ONE PIECE
Two Worlds, One Family
A young woman struggling to find her place in the world wakes up to find a bunch of cats in her room...cats that turn out to be the characters from her favourite TV show, One Piece! Bound to each other, whether they like it or not, and trying to figure out a way to find a certain somebody's lost Nakama and get everyone back to their home, what follows is bound to be chaos, friendship, tears, romance - and, adventure! (Kind of a re-write of Straw Cat Pirates).
Parental Warning - this chapter contains:
. Mild sexual references
. Mild-level violence
. Adult themes
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Starless Night
Wow... Emma thought and, if she'd been in an anime, then her eyes would have been either stars or heart, as she gazed endearingly at Vivi, who was currently speaking over the Den-Den Mushi to the Straw Hat Pirates not present. Princess Vivi, who I've always admired, in the flesh! And, she's the Princess we've been searching for! It's like a dream...
Vivi, who had handed the conversation over to Luffy, glanced at Emma and, seeing her looking at her, smiled.
Emma blushed, embarrassed at being caught staring.
"Emma," Vivi said. "You've done a good job, so far. Shall we start the explanations now?"
"Oh yes, let's." Sumi rolled her eyes.
Vivi tried to ignore this, as they all sat back down again, and said: "The two gods, Fate and Destiny, came to visit me one night. They told me about my own, for lack of a better word, destiny, and what I must do. It was no longer safe for me to stay in Arabasta - as you know, the World Government was hunting down young women with links to you all. It would only be a matter of time before they found out about my ties with Luffy and the others." She reached out a hand, and Carue rubbed up against it, cooing. "The gods transported both of us here, to await your arrival."
"Did the gods tell you anything else, Princess?" Marco asked her calmly. "Anything about what Little Death is doing?"
"She's disappeared from their sights," Vivi replied. "But, it's possible that she's still in Infinity's castle."
"Vivi-Chama..." Emma said quietly. "What is Infinity, exactly?"
Vivi's face darkened slightly. "It is a terrible creature from ancient nightmares, one that is capable of destroying everything." She looked up at them all. "You remember the poem that Twister taught to you, ne?"
"Mochiron." Emma and Sumi said in unison.
"Allies united, under friendship's fire,
Bring light to evil's vain desire,
Alone you fail, but you will be aligned,
Under the rule of a Princess you have yet to find,
When you find her, you will know,
The light that guides you, she will show,
A power needed, for the thirteen,
To save the worlds, seen and unseen,
Then venture forth into the lair,
Of monster from an ancient nightmare,
Stand together in the darkness' face,
Stand united under Grace."
"Then, are you ready to learn, what that poem means?" Vivi asked them.
"Shouldn't we wait until the others get here, Vivi?" Sumi asked her, leaning back. "After all, they're as much a part of this as what you are."
"Oh, yes..." Vivi looked embarrassed. "You're right, Sumi-San..."
"Ahem?" Marco coughed inconspicuously. "Sumi, a word, yoi?"
Sumi just shrugged, but followed the phoenix-man out of the house.
"Meanwhile, what about my sister?" Georgia spoke up.
"We'll get her back." Emma promised. "Don't worry."
"Now, where have I heard that before?" Georgia rolled her eyes, but just sat back. "Okay, whatever, do whatever you must."
"Emiko," Law said. "Let me take a look at your shoulder."
Emma nodded, and let him examine it, while Ace said: "Emiko, what exactly happened to you out there, anyway?"
Emma cringed. Oh no, what do I do?! I can't tell him that it's because I was completely overpowered by Blackbeard - I mean, we all know what Ace-Chan's temper is like!
She was looking quite flustered, and everybody stared at her.
"Emiko," Law put a hand on the side of her face. "Who hurt you?"
Emma didn't answer, as Ace glared at Law.
"Umm," Sandersonia spoke up. "It was-"
Emma leapt at her, crash-tackling her, and latching onto her back, putting both of her hands over the snake-lady's mouth. "Ix-nay on the elling-tay!" She hissed.
"Who're you calling 'elling-tay'?" Hancock crossed her arms, as she and Marigold glared at Emma. "And, what's the big deal? Why won't you tell your fiancé what happened?" She pointed to Law.
Uh-oh... Emma thought.
"Hang on, what are you talking about?" Ace asked the Empress, looking first at her, and then at Law, who pointedly glared back at him. "I'm Emiko's fiancé."
Makino, Dadan and the other Mountain Bandits were staring between Ace and Law in fascination.
Law smirked slightly. "That's a matter of opinion, isn't it, Firefist?"
Ace glared at him. "Who's opinion? She's my girl, not yours!"
"Why don't you let her tell us that?" Law suggested, and everybody looked at Emma, who tried to hide behind Sandersonia.
Okay, so now's the time for you to decide, girl! Emma realised, as Sandersonia tried to move, but Emma moved with her. Be brave! Even though, no matter what you decide, somebody is going to be deeply hurt and want to kill the other!
"Minna," Vivi said suddenly, calmly walking over to Emma, and detaching her from Sandersonia. "Why don't we sort out a plan for getting Georgia-San's sister back?" She switched her gaze over the Vista. "I noticed a few Whitebeard Pirates scouting the island, so no doubt your sources will have figured out where the World Government's base is."
Vista nodded, and smoothed out his moustache. "Yes - we're here to try and find Sumi's Mother, and we've found out that she's in the same place as they are."
"Sumi's Mother?" Vivi repeated.
"Mmhmm." Vista nodded. "She's to be executed in the town square tomorrow night."
"Vista!" Sumi yelled, from somewhere outside. "Don't tell her that!"
Vivi nodded slowly, absorbing this news. "If Sumi's Mother's name is Ino, then I think that you're right, and she is where you say she'll be. If that's the case, then you need to be careful - I know how good the Government is at setting traps for people like you."
"What do you mean, 'people like us'?" Sumi said, coming back into the room, with Marco. "You traveled around with Luffy and the others at a point, didn't you?"
"What?!" Hancock cried. "Another female crew-mate?! Oh, Luffy, say it isn't so!"
Vivi cringed, and both she and Emma exchanged a glance.
"Let's take a quick walk!" Emma suggested, and Vivi agreed.
They hurried out of the building, to escape all of the questions and all of Boa Hancock's glaring.
Sumi stared after them, her eyes narrowed.
Dadan, meanwhile, had turned to Ace. "Oi, brat! What's this about you getting married?!"
Ace gave her a Look. "Why do you sound so disbelieving, old hag?" He asked her.
Dadan smacked him upside the head. "How did a little punk like you get a girlfriend?!" She sighed. "And how many more people are you intending to bring here?"
"Eight." Luffy replied flatly.
"Eight more people?!" Dadan yelled.
"Well, one's a reindeer," Luffy admitted. "And, there's a nine foot tall skeleton that likes to see girls' panties...okay?"
"No, it's NOT okay!"
"That sounded a bit tedious in there." Vivi smiled slightly, as she and Emma walked side-by-side along the forest path.
Emma groaned. "Oh, you don't know the half of it, Vivi-Chama." She held up her hand. "Most girls would think that having two guys in love with you is a good thing but, really, it's horrible! I mean, I care about them both, but..." She fiddled with her necklace. "No matter what Yin said, I can't love two guys, and I know that I'll have to make my choice, sometime..."
"It sounds to me like you already have." Vivi said, and Emma looked up at her in shock. Vivi grinned. "Let me tell you a secret that I've never told anybody else, Emma." Part of what we're doing as Allies is built on trust, and I need for her to trust me. "I felt lost for such a long time. When I was working undercover within Baroque Works, I longed for people who could help me, to see the real me."
"People like Luffy and the others?" Emma guessed.
Vivi blushed. "W-well, yes...they helped me, without question, and made me realise that there are so many good people out there. It made me realise that, truly, you can't judge a book by its cover. It's not about your title, or even the way society sees you. It's who you are, in your heart." She put a hand over her chest, and looked up at the blue sky that was visible through the trees. "In a way, I guess that I was waiting for something like this to happen because, when I was watching Luffy and the others sailing away, with all of my heart, I wanted to go with them. Even now, I want to sever all of my ties to Arabasta, and go with them. Being away from them...it hurts, Emma." She looked over at the red-haired woman. "Do you understand, Emma? The pain of being alone?"
Emma gazed at Vivi in surprise. "The pain of...being alone?"
Vivi nodded. "Yes. It hurts worse than being physically hurt."
Emma thought back to all of those lonely nights, after arguments with her parents, or not being allowed to go out anywhere. She nodded. "I do...understand...now that I've found these guys, I don't want to ever let them go." She fiddled with her necklace some more. "I want to protect them, but...no matter what decision I make, in regards to Ace-Chan and Law-Chan, one of them is going to be deeply hurt..."
"That feeling that you get..." Vivi mused. "When you're with him...like, no matter what, every day is going to be a sunny day, and that he'll accept you, no matter what?" Emma nodded. Vivi smiled. "Well, no matter what you choose, that's not going to change!"
Emma swallowed, and thought about this. "Vivi-Chama, don't tell anybody, but...I've chosen...Ace-Chan." She finished, in a whisper.
Vivi nodded. "I know you have, Emma."
"Huh, how did...?"
Vivi laughed softly. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you Emma but, know this - Law is not going to hate you for the choice that you make." Trust me, Emma...it'll all work out...
"Are you sure?" Emma asked her.
Vivi nodded. "Yup."
"Hmm..." Emma said, as they came to a small hill, overlooking Foosha Village. "Oh, Vivi-Chama!" She realised what she was fiddling with around her neck. "This necklace is supposed to belong to you, isn't it?" She remembered. "It's the vessel for some great power, isn't it? Then, I should give it to you, since you're the Princess." She held the necklace out to the Princess.
