Chapter 66: Departure
~~~~o~~~O~~~o~~~~
The sun had barely risen, its first rays filtering through the light curtains of the room Emi had been given. The peaceful atmosphere of the Rightflank Fortress was a stark contrast to the night before, when the Minks had thrown a huge celebration to mark their victory against Jack.
Still a little groggy from sleep, Emi slowly sat up, exhaling softly as she took in her surroundings. The Minks had provided them with comfortable beds, and for that, she was genuinely grateful.
After quickly adjusting her clothes, she stepped outside into the crisp morning air, where only the sounds of birdsong broke the silence.
As she passed by a nearby house—the one where some of the Straw Hats, mainly Nami and Robin, had settled—she noticed the windows were open. Curious, she took a quick peek inside. The rooms were spotless, the beds perfectly made.
She frowned slightly. They hadn't come back last night?
"Weird," she muttered with a shrug.
She moved away from the house, but as she continued walking, flashes of the previous night resurfaced, making her slow down.
The whole evening felt both hazy and ridiculously vivid at the same time. She remembered… Law. Just the two of them, caught in a fleeting moment outside of everything else. She could still feel the ghost of his breath, the slight hesitation between them before the distance closed. And then—the kiss.
Her stomach twisted uncomfortably, and she scowled at herself. It didn't mean anything. It had been a moment of weakness, that's all. And yet, despite all her efforts to brush it off, she couldn't deny the way her body had reacted—the warmth that had spread through her, the way her heart had skipped a beat.
No. She refused to acknowledge it.
And yet, the memory lingered.
But thankfully, she hadn't had to dwell on it for long. The bubble had burst the second voices had interrupted them, yanking her back to reality.
Emi shook her head, thinking back to the scene. Nami and Penguin had appeared, with Nami loudly talking about jewels and diamonds while Penguin practically bent over backward to impress her.
Law had made no effort to hide his irritation. Without a word, he'd gotten up to intervene. Not wanting to linger in such an awkward situation, Emi had simply returned to the party.
But after that, neither Nami, Penguin, nor even Law had come back.
Running a hand through her hair, her smile grew a little wider. If Penguin thought he was going to get away without being teased, he was dead wrong. She was absolutely going to make sure he suffered for this.
"Diamonds, huh?" she murmured to herself, amused.
Lost in thought, Emi was suddenly snapped back to reality by a sharp, piercing noise.
Burururu. Burururu
The distinctive sound of a Den Den Mushi rang out. Emi flinched slightly, looking around for the source before realizing it was the small transponder snail she used to communicate with the Revolutionaries.
She quickly rummaged through her bag and picked up the receiver.
"This is Emi," she said, adjusting the tiny antenna.
On the other end, a familiar voice came through—shaky, yet firm. Koala.
"Emi! You're there? Thank god… Listen, we don't have much time. I need to tell you… Baltigo… the base…"
A cold sense of dread gripped Emi. She froze in place, fingers tightening around the receiver.
"What? What about Baltigo?" she asked urgently.
Koala took a deep breath, but the urgency in her voice was laced with a sorrow she didn't even try to hide.
"It's in ruins, Emi. Blackbeard's pirates attacked us. The base is gone."
The words hit Emi like an explosion, echoing in her mind. It felt like the ground had been pulled out from under her.
"In… ruins?" she murmured, barely able to form the words.
"We managed to escape," Koala continued quickly. "Everyone made it out—well… almost. Ambres is safe too. But we lost everything. The plans, the supplies… all of it. Dragon ordered us to scatter to avoid being tracked. I'll send you our new location, but not through the Den Den Mushi. I don't trust these devices, not with the signal jammers they could be using. I'd rather send it through Karasu."
Emi fell silent, her throat tightening with emotion.
And then, a thought struck her like a punch to the gut.
While they were fighting for their lives… she had been here. Celebrating. Laughing. Dancing. All while they were losing everything.
"Koala, I'm so sorry… I should have been there."
"Emi, don't start," Koala cut her off firmly. "You couldn't have known. No one is blaming you. This isn't about who deserves what."
"But I should have been there," Emi insisted, her eyes welling up. "I should have been with you. I feel so… unworthy."
"Listen to me," Koala said, her voice gentle but unwavering. "No one can be everywhere at once. What matters is that you're safe too."
Those words hung in the air, echoing in Emi's mind. She wiped her eyes quickly and nodded, even though Koala couldn't see her.
