7 Cloud
"In any case, this bounty is insane," Lily said after her parent's shenanigans were over. She glanced at the poster in her hands.
'WANTED
DEAD OR ALIVE
GOLD ROGER
$5,564,800,000'
"Why is it so high? He didn't seem like such a dangerous man. He even paid you for your work, dad," She asked as she looked over at her father, who's shirt now was creased, his hair disheveled, and was now sporting many large bumps and bruises all over his face.
Michael straightened his collar and dusted himself off, and Rose elegantly made her way to sit on the dining table.
"Hmm… No idea. The World Government isn't known for being a fair organization…" Michael lifted his teacup to his lips, took a sip, then his eyes darkened slightly, "Remember, Lily, most of those at the top in Marie Geoise are scum."
Rose shook her head, saying, "No, dear, they're worse than scum. Most of them."
"Hmm…" Lily pondered as she chewed on a piece of toast, then swallowed, "By the way, is that man related to us?"
Michael paused, then his eyebrows lifted in understanding, "Oh, you mean the D. initial, right?"
"Yeah, I never really asked, but now I find it quite odd. Also, why did they misspell his name in the bounty paper and in the news article?"
Rose and Michael briefly glanced at each other, then Rose said, "We're not really sure. But when I was a child, I heard stories about them," she then looked up at her husband to continue.
"Yeah, the name comes from my side, but as far as I know, it's just been something passed down through the generations. We were never really told the meaning behind it," Michael said as he spread jam upon a piece of bread.
He took a bite, then continued, "But if they're deliberately hiding Roger's name from the world, it can only mean that they're wary of it spreading."
"Is that why we're keeping it a secret?" Lily asked as she reached for a bottle of juice.
"Well…" Michael glanced at Rose briefly before continuing, "There are some other reasons, but that might be one of them."
Lily nodded, lost in her own thoughts as she glanced over the wanted poster again.
—------------------------------------------------------
Exhale…
A gray fog lifted from Lily's body, and her skin began to glow golden.
After a while, the phenomenon ceased, and her eyes slowly opened, revealing a pair of piercing pale green eyes.
She stood up and went outside, meticulously controlling her breathing along the way.
Exhale…
She had finally acquired a perfect Purified Body. Her mind and body were completely in sync. Whatever movements she imagined in her mind, she would be able to reproduce them perfectly in the real world, provided her physical capabilities allowed it.
'So this is why [Celestial Steps] recommends a purified body. No wonder I couldn't do much in my last li-' she stopped her thoughts there, and shook her head, taking a deep breath.
The past five years had been nothing but blissful for her, and she did not want to taint them by thinking about her past.
Of course, there were moments those nightmares would invade her thoughts without her permission, but she tried to make an effort to fight them off.
Exhale…
'The first movement of [Celestial Steps]. Way of Cloud…' Lily thought with her eyes closed.
[Celestial Steps] had five Movements in increasing levels of difficulty. Each Movement was divided into levels of mastery. The more proficient one was in a particular Movement, the more freely they could use it.
These Movements were mysterious and abstract, and the further one read on in the technique the more lost they would become. Lily had tried viewing the Third Movement techniques once, only to be met with a massive splitting headache that persisted for a few days.
Thankfully, Lily had some experience with The First Movement, Way of Cloud.
She closed her eyes, creating a strong image in her mind for what the Movement looked like.
She shot open her eyes.
Whoosh.
Like a brushstroke across a canvas, Lily's body began to smudge. Then, she reappeared perfectly a few feet to her right, no sign of her having moved at all.
"Haa, haa, haa," She let out her breath, and bent down, holding her hands at her knees, gasping for air.
"I guess this is…Haa… why I should also…. do a lot of…. physical exercise," Lily said to herself between breaths, but had a subtle smile on her face.
She had only just used the technique once, and she could tell she was already at Adept level of mastery.
Thanks to her perfected Purified Body, she had total control of every minute movement her muscles made, making it infinitely easier to practice the technique.
The only thing that limited her now was her lack of physical fitness and muscle strength, but those were only a matter of time.
'Whew…' Lily's muscles began to cramp, and muscle pain hit her everywhere all at once. She ignored it with a smile and walked back to her home, satisfied with her progress for the day.
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few months passed, and it was the first day their family would go out to another Grove together to do some shopping.
Michael and Rose had discussed it beforehand, and they both felt that it probably wouldn't be healthy to shelter Lily any longer, as much as it pained them both.
She needed to understand the world she was born into, so that she could grow up safe and secure. It was a painful thing for Rose, as she knew just how delicate and fragile her little Lily was.
"Mom, why do we have to wear this loose robe, hood, and face mask?" Lily asked with a slight pout as she held Rose's hand, walking with her across the shopping mall of Grove 30. Lily found her mannerisms become more child-like over the years under the loving care of her parents - almost like a normal child.
Almost.
Michael glanced at them both as he accompanied them, a light sigh leaving him.
"Well dear, who is mommy?" Rose asked with a light chuckle on her lips.
Lily set a finger on her chin, tilting her head, and looked up at the sky, "Hmm… The most beautiful woman in the world?" She said seriously.
Rose's smile widened and her heart began to jump in adoration for her cute little Lily.
"That's right. There are bad men that would kidnap a beauty like me if they -" Rose began saying and abruptly stopped herself, berating herself inwardly. She tentatively looked down, feeling the sweat and strength gathering in her daughter's palm.
"T-they'll t-t-take mom away?" Lily froze as she squeezed her mother's hand tightly and her mind shut down.
Her breath began to become erratic, and images of a dark room, restrained on a bench began to flood her thoughts.
Only instead of her, it was her mother on that bench.
"- Ily… Lily!" Rose's voice seemed to shatter those images, and Lily's thoughts began to return to her.
She didn't know when it happened, but Lily found herself with wet eyes, held in her mother's arms, and out of the way of the moving crowds.
She felt those gentle fingers stroke her hair again, and her ears found those comforting assurances that had saved her soul for the past five years.
"Hush, Hush, It's okay, Mommy's here…" Rose gently rocked the little girl in her arms, and once she felt Lily was sufficiently calm, put her down again.
Lily looked around her, then up at her parents in confusion, a silent question hiding in her eyes. She wanted to ask, but was afraid to.
'Who would take mom away?'
Rose and Michael looked at each other, seeing the pain and discomfort in each other's eyes.
Rose sighed, "let's go back home dear…" a hand found Lily's hair again, and stroked it before the family began to make their way back.
Before they arrived at their Grove, a flock of News Coos soared above Sabaody Archipelago, dropping bundles of newspapers as they flew by.
One of those bundles made its way right into Lily's hands, and intrigued, she unfurled it to read the headline.
'MARINE HERO GARP CAPTURES PIRATE KING'
As she read, she heard the voices of passersby all around her who were focused on the same article.
"Finally! That monster is done for!"
"Serves that psychopath right!"
"Hahaha, the marines are the strongest, after all."
"Who the heck is Roger? He's nothing in front of Vice-Admiral Garp!"
"Haa… I'm so glad that mass murderer is dealt with…"
Lily continued reading to the end of the article, even as she was confused by the comments she heard passing by.
'... Will be executed on The Third Of September.'
