Recap: Izou has spilled the secret that Ran finds Ace attractive. And Marco, Ace and Thatch finally find out what Ran has been hiding.
Key: "…" (italics and underlined) Someone speaking really loudly like at a public speech.
"..." Someone speaking native language.
"Filthy pirates, always trying to invade the kingdom. Trying to stir up trouble." Throwing a heavy object on the floor, angry.
"Who do they think they are? Trying to challenge the ruling family. Disrespectful, disgusting outcasts." The kicked the heavy object.
"What crew are they from?"
"Whitebeard."
"One of the four emperors?"
"Yeah, parading their damn insignia. I can't wait to see them as the royal family's dogs. Pathetic bastards." The chucked two more long heavy objects to the floor, kicking them as well.
"Did you get the sea prism stone cuffs? Two of them are devil fruit users, make sure they can't move either. Just because they're devil fruit users doesn't mean they still can't fight, I'll deal with them later." The heavy footsteps walked away, as the trio were bound in sea prism cuffs, and their feet chained to the wall, making them useless.
After what seemed days, the three of them woke up. They had pounding headaches, their eyelids fluttering as they woke up, groaning as they felt the last dregs of the sleep drug removed from their bodies.
They turned their heads, noticing that they were bound, thus immobile, trying to see where they were. They weren't in a prison or behind bars. They were in a large bare room, which had three small windows that allowed small streams of sunlight in the room, their only source of light.
"Shit we got fucking drugged."
"No kidding."
"You'd think she would warn us."
"Thatch you can get drugged anywhere in the world."
"Oh you're defending the daughter of a murderer, who was run out of her kingdom, and I'm getting sassed."
"Shut up both of you-yoi." Marco was getting an even bigger headache from the other two who were arguing.
"Marco do you have sea prism cuffs?"
"Yeah, and they put them on my feet as well, so I can't do anything if I tried.
"Don't worry Pops is going to save us, doesn't matter is this is Ran's home kingdom, once he finds out that she's from a murderers family. We're his sons, he'll save us." Thatch confidently reassured himself.
"So you're saying you're not going to try and escape?"
"Well what's the point in exerting energy when it's obvious we can't escape? We might as well save it up, when we can use it." Thatch logically explained.
"For once in your life you actually made sense." Marco commented.
"So what are going to do?"
"Wait, and see what else we can learn and try to break out of her before pops finds us, and inform him. We can't just leave here and pretend nothing has happened." Marco instructed, grunting, feeling the drain of the sea prism stone, despite his regenerative powers.
They instantly quietened down hearing footsteps and the door open, two men entered, holding another object and dumping it in front of the three of them. It was Ran, clothes torn, beaten, bleeding lip, passed out and her hair all dishevelled with a hair ribbon missing. However without a face mask, seeing her tribal purple face markings.
"So where did you find her?" The taller man who dumped her body, looking at her with disgust. They saw a familiar face, Ran's attacker. They looked at him with surprise, they remembered Ran had talked to him like a friend, and now he had betrayed her?
"I found her in the forest, she was running from some of the mountain beasts, and then I found her injured, she was crying for me to help her. She used make up to cover her marking, and saw a slight purple smudge on her forehead and rubbed at it, and it was a diamond shape so I befriended her, and she passed out in my arms. I also checked her eyes, she was wearing a black contact, so she could hide her mismatched eyes." He explained evenly, noticing the three, staring at them with no expression whatsoever.
"Well good job, you got the filthy bitch." The other man kicked her side with anger. All three of them felt a small anger rise in their chest, to see such a ruthless man kick such a helpless person.
"Finally you completed your job in hunting her down is finally done. You must be happy."
"Yeah, she was easy to find. She had been living in poverty, and couldn't defend herself. She was so weak and it was so easy." The attacker had commented, with a little bit of disgusting obvious satisfaction. "Why is she bound like that?" nodding at her simple thick metal cuffs and chains that allowed her to lie on her back, but not raise her arms above her head.
"Well it would be a waste to put sea prism cuffs on her since it has no effect, and we haven't built enough chains to the wall. Also what's she gonna do? She's already half dead, filthy whore." He spat as he pulled out a bottle of questionable liquid, bending down to open Ran's mouth forcefully and dropped a few drops into her mouth, closing it and forcing it down her throat.
"What was that?"
"Just a little bit of poison, just to weaken her a bit, his highness doesn't want her to be able to run when she wakes up. It's one of the weaker ones, he doesn't want her to die quietly, and he's going to publically execute her like she should have been those years ago. Like the rest of her traitorous family." He spat near her. "It's a shame, she came out so fine though." He leered at her, touching her bandaged chest. The others tried not to move, however they felt disgusted that someone would be so low to take advantage of someone like that.
"Come on, we have to prepare. Stop clowning around."
