A/N: Hello lovelies! Can't believe I am on the 10thchapter!
I decided to give Vivi's mother a bit of a background here and the story will shift to another island to reunite with someone special:)
If you have the time, check out the gorgeous fanart for this story on the celestialbonds tumblr:)
Chapter X: Dreams & Anniversaries
Two days have passed since their dramatic departure from Jaya, and Vivi still couldn't shake off the mental imprint of her nocturnal adventure in that godforsaken pirate town.
Thankfully, Mr.9 regained his consciousness and was able to move about, albeit at a slower pace. Much to his annoyance, Vivi banned him from performing any of his acrobatic exercises. So he spent most of the time sulking in his cabin or the galley. At least that's how Vivi interpreted his behaviour.
What she didn't know, however, was that Mr.9 kept an eye on her too, and he did not like what he saw at all. He hid all copies of News Coo onboard and even shooed the Delivery Seagull whenever he or Carue caught sight of it. He did not want to aggravate Vivi's current state.
Plagued by insomnia, the Princess spent the past few days glued to the helm. Her mind never ceased to stop its cycle of vivid visualisations. Images of Alabasta flashed through her head. Derelict buildings, gravely injured people, fires and explosions or even worse. Blood and sand covered the streets of the once glorious ports and cities.
It all seemed so real to her. What if it is?! Why aren't the newspapers being delivered?!
On the first night, she tried to contact Igaram, but he never answered his transponder. Maybe he's in Alabasta by now...but wouldn't he try to reach me? What if-if he's dead? Or severely injured?
By the second day, she struggled to discern reality from her imagination. Fearing that they may stray off course, she did not leave her post for food or drink.
That was the final straw for Mr.9. He couldn't help but feel pity for her predicament, but she was pushing herself too far.
Everybody has their physical limits, after all, he thought sadly, fearing for his friend's wellbeing. And that's who she was to him now. A friend. They forged a bond over the past four years. One of true friendship and he hated to see her like this.
Thus Mr.9 decided to take matters into his own hands.
He took a little sachet with pink powder from a cupboard in the galley and sprinkled its contents into a cup of tea he brewed for Vivi. He dubbed it his "Ultimate Beauty Sleep Formula."
Forgive me, Miss Wednesday, but this is for your own good.
Adding a dollop of honey to counteract the bitterness of his "medicine", he carefully mixed the concoction and placed it on a tray with some dried fruit.
Hopefully, this will do the trick.
Walking to the bridge of the yacht, where Vivi monitored their course, Mr.9 motioned for Carue to approach him.
He left the tray on an end table and turned to Carue.
"Make sure she finishes this tea!" he whispered.
The sad fellow quietly saluted him in response and went back to his mistress' side.
Meanwhile, Mr.9 stealthily tiptoed back to his cabin. He didn't want Vivi to catch him sneaking out of bed at this hour. Ironically she set a fixed curfew for him, while slowly ruining her health at the helm.
Carue gently nudged the Princess' shoulder with his beak. Vivi turned around to face him, her dark under eye circles and sunken cheeks made for a lamentable sight.
"What is it Carue? Is it Mr.9? Is he okay?" she asked in a panicked voice.
Carue simply pointed his wing to the door where Mr.9 left the tray with his signature "refreshments."
Feeling guilty for not giving her "crew members" enough care and attention over the past few days, Vivi picked up the tray. She smiled weakly at its contents, before bringing it over to her chair.
Pausing for a little break, she sipped on the tea and had some fruit while Carue hovered over her.
"Don't worry I am not hungry. By my calculations, we should be home in five days Carue!" she tried to smile, but Carue folded his wings and shook his head.
"I promise I'll finish it later."
But upon seeing his sad expression, Vivi sighed.
"Alright, I give in. You win."
Vivi finished the tea along with the fruit plate. She wrote a thank you note to Mr.9 and asked Carue to take it back, before returning to the steering wheel.
It feels so warm here, must be the hot tea...
Her body relaxed, and she drifted off into a peaceful slumber.
Opening her eyes, Vivi was greeted by the bright rays of a midday sun. Its warmth caressed her skin; with her mind still half-asleep, she felt safe.
Mmm...I guess this is what a mother's embrace feels like.
For the first time, in what must have been years, Vivi dreamt of her mother. She didn't have many memories of her, whatever recollections she possessed, consisted of blurred fragments.
It used to frustrate her that she couldn't remember her mother's face. That was until her father told her to look in the mirror.
"Your mother lives on, in you. You don't need to remember her face because you two are so alike. She would have hated to see you blame yourself for not remembering her. She treasured you above all else, never forget that."
Surprisingly in Vivi's dream, her mother was alive and smiling. Her visage was as clear as what the Princess saw in the portraits and photographs scattered throughout the palace in Alubarna.
