Author's Note:
Hello, everyone! This is kind of an important note. I've been reading and writing FF for over 15 years and I've never finished writing one. As part of my bucket list for turning 30 in August, (I know how cringe to be writing FF at 30) I NEED to finish this one. I've determined that part of what gets me into trouble is over editing. I obsess over editing the new chapter itself, but then also go back and rewrite the old chapters almost every time I update. From now until I finish the story, I'm going to focus on getting the content written and posted for feedback, and then once I've completed the story, I'll do one last big edit. The quality of each chapter won't go down too much, I hope, but it will go a long way in keeping everything moving.
Thank you all so much for reading and following on my own Eat Pray Love situation. LOL Your comments literally mean EVERYTHING to me.
Chapter Six
Instant Regret: I told you so.
"WHAAAAAAAAT?! TEAM UP WITH THE HEART PIRATES? HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!"
"Should we be offended?" Aiya asked with a raised eyebrow, her calm demeanor contrasting with the uproar among the Straw Hat crew. Law rolled his eyes in exasperation at the almost comedic chaos swirling around them. "Not that I'm surprised. I did warn you this was coming."
"You want a gold star for that?" Her captain retorted; his voice tinged with frustration. He rubbed his temples wearily before handing a small, trembling raccoon back to its anxious crewmate. "Hey doc, fix this raccoon."
"A sticker chart—now there's an idea," Aiya mused, her tone light with a touch of mischief. Her thoughts wandered into the absurdity of the situation. "Maybe you could house train him that way. Some sort of operant conditioning... but no candy. Meat, perhaps?"
"Luffy, I'll go along with this, but remember we're all pirates. And where there are pirates, there's bound to be betrayal," Robin interjected softly, her gaze piercing yet gentle. "I'm just concerned because you're so quick to trust. No offense, Ms. Silk Bridge."
"None taken," Aiya replied sincerely, since she couldn't shake the feeling her own captain had gone mad, too.
"Hey, are you going to betray me?" Luffy asked them innocently, his eyes wide with earnest curiosity.
"No," Law replied flatly.
"The rest of us are gonna need more than that! I get that she's married to Zoro and all, but we've never met her, and her captain is so creepy! How am I supposed to sleep at night with him around?!"
Oh. Law thought he'd suffered a stroke. He went through the mental check list and came to the actually not comforting realization that no, he'd heard the sniper correctly and wasn't the victim of blood loss to the brain. Then it all clicked into nauseating clarity.
Aiya's refusal to discuss the nature of her connection, the constant flow of Straw Hat news from her network—it painted a painfully obvious picture.
Trafalgar D. Water Law despised being caught off guard. That deer-in-headlights, ground-giving-way feeling. He especially loathed being the last to know something he felt was so glaringly evident about his own crew mate. If he were being self indulgent, he'd even say his own family. The last person from his childhood alive that he'd thought he'd formed an unalienable trust with.
Determined not to betray his emotions and give the other crew the satisfaction of witnessing his inner breakdown, he maintained his composure. How could they expect the other crew to trust them when they apparently couldn't even trust each other? Her actions clearly displayed that, despite his efforts to rebuild their relationship, she could still keep such a monumental secret from him. Not just that, but something so personal.
She let him worry over her being alone when she'd obviously found her place with the Swordsman. No wonder she'd been so hesitant to join the Hearts permanently. How could she align her loyalty to him when she had such a connection on a rival crew?
How long until she told them his secrets? Had she already been playing the part of a double agent?
Oh no. Aiya felt her stomach bottom out. The captain's harsh glare locked onto hers, his expression carefully controlled, while she struggled to hide her shock and fear. She knew Law and knew his mind was already working triple time to jump to all the worst conclusions. Every second before she could talk to him would make convincing him that she wasn't set out to destroy him even more difficult.
The fleeting satisfaction of seeing her caught off guard was overshadowed by the sting of his own naivety.
"Something wrong?" Robin prodded, her voice cutting through Aiya's frozen state. Her inquiry seemed to snap the flummoxed intel broker back to reality.
