watched her try to walk before collapsing. Running towards her as fast as he could.
Now, he was sitting against the wall, pulling her into his lap so she wouldn't be on the cold ground anymore. She was still breathing, so he felt her pulse; it wasn’t as strong as usual. He wasn’t expecting this to happen when he caught the criminal; the man wasn’t supposed to have bombs. He tucked the hair out of her face, taking in her pale countenance. He should’ve noticed the explosives in the building. Why didn’t he?
How was he supposed to get her out of here when the exits were blocked? She desperately needed some medical attention to check the head injury wasn’t serious.
Thankfully, he knew Tsujimura and trusted she had contacted the division already, as was protocol whenever they’re sent on cases. They were the ones who clean up the messes left by his ability and make sure the others on the scene are questioned about the situation. They were already on the way, but they needed extra support.
He pulled out Tsujimura’s phone and tried to turn it on, but the crack on the screen was telling. He threw it aside and pulled out his own, contacting Ango, ‘Sakaguchi-kun, we need ambulances and the fire department now.’
‘Sensei?’ He motioned for Aoki and Murakoso. ‘What happened?’
‘There was a bomb; the exits have been destroyed. I don’t know how many people are hurt, and Tsujimura-kun is unconscious.’
‘Understood.’
He ran his hand through his hair; this was all his fault, and all he could do now was wait. He looked back down at the woman in his lap; she seemed so cold. Taking off his cape, he wrapped it around her. ‘And you called it pompous; who’s benefiting from it now?’
~ ♡ ~
‘Like I said, she recovered.’
‘But somehow that’s not what I asked,’ she had struck some sort of nerve, but what didn’t annoy him? Any mention of her and he seemed to clam up.
‘I’m tired of this conversation,’ he stood up from the chair.
She reopened her book, accepting that today wasn’t the day. ‘How many conversations will you just simply refuse to have?’
‘As many as necessary,’ he headed towards the exit.
He may act indifferent, but she had read the reports of the responding agents that day. How he had carried her out of the building, covered in injuries himself. Or how he had been insistent she receive medical care immediately, pushing her into the arms of the nearest EMT. Refusing to be seen until she had.
One day he was going to have to face facts, and she knows he’s not going to enjoy it one bit.
~ ♡ ~
Aftermath
the start of my ongoing tsujitsuji obsession
~ ♡ ~
Tsujimura found herself trying to jump out at Ayatsuji in anger for teasing her so soon after she had thought him dead. She, however, momentarily forgot the fact that she had been shot in the thigh.
She let out a strangled sort of noise as she began to fall but found herself supported by an arm.
‘You idiot,’ Ayatsuji had caught her. He lowered her back onto the ground, kneeling beside her. ‘We should send you to the hospital.’ He manoeuvred her around, letting her stretch out her legs, and placed pressure on her wound. For a moment, Tsujimura thought he was being nice to her, and she was reminded of the smile he showed her as he was shot.
‘I need my servant to return as soon as possible.’
That was more like him; she looked up at him, 'Like I said, I’m not a servant.’
‘That settles it,’ he cut in, placing his free arm on her shoulder. ‘We made a deal that you’ll listen to anything I tell you in a day, right? That day is tomorrow then.’
She looked at him incredulously. The nerve of him, 'Hang on, I’m injured, aren’t I?’
‘Now that’s pretty honest,’ he snickered.
He was just the worst; sometimes she wanted to shoot him herself. However, as she watched him laugh, clothes still soaked from his dip in the waterfall, tears welled in her eyes.
He stopped laughing. 'Tsujimura-kun, why-’
She punched him softly, ‘How could you let me think you died?’ The tears were flowing freely down her cheeks now.
‘Well—’
‘After all I said to you, after I thought you died for me?’ She was clutching his damp shirt and sobbing into it.
Ayatsuji found himself completely lost for words, choosing to simply rub her shoulder. They were in silence for a while; she sobbed, and he comforted her. If anyone saw them, it didn’t bother him; although he had never been a touchy person, he found he didn’t mind. Knowing Tsujimura was alive and okay made it okay, so he didn’t stop her when she clutched onto him harder.
‘I’m sorry I called you selfish,’ her voice was muffled. ‘You were just trying to bring a horrible person to justice. I shouldn’t have let my personal feelings affect me too much.’
‘It’s okay,’ he chuckled softly. He’d been called much worse by people who didn’t care who their words affected. He’d grown thick skin after many years dealing with his ability.
‘You even made me a meal before you left, and I should’ve noticed it,’ she said, taking a shaky breath. ‘You’re never that nice to me.’
He stopped rubbing circles on her back, instead patting her head gently. He spoke softly, ‘I’m sorry.’
She stopped sobbing for a bit, looking up in confusion; maybe she had misheard, ‘What?’
‘I’m sorry, Tsujimura; I didn’t think he would shoot you.’
‘Huh,’ the confusion had successfully stopped her from crying. A million thoughts were going through her head; maybe she was really dying and her wound was worse than she thought.
‘What?’ He asked, a little exasperated. ‘Why are you looking at me like that?’
‘You never say sorry.’
'Yes, I do.’
'No, you do not!’ She said that louder, and the other agents stopped to look at them. She sheepishly looked away, trying to rub away the tear streaks on her face.
She heard the sound of a siren nearby, surprised she hadn’t noticed it before. She looked around; the paramedics had finally arrived and were headed towards them with a stretcher.
‘Sensei, help me up,’ he supported her as she slowly got up. Leaning on him, they started to hobble over to the paramedics. Immediately they had her lie down on the stretcher and began heading back to the ambulance.
He walked along with them, and as they approached the ambulance, he noticed Ango talking to another agent.
‘Tsujimura-kun.’
‘Sakaguchi-senpai,’ she turned weakly, finally feeling the effects of the blood loss.
‘I apologise that you were kept in the dark and that you were injured,’ he ran his hand through his hair. ‘We’ll discuss this in more depth after you have healed.’
She nodded, ‘Thank you, Senpai.’
‘There’s no need to thank me; I really do apologise for this.’
She smiled as they loaded her in the ambulance. She saw Ayatsuji climb in behind her, but she was too woozy to notice the wordless exchange between him and Ango. Technically, he should be returning to headquarters to explain the situation alongside Ango, but he could spare a few hours for him to worry about his assistant.
