Consequences #76

'Damn, that felt good...' I mused, barely holding back a smile as I cracked my neck and watched Wapol hit a pillar some distance away, snapping it in half upon impact, much to my satisfaction.

The obese king was no Saint Charlos. However, he radiated the same insufferable, obnoxious aura as the former. Putting him in his place for a change was very satisfying, and that might be an understatement.

As the commotion settled, the plaza fell into a stunned silence. All eyes were on me, including the monarchs and their entourages. It was a bold move, and I had just crossed a line by attacking a king during the Reverie.

Wapol's entourage was the first to react as Dalton ran toward his king while Chess and Kuromarimo responded by attacking, the former drawing his bow and the latter lunging at me.

In that split second, I had to make a decision. I couldn't afford to get entangled in a fight with Wapol's lackeys, not in the middle of the Reverie. I had already caused a significant disturbance, and any further escalation could have dire consequences.

With a quick movement, I evaded Kuromarimo's attack, sidestepping and redirecting his momentum to make him stumble past me. I swiftly assessed the circumstances and decided that defusing the situation was the most suitable course of action.

I was ready to start spouting bullshit, but Dalton had helped Wapol to his feet and was already stamping toward me with a hateful expression. "You goddamned brat! How dare you hit me?!" He bellowed, veins bulging on his forehead even as he struggled to walk straight.

I maintained a calm expression despite the rising tension in the plaza. Wapol's anger was palpable, and I knew I had to handle this situation delicately to prevent further chaos. As he approached me, I raised my hands in a gesture of peace.

Again, I was ready to start spouting sophistry, but Princess Vivi quickly walked past me and stood between Wapol and myself. "I'm sorry for bumping into you..." She said, looking straight into the obese king's eyes, much to everyone's surprise.

"The entire situation was my fault... if you need to vent your anger, please hit me instead..." The princess continued, spreading her arms apart as she stood ahead of me with a resolute expression.

I watched in awe as Princess Vivi bravely stepped forward, shielding me from Wapol. Her selfless act of taking responsibility for the incident left me speechless. I knew she was overly mature even as a child, but her willingness to take responsibility still surprised me.

Surprised by Vivi's unexpected intervention, Wapol paused, his shifty eyes flickering with surprise and malice. He hesitated, seemingly torn between venting his anger on the princess or continuing his pursuit of me.

Still, his grudge against Nefertari Cobra was apparently more intense than mine as he hatefully turned to Princess Vivi. "What nonsense are you speaking, little girl?!" He bellowed, saliva flying out of his mouth as he shouted.

"Not only did your father make a fool out of me in front of so many kings, but I got sent flying because of you!" Wapol exclaimed. "This calls out for all-out war! My honor demands it!" He went on, hatefully alternating his gaze between me and the princess.

Vivi stood her ground, her voice firm and unwavering. "War is not the solution, King Wapol. Let us seek a peaceful resolution to this incident. We are here at the Reverie to discuss matters of importance and strengthen the bonds between our kingdoms."

Her words resonated with the other monarchs and their entourages who witnessed the tense situation unfold. Their eyes shifted between Vivi and Wapol, waiting to see how the problem would be rsolved.

Vice Admiral Garp, who had been observing the scene silently, stepped forward, his imposing presence commanding attention. "Enough of this nonsense," he boomed, his voice cutting through the air. "If you want to go to war, that's fine, brat..." He continued as he stood beside me and looked down at Wapol's, much to everyone's surprise.

"But you should know that King Nefertari Cobra is a personal friend of mine..." The vice admiral said, causally picking his ear as he spoke. "If it comes to a war, then I'll be the first to stand with him..." He added with a careless shrug, stunning Wapol and his entourage into silence.

"As for my subordinate here... he recently got a promotion vbut I'll have him demoted back into the rank of Marine Commander as punishment for his reckless actions..." Vice Admiral Garp continued as he gestured toward me. "That should be enough, no?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

I stood there, surprised by Garp's words. He was defending me and diffusing the tension in the plaza, albeit in his own peculiar way. Wapol seemed taken aback by the vice admiral's threat, his confidence waning.

Garp's presence alone would make anyone think twice about starting a war. He was a legendary figure in the Marines, known for his strength and unhinged recklesness. His words carried weight, and no one wanted to face the consequences of challenging him.

Wapol, realizing the gravity of the situation, begrudgingly backed down. He knew going against Garp's "friend" and risking a war would be foolish. The tension in the plaza eased as Wapol's entourage reluctantly retreated.

I glanced at Vivi, who was still resolute, her eyes shining with a gleam of determination."Thank you, Princess Vivi," I said sincerely. "I acted on my own accord, and you didn't have to cover for me..." I added, smiling as I looked at the little princess.

From the corner of my vision, I noticed Igaram turn around and walk away after whispering something in Chaka's ears, but I didn't pay him any heed as Vivi promptly replied.

"No. You were trying to protect me..." The princess replied, heaving a sigh of relief as she watched Wapol leave. "It's only right I do the same for you..." She added, her tone turning sullen at the end of her sentence.

"I'm sorry you had to get demoted because of me..." She concluded, and at her words, I was honestly speechless.

'This kid is too pure...' I bitterly mused, not knowing whether to laugh or cray. Still, I quickly gathered my bearings as I kneeled before the princess, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry about it, princess. I made my own choices, and I accept the consequences. Besides, I don't really care about my rank all that much...." I added with an unconcerned shrug.

Vivi nodded, her expression still filled with concern. "But it's not fair. You were only trying to protect me from Wapol. It's all his fault," she said, her voice filled with genuine empathy as she shook her head.

"Life isn't always fair, princess. We do what we can with the choices we make. And sometimes, taking responsibility for our actions means facing the consequences, even if they seem unjust.." I said, softly chuckling as I trailed at the end of my sentence. "But you already know that, don't you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Vivi looked down for a moment, contemplating my words. "You're right," she finally said with a smile. "But know I still appreciate what you did, and I won't forget it..." She added with a firm nod.

"Indeed. The Nefertari family and the Kingdom of Alabasta are in your debt, young marine..." someone said in a regular, authoritative voice from behind me with authority, cutting me off before I could reply.

I turned around to investigate and immediately recognized the speaker as Nefertari Cobra, Vivi's father and the king of Alabasta Kingdom. "Your majesty..." I said in greeting as I stood up and slightly bowed to the man.

"There's no need for such formalities..." King Cobra said with a nod before turning toward Garp. "I'm deeply indebted to you, vice admiral. You have spared my people from suffering a war. And for that, you have my deepest gratitude..." He added, bowing toward the vice admiral.

"Don't mention it..." Vice Admiral replied with a grin. "I just didn't like that Wapol guy, that's all..." He added as he turned around and left after giving me a pat on the back.

As the tension in the plaza faded, the other present monarchs and their entourages resumed their conversations and activities, relieved that we managed to avoid potential conflict.

Today was a good day.