Gwen: "What are you going to do? Send me to Impel Down?!"
Marine Captain Segawa: "That's exactly what's gonna happen, now shut up, kid!"
Gwen: "You can't do this! I haven't done anything wrong!"
Segawa: "We've been over this... it's not about what you've done, it's about what you could do."
Gwen: "I've never shown the ambition of becoming a pirate! Just take me home!"
Segawa: "Maybe not now, but how about in ten years... fifty years, a hundred years?! You and that power are too much of a hazard, so we're putting you somewhere we can keep a thorough eye on you, E.C."
Gwen: "Don't you have bigger fish, Sea Cow?!"
Segawa: "It's Segawa! And all in good time. Don't worry, I hear level 1 of Impel Down isn't as bad as everyone says."
That was a clear lie. No one wants to end up on any level.
Gwen: "This isn't justice!"
Segawa: "I've heard enough."
He put handcuffs on me, but then he suddenly looked shocked.
Gwen: "What?"
Segawa: "Why are you still standing?"
Gwen: "I don't know. Cause I have working legs?"
Segawa: "No, smart ass! I mean these are sea prism stone handcuffs, they're supposed to drain your energy."
Gwen: "What can I say? I'm just special~"
Segawa: "Cheeky little runt... All the more reason to not give you freedom!"
He took the cuffs off me.
Segawa: "There must be some way to-"
Gwen: "Get away!"
Segawa: "Stand still!"
He tried wrapping the chain around my waist, ankles, head, and finally my neck.
Gwen: "Ughh..."
It hit me like a crashing wave. I felt tired all of a sudden, and my knees buckled under me.
Segawa: "Ah ha! You, throw her in the brig! And put the sea prism around her neck."
Marine Officer: "Her neck, sir? Not the handcuffs?"
He looked down at me scowling up at him.
Segawa: "Not for this one. She's a... special breed."
The officer put a shackle around my neck and attached the keys to his belt. I felt dizzy so the marine officer picked me up and carried me over his shoulder towards my cell. As we headed below deck, I got a sudden urge to fight back.
Gwen: 'I'd rather drown today than be tortured in prison.'
Maybe it's thanks to my ability, but the sea prism didn't feel as bad as I thought. I still felt sluggish and tired, but I think I can still move a little.
Gwen: 'Screw this. I'm getting off this ship one way or another!'
I kicked him in the lower gut and bit his shoulder, making him let go of me and fall to his knees.
"Argh! You little bi-!"
Gwen: "Shh!"
I kicked him square in the face a couple times which was enough to knock him out, even for a minute or two.
Gwen: "Damn..."
I didn't waste anymore time. I stole the keys to my shackle, a gun just in case, and made a run for it. I was so tired, but I wouldn't let myself stop.
"I heard a scream!" "Down here!"
Gwen: "Crap..."
I darted into the first room I spotted and shut the door, heaving a silent sigh.
Head Chef: "The hell?!"
I turned back around to see I was in the kitchen. I held the gun up, pointing it at the group of chefs.
Gwen: "Nobody move... You're all gonna stay nice and quiet."
The only way off this ship is the sea, in which case...
Gwen: "Need... something to float on..."
"Captain Segawa, E.C has escaped!"
Segawa: "WHAT DID YOU SAAAY?!! Find her! There's no way off this ship!"
I spotted a big barrel and pointed at one of the chefs.
Gwen: "You, throw that against the wall."
"But I-"
Gwen: "Hurry up! Or I'll kill that one!"
I pointed the stolen gun to a young lad standing in fear by the dishes.
Head Chef: "*sigh* Just do as she says. She can't escape with the officers outside."
I was of course bluffing about killing someone, but I needed any leverage I could get. He crept over, threw the barrel against the wall and it broke open. Booze sloshed all over the floor, but all I needed was half the barrel.
Gwen: "Good, now here's what you're all gonna do... Stand facing that way and count to... two hundred before you turn around again..."
"Hey, did you hear that crash?" "It came from the kitchen!"
They begrudgingly did what I said as I grabbed a piece big enough to float with, ditched the gun, and hid behind the door. Two officers came in to see all the chefs facing the other way.
"What's going on in here?" "Did a little girl come in here?"
Before they had a chance to say anything, I snuck behind the officers and ran out the door.
"Hey, answer us!" "What's wrong with you all?!"
Gwen: 'Good, they didn't notice me.'
Running around with this sea prism around my neck was difficult and tiring , but I had to power through!
Gwen: 'Got the keys, got something to float with... time to get the hell out of here.'
I made it up on deck, but a group was waiting outside for me with guns.
Gwen: "The hell...?!"
Segawa: "I want her alive!"
I smiled, now knowing they weren't gonna shoot me.
Gwen: 'I can work with this...'
"She's smiling, captain! I don't think you should have said that...!"
Segawa: "I don't care who, just SOMEONE bring that cocky brat to me NOW!"
Marine Crew: "SIR!"