She remembered very little of the journey, apart from the feeling of someone gently pulling out the pins in her hair. Decreasing the discomfort she felt lying on her bun (she found them in her wallet when she got home)
She didn’t see Ayatsuji when she woke up after surgery. Thankfully the bullet hadn’t hit anything important, so they removed it and stitched her up. He would deny having been there the whole time, in his damp clothes, head in his hands as he waited for the surgeon to come out. Or how he sat by her bedside, holding her hand and tracing the little scars she got from being clumsy. He left at the first signs of her stirring, simply alerting the nurse as he left the ward and asking them not to mention his presence to her. It had been very early in the morning, so she drifted back to sleep with the faint memory of him.
Her first visitors in the morning had been her colleagues, bringing her flowers and chocolates. They came before heading into HQ to talk to the director, who had allowed them until morning to sort out their stories.
Ayatsuji visited much later, having showered, changed, taken a nap, and accompanied Ango in speaking to the director.
She smiled as he stepped into the room before realising he was alone. ‘Sensei! Did you sneak out again?! You know I have to report you, right!’
’Would you calm down? Sakaguchi-kun is downstairs waiting for me,’ he remained as indifferent as always, but added with a slight smirk, 'Well, escaping from here would be easy enough.’
‘Sensei! Don’t say things like that! And Sakaguchi-senpai has enough work already!’ She groaned in pain as she tried to get up too fast.
‘Tsujimura-kun, you believe things too easily,’ he dropped into the seat by her bed. ‘Did you forget you need to get better for your special training?’
‘Training?’
'Well, it would be a waste to use up my day of controlling you when you’ve been confined to a bed. Instead, I have come up with a training plan,’ he smirked, revealing a piece of paper from his pocket. ‘You’ll begin as soon as you are discharged.’
Tsujimura’s face blanched as she looked at the words written on the paper: ‘Sensei, you can’t be serious, right?’ She had a thin strand of hope as she posed the question.
‘Why would I joke around with you Tsujimura-kun?’
‘Ayatsuji-sensei, I can’t possibly—’ she sounded a little desperate.
‘That’s the face,’ he chuckled ruthlessly, ‘you do make the most entertaining expressions.’
‘So this was a joke?’ She breathed out, lying back.
‘What? No, I expect you to comply or I will simply have to report you,’ he said, folding the piece of paper back up and putting it out of her reach. Not that destroying it would be of any help to her. He got up and dusted himself off and made a move towards the door.
‘But sensei!’ Taujimura tried reaching out towards him.
He turned and stared down at her with a contempt look on his face. ‘Well, rest up, Tsujimura-kun. I look forward to it.’ He didn’t bother listening to her protests as he walked out the door. Leaving her worried and confused in the hospital bed.
‘Maybe I should ask to transfer.’
~ ♡ ~
and it felt like forever
i kinda didnt like the plot of this but its the only piece i completed for esuka week in 2023
Isuka grew up on the castle grounds. Being the ward of the captain of the royal guard meant she lived with him in the castle. Despite her proximity to royalty, she was never one of them. Her adoptive father's closeness to the king he served had meant she received some privileges - schooling, clothes, and training. But there was a line between her and the princess, the world reminded her of it constantly.
Her world was incomparable to the life of the boy she would eventually fall for.
Ace was a prince, despite it being through adoption, he was just as important as the ‘real’ prince. He was kind, beautiful and more importantly out of reach.
Each year, the kingdom threw a banquet for his birthday and Isuka would attend with the royal family of her country. Her adoptive father had to stay close to the king, so there was no reason to leave her alone.
She hid away most of the time, finding solace in the castle's library in the week-long period they stayed. Often because she was too scared about what the other royal kids would think of her. She stumbled across the prince a couple of times in a corner of the garden where she sometimes sat to read in peace, huddled beneath a giant coat and mittens. He was apparently escaping people who spoke badly of his father.
~ ♡ ~
She looked up, startled, a loud rustling noise making its way towards her, she hid behind the book hoping not to be told off by some grown-up. A kind old man had told her it was okay to use it.
‘Stupid people!’ A yell. The person sounded younger than she thought, so she looked up. It was a boy, he looked to be her age, his freckles had faded with the winter cold, but they were just visible. He regarded her with the same shock she did with him.
‘Who’re you?’
‘Isuka,’ she replied, hoping he would pry further.
‘Oh,’ he sniffed and she realised his eyes were red like he had been crying, ‘I’m Ace.’
‘Like the prince?’ She scrambled to stand up and bow to him.
‘You don’t have to do that, it’s not like I’m a real prince anyway.’
She looked up at him, ‘what?’
‘You know I’ve never seen you before, which royal family are you from?’
‘Oh no I’m not a royal, but I’m the ward of Knight Draw, the King of Oykot’s personal protection,’ she was proud of him.
‘Oh, is it your first time here?’
‘No, I’ve been coming here for the past five years,’ ever since she had been adopted five years ago.
‘Oh,’ it was the prince’s 12th birthday, and five years is a long time. ‘Are you not close with the princess?’
‘We get along fine, we are inseparable,’ she imitated the Queen’s tone. When they were home it was true, they loved each other like sisters would. Medora knew how Isuka hated royal events, and even defended her when Draw would scold her for hiding away. So when they had to travel to other nations Medora would cover for her as she spent the week hiding. Unlike her Medora adored social events, and most of all the attention of other people.
‘So you hate those royal brats too?’
‘Technically you’re a royal brat too,’ she replied without thinking, when she realised what she had done she slapped a finger over her mouth.
To her surprise he burst out laughing instead, ‘technically you would be correct, my country believes so, but the other kids seem to hate me.’
‘Why would they hate you?’ She sat back down, patting the seat next to her.
He took the invitation, sitting down next to her. ‘They think I don’t deserve to be a prince,’ he continued when he saw her confused look, ‘my father was a criminal, but the king took pity on my mum when he was executed.’
‘Well if your country accepts you that’s really all you need right?’
‘Ah, well, other countries need to like me to be king.’
‘Oh,’ Isuka’s face was red, she hadn’t learnt much about international politics yet, Medora had been learning for years.
‘Luffy and Sabo don’t want to be king. Luffy, the youngest, just wants to travel the world and have fun. Sabo, the middle one, wants to lead in a different way, he wants to focus on the common people.’
Isuka listened in amazement, he was the same age as her but already had a greater understanding of the world. He was considering her brothers’ feelings and taking on such a big burden. ‘But what do you want to be?’
