Hello OP fans! I know it's been a while but alot has happened since the beginning of 2024. I lost my beloved grandfather whom I was very closed and was depressed. I was able to get back to my feet and keep moving forward. I got inspiration again for this story as well. Thank you for those who have favorite, followed and left positive reviews for my story! I really appreciate it! I also appreciate my coauthor for helping me write my story! You are the best mate! 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!
Before Leia realized, one week had flown by – and it was almost time for her picnic with William. Humming slightly to herself as she prepared for the big day in front of the mirror, Leia took her time to choose her outfit carefully.
Leia browsed through her wardrobe, searching for the perfect outfit for her picnic with William. As she ran her fingers over the array of clothing, her gaze settled on a cozy knit sweater in a soft shade of beige. She ran her fingers through the soft fabric, contemplating if it was the right kind of outfit to wear today. She glanced outside the window – today's weather was cold and cloudy, with occasional cold breeze – it seemed like a perfect sweater weather indeed. Pulling the sweater from her wardrobe, Leia stood in front of the mirror and held the sweater in front of her with one hand to check how it looked. She looked warm and cozy – and the color complimented her skin tone perfectly.
Feeling satisfied with her choice of top, Leia put the sweater on and moved on to selecting a scarf to accompany it. She wanted to ensure she stayed warm during their outdoor excursion. Besides – there was something between William and scarves… it would probably be better if she had on a scarf as well. This logic might have seemed like it came out of nowhere, but Leia considered it seriously, as a sense of appreciation for his fashion sense. After considering several options, Leia settled on a scarf that matched the sweater perfectly—a deep, dark brown scarf that complimented the soft beige of the sweater. It was soft to the touch and promised to provide both comfort and style.
With her outfit complete, Leia moved on to choosing the rest of her attire. She opted for a pair of fitted jeans that hugged her curves comfortably, providing both warmth and mobility for their outdoor adventure. For footwear, Leia selected a pair of sturdy boots with low heels – and she was almost ready.
Satisfied with her choices, Leia picked up her favorite denim jacket. However, before she had the chance to put it on, her gaze fell on an item on her dresser: a silver vintage hair comb with unique ornaments around it. It was easily the most identifiable item there, the fact that it was different from the rest of her belongings made it stood out even more to the eyes of the observer. Leia ran her fingers through the ornate hair comb affectionately, and with it came a flash of memories of a conversation she'd had with Mrs. Guava the day she left Guava Island.
"My dear, there's something I have to tell you before you go."
Leia, who had been busily stuffing her bag with her belongings, turned her head toward the door as she heard the familiar voice of the old widow.
"Mrs. Guava!" Leia replied and quickly made for the door, but Mrs. Guava smiled softly and stopped her.
"Keep on packing, Leia – I am just here to have some conversation… if you'd have the time to humor this old widow's request… would you, dear?"
"Of course, Mrs. Guava – I'll always have time for you," said Leia. "What is it?"
"Well, since you are going back to Funwari Island soon, I figured… I owe you an explanation of why I behaved so emotionally on the day you fulfilled the minister's tea party invitation."
It took a moment for Leia to remember what the widow meant. Of course. On the day of the tea party, Leia had just finished putting on the beautiful vintage white dress that used to belong to Mrs. Guava's late daughter – when the widow suddenly excused herself from the room. Leia remembered seeing Mrs. Guava's eyes glistening with tears back then. Leia didn't mention anything to the widow after that out of consideration, she figured that Mrs. Guava would tell her when she was ready. And today seemed to be the day that the widow would finally open up to her.
"Leia, dear," Mrs. Guava began, her voice tinged with a hint of nostalgia, and – Leia couldn't help but notice – a tinge of sadness as she remembered days past. "I have a story to share with you. You see, I once resided in a beautiful kingdom nestled in the North Blue, a place called Flevance. Back then, it was a kingdom of unparalleled beauty and grace. Though not a native of Flevance, I journeyed from my hometown in East Blue to that kingdom far, far away in the North Blue as I was sent there to serve as the nanny to the royal family. And it was there that fate intertwined my path with that of my late husband. He was one of those workers who toiled away in the mines, extracting a mineral known as Amber Lead."
Mrs. Guava shivered slightly, and Leia could catch the horror in her voice as the widow mentioned 'Amber Lead'. Leia was clueless as to what it was of course – but even back home, she knew that 'lead' was a highly toxic material that was deadly to a lot of people. Perhaps it was identical as the mineral that she knew back home. At any rate, Leia didn't feel like it was the right time to interrupt the widow's story to ask what Amber Lead was – so she decided to swallow her curiosity and continue to listen to Mrs. Guava.
"To cut it short… we fell deeply in love," Mrs. Guava continued, the smile that broke on her face as she talked about her later husband spoke everything of her deep love for him. Even after many years had passed, Leia could tell that her love remained unchanged. Witnessing such pure love, the girl couldn't help but smile too. "Our love blossomed like the sweetest of flowers, and before long, we were blessed with a daughter whom we named Emily. Oh, how she brought joy and laughter into our humble abode," Mrs. Guava chuckled. "Emily then grew up, found her own love, and started a family of her own. Those were the happiest days of my life, Leia, surrounded by the warmth of family and the embrace of love. Every day I wished that the happiness would never end…." There was a brief pause before she continued.
