The submarine's autopilot was simple; the underwater ship would propel itself forward, steer away from obstacles, and that's it. For the time being, the newly reformed Donquixote pirates were simply drifting deep beneath the surface, avoiding any interaction until everyone was healthy enough to make the next move, which was still an unknown. Most of them hadn't expected to ever leave Impel Down, so the new freedom was both exhilarating and daunting. What now?
After necessary introductions, the first order of business was removing the sea prism stone shackles from anyone still stuck in them, and the second was food. With everyone settled around a large table, Nuvo procured a feast with her gift of song, eliciting gasps from a majority of the table.
"I didn't know you could do food too! Can you make grapes?!" Sugar begged, and a moment later she was happily digging her fingers into an overflowing bowl the size of her own head.
"Those of you who haven't eaten much lately should be careful." Giolla warned. "Stuffing your face could overload your body and make you ill."
Senor Pink, Diamante, Trebol, and Pica restrained themselves, but relished every bite just as much as the rest of them. It was delicious, and the crew was reminded of the grandiose dinners they used to share every evening in Dressrosa. The reality of their success became clear, and despite their exhaustion, everyone was in a jovial mood. Even Dellinger seemed to be putting himself together slowly, but he still blatantly refused to be more than a few feet from Nuvo, a detail that Doflamingo did not miss.
After eating as much as was reasonable and then some, Gladius and Machvise cleared the table, dropping off the dirty dishes in the kitchen area to be dealt with later. By the time they returned, Nuvo had conjured up a bottle of sake and was pouring everyone a cup.
"I know everyone is worn out. There's enough rooms set up down the hall for everyone to have their own. They're small and simple, except for yours, of course," Nuvo gestured to Doffy. "As Captain, you have a full Captain's quarters. Otherwise the rooms are a little tight, but at least you get a space to yourself. If you want to bathe before getting some rest, there are showers just past the bedrooms. There should be some nightclothes in the closets by bath area as well. It may take some digging to find something that fits; I didn't know anyone's proper sizes, so."
"That's a fascinating ability you have, Nuvo. Doors, keys, food, clothing. Is there anything you can't bring forth?" Diamante asked.
"Yes, I can only summon real, physical, objects. No people, nothing imaginary. And I can't change circumstances. For example, I couldn't have sung a song about all of us never being arrested in the first place and made it reality."
Diamante nodded his head. "I've never seen nor heard of anyone possessing that sort of power. Very interesting. Could everyone do such acts where you come from?"
"Yes! Well, not exactly like me, no. Before it's destruction, everyone, erm, almost everyone from my kingdom had a singing voice laced with a gift of some type, but no two people had the same one and, at the risk of sounding egotistical, I can't remember anyone having a gift as versatile as my own."
"I see. Are you able to remember any of your kingdom's history? Was there any record of anyone who lived there who'd had an ability like yours in the past?"
"Ugh, Diamante, she just sprung you and the rest of us from jail, I'm sure she's not in the mood to be interrogated!" Sugar interjected, rising from the table and grabbing Nuvo's left hand. "C'mon, let's go take a bath and go to bed! Ohhhhh a real bed. I don't want to wait another second, but I haven't had a real bath in ages either."
Nuvo was also looking forward to a relaxing bathing experience and was happy to tag along, but as she stood, Dellinger grabbed her right hand, preventing her exit. She sighed.
"Let me take care of him first," Nuvo told Sugar. "Then I'll meet you there."
After they left, the group slowly started to disperse. Some went toward the showers, others skipped the process and settled for heading straight for bed. Soon only Doflamingo, Diamante, and Trebol were left sipping their drinks.
"Where on earth did you find her?" Diamante inquired.
Diamante had always been an intelligent man, so it didn't surprise Doffy that he'd recognized the rarity and importance of someone like Nuvo quickly, but he found himself groaning internally anyway. He wasn't in the mood to be interrogated either, but it was sure that Diamante wouldn't be the only one asking him questions about her in the near future, so he may as well be prepared.
"She was in the Infinite Hell with me. Other than the sources I maintained for updates on the world outside the prison and you all today, she's the only person I've spoken with for over a year. It's a strange friendship, but it kept us both sane."
"A strange friendship, indeed." Trebol noted. "She's young, Doffy."
Doffy wouldn't have accepted a veiled criticism like that from anyone but Trebol.
