(Kiaria's POV):
It has been a couple of days since I last saw the princess.
I was truly worried about how her encounter with that blood witch would go, but thankfully, she was safe now with that evil heathen gone. With the company she has around, it would make sense that she would be safe.
The one thing that did not make sense was her choice to babysit two grown children. Wouldn't such a task be detrimental to her mission?
"You still will not let that go," I heard the vampire speak up, as I turned to look at him with a pout.
"How could I? She has two sitting ducks hanging around the most wanted group in the world right now! I of course would never go against her decisions, but I can't help but wonder why she made such a decision..." I groaned, twirling my hat, as the vampire took a sip of "wine-that-isn't-blood" while reading a newspaper.
"Why don't you ask her?" He suggested, as I gawked at him. "Me, a lowly mystic, ask the princess such a thing?! Don't be ridiculous!" I shook my head. That would be a bad omen!
"I think you being out of work is starting to affect you, Kiaria. Why don't you go join your princess if you're that worried?" He turned to me with that ever emotionless face of his, as I waved my hands profusely.
"Because I would just be more dead weight to her! Now that I can no longer be an informant, the best thing I can do for her is just stay put with you!" I told him matter-of-factly, as he took another delicate sip from his "wine" glass.
"Well, you're not going to stay put much longer. I am going to join your princess' campaign," He announced nonchalantly, as I took a double-take.
"YOU'RE GONNA WHAT?!"
"With the road ahead, she is going to need every person she can get on her side, including you," He continued, completely ignoring me, as I felt my heart sink to the floor.
S-Sure, it was nice that he was going to help the princess...
B-But what w-would become of ME?!
Everyone in the underworld would want my head on a well-sharpened stake, especially that creepy flamingo guy!
A-And don't get me started with that hot-headed admiral! He for sure would kill me without hesitation if he found me again!
"Perhaps you should take a page out of your princess' notes and pick up training. That is if you don't want to be killed," He told me, as I glared at him.
"How can you say such a thing so coldly?!" I barked, as he rose a brow at me. "All I am merely telling you to do is to take up training so you could defend yourself," He blinked, as I shook my head, turning away from his stupid face.
"Y-Yes... because a little bit of training is totally going to defend me against fighters who trained their whole lives..." I grumbled, "...When all I have is a mere hat-hat fruit to assist me... in a sea of monsters... how you do not see how much of a liability I can be is astonishing..."
"(Y/n) recently started to train, and look at the progress she has made thus far," He pointed out, as I shook my head. "But I am not the princess! I am me, and with the role I have to assist the princess, I can not risk getting killed!" I yelled at him, as he looked a bit taken aback by my response.
"I-I don't think you understand truly why I am so afraid all the time... even if I have the ability to see into the future, it is not something that is to be done willy-nilly. There are grave consequences and a curse we mystics must be mindful of if we dare try to twist fate's design..." I began, as I could feel his golden eyes pinned on my back.
"There are a great many things I have yet to tell the princess about... but I don't tell her these things for her own safety. Her hope is what keeps our culture alive," I said shakily, as I felt myself tremble softly.
"O-Our people aren't safe... they're all dead... even the non-mystics; they were seen as a liability. After all, a civilization with a direct link to the past? The World Government would be foolish to let such people live..." I murmured softly, as I heard him place the paper and glass down on the table.
"Though we were blessed to not have our island found by them, one man knows of that island's existence... and that in itself could be dangerous knowledge, if he utilizes it properly," I turned to Mihawk, who seemed to be deep in thought.
"And now that I can not spy on him, I have no idea what he could be planning to do this very moment, and it makes me sick to my stomach... I am afraid that Big Mom is making her move to take down the princess, and now we might have to worry about enemies on all sides... which the princess in her delicate state does not need right now..." I shook my head, as Mihawk turned to look down at the newspaper before his head turned quickly to look directly at me.
"Didn't you tell me that Red-Haired Shanks is now in their group?" He suddenly asked me, as I blinked. "W-Well, yeah... why do you ask?..." I blinked, as he immediately went to groan, holding his face.
"B-Because he is going to be quite troublesome... but at least his assistance, as troublesome as it may be, can help put your mind at ease. That man..." He scoffed, as he shook his head. "He knows something about (Y/n)... most likely from being apart of the Pirate King's crew..." He mumbled, as my mind immediately flashed to that move he pulled to protect the coalition.
S-So I wasn't seeing things!...
"W-Why, of c-course! He had to have visited Rhine!" I gasped, as Mihawk nodded. "He had... and everyone from that crew has come back from that place differently..."
"W-What could they have possibly gathered from Rhine... only those worthy are blessed to be able to meet the Gods themselves!" I paced back and forth, pondering if they have met a God... perhaps the God Of War himself...