"But of course, everything good must come to an end," Mrs. Guava gave out a sad sigh. "It was sixteen years ago when tragedy befell our kingdom," Mrs. Guava recounted, her voice tinged with sorrow. "The insidious effects of the amber lead began to take their toll, claiming the lives of many, including… my dear family," her voice shivered slightly, but she continued on. "It was a devastating blow for me of course, one that shattered our once idyllic existence. You know… up until that point, no one had suspected anything. We never once thought that the profitable material, the Amber Lead, was in any way devastating. I always found it puzzling though, because the royal family itself never once utilized the mineral, and they even forbade me from doing so as long as I served as their nanny. Thinking back now – they must have known that the material was toxic to humans… but they'd kept it to themselves… in exchange of the innocent citizens' lives," Mrs. Guava smiled bitterly.
"Eventually, things got so bad that the royal family decided we should evacuate the kingdom. I firmly refused to be evacuated without my family, and the king told me that this was only a temporary measure… that while we evacuate, the World Government would send their aid to the kingdom to cure the people, and my family. Relieved, I told my family of the happy news, but oh, Leia…," Mrs. Guava shook her head painfully as she continued – Leia was gripped with horror as she listened to the widow's next words. "It was a lie – all of it. Just like the royal family had never intended to share the truth about Amber Lead to the citizens… the king never intended to save my family. I found out that the World Government later had indeed sent their people to the kingdom… but they were not the 'aid' that we had been expecting. They were not meant to cure or save the people, Leia. They were meant to exterminate every single one of us. None of us Flevance citizens were meant to stay alive. We were not meant to survive the Amber Lead tragedy. The World Government was trying to erase us off the map."
Leia felt her goosebumps rising as she heard Mrs. Guava's horrid tale. Somehow, she couldn't believe that there would be someone capable of such acts of evil… murdering innocent people – women and children – tearing and breaking families apart… she clenched her fists and tried to swallow her tears, returning her focus to the present to listen to Mrs. Guava's story.
"When I found out the truth – that the World Government wasn't planning on helping us, I hired a guide to take me back to Flevance and rescue my family, but… oh, Leia…" Mrs. Guava clutched her heart, and she suddenly went very pale that Leia was afraid the elderly widow was going to have a heart attack. "A – are you okay?" she asked worriedly, jumping out of her seat, to which Mrs. Guava managed a small, weak nod.
"You don't have to tell me," Leia said quickly. "Please – I know it must have been horrifying for you, I don't want it to affect your health."
"I'm fine, dear…" said Mrs. Guava, and Leia noted that her strength seemed to be coming back. "I was just a little… shaken, but I need to get this off my chest." Leia nodded, albeit a bit reluctantly. She was still worried about the widow's health – but she seemed determined to finish her story, so Leia decided to sit back down and listen.
"When I… came back to the kingdom, it was chaos. The exterminators sent by the World Government had arrived before me, and they were busy shooting everyone on sight. People were running everywhere, trying to save themselves from the exterminators, but of course, there was nowhere to run… I got separated with my guide amidst all the chaos, but I didn't even realize it back then. The only thing on my mind was to make it as fast as I could to my family's home – I hoped and hoped with all my heart that they were safe… but I was too late, Leia. I found them all at home, but they had been dead from bullets… all of them. I saw my husband's body on top of Emily's… he must have been trying to protect Emily and her children from the bullets, sacrificing himself so that they could run away. He was a good man, through and through."
Leia suddenly felt a lump in her throat, and she swallowed hard, to get rid of it. She couldn't imagine how it must have felt like for Mrs. Guava, seeing her beloved family dead in front of her – knowing she was too late to save them…
"I didn't really remember what happened after that… I must have wandered alone for some time, hoping for some exterminator to find and shoot me. But it never happened. Instead, I heard something that pierced through my consciousness like the ring of a bell: the cry of a child. So loud and so clear was it – that it returned me to my consciousness immediately. I looked around, and I spotted a small boy. He was there, standing in front of a burning, his cries echoing with the pain of loss. He had lost everything, his parents, his sisters, his friends… He was all alone, like me. His skin bore the telltale signs of sickness, yet he clung to life with a fierce determination. And atop his head, he wore a white fur hat adorned with black dot patterns. Seeing him like that … it just stirred something deep within me. Surely it couldn't have been coincidence that we both – who had lost everything – happened to meet right then, right there…? It was as if I was given a second chance to live. And suddenly I found my will to live again. I just thought to myself… I had to live to save this little boy."
Leia was sitting at the edge of her seat now, holding her breath in anticipation. This was a development that she did not see coming. Did Mrs. Guava managed to save the boy? What happened to him afterwards? Without waiting too long, Leia finally got her answers.
"It definitely wasn't easy… but I managed to persuade the boy to leave the island with me," Mrs. Guava flashed a small smile. "It took a lot of convincing on my part… but I did it in the end. I told him, the fact that I was there at that time, and ran into him of all people, must have meant something. It must have meant that his life wasn't meant to end there. He was skeptical, of course. The boy was small, but he knew enough already. He knew that, already being infected by the Amber Lead Syndrome, he wouldn't have long to live. But I told him that the world was big – and even if there was no one who could cure him in the whole Flevance, who knew if there was someone, somewhere who could cure him? And that finally convinced him. And then I carried him out of there, immediately."
"And?" Leia asked before she could help herself, pushed by her curiosity. "What happened after?"
