Chapter 23
Mina entered the Marijoa library. She had to find anything that would help her discover the Marijoa National Treasure.
Suddenly, she felt an unpleasant presence behind her.
-Hm? You're the new one! The commoner who thinks she has pure blood like us!
Mina couldn't help but feel the fury take over her. The scum who was talking to her was Saint Charloss, who was sitting on top of Kuma, her nakama.
Saint Charloss looked her up and down.
-Well well, you're actually attractive...! - he got off Kuma - I will make you the honor of becoming another of my wives~
Mina went blank.
"This idiot... is he serious?"
-You can even use my ultimate slave! - Charloss pointed to Kuma while hitting him - Isn't it cool!?
Her nakama... reduced to that empty shell...
She couldn't bear the rage and raised her hand to hit him, but before she could, Saint Charloss fell to the ground as his head bled.
-What...?
-Don't you even dare to speak bad about my niece, asshole - Mjosgard spat at Charloss.
Charloss looked at Mjosgard with hatred.
-One of these days, you will stop being protected by Im, and that day I swear that I will make you my slave!
-I'll look forward to it, scum.
Charloss left with Kuma while cursing Mjosgard.
-Thank you...
-Are you dumb! - Mjosgard interrupted her angrily- If you hit him, you would have been in big trouble! Your status isn't confirmed yet, so you aren't equal to him! The CP0 has you under surveillance, they don't trust you.
Mina looked at Mjosgard, confused.
"Does... does he know something?"
-Don't make it easier for them.
Yes. He knew.
How?
-Back to the palace-
Mjosgard slammed the doors of his living room.
-Mjosgard, you...
-You were going to do something stupid in there! What the hell were you thinking !?
Mina couldn't answer.
The man sighed.
-Look, I know perfectly well that you're not here to live as a Tenryubito - he grabbed her front by the shoulders - If you come to get revenge for what they did to your family, I understand. But you can't move so carelessly!
Mina froze.
Revenge?
-You think... I'm here for revenge? - Mina asked stunned.
Mjosgard looked at her, confused.
-I'm not right?
They both looked at each other in silence for several seconds.
-I'm a revolutionary.
Mjosgard looked at her completely stunned.
-What?
-Damn, I didn't expect you to tell him that so soon! - they both heard a third voice suddenly speak.
They both turned around. It was Kaito, who was listening their convesation without them realizing.
-Isn't he your escort? What's going on!? - Mjosgard asked confused.
Kaito sighed.
-So... - he looked at the man - You won't tell anyone, right?
Mjosgard looked into those terrifying eyes. He knew right away that the boy with platinum hair was threatening him.
-Kaito, he's not...
Kaito raised his hand to silence her.
-You wouldn't, would you?
Although that boy was smiling at him, there was something enormously sinister about him that made Tenryubito freeze.
-No - he finally managed to say - I would never betray my family.
Mina looked at her uncle in surprise.
Again that strange warmth.
-Well, that's good. We were lucky that not all of you are scum, but still, be careful. To me, all of you are the same scum~
Despite never losing his smile and cheerful voice, Kaito was extremely sinister.
Mjosgard looked at Mina.
-Girl, what kind of mess have you got yourself into?
Now, both Donquixotes were alone.
Mjosgard sighed with relief.
-You have quite a sinister friend. I thought he was going to kill me at any moment...
-Don't blame him, he has his reasons.
The man looked at her.
-Revolutionary, huh? - he smiled sadly - How ironic...
Mina sat next to him.
-I joined when I was 14 years old.
-I see...
Neither of them knew very well what to say.
"Will you hate me?" Mina thought to herself.
Why did she care so much what that man thought about her? They hardly knew each other, but she couldn't help but feel comfortable around him. The same feeling that she had with Doflamingo or his father when he was still alive. Was it because they were family?
-Somehow - Mjosgard started to speak - It makes me feel proud.
Mina looked at him in astonishment.
-I mean... finally one of us will end this spiral of infinite cruelty.
