Lambo feels... exhausted.
You'd think one would have more energy after finally removing oneself from a toxic and abusive environment. But in reality, Lambo feels drained, and wants to just lay down and sleep for a couple of years or say. Sleep so he can get all the dark toxicity out of his system without having to deal with it while awake.
For Lambo is no fool, nor is he a psychiatrist, but he knows that the life he's lived through, wasn't a good one. He wasn't happy for one, he had his happy moments, but ultimately, he wasn't happy. He knows there are scars that can't be seen, scars that he'll have to live with for the rest of his life.
But lying here, on the deck of a ship rocked by the waves, the smell of salt of the sea clear in the air, a nice cool breeze kissing his warm skin, and listening to his crewmates do their own thing while he's using Zoro as a pillow. Who knew muscles were best body pillows. Zoro didn't seem to care all that much that his lap his being used as Lambo's own personal headrest, for the swordsman is taking a nap himself.
Only downside to Lambo's current position is that he is only able to accomplish a light dose. Resting, but still aware of his crew around him. Specifically, more aware of Nami chewing out a poor News Coos due to money.
"You raised your prices again?", Nami demands incredulously while the bird made an unhappy, and uncomfortable, coo in response, "That's a little steep, don't you think?"
The bird just saluted Nami with his wing, looking apologetic. Lambo wouldn't be surprise if the bird was human or could say anything, he wouldn't. For the bird wouldn't know what to say in the face of Nami's ire towards losing money as he is currently.
Nami drops the needed change in the bird's pouch with a glare.
"Raise your prices again and I'll stop paying.", Nami threatens.
Lambo could hear the poor News Coos flying off the first chance he got, causing the teen to let out a quiet snort.
"What's the big deal? It's just one paper?", Lambo heard Ussop ask from whatever corner he is currently tinkering in.
"Just one paper? I buy these every day!", Nami protested in her own defense.
"Yeah, but there's no need to save every last berri so you can buy back your village from Arlong, you know?", Ussop argues, "You can finally stop obsessing about money."
Lambo silently disagreed with Ussop. Even with the need to save so much money no longer needed, you can't break life-long made habits so quickly. Plus, as long as it's not pointed towards him, Lambo finds joy in watching the good thief at work and he will continue to find amusement watching Nami and her money-grubbing ways. Best entertainment for Lambo to enjoy, aside from Luffy's usually stupidity that is.
"You're so stupid!", Nami berates, "Now that all that stuff's over, I'm saving money for me now. Geez! I'm not going to be one of those poor pirates who can't afford to dress up!"
"Woah! Calm down!", Ussop protested warningly, "I'm in the middle of developing my special Tabasco Star. I don't think I got it right last time when I used it against the Sun Guardian guy, he recovered way too quick for my taste."
Shoulders shaking as Lambo silently laughed at the interaction between Ussop and Nami. Only stopping when felt a hand rest on top of his head, holding him still. Lambo opens his eyes and looks up to see that the hand belongs to Zoro, who still looks asleep with his eye closed
"Hold still or else I'm kicking you off.", Zoro grumbles tiredly.
Lambo can't help but sweat drop, as he looked up at Zoro's unchanging expression, if it weren't for the fact his hand is still on Lambo's head and he just spoke, the teen would have thought the swordsman still asleep. Doesn't help that Lambo isn't sure if Zoro means it literally or not. Knowing the swordsman, it could go either way.
"Meschino.", Lambo mumbles to himself as he closes his eyes and settles back into his dose. (Meanie.)
"English.", Zoro mutters with a huff.
"Stop asking.", Lambo shoots back.
"Not going to happen.", was his comeback.
Suddenly there was a loud thump followed by a screech from Ussop. Lambo opens his eyes and jumps to his feet, running up the stairs to see Ussop running around screaming with hands over his eyes where Lambo can see some kind of red sauce while Luffy is glaring up at the Tangerine Grove that was added to the Going Merry after Arlong Park. Lambo is quick to take out a canteen of water he has strapped to his side, trying to wrestle the screaming sniper to the ground so he can help wash the sauce out of the poor guy's eyes.
"Oh Come On!", Luffy shouts in frustration, "I just want one. Of. Them!"
