Chapter 21- Juli's kindness knows no limits and the truth about Robin!
Juli slowly opened her eyes. She coughed as she breathed in smoke. 'W-what's going on?' Her eyes widened in realization as she remembered what happened. She slowly sat up, but then, pain seared through her left ankle. Juli looked at her ankle, just to see it was buried under debris. She bit on her lip and looked around the room, which was already burning in some corners and was almost black from the smoke. Juli narrowed her eyes in determination and slowly began to lift the debris from her ankle. As she finally freed her ankle, she noticed that it was sprained. She gritted her teeth in pain and slowly got up. Her vision blurred and she coughed from the smoke. 'I have to hurry! I have to get Iceberg-san, Paulie and whoever is in here out of here!'
Juli's eyes widened as something little white jumped onto her. She looked at Tyrannosaurus, who began to hide in her décolleté. Juli smiled softly. 'Thanks Tyrannosaurus. I will save Iceberg-san, don't worry!' In determination, she began to walk, but came to a sudden stop as she noticed that her dress was stuck under a big chunk of debris. She narrowed her eyes. 'I'm sorry, I just bought you dress, but…' And with that she ripped the piece that was stuck under the debris, off of it.
Juli rushed to Iceberg and Paulie, who were bound together in the middle of the room. She bit on her lip as the hot ground burned her naked feet, but she didn't have anytime to think about that and so concentrated on the task before her. She narrowed her eyes and cut through the rope with her fan. Juli looked at them in concern, as she noticed they were both badly hurt and unconscious. 'How do I get them out of here?!'
Suddenly, something under the debris moved and Chopper appeared.
"Chopper!" Juli shouted in surprise.
Chopper, in his reindeer form, breathed heavily and looked at her with determination, as he took Zoro's sword in his mouth. "J-Juli, I'm going to get you all out of here, so get on me!"
Juli narrowed her eyes as she looked at him. 'He's also badly hurt and he's just standing with his last strength…But there's no other way.' She sighed and took Iceberg and Paulie and slowly got onto Chopper's back. "I'm ready!"
And with that, Chopper ran towards the window and they crashed through it. But in midair, Chopper blacked out and Juli slipped from his back. She narrowed her eyes and pressed Iceberg and Paulie tightly onto her body, to shield them from the impact of the fall.
Juli almost screamed in pain as she landed on the ground with her back, where she was hurt before in the fight with Lucci. Her vision blurred and she blacked out for a moment.
The shipwrights, who tried to extinguish the fire gaped in surprise, as a reindeer and three person fell to the ground.
"That's Iceberg-san and Paulie!" One of them shouted in shock and relief.
"I'm so glad they're safe!"
One of them took Iceberg and Paulie away from Juli. "Isn't she one of the Strawhats?!" He shouted in surprise and anger as he looked at Juli.
"Yes, I saw her entering the building with Mugiwara earlier that day!"
Juli's eyelids began to flicker. 'Open your eyes Juli! You have to help them!' She slowly opened her eyes and coughed.
"She's awake!" One of the shipwrights shouted in alarm.
Juli slowly stood up, ignoring the pain she felt in her ankle, feet and back. She looked at the shipwrights and then at Paulie and Iceberg, who were still unconscious and not treated. She looked back at the shipwrights in determination. "Please let me help Iceberg-san and Paulie! I know how to do first aid!"
The shipwrights looked at her in disbelief and distrust.
"We can't trust you! You're one of the Strawhats!" One of them shouted at her.
The others mumbled in agreement.
Juli narrowed her eyes seriously and took a step forward in Iceberg's direction. "Please! I just want to help! If you want to, you can point a gun at my head while I'm treating them and if I do something suspicious, you can shoot! But if we let Iceberg-san and Paulie untreated they could die!" She slowly began to walk towards Iceberg.
At this moment, Iceberg opened his eyes, but nobody noticed that because they were too busy with whether to trust Juli or not.
The shipwrights looked at her uncertainly as she drew closer to Iceberg. One of them couldn't take it and stepped in front of her. "You will not go one step closer to Iceberg-san! We can't trust you."
Juli just looked at him for a moment before she tried to go around him.
"I SAID STOP!" The shipwright shouted and slapped her across the face.
Juli's eyes widened in surprise and she fell to the ground.
"Don't you dare to lay a hand on a woman again." Iceberg said seriously as he sat up.
"Iceberg-san, you're awake!" The crowd cheered.
Juli slowly sat up and looked at him in surprise. 'Iceberg-san…'
The man who slapped Juli looked at him in shock. "But she's one of the Strawhats…"
Iceberg glared at him. "That doesn't matter. The Strawhats are innocent, I made a mistake. And the one you just hurt isn't just an ordinary woman! You just hurt Princess Kurama Juli!"
