I do not own One Piece plot and characters. But I do own my OCs as well as plot twist. Directed by me and written by the amazing Aiikawarazu! Please read and leave a review!
Mornings in Candy Island were a little bit different from how they were in Funwari Island, Leia noticed. While Funwari Island's mornings were somewhat warm, mornings in Candy Island had a distinct kind of crispness, a refreshing coolness that wrapped around everything in a sweet, gentle embrace. The wind carried over the sweet scent of candy from nearby towns and forests, and the sky above the island in the early hours looked like a canvas painted with soft hues of pastel colors. Shades of lavender, peach, and powder blue blended seamlessly, becoming background to the breathtaking sunrise that cast a warm glow over the landscape. The clouds, with their shapes resembling fluffy cotton candies, lazily drifted across the heaves, catching the first rays of sunlight as island inhabitants rose from their sleep.
This morning, Leia and Mabel had both agreed to help Mrs. Guava to do a round of shopping at the local market. As Mrs. Guava had said, there was nothing better than to acquire fresh produce and ingredients first thing in the morning, when the first sunrise hit – because that's when the merchants would always give the best price. "You see, my dears," she had said to Leia and Mabel yesterday, when they were doing their rounds helping her with the hotel chores. "Merchants here believe that they should only charge the lowest possible price to their first customers, when their markets open first thing in the morning." Both girls listened intently, intrigued, as the sweet, elderly widow told them her secret to obtain products with the best price from the merchants. "Charging more than the base price to their first customers is considered bad luck, and widely frowned upon. That's why we always have to go to the market very early in the morning," Mrs. Guava ended her words with a chuckle.
"So that's why they said – the early bird gets the worm," said Leia, casually remembering the old proverb commonly known to the people around her. She'd forgotten however, that she was not in her own world, which unquestionably granted her some confused looks from both Mrs. Guava and Mabel. "What are you talking about, Leia?" asked Mabel, and Leia blushed, quickly remembering where she was now.
"Uhh, nothing!" she said, then quickly changed the topic, "So – is that why we are going to the market tomorrow before the sun rises, Mrs. Guava?"
As Leia stepped outside into the morning, accompanying Mrs. Guava on her trip to the market, she noticed the island was beginning to rise from its sleep. Here and there, the island residents were walking out of their candy houses or grabbing their bicycles to go to school or work, shopkeepers were busy preparing their shops for business, and – Leia could smell the delicious aroma of freshly baked goods from bakeries, tempting her to go inside and have a bite. She also noticed a group of people walking alongside her, Mabel, and Mrs. Guava, bringing in empty rattan baskets with them, which probably meant they were also going to the market to hunt for some fresh produce.
She turned out to be right. When they finally arrived at the market, the place was already crowded. Merchants were busy attracting customers to their stalls by yelling on top of one another (Fish and fresh seafood, three for 1000 Berries! Apples! Fresh apples, strawberries, pears, only 3000 Berries per bag!) while buyers were busy navigating the small, cramped, and narrow allies between stalls. Leia was not used to being in such a bustling little space, but Mrs. Guava seemed to have no problems navigating her way. She calmly told the direction to Mabel, who was pushing her wheelchair, and they made their way from one stall to the other (albeit with a little bit of effort). Leia noticed how Mrs. Guava exchanged friendly remarks with the stall owners. Clearly she was on good terms with them, because all of them looked surprised to see her on a wheelchair, and wished for her speedy recovery. Within less than thirty minutes, they had gathered what they needed and made their way out of the market. Leia's hands, which were empty when they walked in to the market, were now carrying paper bags full of fruits and vegetables, fish and fresh seafood, a roll of bread and butter, and a jar of fresh home-made strawberry jam that the bread stall owner had generously gifted them as a bonus.
On their way back, Leia was about to tell Mrs. Guava how right she was about going to the market first thing in the morning – the merchants had really been generous with their price, and even given them some bonus – when suddenly she heard a loud ripping sound. She looked down to her hands to find where the sound was coming from, and in horror, she saw that all of her bags had ripped open, and all of her goods – fruits, vegetables, seafood, bread, and the likes of them that they had bought in the market – were now on the ground, scattering around on all directions.
