The Pirate King Is Dead - Long Live The Pirate King

Part 3 of a Four Part Saga

By Aoikami Sarah

Chapter Twelve - Vivace Rondo And Portgas D. Ace

Word about the Pirate King's death spread almost instantly across the world. Even at the most remote islands of the Grand Line the news took only days to travel. For those at sea lucky enough to get newspapers delivered, like on White Beard's ship, it took about a week. Shirohige Kaizoku-dan Defense Captain, Vivace Rondo caught the paper. She took it with her into the galley and sat down to have breakfast. She smiled and greeted her nakama Ace and Calce from across the table. The burn mark Ace had left on her arm was now covered by a new tattoo: two characters that meant 'treasure'. She unfolded the tabloid and went motionless.

"Tama-chan? Hello?" Calce asked, waving her hand in front of her face. "Must be a good story…"

Vivace folded the paper. "Portgas-san? Can I see you outside for a moment?" she asked. Ace furrowed his brows, but followed her out. When they were alone, she turned to him and handed him the folded paper. "I'm so sorry…" she whispered.

Ace took it, unfolded it, read it, closed his eyes and hung his head. He didn't move as Vivace put her arms around him. A tear hit her shoulder. "Perla Bolla," she whispered and an opaque, sound proof bubble sprung up around them.

.x.

Three years earlier, just on the edge of the Calm-Belt, an object glistened and bobbed on the waves. There was nothing to be seen for miles other than the occasional arching back of a Sea King. Inside the protective bubble sat two people. One of them was gesticulating wildly.

"This is all your fault!" Lilly shrieked. Her voice was dissonant, broken and destroyed. "I could have ruled the Grand Line!"

"I'm sorry, Lilly Marlene-sama," Vivace muttered for the tenth time.

"You keep saying that, but I find it hard to believe. You let her go."

"If it wasn't for that Nico Robin, I would have been able to bring Harmony to you."

"Excuses, excuses," Lilly spat. "I knew from the moment I hired you that you would disappoint me. You were a lousy henchman and a second rate lounge singer at best. I can't believe I put one iota of faith in you."

Normally, this sort of treatment would have run Vivace's blood hot, but here, in the middle of the ocean, defeated and lost, she had no desire to attack her former mentor. Instead she formed a bubble around herself to dampen the sound of her berating.

"Don't you block me out!" Lilly barked and picked up the pace, hurling insults and four-letter-words at the younger woman. Vivace couldn't hear her, but she had had enough. The bubble around the both of them burst, leaving Vivace to bob on the waves, alone, and Lilly Marlene to swim for it.

"My dress!" Lilly cried. "You horrible girl! I hope you rot in that bubble!" When she didn't get a reaction, the jellyfish woman splashed under the water. Her lavender tentacles were the last thing Vivace saw of her as she swam away.

She didn't have the courage to burst the bubble. Instead, she waited for exhaustion to do the trick. It might be a few days, but she could wait. There was nothing Vivace could think of to live for.

.x.

Many days later, Vivace woke in a hammock swaying gently from side to side inside a ship. Other than being hungry and thirsty, she wasn't in any pain. Her clothes were different, lent to her, perhaps and the bandage that usually covered her upper arm was missing. She looked up and noted about five other hammocks in the room and daylight filtering in through a port hole. A woman with wild lime green colored hair and wearing large gold hoop earrings entered the room "Ah! It lives!" she said with a huge grin. "Come on. The Captain wants to see you."

The woman didn't grab her or threaten her so Vivace decided to play it cool. She slumped out of the hammock and followed the billowing white shirt and green hair out into the sunshine. "Great," she muttered to herself as she noted the distinctive looking crew around her. "Another friggin' pirate ship. Maybe they need a singer." She chuckled deliriously and watched the woman's feet plod along ahead of hers. The sunlight was too intense for her tired eyes to look up for a Jolly Roger.

"Captain," the buxom green-haired woman addressed someone ahead of them. "The castaway's awake."

Vivace squinted up at the impressive bulk of a man seated near the bow. He was flanked by two beautiful nurses and connected to colossal IV bags and oxygen tanks. "Thank you Calce. You're a lucky girl, you are," he boomed at Vivace. "Tell us, how much will we get for your ransom?"

"Not a dime," she answered flatly. "No one misses me."

"Ah, that's a shame. Is there anything you can offer us at all?"

"I can sing."

The captain laughed. "What use is that to us? Can you steal? Can you fight? If you're not useful you're just another mouth to feed. We don't take kindly to excess baggage."

Vivace raised a brow. "Ok. I can't attack so well, but I can defend you. Pretend Lime-girl here is an enemy." She spread her fingers apart. The captain nodded to Calce and she pulled a knife out. "Bolla modello, disarmisi!" she cried and bubbles snapped around Calce's weapon, her other fist, Vivace herself and one enormous bubble formed around the captain. Calce tried to stab Vivace and simply bounced off.

"Akuma no Mi!" the captain laughed. "Excellent. You will join us, young lady."

The bubbles dispelled. "If I say no?"

"It would be unwise to say no to Captain Whitebeard," Calce said, sheathing her knife.

"White…" Vivace gasped. "No way…!"

Whitebeard laughed again. "Heard of me?"

"I've met one of your boys," she said, rubbing the burn scar on her upper arm.

Whitebeard observed the shape of the mark. "He's still away yet, you need not worry about him." More laughter. "Does this mean you are our enemy?"

"No. I'm just foolish."

Whitebeard shook with laughter. His nurses fussed over the IV lines as they threatened to dislodge. He wiped a tear from his eye. "I like you, Tama-chan!"

"TamaTama no Mi user, Vivace Rondo," she said with a bow. "At your service."

To be continued…