Whew, sorry for such a long wait again. And sorry if this isn't as 'guns blazing' as some may want.
Thanks for the reviews and for getting this fic past 100 follows! Wow!
The ship shuddered violently once again with the force of cannon fire and sent Makino stumbling against the wall of her cabin. She briefly debated whether she should pick up her son from his makeshift crib or not, ending up limping over and kneeling beside it to keep an eye on him. This was more for emotional support, though; the furnishings and larger objects in the room were already bolted down or otherwise secured. In fact, the only thing that had fallen since today's attack was the coat she had hung on a hook behind the door.
They had been on the warship for nine days and this was the fourth attack they had suffered through, further adding to her sleeplessness. Apparently, the first time, they had had warning of an attack and Captain Tashigi came to inform her of it. She sat with Makino through half of it until one of her subordinates came to relieve her, saying Vice-Admiral Smoker wanted her up on deck. She left quickly and the soldier explained, surprisingly politely, that he'd have to lock her door but he'd be right outside to guard it, then left. It was at this moment that she realized the reasoning behind putting her in a cabin with no easy access to the outside, thus lowering the chances of direct bombardment.
It would occasionally sound like there were skirmishes very close and she could hear the ring of swords clashing but no one had ever made it to her door, or tried to get in anyway. They never told her the details of their adversaries however; whether they were pirates looking to attack or rescue her, or just routine Marine-pirate battles, she couldn't tell. She had discovered that the news of the government's leverage over one of the Emperors had found its way to the press when she was allowed some reading material to pass the time. Not that she was surprised, she just hoped the Captain wouldn't do anything stupid.
As another blast resounded the room was filled with wails that she busied to allay. Even if this had happened so many times, or perhaps because of it, she could not shake the tension it brought by being on this ship. She knew it was in the soldiers' best interest to keep her safe, but… She just didn't trust them. How could she? Well, at least they were better than Vice-Admiral Clarkson and his men. They probably would have put them in a cell.
Sudden gunshots snatched her from her thoughts and the focused intently on the door and the sounds beyond it. Shouts. More gunfire. Then something heavy hitting the floor. Her heart sank when a key was noisily used on the lock and she turned to the door, crouching defensively in front of the small bed.
However, a familiar face of a soldier opened it to reassure her. "Sorry to scare you, Makino-chan, we'll be done in no time!"
"Ah, okay, be careful." She smiled shakily.
Before he could answer he turned sharply to the left and his eyes widened. Cursing violently, he slammed the door shut again.
A heavy collision and abrupt cry were heard then nothing, save the distant cannons.
Her heart was thundering and she wished it wouldn't because she was really trying to listen. Even so, she had a second's warning and then the door jerked open to reveal a burly man in tattered sailor attire, equipped with a heavy mace. She tried to ignore the dark stains on it and focused on his expression. If he was friend or foe, she would soon find out.
Whatever he had expected to find in this room, she apparently hadn't been it. Nevertheless, he quickly shook himself and gave her a threatening grin.
Definitely not friend.
She had just opened her mouth to scream when a cloud of smoke rushed through the corridor, hurling the intruder down the hall and ripping the open door off its hinges.
Vice-Admiral Smoker re-formed just outside the doorway but kept his gaze on the pirate. "Everything okay?"
Nodding sharply, as she didn't trust herself to speak, she turned to attempt to calm down her son.
Smoker stood outside and yelled for a medic and more soldiers to come guard. Then he turned to the doorway and made motion to close it, only to realize that the door was no longer there. He looked genuinely surprised before glancing back down the hall to where it must be laying. "Oh, oops."
That finally made Makino laugh, but she quickly suppressed it in favor of a smile when he glared at her. "I apologize. Is everything alright?" She felt silly for asking such a question, but she was truly desperate for any information at this point.
"Nothing we can't handle, just the usual pirate trouncing."
"I see." Makino sighed tiredly at the obvious conversation-ender.
VA Smoker turned to the gathered men and directed them each to task, eventually leaving three to compensate for the cabin's missing door.
It wasn't long before the noise started dying down and it was, once again, fairly quiet. Captain Tashigi came down to check on her soon after, sporting a thick bandage around her right forearm, which she quickly dismissed when Makino made a fuss. "I do apologize for the scare, Miss Makino, we'll have a new door fitted right away. Pirates are always so destructive." She finished bitterly.
