19

I'm going to be a marine.

After the shock had eventually dissolved and they had finally calmed down and properly digest the fact, Emilia's decision.
The statement triggered two different reaction from the two boys.

Luffy would always be stuck with Emilia. The boy would never leave her side saying that he was going to spend as much time as possible with Emilia. Look at Emilia you'll see Luffy. Kitchen? He was there. Bed? He was there. Toilet? He would be near the door like a overly attached dog waiting for his owner.

On occasions the boy would hug Emilia and give a pout asking, "You're really going to be a marine?" Which made Emilia's resolve flatter abit. The girl would then have to shake her head to vanish thoughts which went against the decision. Emilia would then smile and simply say, "I'm sorry."

However on the other hand, Ace would ignore her and avoid her as much as possible. Every time Emilia would catch Ace looking at her, there would always be a frowning face, seemingly fuming with anger and disappointment. The only time they would share the same room would probably be the bed room and living room; that also Ace would eat really fast and just go outside making a heavy feeling develop in Emilia.

But then Emilia could understand why Ace felt that say. It's seemed as if he was saying "You're going to be part of the organization which killed Sabo?!".

Celestial Dragon... Just the name made Emilia frown. The people who are said to be similar to God's, yet have so sympathy and looks down And discriminate humans. And honestly just the fact that she may be someone assigned to protect them when she turns into a marine gave her an headache.

A few weeks had passed but still Ace kept on avoiding Emilia. At first she thought that he might get sick of this avoiding game but she was proven otherwise. Even the bandits tried to resolve the matter between them since they said that the air when ever Emilia and Ace were together was suffocating. It was as if Ace had gone back to the time when they had first met if not worse.

Emilia sighed as she looked at Ace in front of her, who was carrying the deer for lunch. He did help in capturing it and the trio still had a perfect coordination in capturing their prey but still then he refused to talk to her.

"Ace!" Luffy who was beside her called out. "You're still not going to talk to Emilia?" Leave it to Luffy to always ask questions which people usually avoid. The small rubber boy did the same thing a few months ago, when he asked Ace if his father was really Roger, thoughtlessly. And of course that triggered the wrath of Ace.

"Shut up Luffy!" Ace shouted still not facing their direction and walked quietly back to their place even though Luffy kept on asking the reason why.

Soon enough they did reach back home and Emilia went straight into the kitchen and went to make some lunch, followed by Luffy of course. After she was done some bandits came and set the table.

Everyone quietly ate their lunch with their eyes wandering between Ace and Emilia.

"I'm done." Ace broke the silence and picked up his dishes, placed them in the sink and went outside.

Dogra sighed at the scene. "You guys are still fighting?" He sighed looking at Emilia who was staring at the door which was now closed after Ace went away.

Emilia simply smiled. "We are not fighting." Her heart ached when Ace kept on ignoring her and to be honest even though they saw each other daily Emilia missed him. She missed his smile, she missed talking to him ,she missed his presence...

"Did he really take you being a marine that bad?" This time Dadan was the one who asked. When Emilia first told them her future plans everytime was shocked but after a while they eventually accepted it and moved on with their daily lives except for Ace.

"I guess."

Silence took over the room but it wasn't maintained as a rather loud sound of someone shouting was heard.

"This presence..." Emilia almost laughed. It's as if the person knew what was going on in her mind and had come to retrieve her.

"Who is it?" Luffy who was having his second or maybe third share asked, as he kept on eating. The bandits who were in the room and some in the kitchen ,which was attached to the living room, washing the plates also looked at Emilia curiously.

"Garp-san."

"GYAHAHAH!" Just as Emilia said those words the man came through the doors making a rather loud entrance. "How are you, brats?!"

"Geh! Grandpa?!" Luffy exclaimed in surprise.

"Hmmm?" Garp made a confused sound. "Where are the other two?" He asked.

This made everyone go silent.

"Sabo..." Emilia was the one who started. "He passed away..." After that she started explaining everything to the old man.

"I see..." Garp let out a sigh. He didn't know the small blond brat for long but still knowing that the boy died made his heart break.

"Garp-san...I have something to tell you." Emilia said looking at the man in front of her. "I want to be a marine."

Garp felt his jaws drop. "A marine?" He questioned wondering if he heard it wrong. Wasn't she going to be a pirate just like Luffy Luffy and Ace? The girl nodded making Garp know that what he heard was indeed correct.

"You sure?"

"Yes..."

"To think one of you brats are doing what I say." Garp sobbed as years rolled down his cheeks. Emilia reached out her hand and passed him a tissue to which Garp took and blew his nose.

"But then" Garp started. "Today I came here because I had a work in East Blue so I have to leave tomorrow. If you're going to be a marine you'll have to go back with me tomorrow since I don't really know when I'll be able to get my next break and come get you."

"I don't mind leaving tomorrow."

...

"I'll be waiting near the docks of the village." Garp said as he walked away.

Emilia nodded and turned towards the group of bandits in front of her. Some of the bandits were sobbing while others were gaving her a smile ,saying words of encouragement for her new journey. Where as their boss,Dadan just was looking elsewhere avoiding eye contact with the young girl.

"Thank you for always taking care of me." Emilia bowed showing her gratitude. " I'm sure I was alot trouble but then I really loved and enjoyed the time I spend here.I'll really miss you guys."

Hearing this Dadan turned back and walked into the house. "Boss,are you crying?" One of the bandits teased.

"Shut up! I'm not crying!" The woman objected but the tone she said it confirmed that she was indeed crying. Emilia laughed a bit at the scene. She then turned around and walked towards the forest.

"You're not going to the village,Emilia?" Magra questioned as he look at the girl who was walking in the opposite direction where Fuusha village was.