Vivi stopped her. "You need to hang onto it for awhile, Emma. Faith gave it to you for safe-keeping and, for awhile, things will be too unpredictable." Her eyes were serious. "The time will soon come when I must reveal my identity to the World Government and, when that happens, Grace's Heart must be kept safe." She closed Emma's fingers over the heart-shaped necklace. "However, if you still have that blue necklace, then..."
"You mean the sapphire flower one?" Emma nodded. "I think Law-Chan has that so, if you need it, then we should go back and ask him for it. Why, though, may I ask?"
Vivi glanced at her, and then murmured: "Decoy."
Dadan nearly had a fit when the other Straw Hat Pirates arrived later on that day, along with the Heart Pirates, as well as Nojiko and Kaya, who had gotten impatient waiting on the Moby Dick.
Everybody not in the know was more than a little unnerved by Bepo's presence.
"You never said anything about a talking bear!" Dadan accused Luffy, who just shrugged and grinned, as they watched Nami, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and Chopper surround Vivi.
There were tears (from Nami and Vivi), introductions, laughter and structured chaos.
There was, however, one tense moment, when Vivi turned, to find herself face-to-face with Nico Robin.
Vivi stared up at the woman that had once been Ms. All-Sunday - the woman that had helped Crocodile in trying to take over all of Arabasta.
Robin stared calmly back at the desert Princess, knowing how uncomfortable this must be for her - there was no reason at allas to why Vivi should trust her, not after everything that she'd done to her.
Then, Vivi cast her eyes sideways, and met the steady gaze of one Monkey D. Luffy. Luffy nodded calmly, and Vivi nodded back.
Ah, so that's how it is. Robin realised, hiding a small smile, as Vivi held out her hand. Robin shook it, but both women knew that a talk would soon be in order.
For now, however, there were more pressing matters to attend to.
Dadan tried not to notice, as her living room was invaded by a bunch of people talking about gods and defying the World Government and what not.
"Okay," Marco carefully rolled out a large map on the table that they were all seated around. "So, we're here," he pointed to a spot midway between Foosha Village and Goa. "And this is the place," he pointed to a spot within Goa. "Where both Ino and Carmilla are being held."
"Knowing the World Government," Nami stated. "The trap that they've set will involve us getting captured and executed, along with Ino. They'll want to make an example of us."
"So, basically," Georgia said. "We have two agendas - rescue my sister and her colleagues, and get Sumi to her Mother." She rolled her eyes. "Sounds simple."
"Of course, we have an advantage." Nami reminded her, nodding towards Emma.
Emma nodded in agreement. "Sure. Whatever I can do."
"You'll do fine, Emmy." Luffy told her.
"Of course, I will be helping you as much as I can." Hancock said firmly. "I have an extensive knowledge of how the World Government is set up here."
"Thanks, Hancock." Luffy said, gratefully.
He-he said my name! Again! Hancock blushed.
"Hey, Vivi," Luffy turned to her. "Are you sure that it's okay for you to be here? What about your kingdom?"
"Don't worry, Luffy-San." Vivi smiled at him. "You guys helped me before, and so now, it's my turn to help you."
"Well, okay, but we'll protect you." Luffy grinned back at her, and Hancock clenched her fists under the table.
Vivi blushed slightly, but said: "Don't worry, Luffy-San - my main concern is all of you...my...Allies." She admitted, and this earned her a few smiles here and there.
What a brave, gallant Princess! Emma thought. It seems more like she's protecting us...
Law was examining the map thoughtfully, one tattooed hand resting on his goateed chin. "I think..." He said slowly, and everybody turned to look at him. "I have a plan..."
Later that night, Makino couldn't stop smiling. She was just so happy to have Luffy and Ace back. She'd been worried beyond belief when she'd heard about Ace's capture, and she'd been terrified when she'd found out what had happened at Marineford. And, though she wouldn't admit it, Dadan had been, as well.
But, now...
Makino happened to glance out of the window at one point, and witnessed Emma and Sumi setting free a massive spider that they'd caught. Sumi then walked back to the house, but Emma was suddenly caught up in a huge hug by Ace, who had pounced on her from literally out of nowhere.
Makino watched as Ace twirled Emma around, and then hugged her to his chest. She responded by putting her arms around his neck, and kissing him.
"What are you staring at?" Dadan came to the window to stand beside Makino, and looked out. "Oh, my..." She raised an eyebrow. "That little punk..." She shook her head.
"What is it?!" Luffy cried, joining them. "Lemme see...ooh, Ace and Emmy are making love."
"What?!" Nami fairly shrieked, charging over to the window as well. She looked out. "You baka!" She smacked her captain upside the head. "That's making 'out', not making 'love'!" She then realised that Sanji, Brook, Penguin, and Shachi had, right up until then, had their faces pressed to the window, as well. "And what the Hell were you guys expecting to see?!" She hit all of them. "Perverts..." She muttered, crossing her arms.
Nojiko was laughing, as she and Kaya sat back with cups of tea. "Yeah, you tell em', sis."
Nami nodded in a way that meant 'I know I'm right'.
"Well, our Nami-Chan's never been short on self-assurance." Sumi commented, coming inside. "Hancock-Chan, everything's been confirmed, and matches up with Law's plan - Doflamingo and Mihawk are indeed stationed near the city, close to...well, close to the town square." She finished, nodding.
Vista considered this, as he smoothed out his moustache, as did Zoro, who kept fiddling with his swords.
Hancock nodded. "Yes, they're taking no chances, not when it comes to everybody here." She gazed sternly around at them all, except for Luffy, who she gazed endearingly at. "Breaking five people out of Government confines is no simple task, either."
"Who says that we're breaking my Mother out?" Sumi wanted to know. "I just wanted to talk to her."
"You don't care if they execute her or not?" Vivi asked, surprised.
Sumi gave her a Look. "Not everybody has to like their parents, Vivi."
Luffy blinked, recalling another blonde that had said almost those exact words to him. He watched as Sumi left, and then turned to Law, when the surgeon sighed.
"Emiko may regret her hesitations in telling Sumi-Ya about her Father." He said, as Emma and Ace came into the house.
"Well, after seeing that, how can you blame me, Law-Chan?" The red-head asked, putting her hands on her hips. "She's already torn up enough inside, since her own Mother tried to kill Oyaji's daughter."
"What's the big deal?" Georgia spoke up. "Just tell her the truth - it's better than lying to her. Just say: 'Sumi, you know that bastard, Akainu? He's your Father'." She shrugged. "There, easy."
"Uh, Georgia..." Emma had gone pale.
Georgia sighed. "She's right behind me, isn't she?" She then turned, to see the blonde-haired nurse standing there, looking stunned. "Of course she is."
"Sumi-Chan..." Emma began, but Sumi pushed past her, and ran. When she'd left the house, she activated her Devil Fruit powers, unfurling her snow-white wings and leaping into the sky. "Sumi-Chan!"
"Emma-Nee-Chan, wait!" Franky called to her, but she shook her head.
"No, I can't!" She cried. She was suddenly grabbed from behind. She turned around to see Marco. "What are you...?!"
"Emma, let her go, yoi." Marco said calmly. "I know Sumi better than you do - she's gone back to Oyaji, so you don't have to worry about her."
Emma turned her head back in the direction that Sumi had just disappeared into, her eyes full of worry. "Sumi-Chan..."
"Oyaji!"
Whitebeard's head snapped up, at the sound of one of his daughter's voice. He watched as Sumi flew towards him, her face streaked with tears. He easily caught her when she flew to him, and she buried her face against his chest, sobbing.
The few people that were on deck wisely chose to leave, giving the two of them their space.
"My dear Sumi, what is it?" Whitebeard asked calmly, gently rubbing the spot on her back between her wings.
Sumi sniffled. "They...they just told me...Akainu is my Father! My actual, biological Father!" She exclaimed. "I mean, as if it wasn't bad enough that my Mother tried to kill your daughter, but now the man that tried to kill Ace-Kun is my Father?! Why me?!" She sobbed.
Whitebeard waited, keeping one hand still because she was kneeling on it; and the other hand he used to rub her back, calming her down.
Sumi's sobs eventually subsided, and she sniffled again.
Whitebeard said: "Sumi, this isn't just about that, is it?"
Sumi shook her head, making her pigtails swing. "Uh-uh..." She took a deep breath, and then let it out slowly. "I just...I don't get what the gods are doing, Oyaji. I mean, they must be crazy, choosing Vivi...like, an actualPrincess, for this job? No way..." She shook her head again.
Whitebeard was calm. "Perhaps it is for the best. After all, who better to guide them to the light, than one who knows what being a Princess is all about?"
"Maybe..." Sumi considered this. "Perhaps...I'm just reading too much into this, aren't I?"
"You always do, Sumi." Whitebeard chuckled gently. "Know this, however - as far as I am concerned, everybody is a child of the sea, so it doesn't matter who your biological parents are. You, like the rest of the women on this ship, are every bit my daughter, as much as my blood-daughter."
Sumi looked up at him. "Do you...know where she is? Did Grace tell you?" She wiped her eyes.
Whitebeard nodded. "She did. do you wish for me to tell you?"
Sumi shook her head, smiling sadly. "I already know, Oyaji. I already know..."
"Tomorrow feels like the start of some great battle." Emma mused. She and Ace were sitting on the rooftop of Dadan's house, waiting for Sumi's return. "I feel like something is going to happen..."
"I know." Ace mused, leaning back, just as a shooting star streaked across the sky. "Did you see that?!"
"Yeah!" Emma grinned. "Quick, make a wish!" Ace gave her an odd look. "Just do it!"