"Yeah yeah." He slapped her face, kicking her one more time before they left. As the door clicked shut and locked, Ran opened her eyes instantly, shocking the three of them. She grumbled, looking around, turning her head checking her surroundings. And then she looked at them with shock, she growled
"Why the fuck are you three here?" staring at them with her mismatched eyes. Their voices seemed to have died or stopped functioning out of pure shock of her mismatched eyes.
"We-We uh" Ace stuttered, still shocked at her golden eye.
"Well it's-"Marco couldn't stop staring at the strange occurrence, if he didn't feel his headache he would have thought this was a dream. It was almost insane, she looked so normal when they first met her, but now she had mismatched eyes and everything, it was extremely haunting. Thatch just stared, his mouth agape at her completely natural face.
"You got drugged, and caught by some of the government spies." She guessed completely correctly. They were also a little dazed that she was speaking so well and not frazzled by what had happened to her, she was so concentrated as if she was unaffected by what happened. Their silence confirmed her answer.
"You guys need to leave." She stated.
"Wow gee, thanks for telling us." Thatch sarcastically remarked, the other two not saying a thing.
"I can't believe you guys got caught, you're all commanders." She hissed, not quite believing that they had been caught so easily.
"I can't believe you're a daughter of a royal murderer, but you know we all learn new things every day." Thatch retorted back, the other two commanders, pulled their lips back in grimace as they saw her wince, her expression hurt. However they saw it changed to steely anger. She pursed her lips, licking her teeth, thinking about how she was going to do this. She hadn't factored in the chance that anyone from the Whitebeard pirates was going to be captured, or see her, mainly because she didn't expect any of this to happen.
"Right. You guys are going to leave and you're going to never come back."
"Yeah and I'm going to turn into fucking unicorn and break out of these chains and these two fools ride me back to pops and we're going to throw a fucking rainbow party." Thatch hissed sarcastically, shaking the cuffs and chains to show how tied up they were. Ran watched Thatch with no change to her steely expression, and waited until he got his breath back and breathing normally. The other two didn't even try to stop Thatch from saying those things, quietly biding their time. They lifted their heads up at the sound of a jingle in front of them. They watched Ran pull out a set of keys from her tightly bandaged bust, and sitting up, moving over to Thatch to set him free.
(Flashback)
Ran's attacker was waiting at the rendezvous point, had the keys tightly in his hands. There were so many keys, and they were all the same, he didn't steal one key, he stole the whole lot in case she might break them, knowing how clumsy she could be. In addition there were so many copies of these keys that the attacker doubted the chance of the guards noticing a missing set of keys. Even if they did, they wouldn't think that an infamous, treacherous and wanted criminal would have them, so he wasn't worried. He was worried about making her look beaten up and playing dead. He was also worried that she wouldn't be able to pull of this plan.
"SHIIIIIIIIT!" he heard in the distance and a lot of noise of rocks falling and tumbling. He ran over to the source of the noise, to see Ran, dirty, cut lip, and cut skin from falling down on and with rocks.
"For someone who is incredibly powerful and agile, you're really clumsy."
"Oh shut up." She dusted herself off, wiping the blood off, but actually she had smudged it on her skin.
"Well at least some of the job is done, you look kinda beat." He tilted his head wondering what else they could do to make her look defeated.
"Ahhh got it." Pulling on her top, tearing it."
"You seriously need to stop doing that."
"Hey you wanted some help, and I'm here to help."
"Whatever, just give me the keys, need to hurry up." He handed her the keys and watched her securely stuff it in her bra and helped her rewrap her bust even more to ensure that no one could see the keys. She started jumping up and down.
"Hey can you hear the keys jingle?"
"Nope" She stopped jumping up and down.
"Good, just in case they can hear it when take me in."
"How you fall over rocks, I just don't know."
"Yeah I know I'm a miracle."
"Sure. Hey are you sure you're going to pull this off, like what happens if you don't make it?"
"Then I die trying."
"What? Don't you want me to carry on your will?"
"No why would I make you do that."
"I don't know because you would be wrongly executed like your family."
"Well would you want to carry on my will and finish what I was supposed to do?"
"I don't know about want, and-"
"Oi stop flapping your lips. If I fail, you will make sure that the Yuht Kingdom learns the truth and you will free them from their nightmare and become the next ruler. Okay?"
"But I'm not of royal blood."
"There is no such thing as royal blood. There is literally nothing different between you and me spiritually and physically. We're both living and breathing humans. It's a ridiculous myth that tried to explain why a very small number of us have mismatched eyes and weird purple birth marks." She instantly waved off his doubt.
"God help us all."
"I know right? Humans are real fucked up, trying to say that a higher being has chosen specific beings to rule. Honestly humans are crazy." She shrugged, stretching her arms and everything
"You know I couldn't believe it when I found you. When I was given the job to find you and kill you, I didn't want to do it. I never really thought of killing you, but I still left, hoping I would never find you." He admitted.