"Oh no!" Leia screamed, panic-stricken. "Oh, I'm so sorry! Oh… how did this happen?" She didn't know why all their bags would suddenly burst and rip open like that. Running after tomatoes that were quickly rolling away from her, she attempted to quickly gather all the goods in her hand and hoped that they will not be too dirty, when she noticed large shadow suddenly loomed over her. Curious, she looked up. And the instant she did – she immediately regretted it.
There, standing tall before her who was kneeling on the ground to pick up some stray tomatoes, was the creepiest man she'd ever seen. Everything about him seemed to be… long. He wore a long, navy coat with a long top hat of the same color. His elongated and thin face was pale, almost ghastly white, as if it hadn't been touched by rays of sun in years. His nose was long and pointed, reminding Leia of Pinocchio's nose. And lastly, his dark lips were parted in a smile, but Leia couldn't even notice that he was smiling, due to the fact that she was distracted by that man's most defining feature yet: a long, giant tongue that protruded of his mouth in a very unsettling way.
Leia couldn't help but shiver at the sight. Sure, he might be smiling at her now – but there was a gleam in his eyes that completely put her off.
"Well, hello there," the man said, to which Leia did not reply. She was still recovering from her initial shock of seeing this man. Seeing that his greetings were not returned, the man quickly shifted his attention to the various grocery products on the ground and tutted at the scene. He seemed to understand what happened immediately. "It's a shame that your good, fresh produces are being spoiled on the ground like this, hey you!" he gestured with his candy cane stick to two buff, muscular men standing not far behind him, "Come here and pick these groceries up for these lovely young ladies and the elderly!"
"Minister Perospero!" Mrs. Guava exclaimed, clearly surprised at the sight of her island ministry here out in the open, not to mention he was only a mere distance away from here. "What could possibly bring you here?"
"Ah, well – it's nothing important really, Mrs…"
"Mrs. Guava, Sir," said the widow enthusiastically.
"Ah, Mrs. Guava! Very well, Perorin!" Perospero cleaned his throat before continuing. "Like I said – it's nothing important. Just, yesterday I received words from a little bird that there seems to be uh… 'newcomers' in this island, I should say… and I thought, where would my manners be if I didn't greet them myself, Perorin? So here I am," he bowed slightly, and Leia shivered inwardly at his slick, slimy tone. Though, Mabel seemed to not share the same sentiment toward this man as she greeted Perospero as enthusiastically as Mrs. Guava did.
"Minister Perospero! Greetings," she said, then bowed deeply. Realizing that they were in the presence of a high-ranking official, Leia followed what her friend did and bowed deeply that she was actually looking down at the ground. She had seen Perospero before of course – as a giant bronze statue in the island's central square, and she was already creeped out of him back then. But nothing compared to the level of uneasiness she felt when seeing him in person, all flesh and bones, right in front of her. He seemed to have a very unsettling presence – perhaps it was his long tongue, which was a very unusual feature. For a few moments, Leia tried to imagine him without his long, protruding tongue, and see if it would make him feel less creepy, but it didn't work. Perhaps it was the way he smiled, or the way he talked – slimy and full of hidden intentions. It's like there was something in his smile, in the way he talked, that rang a danger alarm inside her, and her instinct was telling her to never, ever be involved with this man.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Mabel's giggle beside her. "Well, technically… we are not newcomers, Sir. Mrs. Guava has been in this island for a long time, and I live just over there in Funwari Island. The only real newcomer here is my friend, Leia!"
Leia winced at Mabel's words. How she wished her friend had never said that – she didn't want her the topic of her place of origin to be of particular interest to this creepy minister. But too late, Perospero seemed to be taking a huge interest at Mabel's statement.
"Is that so, Perorin?" he said, his unsettling eyes were now moving to stare at Leia. "Well, since you are new in this island, I suppose I must introduce myself, mustn't I? My name is Perospero, the Minister of Candy and Big Mom Charlotte's first-born son. You might have heard of me already, Miss…"
"Leia," trying to fight the urge to run away from the scene that kept pushing from the back of her mind, Leia relented and finally decided to tell Perospero her name. Realizing that it would look rather odd and awkward if she refused to introduce herself here, she followed up on what Mabel had said, and stated that she was a new resident of Tottoland, hoping with all her might that Perospero wouldn't follow up with a question of where she lived before she came there. To her relief, he didn't. But what Leia didn't know was – Perospero was already planning to investigate her origin the second he heard she was not originally from Tottoland.
