Chapter Thirty-Six: A Declaration
Aokiji, the Blue Pheasant and Admiral of the Marines, stared down at Robin with anything but pleasant feelings in his eyes.
But despite clear distaste the man didn't move in any sort of violent manner.
Which was the exact opposite of the Strawhats instantly prickling like a startled porcupine.
"Robin, what's wrong? Do you know this guy?"
"We met once before—" Aokiji offered before letting out a laugh. It only made Rowan sweat. "Chill, chill. Little boys shouldn't be so aggressive. It's not like I was ordered to come here. I'm only here for a walk."
"Bullshit!" Rowan snapped causing Aokiji's eyes to land on her.
"You…you're Rowan. I was actually told to look for your brother. He's disappeared not far away from here."
Rowan only barred her teeth, flashing fangs and a feral growl rumbled in her chest.
"Who are you?" Zolo shouted, moving to stand by Rowan. Somewhere in the back of her head she appreciated the fact he didn't get in front of her and try to guard her. They didn't have time for foolishness like that when facing this man.
"Admiral Aokiji, the Blue Pheasant," Rowan told the others causing them to go into an uproar.
"A-admiral?" Usopp yipped behind his drawn slingshot.
"The highest ranked fighters amongst the marines?" Sanji sweated.
"In the entire marines there are only three people with the title of Admiral: Akainu, the Red Dog, Aokiji, the Blue Pheasant, and Kizeru, the Yellow Monkey," Robin explained to the confused party members. "The only one superior to them is Sengoku, the Commander in Chief. Those three men are crowed the title 'Ultimate Assault Force' by the World Government!"
Usopp was now hiding behind Zolo and shouted,
"What is someone like him doing here? There are plenty of pirates worth more than 100 million! Go get them! Leave us alone!"
"Conor never told me what a pretty lady you were, Rowan," Aokiji smirked, his massive head tilted down so he was closer. If Rowan had been a dog or cat her hackles would have risen to their fullest.
"Oi! What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Sanji thundered while Usopp shouted as well. Aokiji sighed and held up his hands in submission.
"I told you kids to chill. You are the ones who should learn to listen. I told you I'm only here for a walk. No need for so much hostility. What I'm trying to say to you guys is—oh. I forgot."
"You're not making sense!"
"Are you sure you're not mistaken? There's no way that someone like him can be an Admiral!"
"I always uphold the model of 'Lazy Justice'."
"We can see that!"
Aokiji sighed a second time and settled down on his long legs before stretching out on the grassy ground completely.
"My legs are tried from standing. Time to rest. Anyways, I do not intend to arrest you. So chill. I'm only here to confirm the whereabouts of Nico Robin after the Alabasta incident. I thought she might be with you."
"You're really not here to pick fights?" Sanji demanded while the others all slowly removed themselves from their battle stances.
"I'm only going to report the discovery. So they can recalculate the bounty for your group. One more person will increase it by…160 million plus 102 million would be…hmm, too hard to count. It's still roughly the same amount."
Rowan grabbed the back of Luffy's vest when the boy tried to charge Aokiji.
"Knock it off," she snarled but Luffy just struggled against her.
"Why? I won't let him take Robin!"
"He's not taking her, ya idget!"
"I already said that I don't plan to do anything…" Luffy jabbed his finger out and shouted,
"Go take your walk elsewhere! You're not welcome here!"
"You're overreacting…" But Aokiji didn't seem to be putting up much of a fight. In fact he went on to say, "Okay, okay. I'll leave but I overheard something while I was napping." It was Aokiji's turn to point and his massive finger pointed straight at Tonjit. "You. I wasn't in a deep sleep so I heard what you said."
"Spying," Rowan snarled.
"Pack up and get ready to move."
"No. Don't listen to him! He's from the marines! The marines!"
Tonjit stared blankly at Luffy and Luffy stared back.
"…why not?"
"Oh! Right! You can listen to him! Normally marines are the good guys and we're the bad guys."
"Enough!" Rowan barked, and jerked Luffy around by his vest. She didn't like treating the boy like this in front of the enemy but her nerves were too frayed for her to care that much.
"Basically you want to catch up to the people who moved when you were stuck here. You plan to rush to the third island after this one and for that you need to wait until low tide to ride your horse across right? But that horse's leg is wounded. Correct?"
"Yeah and that's why moving is impossible right now."
Aokiji shrugged.
"It'll be fine."
"That doesn't sound convincing at all!"
"It's true," Robin spoke up for the second time causing all heads to turn to her. "With his help, it's possible."
With the Strawhat's help was packed up and ready to move out in an hour versus a few. And with their help, Tonjit was able to get all his things to the island's edge.
"The tide will subside once a year and a road will appear when it does. Yes?"
"That's right! Thank you all for helping me. Here…have some cheese."
"Stop trying to poison us!"
"It sure feels good to work out once in a while," Aokiji yawned.
"It sure does!" Luffy laughed with his trademark smile. "You're a nice person after all!"
"Now they're acting like friends," Nami groaned, bemoaning the fact their captain was such an easily impressed person.
"So what now? Are you going to pull everything along while you swim across?" Luffy questioned, unaware of his crew's turmoil.
"Now that is impossible," Aokiji chuckled and walked to the water's edge. Kneeling down he placed his hand right above the water.
Almost instantly a massive sea king appeared with a mighty bellow.
"It's the sea king that lurks around here!" Tonjit shouted with obvious terror. Aokiji didn't move despite the others screaming for him to do just that.
"Ice Age."
Rowan watched with gritted teeth as the entire sea, for as far as the eye could see, froze over; including the sea monster. Where there was once nothing but water was now a world of frozen white.
"The strength of an admiral," she hissed through her clenched teeth. The others were in obvious shock, stunned to their very bones. All besides Robin who whispered,
"An Elemental Class…the Hie-Hie Fruit. This is the extent of power of an Admiral of the Marines."
Ice broke from Aokiji as he stood up. It continued to hiss and crack around his form as he walked back to the group. Rowan's stomach was a knotted mess as she stared out over the sea of white and sparkling shards.
"That should hold for about a week. You can take your time. Good luck on locating your village. It's a little cold by the way. You should wear more clothing."
"The…the sea became an ice land. Sherri…we can cross the sea now! After 10 long years we can final reunite with our friends! Thank you! Thank you so very much for this miracle! Thank you!"
Aokiji, walking away, only waved over his shoulder before disappearing over a hill.
The Strawhats helped move his stuff on to the ice.
"Alright we'll be going now."
"Okay, good luck old guy and horse!"
"Don't forget to change bandages, Sherri!" Chopper ordered once last time. The horse neighed her response that only Chopper could understand.
"I really can't thank you enough. If it wasn't for you, I would still be stuck up on those stilts. Thanks again! I won't forget you guys!"
And away the two went to the goodbyes of their new friends. Rowan hung back, not saying a thing, and simply continuing to take in the mass of ice before her.
She was completely aware when Aokiji came back and sat down behind her. His energy was no longer lackluster but sharp and brooding. Rowan let her arm dangle at her side as the others turned around and startled at the sight of the admiral. The marine let out a tired sigh that prickled with cold.
"How should I say this…you and your grandfather are really alike, Monkey D. Luffy. Is it opened minded? Or absent minded?"
Luffy jerked back as if he'd been hit with real fear in his eyes for the first time ever.
"Granddad?" he yipped.