Makino repressed a smile with some difficulty and replied. "It's alright, no harm done."
"Perhaps for now." Came a chillingly familiar voice. Makino hadn't been aware he and his ships were still traveling with them; she never saw any of his soldiers.
Tashigi turned sharply towards it, startled, and saluted. "Vice-Admiral Clarkson! What can I do for you, sir?"
"Ease. I'm moving the prisoners to my hold; they'll be safer there. The pirates seem to put up a heavier fight here with your G-5 men." Even though Makino couldn't see him, disdain was thick in his voice.
The captain just smiled pleasantly back. "They do afford a greater challenge."
"Pirates don't do challenges, they go for an easy kill." Clarkson shot back, clearly missing the biggest flaw of that argument. "Anyway, It's been cleared with Smoker so move along and transfer them."
Tashigi clearly wasn't happy with the order, even if it had been approved by Smoker, and tried. "She's still injured."
"It's not far and the doctor's already cleared her for short travel. I'll even send down a medic to check the stitches once they get settled in." He sounded quite pleased with himself.
Tashigi just stared at him incredulously, her fist tightening at her side. "How generous of you." She stated coldly.
He grunted and his slow footsteps started to retreat. "Be quick, before another attack occurs." He called back.
Tashigi glared after him but then sighed and turned to Makino. "I'm sorry about this. Wait a moment; I need to talk to Vice-Admiral Smoker."
She nodded her understanding and the younger woman left. Not for the first time, she considered the position she had landed herself in. They had always acknowledged that this might happen, but it's one thing to anticipate a possible outcome and another to actually experience it being fulfilled. Perhaps it was a sign of their naïveté that they had put the possibility so far down the list that it failed to demand a planned solution.
But would there have even been one? What more could they have done? She had run through her actions over and over again since this started, all the things she could have done but didn't, and she had yet to find a better path she could have taken. The conclusion had been both a relief and proof of the wall she seemed to have backed herself against. There was only one decision she had made that would have changed all this and, looking down at the basket, she couldn't bring herself to consider it a bad one.
Even after he had been born and the reality sunk in, neither of them were willing consider sending him away, they knew at least one of them needed to be there for him. She had never brought up the subject with Garp, for all she knew he might have believed the Stork delivered the baby, but he probably understood their reasoning by the example he had set. 'Safety' was not always what was best for a child, sometimes it was best to sacrifice that a little for their emotional well being. She had watched for years as Luffy struggled with loneliness and hoped for his grandfather's return, if only to have someone who would give him their full had tried her best to tend to him, but it had been the Captain and his crew who showed Luffy what it was like to be a family.
And now here she was, on a Marine ship headed who knows where with the worst outcome looming far too close for her comfort.
A curious sound drew nearer from down the hall and soon Tashigi walked into the room pushing a wheeled chair; she gave Makino a sad smile of resignation. "Ready?"
It actually wasn't so bad. Or, at least, not as bad as she thought it would be.
Clarkson's cells were obviously held to the same sanitary standard as the rest of the ship so the transition hadn't been as she thought it would be. Tashigi had uttered a small, relieved sigh. It was a little drafty but she had compensated by bringing along extra blankets to help insulate the child. Now their belongings were sitting in a small crate in the corner by her cot, which she was currently using as a changing station.
Tashigi cleared her throat awkwardly. Since the transfer she had insisted on being the one to guard the cell, although they hadn't been attacked since the day before. "How is he doing?"
Makino had been extremely vigilant over her son's health since they had left the island over a week ago. She hadn't known how he would take to life at sea, having been brought up on land his short life, but he seemed to have taken after his father and was actually sleeping better than he had on Dawn Island. "Very well, he's been eating all the food you bought. Thank you."
Tashigi blushed. "Oh, it was nothing." The first island they had docked at out of necessity, the young Captain had sprinted off and returned with three crates of infant care products, which she then presented to Makino for inspection. She had been shocked to learn that, considering the length of the journey, they would probably end up needing more than five times what she had bought but praised the correct purchases. "And you?"
About as well as can be expected, she almost replied. "I'm alright." Though she wouldn't presume to think Tashigi was fooled, she said nothing more.
