Faythe stood there motionless. She could feel her breathe going ragged.
The bomb was on a timer from the beginning.
Then that would mean she could've used one of the officers to decode it and un-activate it. But wait, why fuse a light if they knew it was on a timer.
They didn't know.
Which also means they don't know how to un-activate it.. That must mean only Crocodile or Ms. All Sunday could do it. But they couldn't get them right now because of the timer!
"YOU GOTTA BE SHITTIN ME!?" Faythe threw a frustrated punch into the wall, cracks forming slowly from the spot. She glanced back at the princess who was just staring into the cannon. The ticking of the bomb was the only thing she and Faythe could hear.
"CRAP! YOU'VE GOTTA BE KIDDIN ME! WE STOPPED THE CANNON, BUT THE BOMB IS..." Sanji trailed off growing more angry at the situation.
Chopper was the one who finished his sentence, "ON A TIMER!?"
"With a blast diameter of 5km... The bomb's still gonna destroy most of the city even from all the way up there!" Zoro calculated quickly, which surprised Faythe for a moment.
"WHAT THE HELL!" Usopp's shrill shriek could be heard from up in the tower, "DOES THAT MEAN STOPPING THE EXPLOSION WAS IMPOSSIBLE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING?"
At those words, Vivi fell to her knees, her fists beating on the inside of the cannon in fury, "AFTER MAKING US GO THROUGH THE TROUBLE OF FINDING THE CANNON..."
Faythe slowly made her way towards the blunette with a solemn face.
"AFTER EVEN TELLING US WHEN AND WHERE IT WAS PLANNED TO FIRE...!"
The red head kneeled down beside the girl and wrapped her arms around her.
"JUST HOW FAR DO YOU HAVE TO GO TO MAKE A FOOL OUT OF OTHERS...!" Vivi screamed out, her body shaking, "JUST HOW MANY PEOPLE MUST YOU MAKE A MOCKERY UNTIL YOU'RE SATISFIED!?"
Faythe could feel her anger bubble up in her chest at the thought of the sniveling lizard. She shut her eyes tight and leaned her head on the Princess' shoulder.
"CROCODILE!"
They sat in silence for a few moments until Faythe could hear the light sounds of droplets. She lifted her head up to see a man with a white desert robs on, and a gold necklace loosely hung around his neck. Dark tattooed eyeliner trailing down his eyes to his jaw line, on both sides. Now that Faythe looked at him, the droplets that she heard wasn't water. It the man's blood at it fell off his heavy injured body.
He held his sword's sheath tightly as he softly gazed down at the Princess, "This place brings back many memories, doesn't it? This secret base for your Sand Sand Gang..." He suddenly spoke, gaining Vivi's attention.
The Princess turned her head around at the guard's voice, "PELL!"
The guard, now named as Pell continued, "...Your wild reckless behaviors back then, had me throwing up my hands in frustration more times than I could count..."
"PELL LISTEN! THE BOMB IS ON A TIMER! IT'S SET TO GO OFF ANY MOMENT NOW!" Vivi explained in a panicked tone.
Pell only let out a soft smile as he heard the news, it was almost like he was remembering something sweet as he looked at the Princess, "Princess Vivi, to protect the Royal Nefertari Household is a duty..."
"Wait a minute..." Faythe's eyes widened.
"That I sincerely consider, to be my proudest honor."
With that he transformed into his Devil Fruit, Falcon Model. He used his giant talons to grab hold of the bomb from inside the cannon. He used what little strength he had left and carried the bomb out of the clock tower.
"W-wait..!" Faythe weakly called out, while Vivi reached out her hand towards the man, her voice leaving her her as she witnessed this whole thing.
Pell carried the bomb upwards into the sky. He flew higher than any bird has gone.
Higher.
Higher.
Higher.
And higher.
Until they heard no more ticking.
The bomb went off creating a large white to blue light up the sky. It was so bright and powerful that it sent multiple building who were tall, flying away due to the wind. Some people were knocked over by the sheer force.
Faythe got up from her spot and peered down at the people, wondering if they stopped because of the sudden explosion in the sky.
Her face draining of any color as she saw the rebels and royalists get up and start fighting.
"A-Are they... out of their fucken minds..?" Faythe choked out. Vivi came towards her numbly and looked at what she was staring at. Faythe took a breathe as she gazed sadly at the Princess' situation, "Vivi..."
Vivi looked completely broken right now, her voice sounded parched and dry as she screamed out towards the people, "PLEASE! STOP FIGHTING!"
"PLEASE!"
"STOP FIGHTING!"
"PLEASE! STOP FIGHTING!"
They carried on fighting.
"PLEASE STOP FIGHTING!"
"PLEASE STOP FIGHTING!" She could only repeat the same line over and over again.
Faythe furrowed her brows as she bit down on her top lip frustrated. She clenched her fist and followed suit on what she could only do at the moment.
