Raven watched the Fire burn. She never looked away. She only saw as the frosty ice continued to push her way from the Island. She only ever got a glimpse of the ships, when she was about to go over the Horzion.
But even still, the silent taps and pops of from the air made their way to her ears.
Her Tired eyes even watched as the tree of Alexandra, which was erupted in smoke and blaze. Finally came crashing down. Slamming into the earth to not be felt by her.
The Gardens, the Flowers. The Pomegranate tree. Her home. Everyones home. Those small hovels and get away spots that people had. Small little nothings of memories.
100 Million Books, 1 million manuscripts, 350,000 Artifacts from over 250 Islands all donations, 10,000 scrolls. 450,000 Legal Documents and writings, 2.5 million Maps from sections of the world from different points in history, with over 3,000.000 Cartography articles and items, 1.3 Million Pieces of Music, in sheets, records, phonograph and wax. And countless other writings.
Were totally lost. Burned away. And as ash under the rubble of the Tree.
By the End of The Bombardment. The Island was left to nothing but a husk of what it was. If someone were to walk on it now, all they would see would be that of rubble, craters and ash where healthy trees once sat. Over a Megaton of TNT worth of Ammunition and Artillery was used on the Island to totally erase it.
"Are there any survivors?" Asked Feall as Marines entered his office. It was barely a few hours after the Fires stopped. "Theres…There's no way. The Coroners looked over all the bodies. And every one that can be Identified is accounted for…"
"But-" Spoke to the Ensign of the Investigation Department. A Man with a blonde simple cut and eyeglasses. "There is one that hasn't been accounted for that was on the Census."
"Who." Feall asked. Leaning forward. "Is there a possibility that Buster Call reduced the Remains?"
"No sir." They spoke. Feall continuing "What about the Escaping Ship? Any remains on the bottom of the Sea?"
"No Sir. Chief investigator Mori said that his Ability confirmed as such." The Ability in question was that, that allowed him to Identify Corpses and the Deceased. But not how they died.
"None of the Children found meet the Age range."
"A Child?!" Feall said in a surprised tone. "You're telling me a Child escaped a Buster Call?! Who?"
"Daughter of the Azalea Iris; Azalea Raven." One of the investigators said sliding the census across the table where the names were blacked out but one.
"Put a bounty out for her. Charge her with Destruction of Marine property, and Blame the destruction of something on her. But I want her Captured."
"If I may- Sir. But why a child? She may never remember anything that happened?" Spoke the Marine the marine with the beret.
"That is no mere Child. That Child-" He slammed his fist and stood to his feet, leaning on his desk with fury in his eyes "That child is the only remaining person of Tovara! We've already put out that the Terrorists on the Island were the cause of its destruction."
"And this child is one of those terrorists! She is the Daughter of Azalea Iris, and that means she is the sole person in the world that carries knowledge of the Forgotten Weapons! Her existence is a threat to the very world!"
Weeks passed and they were finally able to get a photo of her. And once that photo, of a small child looking away from the camera. Long iridescent hair with bangs, wearing a simple shirt with a spider on the front. The Bounty was spread like wildfire after that.
"118,380,000?! For a Child?!" Spoke people on the streets "Hey! Wait! That's the child the Papers said from Tovara!"
"Tovara?! That place with all the books?!"
"Yeah! Didn't you hear! They were Terrorist! And were drying to Destroy the World!"
Raven was on the run ever since then. For years. She went from shelter to shelter, only for people to find out who she was, or CPA to come and find her. Island to Island, working for scraps of Berry or to be able to have a bed or meal to sleep.
Bounty Hunters, Marines, and Pirates were all after her. 118 Million was a Reward that was life changing for some entire islands. She scraped by close some days. But every time, they found out- She was met with the same worlds
"Leave! You Devil! You're not even supposed to be alive!"
"Get the Fuck out! You'll kill us all!"
"Your very existence is a sin, Raven…you can't be here…"
Oftentimes. It was only her and that smile when she was young. Out in the streets. In the same clothes she escaped in. Memories of Tovara and her mother tried to keep her warm at night. The books that Emmett gave her she held close, constantly. She never, ever, went anywhere without them. It was a miracle they survived so long.
One day, however. That smile ceased to exist.
But in its place, Raven became obsessed with the darker parts of the world. In the Macabre, the obscure. It was where she got her 'odd' sense of fashion. Dark colors. Her mother was the same way. And it was something she kept with her.
At the same time, the only person that was company to her, was herself. Getting a habit of talking to herself at all times. Muttering and murmuring. Causing those around her to see her as strange and weird. But by then, she knew how to take care of herself
When she was 17 she tried joining organizations to find the Poneglyphs. Do anything. She was even willing to resort to sex work if it required it. She used anything, from criminal networks, to hunters, to passages to random islands to find Poneglyphs and Continue her research.Even from the first day alone. She knew thats what she wanted to do.
But every time. It end the same
"I'll kill you, Raven!"
"You Demon! You liar and cheat!"
The same thing every time. She believed herself to be Birth from a Demon. Even if she wanted to continue her research. She believed in every capacity- Her life was forfeit.
Then, when she was 27, she was hired by Hornigold Rackham. The Man had sought her out for her ability in Archaeology. And she accepted after hearing that there were Poneglyphs on the Island. But at every turn, she was denied access to them. And even though her art of escape and running away had reached a masterful craft. She could get to them until the War of Aluba.
All of that, lead up to where she was right now…
"Raven!" Leroy yelled again. "Say it! Say you want to live!"
Raven heard the words. Clearly now. Mind brought back to the present. After reliving it all in the blink of an eye. ''Could I really ask for that?' She thought, tears beginning to well in her eyes
'For so long…I thought I was worthless. That it all was…That no matter what- I was meant to die…' She bit her lip. Words echoing her mind, finally being able to hear them clearly now.
'You'll find others out there in the world. People you can love, people you laugh with. You can cry with. People who will be there for you no matter what…Just…Just Live Raven. Live life.'
Then Jeanne…'Have Faith in Leroy…'
And Finally…Leroy, like a shining beacon breaking through the night. Screaming for her to live. To hear those words…Confirmation!
She grit her teeth. Closed her eyes. And with fist gripped tight, her body tensed. Her heart finally spoke. A truth that she thought was never able to say!
"I WANNA LIVE!" She screamed. Eyes wide, tears flowing down her cheeks. Voice loud so that they all heard her declaration of life!
"Take me! Please! Take me back! Take with you! I want to live!!"
Her sobs stopped her speaking more. The floods of emotion. Of years of denial of life. Finally came coursing through. Only for another set to meet her ears. From the shining star that was the Captain.
"Let's Do This!"