"What's wrong Luffy? Why are you sweating so much?"
Aokiji ignored the others and continued to talk,
"I dealt with your grandfather a long time ago. Even though I came to only see Nico Robin…maybe all of you should just die here and now."
Stunned silence as tension rose to almost unbearable levels. Rowan looked over her shoulder to coldly stare at the curly haired man.
"The government isn't taking you seriously but after carefully analyzing the situation, it has become obvious that you are a very determined group of individuals. Your group currently consisted of merely a handful of rouges yet judging from the degree of trouble you've been causing there is little doubt that as time passes you will become an acute threat. In the time between the issuing of the first bounty of a member of your party to the present time, your growth, so to say, has been quite extraordinary. And though you have so far limited yourselves to fighting other pirates I am concerned with what the future holds once you grow tired of your prey and search for new game."
"W-why are you saying this? Aren't you only here for a walk?" Usopp shouted with his knees knocking together.
"Your party is now especially dangerous because of you Nico Robin."
Luffy was instantly chomping at the bit and bellowing,
"So you came to take Robin away after all! I'm gonna send you flying!"
"The size of your bounty does not only reflect the threat your combat abilities pose. It also gives to show how dangerous you are to the government. And even though you were only eight years old you had such a high bounty put on your head. As a child, you were a true survivor. Betraying your partners, using them as tools…"
Something forced its way from Aokiji that felt like a cold hand gripping Rowan's spine. Somehow she managed to keep her back to him thought that could be because she was frozen in fear, her lizard brain telling her not to move when an obviously stronger opponent wasn't looking at her. Nothing like bringing the monster's attention to her with movement.
"…after the recent feat of survival you have taken, are these the new tools that you have chosen to manipulate to achieve your goals?"
"You ass! Don't you dare say things like that to Robin-san! What did she ever do to you?"
"Calm down, Sanji!"
"She didn't do anything to me. She escaped once after I arrested her but that's a long story. One that you will learn eventually. That woman's curse will bring that day to pass soon enough."
It took a lot, but Rowan turned around slowly and felt her body begin to expand straight up to her fullest height.
Aokiji's words…
"Here's the proof: every group that Nico Robin has ever associated with has ended up completely annihilated. Always leaving her as the sole survivor. Why is that so, Nico Robin?"
"Shut up you! What happened in the past doesn't matter!" Luffy snarled.
"I see…you have already earned the trust of these people."
"What are you trying to do?" Robin finally screamed, her voice cracking half way through and sounding the most emotion Rowan had ever heard from the woman. "You want to arrest me? Then come get me! Treinta Flores!"
Rowan watched as arms appeared out of Aokiji all while taking a deep breath to fill her lungs.
"I see I've said too much. I thought you would be smarter than this."
"Clutch!"
Rowan watched as Aokiji broke into a million ice shards and crumbled in on himself before rebuilding himself bit by bit as white shards of ice.
"We have to get out of here!"
"That was harsh," Aokiji huffed while climbing to his massive height. Rowan walked to the side, eyes stuck on Aokiji as he grabbed a handful of grass and tossed it to the side. With a cold breath he held a sword made of ice using the grass as a base. "I wasn't planning on killing you but—"
Aokiji swung his ice blade down.
Rowan stopped in front of Robin and watched Zolo caught Aokiji's blade with his own.
"Clodagh Conor, son of Fiachra, Rear Admiral of the Marines, is dead."
Aokiji's entire body froze without the aid of his ice. He stared hard at Rowan from his lock with Zolo, his eyes like ice chips. Rowan met the man head on despite feeling a trickle of fear run down her spine. Rowan made sure Robin was hidden behind her as much as possible. She may not have been taller but she was thicker and that hid Robin to an extent.
"If you are who you claim, and I do not doubt said claim, you know what that means," Rowan declared in a voice as clear as a bell, hiding the torment rolling in her stomach.
Rowan tucked her chin and glared.
"You know what that makes me," she positively snarled.
Aokiji took a step back and let his sword drop to the ground where it shattered. His eyes were somehow sharper than his blade. Zolo twitched in front of Rowan, looking uncertain if he should press the attack or not.
"Aye…I do. That would make you Clodagh Rowan, daughter of 'Red King' Fiachra, Shield Maiden of the Strawhat Pirates, Queen of Dublin Isle, Captain of the Cardinal, and Commanding Officer of the Strongest Army."
Rowan couldn't focus on the gasps and cries from her comrades and kept her gaze on the admiral. Some of them hadn't put two and two together apparently about what her brother's death meant for her. She wasn't just a queen. She was a Clodarian Queen.
And in this world that meant something.
She was most likely making a mistake. A very terrible mistake that she would come to regret.
But…Luffy trusted Robin.
And Aokiji's words…by the kings, the man might as well have pulled them from her own brain about herself. The same mantra she had told herself time and time again anytime she thought about rejoining civilization before she had met Luffy.
That was why Rowan opened her mouth and declared loudly without raising her voice,
"And I, Clodagh Rowan, daughter of 'Red King' Fiachra, declare before these witnesses that 'Demon Child' Nico Robin is under my protection."
Akoji's eyes narrowed to slits.
He gritted his teeth at her while a cloud of cold escaped from inside his mouth.
"Do you know what you have done?" Rowan tilted her nose up and somehow managed looking down at the much taller man despite her being the short one.
"My decrees will not be questioned by you, marine."
"You've condemned your entire crew." Here Rowan couldn't help but let out a light bark of laughter.
"I thought I had, long ago. They've continued to prove me wrong time and time again. And they will continue to prove me wrong of that I am sure."
Rowan kept her head held high even when Aokiji leaned towards her so they were face to face. She allowed her eyes to become hooded and somehow managed to appear as if she were bored with her presence even while every part of her was screaming to run.
"Fine. Let their deaths be on your head, Queen."
Aokiji turned around and scratched at his head. When he started to walk away Luffy jumped forward. The only reason he stopped was Rowan throwing out an arm and holding him in place.
"You helped in the fight against Crocodile, Monkey D. Luffy. So now we'll call it even. Also…never mind. Smoker's message is too stupid. Good bye."
No one made a sound as Aokiji left. Even when he was gone from their sight silence hung over the Strawhats like an executioner's blade.
Rowan was the first to move and she moved quick. Turning around she grabbed hold of Robin's jacket and brought the taller woman down so they were face to face.
Why everyone was always taller than her was ridiculous. She was a Clodagh for King's sake!
"If you make me regret my proclamation there will be nowhere in this world you will hide from me," Rowan snarled into Robin's face, eyes ablaze with the promise of pain and destruction. Robin, looking sick and stunned, nodded her head lightly.
"I understand," she whispered.
"Wha—what just happened?" Nami shouted causing Rowan to let go of Robin's jacket. Rowan took a step back and straightened her pants. Feeling suddenly very self-conscious the woman didn't want to explain but knew she had too. Or she'd never get peace.
"Before I was born, one of my ancestors made a deal with the World Government. They would acknowledge us as a separate entity but a Clodagh would never raise their hand against them and in return the World Government would not interfere with Clodagh business. By making Robin a Friend of Clodagh I have extended that protection over her. If the marines or World Government act against her they act against me and therefore act against Dublin Isle."
Rowan took a deep breath before raising her eyes and met Robin's downcast ones.
"It would be an act of war."
Rowan flopped down on her backside and buried her face into her hands.
