We ran back into the building, finding a small storehouse to hide in. "I'm afraid we can't get off this island anymore. We can hide out here for a while since we won't be seen by anyone."
I sat beside Shinobu as Yamato laid her down, wiping some of the blood off her face. "Shinobu! Are your wounds okay?!" Momonouske asked worriedly.
Momonouske-Sama..." Shinobu whispered, attempting to lift herself up. "I'm sorry I let you down."
"What are you saying?! I am grateful for you!" Momonouske reassured her before bowing slightly. "I am still alive thanks to you."
She attempted to stand up before falling into Yamato's arms. "I did as much as I could, but you're still injured." I told her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You need to take it easy for now."
"You shouldn't be moving!" Yamato shouted to her.
"They're right! You should be resting!" Momonouske agreed with us.
"Then please allow me to accept your kind offer and get some rest..." she trailed off as she began to fall back asleep.
"Yamato..." Momonouske trailed off, looking at a statue. I began to wrap Shinobu up with gauze I managed to find in one of the crates as I listened.
"Call me Oden or father." Yamato replied, causing me to chuckle.
"What is this?" He asked, ignoring what Yamato said.
I looked at the statue as well as Yamato spoke up "A statue of a dragon. It used to be at the entrance of the island, but my friend broke it, so it was abandoned here!"
"Friend?" Momonouske and I asked at the same time, curious.
"Yes..." Yamato replied, a soft smile on their face. "Several years ago, he came to kill my father!"
"There finished!" I exclaimed, sitting back while admiring my work. "She should be fine for now."
Yamato began to chuckle causing Momonouske to ask why she was laughing. "Oh, sorry. This brings me back... the memory of the wounds I inflicted on him..."
"Inflicted wounds?" Momonouske asked, "So you fought and beat him?"
Yamato shook his head, "No... I lost. But it didn't matter if I had won or lost. You see, the meaning of life... it was him, without a doubt, who taught me that... it was Ace."
I snapped my head up to Yamato. Ace...? Yamato went on to explain how they met Ace when he arrived in Wano, before he ever became a Whitebeard Pirate.
It was then I learned that Yamato was forced to wear shackles in order to ensure he never left the island. How he wanted to sail the seas more than anything... much like I was.
"What an awesome friend..." Momonouske trailed off, fascinated by the story.
"Yeah. The truth is I'm the one who broke this dragon statue first. But he said, "This is a warning from me to Kaido, that I'll come back again!""
"I see..." Momonouske replied, looking to the dragon. I felt a frown fall on my face from Yamato's words. "I did not know there was a pirate who tried to save the Land of Wano..."
"That made my father angry, but in the end, he never met Ace." Yamato admitted.
I tuned out the others as I stared down at my lap, clenching my fists together. If things turned out differently, Ace could've been here right now.
"-where is the man who tried to save the Land of Wano now?!" Momonouske's voice brought me back to the conversation.
"Ace died two years ago."
As the two continued to talk, I decided to rest for a moment. But when I did, I had a dream like the one I had growing up, this time it was more vivid.
...
The crew and I were all on an island, exploring it like we usually did... how we, this time, Jimbei was there right alongside us.
The constant bickering of Sanji and Zoro filled my ears as Nami began to scold the two, causing me to laugh as Usopp began to worry because Luffy had run off on his own once again.
In the blink of an eye, the scenery changed, bringing me to a field of various flowers as I stared at an object up on a hill though I couldn't tell what it was due to it being shaded out.
I felt a hand on my shoulder, but I couldn't see who it was as for it felt like my body couldn't move.
"Are you ready?"
'Ready? Ready for what?' I was confused as to what was going on around me, the feeling of uneasiness enveloped me.
"Don't worry, I truly believe that you can do this." The person spoke up again, attempting to reassure me. "If you ever begin to doubt yourself, remind yourself of why you are doing this."
As if being controlled, I felt myself nod. "I'm ready."
...
I was awoken by a huge crash, followed by shaking, startling me.
"Why is it shaking again?!"
I looked to see Shinobu protecting Momonouske as they, along with Yamato were glaring up to the ceiling. Using my Observation Haki, I glanced a few seconds ahead.
I saw Kin'emon and the others disappear from the rooftop, Kaido and Big Mom standing side by side as Luffy jumped into the air, stretching his arm back. "Gum Gum... Red Roc!"
Bringing his enlarged fist forward, Fire surrounded it as he landed a blow against Kaido, knocking him down into the ground before it froze over.
"I'm Monkey D. Luffy. I'm the man who'll beat you guys..." Luffy trailed off, placing his hat on his head. "And become King of the Pirates!"
When the insight was over, I let out a chuckle, looking to the others. "There's no need to worry..."
"What makes you say that?" Yamato asked, as he and the others looked in my direction.
"Luffy and Kaido have begun to fight." I stated simply, "However, Kin'emon and the others-"
"Someone's watching." Yamato cut me off, glancing around the room. "Is it you?!" He shouted.
I looked in the direction he looked in, seeing a mouse with a paper with an eye over its face. Startled by being found out, it began to run across the beam to escape.
"That this!" Yamato said, swinging his club, causing wind to knock it into Yamato's hand.
I got a closer look as sparks erupted from it before it began smoking. "What the hell is that?"
"Why is smoke coming out of a mouse?" Shinobu asked.
"They're Marys, the surveillance force of my father's army." Yamato explained, kneeling down, "they're cyborgs."
"Cy..."
"...borg?"
Momonouske and Shinobu said, confused.
"They're animals with mechanized body parts." Yamato went to on to explain.
"Basically, like how Franky is." I summed up, looking at the two.
"What?!" Momonouske asked.
"They're roaming around the island without purpose, but they share their vision with human Marys!" Yamato continued to explain.
"So what this mouse saw..." Shinobu asked, trailing off in worry.
"Human Marys must've seen the exact same thing..." Yamato confirmed for Shinobu, "That means this place..."
Sounds of footsteps drew our attention, alerting us.
"Hey, is it really this storehouse?"
"No one enters this cursed place now..."
"I see no signs of anyone entering from here."
"But they said this was the place!"
"I'm sure Young Master Yamato's here! I mean, the next Shogun-Sama!"
Several voices could be heard outside, talking amongst themselves. "There are a number of them." Momonouske spoke up.
"This place isn't safe anymore." Yamato announced.
"Let's run, Yamato, (Y/N)!" Shinobu said, "Show us the way that'll keep Momonouske-Sama out of their sights!"
———
Published: 01/15/2023