One Piece: Unforeseen

Chapter XIII | I Forgot |

Standing by her bedroom window, Mae gripped tight to a piece of paper in her hand. She was in a state of anxiety, her mind reeling with uncertainty. The Straw Hat Pirates were still on the island and she knew that the butterflies in her stomach wouldn't settle down until they were gone.

As her eyes explored the shoreline of the island, she followed it to one of the docks were a prominent marine ship was stationed. It was the only ship docked on the island and it didn't belong to just any marine.

It belonged to Akainu.

Mae counted themselves lucky that Jessabel was kind enough to alert them. But she knew that she didn't do it for them. Jessabel was just looking out for herself. She was well aware that she'd be in hot water too if they were caught- After all, even though she didn't approve of the pirates being on the island, she didn't report it.

"Mae..."

Taken by surprise, Mae quickly shoved the piece of paper that she was holding onto into her back pocket and turned around to face Viske. He wasn't wearing his carefree smile anymore. Instead, he was wearing the longest frown that she'd ever seen on him.

Exhaling a breath, she offered him a gentle smile and held her arms out. "Come here you boob."

Forcing a feign smile, he dragged his feet on the floor and walked right into her arms, burying his face against her stomach.

"It's not fair," he groaned.

"Life's not always going to be fair," Mae said, brushing a hand over his bald head. She noticed that small teal hairs were starting to come in, but she figured that now wasn't the time to ask if he wanted a haircut.

"Do you think I'll ever see them again?"

Mae smiled. Pulling back, she looked down at him and rubbed the top of his head. "One day, yeah. For now, though," she said, turning them around and facing the window, "we need to worry about something else."

"Why's he even here? He never comes early," Viske pouted, moving to the window and pressing his nose against it. He stared long and hard at the marine ship, hoping that if he tried hard enough, he could make it disappear.

Walking behind him, Mae wrapped her arms around his shoulders and propped her chin on his head. "Who knows..."

"Do you think Jessabel will tell on us?"

Mae's chin rubbed against the top of his head as she shook hers. "No, I doubt it. She'd be in trouble too."

"Hm," Viske murmured before perking up and smacking Mae on the chin. "Oh! I almost forgot!"

"Ugh!" Scrunching her face up, Mae grabbed her chin in pain and stepped back from him. "What?"

"Uh..." Viske turned away from the window and walked across the room, waving a hand carelessly over his shoulder. "Oh, nothing! I just have to go do something really quick, okay?"

Mae turned around and eyed him suspiciously. "And what do you have to do?"

Viske took in a long breath and then blew it out, his lips smacking together. "Uh-Well..."

When Mae saw his eyes flicker to the window briefly, her shoulders dropped. It was right then she knew what he was uneasy about. In the back of her mind though, she hoped that she was wrong.

"Don't tell me," she groaned.

Viske pinched his cheeks tight and scrunched up his face. "I forgot to take down my pirate flag from the crow's nest!"

"Oh, dammit, Viske!" Mae rubbed at her forehead stressfully. "You need to take care of that now!"

"I will, I will! I am!"

"If he finds that," Mae's voice cracked as she stressed her words, "I-I don't know how I'll cover it up!"

"I'll take care of it! Don't worry!"

"Yeah, you will. Right now," Mae insisted, ushering him across the room and to the door.

As she pushed him into the hallway, he turnedaround to speak. But before he could say a word, she gave him a 'get-going' lookand then shut the door in his face.