-Proud? I'm going to take everything from you.
-This? - He pointed around the room - Many years ago I stopped caring. Since what happened on Fishman Island, things have changed a lot for me.
Mina didn't know what to say.
Proud. He was proud of her.
It was the first time anyone had said that to her.
She couldn't help but smile.
-Hm? - Mjosgard looked at her curiously - Is that a smile what I see?~
Mina blushed.
-Oh my, what a lovely niece I have!~
They both enjoyed each other's company.
It was the first time that Mina had met someone like him.
She laid her head on her uncle's shoulder.
-I'm glad I met you.
Mjosgard smiled.
-I feel the same about you.
-2 weeks later-
Finally, the event that everyone was waiting for with such eagerness was celebrated. The Reverie.
Mina and Mjosgard saw convoys arrive from all the allied countries of the World Government.
The pink-haired woman could detect that Sabo was watching her from afar, dressed as one of the guards of a guy called King Stelly.
They both exchanged glances and nodded. It was the moment of truth.
Mina saw the man that Sabo was secretly accompanying, approaching to her.
This "King Stelly" knelt before her and began to smirk.
-Finally! A lady worthy of being the wife of King Stelly!
Mina went completely blank.
"Seriously? What the fuck is wrong with these people!?"
She could perfectly sense Sabo and Kaito laughing like crazy, despite wearing that huge armor of guards.
"I will kill them"
As she struggled not to hit Stelly, Mina heard a huge commotion from afar.
-Let's investigate while Sabo sneaks into Pangea - said Kaito.
Upon reaching the conflict zone, they witnessed the incident of Saint Charloss and Princess Shirahoshi.
Both revolutionaries saw that Rob Lucci, Kota's brother, was also present, and looking in an unpleasant way at her uncle.
When she saw her uncle hit Charlos, Mina cursed.
-Fuck, Mjosgard!
-Shit, your uncle has caught the attention of CP0, they will report this incident - Kaito worried.
Mina thought about intervening, but abstained as soon as she saw that Rebecca and Viola were there.
-Oh shit.
How many years had it been since she last saw Rebecca? Her first friend, the first person who cared about her...
-Isn't she a friend of yours? - Kaito asked.
-Let's go, if Rebecca sees me, she will create a scandal and will attract attention.
-Why?
-She thinks I'm dead.
-2 days later-
All the preparations were done. There were no loose ends. The Revolutionary Army ships had passed through the high-security zones without being noticed thanks to Kaito's effort. Enemy communications had dropped and all necessary information had been provided thanks to Kota. All the land of Marijoa and its security had been destroyed by Sabo, and the doors about to be opened thanks to Mina.
-There are no failures - thought the four revolutionaries and Dragon - Everything is going as calculated.
And... if it hadn't been because of that specific incident, everything would have gone according to plan.
No one saw that coming.
Panic spread much earlier than calculated. Mina had to open the doors ahead of schedule, and the Revolutionary Army was embroiled in a much larger battle than they had expected.
It was impossible to foresee something like that.
Mina clenched her fists tightly and bit her lip so hard that it began to bleed.
Again. Again that Im-sama had played it back to her. It was always him. How the hell could that man undo a 20-year plan in seconds!?
-It's not your fault - Sabo said to Kota, the head of the intelligence area - It was impossible for us to know that something like this was going to happen.
Even Dragon himself had no words for what happened.
King Kobra of Arabasta, had been cruelly murdered in broad daylight during the Reverie's last meeting.
Panic spread around the place. All kings and queens ran desperate to save their lives. Everyone knew that this hadn't been an accident, but a purge of the World Government.
Neptune's family were quickly escorted by Garp. Rebecca, Violet and Princess Mansherry ran terrified
-Wait - suddenly Rebecca left - And Vivi? Where's Vivi!?
The Crown Princess of Arabasta, after the shock of losing her father in her arms, was immediately carried away by an unknown shadow.
Everyone feared for the life of the princess, now queen, Vivi.
-Rebecca, We can't stay behind!
