Fire burning etched into Luffia's mind as she watches her sister chained, waiting to be burned. The scene brought back memories she tried to forget when she was a child.
She remembered being dragged to the boat, watching the island she called home burned to the ground alongside her parents. She could remember the cries of her sisters echoing in her ears when they called for their parents.
Sometimes, she would dream of being inside that fire, burned till there was nothing left of her. Sometimes, her dreams were far more gruesome. In one of her dreams, she stood still, watching her parents be consumed by the flames.
She wondered if it would have been better had they stayed with their parents. At least even in death, they would be together.
But they lived. Alive. Going through their daily lives chasing revenge.
And look where they are now. Ann was in a coma while Sab was at the edge of exploding. She sits here watching the monitor go up and down according to her sisters' vitals, looking like a dead woman walking. She thought nightmares were only for those sleeping, but even when awake, these nightmares were haunting her nonstop.
What if they were too late? What if the building collapsed when Ann was still there? Luffia could not bear to watch another loved one die in front of her eyes.
She spent days contemplating what would become. And in days where she stared at Ann, she began to wonder if she would ever wake up. Fear began gnawing at her heart at that thought.
'You were so brave telling Sab that Ann will wake up, yet here you are, thinking of the worst,' she mocked herself, smiling with a rarely seen bitterness and exhaustion.
She and her sisters were resolute to see this path through. Whether they perish or not does not matter. They would walk the path of vengeance even when they knew one of them might not make it till the end.
Foolish, isn't it? They were chasing the impossible. They were chasing the people powerful enough to drive the Mafia King to his death. Yet, here they are, traversing the path of no return. She agreed to it, but seeing Ann in this condition made her question if she could continue without her sister. If this is what was waiting for them ahead, Luffia thought it would be best for them to stop.
Was she afraid of dying? Yes and no. She was willing to die, but if she were to die but achieved nothing, that was what scared her the most. And if her sisters were to die, Luffia didn't want to think what it would be like. She refused to imagine a world without them. It was enough that their parents were gone. Losing her sisters would be the end of her world.
She can walk this path of carnage because of them. If they were gone, what was the point of all this? The lives of those bastards were not worth an ounce of what her sisters were worth to her. She'd rather stop this vengeance if it meant keeping her sisters safe.
Should she tell them to stop? That idea had been swimming in her mind for a long time now but she could not bring herself to ask them. It would feel as if she betrayed them and what they agreed on, and that's the last thing she wanted to do.
"Wake up, Ann." She prayed once more, letting her tears drop.
===XXX===XXX===XXX===
Seeing Sab break down like that was an eye-opener for Kidd. If that was how she handled Ann's situation, he could not imagine what she was like when she lost their children. Saying he understood what she went through was an overstatement. No matter how much he acknowledged her pain, he could not completely understand what it was like in her shoes.
It was true he was badly hurt too, yet the pain he went through was not as heavy as hers. The more he looked at her, the more he discovered how deep the things he didn't know about her.
"Keep an eye on her, please," Luffia said when they chanced upon each other. He looked at the woman with a raised eyebrow, confused. "Sab tends to be reckless when she feels lost."
Understanding dawned on Kidd. His nod eased Luffia, putting her at ease that she could leave her sister with someone.
"It didn't have to be me," Kidd said after a long consideration, gauging how the woman would answer.
"Yes. It didn't have to be you." She looked at him with deep emotions, contrary to her usual carefree smile. "But she loves you. And you love her."
She left knowing Kidd would be there for her sister. The expectation was a little off from the reality. While Kidd may have been observing Sab, his presence did nothing to diminish her edginess. It wasn't only her anxiety, but rather recklessness.
Luffia did not include this when speaking to Kidd, but Sab's level of recklessness went beyond what Kidd could endure.
Granted, it had only been a week since Ann's rescue, but things were escalating far quicker than Kidd had thought. She was going after Big Mom's territories like a mad woman, burning down buildings, and sniping members of the group regardless of their ranks. She was out for vengeance. Even her initial plans of targeting Orochi had been on hold because she was focused on getting back at Big Mom's group.