"So she was not from here… interesting, Perorin," he said inwardly, feeling his heart raced with excitement and curiosity. It was like the excitement he felt yesterday when he saw her dancing in the woods – the feeling that he must uncover everything about her suddenly sprang to the surface once more. "Doesn't matter… I don't have to ask now, I can ask her later." Out of courtesy, Perospero said that he wished she found her stay in Tottoland enjoyable so far. When Leia replied that she did – Perospero flashed one of his cunning smiles, and – to Leia's surprise – bent down, took her hand in his, and kissed the back of her hand a la a gentleman's move.
Only, he didn't really kiss the back of her hand… he licked it.
It was beyond gross that Leia had to fight the urge to scream and pull her hand away when she felt his slick, wet tongue touched the back of her hand. She only succeeded because she reminded herself, time and again, that this person was a minister – and how rejecting him would mean harm to not only her, but everyone around her, like Mabel and Mrs. Guava. And Leia didn't want that to happen.
After what felt like centuries, Perospero finally let go of her hand, and Leia pulled it back, perhaps a little too quickly. She was hoping he would finally leave them in peace and let them continue their journey home, but her heart sank when she heard Perospero's next words.
"Well, ahem! I reckon it will be a bit troublesome for you to bring all your groceries home in those bags," he eyed the ripped bags which were still hanging loosely on Leia's hands, looking miserable and out of function. "How about – I give you a ride home on my carriage, Perorin?"
No! Leia wanted to scream. She couldn't bear the thought of having to be with this man any longer – but contrary to what she was feeling, Mabel and Mrs. Guava replied enthusiastically to Perospero's invitation.
"Oh, how kind of you, Minister!" Mrs. Guava exclaimed, while Mabel nodded excitedly beside Leia. There was no point in Leia voicing her disagreement, so she climbed into Perospero's carriage behind Mabel and Mrs. Guava, and hoped that the ride home would be a quick one.
A while later, Perospero's candy carriage was rolling smoothly on top of the sugar-coated streets of Candy Island, pulled by a majestic giant white seal whose sleek, white fur shimmered in the sunlight. It was curious how one could replace a horse with a seal to pull a carriage – and still look equally as majestic. A crew member, donning a uniform matching with Perospero's candy-cane stick, skillfully handled the rein, guiding the carriage with practiced ease. Inside the carriage – Leia, Mabel, and Mrs. Guava settled onto the plush seats, just opposite of Perospero, who was talking rather animatedly about he had defeated an enemy pirate that had entered Tottoland Territory.
"Thousand-arms Jim has been making name for himself in West Blue before he enters the Grand Line. He'd even commanded a fleet of fifty ships in total, and surely he thought he could have a chance at attacking Tottoland," Perospero chuckled, moving his hand vigorously with theatrical flair as he began his animated narrative. "Picture this," he exclaimed, gesturing dramatically with his candy-cane adorned hand. "A formidable crew of marauding enemy pirates, their sails billowing with the ominous insignia of chaos. They thought they could infiltrate our beloved Tottoland, the sweetest haven in all the seas. But oh, how they were mistaken… Perorin!"
Mabel and Mrs. Guava leaned in, captivated by Perospero's storytelling prowess. Leia, however, stayed quite still at her seat, seemingly not showing any interest at the story. After sparing another curious glance at her, Perospero continued, still vividly painting images with his words. "Of course, I, Perospero, your devoted minister of candy, could not allow this affront to go unanswered. I had to carry my duty as a the oldest son of Big Mom Charlotte, don't I? I summoned forth the power of my Devil Fruit…. and BAM!" He slammed the bottom of his candy-cane stick down to the ground, creating a noise loud enough to surprise his listeners. "All fifty ships were swept down to the bottom of the sea – and their crew were never to be heard of again, Perorin…!" he gave out a chuckle that sent a tingling kind of sensation down Leia's spine – she was absolutely glad she was not part of the enemy pirates' crew.