He shrugged, but closed his eyes, and thought: I wish...no, wait, that sounds cliche...aww, heck, you already know what it is that I want...
He opened his eyes suddenly, when Emma kissed him. She drew back, smiling.
"Emiko?"
"No more indecisiveness, Ace-Chan." She whispered. "No matter what happens, it's you."
He stared at her, and thought that, somehow, she was glowing, despite there being next to no moon. Tomorrow night would be a new moon.
"Are you sure?" He asked her, just in case. "I mean, yesterday, you had no idea, and now..."
"Yeah, it confuses the Hell out of me, too," Emma admitted, shrugging. "But, I think, deep down, I've always known."
"Even before we met?" Ace asked hopefully. "Was I your favourite character?"
"Umm, no, actually," Emma looked sheepish. "Before, it was...Luffy...then Sanji-Kun...then Zoro...then Shanks...then Lucci...then Jyabura...then Iceburg..."
"Okay, okay, I get the picture," Ace pouted. "I'm not number one."
"Oh, yes, you are!" She said firmly, placing a hand on his chest, over his heart. "I've made my choice, and now you're probably going to wish that I hadn't." She smirked. "You'll find that I can be very possessive!"
Ace returned the smirk, grabbing her wrists, and flipping her over, so that he was now on top of her. "Not as possessive as me, I'm sure." He whispered in her ear, letting his lips trace her jawline, until they reached her lips. "You're mine, Emiko. All mine."
She shivered, a reaction that had nothing to do with the cold, since Ace's body was now very warm on top of hers. "Ace-Chan...?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you...for being patient with me while I made up my mind. Do you still want me?"
He tightened his grip on her wrists. "Always."
The next day, Nami checked on Sumi, who had come back later on that night, and seemed in need of rest before they set out. She then went searching for Emma and Ace, who hadn't come back in, and found them on the rooftop.
"Okay, you two," Nami said cheerfully, climbing the ladder to the rooftop. "Up and at em', it's time to..." She trailed off, seeing both Emma and Ace sleeping with their bodies woven around each other, which did nothing to hide the fact that the two of them were barely dressed. "WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING ON THE MORNING OF RECKONING?!"
Nami grumbled to herself, as she angrily ate her breakfast, and everybody bustled about around her at the breakfast table.
A few people, namely Shachi and Penguin, seemed to sigh when Emma and Ace came in, and stared at a particular part of the young red-head.
"Hey!" Emma cried, correctly interpreting their stares. "Don't sigh and stare at my lower-half!" She and a rather sheepish-looking Ace sat down, and were immediately served breakfast by Sanji. Nojiko and Kaya glanced over with some interest, as Robin and Makino exchanged small smiles.
"They finally went and did it." Sanji mumbled, lighting up a cigarette. He shook his head, but respected Ace too much to say anything more. Now, if it had've been that moss-head, then he would have had a thing or two to say to him...
"I'm telling you, nothing happened!" Emma exclaimed.
"Oh?" Sumi had just walked in, and overheard the conversation. "Are you sure? Because, when I flew in last night..."
As a few people gaped, and Emma buried her face in her hands, Luffy looked at his brother.
"So, Ace, did you really...you know...do...it?" Luffy asked innocently. He knew enough about sex to, Ace suddenly realised, have about a zillion and one follow up questions.
So, it was Emma who answered. "No, Luffy, we did not."
"Then how come he was lying on top of you, Emma?!" Nami snapped, spearing her fork into her omelette. "Why didn't you come in for the night?"
"Well, we started to...umm...yeah..." Emma muttered, exchanging an embarrassed glance with Ace, who looked just as embarrassed, as everybody gaped at them. "But then..."
"Then?" Luffy questioned.
"Ace-Chan fell asleep." Emma muttered. "So, I couldn't get up without pushing him off of the roof."
A few people groaned, as Luffy started laughing. "I'm surprised he didn't suffocate you, Emmy!"
Ace whacked his brother upside the head. "Shut up, Luffy!"
A few other people laughed.
Emma was blushing red by this stage, and looked across at Sumi, who was smiling at her. Then, she happened to glance at Law, who was glaring at Ace.
Uh-oh...
"In a few short hours, we move in." Emma muttered. She was back on the rooftop but, this time, it was with Sumi. They were sitting side-by-side, and talking.
Sumi nodded. "Are you scared? It's going to be dangerous..."
"Danger?" Emma raised an eyebrow. "I laugh in the face of danger - mwahahaha!"
Sumi giggled. "I see...you and Ace-Kun...really are perfect, for each other, aren't you?"
"Why's that?" Emma blinked.
"You two balance each other out, so perfectly." Sumi explained. "He's calm when you're not, but you're able to calm himdown. He's confident, and you're insecure, but you're able to comfort him about his own insecurities. But, you've also got some similarities, like with your recklessness..." Her smile faded. "Just don't die, okay, Emma-Chan?"
"I'm not going to die, Sumi-Chan." Emma shook her head. "Not there, anyway - that's...that what I told Teach, when I encountered him yesterday."
Sumi gasped softly. "T-Teach?! You mean...he's the one who hurt you?!" She shook her head. "No wonder you didn't want to tell Ace-Kun..."
Emma nodded. "Yeah, I know that he and Thatch were friends, and that Teach was a member of Ace-Chan's division..."
"No, it's worse than that, Emma-Chan." Sumi said slowly. "Ace-Kun has been very protective of me, since he rescued me from that place I was in. He always said it would take a very special man to be worthy of being my lover and, well...Thatch was it." She looked up at Emma, smiling softly. "Tha-Chan was my lover."
Emma just stared at her, unable to comprehend this. Thatch had been Sumi's...lover? And, Teach had...killed him? "Oh, Sumi-Chan...that's..."
"I know." Sumi nodded. "But, it gets worse."
"How?" Emma whispered. "How could it possibly be even worse than that, Sumi-Chan?"
"Because I was pregnant."
Emma paled. "What?"
"Teach stabbed me in the stomach, with the same blade that he'd used to cut out my beloved's heart, and...well, that was it." Sumi clasped her hands. "Ace-Kun and the others didn't know - I didn't tell them. Only the nurses and Oyaji knew. Emma-Chan, I know that...being a Mother, is another part of your dream, so...that's why...you and Ace-Kun can't die! Got it?"
Emma pulled Sumi into a fierce hug. "I understand." She whispered. "I'm so sorry, Sumi-Chan..."
"Don't be..."
From the ladder leading up to the roof Vivi, who was wearing the blue flower necklace, rested her forehead on one of the rungs, and sighed.
"Y-your Majesty!" A particularly ugly-looking palace guard of the kingdom of Goa scurried into the throne room, where the even uglier-looking King and his wife and daughter sat on lavish thrones, wearing lavish garments and lavish crowns.
"Yes, what is it?" The King, whose name was Carmichael Ackerly, sneered down his nose at the guard.
"There-there's somebody here to see you!" The guard stated.
"Send them away." Ackerly waved his hand dismissively. "I did not grant an audience with anybody today."
"B-but, Sire!" The guard looked frantic. "She-she says she's...she's the..."
"Who is she?" Ackerly rolled his eyes, as he leaned back in his throne.
"She's the Princess of Arabasta! Princess Nefertari Vivi!"
The King stood up swiftly, his eyes widening in disbelief. Next to him, his portly wife, Gertrude, seemed in shock. Their teenaged daughter, Sylphy, who had her Mother's blonde hair and father's sharp, green eyes, narrowed those eyes.
"Princess Nefertari Vivi?"
"W-well!" The King blinked, scrambling for the right words. A noble, all the way from the Grand Line?! "I-invite her in, you baka! For God's sake!"
"Y-yes, right away, your Majesty!" The guard scurried out.
Ackerly sat back down.
"Well," Gertrude fanned herself with a small fan. "This is a shock..."
"Well, I find it strange that she'd be showing her face here, after what happened to herkingdom." Sylphy stated bluntly. "I, for one, have no desire to meet with a girl that can't even manage her own people." She got up, and stalked out, but then, curiosity got the better of her, and she hid behind the drapery, watching and listening as Vivi came in.
"Wow, it's been awhile since we've been back here." Ace commented, as he and Luffy stared up at the huge walls of Goa.
"Yeah..." Luffy agreed. "Remember when we snuck in here with Sabo to try some ramen?"
"Sure do..." Ace smiled, almost wistfully. "That was fun..."
Luffy nodded, also looking wistful.
Sabo? Wondered Nami, who was standing by, along with Usopp, Franky, and Brook. Of course, they were all as cats.
"Come on!" Said Sumi, who was already halfway through the gates into the city, weaving through people's legs. "Or else, we're gonna miss the connection!"
"Hey, wait for us, Sumi!" Luffy raced after her, and the others followed.
"Yeah, you don't even know where you're going!" Ace added. "Sumi!"
I do...somehow, I just...know... Sumi thought. I'm more worried about those who'll be...taking on my Father...
"Robin-San, Marco-San...no matter what happens, do not let Akainu get near the city. Meanwhile, Hancock-San, you get Doflamingo and Mihawk to get to our trap. I don't care how you do it, just do it. Meanwhile...I am going to pay a visit to King Ackerly..."
"Are you sure about this?" Georgia whispered to Emma, as the two of them walked behind Vivi, with Carue and Chopper (who was in his Walk-Form).
"No." Emma whispered back. They didn't dare raise their voices any louder, as they walked through the spacious white halls of the castle of Goa.
"And, why does this dress have to be so tight?" Georgia complained, tugging at the waist-line. "I can't work out in it..."
"I hear ya." Emma muttered, a bit too loudly this time, and a few guards began to murmur.
