Inspired by one of my favorite Disney songs.
-Memoria-
Monet looked around her tiny room, feeling some weight press against her chest when her eyes landed on empty shelves, hangers without clothes in the closet, window locked in place. Her bed was decorative pyramid of many colors. All the clothes she would be bringing with her across the New World had been organized and were waiting for her to be packed.
There were three loud knocks at the door. "Monet?" It was Dellinger.
She turned her head, looking over her small shoulder, some unkempt strands of ivy hair covering her face as she approached the door. She fixed herself up, opened the door and stared at the boy with her usual smile, despite the circumstances.
"Hello, Dellinger," she said, keeping the door open by only a foot.
"Monet, it's so hot outside," the boy pursed, tilted his head and letting his hat hang. She watched him playfully lean against the wall. "Come outside with me and let's play one last time," he said in a singsong tone. "We can use your powers. Skate across the pool. Maybe build some snowmen?"
Monet couldn't help but turn and look out her window, staring at the bright, intense light of the day. She knew everyone had a day off from their usual work, with the Young Master declaring today a special holiday. The young woman would have liked nothing better than to spend it completely carefree, but her mind felt so messy. She doubted that she could bring herself to make it snow across the country without some spots breaking under growing pressure.
A small, restrained frown grew across her face as she made eye contact with the boy. "I'm sorry," she said. Her voice was still cool and collected. She watched the boy's large grin begin to decrease with severity. "Give me some time to finish packing…I've just begun," she quickly added, hoping to ease whatever pain she might have brought.
"But today's your last day," the boy whined.
"I promise I'll be done soon," she said, but the door she held began to close by another inch.
"I won't get to see you anymore," the boy muttered.
"Oh," Monet said, pouting at the boy's disappointment. "You know that's not true, Dellinger. This mission is temporary. The Young master will have be return in no time."
She watched as Dellinger gave a shrug, turning around and swinging his long legs as he gave a sigh.
"Ok," she heard the boy said. "Bye."
After packing her clothes in the few suitcases she had been given for her trip, Monet found herself drawn by the light of the window. It had taken her too long to pack most of her things, which had been few to begin with. She brought herself to the bay window, sitting down on soft cushions and holding on to her pillows, looking out at the vast scenery that her Captain had awarded her when he took over the country. From the high position of her room Monet could see far beyond the city, to the forests and the mountains that covered the tropical country, and with the added humidity of the warm weather, was left staring into an almost surreal work of art.
The natural work of art made her heart ache.
And then the door knocked again, this time lighter, but at a far more rapid pace.
"Monet?" It was Baby 5.
Despite the comfort, Monet left her cushioned nest and walked over to the door. As she got closer she could hear a conversation taking place between Baby 5 and another. She opened the door and spotted Buffalo's gigantic figure behind Baby's petite form.
As before, Monet didn't open the door all the way, but this time, out of politeness for Buffalo, opened the door about halfway.
Buffalo squat down and smiled. "Hey, Monet," he said, "are you busy?"
"Buffalo and I were thinking about riding down to town," Baby 5 said. She inched her way closer to the door, and Monet couldn't help but feel overwhelmed.
"To town?" Monet asked. Already she could feel the pain that came with spending time with the family right before going on a long journey.
Baby 5 nod her head, producing that wonderfully chipper smile of hers. "Want to come along and have lunch with us?"
"I think some company is overdue," Buffalo said, grinning widely at Monet's burning face. "And Baby 5 has no problem paying! You can ride passenger on my bike."
Monet could envision a luxurious restaurant, closed down to the public, with waiters and serving maids surrounding their table. Knowing Baby 5, all the food would be everyone else's favorites, with Buffalo's appetite adding to the poor's girl's debt, and the wine served would be an overly sweet rose that would make her already aching eyes swell with tears. Even though she wasn't hungry–how could she when she was just so anxious–Monet wanted to consider going.
"How thoughtful," she said, giving each of the two a smile. She held on to the doorknob, feeling her stomach give a flip as she wanted nothing more than to slam the door and hide in her room, avoiding all contact from the outside world. The Young Master had not given her a date to return, and she'd rather not have to think about Baby 5 and her hysterics, or how Buffalo would awkwardly avoid eye contact while loudly sniffing. And odds were, there would be other members taking advantage of the sudden holiday, and Monet wasn't sure she could stand watching them act overly polite and cheerful around her.
"I've chores I still need to complete," Monet said. "And I promised I'd send Jora a list of my daily activities, so that she could accommodate all the extra work…"
Buffalo groaned. "For reals?" he asked.
"Surely you can spare an hour or two," Baby 5 said.
The shaking in Baby's voice made it harder for Monet to keep a straight face. She held in a breath, forcing herself to remain stoic in her reply, insisting that she must remain strong during such an emotional time. Her Captain had assigned her the duty to travel to Punk Hazard for a reason. She was strong. She could not allow herself to break under emotional pressure.
