Missy

Straw Hats... ASSEMBLE

I don't own One Piece. If I did, Kokoro would not deserve this DISRESPECT (although I did laugh way too hard).

---------------------------------------------------------------

"Missy."

"Mhm..." you replied idly, watching the last few marines get knocked off the escort ship by a blast of Franky's cannon fire. "Whadissit?"

Mello frowned. "You are disappointed. Are you not?"

You let out a begrudged snort, "What? That I didn't get the fight I wanted? Yeah. I'm soooo pissed. How dare my friends spare me from wasting too much energy by fighting idiots who quite honestly are pretty wimpy compared to old Smoke-face back in Loguetown-"

"That is not what I meant and you know it." He paused. "You are actually disappointed that we actually leaving this place at last."

"Nah of course not. It's just-" Your eyes turned back to the wreckage of the Tower of Justice- "This is probably the last time I'm ever gonna see this place. I wanted to..."

Six years. Six very long, painful, and happy years. It had been an impulse decision back then. A meeting by chance so to speak... and far away from these horrid gates. So that closure had never really happened. Maybe it was why you'd been so messed up for so long. Now, on the other hand... you had the opportunity... And you'd thought you managed to accept your feelings over, and over, and over, and over again.

But then why did you still feel so...

"I understand." Even though he was in tattoo form, you could still feel his embrace upon your consciousness. "Believe me, I do."

You patted your shoulder, "Thanks. I don't even know what this is myself."

"I believe that part of being human is that you never will."

"Hmm... Maybe it was better being a weapon then."

"You have always remained the same to me, Young Mistress. And you always will."

"Oooooh. So that's why you always treat me like a kid."

"Respect is to be EARNED. The day I treat you like an adult will be the day you finally act like one!"

"HA!" You slumped forwards over the battered rail. "Then prepare to wait for a helluva long time! Since I don't see anything wrong with the way I act."

He chuckled, softly and affectionately. "No. Neither do I."

The delicate sound of cannon fire echoed over the horizon as Enies Lobby continued being wiped from existence. It was strange. How something so chaotic could be unfolding on the surface, but the sea remains just as it ever was. Being a Pirate, even for the short time that you had, really made you appreciate the wonder of the waves. So calculated and erratic simultaneously. No wonder Nami had a love of sea and weather charts. Even a small gathering of bubbles, far below the rocking hull of the ship, seemed so deliberate but unexpected... almost as if something was... coming up from the...

Your face paled.

"EVERYONE GET BA-"

"Don't..."

Words could not describe the creature that leapt straight up from the waves. This creature, no, atrocity was the sort of beings you saw in nightmares. With layer upon layer of jiggling flesh jiggling in all of the wrong places... and a voice grittier than sandpaper nails on a chalkboard. Except the chalkboard was screaming... And everyone was screaming... And the sandpaper had tonsillitis... That you recognised from somewhere...