"I'm well aware of that, but you needn't worry. She isn't a child."
"No, she is not, but she's exceptionally powerful, and makes a fine ally, and more than likely would make a fine addition to this crew. I understand that decision rests with you alone, but I'm sure you agree that she's not an acquisition that we want to misplace." Diamante finished his drink, then continued. "My only concern is that if that strange friendship of yours starts to falter, we risk making an enemy of that woman, and she is not someone I want for an enemy. I think she may be considerably more powerful than any of us realize, maybe more than she realizes herself. My only advice is that you tread carefully."
With that, Diamante laboriously rose from the table, and headed down the hall.
"He's right, but I think that her youth is more an advantage than a risk." Trebol grinned, his snot beginning to drip just like in the good ol' days. "With proper training and a shove in the right direction, she could be the most useful member that the Donquixote pirates have taken on in years. I fully enforce the idea of keeping her inclined to stay, through whatever means necessary."
The innuendo in his voice was thick, and as Trebol trailed after the others down the hall, Doffy poured himself another drink and let his mind tumble the words of his crewmates. He wanted her to stay with his family, that much was certain, but he wanted her to desire to stay on board, and in his bed, preferably. It was a lot to consider, and he knew they needed to seriously discuss the logistics of her joining the crew in a setting that didn't involve him being buried between her thighs.
This would prove difficult, considering the thought alone made him wonder where she'd be sleeping tonight.
…
Meanwhile, Nuvovniya had escorted Dellinger to an unoccupied room. She had summoned some pajamas for him and had turned around while he changed. Tucking in a child so old made her feel patronizing, but Dellinger didn't seem to mind. He'd regained color in his cheeks since the feast and looked a little less dazed, but there was still a lot of healing for him to do. Nuvo felt responsible for him, and in her stubborn refusal to deal with names so long, she had taken to calling him Deli.
"Deli, I'm going to leave you here now and go down the hall."
She saw the protest in his eyes, and he started to get out of bed, but she gently pushed him back down.
"I'll still be on the exact same sub as you, along with the rest of your family. We aren't in Impel Down anymore; there's no locks on these doors except the ones on the inside, which you control."
"I'm afraid I'll go to sleep and wake up, and this will all have been a dream. I still don't know if you're real or not."
Nuvo smiled patiently. "Well, I am real, and you're going to wake up tomorrow on this same ship. For now, why don't we pretend that Impel Down was just a dream, and when you wake up tomorrow, it'll officially be over, and you can start your first full day of freedom. The faster you let yourself sleep, the faster it'll come."
Deli was not entirely convinced, but he trusted the redhead, even if she maybe wasn't real, and he was very sleepy. After all that time in the prison, the small bed was luxurious, and the comfort was quickly lulling him to sleep. Nuvo said goodnight to him and quietly left the room, closing the door softly behind her, then sped to the showers.
…
She found Sugar standing completely still with her head tilted up and her arms extended to her sides, letting the hot water hit her face and gush over her small form. She looked like a little kid in the rain. At the sound of Nuvo's feet slapping wetly against the tile floor, she pulled her head forward and grinned at her.
"About time!"
"I'm sorry, I got held up."
"It's okay, I don't plan on leaving this room for a looooong time. I forgot how amazing this feels! No one is ever washing me with a hose again."
It did feel wonderful to stand in the steamy room and let the water cascade over her body. She'd designed the showers pretty simply. They consisted of two large separate rooms covered in tile, with several shower heads coming out of the walls. The sub pulled in water from the sea, sending it through multiple filters and a heating component, then drained from the showers back into the sea again. Nuvo had placed a tile shelf in each room as well, loading them both with soaps, shampoos, conditioners, shaving creams, razors, scrubs, sponges, loofahs, and anything else she could think of that someone taking a bath might wish for.
Sugar and Nuvo had completed all their bathing necessities, but neither expressed any urge to leave the room. The sound of the water hitting the floor was tranquil and after using several soaps it smelled like a garden. It was a slippery paradise.
"I only wish there was a tub." Sugar said wistfully, and after only a moment Nuvo had made a large one in the back-left corner. She and Sugar jumped in and ran hot water into the tub, filling it with enough bubble bath to spill over to the floor. Nuvo also conjured a bottle of sweet wine. Giggling into their glasses and surrounded by the froth, they both looked like little kids.