"I need a bit more time to myself, if you don't mind," Monet said, staring deep into Baby's large, upset eyes.
"Oh, come on," Buffalo said, shaking his head. "I don't think it's that big of a deal–"
"No, no!" Baby said, turning around and shaking a finger at Buffalo. "Monet needs some time and space alone." She lowered her head, and Monet could see the girl's lips form a pout, holding in the want to break into some tears. When Baby 5 turned around, Monet was welcomed with that forced, unhealthy smile of hers.
"Will we see you at dinner?" Baby 5 asked.
Monet's lower lip almost came to a tremble when she remembered that the final act of the day would include a special feast, courtesy of the Young Master. It would be something she could not escape from, not without appearing so rude to the man she cared the most for.
"Of course," she said.
Baby 5 and Buffalo left, and Monet closed the door, summoning her strength while she remained straight-faced, walking across her room and back to the bay window. On her way she grabbed the blanket lying across her bed. It didn't fit along with everything else. She threw it over her shoulders and sat back down on her cushioned seat.
The sun was set high across the country. From a distance, tropical birds of light pink and green flew across the lush forest and land, a gigantic mass of familial company, chirping and singing to one another. Monet found herself feeling tired as she watched the hours pass by, the sun lowering across the beautiful country, bringing with it more intense, beautiful colors that Monet knew she would not be seeing for a long time.
"I'd like to propose a toast," Doflamingo said, standing proudly amongst the many members of the Donquixote pirates. His glass was raised high up, and although Monet was situated far across the table, she could feel his shades aimed at her, his proud smile caught in the corner of her eyes.
Everyone was quiet. A table consisting of over fifteen members, all rowdy pirates, and it was now possible to hear the sounds of a single rushed breath. Monet raised her head just enough to make contact with her neglected glass of wine. Most would interpret it as her way of trying not to appear too proud.
She had managed to get through most of the day in peace. Her longing for some final moments of privacy had been respected, with most of the members of her crew merely passing by her room. It was different now. Doflamingo had full authority to pry his way in. Monet felt helpless as he made his appreciation public to everyone at the table.
"My dear Monet," Doflamingo said. She felt her face prickle with heat. Someone's hand rested itself against her shoulder. Her usual mask was at risk of crumbling.
"You understand quite well how important this mission is," he said. "To me...You are one of my most trusted subordinates. You've already proven yourself once before." She watched his head lower a little, as though the man were almost lost in thought. She knew that wasn't the case.
"Young Master," Monet said. She raised her head up further, looking over at his direction, noticing that all eyes were either on him or her. And then she heard someone sniff. Executive Diamante shrugged, looking down as his finger traced around the tip of this glass. Senor Pink pushed his shades further up his face, though it did nothing to hide the small frown that was beginning to develop. Baby 5 pulled her lips in as she raised up her glass, while Buffalo silently consoled her, rubbing her back with his large, free hand.
Doflamingo pulled his glass towards his chest. "You go out of your way to show your commitment for this family." Monet could feel a stabbing pain in her chest, as though her heart had been pierced by his words. She did not know how long she could bear being placed under the spotlight. "I think I speak for everyone when I say… that we all wish you a safe journey to Punk Hazard."
"Here, here," Lao G muttered. Pica quietly nod his head in reply. Baby 5 sniffed, let out a small whine and Jora reached out to hand the girl a handkerchief.
"To our wonderful snow-angel," Doflamingo said aloud, bringing his glass back up, his actions quickly followed by a series of arms raising theirs, all except Monet, who was left feeling so blissful and upset that she didn't know what to do with herself but remain quietly in her seat, holding it all in except for that growing blush. "Beautiful. Elegant. Powerful." There was a subtle change in his smile. "Thank you so much for being there for the family," he ended.
Monet felt a rush when everyone called out her name, some voices louder than others, all her executives and Doflamingo looking at her with the upmost respect.
And just like that, everyone went back to their meals. Yes, there was the occasional congratulations, along with the older members telling her what an honor it was for the Young Master to have selected her for such an important mission, along with Baby 5 and Machvise hiding their faces, as not to ruin the night with their emotional antics. Monet found herself taking a sip of water, then some wine, watching everyone talk to one another, or to her, memorizing their smiles and snickers, committing their final expressions for her upcoming trip. She looked across the way and spotted Doflamingo, took another sip of wine, and became flustered. Another sip of wine, and the sounds of everyone's voices began to ring in her ears. She took the first bite of her dinner, and for the first time in a very long time, felt her eyes burn.
Unwilling to expose herself, she politely excused herself from the table, keeping a calm face as she walked out of the dining hall and back to her room, her graceful steps becoming more rapid as she felt her face become sore from holding the smile for too long. By the time she made it to her room, she was running, breathing hard with some humiliation, shutting the door behind her and running back to the window. She covered herself with her arms as he took in a deep breath, feeling her eyes water and drip with hot stinging tears.