"His reactions…" Rowan felt a smile that was as brittle as bleached bones broke out across her face. "Those fuckers."
"What's wrong Rowan?" Usopp prompted, always the one wanting information. People thought Nami was the gossip but really Usopp was the one who liked knowing everything.
Rowan ran her fingers through her hair but kept her head hung on her shoulders.
"The World Government is treating me with the kid gloves. They don't know if I know they are the reason for the coup de 'tat. That they're the reason for my father and brother's death. I'm an unknown entity. If I don't know then they have no reason to eradicate me because I 'took care of' the reason for my family's death and my exile. My anger would not be pointed at them."
"What would happen if they knew?" Zolo questioned, stabbing right at the meat of the problem.
"War, swordsman. War would happen. And the World Government would want to act first. Strike hard and fast before we were given the chance to respond. Never give us a chance to form our army and march out. It would only spell their destruction. So they are acting as if I don't know because they can't confirm or deny if I know otherwise they themselves might be telling me of their guilty conscious."
Rowan rubbed at her eyes with a finger and thumb.
"This is…frustrating."
"No one ever said being a royal was easy," Nami offered the unhelpful advice. But it made Rowan smile.
"Ain't that the truth?" Letting out a huff, Rowan swung up to her feet and shook herself hard. Looking to Luffy the woman bowed her head. "Forgive me for taking matters into my own hands, Luffy. But we're not ready to fight someone like Aokiji. Especially when you're not at your peak."
Luffy pouted out his bottom lip and crossed his arms over his chest. He seemed to think hard for a moment before shrugging.
"Oh well, it couldn't be helped."
"Wait, if you declaring Robin a Friend of Clodagh keeps the marines off her why don't you do that for all of us? Then the marine could never lay a hand on us!" Usopp concluded. Rowan snorted and raised a brow at the sharpshooter.
"When Luffy becomes King I won't have it said the only reason he made it was because of my people. They will know it was due to his own strength. Not mine and my connections."
Now Luffy laughed.
"Rowan's right! We wouldn't be pirates if we weren't running from marines!"
Rowan smiled at Luffy.
Really the boy was too good to her.
And the fact that he was even more precious than a Friend of Clodagh after his blood donation was something she'd keep close to her heart. She didn't need the world to know she had a new brother. It had already taken the others, she would be damned before she dared the world to take another.
Rowan was standing near Merry Go's figurehead when Zolo found her that night.
The crew had decided to remain docked at the island for a final night to give everyone some time to regroup after the Davy Black Fight.
She was dressed down in a pair of light harem pants and a simple lose shirt that stopped at her bottom rib without any bindings. She'd tried to go to sleep but it had been near impossible. So she'd come up deck and sent Chopper to bed. If she couldn't sleep that didn't mean others shouldn't.
When he was close enough, Zolo's eyes zeroed in on a flash of skin under her arm. But his eyes were dragged away to the missing piece.
It still looked rough. Heavy stitching keeping pulled flesh over the exposed wound. But Chopper had done a good job. It was one of the cleanest missing limbs Zolo had ever seen and he'd seen a few in his practice. There would be a scar but it would be clean. It was the burn marks that crawled up her shoulder and down her side that had Zolo wincing in sympathy. Her skin looked knotted and had an almost plastic quality to it. He knew she'd lost feeling in most of the skin there and when she stretched certain ways it pulled uncomfortably.
But Rowan was alive.
That's what matter.
Zolo plopped himself next to her and the woman had apparently become accustomed to his presence because she didn't even flinch.
They were silent for a short while, the two enjoying the sound of the ocean lapping at the shore and Merry Go.
"Thank you."
"Hmm? That hurt to say, princ—" Zolo stuttered to a stop. Rowan looked to Zolo and saw the brooding look on his face as he scowled. Her lip twitched upward. Zolo continued to scowl out at the ocean and propped his chin on an open palm. "What are you thanking me for?" he demanded with some heat. Normally it would rub Rowan the wrong way but for some reason she was finding his reactions amusing.
Must be due to the phase of the moon.
"For believing in me." It was Zolo's turn to look at her. An eyebrow was cocked upward while his face was one of confusion. Rowan looked away from his dark eyes unable to withstand their penetrating quality at the moment. "During the fight you didn't doubt me once. And when we fought Aokiji you didn't stand in front of me."
Rowan's hand fluttered where her other arm should be.
"Since this the others have…treated me differently. Like I'm more fragile. And while I don't omit their concern it is…nice to have something not change."
Zolo snorted. Rowan glanced his way. He was giving her a look as if she was daft. Now that riled her up. But only for a minute…or a few.
"Don't be stupid prin—woman. Just because you lost an arm doesn't mean you're weaker. It's just something you have to overcome now. A handicap for the others. But you'll still beat them all."
"That." Zolo raised his brow a second time. Rowan turned to face him fully. "How do you have that much trust in me?" Zolo turned to face her.
"Because you've shown me what you can do."
Rowan wasn't sure what overcame her but one second she was in front of Zolo and the next she was pressing her lips against his in a searing kiss. Zolo was quick to join in, his hands coming down to her hips, fingertips digging into the hard muscle. Rowan's one hand gripped the back of his neck and with her thumb she titled his head so that they were kissing at an angle.
His tongue practically smashed against her lips, both begging and demanding entrance, and Rowan was more than willing to give it to him.
There was nothing kind or soft about their kiss. It was passionate and rough, the two leaving bruises on the other with their hands while their tongues fought.
Zolo got the upper hand for a moment when he lifted her up and sat her on the railing, surprising Rowan in the process. He delved into her mouth, tongue searching out every crack and crevice to explore. Rowan, sure she was safe with Zolo's hands at her waist, rejoined the battle. When he groaned Rowan felt a flash of heat run down to her center. She returned his groan with one of her own.
The two broke apart when Zolo needed to take a breath. He didn't need long though before his mouth was descending on Rowan's neck. It was just a shame he fell on the wrong side.
The second Zolo's lips touched the still healing flesh Rowan let out a pained hiss. Zolo jerked back, almost causing Rowan to topple over the side of the ship. Thankfully Zolo caught her. The two remained where they were, panting as their brains caught up with their hormones.
"Sorry," Zolo finally squeezed out.
"S'okay," Rowan muttered back. She was too busy focusing on how her body was reacting. She felt like someone had put a live wire up her spine. Every part of her was flushed and tingling. Rowan shifted uncomfortably, not really use to the sensation going on between her legs.
It was the wrong thing to do because the second Rowan moved she rubbed up against something hard in Zolo's pants. The man hissed, eyes going wide as his pupils dilated to the point of overtaking his retina. He instinctively thrusted forward before grabbing desperately at her hips.
"Don't—" he hissed causing Rowan to freeze. His panting was back tenfold. Rowan watched him with wide eyes as the man plopped his head on her good shoulder. His hot breath on her neck, lips just inches away, had her squirming. "Gods be damned woman you're gonna make me—"
Zolo growled and slammed his lips against hers again. Rowan was more than happy to return to something she knew, simply embracing the sensations instead of trying to understand them.
"Rowan?"
In one swift motion, Rowan had hold of Zolo's shirt and was turning. Ducking and shifting all her weight, Rowan launched Zolo over the side of Merry Go and into the awaiting water below. She paused, mouth open in shock, as she heard him splash into the sea.