"We reunited with the guide," Mrs. Guava smiled, seeing Leia so invested in her story. "Again, I didn't know how I did it… it must have been my will to survive, to protect that kid – that led me to rendezvous with the guide eventually. Of course, he blatantly rejected the idea of us bringing that boy out of Flevance… especially seeing that the boy was already infected with Amber Lead Syndrome… but I convinced him that the disease was not contagious… I heard it myself from the royal family, so of course I knew I was right… I just kept arguing with him, I wouldn't take no for an answer… and when it seemed like he was dead set on not having the boy with us no matter what, I finally resorted to bribing him. That sure changed his mind," Mrs. Guava chuckled and shrugged slightly. "You see, Leia… sometimes you can't undermine the power of money. It is not pretty, but it is what it is…," she sighed. "We three finally left the island on our small boat, but then, as if there was not enough misfortune in my life, a storm came upon us and destroyed our small boat. I was lucky enough to be rescued by a group of kind sailors who were heading to the New World… and that was how I ended up in Tottoland." She paused briefly, then shook her head. "I never knew what happened to the boy after. Even until today, I still wonder what happened to the boy… I hope he was able to escape the storm and, like me, was also rescued by some nice people."
A brief moment of silence passed between them, before Leia asked, "Do you at least know his name though?"
"Oh yes," the old woman replied, her face glowing for a moment. "I remember it clearly even to this day. It's 'Law'."
"I'm sure she made it fine," said Leia, "He must have made it out of the storm and ended up somewhere. And I am sure to this day he still remembers the kind woman who saved his life."
"You are too kind to this old woman, my dear Leia," Mrs. Guava replied with a sincere smile. As she looked at Leia, she finally noticed that the old woman's eyes were glistening with tears. Her voice was hoarse as she spoke again.
"You see Leia, when you wore the dress that day… It reminded me of my late daughter. I suddenly felt as if she was here, as if she was still alive with me to this day," a drop of tear fell on Mrs. Guava's face. "There was not a single day passing by without me missing them… my husband, my beautiful daughter and her family… I remember her small hands on mine as if it was just yesterday, and when I close my eyes at night, I can still picture my family sitting by the fireplace… I would be knitting, and my grandchildren would be laughing, playing with each other… my husband would be busy reading the papers, and Emily… my beautiful daughter, the kind girls she is… she would be busily tending to everyone's needs… I remember everything so vividly, but then when I open my eyes, they were gone, and I'm all alone…"
Leia could feel the pain and grief in Mrs. Guava's voice, and she suddenly realized that her eyes were wet too. Drops of tears fell down her cheeks, and the next thing she knew, she was holding Mrs. Guava tightly – as if to ease her wounds, as if to enclose all her pains, to capture them and take them away. She knew how painful it was to have something precious from her taken away, she'd had her share of pains in this world. And perhaps that was why she felt such a strong connection to Mrs. Guava – all she wanted was to heal the wounds caused by the old woman's bitter past. For a while, they stood there hugging, letting their presence heal each other. And then, Mrs. Guava finally spoke, "There is something I want to give you, Leia."
Curious, Leia watched as the old woman pulled out a velvet box from her drawer, and opened it to reveal the most beautiful piece of hair comb that Leia had ever seen in her life. Fashioned from silver, the item's faded hue hinted at its age. Leia had a feeling this item must have been older than her. The comb arched gracefully downward at the end, its top was adorned with intricate ornaments that looked like beautiful flowers, each of the flower's stems curved inward, toward the crown-shaped ornament located at the center. Leia noticed that the comb was adorned with intricate details that looked like sun and swirls of clouds around it, adding to the comb's enchanting allure.
"This item," Mrs. Guava started, "Has been in my family for generation – and it goes back to an ancient tale of a new dawn. I want you to have this, Leia."
"Oh!" Leia remarked, surprised. "I – I can't possible receive something so valuable, Mrs. Guava. I mean… this is your family heirloom, and…." However, the old woman shook her head and gently shoved the hair comb into Leia's hand, making it clear that she wanted Leia to have it.
"I insist," she said. "This piece should have been handed down to my daughter, but as you know – I am but a lone widower. And you are as close as a daughter to me, Leia. It is better to hand this piece of jewelry to you rather than letting it gather dust inside my drawer. Think of this as my way to honor the memories of my daughter."
For a moment, Leia couldn't say anything. She was beyond honored that Mrs. Guava looked upon her so fondly. Finally, her voice shivering a little, she decided to honor the old woman's request by accepting the family heirloom.
"Thank you, Mrs. Guava," she said, giving the old woman another hug. "I promise to take a very good care of it."
"You are welcome, Leia… and please do not hesitate to come by… you are always welcome here, my dear…"
Back to the present, Leia sat in front of her dresser, fondly caressing the hair comb while reliving the beautiful memory. Suddenly, she was reminded of the time, and her mind snapped back to the promise she had made this afternoon. A good long while must have past as she sat there reminiscing the events of last week. Quickly, Leia put the jewelry back in its box before returning it to her drawer. She would be late for her picnic if she didn't head out soon.
Making her way to the kitchen, Leia started packing her favorite dessert for the picnic. Then, Leia approached the kitchen counter and neatly packed the special dish of the day – steaming hot ramen that she had made earlier with the help of Jasper. There was something about cold and cloudy days like today that made people crave warm soupy dish, and she was pretty confident that William would have praised her for her choice of food for their picnic today. Careful to not waste even a drop of broth, Leia put the hot ramen into its container, and carefully placed it in the middle of the picnic basket. She had told both Jasper and Mabel about William, although she'd kept quiet about the fact that William was a member of Big Mom's pirate crew and second in command of Katakuri – since she had a feeling they wouldn't be very happy about it. Mabel was excited to hear that Leia had made a new friend, and told Leia that one day she must invite him to dinner.