Perospero paused, allowing the grandiosity of his tale to sink in. "And so, my dear Tottoland residents," he concluded with a flourish, "That is how I, Perospero, safeguard the sweetness of our beloved territory. Another victory for Tottoland, where the taste of triumph is as sweet as the candy that adorns our splendid landscape, Perorin!"
As the story came to the finale, Mrs. Guava and Mabel erupted into applause, showering Perospero with compliments and expressions of gratitude for his heroic defense of Tottoland.
Mrs. Guava clapped her hands, her eyes wide with admiration. "Oh, Minister Perospero!" she sighed. Leia couldn't help but notice that Mrs. Guava's voice – which was usually calm and gentle – had a rather exhilarated nuance this time. "You truly are our guardian! Thank you for keeping us safe." Mabel joined in, nodding vigorously, expressing her endless gratitude for Perospero's supposed protection. "Yes, yes! We feel so fortunate to have you looking out for us."
Perospero slightly touched the edge of his head and bowed in mock courtesy, "Now, now… that is really nothing to worry about… if anything, it is my duty to protect you, the beloved residents of Tottoland, to my utmost abilty, Perorin!" His eyes now shifted from Mabel and Mrs. Guava, still wide-eyed and awestruck in front of him, to Leia, who was still sitting quietly in the corner – looking at the scenery outside the carriage and choosing not to engage in the conversation.
"Your friend seems to be rather quiet, Miss Mabel," said Perospero, "Is that how she normally is?" Leia was suddenly aware that he was talking about her. Quickly, she snapped back into focus and uttered a meek apology to Perospero, "I apologize, Minister," she said, blushing a little at how obvious she had been. "I'm just… I don't tend to speak much. I'm quite shy, that is." Leia had thought that her argument must be nowhere near convincing, but Perospero seemed to buy it just fine.
"Ah," said Perospero, sounding quite satisfied at Leia's explanation. "Nothing to worry about, of course… Shyness has it's own charm, or so I would say! Besides, I do know that my… uh… presence tends to leave people speechless, Perorin," he chuckled, and Leia couldn't help but inwardly roll her eyes at Perospero's narcissistic remark. This man was so full of himself, it's a wonder he hadn't burst to pieces by now. Not knowing anything else to say, Leia forced out an awkward grin, hoping it would be convincing enough to pass for a smile – and retreated back to her little corner. She noticed Mabel and Mrs. Guava began to engage Perospero in yet another conversation, but Leia decided that she'd had enough. She was silent for the rest of their trip home.
Perospero's candy carriage finally came to a gentle halt in front of Mrs. Guava's cottage, its sweet wheels crunching softly on the cobblestone candy-covered path. As they exited the carriage, Perospero, with an air of exaggerated gallantry, extended his hand towards Leia, a gesture that made her entire skin crawl. The garish smile on his face only intensified the discomfort Leia felt. Yet, social decorum demanded a response, and with a reluctant sigh, Leia accepted his hand, stepping off the carriage with a hint of haste.
"Thank you, Minister Perospero," she mumbled, attempting to hide her unease.
The minister's hand lingered for a slight second longer than necessary, his eyes fixed on Leia. She suppressed a shudder and swiftly withdrew from his touch. Anxious to escape the situation, Leia was about to make a hasty retreat into the cottage, mumbling something about having to take care of the groceries immedeiately, when Perospero's voice stopped her.
"Leia, my dear, I must say… Candy Island has many more delights to offer than you might have seen on your own. How about a personal tour led by none other than yours truly? I promise, it'll be an experience you won't forget, Perorin."
"Oh," Leia definitely did not see that coming. Ever polite but wary, she paused for a few moments to consider her response carefully. She wanted to flat-out reject him of course, but once again she was aware that it was not the best possible option considering he was the highest-ranked person on the entire island. "Thank you, Minister Perospero, I… appreciate the offer," she paused, and she could see a smile on the edge of Perospero's lips. He must have thought that she would accept his invitation. "But I'm afraid I'll be quite occupied for the rest of the day," Leia finished her sentence quickly, and Perospero's face immediately turned sour. "Umm… Mabel and I are helping Mrs. Guava, you see. And besides, I've already had a glimpse of the island during our arrival." Perospero's expression looked ugly for a split second, but it changed quickly as he responded to Leia's statement. "Such dedication to your friends. Admirable, Perorin," he remarked, though Leia sensed an undertone of disappointment.