"So, what's it like fucking Doffy?" Sugar asked casually, resulting in Nuvo nearly shooting wine from her nose.
"Why do you want to know?"
"Because I have to sate myself on juicy details from other people! I'm a twenty-two-year-old who looks ten; people aren't exactly interested in nailing me, and the ones who are interested are GROSS."
"That's fair. Honestly, it's only happened once, and it certainly could've been a heat of the moment thing. We were in solitary, and when you only have access to one other person for that long, well…"
"I understand, but Doffy doesn't really strike me as a one-time guy. When he was still King of Dressrosa, women were literally flinging themselves at him constantly, but he didn't go for them very often. I mean, half the reason they were hot for him was probably because they hoped he'd marry them and they'd get to be royalty, but it helps that Doffy is sexy. I know it's weird to say that because he's kind of like my dad, but I'm recognizing the facts here."
"How long have you been with him? With the crew, I mean?"
"He saved me and my sister from a terrible environment when I was nine. Like, actually chronologically nine years old."
"Where's your sister now?"
Seeing Sugar's fallen face, Nuvo immediately felt that she had said something she shouldn't have. She opened her mouth to apologize for being invasive or change the subject, but Sugar raised her hand.
"It's ok," Sugar said. "Monet died. A little while before the straw hat pirates came to Dressrosa and we got arrested. She was on an assignment for Doffy and her mission failed."
"I'm very sorry."
"It's alright. That's the risk you take when you become a pirate. And pirate or not, she would have done anything for Doffy. We all would, but her especially. She really loved him. They were fucking for a while, but I don't think it was romantic, exactly. Maybe a little. But Doffy isn't the romantic kind. I don't think you are either, though, no offense."
"None taken, I'm really not. I never have been. I was a Princess before prison and I had suitors, and I slept with a few men. A few women, too." She gave Sugar a saucy wink, and the green haired girl gigged. "But I've never been impressed by romance. I've heard it described a million times and I've never felt that way about anyone, even him."
"How do you feel about him?"
"Like I enjoy his company. Like I don't have anywhere else to be. Like he's a damn good fuck."
Sugar giggled again, and Nuvo found herself doing the same. It was nice to have simple feminine time like this. She had friends back in Harmelude, some since childhood, but she wasn't particularly close to any of them, and royal etiquette definitely wouldn't have allowed her to bathe with anyone. She was never even put in the same tub as her brother when they were children.
She squashed down the thought of Scabor almost as soon as it came. She and Sugar continued to gossip until they were equally pruned, then decided to get dried off and go to bed. They found some sleeping clothes and drowsily slunk toward the bedrooms. Taking the last two empty rooms, they whispered their goodnights.
…
Nuvo had only just gotten comfortable in her small bed when someone knocked on her door. Deli…go back to bed…she thought, and flung the bedcovers off herself to answer. She opened the door to see not the anxious teen, but Doflamingo, dressed in a set of midnight blue silk pajamas and trademark lenses. He'd also bathed, and Nuvo couldn't stop herself from breathing in the clean scent he emitted. He smirked at her and held up the remainder of the booze from the feast.
"I think that you and I have spent enough time in isolated conditions, don't you?"
…
A few minutes later they were both in the Captain's quarters, finishing off the alcohol. She was quite proud of this part of the vessel; there was a large four poster bed with velvet curtains, a trunk with various clothing items inside, a desk with a logbook, and a table with four chairs beneath a large window through which you could see the ocean and all the life it contained. The two were seated there now, watching as a large octopus drifted lazily past them.
"You spared no expense for me. I thank you." he drawled. It was near dawn, and she could hear the exhaustion in his voice, as well as in her own when she replied.
"I wanted you to be impressed."
"You never cease to impress me."
A silence followed. There was so much to say and so few words to say it with. How do you thank someone for helping you stay human in a beastly place? Or for helping you escape that place with the loyal friends who went into it with you? What do you say to such a person to convince them to stay, not because you need them as an accomplice, but purely because you want them by your side? Doffy didn't know, but luckily for him he didn't have to figure it out. Nuvo chugged the last of her drink and slammed the glass on the table, took a breath, and looked sharply at him.
"If the invitation still stands, I want to join the crew."
