Chapter 60: The Shadow of Dressrosa - Part 2
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The busy streets of Dressrosa were alive with energy and color, full of locals and tourists blending into a cheerful buzz of noise. Emi walked between Koala and Sabo, her sharp eyes scanning for anything that could help with their mission. Their footsteps echoed softly on the cobblestones as they passed through a crowded market, the air thick with the scent of ripe fruit and spices.
"Stay alert," Sabo murmured, pulling his hood a little lower.
Koala and Emi nodded, their gazes darting around the crowd. As they turned into a quieter street, Emi suddenly felt a strange sensation, like something brushing against her bag.
In an instant, her bag felt lighter. She frowned and quickly checked inside. Her eyes widened—her bombs were gone.
"Wait... my bombs!" she gasped, frantically searching through every pocket of her bag.
Koala and Sabo spun around. "What? What's wrong?" Koala asked, her voice laced with concern.
"Someone stole my bombs! But I didn't see anything—or anyone!" Emi said, her head whipping from side to side as she scanned the area.
A sudden glint caught her eye at the corner of the street. Without a second thought, Emi took off running. "MY BOMBS!" she shouted, leaving Koala and Sabo behind.
The chase was on. Emi dashed through the crowded streets of Dressrosa, weaving between stalls and bumping into people and toys alike, her heart pounding in her chest. She caught fleeting glimpses of a tiny, quick figure darting ahead of her, almost too fast to see.
"What the heck is that thing?!" she growled, determined not to lose sight of it.
The small creature zipped through the streets with unbelievable speed, clutching the stolen bombs tightly in its tiny arms.
"Get back here, you little thief!" Emi yelled, her footsteps echoing on the cobblestones.
The creature suddenly turned a sharp corner, slipping through with an eerie agility. Emi was right behind, her eyes locked on the metallic gleam of the bombs. Just when she thought she was closing in, she saw it heading straight for a sewer grate.
The creature tried to squeeze through the grate, but a loud CLANG stopped it in its tracks. The bombs were too big to fit between the bars.
Emi skidded to a halt, a smug grin spreading across her face. "Ah! Gotcha!" She clenched her fist triumphantly. "Hand those over!"
The creature, startled but not giving up, quickly backed away. It dropped the bombs for a moment, attempting to slip through the grate without them, but then realized it couldn't leave its precious loot behind. Grabbing the bombs again, it turned on its heels and darted back, zigzagging through Emi's legs with infuriating speed.
"What?! No, no, no!" Emi yelled, spinning around to give chase again. "MY BOMBS!"
The creature leaped onto a barrel, scrambled over a fruit stand, and vaulted onto a balcony, leaving chaos in its wake. Shoppers gasped, vendors shouted angrily, and Emi stumbled over a crate of vegetables in her desperate attempt to keep up.
"That little pest is going to drive me insane!" she growled, her hair a mess from the effort.
As she looked up to spot the creature again, a passerby chuckled and called out, "Chasing a fairy, miss?"
Emi, red-faced with frustration, gritted her teeth. "A what?! Fairy or not, I'm getting my bombs back!"
But the creature vanished onto the rooftops, leaving Emi panting and fuming, her hands on her knees.
"Where the heck did it go?!" she muttered, stomping her foot in frustration.
The same man from before approached, a sly smile on his face. "The fairies live around here. They sometimes steal things—offerings for their rituals or needs. Honestly, I doubt you'll ever see your stuff again."
Straightening up, Emi narrowed her eyes at the rooftops with fierce determination. "Oh, we'll see about that."
Without a second thought, she leapt onto the wall of a nearby house, grabbed a balcony, and pulled herself onto the roof with impressive agility. Once on top, she scanned the area, her eyes sharp as ever. A glint of sunlight reflecting off metal caught her attention—her bombs.
Taking a deep breath, Emi started sprinting silently across the rooftops, her steps light to avoid alerting the creature. She spotted it hiding behind a small wall, clutching the bombs tightly.
A sly smile crept onto her face. This was her chance. With a precise leap, she pounced on the creature, yanking the bombs out of its tiny arms in one swift motion.