She was strolling through the streets of her homeland, Water 7, with a little Vivi in tow. Even though Vivi had never been to the famous shipbuilding island herself, she had a rough idea of how it looked like, thanks to her textbooks, postcards and magazines.
As happy as her dream was, remembering it somehow triggered the young woman's cycle of worries.
In an instant, her mind was on alert.
"Why am I here?" she mused aloud. Throwing her fluffy covers off her body, Vivi shot up from her bed.
How did I even get here?! This must be Mr.9's doing; I guess I worried him a lot huh?
She walked into her bathroom and ran the shower. Standing under the lukewarm water, she closed her eyes. As the water's temperature slowly crept up, Vivi's tense muscles and aching body gradually relaxed.
And her thoughts went back to her mother.
She knew that both of her parents shared a common political belief: real power lay with the wellbeing and satisfaction of a country's people. Values that her Father instilled in her from an early age.
Titi Nefertari came from the noble line of the last Doge (a/n: the title of the leader/magistrate of Venice in the past) of Water 7.
But Igaram often told Vivi, that the Queen was proud of her homeland. Mainly because all the nobles there, willingly gave up their titles and privileges. Thereby letting the people have a say in how their city was governed.
Mother would probably prioritise stability and peace, even if that meant tearing down ancient traditions and beliefs.
What if father abdicates the throne and we end the Nefertari rule? That could pacify our people and send a strong message to the rebels. Surely he'd agree to it?
Vivi thought he would, but not during such an unstable period, when many people still saw him as a beacon of hope. For some reason, it reminded her of that eccentric man's words.
She squeezed her body sponge in anger.
"The Nefertaris were just as power hungry as the Celestial Dragons if n-" his low voice mocked her even now.
I NEED TO STOP THINKING ABOUT THAT! He was judging my family by his own standards...or his personal experience?
Rinsing the remaining soapy suds off her skin, Vivi stepped out of the shower.
Remembering Donquixote Doflamingo was perhaps the least productive she could be doing now. And yet, she couldn't deny his strength and power.
He obviously has a much better chance of defeating Crocodile than I ever will. If he took care of Crocodile, then there will be no war in Alabasta. Our people will be safe. But then I would have to...NO! This is just another ploy for him to build his own empire!
The thought alone made Vivi uncomfortable, even in her role as Miss Wednesday she could barely flirt with the opposite gender, let alone sleep with them. Especially not with someone like that overly ambitious Shichibukai!
She walked up to the mirrored cabinet above the sink.
But what if Kohza doesn't believe me? What will I do then?
She wanted to curse Doflamingo, for cruelly planting the poisonous seed of doubt in her mind.
She stared at her own reflection for a few minutes, as if searching for an answer.
"Mother, what would you do?"
Pondering the answer to her own question, Vivi pressed her forehead against the cold surface of the mirror.
Shall I end our dynasty and give it all up like you did in Water 7? If they don't believe me and go to war...do I have to go for that man's...never!
I can unite the rebels and the Royal forces myself! I have to try at least...right?
After days of stress, her frustration threatened to consume whatever was left of her fragile hope.
Meanwhile on another island...
On this particularly sunny afternoon, the beautifully paved streets and arcades of Water 7 were bustling with even more activity than usual. The preparations for the upcoming celebrations in honour of the city's first elected leader were underway.
A great number of people were out and about, running various errands or simply enjoying the festive atmosphere. The air was filled with appetising aromas from a myriad of food stalls and shops that dotted this prosperous city.
The light breeze carried these delicious scents into the windows of the surrounding buildings. One of the buildings happened to house the office of a certain architect.
Although calling it an office was a bit of a stretch given its current condition...
Neither the vaulted ceilings, with their intricate frescoes, nor the luxurious furnishings, could detract from the chaotic mess of epic proportions, that was present in virtually every part of this large room.
Dustbins overflowed with crumpled papers of failed sketches, and multiple ashtrays were filled to the brim with cigarette butts.
A used fire extinguisher lay on a large wooden desk. Its polished surface was covered in binders, files and even more papers.
The walls were lined with tall, dark cherrywood bookcases, an oval coffee table of the finest marble, stood in the centre of the room. It faced a ridiculously long, white leather sofa, currently occupied by none other than the Grand Architect of Water 7 himself.
His short-lived afternoon nap left him feeling even more exhausted than before. Shielding his face from the sunlight, which streamed through the large windows of his study, with a fresh copy of News Coo, Donquixote Rosinante did not share the jovial mood of the crowds outside.
The date of this day was as important to him as it was to the residents of Water 7, but for an entirely different reason. On this day, 33 years ago he lost his mother.
How ironic, he thought sadly, but then irony seemed to be a recurring attribute of his life.
He sighed.