‘I haven’t thought about it.’
‘Well,’ she smiled at him and the slight blush on his face deepened, ‘you have lots of time.’
‘Yeah I guess I do,’ he smiled back at her.
For the rest of the week, he spent as much time as he could with her, laughing like actual kids, without the weight of the world on them.
When it was time for her to leave, he hugged her goodbye, whispering about how he was excited to see her again.
~ ♡ ~
For the next two years, they saw each other at royal events. Medora made sure to tease her about it every single time she caught them together and if what Ace said was true his brothers were the same.
He sent a present on her birthday and they wrote letters for the rest of the year. She was starting to think royal events weren’t so bad when he was next to her, like Medora he didn’t care what the adults thought of her, even if the kids would say things.
~ ♡ ~
On his 15th he eagerly awaited her arrival and when the carriage from Oykot he watched the princess, her governess and ladies-in-waiting step out. Isuka was nowhere to be found.
When he caught the princess’s eyes she shook her head slightly and he smiled back in gratitude.
He found out the exact reason later. Draw had been a traitor, and Isuka had barely stopped a plot to poison the king. The king was in critical condition, and the queen did not want to leave his side as he recovered from the poisoning. Ace thought that Medora was strong for coming by herself, and her best friend was not there to support her.
Isuka had locked herself in her room and refused to come out. Medora had tried to talk her out of the room every day for two weeks since the incident. Even the mention of seeing Ace hasn’t convinced her to get out.
Ace tried to enjoy his birthday festivities but nothing seemed the same. Her presence made everything better. He found solace in the company of his brothers, they did their best to cheer him up. Even though their attempts often worked, not long after he went back to feeling empty.
When Medora was leaving, he pressed a note into her hand, ‘please give this to her.’
‘I’ll try,’ she reassured him with a smile.
~ ♡ ~
It would be another year before he saw her again. It was his 16th birthday and he was greeting guests as they stepped out of their carriages when he caught sight of that vermilion bob he hadn’t seen in nearly two years.
He must’ve looked absolutely silly, his mouth open wide as she stepped out. She looked different, older, more serious. There was a blade at her hip, her outfit more fitting for a knight than a young lady.
Their eyes met briefly and he smiled but she simply looked away. He was confused at her attitude but chalked it up to the awkwardness of being older. He hoped that they would get a chance to catch up later.
~ ♡ ~
Unlike before, Isuka stayed beside her princess. It was impossible to get her alone. She was always surrounded, by the princess, the princess’s ladies-in-waiting, by other security. He hoped to at least make eye contact, for her to smile at him so the world could go back to what it was, but by the end of the first night he was convinced that she was avoiding him.
He was honestly confused, had he done something to annoy her? Was she mad at him? If so he wanted to apologise, he just wanted his friend back.
It had been an awful week for him. Of course, the food was good and the company great, but her bright red hair simply wouldn’t leave his eyesight. Constantly reminding him that for some reason they weren’t the same anymore.
On the third day he had given in, walking up to her when she was alone with the princess.
‘Medora,’ he nodded and she nodded back, glancing over to Isuka to see her reaction, but the girl had an indecipherable expression on her face. He straightened his shoulders and mustered up the courage to ask, ‘may I speak with Lady Isuka alone?’ He didn’t know why he was being so formal - this was the girl who’d thrown a snowball at him for calling her beautiful.
‘Of course, I was planning on heading back to my room,’ she looked at Isuka who was going to protest at leaving her alone, ‘my ladies-in-waiting will be with me. There is no need to worry,’ she reassured Isuka with a smile before patting her on the back and leaving the pair alone.
Isuka didn’t meet his eyes and since she clearly didn’t plan on speaking first he did, ‘you never replied to my letter. You know I thought maybe you had died and they just weren’t telling me the truth.’
‘What do you want, your highness?’
‘You,’ she looked at him with shock, ‘I want to back to the way we were.’
‘That would be highly improper, your highness, you should focus our attention on girls who are right for you.’
‘And who would that be?’ He asked, annoyance building in his tone.
‘That’s not my place to say.’
‘Why are you doing this Isuka? Why are you pushing me away.’
‘I think it would be better for us to stick to our own worlds.’
He watched as Isuka walked away, helplessly staring at her retreating figure.
It wasn't until the fifth day that he found out why Isuka had changed. Medora had been alone in a corridor when Ace had stumbled across her. She grabbed him and pulled him into a corner.
‘Shush Isuka can't see us together. She would kill me if she knew what I was going to tell you .’
She spent the next hour explaining what had happened since he had seen her last. Apparently, when Medora had been here on his 15th birthday she’d talked to the king and queen and insisted on joining the royal knights. She trained hard enough to become her personal knight in the shortest time possible and was the youngest royal knight ever. She had thrown herself into work over the guilt she had felt. Apparently, she had felt betrayed that she trusted Draw for so long when he had been the one to kill her parents because they tried to expose him and only adopted her so that he could win the favour of the king. She felt like she had played a part in his cruel plan and wanted to work in order to make things better. The king and queen had initially refused, placing none of the blame on her, she was a victim too. She had been very convincing.
‘But why would she ignore me?’
‘I think maybe she feels like she needs to keep her distance, she can’t be with you and doesn’t want to hurt you further.’
‘I don’t care about that, who told her that.’
‘I don’t know, she usually doesn’t care about what people say about her, but whoever it was really got under her skin.’
He buried his face in his hands, despite being one of the smartest people he knew she was so dumb sometimes.
So when it was time for them to leave, he waited and grabbed Isuka’s hand as she tried to get in. He handed her a note and waited for her to take it from him. She looked puzzled and in a sort of half daze accepted the letter. He helped her up into the carriage and watched as they left.
On her way home Isuka opened the letter, trying her best to conceal the contents from Medora who sat next to her.
Isuka,
It has come to my attention that you’ve been ignoring me for my sake. Well, I have to say that it’s a load of rubbish and will continue to bother you until you reply.
Waiting eagerly for your reply, Your fire fist
She smiled fondly at his use of the nickname she made for him, and then immediately stopped when she noticed Medora smirking at her.
‘He won’t be receiving a reply any time soon.’
‘That’s not going to stop him.’
‘He can try his best.’
~ ♡ ~
Isuka,
Hoping this is actually going to be read and not immediately burned. Will you be attending my brothers’ banquets?
