Opavia vl.2

5.

vitani sat down at the kitchen table early the following morning, chewing slowly on a bowl of cereal. she frowned down at it, reminiscing of the breakfast that sanji cooked for her and kierra regularly.

"goodmorning." raven hummed, walking down the steps. he looked down at vitani as he put his coat on, humming at her solemn face. "is something on your mind?"

"it feels like i've been separated from my family so many times now." she hummed, pushing the half-eaten cereal forward.

"from when opavia was destroyed? and now?" he questioned. vitani gave a nod.

"this time it's not just my opavian family though." she murmured. "i lost my crew. i have no idea where they are. no idea if they're okay. i hope no one landed in water..." she rambled. raven placed his hand over her head, vitani looking up.

"you know your sister will come for ace, correct?"

"yes." she nodded.

"then when you meet up with her, i'm sure straw-hat will be there as well. and if he's as determined as so many people describe him to be, he'll find the rest of your crew."

"why are you helping me?" she murmured, raven humming.

"i like you." he admitted. "you've got a good heart. you helped my son-"

"that sounds like bullshit." vitani interrupted. raven chuckled.

"your father is an old friend of mine. i was there for kendrick and kierra's births, he invited me to birthdays, to banquets...i can tell you have a good heart like him."

"you know my father?" she whispered as he laughed.

"like the back of my hand. i was there when opavia fell." he smiled, his body faded to black, molding into a larger stature. vitani watched, speechless as raven's face molded into t'kai's. he was wearing an old warrior outfit, his long hair matted. he was dirty, filthy with sweat and warpaints.

"i took this form and led the navy on a goose-hunt while your father met up with kuma. he sent you various places far from opavia to keep you safe."

"so we weren't separated?" she whispered. raven sighed as he turned back to normal.

"a lot of opavians fled out on ships but kuma sent the strongest to various places. he strategically placed you along paths, t'kai believing that one day you would be able to follow this path."

"what about kendrick and his ships? and kierra becoming a slave an-"

"t'kai saw all of this." raven explained. "raiza. the fortune teller, an old opavian you may not remember went over many possible futures with t'kai. he knew you all were strong enough to face things. he knew oboiye would find naomi. he knew kendrick would harbor in the seas as the sky god with hundreds of opavian. he knew you would help kierra and join straw hat. he believed in each and everyone of you."

vitani stared up at him, searching for words. "why won't he come meet up with us?" she whispered.

raven turned away, beginning to fix himself a bowl of cereal. "that i cannot yet say. but you have to believe me with these words. you have to understand and trust me." he turned to vitani. she swallowed, nodding.

"t'kai loves you, ada, kendrick, oboiye, and kierra more than anything in this world." vitani's fist balled and she rose, inhaling slowly.

"that's bullshit." she turned, raven watching her cautiously. vitani drained her cereal before pouring the smushed pieces into the trash, rinsing the bowel before leaving it in sink. "if my father loved us he would be here right now. opavia would be a home, rather than a memory."

"vitani-"

"i appreciate the sap story, but it's not gonna work. my father abandoned his people and his family to become a warlord. not even a word to us. he hasn't even helped us,we've had to fight our way to this point and-"

"v-"

"shut up!" she snapped.

raven's fist balled. "opavia is hidden." he snapped. "t'kai has turned opavia into a mirage completely-"

"wha-"

"let me finish." he thundered. "the opavia. the burnt down home, the broken trees, the buildings built by humans is a lie! it isn't real! t'kai slaughtered every man who participated in burning down opavia, he slaughtered every man who even thought about the plan. and he has fooled the world into thinking opavia has fallen. thousands of opavians live on the island with t'kai watching over them. he's a warlord yet no one can ever find him. do you know why?"

vitani started up, tears welling in her eyes. "because he's hiding. and he didn't want to attract too much attention just yet until he was sure they were safe. he is trying to make a deal with the world government because they fear him. he wants to protect opavia so he took the class of warlord to do so."

she bit her lip as raven sighed. "i wasn't supposed to tell you but my god, you're so persistent."

"thank you." she whispered. he hummed and looked back as vitani rose. "when will the..ship be leaving?"

"i'm gonna head up there once i've made my cereal. are you sure you're okay with this?"

"whatever it takes to get me home." she murmured. he smiled and nodded. "t'kai might have a fit if he hears about you getting executed."

"i thought he saw the future."

"yeah but not every single detail. i'm sure if he sees i'm the one that captured you, he'll have some type of relief. so he may not show up."

"knowing my father he won't. but my brothers will." she murmured, standing. he sighed infront of her, ruffling her hair so it looked a mess.

"you know i always wanted a daughter. to help get ready and dressed. help her fix her hair and stuff. but this wasn't what i meant." he mused. he binded her hands with rope before lifting her up and tossing her over his shoulder.

"alright, act dead."

"of course, of course." she sighed. dakota and noah jogged down the steps, dakota running up to vitani.

"you're leaving already?!"

"yeah." she smiled, looking up. "i do have family. i've got to go and meet up with them and save my friend."

"you gotta come back with your friends." noah insisted. she looked up, watching him blush and quickly look away.

"please." dakota grabbed her face gently as she nodded.

"i promise."

"alright, let's get going." raven hummed, vitani grunting. "i'll see you boys soon. stay safe, don't do anything dumb. brush your teeth. i love you two."

"i love you too." they recited, raven carrying vitani outside the front door. he walked in the streets, civilians gasping in horror and awe at her limp body.

"it's vitani!" a man cried.

"raven's got her!" another woman yelled, raven huffing.