"What?!" The crowd shouted in shock and looked at Juli, only now noticing the resemblance.
The man, who slapped Juli, began to sweat. "Ahhh…I-I'm sorry, Juli-sama!" He helped her getting up.
Juli smiled softly and shook her head. "It's okay. You were in shock and you were only worried about Iceberg-san's safety. I was a bit too forward. If someone had to apologize, it's me." She smiled at him in apology.
The man blushed and began to cry anime tears before he sank to the ground and bowed to her. "I'm so so so so so so so so sorry!"
Juli shook her head in fondness, walked towards Iceberg and knelt down next to him. "How are you feeling?" She looked at him in concern.
Iceberg shook his head. "I'm fine, Juli-hime… Treat Paulie first, he's the most hurt."
Juli looked at him softly. "You don't have to lie to me. I know you are the most hurt and that's why I will treat you first!"
Iceberg sighed. 'Looks like I can't argue with her…' His eyes widened and he blushed heavily as suddenly Tyrannosaurus jumped out of Juli's décolleté.
Juli giggled amused as she saw Iceberg's surprised expression. "I forgot that Tyrannosaurus was there." She shook her head. "But that doesn't matter now… Please let me look at your wounds."
Iceberg sighed and let her look at his wounds. "I didn't know you could do first aid, Juli-hime…"
Juli smiled at him softly, before looking back at his wounds. "I learned it for the sake of the villagers on Seinaru. We only had one doctor and the healing powers of the hot springs… But I soon noticed that this wasn't enough and that's why I learned first aid."
Iceberg smiled. "That's really admirable."
Juli giggled. "Thanks." She looked at the shipwrights. "Anyway, I need some alcohol. By chance, has someone some alcohol here?"
One man stepped forward and gave her a bottle. "Here, Juli-hime. Please treat Iceberg-san."
Juli accepted the alcohol and shook her head. "I'm doing what I can…But I'm not a doctor, so…"
"It's fine. We really appreciate this." One of them said gratefully.
Juli narrowed her eyes as she looked back at Iceberg. "I will disinfect your wounds now. That will hurt a bit."
Iceberg sighed. "Okay. I'm ready." His eyes widened in shock and surprise, as Juli ripped off a huge piece of her dress, so it was now short. "What are you doing?!" He shouted at her in shock.
Juli looked at him confused. "I need something to bandage your wounds. And this dress was already torn so…" She shrugged.
Iceberg shook his head. 'I have never met a woman who would willingly destroy her clothes…Even if it's to save somebody… She truly is something else…' He smiled softly as Juli bandaged his wounds.
A few moments later…
"So…Finished!" Juli said cheerfully as she bandaged Iceberg's last wound.
"Thank you, Juli-hime." Iceberg said gratefully and slowly sat up.
Juli smiled brightly. "No problem. However, can I take a look at Paulie's wounds now?"
Iceberg looked at her as she got up. "Sure." He narrowed his eyes as he noticed how Juli limped a bit when she walked. "But you should rest too, especially when you're hurt as well."
Juli turned around and looked at him in surprise before smiling softly. "Oh, you mean my ankle? It's nothing." She knelt down besides Paulie and began to look at his wounds.
Iceberg shook his head in fondness as he petted Tyrannosaurus. 'She's far too kind…She should worry about herself and her nakama first and not about some people she only met a few days ago, even if they're more hurt than her nakama…'
Juli narrowed her eyes as she looked at a deep wound on Paulie's chest. "Iceberg-san…This wound here is really deep. Can I take off his shirt so I can take a better look at the wound?"
Iceberg shrugged. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind it." 'I hope… But it's only to help him, so I'm sure it's okay…'
Juli slowly took his shirt off and then began to disinfect the wound and bandaged it.
That was the moment, Paulie slowly woke up and opened his eyes, just to come face to face with Juli's décolleté. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!" He blushed heavily and moved away from her.
"Kyaaa!" Juli shouted in surprise and blinked in confusion at the red faced Paulie. "Oh, you're awake." She smiled at him softly.
Paulie blushed more as he noticed that she took of his shirt. Then, he noticed that her dress was now short. "AND DRESS PROPERLY WHEN MEN ARE AROUND!"
Iceberg sighed. "Paulie. Juli-hime sacrificed her dress to bandage our wounds."
Paulie's eyes widened in surprise as he looked at Iceberg. "Iceberg-san, you're alright. What a relief…" Just then, he looked at the bandages around his torso. 'It's true. The bandages are the same fabric as her dress…' He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry."