Finally finished packing everything into the picnic basket (it was not an easy feat putting ramen neatly into a picnic basket without messing it up), Leia secured the picnic basket on the back seat of her bike and hopped on, pedaling away to her destination. The streets were pretty much deserted – which was not a wonder because it wasn't a good day to be outside. Thick clouds hung on the sky, and cold breeze blew every few minutes, but it didn't bother Leia even one bit. She didn't even feel the cold biting her cheeks as she kept pedaling away, closer and closer to seeing William again. She wondered why it made her that excited – the thought of seeing him again, talking to him, enjoying good food and being in his company for some good long hours… She couldn't wait. Feeling her heart beat with excitement the closer she got to her destination, she started humming to herself. Without realizing it, a smile suddenly broke on her face – a testament of how joyful she was feeling at the moment.
Suddenly, she had a weird feeling that she was being watched. So strong was that feeling – that she had to press the brakes on her bike and turned to look behind her. Frowning, she saw that the street behind her was pretty much deserted – there was no one on sight. She hesitated for a bit. This was not the first time it happened – she had been experiencing it occasionally since she left Candy Island, and it usually happened when she was alone. She started feeling uneasy – what if it had something to do with the murder cases that's been happening around Tottoland? For a while she contemplated if she should look around more carefully, just in case. But then she remembered that she had an important appointment to keep – she wouldn't want to keep William waiting. Shrugging, Leia decided that it was not an important matter – at least for now. Perhaps it was just her imagination, after all she was feeling quite paranoid because of the murder cases that's been happening. Putting the weird feeling on the back of her mind, Leia she started pedaling again. She was in a hurry at the moment, she had been looking forward to this picnic all week – and she was not going to let some weird feeling stop her. Investigation could wait until next time.
She finally arrived at her destination. William had suggested this spot for their picnic, they had arranged it earlier – and to be honest she was quite surprised that William knew such a good place. It was a secluded place within Funwari's small forest park. It was quite hidden – but they could have a clear view of the ocean from where they sat. Needless to say, it was a beautiful and perfect place for their small picnic. And there, standing nearby a large table and a set of chairs – Leia saw the tall, buff figure of William. Different from his usual outfit which only consist of vest, Leia noticed that William had donned a cloak today, though it seemed he'd only worn it today because of the weather. Leia couldn't help but wave her hand excitedly at the sight of him, "William!" she called. He noticed her, raised his hand, and waved back. Leia couldn't see his expression of course, because of the muffler that covered his lower face – but she had a feeling William was just as excited to see her when he greeted her back with his deep voice.
"Leia," he said as she stopped her bike in front of him.
"Sorry to make you wait!" said Leia, but he shook his head. "I also just arrived," he replied kindly. "Let's help you set up," he continued, pointing to Leia's picnic basket.
"Oh! Yes sure," Leia said. She didn't know why, but she was blushing slightly. It was just so adorable and thoughtful of him to help her set up! She dismounted her bike, then reached to the back seat to pick up her picnic basket, giving Katakuri a clear view of the front of her denim jacket for a moment. In that short moment, Katakuri's eyes were drawn to the donut patch embroidered on the lower left side of her denim jacket. For a while, he continued watching the donut patch with great curiosity as Leia dismounted the picnic basket from the back seat, completely oblivious to Katakuri's interest.
"Nice jacket," he finally said, which made Leia turn around smile appreciatively at him.
"Thanks!"
A few minutes later, they had laid the tablecloth on top of the large table, then Katakuri and Leia each reached to their picnic basket to bring out their food. To Leia's surprise – William had brought a wide variety of snacks, it even looked like he'd brought the whole pantry with him.
First, there were sandwiches that consisted of a variety of fillings, including egg, ham and cheese, classic peanut butter and jelly, and simple cream cheese. Each sandwich was neatly cut into bite-sized triangles for easy snacking. Then there were fruits: grapes, both green and red, looking incredibly juicy and sweet with every bite. William had also packed slices of crisp apples and a bowl of mixed berries, including strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries – their vibrant colors were a treat to Leia's eyes. Lastly, there were crackers: plain butter crackers, providing a neutral base for the other flavors on the picnic spread, whole wheat crackers for a heartier option, and a selection of cheese-flavored crackers for added variety. Leia's mouth started watering as she looked at the picnic spread.
"Oh, this is amazing!" Leia exclaimed, to which William replied, rather humbly, "You think so?"
"Of course!" Leia couldn't hide her excitement.
"Well, I don't know what you would have preferred, so I packed a little bit of everything," William admitted, and once again Leia felt touched by how thoughtful he was being.
"Well, I can't let you be the only one to impress! I also brought something special for today," Leia chuckled, then she reached inside her picnic basket and bring out the spicy hot ramen dish that she had handmade earlier today.
"Ta-Da! A hot ramen for a cloudy day! What do you say?" Leia asked him rather proudly, showing off her bowl of hot ramen in hand. She had expected William to be impressed by her choice of special dish and dedication (after all, who else would handmade ramen for a picnic?), but on the contrary, William looked a bit uncomfortable at the sight of the food. Leia's smile faded off a little, replaced by a concerned frown.
"What's wrong?" she asked, but William quickly shook his head.
"Oh, it's nothing," he said. "Did you make this ramen from scratch? That couldn't have been easy," William stared appreciatively at her. "Thank you, Leia."
"Oh, it's nothing," she blushed a little at the way he looked at her. "Uhm – Jasper – my roommate that is… he helped me make this. So… it's not that difficult, really!" she waved her hand quickly in front of her to indicate that it really was nothing big.
"Nevertheless, you did make it. Thank you, Leia. I will enjoy it."
"Well…," Leia said, after a brief pause between them, "Um… let's eat?"