Both run into the streets, finding hundreds of slaves of all races running desperately as they tried to not be killed by the bullets of government agents.
That was a stampede, the agents no longer differentiated between slaves and royalty.
Violet protected Mansherry and Rebecca as best she could, and tried to get to a safer place, out of range of bullets.
She was worried about Vivi, but right now they were more important.
Suddenly, explosions. The explosions of the Revolutionary Army began to make the whole place go up in the air. This was hell on earth, it was way worse than Dressrosa's revolution against Doflamingo.
In the midst of the chaos, Violet could see a beautiful pale pink hair.
-Impossible...
A beautiful woman, in a completely destroyed Tenryubito dress, gave orders to soldiers of the Revolutionary Army.
Mina had changed. Her voice was less robotic and more imposing.
But it was her. Those beautiful purple eyes, and that red-edged katana only belonged to one person in this world.
Violet's eyes filled with tears. She thought that Mina had died, that she had been executed...
But there she was, at the head of a revolution in the center of the world.
Rebecca also noticed, and began desperately calling Mina's name.
The revolutionary, after hearing her name, turned and found the faces of the two heirs of the Riku family, but instead of being happy, Mina looked at them with horror and tilted her head.
Rebecca didn't understand, but Violet did. The brunette covered her niece's mouth and desperately ran to another place out of that chaos.
-Violet! It was Mina! We must go back to her! - she cried desperately.
-No! - Rebecca looked that Violet was very nervous - She's a revolutionary!
-And what about that!? She's my friend!
Violet shook the pink haired girl violently
-Rebecca, the Revolutionary Army has just declared a coup against the World Government. If they succeed, the bloodiest war ever seen in the entire world will begin.
-I don't understand...
-If she loses, and the World Government finds out that we are sympathetic to some traitor, they will execute us! You must pretend you don't know her, or else we could be executed by accomplices or sympathizers.
-Okay - she looked at the brunette with decision - We will survive this and I'll go back to dad.
Violet smiled and hugged her.
-Yes, we will survive and return home. I promise.
That was a bad situation
Mina was hoping that, if the slaves mingled with the stampeding kings, government officials would think about it a bit more when shooting, but that was not the case.
Still, they had managed to keep hundreds of Tenryubito's slaves safe and carry them to the ships they had prepared.
Surprisingly, many of them had decided to take up arms and rise alongside the revolutionaries. Well, it was to be expected, those with courage were fed up with all that infernal life and wanted to take revenge of the Tenryubito's mean acts
-Mina! You're safe! - said Mjosgard.
-What are you doing here!? If they see you with me they will accuse you of treason!
The man laughed.
-Oh come on, you won't lose! So I won't go with them!
-How can you be so sure about it? In war you never know, the tables can be turned against us at any time.
He continued smiling.
-Because Mina is strong.
Mina blushed slightly.
-Really, give me a break ... - she clicked his tongue.
-Oh! I thought you were unable to make those kinds of expressions!
-I have feelings, you know? - she replied again with a serious face.
Mjosgard laughed. That girl was charming. He would follow and protect her until the end of the world.
The battle was long and bloody. Mina and Kaito fought against Admiral Ryoukugyu and Fujitora, while Kota and Sabo against other CP0 agents.
Finally, they managed to get rid of them.
-We must withdraw now. Marijoa has fallen and we must prepare for the next battle - Dragon ordered.
The revolutionaries agreed and ordered their troops to withdraw.
The first attack had been a complete success, but they couldn't let their guard down, things could go wrong at any moment.
Suddenly Mina realized that Mjosgard wasn't there.
After the attack of the Admirals they had separated. She thought that her uncle would have left with the rest of the refugees, but that wasn't the case.
-I have to found him. I can't leave him here!
-But Mina! - exclaimed Sabo - If they catch you...!
But his nakama was already running.
Mina searched through all the corpses.
That was hell on earth.
-Where are you!?
She had a bad feeling.
Suddenly, she heard voices from afar. There were no more people who could cover her back, so she walked carefully.