A confortable silence stretched between them as Tashigi returned to studying a tome on blade upkeep and Makino finished cleaning up then started playing with the child.
"We met the Strawhats again, not too long ago."
Makino whipped around to stare at the young woman; her head was still bent over the pages of her book without really seeing it.
"They got away again, of course, but…" She glanced at Makino quickly and her calm tone made Makino wonder if this encounter had been as antagonistic as the others had seemed to be. "They had discovered a plot by Doflamingo, the ex-Warlord, that was using children for experiments, left alone they would have been murdered." Tashigi's tone was filled with disgust.
The mother slowly paled and clutched her son to her chest, almost too horrified to hear the rest.
"They fought hard, destroying the lab and the ones responsible and probably intended to take the children away with them before we stepped in. Their doctor and another former Warlord healed the children to lessen the side-effects of their abuse, but it was their navigator that had decided to take the children under their protection when it was pleaded for. I can't blame them. The marines-" Her voice had lowered to a bare whisper and it finally hitched a bit. "The marines had failed them." A darker meaning was hinted at and Tashigi bared her teeth at the memory. "But, even so, it would be difficult for the children if they stayed with pirates so I asked her to turn over their care to me until I found their families again. I was surprised when she agreed, she seemed to see the sense in it."
"Did you manage to find their families?"
"Yes. We reunited the last of them not too long before receiving this assignment. Everyone's home now." She sighed, a smile on her lips.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"…They did something similar in Alabasta, too. They fought and won where the marines could not. I used to… I used to believe pirates were all scum who turned to the sea with the sole purpose of causing civilian bloodshed; I still do for the most part, but now… I realize that pirates are people too, and they can assume that title for many different reasons." She turned to Makino and glanced at her child. "You seem like a good judge of character." She stated simply.
Makino didn't know what to say to that, she was still confused as to what the marine meant although she was sure there was an underlying message there. She was about to ask when shouts and heavy stomping were heard overhead, clearly agitated.
Tashigi put her book away and looked down the hall to the door. "They may have spotted something. Someone should be down to report soon."
Sure enough, a soldier in standard issue uniform ran inside and up to the Captain, saluted, and proceeded to report an enemy ship had been sighted off in the distance. They would be within range in less than half an hour but a rising fog was worrying the men. Tashigi thanked him and sent him back. The commotion above only escalated until cannon fire started to be heard from one of the adjacent ships. The marine woman stayed next to the cell door, tense, until their own vessel vibrated from a too-near attack. And finally, unmistakable battle sounds started to be heard above and Tashigi turned to Makino with a pained expression.
"Go ahead." Makino kept her voice steady.
She nodded reluctantly. "I'll lock the door on my way out; they're very sturdy." Then she sprinted for it and was gone.
Makino let out a shaky breath and sank down to the cot, one hand on her son's chest. He wasn't fussing, just staring around curiously, perhaps he had gotten used to the commotion. She felt sad at that thought. Looking up outside her cell, she gave a start and squeaked in shock.
Just outside her cell, on the narrow walkway, stood a woman. The brunette, looking a little younger than herself, smiled politely when she noticed the attention. "Would you be Makino-san?"
Makino cringed a bit closer to her son. Although she had a strange impression at familiarity for this woman, she was not in marine attire and it put her immediately on guard.
The woman's smile turned apologetic. "I'm sorry if I frightened you, but I'm the only one able to get in here quickly at the moment. My name is Nico Robin and I've come to help you escape."
The name finally made it click. "You're one of Luffy's friends!"
Robin chuckled good-naturedly. "Yes, I am a member of the Strawhats. Now, let's get you out of here." A series of hands sprouted from the floor and passed along a ring of keys that she caught when tossed to her. "Unfortunately, I can't move from this spot at the moment." She unlocked the cell door when she got to the right one. "So you'll have to carry everything yourself for a short while."
Makino looked down and was shocked that the woman's feet seemed to be attached to the floor. "How-?!"
"It's part of my Devil Fruit ability." She explained shortly. "Now, please-" She stopped abruptly as Makino lifted her son into a sling and wrapped it around herself. She had stumbled a bit, favoring her uninjured leg, but turned at the interruption and saw the woman staring at it. "You're injured." It wasn't a question. Robin pursed her lips at the truthful conclusion but merely closed her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I see." She stayed that way for a minute, expression turning from perplexed to calm, then opened them. "Change of plan, wait one moment and we'll come get you."