Vivi spun around, glaring at them. "Silence, maids!" She snapped, in a very un-Vivi-like voice. "And, hurry up, or else I'll make you switch places with them!" She gestured to Chopper and Carue, the latter who seemed to be depressed, due to his mistress' acting job.
She was carrying herself quite well in the role of a stuck-up Princess, in order to "impress" the Goa royal family.
"Oh, my..." Said a new voice, and they all turned to see Sylphy standing there. "It seems that I was quite mistaken about you, Princess Vivi. Walk with me?" She offered her hand to the Arabasta Princess, who nodded, and took it. To Emma and Georgia, she added: "You two, take her things to her room. You know where it is." She turned her nose up at them, and Vivi copied her, which was actually fairly comical, and Emma tried not to laugh, as the two Princesses walked away.
"It's amazing." Law, in his cat-form, said, from where he was perched beneath Carue's chullo.
"What is?" Emma and Georgia asked in unison.
"That they're both Princesses, but have nothing in common." Law stated calmly.
"You get used to it, here, Law-Chan." Emma stated. She played with the blue necklace that was under her dress, and wished that she and Vivi hadn't had to switch - it made her feel a whole lot weaker. "Vivi-Chama is in a completely different league to everybody else here. Now, come on, we'd better find Carmilla and the others."
"I think that I can help you with that." A voice said.
"Look at all these people." Nami said, shaking her head. "It's disgusting, how they're all here to see an execution." She caught Sumi looking at her. "Then again, considering who it is...?"
Sumi nodded. They were perched on a balcony, over-looking the town square. From their high-vantage point, they could see people milling about, and one blonde woman, tied to a stake.
They also counted about five hundred Marines.
"Well, now what do we do?" Usopp wanted to know.
"Now, we wait for Emma-Chan to give us the signal..." Sumi muttered, turning her teal eyes towards the castle. Come on, Emma-Chan...
"Fox-San!" Chopper cried happily, recognizing the tall lady. "What are you doing here?"
"Filming a movie." She stated, gesturing to her nearby camera-crew. "The World Government wants this execution broadcasted all throughout..."
"B-but...but that's a snuff-film!" Georgia exclaimed.
"They do this kind of thing all the time, Georgia." Emma muttered, before turning back to Fox. "Fox, we need your help...you are on our side, right?"
Fox regarded her calmly. "My sister is a Marine." She said. "She's here, right now."
"Please don't let her and Zoro meet up..." Emma muttered.
"But, so is Sugar." Fox went on. "And, she's grown quite fond of you all, especially of Nami. Is Nami here?"
"She's in the town square." Emma replied. "Ino, the lady who's being executed, is the Mother of one of our friends."
"Ah, I see." Fox nodded. "I should have known that you'd all be involved somehow."
"Are you going to help us?" Georgia asked her. "Please...my sister's in the castle somewhere...her name is Carmilla Brown! She and her colleagues..."
"Carmilla?" Fox repeated, and then she shook her head. "I had coffee with her yesterday. She's been quite worried about you, Georgia. Come, I'll take you to her."
"Thank you." Emma and Georgia said automatically, as they began to follow Fox through the halls.
"Oh, by the way, Emma...what on Earth are you wearing?" Fox wanted to know.
"Maid outfit?"
Fox shook her head. "That won't do. When things get messy - which, no doubt, they will - you'll need something that you can move in...let me take care of that..."
Makino, Kaya, and Nojiko paused, before entering Party's Bar. They weren't sure what to expect when they walked in there but, whatever it was, it wasn't what they saw.
The bar was full of pirates, who were loudly celebrating...something.
It wasn't obvious, and it didn't matter, because Makino completely forgot the plan, as soon as she locked gazes with somebody sitting on a bar-stool, with a tankard in his hand, and a grin on his face.
"S-Shanks?" Makino took a half-step back.
Shanks' eyes lit up as soon as he saw Makino and, setting aside his tankard, he stood up, crossed the bar towards her, and pulled her into a one-armed hug. "Makino! Where've you been?!"
"Uh, well, I...uh..."
A little girl with blonde hair, meanwhile, had latched onto Nojiko. "Nojiko! Where's Nami?"
Nojiko had to laugh. "She's in the city at the moment, Sugar."
"Oh." Sugar looked up at Nojiko with wide eyes. "Is she going to watch the execution?"
"No." Nojiko shook her head. "She's going to stop it."
This caught the attention of some of the Red Hair Pirates.
"Stop it?" Benn Beckman repeated, looking across at Nojiko. "And, how does she intend to do that?"
"It's not just her." Kaya shook her head, looking a little bit shy in front of all of these people. "She's..."
"Wait a minute!" Yasopp stood up suddenly, pointing dramatically at Kaya. "I know you! You're the young mistress of the mansion, back from my home village of Syrup!"
"What a cute girl!" Somebody else remarked.
Kaya blushed a bit, though more out of anger than anything else. "Yes, but please listen to me..."
"And how do you intend to stop the execution?" Yasopp asked her.
A few people laughed.
Kaya's face turned red then, and she yelled: "Would you all please listen to me?!"
There was not a sound in the bar after that, as everybody stared at the normally soft-spoken blonde-haired girl.
Marco then stepped into the bar, and put a hand on Kaya's shoulder. "None of you were a part of the plan, yoi." He spoke calmly, but he was glaring at Shanks. "Luckily, Law made acceptances."
"Did he say Law?" Somebody muttered. "As in, Trafalgar Law?"
Shanks faced Marco. "Perhaps you'd better tell us exactly what is going on."
Marco nodded. "Perhaps I had better. After all, I'm sure that your only reasons for wanting to help us would be if Luffy were involved, which he is."
As Shanks looked shocked, Makino supplied: "It's true." She grabbed onto Shanks' arm. "Shanks, right now, Luffy and Ace are attempting to stop that execution! Meanwhile, Princess Vivi is up at the castle, about to declare war on the World Government!"
"Princess Vivi, as in the heiress to the throne of Arabasta?" Benn looked surprised, as a few people began to murmur.
Shanks gazed thoughtfully at Makino, before asking: "Okay, my first question for all of this, is why?"
"And, so, that's the entire story." Makino said, when she'd finished explaining everything (with Nojiko and Kaya filling in the gaps). "I don't understand much about this whole gods thing, but I know that Luffy and Ace are doing something far more dangerous than they've ever done before."
"Right," Shanks nodded in agreement. Well, well, well, looks like the anchor's making an even bigger statement than before... "So, where is everybody right now?"
"Right now," Nojiko spoke up. She was used to dealing with these sorts of people, but she quite liked the Red Hair Pirates. She sensed their honour, for one thing and, besides, one of them was Usopp's Dad. "Zoro and Vista are awaiting Doflamingo and Mihawk - the Boa sisters, who are on our side, are leading them to a spot, where they will battle." Probably most epically, too."Meanwhile, my sister, Sumi, Luffy, Ace, Usopp, Franky and Brook are waiting in the town square."
"What are they waiting for?" Shanks asked her.
"The signal." Nojiko replied. "You see, they're all in their cat forms. Meanwhile, Vivi is at the castle, about to make a statement that will renounce her title as Princess Of Arabasta, since she's Hikari No Hime. When that happens, Emma will use her magical compass to transform those in the square back into humans."
"What happens then?" Benn asked her, already calculating about six hundred things that would happen once that happened.
"Well, with the Heart Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates standing by..." Nojiko began when, suddenly, a few people gasped, cutting her off.
A tanned hand had just appeared in a swirl of cherry blossom petals, right in the middle of the table.
"It's Robin's signal!" Kaya gasped, as Robin's hand held up three fingers. "Oh no..."
"That means that all three of them are coming." Nojiko muttered, clenching her fists on the table.
"All three of who?" Somebody asked.
"The Admirals." The lips that were on Robin's hand spoke, startling a few unknowing people. "Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru are almost upon you." The hand disappeared in a swirl of cherry blossoms, leaving them with: "I'm sending Whitebeard your way."
"Georgia!" Carmilla cried, jumping up, as her sister came into the room. They hurried to each other and embraced. "What are you...?!"
"We've come to get you out of here." Georgia gestured to Emma, Law, Chopper and Carue. "I know it doesn't look like much. I mean, our enemies are an entire World Government. We are you, a duck, a tanuki,"
"I'm a reindeer, dammit!"
"A doctor, that girl there, and me...no, wait, don't count me." She added, as an after-thought.
Carmilla hugged her sister again, and then looked at Emma. Her eyes narrowed. "You..."
"I'm just a simple TAFE student," Emma shrugged. "Who got pulled into all of this by mistake. technically, I haven't done anything wrong. I'm going to help you guys, though."
"How?" Penelope asked. "The Government here..."
"Are no match for us." Emma said firmly. "Right now, somebody very important is about to throw everything away, just to help us. It's our job to make sure that her sacrifice isn't in vain."
"Wht do you mean, throw everything away?" Robert asked curiously.
"Okay," Emma clasped her hands, looking down at the floor, as all eyes were on her. "R-right now, Vivi-Chama - she's the heiress to a country's throne - is about to announce that she's siding with the Straw H-Hat Pirates, and she's going to do it in f-front of everybody. She's going to announce h-herself as Hikari No Hime - the Princess Of Light - and that's wh-when I'll transform our friends from c-cats back to h-humans."
"Then," Law stepped in, coming to Emma's rescue since she was struggling to speak at this point. "They're going to stop an execution, and we're going to use that distraction to get you all out of here."
"But, what about the Admirals?" Penelope asked, a little bit fearfully. "Those three are..."
"Taken care of." Georgia said firmly. She smirked a bit. "It's good to have friends." She added, glancing at Emma, who nodded.
"I see." Carmilla looked at Georgia with a fair amount of pride, before turning to her colleagues. "Shall we go?"
