"Why is it that every time you train with Vice Admiral you get injured so much?" Zack sighed as he put a band aid on Emilia's forehead. The child in-front of him had a bruise which now attained a blueish color and a bulge. "It never happens when Bogard-San trains you."
Emilia raised her hands and pressed on the band-aid and nervously laughed. "Garp-san has always been rough with his training. I used to run away from him when ever I got the chance back in Goa Kingdom."
"So.." Zack continued as he started putting his stuff back into the first aid box. "What was the training this time?"
Zack mentally prepared himself. Garp had always made up stupid training because he always felt left out when Bogard would train Emilia.
Just last week, the old man tied Emilia on a rope and threw her out of their marine ship.
"Gah?!" Zack shouted, panicking as Emilia, almost drowning , struggled to stay afloat since her arms were also tied up. "What are you doing Vice-Admiral?! Emilia will drown!"
"GAHAHA!" The old man crossed his arms and laughed proudly. "With this training Emilia will become one with the sea and become much stronger!"
"You do realize that doesn't make sense right?!"
"Huh...Are you doubting my training?" Garp stopped laughing and glared at Zack making him shiver under his gaze. "Guess you also need some training."
Garp also tied a rope around Zack and threw him off the ship and anyone who questioned his training method. And at the end of the day more than half of squad were in the sea, struggling to survive and fighting off any sea monsters.
"He blindfolded me and made me put of some ear plugs to cancel the sound. After that he beat me with my kendo stick." Emilia pouted. Although it might sound insane and impossible to counter back,she did think it might be helpful.
Without sight or hearing ability you start paying attention to every detail making you haki much stronger. But at the level she was in, all she got as a full on beating from the merciless Vice admiral.
Zack sighed. He goes too far sometimes but we cant go against him...
Just then something crossed his mind. "Emilia are you free during our break next week?" He smiled.
"You do know I am 10 turning 11 years right? How old are you? 30?" Emilia said in a stoic tone. "And you call your self a marine..heh..."
Zack stilled for a moment before his face turned red in embarrassment at what Emilia was implying. "That's not what I meant! I'm not asking you on a date! Also I'm just 23!"
Emilia bringing her hands covering her mouth giggled. "I was joking" she then look at him in his eyes and smiled. "What is it?"
"I uh..." Zack scratched his hands at the back of his hands face blushing a bit. "I thought I would like you to meet my girlfriend"
Emilia eyes widened a bit.
"You know we have started dating for a while but I liked her from way before and ..." The man continued on.
"Why" Emilia's soft voice questioned making the guys stop his ramble.
"Why not?" Zack said as he smiled. "We've known each other for almost 2 years now Emilia and now I want the two people precious to me meet, that's all!"
This was the first time in a while,at least ever since she left Goa kingdom, her heart filled with joy giving her a giddy experience.
"No that not what my question meant. Why would anyone be dating you?" Emilia lied, just to tease him abit.
"I swear you're nice to everyone except me."
"That's because I feel comfortable enough to do that to you"
...
"Emilia!" Garp called out looking at the girl who was simply looking at the sea with a dazed look. The weather was good and she didn't have anything to do.
Hearing her name being called out she turned around and faced Garp, slightly tilting her head.
"Starting tomorrow we will have a break of 3 days. I'm thinking of going to Goa Kingdom" Garp said as he put his hands in his pocket and walked towards the girl. "Do you want to come as well? You can meet the boys."
"No." Emilia simply said
"Eh...what did you say." His eyebrows knitted her asked. She didn't want to go with him...or meet the boys...? Was his precious granddaughter in her rebellious phase...?
"I've made plans with Zack so I'm going with him tomorrow." Emilia explained.
Zack who heard the conversation,gulped loudly.
Garp's face was blank for a few seconds before he shouted.
"ZACK! HOW DARE YOU STEAL MY PRECIOUS GRANDDAUGHTER AWAY FROM ME?!".
...
Emilia walked beside Zack. They were currently in marine ford headquarters and as some of you may know beside the Main offices at the center there are residential areas at the were currently headed there.
Emilia looked at Zack holding a bouquet in his hands,a small smile on his face, obviously looking forward to meet his lover. Emilia also noted that she didn't have to walk fast next to him unlike when she did when ever she was walking beside Garp or any of the other grown ups. Zack simply slowed his pace down so that's she could walk without rushing him self.
Soon they reached in front of a door of a small house. Inhaling deeply Zack knocked. This man was really out there getting nervous to see his own lover. This almost made Emilia want to tease him then and there.
Few seconds later the door creaked open. A woman with short blonde hair and green eyes appear her face showed a surprise expression at first and then a wide smile formed.
"Zack!" The woman laughed and opened her arms and jumped towards the man attempting to hug him.
"Wait Claire!"
"AH! THE BOUQUET!"
...
"Hehehe Sorry about that." Claire said, face a bit red,blushing. "And you are?"
"My name is Emilia. Ainsworth Emilia." Emilia replied as she sat down on the chair of their dining table. "Currently I'm waiting to get older so that I join the marine. Till then I will still be with the marine crew but I wont be able to do any official work." She explained assuming that Claire will soon ask what she was doing with the marine.
"Eh? Marine. Directly at the age of 13?"Claire gasped "How old are you right now?"
"I'll be turning 11 soon."
Claire eyes widened and the strayed to look at Zack asking for confirmation.