"No!", Sanji shouts back, crossing his arms as he stands in front of the grove protectively, "This is Nami's Tangerine Orchard! I won't let anyone lay a finger on it!", his attitude quickly changed, Lambo noted with a sweat drop as he carefully poured water over Ussop's eyes with the sniper's head tilted back so he can wash the sauce out thoroughly, "Nami~! Do you see how well I'm protecting your trees~?"
"Yes. You're doing very well.", Nami complements smugly.
Lambo grabbed one of Ussop's clean cloths, poured more water over it and laying it over the poor guy's eyes to help soothe the irritation now that the sauce is all gone.
"Th-thanks Lambo.", Ussop says shakily with a weak thumbs up, "I can take care of it now."
"I only want one tangerine.", Luffy whines from where he is sitting on the railing, "Just give it here! Your so mean."
In typical Luffy fashion, the pirate captain finishes his statement by sticking his tongue out at his cook.
"No!", Sanji shouts in frustration for, probably, the umpteenth time.
Undeterred, Luffy gives the crew a wide a happy grin, "Oh well. I'm pretty happy anyway."
Nami, ignoring the rest of the crew's chaos, just turns another page in her paper as she hums thoughtfully out loud, "The world sure is a turbulent place. There's been another coup in Villa."
"I guess that's good news for us pirates.", Lambo muses, "Less likely for the Marines to be after us if there's trouble elsewhere."
With a light hum of consideration, Nami turns another page, causing a paper fall from within the pages of Nami's paper, fluttering to the floor of the upper deck.
"What's that?", Luffy asks curiously.
Lambo looked over to the paper as he softly fluttered down, Sanji stared from where he stood guard in front of Nami's Tangerine Orchard, and even Ussop removed the cloth from his face to see what Luffy could be talking about.
The paper landed, face up, and the five Straw Hats could only stare in their own varying versions of shock at what looked up at them, almost glaringly, in the sun.
Next thing anyone knew, screams can be heard coming from the Going Merry.
...
Somehow, with the arrival of the News Coos that brought the new Bounty Poster of a Certain Straw Hat pirate that stole away their Lightning Guardian, brought the whole Vongola Mansion to an even darker mood than before.
Well... almost all of Vongola.
Hibari Kyoya, casually walked into the Tsuna's currently destroyed office, but it's clean up of rubble and a new desk and furniture has already been replaced, goes to show how used to this the Vongola cleanup crew is. But despite the fact it has already been a little less than a week since Hibari's Omnivore and his little crew of pirates have left, there is still a large whole in the middle of the floor.
Tsuna, Reborn, and all that is left of the Guardians are all collapsed slouched, or relaxing in their chosen spots, all of their injuries treated thanks to Shamal and Ryohei's Sun Flames, yet Tsuna still has to have his ribs tightly wrapped for now, much to Hibari's delight. The entire room is deadly silent
Sitting there on the desk is the new Bounty Poster that no one seems able to take their eyes off of. Thirty Million berri, that's the largest pirate bounty to come out of the East Blue yet, and to top it all off, it's the pirate's starting bounty. One that's never been heard of to start with a bounty so high.
To the Vongola, it's a kick to the face.
They should have been able to take them, they should have been able to take them all, but even before the ghosts of Primo and his Guardians stepped in, let each member of the pirate crew to use their Flames, and they all won. The second Dying Will Flames came in, the second the playing field was evened out, Tsuna and every single one of his guardians were taken down almost immediately.
Hibari found such joy in their misery, he was close to humming a tune the last few days with how much he enjoyed rubbing Vongola's defeat in their faces. And yet nothing was so satisfying to the Skylark, as when each person in this room was met with the Straw Hat's Bounty Poster and the shame, frustration, and or shock that filled every one of their faces filled Hibari with vicious glee.
"You've all gotten complacent."
Most would find themselves intimidating by the number of glares sent their way by some of the world's most powerful people. Hibari, on the other hand, found nothing but joy from the act.
"You're used to short, easy battles. Used to the Marines leaving us alone whether because they can't find us, too scared, or too focused on the pirates that have been slowly taken over. And they have most definitely taken over.", Hibari's eyes narrowed, "For the few that know of our existence wonder if the mafia are stronger than the pirates or vice versa. We now have our answer."