"What was that?" Luffy asked, coming to her side and rubbing at his eyes.
"Nothing!" Rowan squeaked. "Wha—what are you doing up?"
"I was thirsty. But Sanji won't wake up and I'm not allowed into the kitchen at night without him."
"And for good reason! Come on, I'll get you something to drink."
"And eat?"
"It's four hours till breakfast you can wait."
"But Rowan—" Luffy whined, completely unaware of his first mate breaking the water's surface and spitting out sea water.
Rowan stretched out until her entire body cracked back into place with a wondrous pop. Humming happily, the woman settled back into the basket of the crow's nest.
"Nami-chan!" Sanji hollered from the deck below. Rowan was unable to hear what Sanji wanted with the orangette but guessing from the fact her stomach was growling it was almost time for lunch. "I can die a happy man!"
"Shut up, bastard! I'm trying to sleep!"
Rowan flinched at Zolo's words, not daring to peek over the side of the railing. Zolo had been a pit…prickly since Rowan had accidently thrown him overboard. And it had been an accident! No matter what the bastard said! She had just reacted instinctively that was all! Not that the swordsman would hear her out. He was too busy being a brooding asshole.
It had gotten to the point where Rowan had been happy she'd thrown him overboard instead of kissing him more.
Rowan had been right about lunch. Soon, Sanji was passing out bento boxes which she gratefully accepted and ate in the crow's nest. She was only half way through hers when,
"It's a frog! A giant frog!"
Rowan peeked up over the rim of the crow's nest and found that there was a frog in front of the ship. Easily taller than any of them it swam using a perfect free style technique.
"Where's he going in such a hurry?"
"Quick! Let's catch him! Get the paddles!" Rowan yelped as the ship suddenly lurched forward at the boys' manual rowing. Nami came storming out of the lounge where she had vanished.
"Why are we changing directions?" she thundered down at the crew.
"Nami, we found a huge frog with scars all over his body! We have to catch him for BBQ no matter what!"
"You're going to eat him?"
Rowan wasn't paying attention to them anymore though, instead eyes focusing out on what appeared to be a small island with a lighthouse.
"Land oh, dead ahead!" Rowan called down to the others in warning.
"What about the frog? Tell me where it is!"
"Don't!"
"The frog is going in the direction of the lighthouse as well," Robin offered with a giggle.
"First you wash the frog with white wine. Then you coat it with flour and fry it."
"Robin! Sanji!"
"Full speed ahead!"
"What is wrong with you all?"
Rowan would have laughed at the crew's antics if it wasn't for the fact a strange noise filled the air. With the speed the ship was going they were quickly on top of the lighthouse island which looked like a station of sorts. The strange noise filled the air a second time.
"Oi! The frog stopped!"
Rowan, in the crow's nest, was able to see what the others weren't. And at that moment it was the giant train running on the water's surface.
"Pull back!" she screamed as they started to head straight into the train's path. "Back! Back!"
Rowan held on for dear life as Merry Go barely made it past the train before it barreled behind them with howling wind and a screaming horn.
"Hey! The frog is still in the way! What are you doing?"
"What is that thing?"
"A ship?"
"No way! With its shape it shouldn't be able to sail on the sea!"
The frog let out a mighty bellow…but was blasted away in the wake of the train's might. The train made it past them soon enough with a sharp whistle.
"That…that ship was blowing smoke!"
"Not a ship," Rowan interrupted, watching the train disappear into the horizon. "It was Puffing Tom, the steam-powered train."
"Huh?"
"How is that possible?" Nami interrupted the others' outbursts. Rowan wiggled down from the crow's nest and landed in the middle of their group.
"There are tracks that float just below the water's surface."
"How do you know that?" Now Rowan scratched at the back of her neck with nervous energy.
"My da…he came here a lot. He told me all about it."
"It's terrible! Granny! Granny! Pirates!" a little girl's voice echoed out followed by a loud hiccup.
"Really, Chimney? Alright! Hold on!" Zolo, like the guard dog he was, perked up and rushed to the side of the ship.
"Someone's coming out of the building! She is calling for reinforcements!" Rowan snorted, and walked to the side as well. She watched an old woman stumble about while hiccupping,
"What were you yelling about? I forgot!"
"You're too damn drunk!"
"Hello Kokoro!" Rowan called out causing all heads to snap towards her. The old peered up at her with red eyes sunk into a wrinkled face.
"Hello…you." Rowan bite back laughter and hoped over the side of the ship and on to the lighthouse.
"I'm Rowan," she greeted, helping the old woman to her feet. The woman's extremely curly hair bounced underneath her hat. The woman was taller than she was but she also had a tendency to slump under all the alcohol in her system. Leaning heavily against Rowan, the woman's red eyes peered at her a second time.
"Rowan…" A smile blossomed Kokoro's face. "Rowan. I remember you now."
"How is that possible?" Sanji whispered but Rowan only helped Kokoro to a chair. The little girl who had yelled earlier came back out of the house with ricecrackers and a rabbit hopping at her heels. Luffy came down from Merry Go at the prospect of snatching a cracker.
"I'm Chimney! This is Gonbe the cat." Rowan cocked an eyebrow but didn't say anything. "And this is my granny Kokoro!"
"I thought you were train robbers!" Kokoro laughed and chugged down half a bottle of wine.
"I'm Luffy. I'm going to be the Pirate King."
"Really?"
"Yep." Kokoro threw her head back and howled with laughter.
"You're funny!"
"Whoa! Rowan was right! There are tracks here in the water." Rowan whirled on Nami with narrowed eyes as the other woman peered down into the water and the steel tracks below.
"What did you think I pulled it out my arse?" Nami waved Rowan's anger off with a flap of her hand.
"Yes! And you sailed right onto the railroad! That was dangerous!" Chimney chimed in. It was Luffy's turn to flap away emotion. Looking very seriously down at the child Luffy said,
"No matter how you warn that frog it wouldn't understand! Then you sent it flying! That was rude! Plus he was our prey…"
"His name is Yokojina. He has been a nuisance for a long time. He likes to compete his strength with others and he has been trying to beat the train. He won't die from a crash like that. He will come back again!"
Luffy was completely blown away.
"So that's why he didn't run away! That's some very cool fighting spirit!"
"What? No! He causes nothing but headache! He broke the front of the train so many times already! Every time he tries it he frightens the passengers too!" Chimney squeaked.
"Is that so…okay! I won't eat him!"
"How generous of you," Rowan huffed.
"I don't eat hardworking animals!"
"So where do you want to go? If you take the next train you can go to the City of the Queen of Spring, Sento Popura, City of Cuisine, Poochi; then the City of Carnivore, Sun Faruto. All of them are very interesting places. If you are a government official you can take a special train too though…" Kokoro's eyes danced to Rowan but that could have been the alcohol. "I very much doubt you're with the government."
"City of cuisine?"
"Don't even think about it!" Nami barked and hit Luffy upside the head. "We have a ships so we can't take a train. We have to follow the Log Pose."
"Oh? Where's your guide pointing?"
"To the west." Kokoro hiccupped heavily before saying,
"Oh. Then you are going to Water Seven. The train you saw actually came from the Blue Station there! That place is true to its nickname of the 'City of Water'. It is a city with the world's best ship factories! The ships that they make there are trusted even by the World Government!"
"Oh! So then there are good shipwrights there, right?"
"Not just good! That place is where you'll find the world's best!"
