The mood was settled, the ship flew back into the skies with Veyron providing it with his energy and it headed towards the Moby Dick, they'd reach their destination in a few hours.
Shanks, Rayleigh and Whitebeard went into their own wavelength, they had clearly enjoyed their time in Onigashima. They also discussed the political repercussions of this event.
Primrose, Robin, Gion were doing much the same with the dark beauty telling them about Alabasta and how she had dropped a guest in Amazon Lily on her way to the new world.
Viola and Yamato were with Hancock, Sandersonia and Marigold. The sisters were actually trying to convince them to join their crew. Yamato accepted right away but Viola had her doubts as she was still a princess of her country and although she left momentarily in order to save them, she still wanted to support her father during this hurdle.
"Please... let me wait until my Kingdom's situation normalises and then ask me this question again!" She bowed down deeply, never expecting that the gate to become a pirate would ever open for her. And much more so surprised at how much she was actually looking forward to it.
For his part, Veyron enjoyed this tranquillity... but deep inside, he knew there was an elephant in the room, or better said, an elephant in the ship's basement. He had been waiting for Mihawk to hear her counsel on this matter... for the first time he thought he needed advice and nobody was better than his mother for that.
But she wasn't here and he was losing his patience. At some point, he just decided to go on his own and that was when someone grasped his wrist, it was Hancock. She pulled him into a hug as if aware of where he was going and what he was going to do.
"Darling…"
"Stay here, Hancock" He stated sternly.
"Please don't kill them. I have forgiven them…!"
"Stay here…" He repeated himself, this time a bit angry. He knew the backstory, they had forgiven Sugar and Monet and in exchange for saving them from Black Maria and fleeing Onigashima, Sugar had turned them back to normal.
Hancock and the girls may have forgiven them, but Veyron didn't. Hancock flinched and released his wrist, as she was now she couldn't refuse anything he said, she felt just too guilty to say otherwise. With time her hatred for the two sisters had been erased, and they went from enemies to allies fighting back to back in order to flee from Onigashima.
Veyron headed deeper inside the ship on his own. There was a section for prisoners where there were sea stone shackles. In one of the cells, there were two shacked girls wearing rags.
"…"
"…"
Both of them remained silent when they saw him, the door closed behind him and he opened the cell, stepping inside and closing the gate too, locking it.
They raised their heads to look at him. There were two different outlooks.
The 'bigger' sister a beautiful girl with green hair and clear eyes had a look of apprehension, this was Monet.
The 'smaller' sister had a challenging gaze, her hair was greenish sky blue and her body made her look like she was less than fifteen but more than ten, this was Sugar.
Both of them were members of the Donquixote Pirates who had committed the worst transgression that could be committed against him. It was safe to say that more than slaughtering Kaido, Veyron had wished to slaughter the whole Donquixote Pirates.
Making him FORGET Hancock, Sandersonia and Marigold was perhaps worse than killing them.
"Do you two know… by all right, I should have killed you" He started, leaning against the wall and finding it in himself to forgive. If it hadn't been for Sugar turning them back to humans, the situation could have been way trickier, if Kaido really held them hostages... that would have been a devastating situation for him.
So, in a way... they did help but at the same time... they were the cause of everything to begin with.
"…" Monet remained silent for a while but before she could say anything, her sister interjected with poison.
"Do it then, kill us!"
"Big sis!"
"..."
The smaller sister challenged him to do what he said and then the bigger sister surprised him by addressing her as 'big sis'. Sadly for them, Veyron was not in the mood to get challenged.
"You wish to die…? Let's sort that out then".
He walked up to the smaller one and took her by the neck.
!!!
"Please don't!" Monet begged him, crawling all the way to him and grasping his leg.
"Shut up Mone-" Sugar billowed, but she wasn't allowed to finish.
CHAAA!!!
"HAAAAAAAAA!!!!"
Sugar's small body shivered, her eyes gasped and saliva left her little mouth, subjected to a discharge of two hundred volts, which in prologued durations was enough to leave someone's internal organs in a bad state.
Back when he tortured Kaido, he realised two things. One was that he felt disgusting... but during the process, it felt relieving, even enjoyable. His eyes turned wicked in nature when he saw her shiver, she had been the main cause of everything, if not for her... nothing would have happened... no members of the Kuja fleet would have died.
Ironically, she's also the one to blame for Kaido's death.
BAAANG!!
He released her on the ground harshly and Monet crawled up to him, sobbing... wondering if they were going to make it out of there alive, if they were going to die, then at least she hoped they'd die painlessly, not subjected to this ridiculous suffering.
"Please don't… she stubborn… please don't kill her, kill me instead!"
Veyron humbled and took her by the neck too, "As you wish".
CHAAA!!!
"HAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"
He noticed that Monet's screams were slightly more... enjoyable. Perhaps because he didn't feel especially nice doing such a thing to a girl who looked as young as Sugar did. He even went as far as to increase the voltage for Monet, the girl in question began twisting.
He felt several presences wash over him, they knew what he was doing... but none of them stopped him.
"HAAAAAAA!!!".
"Leave my sis-"
Sugar's body levitated back into his other hand before she was once again subjected to another discharge.
"HAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"
He held both sisters one in each hand, torturing the hell out of them with non-lethal but immensely painful discharges, he even focused the electricity in everywhere but the brain, afraid they'd be subjected to brain damage.
Both naked bodies fell back down, smoking… but still alive, their skin slightly tanned and questioning if this is what remained for their lives, to be tortured like this forever... now being with Black Maria sounded like a paradise.
Veyron imbued his arms with kinetic energy before snapping their sea stone shackles, confusing them.
"What are you going to do? Aren't you going to retaliate? your chance is now" He taunted them.
"…" Monet bit her lips, shivered and knelt down in front of him with her head hitting the ground.
Sugar on the other hand lunged at him, she grasped his wrist and smiled almost maniacally… but nothing happened.
"W-What… what isn't it working!?" She didn't feel weak, which meant the ground wasn't made out of sea stone, her powers should be working but they didn't.
"Sugar stop!" Monet yelled once again this time there was clear irritation in her voice. She didn't want her or her sister to die, clearly, Veyron was testing them but her sister was so stubborn that she kept her nonsense even at this hurdle.
She didn't think any of them had a chance to defeat this man who killed Kaido.
SLAAP!!
Veyron slapped Sugar so hard the girl impacted against the steel wall before her body levitated… she felt she was getting hanged by the neck, but there was nothing.
"Why I didn't turn into a toy? Why I'm not getting forgotten? You didn't touch me, Sugar… I heard you have to touch those you wish to transform. So long as I want… you can't touch me".
The naked Monet, still in her pain kept insisting with hope and hugging his leg to stop him from walking towards Sugar. She knew he wasn't a bad person... otherwise they'd be dead, he wouldn't have released the shackles. Right now his heart was just filled with thoughts of revenge, she thought they could plead to his human side.
"Please forgive my sister, we come from a rough environment, life has never been easy, she doesn't know how to kneel down".
"So it was you who pleaded for their lives at every chance?" He mocked her, picking her by the hair, but Monet was undaunted.
"I will be obedient... anything you want. We can do it, we can be of use to you!"
"… I like you being obedient, Monet. It seems you understand your situation, unlike your sister".
"W- What are you going to do with us? If you wanted to kill us… you would have already done it" She asked further.
Veyron staggered for a few seconds.
"You know… I love the Kuja Fleet. I love every single one of those girls. They're important to me… they lived with me on a daily basis for several years. Washed me as I was a kid, treated me well… cooked me meals and made me company".
"…"
"Five years ago half of them died… together with the vice chief, a friend of mine… almost all of the crew was destroyed and all that happened while I was away. This time, AGAIN! those girls are suffering and although there were a lot fewer casualties. One is still too many for me".
"We're pirates... and they were our enemies" Monet began, "Pirates fight and kill each other! We both sides lost!".
Right now her priority was to survive, the future could come later. But no doubt, in her heart there was grief and poison. The Donquixote Pirates had been her family, and her family had been mercilessly slaughtered by the Kuja Fleet.
This was only a circle of vengeance... one in which they lost for being weaker. If they were stronger than Veyron... the roles would have surely reversed.
"They shouldn't have gotten in our way! Dressrosa bad nothing to do with them!" Sugar knew very well, but unlike her sister, she didn't know the time and place.
CHAAAAA!!!!
"HAAAAAAAA!!!!!!"
"Did I allow you to talk? You only talk when I say so, b*tch… the only reason I'm keeping you alive is because I'm intrigued by your powers, both of you. Both of you can be of use to me".
"…"
Sugar groaned, now genuinely scared by how cold he was being with Monet even wondering if there was any humanity to plead.
They wouldn't be given death, it was going to be a full-blown torture.
"The Donquixote Pirates are dead, only you two remain".
"What can we do to appease your anger? If you're not going to kill us because we can be of use!" At least now she had hope, he had confirmed they were of use which meant they'd live, under which circumstances though, it was left to be seen.
"It is good that you ask, Monet. Suffer… you both can suffer".
He pinned both of them down to the ground, his palm resting in the centre of their chests, they knew the pain was to come, and every word was only more scary than the last as they didn't now exactly when the pain would come.
"You killed my friends... you made me forget them… if it hadn't been for a series of coincidences. I would have never found them. That's why suffer for it until I'm satisfied… after that then perhaps I'll make you both my slaves, I can use you both in my workshop".
"S-Slaves".
CHAAAAAA!!!
"HAAAAA!!!"
CHAAAAAAAAA!!!