"Shut up!", Gokudera hissed, always the one to step up in defense of Tsuna and thus, the Vongola, "They received the flames from those of the past. Of those that we ourselves have been compared to many times in terms of power. This isn't an accurate way to tell that pirates are stronger than the mafioso."
"Oh yes, it is.", Hibari disagreed, stalking closer to Tsuna's desk and glaring and Gokudera, and the other Herbivores with a glare, his hand slammed down on the desk, right on top of the poster, "This... is that omnivore pirate captain's first bounty, and I'm sure you all know it's the highest in the East Blue. He's not on the same level as those on the Grand Line, and yet he and his crew beat the Vongola, the most powerful mafiosos in the World, and that's only because we are the only ones that have our best sailing the Grand Line. Meanwhile most of the pirate population all congregate on the Grand Line. The pirates are stronger."
No one, not even Reborn had anything to say in Vongola's, in the mafias as a whole, defense. Because Hibari is right, the only reason Vongola is still known for its notoriety is because Xanxus got bored in the East Blue and, with Tsuna's permission (not like he really needed it), left to explore the Grand Line along with the rest of Varia, his Guardians. The pirates not only beat the mafia in numbers, but now, also in strength.
Hibari raised a questioning brow patiently waiting to Tsuna's response. But Tsuna has nothing to say, it's too late for them to try and reach the peak strength needed to beat the top pirates. Tsuna knows no one in Vongola is a match against any of the four Emperors. Hibari doubts anyone here is a match for the Warlord pirates that are on the Marine's payroll.
That's not something the carnivore within Hibari can stand. He's not one of the strongest, in the past, it seemed to Hibari the path to becoming the strongest lies with one he mistaken for a lion, with Vongola.
Obviously, that is no longer the case. If Hibari's Omnivore is going to the Grand Line, and Hibari wants to be there when his Omnivore needs help, Hibari himself needs to get stronger as well. And that's okay, that's always been something Hibari enjoyed, getting stronger to bite those beneath him to death.
Only problem is that Hibari isn't going to achieve that here anymore.
"Hn."
There was the sound of paper rustling, Tsuna opened his eyes to see a form now placed in front of him, Hibari's signature already signed at the bottom.
"I quit.", Hibari states bluntly before spinning on heels and marching out of that office with a purpose.
No one made a move to stop him.
...
Luffy holds up his new Wanted Poster laughing joyously as he does so.
"Alright guys! We're wanted criminals!", Luffy exclaims happily, still laughing.
"Wanted. Dead or alive.", Ussop reads aloud, sounding little in shock,as if the poster before him isn't even real, despite the fact that he's reading it for his entire crew to hear, "Thirty Million Berries!"
"That's a lot of berries!", Luffy exclaims, his grin somehow getting even wider as he laughs.
"Check it out, I'll be seen all around the world!", Ussop says dreamily, joining Luffy in his excitement, "Girls might even like me!"
For some reason.
"Uh, last I checked, Luffy is the only one with a wanted poster.", Lambo sweat dropped at the sniper.
"I'm in the poster too!", Ussop brags shamelessly.
In less than a second, Sanji left his self-appointed post of guarding Nami's Tangerine grove, skidding in front of the poster Luffy is still proudly holding up for all to see as he laughed freely.
"What!? They put long nose in but left me out!?", Sanji shouts angrily as he looked over the poster, "... Where are you? I don't see you anywhere. You're not there!"
Ussop points to a small corner of the poster triumphantly, "Uh-huh~."
Sanji sits on the deck, smoking on his cigarette angrily with a pulsing irk mark on the side of his head while Ussop giggled at the angrily sulking chef.
"It's the back of your head. That's not so great.", Sanji grumbled.
Lambo leans in closer to the poster looking at where Ussop pointed to see the back of Ussops head.
"Yeah, and it's a small part of the poster too, I don't think anyone will really notice it, especially if it's just a passing glance.", Lambo agreed with Sanji.
Due to the fact that Sanji is sulking, even Lambo agreed with his words, Sanji's body language states that he also thinks it's cool, like Ussop, and he's disappointed to not be in the picture too.