Your wonderful and amazing Ace
P.s. please reply
~ ♡ ~
My dear Isuka,
I am going to take your silence as a yes every time I ask a question. If you don’t want me assuming weird things you should really reply.
Your dear Ace
~ ♡ ~
Oh wonderful and gorgeous lady Isuka,
Since the party is next week I shall be assuming your attendance and will be awaiting your arrival
The extremely hot Ace
~ ♡ ~
He did indeed see her at both his brothers’ banquets in which he spent the whole affair sending her notes. Paying little royal brats with sweets to give them to her. sometimes a small gift would be sent instead of a note, a flower or a piece of jewellery. The flowers she kept in her notebook, going to preserve them and the jewellery stored away safely.
~ ♡ ~
My beautiful and splendid Isuka, whose hair shines too bright sometimes,
Will you be my girlfriend?
Your stunning now boyfriend Ace
~ ♡ ~
To my breathtaking, charming, dazzling, extremely good sword-fighter girlfriend,
Happy birthday, I hope you like your present. Bet you were wishing for a kiss right?
Ace
~ ♡ ~
He would not stop sending more letters with longer and more ridiculous lines. She couldn’t reply of course having been ignoring him for close to a year now.
She definitely couldn’t let anyone know that she kept those letters in her box, tucked safely next to her other treasures. She loved his handwriting, the scrawling way he wrote her name. She read them again and again, hearing his voice talking to her softly.
She was falling for him and she found herself minding less and less as she received more and more letters.
The words Draw had said to her as they dragged him to his execution faded slowly in her memory.
~ ♡ ~
When she saw him next he was turning 17. This time she let him pull her into a hug, ‘I hope you plan on listening to me now.’
‘Yeah, I missed your stupid voice.’
‘Why do you always do this,’ he pulled back.
‘Do what?’ she stared up at him with innocent eyes. He was taller now, and definitely had way more muscles compared to the last time she had hugged him.
‘Insult me,’ he was pouting now and she resisted the urge to poke one of his freckled cheeks.
‘Get a room the both of you!’ Medora shouted from the stairs.
Isuka pulled away from him so fast, the blush on her cheeks spreading to her ears.
Ace chuckled, looking back at her ‘so technically I did just assume we were dating, your answer is yes right?’
She smiled sort of deviously and for a second he was worried. So when she kissed him on the cheek and whispered a yes into his ear, he froze and she used the opportunity to sprint up the stairs to join Medora.
~ ♡ ~
Nameless
why was this lowkey dark
‘Hey Isuka, how’d you get your epithet?’ Ace turned to look at her, curious about the nickname. Skull had once mentioned something about riddling people full of holes, but it’s not like she had a signature move like him.
The question caught her off guard. It was a part of her life she wanted to forget completely, but the memory plagued her.
‘You haven’t heard captain?’ Skull asked.
‘No.’
‘Well it’s her story to tell.’
‘I don’t like talking about it,’ she dusted herself off as she got up, ‘Skull can tell you if you’re still curious.’
She didn’t hear his shouts as she walked away.
~ ♡ ~
Isuka had joined the Marines at a young age, from working as a chore girl on a small East Blue base to an Ensign working in the Grand Line; the years had almost blurred together. She had almost no memorable moments apart from maybe the times she and a couple of other kids would celebrate their birthdays (quietly, with small slices of cake and handmade gifts).
There was one memory, however, that constantly haunted her - the mission that promoted her to Ensign and gave her the epithet ‘nailing’.
She had begged Draw to let her take part in more significant missions, to let her sail the Grand Line. She simply wanted to do more. In the East Blue, the pirates mainly were weak rookies, but in the Grand Line, the big names existed. She wanted to get rid of them, not waste her time chasing good-for-nothing newbies.
Draw had sighed, refusing her request multiple times, until he received what he thought was a small enough mission for her, big enough to maybe deter her from asking further.
She remembered it clearly. It was the day of her 16th birthday. She’d been celebrating the way they always did - a small slice of cake from that cook who liked them (she always let them take extra food since they were growing children). Ryu had given her a card he had made himself. There was a little bird inside, a crossbill that popped up when she opened it up. She had no idea how he had the time or materials to make it. Kai had gotten her a book, one she’d wanted to read for a while. He would have had to sneak out to purchase it. Tashigi had made her a bracelet, it was red like her hair, and it was meant to be a friendship bracelet, and a good luck charm rolled into one. Tashigi already had one on her wrist, a dark blue that matched the design of Isuka’s.
They had been laughing about something when Draw walked in; his commanding presence had them all scrambling to get up and salute him, trying to hide the gifts under a blanket.
‘Well kiddo the day you’ve been waiting for is here, got a mission for you, if you succeed you could be Ensign soon.’
‘Really?’ Her eyes had lit up; the others looked happy for her. They knew how much the opportunity meant to her.
‘You leave right now, so get changed right away.’
‘Sir, yes, sir!’ She saluted him as he turned around and walked away.
‘Isu this is it! Your chance to shine!’ Tashigi squealed along with her.
‘Lucky, I’ve been asking just as long as you,’ Kai grumbled.
‘Yeah, but I’m stronger than you, so obviously, they picked me,’ she playfully nudged him, and he reciprocated by nudging her back.
Ryu was uncharacteristically quiet, and when Isuka asked what was wrong, he said, ‘it seems dangerous. Please be careful.’
She pulled him into a hug, ‘don’t worry, I’ll be back before you know it.’
She hugged them all once again before shooing them out of her room and began to change. She slipped on her gloves and picked up her rapier before heading to Draw’s office.
‘Ready to leave, sir.’
He sighed and got up from his desk, ‘there have been reports of a group of bandits terrorising islands this side of the East Blue. I was asked to send an officer to take them down. So considering your requests, I’ve chosen to send you. Don’t make me regret it,’ his stern face almost made her nervous, but this was what she’d been training for. Present her watched the memory with dread in her stomach. She should have said no and asked him to send a higher-ranking officer than her, but she was stupid and opportunistic.
He led her to the small ship that would take her to the island they were currently believed to be at. Her crew was small, made up of a navigator, chef and a medic (if they weren’t at the island, she was to check the surrounding area, there was no point for her to come back and then set sail again). She was the only soldier they were sending. A small group of bandits was not a difficult fight at all, one someone like Draw wouldn’t even need to break a sweat.