Help stop the fighting.
"Vivi, Imma go help stop them.." Faythe gave the girl a much needed hug and took a jump off the clock tower. Her opened her arms out and formed her wings, awkwardly gliding down from the tower. Once she made it to the ground, she heard Nami in tears trying to force the crew into stopping the war.
"WHAT'RE YOU ALL JUST STANDING AROUND FOR!? I DON'T CARE IF WE HAVE TO PUNCH OR KICK THEM, WE'VE GOTTA STOP THE REBELLION!" Nami cried out, tears forming in her eyes as she heard Vivi's desperate, heart breaking calls. Nami placed both her hands on Usopp's shoulders, "COME ON THEN! WE'VE GOTTA REDUCE EVEN JUST ONE LESS CASUALTY IF WE CAN!"
"Nami..." Faythe called out. The said girl looked over at the tired red head and marched right over to her. Faythe opened her now normal, well, still injured arms weakly, as Nami instantly went in and received the hug she wanted.
"Fae... We need to help Vivi... She's breaking..." Nami sniffled as she tried to stop the tears from falling. Faythe wrapped her arms around the girl and placed her chin on her head.
"I know... That's what I came down here for..." Faythe patted the girl's head as Nami looked up to meet soft blue orbs meeting her dark brown one's. Faythe drifted over past Sanji and Zoro and chuckled lightly, "Back to beating the crap outta people again. You gentlemen up to it?" She glanced back at the two with a weak smirk.
"Not like we got a choice in the matter." Zoro sheathed his swords and took Luffy's hat off to ruffle her hair. While Sanji took Faythe's limp hand and placed a kiss on it, "Anything to end this war, milady." Sanji smiled.
"Then let's get this day over with, and hit the sack!" Faythe called out to the crew. She fixed Luffy's straw hat securely on her head.
"YES!" They all cheered almost desperately, all running into the fray of blood and swords.
/;/~***~/;/
Faythe was side by side with Chopper and Zoro as they ripped people apart or knocked another out. It was going on for awhile now until Sanji called out to the crew, catching everyone's attention, "HEY GUYS! UP THERE! ISN'T THAT..."
Looking up towards the sky, Faythe's eyes became glossy as she realized who was spiraling into the sky. She let out a shaky laugh, "I recognize that skanky lizard anywhere..."
"CROCODILE!?" Chopper shouted in shock.
"I don't have a clue, why he suddenly popped up from there, but..." Sanji muttered as the crew grouped back together and stopped what they were doing to see Crocodile fall back down.
"T-that must mean...!" Usopp stuttered, hinting to everyone.
"WE WOOOONNN!"
Faythe felt something drip down from Luffy's hat, she tilted her head up towards the sky, "Water...?"
"It's raining...." Chopper muttered as he hung onto Faythe's leg.
A random rebel that was nearby spoke up, "The rain's clearing away the dust and smoke...!"
"PLEASE STOP FIGHTING!" Vivi's scream sounded out in the royal square.
Everyone stopped fighting, now that they could hear the Princess' voice, they were all looking up at her.
"It's the Princess.
"Princess Vivi?"
"Vivi...!"
"Wasn't the princess supposed to be missing..?"
A sudden shriek was called out further in the crowd, as a person came falling down from the sky, which Faythe assumed was Crocodile.
"AHH! W-WHY IS..."
"Sir Crocodile lying here unconscious!?"
"SIR Crocodile!? Let me tell you what this bastard did to this countr-" Usopp looked fired up and ready to kick the snot out of the lizard but Sanji grabbed him by the head, restraining him, "Shut your trap and sit still!"
Faythe stood next to Zoro and crossed her arms, her attention fully on Vivi. Chopper was still clinging onto her leg as he's never actually felt rain before.
"The rain falling now... Will fall again as in times past. Now that the nightmare, is finally over...!"
Everyone went quiet for a moment, But Faythe knew it wouldn't last long.
"...HOLD IT!"
"NIGHTMARES DON'T END JUST BECAUSE YOU OR ANYBODY DECLARED IT OVER!"
"WE SAW WHAT THE KING DID AT NANOHANA WITH OUR OWN EYES!"
"IT'S THE SAME WITH EVERY ACT OF VIOLENCE THE ROYALISTS HAVE CARRIED OUT UNTIL NOW!"
"DO YOU THINK ANY OF OUR FALLEN COMRADES CAN JUST ACCEPT THIS CONCLUSION!?"
Faythe gritted her teeth, her crossed arms tightening as she felt like throwing a punch into whoever said that.
"THROW DOWN YOUR ARMS! ROYALISTS!" A booming voice shouted from the palace, it's gates opening to reveal a familiar person.
"COMMANDER CHAKA!"
Another voice that Faythe didn't think she would hear appeared behind the rebels, "You d- AHEM! Maa Maa... YOU TOO REBELS!"
