Freedom & Fate | One Piece x Reader

Chapter 52 | Old Tale

You could not stop your fingers from shaking while listening to their conversation over the phone. One of the Shichibukai, Crocodile also known as Mr. 0 from the enemy organisation is talking to Sanji. He still thinks that he is speaking to a subordinate of his and keeps asking for a report. Luckily, Sanji realises the situation he is in quickly enough, even deciding to keep the act up.

"I've carried out my mission. All the people who know your secret are now gone, so there is no need for further pursuit," he says convincingly.

"All of them? Don't tell me you didn't keep the girl alive."

"The girl?" Sanji asks a little too quickly. The other side of the line goes silent for a while.

"You can't follow orders? I told you to bring back S. G. alive," Crocodile grunts. You cover your mouth when you hear that.

"Of course. Yes, the girl is right here. I made sure she won't escape," Sanji answers.

"Good. Then let me talk to her."

Sanji looks at you worriedly. You gesture that you are not up to a chat with him right now. Just thinking about it makes you shiver again. He understands your feelings and replies, "She fell asleep a while ago."

"Hm, is that so? Well, I'll see her soon enough." Crocodile falls for his lie. "The Unluckies are headed your way this instant. Once they confirm your mission's success they'll hand you an eternal pose to Alabasta. After that come to Alabasta with your partner immediately."

Speaking of the devil, the Unluckies or precisely speaking, an otter and a vulture discover who was really talking to their boss this whole time. "The hell...?" Sanji remarks as the animals take out their weapons and point at him. They jump right past you and start attacking him with everything they have. But just as sudden as they came, Sanji takes them out in a second with two powerful kicks. Your jaw drops a little at the speed of everything.

"What happened?" Crocodile's voice rings out from the transponder snail.

Sanji swiftly grabs the receiver. "Oh, never mind that. One of the Straw-hats must've used their last bit of life force to loosen the girl's restraints and she tried to escape. I have everything under control now so worry not."

"Does that mean she's awake now?" the Shichibukai concludes. "Let me speak to her."

When Sanji realises that his words backfired on him, he glances at you hesitantly. He does not know how to turn this around now. You gulp and sit down next to him, taking the receiver between your hands.

"Can you hear me?" Crocodile asks with his deep and raspy voice.

"Yes..." You try your hardest not to sound intimidated. Something about his presence just makes you feel uneasy.

"At last I've found you," he sighs. "Who would've guessed that you'd show up right in time to witness the completion of my plan? It's a shame you couldn't proof to be useful sooner. But don't worry, I'll find something for you when you arrive. See you in Alabasta."

The transponder snail shuts down. Crocodile did not even leave you the time to talk back or make complaints. You wonder how low he would have treated you if you would have been actually captured. You shake your head, thinking that you would rather not imagine that.

"He hung up..." Sanji says. "So what that black-haired beauty, Miss All-Sunday, said was true. That Shichibukai really was looking for you?"

You lower your head slightly and nod. In the beginning, you could not comprehend why he would need someone like you. You thought there was not anything special about you but after seeing the visions, you understood. Twelve individual abilities. How is that even possible?

"Twelve abilities?" Sanji suddenly asks.

You look at him blankly for a second. "Did I say that out loud?" You get flustered because that has never happened to you before.

"So cute~" He reaches his hands out to you but quickly regains himself again. "Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt your thoughts but when I heard you say something about twelve abilities it reminded me of an old story from my hometown."

"Your hometown?"

"Yes, I think a lot of people know this old tale in North Blue. If I remember correctly, it was about these twelve legends who basically created life itself. Then three of them split from the unit and a new influence took control over the world. In the end, they reunite into one to try to regain peace. Pretty dramatic for a children's story, right?"

Something inside you tingled. This sensation... the level of familiarity tells you that this story was another link to the past. Now that you think about it, you had the same feeling when you wandered into Kaya's mansion when you laid your fingers onto the keys of a piano and just then when the white lily flower whispered into your ear. Maybe you are closer to finding your past memories than you thought.

"Yes, it's quite dramatic but I like it." You chuckle. "Who told it to you?"

"Hmm... I forgot who it was. Though I do know that it originated from a stunning madam! I wish I could've met her!" he exclaims.

"Good to know." You stand up and look around the messy room. The Unluckies sure did not hold back when they barged in. You spot the eternal pose on the ground and pick it up. "So this points to Alabasta... we should tell the others that we won't have to wait a whole year."

"We would've stayed a year if it wasn't for this?!" Sanji states. "We should really hurry up and see if they are okay! According to what Mr. 0 said, there are agents who are after their heads."

The both of you sprint out of the little wax house and run past the densely growing trees without much trouble. "Do you know where they are?" you ask while following after Sanji. Your question was immediately answered when you hear a loud noise coming from the left. He changes direction and runs towards the commotion with you right behind him.

Soon, you could see the end of the jungle but you could have never imagined what was happening while you were gone. A giant automation in the form of a candle holder is spinning at an unnaturally high speed while coating the area around it with wax.

"What in the world is going on?!" Sanji shouts. He could see his crewmates attached to the automation, covered with wax and turned into living candles. "I should've come sooner." He wants to join Luffy and Usopp in defeating the enemy.

At the sight of this monstrous machine, you feel your body pulsating. You could sense something within you begging to be released and show its rage. But you take a deep breath and take control over your emotions.

Before Sanji could run off, you lightly tug at his sleeve. He is taken aback when he sees the blank but serious expression on your face. Never has he felt such an aura from you before.

"Leave it to me."

You concentrate and jump up, disappearing from the spot next to Sanji. Meters above the giant candle tower, you reappear and fall head first towards the spinning machine. Right before you plunge into wax, you stretch out your arms and focus on the flaming red colour swirling inside you. A gush of fire bursts from your palms, melting everything in its way.

With wide eyes, Sanji observed you from the ground and gasped at the sudden outbreak of power. "Just like the legends."

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