Captured

BOOOOOOOOM!

A rainless rift cut through the sky as rays of sunlight beamed through the fracture.

The storm began to cease, and the rain became lighter.

Lily watched on mesmerized at the aftermath of the collision between two, inviolable entities.

A gargantuan golden Buddha figure on one end, and a simple purple-robed man with a blade on the other.

Lily remembered who Rayleigh was. She had met the man before. In her confused and rage-filled state, she had hardly noticed, but now, seeing that man with an easy smile, combatting what seemed to be a force of nature to protect her, and coming off of it no worse for wear, she remembered.

'People can become so powerful…?' She thought. That earlier itch in her heart when she saw Rayleigh defend her against the light-man became more unbearable.

If she had been so powerful, would her parents still be alive? Would -

"Hey, little girl," Rayleigh called out to her from the distance, interrupting her thoughts, "Run along now, I'll find you later. Lemme just deal with this annoyance," he flourished his blade, and gave her a warm, assuring smile.

"Rayleigh! Why are you here? Why are you showing up so easily like this?" The shining, golden Buddha spoke with anger and gritted teeth.

"Now, now, Sengoku, calm down. I'm just a man who coats ships, no need to go after me, right?" Rayleigh smiled as a light flashed on his lenses.

"I'm not even here for you! Why do you even want to protect her? You know The Elders won't let her off for what she's done!"

Rayleigh's grin widened, "Maybe, but a promise is a promise."

The Buddha clicked its tongue. The notion that a pirate would keep a promise was absurd, but Sengoku knew better. He had clashed with the Roger Pirates on multiple occasions after all.

And if he was being honest with himself, he did not want this mission either. He had gotten a more detailed report from Lieutenant Brannew earlier to get a clear picture of what had transpired, and couldn't help feeling some sympathy for the child.

Still, a child with hatred for The World Government and one who also possessed the Disposition of a Conqueror was a dangerous variable.

Not to mention, the die had been cast, and the girl had killed a World Noble.

"Well, Sengoku, why don't you just leave? You didn't see anything here," Rayleigh requested even as he turned his blade.

"You know as well as I that can't be done," Sengoku readied a palm.

"It was worth a shot," Rayleigh smiled and charged forward.

Steel and Gold collided, causing a sharp clang, and a monstrous rumble.

BOOOOOOOOM!

Another cataclysmic collision rang, breaking the sky once more, and threatening to overturn the sea. 

The world flashed in monochrome for a split second, and Lily found herself stumbling on trembling earth.

It was no less frightening than a natural disaster.

The storm dispersed with each catastrophic clash. The heavy downpour was no more than a drizzle now.

Lily broke out of her reverie and started to drag her weakened body towards the bridge to Grove 11.

—------- 

The bridge between Grove 9 and 10.

Panman and Hebi's eyes widened as their jaws fell. Watching that scene, they felt like insects. Weak insects that would be squashed if they even dared to come close to those collisions.

At that moment, a stumbling marine arrived by their side.

"We-We've found the girl!"

Hebi and Panman snapped back to him. As long as they found and captured the girl fast enough, the two monsters in the distance would not be much of a problem.

"Where?" They both asked.

"O-on her way to Grove 11…" The marine said loudly, trying to project his voice through the thunderous booms in the distance.

Hebi's tongue slithered, and Panman signaled to his subordinates.

They would take the long way around.

—-------

Grove 13. Shakky's Rip-off bar.

BOOOOOOOOM!

"So loud…" Shakky's eyebrows furrowed in annoyance as she washed and wiped a piece of glassware. Smoke trailed from a cigarette in her mouth before she decided to see what was going on.

Creak.

She opened the door to see the rain slowly clearing up and the rifts in the sky.

Puff.

She exhaled a puff of smoke and removed her cigarette, tapping the ash off the end.

"You've gone a bit too wild, Ray-san…" She sighed, and then hesitated for a moment before shrugging, and returned to her bar.

"Well, he can do whatever he wants…" She muttered.

—-------

Grove 11.

"Haa… Haaa…" Lily forced her legs to move as she ran. She knew she had been found yet again. 

A marine blocked her way and she lunged at him with the scimitar she still held. It missed, and she opted to continue onward, turning in another direction.