William nodded. "Let's dig in."
Leia – who had expected that William would remove his scarf, at least for eating, frowned when she saw William tore off the transparent plastic cover of the ramen bowl, cracked open a pair of chopsticks, and prepared to slurp the ramen without any intention of removing his scarf. This was too curious for her that Leia couldn't stop herself.
"Uhm… aren't you going to remove your scarf?" she asked, and William's chopsticks, which was already loaded with a mouthful of appetizing hot ramen, stopped halfway to his lips.
"My scarf?" he asked her back, confused. It was as if he didn't completely understand her question. "Well, I just thought… isn't it uncomfortable for you to eat with your scarf on…?" Leia continued, for a while contemplating if she might have asked a wrong question. "I mean… you might get it dirty and…" Leia paused, noting that William's blank stare meant he failed to see where she was going.
Why did he look confused at her question? Was eating with your scarf on supposed to be considered something normal in Tottoland… perhaps?
It was a while before William spoke again. "Ah – you are confused why I didn't remove my scarf?" he asked, as though just now understanding what she meant. Leia nodded slowly. "Isn't it uncomfortable?" she asked again, and William replied by shaking his head.
"I actually eat faster with my scarf," he said, and Leia's eyes widened at his answer.
"No way," she exclaimed.
William gave a little shrug. "I can show you. That will be faster, right?"
"Go ahead," said Leia. And then, she witnessed in front of her eyes – the mouthful of ramen that was halfway to William's lips suddenly disappeared with a loud slurping sound – even faster than she could blink her eyes.
Now Leia's eyes grew even bigger.
"Whaaat?!" she exclaimed. It was almost hysterical. How did he even do that? And not even a drop of broth on his scarf too! She couldn't see William's face behind his scarf, but she had a feeling that he was smiling triumphantly at the moment as he said, very calmly to her, "I told you."
She must have been staring at him with her mouth open for a moment, before she remembered to close it again, still looking bewildered.
"Okay," she said. "Okay – you win. I've never seen anyone eat like that with a scarf on… you know, you should consider trying for a world record."
"World record? What's that?" William asked him curiously, and suddenly Leia remembered that she was not in her own world.
"Uhm – nothing," she dismissed it quickly, then changed the topic. "How was the ramen? Do you like it?"
After a while, the conversation finally flowed to each other's' update about life. Leia told him that there was nothing much going on after she went back from Candy Island – life had been pretty uneventful. Although, she didn't tell William about her occasional strange feelings of being followed and watched, perhaps because she felt it was a bit silly. She was pretty sure by now that she was imagining the whole thing because she was being paranoid after she'd learned of the mysterious murder cases.
William, meanwhile, brought an interesting update. Munching casually on his sandwich after he was finished with the ramen (he emptied the bowl faster than Leia did, even with his scarf on) – he stated that they had found a new clue about the murder suspect, an intriguing one: the suspect had always strike only during the night.
Leia frowned, not quite getting what he meant by that. When she voiced her question, William replied, "It means the suspect is neither a human, nor mink, nor any other intelligent race that we know of. You see, a creature with intelligence would not stubbornly attack during the night only – they would be clever to not reveal their pattern, to throw off the investigation and make it harder to catch them. Also, most serial murderers can be traced if we found similarities within their victims… there is always a pattern of who the victims are. But this – it seems as if the victims are less of a concern than the timing. This creature attacks anyone indiscriminately, regardless of gender or age, whether the victims were alone or group. But it has a specific pattern about time that it follows almost religiously. And that – I believe – is not something an intelligent race will do. I've never even seen behavior like that. Perhaps the creature is not even from this world."
Leia's goosebumps rose as she digested William's explanation. At first, she had expected that the murder suspect would be apprehended quickly, but now… not only did the prospect seemed dimmer and dimmer, a mysterious creature from another world was suspected to be behind this. How are they going to deal with that? And will there be more victims? She must have looked worried because William quickly reassured her.
"Don't worry about it, Leia," he said. "Creature from another world or not – I daresay they have messed with the wrong place. Tottoland is the safest place that you can think of, the officers and the Sweet Commanders are all very skilled and dedicated to protecting their subjects. What's more, Big Mom's power is unchallenged far and wide. There's a reason she'd remained Emperor for such a long time – because she is just that powerful, more powerful than anyone you can even think of. So really… there's no reason to worry. That creature wouldn't stand a chance against the Big Mom Pirates."
Leia gave a small nod and continued slurping her ramen. After a little bit of thought, she said, "I know I can count on you to protect us too." She didn't see the flush of red that passed on Katakuri's cheeks due to her compliments, before he cleared his throat and said, "Thank you. But I am still not as impressive as my commander, Katakuri."
He had said this because he was curious what Leia actually thought of him. The last time they met, she didn't seem at all that favorable toward the so-called 'Commander Katakuri'. He wondered if she'd changed her mind since then, but he got his answer fairly quickly, when Leia snorted at the mention of his name.
"I must say… I trust you much more than your commander, William."
Katakuri raised his eyebrows, puzzled but also amused at what had made Leia despise him to that extent. "Really?" he inquired, trying to keep his tone as casual as possible. "Why do you think so?"
"Well…," Leia paused for a bit before sharing what she thought about Katakuri – and she decided to hold nothing back. "From the moment I arrived in Tottoland… all I heard was these completely ridiculous tales about the oh-so-great Commander Katakuri… how he single-handedly drowned the enemy's fleets… or how all the enemies cower even at the sound of his name… I can't help but think of him as an arrogant person that is so full of himself. And remember that time in Candy Island, when he sent you to meet the minister of candy? I just felt he could have handled that responsibility alone, instead of delegating it to others. I mean, if he was so great like what everyone says… why couldn't he have done it himself?" Leia poured out her annoyance about 'Katakuri' to William, who was getting more and more amused at Leia not realizing that they were both the same person.
