𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 || ᴏɴᴇ ᴘɪᴇᴄᴇ

𝕾𝖙𝖗𝖔𝖓𝖌 𝕽𝖆𝖛𝖊𝖓 | ᴘʀᴏʟᴏɢᴜᴇ

RIONA SNIFFED WHILE TEARS streamed down her face as she bit her lips to conceal her cries. A red hue was spread across her cheeks, her eyes never leaving her mother, Izumi, who is lying on the bed with a fever.

"It's okay..." Izumi tried to reassure her, as a weak smile formed on her mother's lips, slowly holding Riona's tiny hand with hers.

Riona flinched when she felt her mother's ice-cold hands holding onto her fragile skin. Riona sniffled louder now, her entire body trembling while her tears fell uncontrollably.

"No, it's not okay." The young girl shook her head, wiping her face with her arm to her rid of the tears, her voice cracking.

Riona's words made Izumi frown, feeling guilty about her own inability to reassure the child. She tried to force another smile, but it came out half-hearted at best.

"It will be okay. I promise. I'm going to get better." Izumi said weakly, her voice hoarse from the fever burning her throat.

Riona could only manage an unconvinced pout in response. She didn't believe a word her mother was saying. Deep down, she knew her mother was getting worse, not better.

Riona's brow furrowed, feeling the familiar ache in her chest of anxiety and worry about her mother's health, but this time, fear was mixed in as well because of how badly her mother looked.

Izumi coughed from the fever and her head pounded, but the sharp pain in her throat from trying to swallow reminded her of another issue.

"Mihawk..." Izumi cleared her throat, her voice sounding so dry, yet every breath she took felt like pure agony.

Her gaze averted over to her husband, who is trying to control his emotions as best as he can. "Do you mind bringing me some water... please?"

Mihawk was standing on the doorway, leaning his back against the door. His was staring down on the floor, incapable of looking at her in that state.

But his head snapped over at her direction the second he heard her voice. His fist clenched and unclenched multiple times, before actually responding to her request.

"Of course, mi amor." Mihawk replied with a soft voice tone, careful not to alert her in any way. With heavy steps, he made his way towards the large kitchen.

His body tensing up once in a while as he heard Izumi's harsh cough. Though, that also made Mihawk walk faster, he quickly grabbed a glass of water for his wife with a straw and went back to the room.

He place the glass on the small wooden chair beside them, where Riona was siting and helped Izumi sit upright.

With his free hand, he made the pillows more fluffy and fuller, pressing them against the way. Izumi let out a weak groan of pain, her shaky hands reaching out for the glass.

Mihawk hold it up for her, and leaned forward as she took a small sip, not having enough strength to drink more than that.

Riona gripped the bedsheets, and she kept sniffing and rubbing her eyes. Her mother took a couple more sips before lying back down on the bed.

Izumi grabbed the little girl's hands, both of them and smiled meekly. "My precious girl..." She whispered, one of her hands leaving Riona's and went over to the tears on her daughter's cheek.

"Promise me something, Rina." Izumi continued, her eyes filled with sadness and pain. "Promise me that you're gonna live for life to the fullness."

Riona looked up at her mom with a mix of emotions, not liking the idea of what she was saying. Why does it feel like her mother is saying goodbye to her, forever?

"Mom..." Riona spoke up, his voice cracking ever so slightly. She sunk her teeth into her lower lip, thought, not hard enough to bleed out.

"Rina, please." Izumi sighed softly, not wanting to have to ask her again "If something ever were to happen to me..."

A cough caused her to cover her mouth, her breathing seemed to be shallow as she gasped for air. When she finally got her breathing under control, she continued. "Please be brave, my precious little girl..."

Riona's stomach churned at her mother's words. Tears welled up in her eyes as her mother continued speak, causing the girl to shake her head. "I don't want that to happen, I don't want you to go..."

"Please, mom. Please don't go..." She gripped the bedsheets tightly, unable to deal with the idea of losing her mother. "What about your dream of becoming the pirate queen?"

"I...I..." Izumi closed her eyes for a moment, trying to find the right words to use. "If I do, if I don't make it, promise me that you will still achieve my dream."

"Promise me that you will live for life to its fullest." Her eyelids began to flutter, as if she were about to fall asleep. But after a moment, she snapped back awake, as she took another shallow breath. "Promise me, Rina."

"Okay..." Riona looked up at her mother, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I Promise." She sniffled loudly, her voice cracking. Her body trembling, as she gripped the bedsheets even tighter than before.

"Good girl." Izumi's lips curved up into a small smile. She then coughed again, causing her to curl up into a ball as she held her chest. "I'm tired..."

Her breathing began to slow down, and gradually get even shallower. After a long moment, the woman let out a final breath, as her body fell limp.

"Mom?!" Riona's eyes widened in horror, as she stared in disbelief at her mother She was breathing so strangely just moments ago. She was coughing and groaning in pain, but that was nothing new. So why...?

She glance over to her father, tears streaming down her face. "Dad, what's happening?" Her voice holding fear and desperation.

Mihawk's eyes met his daughters, his expression full of grief. He could hardly contain his emotions right now either, he was heartbroken and sad.

"She's gone" Despite his stoic and emotionless demeanor, he couldn't help but break down a little. "Your mother is gone..."

"NO!" Riona burst out crying and shaking, holding on to the bedsheets tightly. "No, no, mom!" Her cries grew louder with every word she spoke. "Please come back!"

"Rina..." Mihawk couldn't help but be moved by his daughter's cries, he had never seen her this shooken up before.

"She's at peace now." The swordsman spoke softly. With that, he sat down beside his daughter, hugging her as she sobbed without restrain in his arms.

Riona felt an overwhelming warmth as she curled up in her father's strong and broad arms. As the girl cried, Mihawk rubbed her head gently to comfort her.

Mihawk began stroking his daughter's hair, attempting to calm her down a bit. He could see how heartbroken she was, how she didn't want to live without her mom by her side. He tried his best, but nothing seems to be working so far.

~•~