"No." Law pushed out at the older woman, before turning to the subject of his ire, "Fix your face. You look like an idiot."
She took a deep breath, fingers subtly tracing a pattern on her sleeve, a practiced gesture to steady herself. Years of surviving through deception had made this second nature; the calm expression, the controlled breathing, all disguising the struggle beneath. She let the familiar mask of composure settle over her features, ready to navigate the situation with her usual grace.
The red head shot him a small glare before turning on a charming smile, swiftly shifting into damage control. "Just a little misunderstanding between comrades. Nothing to worry about."
Then, without ceremony, Law redistributed the shuffled crew members. Everyone returned to their own bodies except for Nami, who found herself inhabiting the perverted cook's form.
After the navigator had what Aiya considered a justified whine about the indignity of her predicament, their focus swiftly shifted back to the urgent task at hand: the kidnapped children.
"All the kids are here, huh?" Law remarked, feigning disinterest.
"Mhm," Luffy affirmed, gesturing toward the pile of sleeping, swaddled children. "We gotta help them somehow. I promised Aiya."
The surgeon of death shot his companion a striking look, silently urging her to keep quiet, before continuing, "Just forget about them. They're all addicted to drugs."
"Yeah, we know that! I examined them! Poor kids, I want to take them all back home, but they need to recover and build up their strength," Chopper said from his spot on the ground, propped on a concrete block for a pillow. "Their conditions are uncertain, especially with their size."
"It's heartbreaking. Who would subject innocent children to this?" Usopp added, peering over their sweet yet unsettling faces.
"Well, the World Government for one," Law supplied, drawing their attention. Aiya wasn't sure where he was leading, but she bristled at the notion of him toying with the children's welfare. "For centuries, they've been conducting experiments to create giant super soldiers."
"The World Government? But why would they do such a thing?" Robin asked, her question sounding somewhat disingenuous, given her own history of evading that very organization.
"What force could oppose an unlimited army of giant super soldiers?" Aiya couldn't help but inject her thoughts into the conversation, despite the danger to her life in doing so. "My guess is Joker paid Caesar to pioneer this research. Whether he intended to bolster his own forces or sell the technology to the highest bidder, I can't say."
"Are you sure about helping them? You don't even know who these kids are, do you?" Law shot Aiya a harsh glare, but she met his gaze defiantly.
"You're right. These children may be strangers to me, but I promised to get them home," Nami asserted firmly. "I don't know why you're questioning it. From what Aiya has said, you've already been working on a plan to save them. You don't have to act tough for our sake."
Was this a stroke?
The confirmation that she'd already divulged so much of their plan to the crew only set in stone her conflicted loyalty in his eyes. The damage was done. "Are you all going to stay here alone when I leave with Straw Hat?"
"Wait, I'm not going anywhere. I promised Aiya that I'd help her reach her goal, and besides, Sanji really wants to put that samurai back together. Look, if we're going to be allies, you need to get used to helping people," Luffy interjected, not helping Aiya's case in the least.
Usopp tried to explain the nuances of working with Luffy, and the rest watched with a mix of frustration and amusement. Ultimately, Law was outnumbered and had no choice but to comply.
"Fine, but we need to move quickly. Time is running out. I'll take your doctor and continue our research behind Caesar's back. Your group can handle the samurai," Law declared, cutting off Usopp's rambling and heading towards the door.
"I'll take your cute petit docteur," Aiya swiftly plucked Chopper from Usopp's arms before he could do something crazy and approach the ticking time bomb of a surgeon. Once she held his fuzzy form, she fashioned a backpack around him, leaving his head out and the top flap opened.
"Hey, stop it! Your compliments don't make me happy! I'm a serious pirate, not a pet!" Chopper protested but softened upon realizing his own exhaustion. "I just... can't walk right now... Thank you for carrying me."
"Of course you're a serious pirate," Aiya reassured him, lifting him up to eye level. "You know, Law's first mate is a polar bear and one of the most talented navigators I've ever met. And out of all the pirate doctors I know, you're one of the most competent. Definitely the least sadistic."