She climbed aboard, clutching the rapier at her side tightly. Draw didn’t wave as the ship pulled away, so neither did she.
The journey was three hours, and she couldn’t stop her heart thumping in her chest as they drew closer. She didn’t know whether it was from excitement or dread, but she couldn’t back out now.
When they landed, Isuka gave them instructions: she would canvas the island and report. If they were on the island, they’d all be back before the day ended. They nodded as she jumped off the side and onto land. She’d studied the map on the way here and had chosen the most efficient route.
She began looking around, hoping she didn’t stick out like a sore thumb with her uniform. She spoke to locals, some who were more valuable than others. She was able to conclude that if the bandits were on the island, they were taking refuge in a cabin in the woods.
She walked back to the ship and explained the situation. She’d been instructed to go alone and take out the bandits. The others would wait here. Only if they hadn’t heard from her in an hour would they make a move. With a pat on her back from the elderly cook for good luck, she left.
She took the fastest route through the woods, climbing up trees to make sure she was headed the right way. When she reached the cabin, she hid behind some dense overgrowth whilst taking in the situation. There were five of them. They looked older than they probably were and clearly had no regard for personal hygiene.
There were only two rooms in the cabin. It was evident that it wasn’t a place to live but rather to hang out. There was a larger room where four of them sat, drinking, smoking, and laughing. They were disgusting. There was a smaller room in the corner that had a door leading out. She decided to lure the man in that room out first. She threw a rock in the direction of the room, hoping he’d be stupid enough to step out without a weapon. And he was.
She stepped out behind him, driving her rapier through his heart just like she’d been taught. Draw had told her to leave no survivors, that the group wasn't worth it. The man didn’t stand a chance as he crumpled to the ground. He hadn’t made much noise, but one of the others stepped out to check on him and saw her, bloody sword in hand and his partner in a heap on the floor. He shouted, trying to swing the beer bottle at her, but she dodged too quickly for his drunken reflexes. She followed suit and stabbed him in the leg, immobilising him just as another of the group ran out.
She swung out at him, causing him to take a step back, stumbling. The man she’d stabbed cracked the bottle he had and tried to lunge at her, but she flipped out of the way, ending up behind him. Just like the first man, she stabbed him through the heart, and he fell. He put up a bit more fight, trying to claw at the rocks on the ground, but they wouldn’t move.
The other man swore at her, charging like a bull. He wasn’t holding a weapon either, so she figured he was trying to knock her over and tried to dodge him. He was more intelligent than she gave him credit for and drew a knife out of his sleeve and slashed at her. In his frenzy, he managed to slice her near her ribs, ripping her uniform and the white slowly dyed red. The pain stung, but she attacked back. She’d felt worse pain before.
It took a little longer to kill this man. She’d stabbed him in more places, but he didn’t fall like the others. It wasn’t until she had the opportunity to stab him through the heart that he died.
She didn’t realise that she was out of breath, panting she realised that the other two might have gotten away and run to the front of the cabin.
The two men were sitting by the entrance.
‘A kid huh?’
‘Looks like they were weaker than we expected.’
They were underestimating her. They thought she wasn’t powerful because she was still young. They had no idea what was coming for them.
‘Sorry kid, this is nothing personal,’ he apologised halfheartedly as he grabbed the gun behind him and got up. The other man picked up his katana.
‘Save the apologies for the after life,’ she spat back as she drew her rapier again.
‘Have it your way kid,’ the other one replied, drawing out his own sword.
Every lesson she’d had about fighting was running through her mind, the teachers yelling about footwork, about stance, about power. She knew this fight was going to be difficult and wasn’t going to waste time.
Her blow was easily matched, but he seemed shocked by her power, unusual for a kid her age. She glared up at him, light shock on his features.
As they traded blows, almost equally matched, she dodged a bullet. She had almost forgotten she was fighting two people, not just the one.
She defended herself from the swordsman’s blows, all while dodging random bullets. She had more cuts on her now and had been grazed by a bullet. He’d even managed to hit her once or twice, throwing her to the side, but she had to get up. To survive, she had to get up. The adrenaline kept her running. In training she would have been exhausted by now.
When she managed to disarm the swordsman, causing him to fall to the ground, she felt the gunman aim at her. So instead of stabbing him, she kicked him in the face and turned to face the gunman. When he shot the bullet this time, she used her rapier to slice the bullet in half, a trick she’d only done twice before. It worked in shocking the man. She took the opportunity to run up to him and slice his gun in half. The man was stunned, unable to understand what had happened as she left him defenceless. The man would have been dead if the swordsman hadn’t gotten up and gotten to her in the nick of time. He slashed at her, and she had to dodge, cutting her arm. She watched as the swordsman whispered something to the other man; he must be telling him to grab the goods and run.
She wouldn’t allow it. She charged at them. He didn’t draw his sword fast enough, and she managed to stab him in the shoulder, her rapier almost scraping the other man too. The swordsman shouted in pain as she drew the rapier out, blood splashing on her face. The blood drained out of the other man’s face, and he immediately turned around and ran into the cabin. She wouldn’t let him get away.
She slashed at the swordsman. It was met with a weak defence, his dominant arm useless. She easily disarmed him, slitting his throat, the noise of him choking on his blood following her as she stepped into the cabin.
She shouted at the man, and he whirled to face her. He grabbed one of the beer bottles in fear. But that fear slowly dissipated as he noticed an injury on her leg. The swordsman had managed to get one last good move in; the wound was deep.
‘Guess neither of us are at our best.’
‘No, but it won’t be me begging for mercy,’ she snarled, charging at him, using her last bursts of energy to attack him. She knocked the bottle out of his arm and stabbed him in the stomach. He yelled as she pulled out, more blood splattering onto her, mixing with her own and the blood of the other bandits. Her uniform was ruined. She would have to burn it.
She stabbed him multiple times, each time he yelled, trying to grab at her, trying to gain some sort of control.
‘You stupid bitch,’ he wheezed.
‘What was stupid was underestimating me,’ she replied, her voice cold as she drove the rapier into the heart with the very last hit of her strength. The sword embedded itself in the wood of the wall behind him. She didn’t even hear him yell, just watched the colour drain from him.
She fell to the ground, exhaustion catching up to her. She winced as she felt her wounds ache. The adrenaline was wearing off. She ripped a piece of her uniform shirt to try and stop her leg bleeding.