"That's not the point.", Ussop argues with a self-important finger in the air, "The point is, I'm in the picture too and you guys are not."
"... I want to shove him over board now.", Lambo states matter of factly.
Ussop lets out a fearful "Eep!"
"No, no, no. Don't do that kid.", Sanji is now behind Lambo patting his shoulder, his words are slathered with false sugary sweet cheer while his eyes glinted at the sniper dangerously, "It'd be such a waste to just toss him over board. Let's use him as bait, we can always use more bigger fish with our Captain on board."
This time Ussop lets out a fearful shriek as he leapt away from the two, using Luffy as a meat shield for protection. Granted, as a rubber man, Luffy makes a great meat shield, Lambo takes note.
"Aw, don't be so glum. You don't have to be a captain to get your picture on one of these things.", Ussop says light heartedly, despite the slight tremor he tries to hide in his voice.
Sanji immediately brightens, "Really!?"
Ussop pounces on the changed demeanor without hesitation, "Yeah! You just have to work really hard!"
And that's when Ussop and Sanji wrap their arms around each other's shoulders cheering along with Luffy's laughter, dancing together as they do so.
Lambo sweat drops; he's beginning to think the crew's chef is bit too easy to please.
"Let's Go To The Grand Line Men!", Luffy declares over the duos cheering.
"Yay!", Ussop and Sanji cheers.
Add Luffy and Ussop to that as well, Lambo sweat drops even more as the three come together in a joyous dance.
Don't get him wrong, Lambo thinks this is cool and all, and he knows that Luffy got a pretty high reward for his first Bounty Poster. Lambo also knows that means more opponents will be coming their way. They are riding on victory right now, defeating the Arlong pirates, taking Lambo back from Vongola, and now Luffy's poster. But that just means things are going to get harder.
Lambo is going to have to continue working hard if he wants to keep going on adventures with the rest of his crew, especially when they finally enter the Grand Line.
He can feel his heart pounding in excitement.
The Grand Line, it's just around the corner. Just out of reach! Soon, it won't be just Luffy taking that first step towards his dream, it'll be all of them too. The whole crew! And that first step begins with the Grand Line.
Lambo can feel himself getting excited, and finally, he lets himself so, allowing Luffy to pull the teen in on the dancing. Lambo couldn't help but laugh as the three pirates pulled him back and forth with no say or warning.
This is going to be awesome!
...
"Decimo?"
Tsuna sighed, eyes closing as he leaned back in his new office chair, the leather creaking due how new the chair still is, unused to be sit in.
"I made a mess of things it seems.", Tsuna mused tiredly, "Guess I still have a little of No-Good Tsuna still in me."
"Don't say that Decimo.", Gokudera says weakly.
Tsuna knows his Storm Guardian has never believed the moniker 'No-Good Tsuna', even during the short time he hated him, Gokudera didn't believe Tsuna was no good, just an easily scared civilian kid in the silver haired teen's eyes at the time. Gokudera has never liked it when Tsuna recalls the title, even more so in reference to himself, that doesn't mean that Gokudera doesn't believe that they messed up. Tsuna knows Gokudera blames himself the most, sees it to be more his fault rather than Tsuna's.
But that's not how things work. Tsuna is the boss; he was the one most in charge of Lambo and his life. He is the one at fault, the one most responsible for driving their no-longer Lightning Guardian away. It's no wonder that their Cloud Guardian was quick to follow and leave as well.
In other words, Tsuna failed. It's as simple as that.
And even if Tsuna can't help but feel sorry for himself as he thinks back to the past, Tsuna also realizes that he can't just sit there and do nothing while those he once called his own are going out into the dangerous world with hardly any kind of preparation or warning.
Tsuna knows neither Hibari nor Lambo would welcome his words if he were to send out word or find some way to contact one of them, not to mention how Lambo's new crew would feel if Tsuna were to try and get in touch with the Lightning Flame wielder again. Even if his intentions are no longer the same as they were in the past.
So, there is only thing he can do to give Lambo and Hibari that little extra edge (to make Tsuna feel better by keeping watch on those that were once a part of his famiglia).