Juli smiled cheerily. "It's fine Paulie."
Suddenly a murmur went through the crowd. "The girl from the Strawhats woke up."
Juli's eyes widened and she stood up and rushed towards Nami. "Nami! Are you okay?"
Nami blinked in surprise and looked at her as she sat up. "Oh Juli. You're alright, what a relief." She sighed.
Iceberg and Paulie walked towards them, too.
Iceberg sighed. "Now that she's awake too…" He looked at the shipwrights. "I want to speak with these two in private. Paulie, you can stay too."
The shipwrights looked at him surprised before walking away.
"What's wrong, Iceberg-san?" Juli looked at him in confusion.
"Yes. I want to know what's going on too." Paulie looked at him.
"Well…" Iceberg sighed. "First of all, I want to apologize to you Strawhats. I had you all wrongly accused. I'll clear everything up later."
Paulie looked at him surprised. Nami just looked at him.
Juli smiled softly. "It's okay."
Iceberg sighed. "And, I want to talk about Nico Robin."
"Do you know something?" Nami looked at him surprised.
"Has she acted strange since coming here?" Iceberg looked at them seriously.
Juli furrowed her brows in thought. 'What is he getting to?'
"Yes, and quite suddenly. After we went into town she disappeared mysteriously. And then, this morning, she was identified as your attempted murderer." Nami summarized.
"Yes. And when we finally found her she said she wants to leave our crew forever, even when I could feel that she didn't really want to leave. It felt more like she has to leave our crew …" Juli looked to the ground sadly. "I couldn't really figure out more…"
Nami clenched her fist sadly as she remembered what Robin said to them. "What is the goal she can't achieve by staying with us?"
Iceberg narrowed his eyes. "Let me tell you what I know."
Juli and Nami looked at him surprised.
"It was probably when you first lost sight of her. At that time, the Government's plan were already in motion. There is, of course, a reason behind her actions. But before I get to that…you have to know that both, Nico Robin and I…have the means to resurrect an ancient weapon capable of destroying the world!"
"What?!" Paulie shouted in shock. 'That's what these blueprints were for…'
"The world…?" Nami asked utterly shocked.
"That's right." Iceberg said seriously.
'…Ancient weapon…?' Juli's eyes widened as she began to remember something. Her hair shadowed her eyes and she began to breathe heavily.
*Flashback*
15 years ago on Seinaru…
…Juli is three years old…
Juli looked in fright around the corner, where her mother, Queen Kurama Rose, argued with someone from the Government.
"Please understand, Queen Rose, the Government only does this for the sake of the world and to achieve peace." The official said seriously.
"No! You've got to be kidding me! What nerves do you World Government agents have to come to my island and ask me something so ridiculous like this!" Rose shouted at him. "I want you to leave my island now! And never come back! You have no right to claim the power of the Engeru pasu as yours! It was inherited in our family for generations and I will not change that, only so that you can use this power for your twisted sense of justice!"
"Please understand, we-" The Government agent tried to reason.
"No! Leave my island now! And I never want to see one of your kind here!" And with that, Kurama Rose slammed the door shut. She breathed heavily, sank to the ground and began to cry.
Juli's eyes widened. "Mama!" She shouted and rushed towards her.
Rose looked at her surprised. "Juli…Did you hear everything?"
Juli nodded with tears in her eyes.
Rose looked at her softly and hugged her. "Shhh…It's okay. They will not take you away from me, just because they think you're the child of the prophecy… Nobody can tell if you can use the Engeru pasu power one day or not. We just have to wait and see for that okay?" She smiled at her softly and wiped her tears away. "And if it's really true and you can use the power, always remember, you're not a weapon! Just do what is right and everything will go the way it has to. And no matter what happens, I will always love you." She kissed Juli's forehead and then took her in her arms. "Now, what to do you think about a trip to the Holy Forest?"
Rose smiled brightly as Juli cheered.
*Flashback…end*
"Juli?"
"Juli-hime!"
"Juli?!"
Juli heard voices calling for her. She opened her eyes and tried to even her breathing. Just then she noticed that Paulie, Nami and Iceberg looking at her in concern.
"Is everything okay?" Iceberg asked her.
Juli blinked and then nodded. "Yes…I'm sorry."
Nami laid a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, we are all a bit emotional." Nami smiled at her softly.
Juli blinked confused. "What do you mean?"
"Didn't you notice?" Paulie said softly. "You are crying."
Juli's eyes widened in surprise and she wiped her tears away. 'I was crying?... This is the first time I remembered that…memory. What did Mama mean with weapon?' She shook her head and dispelled her thoughts and took a deep breath. 'Now is not the time to think about that!'
