Small solo trip with a nice reunion
The weeks go by and I get rounder and rounder. But there is one good thing: my cravings have stopped, only my hunger remains. Ace is now always pacing around me or one of the others. Not that I can move much, and if I only look in the direction of a box, then Ace or Marco are suddenly standing next to me and admonishing me. My mobility is now really limited and I can't even see my feet. In between, Ace and I were in my world every now and then to have me examined. Ace always enthusiastically brought along an ultrasound picture. But this time I thought beforehand and always made a couple of copies.
All in all, I feel like a round, fat ball with arms and legs. But the others don't seem to feel that way, everyone tries to get a kick from my child. By the way, I didn't allow the doctor to tell Ace the sex. Ace sulked for exactly five minutes, then he couldn't take it any more and took the shopping bags from me. We went to the baby shop again and this time Ace growled at the pushy shop assistant. It was hard to see how quickly she was gone again. So I was able to get dressed in peace. The reason for Ace's behaviour? Well, the doc and my gynaecologist stupidly agreed: I shouldn't get upset any more.
Marco and Ace unfortunately overheard this and since then everyone has been walking around me like on eggshells. I admit it honestly: I take shameless advantage of it, even though I'll probably regret it at the end of the pregnancy. I tease Marco every now and then and he always takes a deep breath and then leaves without yelling at me. Because the doc threatens everyone with dragging him on a rope behind the Moby if he upsets me. Which is annoying for me, of course, because it's incredibly boring. As soon as I get anywhere near a conflict Ace is there to calm the situation down. Take my mother, for example. I was supposed to take out the trash during a visit and as usual we were going to have a discussion, but Ace immediately got up and took out the trash. BORING!
Well, now I'm sitting on the railing, critically observed by Marco. Ace is busy loading with his division. We are docked on an island. As far as I know it's a neutral island, but I'm not allowed on it alone. I wanted to stretch my legs a bit and finally feel solid ground under my feet again. But Marco won't let me, as soon as I'm even near the jetty, he's already there and pulls me away again. His damned haki. "I want to go to the island!" I grumble. "Later!" says Marco, carrying a pair of boxes on board, which Ace Division brings. "Father?" I ask beggingly, but he ignores me. Maybe because I've been bugging him for a good hour. I let myself fall backwards, lucky that the railing is so wide. "Careful!" warns the reason for my suffering!
Ace continues up the gangplank. "I'm bored!" I say, looking at him. Ace laughs and tousles my hair. "Why can't I go to the island?" I ask, pushing my lower lip forward. "Because you're heavily pregnant and you can't defend yourself!" replies Ace to me, taking the last of the boxes below deck. I just look around and see that everyone is kind of distracted. Marco and Ace are talking about the cargo. Whitebeard is talking to Haruta about something. I stand up cautiously and look around again. Probably I look like a criminal. Quickly I head off and disappear behind the next wall of the house. There's bound to be trouble, but I'm not seriously injured after all, I'm pregnant. I run crouched down because I'm afraid I'll run into a comrade and they would drag me back without much ado. Now I can go for a nice ice cream! Whistling, I stroll through the market. Everywhere, traders are shouting and praising their wares. I put my hand on my belly, which is already huge. My walk reminds me more of a duck than a human being. Have they noticed that I'm gone? I hope not, otherwise I'll be sent back.
"LUCIA!" I hear someone yell. Oh, no, have they really found me already? I turn around in surrender, but it's not one of my comrades, it's someone else: LUFFY!
I start to smile. "Hello Luffy!" I say joyfully and hug the rubber boy. The young pirate smiles at me. "You've gotten fat!" he says uninhibitedly. "Yes I know!" I say, not taking offence. "Well, your niece just needs a lot of room!" I explain. Luffy looks at a belly and nudges it. My child answers directly too and kicks the spot. Luffy's eyes start to sparkle and he wants to poke against it again, but I don't want to do that all day, who knows how long I'll be unsupervised. "You Luffy, I have to go on!" I say, looking over my shoulder. Do I seem a bit paranoid perhaps? Well, that's from the constant surveillance? "Alright!" says Luffy, but instead of walking away he walks beside me. "Have you found your crew again?" I ask him. He puts his hands on the back of his neck and then says, grinning broadly, "Yep! I wanted to go to that island!" I look at him, "Why and above all, where is your crew?" my voice sounds rather toneless. When Luffy wants to go to an island, it is usually dangerous. I look around cautiously, so here I don't see anyone and it looks very peaceful too. "No idea?" asks Luffy, laughing loudly. We are being looked at strangely. Luffy really manages to be the centre of attention everywhere. I put my hand on my stomach. My child is trampling quite a lot these days.