"Hurry up," Law's glower intensified, shifting from casual annoyance to outright hostility. Aiya sighed inwardly but maintained her composure this time.
"He's so creepy!" Chopper squeaked, his voice trembling with concern.
"His bark is worse than his bite,"
"As you've probably noticed from the assassins he's sent, Caesar wants to eliminate you, the White Hunter, and G-5 so he can reclaim the children. He won't stop pursuing you until he gets what he wants. Before he became a criminal four years ago, Caesar was a government scientist. Punk Hazard is off-limits territory. If word gets out that someone's been living here, Caesar will be forced to abandon his perfect hideout. That's why he's determined to eliminate all of you. He has a bounty of 300 million berries, the Logia-type Gas-Gas Fruit, he's armed with weapons of mass destruction. Caesar Clown is a formidable opponent," Law explained, his tone icy and demeanor composed, though Aiya sensed the tension in his shoulders. "Those of you without Haki should steer clear of him. He's exceptionally tough."
"Well, we do have some Haki users. Me, Zoro, Sanji, and you guys," Luffy counted.
"That should be sufficient. Our goal is to create chaos. Capture Caesar. I'll explain the rest of the plan later but getting our hands on the mad scientist sets everything in motion. Just ensure your crew is fully committed," Law concluded curtly.
Luffy agreed, "Don't worry, Traffy, we're all in!"
"We're heading to the lab now. Be cautious out there," Law added before turning and heading out the door.
Once they ventured from the dilapidated lab and started their trek to Caesar's headquarters, Aiya seized a moment to speak. "It isn't what you thi—"
"Save it. There's something I need to tell you. I wasn't going to mention it because I didn't think it was pertinent until I had more concrete information, but if you're married, I guess you deserve to know," Law cut her off abruptly, and in the blink of an eye, she found herself transported mid-step to the back door of the lab.
"That was awesome! Your power is super cool!" Chopper, either oblivious to the tension or convinced it was normal, complimented the pirate captain. "Did we just teleport?"
"Shut up and stay inside the bag," Law retorted tersely.
Aiya almost rolled her eyes at Law's biting personality but held back. "What is it?"
"When I was in Caesar's lab earlier, he mentioned some of the Straw Hats who were caught in the ice lands when he sent the Yeti Brothers after them," Law disclosed calmly, his eyes scanning their surroundings vigilantly.
"That was Zoro and Sanji's group!" Chopper interjected. "Are they okay?!"
"They're dead. At least that's what he said. I have no proof either way," Law stated matter-of-factly, his words hitting her ears like a punch to the gut.
Her world tilted in that moment. Her vision blurred, and her sense of balance wavered.
"There's no way they're dead!" Chopper protested vehemently, noticing the color drain from her face. "Don't worry, Aiya! Zoro is just fine. He wouldn't let those overgrown freaks beat him!"
"It doesn't matter to me either way, but you better keep your wits about you. I didn't tell you so you could screw up the rest of the mission," Law's tone was cold, using the revelation both as a bit of a punishment and to assess her reaction.
Seeing her on the verge of collapse only confirmed his suspicion that his supposed little sister was more emotionally invested in the swordsman than she let on. He turned and created a room to enter the building. "I'll find a way to deal with Caesar and that bird woman. You look around and see what you can learn about the drug," Law ordered without glancing back.
"Excuse me, but wouldn't it be simpler to capture him first? Then we'd have plenty of time to gather information about the drug," Chopper asked innocently, his voice earnest. "You two could definitely work together to take him down!"
"It must be nice to solve all your problems with the power of friendship and a giant rubber fist," Aiya sighed, venting a bit of her frustration on the little guy.
"You don't need to know the specifics. Your crew just needs to kidnap him. We'll take care of the rest," Law replied curtly, about to usher them into the lab when a shout from across the wasteland caught his attention.
"Hey, you guys! Look over there! Is that some kind of missile?"