"Well," said Katakuri, when Leia paused to take a breath. "Have you actually met him though?" He knew that the answer must have been no – because Leia would have recognized him had she ever seen 'Katakuri' in person. It's not like his physical build was something easily forgettable. But he asked anyway just to continue with the pretend-play. Being 'William' sure was interesting, it's like he had an alter ego who didn't have to worry too much about his responsibilities as a Sweet Commander.
"Twice my roommate asked me to go with her to see Katakuri… and twice also I said no," Leia replied flatly. "I have no interest in a person who is so full of himself – I'd rather use my time wisely rather than standing in the crowd, screaming at the sight of him. Also, I've heard people's stories, and testimonies from you about him back at Candy Island… and I think it's enough for me to form my opinions about him."
Katakuri couldn't help but chuckle at Leia's answer. They way she hated on 'Katakuri' so heatedly was incredibly funny – especially because she was obliviously spitting all of her negative sentiments toward the very own person in flesh. He wondered what her face would look like if she knew she was speaking to Katakuri himself. On the other hand, Leia was caught unaware by Katakuri's deep, velvety laugh. It was the first time that she'd heard him laugh, and it was not quite what she expected.
"The commander is actually not as bad as you think, Leia," he said, trying to at least clear his image in Leia's head. "He is a good captain who always gives more than one-hundred percent in serving and protecting his mother, siblings, and subjects. There is a reason he is elected as a Sweet Commander too… his battle prowess is one thing, but his loyalty is really why a lot of people put their trust on him. I'd gladly take you to meet my captain someday. He is a man of honorable character," he said, to which Leia replied with an annoyed huff.
"Alright – I'll accept your judgment on him, William," said Leia, not willing to turn this beautiful occasion into an argument session about Katakuri. "But – I still believe you are more capable than your captain though. Perhaps you should be Sweet Commander instead of him."
"Uhm," Katakuri was at loss of words for a moment, conflicted between feeling flattered and insulted. He didn't really know if he was supposed to take Leia's words as a compliment or an insult… did she mean to say that he was more capable than… himself? Or that Katakuri was less capable than a first officer? It was hard to say. After a few moments of feeling conflicted, he finally cleared his throat and replied with an awkward 'thank you'.
"Anyway," said Leia, who didn't want the conversation to continue revolving around Katakuri. "You've never told me much about yourself, William… Do you have a family? Why did you become a pirate? And do you have anything you like to do…? Other than serving under your captain, I mean," said Leia. She noticed that William looked a bit flustered by the rain of questions, and she sheepishly added, "Uhm – are those too much questions?"
"Not at all, I'll be glad to tell you," was what Katakuri said. It's not like he didn't think about it before – he had anticipated that she would ask him those questions, and so he had prepared some answers… which were not complete lies, but not the truth either.
"Well, to start with… I have a big family, with a mother and a lot of siblings to support," Katakuri said. That was the truth – save for the part that his mother was Big Mom herself. "I became a pirate to support my family (also the truth) … I'm good at fighting ever since I was young – and I figured I could use that talent to support my family."
"I see," said Leia, quite impressed by William's dedication to his family. "Do you like being a pirate? What is it like?"
"Oh, yes… very," William answered, and from his tone Leia could tell that he must have been smiling. "I like being a pirate, the freedom that comes with it – to embark on a journey and roam the sea with your crew for months on end, looking for legendary treasures and coming face to face with strong, worthy enemies… that's about everything I love being alive for."
"You sound like you really love adventures," Leia chimed in fondly. "Do you have any other hobbies though?"
"I love reading – for the most part," Katakuri smiled. "In the seas, days and nights can stretch to no end, and during those times, when I have nothing to attend to on my ship, I usually spend my time reading." This was the first time Leia heard William talk at such length about himself, and she couldn't keep herself from smiling. This didn't escape Katakuri's attention, who then took turn to question her.
"What about you, Leia?" he asked. "Do you have anything you enjoy doing?"
"Me? I love crocheting, and dancing!" the way she spoke passionately about both told Katakuri just how much she enjoyed the two activities. "I used to do both frequently when I was in my hometown, but here I just do them occasionally." This raised the opportunity for Katakuri to inquire something he had been meaning to ask her for a while.
"Where are you from, Leia?" he asked, rather careful with the subject. "I know you are not from Tottoland, so… I'm just curious where your hometown is. Do you mind telling me more about yourself?"
"Well," Leia paused for a while, then responded with the same answer she gave to Perospero the other day. Though she was much, much less guarded in front of William than she was in front of the minister. "I come from an Island called San Fransisco – it's an island that's cut off from the rest of the world. I know it's somewhere in Grand Line, but I don't remember where it is, or how I got here. My friends found me unconscious on the beach one day after a really big storm hit Tottoland."
"I see," Katakuri commented shortly. He remembered the day of the storm a few months back – it was indeed a day to remember because the storm came out of nowhere, a strange occurrence even in Grand Line, where the weather tends to be unpredictable. He didn't know where the island called 'San Fransisco' was though – it must be incredibly secluded and isolated since he never even heard about it. Perhaps his brother Mont-d'Or would know.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked Leia, and she looked up, surprised. "Not for now," she said after a while of contemplating. "But… I'll find my way back home eventually. I'm working hard on it." She sounded determined, but Katakuri didn't respond. He felt a bit guilty because he knew that no one would be able to just 'leave' Tottoland, not if they'd become its residents, but he decided to keep silent. It was not something that Leia needed to hear at the moment.
