โโโโ Law and Bartolomeo strode forward, each gripping a glass orb that shimmered under the light, refracting colors like trapped rainbows. The spheres pulsed faintly in their hands, as if alive.
They stopped, locking eyes in a moment thick with tension, an invisible charge snapping between them, humming in the air.
"Oi, Trafalgar, I ought to go first." Bartolomeo's voice was sharp, edged with challenge as he scowled at Law.
Law scoffed, not even bothering to change his expression. "Out of my way, Bartolomeo."
"Ha?! The fuck was that?!" Bartolomeo snapped, indignation flaring.
Nearby, Milly clapped its hands, crimson eyes gleaming. "How about you play rock-paper-scissors?!" it chirped, practically vibrating with enthusiasm.
Silence. Then...
"THAT'S A BAD IDEA!" they roared in unison.
Milly froze, joy snuffed out in an instant. Its eyes dimmed, shoulders slumping as if it had physically deflated. The quiet that followed was almost painful, thick with secondhand guilt.
Across the gathering, Ace exhaled, a smirk tugging at his lips as he watched the demon awkwardly attempt to engage. Clumsy as hell, but hey, progress was progress.
Ignoring Bartolomeo's usual antics, Law refocused on the cloaked figure, lifting the glass ball in his palm. Inside, a golden orb pulsed, streaked with twisting veins of red, like flames trapped in a crystal prison, restless, alive.
"I don't know why, but I felt something while holding this, and I don't like it, so take it first," Law muttered. His voice was steady, but his eyes weren't. Unease flickered beneath that calm faรงade, barely noticeable, unless you knew what to look for.
The others exchanged glances, skepticism plain on their faces. No shit they were wary. That thing, whatever the hell it was, was unpredictable, an enigma wrapped in something that just screamed trouble.
But Milly? It didn't seem to give a damn. A chuckle slipped past its lips, crimson eyes gleaming as it reached out, fingers twitching in anticipation.
Then, with a casual flick of its wrist, the glass ball shot through the air, sunlight bouncing off its surface as it landed effortlessly in its grasp.
"Hmmm... You felt something, so you chose it, you say?" Milly teased, turning the orb in its fingers, amusement bleeding into every word.
"Eh! Hold on a secondโ"
Bartolomeo barely had time to react before the glass ball in his own hands suddenly jerked free, zipping toward the girl as if drawn by some unseen force. He froze, his mouth parting in pure, dumbfounded shock.
"Well, if the feeling was your problem, I'll take it from you first."
Milly's gaze flicked to Law, mischief dancing behind those eerie, glowing eyes, before shifting lazily toward Bartolomeo. "How about we base who goes first on the timeline?" It suggested, sounding utterly bored, like the whole thing was nothing more than a trivial game.
"Its quick to forget, yoi," Marco mused, smirking as Ace's laughter rang through the air, carefree and light.
"Not really," Ace countered, eyes glinting with mischief. "Milly was just suggesting another way since the first one got rejected. If they turn it down three times, they better start running."
The air turned heavy, thick with unspoken tension. A pin drop would've sounded like a gunshot in the oppressive silence, but Ace shut his eyes anyway, muscles coiled, breath held. He braced himself, feeling the weight of every gaze pressing into him, burning, expectant, suffocating.
Nothing.
Ace's eyes snapped open, the sudden brightness stabbing at his vision. He blinked, adjusting, and found every pair of eyes still pinned on him. The tension was fucking unbearable.
Sabo's brow creased. "How do you know that?"
Ace stiffened, heart hammering against his ribs. Shit. A shaky grin tugged at his lips as he raked a hand through his unruly hair, nervous habit. His gaze flickered to the creature in the distance, its crimson eyes boring into him like it already knew the answer.
"Well..." A teasing spark danced in Ace's eyes as he leaned back, smirking. "I can't talk about it. I made a promise not to tell."
"That's enough." Milly's voice cut through the tension, low and commanding. It lifted the orb Bartolomeo had chosen. "This memory will go first."
Law clicked his tongue, sharp and irritated, but bit back whatever he wanted to say. Instead, he turned, shoulders stiff, and sank back beside Bepo, his expression unreadable. The air was still fucking electric.
Bartolomeo's grin stretched wide, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes, but even he wasn't stupid enough to celebrate in this mess. Still, he strolled back to Cavendish, boots tapping lightly against the floor. He shot the blonde a thumbs up.
Cavendish just rolled his eyes.
Staring intently at the green gem that glowed with a red tint, Milly let out a soft, enigmatic laugh before its gaze shifted to the side, its expression unreadable.
"You know, almost half of the people Luffy cared about are here--you better be ready for what's about to happen," she warned, her voice dripping with foreboding.
Sensing its gaze directed at him, a certain blue-haired clown paused, a chill creeping down his spine. The weight of the surrounding stares bore down on him, and he could feel the unmistakable tension, a warning ringing true in his ears as he registered the unease among his companions.
"Wh-What the hell are you talking about!?" Buggy blurted, a mix of fear and anxiety evident in his voice, though he tried to mask it with bravado, too prideful to show his discomfort.
Milly merely chuckled, a sound both playful and sinister.
"I say, you'll find out exactly why... ."
With that, the orb in its hand shimmered and vanished, slipping silently into the mirror, the air thick with unspoken implications and the promise of revelations yet to come
โโโโโ ยท ยทEnd of Chapter 18ยท ยท โโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โขโขโโโโโโโขโขโโโโโโโโโโโขโขโโโโโโโขโข Follow for more stories and update announcementsโงหยฐ.
Introduction: My name is Kerri Lueilwitz, I am a courageous, gentle, quaint, thankful, outstanding, brave, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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