Chapter 9: Diving in the chaos
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The piercing sound of the sirens had woken Emi in the middle of the night, caught off guard by the sudden storm that had hit the ship. She saw Bepo hurriedly leaving the room before he shouted towards her:
"Emi! Stay safe in the room!"
Heart pounding, she felt helpless, not knowing what to do. She wanted to help, but she had no idea how she could contribute in a situation like this.
As she frantically searched for a solution, she heard Law's voice over the loudspeakers suddenly giving the order to prepare to dive the submarine. Panic rose in her as she realized the gravity of the situation. She didn't want to stay in the room with her arms crossed, so, without wasting a moment, she rushed towards the navigation room, trying her best to run through the corridors while holding on to the walls.
On her way, she encountered Bepo, Sachi, and Jean Bart, who were hurrying towards the submarine's deck. They shouted at her to stay safe in her room, but Emi, determined, replied that she could be useful.
Receiving no response from them but resolved to help, she followed them to the deck. What she discovered froze her with fear. The storm was raging, turning the atmosphere into a chaotic whirlpool of wind and rain. The elements seemed to have conspired against them, with lightning flashing across the darkened sky. The air was filled with the deafening roar of thunder, while the waves, reaching vertiginous heights, threatened to engulf the ship. In the distance, a massive tornado was swirling, engulfing everything in its path in an infernal whirlpool. She had never seen such chaos, despite having spent a lot of time at sea.
Emi clung to the deck railing, fighting against the raging wind that threatened to hurl her into the tumultuous waters below. Each raindrop seemed to lacerate her face, but she refused to look away from the chaotic scene unfolding before her.
In the chaos, she spotted Sachi struggling with the sails, battling the elements and desperately trying to secure them. Without hesitation, Emi ran to him, holding firmly onto the mast to avoid being swept away by the raging wind. Determined, she grabbed the rope and, alongside Sachi, pulled with all her might to control the rebellious sail.
"Emi! You shouldn't be here!" Sachi shouted amidst the deafening roar of the thunder.
"Shut up and pull!" Emi yelled, focusing on the rope.
As they fought to control the sail, Emi suddenly felt a force pulling them toward the sky. A shiver of fear ran down her spine as she realized the tornado had gripped the ship in its devastating hold. The wind howled around them, and Emi struggled to keep her balance on the tilted deck as the submarine seemed to be sucked towards the menacing vortex above them.
Emi tried her best to hold onto Sachi, who was about to be swept away by the tornado. One hand firmly grasped the pirate's suit while the other clung to the submarine's mast. Feeling her grip on the mast slipping, Emi began to fear the worst when suddenly, Jean Bart intervened to save them. Despite the fury of the elements, his imposing stature and strength allowed him to protect them as they struggled to reach the safety of the submarine.
Guided by the flashes of lightning and the deafening roar of thunder, they finally managed to reach the submarine's entrance. With combined effort, they succeeded in opening the hatch and making their way inside, escaping the storm.
Inside the submarine, Law was waiting for them, a serious expression on his face. Without giving them time to catch their breath, he exclaimed:
"Sachi, Jean Bart! Prepare the thrusters," he ordered firmly. "We must dive now!"
Under his direction, they rushed to execute the assigned tasks, knowing every second counted. Despite the commotion caused by the storm, the crew strove to remain focused and efficient, following their captain's orders with determination and discipline.
Emi watched the scene with frustration, feeling powerless against the storm's unleashed force. Her gaze moved from Law, who was issuing orders confidently, to Jean Bart, Sachi, and Penguin, who were hurrying to follow the directives, and then to the storm outside, whose fury threatened to engulf them at any moment.
From the navigation room, Bepo shouted through the speaker: "Ship ready to dive, Captain!"
Law responded instantly: "Activate the thrusters!"
"Yes, Captain!" Bepo acknowledged.
And then, in a heartbeat, the submarine plunged into the tumultuous depths of the sea, propelled by enormous mechanical power.
In a sudden movement, Emi was thrown forward, directly onto Law. She found herself pinned against him, the force of the submarine's propulsion and her impact crushing them both against the wall. In a startled reflex, Law exclaimed, "What the...!?"
Emi struggled against the propulsion pressure, trying to free herself from Law, but the force was too strong. Her hands desperately searched for a grip but found only the cold surface of the metal. She tried to pull away, to free herself from this uncomfortable proximity with Law, but the pressure was too strong, preventing her from moving even an inch.
She wanted to apologize, to say something to ease the awkwardness growing inside her, but the words were stuck in her throat. All she could do was breathe with difficulty and wait for the pressure to ease.
Annoyed to see Emi where she wasn't supposed to be, Law struggled to extricate himself from this unexpected situation. She should have stayed in her cabin instead of being on the deck during the storm. Yet, even in this moment of irritation, he couldn't help but notice her fruity orange scent... contrasting with the urgency and chaos of the situation.
The submarine had suddenly found itself in relative calm, the storm's tumult now behind them. Emi was pulled from her thoughts by Law's throat clearing, signaling that she was still pressed against him despite the lack of force, a situation she suddenly became acutely aware of.
"Oh, uh, sorry, the storm completely threw me off..."