"Usopp!" Luffy hollered back to the ship were the other boys and Robin were waiting.
"I heard!" The rubber boy threw his hands on to his hips and declared with a massive smile,
"Alright! It's decided! We're going to go there and find a shipwright to be our friend!"
"Hold on, hold on," Kokoro slurred before stumbling back into her house. She came out a few minutes later with a piece of paper. "Take this. It's a simple map of the island and a letter of recommendation. Let these guys restore your ship to top shape. Also, Water Seven is big so be careful not to get lost. Though that shouldn't be a problem since you have a native."
Rowan instantly focused on petting the cat-rabbit while the others ignored the woman's drunk ramblings. Nami did take the map though.
"If we met again I'll definitely take you to a nice bar for a few drinks!" Now she had Zolo's attention. "It takes about a week for the log to record Water Seven, so you will have plenty of time to play around."
"Awesome! Get ready to set sail, crew!" Luffy screeched and ran back to Merry Go.
"Thank you Kokoro," Rowan smiled before following after the rest of her crew.
"You make sure to visit her, little miss," Kokoro said quietly enough but clear enough for only Rowan to hear. Rowan stiffened slightly before giving Kokoro another smile and nodding her head.
"I will." Kokoro smiled around the nozzle of her wine bottle.
And so, the Merry Go sailed forth.
"Luffy, leave the carpenter search to me. I'll definitely find us the hottest babe around," Sanji said from near the lounge as he perched precariously on the railing. Rowan could see Chopper contemplating joining him and trying to figure out how he would get up there himself.
"Stupid! We need a super big man to be our shipwright! He has to be least 5 meters tall!"
"That's too much, Luffy. He won't fit into our little ship," Usopp argued.
"None of that matters as long as he or she is a good shipwright. The main concern should be whether or not anyone will want to join a group of pirates," Zolo, ever the grouch and surprisingly speaker-of-wisdom, huffed while walking away to take a nap.
"Leave that to me Luffy," Rowan said as Zolo passed, completely aware of how the man ignored her. She returned the favor. "I have a connection in Water Seven. She should be able to help us." Now Rowan huffed under her breath, "She owes me at least that much."
"This map is completely useless!" Nami screeched while throwing said map on the floor. Luffy, having pulled a sketch pad out of the keep-Luffy-busy-so-Rowan-doesn't-throw-him-overboard-or-tie-him-to-the-mast-again basket they kept under the stairs, drew a horrifying description of a person. The boy's drawing skills really were that of a five-year-old.
"Look here! Let's find someone that looks like that!"
"If I seem someone who looks like that, I'll just turn around and run," Usopp snapped.
"I would too. I would jump into the sea if I had to. Though, this guy looks like he's part octopus so he would probably still come after me."
"Hey, you better not be talking about me!" Zolo snapped while climbing the stairs. Nami came out of the lounge with a bag.
"Okay, everyone gather up! I'm going to give out spending money for the week."
"Hurray!"
Rowan spent the next few hours deep within Merry Go, doing a thorough check of things they would need and expanding her ever growing list of things they should keep on hand.
"I should probably get Luffy something new too," she mused while hip checking a barrel back into its place. Chewing on the end of a pencil Rowan started back up to the deck with a list in hand. The writing was still scratchy and the spelling was horrendous but it worked for her.
"Hey what are you doing stupid!"
"I just tugged on it a little bit!" Zolo actually yipped under Usopp's assault. Rowan looked up from her list to find the mast was crooked.
'Praise the Kings we made it here,' Rowan sweat dropped before patting Merry Go's side. Rowan looked over the side of the ship to find the others had anchored her at a peninsula next to a city. It was massive and water was gushing out of all sorts of places. And all that water seemed to be coming from the giant fountain that sat in the middle of the island.
"Why aren't the people here afraid of pirates?" Nami wondered aloud.
"I told you," Rowan said while stuffing her list into her pocket. "Smart pirates don't screw with shipwrights, doctors or chefs. If we did no one would fix our ships, our bodies or fed us."
"Rowan has a point."
"I always have a point. I'm going downstairs to change." Rowan pointed a demanding finger at Luffy and when the boy didn't look at her she went as far as pinching his cheek and making him look. "Do not cause mischief here, you monkey," she warned with a withering glare that had Luffy sweating. "Do I make myself clear?"
"Yessh!"
"Good."
It wasn't easy getting dressed for what she knew she had to do.
Her father had once told her that a ruler's outfit for important meetings were just as important as a warrior choosing out their armor.
So Rowan dug through the heavy trunk she had been gifted by those from the Cardinal. The cream harem pants she pulled on slipped over her hips and hugged her ankles and hips. A skirt of plum purple was tied off, dragging to her ankles but leaving the front of her legs exposed. That was mostly covered by the thick gold cloth she wrapped around her hips next so that it laid down like a loin cloth. A tube top of the same plum purple was wrapped around her bound breasts.
At the bottom of the trunk she pulled out the most valuable of gifts; jewels and jewelry. A thick choker that rested above her collar bones and stopped at her axis bone was clasped around her long neck. A bangle was clipped around her right arm and a bracelet was put on top of that, allowed to float and click against the bangle as it pleased.
Lastly, and with much hesitation, Rowan draped a purple sash over her shoulder and tied it off at her hip so that it crossed her body. Rowan's finger played with the material as she tried to swallow her anxiety. The cloth was the same plum color as the rest of her outfit but…it meant so much more.
And it was the only thing hiding the twisting dragon head on her back. All of her scars were visible.
Rowan looked at herself in Nami's mirror and felt the air in her lungs leave in one giant woosh.
She had been wearing the Dublin Isle attire for a while now but now…she looked like a true Clodagh royal.
It took quite a few deep breaths before the tumbling in Rowan's stomach stopped and settled on just hosting butterflies.
Rowan exited the girls' bedroom refusing to think about her decision anymore.
"Hey Zolo! Where's Robin-san? She's not onboard," Sanji's voice reached her before she exited the lounge.
"Hmm? No, she's not here. She went out earlier with Chopper."
"What?"
"She had some shopping to do."
"Dammit! So you're the only other one on board? How boring is that?"
"I feel the same way."
"I'm here for a moment longer, Sanji," Rowan cut in, causing both males to turn to her as she made her way to the front deck. Rowan came to an abrupt halt on the final step when both Zolo and Sanji jerked in surprise. "W-what?" she barked, her hand coming to her bare sides with insecurity. Her fingers began to mess with the sash.
"R-Rowan-dono! You look—you look amazing! Like a real princess!"
Rowan's entire face blushed crimson.
"Really?" she asked causing the man to come flying at her with a smile.
"Of cour—ugh!" Zolo's hands literally threw Sanji over the railing so that he reached Rowan first. Rowan's eyes were bulging out of her head, surprised at Zolo's sudden movement. Said man froze in front of her, his mouth slightly agape as he stared down at her. Rowan shifted uncomfortably, not able to read the look in the man's eyes.
Well, that was one way to get his attention she guessed.
"What?" she demanded sharply, her nervousness making her anger appear.
"Uhhh—"
Rowan rolled her eyes and strolled around the unresponsive man and to the figurehead.
"I'll be back," she promised before leaping over the side. She wasn't very far when she heard Sanji and Zolo get in a fight. "Don't wreck the ship!" she thundered back when she heard something crash.
"Yes Rowan-dono!"