"Tell me what I need to do. I'm coming to you," she finally said, her voice steadier now.
"I knew I could count on you," Koala replied, a small smile audible in her voice. "Karasu doesn't know where Zou is, so head to the nearest Revolutionary camp you can find. His crows have already been sent to alert everyone."
Emi still felt a crushing guilt, but she knew she had to turn it into determination. She couldn't change what had happened, but she could make sure it never happened again. Baltigo was in ruins, but the revolution would go on. And she would do everything in her power to be worthy of it.
"I'm leaving as soon as possible."
"Emi, you need to be careful. We don't know who's watching us—the Cipher Pol… or where Blackbeard might strike next."
A heavy silence followed, almost suffocating. Emi clenched her jaw, a mix of anger and helplessness simmering inside her. That base had been a symbol, a vital stronghold, a home. And they had dared to destroy it.
"I understand," she finally said, her voice a little rough. "Take care of yourself."
"You too," Koala replied before the line cut off abruptly.
Emi slowly lowered the Den Den Mushi, holding it in her trembling hands. She stared at the ground without really seeing it, her thoughts spinning in a whirlwind of worry and rage.
Baltigo, destroyed. Blackbeard. Cipher Pol. Again. Always them.
Her gaze hardened as she straightened up. Now wasn't the time to waver. She had to get ready for Karasu's messenger and leave as soon as possible.
She returned to her room with silent determination. Opening her bag, she carefully folded her belongings, occasionally glancing at her Den Den Mushi. Koala's call still echoed in her mind. Baltigo, destroyed... The thought made her nauseous. Once her bag was packed, she shut it with a sharp motion and left her room, tightening the straps over her shoulders.
As she walked through the village, her heart felt heavy. The Minks had been so welcoming. Their warmth and gratitude had been a much-needed respite after all the chaos. But she knew she couldn't stay. Every second spent here was a second wasted.
Emi headed toward the forest, following a path that led to an enormous tree trunk shaped like a whale. Once she arrived, she climbed up onto a sturdy branch with ease. From there, she scanned the horizon.
The salty sea breeze whipped against her face, and she squinted, searching for any sign of land. But there was nothing. Just the endless ocean and drifting clouds. She sighed, a mix of frustration and resignation. Does this giant elephant ever stop near an island?
Her thoughts drifted to Coco. Her seagull could carry her, but only for a few hours. Without an island in sight, it would be too risky. How long could she last before vanishing into that infinite ocean?
She clenched her fists, frustrated at her own lack of preparation. Ever since Koala's call, her mind had been consumed by Baltigo's destruction. She had to leave, to rejoin the Revolutionaries. Every moment spent here was a distraction… a distraction she shouldn't have allowed herself.
Seeing the Heart Pirates again, seeing Law again… She grimaced at the thought. All of this had made her lose sight of her priorities. She let out a long sigh and cast one last look at the horizon before climbing down.
Just as she was about to leave, movement below caught her attention. She narrowed her eyes, spotting a small group moving through the forest. The Straw Hats, Law, some samurai, and a few Minks? She frowned. What are they all doing together? And why are they heading this way?
Curious, she silently descended and decided to follow them from a distance. As she got closer, she noticed Robin walking at the back of the group. Emi quickened her pace to catch up with her.
"Emi?" Robin said, noticing the bag on her shoulders. "Are you leaving?"
Emi nodded, adjusting the strap of her bag.
"Yeah. I have to join Sabo and the others. I've stayed here longer than I should have."
Robin gave her a knowing look, but before Emi could say more, their attention was drawn to the group ahead, stopping in front of what looked like a hidden entrance.
"What is this place?" Emi asked, curious.
Robin turned to her, excitement lighting up her face.
"A Poneglyph," she said, almost with a sense of reverence. "We're about to see a Poneglyph."
Emi was caught off guard by that, but a small smile formed on her lips as she saw Robin's enthusiasm. She knew how much the archaeologist was passionate about history and the world's mysteries.
Robin rushed ahead to join the others, leaving Emi behind. She hesitated for a moment, watching as the group disappeared inside. She knew she didn't have time for this kind of exploration, not with everything going on. And yet… a part of her was intrigued. A Poneglyph, here, on Zou…
She wavered between duty and curiosity.
But despite her interest, she decided to hold back. She could always ask Robin about it later.