Law sighed, then looked at Emi with a hard stare before saying in a cutting tone, "You weren't supposed to be on deck with the others. You could have put them in danger."
Emi felt anger rising within her, completely stunned by Law's words. She had risked her life to save one of her crew members, and this was his only reaction?
"Wait, you－" Emi was suddenly cut off by Sachi's grateful voice.
"Emi! Thank you for what you did on deck earlier. Without you, I don't know what would have happened!"
Emi gave him a slight smile but shook her head. "It's Jean Bart you should thank; he rescued both of us."
She shot a cold look at Law before turning to leave, heading to her cabin, hoping for some semblance of rest despite the inner turmoil.
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In her room, Emi lay down on her bed, but her mind was far from finding rest. Law's words still echoed in her head, reminding her how out of place she felt here. "Who does he think he is?" she thought in frustration. She wondered why he seemed so distant, so cold towards her. After all, she had risked her life to save one of his crew members. But Law seemed indifferent to her efforts, focused on his own concerns.
She realized that her past actions had greatly sown distrust in Law. Her perhaps too intrusive questions, her snooping in his office, all of this had probably reinforced his reluctance to confide in her.
Emi sighed in irritation. She realized that despite the temptation to be insistent, she had to be patient and attentive. She had to show Law that she was trustworthy, that she was there to help, not to manipulate him.
Although she wasn't enthusiastic about the idea, given how he had spoken to her, she decided to make an effort.
Emi knew it would take time and patience, but she wouldn't give up until she had earned his trust and discovered the truths.
She turned over in her bed, trying to dispel these tormented thoughts. Despite everything, she felt determined not to let herself be discouraged. She had a goal to achieve, information to obtain, and nothing would stop her from pursuing her quest, not even Law's cold attitude.
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Emi felt exhausted after a sleepless night brooding over her thoughts. Moreover, being in a submarine was a strange experience for her. It was her first time descending into the ocean's depths, far from the familiar surface.
The day passed slowly, punctuated by the regular sounds of the submarine.
It had been almost 24 hours since she had sent Coco to gather information on the merchant ship potentially linked to Caesar, and she was about to hear back from her, as Griwl Island was a day's flight away. She wanted to report this to Law, but she hadn't seen him all day.
Determined to find him, she headed first to the navigation room but found no one. Emi felt strangely alone in this quiet submarine. After the chaos of the storm, the silence now seemed almost unreal. The other crew members were busy checking the submarine's mechanisms, and Bepo had gone to take a nap, leaving Emi to wander through the almost deserted corridors.
She decided to check Law's quarters. She knocked on the door, but there was no response. Taking a deep breath, she gently pushed the door open and discovered an unexpected scene. Law was asleep at his desk. He had slumped in his chair with his feet stretched out on the wooden surface.
He was wearing a black T-shirt with the Jolly Roger symbol printed on it and his usual black-spotted jeans. The tribal tattoos covering his arms were clearly visible. Emi wondered if they all had a meaning. Perhaps a testimony to his past? The letters D, E, A, T, H were clearly visible on the knuckles of his fingers, and a black cross adorned the backs of his hands.
Emi stepped closer to observe him. Despite his sleep, his face was accented by slight bags under his eyes. His dark hair, mostly hidden by his fur hat, framed his face.
Despite his serious appearance, Emi couldn't help but notice how peaceful Law looked in his sleep. His face, usually marked by hardness and firmness, now seemed relaxed, almost serene. It was an observation she would have preferred to keep to herself, but she couldn't help but acknowledge the truth before her: Law had a particular aura that had intrigued her repeatedly.
Although annoyed by his personality and often abrupt manners, she had to admit his physical appeal. She shook her head, mentally reprimanding herself for getting distracted by such thoughts. After all, this was neither the time nor the place to dwell on the charms of the pirate. She turned her gaze away, focusing instead on why she had come, while chiding herself for even having such thoughts.
Suddenly, Law woke abruptly, catching Emi in her discreet observation. He stared at her, his piercing gray eyes seeming to scrutinize her with suspicion.
"Do you like watching people sleep?" he asked in a calm voice tinged with slight mockery.
Emi felt caught off guard, but she didn't let it show. "Oh, I didn't mean to disturb you," she replied, trying to hide her embarrassment behind a light smile.
Law raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk curling his lips. "You should stop making surprise visits; it could be misinterpreted," he teased, his tone still cold but with a glint of amusement in his eyes.
Emi rolled her eyes. "And you should learn to lock the door to your quarters," she retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "You never know who might wander in."
Law's smirk deepened. "Wander in? Or do you mean sneak in?"
Emi's cheeks flushed a deep red, betraying her attempt to remain composed. She felt a pang of frustration at his remark, recalling the time she had indeed been caught snooping around his quarters.
"That was... a one-time thing," she muttered defensively, her eyes narrowing. "I need to talk to you about that merchant ship," she added, the seriousness returning to her face.
Law let out a slight sigh, straightening up in his seat while keeping his gaze fixed on Emi. He would have liked to rest a bit more, but sleep had been a rare luxury since the storm. Still, he knew it had to wait. "I'm listening."
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What surprises does the island of Griwl hold? Will events follow their course or go completely off track? Don't miss the answers in the next chapter ~
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