Chapter Eight

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Chapter Eight: The Little Princess

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The air was cool as the wind entered through the open window, smelling of salt. He could hear the marching of the marine soldiers as he sifted through the papers on his desk, a tired look in his eye. Garp was tired. There was nothing interesting that ever went on around Marine Ford, and it was irritating. He wanted back the days when you were still young, running around the base without a care in the world, never daring to set a foot off the base.

He wished that he had never succumbed to Sengoku's decision to bring you to Mary Geoise in the first place, attracting the attention of very important people.

And yet what of you? What about your freedom? You were happy now weren't you? Shouldn't he be happy too? That his unofficial granddaughter was happy now as her life training to be a.. a pirate.

Should he have pestered you? To tell you that it was a mistake, like he did with those other brats? So why didn't he? Was it because he already saw that you would have turned eventually, that he knew that Red-Haired Shanks or Luffy would do something to guarantee you to become one of them? Why didn't he step his foot down on it when he heard it come out of your mouth?

Was it because of how happy you looked, with those sparkles in your eyes? Was it because he knew how life on Marine Ford was no place for a child? That you were constantly isolating yourself from the rest of the world? Was it because he felt that he should have been a better guardian for you, and felt that this was the right decision?

Was it the right decision?

The snap of a pencil caused him to look down at his hands, sighing in realization that he had snapped it out of frustration. The broken fragments littered the small children's picture book that sat on his desk, title written beautiful golden characters/letters The Little Princess, a book that you loved with all of your heart. And because you loved it so much, he had taken good care of it. He quickly brushed the broken pencil off.

Sometimes he wondered if it was a coincidence that you loved the book so much, or perhaps that there was something bigger at play that he wasn't noticing. Did you know? You probably didn't, but he knew it wasn't wise to underestimate you. He sighed. There wasn't a day that passes by that Garp didn't think of you, and how you were doing surrounded by those damn shichibukai. And he knew that that frustration he was feeling was the same to those that you were close with, here in Marine Ford.

Garp shivered, remembering the reaction of Akainu. That was certainly not a pleasant memory. Thank god that he had Kizaru and Aokiji to restrain the man from causing a disturbance. If those two weren't there, Garp was sure that the Admiral would have kidnapped you and reprimanded you or some sort. Man that man was extreme.

A crash downstairs caused him to remember that there was in fact, a few people that kept the place lively.

"Eh? Saka-chan, you're flipping a table again?"

"Get the fuck out of my office, and don't call me 'Saka-chan'."

"You guys woke me up from my nap."

The Vice Admiral put his hands together and prayed. "Dear lord, please have mercy and bring Y/n back to us."

And they were the most terrible of company, especially after you left.

* * *

"Captain, I think you should take a break."

"Not now, Bepo." Law flipped the page of his book, taking in as much information as he could get.

"Captain, you've been at it for a couple days already." He flipped another age, humming. Bepo huffed, before leaving the man's room. That book Law was reading was a children's book he found in a library on one of the islands they came across. Granted, it would have been odd to see Law reading a children's book when every other book he had in the sub was medical related or informative, but considering what had transpired a couple weeks ago, it was understandable.

Shachi and Penguin stared at Bepo expectedly as he walked out the door, only to shake his head.

"To think that our Captain is a doctor and can't even take care of himself." Shachi tsked in disapproval.

"He's probably just love sick," Penguin mumbled. "That girl was cute. Why wouldn't Captain fall under her charms? He must be wanting to know just about everything about her because she's so etherealing. Before we know it he's going to be so obsessed with her that he-"

"I don't think it's good to joke like that," Bepo said. "Captain really isn't doing the best right now."

"Ah, right. Sorry." Penguin hummed. "Still, it's kind of funny to see a grown man like him read a children's book so intently." Shachi and Penguin laughed together, and Bepo nervously looked back at their captain's room down the hallway.

Unbeknownst to the idiots on the other side of the door, Law buried his face in the children's book, face tinged slightly pink. He wasn't obsessed with you. He barely knew you! Those fools. And there was nothing wrong with reading this book. He slammed it shut, throwing it on his bed.

They were so dead.


Meanwhile, there was another pirate who was currently having a similar dilemma.


