Author's Note: Happy First New World Episode of One Piece, guys! Seriously, it is a big deal in the One Piece world since we are now going into the second half of our favorite fantasy epic. In celebration, "One Piece: Parallel Works", "The DysFUNctional Pirates", "Hipster Raid 2011", AND "Keeping up With the Edelstein Harem" - my four ongoing One Piece fics (even if the last one is a Hetalia crossover) - will be updated today in celebration! Enjoy the ending to the Baba Yaga Arc, enjoy the other updates to my fics, and, most of all, enjoy tonight's episode of One Piece!
Disclaimer: Eichiiro Oda owns One Piece, and I will never own it.
Ch. 30: "Exit Shikari."
Queen Ai sneered.
"That's right, daughter, I AM THE BABA YAGA!" Queen Ai yelled. Akari began to tremble.
"I knew it. I knew there was something up with you. My suspicions were right, and I am seeing it with my own eyes. There's no denying that you are the Baba Yaga," Akari explained. "And, I assume that you led me to my death. Is this correct?"
"Yes, PRINCESS, you are going to die. Do you have any last requests before you become a fallen princess?" Queen Ai asked Akari.
"Yes, yes I do. I would like for you to free Yuki-Rin's nakama and Bixby. They were never intended to be your victims – Bixby is just a humble servant and Yuki-Rin and her crew were just passing by," Akari explained.
"Akari… I will not allow that. They will be murdered after you, so, your last wish has been denied," Queen Ai explained.
"You've got to let them go, mother! Aki's not doing so well and Yuki-Rin could lose half of her own pirate crew right here and now! They've never did anything wrong or illegal!" Akari argued. Queen Ai picked up Aki by the kimono collar.
"Look at this girl! She is lice-infested, sick, and wearing shabby clothing! This is a girl below me, Akari! You shouldn't be mingling with those types!" Queen Ai explained. Akari's eyes narrowed.
"Yuki-Rin, please give me your katana. Lend me your power so I can slay the Baba Yaga," Akari requested. Without a word, Yuki-Rin handed Akari her katana.
"What are you going to do about Aki?" Holden asked Akari. Isabella floated over to Queen Ai, grabbed Aki, and gave Aki to Heathcliffe.
"She's all yours," Isabella said to Heathcliffe.
"Right. Yuki-Rin, Holden, Kazuma, Isabella, go rescue everyone else and get Aki to Ageha. I'll stay back and assist Akari if shit gets worse," Heathcliffe said.
"Roger that!" Yuki-Rin said before they left the toom. Akari turned to her mother, katana drawn.
"My, my, my little princess wants to fight. Tell me, Akari, don't you know anything about bringing in a battle to your own death?" Queen Ai asked Akari.
"I'm not bringing a battle! I am going to kill you and make the Island of Eternal Day and Island of Eternal Nighta whole lot safer!" Akari said before she moved her katana in for the kill. But, right before Akari could stab the Baba Yaga – the queen and her own step-mother –, Shikari grabbed Akari by the arms.
"Stop it. You shouldn't go after your queen so needlessly," Shikari told Akari. Akari lowered her arms.
"Shikari, can't you see? This woman before you is the Baba Yaga, and all she has done during her rein over these islands is killing people and instilling terror and violent warnings in the other citizens of the islands! I need to stop this before it spreads!" Akari explained.
"Queen Ai is not the one you should be going after… I… I am," Shikari answered.
"What… But, you're –" Akari said before Shikari cut her off.
"It was my duty. I was serving my mistress – My queen, Akari. Is that justifiable enough?" Shikari asked Akari.
"How could you, Shikari? I trusted you, father trusted you, and Thierry and everyone else trusted you! Why did you turn your back on the kingdom?" Akari asked as tears began to fall from her eyes.
"I refuse to disobey my mistress and turn her back on her. That is my code of morals and ethics as a servant," Shikari explained as she bowed her head. Akari bit her lip, unable to think of a solution.
"Aren't you going to say something before you will be murdered by your own wicked stepmother?" Queen Ai asked Akari.
"I… No. I have nothing to say, really. But, please, hear me out on this one; if I die right here at the hands of the queen, I will be sacrificing myself for the islands' safety. I will be one of the few who knew the truth about the Baba Yaga, and I would like Shikari to pass along the message. It's for my own good and the good of the Islands of Eternal Day and Night," Akari explained, holding back tears. Queen Ai smilied as Akari sunk to her knees. Shikari then realized something very important that would save the kingdom.
"Stop it, mistress Ai. If Akari dies and I have to spread the word around of who you really are, it would be a cross I would have to bear for the rest of my life. Therefore, I ask you to do this – kill me instead of Akari. If she were to be killed, a revolution would happen and there will be more death and suffering. Akari never deserved death, she deserved life," Shikari explained. The room grew silent as Queen Ai thought about it for a moment.