She would still report to Celestial Law Firm as if nothing happened, but at night, she would frequently go out to hunt like a mad hunter searching for prey. A few sleepless nights might not have been a problem, but it took a toll on Sab's body despite her stubbornness, insisting she was fine. Kidd was frowning on the sidelines, contemplating what to tell her.
The only thing that was a sound judgment on her part was that she did not go out as Blue. At least she was rational enough to think about the consequences should their enemies connect the dots. But with the way she was going at it, Kidd doubted Big Mom's commanders would stay silent at all.
And he was right.
On the 8th day of Sab's onslaught, Kidd planned to talk some sense into her wayward head only to find out his men lost track of her.
"What do you mean she left?" Every word was enunciated with irritation, making Killer wince, pitying one of their men. "Didn't I tell you to keep an eye on her?"
"I did, Boss. But she was so slippery. She might have sensed us tailing her."
Kidd cursed, lost in thoughts, rummaging his head of where Sab could be. As much as he wanted to roast his men for failing to trail Sab as instructed, he knew this was not entirely their fault.
Perhaps he should have tailed her himself.
"She might be in one of Big Mom's fighting arena." Kidd snapped his head toward Heat, eyes blazing with eagerness to hear more. "Big Mom's arena fights happened simultaneously weekly, and in different cities. She missed the last one when you were busy. There is a fight tonight. I am uncertain if she will be there, but where else could she wreak havoc than in the arena?"
"She better not be joining the fight within that arena or else - "
"I don't think she will do that." Killer intercepted. "But she might be within the arena. Blending in. Or something..." Kidd could feel all his energy draining from the amount of stress he had to deal with.
He was not the type to openly tell Sab he was worried. He was hoping she would take a hint. She should be smart enough to realize his signals, but it seemed not. The onslaught she was chasing made her blinded to see how Kidd was trying to keep her in line. Or perhaps he should have confronted her.
Luffia asked him to keep an eye on her but all he did was silently watch her become the mess that she is now. He should have done something but that was Kidd's problem. He didn't know what to say. Should he comfort her? What was he supposed to say to keep her from exploding like a goddamn bomb? More than this situation escalating the opposite way he wanted, his inability to control the situation was what was driving him nuts.
Useless. Coward.
"Let's go. Wire, stay here with the others. A few of us should be more than enough to retrieve her."
"Don't tell me you will barge into Big Mom's territory? Don't forget, while our alliance with Strawhat may not be out in the Streets yet, the other groups were not fools not to notice that. They should suspect by now. With her alliance with Kaido, I doubt her group would welcome you there."
"Aish! We will just retrieve her!" Wire raised his eyebrow at him, doubtful that Kidd could stealthily retrieve Sab. If she was there. And even if she was, she might not be willing to forego her plans. Whatever that was.
With a sigh, Wire looked at Killer, nodding as a signal to look out for Kidd.
"Two children..." Heat muttered under his breath, referring to Sab and Kidd.
===XXX===XXX===XXX===
Stealth had always been Sab's specialty. She could blend in with the crowd, disguise herself perfectly well, and slip past anyone which was why she managed to lose the men Kidd assigned to her. Not like it matters.
After gathering the information, she devised a plan to disrupt Big Mom's fighting arena. The opportunity was there for her to take. And if one of her commanders or better yet, Perospero, showed up, she would not hesitate to kill all of them.
The mere thought of Perospero still breathing to this day made her blood boil. He was living the best of his life while her sister was left in a state where none of them knew if she would wake up.
She had faith that Ann would wake up, but faith is a feeble belief that might shatter at any given moment. On the off chance she wouldn't or would take time before she woke up, Sab refused to let that bastard live for long. No one messes with her sisters without consequences.
This anger felt like molten lava, accumulating at the bottom of the volcano - her heart - waiting to explode. If she didn't do something, anything, she feared she would go insane.