"Thanks for saying that." She smiled, her eyes looking up at him, making him gulp.
"Well either way, you're going to be a hero either way."
"That's not what this is about!"
"Well isn't it? We're both trying to save the kingdom, trying to set it free from this dictator."
"I don't understand why you're so relaxed about this! When I saw you last time, you were pissed and now you're carefree and confident. I don't get you."
"Well let's say, if this thing goes south I'm not necessarily mad if it does."
"What?"
"I'm ready to die for my kingdom, so long as the truth is exposed."
"You can't value your life so low! That's why your family tried to help you escape, they didn't want the life they set free to go to vain!"
"Well it's my life, I can choose whether to die or not. Also I'm pretty sure my family would want to free the kingdom. And I'm at least going to die trying."
"But what happens if it doesn't work?"
"What is the point in wondering what might happen, if you don't take risks you can't create a future. If I don't take the risk of my death then I might not be able to create a future where the kingdom is free." She wisely said, her expression determined, looking up at the attacker to ensure him that she had decided her fate. The attacker kneeled and bowed his head, holding her hand.
"I will follow and complete your will, if the event of your death does occur, until my very last breath. Lam Ou Ran." As she nodded and smiled.
"Alright you ready to turn me into the government?"
"Fine, but I'm not carrying you all the way down."
"Awhh but I cut my leg!"
"No, since you wanted to be such a tough girl."
"Fine fine. Hey can you see any possible outline of the keys in my bandages?
(End of Flashback)
As she unlocked Marco they were planning their escape, wondering if they should take down the ruling family or go back to the ship first.
"How did you get the keys?" Ace asked softly, watching her unlock Marco's ankle chains.
"I had some help." She answered in a monotone. "I still can't believe you guys got caught. Luckily I got all the keys here." She grumbled, shaking her head, secretly thanking her friend for getting a whole keychain of keys as she finally freed Marco.
"The food was really good-yoi." Marco tried to answer weakly, as he rubbed his wrists, standing out and testing out his powers. He looked at the bruises and cuts on Ran's body through her torn clothing. He took off his jacket to put on her body, he felt a little guilty, for no reason over her injuries.
"What are you doing?!" She tried to move away from Marco's jacket, picking it up and handing it back to him then scooting away from him.
"Why-yoi? It's obvious you're hurt." He was confused.
"I know, so leave it alone." She undid two more of Ace's cuffs, all of them looking at her with confusion.
"What you want those injuries?"
"No not want, I need them and I don't need you to heal me, because that means I need to make new ones." As she unlocked Ace's last foot cuff, who stood up testing his fire power.
"Now all of you need to make some major mess, and break out of here, get out and leave." She instructed them, standing up and handing the keys to Thatch. As Ace made a massive hole in the wall, seeing daylight and the forests that surrounded where they were kept prisoner.
"Aren't you escaping with us?" Ace asked, although they watched her sit back down with her chains and cuffs.
"Yes I am. I'm ready to escape." Shaking her chains, leaning against the walls.
"What? What are you doing?" Marco asked, really confused as to what she was doing. They heard the ceiling tremble, notifying them that they had little time.
"I'm taking my retribution with pride. Obviously." She sassed, watching them. All of them speechless.
"Come on guys we need to go, if she wants to pay for her family's mistakes then let her." Thatch tried to hurry his friends.
"You seriously believe that?!" Ace shouted outraged.
"What else can we believe Ace? Don't lie and say you didn't believe it either. It makes sense, and you know it." Thatch yelled. Ran tried not to let her tears threaten her eyes, everyone instantly believed the worst in everyone.
"Ran do you seriously want us to leave you behind?" Marco asked seriously, despite wanting to scoop up his comrade and land safely on the ship with her.
"Yes. I already told you this. Leave, get out, and never look back." She said in a cold voice, lying down, not facing them.
"Look she wants to do what she wants, just leave her to it. Like I've said, she can fight for herself." Thatch jumped down. Marco and Ace looked back at Ran who had closed her eyes, trying to get her breath almost as quiet as possible, her plans were going to alter because of their escape, and since her helper had seen the three of them captured she knew her helper would also know.
The door crashed wide open and they saw the guards, and jumped to their freedom without looking back.
"Secure the girl!" the chief directed as a couple man checked Ran, and the others checked the cuffs.
"Sir the cuffs were unlocked, someone had keys."
"Sir she's barely breathing, Han told us that he had poisoned her making her weak, so she wasn't able to move."
"Someone betrayed us men."
"Take her to another room and don't tell his highness. We will sort this problem out, they didn't take the girl and that's all we need."
*Back to the ship*
"Hey guys have you seen Ran? Like have you seen her trying to get medicine? Or showering or anything?" Izou ran out onto the deck, looking worried and confused.