"Gotcha! That'll teach you to steal, you little pest!" she declared, holding the bombs triumphantly.
But her pride didn't last long. Without warning, the creature delivered a kick with shocking strength for its size, sending Emi flying off the roof. She didn't even have time to scream, stunned by the force of the attack.
Is this a joke?!
Note to self: Never underestimate an opponent, no matter how small.
She crashed hard onto a café table, where customers had been enjoying their coffee just moments earlier. The scene was pure chaos—shattered cups, a torn tablecloth, and stunned bystanders. Groggy but somehow unharmed, Emi tried to get up, surprised the fall hadn't hurt more.
That's when she realized she hadn't landed on the table but on someone. Blinking to process the situation, she noticed a large man sprawled out beneath her, unconscious. She pulled back his hood to get a better look and was immediately struck by his odd appearance: an absurd hat, oversized sunglasses, and a ridiculously twisted mustache.
"What the…?" she muttered, confused as she stood up.
Before she could say more, a familiar laugh froze her in place.
"Well, that was quite the entrance, Emi."
Emi spun around, her eyes widening as she spotted Nico Robin, even in disguise. Robin was as elegant and composed as ever. Beside her was a small humanoid reindeer—Tony Tony Chopper—who was frantically trying to revive the man Emi had flattened.
"Robin?! And… Chopper?!"
Emi was stunned. Running into the Straw Hats during her mission was unlikely enough, but literally falling on them? That was cosmic-level irony. Sure, she'd known they were on the island, but Dressrosa was supposed to be big enough to avoid such encounters. Still, she felt a strange sense of relief seeing Robin, whom she'd spent a month with at the Revolutionary base before Robin rejoined her crew.
Robin gave her a knowing smile. "What's a Revolutionary doing here?"
Before Emi could answer, a chill ran down her spine. She felt another presence behind her. Spinning around quickly, she froze.
Trafalgar Law.
Her heart skipped a monumental beat. He was there, in the flesh, just a few steps away. He looked both annoyed and surprised—it was hard to tell with those fake glasses and the ridiculous mustache. Emi felt a whirlwind of emotions: relief, embarrassment, excitement… and a touch of panic. Why did she always run into him in the most absurd situations?
Law squinted at her, his intense gaze locked on hers. He seemed just as surprised as she was, though he masked it well behind his usual icy calm. But beneath that exterior, his mind was racing. What was Emi doing here? And as a Revolutionary, no less—if that part was true. Was this a coincidence, or something more?
Annoyance bubbled under his calm facade. She wasn't supposed to be here. He had gone to great lengths to keep her away from his dangerous plans, to ensure she wouldn't get caught up in his revenge. And yet, here she was, smack in the middle of this treacherous island, tangled in something far too dangerous for her.
His hand instinctively tightened on his Nodachi. Did she even realize the risks she was taking? Or had she stumbled into this mess without knowing what she was getting into? Seeing her here, in the heart of his schemes, stirred an unwelcome worry deep inside him—one he'd never admit.
As he opened his mouth to speak, a gruff, nasally, and thoroughly irritated voice cut through the tension.
"Ugh… My head! That idiot crushed me!"
Emi blinked, snapping out of her trance. Her attention turned to the man she'd flattened during her fall. He was sitting up now, rubbing his head dramatically, his face twisted in pain and frustration.
Wait a second…
She frowned, tilting her head as she studied him. His features looked strangely familiar. Then it clicked.
"Wait… Ceasar Clー?!"
Before she could finish his name, Law had already leapt forward, clamping a hand over her mouth. "Shut up! You're going to attract attention!"
But Ceasar wasn't done. Still sprawled on the ground, he struggled to sit up, groaning loudly. "That girl is crazy! Did you see her?! She squashed me like a bug! I probably have a concussion! And that's serious! I'm a genius scientist—my brain is a treasure! A treasure! What are you going to do about this?!"
Emi, furious at being blamed, shoved Law's hand away and marched toward Ceasar. "The only thing in that head of yours is toxic gas and an oversized ego. You should be thankful I didn't completely flatten you."