As she made her way back to the village, she was caught off guard by the sound of laughter, singing, and… drums? Seriously? They were still celebrating? She squinted at the large banquet table set in the middle of the village, covered with food and drinks, surrounded by dancing and singing Minks.
"A feast…" she thought, half-exasperated, half-amused. Well, after two weeks of intense fighting, they deserved it.
Scanning the scene, her eyes quickly landed on Penguin, Sachi, and Hakugan in the middle of the commotion, drinks in hand and huge grins on their faces. Those three never missed a chance to party.
Sachi spotted her almost instantly, raising an arm to wave before dashing toward her.
"Emiii!" he called out cheerfully.
Before she could protest, he grabbed her arm and pulled her into the chaos of the party, laughing loudly.
"Wait! I don't have time for this—" she tried, but her voice was drowned out by the music and the cheerful shouts of the Minks.
In no time, she was surrounded by Minks with colorful fur and bright, welcoming faces. Some were dancing, others waving around cups filled with sake or wine. Before she could react, one of them grabbed her shoulders and—without warning—licked her face.
What the hell?!
"Whoa! You taste like oranges!"
"Stop that!" she yelped, squirming to get away.
Penguin and Sachi burst out laughing at the sight of her struggling.
"They think you taste good, Emi!" Sachi teased.
Emi furiously wiped her face with her sleeve, glaring at the Mink. But before she could tell him to back off, another one sniffed in her direction, scrunching his nose in curiosity.
"Huh… You smell kinda different," he said, tilting his head.
"What? Different how?" she asked, completely lost.
The Mink stepped closer, sniffing again before mumbling, "Mmh… I've smelled this before somewhere…"
Emi raised an eyebrow. What is he talking about? Wait… Don't tell me he smells… Law?
Her face turned bright red, and she immediately shook her head. No, no, calm down, Emi, that's ridiculous.
The Mink seemed deep in thought, completely oblivious to her panic. Then, suddenly, his ears perked up as if he'd just figured something out.
"Oh! I know! It smells like—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Emi smacked him hard on the head.
"No, you don't!" she shouted, her voice a mix of embarrassment and desperation.
The Mink toppled over, dazed, while the others howled with laughter at the whole scene. Penguin and Sachi were laughing so hard they were crying, leaning on each other for support.
Emi, meanwhile, was boiling inside, half-mortified by the situation, but she forced herself to breathe and calm down.
Okay, relax. They don't know anything. It's just a curious Mink. No one's gonna suspect a thing… right?
Speaking of which…
Her eyes landed on Penguin, who was still wiping away tears of laughter, clutching his stomach. A smirk crept onto her lips as she remembered a certain detail from the night before…
She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, her tone dripping with mock innocence.
"So, Penguin…"
He looked up, still grinning. "What?"
Emi pretended to think, then casually dropped,
"Mmh… Don't you smell… money?"
Penguin's smile froze instantly.
Sachi, who had just caught his breath, turned to him with a wicked grin. "Oh ho… Money, you say?"
Emi went on, enjoying the way Penguin tensed up.
"You know… a certain redheaded navigator that someone let get a little too close to his submarine last night…"
Penguin's eyes went wide, and he instantly paled. "Wait, what?! No, no, it's not what you think! We just—"
But it was too late. Sachi burst out laughing again, clapping his hands.
"AHAHAH, seriously, Penguin?! You actually let Nami scam you?!"
Emi crossed her arms with a victorious grin, ready to push the teasing further when something caught her eye…
She blinked.
Wait…
Her gaze narrowed slightly, focusing on a detail she hadn't noticed until now. Just under his jawline…
Marks.
Freaking hickeys.
Her smirk vanished instantly as her brain tried to process what she was seeing.
No way…
She slowly looked back up at Penguin, who frowned at her sudden shift in expression. "What?"
Emi opened her mouth. Closed it. Then opened it again.
"No… No way. Don't tell me… You and Nami…?"
Penguin seemed to realize way too late where she was going with this and instinctively raised a hand to his neck. Unfortunately for him, that tiny movement said everything.
Emi's eyes widened in absolute shock.
"NO. FREAKING. WAY."
Sachi, who was still having a blast teasing him, suddenly froze at the tone of her voice. "Wait, wait… What are you talking about?"
Silence fell over the group.
Then Sachi saw it too. The marks.
And he got it.
"OH SHIT, PENGUIN! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
Penguin groaned, face turning beet red. "For fuck's sake, lower your voice!"