"Oh my God," the red headed woman groaned in exasperation. Law turned around, already feeling a headache coming on. As he feared, Luffy's group had landed right in the middle of the makeshift battlefield. He watched in horror as the rubber Captain deflated like a balloon, and Nico Robin descended on what could only be described as an arm umbrella declaring their plan for his lackeys and security systems to hear. Aiya continued dryly, "Here comes the giant rubber fist and the power of friendship."
"Can't that damn idiot do anything quietly?" Law muttered, quickly transporting them inside before they got dragged into the chaos.
"Remember the plan, petit docteur?" Aiya coaxed, her heart rate slowly returning to normal after the shock.
"Yes, Law will create a distraction, and we'll gather information about the drug," Chopper nodded resolutely, determined to play his part just as he trusted Luffy and the others to do theirs.
"Very good." Aiya forced a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes as she composed herself and they entered a room where Monet was scribbling notes at an otherwise deserted bar. Despite lingering just outside the door numerous times before, she had never dared to step inside, always maintaining her role and keeping a safe distance from one of her childhood tutors.
Young Ruby sat at a small, ornate table in the study, her eyes unfocused and distant. The room was filled with the scent of old books and ink, the afternoon light filtering through the heavy curtains. Monet sat across from her, elegant and composed, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of mischief and affection.
"You're doing well, Ruby," Monet said, her voice smooth and soothing. She reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair from Ruby's still face. "The young master loves you so much. You're very lucky, you know. Not everyone gets to be so close to someone so important."
Ruby stared blankly ahead, her mind drifting far from the study, from the one on one session she'd just endured with Doffy. Monet, mistaking her silence for rapt attention, continued with a smile. "You're special. It's in your blood. Just remember, being loved by someone like the young master comes with its own responsibilities. But don't worry, we're all here to guide you."
"Apologies, the master isn't here at the moment. I see you managed to retrieve your escort, though. Lucky you," Monet sneered, her tone a mix of flirtation and condescension.
Aiya grimaced, but Law remained unfazed. "Where is he?"
"Likely outside, watching the spectacle. That degenerate can't resist a bit of death and destruction," Monet quipped, turning to finally appraise the duo. She noted the woman looked a tad worse for wear—perhaps she had undergone a harrowing journey.
"No matter. I don't need him. I'll be departing soon." Law dismissed. "I could use your help for a sec, though."
"What's this? Asking me out in front of your lady? You rogue, Law," Monet teased, her tone laced with mock innocence. "Where are we going?"
"You'll see." Law walked towards the door languidly but halted when he reached Aiya. "Wait here. That's an order."
"Oh, such hostility. Trouble in paradise?" Monet taunted, clicking her tongue provocatively.
As Law departed with Monet, Chopper glanced around anxiously. "I couldn't help but notice he seemed crankier than usual," he murmured softly as he searched the room for any valuable intel.
Aiya sighed. "I had hoped you guys would think he's always like that."
"Does it have something to do with Zoro?" Chopper prodded gently. "I promise he's fine. He won't die before he achieves his dream!"
"Thank you for reassuring me, petit docteur," Aiya managed a sad smile, though Chopper could sense her uncertainty.
"Oh, I know! You didn't tell him you're married to Zoro, did you?" Chopper guessed, his eyes widening. "Isn't Tra-guy your Nakama? Aren't you happy being married? Why wouldn't you tell him?"
"I am very happy to be married to your crew mate, and Law is as close to family as I've ever had." Aiya couldn't believe she was being this honest, blaming Chopper's innocent gaze and adorable blue nose. "But I've been alone for a long time, and my job is very dangerous. Information like that can mean life or death—not just for me, but for Zoro and your crew. I've been careful never to put any of you in harm's way. Sometimes I forget what it's like to have people around who have good intentions."
"You mean having friends?" Chopper hit a nerve unintentionally.
"Well, when you put it like that, it does sound rather sad, doesn't it?" Aiya chuckled weakly.