"Nope she's stayed in her room all day. She's ill isn't she?"
"No, she's not in there at all. Nothing. Her stuff is still in there, even her clothes and bags." Izou stated, really worried. Izou looked up to see Marco flying in and landing on the ship, a grave look on his face, Ace and Thatch jumping onto the ship afterwards.
"Guys have you seen Ran, she's not in"
"She's a traitor." Thatch cut in.
"No she's not Thatch. Stop dramatizing things." Marco sighed, putting his face into his hands.
"What is happening?" Whitebeard called out. "Where is Ran?"
"It appears that Ran was a daughter of one of the ruling families of the Yuht kingdom and her family had killed the other family's new born child out of cold blood. Her family got publicly executed, but Ran somehow got away and has been banished from the kingdom ever since. "Thatch explained a little coldly.
"She got captured by that guy who attacked her on the ship a few weeks ago."
"She was thrown into the same room as us, but not bound to the wall."
"Where is she now?" Izou asked, a little angry,
"She's still captured." Ace answered.
"You're telling me that you left her there?" Izou hissed, gritting his teeth.
"She wanted to be left there."
"You left her there? Even though she's part of this family?!"
"She didn't want to be freed."
"I DON'T CARE. We're a family, we do anything to save our family, even if she's kicking and crying and hating you guys, you save your family no matter what." Izou screeched, at shock and disbelief at what he had just learned.
"We didn't have as much time, and the guards found us." Izou shook his head in anger, obviously pissed.
"And that's stopped you before?! You fire-fist and the phoenix and the commander of the fourth division?! She left her stuff here and she was going to come back, and you didn't help her?" Izou ended weakly, crying that his newest subordinate and friend got betrayed so easily by the commanders.
"Thatch." Whitebeard called. "Where did you get this information that Ran and her family are traitors?" he asked calmly.
"The locals told us, then the guy who attacked her had caught her, he admitted to hunting her all his life, and the guards treated her like a wanted criminal." Thatch answered.
"Do you want to go and save Ran?" He asked evenly to all of his family.
"YES!" Izou answered quickly, leading the charge, he couldn't believe that the strongest commanders were hesitating. The rest of his subordinates following him.
"I will follow my sons, and rescue my daughter." Whitebeard tried to stand, however the nurses were trying to restrain him, yelling about something about he wasn't in the right condition to fight.
"If I want to fight, I will fight. No health conditions will stop me." He growled infuriated that someone tried to stop him from rescuing his family member. He stood up, the sea and ship shuddering under his footsteps.
*Back at the government building*
The majestic pagodas and central palace was painted a magnificent red, tinted with green and gold, the corners tipped with ornamental auspicious animals that guarded the buildings towered as it was centred in the Yuht Kingdom.
"Are the preparations ready?"
"Yes sir?"
"And the girl?"
"The poison really got her, she doesn't move at all. It'll go all to plan." The devious man snickered as he handed him some golden pieces.
"See isn't it nice when you give people good news?" He threatened silkily as the other man bowed and left.
This devious man had been planning and praying for this day to come. The threat to his rise to power and start of his everlasting reign was finally going to be quelled, and he could build his empire further without any more threats of opposition. He looked in the mirror, painting on the perfect diamond shape on his forehead, flapping his hand over it to make sure it dried perfectly. He grinned as he opened his right eye and slipped in a green coloured contact so his eyes were mismatched, he even hummed, because this was too great. He was finally going to gain ultimate and total power.
Earlier on in the afternoon he had released an official announcement that everyone on the island from north to south had to meet in the main plaza for his special announcement. He looked through his window that looked down at the large viewing platform in the main plaza. He glanced at the large ornamental decorative chairs where the other members of his family sat, still. Almost picture perfect still, not even the wind messed up their hair or posture. He grinned, they were sitting perfectly still, doing their job as the perfect little puppets they were.
Ran sensed she had been left alone, luckily enough the guards had bought her act, so their lips were loose and pretty much told her everything she needed to know. She felt herself being transported elsewhere, groaning on the inside, because she was being transported on a very hard surface, and the men had been taking advantage of her helpless state and still abused and attacker her. Her bruises a deep purple and a lot of cuts along the surface of her skin, however it was going to a lot take her down. She focused on her breathing, trying to steel herself for the main event.
All of the Whitebeard Pirates were following Izou's lead, who was noticing the as they were walking into the town, the town was deserted for some random reason. Izou ran ahead to see the last straggles of the locals and asked why everyone was leaving. The locals informed the, that there was a public announcement from the emperor himself and they had to attend to hear it, because it was important apparently. Izou could guess what the important announcement was about. They followed the crowd that led them to a large public plaza that was jam-packed and buzzing with noise.
