Author's Note: Well, I had to post this now, since some of you guys may not be able to read this chapter because of that internet shutdown tomorrow. I checked to see if I will lose internet on my laptop, and I won't. So, I'll be online tomorrow despite the shutdown.
Disclaimer: Eichiiro Oda owns One Piece.
Ch. 67: "A Party for Baby."
Later that night, Molly managed to get herself together to attend Liam's party with Yuki-Rin, Kazuma, and Hana.
"Thank you for comin'," Shireen said dully. Her stomach was now rounder and bigger due to a baby on the way.
"No problem. I mean, we're leaving the day after tomorrow, so Molly should enjoy her time here," Yuki-Rin said. Shireen sighed.
"Head on in," Shireen said. Yuki-Rin, Kazuma, and Hana went inside the house, leaving Molly outside with Shireen. The two girls were silent, not knowing what to say on their circumstances.
"How did you… Hide your pregnancy?" Molly asked. Shireen bit her lip.
"I… I tried bindin' me stomach back. It didn't work, and I had to reveal that I was pregnant at some point. I'm…. I'm very sorry, Molly," Shireen explained sadly.
"It's okay," Molly said after a long, silent moment. "In fact, congratulations on your baby."
"Thank you," Shireen said in a tone of voice that was somewhere in between happiness and sadness.
"Are… Are Maeve and Cormac here? I want to see them before I leave Erin Island again," Molly asked.
"Well, Maeve is over at the next island visitin' her grandparents, so she's not here. But, Cormac's here if you want to talk to him," Shireen explained. Molly smiled.
"Alright then… Let's have fun at this party," Molly said.
With Yuki-Rin, Kazuma, and Hana, they mainly stuck to themselves as they watched the many partygoers, who ate and drank, danced to music, or played instruments of their own.
"If only the rest of the crew could join us," Yuki-Rin commented.
"I know, right? Heathcliffe and his brothers would definetly join in with the musicians," Hana said in agreement.
"And Sebastian would be all over the food, wondering where it came from and what not," Kazuma added.
"Speaking of which, WHAT is our crew doing?" Yuki-Rin asked Hana.
"Beats me. I don't know what they're doing," Hana said with a shrug. Back on the Hyperion…
"Guys, where are Yuki-Rin, Molly, Kazuma, and Hana?" Kartik asked the Capricorns.
"Beats me. Knowing them, they'll be back soon," Soren said, not looking up from the magazine he was reading. Back at the party…
"Man, this is some good juice!" Yuki-Rin commented as she gulped down some fruit juice that she had in a plastic cup. "But, then again, I've never had this juice before. Do you think they sell it only on this island?"
"Probably. If we don't find it, we can ask Sebastian about it," Kazuma explained. The two grew silent, not knowing what to say next.
"So, Kazuma, it's just us now," Yuki-Rin said as she pointed to Molly, who was chatting with a boy with dirty blonde hair and green eyes.
"Where did Hana go? I thought she was here a minute ago," Kazuma asked his girlfriend.
"Hana told me she was going back to the Hyperion for the night. She said something about mapping out this island," Yuki-Rin explained. Kazuma sighed as he put his arm around Yuki-Rin.
"This is such a perfect night. We're together at a party, the skies are clear… It's as if the stars aligned for us," Kazuma said happily. Yuki-Rin gave Kazuma a playful kiss on the cheek.
"Since when have you shown interest in astrology?" Yuki-Rin asked Kazuma, who laughed.
"Since never," Kazuma retorted before grabbing Yuki-Rin's face and kissing her. When he let go of Yuki-Rin, she laughed.
"Man, I love you, Kazuma," Yuki-Rin said almost breathlessly. It was only a second later that things took a turn for the worse.
"Liam!"
From the spot she was standing on, Yuki-Rin caught a glimpse of a panicked Molly running away from the party. With no hesitation, Yuki-Rin followed after her sister.
"Yuki-Rin, wait! Where are you going?" Kazuma cried out before chasing after Yuki-Rin. Yuki-Rin followed Molly until they arrived at a cliff, where Liam was standing.
"Molly!" Yuki-Rin cried.
"Liam! Just what the bloody hell are you doin'?" Molly cried. Liam turned his head back to Molly.
"Endin' it all. In all honesty, I'd be a lousy parent meself. But, I can't go and fix the bloody past. What's done is done," Liam sadly explained.
"You can't do this! Shireen loves you! She needs you, Goddamnit!" Molly cried, choking back tears. Liam walked over and stroked Molly's hair back.
"No, love. I don't love her. I love you," Liam explained. Molly slapped him across the face.
"That's bullshit! I never loved you! You were always off chasin' the skirts of the other girls on the island! I knew better than that! And, do you know how I bloody feel? Used! I felt so feckin' exploited! Way to go, Liam!" Molly cried. Yuki-Rin grabbed Molly, who turned around. "What do you think YOU'RE doin'?"
"Stay back. I don't want anything happening to you," Yuki-Rin ordered. Liam walked back over to the cliff edge.
"Relax, girlie, Molly's not gonna get hurt. The only person who will be in pain is meself. But, it will be swift, and I will feel no extra pain afterwards," Liam explained.
"You can't do this! Why do you have to make my half-sister suffer like this? She doesn't deserve this!" Yuki-Rin cried. Liam gave the three a smirk as he pulled out a switchblade.
"Because the life I wanted to live was taken away from me. If I could, I'd relive my life and be a better person," Liam explained before he stabbed himself in the shoulder and fell off of the cliff.
"Liam! No!" Molly cried as she tried to wriggle out of Yuki-Rin's arms.
"Molly, I'm not letting go of you! There's nothing we can do now!" Yuki-Rin cried. As Yuki-Rin tried to restrain Molly, her vision became blurry and she began to feel lighthearted. "Kazuma… What was in that juice?"
Yuki-Rin then passed out onto the ground. Molly ran over to the edge of the cliff and looked down to the sea. Liam wasn't there.
"He's… He's gone for real…" Molly before she broke down crying. Kazuma grabbed Molly's hand as he picked up Yuki-Rin and flung her over his shoulder.
"Come on… Let's go back to your apartment. We'll regroup from there," Kazuma said before the two made their way back into town.
Ending Note: In all honesty, I don't like the chapter title. -.-
On an related side-note, the next chapter will be the last chapter of the Erin Island Arc. The Last Samurai Arc or the Playdate Arc will be the next arc. It's most likely going to be the Last Samurai Arc, since there are at least two new Capricorns I want to introduce.
Review if you want to see the rest of the Capricorns again.