"LUFFYYYY!" I hear someone yell. I look around in surprise and see a blond man running towards us. As soon as he gets here Luffy gets a kick that sends him into the nearest wall. I look after the rubber head. "Are you all right, miss?" asks Sanji kindly. I'm just glad I'm pregnant, because he's not buzzing around me, just being friendly. "Yes, Luffy is everything all right with you?" I ask rhetorically rather than seriously. Luffy stands up and adjusts his hat. "Yes!" he says and laughs. I walk up to Luffy and pat the dust off his waistcoat. As it is, I've developed real motherly feelings. "NAMI!" I hear the distorted voice of Sanji say. I turn and see Nami, with an angry look on her face, walking towards Luffy. I'd rather walk backwards. Better not get in the middle of that. Nami gives Luffy a headbutt that stings. "Ouch!" I say sympathetically. "What should you do when we get to the island?" she asks, growling. Luffy pulls his head out of the dirt and scratches his head. "I forgot!" he says, laughing out loud. I see the vein on Nami's forehead throbbing. I take another step back, just to be on the safe side. Nami smiles and takes Luffy face in her hand. I wonder, but then Nami's expression changes and she looks at him angrily with a red expression. "YOU SHOULD WAIT!" she hisses and smacks him again. I screw up my face, if Luffy wasn't made of rubber he'd just have a mudbug. Wait, isn't that what he's made of?
Suddenly Nami turns to me. To be on the safe side, I take a step back and put my hand on my stomach. "Did he molest you?" she also asks me very kindly. I shake my head. "Why, that's just Lucia, isn't it?" asks Luffy in a huff, rubbing his head. I walk up to him worriedly and look at the bump. I know from Ace that this won't take long. Marco has head-butted him on more than one occasion. "How Lucia, who are you?" she asks suspiciously. I tap the bump, but Luffy just puts his hat on the bump and stands up. Now I turn around and say with a smile. "I'm Lucia and I'm a Whitebeard Pirate," I say. She still looks suspicious. Luffy already has his hands on my stomach and his ear too. Sanji looks at me in horror before saying angrily, "LUFFY, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THE YOUNG LADY?!" surely he doesn't think Luffy is the father. Luffy looks confused at his cook and asks, "What, I didn't do anything?" looking so delightfully confused cute. I slap my hand to my forehead. Confused cute? Thank you pregnancy, my brain joins Luffy mud-brain, thanks to hormones. "AND THE CHILD?!" yell Nami and Sanji. I laugh out loud and then to calm the situation down, funny as it is, I say, "But the kid isn't Luffy's, he's the uncle!" laughing out loud. Good thing Ace didn't hear that, he'd be horrified for sure. "I see!" they both say, relaxed, before the information reaches their brains. "WHAT?" they then ask, horrified. I snort as Luffy keeps poking my stomach and getting kicks in return. I look up and look at the two who are looking at my stomach in horror.
I see a blue glimmer in the sky and already see Marco standing in the street, running towards me with energetic steps. Oh no, so back to chain and cage. My shoulders slump forward and I sigh. Marco has arrived at our house and crosses his arms, looking like a number one chaperone. I look up with wide eyes and try to placate the phoenix. "Do you know what's going on on the Moby?" he asks me sternly. I play with my fingers and say, "I'm sorry?" Marco looks around and sees the crew. "Ace brother?" he asks me. I nod and squint up. Nop, his expression hasn't gotten a bit more forgiving. "You're coming home with me!" he says to me, grabbing my arm. " Do you have to, I wanted an ice cream!" I say sadly. "Not alone!" he says, being watched by the three straw-hatted pirates. Marco lets his other arm burn and sends a flame into the sky. Oh no, that means Ace is right here. I wanted an ice cream!
I try to disengage my arm from Marco unobtrusively, but he just gives me a nasty look. "Why can't I?" I ask, whining. "Because the doctor said it could go off at any time! That's why you're not supposed to be unsupervised!" admonishes Marco. "But I want an ice cream!" I complain. It is warm, after all. "Then you should have waited for one of us!" says Marco, looking crossly at me. My stomach pulls, probably too much excitement. "LUCIA!" I hear Ace's sweet voice. He runs towards us and towards me at an insane speed. Immediately Ace hugs me. "You're alright!" he says, relieved.