"HAAAAA!!!"
…
Veyron left the cell a good hour later. Two smoky naked and unconscious bodies were left behind. He put the seastone shackles on them and closed the cell, then closed the main door and looked at his hands before sliding down the door, onto the floor.
It had been just like Kaido. It was thrilling, fun, and relieving... but at the end of it all, he still gets beyond disgusted.
'What have I become?'.
A person capable of destroying an island filled with life, just for the sake of vengeance. A person capable of torturing someone else just for relief.
"Power changes people... once a person has become too powerful, they can never be the same. It is like the taste of freedom. Once a person knows true freedom they can never be shackled again".
The first person he saw when he crossed the door was Mihawk. She walked up to him, leaving Yoru on the side. Her clothes were dirty still.
She sat down next to him, hugging her knees too.
"Mom".
"How are you feeling?"
"Empty".
"I imagine…" she hugged him and caressed his hair, "It didn't feel like you".
"Then why didn't you stop me… if that's not something I'd do".
"I'm not just mommy now, Veyron… I'm your wife too. I can't just scold you for whatever decisions you make. I remember back then" Her gaze looked to the nothingness, mirroring the past as he listened.
"Back when you were still very young when I was leaving to Sabaody with Shanks to raid Marie Geoise. I told you that I didn't want you to leave... not only because I was worried for you to see the world. I was also worried for the world to see you".
"..."
"You're a very powerful person. So much that it feels like a dream the things you can achieve once you put your mind to it. You have transcended the 4th Haki, you have a devil fruit and yet you can swim. Your existence itself is like a fantasy... truly befitting of a 'dreamer'... in that regard, even I can't compare".
"Why are you praising me now, Mom?" He didn't get what she was trying to say, all of those things were things he already knew. His power no longer surprised him.
"With power comes responsibility... your word dictates the lives of millions. And although the whole world is against you, the whole world also doesn't dare antagonise you. In that sense perhaps the revolutionaries are ahead of us liberators".
"Heh? What do you mean? Dragon's actions are mediocre..." He scowled, as far as he was concerned the revolutionaries were just a group of cowards.
"Dragon understands that in order to truly free people... they have to free themselves first. You may have killed Kaido, but the country of wano is not free. No, it would be safer to say... that you headed there and killed Kaido, without regard to consequences, right?".
"I can't... deny that" He sighed, "I just rushed to save the girls, I didn't care about anything else... was that wrong?".
"It was not wrong for you or me... it was wrong for the rest of the world. What I'm trying to say is... that for the one that has power, everything is right".
"..." He gasped a bit, it made sense.
"For you, it was right to torture those girls. For you, it was right to kill Kaido and destroy Onigashima. Because you could... but what about the rest, Veyron? What about the consequences...?"
"But you helped me do it, Mom? If you know it was not right why didn't you say anything?" He frowned and resisted the urge to pout, it had actually been her who orchestrated all of this. His initial plan was to get just her, Primrose and Robin. It had been Mihawk who pulled Whitebeard, Rayleigh and Shanks in.
"Me?~ You should not count on me to give you advice before actions" She laughed out loud, confusing him even more.
"Heh? Why?!"
"Because I have a bias for you. My love for you is unhealthy... if unbiased advice is what you want then you should ask Hancock, Sandersonia and Marigold or Gion, or maybe even Robin" She grasped his cheeks, positively, "Don't ask Primrose... that woman has fallen nearly as much as me".
"..."
"For you, I would slaughter anyone... if I had to choose between the whole world and you. I'd choose you. Veyron. At that time I didn't care about consequences... I didn't want to see you sad, so I called everyone to storm Onigashima. That's all".
'It was your selfish desire!?'.
It surprised him that she was capable of rationalising the fact that she was unhealthy and obsessed and her love had reached the point where her moral compass was no longer important.
"I know those things are wrong, but I couldn't care any less... as long as you're happy I'd do them anyway. That said, I see that now you feel empty, and I know the reason. I'm merely explaining to you".
"M-Mom..."
Her eyes had turned into yellow hearts and embraced him, after taking him into her cleavage for a while she moved his head and planted a good kiss on his lips, one in which she stuck her tongue in.
After separating she cleaned the trail of saliva by wiping his lips and smiling, the blush in his cheeks showered her in pride. It still took her just one kiss to change his mood.
"You should not ask me for advice, love. If torturing those girls makes you happy... then go ahead and torture them to your heart's content... kill them even~".
"..."
"All I care for is you".
***
Did you enjoy the chapter, leave a comment! Alternatively, you can leave a review, it really helps my book get positioned on the platform.
For every 500 stones in webnovel, I’ll deliver an extra chapter. The schedule is three chapters a week (Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday) in webnovel and scribblehub. The schedule on Patreon is one chapter every day + extras!
Visit my pa-tre-on for up to 50 advanced chapters.
