Re: His Shadow

#13: Path You'd Follow

Bartolo Club Ship 

Luffy and the rest are amazed at how Sunny go had a replica. 

"You're not a Luffy-san's crew, right? Why are you still here?", Seri asked while Trafalgar sat on the grass. She didn't get any response. "He and our captain made another crazy alliance", Ussop answered for the guy. 

"Crazy?", Seri, by now, had no idea how crazy an alliance could be. 

"They are going to take down one of the four emperors of the sea, Kaido", Ussop shivers with the thought. 

"Four Emperors? I think I heard them somewhere", Seri searched in her mind. "I guess you have nowhere else to go, why don't you join my crew", Trafalgar asked without looking at her. 

"Hey~ are you really still going to take her with you?", Ussop stared at him suspiciously. 

"You have to go through Nami, Sanji, and Chopper... of course, even captain. They like her a lot", Robin joined the conversation. "Let's go check our bounties", Luffy led the group. "I'll stay here for a while", Seri leaned on the deck's wooden rail. "Don't fall off", Ussop warned.

She nodded and heard the group enter the ship.

For some reason, the wide ocean makes her feel totally free. Without the ceiling, without walls, without being enclosed in a small dark room.

Undoubtedly, pirates are the bad ones. Marines are the good ones

But, this world is not black and white.

It's up to you to decide.

A hand dropped on Seri's hand. "You're running from the Marine, right? There's no help if you don't want to be a burden to other people but then- we can never run away from the truth that one way or the other, we'll become one", Robin opened. "Then what-", Seri turned to look at Robin's smiling face. "You just have to carry theirs as well", Robin tightens her grip on her shoulder.

Robin saw a huge wall in front of them.

"We're here", Trafalgar suddenly appeared and let out a small piece of paper, it is Nami's vive paper leading them forward.

"We'll get to Zou where Nami and the rest are. After that, we'll go to Wano. It'll be a tough journey and I cannot guarantee safety. These two captains' hands are extended for you but they can only do that far. It will be you who will choose whose you will grab on to", Robin said with a certain confidence in what she is saying. For she herself had experienced the same.

"Oh, I can see Thousand Sunny", Franky went out. "We can only take you this far. We wish we could follow but we'll just be on our way, Luffy-sama", Bartolomeo, an avid fan of straw hats cried along with the crew. The green-head created stairs connecting them to the other ship. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Luffy-sama. One day, let-s", Bartolomeo wasn't finished with hs sentimental farewell and yet the other group had already run towards the other ship.

"Let's go", Luffy ran away.

"Aren't you going with them, young lady?", Bartolomeo noticed her standing just few inches from the stair barrier. "Go, young lady. It's once in a lifetime that two big newbie names in the Pirate world will take you in their crew", he gave her a push and she continued walking. At first, she couldn't see the edge of the stairs but as she fasten her pace.

Once you step out of your room, you'll see that there's so much more than you ever imagined.

Luffy's smiling face, Trafalgar crossing his arms, Ussop signaling her to make it fast, Franky maneuvering the helm, the two samurai whom she barely knew and Zoro's neutral face welcomed her.

Once you step out of your room, you'll see that there are more people like me. People who are free.

"Please don't show me more of this warm light. I might get blinded and get burned. No. I might crave for more".

Flashback 10 years ago

She remembered being sealed back in a locked room with one window enough to fit her tiny hands just to make sure oxygen is coming in. The cemented walls were too hard and enclosed her from listening to any sounds happening outside. The door was sealed a couple of times. First was iron bars, next would be a layer of sea stone door, and lastly is a cemented one. Due to the room structure, it is basically cold most of the time.

But regardless if she was shut out from the outside, she knew it wasn't on land. She was never on land too long for some reason. She would be moving from one place to the other. The sway of the water was her being cuddled to sleep. The splashes of water on the walls of the ship were her lullaby.

Pair of small hands tried to reach for the ray of light coming from the small window. She was disturbed by the sound of the doors opening. Someone must have come to get her again. Usually, her food would be delivered in a lift made especially for her.

"This looks like a chilly place for someone to stay", the tall Kuzan ducked as he entered.

"Ku-san", the little child excitingly batted her attention to him.

"Then, what did you bring me this time", she tilted too much that she lost her balance. Kuzan caught her waist and assisted her to stand straight again. The young child, clothed in an expensive dress and looking like a doll, held unto his arms. "Ku-san, can you do it again?", she pleads with her eyes. "I might get scolded for this but-", Kuzan created a snowflake inside.

A paper fell on Kuzan's coat. The ray of light revealed itself with a picture of a child. Kuzan took it right away. "Is she also being hunted by the Marine?", she asked in her tiny voice. "Yeah, something like that", Kuzan carried the girl and let her sit on the bed. "I feel bad for wanting her to be caught. Maybe, we can spend some time together", she looked down and clenched on her dress. "But by now, she won't be playing with a kid like you? This picture was taken some years ago, I bet she's already a grown-up woman", Kuzan messed with her hair.

"Aka-san told me that he'll let me see some more people if I stay as a good girl", she had a bright look in her eyes.

"But... I wonder how could I become a good girl", she had a bigger smile.

Kuzan had a weak smile and dropped a hair pin on the child's lap.

"Listen, you always need to think of what is good. It is an ever-changing concept. Something that is good now might turn bad someday", Kuzan stood up with the buzzer ringing. It is a signal he needs to leave. The surveillance snail is all around the corner of the room, it might not pick up what they are talking about but someone who is watching seems to guess that Kuzan is putting some principles on the young child's mind.

"I would be promoted as an Admiral, I won't get to see you in a while", Kuzan informed. The girl nodded and held unto the hair pin dearly.

Flashback

Punk Hazard Ice Land

Doflamingo attacked and Kuzan was able to save Smoker by being sliced through the warlord's string.

"Ku-san", Seri shouted as soon as she recognized his ice power.

The man turned in the direction of the voice.

"I have no business with you", Doflamingo escaped. 

Kuzan watched as Seri walked towards him. "Ku..Ku-san!", she ran and hugged him tightly. 

She wondered if he wasn't able to recognize her. "It's me. It's me Seri", she burrowed her face into him. "I'm so glad to see you again", Seri cried. "How are you here?", Kuzan was also startled. "Sengoku-san was going to transport me to Marigeos but I fell off the ship. For months, Sengoku-san allowed me to leave my room", Seri explained and told Kuzan stories about her tagging along with the Straw-Hats. 

"Ku-san, can I stay with you? I have nowhere to go. I don't want to-", Seri stopped when she saw Kuzan's worried look. "I'm just kidding. There's no helping right? I'll go back with Commodore", Seri lets him go. Kuzan froze a portion of the sea. 

"Follow this path", Kuzan pushed her towards the rowboat. 

"I couldn't anything else, sorry". 

Chapter