𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐬

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 || No pairing

This piece follows the canon plot of Enies Lobby arc in which you are a marine unfortunately under Spandam's command, but happen to be on the side of the enemy.

------------------------------------------------

Specks of ashes pollute the air around you from atop the Tower of Law and the faint scent of smoke wafts past your nose as your wide eyes stare up at what was once for decades, a universal symbol of justice.

I can't believe it. They burnt the flag!

You continue to watch in horror as the flames eat away at the blue and white fabric of the World Government flag until you're suddenly torn out of your stunned state at the shrilling scream reverberating against your eardrums from beside you.

"Are you insane?!"

You turn to look at your boss, Spandam, a man with lifeless lavender hair and a leather mask, flourishing his arms angrily at the six individuals standing in line several feet across from you atop the parapet of Enies Lobby's courthouse.

"Don't think that you'll be able to survive after making the entire world your enemy!" Spandam finishes, shrinking back when one of them lets loose, a war cry in response.

"Bring it on!"

You direct your gaze at a young boy donning a red vest paired with blue knee-length shorts and a straw hat dangling from a string around his neck, his face more than familiar to you, even though this is the first time you are seeing him in the flesh. A boy with one of the largest bounties and the captain of the infamous Straw Hat Pirates, Monkey D. Luffy.

"Robin! Say you want to live!" He screams at the top of his lungs, directing his attention at the tall, slender woman with dark hair to your right.

At his words, you notice her bite down onto her quivering lips as uncontrollable tears gush down her tan face stained with bruises, and your own lips subconsciously tilt into a frown.

You fold your arms and think to yourself that the boy pirate was wasting his words on a dead woman. Dead because she'd given up on life due to a fate she could never outrun. However, you're taken aback when momentarily the voice of said woman echoes throughout the once tense air, an underlying and longing desire clinging to every word that cries its way out from within the deepest depths of her soul.

"I want to live!" She steps forward, and without a care, leans over the partially damaged stone wall in front of her. "Take me to the sea with you!"

A wide and satisfying grin graces Luffy's expression as well as his crew's and as if on cue, the drawbridge of the courthouse starts gradually lowering, stirring up panic in your boss and excitement in the CP9 members who, like you, had been silently observing the entire scene.

One of your hands reaches to rest on the hilt of your sword, preparing yourself for the pending fight. Though, as the drawbridge reaches barely halfway across to the tower where you stand, it stops, and you hear Spandam heave a sigh of relief from beside you.

Cowardly bastard.

He pulls Nico Robin harshly by the arm before barking orders at you to secure Cutty Flam standing further to your left who'd earlier somehow broken himself free from his chains.

Keeping your hand still on the hilt of your sword, you step forward approaching him with tentative steps, but you stop when you hear a click, followed by the subtle sound of whirring and your eyes flicker down to his exposed abdomen which to your astonishment, opens to reveal some kind of compartment.

You're both freaked out and amazed by the sight, but only for a moment as your hand moves to unsheathe your sword when he reaches into his augmented body, retrieving weathered parchments of paper.