Disclaimer!: I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE! I own my OC(s), and that's just it, we are on a fanfiction site/ story site.
Time for the chapter!
Chapter 8.5: World's Hope
~ Can someone...can someone give me a sign? ~
[ Location: Somewhere on the Grandline; September 8th ]
"Mom! Mom, tell us that story again!"
The little boy, with his sister, waited with anticipation as their mother looked at them with a soft look on her face.
The woman smiled, nodding her head as the two children cheered.
The woman had a particular devil fruit, and once her story began, she used it to full display.
A devil fruit that showed things from beyond? Of things long past? A glimpse of lives that were not her own.
The woman started out, "A Child…"
The image of a Child was now shining in the room.
"A Child…" both children whispered in anticipation.
"...a being of power, of creation and destruction, of light and darkness, both blessed and cursed by Gods alike, came from beyond the seas."
The image of a Child encompassing both light and darkness, towering figures looming over them, and a world, like their own, beyond the sea.
Images shift, with the abstract Child holding both what looks to be a blessing in one hand, the other holding onto a curse.
The kids' attention, entirely captured by their mother, could only look upon her as they hung upon every word she uttered as the images played along to her story telling.
"Their powers differed, a new iteration coming to us as the previous would breathe their last. Some could destroy mountains….."
The image shifted, a Child, with their mighty hammer, demolishing a mountain to dust, nothing left in her wake. Her silhouette was seen from the distance, her smile, joyful and merry could be seen.
"...some could see the light and darkness that the heart possessed, wary of the world….."
A new Child, eyes of different colors, face blurred as the children and their mother saw what she saw. People emit different colors, different feelings and emotions.
"...some chose their powers based on their wants, to continue on what they left behind…."
A different child, with emerald hair, tending to their garden of plants. Some larger than him and blindingly horrendous to the eye, some smaller and terrifyingly beautiful.
Others, swaying with the breeze.
Others, wilting under the pressure.
"What they left behind….?" The girl tilted her head.
A brief moment, the woman looked sad, before cooling her features and patting the young one's head. Fixing the young girl's hair.
"Yes, what they left behind." A sad twinkle beneath her eye as she smiled at both of her children.
"...some Child's never got the chance to explore what the world had to offer….."
The image shifted, showing various instances, one Child was left out at sea, one was taken and never seen again, and one even had the misfortune to be eaten by a Sea King.
"...others even went mad with grief over the loss of their loved ones….."
A Child, pure darkness emitting from his person, his form no longer human as he laid waste to the island that he called his home for many years. Mad with grief, rage and sadness seen in his eyes, looking upon the destruction that he created….
…stopping in his tracks as a moment of clarity….
"...some tried to break the curse that binds them all, some tried to do good with the time they had….."
A Child, with a staff, healing people's wounds, while also purifying the lands. Laying people to rest, providing closure to the living, solace to the dead. Nullifying the powers of people with bad intentions, protecting the innocent, the last image, showing a blinding light, the image of him falling and failing to protect a dear friend from a different curse, altogether….
"...the last Child, the one that went today, harbored great strength, the ability to bend time to his will…"
A younger Ryuzaki Tenka, kimono flapping in the wind while the rain stopped, the world itself having stopped, as he continued to walk by. A sake jug hung on his hip, a hand scratching his belly, as his big hat hid his features.
A smile appeared on his face as he saw the ship that he usually called home, and the men that he called brothers finally came to view.
The world that was stopped was now moving forward once more, raining like tomorrow would never come.
"Oh, OH! What about this new Child? What is he like?!" the girl nearly squealed.
The boy looked at her confused, "why would the new Child be a boy? Wouldn't the new Child be a girl?"
The girl and boy looked at each other confused, before they shared a secret understanding, a premonition for the future, both coming to a consensus.
"BOTH!" / "BOTH!"
The woman looked at them, amused as her eyes twinkled, "both?"
Both kids nodded their heads towards their mother, happy that they came to an understanding.
Their mother showed a new image, of a Child with star hair, wearing overalls, then wearing a suit and tie, then wearing a long sleeved blouse with dress pants, a feathered hat over their head. Finally, the last image showed that Child smiling, wearing a top that showed her arms, connected to the dress pants, a beautiful yellow of her outfit while her hair shines stars on that sunny day.
"Both." The woman nodded.
[ Location: Earth 00413 ; Specific Name: Chang Estate; September 8th, 20XX ]
"It has been a long time since I've last seen you….right? Astrid?" Jules held out his hand towards the tomb, his hand going over her name, the many seasons having passed.
The years flew by, now all of them the age of fifty-seven and fifty-eight respectively.
Astrid, forever twenty-one.
"How I have missed you, my dear friend." He rested his head upon the cool marble holding her name, sighing as he let go.
