Dragon's Heart [One Piece]

Chapter Nine

~Dragon's POV~

Though it had only been a short while since we'd started on a base of operations and formulating plans, discussing countries that could use our help, places of dire social injustice trying to prioritize who to help first, I felt we were already starting to make a difference. The island was becoming more populated with refugees rescued through quick excursions to islands nearby. We hadn't accomplished anything big yet, just a few raids on some human auction houses in the area. They were supposed to be banned, save for a few areas, but there were government officials and high-ranking marines that wanted to line their pockets and would oversee them in unapproved areas for extra cash. Lily was right, there was so much corruption within the government and marines, how had I not seen it before?

"Where's your cute little bride to be?" Ivankov pondered in a teasing tone as he joined me in our temporary meeting room, a large tent next to the construction sight of our base.

I threw him a sharp look before shrugging my shoulders, "Who knows, she comes and goes as she pleases." Though her presence was missed. The island dulled considerably when she wasn't here, even the locals missed the girl's presence. I was half expecting her to pop out of nowhere, fall from the tent rafters keeping it upright and tackle me with a hug, she always made some kind of grand entrance that usually included tackling me.

"You have a vivre card, don't you?" Ivankov pointed to the pocket over my heart where I kept her vivre card. I didn't know why I had accepted it, or why I now habitually kept it on my person.

Sighing I reached into my breast pocket to retrieve her vivre card and felt my heart stutter in my chest. Something was wrong. The vivre card had shrunk in size and looked cracked and withered. She was hurt. I looked to the mound of maps and plans atop the giant circular table in the center of the tent with a heavy heart.

As if sensing my dilemma, Ivankov smiled, "Go to her."

"I'll be back soon." I promised before slipping out of the tent, running for the harbor. Her vivre card felt brittle in my hands as if the slightest touch would cause it to crumble. "Stupid girl, you better be okay."

I got to a small ship that could easily be crewed by one person, it was a quick stealth vessel. Setting the course in the direction of the pull of her vivre card, I set sail. It wasn't long after I set sail, that my personal Den Den Mushi began to buzz. Only a handful of people knew the code and frequency.

I picked up the receiver and waited for the person on the other end to speak first.

"Son?" My father's gruff voice barked on the other end. Why would he be trying to contact me? Last, I'd seen him, when I told him I was leaving the marines, setting out to establish a true force of justice for the people, he'd told me I was the greatest disappointment and the next time we met would be as enemies.

"I'm a little busy, Old Man, make it quick."

"Looking for the little witch that swayed you off your path?" He growled angrily, he blamed Lily when I'd told him I was leaving, said she had bewitched me. Perhaps she did, but I was grateful to her for helping me see.

"She's not a witch." I sighed, "I don't have time to argue with you, Old Ma-."

"She's in my custody."

What?! I glanced down at the brittle vivre card in my hand, "And was her condition better or worse before she was in your custody?"

"She resisted arrest." My father said simply, "Took out more than half of my crew, until I stopped her with a fist of love."