"Hold it!" Fox put up her hand firmly. "None of you will have even a remote chance of getting past the palace guards dressed like that! (She was eyeing Emma's outfit). "Come with me." She added, gesturing.
The others exchanged glances, but what could they do? They followed Fox out of the room.
"So, your kingdom is back on its feet, I presume?" Sylphy asked.
"Of course." Vivi replied, wishing that she had practiced for this charade a bit more. With each passing second, she was feeling more and more nervous. Emma's necklace was like a choker-chain around her neck – it felt heavier than it should, and Vivi could never get used to wearing it. She tried not to tug at it, as she added: "It would have been nice to have seen the ones responsible executed, however." That was only half a lie.
"I understand." Sylphy tilted her chin up. "Of course, letting one's kingdom fall into such a state was most unfortunate. And, how, exactly, did you manage to restore peace to your kingdom?"
By putting my faith and trust in the most wonderful and courageous people in the entire history of the universe! Vivi wanted to scream but, instead, she just swallowed her feelings, and stated, rather coldly: "A Princess does what she must, to ensure that her kingdom does not fall into shambles."
"So it would seem." Sylphy regarded Vivi carefully. "Would you like to watch the execution of one of our own convicted criminals?"
"Must I?" Vivi raised an eyebrow. "I am quite tired and would like to retire to my bedroom."
"No, you simply cannot miss this!" Sylphy insisted, taking Vivi rather forcefully by the hand, and leading her over to a balcony. "From here, we can see the entire kingdom."
"I see." Vivi nodded. That's a good thing.Her dark eyes scanned the kingdom, searching the city for the town square, and for her friends. There they are! She spotted a collective group of cats perched on a balcony, over-looking the square. Below, Vivi could see crowds of noble people gathered around the balcony, waving to Sylphy who ignored them all. Vivi could also see another balcony just below them, one that jutted out a bit further and, as Vivi watched, a group of people strolled out onto the balcony.
Vivi immediately recognized Emma, Law, Georgia, Chopper and Carue. She also vaguely recognized the older red-haired stranger that they were with, as movie director Moonbay Fox, and the men that were with her must have been her teamsters.
Vivi also noticed that Emma and Georgia appeared to have underwent some big dramatic costume-change, which was a little bit shocking for Vivi to see.
Georgia now wore a blue outfit that matched her eyes. It consisted of a tight-fitting v-neck top with rounded sleeves, that was cut away at the sides but long at the front and at the back, kind of like a skirt. She also wore a very short pair of dark blue shorts, grey ankle boots and grey gloves, as well as a grey belt.
Emma was wearing a black faux leather corset over a see-through, medium-sleeved grey top, and a pair of short black shorts as well as a black skirt that was similar to the long bits of Georgia's top. She also wore black ankle boots and a black belt. (Would she ever steer away from all-black?). The blue necklace glittered around her neck.
As Vivi looked down, Emma happened to look up, and they made eye-contact. A signal was passed between them, and Vivi turned to Sylphy.
"You wouldn't happen to have a Baby Den-Den Mushi I could borrow?" Vivi asked Sylphy, who just stared at her. "I need to make an announcement." She added, and Sylphy raised an eyebrow. "An important one."
Sylphy just shrugged, and summoned a maid to retrieve the bronze-plated Baby Den-Den Mushi that was, like, three feet away from her.
Vivi's heart was hammering in her chest, as she held the receiver in her hand, and it had nothing to do with her fear of public speaking. This was it. This was the point where she would cross over, and throw away her title, and for what?
For friendship…for her Allies, which were united under friendship's fire…
"Attention, everybody."
In order to bring light to evil's vain desire…
"I, Princess Nefertari Vivi, of Arabasta, have an announcement to make."
Because, by themselves, they would all fail but, together, they were stronger than any other force…
"I don't know how to say this, short of just saying it."
Under the rule of a Princess, they were invincible…
"I am no longer who I used to be."
Her light was the most powerful force imaginable, and was capable of leading the way through the Spirit Realm…
"For, you see, I have come to a decision."
The thirteen of them would need all of their power, if they were to stop Infinity from erasing the worlds and plunging everything into darkness and chaos…
"And, that decision is to renounce my title as Princess Of Arabasta."
Infinity, the monster from an ancient nightmare, needed to be stopped…
"And, as of today…"
In order to defeat her, the ten Allies, plus the Princess and her First Knight, had to be united under the power of Grace's Heart…
"I am joining the Straw Hat Pirates, as the Hikari No Hime that the World Government so desperately wanted to destroy!"
This is the way that it has to be…for now, I'll play along…
Sylphy was staring at Vivi in shock, as was everybody in the square below them, and even in the town square, where her voice had carried to. The cats that were there stared at Vivi, especially Luffy, who had gone very still. Vivi, as if she could see him, was staring back at him.
Please, Luffy…let me come with you… Vivi thought, silently. Then, she raised her head, and held her arms out. "Hikari No Tempest!"
As had been promised, a fair amount of light emitted from the red heart necklace. Vivi could feel its very power.
Down below her, Emma's hand flew to her compass and, when her hand brushed against it, the light emitted from it, far stronger than it had ever been before, and reached all the way out to the square, transforming the cats that were there into humans.
"Okay, guys, let's go!" Luffy shouted, standing up, as they jumped down into the square below. Vivi…I'm so glad that you're coming with us…
And, at that moment, there was a huge eruption from the outskirts of town.
The battle between the three Admirals against the Whitebeard Pirates and the Red Hair Pirates was in full-swing, and it made the battle at Marineford look like child's-play. It was a mutual agreement between red and white to team up to take on the three Admirals, and nobody had ever seen such a clash of powers before. Especially not in a quiet little village like Foosha.
Makino, Nojiko, and Kaya were in charge of evacuating the village, and getting everybody to the outskirts of the forest. When it came to where the safest place for them to be was, everybody voted a huge forest filled with man-eating animals over a village being destroyed by some of the world's strongest men.
"This way, quickly!" Makino directed people. "Hurry!" She turned her head, just in time to see a massive wave of magma arcing towards her. She gasped – there was nothing else that she could do. She couldn't run…her feet were frozen.
Somebody suddenly grabbed her, pushing her out of the way just in time. They landed roughly on the ground several feet away, and Makino knew at once who it was.
"Shanks, are you…?!"
Shanks stood up suddenly, yanking Makino to her feet and pushing her behind him – in the next movement he drew his sword, and used it to block Sakazuki's attack.
Makino was frozen in shock, staring at the intense hatred in the Admiral's eyes, before a voice cut through the intensity of the situation. "Admiral Sakazuki, sir!" A Marine officer shouted above the sounds of the battle. "The Straw Hat Pirates have infiltrated the main square! They're storming the execution platform!"
"As I thought they would." Sakazuki muttered, pushing against Shanks' sword with an awful lot of strength, in an attempt to destroy both Shanks and Makino with lava.
"And, sir…P-Princess Nefertari Vivi!" The same Marine suddenly ducked, as a wave of ice courtesy of Adiral Kuzan arced overhead – it was shattered by the power of the Gura Gura No Mi. "She-she just made an announcement to the entire city of Goa, sir!"
"What about it?" Sakazuki sent a wave of magma towards Shanks, who grabbed Makino and dragged her out of the way.
"She-she's renounced her claim to the kingdom of Arabasta and, as of today, is officially joining the Straw Hat crew!"
"Why would she do that?" Sakazuki demanded to know, turning to gaze coldly at the Marine, who shrunk back.
"B-because she's…H-Hikari No Hime, s-sir…"
In the town square, there was absolute chaos. The Straw Hat Pirates, plus Ace, were creating as much mayhem as possible, in order for Sumi to be able to get through the blockade, to where her Mother was.
Ino raised her head slightly, watching the chaos unfold, and she bit her lip in distaste. "Disgusting pirates…" She muttered, watching as the one called Monkey D. Luffy sent a wave of Marines flying with his rubbery arm. If I'm to die today, then I want it to be over with soon…curse this distraction…
And, just then, somebody with long blonde pigtails came flying – literally – through the crowd, and landed on the platform in front of Ino.
Sumi looked up, staring flatly at the woman who had given her life – and then sold her into slavery – for the first time in seven years.
"Hello, Mother." Sumi said coldly.
Ino stared back at her daughter, disdain clear upon her face, as she said, just as coldly: "I am no Mother of yours, pirate."
"Fine then, have it your way." Sumi shrugged. "You know, most people in your position are bemoaning about their regrets by now, Ino."
"The only regret that I have," Ino said, in a low voice. "Is giving birth to you, Sumi."
Sumi's blank expression wavered ever-so-slightly at these words, but she shrugged it off, and stated: "You should see by now how the World Government treats everybody. Even you, who never betrayed them, is being punished – sent like a pig to slaughter.
"If I am to die here, then that is the destiny that Fate handed me." Ino replied.
"No," Sumi shook her head, her white wings deflecting various bullets that suddenly came flying at her. "I know Fate, personally – being a Mythical Zoan and all – and, I gotta tell you that you did this to yourself. You and my…and Akainu." She spoke the name bitterly.
"Don't you dare speak about your Father that way!" Ino snapped, losing her cool momentarily. "He is a great man!"
"A great man that kills innocent people like it's nothing!" Sumi snapped back. "You people are all so sure of yourselves, that you've forgotten why it is that we fall in love in the first place!"
"Oh, I'm sure of myself." Ino said, suddenly smiling, although it was bitter-sweet. "I'm sure of the World Government, and of its plan to destroy each and every single one of you this day…" She glanced up at the sky, which was turning into twilight. "Or, on this darkest of nights."
"You're not making any sense." Sumi shook her head. "Look, just tell me – why did you try and kill Whitebeard's daughter?"