Luffy lets go of me and hugs Ace. The latter looks down and asks in amazement at Luffy: "Luffy?" he asks incredulously. "Ace!" says Luffy, beaming upwards. Ace lets go of me and hugs Luffy pulling him up. Marco let go of me as Ace hugs me. I try to sneak away, but no sooner have I taken a step than Marco has grabbed me by the collar. "Where are you going?" he asks me quietly. "Um, to the Moby?" I lie. He looks at me with raised eyebrows. "Oh yeah?" he asks with a shark smile. I swallow and want to nod, looking into Marco's eyes. "No I want an ice cream!" I answer honestly. Marco sighs and I put my hand back on my stomach as he pulls again. I screw up my face. "Are you alright?" asks Marco to me. Immediately I have Ace's attention, who immediately turns to me.
"Are you okay?" he asks me, putting a hand on my shoulder. I can already see him helping himself to the band and checking my condition. But he doesn't feel anything as the train has already left. "Yes I'm fine, I just want an ice cream!" I say, looking at him sadly. "Then we'll get you one!" says Ace lovingly and takes my hand. I beam at him. "Now you're rewarding her for running away!" Marco grumbles annoyed. I look at him sadly. "It's all right!" Marco surrenders. I smile at him and he sighs. "I want an ice cream too!" says Luffy. Ace tilts his head, "Me too!" Marco just shakes his head and then says, "Why am I not surprised!" I pull Ace behind me and look for an ice cream parlour. After a few seconds Luffy grabs me by the hand and pulls me forward. "LUFFY!" everyone is now admonishing. "What?" this one asks, confused. "She's pregnant, you can't tug like that!" complains Ace, smacking his brother on the back of the head. Luffy lets go of me and rubs the back of his head. I just keep walking and look for an ice cream parlour. And see, there's one. I quickly walk up to it and grin broadly. "A chocolate ice cream!" I say before the shop assistant can speak to me. Which can be difficult for her, because she stares anxiously behind me. I turn around and see my companions. Ok if I didn't know them I would be scared too. "Ice cream?" I ask and the woman quickly tries to comply with my request. I reach for the ice cream and watch the others order, somehow I just feel sorry for the shop assistant.
After everyone has an ice cream, we walk on. Ace has his arm around me and we walk along the streets. My stomach tightens again and I put my hand on it again. This time it takes longer, but then it is over. I quickly eat my ice cream and squint at Ace's ice cream. Marco is talking to Nami. Sanji watches the whole thing jealously. Ace and Luffy are fooling around with each other. "Where's the rest of your crew?" asks Ace. "I have no idea?" says Luffy, laughing. "Your poor crew!" says Ace laughing. "You didn't know where I was until just now! And I'm pregnant by you!" I say teasingly. Ace looks at me and then says, "I found you again after all!" Marco, who seems to have been listening, contradicts me: "I found her and you panicked and raced back and forth," this statement causes a wave of laughter. And no sooner does the laughter start than the rest of the straw hats come out of some corner. Luffy immediately catches Ace's attention and introduces him to the straw hats Ace doesn't know. My stomach contracts again and I try to breathe it away. This time it's even more violent than usual. I hunch forward and exhale in a hiss. "Lucia?" asks Marco worriedly, Ace immediately turns to me. "My stomach!" I say in agony. I whimper out.
Why does it hurt so much? My stomach contracts again and my feet sink out from under me, but before I land on the floor Ace has caught me. I curl up in a ball. Luffy looks down at me worriedly too. "Chopper!" says Luffy and I notice the little reindeer examining me. Briefly, Chopper says, "She's in labour and needs to go to hospital!" "WHAT?" yells Ace in panic. Marco, on the other hand, remains calm and then says, "We've got the infirmary on the Moby ready for that." I cry out as another contraction comes. When it's over I lean against Ace who looks worriedly at me. "Ok, Ace pick Lucia up, we're going to Moby!" says Marco. Ace follows the instruction and picks me up. I claw at his shoulder. We run to the Moby, followed by the straw hats. My stomach tightens and I feel a liquid between my legs. Ace looks up in panic and shouts, "Chopper!" the latter looks straight at me and then says, " Her water's broken!" Ace looks panicked, but Marco puts a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "Let's hurry!" says Marco, pulling Ace forward. I try to concentrate on my breathing. We run up the gangplank to Moby. Doc looks at me in Ace's arms and then says, "Get to the infirmary now!" he says and Ace complies.
Soon I will be holding my child in my arms, but for now all I can think about is making the pain stop.
Next Chapter
A new life in the world
... Suddenly the door to the lower deck opens and the Doc comes out. "Someone here wants to meet you Ace!" he says with a grin. ...