"Don't worry, we're your friends now, too!" Chopper declared warmly. "And Traffy will come around. You guys are family, and that's what family does for each other. You don't need to worry about us getting hurt either, we're super strong!"
"That's very sweet of you, petit docteur," Aiya smiled genuinely. She didn't say it out loud but her faith in the crew had grown significantly. The information she'd told them had practically poured out of her usually tight defenses. Like something weaseled past her walls and infected her from the inside out. She didn't love it, but it didn't surprise her. She knew the crew had an unnatural ability to win people over and she was just the latest victim.
A sudden crash echoed from the hallway, freezing them both in place. "I'll go check it out. You stay here and keep searching," Aiya instructed briskly.
She walked down the corridor and overheard a heated exchange.
"Vergo. The Marines from G-5 are on this island as we speak. Given you're their turncoat former base commander, you probably don't want to run into them. Just a friendly warning," Law's voice was incredibly strained, each word sounding harder to push out than the last.
She heard Vergo strike Law. "How considerate. But frankly, I don't need your advice. And remember this, I won't remind you again," Vergo's voice turned cold, and Aiya winced as Law cried out in pain. "You're to call me Mr. Vergo."
Monet licked her lips, watching the confrontation unfold with keen interest.
"Monsieur Vergo," Aiya stated boldly, stepping into the light of the hallway. "I've heard so much about you over the years. Nothing about being a traitor to the government, though. I might have liked you more."
"This is Law's personal… entertainment. A woman of the silk bridge," Monet introduced, a wicked smirk playing on her lips.
"Ah, the Silk Bridge of the Underworld. A pleasure," Vergo greeted evenly, eyeing the object of his attention with a mix of amusement and calculation.
"I'm acting as Law's personal sécurité, mademoiselle. But the pleasure is all mine, of course," Aiya cooed, lifting a handout to the man in a show of civility. "It seems we have a little situation here, but I can be quite accommodating. Surely, we can come to an arrangement."
"It's your lucky day, ma'am. My benefactor has been interested in striking a business deal for quite some time. You're quite elusive when you want to be. Who knew you were right under our noses all this time?" Vergo took her hand and shook it, his statement obviously hitting a raw nerve with the secretary aside him.
"I didn't think this was a very a high-profile operative. It didn't seem worth the effort to establish contact until I found someone more… influential," Monet added with a touch of disdain in her voice.
"Don't be daft, there's only one woman. You understand how Devil Fruits work, Monet," The double agent corrected, relishing a bit in the abashed surprise on the harpy's face.
"What could the World Government possibly want with my shady dealings?" Aiya inquired, her voice steady despite the tension thickening in the air.
"My other benefactor."
"I see. The Joker wants to connect with little old me? What an honor," She feigned excitement, throwing a bit of effort into making her response haughty for good measure.
When Vergo made a sudden move toward Law, Aiya swiftly used Haki-infused fabric to wrap around his wrist and stop his forward motion. Unfortunately, it seemed it had been his plan all along as he pulled harshly up on his arm and inspected the fabric before she could pull it away. "Ah, I recall a young girl who once had this ability... Nothing like you, of course. Small, timid, obedient. Hadn't quite figured out how to harness it for anything truly useful," Vergo reminisced with a smirk. "Funny coincidence—she was also quite fond of this sickly little kid."
"I'm not sure I know what you mean by sickly, but I'm afraid you've misunderstood our relationship. I'm not fond of Trafalgar Law. I'm fond of getting paid, and I've been on this island a long time to secure this pay out," Aiya shot back defiantly.
"If you're so worked up over a few berries, I'll double what he's offering to have you come back to Dressrosa with me," The large man proposed as he still loomed over her with no small amount of malice.
"My, how generous. Why?" The Silk Bridge hesitated, suspicion creeping into her voice.
"Joker doesn't like it when people take his things," Vergo growled, his voice low and menacing. In a swift move, he lunged at her, his fist crackling with Haki. She narrowly dodged, her breath catching in her throat, and slipped away down the corridor, her heart pounding in her chest. The sound of her heeled boots against the cold, hard floor echoed through the narrow space.
