[ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝔼𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕖𝕖𝕟]
𝕾𝖔𝖒𝖊 𝖈𝖆𝖑𝖑 𝖎𝖙 𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖔𝖘. 𝖂𝖊 𝖈𝖆𝖑𝖑 𝖎𝖙 𝕱𝖆𝖒𝖎𝖑𝖞.
Some call it Chaos. We call it Family.
X
The war had ended with the appearance of the Red-haired pirates. Marines stopped attacking under the orders of Sengoku while the pirates and allies were finally able to escape with no worries of being attacked no longer.
The only death since their appearance was Akainu's.
"What?"
Shanks one word had caused many to shiver, his conqueror haki leaking.
He had snapped his head in the direction of the admiral, "He killed her?"
At the nodding from his sister's, his dead sister, group, he stalked towards Akainu. Dragging his sword out of its sheath, "Then I'll kill him."
With one slash from his haki coated sword, Akainu's neck was cut off the rest of his body.
The silence that followed was broken by Shanks' next words, "You dare kill my sister. So, you die too."
X
It was when the whitebeard pirates had reached a safe distance from marineford did submarine of the heart pirates rise.
The whitebeard pirates tensed up, expecting an attack from the warlord, but when Trafalgar stepped out of the submarine with Luna his arms, did they relax.
"Permission to come aboard?" the warlord asked.
"Permission granted," Whitebeard answered.
The moment that Law had stepped on the moby dick, that he started looking around. Whitebeard had noticed that, "If you're looking for Ann and Sabrina, they locked themselves in Ann's room."
Law nodded.
"Tell me now, why did you come on my ship? And with ... with Monkey D. Luna?"
Law shrugged, "It was a favour. Now, can someone get Sabrina-ya and fire fist-ya?"
Whitebeard raised an eyebrow, but still ordered a member to get the pair of sisters. And also adding on to get Marco along.
It took longer than needed for them to come, which Law didn't question. And it gave enough time for the Red-hair pirates to catch up, with the Sunny-Go following behind.
Shanks nodded briefly in greeting at Whitebeard, walking towards the surgeon of death. "Give her to me."
Law narrowed his eyes at the emperor in front of him, "Why should I? How can I trust you?"
Zoro walked on board then, carrying three boxes in his arms, "He can be trusted, Torao. Red-hair is Luna's older brother."
Law glanced at the green-haired swordsman in surprise, then looked hesitantly at Shanks' one arm, "Will you be able to carry her?"
Shanks would have normally let out a laugh, or at least a grin at a comment like this. But right now, he couldn't bring himself to. "I can."
And Law handed the body over to Shanks, making sure that the man can actually carry her first before moving away. At the right time that Sabrina and Ann had appeared on deck, followed by Marco, Izou and Thatch. The sisters had red, puffy eyes, obvious results from crying. Heads down, body tired. The three commanders following were looking worried at the two, but it was clear that Thatch and Izou were looking out for Marco too.
"Ann. Sabrina." Shanks whispered.
The two said people raised their heads slowly, eyes lifeless until their eyes laid on Luna. Tears started falling not long after.
Shanks smiled sadly at then pair, settling down on the flooring of the deck, and gestured for the two to do the same in front of him.
Whitebeard could see that an important conversation will be happening soon, so he gestured for most of his crew to go below deck aside from the commanders. This left the remaining whitebeards, Law and Zoro on deck. Benn approached, the straw-hat in his grip, but stood beside Zoro, not nearing his captain for now.
Whitebeard could see the group of ex-marines on their ship, surprisingly with Jimbe, nearby in the case of anything, but all silent as not to disturb Shanks and the sisters. They all looked teary eyed, but none of them were crying. From their postures, they looked to be relaxed, but Whitebeard could see their wariness and sadness. The poor crew, they have not been able to take the chance to mourn their captain. But under all the sad, their eyes held determination, faith, as if this was not the end. As if knowing something that is going to happen. Whitebeard could see the same look in the green-haired swordsman.
"Luna," Shanks started, "Loved you two the most."