"Hayato."
Said Guardian straighten to full attention at the use of his full name.
"Get me a Den Den Mushi.", Tsuna ordered, "I need make a call to the Varia and I-Pin, call in a few favors.
...
Everyone has finally calmed down, Lambo was pretty much forced to do so when Zoro lets out a tired huff, and pulling Lambo out of the grasps of his dancing crewmates, who Nami sets straight with a sharp fist to each of their skulls yelling at them about there being no more time for celebrating and that they're in clear danger... blah, blah, blah.
Lambo honestly stopped listening a while ago. Luffy and Ussop are now relaxing and chatting animatedly with each other, Sanji has retreated to the kitchen to make the days lunch, and Nami went back to her lounge chair to read the paper.
Meanwhile, Zoro shoved forced Lambo to relax (something about him being a heater?) Shoving Lambo's head back down on his lap and has been scratching the top of his skull with the tips of his fingers for last five minutes. It felt nice, and Lambo immediately relaxed with a content sigh.
Zoro chuckled, "Like a cat."
Hand shoving Zoro's face away by the jaw, Lambo was immediately back on to his feet. But of course, Zoro is fast and strong, so it was easy for him to be on his feet as well, holding Lambo off the ground by the scruff of his shirt.
"And where do you think you're going?", Zoro questioned with a amused raised brow.
"Vaffanculo!", Lambo shouts as he struggles to get down (Screw you!).
Curse his short height!
Both Lambo and Zoro froze as a worn-down rugged ship with Marine marking on its sails and flag flying indicating exactly who the ship belongs to. Zoro and Lambo watched as a man with weird knuckles, pink haired, and wrinkled pinstripe suit stared at them flabbergasted as the two ships sailed past each other.
Lambo looked up to Zoro, "Hey, wasn't that the guy Sanji beat up and got Luffy to fall in debt because he shot a cannon ball at us?"
Zoro shrugged uncaringly, "Eh, who cares."
Somehow, the ship managed to turn around and catch back up to the Going Merry.
"Looks like it just came from battle.", Luffy comments, sounding incredulous at the sight of the poor ship, "That thing barely floats!"
"Thats a real shame, putting scrap ships in the sea.", Ussop says in sympathy.
"This is not a scrap ship!", the snob marine from the restaurant shouts defensively, Lambo honestly forgot his name, "Are you guys blind!?"
"No, but I'm pretty sure you are if you don't think that ship, you're sailing is a piece of junk.", Lambo deadpanned at the marine.
"Shut up!", the man shrieked, sounding like a little girl almost with the octave his voice managed to reach, "Have you seriously forgotten the face of Ironfist Fullbody!?"
"Oh yeah!", Luffy shouts in recognition, "You're the marine guy I saw that one time!"
Barely even a footnote to Luffy's eyes, Lambo almost feels bad for the poor sucker. If he weren't such a snob that is.
"I honestly forgot his name.", Lambo admits as he looks up to Zoro.
Zoro shrugged unbothered, "I forgot him period."
"Are you stranded? Need some help?", Luffy asks Fullbody innocently.
Trembling with rage, Fullbody says through gritted teeth, "Quit fooling around! Our meeting here spells the end for you! Monkey D. Luffy! You're under arrest!"
Forget the marines, this guy should join theater with how dramatic he's making everything out to be.
"Yep! That's me alright.", Luffy confirms with an excited grin with a glint in his eye that Lambo has come to know to mean danger.
"And that's the back of my head!", Ussop brags proudly with a near unhinged grin of his own.
Fullbody smirks, "It says dead or alive. A key distinction! Now take aim men!"
Lambo can hear loud clinking sound that is clearly the cannons coming from the wreck Fullbody calls a ship.
"Guess they're gonna shoot.", Luffy states calmly, albeit looking a bit confused about their opponents' actions.
"Oh no... he's going to shoot at us.", Lambo droned sarcastically, "It's not like this has happened before. Oh, I'm so scared."
"Alright, I think that's enough out of you.", Zoro states with repressed amusement as he dropped Lambo back down to his feet.
Ussop, on the other hand, gaped fearfully as he slowly inched away from the railing, getting his trembling body as far away as he's able with his stiff near-paralyzed limbs.
