A dilemma below the surface

~~~~O~~~o~~~O~~~~

Emi was overwhelmed by a multitude of thoughts as she tried to process the situation unfolding before her. "He's inviting me aboard his submarine? No. No, this is clearly not an invitation. He isn't giving me a choice!" Emi felt trapped in a situation she hadn't anticipated.

Then, a memory came back to her: Coco, her seagull, left behind at the inn. She couldn't leave without her. But would it be wise to bring her along? She found herself facing a dilemma, not knowing what to do. But first, she had to return to her room to collect her things. She would then decide on the best course of action to take in this situation.

"Well... I suppose I'll go grab a few things first," announced Emi, trying to hide her frustration.

Law, displaying his usual smile but with a more serious look in his eyes, responded, "Let's go."

Emi nearly choked at Law's response. Her eyes widened, and she struggled to contain her surprise. "Excuse me? What do you mean, LET'S go? I'm not going to run away if that's what you think! I need information as much as you do!"

Law didn't trust her at all. He didn't know her, nor her real intentions towards him, and preferred to remain cautious and keep an eye on her.

He finally said, "Consider this the beginning of an agreement. And avoid questioning my actions."

Emi, offended, replied, "The beginning of an agreement is based on trust, Trafalgar!"

"I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not," Law responded with a disconcerting calm.

Emi rolled her eyes, frustrated, "Fine, let's go if you're so insistent on playing babysitter!"

The walk to the inn was far too tense for Emi. Walking beside Law, she tried in vain to relax, but her mind was troubled by a mix of distrust and intrigue towards the man next to her. She knew he could be dangerous, but at the same time, she secretly hoped to learn more about him to write that cursed article and get out of his sight as soon as possible. Each step they took together only heightened her unease, but she tried to stay calm until she could retrieve her belongings.

Once in front of the inn, Emi turned to Law and said firmly, "I'll be two minutes. Wait for me here."

Law sighed and replied with disconcerting confidence, "I think you didn't understand me... I'm accompanying you to your room."

Emi looked at him incredulously. She hadn't expected such audacity from him. It was as if he didn't understand the boundaries of privacy. But tired of arguing with him, she just sighed deeply, casting a desperate look towards the sky.

"You stay in front of the door. I won't let you into my room," she insisted.

Law, wearing a teasing smile, replied, "Don't worry, I have no other intentions."

Emi rolled her eyes yet again, ready to open the door, but just as she was about to push it, piercing sounds came out. It was her usually calm seagull, now completely agitated by Law's presence. Emi closed her eyes in frustration. She had preferred to keep the existence of her seagull a secret for now, but she had to forget that idea. Emi rushed into the room and placed a soothing hand on Coco's head, trying to calm the bird's agitation.

"Coco, it's okay. Just a passing guest," she murmured softly, trying to convey her assurance, even though she herself doubted Law's presence.

Law observed the agitated seagull, realizing it was a News Coo, a species of bird he had never seen before as a pet. He knew these birds were generally used to distribute newspapers across the seas, but he had never seen them tamed in this way. He wondered how Emi had managed to obtain such a companion but quickly realized she must be using it for her own purposes to collect and send information.

Emi had only a few belongings that she carried with her during her information quests. She wasn't materialistic and was content with the essentials. Among her journalist's belongings was her precious typewriter that had lived through many adventures, her Den Den Mushi, and several cameras, silent witnesses of her discoveries.

As Emi packed her things into her bag, Law, intrigued, observed her possessions. His gaze stopped on her old typewriter.

"You still write your articles with that?" he asked, slightly perplexed.

Emi looked up from her bag and gave him a proud smile. "Yes, it's my little gem. This old machine has a soul, you know."

Law raised an eyebrow, showing his skepticism.

"Sometimes it even suggests article titles to me, as if it had its own personality," explained Emi, gently stroking the machine's keyboard.

Law remained silent for a moment, seemingly perplexed by her questionable inclinations. Then, he slightly shrugged. "Everyone has their superstitions, I suppose."

This machine was also, and above all, a gift from her father when she was hired by the World Economic News Paper. Emi had worked for them in the past, following her father's example, who had found his place there. Despite this, she had not appreciated how WENP used propaganda to manipulate public opinion. This was one of the reasons she had withdrawn from the newspaper and now worked independently. She preferred to practice journalism independently, seeking the truth and providing objective information to her clients, without being influenced by political agendas or special interests.

In addition to her journalist equipment, Emi had a few weapons for self-defense in case of trouble, essential tools for safely exploring the sometimes hostile regions she investigated, and some clothes to pack in her bag, chosen carefully for their practicality and durability in all conditions.

She favored loose and comfortable clothing over more feminine outfits. Law had noticed that she was rather understated in her clothing choices. This simplicity suited him, avoiding the hassle of dealing with a coquettish woman who might disrupt the rest of his predominantly male crew.

Once her belongings were neatly packed in her bag, Emi slung it over her left shoulder, while Coco found her place on the right shoulder. She glanced anxiously at Law, fearing his comment about Coco's presence.

Before he had a chance to say anything, she declared firmly, "She's coming with me, whether you like it or not."

Law looked at her with perplexity but indicated through his silence that he would tolerate Coco's presence as long as she didn't disrupt the submarine's operations.

