Author's Note: Happy New Year! My resolution is to start work on the Water Seven Arc A.S.A.P., since I really want to get it started!

Anyway, let's begin the chapter. Also, happy birthday to Eichiiro Oda! May he continue to write One Piece well into old age!

Disclaimer: Nope. Oda owns One Piece.

Ch. 107: "Vampiric Husbandry."

Later that night, the Capricorns were headed to the location Lavinia was, stakes, torches, weapons, and garlic in tow.

"Where are we going?" Yuki-Rin asked.

"Wherever Lavinia takes us," Kaoru answered.

"And that would be?" Yuki-Rin asked as they approached a large, dilapated mansion. "Was this the house you were going to live in with Lavinia?"

"No. Hell, it isn't even my house. It's Lavinia's base of operations for this island," Kaoru explained as he grabbed the rusted, broken gate and threw it to the side. "Now then, I would like for all of you to stay outside for your own safety. Mina will be the only persron to accompany me."

Yuki-Rin stepped forward and handed Kaoru her katana.

"Take this. You need to kill Lavinia, and you'll need a steel weapon," Yuki-Rin explained. Kaoru gave Yuki-Rin her katana back.

"It's fine, captain. I can take out Lavinia without – " Karou explained before something knocked Yuki-Rin to the ground. Kaoru looked down, and he saw a pink-haired, wedding gown-clad woman pin Yuki-Rin to the ground. With no hesitation, Karou dove to the ground and pushed the woman off of Yuki-Rin. "We meet again, Lavinia. All this time, I thought you were dead. I thought I killed you. I thought I was a monster."

Lavinia smirked, showing off two rows of vampire fangs.

"You are a monster, Kaoru. You turned me into an animal. An animal who has killed countless people just so she could live. You deserve to go to Hell," Lavinia explained. Kaoru tensed up.

"Don't listen to her! She's the real monster!" Mina yelled. Lavinia turned to Mina.

"Looks like my prey is standing before me," Lavinia commented.

"It's no use. I already turned her into a vampire during a fit of greed and rage. It was in the past, and I regret my actions," Kaoru explained as he got up.

"Serves you right. You are a monster who belongs in Hell for what you've done," Lavinia explained as she pulled out a very sharp, wooden stake. "I will make you repent right here and now, at the cost of your life and the lives of your friends. Now, kneel!"

Without flinching, Kaoru kneeled down. As soon as his knees touched the ground, Kaoru pulled out his own stake and stabbed Lavinia in the leg with it.

"I will not kneel to you. I kneel to Yuki-Rin, my captain," Kaoru explained. Lavinia then tackled Kaoru to the ground. While using her knees to pin Kaoru's arms to the ground, Lavinia raised her stake above her.

"Any last words, monster?" Lavinia asked.

"I… I…" Kaoru stuttered right before Holden got out one of his guns and shot it. Although the bullet didn't hit Lavinia, it hit her stake, slicing it in half. At that moment, Kaoru felt his Devil Fruit powers kick in. "I am not a monster! I am a human being!"

Kaoru threw Lavinia off of her, sending her crashing into the gate. Before Lavinia could get up, Kaoru already had her pinned against the gate.

"Why… Why would you attack your own wife?! You really are a monster!" Lavinia cried. With a sad sigh, Kaoru raised his stake above his head.

"Because… You attacked the Capricorn Pirates. I cannot forgive you for trying to kill my nakama, and for forcing me to kill me nakama. Good-bye, Lavinia," Kaoru explained in-between sobs. The Capricorns turned away as Kaoru stabbed Lavinia through the heart with his stake, and they didn't turn back until Kaoru started to cry.

"I killed her! I killed my wife twice! Once with my Devil Fruit, and once with my own hand! What have I done?!" Kaoru sobbed. Mina walked over to Kaoru and placed her shawl over his shoulders.

"What do you plan to do with her body?" Mina asked.

"I will plan to cremate it, so she will never get to us again. Lavinia might think that I'm a monster, but I am actually a hero. I saved you, I saved the Capricorns, and I saved an entire island," Kaoru explained as he grabbed Lavinia's body. "Now, I suppose we should find the local crematorium."

An hour later, the Capricorns were walking through the streets filled with people attending Carnival. Kaoru was now holding an urn filled with Lavinia's ashes.

"For once, we can actually relax and have fun during Carnival," Yuki-Rin commented.

"We should. We leave this island tomorrow, and the next island we're docking at is Water Seven, which isn't until a few days from now," Hana explained.

"Ah! Wonderful! It's been a while since I've been home! It would be nice to pop in and see how father and my colleagues at Galley-La are doing," Kartik said.

"Yes, it would be nice, even though father has become ill in recent years and Enoch has become isolated," Matsu added.

"Who's Enoch?" Yuki-Rin asked.

"He's my brother. He's been in my shadow for as long as I can remember, and I think it's taken a toll on him," Matsu explained. "I just hope Enoch has made a name for himself while I was gone. I don't want him to be jealous of me."

The Capricorns grew silent as they approached a particularly busy section of the town. Without saying anything, Holden grabbed Hana and kissed her as confetti rained down on them and people cheered.

"Holden! What was that for?!" Hana cried when the two broke the kiss.

"Remember when we were in costume a couple nights back and we were about to have our first kiss? It may have been interrupted, so I'm just making up for lost time," Holden explained as he pulled Hana closer. "I love you, Hana Yakushi. We're more than friends – We're boyfriend and girlfriend now."

Hana smiled.

"I love you so much, Holden Sarutobi. You've made the right choice by taking our relationship further," Hana said before the two shared a passionate kiss. All around them, the partygoers cheered.

"Well, looks like all three of us found true love," Soren commented as he eyed his wedding ring.

"Now, if only we can find a record deal so we can become a famous rock band already," Heathcliffe added. As the two Sarutobi brothers laughed, Kaoru looked at his urn.

"To young love," Kaoru said before he walked a few feet to the docks and threw Lavinia's ashes into the water. Realizing what he was doing, Kaoru threw the rest of the urn into the water. "On second thought… To nakama."

Ending Note: Yes, there was some not-so-subtle foreshadowing as to who the villain in Water Seven will be.

Since Kokoro and Chimney will appear in the next chapter, review if you want to see them!