Just as she thought she might escape, a blur of movement to her left caught her attention. Monet emerged from the shadows, a wicked smile playing on her lips. In a flash, her fingers curled into talons aimed directly at her throat. Aiya reacted instinctively, ducking and weaving, but the Harpy was relentless, her movements like those of a predatory bird.
With a desperate twist, she managed to entangle the bird woman in her crimson fabric, yanking it tight and causing her attacker to stumble. She took advantage of the moment, slipping past Monet and continuing her flight down the corridor.
"Don't bother. She won't go anywhere without him," Vergo declared confidently, his voice echoing down the hallway. She glanced back, seeing Vergo's smirk and Monet struggling to free herself from the fabric trap. Vergo's confidence was chilling, a reminder of the dangerous game she was playing. She had to find a way out, and fast, before Joker's enforcers closed in on her completely.
One Piece!
Perched stealthily in the rafters outside the room Vergo and Monet currently occupied, Aiya's mind raced through the labyrinthine layout of the lab she'd memorized for just such an occasion. The unexpected arrival of Vergo threw a wrench into their well thought out strategies. They had considered the eventuality that someone from the family might show up, but she hoped it'd be someone less formidable—perhaps Giolla or Lao G—the elderly members, who rarely left Dressrosa these days.
"Bring them this way!" a voice echoed, drawing Aiya's attention.
"I see. More guests. Law will have company in his cage after all," Vergo's monotone cut through the tension.
Aiya's heart sank as she glimpsed their captured allies, and even the G-5 leadership, being led into the room below her hideout.
They had prepared for months, swapping out chains, refining escape plans, contingency escape plans- hell, even backup contingency escape plans- but none accounted for the chaos of both the Straw Hats and the infuriating Marines descending upon them simultaneously.
It was a logistical nightmare.
After a while had past and the room group quiet, she slithered silently through the exposed rafters, and maneuvered into a shadowed corner of the room, hoping to evade Vergo's keen Observation Haki.
Below, a large projection screen pictured Law's cage, now outside somehow and full of pirates and marines alike. When she saw Franky's fiery display, relief washed over her.
He had a plan.
In a swift, silent move, she lowered a strand of fabric to retrieve Law's nodachi, smoothly pulling it up into her hiding place while the attention remained fixed on the screen. With Vergo and Monet engrossed, she slipped out unnoticed.
Moments later, a blue glint caught her eye, and she tied a red ribbon to the hilt of the sword. After it faded, she found herself clutching a note instead and she read the terse command:
"Open the front shutter."
Moving to the main room, Aiya manipulated her fabric to operate the lever, as the recently freed members of their party materialized in front of her.
She cast a purely shit eating grin at Smoker as the door creaked open to admit a flood of G-5 Marines. "I do love it when a man in uniform owes me a favor," she quipped.
"We're in! All units secure!" Tashigi's voice rang out as the Marines finished pouring into the laboratory.
Law glanced at his crewmate, "Alright. Let's try to get my heart back."
"This is going to be awesome," Luffy chuckled, surprisingly calm amidst the chaos.
"I'm working with pirates. How shameful." Smoker grumbled; his distaste palpable.
"Anymore zingy one liners? Seems like there's room for one more in your comic strip," Aiya teased, standing proudly by the lever, and closing the door once everyone was inside.
"What was that?" a Marine shouted, bewildered as the door sealed shut.
The room had only begun to shake as she reached for the railing to steady herself. Law suddenly appeared beside her and took a hold of her before she plummeted to the floor below after a particularly nasty quake.
The first thing she saw was an almost solid wave of fire and remarkably familiar Haki slice brightly through the lab wall, followed by the flash of moss-green hair.
He made it. She thought with relief, but her moment of joy was cut short.
"I was wrong," Law began.
"Yeah, clearly," Aiya retorted.
"No, not about that," Law continued, with a suspicious hint of amusement.