Rowan rolled her eyes and entered the city of Water Seven.
As its name suggested, Water Seven was a city of water. In fact, the very center of the city was a giant fountain gushing with the liquid. Channels cut through the brick buildings with cylinder roofs like normal streets. Each channel became fuller with people as Rowan entered the city's heart. Practically everyone used the channels as roads, using strange little sea creatures that reminded Rowan of horses despite the fact they moo'ed. The sidewalks were harder to navigate than the channels but Rowan managed to make it to the center of the city with only asking directions twice.
She was receiving a few strange looks for her clothes, but it was the older men and women who bowed at the waist to her that had her sweating uncomfortably. They were mostly men and women over the age of fifty but there were plenty of them and that had even more than a few people looking at her. It was why Rowan took to the backstreets as much as humanly possible.
Finally Rowan reached her destination; Dock One.
Water Seven was cut into seven different docks where different levels of shipwrights worked on ship orders. All of them were organized by the same company, and all of them were highly qualified, but if there was an impossible situation only Dock One had the credibility.
And it was only because it was Merry Go that Rowan walked up to the massive door with a giant one painted on it. Otherwise she'd have never dreamed of leaving her ship to encroach on this particular island.
Especially dressed as she was.
Rowan was about to ask for entrance, despite the fact she could have just as easily walked over the knee high fence that kept people out. But words hadn't even left her mouth when she heard a man's laughter.
"I thought it over real hard, real hard, you know?" a giant of a man with a horrendous under bite laughed while standing over a working carpenter. "And well, I know you fixed the ship and all but the price just seems too high."
Rowan's eyes narrowed dangerously. Before she really knew what she was doing the woman was crossing the small fence with her long legs.
"You're in the way," the carpenter said, looking up through the smoke coming from his cigar.
Rowan was half way across the dock, noting the sudden shouts at her but her eyes were fixed on the pirate that was pulling out a massive sword.
"And so I've decided I'm not paying anything!" he howled with laughter. His crew, standing behind him, joined in on his laughter.
"Thanks for doing such a thorough job on the ship!" one of them cackled.
"Mister it's not a good idea to annoy craftsmen like that," the carpenter warned before looking up. His eyes bulged as they landed on Rowan but she didn't notice as she was too busy standing between him and the pirate now.
"Huh? Who are you supposed to be?" the pirate demanded, his words coming out strange due to his large teeth. The pirate took a moment before smiling a horrible smirk. "Now that's a pretty piece of gold around your neck! Why don't you hand that over to me, Captain Mikazuki, of the Big Helmet Pirate Gang!"
"We do not hurt cooks for they feed us when we are weak," Rowan recited, her father's voice whispering in her ear as she stared up at the man. Her face was a cold mask of controlled rage. "We do not anger doctors for they are the only thing between us and death. And we do not attack carpenters for they build our homes! And we sure as hell don't cheat any of them out of hard earned money!"
Rowan's leg shot out and up, catching the captain's chin with the heel of her foot. Mikazuki was sent flying into the air, sailing over his crew, before crashing into a giant pile of timber that blew out of his way as if they were pins before a bowling ball. His head lulled to the side while his eyes rolled into the back of his head.
Rowan's face was now twisting into a snarl while she locked on the crew. Her one hand pointed a demanding finger at the ground while she snarled,
"Empty your pockets. Now."
"Y-you bitch!"
"How dare you do that to our captain!"
"We're gonna kill you!"
Rowan scoffed.
"There's thirty of us and only one of you!"
"And yet you're still no match for me," Rowan snapped and proceeded to prove her point. She charged through the group of men and proceeded to wipe the floor with them. Only when the last man fell did Rowan grab one of them and hold him up by his shirt. "Empty. Your. Pockets. Before I throw you all to the sea kings."
The pirates couldn't move fast enough.
The second their pockets were picked clean they were gone in a flash shouting things about revenge as they carried their knocked out captain. Rowan spat at their backs before kneeling down and picking up the cash and coin. It wasn't much but it was near a good thirty million beri.
"Sorry I couldn't get more," Rowan apologized to the carpenter who was staring at her slack jawed. "If you still have their ship you could just dismantle it and get the rest of your money, I'm sure."
"You…you…you—"
"Iceberg-sama!"
Rowan turned and found two new people standing next to her. Well, really there was a crowd circling them now.
Iceberg was a surprisingly slim built man with blue hair and narrow eyes. Dressed in a fine outfit he was petting a small mouse in his breast pocket. His dark eyes swiped over Rowan in a non-perverted or aggressive way. Rowan withstood his glance with a proud stance, nose tilted high and eyes hooded.
"It's been a while since we've had one of you on this island," Iceberg said. "Ten years in fact." Iceberg petted his pet mouse a few more times before walking forward and bowed at the waist, a hand in front of his chest. "Welcome to Water Seven, Clodagh-dono."
The reaction towards Iceberg's action was astronomical.
Rowan faced Iceberg fully and, with a dignity Mihawk had taken years to beat out of her, bowed her head in turn.
"It pleases me to step foot on your island again, Iceberg-san." Iceberg raised his head with surprise on his five o'clock shadowed face.
"Again?"
"Perhaps I never stepped a foot on this island but once upon it was my home," Rowan admitted. She raised her head and looked at the massive fountain. "Though I don't have a single memory of this place."
"Then…that would make you—" Rowan returned her eyes to Iceberg and raised herself up to her full height.
"I am Clodagh Rowan, daughter of 'Red King' Fiachra, 'Shield Maiden' of the Strawhat Pirates, Queen of Dublin Isle, Captain of the Cardinal and Commanding Officer of the Strongest Army."
If Iceberg's actions caused an uproar before, it was nothing compared to him falling to his knee with his head ducked between his shoulders.
"It is an honor. How may our small city help you, Queen?" Rowan, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with all the attention but knowing she couldn't back out now, smothered the butterflies deep.
"I am here to see her."
"Forgive me your highness but she's not here at the moment. Gone to Poochi. However, she should be back tonight if nothing else."
"Thank you. I wish to see her at the moment of her return."
"Of course." Iceberg returned to his feet and turned to the woman who was staring slack jawed at them. She was a tall but slender woman with blond hair and glasses. "Kalifa. Send out some of our employees to retrieve Dixie the moment she steps foot back on Water Seven."
"O-of course Iceberg-sama." Rowan watched the woman walk away to inform people of Iceberg's command. Her heels clicked with every step.
"It would be an honor to entertain you until Dixie's return, your majesty," Iceberg said while holding out an arm. Rowan slide her eyes up and down the man before taking his outstretched arm. He had been kind and given her his left arm.
"It would be a privilege, Iceberg-san."
Iceberg showed her all around Dock One. From the ships they were currently building to designs for their next jobs. He introduced her to any who approached him which was appropriate but made Rowan uncomfortable. She was still getting used to being acknowledged by her full title. And the way the shipwrights all treated like she was spun of gold had her fidgety.
"And this is Lucci, your highness."
Rowan looked up into the face of a raven haired man. Or she would have if she wasn't distracted by the pigeon on his shoulder.
"Hello, your highness!" the pigeon said while lifting a wing. Rowan jerked back slightly, eyes popping open. It took more than second for her brain to realize what was going on.
"That's…impressive," she admitted while a small smile cracked her lips. "A ventriloquist of your ability wouldn't need to work such a laborious job."