She couldn’t remember what happened to her next. She simply woke up in the infirmary of the base.
She was told what happened by the worried friends as told to them by the crew that came with her. It had been an hour since they heard from her and, as per her instructions, they came looking for her. They saw the dead swordsman and were worried for her. They found her inside, unconscious but alive. They immediately treated her so she didn’t end up with lifelong injuries. The medic then went in ahead, carrying Isuka to the ship to properly tend to her.
The room itself was a scene of horror. The blood splatter spread around the room like an artist had finally lost it. And at the centre of it all, a man, held up like he’d been nailed into the wall. Like the others, he had stab wounds as if someone had hammered nails into them. It was horrifying to see bodies riddled with holes. It was even more horrifying knowing who’d done it.
They had tried to pull Isuka’s rapier out of the wall and the man, but even with two people, they couldn’t pull it out. So much strength in such a small body it was impossible to believe. Instead, they broke it and pulled it out of the man, taking it back with them to the ship.
They dragged the men into the cabin and set it on fire, making sure it didn’t spread to the wood surrounding them. No one would ever want to set foot into the cabin again. Not if they knew the extent of the brutality.
They then returned to the town, informing the head of what had transpired.
As Isuka had said, they made it back to the base before the day was over. They were met with immediate worry as the medic was carrying an unconscious Isuka.
When she woke up, she found her friends passed out in different corners of the infirmary; Tashigi by her side, and Ryu and Kai somehow squeezed onto the one couch in the room. When they realised she was awake, they immediately pounced on her, expressing worry and anger. She had been out for two days.
Tashigi picked up the rapier placed at Isuka’s side, broken and bloody. Isuka asked them to get rid of it. She felt sick remembering what she had done. But everyone else sang her praises, acting like she’d created a masterpiece of blood and violence. She felt disgusted at herself.
Draw marched into her room on the third day of her recovery. He didn’t praise her, said nothing but, ‘headquarters called, you’re to be Ensign now.’ And marched straight back out the door.
Her friends were more excited than her, talking about how lucky she was, how she’d have her own crew, her own ship and get to sail the Grand Line, just like she’d always wanted.
Isuka felt unworthy, but she’d achieved her goals. She just wasn’t sure it was worth the cost.
~ ♡ ~
Back then, it had never struck her. Why would they have promoted her for the small feat of defeating some bandits? It wasn’t until Draw had been defeated by Ace that she found out. He’d basically sent her on a suicide mission. Headquarters had suggested that two to three ranked officers be sent as the enemy had proved their strength against the navy multiple times before. She will never know what he wanted out of her death or severe injury. She’s not sure she wants to know.
Later she found out that Draw had kept the rapier. To him, it was some sort of trophy. She had thought of it as a curse. That’s why she had asked to be rid of it. The more she found out about the man the more she felt sickened by his actions.
~ ♡ ~
Isuka refused to talk about the story to anyone. Once a crew mate had asked about it, and she simply shrugged, saying it must have just caught on. For some reason she couldn’t bare them considering her a monster.
She knew Skull most likely knew, and if Ace had asked, he would have found out the truth. He would know what a horrible person she was, just as she thought he'd finally begun to respect her.
She can never forget the truth of her past, no matter how hard she tries. It was a dark mark in her record she simply couldn't burn away.
Whenever anyone brought it up, she wished she had remained nameless.
~ ♡ ~
Priorities
a crackfic with zero plot
Deuce winced as he heard the familiar voice; they had managed about two days without getting into a fight. Which may be a record for Ace, but with how close Isuka’s voice was, it was just a matter of time before they were fighting. Deuce was unsure whether Ace had heard it too; he was easily distracted by the food surrounding them. They were in a market area, and if Ace hadn’t heard her voice, it would be best to keep it that way.
‘Hey, wasn’t that Isuka?’ Deuce cursed under his breath. He could never catch a break.
‘I don’t think so. Why would the Ensign be here? Hey, isn’t that your favourite snack,’ Deuce was using all his powers of distraction, but for some reason, Ace wasn’t listening.
‘Nah I’m pretty sure that’s her, where do you think it came from?’
Deuce sighed, ‘why do you go looking for trouble? If she hasn’t seen you yet we should probably leave.’
‘So you did hear her!’ He said incredulously.
‘Yeah at this point hearing her voice puts my body on autopilot, we need to leave.’
‘Oh come on, it would be rude to leave without saying hello.’
‘Since when have you cared about manners?’ Maybe he lived just to annoy Deuce; if he died early, the cause of death should be listed as Portgas D. Ace.
They hadn’t been able to pinpoint her location just yet, the marketplace was a bustling hub in the middle of the city, and one would think the Marine’s uniform would stand out.
‘Hey I’ll pay!’ They heard Isuka argue with someone, and Ace twirled around to see Isuka, not in her uniform but in casual clothing. There were two little kids next to her; one of them was clinging onto her leg, and she had a hand on the other one's head. From their angle, they couldn’t quite see who she was arguing with, but it was clear she was close to this person; otherwise, they wouldn't be arguing over the bill.
‘Who are those kids,’ Ace turned to Deuce, who looked just as confused; they didn’t know anything about her personal life.
‘Why don’t we order double, then we can both pay,’ Isuka’s shoulders sank, but it was because she was laughing. Ace grimaced slightly; Isuka barely ever laughed around them; she was too busy fighting them. Deuce wanted to point out that it wasn’t his fault Isuka didn’t laugh at his jokes. It was really that they were on opposite sides of the law and that most of them were insulting the Marines. He couldn’t, however, deny that she looked good when she wasn’t scowling. She looked younger and more peaceful.
‘Fine, fine, I can never win with you,’ she pulled out her purse and took out some bills while her friend asked for more from the vendor, who seemed quite pleased with all the sales he was making. Isuka carefully took the little parcels of food and gave them to the kids, the little one clutching her one and the older one grabbing a few more.
Both pirates snuck a little closer, trying to get a closer look at the other party. By the voice alone, they could tell it was a man, but nothing else. As they stopped, hidden behind a cart of sweets, they were finally able to see his face. He had one of those faces that exuded calmness. He was good-looking if you preferred plain and boring guys. He seemed tall and well built; he was probably a Marine, but what was really bothering Ace was why would the both of them be on vacation together.
‘Maybe we should help them with the food, we have quite a few parcels,’ the man suggested as he took a bag of food.