Ceasar stared at her, mouth agape, before sputtering indignantly. "How dare you speak to me like that, you little pest?! I am Ceasar Clown, the greatest scientist of this centuryー"
"Scientist or clown? Pick one, Ceasar," Emi shot back with a smug smile.
Robin stifled a laugh behind her hand, clearly entertained by the scene, while Chopper, visibly stressed, flailed his tiny arms. "Ceasar, stop yelling! You're going to draw attention! And you, don't provoke him!"
Ceasar, red-faced and trembling with anger, pointed a shaky finger at Emi. "You… you'll regret this…"
Before things could escalate further, Law's firm, commanding voice cut through the tension. "Enough. We don't have time for this." He shot a sharp glare at Ceasar. "And you—shut up, or I'll knock you out for good."
Ceasar swallowed hard and mumbled something unintelligible, stepping back cautiously. Emi, still annoyed by his comments, turned away sharply to avoid looking at him.
Her gaze briefly met Law's, and despite herself, her heart clenched. She opened her mouth to say something, but her thoughts tangled. How could she bring up the fact that she'd genuinely thought he might be dead? This isn't the time to get sentimental, she told herself. Instead, she chose sarcasm to mask her worry.
"Well, at least you haven't managed to get yourself killed… not yet," she said with a sly grin. "I was starting to think that CP0 announcement might've been true."
Law raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "The announcement?"
Before she could explain, a glint of light behind Law caught her eye. Her expression shifted instantly.
Her bombs.
That pesky little thief had just darted past them, as if mocking her. The audacity!
Without hesitation, Emi bolted, deftly sidestepping Law with catlike grace. She turned back briefly to shout at the group, "Sorry, but I've got to get them back!"
She sprinted down the street, her silver hair streaming behind her, determination blazing in her eyes. She clenched her fists, fully intent on making that thief pay for the kick—and for ruining her moment with Law.
Law stood frozen for a moment, caught off guard by her sudden departure. His eyes followed her disappearing figure, his brows furrowed in thought. What had she meant about the Cipher Pol announcement? Was it just a sarcastic jab, or had she actually heard something? The uncertainty gnawed at him. He hated being left in the dark, and her abrupt exit only fueled the unease growing inside him.
Still, he couldn't afford to dwell on it. There were more pressing matters at hand.
"Let's move," he said sharply, turning to Robin and Chopper, who were still keeping an eye on Ceasar Clown. Ceasar was grumbling about Emi, but Law ignored him entirely.
With a determined stride, he led the way. They had to reach Green Bit and deliver Ceasar to Doflamingo. This exchange was pivotal to the next phase of his plan. No matter the distractions—even if Emi's unexpected appearance stirred something in him—he couldn't lose sight of his goal.
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Emi, determined to catch the thief, picked up her pace, her footsteps echoing on the cobblestones. The creature suddenly darted into a dead-end alley, thinking it had lost her. But before it could escape, a figure appeared in its path.
Sabo stood there, calm but commanding, his metal pipe resting casually in his hand. "How can something so small run so fast?" he said with a smirk.
The little creature froze, clearly scared, and dropped the stolen bombs on the ground before vanishing in a blur of speed.
Emi rushed over, still catching her breath, and scooped up the bombs with a mix of relief and frustration. "Sabo!" she said, panting. "You always show up at the perfect time."
Sabo chuckled. "Looks like you've met your match, huh?"
"Not funny!" Emi pouted, silently vowing never to let a tiny creature embarrass her like that again.
Just then, Koala arrived, out of breath and leaning on her knees. "Emi! We thought we lost you!"
Emi straightened up, clutching the bombs tightly, and gave an apologetic shrug. "Sorry… that stupid fairy stole my bombs! They're crucial for the mission. I couldn't let it get away."
Sabo laughed, his voice echoing in the alley. "Well, at least you got your precious loot back."
Koala, still catching her breath, rolled her eyes. "This is Dressrosa. Nothing here is normal."
