Ch. 9- The Truth
One Piece © Oda
Story and OCs © Me
Langstrom growled as he glared at Sanji, who glared right back at him while Blizzard stood at his side. Pamela sat behind the pair, holding an injured Angel, who was rather surprised at the appearance of her littermate. As for the rest of the Harpy Pirates...some of them blushed upon seeing Sanji, who seemed to shine in front of them like he was a knight in shining armor.
"So cool...!" some of the crew members whispered with starry eyes, which caused Pamela to roll her eye.
"Gimme a freakin' break..." Pamela grumbled.
"Blizzard, it's you...!" Angel whispered in surprise.
"Hey, sis," Blizzard replied. "Long time, no see, wouldn't you say?"
"I'll say," Angel agreed, only to gasp as she saw Langstrom charge. "Watch out!"
Sanji and Blizzard both turned around just in time to block Langstrom, who tried to bite and claw at them with his Haki-imbued claws and fangs. However, with their combined efforts, the two Straw Hats managed to push him back, much to the Vice Admiral's growing frustration. The lion-man attempted to lunge at Sanji, who raised his foot and kicked Langstrom right in the jaw, and while he did that, Blizzard caught his tail in his teeth and then threw him on to the deck, causing him to grunt from the shock. Sanji then stood up on both hands and attempted to give a Haki-powered kick to Langstrom's skull, but he jumped out of the way before he could do so, then he raised his claws and slashed them at the Straw Hat cook, who dodged by bending backwards. The only thing that got sliced was Sanji's cigarette.
Soon, Sanji and Blizzard both jumped back from Langstrom, who snarled viciously in frustration.
"Are you all right, miss?" asked Sanji as he glanced back at Pamela, who glared back at him.
"I was until you showed up," Pamela muttered. "I was handling Langstorm on my own, just fine!"
"I just thought I'd come to help-" Sanji started, only for Pamela to cut him off.
"Now you listen here!" she spat. "I know your type! You're one of those men who think that women are nothing but fragile little things that need to be protected all the damn time!"
"Hmph..." Langstrom scoffed. "I recognize you, now...Vinsmoke Sanji."
Hearing that caused Sanji to tense a bit.
"You're currently wanted for 330 million berries," Langstrom continued, "due to your involvement in the attempted assassination of Big Mom and-"
BAM! Before he could finish that sentence, the lion-man was suddenly kicked in the jaw by a blazing foot, sending him crashing into the wall, once again!
"What the hell?!" Mizuki questioned. "How strong is this guy?!"
"Do NOT call me Vinsmoke!" Sanji shouted with a furious look in his eyes. "I refuse to have anything to do with that accursed name, dammit!"
"Yikes...!" Blizzard whispered in slight fear while Angel blinked in disbelief.
"Sheesh..." Pamela muttered. "Someone has family issues."
"Sorry for the interruption," Sanji said. "Now, listen...I'm sure you could have handled this guy on your own...but still, Blizzard and I just thought we'd come and help since we were nearby...that's all."
"So cool~!" the Harpy Pirates exclaimed as they continued to gaze at Sanji (who inwardly appreciated the admiration).
"All of you, be quiet!" barked Pamela, causing her crew to shrink back before she glared at Sanji. "And as for you! I don't remember asking for your help!"
Sanji blinked at Pamela...who sighed before she smiled.
"But...thanks, anyway," she said. "Sorry for snapping. Being so damn proud as a woman, I often find it hard when a man comes to help me...but since your captain saved my life, way back when, I'll swallow my pride this time."
"Our captain, huh?" Sanji asked before he grinned. "Well...you can make this up to me by telling me where he and his little sister went."
Pamela smiled...but then she gasped as she saw Langstrom getting up, once again.
"Dammit, he just won't give up!" she cursed.
"...I won't give in," Langstrom seethed. "I won't stop until Captain Derek gets his righteous vengeance!"
"Who's Derek?" asked Sanji.
"I'll explain later," Pamela said, worriedly. "Listen, if you're serious about this, you might wanna beat this guy first before you go find your captain!"
"That's probably a good idea," said Sanji.
"Sanji, here he comes!" Blizzard shouted, just as Langstrom charged again, giving a powerful roar as he outstretched his claws!
XXX
Meanwhile, Luffy and Aika panted as they kept running through the forest, the former in her wolf form as she kept sprinting as fast as her legs would allow. They had been running for quite some time now and hadn't stopped to rest quite yet. Occasionally, Luffy would look back to see if anyone had pursued them, but so far, they were in the clear.