"Anyway… don't you think it's time for desserts?" Leia asked, looking at the picnic spread which was already swept clean. During the course of their interaction, she and William had eaten everything. Leia felt pretty full now, and she was about ready for some desserts. William nodded enthusiastically in front of her. For some reason, his face was glowing with excitement – something Leia couldn't understand why, until he told her that he'd been waiting for this time for their entire picnic.
"I brought my favorite desserts," he put his desserts box on the table and announced, and she raised her eyebrows.
"Curious," Leia replied, "I happened to bring my favorites too." She brought out her own desserts box and placed it on the table, and now it was William's turn to look surprised.
"Let's see it together then," he said, and Leia nodded. They opened their respective boxes together at the count of three – and Leia was so surprised by the coincidence that she actually held her breath.
The boxes actually contain the same thing.
Donuts.
Slowly, she looked up to stare at William – and found him staring at her with the same surprised expression. Then, she opened her mouth and asked, still somewhat disbelievingly, "Your favorite dessert is… donuts?"
"Yes," his reply was short and simple.
"Are you telling me… we actually have the same love for donuts?"
"It seems so, Leia," said William again, sounding amused.
"You must be kidding!" Leia exclaimed, but William was every bit as serious as she was. He shook his head.
"I would never lie about my love for donuts."
"What – I mean… how?" surprised and excited, Leia couldn't help but stammer, "I – I love donuts! Actually, love might have been an understatement because words can never express how much I love them! I first tasted it at twelve years old and I can never forget the taste of my first donut… even until now!"
"I know what you mean. I also think there are not enough words to express just how much I enjoy eating them," William replied with a smile. "I think I tasted my first donut when I was about two."
"That's rather early," Leia laughed.
"I know. I can't help it – I fell in love ever since. Do you have any favorites?"
"Jelly-filled donuts! The kind that is covered in sugar powder," Leia replied enthusiastically. "What about you?"
"It's a very tough question," said William, his forehead frowned in serious thought. "I don't think I have a favorite… I love all of them equally. And I must say I have never found a person who shares the same love for donuts as I do."
"Well, now you have!" Leia said, and unbeknownst to her – for she was distracted by the kind of donuts he had brought – William stared at her quite softly upon hearing her answer. "Yes," he said quietly as though talking to himself, "Now I have indeed."
"Try the donuts, Leia," said William, noticing that Leia was staring at his donuts quite intently. "They are made by my captain's special chef – I guarantee you the taste is second to none."
"Oh! Can I?" Leia glowed appreciatively, and William nodded. "Of course. That's why I brought them here. So you can enjoy them too."
"Then – thank you for the food! Let's eat!" Leia proclaimed, and took a deep chocolate glaze donut covered with nuts. The second she picked it up, she knew William was telling the truth when he told her his donuts were second to none. The aroma of rich cocoa mingled with the nutty fragrance from the toppings, making her mouth water. With a slight crunch, Leia sank her teeth into the donut, the outer layer yielding to reveal a velvety texture underneath. The sweetness of the chocolate was perfectly balanced by the subtle saltiness of the nuts, satisfying her palates. It was a taste so divine that it made her – if possible – fell more in love with donuts. So absorbed was she in savoring the donut that she didn't realize William was actually staring at her fondly from across the table all the while she was enjoying her donut. Then he picked up one of Leia's store-bought donuts, which, even though taste-wise it couldn't compare to his donuts, was sufficiently enjoyable for him. Naturally, their conversation flowed to donuts and their love for that delectable treat for the rest of the picnic – and before they knew it, it was beginning to get dark around them, and they had to call it a day.
"Oh – I'm so full," Leia said contentedly as she sat back on her chair, staring at the remnants of their picnic feast – with nothing but crumbs of donuts scattered inside the boxes where they were once packed neatly. Leia turned to William with a grateful smile, her eyes sparkling with appreciation. "Thank you, William, for such a wonderful picnic. It was the best I ever had. I must admit, those donuts were absolutely divine."
William returned her smile with equal warmth, his eyes crinkling at the corners with genuine amusement. "It was my pleasure, Leia. I'm glad you enjoyed them."
"Don't tell Mabel I told you that, though," Leia said jokingly. "She'd get jealous."
William returned her joke with a deep chuckle. "Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me." She laughed. Their laughter mingled with the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze. But amidst the lighthearted banter, Leia couldn't ignore the flutter of emotions stirring within her chest – a strange sensation that she couldn't quite decipher. Sensing her momentary unease, William decided to express his gratitude to her -his words gentle and reassuring. "You know, Leia, it's been a long time since I've enjoyed a picnic myself. And with someone as charming as you, it's been an even greater pleasure."
Leia felt her cheeks flush with warmth at his words, a shy smile tugging at the corners of her lips. The strange, fluttering feeling in her heart grew even stronger at his words – and she could even feel her heart beating slightly faster, while her face grew hot. She tried not to think too much about it, and instead mentioned Mabel's request about him having dinner with her friends.
"I… was thinking of inviting you to dinner sometime, so you could meet my friends," she offered tentatively. "What do you think?"
William's expression softened when he heard her request, but a hint of regret flickered in his eyes. "That sounds lovely, Leia, but I'm afraid it might not be possible anytime soon." His cryptic response left Leia with a sense of disappointment, but she nodded understandingly, knowing there were reasons beyond his control. She knew William was a busy man – and he would probably be even busier with the murder cases happening in Tottoland. Truth was, Katakuri did not accept Leia's invitation because he was sure her friends would have recognized him – but of course he couldn't have told her the real reason.