"Um, Minister? If I may excuse us just a few seconds, please," said Mabel, and urgently pulled Leia aside. Leia was surprised at the force her friend exerted when she dragged her, but even more surprised when she found Mabel hissing at her and glaring as she spoke through clenched teeth, "Leia, are you crazy? What are you doing turning down an invitation from the minister? Did you hit your head somewhere?"
"No, I –" Leia didn't even know where to begin to explain herself. Besides, she knew that Mabel was not going to understand the uncomfortable feeling that gripped her every time she was near Perospero. "Just don't say such things and accept, Leia!" Mabel's voice cut in before she could explain herself any further. "This is once in a lifetime chance!"
"I would like to suggest that you take it too, My Dear," Mrs. Guava interjected. "Being escorted around the island by the Ministry of Candy himself… My! How wonderful does that sound. That would be a lot of fun. Do be kind to him and take him up on his offer, Leia."
"Uhm, I –" it was getting increasingly difficult for Leia to maintain her stance, considering the surmounting pressure from all directions. Having used Mrs. Guava and Mabel as her excuse, Leia had hoped that both of them would say how much she was needed at the inn that afternoon and how unfortunate that she couldn't have fulfilled Perospero's invitation. Just as she was about to open her mouth again to defend herself, she heard Perospero speak.
"As your friend have kindly explained to you, Miss Leia – this trip would be quite different for you. No one knows my island better than myself, if I may boast a bit – and surely I do know many hidden gems around the island that you haven't yet have the chance to explore… of course, I would like to extend this invitation to Mabel and Mrs. Guava too, if you please."
"Really?" Mabel's eyes grew wide once again with admiration, "Are we really allowed to join you on the sightseeing, Minister Perospero?"
"Well, yes of course, provided you are not presently occupied with your schedule, Perorin," Perospero smiled politely. He was answering Mabel's question, but his eyes were oddly fixated at Leia. Finding herself not having much say in the matter, Leia finally gave a slight nod in a reluctant agreement – which was met enthusiastically by Perospero.
"Perfect!" he clapped his hands together in delight. "Then, I would give you a call in the afternoon –"
Purururu. Purururu.
The sound of ringing Den-den Mushi distracted everyone from the conversation. One of Perospero's men picked up the call, nodded a few times, then put down the Den-den Mushi receiver and announced to the minister.
"Sir, we got word from the castle! The Charlotte siblings have arrived for the upcoming meeting via Madam Bruleé's mirror. They are waiting for you right now, Sir."
"Blast it!" for a few moments, Perospero seemed to have lost his composure and his gentlemanly demeanor as he slammed the bottom of his candy cane stick to the ground in apparent frustration. "They are not supposed to arrive until tonight, at least," he exclaimed, sounding agitated. "Why are they here so fast?"
"They didn't say, Sir."
"Of course they didn,'t," Perospero muttered, looking disgruntled. Leia, on the other hand, was really curious of the call (what did they mean by 'mirror power'? Was it another devil fruit power?), but she couldn't really probe about what it was. Perospero seemed to quickly realize that he was in the presence of another group – namely Leia and friends – who had no idea what they were talking about. He quickly fixed his gestures, and picked up where he left off.
"Ahem! Apparently some… emergency have come up, Perorin. I regret to say that I wouldn't be able to take you on that tour around the island today, but I would be happy to take you all… tomorrow."
"That would be wonderful, Sir," said Mabel almost automatically. Perospero chuckled, then once again touched the edge of his hat. "Well then, it is agreed. I must leave now." His eyes inadvertently drifted to Leia, a smile on his lips as he said once again, "Very enchanted to meet you, Miss Leia, I would be happy to see you again tomorrow, if you please."
"The pleasure is mine, Minister," Leia replied, almost out of obligation. She couldn't really shake the sick feeling inside her stomach, like she was about to throw up, as Perospero climbed into his carriage and wheeled away. She didn't even hear Mabel exclaiming excitedly about how fun tomorrow would be, and contemplating on what to wear. For a moment, everything around her seemed to be blurred and out of focus, and she only snapped back into her senses when she heard Mabel calling her to come inside and help with the groceries.