"Do not get too into this, Kiaria. Even if you pry, they won't tell you," Mihawk shot my curiosity down, as I glared at him. "T-Then why did you even tell me such a thing in the first place?! That technique that I saw that man use could possibly be an ancient technique! A piece of the ancient past of my people! And since he is not even a native, this is huge!" I continued to pace, really wanting to know what the deal with this was before I heard Mihawk sigh.
"I understand your enthusiasm, Kiaria, but as someone who knows that man... it is best you get your information from someone less... like him..." He sweatdropped, as I rose a brow at him. He talked about this man as if he had some history with him.
"Oh, yeah? Why is he so troublesome, anyway?" I questioned, as he turned his head away, still sweating. "He created that Strawhat... only someone like him could be capable of such a thing..." He cleared his throat, as he took an anxious sip from his wine, which made me flabbergasted. Was he... nervous?!
"If one is not careful, they can become just as carefree as he is... which is why I believe (Y/n) may need someone with more... discipline..." He answered, as I went to quickly cover my mouth to prevent a snicker. Just who was this Red-Haired guy? How did he make this vampire out of all people anxious?
The man seemed quite responsible to me, from the few times I have seen him... what could he have possibly done to warrant this kind of reaction from people?...
(Your POV):
"Come on, you two, this is for your own good!" I told the twins firmly, as they both looked at me with deep frowns, before turning to the doctors in front of them with crossed arms, and displeased looks.
"We can do without the patronizing, you know. We were ahead of our level while we were still alive," Marie huffed to them, as Marco adjusted his glasses with a sigh. "I swear that is not our intention. We just have to make sure you two are on the right track cognitively," He told them for the 100th time, as they continued to frown and pout at them.
"Well, all this is pointless! What we should be doing is learning to fight better so we can defend ourselves!" Marie argued as Law rubbed his temples. "Leave all that kind of stuff to us. What you two should be doing is enjoying your lives. Leave all the boring things to us," He informed them, as I decided to check up on things with the others. We lucked out on finding a tiny island that wasn't occupied, and decided to rest there since we have been a couple days out at sea.
"Caught another one!~ Looks like you're just not as good as you used to be, Luffy.~" I saw a playful red-headed man smirk, as the strawhat beside him looked to be throwing a fit as Shanks playfully flicked his forehead.
"Catching our dinner?" I questioned them, as Shanks turned to me with a beaming smile. "That and hopefully your praises.~ What do you think, princess?~" He grinned as he showed off a ginormous fish as big as his body, which caused me to whistle in awe.
"Woah... consider yourself praised... that is impressive to catch from the shoreline..." I noted, as a certain giant walked up to me, holding three fishes just as big.
"Not as impressive as this, I wager," Katakuri huffed stubbornly, as I sweatdropped. Oh boy, another competition...
"Well, you got those with your bear hands, I got this from a simple fishing hook," Shanks argued with a cute pout, as Katakuri huffed. "I too can catch such a fish with just a fishing hook," He stated confidently, as Shanks tossed him a fishing rod. "Suit yourself!" He shrugged, as he went to hold his own fishing rod in a peculiar way. He was down an arm, after all.
Not wanting to entertain another possible showdown, I went to check up on our mechheads. Ever since I showed off that seaplane to them, they were antsy to try and recreate such a mode of transportation with our ships, with some of our members opting to help them out.
"If we can make our ships fly, we won't have to worry so much on the wear to our hulls from landing from a coup de burst!~" Franky grinned brightly with starry eyes, "And our ships will be a force to be reckoned with since no ordinary ship can just fly!~" He cackled, as I tilted my head. 'Wasn't there that one guy with a flying ship?...'
"If you do not mind, I would also love a blueprint of this finished product. I bet the army could benefit greatly with such knowledge," Sabo smiled, as I turned to the blond. Speaking of which...
"Do you still keep in contact with them, Sabo? You have been with us for a while, now..." I questioned him, as he turned to me with that ever-charming grin of his.
"Of course I do! Being with you now is a part of my duty!... Though I would be lying if I told you that I wasn't mixing business with pleasure," He chuckled softly, as I felt my cheeks flush pink.
"Well, having you and Zoro as my training partners has also been a pleasure! I have learned so much from you two!" I grinned back at him, as the sleepy swordman awoke from his "light" nap to look at me.
"Likewise. You grow more capable by the second," He complimented, as I tried to cooly wave off the compliment. "I-I hope that would be the case! If I wasn't, I would be screwed!"
"..If you weren't such a goodie-two-shoes, you would have been screwed already..." I heard Kid comment, as I shot him a glare. "I heard that, you pervert! Don't make me ink your hair black!" I threatened as some of our members chuckled while Kid merely rolled his eyes.
