I clenched my jaw, flexing the muscles in my calves with rage. A fire roared in my chest as I squeezed my fists shut, the joints in my fingers aching.
"Restrain yourself," Law told me as he stood up. "We know where Robin is, but there is still no trace of Bepo." I stood up as well.
My brows were glued together, shoulders pushed back so far it was almost painful. "If you think that I will just sit here and watch her be shown off like a diamond necklace, you're wrong. Robin and Bepo are a package to them, wherever one goes the other follows."
"Why do you say that?"
"They were abducted in the same setting. And connections are meaningless to them, all that matters is their bounties."
I focused on the stage as the sharpness in my vision rose. Robin didn't seem scared or distraught, instead the expression on her face portrayed annoyance; like she was being inconvenienced. As confused as I was, it made me feel slightly less worried.
Worried? Was I seriously worried? Me, F/N L/N, one of the worst generation pirates with the reputation of the devil was worried about another human.
The corners of my lips tugged down as I thought. Over the months that I've been with Luffy and Law's crew, I have changed. I've become more emotion... more attached.
I still hadn't extracted whether I wanted to feel that way or not.
"Did I hear 200 million beli!?" the announcer shouted, microphone pointed at his grinning lips.
I searched the crowd, looking for any remarkable pirates. This festival was a big deal to them, over the years it had slowly but surely become popular among the seas. I would hear whispers about it in the bar, but soon enough it was the talk of the island.
"I think we should go find Luffy and the others." I told Law, backing away from the edge of the building like it was a feral animal.
"Can't you search for them from above?"
I smirked, looking over at Law. He looked terrified, a sweat drop rolling down his cheek. I held back my chuckle.
"Whaaaat? You don't want to fly with me?" I leaned back and flopped my hands out, faking an offended frown.
Law's face scrunched up, "Hell no."
I spat out a puff of air that sounded dangerously close to a chortle, "You scared of heights, Captain?"
"Nope, I just don't want to be thrown around like a sack of flour while 100 meters in the air." He scowled, peering down at me with those royal eyes of his.
I allowed another mocking snicker before letting my wings plunge through my shoulder blades. Each time I called them, it wasn't magic that made them appear, it was growth. They jutted out from the existing bones on my back, and forged themselves in an instant, materializing so fast that they ripped through my skin and muscles like butter.
"Since you're not coming with me, what are you going to do?" I asked Law, raising my arms above my head as I stretched my back.
"Don't worry about that, just try and find who you can." Law started for the back of the roof, and in turn I readied for flight.
I slammed my wings down, launching myself with so much force that my arms fuzed to my sides. My feathers vibrated in the violent winds up near the clouds, the air a deafening pound on my ears.
While soaring, I spared myself time to think.
The more I put two and two together, the more likely it seemed that the Kathied incident was connected to this. That lady and her son spoke like there was a boss above them, an authority higher than that snow clad woman.
They captured me before, and burned my skin with their cursed symbol. And again, they reappear before me, taking my comrades in an attempt to lure me out. I was the cause of their return.
I halted, swooping my wing around myself and making a complete turn. Change of plans.
Since they're trying to lure me out, I'll just use it in my favour and let them come to me.
I searched for an opening, settling on a patch of empty town. My legs bent as I landed, running a few paces until I was fully
steady.
A fountain sat in the center of the square, the only form of light a swimming reflection of the alabaster full moon. I strode over to the side of a building and sat down as my wings sunk into my back.
Now we wait.
Law's P.O.V.
I sprinted through the crowd, pushing aside anyone who blocked my way. Luffy and his crew were together. When we last left them they were inside the tavern, but there's no way they stayed. A migraine formed in my temple as I whipped my gaze every which way.
Then I looked back at the stage, hoping to see Robin still there. But she was gone.
"I'll start there..." I said under my breath, a puff of steam leaking from my lips as the night air swam into my lungs.
I manoeuvred towards the back of the stage, keeping an eye on the announcer. My primal instincts blanketed over me as I slipped through security, replacing my location with a stray barrel inside.
This warehouse wasn't much different from the other. But in place of half of the cages were a variety of exquisite items from all over the ocean. From jewels that seemed to glow with their own light source to pottery made with the finest details; everywhere I looked was patterned with different goods. Each one adorned with price tags that made me cringe.
I never really understood the honest concept behind spending so much money on a painted pot. Letting something you highly valued sit untouched on a shelf just didn't appeal to me in the way it did to the large crowd outside.
A twinge crawled up my spine as my Haki reacted to something in the warehouse. I whirled around as panic swam up my throat. But the darkness didn't stir, and the scurry of a rat off in the distance settled my anxiety.
I was about to start searching for Robin before I heard another sound, but it wasn't a scattering rodent. The scrape of metal echoed throughout the clustered hall, my lip twitching at the pitched sound.
My Haki was blaring in my mind like a neon warning sign. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I tried to decipher the sound, it was metal of course. And whoever was doing it must've been trying to scare me off.
I kept my lips clasped shut as I listened harder for any indication of life. My pulse started to boom in my ears like a shaking speaker, vibrating my vision and making me feel unnecessary fear.
But just as I was about to activate my room, a pair of beady eyes curved around the corner of a stained wardrobe, accompanied by an abundance of white fur.
"Bepo~ya?" I let out a sharp breath that I didn't know I'd been holding, letting my hand fall to my side.
"C-Captain!! We've been looking for you!!" I capsized on the we and let out a sound of relief as Robin walked out from behind him.
I walked over to them, confused on what had happened. "How did you guys get free?"
"Bepo got the chains off of me and I stole the keys from that guard," Robin explained, looking over her shoulder and pointed behind her to a passed out worker I hadn't noticed.
"They took us from the tavern," Robin started as she leaned back on her hip with crossed arms. "It seemed like they were just bounty hunters paid to capture us for this show." Her expression remained stoic.
"I-I'm so sorry, Captain! I should have been stronger!" Bepo cried out with anxiety.
I shook my head, "You did just fine, Bepo~ya. F/N~ya was with me before, but we just split up to find the rest of your crew." I slid my gaze to Robin. "I have a feeling that this isn't all some coincidence. We've been targeted at separate islands for the same auction. It's like the show is following us."
"I agree," she tapped her lip in thought. "And if it really is what we suspect it is, then that means we need to find F/N right now." She locked eyes with me as a wave of understanding veiled her face.
My heart sped up, an unusual flash of adrenaline, realisation, and... worry warming my blood. "No more splitting up," I said. "That's what they're looking for."
"Do you have any idea where she went?" Bepo inquired.
"She flew off to look for Strawhat~ya. The faster we find him, the sooner we should find her."
Robin grimaced, "And knowing my Captain, he's bouncing from place to place."
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sup everyone im alive! sorry for the short chapter but i wanted to cut it off at a good place. sorry for all the suspense but something big happens next chapter! and trust me, it'll be a long ass chapter
stay tooned homies
Total Word Count: 1561