Sabrina nodding, letting out a hiccup, clutching into Ann's hand.
"Your safety and happiness were, and always have been her priority."
"How does this make us happy though?" Sabrina let out, "How can her death make us happy? How could she be so dumb and selfish and leave us?"
Shanks settled Luna's body on the girls' lap then caught Sabrina's free hand into his own, squeezing it, "Yeah, Luna was dumb to do that." He confirmed, guiding Sabrina's hand to lay on Luna's. "But she believed that your lives are more important."
"Shanks," Sabrina whispered, "She-" Sabrina choked up, crying even more, "Lu-... Lu-nee gave up her freedom for us. For ten years!"
"I know," he whispered back, "Oh god, I know. I was so pissed off when she told me."
"How could she do that?" Ann's voice came out low, raspy. It was the first thing she said since Luna took the hit meant for them. "How could she give up her freedom and her dream for us? What about mom's promise? Lu-nee promised mom to fulfil her dream."
Shanks could remember the same question being asked by Ann the first time he met her, then he couldn't answer her, but now, with the deal between Luna and the government no longer a secret? He could tell Ann the reason.
"Ann," He called out for the girl who was shaking and wiping away her tears. "You don't know this. But Luna's first promise to Lady Rouge wasn't about her dream. But it was about taking care of you and anyone important to Luna. Since that was her first promise, it was the most important to her. More than her dream." He then caught Ann's hand, stopping her from wiping her tears, he guided her hand next to Luna's hand too. Then he wiped away her tears instead.
"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you both anything. But the world government had eyes and ears everywhere. If you two had found out, they would have ended the deal and killed all three of you."
"But they still tried to kill us in the end," Sabrina pointed out.
He let out a wet chuckle, "Yeah, I told Lu that the bastards won't keep their end of the deal, but she just needed to give you two time to get stronger."
Sabrina's lower lip wobbled and Ann had her eyes closed tight.
Shanks looked to the side, to Zoro. Zoro stepped forward towards the trio, he crouched down and placed the three boxes in front of them.
Sabrina recognised the man in front of her as her sister's right-hand man. She stared at him in confusion, then settled her eyes at the boxes. Sabrina nudged her sister and pointed at the boxes.
Zoro got up and walked away, letting the explanation come from someone they're familiar with.
Seeing their confusion, Shanks started explaining. "Those are from Luna. She had left them in the case she doesn't make them."
The pair stared, wide eyed, at the boxes.
Shanks pointed at one of the boxes.
"One of them contains letters and Luna's journals. All of the adventures she wanted to tell you about. Everything that came up that made her think of you. They contain everything she wanted you both to know."
Then he pointed at the other two.
"One each is for you two. They're labelled inside on which belongs to who. These contain all the gifts for the birthdays she missed. Anything that she bought that reminded her of you two or anything that she thought you two might like."
Sabrina covered her mouth with her hand, to muffle any of her sobs, while Ann just cried silently, reaching out for one of the boxes with shaking hands.
Shanks finally let the two be, letting them have their privacy, as he got up.
He headed towards Marco. He could see how exhausted the phoenix looks. When he passed Zoro, who took out an envelope and a small box from a pocket and handed it to Shanks.
When Shanks stopped in front of the blonde-haired man, he stretched out his hand and gave the envelope to Marco.
"And this is for you."
Marco stared down at the envelope. He read his name written on it with the familiar handwriting. The handwriting that he used to sometimes make fun of Luna for. It was a messy, sloppy, handwriting that Marco loved no matter how much he used to tease her for it.
His eyes were tearing up again, but he didn't let any fall before he could even read the letter. He carefully opened the envelope, not wanting to cause damage to the last thing he got from Luna.
Dear Marco!
If you're reading this, then I probably died protecting my sisters.
