Chapter 26: Rescue
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In the suffocating darkness of the bag, Emi slowly regained consciousness, the reality of her abduction sinking in as she felt the bag sway with the steps of her captors. She began to struggle, pushing and kicking against the thick fabric surrounding her, but this only provoked a violent reaction. The bag was thrown forcefully to the ground, cutting off her efforts and intensifying her panic.
One of the man abruptly opened the bag, and before she could react, he delivered a brutal punch, causing her to split blood, then quickly handcuffed her to prevent any further movements. The pain was intense, and anger welled up inside her.
"You bastards! What do you want from me?!" she shouted, her voice filled with frustration and fear.
The man who had struck her roughly grabbed her jaw between his fingers, his face just inches from hers
"Be obedient, this will go easier for everyone," he sneered, a cruel smile twisting his lips.
As his face drew closer to hers, Emi's disgust and anger boild over, and she spat on his face. Surprised, he wiped his face with the back of his hand, his eyes blazing with fury.
Seeing red, he pulled a knife from his belt, brandishing it menacingly in front of her. "You're going to regret this, you little..."
However, before he could act further, another man from their group quickly intervened.
"Stop it, you idiot!" the other person said, pushing his accomplice's harmed hand away. "We need her in good condition if we want to get a good price."
Emi, catching every words of their exchanges , felt a wave of terror wash over her as she realized their intention. They wanted to sell her as a slave ? The already grime reality of her situation took an even darker turn.
Desperate and terrified, Emi fought with renewed vigor, trying to break free from their grip. There was no way she would end up dancing for nobles, or worse—living under conditions too horrifying to even imagine. She twisted and kicked, searching for an escape, but when they realized she was tougher than they had expected and her strikes were strong, one of them pulled out an extra pair of cuffs. With a harsh movement, they restrained her legs as well.
How had she gone from celebrating her victory in a dance contest to being kidnapped and thrown into a bag like common cargo? The situation felt surreal, a waking nightmare from which she couldn't escape. She thought of the Heart Pirates, wondering if they would do anything to find her. After all, she wasn't really one of them, just an ally by circumstance. Why would they take risks for her?
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Law, navigating through the winding streets and alleys, felt his frustration rising. He had expected to quickly track down the bandits with his sharp instincts and skills, but he had to admit that they were better prepared and faster than he had anticipated. Frowning, he scanned the sea for any clue.
He was suddenly pulled from his observation by a familiar voice.
"Captain, what's going on?"
Law turned sharply to face Bepo, who was still carrying his huge plush fish with glittering scales. However, he was also wearing a flashing light-up hat and a ridiculously colorful t-shirt. The contrast between the seriousness of the situation and Bepo's absurd appearance made Law sigh in exasperation. He forced himself to stay calm, despite the ridiculousness of Bepo's outfit.
"Emi's been kidnapped."
Bepo, his eyes widening in shock, stared at Law, blinking as he tried to process the information while adjusting his intermittently flashing hat.
"Kidnapped?! How?!" he exclaimed.
Law shook his head, barely containing his impatience. "Some men took her after her performance at the festival." Turning back toward the sea, he added firmly, "We're heading back to the ship immediately. Go get Sachi and Penguin on board."
Bepo, determined, nodded quickly. "Yes, Captain!"
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Meanwhile, Emi, still struggling with her captors, had been dragged to a boat discreetly moored at a quiet dock. Despite her constant resistance, she was roughly thrown into a wooden crate inside the boat. The lid was slammed shut above her, plunging her thoughts and immediate surroundings into darkness. The muffled sounds of water lapping against the hull and the shouted orders of the men made it clear that they were already setting sail.
The reality of her situation hit her like a ton of bricks. Emi was on a ship, headed to an unknown destination, likely to be sold to some sinister noble, and with every passing moment, she was being taken further away from safety and those who could help her. Panic settled deep within her as she found herself trapped, unable to see or move freely, with every sound of the boat amplifying her sense of helplessness.
Desperate, Emi continued to thrash around inside the crate, her movements growing more frantic. She banged against the wooden walls with her shoulders, hoping to draw attention or, by some miracle, break free from her prison. However, her assaults on the sturdy wood only brought more pain and no sign of escape.
As she struggled against the rising panic, an intrusive thought surfaced: Law's words. "You'll have to face the consequences alone." His voice echoed in her mind, accompanied by the image of his stern, unwavering gaze. She bit her lip, the physical pain offering a moment of clarity. She had made the decision to enter the dance competition despite Law's warnings, and now she was paying the price.
With her heart racing and her mind in turmoil, Emi desperately searched for an escape, a way out of this nightmare. She needed to find a way out, and fast, before it was too late.
