Chapter 14
They set sail early the next morning. Everything was going smoothly until they were 3 hours into their journey.
"Ship approaching!" Zoro shouted from the crow's nest. Everyone hurried outside. Not far behind them a pirate ship was gaining on them quickly. Making a path to intercept them.
"What's going on?" Chopper looked nervous.
"I don't know but I bet they aren't here to be friends." Nami didn't look optimistic. Everyone mentally prepared themselves and attempted to stay calm. The ship was along side them when grappling hooks were thrown out to pull the ships together. A board was thrown out to form a path way. Several men came aboard their ship. Mezumi's eyes widened.
"Hello sweetheart." Leering at her was the man that had confronted her and Zoro in the bar yesterday. "I bet you thought you had seen the last of me. You see the last time I saw you, you said a few things that got me thinking. So I did a little digging. I found out that all of you were on the island. Very big bounty for all of you. But what was more interesting was the newest bounty set by the world government." One of his lackeys held up a wanted poster with her picture on it. "Just like everyone else I'm out to be famous and make money. So here is the deal. You come with me and I let your friends live."
"We won't let you take her!" Luffy shouted.
"Well now that is where you are wrong. See, I have powers too. As long as I stay still I can control your movements. Since the moment I stepped on your ship I was in control of all of you." He turned back to Mezumi. "You get on my ship and I won't kill your friends. That offer is more than generous."
"Why do you want me? Like you said my bounty is just 25 million why not take everyone?"
"I know how strong you're friends are. If I take them they can easily over power my crew. You see it's not about the bounty. If I take you, you can make me gold until I am the richest man alive. All the reward and no risk." At that moment all cannons and guns aimed for them. One man held a sword to Luffy's neck. "I will release you from my hold, girl. Now choose."
She looked at her friends. She didn't have a choice. She stepped forward.
"Mezumi-chan, No!"
"Imoto, Stop!"
"You saved me. And now I can save you." She couldn't look at them. "If I say no he will kill you and take me anyway. At least this way you can all live you're dreams." She looked up at Sanji. She tried to make him understand by just a look. "You once told me that everyone here would give up their dream so another could fulfill theirs." Tears started to stream down her face. "You were my dream Sanji." He couldn't speak. He couldn't move. But he felt like he was being torn apart from the inside.
One of the men held a gun to Mezumi's head. "If anyone moves a muscle, everyone dies."
Sanji never stopped looking into her eyes. He wasn't sure what was strongest in her eyes: fear, strength, love or heartbreak. But what disturbed him most was the pitiful look on her face. She looked like she had given up. She was resolute in her decision. Her expression told him there was nothing he could say that would stop her.
Boarding the ship Mezumi didn't take her eyes off Sanji until he couldn't be seen anymore. Sanji watched as the only woman he ever loved sailed out of his life, never to be seen again.