This wasn't like her! Monet buried her face between her legs as she heard Doflamingo's words echo in her mind. The privilege to show the Young Master her worth one more time, and right now she was disproving all he had said by showing such weakness!
She sighed aloud, feeling her break stutter and choke. Although she was all along in her room, Monet couldn't help but try to keep her voice down.
Three soft knocks landed against the door.
Monet raised her head up, staring solemnly at the door, feeling her heart beat as she kept herself from moving or speaking, afraid of whom might be there.
"Monet?"
It was the Young Master! She sniffed, wiping her face to remove all traces of tears.
"Dear, I know you're in there…"
Though his voice was soft, Monet did what she could to fix herself up, getting up from her seat to make sure her hair was kept right, fixing it up and unaware that the doorknob was being turned. By the time she exhaled, she had turned to see that she was no longer the only one in the room, her captain having entered and taken a few steps into her nearly empty room.
He smiled at her, the same smile she had seen him briefly make before raising his glass at her. She looked away, taking a small step back, feeling some guilt in knowing she was responsible for creating such a delicate expression.
"People are asking why you've gone," she heard him say in almost a whisper. "This dinner was done with you in consideration."
Monet blushed. "My apologizes," she said. "I'm feeling…rather overwhelmed at the moment."
"Of course," he said. Monet felt some shock hearing the words. "But to run away…?"
He took another step towards her. Monet had nowhere else to go, the closed window was the only thing left for her to approach. She watched her captain kneel down, still large enough her to not have to look down on him, but at a level that she found almost inappropriate. He stared at her, and even though it was dark, somehow Monet could see through his colored shades and detect the pain he shared with her.
"I'm sorry," she said, feeling her emotions betray her as tears began to form at the corner of her eyes. Nevertheless, she forced a smile on her face, hoping it would ease the pain she saw in her Captain. "What will you have of me?" she asked.
His hand extended to the edge of her face, and he let a finger wipe away a falling tear. "Have courage," he said, "and face your crew as you are."
"Young Master?"
"Don't you see?" Doflamingo said, cleaning her face of any blemishes that Monet had missed, along with new ones forming and trailing down her face. "We only have each other. It's just you, me…and our family."
The woman sniffed, feeling her legs shake enough for her to sit back and rest on the seat. She watched her captain move, a reflex caused by worry. She sniffed again, feeling her lips tremble as she wondered how she was to face everyone else in such a state.
"Doffy," she cried. She felt his hands rest on her shoulder as she brought her own to wipe her face raw. "What am I supposed to do?" she asked, whimpering out the final words.
She did not expect him to chuckle. "You're going to go down there, red faced, and you're going to cry with everyone who's already begun," he said. "And when everyone's done with the waterworks…you'll get to have that final picturesque moment, so when you do leave, you'll have something real to remember."
Monet let her hands drop, only to be grabbed and held on to by her Captain. She stared, endearingly, the blush on her face no longer holding any shame for having expressed such emotions, now only filled with embarrassment for having thought so little of herself.
"You look best when you smile," he said to her. "But I'd rather have you red-faced and looking miserable than holding it all in." The large hand that held her two have a squeeze, and she watched her captain grin at her, the pain of giving her away for another mission ceasing, and him rising up, no longer kneeling, just enough to hide his expression from her. He stood up, taking her up with him. Monet felt him let go of her hands, leaving her to stand on her own and lead the way. "Do not forget," she heard him say from above, "who's responsibility it is to always appear strong."
Monet blinked, letting his words soothe her anxious soul. She would not admit it, but his words had affected her more deeply than what he could imagine. Her pride had gotten in the way. Her fear of being caught in a weakened state had caused her to forget the most important rule of being a member of such a remarkable crew.
"I wished I had made snowmen with Dellinger," she said, producing a small sad smile while walking over to the slightly ajar door.
"It's a little to late for that," Doflamingo replied, walking ahead of the girl with his long legs, opening the door the rest of the way for her, letting her pass him by with her currently less than graceful manner. She walked out of the room, looking up at him as he bent over and followed. He grinned widely at her. "But that doesn't mean we can't make hundreds of them when you get back." He bent his back, squeezing his way out of through the small doorframe, looking at her with a warm smile. "We'll make a holiday of it. After everything you've done, you deserve a nice holiday."
She looked up at him, smiling, keeping herself from crying anymore. She'd save that for when she had to face everyone downstairs.
"I'd like that," she said.
He watched her walk down the hall, getting a small head start. Doflamingo kept the smile on his face, feeling rather proud of himself that he managed to keep a cool face. He looked over at the door to Monet's room, grabbing the handle to close it, but not before getting one final peek inside, finding it almost uncanny and alien with how bare and empty it looked. But then he heard her call for him, her voice a soft echo in the halls, and Doflamingo turned away from the empty room, already taking a step towards the voice, letting the door slam shut behind him one final time.
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