"Well, it's true! You have so many guys drooling over you, and yet you have made no moves. Then again, what can I expect from a princess..." He shook his head, as I placed my hands on my hips, "Well, for your information, Kid, I do not take such things lightly! If I am going to do such a thing, I rather it be with someone I love rather than someone I just find hot," I huffed, as I heard laughter coming from another redhead and Luffy.
"What's so funny?" I walked over to Shanks, as he went to show me the fish he caught, which looked to be pursing its lips in a kissing fashion.
"I know I am quite the handsome guy, but I do not kiss fish, I eat them," He joked with the fish, continuing to crack up alongside Luffy, as Katakuri merely sweatdropped at the two, not getting what was so funny about this bizarre fish.
"The both of them are so strange..." He mumbled under his breath as he went to continue his fishing at another spot where fish should be more plentiful, while Luffy, who noticed this, decided to quietly tip-toe after him, also wanting in on a good catch.
****
"Well... if you're yearning for a kiss that badly..." Shanks hummed down at the fish, unhooking it as he held it in his hands, before he slowly turned his head towards me with a mischievous smirk.
I did not like this look on his face.
"...I suppose you can try kissing the good princess here. You might have a better chance of getting one than I do.~" He snickered before shoving the fish in my face, which caused me to back away with a yelp.
"W-What the hell?! S-Shanks, put the fish down!" I demanded with a flushed face, as he ate up my reaction with a chuckle, before letting the poor fish swim away.
"Aw, you cut me deep, (Y/n)! I-I wasn't actually going to let that fish kiss you!" He cracked up, as I shot him a frown. "Knowing your laid-back jokester self, you just might have done so!" I barked, as he shook his head.
"O-Oh, no, I wouldn't have. I will rather be the one to have that honor than to give it to some fish!" He shook his head while continuing to laugh, as my blush deepened, my embarrassment growing as I folded my arms.
"Luffy is your damn apprentice for sure... even if you come across as someone who has his stuff together, you still can be just the biggest goof ever..." I sighed, as he smiled at me.
"I believe in a fair balance between the two. It is no fun being around some fuddy duddy who is all business all the time, just like it is no fun being with someone who doesn't know how to handle their business when the need arises," He told me, as I tilted my head. "Well, you do have a point there..."
"Yeah... so, if you see that I do have a point, why don't I get a kiss as confirmation that I'm your type?~" He teased, pursing his lips to mimic the fish, as I returned to being a blushing mess, before shaking my head. "O-Oh, no, you dork! It is going to take much more than that to get a kiss outta me!" I huffed stubbornly, as he looked deflated by my words, before he seemed to be thinking up his next move.
"So... what would it take to get a kiss?" He bluntly asked, as I fell backward to the sand.
"I-I'm sorry! A-Are you okay?!" He gasped, helping me up as I nodded softly.
"Y-Yeah, I am fine... just... damn, are you a straight shooter or what..." I murmured, as he went to give me that trademark playful smile of his.
"Well, I don't do long-range... when I am confronting someone, I rather get up close and personal," He grinned with a chuckle, as I peered at his eyes. "I see... so that's your strategy, huh?" I questioned, as he nodded.
"I tried to be a bit more subtle, but I see now if I really want to get your attention, I have to be proactive. After all, I am clearly not the only one who is interested in you. Even my own apprentice likes you! Makes things quite awkward, I must say," He admitted with a hearty chuckle, as I rolled my eyes with a soft smile.
"...Well... at least you're not a pervert like Kid is..." I shrugged, as I saw him start to sweat as he awkwardly whistled and averted his gaze. HUH!?
"SHANKS!" I gasped, as he immediately faced me. "I will neither confirm nor deny that possibility!" He answered me, as I continued to look at him in shock.
"I-I can't help but admire you at times! If its a crime, then I guess you can toss me as bait to the sea kings!" He blurted out, as I still couldn't help but gaze at him in disbelief.
Well... he wasn't a dishonest person, at the very least...
"That I won't do..." I told him as I went to draw closer to him to give him a soft peck on the cheek, which he clearly didn't anticipate, as evident by the very dorky smile that was now on his face.
"But, I will do that. You didn't say where the kiss had to be.~" I giggled, before going to turn away from him with a grin just as playful as his.
"T-Thank you very much..." He merely mumbled out, as I rolled my eyes as I continued to giggle.
Despite being such a big deal in this world, he still was the light-hearted man he always was, and what I did just now only proved that.
I won't lie. It still feels weird being able to casually be like this with him...
But I don't think either one of us, emperor and princess, would have it any other way.~
****