Sachi opened his mouth, then closed it, shaking his head in disbelief. "Damn… I don't know how you pulled it off, but respect."
Penguin blinked. "Wait, seriously?"
"Hell yeah!" Sachi clapped him on the back, still stunned. "Dude, we're talking about Nami. For once in your life, you actually managed to score, and with her? I have to give you credit for that!"
Penguin frowned. "Uh, you do know I've—"
"No, no, no." Sachi raised a hand to cut him off. "You've flirted, sure. But you've never actually pulled something like this off. This is next-level."
Emi burst out laughing as Penguin hesitated between pride and embarrassment. "Yeah, you definitely set the bar at the top of the Grand Line with this one."
Sachi gave him another once-over before shaking his head with a smirk. "Damn… I'm almost jealous. But hey, for once you pulled off something legendary, so I won't knock you for it."
He clapped Penguin on the back again, this time more like a bro move. "Enjoy it, man. 'Cause I guarantee it's never happening again."
Penguin groaned. "You're such an ass."
Emi shook her head with a smile. "Wow. For once, you guys actually sound kind of supportive."
Sachi snickered. "Oh, don't worry, it won't last."
The Minks, not fully understanding what was going on but entertained by the energy, joined in on the laughter.
Emi, satisfied, rolled her eyes. At least now, no one was talking about that whole scent thing anymore.
Sachi suddenly noticed the bag slung across Emi's shoulder, stuffed full of her things. He frowned and pointed an accusatory finger at her.
"Wait a minute… Emi, were you planning to leave?"
Caught off guard, Emi clutched her bag tighter.
"Well… yeah. I have to meet up with the Revolutionaries," she admitted, her voice quieter than she intended.
Penguin turned to her, raising an eyebrow.
"And… how exactly were you planning to do that?" he asked, clearly skeptical.
Emi opened her mouth to answer—but nothing came out. The truth was, she had no idea how she was going to get off the island. She'd hoped a solution would just… appear, but so far, nothing.
Seeing her hesitation, Penguin smirked and tapped her bag.
"If you don't have a plan, why not just come with us? We can drop you off at the next island on our route."
Emi's eyes widened at the offer.
"Seriously? You guys would do that?" she asked, hesitant to accept so easily.
Penguin shrugged, flashing his usual carefree grin.
"Yeah, why not? The captain won't mind. Besides, we're already used to you hanging around the sub," he teased.
Emi sighed, both relieved and a little embarrassed. She'd considered asking the Straw Hats, but after what had happened with Sanji, she didn't want to owe them any favors.
"Well, if it's not too much trouble, and as long as you drop me off at the next island, then… I won't say no," she finally agreed, a grateful smile on her lips.
But before anyone could say anything else, a massive tremor shook the ground beneath them.
Emi stumbled, instinctively grabbing Penguin's arm to steady herself.
"What the hell was that?!" she blurted out, eyes wide with alarm.
The Minks around them immediately froze, ears perked up as they sniffed the air nervously. Concern was written all over their faces.
"That was Zunesha!" one of them shouted, panic creeping into his voice.
Another Mink, eyes locked onto the surrounding forest, added in a shaky voice:
"Something attacked him! I can feel it!"
Emi's heart pounded. The tremors grew stronger, shaking the ground so violently that nearby buildings began to collapse. Roof tiles flew through the air, and the sound of wood splintering echoed all around them. She watched as Minks scrambled to help each other, but it was pure chaos.
Damn it. She wasn't ready for another battle. Not after hearing about Jack's massacre and what he had done to the Minks last time. These people had already suffered enough.
Another violent tremor hit. Emi lost her footing and hit the ground hard, her knees scraping against the dirt. She winced but forced herself back up.
Then, suddenly—an earth-shattering roar ripped through the air.
Zunesha's cry.
It wasn't just a sound—it was a deep, resonating force that shook the sky itself. The very atmosphere vibrated with the sheer power of it.
And then—silence.
The shaking stopped as abruptly as it had started, leaving behind a heavy, suffocating stillness.
"What… just happened?" Emi murmured, dazed, her ears still ringing from the roar.
She didn't have time to figure it out.
Her eyes landed on Sachi, who was gripping his transponder snail with a trembling hand, speaking quickly, his expression grim.
"Yeah, we're on our way. Hang tight," he said before abruptly hanging up and sprinting toward the forest.
Emi, still trying to piece everything together, rushed after them.