Her sisters always told her she may look calm, but deep down, she was not. Her ability to hide her anger had always come back to bite her in the ass when it was about to explode. When was the last time she felt like this? It was years ago when she lost her twins. She went feral, targeting Kaido's men and even torturing some. It had taken a lot of persuasion from Ann and Luffia before she calmed down. No matter what she did, it would never bring back her twins. Her anger at that time was understandable, but the circumstances were unlike what she was facing now.
Her loss was due to bad timing, something not targeted. She just happened to be in the area where enemies were, careless as she was.
But with Ann, it was different. She was targeted, and there is a culprit. Ann would understand if she took Perospero's head first.
"How much do you think we'll get today?" One man asked his companion not far from where Sab was sitting in the crowd.
"A lot. I heard one of Big Mom's commanders is sponsoring today's entertainment. It was said to come from his loot when he killed Firefist."
Her hand automatically clenched upon hearing these words. She fought hard enough to stay calm and let them talk. If she could kill all of these fools alongside Perospero, that would be wonderful.
Patience.
She kept her silence in the corner, eyes traveling from one place to another searching for someone to hunt. The arena was quite full, filled with people eager to see bloodshed in the pit. Modern Slaves are what Sab called them, pitying their lives at the hands of their owners.
These slaves were the least of her concerns. What she wanted to shed was the blood of Big Mom's commanders, or if her sources are right, Perospero should be here as well.
As if on cue, she saw the entourage marching towards the VIP area, and among them was the man she was looking for. Her eyes instantly turned red from rage, remembering what he did to Ann. Her hand automatically reached for her gun, wanted nothing more than to shoot that bastard.
Patience.
But her patience was running thin. Especially seeing that bastard smiling from ear to ear, waving at the crowd, feeling like a King.
"Thank you for attending this wonderful event. Everyone who brought their goods can register them so we can proceed. Kindly place your bets, the higher the better. Drinks will be served, and it's all on me!"
Everyone cheered except for Sab.
"I don't mind showering my guests with extra goods tonight. Money is not a problem. Hahaha!" He proceeded to call the whores he rented and signaled them to entertain his honored guests.
Every second passed was slowly shredding the last bit of sanity left in Sab. Many were jesting, cheering for Perospero to be generous when he received the money from Ann's bounty. Sab fumed, feeling disgusted, and above all else, felt the throbbing pain in her chest upon hearing their words.
"Serves her right,"
"It's a wild kill. Good riddance,"
"She deserved to die,"
These words triggered memories years back when they were starting here in Grandline. She would hear these jests directed to the late Mafia King and she could remember feeling suffocated from the anger welling up inside.
The same thing was happening to Ann. She would want nothing more than to shoot everyone here in the arena if she could, but she must wait. Her target is not these fools but Perospero. If she is going to shoot that bastard, she must ensure his death. Even if she wanted to torture him until there was nothing left in his mind but pleas for his pathetic life.
The fighting went on for what felt like an eternity to Sab. Her eyes were fixated on Perospero all this time. When she saw him leaving, she immediately got up and followed, disregarding the second looks people were giving her. With her eyes on her target, she failed to notice the alarming glances of Big Mom's men around her. What she can think of is to ram a bullet in Perospero's head.
Walking towards the man, chasing him to the corner exit, her hand reached for her gun and when she was about to act, a strong arm wrapped itself around her, caging her firmly.
Her instincts wanted to retaliate but his voice caught her off guard.
"Shoot the damn bastard, and you will be dead before you rejoice in his death."
"You - !"
"Fucking reckless fool!" He cursed while whispering. Sab looked up, flaring in anger, but before she could protest, Kidd dragged her to the exit, cursing her recklessness.
"Let me go!" She freed herself from his hold when they were outside, far away from the arena. "What the fuck were you doing?"
Kidd turned to her, exasperated while removing his hood and mask. His eyes were flaring with anger as he growled.
"What the fuck am I doing?! I should ask you that question!"