The night was draped in velvety darkness, the only illumination coming from the soft glow of the stars and the gentle, silvery-white luminescence of the moon reflecting off the calm waters near the docks. A gentle night breeze whispered through the air, carrying with it the subtle, salty scent of the sea, and the distant aroma of candy from over from the forest and the town. The rhythmic lapping of the waves against the shore provided a soothing backdrop to the quietude that enveloped the island.
Amidst the desolate night scene, Leia was walking alone on the docks, her steps creating soft creaking sound on the wooden planks. Her head bowed down, she was seemingly distracted by her own inner thoughts. She had decided to sneak out of the cottage the second everyone was asleep. Unable to find solace in sleep, she went out to get some fresh air, and also to contemplate on the events that transcended her life just today. Despite her best efforts to shut them away, the events of the day continued to linger in her mind, casting a looming shadow that she wasn't quite able to escape. She couldn't shake the discomfort that Perospero's presence had left within her, his overbearing charm and insistent offers gnawing at the edges of her consciousness.
As she wrestled with her own thoughts, regret began to nestle in the corners of her mind, whispering doubts and making her reconsider her decision to come to Candy Island. It seemed like everything here never quite worked out the way she intended them to be. Despite her attempts to keep a low profile, she was noticed by the homies when dancing alone in the woods. And then, out of nowhere, she received an invitation from the number one person in this island to spend the whole afternoon with him – an invitation she would pretty much decline had her friends not urged her to take it. She was not looking forward to it at all, even the short trip home inside Perospero's carriage was enough experience to keep her uncomfortable for the rest of the day, she could only imagine how it would feel spending the whole afternoon with him. She shuddered.
"Why did I come here in the first place?" she sighed, almost unconsciously. But as soon as she realized what she said, she was horrified at how mean and terrible it sounded. Had she not come here to help Mrs. Guava – the kind, elderly widow, with her chores because she hurt herself? How could she say something completely mean and self-centered, regretting ever coming to this island just because an uncomfortable incident or two? Surely she had to be better than that! She scolded herself for entertaining thoughts of abandoning her commitment to help Mrs. Guava. Leia couldn't let her own discomfort overshadow the gratitude she owed.
Just then, the sound of creaking wooden plank behind her alerted her of the fact that someone was coming. She hid quickly behind a large rock not far from the docks, and slightly peered out of her hiding place to see who it was. he approaching footsteps echoed softly against the wooden planks of the dock, growing louder with each passing moment. And then, emerging from the darkness, came a figure that Leia never expected to encounter on Candy Island.
It was William, the tall, towering savior with superhuman strength that would have put even Superman to shame. Memories of the day he had effortlessly prevented a disaster at Chiffon's factory – where she almost got crushed by flour bags falling on top of her head – flooded back into Leia's mind. His broad shoulders and buff, extremely tall features were unmistakable, even under the pale, dim moonlight.
"William!" Leia jumped out of her hiding place and called his name before she could even stop to consider it. He didn't seem like he'd heard her. William still walked in hasty steps without a pause, his eyes were fixated forward. He appeared to be deep in thought, the lines on his forehead etched with a solemnity that hinted at concerns beyond the physical realm. However, Leia was too excited to see him again that she didn't pay attention to such details. She had thought that she wouldn't be able to see William forever after he'd so suddenly quit his job in Chiffon's factory – but here he was now, flesh and bones, right before her eyes.
"William!" Leia called once again and ran to catch up to him. This time, he finally showed some kind of reaction. He halted on his track, then seemed to be scanning his surroundings, looking for the source of the voice. "William, wait!" said Leia, out of breath after trying to catch up to William's giant steps. "It's me!"
And then, as if he finally recognized her voice, William turned around, and saw Leia running toward her. Astounded, he stood fixed at his place. She could see his eyes widened as he regarded her in a mixture of surprise and recognition.
"Leia…," he said, his voice died down at the end. He stopped in his place long enough until she finally caught up to him, and both of them stood still in front of one another. For a while, only the sound of her ragged breaths filled the emptiness of the night, along with the sound of the lapping waves and the gentle breeze. Not a word was uttered between them as they each tried to process this unexpected reunion.
Katakuri just came into Leia's life just in time to turn her day downside up! More to come soon! Please give a fav, follow and a review! I would really appreciate!