One Piece is not mine. Definitely. If it were mine, I'd be rich, and be too busy spending my money, not wasting my time in the virtual world.
Boa Marigold, Aphelandra and Sweet Pea come to Margaret's room as Elder Nyon finishes preparing for Margaret's departure. "What is it, Elder Nyon? You told me not to inform my sister about one of Kuja's soldier's well-being." Mari asks straight to the point.
"Yes, princess. I'd like you to help us to keep it a very strict secret from other Kujas. I certainly don't want Hebihime to know, in particular,"
"Non sense," Mari refuses.
"Please hear me out, princess," Elder Nyon says. "And both of you shall accompany Margaret and not eavesdropping us, shan't you?" Elder Nyon glares to Aphelandra and Sweet Pea. The two girls blush and mutter something, but go right to Margaret's room.
"We need to get Margaret to the Pirate's camp right away," says Elder Nyon.
"What? Why?" asks Mari.
"She got the very same virus your sister got from Luffy. If we do not act immediately, when the Pirates depart, she'll surely die," explains Elder Nyon.
"Love? But, how could she get that? We forbade the pirates from entering the Kuja land, and I assume she knew better than came to their camp without permit from sister. Who's she in love with anyway?" Mari seems confused and annoyed with the whole love virus ordeal.
"It is Trafalgar Law. Margaret met him in the jungle while he was picking herbs. I don't think he did mean to break the rules. He was just stocking medicine herbs, I assume."
"And she could get the love virus just from that? Did she talk to him or anything?" Mari seems confused. This virus is surely a very dangerous one. One can actually get it without any meaningful interaction.
"Aah, yes of course Princess. There are soo many types of the virus. I believe the one Margaret got was the "love at the first sight virus"," answers Elder Nyon.
"Frightening," Mari says, shudders a little. Mari thinks for a moment. "So, you want me to help you cover for her absence during her staying there?"
"Yes, from Hebihime in particular. You must realize that Hebihime is so eager meeting Luffy. She'll do anything to get to see him. But, it cannot be done because everyone else wants to meet Luffy also, and she'll set a bad example if she goes to the pirates' camp. I bet she'll be very angry if she knows Margaret's staying. But, truly, I don't see any other way to save Margaret," Elder Nyon explains.
"Very well, then. I guess there's no other way. We must go immediately and secretly. I'll tell everyone that Margaret, Aphelandra, and Sweet Pea are in a special mission inside the jungle. The two girls must stay with you, Elder Nyon, and cannot be seen in the village for a while."
"That will do it," Elder Nyon agrees.
The sea is very blue and calm. Of course, it is the calm belt; Trafalgar Law breathes deeply the air of Amazon Lily's beach. He plays with Luffy's straw hat, lying relaxed; his mind is travelling far far away. He is enjoying the calmness of the island and in the background he can hear his men chattering, louder, getting more and more excited.
"Captain! Captain!" Law sees Sachi runs toward him, shouting very loudly. Damn these brats, I cannot even have a single moment of solitude! Law thinks. He watches as his nakamas are gathering in one certain spot, peeking through the curtain that limits their camp from the entire island. What's going on? Has Straw Hat finally overdone it and bleeding to die? He thinks.
"What is it?" he says calmly.
"The – the women, there are some of them outside the camp. Boy, they are very beautiful. They demanded to see you, Captain," Sachi seems very agitated. Damn, did the girl he met yesterday tell the other about his trespassing?
"Alright," Law stands up and walks toward the Kujas.
"Greeting, Trafalgar Law," Boa Marigold greets as soon as Law approaches the Kujas. There are four of them and the Old Lady who is apparently a former queen. He recognizes that one of them is the girl he met yesterday, but that girl doesn't seem well. Her face is as pale as ghost. Does she feel sorry about telling on him? Or, did they torture her to confess?
"Yes, what is it?" asks Law. Somehow he cannot imagine that these five ladies come here to scold him about his trespassing into their territory. It is more likely that they are here to seek for his help. Maybe the girl is really sick and somehow they think it's because of him.