Ino's eyes blazed. "Because that man is evil, and any child of his is a demon child! One cannot allow such a thing to live, and that includes Firefist Ace! He too deserves to die here on this day!"
A number of razor-sharp feathers were suddenly fired from Sumi's wings, cutting into her Mother's hair and clothes, but not slicing into her skin. "Ace-Kun is the greatest man alive, Ino." Sumi said angrily, her voice quivering. "He saved me from the slavery that you got me into, and I know that I can never repay that debt! I owe him – and Whitebeard – my everything!"
"There is no room in this world for filth like you and your pirate friends, Sumi!" Ino told her.
Sumi grabbed her Mother's necklace – the symbol of Goa nobles; a daisy with three feathers – and pulled it, forcing her Mother to look her in the eye. "They're family." She said firmly, pure anger in her voice now, but also pride. "I will never renounce my love or my respect for them. And none of them will die today, as many of my brothers and sisters did at Marineford."
Ino chuckled without mirth. "Ah, Sumi, how incredibly naïve you still are – everybody in this city who has not evacuated will die today, when the flood-gates are opened."
Sumi froze. "What?"
Vivi was running through the halls of the castle of Goa, and she literally ran into Emma, who grabbed her and managed to stop them both from falling, as Law, Carue, Fox, her team, the police officers, Chopper, and Georgia caught up with them (Georgia was riding on Carue, since she'd had little to no training to increase her running capabilities).
"Does anybody remember how to get out of here?!" Georgia asked.
"I do." Fox said. "Everybody follow me." She instructed.
Law raised an eyebrow, but obeyed, and they turned a corner – to come face-to-face with a series of guns, being pointed at them by Marines.
"Aaah!" Chopper yelled.
Emma and Law immediately moved to the front, blocking mainly Vivi from the bullets that came flying at them.
"Ribon-Ribon No Shield!"
"Room!"
As Emma blocked the bullets with her ribbons, Law's Room quickly took care of the Marines, and they continued on.
"Wow, you two work well together." Penelope commented, as they ran down a staircase.
"Yeah, but she chose the other guy, not him." Georgia smirked.
"Shut up, Georgia!" Emma snapped, just as they rounded another corner and, this time, they didn't come face-to-face with Marines.
Instead, there was just one man there. He wore a thick white suit adorned with metal-like knobs on the front, and a cape. Completing the look was a square-shaped helmet.
"A World Noble!" Vivi gasped.
"Pirates!" The World Noble gasped. He reached for his Den-Den Mushi.
"Shite!" Emma exclaimed. "Ribon-Ribon No Grab!"
The World Noble, however, dodged, although this action carried him to the window nearby, just as a small tremor rocked the castle.
Vivi gasped, and Georgia and Chopper shielded their eyes, as Emma stared in horror as the World Noble toppled through the window, and fell screaming, to his death below.
Emma was frozen in place, barely aware of anything that was happening around her, the face of that man engraved into her mind.
"Aah!" A voice shrieked, and they all (save for Emma) turned to see Princess Sylphy standing there, pointing an accusing finger at the only one that wasn't looking at her. "You-you killed him! You killed Saint Jalmack!"
Jalmack?
Emma unfroze. "Let's get out of here, now!" She commanded, and almost everybody flinched at the change of tone in her voice.
Except for Law. As they pushed past Sylphy and ran for the entrance to the castle, Law kept pace with Emma and asked her: "Who was that man?"
"I swear, I didn't mean to kill him!" Emma gasped.
"I know." Law stopped briefly, and put a hand to the side of her face. "I just asked you if you knew him."
"Not personally." Emma admitted, noticing that Vivi was watching them with a serious expression on her face. "I just know he killed somebody close to one of our friends in the past."
"I see." Law nodded.
"Okay, now that Emma's been pardoned from killing some random, can we pleaseget moving?!" Georgia yelled, as they raced towards the entrance doors, which were flung wide open.
"I wouldn't do that!" Sylphy shrieked from the top of the staircase. "You filthy murders will get washed away in the flood!"
"Flood?!" Chopper and Georgia gasped.
"What flood?" Fox looked up at Sylphy.
"The flood to destroy all of you horrible pirates!" Sylphy replied.
"Umm…" Georgia, Fox, her teamsters, Carmilla and her fellow police-officers all began.
"Shut up!" Sylphy cried, just as a bunch of golden ribbons came flying towards her, and grabbed her. She shrieked, as Emma was suddenly right up in her face.
"When is that flood going to hit?!" Emma cried, slamming Sylphy up against the wall. "Who planned it?!"
"You…how dare you touch me, you-!" Sylphy was cut off when Emma slapped her.
Tears of anger had filled Emma's eyes, which spilled over and hit the sapphire flower necklace that she was wearing; Law noticed how the blue stones shimmered slightly. "Some of my best friends are down there," Emma stated, her voice shaking, as Vivi began to climb the steps towards her. "As well as the man I love, and a whole bunch of your citizens! How can you, as a Princess, just stand by and watch innocent people die?!"
"Emma, forget it." Vivi said, firmly but calmly, as she took Emma by the shoulders, and the red-head allowed herself to be pulled back, detaching her ribbons from Goa's Princess. "It isn't worth it – right now, we've got to think of a plan."
Emma nodded, looking at Arabasta's Ex-Princess. "Okay…right. You're right. Arigatoo, Vivi-Chama." They walked back to the others, leaving Sylphy shaking on the floor.
"Does anybody have that map of Goa?" Emma wanted to know.
"Here." Law pulled the map out of Carue's saddle-bag.
They crowded around it.
"The most likely place that they're going to flood the kingdom with is from here." Law said, pointing to a spot on the map. "And, the most likely evacuation points are here, here, here, here, and here."
"Most likely, they'll be crawling with Marines." Vivi added.
"What about the eastern beach?" Emma asked, pointing to the area on the map with her right hand, and the ring that Law had given her glittered in the palace lights. "It's out of the way, but it might just be too out of the way to be considered a proper evacuation beach."
"We'll run to there." Vivi nodded, standing up.
Emma stood up as well, and watched as Vivi unclipped her necklace which she then handed to Emma.
"Good idea." Law told the blue-haired girl. "Emiko can transport herself to Foosha and let the others know what's happening. Vivi-Ya, you should go with her."
"No." Vivi said firmly, shaking her head.
"But, Princess, you'll be safer there." Carmilla told her.
"My duty is to help protect my friends." Vivi replied. "The true mark of a Princess is how far she is willing to go for her friends." She glanced at Emma, who nodded.
"Agreed." Emma looked around. "Okay, Law-Chan, you take Chopper, Carue and Vivi-Chama to the town square and get the others out of there. I'll take everybody else back to Dadan's, and then I'll continue on the Foosha."
Everybody nodded, except for Fox. "No, Emma," the director shook her head. "My crew and I are coming with you."
"Why?"
Fox had a steely glint in her eyes. "With the exception of my sister, I can't stand the World Government. This is my opportunity to blackmail them for the rest of their lives."
Emma wasn't sure what she was expecting to find, when she arrived at Dadan's, but it wasn't what she found. "Zoro, Vista, what happened?!" She cried, seeing them sitting out the front, covered in wounds. The great Vista? Cut down like this?
"The Blackbeard Pirates were there, too." Zoro said simply.
Vista didn't say anything, but the look on his face was enough.
"Dammit." Emma muttered. "Okay, guys, stay here – there's going to be a flood, and I have to warn everybody." She was gone before Vista and Zoro could say anything, and so they turned wordlessly to Georgia, who shrugged.
Nami, Sanji, Luffy, Ace, Sumi, Franky, Brook, and Usopp ran, as they heard the tell-tale signs of a flood happening behind them.
"Go, go, go!" Luffy shouted.
"What about Ino?!" Usopp wanted to know.
"Leave her." Ace and Sumi said in unison, as they ran.
Sumi didn't even look back, as they left the square but, somehow, she had a feeling that her Mother…that that woman, would survive.
The thought did not make her happy.
They ran through the virtually empty streets, wondering how they could have been so distracted with their battle that they hadn't even noticed the impending flood.
Great, this is JUST like Aqua Laguna all over again! Nami thought, just as she tripped, and stumbled. "Ow!" She cried, clutching her ankle.
"Nami-Chan!" Sumi flew down beside her. "Come on, we have to go!"
"My ankle's twisted…" Nami muttered, through clenched teeth. Great, what a time for me to realise that I'm not wearing the right shoes for this! "Go on without me!"
"Never!" Sumi declared, just as the sounds of running footsteps were heard, and Carue suddenly sprinted up, with Vivi on his back.
"She's right, now climb on!" Vivi held out her hand. "Hurry, the flood is almost upon us!"
Nami did as she was told, and soon she was clinging to Vivi's back, as Carue carried them towards the edge of the city, with Sumi flying along beside them.
"Where're the others?!" Nami wanted to know.
"Most have run ahead to the great gates!" Vivi replied, and then she drew Carue to a stop. "Oh, no!" A group of Marines were there, guns ready.
"Out of our way!" Sumi shouted. "Tenshi No Gale!" She whipped up a huge whirlwind with her wings, and used it to push the Marines away.
As they raced through, they could hear the sounds of the water getting closer. The roar of the torrent behind them. Even non-Devil Fruit users would be out of luck, if they were caught in this flood.
"We're almost there!" Sumi yelled. "I can see the great gates…oh no!" She stopped suddenly, as did Carue, and the three girls and one duck stared in horror.
A battle was taking place at the great gates, with the Straw Hat Pirates, Ace, and Law against…the three Admirals!
"Did they defeat Oyaji?" Sumi asked, at the same time as Vivi gasped: "They're all going to die here with us!"