She quickly ran her fingers through her hair, searching until she found the slim barrette, more functional than decorative. With renewed determination, she got to work, manipulating the metal object with a precision that contrasted with her trembling hands.
Positioning the barrette delicately into the locking mechanism of her handcuffs, she took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart to focus on the meticulous task. After several minutes of painstaking effort and careful adjustments, a small click was heard—the sound of regained freedom, limited as it was within the confines of her wooden crate.
Although her wrists and legs were now free, Emi was still trapped inside the box. She felt around the sturdy walls that surrounded her, searching for an opening mechanism or a weakness she could exploit, but there was nothing within reach. She realized she would have to wait until her captors decided to open it, likely to give her water or food.
The hours seemed to stretch on endlessly. Time felt distorted, and each passing minute in the darkness only deepened her sense of helplessness. The stifling heat inside the crate added to her discomfort, and the lack of fresh air made the situation even more unbearable. Emi's patience was wearing thin, replaced by a growing panic. How long were they going to keep her locked up in there? And what if they never decided to reopen the crate? The chilling thought made her heart race. She couldn't just sit there doing nothing, passively waiting for a rescue that might never come. No, if no one was going to open it, she was going to force their hand. A fierce determination ignited in her mind, and she began pounding on the walls with all her strength, refusing to succumb to the terror that gripped her.
Outside, one of the guards grunted in annoyance. "This brat just won't calm down…"
Another guard glanced at the crate shaking under Emi's blows. "Open it up so we can teach her a lesson. She'll learn soon enough."
Without hesitation, the first guard grabbed the lid and yanked it open, expecting to find an exhausted and weakened girl. But as soon as the light from the hold flooded into the box, Emi lunged at him like a furious lioness.
She used the handcuffs as a weapon, striking the first guard square in the face with a metallic crack. The impact was brutal, and the man staggered back, his nose broken from the blow.
"Little bitch!" he spat as he staggered upright, blood streaming from his broken nose.
The second guard tried to grab Emi, but she quickly pivoted and brought the handcuffs down on his knee, forcing him to the ground with a cry of pain. Without missing a beat, she delivered a powerful kick to his jaw, knocking him unconscious.
But just as she thought she had the upper hand, the first thug, enraged, pulled a gun from his belt and pointed it directly at her. Emi froze, her eyes locked on the weapon.
"Enough!" he threatened in a cold voice, his fingers wrapped tightly around the trigger. "One more move, and I'll blow your brains out."
Emi gritted her teeth, knowing that one reckless move could cost her life. But she couldn't go back into that crate… She couldn't allow herself to be locked up again. She knew they would be even more brutal now that she had dared to fight back. They would have no mercy left.
But what could she do? The slightest movement, and that man would shoot without hesitation. She had no other weapon than her fists and the handcuffs, and now that the gun was pointed at her, the slim chance she had seemed to slip away.
As she remained still, her eyes locked on the gun, the second guard, still groggy but determined, slowly got to his feet. He surprised Emi by grabbing her hair and yanking her brutally backward. She let out a cry as he pushed her against the wooden floor, and she found herself on her knees, her head pressed against the rough surface.
"Shit," Emi thought, trying to hold back the pain.
"You thought you could get away so easily?!" the guard spat, his voice filled with anger. He grabbed Emi's handcuffs, firmly holding her wrist, and forced her to stand by pulling her hair.
Emi tried to resist, but seeing the other thug's gun pointed at her, she had no choice but to let herself be dragged back to the crate. With a brutal effort, she was once again thrown inside the wooden compartment. The other guard, still holding his gun, watched closely, ready to shoot at the slightest sign of rebellion.
The guard slammed the crate's lid shut with a sharp snap, plunging Emi into darkness. The sound of the lock clicking into place echoed in her mind, emphasizing her return to captivity.
"Damn it", she whispered into the suffocating darkness, the bitter taste of defeat settling in as she realized her chances of escape had just slipped further away.
She let herself collapse against the crate's wall, exhausted. "Is this how it ends? Am I going to die as a slave?" The thought stabbed at her gut, an almost unbearable sense of impending doom. She could feel the rough wood digging into her skin, the darkness closing in from all sides, ready to swallow her whole.
As she began to resign herself to her fate, a familiar sound pierced the air, one she had heard many times before,
"Room."
It was Law's voice, echoing through the air. A spark of hope lit up her mind. Had they come for her? Law's intervention meant she hadn't been abandoned, and with that realization, Emi felt a new strength giving her courage, and she shouted to draw attention to her prison.
Before the captors could even react, Law had already used his power to disarm them. Penguin and Sachi, taking advantage of the confusion, swiftly boarded the ship. They found the crate where Emi was trapped and, with quick efficiency, broke the wood to free her. As soon as the lid was lifted, Emi, recognizing her rescuers even in the darkness of the night, exclaimed with tears in her eyes, "Penguin! Sachi! You came!"
