Let’s provoke Red Hair

Jackson POV

"UHHHHHH"

A long groan escaped from my mouth. Still in my hot summer clothes, I was laying on our ship's deck while looking at the sky. A depressing feeling was heavily weighting me down.

"The hell? Does somebody know what's wrong with the captain?"

Enel walked by for the 6th time before finally deciding to speak up. Though much to my displeasure, Kuina was nearby and ready to make snappy remarks.

"You mean even more than usually? Only god knows."

"Sorry to disappoint but no, I also don't know."

Enel made a retort that would make me laugh at their chat but I don't feel like laughing.

"Could it be that he misses that little, pink haired bundle of energy that used to follow him around for the last 2 weeks and cutely called him Onii-san?"

'Bingo!'

Robin was right! Lately I've become used to having little Rebecca following me around. It wasn't for long but it just isn't the same as before, now that she isn't here calling me 'Onii-san'.

Suddenly the kitchen door opened and Tahm Kench came out with a small service cart in front of him.

"The captain seemed a bit down so I made something cold and sweet. Maybe this will help."

Kench is so thoughtful and considerate… completely different from what he looks like but this just proves that one shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. He prepared a double chocolate banana split and a huge serving at that.

'You must be a gift from the high heavens!'

But things suddenly got even better! Kuina, still in the same outfit in which she was playing volleyball, took the serving, kneeled down next to my head and started spoon feeding me!

'… Was I a saint in my last 9 lives? Now if only that strange stinging sensation on top of my head disappeared, everything would be perfect.'

I suddenly feel a whole lot better! Yeah this is seriously great! I don't know why or how but screw it, I'll think about it later!

*Plop*Plop*

Sachi and Penguin suddenly fell beside me, putting on their best 'I am so sad' faces they could pull off.

"…" (Kuina)

"…" (Sachi)

"…" (Penguin)

Silence. Well lucky me, she didn't stop feeding me even while silently giving my two troublemakers the judging eye. The others just dispersed either following Kench back to the kitchen for food or searching for something fun to do.

Only after there was no more dessert, did I finally stand up.

"Thank you Kuina, it was great!"

She just nodded with a satisfied smile, similar to mine, before gracefully standing up and even taking the bowl and spoon back to the kitchen.

'Guess I'm somewhat lucky today.'

My mood was back at it's peek and so was my mind. So I went to look for Bepo to discuss our next route. If I'm not wrong Big Mom's tea party, to which we were invited should start in around a month so there should be time to go and see at least one more island before we steal her pone- *cough* visit her tea party.

'Should I go and provoke Shanks in the meantime?'

A sudden idea came to my mind, but let's first discuss things with Bepo. He was in his room like every day around this day time.

We took a look at the maps and after a short discussion decided on the next course. Around a week of sailing from our current position, is an island, on which a village under Shank's protection exists.

On top of that it's around 2 weeks from Toto Island, so it's perfect for us to go there, take down his Jolly Roger, and leave with all the sake, just to piss him off.

I haven't seen him in a long time but if my memory still serves me somewhat correctly, there should have been some talk about a challenge or something. And what is a bigger challenge to a pirate than taking down his Jolly Roger and stealing his alcohol?

"Bepo it's decided! We are gonna take this route here, piss of Shanks on this island and only then sail into Big Mom's territory."

"Eh?!"

Sadly he didn't react as enthusiastically as me, though it is somewhat understandable. Instead he started giving me strange looks before asking me:

"Captain, Are you sure we can challenge both of them? What if they gang up on us?"

For someone who never met Shanks, this is a fair question, though everyone who somewhat got to know him, will understand that he is not that type of pirate.

"It's okay Bepo. I know for a fact that even if he follow us, Shanks will await his turn. Just trust me on this! Hahahahaha."

…

"-If you say so…"

Despite saying so he didn't stop looking at me weirdly but since he is like a huge fluffy polar teddy it made him appear somewhat cute, which is the reason why I let it slide.

'No let's go tell everyone that we are about to provoke a yonko right before we will fight another yonko…'

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3rd Person POV

Dressrosa. The day after the Jackson-Pirates departed and after the Navy took the Donquixote-Pirates into custody. King Riku was still busy, trying to control the chaos that ensued once his citizen learned the truth and remembered their loved ones.

Kyros, his most trusted aid and right hand, naturally didn't leave his side, which left Rebecca with a lot of free time to try and sort out her thoughts.

Dressrosa's little princess walked into Viola's garden. It was a garden like the other 2 in the palace, but this one was recognized as Viola's because she personally took care of it.

After walking around for a short while, she suddenly let herself fall backwards on the soft grass, right next to 2 rose bushes. It was where Jackson often laid down, when he had nothing better to do or just felt lazy.

"*Sight*"

A soft sight escaped her lips as she watched the clouds float by one after another. Time went by and Rebecca lay there for the next 1 and half hour till a voice startled her out of whatever daydreams the young princess had.

"Aren't you too young to let yourself down like that, and after just one day of Separation on top of that?"

It was Viola. She had actually watched Rebecca for a little while. At first she was confused by Rebecca's behavior but slowly came to understand after watching her for a bit.

Rebecca finally sat up, looking at Viola with a very hard to describe expression, but still didn't say anything. So Viola walked near her and started talking away on her own while Rebecca listened.

She told her old stories of her past short lived romances, about how Kyros and Scarlett and how they met, and that romance between a powerful pirate and a little princess only ends well in fairy tales.

Receiving Jackson's attention, and being seen in 'that' way sure was flattering and all but at the end of the day that was all there was to it for her.

'Too bad since he seemed a bit charming.'

"Princess Viola! Princess Rebecca!"

A sudden shout brought her wandering mind back to reality, where a knight was running towards them. Among deep breaths he told them:

"It's an emergency you both have to return to the throne hall under the king's orders!"

Surprised and alarmed both of them did as they were told and ran towards Riku and Kyros. There they heard about the emergency situation from Riku.

"Another powerful pirate group is coming to Dressrosa. I want you two to stay with me and Kyros whenever possible.

"Father, who is coming this time?"

Rebecca was a little scared. Not because she feared the pirates but because she feared losing Kyros again. The latter pulled her into a protective hug as while answering her question.

"One of the 7 warlords. Pirate empress Boa Hancock, captain of the Kuja-Pirates!"

(AN: they finally made it here! Will they reach Jackson before he messes with the Yonkos? Leave some memes or comments or stones and find it out for yourself! Till next time!)