"Do you feel better now?" Nami asked her softly.
Juli nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry, Iceberg-san, you can continue." She looked at him seriously.
Iceberg nodded seriously. "Okay. Where did I stop…Oh right… Nico Robin told me that she joined CP-9 to save you, the Strawhat Pirates, from a Buster Call, which would have happened if she didn't do what they said."
Juli's eyes widened in shock. "A Buster Call?!" She closed her eyes sadly. "Now I understand why she did it…She sacrificed herself for our sake…"
Nami looked at her in shock and confusion. "What do you mean with that?! What is a Buster Call?"
Juli narrowed her eyes. "A Buster Call is an order that summons five Vice Admirals from Marine Headquarters along with ten battleships."
Nami's eyes widened utterly shocked. "No…way…"
Paulie shook his head angrily. "These marines are really overdoing it… For one Pirate crew so much military power?! That's overkill."
Iceberg sighed and narrowed his eyes seriously. "She also told me that she survived the past twenty years on the run because she had nobody to protect and there's no way she could betray you now because she loves your crew. You all gave her back the happiness she has forgotten, the dream she had given up on."
Nami got tears in her eyes. "Robin…"
Juli looked sadly to the ground.
"When I asked her what her wish is she said: To allow the other seven Strawhats to leave this island unharmed!" Iceberg looked seriously at Juli and Nami. "There you have it. She put you seven before anything. Including the lifes of everyone in the world!"
Nami began to cry in relief. "She did it for us…I'm so relieved! She didn't betray us after all!"
Juli hugged her. "I'm glad too, Nami… But now, we have to save Robin! There's no way Lu would let her sacrifice herself like this!" She said determined.
Iceberg and Paulie looked at her surprised.
Nami wiped her tears away. "You're right! We have to tell everybody!" She jumped up enthusiastically and stormed towards Chopper.
Juli giggled and followed after her. "Thanks for telling us that, Iceberg-san."
"W-wait!" Iceberg said in shock. "The others were beaten up too! What more can you do?!"
Nami stopped. "What more? This is only the beginning!" She clenched her fist determined. "Luffy and the others are going to be fine! They don't get beaten so easily!"
Juli giggled in amusement at Iceberg's utterly surprised expression. "True! We're going to save Robin!" She smiled brightly. "Once they know they have to save her…our strength will know no bounds!"
"Yes! Chopper!" Nami continued running, while shouting his name.
Paulie looked surprised after them and took a deep breath from his cigar. 'They sure are determined…Maybe I should help them.'
Iceberg still looked utterly shocked and surprised at Juli before smiling. 'Looks like everything she told me is true…' He thought in amusement as he saw how Nami began to hit Chopper, to wake him up.
Juli sighed fondly. "Nami, please stop. This isn't going to work…"
Iceberg shook his head in fondness as he saw how Juli and Nami interacted with each other. 'What a crew…I can understand now why Juli has decided to stay with them.'
"I have never seen a Pirate Crew like that." Paulie looked amused at Iceberg.
Iceberg smirked as he petted Tyrannosaurus. "You are right Paulie, they're pretty extraordinary, huh?"
Hey guys! So that was Chapter 21. How did you like it? :) Anyway, what do you guys think about Juli's flashback? And even after getting so much injuries, Juli just thinks about others. :3
Next chapter is going to be exciting and interesting, I hope you are eager! ;) Oh and a little spoiler alert: It includes more Juli x Paulie fluff and some Juzo (Juli x Zoro) fluff, yay! :D See you then! ;)
Seinaru = holy
Engeru pasu = Angels path
Reviews
'ZabuzasGirl': Wonderful!
Update immediately, please!
Thanks! I will update this week, so please be patient. :)
'Queen Dove': Aww Julie is a complete doll I really can't wait to see what happens next umm sorry to bring this up a chapter late me fuming at Lucci kinda got me off track I wanted to ask how she is able to track if Blackbeard is near I mean I know she has her ability but how is her bond to him so strong? Is it fear and her abilities just trying to protect her? Sorry if I'm thinking too much on this have a wonderful day
Yes, Juli is such an adorable cutie :3 And no problem, if you have questions just ask, I'm not going to be offended. :) Juli isn't really able to track Blackbeards exact location, she just knows he is near...(It will later be explained exactly why she knows he is near her, so be patient for the explaining.) For her sensing he is doing something evil: For the most part it's her fear and because of her fear, her ability is trying to warn her. I hope I answered your questions for now and more is going to be revealed after Enies Lobby arc and bringing Robin back. ;) Have an awesome day :D