As they started walking through the bustling streets again, Emi fell quiet, lost in thought. Her mind kept circling back to her unexpected run-in with Law and Robin. She bit her lip, debating whether to tell Sabo about it. Bringing it up might complicate their plans—or worse, interfere with whatever Law was up to.
In the end, she decided to keep it to herself. She carefully tucked the bombs back into her bag, then flashed a smile at Sabo and Koala, masking her inner turmoil.
"Alright, ready to get back to business?"
Sabo gave her a determined look. "We're just getting started," he said with a wink, as they blended back into the vibrant crowd of Dressrosa.
As they turned into a busy marketplace, a heated argument caught their attention. Two men, visibly agitated, were speaking loudly, drawing the curious glances of passersby despite the tense atmosphere.
"You've seen the Cipher Pol arrive, right? I hope it doesn't mess up the tournament! I've been waiting all year for this!" one of the men complained loudly.
"A tournament?" Emi repeated, her curiosity piqued.
The first man, too caught up in his rant, continued without noticing her. "And this time, the prize is something really special. It's the Mera Mera no Mi! The Flame-Flame Fruit that belonged to Ace, the Fire Fist!"
His friend, alarmed, leaned in and whispered harshly, "Shhh! That's supposed to be a secret, you idiot!"
Emi's heart skipped a beat. She immediately turned to Sabo, but his face was unreadable. Still, the clenched fists and fire in his eyes spoke volumes.
Without a word, Sabo suddenly spun on his heel and strode purposefully toward the direction of the Corrida Colosseum.
"Sabo?" Koala called, her voice a mix of confusion and concern.
He stopped briefly, just long enough to say in a firm, determined tone, "I can't let Ace's fruit fall into the wrong hands. I'm entering the tournament to get it back."
"What?! Wait a second, you can't just—" Koala began, but Sabo was already gone, disappearing into the crowd.
Koala turned to Emi, exasperated. "Ugh, he always does this! No plan, no discussion, just jumps into things!"
Emi crossed her arms, a smirk tugging at her lips. "You didn't really think he'd wait for your approval, did you?"
Koala rolled her eyes and let out a frustrated sigh, glaring in the direction Sabo had gone. "That doesn't make it any less annoying…"
Emi glanced toward the Colosseum in the distance, its massive structure gleaming under the Dressrosa sun. She had no doubt this tournament would be a pivotal moment for Sabo.
Without another word, the two women continued on their way, Koala muttering complaints about Sabo while Emi remained silent, her thoughts lingering on the significance of the legendary fruit and what it meant to their comrade.
But as they neared the hangar, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air. A bullet zipped past Emi's ear, missing her by inches. She spun around, her eyes narrowing as she spotted a group of armed pirates charging toward them.
Leading the group was a massive man with a face twisted in fury, barking orders at the others. Emi recognized him instantly—it was the same pirate she'd sent flying the day before at the hangar.
"That's her! That witch! You want her dead or alive? I want her to suffer!" the massive pirate bellowed, pointing his rifle straight at Emi.
"Great, just what we needed..." Emi muttered, stepping back and scanning for a way out.
Her eyes landed on a row of gondolas docked along the canal. An idea clicked in her mind. Without hesitation, she grabbed Koala's arm and bolted toward the boats.
"Wait, what are you doing?!" Koala protested, caught off guard by Emi's sudden move.
"We're losing them with that!" Emi shouted over her shoulder, already eyeing an empty gondola.
"Are you sure about this?!" Koala yelled, but it was too late. Emi leapt into the boat, dragging Koala along. They landed awkwardly, drawing stares from nearby tourists and gondoliers.
Wasting no time, Emi activated the backup motor—a rare modern addition to the traditional boats. The gondola roared to life, spraying water as it sped into the canal.
The relief didn't last long. They were barely halfway down the waterway when a loud shout erupted behind them. Their pursuers had stolen gondolas, tossing passengers into the water without a second thought.
The once-peaceful canals, usually filled with laughter and music, turned into a chaotic battleground. Gunshots echoed through the air, mingling with the screams of bystanders. Emi glanced back and groaned as she saw the pirates gaining on them.