"You stopped me! How dare you stop me from assassinating that bastard?! I could have killed that bastard!"
"Yes, you could! And you would die the next minute! And assassination?! Do you call that assassination?! You were inside his arena! You were surrounded by his men and the second you pulled the trigger, you would not have a chance to flee because one bullet is enough to kill you!" He was inches away from her and his voice was so damn loud that anyone within a few meters would hear it.
But neither of them cared. They were far too gone into this heated argument to care for any passerby.
Good thing Kidd's men were on standby.
"I can kill him and you stole that chance from me!"
"I saved your fucking life! Your stupidity knows no bounds!"
"You don't tell me what to do! That bastard is still living and he deserves to die! Damn you!" She turned her back on him to return to the arena.
"And where the fuck do you think you're doing?" Kidd chased her, hand gripping on her forearm, yanking her back.
"I am going back to kill that bastard which I would have done by now had you not interfered!"
"Can't you see I saved your life?! You were so damn reckless!"
"I don't want to hear that from you!"
"But you will hear it whether you like it or not because this stunt is stupid, reckless and fucking dumbassery!" Kidd yelled back, causing his men to wince.
Their arguments were going back and forth, stressing their points, circling back to where it started then proceeding to an endless loop without each other's point getting across.
"Uhm - " Killer hesitantly raised his hand to gain their attention and was rewarded with two pairs of eyes glaring daggers that might kill him.
"WHAT?!"
"WHAT!"
Killer sighed. Had it not been for the immense danger they could face, he would have sat there and watched these two argue like an old married couple.
"I hate to break it to you, but we need to leave. We're out here in the open, and just in case you both forgot, we're in Big Mom's territory. An enemy territory."
That seemed to calm Sab and Kidd as they huffed in frustration. They would have continued their shouting contest had it not been for Killer interrupting them.
"Oh, no. You're not going anywhere!" Kidd was quick to yank Sab when she was about to leave.
"What do you mean? I will get my bike - "
"No. Because the moment I take my eyes off you, you will wander into a boundless reckless shit you would pull." He looked at one of his men and issued an order. "Take her bike. She's leaving with us!"
Protests were futile because, after a few minutes of shouting, she found herself beside Kidd in the passenger seat, leaving Big Mom's territory.
Killer was behind the driver's seat, stealing glances from the passenger's seat, gulping from the tension in the air. It was deadly silent but it might as well be a calm before the storm because neither his passengers had looked at each other. Both were looking at the window, frowning while their shoulders were tense.
It was the most intense drive to their base. None of them wanted to break that deadly silence, afraid to set the bomb exploding.
The moment the car was parked in the basement, Sab bolted out of the door, slamming it behind while cursing profusely. That didn't sit well with Kidd who did the same while calling to her.
And another series of shouting ensued, causing the trusted men to scatter out of their ways, afraid to be caught in this verbal war. Some men looked at Killer, silently questioning what was going on, but the blonde man shook his head and signaled the men to just stay quiet or else they would face Kidd and Sab's wrath.
"I am not done with your shit, Sab!" Kidd's voice echoed in the living room as he followed Sab to the upper floor.
"Well, I am!" She shouted back as she escaped Kidd's grasp to find solace in her bedroom, hoping that Kidd would just let it go. She closed the door, but unfortunately, Kidd managed to squirm his way inside, slamming the door shut.
"Are you damn suicidal woman?!"
"This is none of your business!"
"Don't pull that line on me when you know damn well I am right!"
"I am pulling that line because I am right! I am this close to killing that bastard! And what did you do?! You dragged me away from my position! Just in case you forgot, he tortured my sister! He left her there to die in the burning building and my sister is still in a coma?! What do you expect me to do?! Do you expect me to sit and watch while that fucker is still alive?!"
"I expect you to at least be smart about your moves! You were in the arena surrounded by Big Mom's men, and her allies. What do you think will happen when you pull the trigger? Huh?! Suffice you killed the man, but you will get yourself killed! That's not assassination! That is suicidal!"