She could have followed the declaration with an explanation of why she'd made this choice and given a long sermon on how much she wanted a position in the family, but there was no need. He knew very well that she was useful and could be loyal to him, but he'd be loyal to her too, no doubt. They'd shared too much not to be.
He didn't reply; he simply stood and extended his arm, offering a hand to seal the deal. She got to her feet and grasped his hand hard, moving their conjoined arms up once, then down, then level again. It felt official and tinged with the chill of professionalism, but it was a binding contract to serve under a pirate Captain, so the formality was not out of place.
Neither released hold of the other. Doffy instead pulled her forward, crushing her into his chest, and wrapped his other arm around her smaller form. She used her free arm to return the embrace, upon which Doffy released her other hand and moved to lift her up, carrying her to the elegant bed. It was surely near dawn, and the night had been unbelievably long. They were practically dozing before they collapsed into the silk sheets.
"Now tomorrow holds only one problem to solve." He mumbled, eyes barely open behind his sunglasses.
"Hmmm?" Nuvo replied, eyes not open at all.
"Where in the world are we going to go?"
…
"WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE THEY GOING TO GO?!" Akainu fumed, his hands steaming from the effort to keep himself calm. It was the ten in the morning, and he had just received word about the eleven people who'd successfully escaped the previous evening, so he had called a strategy meeting with the other admirals, Fujitora and Ryokugyu. Ryokugyu was late as usual, but Sengoku had heard the news and was sitting in, so he and Fujitora sat quietly while Akainu stomped to and fro in his office at Marine Headquarters.
"They can't hide for long, and Doflamingo isn't the type to try and hide anyway. It's only a matter of time before they show up somewhere." Sengoku mused.
"I agree. So, let's let the world know they're out. We'll run the story in today's paper –"
"It's already gone out," Fujitora interrupted Akainu, "It should also be considered that letting the public know about this could cause panic."
Akainu growled. "Then let's send out a second paper today. It can be an emergency announcement, exclusively covering the escape story and reminding everyone how dangerous these people are. Let them panic; it'll encourage anyone who sees anything unusual to report it. We'll make a point to say that we're cracking down on security at Impel Down, to soften the worry."
"It's not a bad idea to put more resources into security there. It's supposed to be the toughest prison in the world, and this isn't the first escape." Sengoku added.
"That's already in motion." Akainu assured him. He had given Magellan a raging earful over the phone. Honestly, the fact that two prisoners in solitary confinement had found a way to communicate with each other was a massive security oversight, and the fact that they'd somehow coordinated an escape was even worse. It was clear to Akainu that Doflamingo must be the mastermind behind it, since the other escapees were all members of the Donquixote Pirates before arrest. All except one.
"What do we know about the girl?" he pondered aloud.
"Only as much as any citizen who read the papers after she was arrested. Princess, sole survivor and lead suspect in her kingdom's demise, sent to the Infinite Hell on little more than the whim of some Celestial Dragons, assumed to have no supernatural ability."
"And lovely to look at, too." Ryokugyu had finally arrived, making his comment from the doorway. Akainu glared at him.
"Well, obviously she has some sort of ability. There were passages in the Infinite Hell leading to multiple floors and the exterior which hadn't existed before. No one in the Donquixote family has a power like that. And the salt that disturbed the den den mushi came from seemingly nowhere, so I suspect her hand in that too."
"What type of vessel did they escape in?" asked Sengoku.
"Unknown. There was evidence of something tied to the end of the exterior passage, but there's no way to tell exactly what it was. Ship, submarine, sailboat…could have been anything, really. Something big enough for all those people and some supplies, I imagine." Akainu answered.
"So we're to assume that this young woman somehow single-handedly destroyed an entire island, then proceeded to change the physical structure of Impel Down, make it rain salt indoors, gather up one of the most notorious pirate crews of all time, and escape with them in some sort of sea vessel that she produced from thin air, in a single night?" Fujitora deadpanned.
Tense silence consumed the office. It sounded so ridiculous, even impossible, but none the less, it had happened. The high-ranking marine officers were forced to accept that Princess Nuvovniya was a much larger threat than previously considered, and was possibly equally as dangerous as the rest of the Donquixote pirates, of whom she may or may not now be a member. Bearing all this information and more, the second newspaper of the day was hurriedly printed and sent via bird to every nook and cranny of the world, including the ship called the Thousand Sunny.