"Sorry the say this but she is right. That little girl doesn't act liked her age at all. Even her strength is like an elephant" Zack sighed "Must be from Garp's side of the family" he muttered as he picked his cup from the table and sipped on his tea.
Emilia eyes widened slightly... She forgot to tell him Garp and her aren't related by blood...
"You!" Claire raised her hands and smacked the back of Zack's head making his choke on his drink and Emilia winch at the sound of him getting hit. That must have hurt.
"What was that for?" Zack managed to say in between his cough,hands at the back of his head rubbing it to sooth the pain even abit.
"You should never compare a lady to an elephant,dear!" Claire shouted. "On top look at Emilia! There no denying that girl is really beautiful! Super cute!" She pointed at Emilia.
Zack's eye twitched and look at Emilia only to get annoyed at her giving him a smug expression. This brat is enjoying this...
"Claire,I didn't notice that at all!" Zack said as he held Claire's hand. "That must be because no one is more beautiful than you" Zack said ,hoping his lover wont be angry at him anymore with this cheesy line. Emilia really tried her best to hold back her expression. She almost gagged in disgust at the show of affection in front of her.
Claire eyes widened and a blush formed on her face. "Oh you! You make me blush!" Claire brought one hand on her face,smiling and the other hand slapped Zack making him fall from his chair.
"ACK!"
...
Emilia watched Claire chop some vegetables. Right now Claire was making lunch for them. Zack had currently went out to buys some meat, Claire wanted in her beef stew.
"Do you want me to help,Claire san? " Emilia asked as she walked towards the blonde woman.
"Claire is fine." She corrected Emilia." And Emilia you're the guest. You can just sit down and relax. Besides I'm almost done chopping these up haha."
Emilia didn't move. It made her feel abit awkward, going away when someone was working also since back in Goa kingdom, it was Emilia who did most of the cooking,after all those boys were horrible at it.
"Emilia..." Claire said as she put her knife down and walked towards the sink to wash her hands. "Can..Can you tell me how Zack is at work?"
Emilia said nothing for a few seconds.
Claire laughed abit. "You see..." she started "He never really talks about these and always avoids talking about it... He isn't strong at all but he always wanted to be a marine. He accepted his weakness and so then studied really hard so he can get in as a navigator in the marine."
"But he probably still feels abit insecure by it." Claire's eyes dropped and smiled sadly. "But for me...Since I knowing how hard he always worked always made me proud of him..."
After that there was a brief silence.
"He is weak." Emilia said. Claire's eyes widened at the girl's bluntness. "Even I can also probably beat him. He panics every time we face an enemy..."
"But then he always makes sure to check up on me and make sure I am safe...He is the friendliest and kindest person in the crew. Even when I joined that crew, he was one of the first people who treated me as a person and not a burden since most thought of it that way as i am a child."
"He is also very knowledgeable" She continued. "He really taught me alot related to navigation. He is also one of the few people who I've opened up to."
"He gets frustrated when I make fun of him but then he never actually gets angry. That's the kind of person he on the ships likes him." Emilia smiled. "So I don't think you have to worry, Claire. And even if there is danger,I'll be sure to protect him."
Claire teared up and kneeled down to hug Emilia ,smiling "Thank you, Emilia".
If me and Zack will ever have a child, I want the child to be like you, Emilia.
"I'm Back!"
Zack shouted from the entrance and walked directly towards the kitchen. "Here Claire."
"Thank you ,darling." Claire said taking the grocery bag from Zack, kissing his cheeks and walking towards the kitchen.
"Emilia." Zack called out. "Follow me" he said and walked towards another room.
Confused but nevertheless Emilia followed Zack in a room. Zack opened the room. It was filled with boxes stacked one on top of another. Zack then crouched down and took out one of the boxes. A rectangular looking box which was quite long.
He blew on top of the box to make the dust go way and then opened it.
"What is it?" Emilia questioned curiously, trying to peek to see what was in the box.
"Here" Zack pulled out the item and handed it to Emilia.
"A sword..." Emilia was surprised.
"It was my grandfather's. He used this when he was also in the marine." Zack explained. "My dad didn't want to be a marine so this sword was directly given to me by my grandfather before he passed away."
"Is...Is it okay for me to have this?" Emilia asked gripping gently on the sword. "It must be precious to you..."
"It is." Zack smiled. "But I don't know how to use this nor do I think I can ever fight."
Zack brought his hands up and placed them on Emilia's head. "Besides it's always better to make use of things. Take good care of it,Emilia"
"I will."
"Also Emilia " Zack continued,making the girl look at it. He closed the previous one box and slid it to it's original place. "That sword has a name."
"A name..." Emilia whispered. This sword was a meitou.
"The name is Tenryu" He said. "Beautiful name,isn't it?" The question making Emilia nod.
Emilia was touched. For Zack to give something of such importance for him to her.
"But it looks like you'll have to grow more,for you to use it. Hahahaha" Zack laughed. "That sword is longer than you."
Maybe now was the moment to see if the sword got blunt or not. Emilia glared at Zack.
Just then Claire called out from the kitchen saying the lunch was ready. The food was delicious, The couple infront of Emilia were cheerful and kind. This made her feel as if she was back...back in her own world...
I miss them...
...
A/N: This chapter and few coming chapter will have alot of time skips and few more new characters which are not there in the canon One Piece will be introduced.
So I would like to apologize in advance if that may bore you.
Anyways Thank you for reading and Be Safe! Wash Your Hands!