"It doesn't matter!"
"Fuck, Sab, it matters!"
"Shut up!" Now that Kidd could see he was getting through Sab, there was no way he would let this opportunity go to bring some sense into her head.
"How do you think your sister will feel when she wakes up and find you were dead all because of that fucker? All because you want to pull the revenge card?! Did you ever stop to think of what your sisters feel?! No, right? You were so damn cooped up in your miserable mind that you became an idiot!"
"Shut the fuck up! You don't know what I'm going through right now!"
"Then, tell me! Tell me what is going through your mind! Because for fuck's sake, I don't know what you were thinking pulling that stupid stunt!"
"I said, shut up!"
"No, I won't shut up! I will tell you this whether you like it or not! You pulled the stupidest stunt ever! I won't criticize you for wanting to kill that fucker, because I could understand that! But the way you planned this whole shit?! The fuck, Sab?! You're throwing yourself into your death! And did you ever stop to think how I would feel if you pulled that stint of yours and ended up dead?! Even for a second, did you think about it?!"
Kidd was panting from all the shouts while letting his resentments seep through his words. Sab gulped, words slipping through her mind as she processed the actions she pulled.
"You didn't, did you? You were so selfish and kept everything to yourself!" He was no longer just referring to what she did today, but all she did a few years ago.
"S-Shut - "
"What?! You know I am right!"
"Shut up, I said!"
"Then, make me!" They stared at each other, panting. Neither realized the gap between them shrunk till they were at arm's away. Sab wanted to say something, but words couldn't seem to form in her mouth and Kidd didn't seem like he wanted to continue their shouting war.
They stared at each other, trying to understand this whole ordeal and what to make of it. At some point, when both were trying to find the words, their bodies moved like magnets drawn to each other. The next thing they knew was their lips meeting halfway, crushing each other's.
The kiss was harsh, filled with resentment, anger, fear, hunger, and so much more than words failed to express for them.
Kidd was quick to pull Sab into his embrace, lips still dancing rather harshly. Their hands were quick to explore each other and the next thing happening was a scramble of hands ripping their clothes off each other.
Kidd's shirt was instantly destroyed, not like it matters, and he was very kind to return the favor. Their guns were thrown on the carpet, leaving them topless.
"Sab..." He whispered into her ear as soon as her back hit the soft bed.
"Shut up... Just... J-just..." She struggled for words, hands wrapped around Kidd's body as if she was afraid he would let go. He didn't have to ask anymore or say anything. He could feel what they both wanted.
With more hunger, he claimed her lips while his hands struggled to get her pants off. And it seems she was also eager to return the same favor but with more needs than Kidd anticipated. Her palm only did not work with opening his zipper but also worked to get his cock harder than ever. She sneaked her hand inside his pants to palm his erection.
Kidd cursed internally before yanking her hand off him. She was confused at first but didn't have a chance to question his motives when he ripped her panties before throwing them aside.
A moan escaped her when he started playing with her folds, working his way inside her. The finger protruding inside her was quick and harsh. It was not meant to be a prolonged foreplay but a hasty one. She would have scolded him had it not been for the painful erection displayed between his legs. And even Sab would admit she could not wait. Pain be damned and all.
When Kidd rubbed his erection against Sab's twitching and wet entrance, no words were spoken between them. Sab only had to reach between her legs to nudge the erection in her entrance to gaud Kidd in continuing.
Of all the times they had sex before, Kidd would usually tease her till she was left begging for him to stop. But not now. He didn't have the heart to tease her or to wait. His erection proved that point and with Sab's actions, he didn't need to be told twice.
He pushed, groaning at the tight muscles around the head. It took a lot of willpower not to thrust everything inside her. Had it not been for the way she whimpered at the breach of his erection, Kidd would surely push everything.
He leaned to capture her lips while slowly edging his erection, inch by inch. His kisses allowed room for her to adjust. It had been damn too long.