"Damn it. These drawings are so crude and childish." Kid glared holes onto the picture book that Killer had provided him. Killer didn't bother to mention the fact that he saw that another pirate by the name of Trafalgar D. Law was in the library that he was in, purchasing the same book. Killer probably would have engaged in combat had Kid not told him directly to bring the book as fast as he could. Even so, he couldn't help but wonder exactly what that pirate needed with a children's book. Did he perhaps meet you too? But that would be a one in a million chance. There's no way that they both met you within the same time frame.

Or perhaps he met you before...? But if he did, wouldn't he have gotten the book immediately afterwards?

His gaze was on Kid now, who was laying on his back with the book in the air, staring at it as if it would hold all the secrets in the world.

And Kid himself was demanding it to tell him.

It was fucking ridiculous actually.

"Fuck." The book slipped from Kid's larger hands, smacking him right in the face. The golden letters glittered brightly as if telling the whole world to humiliate the pirate. "How the fuck do people read this shit." Killer let an amused smile grace his features. It wasn't like Kid would know, considering the fact that he had a mask on. Though, he couldn't help but ask,

"Do you want me to read it to you, Kid?" He could see the flaming haired man's eyebrow twitch as he snapped his neck towards him.

"Are you serious? Just because my name is 'Kid' doesn't fucking mean that-" And cue the long pissed off rambling of Kid, who acted just like one. Killer only watched Kid amusedly as his thoughts drifted to you.

Were you doing okay? Did you know about the Ancient Ones? What kind of mysteries are you hiding? Was it simply a coincidence that the mark had appeared when it did?

What exactly did this all mean?

"Oi, are you even listening?!"

* * *

"Did you finish analyzing the texts I gave you?" The sound of crinkling newspaper filled the room as Crocodile placed it on his desk, looking at the female in front of him.

"Of course, Mr. 0." Robin gave him a smile. "Would you like me to tell you what I've discovered?"

"Yes."

"Very well then. It appears that your suspicions may prove to be true. I must say the book you gave me was truly magnificent. I was a little concerned about you until I flipped through it. It also appeared to have a few ciphers encrypted within its pages, but I focused on the message. While we know from the legends that the existence of the Ancient Ones is plausible, the author is relaying that it is possible to find one. All you have to do is look for the key."

"And what could this 'key' be?"

Robin hummed, tucking the picture book under her arm. "Well, I have reason to believe that this 'key' might actually be a person. Now who in your mind immediately pops up at what I said?" Crocodile was silent for a moment, eyes widening.

Was it possible that...?

"I must tell you something before you do something rash. Those who look for the Ancient Ones suffer a fate far worse than death."

Crocodile laughed. "What could be worse than death?"

"... to see that the person you love will never love you back. A heartache of eternal suffering." He paused, thinking. Is that really a fate worse than death. How idiotic.

"Then I'm glad that I don't have extra baggage to worry about something as useless as love." Smoke escaped his lips as he readjusted his cigar. Robin merely smiled at Crocodile with knowing eyes.

"Of course."

Crocodile was extremely stupid sometimes. Robin knew full well that there was someone he cherished more than anything, even if the man didn't know it himself.

Though, it was rather amusing to see him make a fool of himself every time you came by.

L/n D. Y/n, was that really your name? It was rather funny to think that an angel like you had the Will of D.

* * *

The gentle waves slowly rocked the boat, slowly waking you from your slumber. You shivered slightly, not of the cold, but of a feeling that there was someone watching you besides your Master. It seemed like the person holding you misinterpreted it, because it caused his grip on to you to tighten. You didn't think anything of it, lifting your head so that you could see the horizon.

It was beautiful, blue, with cotton candy clouds floating in the sky.

It was kind of nostalgic.

You remember reading your favorite book, listening to the waves that once calmed you. You remember how the waves were so gentle to you, revealing the beautiful seashells that littered the beach. Though now, the once calming waves were now the source of your anxiety. All because of a small mishap had caused the death of someone special, and the fear that one day the government would take you away.

Your breath hitched as you suddenly saw flashes of your favorite book, each in different settings, all seeming to be held by adults, judging by the size of their hands. What was the significance of this vision? Were they trying to decipher what was in that book?

They shouldn't do that. You knew that very well, because the real message wasn't hidden. It just couldn't be seen through normal eyes. Those revealed in the book was just to throw people off, but even so, there was truth to them.

It was pointless to search if you didn't have the right materials. Granted, you only found out by mistake. And what you found was something you knew shouldn't be openly shared. The information you found would bring the entire world in uproar, some claiming that the information was false, others off to find it. It would be a whole new era, a completely new pirate era.