There was a gang member there with a red-white bandana brandishing a sword. Seeing that, she turned in another direction.

The snake-like marine and the eight-foot man were there.

She-

She was surrounded once again.

"Gave a good effort, girlie, but there ain't much more you can do," Panman said. He was completely confident in catching the little girl, no matter where she ran. Much of the lawless zone was his territory, and there were only a few places he would never go.

Lily's breath quickened, she barely had the strength to turn her head. Even so, she still looked for a way out.

She would not be caught here.

BOOOOOM!

Another deafening rumble erupted from the distance, shaking the ground they were on. She tried taking advantage of the disorientation by running away but failed.

Her collar along with her small body was lifted from behind. With a deep unwillingness to get caught, she swiped her scimitar behind her with all of her strength.

It came out as a weak, lackluster slash.

The weapon was easily caught and yanked away from her.

She was now face-to-face with that eight-footed rough-looking man.

"Haa… Haa…" Even as she caught her breath, she silently glared into his eyes with a burning desire to kill him.

She could never tolerate being treated like…

The intensity in her gaze burned. But she was exhausted.

"Whew, gotta say, ain't seen many children like you. Most of 'em just cry," He said with a hideous smile.

"Panman, shouldn't we get going now…?" Sweat trailed down Captain Hebi's forehead as his eyes shifted in the direction of the incredible battle in the far distance. Its sounds and tremors did not fail to reach them.

He didn't want to be caught by the Admiral for what he was doing. He could cover it up later, but it would be bad for him if he was caught now.

Panman simply nodded before hurling the weakly struggling girl over his shoulder.

"Let's go!"

—--------

A while earlier. Grove 22.

"This storm is annoying..." A white-robed man wearing a bubble helmet frowned as he was sheltered inside a carriage pulled by two strong-looking Fishmen.

He clicked his tongue and said while pointing to the sky arrogantly, "I command the rain to stop!"

BOOOOOM!

A rainless rift parted the skies, allowing sunlight through.

He nodded in satisfaction, no hint of joy on his face; as if it were only natural that the world would bend at his command, "Good."

The carriage continued onward to a large building.

The double doors to the building opened, revealing a wide, spacious theater. A few men and women in white robes and bubble helmets made their way through occasionally to the VVIP seats at the very front.

The other nobles and kings from various regions throughout the Grand Line gave these white-robed people a wide girth, bowing their heads when they passed, and careful not to make eye contact.

The World Nobles talked among each other.

"Manmayer, you're here too?"

"Yes St. Roswald, I heard that idiot Lard was interested in this one, so I followed."

"I heard there will be a few special ones this time around."

"When will it start-eh?!"

"How long will you make us wait?"

"This is unacceptable-zamasu!"

Flicker. Click.

Upon a lavish stage, a pink-haired man with a bright, sparkling suit and sunglasses raised his arms in the air with a smile as a spotlight shone down upon him in the dim theater.

"Sorry to make you wait, ladies, gentlemen, and gods! We have the finest selection for you today, and we promise you will not be disappointed!"

—---------

Grove 17.

Jarl ran with his fellow ex-slaves, finding himself far enough away to relax slightly. He turned to the rest of them, noticing their exhaustion. Humans would naturally find it difficult to keep up with a giant like him, no matter how young he was.

"I think we're safe…" His deep voice spread through the others.

They all panted, and sat on the dirt, relieved that they had managed to get away.

Jarl looked in a certain direction, where loud booms broke the air, and at the skies which had ruptured.

He still didn't feel quite safe just yet.

He turned his gaze back to the others as his eyes passed by a small crowd. He glanced at them and focused on the little girl who was struggling against the shoulder of an eight-foot man.

He hesitated slightly.

"Hey… guys?" He called out to the others.

They looked up at him.

"What do you think we should do for someone who rescued us?" He said, still unsure if he was about to make the right decision.

But he was a proud giant of Elbaph, no matter how much that had been trampled on over years of slavery. And as such…

"I think we should help them when they're in trouble, right?" His low voice spread through them all. Some of them nodded slightly, while some of them hesitated.

Jarl found it slightly funny that among the crowd of hesitant grown men, it was the two women who picked themselves up first.

"Where is she?"

"We're also gonna help!"