𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 (A One Piece Fanfic)

Chapter 82- Let's meet again in three days!

Juli couldn't help but giggle at that. 'Of course, Lu had no idea...'

"Yeah. I'm Silvers Rayleigh, the ship's vice-captain. Nice to meet you." He smiled at them.

"Vice-Captain?!" The Strawhats shouted in utter shock and stunned.

"Oh? You didn't tell them Hachi?" Shakky asked him in surprise and amusement.

"We only need his help with coating so..." Hachi answered her weakly, still not feeling really good because of his injury.

Juli just smiled utterly amused as Luffy literally fell over in shock right in front of the fridge.

"You knew all along, didn't you, Juli?!~" Nami whined at her.

"Yes, sorry, minna~" Juli apologized to them with a warm, amused smile.

Nami slumped forward at that. "Of course..."

Robin blinked at that. "Oh, you didn't know?" She asked, of course having known it as well.

"I know his name so well~" Usopp cried out in shock.

"Yes... It's in so many books..." Nami cried out as well.

Juli smiled fondly as she saw how her nakama interacted with Rayleigh. She sipped on the green tea, Shakky had made her, but started to fall deep into her thoughts, so missing some of the conversation Rayleigh had with the Strawhats. She just had this weird feeling... Not just the feeling of nearing danger but also...something else. It was hard to make out for her, because she can't recall ever having felt something like this... But it was still a familiar feeling, how weird that may be. Juli shook her head and turned her concentration back on what was going on around her. If Rayleigh talks about Roger, she didn't want to miss it after all.

"So, what happened after Roger conquered the sea?" Sanji asked Rayleigh seriously and intrigued.

Rayleigh smiled at that in nostalgia. "That's when it all began. The world started calling Roger 'the King of the Pirates'. He hadn't been the Pirate King the entire time before or anything. Titles hold no meaning for a man about to die. But...Roger was overjoyed. He loved doing anything in a flashy way..."

Juli smiled sadly at that, feeling all of Rayleigh's emotions that were tied to these memories.

"Whether it was celebrating or fighting... He even seemed to enjoy thinking out a plan for the future, even though he wouldn't be part of it. Eventually, as per Captain's order, the Roger Pirates were secretly disbanded. One by one, everyone discretely left. As comrades, we all risked our lives together, but I know almost nothing about where they are or what they are doing now. Then, about a year after we disbanded, Roger turned himself in and was arrested. It was then announced that he would be publicly executed in Loguetown, the East Blue town he was born in. I hear that many of the young faces in the town square that day went on to make names for themselves on the high seas today. The world focused its attention on the Pirate King's execution." Rayleigh paused his story telling at that for a moment and smiled sadly.

Juli bit on her lip at that. '....Rayleigh-jiji...'

"I didn't attend it. The final words he said to me went like this: 'I'm not going to die, partner.'"