The High and Mighty

5. A Wish's Price

Her brown knee high leather boots tapped on the table impatiently. Her green coat past her knees, a simple white dress shirt was visible from the coat opening. The strap of the winchester rifle was across her chest. A tall wooden staff was being held in her right hand, black gloves covering any skin of her hands. She looked all around the room with her emerald eyes. Her short, wavy blonde hair swaying slightly by the moving of her head.

"It has been a long time witch..." Arthur glared at the woman that now stood upon the table. Emma looked down at him and smiled.

"Indeed it has. What is it that you want?" She asked, pointing the staff at him.

"Who are you..?" Mathew asked, stepping forward. Arthur looked around to everyone and cleared his throat.

"Forgive me. Allow me to explain. This is-" the Brit began but was cut off by the woman herself.

"I am Emma Goldstein. Many call me a witch but some call me a goddess. What you believe I am is up to you. I was summoned here by a subordinate and it seems you are in need of assistance. What is it you wish?" She asked kneeling down and looked directly at Arthur's single visible eye.

"Information. We need names, location, and numbers. Can you do that?" Arthur asked.

"How do you know we can trust what she says? She could be tricking us and tell us a lie," Ludwig spoke up. Tim and Gilbert nodded in agreement.

"Many have gotten information from her before. It is all accurate due to the many eyes and ears all around," Arthur explained. "But if you decide not to trust in her words then that's fine by me."

Ludwig took in the Brit's words for a minute then sighed. "I will trust in my brother's decision," he turned to look at Gilbert. The albino pirate back at his brother and gave a thumbs up.

"Don't worry. If anything goes wrong the awesome me will do something about it! Kesesese," Gilbert replied with a smile.

"What can you offer me in exchange for the information? Every wish has a price," Emma said as she hopped down from the table. Alice hopped down from the table as well before scurrying over to Laila who calmed down and was petting a cat.

"I already know," Arthur snapped his fingers and a scroll appeared out of thin air. Emma took a hold of it and opened, reading it over before rolling it back up and smacking the Brit in the face with it.

"You think that's going to work?" She began to laugh as she tossed the scroll. "I may not have had some of those creatures at the time but my collection has only increased. I have all the ones you have! You need to come up with something better!"

The Brit grit his teeth in irritation. "Um... Arthur?" Alfred cautiously tapped Arthur on the shoulder. "You okay?"

"Fine... How about... this?" Arthur reached into his pocket and took out a leather belt with real emeralds lined along it. They shined as they he swung it in the air lightly.

"When did you get that?" Antonio asked, looking at the belt curiously.

"Not too long ago," Arthur smirked at the Spaniard.

"Deal," she began to reach for it but he pulled it away.

"Ah ah ah, how much information will this get me?" He asked.

"... Nationality, slight appearance and I shall leave Alice here to assist you," she answered.

"Hm... How about list of their targets? I'll add in..." Arthur looked at his hand. He took ahold of a ruby ring between his teeth and slid it off his hand before dropping it onto his palm. "This. But the list must be in order."

Emma eyed the objects for a moment before looking directly at him and smiled. "You have yourself a deal Captain Kirkland," she took the belt and ring. Quickly placing them in one of her pockets before taking out a scroll. "Hurry up and look it over. I'm on a tight schedule today."

Arthur took the scroll and looked it over. Everything she agreed to give him was written. He gave a small nod to signal that she may leave. Emma smiled and waved goodbye to everyone.

"Please take care of Alice. Also take care of yourselves, the more people alive, the more business I get," Emma said lastly before opening one of the windows and looked down from the second floor.

"Um... Emma-san what are you..?" Kiku slowly approached her but it was too late, she had already jumped out the window. Many of the pirates including Alfred and Mathew ran to the window but the woman stood in midair and waved to them. A lion soon appeared and she mounted the creature before riding off.

"That was... an odd experience..." Ludwig mumbled before he let out a heavy sigh.

"It always is for those who meet her for the first time..." Arthur looked over the scroll intently. "Let us go over the new information and maybe we can take care of this troublesome group." The others soon gathered around the table and began to discuss plans.

But since they were who they were, not many plans were made. Laila and Alice had left after Emma made her exit through the window and retired to the library. They both had finished their chores and sat across from each other, reading quietly. It had been a hectic day and they needed to soak in the events.

"Fly for yourself," were the words Emma had whispered to Alice. The French woman continued to think about the true meaning of those words, but at the same time she secretly knew what that meant.

"Fly... huh?" Alice mumbled.

"Did you said something..?" Laila asked, looking up from her book.

"Oh, nothing," Alice shook her head and smiled. Laila blinked at her before her gaze returned to the book.