I'm sorry for leaving you but I can tell you that I don't have regrets even without fulfilling me dream. My sisters are safe (hopefully) and the since I met you, you made me the happiest I can be. I love being by your side. I love hearing you talk about your family; it shows that you care about them no matter how much you complain about them being annoying. I love it when you hold my hands and you hug me, when you make me feel safe within your arms. I love when your eyes crinkle from laughter. I love how they shine when you look at me. I love when you blush from embarrassment, or from when I compliment you, or from whenever I say love you.
Oh Marco, I just wish I could say this all to you in person, but I just have to settle for this. And I'm sorry for ruining our promise of the proposal. I wanted us to get married. To show the whole world that you belong to me and me alone.
Marco, I was told that usually when a person dies, they inform their lover to move on. To find love with someone else. I'm sorry that I can't do that. I don't want to share you even in my death. I don't care if it's considered selfish, I have the heart of a pirate after all. You are mine, and you can't love someone else. You're not allowed to!
I love you Marco, and I hope you will continue taking care of my sisters. I know that they can be a handful, but not as bad as me.
I hope you like the rings, I wanted something to show that you are mine and I am yours. I got Robin's help to choose them.
Luna.
Marco held back a sob, lifting his hand to rub his eyes. "Where... Where are the rings?" He asked softly.
Shanks handed him the small box. It was a ring box.
Marco opened the box, there, laid on the small pillow a pair of silver rings. One clearly for him, and the other for her. With a shaky hand, he picked up his ring. The ring band was simple, it held a small ruby gemstone and on the inside of the ring had "Belongs to Luna" carved. Settling the ring in its place, he picked up the ring belonging to Luna, similar to his, it was simple (both of them did always like simple things), only have a small blue sapphire and on the inside was "Belongs to Marco".
Marco was blue. Luna was red. Marco's ring held the red gemstone. And Luna's held the blue one. It didn't only show that they belong to one another, but it is a reminder as well, of each other.
Marco couldn't hold in his tears anymore. His sight becoming blurry.
"Marco," Izou approached him, voice soft, "Are those?"
Marco nodded, chocking out a, "They're the engagement rings."
There were soft gasps from the commanders at the answer.
Izou smiled sadly at her brother, "Seems like she had the same idea as you."
Izou meant Marco's own pair of rings, that Izou helped choose. But Marco's was the blue sapphire and Luna's was the red ruby.
"What do they mean?" Haruta asked her brother.
"Ruby engagement rings signify love and passion. They're believed make a marriage strong." Marco started, eyes soft when gazing down at the rings, "Sapphire rings means honesty, sincerity and faithfulness, also believed to give good fortune within a marriage, and keep it healthy."
"Marco," Ann called out, looking at her ship-brother, "What do you mean engagement rings?"
Marco looked at his dead lover's sister, his own ship-sister. "Luna was my lover." He admitted, before adding on to avoid any upcoming anger, "I didn't know you two are her sisters though. And she was also the one that warned us that the world government knows about you."
Ann nodded, caressing Luna's hair.
"Wha-what are we going to do now?" She asked out loud.
Shanks hesitated before saying, "We will bury her-"
"-No." Zoro interrupted.
Everyone stared in shock at the former pirate hunter.
"Zoro-ya," Law started, startling Sabrina who had not noticed her crush was there, "Luna-ya is dead."
"I know." The swordsman replied, "But we're not burying her."
"Zoro," Shanks called out but Zoro just stared head on at his captain's older brother. "Her devil fruit." Zoro said.
Shanks froze, "How did you- never mind that. Zoro, it's been too long since she was hit, if she was going to come back, she would have done so already."
"Shanks? What are you talking about?" Sabrina asked, "Lu-nee's devil fruit is the gum gum fruit, isn't it?"
"Well... yes? But no?"
"What do you mean?" Ann narrowed her eyes at the red-haired emperor.
Shanks sweat-dropped at the anger targeted at him, "The gum gum fruit is the name that the world government want to the world to believe, but in reality-"
Shanks got interrupted by Chopper, who changed forms into his reindeer form and jumped on board the ship with the exclamation of "Her heart beats!"
The doctor rushed towards Luna, "I can hear her heart beats!"