His sweet, gentle and caring mother. Even though he was a mere six years old when she passed away, he would never forget the few precious moments he had with her. Her loving embraces, the smooth melodic voice she used to sing him his lullabies and her scent-a calming combination of fresh roses and bergamot.
It always brought him great comfort. So much so, that he would venture into the markets of Water 7 to purchase bouquets of roses and jars of bergamot jam or candles, at least twice a month. Just to remind himself of that incredible woman he had the blessing to have as a mother.
The shopkeepers, blissfully unaware of the reason for his routine purchases, would joke that his wife or girlfriend was a fortunate woman. He would nod in response and go back home; put on his mother's favourite music and close his eyes letting the nostalgic combination envelop his senses.
He often wondered what his parents would make of his life now?
Like a chameleon, he adapted and changed to suit his environment for most of his adult life.
But after the last encounter with his brother, it dawned upon him that he can't live in the shadow of other people. Especially when Law needed him, for his sake, Rosinante wanted to change.
I made a blunder out of that one too, didn't I? I tried to stop one criminal only to raise another.
He was inspired by Law's fervent lectures on how he can't live the life of a glorified babysitter.
"I am an adult now, and it's time you lived for yourself Cora-San."
He tried to follow the young man's advice.
What did Law say about it again? Ah yes, "You get even more sentimental with age Cora-san. Not a good thing you know."
He's so blunt, Rosinante smiled at his adoptive son's words.
Thus the former Marine reluctantly agreed and pursued his studies in architecture, much to Law's relief and encouragement. He always admired that combination of practicality, aesthetics and shelter that various constructions could offer to people.
Then three years ago, Water 7 announced a competition to select an architect for their city, the winner could establish his own firm that will work with the famous Galley-La Company. Rosinante wanted to participate. But he feared that drawing the attention of the Marines and his brother, might endanger Law.
"Cora-san, I am a not a child anymore. Besides the Marines are after me anyway, and you never legally adopted me for the same reason. So they probably don't even know about our connection. I want you to get this job, and it can protect you from Joker...until I can kill him."
Rosinante flinched at the thought, but nothing he said or did, could convince the young man to give up his goal. Secretly, he had hoped that his brother was content with being a King of Dressrosa and wouldn't go any further. But of course, deep down he knew that it was just wishful thinking on his part.
Although Law was right on one thing, few people would want to harm someone in the official service of Water 7. At least not the people who still wanted to be supplied with the finest ships in the world. And that included plenty of influential people.
So Rosinante jumped at the opportunity when he won the competition. Working with the legendary Galley-La and the genius Mayor allowed him to hone his skills like never before.
He gained access to some invaluable information here that could change the world as they knew it.
Would they make the right use of it?
Peeling the newspaper off his face, he wasn't sure if he should laugh or be ashamed of himself for raising another criminal. The headline read: "The Top 10 Most Dangerous Rookies in the World." Unsurprisingly Law made it to the top 3, right after Eustass Kidd and Monkey D. Luffy.
Something about this other D. boy looks very familiar hmmm..
Rosinante ran his fingers through his loose slicked back hair. With a pensive expression on his face, he continued to read the paper.
The article quoted the Fleet Admiral on the dangers that this younger generation of pirates posed to the world.
Sengoku-san, always the worrywart. Rosinante sighed, he missed that man, but for the life of him, he could not bring himself to face him again.
How can I, after all, that's happened? I betrayed everything he stood for.
Thirteen years ago the world left him for dead, and he forced himself to accept that reality. Back then he thought it was for the best. A lot of things happened along the way, he eventually established his architectural firm and only managed to track Law down six years ago. He deeply regretted it, because he believed that had he found Law earlier, the latter wouldn't become a pirate.
"Don't bother. I will always be on the opposing side of this government. I will never forget my roots." the boy, well young man by then, told him as a matter-of-factly. And who could blame him? Rosinante thought bitterly.
He got up into a sitting position, fancying a cup of cold (courtesy of his staff) coffee he reached for the jug, dropping the newspaper on the floor along the way. Just when his fingers reached the metallic handle of the coffee jug, the transponder snail on his desk rang out.
"Pere-pere-pere"
Startled by the sound, Rosinante tipped the jug, and all of its contents spilt out onto some of his sketches on the coffee table.
"Shit!" he cursed angrily at his clumsiness. Even bullets couldn't eradicate that habit of his.
Thank you Doffy for trying at least, he thought sarcastically.
These days he tried to shun all thoughts of his brother, but it was a difficult task. Especially now that Law was inching closer and closer to the New World and his brother's dominion.
Abandoning his "sketch-salvage" operation, he limped towards the transponder on his desk, tripping along the way. He grabbed the speaker with his hand as he lay sprawled out on the carpet at the foot of the desk.
"Hello, Rosinante-san, I wanted to show you the updated blueprints. Could you come by my office in an hour or so?" a smooth, masculine voice inquired.