They all saw on the high viewing platform that looked down on the public that filled the public square. There were guards everywhere, government officials and large ornamental chairs where impressively dressed people sat, perfectly still. Gazing over square, eerily, not moving their heads or their mouths. The viewing platform and the people of authority were seen as even more impressive as they saw the massive palace and pagodas that acted as the background to them, making the public and people in the main plaza realise how small they were.
"Can you see her?"
"No, but I don't think they've started whatever they were starting."
The public's noise instantly ceased as they heard the anthem start, and the officers and commanders walked out behind the kingdom's ruler who was dressed in fine robes of gold, which emphasised his importance.
The individual in golden robes stood up, surveying the crowd, smiling.
"To the Yuht Kingdom public and visitors I thank you so graciously for coming to listen to my announcement."
"Why are you guys here?!" Izou heard a foreign voice hiss, almost whispering. They all turned to see the man who betrayed their family member.
"YOU!"
"I know what you're thinking. But why are you here. She told you leave, get out and never come back." The man hissed, worried that this would be a bump in Ran's plans.
"We're coming here to save her, you bastard." Izou screeched, pulling out his guns, aiming at him.
"I know why, but she specifically told you to leave."
"Well I can do what I want, and the rest of us, we're coming to save her."
"Okay okay. Just don't do anything drastic. I am begging you to not do anything now. I will tell you when you guys can do anything. Just trust me."
"Why should we trust you?"
"I know right now it seems like I'm an untrustworthy bastard that betrayed Ran, but I promise you that Ran wouldn't want you to do anything to endanger the Yuht Kingdom. So can I have your word?"
"Fine, but you're staying here." Izou dragged him by the collar, keeping him hostage.
"Over the past decade there has been a certain, traitorous individual that has threatened the peace and serenity of the Yuht Kingdom."
The public's noise rose a little at the mention of this certain individual.
"The same traitorous individual that was part of the tragic death of my poor baby cousin that I witnessed first hand, who was the only child who was supposed to be the heir to the throne. Causing a social upheaval that unfortunately led me to bear the weight of responsibility of the title Emperor and ruler over this fine kingdom for the past decades." the palace guards marched out in unison carrying a heavy rectangular crate, holding it in front of the golden robed individual. Everyone noticed the dark clouds that were hanging over the kingdom, the clouds and sky rumbling.
"However it seems that my forefathers, my ancestors, the gods and goddess that have chosen me to rule over this fine kingdom, by giving me the gift of divine justice and find these despicable traitors!" The golden robed individual plunged his hand into the crate and pulled out, held out a medium height person, with incredibly long black hair, that was filthy. Shoes tattered and torn, shorts that were dirtied with muddy boot prints, and her bandaged top ragged slowly unravelling. However due to her long hair, that was messily arranged around her face, it was hard to see her face. Soft rain began to fall, and a large gust of wind moved the fragments of hair.
"LAM OU RAN. DAUGHTER OF THE FILTHY TRAITORS THAT DARE RUIN THE PEACE OF THE YUHT KINGDOM AND MY ASCENDANCY." He roared, as the rain poured down, holding her up high and proud. So everyone could see her beaten figure, black and blue bruises that littered her skin, cuts that ran down her ribs to her navel that decorated her skin. Smears of blood and dirt converted her usually flawless tan skin to patchy, filthy dull skin.
"DO NOT ATTACK." The betrayer yelled, he could feel the intense anger from behind him, he felt a little angry too, he couldn't believe he let her go through with this plan.
"RESISTANCE FIGHTERS THIS IS YOUR LEADER." He slapped her, she wasn't reacting. "FILTHY" shaking her like a rag doll, still not reacting. "USESLESS." The rain was still pouring down on them, the rain emphasised her ragged, torn body, as he brought a knife and made a small cut, next to her mouth, on her cheek. "FRAGILE. "Tearing her bandages, letting them fall below, the wind howled and the rain still poured. Holding her out for the people to see her ragged body. "PATHETIC." Throwing her down the large stone steps, face down. They watched her hit the sharp stone step edges with her body as she rolled onto her face lamely.
"AND DEAD. YOUR LEADER. IS . DEAD." He pointed at the ragged, thrown body. The waves around the island began to crash and raise higher than the building on the island *1. The public and the officials all stared at the natural phenomenon.
"DO NOT ATTACK." The betrayer tried to hold back the mass amounts of anger, but was slowly deteriorating as he started to realise the hopelessness of the situation.
"Your highness please use your skill to control the weather, this should also help you demonstrate your great skill as a demi-god, and control over the elements, so the public can see how powerful you are as a leader, and that even nature is not match for such a great leader" An officer suggested.
The golden robed individual gulped, he hadn't factored this happening at all. He looked at the great waves, feeling the rain drip down his face. He tried to move his hands to exert something, however he knew it was a loss.