"We are here to ask for your help," Mari says. The men of Heart Pirates are whispering chants from behind Law; peeking gleefully at the ladies. Well, he cannot blame his men, the ladies are indeed gorgeous. His sole attention however is to the girl he met yesterday. She watches him and he can almost feel her hugging him with her eyes. No kidding, Law scolds himself. It's indeed been quite sometimes since the last time he was with a woman. And what a beautiful girl she is. Not quite yet a woman, no, she is nothing like the Snake Princess, yet more tender and glowing with innocence. Law tries so hard to ignore her attention.
"Of course, my men and I will be glad to help, Princess," Law says sweetly. He can hear his men hissing like poisonous snakes behind him. It is not a common thing that their vicious captain so willingly and sweetly answers to a help plea. Damn them! Pirates or no pirates, it is a gentleman-like to help women in need, Bastards! Law promises heartily to give all of his men a piece of his scalpel.
"Well, I think it is you only that can help us," Mari seems reluctant to continue, and glances to the old lady.
"Yes, yes," the old lady understands her clue. "We would to ask you to take care of one of our soldiers, Margaret here!" she says, pointing to the pale goddess behind her. The referred seems like blushing, but Law cannot really tell because she is very pale. The two women that help her to stand seem not too sure whether it is a good idea to leave their precious friend to the hand of a pirates captain, one of the supernova he is. Law himself can tell that it is not the most brilliant idea in the world.
"Is she sick?" asks Law.
"She is indeed," answers to old lady. "She is extremely sick and in a lot of pain, captain. In fact, if not attended immediately, she will surely lose her life."
In one glance, an extremely talented doctor he is, Law can tell that Margaret – a beautiful name fits perfectly for her – is in no dangerous condition. Yet her pale complexion is a sign that she is not well. But don't they have a doctor in this island?
"I don't think it is a good idea. You'd better ask the doctor in your island to treat her. We don't have a special care room for a girl or something like that. And I don't think she will enjoy herself surrounded by filthy men like my nakamas here," Law says. Well, the only 'sterile' room they got on the ship is his room and operation room. But he cannot put her in one of them, can he? His men's hissing becomes louder.
"That is why we said that you are the only one we need. We need you to take care of her, personally," says the old lady. "You can put her in your room, right? It will be enough to ensure her well-being." The pirates heart's hissing turns to a sync loud voice "Eh?"
"What do you mean?" Law trades carefully. It seems like the Kujas are offering an offering for him, in the form of Margaret – isn't Margaret the flower of passion? – but they may speak a different language and a different culture, and the last thing he needs now is a Shichibukai aiming for his head. That is not funny at all.
"Well, just take care of her. Be nice, examine her health. She is sick after she met you, and we cannot risk whatever it is she got caught another girls," the old lady seems pissed.
"Are you sacrificing her?" asks Law. They will just abandon her to whatever fate she has with the pirates. How cruel they are.
Princess Marigold seems reluctant. "Well, Elder Nyon, I really don't think…"
"Margaret, you can say something about this too," Elder Nyon cuts Mari.
Suddenly the situation becomes dense. Everyone is watching over Margaret, waiting for her to make the decision of her life. Even the Heart Pirates men stay quiet.
"I – I want to stay here, with you, Law-sama," she speaks. "Please help me," she bows her head.
Law's face becomes gloomier than usual. Her dark eyes turn darker. He looks at Margaret and Margaret can feel all of her bones disappear from her body. Her knees become weak and she felt her face hot as blood rushing to her face.
Marigold, Aphelandra, Sweet Pea and Elder Nyon look at Margaret. She acts just the way Hebihime acts in front of Luffy, blushing and all.
"You want to stay here with me?" asks Law. "Until when?" he adds.
"I don't know. Until you tell me to leave," answers Margaret. She looks at Law with the eyes so filled with adoration, love and hope that the most cold-hearted pirates cannot ignore. Law himself almost blushes a little.
"Very well, if you say so then you can stay. Let me take you to your room," Law turns around and signs Margaret to follow him.
"You mean your room, right?" she asks. Suddenly she doesn't seem ill or sick at all. She jumps and follow Law gleefully, stops for a moment to wave happily to her dumbfounded companions. The heart pirate men are just as dumfounded. All of the others follow the strange couple with their eyes.
No citrus, eh? Well, not just yet, not just yet. But you did get the feeling it's coming, no? Yes, yes, in the next chapter. Citrusy Law x Margaret, don't we just love it?