"They don't care, as long as we don't survive…" Nami realised slowly, her blood running cold.
There were streaks of ice, magma, and light all throughout the area, mingled with rubber, fire and cherry blossom petals. It was impossible to tell who was winning, or who was injured.
Then, all of a sudden, the water pushed through the alleys behind the three girls and one duck, who could do nothing as it rushed towards them.
The men who were fighting suddenly realised what was happening.
"Vivi! Nami!" Luffy shouted.
"Sumi, get out of there!" Ace added, his eyes widening in horror. So, this is how it ends…they'll win after all…
"Ribon-Ribon No…Transport!"
Red and golden ribbons grabbed everybody in the area, courtesy of a girl wearing three glowing necklaces, and they all vanished in a flurry of silk just as the water crashed into the great gates.
The battle resumed as soon as they hit the sands, and Ace had barely enough time to grab Emma and yank her out of the way, as Kuzan's ice arced towards them. Ace's fire quickly melted it, but Kuzan was right there,
"Emiko, go!" Ace yelled, pushing her away, as he continued his battle with the icy Admiral.
Emma stumbled, as a beam of light hit her chest and, a second later, Borsalino was there. Emma only just had enough time to raise her arms up in defence, but her whole entire body still ached as she was kicked brutally in the stomach, which sent her flying back into nearby rocks, and only by remembering her training from Garp was she able to flip herself upright.
As she did, she noticed that Fox was nearby, with her teamsters, filming the whole thing. Whether it was being broadcasted live or not, she didn't know because, just then, she sensed something, and only managed to dodge just in time, as the darkness flared up around her.
At the same instance, she heard, as if in a faraway dream, Zoro cry: "It's the Blackbeard Pirates!"
When had he gotten here?
When Zoro started to get worried, it was a real cause for concern.
"Hello again, girlie." Teach grinned his toothy grin at her, as he and his crew made their dramatic entrance. "Did you miss me?"
"About as much as I miss algebra!" Emma snapped, standing up quickly, and wiping the blood off of her chin. Her eyes darted around. She was remembering her last encounter with the traitorous pirate, and it was definitely time for her to get out of here but, what could she do? Everybody else was busy fighting, except…
Sumi, who was circling above, suddenly spotted Teach and, with a cry like an angel of death, shot down towards him, faster than the normal eye could catch. She caught him under the chin with her elbow, managing a far more powerful strike than should have been possible for such a young girl and knocked out another of his teeth, just as he grabbed her ankle and slammed her up against a nearby rock.
"Don't think that I forgot about you, feathered-brat!" Teach told her, just as a set of ribbons went slicing through his shoulder. He dropped Sumi, but immediately activated his Devil Fruit powers, and drew Emma in using the force of gravity against her. "And you, little Princess…"
"What are you talking about?" She asked him, just as something fast and on fire suddenly hit him. Though the flames did nothing, the force of the hit was enough to make him drop Emma.
Ace grabbed her, dragging her back, and placing her behind him. "Go!" he whispered fiercely to her. "Quickly!"
"I can't-"
"GO!" Ace yelled, and Emma went, grabbing Sumi's hand and running across the sands with her. They dodged the huge craters from the battle, trying to see in the dark, although the various attacks provided sufficient light at times.
And, it was through this light, that they saw Sakazuki neatly break possibly all of Luffy's ribs with a very vicious attack – the cracks could be heard even above the sounds of the ferocious battle going on all around them – before tossing the boy's limp body aside.
The reason for this soon became clear, as Luffy had been attempting to stop Sakazuki from going after Vivi, who was now completely out in the open, and frozen as the Admiral came at her, looking like the hellhound that he was, covered in magma and ready to destroy her.
"You're mine, Hikari No Hime!" He shouted.
Emma was vaguely aware of people screaming out Luffy's name, and caught a flash of somebody with orange hair throwing herself across him, to protect him from a wave of ice that hit her on the back, making her scream.
Everything seemed to have gone still, as she mimicked Nami's movements, grabbing onto Vivi and knowing that, even if she died, then at least the Princess would still be alive. They needed her powers, to save the worlds!
Dammit! "Emma, no!" Vivi cried out, at the same time as somebody else did.
Emma closed her eyes, and prepared for the impact, but she felt nothing. Confused, and slightly bewildered, she opened her eyes, and saw the look of horror on Vivi's face. Fearing the worst, Emma turned, and her heart seemed to stop.
In front of her, with her back to her, was Sumi.
Sakazuki's magma fist had gone straight through the blonde-haired girl's stomach, staining her back and her wings incarnadine.
Time seemed to freeze around them all, as Sumi twitched slightly, and then she reached up, and put one shaking hand onto her Father's wrist. "It doesn't end here, Father." Blood was flowing from her mouth.
Sakazuki jerked his hand back, stepping back – and, suddenly, he was hit by Ace, who had come flying out of nowhere.
"AKAINU!"
There was rage and fury burning in Ace's eyes and fists, as he and Sakazuki disappeared into the battle again.
Sumi, meanwhile, had staggered back, and fell back, into Emma's arms.
Emma's heart thudded in her chest, and she couldn't speak, but Vivi did.
"Sumi!" She cried, crawling over to them. "Sumi!"
Sumi struggled to open her eyes, and looked not at Vivi, but at Emma. "Emma…-Chan…you…can't…die…"
Emma's jaw unlocked. "Well, neither can you!" she cried desperately, alarmed by all of the blood around them. "Sumi-Chan, we'll get a doctor, and…"
"I am a doctor, Emma-Chan." Sumi reminded her, trying to chuckle, but she coughed instead, and more blood came out of her mouth. "I know that…nothing can…save me now…" Her hand hovered to the spot above her stomach, where there was a smouldering and bloody hole. It was a hundred times worse than the anime and the manga combined.
"Sumi-Chan, please don't die!" Emma begged her, finding that her eyes were, surprisingly, dry, but her heart was pounding in her chest. "You can't, I…I just killed your former captor! Jalmack! He's dead!"
Sumi did smile then, even though her lips were covered in blood. "That's…good…it's...okay that you...did that..." She said, before looking over at Vivi. "I didn't hate you, Vivi-Chan…I just…didn't like that they were using a real Princess…as the decoy Princess…"
Vivi nodded silently, tears running down her face.
Emma, whose eyes were dry, stared at Sumi in shock. "What do you…?"
"Vivi-Chan's…a decoy…" Sumi said, and Emma happened to glance up then, across the beach, at Teach, who was listening.
She knew then that he could hear everything that was going on.
"Then, who's…?"
"It's you…" Sumi whispered, her eyes closing, but she struggled one last time, and her teal orbs locked with Emma's hazel ones. "You're the Princess, and you're also...Edward...Emma."
Vivi gasped softly, not at Sumi's words, but because the blonde-haired girl was suddenly gone, disappearing into a swirling mass of multi-coloured light, which swirled around Emma's neck and head.
Emma, who was gasping, was staring at the spot where Sumi had just been, trying to comprehend what had just happened.
Sumi was dead. Sumi, who had been cheerful and sweet…Sumi, who called everybody –Chan…she was dead…she would never smile again…she would never laugh with them again…she would never be anything again, because…
She was dead.
But, more importantly...she'd said that Emma was the real Princess Of Light. Not Vivi. But...why?
And, she was also Edward Newgate's daughter?! But...how?!
Nothing made sense anymore...not that it ever had before.
Emma was gasping, not noticing the multi-coloured light. "Iie…" She whispered, her heart hammering in her chest now. More emotions than ever before whirled up inside of her, coupled with a very strange sensation. "Iie…IIEEEEEE!" She screamed, raising her head to the heavens, as light erupted around her, causing everybody to stop.
Nobody could believe what was happening to Emma.
As they watched, the compass around her neck cracked, and more light poured out of it.
Her body shook with tearless sobs, as she cried out, not noticing that her clothes were changing…they became a soft gold-coloured dress, stained with red…ribbons whirled around her, forming the folds of the dress…and, at last, the light formed a golden and ruby tiara upon her head.
"Sumi-Chan! Sumi-Chan!"
All eyes were on Emma, who was hunched over, a pair of wings on her back, and looking both beautiful and devastated. There was blood on her arms and it took everyone a second to comprehend the person that she had just been holding onto a moment ago. It was then that they realised the tragedy that had just unfolded, and the Straw Hat Pirates realised that Sumi was dead.
But, also, they realised...
Vivi seemed to come to life just then. "Minna!" She shouted. "Protect Emma – she's the true Princess Of Light! PROTECT HER!" Her words rang out across the beach.
The Straw Hat Pirates just stared at her, as their battle with Kuzan and Borsalino came to a stop. Even the Blackbeard Pirates were staring at Vivi, who was breathing heavily, like an injured animal. She clutched a deep cut on her shoulder, and staggered to her feet, looking around at them. She assessed all of their injuries...before her eyes fell on Luffy, who was unconscious.
Vivi's heart clenched.
"Are you getting this?" Fox whispered to her crew.
They nodded.
"Is it being beamed live around the world?"
Again, they nodded.
"Good."
Teach was staring not at Vivi but at Emma, with an unreadable expression.
Law was suddenly there, and that was when they noticed that he looked different, as well. He was wearing all-black, and there were gold buckles on his jacket. "I'll do it." Law said, in a cold but calm voice, using just one arm to yank Emma to her feet. She leaned against his arm - she didn't seem capable of standing up by herself
Vivi could only stare at him, and it was then that she remembered what the gods had told her.
Trafalgar Law was the First Knight.
Vivi nodded silently, and then she turned her head, as a wave of heat exploded from the battle between Sakazuki and Ace, the latter who was pushed back, blood streaming from a wound on his forehead.