"Hello Iceburg, certainly, see you there," Rosinante responded professionally.
"Thank you. I will tell Kalifa to meet you at the entrance and help you get here. See you." Iceburg hung up.
For a number of reasons known only to himself, Rocinante was not particularly fond of Iceburg's secretary and a few of his other illustrious employees at Galley-La. Thus he dreaded visiting his business partner's workplace, but put up with it for the sake of their missions. One, to secure Water 7 from the devastating Aqua Laguna. Two, ah this one can wait for now...
Sunset was on the horizon by the time Rosinante reached Iceburg's office, Kalifa was unusually silent that day. He didn't mind that, he was always extra cautious around her, lest she accuses him of "sexual harassment" over the smallest things. Like a simple "hello."
How does Iceburg put up with her?
He found the purple-haired man at his office, poring over blueprints, making never-ending adjustments and improvements along the way.
Rosinante admired the man for his work ethic and an ingenious approach to his creations.
He knew better than to distract the shipwright maestro in moments like this, so he decided to have a look around his office. It was filled with books, maps and various instruments of his trade.
A few photos of a much younger Iceburg caught Rosinante's attention. On one picture a teenaged Iceburg had his arm around a laughing boy with bright blue hair.
On another photo, he was pictured standing in front of one of the local palazzos with a small girl with long, wavy blue hair. The shipwright looked like he was about five or six in that photo.
Hmm, maybe they're his siblings? Come to think of it I've never heard anything about his family.
"Rocinante-san, I'm sorry I was eh...caught up over there." Iceburg gestured to his blueprints.
"No problem, I was looking at your photos here. I didn't know you had any siblings Iceburg!"
"I don't, that's the infamous Franky right there-" noting Rosinante's surprise, Iceburg laughed, "Ah yes, we were both Tom's apprentices. Though Franky chose a different path..." he sighed.
"I would have never guessed," Rocinante said in wonder.
"Few would! And the little girl on the other photo is an old childhood friend of mine." Iceburg smiled warmly.
"Does she still live in Water 7?"
"She's dead," Iceburg replied bluntly.
"I'm so sorry for bringing that up." Rosinante was embarrassed by his tactlessness.
"It's alright. Titi died many years ago. Unfortunately, her daughter disappeared more recently; you may have heard of that. It was all over the news a little while ago." Iceburg said quietly.
"Can't say I have. But what a tragedy."
"Yes, poor Cobra is distraught and now with that crisis in Alabasta...I wish I could help him find his daughter, but the Aqua Laguna is coming soon so... " Iceburg rubbed his neck.
"Terrible...wait, what? Are you talking about the Nefertari Princess?!"
That poor girl, she was probably kidnapped by pirates or eliminated by her father's enemies.
"Yes, I was hoping to invite her to our Carnival this year and show her around her mother's hometown. But alas, she's still missing. I did ask our ship patrols to keep an eye out for her, who knows? Maybe she snuck out here?" Iceburg smiled sadly.
Rosinante simply nodded in response.
Knowing all too well the pain of losing a loved one, he pitied the Alabastan King. But Rosinante's life also taught him one simple truth: it goes on. He did have a mission here after all. His biggest one yet. I can't afford to fail this one.
Sighing Rosinante, took a look at some of the blueprints on Iceburg's work desk.
"This is impressive. These automated beams will go underground yes? That way the buildings will have solid support when the city floats on water." Rosinante shared his view as he changed the subject.
"Ah, you've noticed, I am not sure how the older buildings can be modified to accommodate them," Iceburg explained.
"Leave it to us; I will consult with the Planning Bureau and see if they have more detailed plans of the city in their archives."
Rosinante had his reservations about this project, but he was willing to make radical changes to this city to ensure its survival.
"Ultimately, we may have to tear down some of the older districts and partially remodel the cultural venues. I think that the people will be more receptive to this idea if they heard it from you first. Not us." the Grand Architect reasoned.
"Surely there must be a less...destructive way to secure the buildings to our floating foundation?" Iceburg did not like where this was going.
He opened the door to his office and stuck his head out, "Kalifa, cancel all my remaining appointments for today and call Paulie here."
"But they need you at the inauguration ceremony tonight!" the secretary protested.
"Eugh, I don't wanna. I need to make some amendments." Iceburg shut the door.
Rosinante yawned. Iceburg clearing his schedule to make "amendments" could only mean one thing.
Together with Paulie, they will be staying here all through the night. Arguing, planning, sketching, going through hundreds of papers in the process. Stretching his neck and rolling his shoulders, Rosinante smiled. These moments were some of his most productive and eye-opening ones.
He loved them.
Yes, life goes on, he thought sadly, even on a day that coincided with a tragic anniversary from his distant past.
A/N: What do you think of Roci's new role? I hope I did his character justice, as he is one of my personal favourites!