Just to be safe, though, they continued to run further and further until they reached the embankment of a river. Not long after they made it there, the clouds rumbled in the sky again, indicating the beginning of another rainstorm. Not five seconds later, raindrops began trickling down from the sky, lightly at first, but as it progressed, it started to turn into a downpour.
Luffy and Aika soon took shelter beneath an outcropping of rocks, waiting out the storm, the former leaning back against one while the latter, who had morphed back into her human form, sat beside him with her wrapped around her knees with a guilty expression on her face. Luffy glanced down at his right hand, which had been wrapped up in cloth to stop the bleeding...and an expression of concern and confusion appeared on his face.
The last time Aika bit him like that, it was back at Dressrosa, when she was worried over her significance as a member of the Straw Hats. Whatever had been bothering her...he realized now it had nothing to do with feeling neglected.
Whenever Aika bit him like this...it was her way of crying for help.
"...Aika," Luffy spoke up, causing Aika to gasp silently as she looked up at him. "We need to talk."
Aika gulped nervously, knowing what was coming now.
"What's been going on with you?" Luffy asked. "You haven't bitten me like that since what happened at Dresrrosa!"
"I...I didn't mean-" Aika started, only to get cut off.
"I know you didn't mean it," Luffy began, "but Aika...what happened? What's really been going? I have a feeling this isn't about you and me not spending enough time together."
"I...it's just..." Aika stammered, but the words seemed to get caught in her throat, causing her to swallow thickly.
"...Aika," Luffy said as he sat down beside her. "Is there something you're not telling me? Don't you love me?"
"Of course, I love you!" Aika cried. "It's because I love you that...that I...!" She bit her lip, feeling her eyes sting as tears began to form in them.
"Aika...?" Luffy asked.
"...You wanna know why I stopped you?" Aika asked. "Because...I don't want you to fight."
"Why not?" Luffy asked.
"Because...you've already fought enough," Aika answered. "Back in Big Mom's territory...with that mochi guy."
"...Oh..." Luffy realized. "With Katakuri, you mean."
"Yeah..." Aika nodded as her tears began to fall down her cheeks.
"But I don't understand," Luffy said. "What does he have to do with any of this?"
"...Big Brother, he almost killed you," Aika replied, tearfully, causing Luffy to gasp quietly before he glanced down at the scar that was placed on him by Katakuri's spear. "He was really strong...almost too strong, even for you...! What if you fought that lion guy...and...and...!"
"...I get it," Luffy said. "Aika...you're afraid that I'll get killed...aren't you?"
"Mm-hmm...!" Aika nodded, sniffling as her nose started to run. "Big Brother...I know that you wanted to be a pirate...I know you wanna be King of the Pirates, one day...but...now that your bounty's bigger, that means you'll run into even more who will wanna fight you...what if you fight someone who's so strong...that you can't beat them?! What if you...what if you die?!" She then broke down sobbing, causing Luffy to look down at her, sadly.
"Aika..." he whispered.
"...I didn't wanna tell you this," Aika said, "and please...promise me you won't hate me...!" She then looked up at Luffy, who stared at her. "Big Brother...I...I don't want you to be a pirate, anymore!"
Luffy's widened while Aika continued to sob, furiously trying to wipe her tears. Up in the clouds, thunder rumbled and lightning flashed as if emphasizing with the girl's pain. As for Luffy, he sat there, staring at his younger half-sister, unsure of what to say.
What could he say to something like that?
It was at that moment that Luffy thought back to the days of his childhood, growing up on Mt. Corvo with Ace after they thought that Sabo had been killed at sea. He remembered how he used to cry a lot whenever he was alone...and how Ace would bop him on the head for crying or for making him worry. Back then, Luffy used to think that Ace was just being a bully...but he realized that was just his way of showing his affection.
With a deep breath, Luffy put on a determined face. He had made his decision.
While Aika kept crying, Luffy held up his fist to his mouth and breathed on it. Then, he raised it up and...BAP! He threw it down right on Aika's skull, causing her to yelp in both surprise and pain as a large bump formed on her crown.
"O...oww~!" she cried as she held the swollen goose egg, then looked up at Luffy, who glared at her with a stern face. "B...Big Brother, what did you do that for?! Why did you hit me?!"
"Because you need to learn how to be tough!" Luffy shouted, causing her to gasp. "I'm tired of you, always crying and making a big deal out of nothing!"