~~~~O~~~o~~~O~~~~

Upon their arrival at the ship, it was Penguin and Sachi who welcomed them on the submarine deck, surprised to see their captain accompanied by Emi.

"Hey, it's Emi! The journalist from the port!" exclaimed Penguin, delighted to have a female presence on board.

"Captain! You two finally got along!" added Sachi with a big smile, happy to see that Law had spared her despite their altercation.

They wondered what could have brought Emi on board with their captain, and... a seagull?

As Penguin and Sachi curiously observed the seagull perched on Emi's shoulder, Coco seemed to assess the new arrivals warily, her small eyes scrutinizing their presence with an almost human intensity. She let out a piercing cry, as if to make herself noticed.

"Penguin, look at this," whispered Sachi, pointing at the bird. "It's a News Coo, right ?"

Penguin nodded, an amused smile stretching his lips. "Yeah, I didn't know these creatures could be tamed like this."

"Her name is Coco," Emi said, seeing the two pirates' gaze on her seagull, gently stroking its feathers over her hat.

A spark of fascination lit up Penguin and Sachi's eyes, showing their enthusiasm for this unexpected discovery.

Law, not amused by their enthusiasm over Emi's presence, intervened.

"Hey, she's not here for a pleasure visit. Don't get any ideas," he clarified, making it clear that she was here solely for professional reasons.

Penguin and Sachi exchanged knowing glances before nodding, understanding the situation.

Emi observed the two pirates with some relief. Their enthusiasm and friendliness reassured her. They seemed pretty cool, far from the image of bloodthirsty or cruel pirates she might have imagined while working with Law. She felt a bit more at ease seeing that they were open to her presence.

Jean Bart also arrived, another member of the crew. He briefly glanced at her before giving her a slight nod in greeting. He was a truly imposing man, sporting flame-shaped tattoos on his forehead and a scar above his right eye. She probably would not be able to find out more from him...

After meeting Jean Bart, Emi encountered Bepo again, who was returning from the navigation room.

She approached Bepo with a smile. "Hello again, furball!"

Bepo chuckled, a mix of embarrassment and enthusiasm in his eyes at the nickname. "Welcome aboard! I'm the submarine's navigator!" he declared proudly.

Emi couldn't help but let out a slight laugh. She had already heard this information from the two talkative pirates who accompanied her. However, she pretended to be impressed.

Bepo's friendly reaction surprised Law. He watched the scene attentively and couldn't suppress a slight irritation. He didn't really appreciate that his crew members were attaching themselves so easily to this journalist whom he didn't trust, especially since he hadn't explicitly invited Emi aboard for pleasure. For him, it was strictly business, and he preferred things to stay that way.

