ONE PIECE : Lighthouse Empire Arc

Lighthouse Empire, Episode 5

When she enters her home once again, she steadies her heavy breathing and wipes away her tears, hoping the wet streaks of rain will hide them. She knows this is not the time to concern her son. As she comes into the kitchen, she removes her coat, hangs it, then begins to put the leftover food away.

Dani walks in and immediately notices Aiku is not with her. "...Mom? Is everything okay?"

Faye turns to him and forces a smile. "Yes, sweetheart."

Dani's confusion grows. "Where is Aiku?"

"Oh, they...they took her to another facility."

He comes beside his mother. "But...I don't understand. I thought she would be back today?"

Faye remains focused on wrapping the food. "We just have to wait one more day, okay? I'm going to pick her up tomorrow." 

Dani can see the concern and pain dwelling beneath her calm expression. Her eyes are red and her hand is trembling. "Are you sure everything is okay?"

Faye turns to him with another forced smile. "Yes. Now, go to Chong's and make sure he's made arrangements to see the doctor, please." She turns away and reaches for the house transponder snail. "I have to make arrangements for some time off so I can pick her up."

Dani nods. "Okay..." He voice trails as he studies his mother's face. He can tell she is hiding something, but he is unclear of what it could be. An uneasiness runs through him.

Later that day, Dani and Chong walk down the forested path toward the medical facility again, shielded from the steady rainfall by their thick raincoats. 

"Why aren't your parents taking you to see the doctor?" Dani asks.

Chong scoffs. "Are you kidding? I'm not going to tell them. You know how they freak out about the smallest things. Imagine how they would react to this!"

Dani laughs. "Yeah, you're right. I just hope you're okay. Have you noticed anything yet?"

Chong shakes his head and holds his hands up. "No, not really. My hands are a little tingly, but that's about it."

"I hope something doesn't happen to the doctor while we're in there."

Chong turns to him with a ghostly expression. "Like what? What could happen?"

Dani shrugs. "I don't know. You could touch a nurse and turn her into slime or something."

"Whaa--are you serious?! Don't scare me like that, man! They'll lock me up!" They laugh.

Moments later, they arrive and check Chong in at the front desk. They agree to see him immediately, leaving Dani in the waiting area. 

As Dani waits, reading a small book on devil fruits, he notices the nurses leaving the station to file some paperwork in the back room. To the side of the front desk is a hallway leading down into the patient rooms, and the first room on the left was where Aiku was staying. Dani sees that her name is still labeled on the doorway, until another doctor walks by the room and rips the name plate off the door. The abrupt action causes Dani to sit forward, as if it were a sign that something was wrong. 

With curiosity piqued, he silently makes his way over to Aiku's old room and peaks his head around the door. Inside, he sees two doctors talking; the same doctors who were examining Aiku initially. When Dani realizes they are talking about her, he pins himself against the outside wall and listens to the conversation.

"...Has Aiku been taken already?"

"Yes, very early this morning."

"I'm honestly relieved. I was getting tired of those endless tests."