"I accept your request. Is there anything you'd like to say?" Queen Ai asked Shikari, who turned to Akari.
"Akari, I'm sorry I was in your life for a few short months. Even though I was your mother's maid, I still enjoyed serving you. I will miss everyone – King Akio, Thierry, Nan, Oliver, Bixby, Leni, Ein, your nakama, and, most of all, you and your people. Please understand that I am not committing suicide to atone for my vicious ways, but, I am sacrificing my own life to save the kingdom and to restore optimism to both this island and the Island of Eternal Day. Please get strong for me so you wouldn't have to be in this situation ever again. Remember me, always," Shikari said before she grabbed Queen Ai's hand. Hand-in-hand, they walked toward the large furnace. Shikari turned back to get one last look at Akari.
"Good-bye, Akari. I will watch over you," Shikari said before she walked into the furnace with Queen Ai, toward their firey deaths.
Akari couldn't believe it. The Baba Yaga was now dead, and peace was going to be restored.
Meanwhile, on the Island of Eternal Day, a blue-haired man with a black, handlebar moustache and a blue suit read over the paper while drinking a cup of tea. This man was King Akio, the King of the Islands of Eternal Day and Night. Just as he was about to read about a funeral for one of the Baba Yaga's victims, Akari ran into the room.
"Father! Father! We need you back at the Island of Eternal Night! It's urgent!" Akari pleaded. Her father put down the paper.
"What is it, princess?" King Akio asked Akari.
"Shikari… She's dead!"
A couple of days later, the Capricorns were preparing to leave the Islands of Eternal Day and Night. Aki and Karin recovered, funerals were held for Shikari and Queen Ai, and both islands rejoiced over the death of the Baba Yaga.
"You want Thierry and I to... Go with the Capricorn Pirates?" Akari asked King Akio.
"Yes, Akari, I want you to go with the pirates so you can get stronger. We need a princess that can not protect the royal kingdom, but can continue on with the royal bloodline. This is for your own good and Thierry's good," King Akio explained. Akari looked to her servants, who all had looks that said "Please don't go, Akari. You'll be leaving us behind". Akari smiled.
"Don't worry, guys, I will only be gone for a little while. I promise to write letters to you and to send you gifts from the exotic places i've been to," Akari said, causing Nan, Oliver, Bixby, Leni, and Ein to break down and cry. They all hugged Akari.
"We'll miss you, Princess Akari! Be careful out there!" Akari's N.O.B.L.E. servants cried.
"Akari, the Capricorns are about to leave," Thierry reminded Akari. King Akio patted her on the shoulder.
"Good luck out there, princess. Your dreams are waiting for you out at sea," King Akio told his daughter.
"Well, bye, everyone. I'll be back before you know it," Akari said before she and Thierry turned back and left the royal palace.
"Take care! We'll be waiting for you!" King Akio, Nan, Oliver, Bixby, Leni, and Ein called out to the princess and her bodyguard as they exited the palace. Before they knew it, Akari and Thierry were approaching the Sunrise Bridge.
"I think we're going to have a wonderful time with these Capicorn Pirates. We'll get to see exotic destinations, meet fantastic people, and we'll get to be on the voyage of a lifetime. What do you think?" Thierry asked Akari as they crossed the Sunset Bridge and toward the Island of Eternal Day and the Capricorns Pirates waiting at the end of the bridge.
"Come on, Akari, let's go on adventures together!" Yuki-Rin shouted. Akari smiled.
"Yes, let's go," Akari said as she and Thierry made their way to their new lives at sea.
Ending Note: Two new crew members joining on the day a very important episode of One Piece airs? Bueno.
Time for the updating crew standings!
Captain - Yuki-Rin
First Mate - Molly O'Flannigan
Musicians - Heathcliffe, Holden, and Soren Sarutobi
Fisherman - Hatori Chidori
Swordsman - Kazuma Miyafuji
"Resident Ghost" - Isabella Sarutobi
Shipwright - Kartik Abingdon
Snipers - Karin Kotetsu, "Blind" Drusilla, and Z.G.
Singer - Maki-chan
Tailors - Matsu Takeshima and Aki Chung-Feng
Navigator - Hana Yakushi
Gunner - Aria Yakushi
Thieves - Yulia Tadase and Daisuke Saburo
Chef - Sebastian Hozuki
Chroniclers - Kaoru Kimura and Mina Nishikori
Boat Rigger - Showtarou Shinohara
Mascot - Ajax
Doctor - Ageha Midori
Dancer - Akari Shimura
Helmsman - Thierry Brighton
Review if you want to see the new arc begin!