"My dear countrymen and woman as you can see the gods and goddess are showing their excitement that I, the great ruler of the Yuht Kingdom have finally caught the treacherous Lam Ou Ran." He pointed where Ran was thrown. However he noticed that he was pointing at steps, Ran was nowhere to be found. Chatter and doubt began to rise throughout the crowd, angering the golden robed individual. The rain still poured, the waves still raised high.
"SILENCE" He roared, the public noise ceased, but the wind howled even louder, the rain pouring down intensely. He was angry, huffing, panting, she had slipped through his fingers once again, the damn wrench. He looked at the stone steps where Ran should have been, defeated, bruised and most importantly, dead. Then he looked at the ground, looking down where his officers and commanders stood.
Wait.
Looking down?
The golden robed individual realised he was in a trapped in a large air sphere, he tried to escape by jumping out, however he realised that the air was a lot more solid and couldn't escape by no means of jumping. He saw the dirty, filthy head of black hair below him, and saw Lam Ou Ran, with her unmistakeable, mismatched golden black eyes, her expression, alive and happy. He growled, trying with all his might to escape, banging his fists against the sphere.
Ran surveyed the Yuht kingdom public, with a serious expression, her purple tribal face markings, and diamond forehead marking and mismatched golden black eyes. The betrayer who had trouble holding back the Whitebeard pirates, breathed a huge sigh of relief when he saw her ragged figure alive and tall, as she promised him.
She brought her hand down to stop the torrent of rain, stopping the rain in mid-air, awing the public.
"I love that trick." She smiled down at the public. The public chattering at hearing her speak their native language, at this whole spectacle. She released her hand and dropped the rain on their hands, grasping their attention, and keeping them silent.
"I'm sorry that there has been a misunderstanding these past few decades. I do not blame the Yuht kingdom natives for hating me and my family." She paused as a couple of officers and commanders ran towards her with their sharp swords, whipping around and easily defeating and pushing them off the edge of the viewing platform, falling towards the public, and grabbing a sword and commander's jacket to cover herself. She pulled it on to warm her body and cover her naked chest, her long hair covering the majority of it.
"I want to ask the kingdom, what have you noticed about the ruling royal family over the years?" She gazed at them all with her mismatched eyes, her chapped, cracked dry lips quirking up to a smirk.
"THEY NEVER MOVE." One shouted
"THEY NEVER CLOSE THEIR EYES."
"THEY'RE ALWAYS SITTING, THEY NEVER STAND UP"
"THEY'RE NOT LIVING!" She heard the familiar voice of her helper, smiling at his helpfulness. She held the sphere that contained the golden robed individual. However the public began to shout, jeer, call her names, and insult her in a mix of their native language and others. Making her smirk drop, and her expression turn steely. They watched the emperor's behaviour, who stopped as if in fright, and then continued his angry behaviour.
"If the ruling family cared so much for this kingdom, pledged their life to this kingdom, their soul, spirit, entity towards this kingdom. Tell me why they do not breathe the same air you do, tell me why they do not eat the same food you do. TELL ME WHY THEY DO NOT HAVE BLOOD LIKE WE DO COURSING THROUGH THEIR VEINS?" Ran pulled the emperor's mother and threw her into the crowd. The crowd screamed as they rushed to save their precious ruler's family, Ran watched them unravel the truth, as they noticed that the emperor's mother's expression, face or body had not moved whatsoever as she was unceremoniously thrown like a stone into a sea. The only thing that moved was her hair dangling flower hair ornaments that jingled whilst moving.
They politely laid the emperor's mother on the floor, as they stared up at Ran, the emperor and the ruling family on the viewing platform with disbelief.
"Tell me why there were so many changes that were considered 'beneficial for the kingdom' WHEN YOUR LEADERS DO NOT BLEED FOR OUR KINGDOM." Ran, trying not to let the tears streaming down her face, grabbed the Emperor's sister and cleanly sliced her head off. Letting it fall into the public, shoving the body afterwards, so they could see no blood was coming out of her body whatsoever, despite it being cleanly and freshly cut in front of them. She tried to wipe her face free from tears, but couldn't so she sliced her arm, to show the beads of blood coming from her arm, letting the blood drops fall, so they could see it was real and tangible.
"You have been deceived, taken advantage of, lied to by this pathetic excuse of a ruler" pointing at the air sphere, she brought it down, but didn't let him escape, trying to run when his feet met the ground.
"You, Emperor of the Yuht kingdom, did you or did you not tell the entire Yuht kingdom that you witnessed my family killing the royal baby."
"Yes I did you filthy bitch." He cussed and hissed.
"You told the public that you first hand witnessed the death of the royal baby?"
"Yes, get to the point you dirty whore."
"Funny, because, I believe you as a teenager had come the day after the royal baby had been murdered, in fact there was a welcoming ceremony for you as a teenager. As you demanded despite the terrible situation that was inflicted on this kingdom." The crowd was silent, in realisation and memory.