They all dove for me at once, but I was small, so I managed to slip past them. I ran upstairs and ducked under the guy trying to grab me at the top. I couldn't help but smile as I made him slip and fall head first down the stairs into the officers behind me.
Gwen: "You lot are clumsy as hell! Like fish outta water, you are!"
Marine Crew: "SHUT UP!"
That slip up on the stairs managed to give me the opening I needed to run to the stern and jump up on the edge. The marine officers chasing me skidded to a halt as I readied my barrel piece and prepared to dive.
"CrapCrapCrapCRAP!" "Don't do it!" "E.C, get down from there this instant!" "No need to be so drastic, we can talk about this!"
Segawa: "Want something done right, you have to- OUT OF MY WAY!"
He pushed through his men and stopped to see me puffing from exhaustion and threatening to jump overboard.
Segawa: "E.C, I'm warning you! You're just gonna make this tougher on yourself!"
Gwen: "Guess I'm picking the hard way then..."
Segawa: "DON'T YOU DARE-!"
Gwen: "Later, Sea Cow."
I jumped into the sea and escaped with the aid of the barrel and waves.
"Captain! E.C jumped overboard!"
Segawa: "I CAN SEE THAT! You dolts couldn't even catch one scrawny, weak little kid?!"
"We're so sorry, sir!" "But she's not a normal kid!" "What do we do now?"
Segawa: "Stupid brat knows she can't swim! Forget it... let her drown for all I care!"
"But, sir-!"
Segawa: "Check in a couple days! If she's not dead, we'll find her again easy. I won't underestimate that girl next time..."
I heard Sea Cow yell one more thing before I was out of earshot.
Segawa: "YOU HAVE NO WHERE TO GO E.C! NO HOME LEFT! MIGHT AS WELL COME WITH US, OR DIE!"
I closed my eyes and let the waves carry me to wherever they pleased, tears falling down my cheeks.
Gwen: 'He's right... I have nothing left to live for... so why am I still so scared dying...?'
After a long while, I heard an animal squeak, and I briefly opened my eyes. My vision was a little blurry, but it looked like a little whale was staring back at me.
Gwen: "Help me... please..."
Seemed silly asking a wild animal for help, but I was hardly in my right mind. However, instead of swimming on his merry way, the little whale instead swam around, nudged me off the half barrel I was floating on, and caught me in his mouth. His grip was secure but gentle and he swam away with me, keeping my head above water. I barely managed to mumble a 'thank you' before I passed out again. I didn't know where this big little guy was taking me, but I didn't care. As long as it was where the marines couldn't find me...
Arito: "Hey everyone! Laboon's back!"
The crew got excited and looked to portside to see the little whale approaching.
Brook: "HIII LABOOOON~!!"
"Looks like he's got something in his mouth!" "Is it a fish? Did he bring us dinner?"
Arito: "I don't know... do fish wear clothes?"
The baby whale let out a loud, desperate chirp.
Brook: "Does he sound upset to you?"
Yorki: "Let me see... Oh my god..."
Daisu: "What is it, captain?"
Jesse Waldock: "Quick explanation of who Daisu and Arito are. They're the nicknames I gave to the Mizuta Twins, Madaisuki and Mawaritosuki."
Yorki: "That's not a fish... it's a girl!"
Crew: "HUUUUUHH?!!"
Yorki: "Brook, give me a hand!"
Brook: "Uh- right!"
There was a small platform attached to the port quarter that could be lowered down to the sea level. Captain hoped on and Brook lowered him down.
Yorki: "Over here!"
He brought me over to the platform and the captain gently took me.
Yorki: "I got her, buddy, I got her... Holy crap, she's just a kid?"
The little whale let out a worried chirp as if to say 'help her'. The captain checked my pulse.
Doctor: "Is she alive?"
Yorki: "... Yeah. Here! Brook, pull her up!"
He lifted me up and his tall crewmate brought me up on deck.
Yorki: "Laboon, where did you find this girl?"
He turned around and faced the way we came, squeaked, and turned back to the captain.
Yorki: "Just... in the middle of the ocean?"
The little whale nodded, still with concern in his eyes. The captain shouted back up at his crew.
Yorki: "Is she okay?!"
Doctor: "She seems unharmed, but you should come up here, Captain!"
Yorki: "Alright!"
He turned back to the whale and stroked his head with a smile.
Yorki: "You did good, buddy. Don't worry, we'll take care of her."
He let out a little chirp, saying he trusted him, and the captain came back on deck. The first thing he saw was the doctor holding me and one of his crew on the floor.
Yorki: "Brook!"
He knelt down next to him and sat him up.
Yorki: "Hey, what happened?"
Brook: "Uhh... feel weak... That neck shackle... it's... Sea Prism Stone..."
Yorki: "Sea Prism Stone?"
"Yeah, and she also had this key ring around her arm." "Looks like she stole it and ran from whoever was keeping her." "Did she escape the marines?" "Probably. I mean who else locks people in sea prism stone?"
Yorki: "But she's just a kid... Get that thing off her, then let her rest in my cabin."
Crew: "Aye!"