"Thank you, your highness but we enjoy the job to much too ever do anything else." Rowan actually laughed.
"I can believe th—" Rowan's eyes narrowed as she watched a few workers struggle under the weight of a piece of lumbar. "A moment," she said before striding off.
"Your highness?"
Rowan made it to the group and snuck under the giant log. Catching it with her shoulder she lifted up and took it out of the men's grasp. She was able to smile into one of their stunned faces.
"Which way?" she asked causing the man to point with a shaking finger.
And Rowan did as the man bade and put the log down with a little toss. It shook the ground when it landed. Noting that there were more logs where this one came from, Rowan went to help.
"Your highness! Please don't bother yourself—" one of the carpenters started but Rowan flapped her hand at him dismissively.
"I have time to kill," she said while picking up another piece. She turned slowly, making sure not to hit anyone. "It would be an honor to help shipwrights of your caliber."
No one could figure out how to argue so they allowed Rowan to help.
"Not what I expected from a queen," Lucci told Iceberg as they watched Rowan go back and forth with the logs. It was slow but soon she was laughing with the other carpenters and they even asked her to help with another job the second she was done.
"Her father was the same way," Iceberg admitted while watching Rowan wrap a rope around her arm and proceed to pull a mast for a galleon to its full height all by herself. She turned on her heels and hung with her body weight so that the others could fix the mast accordingly.
The pigeon cooed.
The next time Rowan saw Iceberg it was with Luffy slapping his back and causing chaos amongst the other workers. They were surrounded by Lucci, the gawking shipwright from earlier, and Kalifa. Nami and Usopp were at the back of the group. Up in the rafters of a galleon, Rowan grabbed hold of a rope and proceeded to swing down so that she landed beside them.
"Rowan!" Luffy greeted with a bright smile causing another uproar.
"Luffy," she greeted in turn with a smile of her own. "About time you lot made it."
"This is your crewmate?" Iceberg questioned.
"Captain actually," Rowan admitted. Iceberg's eyes went wide before he looked back down at the rubber boy.
"We need a shipwright!" Luffy told him with pride.
"You don't have a single shipwright on your ship?"
"That's right. We don't. We came to this island to get our ship fixed and to find comrades." Iceberg looked between Rowan and Luffy again before giving a weak smile.
"There are tons of shipwrights here but are there any who would want to sail on a pirate ship? If there's anyone here who wants to go, you can take them."
"Really? Wow! You're really generous! How about you, mister?"
"Well, I can't. I'm mayor."
"So what?"
"Luffy," Rowan interrupted causing the boy to look back to her. "Iceberg-san won't be joining us. Our best bet is to put the word out and let them come to us."
"Aww man! But he's so cool!" Rowan laughed.
"And there are plenty of other cool shipwrights. We'll find one here I'm sure."
"By the way, your highness." Rowan turned to Iceberg with a raised brow. "It there a woman named Nico Robin on your ship?" Rowan's face fell into a mask and her eyes turned hard.
"There is."
"She's our archeologist!" Luffy chimed in.
"I see. Well—"
"Kaku! Where were you?"
"I was assessing a ship. Are the customers here?" Nami joined the others now, giving Rowan an impressed glance over before turning to the newcomer. He was another tall man with orange hair and a nose that rivaled Usopp's in length. Only his was square.
"Oh! You're the person from earlier! Did you take a look at our ship?"
"Yeah, I took a look." Kaku's eyes shifted and spotted Iceberg. "Oh! Iceberg-sama, you're here."
"I know the situation. How was it?" Nami and Luffy gathered up three suitcases and plopped them down in front of the others. Usopp was surprisingly gone but Rowan assumed it was due to the cannons that were nearby. The boy did have a thing for cannons.
"So, how much is it gonna cost? We can pay any amount! We've got plenty of money!" Luffy chittered with a bright smile. "And if possible, we'd like to make it more durable, add some cannons and make it faster." Rowan would have laughed at Luffy if it wasn't for the somber look on Kaku's face.
"Also, could you add some wonderful decorations to the hull? And redecorate the rooms?" Nami questioned.
"Nami. Luffy," Rowan interrupted, no longer smiling but frowning. The two paused at Rowan's tone before turning to Kaku who she was staring hard at. "Tell us what you found," Rowan ordered, no longer able to wait.
"In short…the battle damage to your ship is far too great. You probably had a grand journey."
"Yeah, we climbed a mountain, flew, got skewered. A lot happened. We want you to fix her!"
"Is it going to take long?"
"Enough you two," Rowan snapped, feeling her gut twist.
"What's with you Rowan?" Nami snapped right back. Rowan ignored her in favor of glaring at Kaku.
"Say what you're not saying, shipwright. And say it quick," Rowan ordered. Kaku sighed but did as she barked.
"No…I'm going to give it to you straight. Your ship can't be fixed. Not even with our skills."
Rowan felt like she'd been punched in the gut.
"…what?"
"Even if we were to repair it, the chance that it would reach the next island is zero."
"No way!" Luffy suddenly screamed causing some of the nearby workers to pause. The boy's face twisted into denial as he shouted, "She's been sailing just like always!"
"Was it the keel?" the blond, gawking man asked.
"Yes. It's badly damaged."
Rowan closed her eyes and gritted her teeth against the hot wave of despair that rushed through her.
"You can't fix Merry Go? Why not? Aren't you the best shipwrights in the world?" Luffy patted the three suitcases in front of him again with more desperation this time around. "If it's money that you want, I have lots!"
"That's not the problem," Kaku explained. "The ship cannot be repaired no matter how much money you have." The long nose looked down so his eyes were covered by his Galley-La hat. "It's already a miracle that you sailed here safely with that ship. I'm really impressed about that."
"What do you mean? What's wrong with Merry Go?"
"Do you know what the keel is, shameless girl?" blondie asked.
"It's on the bottom of the ship…"
"Correct. It's the support that goes from the head to the tail of the ship. It's the most important part of the entire ship. When you build a ship, you have to start with the keel, then the head, the tail, the spine…every piece of wood in the ship is put together with the keel at the center. That is the basics of ship construction. The keel at the center of the ship is the 'life-line'. If the keel is broken you can't just take it off and put in a new one. Replacing the keel is the same as rebuilding a whole new ship! Thus, no one can 'repair' your ship. Your ship is nothing more than a pile of wood waiting to be scrapped."
Rowan's eyes flashed open and seared into the blondie.
"How could you say that?" Nami shouted while Rowan all but felt Luffy's growing frustration beside her.
"I'm only telling the truth."
"Then just remake the ship from start! Remake Merry Go."
"That's impossible, Luffy," Rowan interrupted but Lucci cut her off with Hattori,
"That's not possible either. While it is possible for us to build a ship that looks like yours, it's still technically not 'remaking' the same ship. In this world, there is no two identically ships."
"Why not?"
"Are there two completely identically trees in the world? And ships are built from pieces of wood. The size and shape of the ship depends on the wood. So even if we have the blue print we can't build an identically ship. Even if we do make a nearly identical ship the one who will most strong feel 'this is not the same ship,' will be yourselves!"
"So you're saying that Merry Go is never going to sail again?" Nami almost wailed, sounding on the verge of hysterics.
Rowan understood the woman's pain.
Merry Go was their home. They had been sailing on Merry Go for almost a year. She had carried them so far and so well. She had absorbed their sweat, tears and blood. She was the one never changing thing in their lives in a world that was constantly changing.
