One Piece: Overlord Buggy, The Blues

Batarilla Part 6

'I think I could just.. add more willpower? Or.. strengthen her body to be able to survive? Maybe? I haven't gotten to the point of being able to imbue Conquerers into anything, so could I maybe try?'
"So, Rouge."
She finished up laughing lightly,and faced towards me.
"I know you would love to keep this lighthearted, but apparently I have waaaaay too many serious topics. First, Vipeba, then my arm, which I did keep short and sweet. But now, I have something regarding keeping you alive."
The aura of the room had become more pressing.
"... Okay then, if it is very important to discuss, the best time would be now. Have you come up with something to keep me alive, perhaps?"
"Yes. It's a theory, but I have. Now, it's a.. no, it's a VERY long shot, but it's a weird thing.. I don't know if it would even be possible to do in the first place, since I kinda never have seen it done."
Rosalina interrupted.
"You have a plan that is only theoretical? No..... past possible examples to go off of and potentially make it work?"
I turned to her.
"Absolutely zero. I don't even know if any living person knows what I want to attempt in the first place. It's THAT crazy a theory."
Turning back, I continued "Now. Do you wanna give me your opinion on it and wether or not you want to try it out? I mean, it's purely theoretical, so while it may have some affect, I wouldn't even be able to tell you what it would do."
Rouge sat silent for a minute, everyone waiting to hear this conversation continue, and chime in if they have something to say.
"If it possibly means I can survive and see my child grow up, then let us try."
"Great!"
'Wait. Why am I thinking this now? Why did I just assume so?'
"Uhm.. before you hear more, I don't think I ever said anything, but.. why do you believe me that you're just gonna die?"
Rouge chuckled at this, turning into a small smile.
"I've told you before, Roger told me all about you, and that includes your very odd knowledge. And with that, I would love to hear more about your theory."
Rouge and the rest all moved in, ready to hear my theory, apparently I hyped it up somehow?
"Okay. So, my theory starts with a little bit of information. So Rog- Captain and I have a special type of ability called Conquerers Haki, something only one in like a couple million have. Now, I don't know if anyone actually knows of this, but just like a different type of Haki that more people have, Armament, it can be imbued into things. I mainly remember the fact that it can be imbued into attacks, but theoretically, it could be imbued into another person. I.E., you, Rouge."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that using an extremely rare ability, I was thinking that, instead of you using your own willpower and staying alive only long enough for the Marines to get off your back, maybe using someone else's willpower, one who has an incredibly higher amount of it, would be able to keep you alive through the whole process of giving birth."
Everyone was processing this, all except for Mariga, who just tilted her head, wondering why everyone was thinking so hard. Rem and Alice has started to think about it, but gave up partway through, Alice because she wasn't knowledgeable about this, and Rem, who only cared enough to think for a few seconds before drifting off into thinking about something else, I could just tell.
Djane and Rosalina were still thinking on my words, while Rouge, who had thought about it, came to a conclusion "Aren't you the only one who could do such a thing?"
Hearing this, everyone looked at me, some trying to figure out the implications.
"Yes. I am the only one. Do you wanna know what that would mean for me?"
Rosalina and Djane were still thinking, Taki, Alice, and Rouge all became a range of concerned to extremely concerned for me.
"What that would entail, if my theory is correct, is that you would be using MY will to survive, basically using MY lifespan to keep yourself alive. I don't know how much you burn through, but it still is just a theory, and I could be completely wrong. But don't think it may not be right either."
Taki was the first person to respond to me.
"But Bugs, wouldn't that mean....?"
"Yes. Well.. no. It would depend on how much I imbue into her, which I still don't know how to do, but yes, I do run the chance of dying, which, if I did, would break my own vows. I don't actually plan on dying, but if some lifespan needs to be exchanged for someone's fate to be changed, then so be it."
The air was very heavy, and I could tell the unease around the room, just hearing that I could die from doing it.
"Well, if Vipeba does a great job of keeping you alive, then perhaps I wouldn't even need to think about this. But, again, it is only a theory, and you asked for more about it, so it's your choice on what you want to do, Rouge."
I could feel the room ease, but only slightly, as they all took in that I wasn't exactly going to actually do it unless Rouge chose to.
"I couldn't take the lifespan of someone who has such a long and exciting life ahead of them. While I do thank you for trying so hard, hard enough that you'd give up your own life for it, I don't want to interfere with your life more than it seems I have already."
I clapped my hands together, bringing everyone out of their concerns and bringing their attention to me.
"Okay then. *Sigh* I should probably talk to Vipeba, get it done before I regret not saying anything."
I picked Mariga up off my lap, then brought her over to Rouge, and set her down, looking at Mariga and saying "Mari, be good, I'll be back in a couple minutes." Before I smiled at her, receiving one in return, followed by a "Father! Be back quick!"
I stood up straight and spoke directly to Rouge, and said "I'm sorry for dropping all of this on you, I don't have anything else serious for the day, so please, do what you wanted, and relax."

•

I didn't even bother knocking on Vipeba's room, as I very well knew he was still not in the best of moods, and I wouldn't be able to speak with him if I just knocked.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm coming to speak to you, clearly."
I closed the door behind me, hearing "There's nothing to talk about. You replace me right in front of me, and tell me to just force Rouge to not give birth for months and months past when she's due? That's like killing her!"
With the door closed, I turned to see Vipeba holding a bazooka with a spear as the ammunition.
I could only sigh seeing this.
"Okay. Vipeba, I'm going to tell you these things without you interrupting, do you understand?"
I glared at him, causing him to raise his weapon, aiming for what was clearly my head, all as sweat dropped down the size of his face.
"I very much made it seem like I was fully replacing you, like you would never be a part of my crew, ever. While I do admit fault for making it out to be that way, am not sorry for doing it. I need you to understand that thanks to the ORIGINAL plan, you may have been staying here for years depending on how long she could live. I asked for you simply because I wanted to keep Rouge alive, and you were always meant to do so. I was originally going to bring you along with me after I got back, but I was too optimistic on the timing, I was just too early to have you come back to my ship and have Rouge AND her unborn child still all alive. You are very much angry at me, and you should be, but I am not always going to be on time, or able to do everything perfect. And you are angry at me because of it."
I was standing straight, looking directly at his one open eye as he was still aiming directly at my head.
"The plan was always maleable, and could always change from different circumstances, which is exactly how I now have you AND Rem. All because I made a decision that led to an event, to another event, and all the way to here. I do hope you can forgive the fact that I didn't have everything in mind, and that I made a single.. two mistakes, antagonizing you, and not telling you everything. Just... please make sure Rouge stays alive while she does this?"
I could hear him heavy breathing, and I could feel his conflicted emotions, even without him showing anything.
And all I could do was leave.