Re: His Shadow

#29: The Subtle Moments

"Seri!!!!!", Nami hugged the lady.  

"Seri-chwaan!!!~", Sanji was about to hug the two but Nami kicked his face. 

"Seri. How are you?", Chopper waved at her. 

"Yohoh~ You're wearing a lovely kimono. Will you let me see your-", Brook wasn't able to finish his sentence when he felt someone glaring at him. He looked at the source and saw Trafalgar who already averted his stares. 

 "Everyone is back", Seri looked at the whole team gathered except for Zoro, and the rest who are doing their assigned task at Wano. 

"Your dazzling smile is something to die for", Sanji twirled around. 

"Most especially you, Mr. Cook. I heard you were supposed to attend your wedding", Seri recalled. "It was such a waste but being with the two of you... plus, another lady, I couldn't ask for more", Sanji included Okiku. "But Okiku-san is-", Seri was about to say something but Kinemon and the rest gathered around. 

After a while, they were asked to sit around and talk about the truth about the samurai. 

Leap in the future. 

Beheading of Oden. 

The reign of Kaido over Wano. 

The wasteland

The hungry citizens

"That's why we promised to take back what was once ours", Kinemon had tears in his eyes. Momonosuke is also silently crying. The straw hats listening also burned in passion. The night is falling on them. Seri hugged Momonosuke. "You're the son of the revered samurai, but then for an outsider like me, you can still be a child", she patted the child's back. She was kept in a dark room but Kuzan would often pay a visit and allow her to become a child even for a short span of time. For someone like her whose parents left early, she understood the pain. 

Seri joined Trafalgar and the hearts pirates outside to be on guard. Trafalgar saw Seri biting her lips. "Since the rest of the straw hats are here. Would you like to tag along with them inside the flower capital?", Trafalgar asked. Seri soften with her stiff expression listening to Kinemon talking. "I...I'll be fine as long as I can give help", Seri nodded. "Then, I'll guess you can stay with Robin-ya as a new geisha", Trafalgar touched his chin. "No! No way, Captain", Penguin and Shachi fell to their knees. "Anything but that", they cried. "Tch. Why are you telling me what to do", Trafalgar furrowed his brow. 

"How about you can help that twirl brow? He looks strong. At least, he'll be able to protect you before we come into action", the two stood up and pointed to themselves. "Thank you, Shachi-san, Penguin-san... but  I did not come here to be protected. I will also fight in my own way. If being a geisha will give me more chances to help, I'll be willing to do it", Seri smiled. The two covered their eyes. "Too bright... Seri-chan! You're so bright", the two commented. 

Trafalgar looked at her with serious eyes. "I take that back. You'll attract more attention. I'll be needing someone who'll contact the straw hats every now and then to make sure they'll be following the plan", Trafalgar shifted his focus and looked at Bepo. "I will not eat fish anymore", Bepo raised his hand to give an oath. 

"What will attract their attention?", Seri tilted her head. 

Trafalgar sweat dropped.

"Never mind", he cleared his throat and looked at the two who had their smiles ear to ear. "What will attract them, Captain?", they teased. "You're a gullible brat who doesn't even know how those pleasure halls work", Trafalgar said annoyingly. 

"Is it a dangerous place? Then, I should really give hand to Robin-san", Seri said worriedly.

"That woman already has a lot. Going back... You can't. You're just too innocent", Trafalgar mentally cursed himself for suggesting it in the first place. He's been trying to look for ways wherein she'll be safer. "You don't have to worry about me a lot. You already have 20 people on your shoulder plus you're keeping the plan to work well altogether. If you're hesitating on things because you look at me as a child, It'll defeat the purpose of why I came here. I wanted to be stronger. I knew a couple of blades wouldn't kill me", she grabbed the edge of Trafalgar's kimono sleeves.