"They're aiming right at us!", Ussop shouts fearfully as he scrambles away, "This is bad!"
"I got this! Just leave it to me!", Luffy states confidently.
Zoro steps up, his sword in hand, "Why don't you let me handle this one Luffy.
"Yeah, relax.", Ussop agrees, hand on Luffy's shoulder before dragging their protesting Captain away, "Why don't we stand over here. You'll only get in the way and mess this up. Now come on over here!"
And pull off parts of their ship again while trying to deflect another canon ball. Ussop is very protective of the Going Merry, patching her up every time the idiot Captain or something else breaks her. Lambo isn't surprised Ussop shook off his fear so he could drag Luffy away before he could pull a similar idiotic stunt like last time, they had a confrontation with Fullbody.
"Your story ends here!", Fullbody says dramatically with a thumbs down.
Their canon fired, making Lamo's ears ring despite the fact his hands were covering them due to how close the two ships, and thus the canon, is. Zoro unsheathed his sword and with one clean downward slash, he cut the cannon ball in half, two twin splashes sounded behind Zoro and on the Going Merry's portside.
Ussop gaped, screeching silent in his mix of awe-horror, Lambo couldn't help but whistle appreciatively, his eyes are so wide, he wouldn't be surprised if they popped right out of his sockets with his own shock, and Luffy with his hand shading over his eyes.
"Woah, that's so cool!", Luffy praised.
The marines, on the other hand, were freaking out just like Ussop, except with less awe and much more fear, as they should be.
"That's impossible!", Fullbody managed to get out in his disbelief.
Zoro sheathed his sword, before looking to the marines with an irritable glare, "I was trying to relax."
Fullbody took a second, scrambling for words before shouting, with spit coming out of his mouth, "There's a lot more where that came from! FIRE!"
Lambo is pretty sure the guy can't take a hint, or he literally has no better idea than shooting cannonballs at them. A method that he has now tried multiple times, and failed both times. There was the sound of clicking, which confused Lambo because the canon was already aimed at them.
"This is bad. Real bad.", Luffy states emotionlessly.
"What is/ What's bad!?", Ussop panicked.
What-?
The canon suddenly imploded on itself, destroying the weapon, leaving the marines singed and covered in smoke and remaining gun powder from the canon.
"Too bad. Their canon had cracks in it.", Luffy comments somberly.
"You're right. That is bad.", Ussop agreed with his own, albeit confused, somber air.
"It looks like their ship isn't the only piece of crap they have.", Lambo sweat dropped, he honestly couldn't help but feel bad for this certain batch of marines, "This is getting sad now."
Lambo wobbled as the side of the marine ship knocked against Merry's side, Fullbody, standing on his railing preparing to board now with the distance between the two ships have been closed.
"You wretched little brats! Never mock the former marine HQ lieutenant!", Fullbody seethed as he leapt onto the deck of the Going Merry, "We'll just have to go hand-to-hand! Men! Follow Me!"
Lambo lost his previous sympathy. He decided to go find someone that can put the fear of God into 'former lieutenant' Fullbody.
"Hey Lambo, what's with the commotion out here?", Sanji asks as he stepped out of the gallery.
Speaking of, guess all the noise got Sanji to leave the kitchen.
"We have some unwanted guests.", Lambo explains oh so innocently.
Although he didn't even have to say that, Sanji was already on the marines that decided to chase after the seemingly easiest target available, the youngest, Lambo. And aside from Fullbody, that happened to be... all of the marines.
Who didn't stand a chance against the cook who proceeded to, literally, kick said marines off the Going Merry. Revealing a dazed looking Fullbody with a bloody nose and a forehead that looks to be bruised to hell and back leaning unsteadily against Merry's railing. Looks to be the work of Luffy's bell headbutt move that he likes to brag about.
Fullbody, to Lambo's mischievous glee, screeched at the sight of Sanji, as if he were met with a monster rather than a cook wearing a pink apron and a frying pan in hand. On second thought, the iron pan may be cause of worry But the point is, Lambo wanted to see Fullbody scared, he got his wish, and it was ten times more satisfying than he expected it to be.