"Huh?" Aiya raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
"Now you look like an idiot," Law almost laughed out loud, but reminded himself he hadn't forgiven her transgression yet.
Aiya rolled her eyes. "Ass."
Zoro's attention shifted to the upper balcony, where a tall figure stood over something much more pleasant to look at. Despite the situation, and himself being the one who narrowly avoided death, he found himself relieved to see her unharmed.
"We'll discuss that later," Law replied, gesturing towards Zoro, who still eyed Aiya with a curious intensity.
"Everything okay down there?" Luffy called out.
"You two better not interfere with me or Straw Hat," The surgeon warned the marines gruffly.
"Got it," Smoker replied angrily, locking eyes with him defiantly.
"We can talk on the way to the SAD lab. Let's move," Aiya urged, but Law's hand stopped her.
"You're not coming," Law stated firmly, cutting off any protest. "Vergo is suspicious. I can't risk handing you over. Especially now that I can't even trust you to give over crucial information."
"Ouch. That stings," Aiya muttered. "And you know it's not even true."
"You'll get over it," Law replied coolly.
"If that's how you captain, consider me un-enlisted."
"Look, it's Traffy!" Nami shouted excitedly, diverting everyone's attention. "Now's our chance! Switch. Us. Back!" The annoying Straw Hat woman gave Law a fantastic idea.
"Fine, have it your way then. Shambles."
Nami and Sanji snapped back to their rightful bodies, and Aiya found herself sprawled on the ground in front of a confused but totally not ungrateful Zoro.
"Ah, finally!" The cat thief exclaimed with a sigh of relief, instinctively adjusting her own body. A welcome sense of familiarity returning after the disorienting experience of being separated.
Beside her, Sanji stood with melancholy in his eyes, despite the return to normalcy. His usual charm momentarily subdued by the sadness of losing out on Nami's supple curves.
"Hey everybody! Shut up and listen to me!" Law's commanding voice pierced through the turmoil. "As you may have noticed, the whole island is filled with poison gas. But there is a way out. There's a path that's completely enclosed, and it leads to the sea. This laboratory is massive. It's made up of multiple connected buildings. We're currently in building A. If you go through the gate at the back of the building and pass through building B, the central part of the laboratory, you'll find building R. In that building, there is a tall door marked 'R-66'. That is the entrance to the passage that leads to the sea. I'd rather not massacre everybody here, so here's the deal. You have two hours to find your way out and if not, I can't guarantee your safety. Swordsman! Get her there unharmed or don't bother showing up." Law turned away without waiting to hear Zoro's scorned reply.
Aiya tried to block out the angry murmurs around her as a strong hand lifted her from the ground and spun her to look up into searching eyes. "Are you done acting weird?"
"Never." She smiled.
"G-5! There are prisoners here. Young children that were kidnapped two years ago," Smoker's voice boomed. "Your mission is to retrieve them, then find the door that's labeled R-66. If what Law told us was true, that passage leads to the harbor. We'll steal a ship and kiss Punk Hazard goodbye!"
"Alright everyone! Let's split up and look for those kids! When we find them, we gotta get them to building R, door R-66!" Nami's directive rang out amidst the urgency of their situation.
"Roger that!" chorused the crew, rallying to her command.
"Aiya, can you keep Zoro on track?" Nami's gaze turned to the woman, who wasted no time in leaping onto Zoro's back in response.
"Yes, Ma'am!" Aiya declared with a grin. "Forward March, Soldier!"
"Yeah, yeah," Zoro grumbled, though his pace quickened under her encouragement.
"Not much longer, Momonosuke. I will save you; I swear it!" A voice called out, capturing the intel broker's attention.
Wait, did that very Wano-looking samurai just ask about a Momonosuke? Aiya thought but was distracted when the man beneath her practically snarled.
"Luffy really got beaten by that maniac Caesar?" Zoro exclaimed, drawing his swords and positioning himself against the encroaching marines. Aiya tightened her grip on his back, bracing for contact.
