#salchow

So, S/I was a marine. Got caught during a pirate raid, said pirates then got caught by the Accino family. She is discovered on the ship in bad condition and instead of bringing her back to the marines, Don Accino takes a liking to her and instead says that they’ll “give her back once she’s in better health” and the sort. That does not happen. First she’s a maid, then she’s supposed to be a helper for the family, then there aren’t any clear excuses. The conditions aren’t great, but they are survivable.

Of course, their taking a younger marine and clearly keeping her around because she’s appealing enough to look at isn’t exactly the most comfortable thing and for a family built around their father’s approval, this random woman being given a spot brings up a lot of issues. You do stupid, cruel shit when you’ve been raised to know nothing else. Pluto gets close to Lil since she’s willing to spend time with her and talk to her, which bothers Arbell in particular. It especially bothers her and her siblings when it turns out that Pluto’s been talking honestly about her own family history to their youngest sister, which is changing her opinions about her father.

Salchow doesn’t say it, but it makes him uncomfortable to sit back and do nothing because he feels like it means that he’s not man enough, what if it was Arbell in that position? What does it imply if he’s not willing to stand up for a woman because of family connection? He attempts to broach it a few times and things get tense because of it. Nothing has happened, of course. Pluto has not shown interest in him and he has no reason to do that, he loves his wife.

After the Straw hats ruin what the family has and they are stuck with one ship and have to rebuild, things get worse and Salchow has to speak up because he genuinely from an ethical standpoint cannot do this anymore. He’s being deprogrammed enough by his morals to fight back, but it doesn’t get through to anyone. When they reach a port, he’s kicked out because his wife needs time alone and Pluto manages to flee into the city and get a sea train ticket. He is sent to go after her with the promise that it will make things right, only to discover that Don Accino had taken other steps to punish him for his behaviour. He ends up completely broken and disenfranchised with his currently life and ultimately realizes things are over. He can’t go back, so he finds Pluto and leaves with her instead. She offered, he didn’t ask.

With nothing to his name anymore and the love of his life left behind, he is utterly broken beyond comprehension. For some reason he can’t understand, Pluto keeps a roof over his head while she figures things out and gets her own affairs in order. He is too ashamed to explain why he can’t go off on his own, but when that comes up, she again offers that he can stay with her until he gets on his feet.

They in fact, never end up parting ways.

I have a short fic in the works, but this is the lore for now <3 and YES. AT SOME POINT IN THE TIMELINE THE KIDS GET AWAY FROM THEIR FATHER. ALL OF THEM. THAT IS THE END GOAL. I know firsthand how hard it is to break from brainwashing and the longer you are in it the worse it is, especially when leaving will take away your home and ‘safety’