I'm back! :-D
Now, I was in such a rush last chapter, the thought of acknowledgments completely slipped from my mind. So, here they are:
Thanks to KirinoShindou, ZakuraSymphony(Previously known to you as ArtemisGoddessofHunting), SoraSymphony(Previously known to you as GoddessofTheSkiesAthena), and NemesisGoddessOfRevenge for their support, even though they're footballers. Thanks to Kobito Dukan for her writing tips too, although she's a dwarf.
Disclaimer: One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda.
She couldn't sleep that night. There was an ache in her stomach, a throbbing pain that felt like a gunshot. She knew how that felt, thanks to the citizens of Drum Island….
Nami had been terribly ill. They'd begun to look for a doctor, then by coincidence stumbled upon Drum Island. The residents of Drum Island hadn't taken their skull and crossbones very well, though. Luffy had tried to attack them. She'd leapt forward and stopped him, but a flying bullet had met her arm…
Nami…Luffy…Minna…
It felt suddenly to her as if someone were slowly choking her. She was painfully reminded of Crocodile, how he'd held her as the Straw Hats were being held prisoner. She shuddered. But at least she'd had them then…
But no. She was on her own, in her own bed in her own room in her own palace in her own kingdom alone, alone, alone…
"Vivi?"
"Eh?"
Vivi looked down. Chopper was looking up at her worriedly. "Are you okay? You've gone all pale."
"Oh, don't worry about me." Vivi felt suddenly like singing. Chopper nodded, then went back to his spot on the floor some yards away, where he sat mixing medicine.
She was here! Not back in Arabasta, but here, here, where she was free not to act at all like a princess, but like a pirate. And she was also with the Straw Hats!
When they'd let her choose between pirates and princesses, she'd hesitated a bit, for her country needed her. But now, she dismissed that. Arabasta was a strong country, after all, and it could get back on its feet without her help.
Time for breakfast. Vivi got up, stretched then stopped. An eye had grown out of the wall and was watching her. Vivi instinctively turned and stared at Robin, who was reading her book, smiling. Vivi shook her head and sighed. She'd been on the Going Merry for long enough since Arabasta to know Nico Robin well enough to tell she had no bad intentions, but there was still something… off about their relationship.
A strange, yet distantly familiar sound reached her ears: A bang, a yelp and a shout of, "Touch my tangerines again and you'll be sorry!"
Vivi smiled. Everything was back to normal again, Nico Robin or not.
The Weekly NorthBlue Times:Princess Nefertari Vivi Joins Pirates?
The Arabasta fiasco that ended just recently has finally stopped being the buzz of all NorthBlue residents. However, something has recently happened in the country that once again helps it make the headlines: Their princess, Nefertari Vivi has gone missing. Staff at the palace have denied knowing anything about the princess's whereabouts.
Or is that so?
Marines claim that they saw the princess run down to the harbor and jump across onto the pirate ship of 100000000-berri Straw Hat Luffy, which had come near the harbor after they "embarrassingly defeated the marines", thus sailing away the moment the princess's foot touched the deck.
When asked about this, King Cobra did not say anything, simply bowing his head and refusing to speak, though this may imply that King Cobra had been beforehand told about Princess Nefertari's betrayal.
And that's it! Read, review, follow and favourite: RRFF!