"It's true, and there was even a bit of suffocation thrown into the mix for good measure. He manipulates gas, making him one dangerous bastard. He sucks the oxygen out of the air," Usopp explained, his voice tinged with concern for their captain's wellbeing.
"We let those Yetis catch us off guard, and now this? It's pathetic. Was the last two years for nothing?" Zoro questioned angrily. His wife watched silently at the exchange. Reminiscing over all the hard work she'd watched him put in under Mihawk.
"Well, look at it this way: We're all still breathing, right?" Usopp reasoned.
"Maybe not for long! If we keep getting caught off guard, we're going to end up dead," The swordsman's voice carried an edge of frustration, echoing the urgency of their perilous situation.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Usopp followed Zoro's lead, his slingshot poised against the encroaching marines.
"Hey Luffy!" Zoro's voice cut through the chaos, commanding attention. With swift strokes, he parried the onslaught of blades. "Luffy, can you hear me?! You have to pull it together! We're in the New World! The stakes are high!"
Aiya, still clinging tightly to Zoro's back, witnessed the crew rally around their captain amidst the swirling turmoil.
"Yeah! I'm sorry! I won't mess up again, I promise!" Luffy's voice rang out, confident and determined, carrying the weight of their collective resolve.
In that fleeting, electrifying moment, amidst the symphony of clashing swords, Aiya felt a begrudging admiration and skepticism stir within her. The Straw Hats faced danger head-on, their spirits seemingly undaunted even in the face of overwhelming odds.
It wasn't just their skill in battle that impressed her; it was their apparent invincibility, as if protected by some mystical hand of fate. Every clash of steel, every defiant shout seemed to reinforce her belief that they were living in a different world, where rules bent in their favor.
As Aiya watched them maneuver together through marines, who simply let them walk away, and then empty hallways that always seemed to be the right one, she saw a stark contrast to her own solitary path.
Their camaraderie and unbreakable bond felt foreign to her. A recluse born from the experiences she never shared from inside her cocoon of secrets.
In their unity, she glimpsed a strength that eluded her—a strength forged not just in skill, but in the unyielding faith they placed in each other. Yet, as she sat on Brownbeard's back, swept up in the fray, she couldn't shake the suspicion that a lot of their success stemmed from a certain otherworldly force.
In the dimly lit confines of his opulent ship's cabin, Doflamingo loomed over Ruby, his fingers deftly manipulating invisible strings that seemed to coil around her like a malevolent force. His eyes bore into hers with a mix of intensity and concealed fury, as he began to speak with a characteristic blend of arrogance and disdain.
"Listen," he began, his voice carrying an ominous undertone. "The Will of D... it's a curse upon this world, a stain that runs deeper than blood. Those celestial fools fear them—the 'Demons' with the initial D. They see them as harbingers of chaos, a threat to their precious status quo." His words dripped with scorn; each syllable laced with the weight of a contempt she didn't truly understand.
"They're symbols of defiance, symbols of a history they want buried," The Young Master continued, his tone growing more vehement. "These D's are like sparks in the powder keg of our world, ready to ignite rebellion and topple empires. And what's worse," he paused, his eyes narrowing, "they remind them of a freedom they've tried to suppress."
Ruby felt a chill run down her spine. His words carried a chilling truth, echoing the enigmatic depths of those of D- men and women who wielded power and secrets capable of reshaping the very fabric of their world.
As Aiya observed Luffy's crew, who likely didn't even grasp the gravity of the Will of D, even as it rippled through their own successes and determination, she couldn't help but wonder if Law's own will would someday ignite the same fortune that could bring them closer to their goal. But she realized in that moment, it already had—for Law and his crew, anyway.
These thoughts lingered, leaving Aiya to question if she was cursed to be a perpetual outsider among the blessed. Forsaken by the Will of D and its all-encompassing power, perhaps she'd offended the God-like force somehow, leaving her doomed to a life of misfortune, just as they were destined for greatness.
It left her unsure if she could ever truly carve out a rightful place among them. Though with how Law had left things between them, maybe it was already out of her hands.