‘Yeah, we should,’ Isuka ruffled the younger one’s hair. She leaned over to take one of the bags from the man, but he refused to fork one over and pushed her forward instead. She held the younger one’s hand instead, carefully leading them through the crowds. They passed Ace and Deuce, the latter diving behind a stall to hide; Ace stood watching as they disappeared.
‘Do you think her radar is broken?’
‘Radar?’ Deuce questioned as he dusted himself off and apologised to the startled drink vendor.
‘Yeah her ‘Hunt Fire Fist’ at all costs one,’ Deuce decided he must’ve lost his mind out of hunger and tried to push him towards the food stalls.
‘I think you need some food, you’re talking crazy.’
‘No, you know how she never gives up on a chase, and no matter what crazy turns I take she always manages to find me, how? Her crazy find me radar.’
Ace looked proud of his explanation, but Deuce could only sigh, ‘sure buddy, but it looks like she’s taking a break, maybe she doesn’t want to fight you.’
‘Nope, how many times has she abandoned what she was doing to chase me?’ He pointed out, ‘no, something's going on, we’ve got to find out.’
Deuce buried his face in his hands and groaned, ‘why can’t things go my way for once,’ but Ace was already dragging him in the direction she was heading in.
They were walking for a while before Ace decided to jump on someone’s roof to try and locate the pair walking together. He caught sight of them walking toward the slums to the north of the city. He jumped back down to tell Deuce and broke into a run to catch up with them.
When they reached the slums, the little kid who had been holding onto Isuka’s hand let go and ran towards another kid, holding out the little parcel of food. Soon little kids were surrounding the two Marines, and they were handing out the food to whoever was there. Isuka was crouching down to talk to them, ruffling their hair and accepting little hugs. The little kids seemed overjoyed, running back to their houses to share.
When the food ran out, Isuka stood back up; they had just about enough for everyone. ‘It’s a good thing we bought double.’
‘See this is why you should listen to me, I’m always correct,’ he nudged her shoulder with his.
‘This is coming from the person who thought the red line was a literal red line in the middle of the sea,’ she pressed back.
‘I was 10. Give me a break,’ there was a slight tinge of pink on his cheeks.
Ace was getting more annoyed as she playfully teased him. Deuce, on the other hand, was more shocked to see this side of the Ensign that usually chased them. In her pursuit, she was ruthless and powerful, but now, seeing her laugh carelessly really proves how little they knew about her.
‘How about lunch,’ she suggested as they began to walk back. Deuce pulled Ace into a random house to hide, apologising to the terrified occupants.
‘Yes I am starving, it’s my treat though,’ he emphasised.
‘No it’s mine, take it as a way to congratulate you for your promotion.’
‘Exactly! My promotion, I should be treating you with my pay rise.’
She laughed, ‘you’re an Ensign now, I know exactly how measly the pay rise is. Let me treat you, plus I am older than you.’
‘By like 3 months, you don’t have to keep bringing that up.’
Ace waited for them to turn the corner as they walked past the house before following behind. Deuce thanked the family before running after him.
‘Ace I think we should stop now, clearly there’s nothing wrong, she’s just enjoying some time with her friend,’ Deuce stopped next to him and took a couple of breaths. ‘Although it’s a little weird seeing her so happy, I think the only time I’ve seen her smile was that time Kotatsu jumped her and ended up tickling her with his fur.’
‘Nope,’ he was being stubborn for no reason at all, ‘we have to get to the bottom of this mystery.’
‘What mystery? Last I checked we’ve been pointlessly following around a Marine and her probably Marine friend.’
Before he could get an answer out of Ace, the pair they were following turned a corner, ‘come on we’re going to lose them!’
It was a little while before they seemed to finally make a decision on where to eat. It was a restaurant that had a riverside view. They waited for them to be seated before entering themselves.
‘Could we get seats that have a clear view of that table?’ Ace pointed to where Isuka was sitting on the deck overlooking the river. She was finally using those sunglasses she always had in her hair.
The waitress seemed intrigued and was glad to help them spy on the two of them, she must’ve thought something was going on, and Deuce felt the need to clarify that there wasn’t anything actually happening. The waitress remained unconvinced and showed them upstairs to a seat on the balcony overlooking where Isuka was sitting. She bought them menus and a jug of water, and Deuce couldn’t stop fidgeting. They were at a semi-fancy restaurant, and they were following a Marine.
‘Hey don’t you think this has gone on for long enough?’ Ace simply glanced at the menu. ‘She seems happy, and that’s good because I don’t particularly want to spend the rest of our time at this island running from her, she’s kinda scary you know.’
‘Pffft, Isuka? Scary? You must be out of your mind,’ he paused, taking a sip from the glass of water in front of him, ‘she’s just mildly terrifying.’
‘See, even you have to admit she's clearly a lot more at ease right now and we should let her be. Wasn’t there like a million things you wanted to see, you’re not going to have any time if you spend all your time following her.’
Ace sighed, looking down at the pair of Marines; she was laughing at something he’d said, tucking her hair behind her ear. She was beautiful in a gentle way, looking soft in the way the sunlight hit her. She was beautiful in the way she fought as well, fierce, like fire.
Deuce rolled his eyes; Ace was never subtle; the look in his eyes as he watched her gave away his reasons. He said goodbye to all his plans, seeing as how Ace was simply not going to let this go.
'Fine, let's at least eat something while we're here,' Deuce called over the waitress so they could order something.
Ace immediately dived into the food as soon as it arrived, but he still managed to keep tabs on what Isuka was doing. Watched as she sipped her glittery drink and the way she gripped her cutlery.
It felt like hours had gone by as he waited for them to finish their conversation. Deuce was more shocked that Ace hadn’t spontaneously fallen asleep during the meal than by how long they could keep a conversation going.
When Isuka got up to pay, he watched as they fought over the bill before getting up himself. Before Deuce could point out that they needed to pay, Ace had left. He pulled out his wallet and placed some cash on the table before running after him.
~ ♡ ~
Deuce was already beyond bored as they hid behind a bush. Isuka and her friend had spent hours walking around town, visiting different shops.
Isuka had tried on so many clothes they’d never even thought she’d wear, but she looked stunning in all of them. There was this blue dress that had Ace tripping over the mannequin they were hiding behind.
They waited outside a bookstore for close to an hour, sat on a bench and shared a large newspaper to hide their faces. Isuka came out with a bag full of books at the end of it.