"What-?" But the woman had dissolved into flower petals, shocking her once again, and the room was silent. She could still hear the sound of fighting and she hoped it wasn't Luffy's friends who were up there. But she could only wait.
Soon she started to hear voices from beyond the locked door and worried they would intercept Luffy's rescue attempt, until they became clearer.
"Dammit, Marimo, stop trying to lead us! Robin-chwan knows exactly where to go!" A scathing male yelled, overly loud.
"It's here. Sanji, please lower your voice, we're trying to go unnoticed." Was Robin, she recognized.
"Shut it, Cook. Just open the door." A deeper, irritated voice.
The lock clicked and three people stepped in. One, a blond young man, skipped over and beamed at her in delight. "Makino-chan! You're even more beautiful than I imagined! Don't worry, your prince has arrived to save you!" He threw up his arms passionately. "Those marines will rue the day they dared-"
"Sanji! Be quiet!" Robin finally hissed in annoyance and, by the surprised looks, uncharacteristically.
"Yeah, Nosebleed, show a little decency." Said the green-haired young man with a disapproving tone.
"I'm surprised you know that word, you brute!" He turned to Robin apologetically. "I'm so sorry, Ro-"
"Enough, we need to hurry and get her out of here. Do you think you can manage it?"
Sanji seemed much too willing. "Of course!"
"I have a nice bet with Nami that you'll lose half your blood, so don't disappoint me."
"Shut up!" He screeched while stepping inside the cell and closer to Makino, before sinking to one knee and holding out a hand. "My Queen, forgive me for arriving so late but would you allow me to take you away from this horrible place to somewhere better, yet still undeserving of your magnificence?"
The scarred youth behind him made a chocked gagging sound and even Robin grimaced.
Makino was used to visiting customers lying it on thick for her, although this might be the most over the top one she had heard, and she just laughed; although she subsided when she noticed his hurt expression. "I'm sorry. I'll gladly accept your offer. I can't wait to see Luffy again."
Sanji seemed a bit put out by her reason but managed to smile and helped her to her feet. "He's been excited to see you too." He replied, scooping her up bridal-style but allowing a bit of room between them to not cramp the infant.
"That's an understatement."
Before she could ask them to elaborate, Sanji's head shot up and he yelled. "Zoro!"
The green-haired man stepped towards the door sharply and unsheathed a katana Makino had not noticed. "I know, Love-Cook!" He slashed sharply at the air just as a marine soldier rounded the corner into the doorway. The impact of the invisible force slammed him against the opposite wall and tore his shirt, but seemed to leave nothing but an ugly bruise. "Let's go!"
They all sprinted for the door and Sanji called out. "Don't lead, Marimo!"
Robin seemed to know exactly where she was going and they were soon easing open a door to the open deck. From what Makino could see, or not, it was shrouded in mist, but the battle was clearly still raging.
"Open the door and run left when I say." Robin stated, eyes closed and arms crossed again. Hurried footsteps stomped past their door. Her eyes shot open. "Now!"
Zoro wretched the door open first and, to their dismay, promptly turned right. With the resulting delay, they barely made it halfway down the boardwalk to their next cover when a shout was heard behind them. The swordsman, put last again, swung around to meet whatever adversary only to lock eyes with Captain Tashigi.
Her eyes widened in shock but, contrary to their expectations, she yelled reassurances over her shoulder and the extra footsteps retreated. She glanced around at the mist with a curious expression before staring hard at Zoro for a second. Some sort of understanding went between them and he nodded before urging his group forward. Makino had one last look at Tashigi's sad smile before they turned the corner.
They managed to reach the back of the ship without further incident and Sanji let her down a minute while Robin looked down at a tiny vessel with a ram figurehead that was floating on the waves, steered by the Strawhat's skeletal musician.
"Hold her steady Brook! If the ladies land in water I'll break your skull!"
"Yohohoho! That would be quite a problem, seeing as how I'm-"
"Yeah, yeah, I know! Robin-chwan, if you would?" Sanji endeared, and the woman pulled out a rope ladder with securing hooks from the small backpack she carried.