Emma snapped out whatever trance she'd just been in. "No!" She cried, still shaking with tearless sobs, but her voice was far more melodic than it had ever been before. "No! I...I can't let anybody else die! No…Ribon-Ribon No Teleport!"
She swept up all of her Allies, including Fox and her crew, into a flurry of ribbons and, the next thing that they knew, they were on the Moby Dick.
All around the world, people were watching the unbelievable horror that had just unfolded in the East Blue, with varied reactions.
-"You're mine Hikari No Hime!"-
"Isn't that Arabasta's Princess?!"
"What's she doing there?!"
"What does he mean Hikari No Hime?"
"Princess Vivi!"
-"Emma, no!"-
"No! Not her!"
"Nma...somebody that you know?"
"Wait, there's somebody else there!"
"Somebody just got between them!"
"A girl with wings!"
-"It doesn't end here, Father."-
"AAAA!"
"Oh my God!"
"How can they show us something like this?!"
"Who was that girl?!"
"Did that Admiral really just kill his own daughter?!"
-"AKAINU!"-
"That's Firefist Ace!"
"So that girl was a Whitebeard Pirate?!"
"She called Admiral Akainu her Father! I heard her!"
"If she's a Whitebeard Pirate, then I think that Whitebeard himself is gonna be more upset with this!"
-"Sumi! Sumi!"-
"How horrible!"
"I know that they're pirates, but this is just too much..."
"Hey, doesn't that red-haired girl look kind of familiar?"
"That's The Demon Of War!"
"Not that..."
-"Sumi-Chan, please don't die! You can't, I…I just killed your former captor! Jalmack! He's dead!"-
"That tiny bitch killed a fucking World Noble?"
"What else do you expect from pirates?"
"This is what they get for trying to stand up against the World Government..."
"This is almost unbearable..."
"That poor woman..."
"Look at that necklace that she's wearing..."
"Which one?"
-"It's you…you're the Princess, and you're also...Edward...Emma."-
There was actually a stunned silence throughout the world when Sumi spoke her final words then, as everybody listening just stared in complete and utter shock.
Then...
"No way...Whitebeard's daughter? Like, his biological daughter?"
"Oh, dear God, it is her..."
"She looks just like..."
-"Iie...iie...IIEEEEEE!"-
"What's happening?!"
"There's so much light!"
"That poor girl just watched her friend die!"
"She transformed!"
"She looks incredible, now!"
"Jahahaha...now do you believe me? Look, even the waves are reacting to her emotions..."
"Oh, wow...I mean, yikes, but...wow..."
"What happened to Princess Vivi?!"
-"Minna! Protect Emma – she's the true Princess Of Light! PROTECT HER!"-
"The Princess...Of Light?"
"You mean she's the one that the World Government have been trying to kill?!"
"They wouldn't dare...not now that it's her..."
"I mean, that'd be like the war with Whitebeard all over again!"
"No, it'd be worse than before, if they threatened her now..."
-"I'll do it."-
"Hey, who's that guy?!"
"He looks like a Prince, or...something..."
"That's those two from the restaurant!"
"Oh no, Firefist is still fighting against Akainu!"
"He'll be killed!"
-"No! No! I...I can't let anybody else die! No…Ribon-Ribon No Teleport!"-
"Ribbons!"
"Just like at Marineford!"
"That beautiful girl is the Demon Of War?!"
"She saved Firefist Ace at Marineford, too!"
"She didn't even know who she was, back then!"
"But...just what is she...?"
The transmission cut out as Fox and her teamsters were swept away too, but, of course that didn't stop people from talking...
Destiny reeled back, clutching the sides of the stone table, where her tablets were set up. She bowed her head, listening to the sounds of the Princess' screaming in her own mind, as Fate, from behind her, was, for another rare moment, not smiling.
"She wasn't supposed to find out yet..." Destiny whispered. "She's not strong enough to take on Infinity..."
"That doesn't matter." Fate replied. "This is what has happened, and now we have to deal with it. Besides..." She turned her head to the grey skies, where a black vortex had appeared recently. It was swirling with grey matter, and it was known as the Pit Of Chaos.
Destiny followed Fate's gaze, and then nodded. "I know." She sighed. "She doesn't have the time to get stronger...everyday, more and more worlds are being erased by Infinity. It's only a matter of time before everything is gone."
Karma, who was listening, nodded in agreement. "That is why Life and Death chose to share that information about Emma's past with her Allies, hoping to strengthen their bonds. Don't worry...if Grace says they'll help her get through this, then they will."
"I don't think so..." Destiny laid a hand on one of her tablets. "This could be what destroys her..."
"She's really going to fall apart?" Karma questioned.
Destiny nodded. "Yes...this was her first time...watching a friend die. And, in such a brutal way...there's only one way she'll be dragged out of this...Emma...I can't believe...all this time, how could we...?"
"Ace!" Many of the other Whitebeard Pirates were alarmed by the condition of him and the others. "What happened?!"
Ace seemed to be in shock, and couldn't move or speak. His face was pale, and he was frozen in place, staring at absolutely nothing.
Nami, meanwhile, was sobbing over Luffy, and the nurses suddenly swooped on him.
"His rib-cage!"
"Get him to the infirmary!"
"This is horrible!"
"Hurry!"
As they rushed him below deck, one of the nurses added: "He'll need a transfusion!"
"We don't have enough type F!"
Vivi gasped. "My blood's type F!" She called, and one of the nurses grabbed her by the wrist.
"Come on, then!"
Whitebeard calmly surveyed the damage done to the Straw Hat Pirates.
Robin was sporting a number of cuts and bruises, mainly to her face and arms. Nami's ankle was sprained (possibly broken) and she had a cut on her lip and ice burns on her back. Chopper and Usopp seemed, for the most part, uninjured, save for a few scrapes. Sanji and Zoro were both bleeding heavily from their shoulders, and both of them had blood on their faces. Franky was bleeding from the torso. Nobody could tell if Brook was injured or not, but he seemed alright.
What worried Whitebeard the most was Ace. His son still hadn't moved or done anything.
Where was Emma?
Whitebeard looked around, and then he saw her, wearing a blood-stained dress and sporting a pair of wings that made Whitebeard instantly think of Sumi.
For multiple reasons, just then, Whitebeard felt his blood run cold.
Law was holding onto Emma, who was still screaming.
"No, it didn't happen!" She shouted, and everybody turned to her. "Law-Chan, tell me it didn't happen!"
Law couldn't say anything, so he just held onto her.
In the confusion, they hadn't noticed but…wasn't somebody missing?
Whitebeard stepped forwards. "Where is Sumi?" He asked them.
Emma turned to him, her face white as snow. Tears finally came from her eyes, mixing with the blood, as she stared up at the man labelled the strongest in the world. She tried to speak, but suddenly found that she couldn't.
Robin stepped forwards then, picking up the tiara that had fallen from Emma's head. Everybody immediately looked at her.
"Sumi's life was taken by Admiral Akainu." Robin said stoically, and many of the Whitebeard Pirates gasped.
Their sister...their fun-loving, sweet-natured and bright little sister, who had been the youngest member of their crew, was...dead?
A few of the female Whitebeard Pirates had tears running down their faces, but all eyes were suddenly on Emma, who had taken a shaky step forwards, away from Law, who let her go.
"S-Sumi-Chan..." Emma said, in a voice barely above a whisper, and it sounded like the words were trying to strangle her. "Sh-she said...I'm the...P-Princess Of Light, b-but...I couldn't...save her...sh-she saved me..." Tears dripped onto the deck by her bare feet, and blood splashed amongst it. "She...she also told me...that I'm...she told me...whose daughter I am." She looked right at Whitebeard. "Did you know?"
"Yes." Was all that Whitebeard could say. What more could he say?
Grace had told him how and and why, but telling Emma all of this would be pointless now.
She was shaking, but her eyes - which were full of tears - were focused solely on him.
Everybody, meanwhile, stared at Whitebeard, trying to figure out what he'd just said.
Marco decided to elaborate, to save everybody from the confusion. "Emma's real name is Edward Emma. She's Oyaji's long-lost daughter." Marco swallowed, as a few people gasped at this shocking revelation. "For so long...he's been waiting...we've all been hoping..." Vista and a few of the older Whitebeard Pirates drew in deep breaths. "To meet her again..."
With a choked sob, Emma launched herself at the strongest man in the world, and he caught her, holding her against his chest, as she started sobbing.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, I couldn't save her! I wasn't strong enough! I'm sorry, Daddy!"
Author's Notes:
. Sumi-Chan! *Cries*
. Starless Night, by Nana Mikazuki - www . youtube watch ? v = 4NS1 _ QD4hB0
Cocoa Liddell - don't worry, Emma figured it all out. ^^ She got decisive! However, Law's feelings now have a reason. Thanks for reviewing!
AiSoraix3 - I also love Vivi, I think she's awesome! (Actually, so are Robin, and Nami!). Thanks for reviewing!
MsWildLuck - oh no, but my readers are WORSE than Hancock whom, might I add, is going to throw a FIT when she finds out about Luffy's ribs...
Shingheart of ThunderClan - yeah, that doll is just evil. XD I have that doll, so I should know. But, yes, Hancock's vision is very limited.
Shinobi . Hikari . Ookami - OMG, it's addictive, and more so than the show?! Are you SURE about that?! Thank you! XD Augh, chainsaw! *Runs* Hmm...don't forget Captain Kuro, wearing a mankini, and twirling a hula hoop whilst Blueno (in a clown-suit) plays unfitting music! XD
Mugiwara Wolf Spirite - hmm, VivixLuffy...yup! XD Oh noes, Bon Clay, no! That's just WRONG! *Dies* Well, good luck surviving THAT one, peoples! :D