Chapter 7

Title: Conviction of a Princess.

V: HAAAAhhh 'That was intense.'

[As he woke up with a jolt because of the dream. He found himself in a bamboo forest, completely sweating from head to toe. No one was near or around him except the old man.]

V: Is he fine?

[He inquires, staring at the old unconscious old man lying on the soil with curiosity, as he doesn't know the reason for him to be sleeping in the open forest like that.]

Klyntar: You knock him out unintentionally by subconsciously using your Haki. Want to see?

[She quickly responded and he nodded in response. She then showed him what happened after he held the two legendary swords.]

[Later when he finished seeing things, he picked the old man onto his shoulder and walked in the direction of his house, which was near/ convenient to go rather than the village because of the distance difference.]

klyntar: 'So you want to share anything after watching a part of your past?'

V: '... Now what matters is my present, however, if you're interested, let me say this….'

[He didn't reply immediately to her question, as he was pondering about his past.]

V: The past may define us, but it does not have to control us. We have the power to forge our own path and leave a legacy worthy of remembrance.

Klyntar: That's quite philosophical for someone who just lost their complete memory and gained some specific part of it.

[Ending the small conversation which he was having with Klyntar as he reached the old, abandoned wooden house of Sukiyaki.]

[He then went inside the house and placed Sukiyaki down on some futon/mattress in the old man's room, so he could rest. Soon V got bored and got curious about the house,. Then he began to wander inside the house.]

???: Hey! Who are you? And what are you doing inside!

[Before he could come out of the house he was blasted with questions by a girl child who was a fairly short and thin girl whose face, befitting her age, had big, soft features, including black eyes.]

[She has dark-violet hair arranged in a Shimada style, with a yellow comb inserted where the back bun is sectioned off, plus a pale-pink hana kanzashi on each side with a hanging bura.]

V: You are Tama, right? 'How do I know her name???'

Tama: How do you know?

[He asked as if he had known her for a long time, and then both of them thought at the same time. He was taken aback, bewildered, and unable to find the words to express how familiar he felt with his tone.]

[On the other hand, Tama was filled with surprise, astonishment, and a sense of being startled.]

[She was also gripped by fear because she recognized who he was. He was the hero who had bravely saved her village and her family, which resided in the northern part of the village, which had been attacked by a ferocious beast just the day before.]

[From his dialect, she was filled with a mixture of amazement and caution. The mention of her name coming from him made her even more wary. Unable to comprehend why he was present there, fear consumed her.]

Klyntar: That's because I sort of copied all the important Sukiyaki memories in your mind, so we can have great communication, culture understanding and other benefits to blend in this country.

[She nonchalantly responded while briefly explaining to him the purposes of her doing, which sounded helpful yet dangerous.]

V: Well, I was having a chat with the old man about….. Food ya food.

[He said calmly creating a story and in the end took a long pause thinking if his excuse was sufficient to convince her.]

[Tama, still suspicious of V's earlier statement, remained cautious as she narrowed her eyes and observed him closely. She wanted to determine whether he was telling the truth or not.]

[V, noticing Tama's suspicious gaze, reaffirmed his earlier statement, confident that he had nothing to gain from lying. He questioned Tama, wondering why he would bother spewing lies for no apparent reason.]

Hiyori: *Ha *ha *ha Tama. Why. You. Ran. Like. That.

[Before Tama could delve further into her inquiries, their conversation was interrupted by Hiyori, a girl with green hair. Hiyori approached them, visibly exhausted and sweating, indicating a lack of physical stamina.]

[Curious about Tama's sudden departure, Hiyori questioned her with short, panting words, emphasizing each one. V, wanting to divert attention from their previous conversation, greeted Hiyori casually and asked her how she was doing.]

Hiyori: Mister! You are also here…..

[Startled by V's voice and manner of speaking, Hiyori stumbled over her words as she attempted to continue the conversation. However, she struggled to recall V's name.]

[V, understanding her predicament, intervened and suggested she simply refer to him as "V." Hiyori, trying her best to remember his name, unintentionally mispronounced it as "Veee."]

[Correcting her with a sigh, V clarified that his name was simply "V" and not "Veee." He rubbed his forehead, realising that Hiyori had difficulty pronouncing his name correctly.]

Hiyori: Mister V…. v.. v…v..v..v

V: Wow, you did it.

[After a few more embarrassing attempts, she at the end pronounced it correctly and jumped in joy. V just claps for her in appreciation of her efforts while he was thinking to interrupt her as her face was red from shame.]

V: Hiyori are free for now, I want to understand Wano a little more from your perspective.

[He asked her with half lies and half-truth as he had a few things in his mind or perhaps a few issues which only she could resolve about Want which were caused by old man memories.]

Hiyori: Yes, why not, Tama can also join us.

[Hiyori couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement when V suggested that Tama join them on their small journey. The young girl had always been curious and adventurous, and she didn't hesitate to agree to the idea. Tama, too, seemed thrilled to be a part of their expedition, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.]

[The trio embarked on their journey, determined to explore every nook and cranny of their village and its surroundings. They traversed through the dense forest, getting lost in its enchanting beauty, and made their way to the coastal area, where the sound of crashing waves filled their ears. Their exploration even took them to the mountain region, where they marveled at the majestic peaks that stretched out before them.]

[As the hours passed, fatigue started to take its toll on Tama, and she eventually succumbed to sleep. While they continued their trek, V took the opportunity to learn more about their daily lives and the current state of affairs in the village.]

[Hiyori willingly shared the grim reality they faced—a life plagued by toxic air, water, and food. It was a harsh existence, akin to living as animals in their own land.]

[When their journey came to an end, they bid farewell to Tama, leaving her in the care of a random village family that treated her like their own. Returning to their shared living quarters, exhaustion weighed heavily upon V and Hiyori.]

[However, Hiyori, despite her weariness, mustered up the energy to prepare a meal from whatever meagre supplies they had left.]

[Amidst their quiet moment of respite, V broke the silence with a question that held profound implications. He wanted to know Hiyori's true desires.]

V: Hiyori I have a question for you, tell me truthfully what you want.

[With a neutral tone, he asked if she would be willing to free the land from the clutches of pirates and overthrow the current shogun of Wano. His voice grew serious, the gravity of his words palpable.]

Hiyori: ??? Ok.

V: If you can free this land from the pirate and kick the current shogun out of Wano would you do it.

[He asked with suddenly changed his tone to dead serious.]

Hiyori: …..Yes, I will.

[Hiyori was taken aback by the sudden shift in tone, but she understood the significance of the question.]

V: Even if you have to pay a dearly cost for it?

[Cold and serious tone he added a condition to it as he wanted to test how far she can go for their people, land, and most of all her resolution.]

Hiyori: Yes!

[She locked eyes with V, uncertainty dancing in her gaze. However, as she absorbed the seriousness in his expression and voice, that uncertainty transformed into unwavering conviction. Without a hint of hesitation, she affirmed her commitment to the cause.]