(A/N:We're continuing on from the flashback)
Dolor/Itami pov
*flashback*
Groaning, I woke up & found myself underneath a sheet of cloth. I looked around, and jumped when I saw Ace. Tears formed as I remembered everything. Shimming over to him, I cuddled his lifeless body. I cried & cried into his body. Each time I looked at him, I'd half expect him to open his eyes, and flash me his dashing, handsome smile of his. Then I'd wish that he was just trapped in eternal slumber.
"Ace..." I cried. "I wasn't strong enough for you! I couldn't protect everyone!" I sobbed. "Please....I need you..! You make me strong! I-If you're not here-"
I stopped blubbering when I heard a door open. I stayed absolutely still as I heard footsteps pace around the room that I was in. Soon, they were right next to me. I had bit my lip, so that I wouldn't let out a cry. A hand landed on my butt, and I wanted to scream.
"Its such a shame...that a couple like those two had died." A man sighed. "They were absolutely perfect. He was handsome, and she was both sexy & beautiful." I quickly shut my eyes as the cloth was taken off us. "It was simply romantic when they died side by side."
'Died...? But, I'm alive? Aren't I?'
A cold male hand stroked my cheek, making me almost flinch.
"You know, Miss Princess, a lot of men wanted to fuck you real good. And I will admit, I myself still do." His hand traveled further south as he spoke. "And hell...even though you're dead, you still look so damn hot."
His hand went under my shirt. My heart was pounding fast, and I was trying my best to hide my tears. He later found my bra clip, and had unclipped it.
"Good thing...I'm the one who gets to look at your body for autopsy before you & Fire fist are buried together."
'This...IS THE FINAL STRAW!'
Immediately, I sprang up & whacked the man to the ground. Before he could recover, I pinned him down on the ground, with my hand over his mouth & a knife to his neck.
"Oh? Is that so? You must do this a lot, huh? Fuck the dead so that you can forget about your sad, lonely life?" I licked my lips. "I mean, I will admit myself, I am attractive, but I don't want your grubby hands all over me." I held the knife closer to his neck, drawing blood. "Now tell me...what the fuck happened to me. And I swear to Roger, if you scream, I will kill you with my bare hands."
I had a firm grip on him as soon as I took my hand off his mouth. His dirty, alcoholic breath fanned all over my arm, making me wrench with disgust a little bit.
"As soon as Fire fist died, a man dressed in black came up behind you, and stabbed you in the back!"
"What else?!" I demanded.
"I-I don't know! All I know is, is that everyone presumed that you were killed...so-"
"Did he have a weapon of some sorts? A scythe?"
"Y-Yes! A green & black scythe! Please let me go-"
I cut him off. "You're now a dead man."
A loud crack sounded in the room once I crushed his skull. I dropped him to the ground, and turned to dead Ace. I wandered over to him, and kissed his stone cold lips a final time.
"I'll never forget you...whatever happens next, watch over me, my love. Forever will I cherish each memory we shared. I'm sorry but....I have to leave without you. Ace, I love you...until we meet again."
*timeskip*
Luckily, I managed to escape the building I was in. I had to sneak past all of the guards. In the end, I ended up ditching my boots, and ran around with no shoes on.
And now, here I hide in a Marines ship. Waiting for us to arrive at the next island. I knew that whatever happened next, was for the better.
'From now on...I am Dolor. The woman who needs only myself. I have to leave behind my original life with the Whitebeard pirates. But...Ace will always stay with me:In my heart. Goodbye, Itami.'
*flashback end*
Arabella pov
"I so...so badly wanted each day I lived to be a bad dream." She sighed. "Over & over I'd pinch myself each morning, figuring that I'd wake up, and Ace would be there with me." She laughed harshly at herself. "Now look at me...I'm pathetic. I ran away from everything? Strongest woman in the world? Ha....fat chance."
I watched as Dolor turned to me. There were crystal like tears streaming out of her emerald eyes. My heart broke upon seeing her cry. She sobbed, and wiped away her tears.
"I....I can't even function properly without him! Sure, before I met him, I was sane...but now? Now is different!" She cried. "He kept me even more stable than ever! And now that he's gone, I've lost all support. I-I even ran away from the support! Thinking:'Oh, haha, I'm fine. I'm strong. I don't need your damn help.' "She punched another wall. "BUT DAMN IT! I AM WEAK WITHOUT HIM! I can't even summon my weapon anymore!"
"Dolor...."I whispered. "You can look for support. I...I can be your support."
"But how?!? You're already in the Revo army! You'll be too occupied to even care about me!"
I smiled. "Its why I'll make time for you. Because you're my friend!"
She gasped, then cupped her hand over her mouth. Muffled sobs emitted from her as tears ran down her face, and onto the floor. She jumped into my arms, and cried even louder. I stood there with her, hugging & calming her down.
"Arabella..." She cried. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"Don't blubber. I don't want you to wake anyone up." I murmured to her, considering its getting really late at night. "Dolor..-"
"No! Its not Dolor."
"Then....what is your name?"
"M-my name is Lucifer D Roza Itami! And I'm a Whitebeard pirate!"
*timeskip again*
After that, I ended up staying with Itami that night. I couldn't sleep, as I just felt like I needed to watch over her. I watched her sleep. She seemed....at peace. Like she's found the answer to everything.
'I'm glad you're back, princess.'
The next day, we had to leave the island, and report back to Dragon-san. Itami gave me her number for the Transponder snail, so that we could contact each other.
"I really wish I was a Revo, now." Itami said with a pout.
"Well, you could join us." Sabo offered.
She shook her head. "No...I've got to take care of those people down at the town house."
"Now that you mention it-"
"I saved them from slavery." Itami cut off. "People-no, everyone doesn't deserve to be treated like that. Even if its the worst people. Anyway, I can't leave them alone. They need a senpai to take care of them."
I chuckled. "Well, there's always a spot open for you to join. Including for the children's department."
Itami laughed happily. "Okay, okay! I'll think about it."
Itami & I shared one final hug. I could smell her natural musk:raspberries, cinnamon & cream. She back off from the hug, then gazed up a Sabo.
"It was nice meeting you, Sabo. I'm sorry that we didn't get much time to talk."
He grinned. "Its okay. Besides, we can talk a whole lot more through snail."
And with final goodbyes, Sabo & I sailed away from Shini island.
"Wow..." Sabo murmured. "I never knew that she survived."
"It's unbelievable, I know." I turned to him. "Do you think...that she & Ace would've been a happy married couple?"
He inclines his head. "I don't know...but," he looked at me. "whatever he saw in her, must've been good for him. I'm actually happy that he did have a important woman in his life." He chuckled. "Ace thought girls would get in his way of being a pirate when were younger."
'But look...he fell in love with Itami. He had love.'
"Did you find them annoying? Girls I mean?" I asked.
Sabo blushed. "I-I thought....that they were icky."
I laughed." I thought boys were stupid."