The two pirates, smiling widely despite the tense situation, quickly helped her to her feet.
"Emi! Sorry to keep you waiting!" Penguin called out, his jovial tone betraying his relief at finding her safe.
With just the word "amputate," Law used his Nodachi to sever the captors' limbs, rearranging them in a grotesque order, leaving them in shock and confusion.
Once Emi, Sachi, and Penguin were safely back on deck, Law, standing unfazed, raised his hand. "Tact," he murmured, and under the control of his Devil Fruit, the kidnappers' ship was lifted into the air. The captors, gripped by terror, could only watch, powerless.
With a final gesture, Law released the ship, sending it crashing down with a monstrous impact into the water. The force was so great that the ship's structure shattered, breaking into countless pieces of floating debris. The assailants found themselves scattered among the wreckage, desperately clinging to the remnants of the ship to avoid drowning.
With his unyielding calm, he watched as the assailants clung desperately to the floating debris, ensuring they were no longer an immediate threat.
Once assured that the captors were incapacitated, Law calmly approached Emi. Her eyes locked onto his, filled with gratitude and unspoken questions. Why had he come to save her? What did this mean?
"Thank you," was all she could say, her emotions clouding her ability to express everything she felt.
Law offered her a silent nod in response. He then broke the silence, handing her the satchel he had retrieved.
"You shouldn't lose this," he said, his gaze unwavering as it met hers.
Emi took the satchel. "Why did you come?" she finally dared to ask, searching his eyes for any clues about his motivations.
Law shrugged, his expression still serious but softened by a hint of irony. "I care about things that could complicate my life. And right now, saving you is in my best interest."
Hearing these words, Emi couldn't help but roll her eyes. She had hoped that Law had come to her rescue out of pure kindness or some sincere concern, but of course, it was just a matter of personal interest.
Law looked at her for a moment, weighing his words before continuing. "Also, no one should be treated like merchandise." He paused, pointing towards the edge of the deck, "And someone is very eager to see you again."
Emi followed his gaze, and her heart swelled with joy at the sight of Coco, her faithful seagull, perched nonchalantly on the edge of the submarine. The seagull seemed almost posed there, patiently waiting for her return. Emi ran towards her, the worries and fears of the past hours briefly fading away in the joy of this reunion.
Emi gently stroked Coco's feathers. "I missed you," she murmured, as the seagull affectionately rubbed against her hand, responding to her owner's affection with soft head bumps and gentle chirps.
As Emi continued to pet Coco, her attention was drawn to the contents of her satchel. Curious, she carefully opened it to discover what her faithful messenger had brought back.
Inside, she found several bomb rounds shaped like rubber, carefully packed. Emi couldn't help but smile, thinking of Ambre—these were undoubtedly her work. She was a genius with a unique talent for inventions. Each bomb was a small marvel of technology, designed to be both safe and spectacularly effective. She found a note with the words, 'New prototype, let me know what you think ;).' Upon closer inspection, she noticed the bombs had an unusual shape. She was excited to try them out.
Digging further into the satchel, Emi also found a bundle of Berries. Ambre had added this money, probably as a way to ensure she had everything she needed for her missions or in case of emergencies. Emi suddenly felt guilty; Ambre always worried too much about her, but not having had time to collect her reward from the contest, she couldn't afford to refuse. She reminded herself to thank Ambre as soon as she got the chance.
She discreetly put the ammunition and the bundle of Berries back into the satchel, not wanting Law to find out about her new bombs, fearing he might confiscate them as well.
She turned towards him, who was calmly scanning the horizon in the stillness of the night.
Suddenly remembering the information she needed to share, she took a deep breath, preparing to break the silence. Emi joined him on the deck, her footsteps silent on the worn wood.
"Law, I have new information about the sample," she began, her voice tinged with an urgency she couldn't hide.
He turned to her, his serious expression mixed with clear interest. However, before she could continue, Law, having observed the fatigue etched on her face, interrupted her.
"What you have to report is probably important, but it can wait until tomorrow morning. Come to my office when you're rested," he suggested in a gentle yet firm voice.
Emi blinked, unsure of what to say. One moment, Law could be cold and calculating, willing to do anything to achieve his goals. And then, he had these unexpected moments where he seemed to show a bit more care, almost as if he was concerned for her. She couldn't quite figure out what was going on in his mind, but indeed too tired to think about it any further, she nodded, acknowledging the wisdom in his words.
"I... I'll do that. Good night," she said, a faint, tired smile crossing her face.
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Thank you for reading this chapter! Stay tuned, because now that the story and characters are well-established, you can expect some romance and spicy moments to heat things up. Hehe