Law spoke firmly. "Since introductions have already been made, we can proceed directly to a brief tour of the submarine."

Without wasting a second, Sachi and Penguin exclaimed in unison:

"Let us handle it, Captain! We'll show her around the ship!"

Law let out a slight sigh, aware of his companions' overflowing enthusiasm. "A brief tour," he reminded them, wanting to avoid any deviations. "When you're done, bring her back to my quarters."

"Yes, Captain!" they replied in unison, excited about the idea of showing Emi the ship.

After quickly giving other instructions to Bepo and Jean Bart for their departure the next day, Law took his leave, leaving Emi in the hands of Sachi and Penguin for the submarine tour.

"So, where do we start?" asked Sachi, a charming smile on his lips.

Emi smiled back. "Show me everything this submarine has to offer," she replied with a wink.

Emi let Coco fly off her shoulder to take to the air, as if the bird had approved of the two pirates and agreed to leave Emi under their care. Coco preferred to roam the skies rather than stay on a shoulder. Emi couldn't imagine her seagull being confined in a submarine anyway. Its place was in the air.

The submarine tour began with Sachi and Penguin leading Emi through the different compartments of the ship. They showed her the engine room, then the storage room where food and supplies were stored for the sea voyage. Circular windows lined the submarine, offering breathtaking views of the underwater surroundings. Emi listened attentively to their explanations, occasionally asking questions about how the submarine operated, impressed by the complexity and ingenuity of the vessel. She focused on the information they gave her, all the while considering the possibilities the submarine offered for reporting.

After exploring much of the ship, Sachi and Penguin brought Emi back to Law's quarters, as he had requested.

Emi was suddenly drawn to a white metal door on their way. Intrigued, she glanced quickly through the porthole of the door and discovered an operating room.

Inside, she saw a pristine room equipped with advanced medical technologies. Screens displayed vital data, while surgical instruments were neatly arranged on shelves. The room was illuminated by intense white light, creating an atmosphere that was both sterile and eerie.

Before she had time to observe further, Penguin intervened, a little embarrassed "Uh, sorry, Emi, but this room is strictly for the Captain's use. You can't enter without good reason," he explained, glancing nervously at Sachi to confirm his words.

Emi nodded understandingly, realizing that certain parts of the ship had to be reserved for exclusive use by the crew, especially this one, which seemed to be a particularly crucial space for Law and his role as a surgeon... Had he used this same room to save the Straw Hat after the Battle of Marineford? Was he only performing medical operations inside? A shiver ran through her at the thought that he might dismember people with his Devil Fruit. She shook her head to dispel these dark thoughts and refocused her attention on Sachi and Penguin.

"I understand," she replied with a slight smile.

Emi couldn't help but cast one last glance at the operating room. An idea crossed her mind: perhaps she could find a discreet way to come back and explore this room in more detail... It could be a goldmine of valuable information for her future articles.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when she felt Penguin and Sachi stop in front of a door at the end of the hallway. "Here are the Captain's offices!" announced Sachi, turning to Emi.

Penguin knocked on the door and a "come in" was heard from the other side.

"Captain, we've finished the ship tour with Emi! We're bringing her back as planned!" he informed.

Law nodded in acknowledgment and gestured that they could leave.

Emi turned to Sachi and Penguin with a grateful smile. "Thanks for the tour, guys."

Sachi and Penguin returned her smile, happy and proud to have shown her the submarine.

"It was a pleasure, Emi. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask," said Sachi with a knowing wink.

"I won't forget," replied Emi, returning the wink.

Emi found herself alone with Trafalgar Law after Sachi and Penguin left. She felt her nerves take over again as she faced him, aware of the importance of this discussion.

~~~~O~~~o~~~O~~~~

I know, I posted this chapter earlier, but I had a burst of motivation lol

I hope you enjoyed it :)