...
I waited, a passive expression on my face, allowing the Yonko a chance to process my question.
Funnily enough, up until said question, Shanks' expression had been rather easy to read.
Mostly irritation, and anger.
Now?
He was just... staring at me, every so often eyeing the cage between us.
"Before you get any ideas-"
"I see." Shanks cut me off, a frown slowly growing on my face as I watched his eyes glint red for a moment. "Rather ingenious," He raised his sword, tapping the strings before him experiementally. "Those strings... All covered in their own bodyof haki, all overlapping each other... Instead of simply coating everything under one bubble... And so many!" He chuckled.
"...Now, that's cheating." His expression broke the slightest at my words before once again turning passive.
Turning towards his crew-mates, I was a little surprised to see them all quiet, all of them passively staring at me. Bemused expressions all around. Even Luffy, the last person I'd expected, was silent. His thoughtful frown putting me off.
"I see." Shanks stated again his eyes closing, a tired sigh coming out. My body, for whatever reason automatically taking a single step back.
"See what?" I questioned, my glare not showing through thanks to the shades.
"Well, given I've been unceremoniously showering you in haki and you haven't seemed to notice-"
My eyes slowly widened, my haki flaring out instinctively.
"You're not really here," Shanks stated, matter of factly, his eyes slowly reopening, "You're upstairs, three doors-"
My hand twitched, hundreds of haki-covered strings coming into existence, all converging on the smiling Yonko. My eyes widening further as the man proceeded to dodge every single attack.
Lazily.
"Truly, I am glad to hear it, it means I won't have to hold back." He added on, idly side-stepping the second volley as both of my hands stretched out towards him. "Knowing another Yonko put you up to this-"
My attack ceased. Shanks eyes glinting red, before a frown filled his face.
"Excuse you," I grit through my teeth. "You think Kaido put me up to this!? You think he could've come up with this!?" I roared out.
"...You remember?" Another voice joined the fray, the silver-haired gunslinger's eyes glinted as they stared at me. "Why do you still remember?"
I sniffed, my hands crossing. One hand covering my face. "Look at me, getting taunted." I shook my head.
"Why do you still remember?" Shanks repeated the same question, his eyes already glinting red.
"I'll be the one to ask questions-"
Shanks blinked again, the brief red hue disappearing, his head tilting the slightest.
"I really hope you don't actually believe this," He tapped the cage, a raised eyebrow on his face. "Is holding me back?" He questioned, a deadpan look to his face.
Doflamingo's panic quickly made itself known while I frowned.
"Id like to see any of you try to break it." I remarked, even as the urge to run filled me. My eyes rapidly blinking unseen.
Shanks sighed. "For someone who seems to know 'much' about me...-" He paused, my body freezing the moment he sheathed his sword.
"-You don't seem to understand why I am considered one of the Yonko."
"Big words-" I immediately started, my grin forced as my gaze snapped between Red-hair and his crew. Wondering what the man planned to-
That was the moment I felt it. The moment I felt Shanks' Conquerer's haki fill the castle.
My smile, momentarily coming back as I'd assumed his plan involved knocking out a wooden puppet. Only for the small glimmer of hope to disappear as the haki covering the hall suddenly changed.
"I'll admit, you've shown me a rather neat new trick, so allow me to return the favour." Shanks chuckled. A resounding shockwave expanding from him. Covering the cage and me in it's entirety. My body froze, for whatever reason, refusing to listen.
"The greatest strength of a Conqueror." Shanks raised his single hand, likely more for show then anything else.
"Is his ability to command the sea."
And with the flick of a finger, Shanks promptly shut off my devil fruit ability. And though I knew almost instinctively, that the effect was likely meant to be short. It was still long enough for the cage and my string'd body to dissipate completely.
My soul finding itself, quite literally, back in Sugar's hands.
...
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