"You've got a lot of balls tough guy, picking a fight during lunch.", Sanji glares down at the disgraced marine, "I'll kill you. Unless you've made a reservation, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
Behind Fullbody, his marines abandoned, their own ship which none of the straw hats were on mind you, while the man continued to scream as if he were in mortal danger. And who knows? Maybe he was, you don't mess with Sanji when it comes to food and the rest of the crew's meals.
Fullbody retreated back to his piece of crap he uses as a ship, still screaming, "What's That Waiter Doing Here!?"
And proceeds the rest of his crew by diving overboard on the other side of the ship. Lambo couldn't help but point and laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.
"Well, I guess he's done.", Luffy states casually as he adjusts his hat.
"Eh, he was all talk.", Ussop says as if he weren't hiding behind Luffy earlier.
"That... That was...awe-awesome!", Lambo managed to say between his giggles and laughter, leaning against the railing for support, his body going weak from the lack of air and the force of his own laughter.
"That guy is still nothing but a wimp.", Sanji says uncaringly.
"Come on you guys! Can you keep it down?", Nami shouts from where she is reading her paper, "Honestly, I can't even sit and read a paper!"
"Nami~! I finished preparing you a delicious meal!", Sanji shouts dreamily.
"Cool! I'm starving!", Luffy shouts excitedly, nothing gets him excited like his dream and food.
...
Another Peace Gala, finally successfully over.
Technically, it's been over for a little under a week, but the cleanup has taken
She is already so done with these people who like to kiss up to her, try to get in good with the upper ranks of Vongola through her. It's tiring, not to mention pathetic, but she's the highest ranker that can leave, fight, and keep her cool the best.
So here she is, alone, away from her jia zú (family), and surrounded by those who can give a flying shit about her or the Vongola except the power they have and may 's times like these that I-Pin can't help but think back on simpler times.
'Hey, pst, don't cry. Here, take the Great Lambo's candy. It always makes him happy!'
If only time travel existed in a way she can go back to her younger self, knowing what she does now, and doing things differently. Life wouldn't be so dull and boring then.
"Ma'am! There's a call for you from the boss!", a grunt came running towards her with a Den Den Mushi.
She held her hands out expectantly, and situated the snail so she was holding it comfortably before immediately putting the mouth piece close to her lips and spoke.
"Hello?"
"I-Pin, it's good to hear a friendly voice.", Tsuna's indeed was the one to speak from the other end.
"Boss?", I-Pin questions in confusion, her brows furrowing at the tiredness that clearly lined Tsuna's voice, "Did something happen at the Gala back at the Vongola mansion?"
Silence followed her question before a deep sigh finally sounded from the Den Den Mushi.
"Yeah, yeah, we got Lambo back in time of the Gala.", no surprise there, "But he had joined a new upcoming crew of pirates. They weren't happy with the fact we took... one of their own."
"They crashed the Gala?", I-Pin gasped in shock, no one has ever done that ever since the Vongola has first formed bonds with other ally families, especially after Vongola wiped out the rest of the Estraneo Family shortly after Mukuro and his people escaped before he had attacked Tsuna and the Vongola as a teenager, "What's going on now."
"We... we took a hit I-Pin. They beat us, all of us.", Tsuna informs somberly, "Lambo left with them in the end, he's gone, for good. Hibari just turned in some papers, he quit too and I believe is heading to the Grand Line with Kusakabe following. We're rebuilding right now and calling everyone out and alone, in."
Lambo... left? Again? Then, does that mean he's not coming back?
"Where is he?", I-Pin questioned determinedly, her hand gripping the mouthpiece to the Den Den Mushi with a white-knuckled grip.
"I-Pin..."
"No! Where is Lambo now!?", I-Pin shouts, her hands curled into tight shaking fists.
"... The crew is most likely heading to the Grand Line.", Tsuna was quick to give in, "They'll most likely stop where you are stationed to resupply before beginning their journey."
"Right. I'll be home soon Boss, but it'll take me longer than what you wa-."
"I-Pin. Lambo is no longer my Guardian.", Tsuna speaks gravely, "That path has been... lost to us for a long time now. Hibari made sure Lambo would walk on a freer path. One where he is happy."