"They're not giving up, are they?" she growled, fumbling with the pole to steer the boat.
Koala, frowning, kept her eyes on the attackers while pulling out a small communication device. "Emi, speed up! We need to reach the waterfall before they do!"
"Waterfall?!" Emi repeated, her voice rising, but she didn't have time to ask questions. An explosion boomed behind them, sending splinters and water flying.
"They've got cannons?!" Emi yelped, swerving their gondola just in time to dodge another blast.
Koala didn't answer, too focused on assessing the situation. As they rounded a sharp bend, Emi noticed a blinking red light on the back of their gondola.
"You've got to be kidding me!" she exclaimed, leaning closer. A crude but effective bomb was strapped to the boat—likely planted before they'd taken off.
"Koala, we've got a problem!" Emi called, pointing to the device.
"Yeah, no kidding! We're being chased by lunatics with guns!"
"No, a different problem. There's a bomb. On. The. Boat."
Koala froze for a second before letting out a colorful curse. "Disarm it! You've done this before, right?!"
Emi took a deep breath and got to work, her fingers trembling slightly under the pressure. The truth? She had no idea what she was doing. This bomb was nothing like the ones she was used to handling. But she kept quiet, not wanting to add to the panic. Bullets continued to whizz past them, some ricocheting off the docks, others splashing into the water around the gondola.
As Emi struggled with the bomb, a new threat emerged—a sniper had positioned himself on an elevated dock. He aimed at their gondola with chilling precision. Koala spotted him just in time.
"Emi, duck!" Koala shouted, grabbing a rope from the boat.
A gunshot rang out, and Emi threw herself flat, almost falling into the water. The bullet zipped through the air where her head had been a second earlier.
Balancing precariously, Koala hurled the rope toward a stack of barrels on a nearby dock. With a sharp tug, she sent the barrels toppling into the canal, temporarily blocking their pursuers.
"How's it going over there?!" Koala yelled.
"Not great! There are at least three wires I can cut, but I have no idea which one!" Emi finally admitted, the pressure mounting.
The tension spiked as Koala pointed ahead. The waterfall loomed in the distance, its deafening roar growing louder with every passing second.
"Disarm it, or we're both going over!" Koala shouted, gripping the gondola tightly.
Emi closed her eyes for a moment, focusing—or rather, praying silently. She was about to gamble everything.
With a swift motion, she cut the blue wire.
The red light stopped blinking. Emi exhaled in relief, her tense muscles finally relaxing. Thank you, lucky stars!
"It's done!" she called out.
But they weren't safe yet. The pursuers were gaining, and the sniper was still taking aim. Koala, quick on her feet, grabbed a grappling hook tied to a rope and launched it toward a nearby gondola. With a graceful leap, she landed on the new boat.
"Emi! We're switching boats!"
Emi hesitated, the waterfall drawing closer by the second. But when the furious pirate stood at the bow of his gondola, ready to jump onto hers, she had no choice.
She leaped after Koala, landing just as their previous gondola vanished over the edge of the waterfall. The pirates, with no boats left to escape, were swept away by the raging cascade.
Out of breath but alive, Emi and Koala pressed on, weaving through the maze-like waterways. They had gained some distance, but they both knew this was only a temporary win.
"We need to get back to the hangar," Koala said firmly, her determination shining through her labored breathing. "Security will be tighter there, but we have to move now while we still can. And this time, we're bringing reinforcements."
Emi nodded, gritting her teeth to ignore the burning pain in her legs. Dressrosa wasn't giving them a moment's rest, but she knew how important their mission was. "You're right," she replied, her voice steady despite the exhaustion.
Koala glanced back, her expression grim.
"Those guys won't stop chasing us," she muttered, frowning. "We need to move fast."
Together, they navigated the twisting canals, ready to dive back into the chaos of Dressrosa. This time, they had a plan. And with reinforcements on the way, they might just stand a chance—but at what cost?
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Thanks for reading this chapter!
Law and Emi have finally crossed paths, but with each of them pursuing their own goals on this chaotic island, will their journeys collide once again? Stay tuned to find out in the next chapter! ~