"CAPTAIN!?"
"CAPTAIN IGARAM!"
Vivi was visibly shaken as she saw the man, "IGARAM!"
Chaka was delighted to see his old friend back in one piece, "IGARAM! YOU'RE ALIVE!"
"OH SHIT!" Faythe choked out.
"It's the perverted old man from Whiskey Peak!" Zoro shouted.
"He's still alive!?" Nami refuited at the sight.
Chopper was looking at the man and then back at Faythe confused. Faythe just patted the reindeer's head and nudged him back.
"C'mon guys... I think we can leave now..." She walked past many of the on watchers with Chopper's hoof in her hand. Usopp and Nami following closely behind.
/;/~***~/;/
"Hey!" Usopp yelped.
"HAHAHAHAHA!" Faythe was cackling at Usopp's stupidity right now as she tipped the hat on her head back a bit to shield her eyes from the rain.
"WALK PROPERLY!" Nami smacked him.
"Ughh... Listen... I've been afflicted... with 'Walking-any-more-will-kill-me-it-is." Usopp groaned as he laid down on the ground.
"Fine, then stay behind here." Sanji shrugged and carried on walking.
"HEY WAIT!"
"Zoro, do mind dragging him?" Faythe chuckled as she picked Chopper up into her arms.
"Not a problem." Zoro grabbed hold of Usopp and they continued walking down the street.
"Why my leg...!?" Usopp complained as he felt his injuries opening again.
"Ah-"
Faythe looked in front of them to see the king walking towards them with Luffy on his back.
The king stopped walking and gazed down at the crew curiously until he saw the red head, "It's you... the one who was protecting Vivi.."
Faythe nodded and stepped forward, "Excuse me, but the guy on your back is our Captain... Thank you for carrying him but we can take it from here." She grabbed hold of Luffy's arm over her shoulder.
"Does that mean your pirate group were the ones to escort Vivi back to this country?" He asked slowly.
"Huh?" Sanji muttered, rubbing the back of his head.
"And who might you be?" Zoro helped Faythe carry Luffy over to their group.
"Umm guys... This is the Country's Kin-" Faythe was interrupted by a sudden shout growing closer.
"EVERYONE!" Vivi came running towards them until she spotted her father talking to them, "PAPA!?"
This shocked a few people, especially Sanji, "P-PAPA!? Y-Y-YOU'RE VIVI'S FATHER!?" He shouted out loud.
"You the king?" Zoro concluded.
/;/~***~/;/
Laying Luffy down by a building, the king explained what had gone down underground with Crocodile, "I had assigned myself to death, but he saved my life."
"Ya... He does that to people." Faythe sighed as she placed the Straw Hat back on Luffy's head securely.
"Even after fighting Crocodile and in that body, he carried two people back up to the surface. His strength is incredible." The king concluded.
"Wait two..?" Faythe muttered to herself as if expecting another person to come around the corner.
"...Then that 'poison should no longer be a problem." Usopp was standing back up with his hands on his hips.
"Yes, it should be neutralized by now." Chopper nodded, confirming Usopp's claim.
"But he still needs to be treated for his other wounds... The same for all of you as well." King Cobra stated as his eyes swept across the crew and their injuries.
Zoro leaned up against the wall with his swords leaning against his shoulder, "More importantly, you should get back, Vivi."
"Back?" Vivi asked.
"Get back out to the square." Zoro huffed out tiredly.
"Ya there are no actual superiors out their to control them, they need some words of reason." Faythe pointed to her head.
"That's right." Usopp nodded with crossed arms, "The rebellion was finally stopped, but it's gonna feel pretty anticlimactic. Without a word or two from the king and the princess."
"Then all of you should also-" Vivi was about to suggest but Faythe held her hand up in front of her.
"Imma stop you right there." Faythe sat next to Luffy with Zoro on her other side.
"Vivi, you understand don't you? That we're outlaws..." Sanji lit his cigarette and gave the princess and bright smirk at his statement, "We've got no intentions of getting involved with the affairs of a country."
"I'm hungry." Chopper came and sat in Faythe's lap.
Nami spoke after explaining their plan, "We're gonna head to the palace on our own. We're all dead-tired."
The whole crew nodded along giving the Princess some reassurance as she hesitantly walked back into the street along with her father.
That's when everyone started falling one by one.
Sanji fell back and dropped his cigarette.
Nami slumped back and fell on top of Usopp who was acting as a cushion.
Chopper's head lulled back signifying his was knocked out as well. Zoro instantly went to sleep, his head resting on Faythe's shoulder.
Faythe let out a tired sigh, letting her body relax, knowing this whole thing was over.
"Let's get that wanted nap we all wanted..." Faythe chuckled quietly, soon lulling herself into a deep slumber.
/;/~***~/;/
Word Count:(2363)