"Wait, what's happening?!" she shouted as she ran.
Sachi, tense, glanced back at her while shoving the snail into his pocket.
"The sub got damaged in the tremors. Part of the hull is cracked. Bepo just called us—he needs all hands on deck now."
Emi's eyes widened.
"Wait—Zunesha almost destroyed the sub?!"
"Not exactly," Penguin said, his tone more serious than usual. "Jack attacked Zunesha. The elephant's trunk took out that bastard's ships, but it caused collateral damage… including the sub."
"Come on, Emi, you're coming with us," Penguin declared, grabbing her wrist and pulling her along.
"What?! But I'm not a mechanic!" she protested, trying to resist.
"So what? You can still hold a light or pass tools," Sachi shot back, sticking his tongue out teasingly.
Emi opened her mouth to argue—but shut it just as quickly. Fine. She did owe them for the ride, after all.
With a sigh, she adjusted her bag on her shoulder and followed them toward the sub, bracing herself for whatever mess they were about to walk into.
.~~~~
The repairs were finally done, and the atmosphere inside the submarine was a mix of relief and exhaustion. The Minks had been a huge help—not only in fixing the damage to the sub but also in treating Zunesha's injured leg. The massive elephant was now stable, its majestic roar echoing through the skies as a farewell.
Departure time had come. The submarine's engines hummed softly, ready to dive beneath the waves. Emi stood on the outer deck, watching the Heart Pirates move with impressive coordination. She was surprised to see Law return, accompanied by a few of the Straw Hats—Robin, Franky, and Zoro—along with the two samurai, Kanjuro and Kin'emon.
Guess I'll have to get used to being crammed in with even more people, she thought, adjusting the strap of her bag.
Not that she minded—it actually worked in her favor. The more people around, the less chance she had of running into Law alone. Not that she didn't want to. But just looking at him stirred something inside her—something warm, something she refused to name. And running away was way easier than confronting her own emotions.
Still, she accidentally met Law's gaze. He was looking at her with his usual unreadable expression. Shit. She hadn't even asked for permission to board his submarine, let alone if he could drop her off at their next stop. But Law just sighed and turned to Bepo to give instructions.
Emi felt both relieved—since he was letting her stay—and a little confused. He didn't even ask what she was doing here. But she knew she'd have to explain it to him sooner or later.
As the submarine prepared to dive, Zoro, leaning casually against a railing, eyed her with curiosity. He nodded toward her bag.
"You. Who are you? One of the Heart Pirates?" he asked, raising a brow.
Emi, already exhausted from introducing herself a dozen times, let out a deep sigh.
"I'm Emi. Revolutionary. No, I'm not part of the crew. No, I'm not a pirate. Yes, I'm only here temporarily. Yes, this is my bag. Does that cover everything you were going to ask?" she shot back, crossing her arms.
Zoro blinked, caught off guard by her bluntness, then let out a small laugh.
"Heh. You've got some fire. No wonder you've survived with the Revolutionaries."
Emi raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean? You know them?"
"A bit," Zoro said, folding his arms. "Your buddy Sabo is kind of a big deal, especially now that he's got Ace's power. Robin's met him a few times too. If you're with them, you must be pretty tough."
Emi opened her mouth to reply, but before she could, Robin walked past and joined the conversation with a warm smile.
"Zoro's right. The Revolutionaries aren't amateurs. And Emi is proof of that."
Emi felt her face heat up at the compliment.
"That's nice of you to say, but…" She hesitated, looking away. "I just do what I can."
Sensing her discomfort, Robin smoothly changed the subject.
"So, how did you end up on Zou?"
"It's a long story," Emi sighed. "Let's just say… I have a habit of attracting trouble."
Zoro chuckled.
"Don't worry. Around here, we know trouble pretty well. You'll fit right in."
Before Emi could reply, Penguin and Sachi's loud voices interrupted her.
"EMI! Get over here, you're gonna love this!"
She rolled her eyes but waved them off.
"Alright, alright. I'm coming."
Zoro watched her go, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.
Meanwhile, Emi joined Penguin and Sachi by a porthole, where they were eagerly motioning for her to look outside. As the submarine slowly submerged beneath the waves, she felt a mix of excitement and nervousness.
She had no idea how this journey with them was going to unfold—but one thing was certain.
It was going to be full of surprises.
~~~~o~~~O~~~o~~~~
Thanks for reading this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! See you in the next one!