-Why are you hiding, pretty girl?
Mina felt a chill run through her entire body. She quickly dodged the blow Stussy had thrown at her.
-How agile~
-Hey, I know you! - Spandam said, who was also there - You came to Marijoa and ascended as a Tenryubito, but you were a traitor from minute 0 that you stepped on this land.
Mina didn't answer.
-You feel proud of all this, don't you? Thanks to you the slaves are freed and the sacred land is a fucking mess.
-Sorry, are you trying to intimidate me? - Mina raised her eyebrow.
-Threatening a Donquixote? Never - Spandam said sarcastically - You are the plague of the 20 Founders. From the first generation you do nothing but bring trouble. Homing and his stupid discourses of equality. He thought his life would be wonderful as a villager, but he ended up being killed by his own son!
Mina knew her grandfather's story, but for some reason the way she was telling it was starting to put her in a bad mood.
-Homing was an idiot, but Doflamingo even more. That bloody beast cut off his own father's head and brought it to us thinking that we would forgive him and let him return - he laughed out loud - Isn't he crazy!?
-Shut up, you don't know anything about them
-Doflamingo believed that he could blackmail us - he smiled - But he was never in control. It's only a matter of time before one of our assassins gets rid of him.
Mina knew that she must remain calm. She couldn't be upset or they would win.
Nothing they told her could alter her.
Or so she thought.
-And this idiot - Spandam drew a man he had chained dreadlocks - He's the worst of all.
Mina felt her heart stop. It was Mjosgard.
They had captured him.
-Mjosgard, I've never liked you. Now I can finally kill you with the excuse that you are a traitor. And you don't know how happy that makes me!
-Leave him - Mina couldn't help but speak.
-Mina, no! - Mjosgard said.
Spandam looked at both of them.
Seeing the angry look of the revolutionary, made Spandam smirk.
Mina went straight to attack the purple-haired man, but was immediately stopped by other CP0 officers.
-Not so fast - Spandam mocked her - If I had known that this guy was to your liking, I would have had much fun earlier.
Spandam began to hit Mjosgard but the Tenryubito didn't cry out in pain even once.
-Sorry Spandam, I will not lower myself to your level - he replied with dignity.
-Release him, scum! Or I swear you will know the consequences! - Mina threatened.
-My, my - A new voice suddenly appeared - You're not cute at all~
That terrifying feeling ... she had felt it before. Long before.
It was Im-sama.
Mina was brave, but as soon as she saw him, the memories of that day came back to her mind and completely paralyzed her.
-Oh! I see you remember me! - Im looked her in the eyes - You have grown, you are no longer that girl I met at the Reverie.
Mjosgard remembered what his niece had told him.
-Don't go near her, Im! - he threatened him even though was badly hurt - I won't allow you to harm my family!
"Mjosgard ..." Mina looked at him stunned. That man ... had he just stood up for her?
-Hm? Damn, Mjosgard - Im looked at him like he was a fly - You don't interest me, so you better shut up.
Mina felt a chill. Something bad was going to happen, but she couldn't move because of all the agents around her.
Mjosgard also had the same bad feeling.
He looked Mina's eyes.
He saw the terrified eyes of his beloved niece. The only family he had left. That wonderful girl who had had the honor of meeting.
-Hey Mina - he smiled - I'm proud of you.
He saw the horror on her face.
He knew they were about to murder him in front of her eyes.
"Ah, shit" - he thought - "I didn't want to die like this. You will blame yourself because of this forever"
The last thing he saw, was Mina running desperately toward him, tears in her eyes.
It was the first time he had seen her cry. And he was sure that, perhaps, this was the first time she had cried in a long time... or even in her life.
And it was because of him.
"Damn, I don't want to be the reason for that face"
He continued to smile, even though he was aware of the inevitable.
"Please, don't you cry because of me, or I won't die in peace"
He wanted to tell her a thousand things.
How happy he was to have met her.
But everything went black before he could express himself for the last time.