The map to the Ancient Lands to find unimaginable power would be a complete offset.

The World Government breathing down your neck as a child was bad enough, but then a map to the place they've been looking for for centuries?! How was a child was supposed to react other than complete fear? Why else would you be so reluctant to set out to sea? To go to Mary Geosie?

Why did they even take you to Mary Geosie in the first place? What would have happened if you never went there? Maybe then, you would never have embarrassed yourself in front of officials.

Maybe then, things would have turned out differently.

Unless it was destiny.

* * *

Destiny is fickle.

What destiny is there when you could shape it with your own two hands? Would it even be deemed as destiny? This world- this power -he gained was to ensure that you would get the best care, so that he could protect you wherever you walked. He didn't really believe in destiny, and it was this destiny that lead him to the island before him.

"Captain! We're preparing to land!" His eyes flickered to examine every inch of the island.

It was a lush green, with the whitest and shiniest sand he had ever seen in his life. It was large island, the most beautiful one he had ever seen, and he had seen many islands in his lifetime. The ship came to a soft landing, and he immediately jumped off, examining everything around him.

There in front of him was a small path, shrouded by willows that glittered like little emeralds. On closer inspection, he realized they were emeralds. A grin made its way onto his face, knowing that it really was the island of the legends.


"The sand was of the purest minerals, refined to be softer then the loveliest of blankets. Emeralds dangled above like little willows, chiming together to create a soft music as the wind blew by. And in the center near the base of the mountain was the home to the Ancient Ones, where the animals gather to glimpse one, where the wind moves to be gentle, and the flowers open to look presentable.

This is the place where the rain never comes, only in small sprinkles, and the only terrible weather is the never ending sun. Euphoria is a place of paradise, and Euphoria waits for no one."


"Oi, Shanks. Don't you dare leave without me." Shanks turned around, grinning up at his First Mate.

"Whaat? Why would I do that?" He laughed. "When did I ever leave you guys?"

"You ran off to the children's bookstore last week" Benn deadpanned. "Gave everyone there a heart attack. I think you scared the children too."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm great with kids! Luffy loved me! And so does Y/n! She always visits me." Benn shook his head, an amused smile on his face as he jumped off the ship. Somehow the conversation always turns to you, and it was amusing and slightly concerning at how much Shanks talked about you. Hell, he even talked about you in his sleep.

"She visits you because you beg her."

"What? No, she does it because she's sweet! I don't beg her!" Benn immediately thought back to three weeks ago, where Shanks called you, and was begging to see you again. He was even trying to bribe you to come over, and was almost successful until Mihawk came on the line, told him to shut up, and hanged up.

"You're an idiot."

"But you respect me~"

"Let's just go find that thing you're looking for." Shanks laughed, before going underneath the emerald willows. Up ahead, his eyes immediately landed on a stump, a piece of chalk neatly placed beside it. He took note of it, before continuing off, with the footsteps of Benn trailing behind. It was decided that it would be the two of them to enter the forest, Shanks, because he was the captain, and Benn because he was the one who kept their captain in check. The rest of the crew had to stay behind to protect the ship in case something happened.

What exactly was Shanks looking for? He didn't exactly know. He was just following the map on his brand new copy of The Little Princess. The last copy was ruined because someone had spilled booze all over it. Shanks was so not happy. That copy was the one you had given him as a present, so the one he was holding didn't have the same value.

Shanks was a laid back man, if the crew described him, and he rarely got angry. So when the experienced an extremely irritated Shanks that morning, it was a complete nightmare. He had stormed off the ship to the nearest bookstore, scaring everybody on the island and unintentionally giving children PTSD. It wasn't until his mood had calmed down that he questioned why everybody was so afraid of him.

Benn didn't have the guts to tell Shanks what had happened.

"Hm..." The red haired man closely inspected the book, trying to find out a clue to what the treasure exactly was. Maybe he had to go the home at the base of the mountain?

He stopped, before whipping out his sword. The sound of metal clashing together rung throughout the island, sparks flying off as his sword made contact with a tail. He widened his eyes. It was a dragon.

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Author's Note:

Hello!! This chapter was mostly about what was happening with the other characters and their thoughts, and a little bit of the significance of a special book. Everybody feels so OC... Welp.

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net