"B...but I...!" Aika started.
"Listen here, Aika!" Luffy spat as he pointed a finger at her. "If you're gonna keep bawling because you're so worried about me, you won't ever make it as a pirate! You said it yourself, you wanna be stronger, don't you?!"
"Y...yeah, but-" Aika began.
"But nothing!" Luffy interjected. "Stop being so damn wishy-washy! You're the younger sister of the man who's gonna be King of the Pirates! That should make you realize how strong you should be!"
Aika gasped quietly at that.
"I believe that you can get stronger," Luffy began, "but it doesn't matter if you don't believe in me?! You get it?!"
Aika's eyes went wide while Luffy smirked.
"So...you still think I shouldn't be a pirate anymore?" Luffy asked.
A pause...but then Aika sniffled as she wiped her eyes. Luffy sat next to her, waiting for her answer. Inwardly, he hoped he didn't go too far, though. Aika wasn't a boy like him, so maybe that hit to the head was a little much...
...Until Aika smiled at him, her face stained with tears...but she smiled warmly, nonetheless, which caused Luffy to smile back at her.
"...Come here," he said as he opened his arms, prompting Aika to run up and hug him, tightly. "...I'm sorry I hit you."
"It's okay," Aika replied. "I needed it."
At that moment, the clouds rumbled as they began to roll away...revealing beams of sunlight, and as Aika looked up, she gasped in awe.
"Big Brother, look at that!" she exclaimed, causing Luffy to look up...and see a beautiful rainbow, arching across the sky.
"Wow...!" Luffy whispered in amazement. "You don't see that every day!"
Aika looked up at Luffy, who grinned as he ruffled her hair, causing her to laugh.
At last...the bond between brother and sister was reborn.
XXX
Back on the Sunny...
"Hey, Nami!" Carrot called from the Crow's Nest. "I think I see some buildings up ahead! I think we're almost there!"
"Looks like it, Carrot!" Nami answered as she looked through the binoculars.
"I can't believe we made it this far," Derek said.
"Indubitably!" Brook concurred. "Hopefully, Luffy and Aika, as well as Sanji and Blizzard are there, waiting for us!"
"We actually haven't heard word from Sanji and Blizzard for a while," Nami said. "I sure hope they've found them."
"I wouldn't sell them short, just yet," said Derek. "If they're anything like you say they are, I'm sure that they've found them."
"Thanks," Nami smiled. "Never thought I'd hear compliments from a Marine, though."
"Don't get used to it," Derek replied with a wink, causing Nami and Brook to laugh. "By the way, where's your doctor?"
"Chopper's in the sickbay, making your prosthetic leg," said Nami.
"I see," Derek nodded. "It would help me to get around a bit."
"Carrot!" Nami called. "Can you go and check on Chopper for us?"
"Okay!" Carrot answered before she leapt down from the Crow's Nest and headed inside the galley to the sickbay. However, about 5 seconds later, the group heard an ear-piercing scream, causing them to turn around.
"Carrot?!" Nami questioned, only to gasp as she saw the Rabbit Mink come outside...raising her hands up as several Marine soldiers came out, pointing their guns at her from behind.
"H...help...!" Carrot squeaked.
"What the-?!" Derek questioned. "How did they get here?!"
"Surprise~!"
Nami, Brook, and Derek gasped as Hendrickson soon came out from behind the soldiers while he had something slung over his shoulder...and a closer look revealed that it was a sea prism stone net with Chopper trapped inside!
"Ugh...help, guys...!" Chopper groaned.
"Chopper!" Nami cried.
"Hendrickson!" Derek shouted.
"I'm afraid this is the end of the line for you, Straw Hats," said Hendrickson. "Especially you, Derek..." He then chuckled darkly while Nami, Brook, and Derek all glared at him.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Next time on One Piece: Trek
Derek: Hendrickson! Just wait until Langstrom hears about this!
Hendrickson: He won't hear of it! As far as he knows, you're dead! *points a gun at him* And I intend to keep it that way.
Nami: Listen...I have a plan, but it's risky.
*Meanwhile*
Aika: Big Brother! I can see the town up ahead!
Luffy: Finally! We're almost there!
Aika: Yay! I can't wait to see Big Sis Nami and the others!
Luffy: Shishishi!
*Not far from them*
Langstrom: So...you're all headed to the town, are you? *grins* Perfect...then we'll settle things there.
Next time: Convergence
Finally updated this one, and good news, we're almost finished!
Review, please!