Suddenly, an unexpected shift in William's demeanor caught Leia's attention. His usually calm expression grew serious, his brows furrowing slightly as his stared intently toward a spot in the direction of the forest behind them.
"Uhm, is something wrong?" Leia, sensing the change in atmosphere, turned to William with concern etched in her features. William said nothing for a while, his gaze remained fixed toward a certain direction. Leia was almost afraid something bad was going to happen – but then William replied curtly, "It's nothing." There was something amiss in his voice, but there was a finality in his tone that Leia didn't dare to inquire further. "It's getting late – I think it's best that we go home."
Leia nodded, and, with a lingering sense of reluctance, they exchanged their farewells. Just as she was finished packing her stuff and about to make her way to her bike – in a gesture that caught Leia completely off guard, Williams suddenly reached out to gently grasp her small hand in his enormous hand, his touch sending a jolt of warmth coursing through her veins. Leia's breath caught in her throat as William brought her hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss against her skin. A blush crept into her cheeks, a delicate flush that mirrored the hues of the setting sun. For a fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still as they shared a wordless exchange, their eyes locking in a silent understanding.
"See you again, Leia," he said.
"See you again," she smiled at him fondly, "William."
After Leia departed from their picnic spot, Katakuri's senses remained on high alert, his instincts were focused on the potential threats hidden within the forest. Earlier, his observation haki had triggered, and he sensed some individuals – two of them in fact, lurking inside the deep forest, clearly observing him and Leia in silence. He didn't know what they wanted, but he was about to make it clear now. With a swift and determined stride, he made his way towards the deeper parts of the woodland, fueled by the sense of urgency burning within him.
As he approached the outskirts of the woods, Katakuri barked his orders to his crew who had been waiting near the entrance of the forest to block any incoming or outcoming passage from the forest – and catch the intruders. The crew members yelled back in affirmative, and started moving toward all direction to scan the forest perimeter, forming a formidable barrier against any unwanted visitors. Knowing that he could leave his crew members to handle their tasks, Katakuri summoned Mogura – his faithful trident, just in time to block an incoming attack from a hooded figure, who was waiting in the shadows to assault him. However, it was a mistake trying to battle Katakuri. Within seconds, the giant man had defeated his opponent, and the hooded figure lay on the ground unconscious while Katakuri's men brought in another one.
"We caught him trying to escape the forest, Cap'n. It seems they are working together."
"Put him here," Katakuri said. With a kick, he woke up the unconscious hooded man, and forced him to join his companion. They both sat in front of him, their hands pinned to the back by his crew, and swords pressed against their necks.
"Now listen, you," said Katakuri to both men, his voice was cold and ruthless as he spoke. "Your lives depend on how good I judge your answers to be. So don't ever think to lie or deceive me – my observation haki would see right through your game, and we will slit your throats the second I know you are spouting lies." His words sounded weird for he spoke through clenched teeth – and the two hooded men nodded, trembling in fear.
"Who are you? And why are you here?"
"W – we are spies employed by Minister Perospero," said one of the hooded men. "We are here on his orders."
"My brother?" Katakuri frowned, clearly sounding none too pleased. "What does he want?"
"H- he ordered us to find out everything about that girl," came the hooded man's answer, which made Katakuri even more furious. "Leia?" he asked, not trying to hide his anger by the moment. The hooded men squeaked and trembled, but they were guarded so tightly that it was impossible for them to run. "What does my brother want with Leia?"
"He didn't say! He didn't say!" One of the hooded men was now crying, begging for Katakuri to spare him. His companion nodded quickly, chiming on to his testimony, teary-eyed. "We were only ordered to follow her to find out everything about her! We swear on our lives – that's all we know!"
Katakuri's fury simmered beneath the surface as he listened to the hooded men's trembling confessions. His clenched fists trembled with restrained anger, his gaze piercing through them with an intensity that sent shivers down their spines. Perospero… what does he want, sending spies after Leia? He knew that his elder brother was not exactly an honorable man, but he never thought that Perospero would actually stoop so low.
"You dare to meddle in my affairs," Katakuri's voice rumbled low, each word dripping with menace. "You dare to spy on that girl… who is under my protection."
The hooded men cowered before him, their faces contorted with fear as they pleaded for mercy. But Katakuri's expression remained implacable, his resolve unyielding in the face of their pleas. "Listen closely," he commanded, his voice carrying the weight of his authority. "You will cease your surveillance of Leia and her companions immediately. You will report to my brother that you found nothing of interest, and you will never speak of this encounter to anyone. Is that clear?"
The hooded men nodded frantically, their voices choked with fear as they pledged their compliance. But Katakuri's gaze remained stern, his warning clear and unwavering. "And know this," he continued, his tone cold as ice. "If I catch even a whisper of your treachery, if I sense even the slightest hint of deception, that you have told my brother something you shouldn't have…" he paused to let his words sink in. "I will not hesitate to end your miserable lives. You have been warned."
With that, Katakuri nodded to his crew – who reluctantly released the trembling spies. They didn't even look back as they ran toward the exit of the forest, glad that Katakuri had spared their lives. Katakuri, though, remained standing on his spot for a while. Though many things remained a mystery to him, one thing was clear: Leia was important to him, and he wasn't about to let Perospero have his way with her. Silently, he clenched his fists, swearing to protect Leia at any costs from any kind of harm that might come her way.