"I wanted to talk to Ace one last time." Emilia replied.

"I see...Patch things up properly before you go." The man said smiling.

Emilia walked forward following her haki searching for Ace. While walking she looked at the area surrounding her. The large tree which had sunlight passing through the branches, the small river which had a few stepping stones, a few flower which she passed by ; her eyes stayed on the group of cosmos for a few seconds more than others. Certainly each place of the forest held great meaning to her, she was certainly going to miss the place.

Emilia kept on walking and eventually the forest had cleared up. She had reached the edge of the forest where the view of the vast sea was magnificent. The wind here was gentle and sounds of the waves hitting the land was the only sound accompanying it.

Her blue eyes looked at the silhouette which was simply standing there looking forward. Emilia walked towards it and stopped, keeping a small distance.

"Ace." Emilia called out. The boy in front then turned and looked at her. This was the first time in weeks that the boy was properly looking at her. "I'll be going now." She continued smiling gently at the boy.

Ace's mouth opened slightly in surprise. He was so fixed in on avoiding her that she didn't even know she would be leaving so soon. But he didn't voice his thoughts and instead asked something which was always in the back of his mind. "Why...why are you going to be a marine?" He asked as he clenched his fist.

Emilia didn't answer right away, she simply looked at him making silence fall upon them. "I don't intend to be a dog of the marine, Ace." She avoided the question.

Ace wasn't satisfied with the answer neither did he feel like she would give him the answer to his questions, however the way she phrased her reply made him a bit relieved. It was as if she was saying being a part of the marines doesn't mean she forgave what they did to Sabo. Also as if saying even if they were on different sides, she will still see him as a comrade. "I see..." Ace felt embarrassed now that he thought about his actions these past weeks. Being against Emilia's desire to be a marine was as if he was trying to chain Emilia and stop her from making her own decisions, stop her from being free.

"I guess this is good bye then." Ace smiled at her. How he wished he could turn back time and spend his time with Emilia rather than avoiding her.

"Uhn.." Emilia nodded and smiled back. She raised her hands and waved at Ace. "I'll see you next time in the sea."

"No way!" Ace shouted at the girl making her drop stop waving and drop her hands. "If we ever met in the sea, it'll mean we will be meeting as enemies!" Ace huffed and put both his hands on his hips. "I don't want that."

Emilia's eyes widened and then she giggled. She the nodded and said. "Bye bye." And turned around and started to walk away from him.

Ace watched the girl in front of him. The winds caused her slightly wavy hair to sway. He held up on of his hands and imagined him holding hers. He didn't want her to leave yet. "I like you..." Ace confessed. It wasn't loud not more than a whisper.

"Eh?"

Ace looked at Emilia and saw that she had turned around, her face was slightly red. Shit! She somehow heard it! Ace cursed himself.

He looked at Emilia's still confused face and then let out a loud sigh, scratching the back of his head. "You didn't hear it wrong... I like you Emilia." Ace said loudly.

"I never had these feelings before so I'm not sure my self but yet I can't really imagine my self having these same feeling again in the future if it is not you. Even though your strong I can't help but think 'I want to protect her'. At first I questioned myself but then I realised that it is because you're someone very precious to me."

Ace walked towards the girl as he kept watching the girl who still had a flushed face, shifting weight from one side to the other and played with her is still bad at dealing with confessions but the way she looked right now... She look so adorable. Ace smiled.

Emilia bit her lower lips mustering up every courage she had to tell how she felt about Ace. "I...I-"

"I'm not asking for an answer but i guess I really wanted to let you know how I felt." Ace cut her 's eyes widened as she felt Ace hold her wrist and pull her towards him. Her head rested on Ace's chest. Ace wrapped his arms around her as he rested his chin on her head.

"Just let me stay like this for a bit." Ace whispered. He felt like this was the right thing to do. He felt as if he didn't do this right now he might never get this opportunity in the future.

Emilia nodded as she listened to Ace's heartbeat.

Ace smile turned into a grin as he felt arms wrap around him. He looked down to see Emilia hide her face into his chest however he did notice the way the girl's ears red.

Maybe I should have asked for an answer after all... Ace thought as he slightly tightened his hold around the girl.

...

"You sure you got everything you need?" Makino asked with a worried look on her face.

Garp, Emilia, Luffy and Ace were on the docks of Fuusha Village. The bandits didn't come saying that they would most probably scare the people in town.

"Yeah." Emilia smiled. She then looked at the doctor who had thought her medicine. The doctor reached out his hands and placed it on top of Emilia's head. "Take care, my lil prodigy." He said.

"I will." Emilia replied back. "I'll keep on studying medicine as well,doctor."

"I'm sure you'll do a great job at it."

"Oi!" Garp called out from the ship. "We're ready! Let's get going!"

"Do you really have to go,Emilia?" Luffy asked with his eyes filled with tears holding onto Emilia's shirt. He really wanted the girl to stay and be a part of his crew.

"I'm sure we'll meet again, Luffy." Emilia smiled and then finally turned towards Ace. Her face turned a bit red as she waved at Ace, remembering what had happened between them. Ace also didn't say anything and simply grinned back with his hands on his hips.

"Take care."

"I will..."

Emilia then picked up her bag, which had nothing other than a few clothes, her medicine box and a book on navigation, and walked up the stairs leading to the ship. And as soon as she got in, the marines opened the sails, brought up their anchor, making the ship move.

"Bye Bye Emilia!" Luffy shouted loudly,both tears and snots rolling down his face. Along with him others also waved their hands.

Emilia smiled waving back. She kept on looking at their direction till they were no longer in view.

She was going to miss them.