"And what us?", I-Pin demanded angrily, "What about his jia zú (family)?"
"When, in the last several years, have we been his family?"
I-Pin hung up without answering, ignoring the liquid that dripped down to her hands.
No...
No...!
No! She won't stand for it! She can't lose her qīn yǒu! Not again! Not for real! She has to... has to... she has to go home. She has to take him home, show him that he's wrong because... because something has to be wrong! Something she must have missed! Lambo has run away before, but he always came back! Why shouldn't this time be any different!
"You!"
"EEP! I mean-uh- yes ma'am?", the same grunt that handed her the phone squeaked out.
"I need to have a meeting with your boss. Take me to his office.", I-Pin ordered.
"Right away ma'am!"
Yes, when Lambo makes it here, I-Pin shall be waiting.
...
"We're getting closer. We've almost made it to the Grand Line.", Nami announced with everyone surrounding the map she has laid out across the deck for everyone to see, she points to a specific spot on the map, "It looks like the only way in is here, through Reverse Mountain."
"You wouldn't happen to know why it's called Reverse Mountain?", Lambo asked curiously, "It feels kind of specific not to mean something."
Nami shakes her head, "Only those that make it through the Grand Line know."
"What a pain.", Zoro grumbles as he glares down at the map as if it offended him, "There's got to be some way around that thing."
"There's not. From what the Geezer told me, that's the only place to enter.", Sanji explains.
"Well, how come?", Ussop asked.
"Cause it's really dangerous.", Sanji answered matter of factly.
"Yeah, but how come!?", Ussop asks again.
"I told you everything I know! Geez!", Sanji snaps in exasperation.
Nami starts speaking, "See, the reason is-"
"Hey!", Luffy suddenly shouts pointing down at the map, "I got an idea, what if we just sail straight into it!
"Are you really that clueless!", Nami growls at their captain.
"My sounds a lot funner.", Luffy says... rather cluelessly, "Plus it'll be way better if we just dive into it. You know?"
Nami looks like she wants to strangle Luffy for a second before letting out a puff of air, head falling into her hand, "Ugh. Talking to you drives me completely insane."
"First off, we need to stop at an island.", Luffy states, sounding unusually smart like he sometimes does, "Time to pick up some meat. Need Meat."
Well, he's got it half right at least.
Wordlessly, Nami points to an island just off of where she pointed out Reverse Mountain was. Luffy looked down at the island curiously.
"There is a famous city on this island known as Loguetown."
"Loguetown.", Luffy repeats thoughtfully, "Why is it famous? They got delicious meat?"
"It's the last island before entering the Grand Line.", Lambo points out, "Even Ts-Vongola made sure an ally family was always stationed there for some reason."
"I'm pretty sure I've heard of it before. It's the city of the beginning and the end.", Zoro says in remembrance.
"Huh?", Lambo voiced his confusion.
"It's the town where the old King of the Pirates, Gold Roger, was born and killed.", Nami explains somberly.
The entire crew quieted, all taking in the information one by one on their own time.
"That's where the King of the Pirates died?", Luffy asked, sounding almost in a daze by the very idea of it.
Nami looks up at their captain with a knowing smirk, "Well?"
"Yeah, let's do it.", Luffy states determinedly, "This was the man who had the One Piece, everything the world has to offer. I want to see where he was born and executed."
Well, then... what the Monkey says, the crew will do.
Yet Lambo can't help but feel like he's forgetting something.
Author's Note:
Right, first of all, I'm really impressed with myself, this is the most frequent I've been updating in a while. I hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I am.
Secondly, I do not know Mandarin, I used a mix of my translator, that is giving me the simplified version for those who need specifics plus a little bit of research on my end. Spelling is not perfect; I know the letters are right but some might be missing certain symbols because my computer doesn't have them for some reason. So, I will do my best with spelling, but I apologize to those who know or speak Mandarin if it's not up to snuff.
Speaking of Mandarin, that last bit of Mandarin that I-pin thought of was left untranslated on purpose, it will be revealed, soon, in a later chapter.
And lastly, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you all are having a good time with all your families!
Be Your Best You! Bye~!