"So tell me how you witnessed first-hand the death of the royal baby."
"YOU DECEIVING WHORE" He clawed at the barrier. The public watched, in rapture, not quite believing what was happening. They started to jeer, ask questions, insult him, the noise was deafening, reaching great heights.
"MY FATHER DID IT. HE POISONED THE CHILD, AND LEFT IT IN YOUR FATHER'S HANDS NOT NOTICING THE CHILD WAS SLOWLY DYING, WHEN HE WAS ANNOUNCED DEAD THEY KNEW HE MUST HAVE DIED UNDER YOUR FATHER'S CARE SINCE HE WAS THE LAST ONE TO LOOK AFTER IT." He screamed, the public silent at the confession.
He laughed madly, his eyes gleaming strangely as he faced the public
"AND I WOULD DO IT ALL AGAIN-" Ran took off the air barrier and sliced his body in half before he could finish his last sentence, his legs on the viewing platform and his upper half falling to the plaza. They all looked at Ran, who surveyed them with her mismatched eyes, her golden eye reflecting her sadness, as she knelt down in front of the public, then bowed down to the public crying.
"I'm sorry!" She cried lifting her head up, letting the public see her raw emotion and expression. Everyone gazed at the woman crying at the viewing platform.
Izou was crying as well, he was crying that his friend was alive, crying that she almost died, crying because he was so happy to have such a strong friend. The Whitebeard pirates were all stunned, as they watched that spectacle, they were speechless. They all tried to walk forward to try and go up to their comrade, their family member however they stopped as they watched the entire public, silently lower themselves to the ground, as she looked up in surprise. They even saw the betrayer get on his knees and bow. They watched them all go down on one knee with one hand and arm over their heart
"Lam Ou Ran, our ruler, our leader." They said in unison, watching her raise to her tired feet, sword in her hand, mismatched eyes full of expression and liveliness, tears still coming down her face. She rose her sword high as they watched her.
"LONG LIVE THE YUHT KINGDOM" She yelled, smiling at the public who cheered and clapped for the new leader.
"Oh no." the betrayer let out, Izou and the other commanders looked at him with confusion. Watching him dart forward towards the viewing platform as he saw Ran wilt, and fall to the ground.
"RAN!"
The Whitebeard pirates and Whitebeard himself had decided to stay to elongate their stay in the Yuht kingdom, waiting for Ran to heal properly from her injuries. Medics, herbologists, physicians and Whitebeard's nurses tended to Ran, constantly sending updates to the public and Whitebeard themselves. Well not sending more like running to Whitebeard who was in the next room that easily accommodated his large figure, and updated him as they checked up on him.
The government officials and politicians had put up voting polls to decide what to do with the bodies of the previous ruling family, and surprising to the pirates, they had decided to cremate them all and put them in the family graveyard, with their other ancestors. And they did so, peacefully dealing with it, as the entire kingdom was preparing for a special occasion.
Izou was in the central palace, trying to get into Ran's room, however the guards constantly ignored and denied her access, despite how much pleading. Ace, Thatch and Marco had to come into the magnificent palace to drag Izou out. They had walked down to the main plaza seeing the stalls being set up, with colour crafts and materials.
"Do you think she'll forgive me?" Thatch asked a little sheepish.
"Why wouldn't she? She doesn't hold…. Grudges." Izou ended weakly, realising his mistake.
"Well to be honest, those 'grudges are different', I don't see her holding a grudge against you." Marco tried to advise him, looking at what the people were making.
"I hope she doesn't get angry again." He mumbled guilty, Izou smiled patting his back.
"We'll just have to wait and see." He said happily and calmly, smiling up at Thatch innocently.
"You say things too calmly, it's not a joke!"
"Do you guys notice how much busier these people seem? It seems like they're preparing for something." ignoring Thatch's problem, realising the strange atmosphere around the people. They walked further, checking out all the stalls, they seemed to be busy with something else, not a lot of customers out today.
"OI oi! Kind sirs!" A familiar stall owner motioned at the four of them to sit at his food stall and serve them massive amount food.
"Hey do you mind telling us what's happening?" they asked him, chomping down on their delicious fresh food.
"Oh it's the lantern festival, tonight and apparently Lam Ou Ran will be leading the entire nation to a new spot to host the festival." He explained happily, easily serving mass amounts of food for the four men.
"Oh is everyone invited to this festival?" Ace asked gently and curiously.
"Oh yes! Lam Ou Ran has especially invited the Whitebeard pirates as the special guests of the occasion, and told us to treat you men with the utmost respect and highest regard." The man smiled. They all smiled to hear that.
"Hey do we have to wear special attire?" Izou asked, eyes sparkling. The four or them chuckling as they continued to eat.