Merry Go was home.
"That's correct. You can either take it apart now or let it die and sink naturally."
"Hmm, the ship has lived out its life. But if you think of it another way with your old one gone, you can buy a brand new ship. You have the money for it, no? I heard about your ship's caliber. It's a very old model. The sea beyond this point is too rough for it even if it's not broken."
Rowan almost groaned.
That was the exact opposite thing that one needed to say to Luffy right now.
And the boy proved her point by snapping,
"No! I don't want a new ship! Our ship is Merry Go! If you just fix it, it'll definitely keep going! Plus, we sailed perfectly today! Who says it can't go on? I don't believe you! You have no idea how strong our ship is!"
"Then you can just sit in that ship and sink with it," Iceberg snapped without any real heat in his voice. But that didn't mean his gaze didn't cut through Luffy. "Lil' punk. You can yourself a captain?"
"I do," Rowan interrupted with enough steel in her voice she had every one of the shipwrights tensing. Eyes narrowed at Iceberg, Rowan then turned to Luffy with a softer expression. "They aren't telling us this to hurt us, Luffy," she began to explain with a heavy heart. "The keel of the ship is simply irreplaceable. If the ship were a crew the rudder would be the navigator and the hull the guards and so on so forth. But the keel…the keel is the captain. Something that cannot be replaced and without it the other parts are just that, parts. Sure, you could get a new captain but it wouldn't be the same crew. Not really. Do you understand?"
Rowan could see the struggle clear as the sun in Luffy's eyes. A drowning man looking for a life preserve, he all but whimpered,
"Rowan?"
Rowan ducked her head, unable to look into Luffy's pleading eyes any more when she didn't have what he so desperately wanted.
"I'm sorry."
"Enough talk for today," Iceberg cut in causing the crew to look to him. "Think about it. Come back when you want to buy a new ship. With your money, you can easily afford the best ship we can make. Kalifa."
"Yes, sir." The blond haired woman handed Rowan a book after pulling it from seemingly nowhere. Rowan took it while she explained, "Please reconsider. This catalog lists everything from secondhand ships to the newest in production."
"Thank you." Rowan turned to the shipwright Kaku and bowed her head. "And thank you for telling us."
There was the sound of struggle before Luffy was bowing beside her. His fists were clenched and his teeth were gritted but he was bowed at the waist just like her.
"Thank you for telling us," he parroted her. Rowan stretched up and placed her hand on Luffy's shoulder, the book resting against his back. Iceberg was looking surprised between Rowan and Luffy but she was too busy paying attention to Luffy to notice.
"Iceberg-sama! There are customers at the front door." Rowan glanced to the shirtless shipwright that joined their group and silently applauded his tattoos. Though the spike coming from his head was different. "They're the representatives of the World Government. Should I tell them to leave?"
"Hmm, tell them I'm not here," Iceberg huffed. His already narrow eyes squinted. "Also…did you comb your hair after your nap, Lulu?"
"Excuse me."
Rowan's eyes snapped open as the man literally pushed the spike down only to have it pop out the other side of his head.
"I'll tell them to come back at another time. Yes, that's what I'll do."
"Hold on a second, Iceberg!"
Rowan grabbed hold of Luffy by the arm and pulled him behind the lumbar they had had their devastating conversation beside. Nami scrambled after them with the suitcases.
"I knew you'd be here!" the officer laughed with something twisted in his voice.
"Hmm, long time no see, Kougii. Sorry, but I'm not here today."
"What? Are you drunk? I sat on that sea train for a long time to get here! Don't kick me out just yet." There was the sound of sniffing that had Rowan furrowing her brows in confusion. "I smell pirates…" Kougii laughed. "Never mind. I need to talk to you."
"I don't like you. Go away."
"You're acting childish. Don't be so stubborn. I have some good news for you. You should let me finish before kicking me out. Let's go somewhere private first."
"No. I have a special guest here today. I'm dealing with them not you."
"Special guest? Never mind, I won't take up that much for your time."
"Nma, fine. Kalifa."
"Yes, sir."
Rowan peeked around the lumbar and watched Iceberg and Kalifa walk away with the officer and his muscle.
"Those guys are so annoying. What do they want with Iceberg-sama this time?"
"It's none of our business," Hattori hooted.
"Let's beat them up!" Lulu chirped.
"Don't be a fool. They're the government!"
"Doesn't mean shit," Rowan huffed causing the shipwrights to look over at her. Rowan's eyes were narrowed at the departed's back. With a sigh and a shake of her head, Rowan tried to let go of as much tension as she could.
It wasn't easy.
With a small frown still in place, Rowan turned her attention to the shipwrights. More than one was giving her a wiry look. Rowan chose to ignore that.
"Please tell Iceberg-san that I will talk to him later. For now I need to be with my crew. If Dixie gets here please tell her that she can find our ship down by the—"
Rowan jerked so hard so about pulled something when Nami let out an earsplitting scream.
"What the hell are you screaming for?" the blond man snapped, as they all turned around on Nami and Luffy. They were too busy staring at two empty suitcases.
"200 million beri! Gone!"
"If you look closely these two briefcases aren't even ours!"
"Don't scream," Lucci scowled.
"Wait, are you saying someone stole? From us? Pirates?" When Luffy and Nami turned on the blond, Rowan whirled on him as well.
"I didn't take it!"
"So noisy," Lulu huffed. "Hey Kaku, weren't you with the Franky Family earlier?'
"Hm? What are you talking about? I haven't seen them at all today?"
"That's weird…I'm sure I saw your long nose—" Both Nami and Rowan whirled on Lulu.
"Wait! What did you just say?"
"That means—"
"Usopp was with the Franky Family!"
"More precisely, they were carrying him."
"Kidnapped?"
"Who's this Franky Family?" Rowan demanded, wanting to put her hands on her hips but only able to do one.
"No time! Luffy! Go find them!"
Luffy was gone in a shot.
"Wait! Do you know where to go Luffy?"
"You're the one who sent him off!" Rowan thundered. Nami ignored her and turned to the blond.
"Where do the Franky Family live?"
"Their base? The scrap factory. Go from where you docked your ship and then go northeast along the beach. You'll see the Franky House."
"Who are the Franky Family?"
"Rowan?"
All the breath in Rowan's chest exited her in one foul swoop. Nami, still panicking, didn't see the flash of something both dark and horrified, pass Rowan's face. The shipwrights were a different matter. Standing up to her fullest height, Rowan turned only her head and let her eyes land on the woman who called her name.
She was a short woman of only 5'5. Her hair was a mass of curls about her head colored a strawberry blond and held out of her face with a tie. She wore basic clothes of jeans and a flannel shirt, despite the heat. The woman was the exact opposite of Rowan in practically every way. She was petite and had sharp features like a fox while Rowan was massive with broad features.
The only similarity between the two were perhaps their hands, both covered in thick calluses and scars.
Rowan stared the woman down as she dropped her bag and all but stumbled towards the redhead. Her brown eyes flashed between Rowan's face, to her missing arm, to the heavy scarring on her stomach, back to her face and repeating.
Rowan's entire body was as stiff as a statue when the woman burst forward and flung her arms around her, sobbing into her chest since it was where her head landed.
"Rowan!" she cried out.
Rowan's arm remained at her side as the woman squeezed her tight.
"…mother."