But this room of adjustment only lasted for a few minutes because she too felt the need to continue. She urged him by wrapping her legs around his torso and her moans were growing louder, demanding everything Kidd had to offer.
He gave into her demands as much as his, thrusting with abandon, lusting for that friction in their bodies.
Tongues clashing, moans echoing, and hurried wet slapping sounds reverberated in the room. They had no time to consider that people in the hallway might hear them. They forego any sense of awareness in their surroundings and what mattered was what their bodies demanded.
It was intoxicating, lulling the adrenaline in their bones. They melted with their union, feeling the satisfaction of their needs, and wants all these years.
The last bit of sanity cleared Kidd's mind when he pulled out the minute he felt his release coming. As much as he wanted to release inside her, he knew the risks. He could not risk getting her pregnant when her last pregnancy resulted in tragedy.
They laid down on her bed, panting, catching their breath as if they ran several miles per hour. No words were spoken. That silence only lasted for about 20 minutes and by then, Sab was about to speak when she was silenced by a soft kiss.
She gave in, letting things take their course and the next thing she knew, Kidd was making love to her so tenderly, treating her like a fragile rose.
The first one was so hurried she didn't have the time to notice how his body changed for the last two years. Kidd might have felt the same because he was worshipping her body unlike before, kissing every corner his lips could reach.
And when that was over, they lulled themselves to sleep, letting their bodies warm each other.
===XXX===XXX===XXX===
A lot of contemplation happened before Tashigi decided what she must do. At the back of her mind, she knew her intentions were not purely professional. Her motivation stemmed from her emotional turmoil about Zoro and Luffia.
'If I don't inform the higher-ups about this revelation, more people will suffer. We cannot let demon spawns roam in the Streets. The Streets were as chaotic as it is.' She consoled herself, solidifying her decision. Letting this information rot away would only condone her as an indirect accomplice to the crimes the three women committed.
With that in mind, she proceeds to the building with a specific office in mind. She was eagerly welcomed by three old men whose jurisdiction in the World Government far outstrips anyone.
Meeting them for the first time was nerve-wracking for Tashigi, but she steeled herself, repeating the same words she spoke internally. This is a must.
"We received the information you sent to us. I assumed you brought all the necessary evidence to back your claim, is it not, Captain Tashigi?"
Saint Mars asked, eyes directly looking at Tashigi before they landed on the folder she was holding.
"Of course, Sir. I would not be here, otherwise." She gave him the folder with a smile, knowing that this would seal the fate of those three women.
"It had been years since we had any fruitful information about Roger's children. We thought they died alongside their parents, but now, you brought this valuable information. How did you come across this?" Saint Saturn asked after getting the folder from Saint Mars.
"That's..." She was prepared in the event they would ask this. But she was carefully piecing her words to get her goals within this conversation. "It was because of Luffia. The youngest amongst the three." She started.
The three old men looked at her, signaling to continue.
"She is acquainted with Zoro, the Mafia Hunter. During the hunt for Strawhat's head, Zoro suddenly backed out, leaving the mission. I suspected that she had something to do with it. Besides, I was always suspicious of her background. I dug around and that's when I came across the Fuschia Orphanage as it turns out, Ann and Sab's names were never there at all. Their documents were fake."
The three men nodded, so she continued.
"After further investigation, I was suspicious of Ann's similarity with the Mafia King's wife. That's when I performed a DNA test using the samples available in our data."
"Very well." Saint Warcury said. "You will be rewarded for this contribution. Anything specific you would like?"
She gasped when her opportunity came knocking on her door.
"There is. I'd like to get Zoro absolved of his crimes, mainly assisting Strawhat, in exchange for Luffia's head."
Her request did not seem to surprise the elders because they immediately agreed. Still, she felt relieved that Zoro would no longer have any repercussions should the World Government arrest Luffia or her sister.
With one of her plans going smoothly, it is time for Zoro to know about this. Tashigi is sure he will willingly leave her side once he finds out that Luffia is the daughter of his family's murderer.