When they’d finally tired of walking, they sat on a park bench, and Ace decided to hide in a bush nearby in the hopes of catching parts of their conversation. Deuce mumbled something about his butt hurting from sitting on the hard ground, and Ace shushed him. To his dismay, they chatted about the books Isuka had purchased, something about them being a series she loved as a kid and didn’t know there were more books in the set. Ace still paid attention to her every word, no matter how boring. Deuce ended up lying down on the ground and taking a nap.
It was darker when Ace hurriedly woke him up, saying they were going to a bar to get a meal and some drinks. He pulled him up and continued his pursuit, with a sleepy Deuce trying not to bump into the street lights.
It was harder to sneak into the bar without the two Marines noticing them. It was much smaller than the restaurant, and they barely managed to make it to a table before Isuka saw them.
Isuka could clearly hold her alcohol as she easily downed many cups of liquor. That’s one thing they had in common, Ace loved to party and could easily outdrink most people. Unluckily for him, he often collapsed, making people think he was a lightweight. On the other hand, Deuce was a terrible lightweight, so he sipped at his cup, hoping no one would notice he was on the same cup from the beginning.
‘D’ya think she’s given up on me?’
‘Who Isuka?’ Deuce poked the table with his fork as they waited for their food.
‘Yeah, we’ve been following her all day and she hasn’t noticed us once. I know we’re not exactly amazing at subtlety so has she just given up?’
‘Isuka would never, she’s got that stubbornness about her,’ Deuce took a small sip of his drink, ‘she would never stop chasing you.’
Ace laughed, but it was sort of sad. Deuce patted him on the back, ‘maybe we’re just better at stalking people than we thought we were.’ And this time, Ace laughed for real.
For the next two hours, Ace had seemingly forgotten about Isuka laughing and chatting away on the other side of the room, and he joked with Deuce like normal. That was until Isuka had gotten up to pay and leave. She placed her sunglasses on the bar as she handed the shopkeeper some bills but left them there when she left the premises. Ace was immediately up and bolting out of the restaurant, grabbing her sunglasses to follow her.
Deuce shouted after him, but it was hopeless; he’d already gone. Begrudgingly he took out his wallet yet again and paid before running after him.
When he caught up, Ace was somehow on a rooftop, following the pair from a distance, and Deuce considered clambering up to join him but decided to stay on the ground.
They followed them for a while until they heard Isuka gasp loudly, and they stopped.
Isuka had been walking quietly and enjoying the crisp, cold air. She took a deep breath in and decided this was the best moment. She reached up to her head and feigned shock, ‘I left my sunglasses at the bar!’
‘Want me to come back with you?’
‘No, no, you go on ahead, I’ll get them myself,’ she pushed him forward before turning around to head back to the bar.
She turned the corner before leaving against the wall and calling out, ‘I know you’re there Fire Fist.’
He jumped down from somewhere, and Deuce simply stepped into the light. He was smiling at her, ‘how did you know?’
‘You’re not subtle,’ she smiled and held out her hand, ‘I’d like my sunglasses back, I assume you grabbed them on your way out. They were a gift from someone important.’
His smile dropped, and he stepped towards her, grabbing the sunglasses out of his pocket. He ignored her outstretched hand; instead, he stopped, unusually close to her. He placed the glasses back on her head, trying to remember the exact angle it fit between the vermillion strands of hair.
‘Where are they from him?’
‘Huh?’ Isuka was taken aback. She’d barely managed to register the fact that he was trying to adjust her hair, tucking loose strands behind her ear, let alone pay attention to his words.
‘You said they were a gift,’ he retracted his hands, happy with his work, ‘was it from him?’
‘Who? Ryu? No!’ She buried her face in her gloved hands; 'a different friend got me these, she’s a swordswoman like me. I haven’t seen her in ages.’
‘Oh,’ Ace rubbed his neck sheepishly; he’d jumped to conclusions again.
‘Why were you even following me Fire Fist, shouldn’t it be the other way around?’
‘That’s what I said!’ Deuce looked exhausted, and Isuka sympathised; keeping up with someone like Ace was hard work.
‘No reason,’ he looked down, kicking a random stone, ‘just thought it was odd you didn’t notice me.’
She couldn’t see his expression because his hat successfully covered his face, but she could easily guess that he probably looked like a sad puppy.
She burst out into laughter, and Ace looked up in shock, ‘of course I noticed you! It would be impossible not to! That hat is so obnoxiously orange!’
‘You did? Then why didn’t you do anything? Usually, you’re chasing me before I even see you.’ He chose to ignore the hat comment; to him, it was a perfectly acceptable colour.
‘My priorities have changed Fire Fist,’ she explained, but he looked so utterly shocked she had to elaborate further. ‘Well I’ve been receiving complaints from my crew lately about how catching you can’t always be my priority and that I also have to relax and enjoy meals. You know, not abandoning whatever I’m doing to pursue you.’
Deuce failed to suppress a laugh, ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were aware how annoying it is.’
She glared at him but continued, ‘so when I saw you at the market I decided you weren’t my priority, my friend was and that I wasn’t going to abandon an old friend who I haven’t seen in a while to chase you.’
‘Aw, I’m not a priority anymore?’
‘Trust me Fire Fist, as soon as this little vacation is over you’re number one on my list. Right now my priorities are slightly different.’
‘Kinda sucks not being on your mind all the time.’
‘It’s kinda hard to forget you when you spent the whole day following me,’ she grumbled.
‘My bad, you know what, you have my word I won’t bother you the rest of your trip.’
‘I’m not sure the word of a pirate means much to me, but okay, no bothering each other.’
‘Deal,’ he smiled, sticking his hand out to her. She took it up begrudgingly, and he took the opportunity to pull her closer, ‘that blue dress was the best, you should totally get it. Also have fun with your little boyfriend Isuka.’
He pulled back and smiled at her, and before she could deny it, he jumped back to where Deuce was, ‘see you later, Ensign!’ He tipped his hat towards her and began to walk away, ‘just so you know, you’re always a priority to me!’
She blushed at the statement, though she didn’t know why, ‘he’s not my boyfriend you moron!’ She didn’t know if he could hear her but felt the need to clarify.
Deuce glanced over at Ace, who was grinning widely as she shouted at him. He rolled his eyes; what an odd pair.
~ ♡ ~