Thunderous footfalls rushed in their direction and all three individuals were immediately forming a protective circle around the older woman, stunning her. They tensed as the soldiers drew ever nearer but, just when it seemed they were going to be in sight of them, the fog suddenly thickened around them. Not dramatically, not noticeably, but just enough to allow them to go unnoticed by the distracted marines; if they had actually looked in that direction their silhouettes would have been evident. The soldiers just circled the corner and continued, back where the four had come.
"What happened?" Robin asked, confused.
"Isn't it obvious? Nami-swan's brilliance saves us again!" He praised at a lower level than usual.
Zoro frowned at the dissipating extra-fog. "I'm not so sure…" Curiously, he reached out his hand to touch it, his eyes focusing intensely. However he quickly wretched it back, as if burned, and unsheathed his blades. "Get her out of here!" He hissed and stepped forward, intent on joining the fight.
"Oi, Marimo, we don't have time! As soon as everyone's back we have to get out of here. They're gonna know we're here as soon as Luffy's antics get around."
"Luffy's fighting?!" Makino exclaimed in worry.
The three gave her disbelieving looks, like she should know it was obvious.
"Yeah, he's fighting, like I should be." Before he could even take a step, though, they heard a familiar voice calling, whining, over the din of battle:
"ZOOOROOO~"
The swordsman smirked and shot off. "That's my cue!"
"Dammit, Marimo, I hope he Rockets you straight into the mast!"
Brook could be heard with a faint, "What else is new?" and a laugh.
Sanji sighed and turned to the two women with a pained expression. "I'd better make sure they don't wreck the plan." He leaned over the railing to address the skeleton. "BROOK, YOU PERVERTED SKELETON, IT'S ON YOU!" And he ran after the swordsman before he changed his mind.
Robin chuckled faintly at his antics the motioned to the ladder. "You should go first, I'll keep an eye on you in case you slip." She quickly glanced at Makino's skirt and addressed Brook herself with a hard edge. "Brook-"
He seemed to have anticipated her, though. "I swear I am the epitome of innocence in this case, Robin-san." And he did seem strangely sincere, so she let it go.
Robin helped Makino over the railing and verbally guided and encouraged her down the first few rungs, but it was slow nevertheless.
But, finally, Brook was bracing her around the waist with a soft: 'Excuse me.' And she was safely seated in one of the back seats, Robin was in the front, and Brook was steering the strange boat around guided in the fog by a small, animated piece of paper. At this point, Makino was too tired to question a lot of things and figured she'd have time to later.
The adrenaline was finally beginning to ebb, along with her son's extraordinary patience thus far, when the shadow of a ship started to loom out of the fog with colorful clarity. Makino stared at it in awe and wondered for the first time if she was actually inside a dream, which terrified her into a more alert state. Several shouted greetings from above could be heard but Makino's head was still too hazy to really register it.
A round gate rose along the side of the hull to reveal a small dock perfectly sized for their boat and they floated in. Brook helped her out of the vessel and to the ladder that would lead up to the deck, which she climbed with some difficulty. A pair of hands waited for her at the open hatchet to gently pull her to her feet, belonging to another young woman with long orange hair.
She smiled warmly. "Welcome aboard, Makino-san!"
"Thank you." She replied with an automatic smile.
As the woman called for someone named 'Chopper', Makino turned towards where the marine battleships would be. The sounds around her grew fainter. She prayed Luffy and his friends would return safely. That Captain Tashigi and Vice-Admiral Smoker wouldn't get into too much trouble for this. She felt light pressure on her upper arm, perhaps someone trying to get her attention, but she couldn't seem to look away. Then, she couldn't seem to keep her eyes open.
She felt weightless.
I hope these last few paragraphs had the desired 'dreamy' quality I was trying for. Makino's exhausted. I'm exhausted. Hopefully it came across. I'll look over this tomorrow when I'm awake but hopefully nothing too bad slipped through my initial filter.
I'm not sure if everyone caught it, but Tashigi thought it was the pirate that broke down Makino's door.
Thanks to the visitor who pointed out the weirdness of Makino's reaction to Brook.
So… probably one more chapter left, then I'll do bonus chapters. So far I have one, kind of a 'deleted scene'. If anyone has ideas, I'm listening. I'll probably mark it as 'complete' after next chapter, but stay tuned, 'k?