When Ran was finally deemed well enough to stand, walk, eat, talk and basically well enough to do every normal bodily function, they had allowed her to get out of bed and prepare for the lantern festival.
The full moon was shining brightly, the waters were calm and the entire kingdom was lit up by the warm glow of candles and lanterns, almost giving it a fairy tale feel. The Whitebeard pirates had retreated to their boat, Whitebeard as well, they began to sail, along the smooth black waters that reflected the clear night sky.
"Oi Pops why are we moving?"
"Pipe down, you're all so loud, we're moving to another bay area where the festival is going to be held. Ran changed the destination, and said it would be better for us and space wise if we stayed on the ship, and watched and participated in the festival from the boat. "He answered warmly as they continued sailing to the desired location. When they reached the location, they dropped their anchor stilling the boat. They all stood, to see the wide and spacious bay waiting for Ran to appear.
Slow wooden knocks were first heard, notifying the pirates of something coming. They stared at the source of the slow wooden knocks. Then they saw small balls of light, swinging side to side lighting the pathway. Then they saw a familiar unfamiliar individual.
Ran walked slowly, her head held out high, smiling a little hearing the jingle of metal from her various hair pins and head pieces jammed in her hair. Ace just stared, gawking at her. He saw her figure slowly illuminated, drinking in the beautiful fluffy, fur-lined robes that accentuated the rich blue robes patterned with red blossom flowers and big white cranes, giving her a very refreshing spring feel. Her expression sweet and coy, her eyes beautifully highlighted by the warm yellow candle light, the light reflecting perfectly in her yellow eye and emphasising her other obsidian black eye. He couldn't help but blush seeing her like this, he noticed her facial markings were highlighted even further and her diamond marking was made a deeper purple than her original colour. He noticed the gold hair ornaments and the rich purple orchids decorating her hair, she looked towards the Whitebeard pirates, smiling at them, but furthermore. Catching Ace's eyes, smiling at him, and winking at him, making his face steam up in embarrassment.
The rest of her entourage and public had followed and filled the wide bay area, holding their large red lanterns. The Whitebeard pirates had also brought out their own lanterns that they had bought, simple or plain designed lanterns were held.
"Oi old man why do you have a special one?"
"Gararara I'm someone of importance." He teased, holding his own special one that had complex designs on it.
They all focused on Ran, who was smiling, waiting for the Whitebeard pirates to quieten down.
"Today marks an end to an era, and a bright beginning to a new future that we will forge out our own will. These lanterns will make the gods, goddess and our ancestors happy to see such beautiful lanterns. As well as signifying to them that we have new hopes for this new future, that they will be as successful as high as the lantern flies in the wind, and make our future bright as the flames that carry them." She concluded as she held her lantern out. The rest of them followed.
The musicians started their intro, they could hear the distinct voice of the two string violin that a musician was playing, and some gongs that added some drama to the piece. Drawing silence from the listeners as well as their attention. As she began to sing, looking up at the bright round full moon.
"As the flowers bloom, we spread our love wildly in the palace
As the flowers die, why did you leave me like a tide
Just to survive, I don't know how I buried my wishes
Just to sleep in peace, still sharpening my sword for some time." Some of them began to release their lanterns, hearing her sing.
"I'm a successful woman who climbed this cliff
It's not easy to get through with hesitation
I've had a millions of celebrations, so what" The gongs were hit and other percussion instruments struck to give a bit more drama, as more lanterns were released into the sky, like a gentle stream.
"Just to survive, I was forced to join into this fight
Just to sleep in peace, I'm more determined than old rock."
She began to tear up, as she continued to sing, seeing that some of the pirates had released their lanterns.
"I'm a successful woman who climbed on this cliff
It's not easy to get through with hesitation
Who would agree that I should be put in history
I'm the only one who knows the story"
She kneeled down in her fine robes, staring straight at the moon, as if appealing to it. Taking in a lot more oxygen and sitting straighter as she sang from a deeper place in her body, releasing some tears.
"Remember how I was first treated when I first came.
I endured the pain that lasted days and months
I've had millions of celebrations so what."
Ace released his lantern watching her breakdown as she sang, enjoying her clear, crisp voice that conveyed her emotion. He didn't know why but he also felt like crying, seeing how expressive and earnest she was. The rest of Yuht kingdom were bawling their eyes out as they heard her sing. Everyone except Ran had released her lantern.
"As the flowers bloom I am still staying in your palace
As the flowers die, when can I see your face again?" As she finished singing, she wiped her tears and released the lantern to drift up to the sky, solo, last as the haunting voice of the two stringed instrument and the other instruments finished their song, in front of the luminous full moon, as the last lantern disappeared in the distance.
The song is from Empress of China, it's the opening theme song. It's by Joey Yung- Nui Wong.
I got the lyrics from a video made by Acinorev M- check out the translation. :)
Sorry for any mistakes.