Jules, full name Julian N. Hirano, made his way back to the Chang estate, the path beautifully arrayed with flowers.
The sun directly over him, as the heat turned unbearable at that moment's notice.
"Welcome back inside Jules. How's the weather, enough to be crispy?" Melly, before Mellany Rise Miller, now Mellany Rise Chang, handed a glass of water to her dear friend.
"Enough to bake cookies in a car, I would say…." Jules sipped his water, seeing his friend from the corner of his eye.
She laughed, nearly snorting as she shook her head.
"...she would have said, 'better to be crispy then a soggy fry'...or something of the sort." Jules smiled.
Melly whipped a tear off her face, nodding as she smacked Jules back hard before running towards the kitchen.
"OW." Jules said loud enough to hear as he headed towards said kitchen.
Melly chuckled, "it was supposed to hurt a little."
Jules snorted, as he sat at the kitchen island.
He sighed internally, knowing fully well that they had to talk business that day.
This day.
"Have you heard of any word from Terry and Jerry?"
The mood sombered quickly, the clanking of silverware was the only thing to be heard.
Melly sighed, "I think….they are truly loss at sea….." her voice strained the last part.
They both knew how many resources they invested to find their friends, only to come up with nothing.
Jules continued on, "how is –"
"MELLY?! MELLY!"
Lizzie, better known as Elizabeth Angel Chang, came running into the kitchen, gasping for breath.
"Where's ASTRID?!"
Jules, Jules didn't know how to react.
"She went to go get milk, go lay down my dear." Melly kissed Lizzie's cheek, leading her back to their room.
Lizzie didn't even acknowledge Jules, treating him like air.
"Right…right….she went to go get milk…." Lizzie nodded, a smile on her face, in her own world.
When Melly came back, Jules looked at her.
Truly looked at her.
"For how long…."
He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to control his breathing before any tears could be shed.
Jules looked back up at her, "why didn't you say anything?"
"Her diagnosis was when she turned fifty-five, then…well….she didn't want anyone else to know" Melly glanced to the side.
She sighed, sitting next to Jules as she started twiddling with her hands.
Melly began, "You know how she kept on going to that fortune teller-physic medium…"
Jules only nodded his head.
"I think she did something…."
"Oh….well….she did."
Melly turned her head so fast, that she nearly gave herself whiplash.
Jules sighed, avoiding her gaze, "in fact," he gulped, "the four of us did…"
A look of realization.
"The four of us did….and since we did…..and knowing now, what we know….."
Jules grabbed Melly, "she got her diagnosis at age fifty-five, right?"
"Yes." Melly stuttered out, startled by her friend's sudden change.
Jules looked at Melly with wide eyes, "oh no."
As soon as he made to get up, Melly grabbed his arm, angry eyes meeting his own.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 'SHE DID?!'!" She started to shake him, "WHAT DID YOU GUYS DO?!"
Jules could only look at the ground, before he started a coughing fit.
Getting out a napkin, his coughing, out of control, and little spurts of blood coming out.
The napkin stained red.
The group of six, turning five, then to three, soon to be two, then one…..
"What….what did you guys do?..." Melly whispered, as she got out her own handkerchief to wipe the blood.
Jules, staring out towards the big glass window, towards where the tomb is, whispered,
"We did a taboo."
Melly squeezed his hand, before he continued on.
"And now….now….us four know the truth."
[ Somewhere in the Dimensions ]
"That Child."
The first person spoke, a warmness in her voice as she looked on.
"Do you think she'll do it?"
The second person, a sharp look in their eye as they looked to the twelfth person.
"Do you think she'll carry it?"
The seventh looked worried, eyes wide at what has yet to be, while looking at the twelfth person.
"Will that Child…carry our will?"
The tenth looked at the twelfth, eyes solemn while looking at the beyond.
"That."
The twelfth laughed, before continuing.
"That is her burden to bear."
He looked at what would be the sky.
"That is her fate."
He looked at what would be the ground.
"That is what we have to impart in her, to her."
He met each and every pair of eyes.
"That Child…has a long, vast sea to explore, before we all are free."
He laughed once more, a brutal and sad noise emitted from his person.
"That Child, oh that sweet Child, how the pressures of the world will move you. The people that will love you and scorn you, the things you will experience, see and hear…."
Ryuzaki Tenka sighed.
"How I hope you understand…that you are, indeed, a Beloved Child."
A/N: Yo, YO, YOOOOO!
DH here, misspellings and the like from somewhere in the world!
Here is some, *looks at notes*, LORE!
Some semblance of lore, and a brief interlude, ~wink~.
Love it, hate it, this is all for fun~!
Honestly tho, I totes too busy to write, but I'm trying my bestest.
ANYWHO! Next chapter will be a long one! I'll try my best, *WINK*.
PEACE OUT, with a FIST OF LOVE,
-DH
