The Time God Slayer

Chapter 22

It didn't take long for Hikari to find the Roger Pirates. They were right at the front of the crowd, all of them in grim spirits and on the brink of crying that they didn't notice the Time God Slayer's presence until she placed a kitten on Shank's head for comfort.

She didn't need to say anything and the Roger Pirates certainly didn't need any words to be said. "Sorry for your loss" and "Are you okay" wouldn't make them feel any better because they weren't okay. They didn't need pity because they wouldn't appreciate that.

If Roger smiled a bit brighter at noticing a blob of white, no one would know except his crew. Roger was stuck between wanting to smile and leave with a loud impact, inspiring a new pirate era and frustrating the marines for the legacy he begun at the slowly flickering light of his life, and wanting to grimace at the presence of his crew. He is grateful that his crew was there to see him off but at the same time, he didn't want his crew to see him like this: chained up, kneeling on his knees, a marine executioner standing with a weapon that is ready to lob his head off.

It wouldn't be easy for some of his crew to find something to do once he's gone. They're pirates and the fact of the matter remains that they are wanted by the marines and bounty hunters. If the marines hoped that by allowing them to see his execution would make them more likely to allow themselves to be captured, his nakama would prove them wrong. Captain less or not, they won't go and die without giving their best fight in avoiding death.

Although if Roger has to regret something in his life, it would be never getting to meet his son and hold him in his arms. He would never be able to see his wife again and her sarcastic and witty remarks that captured his heart. He would never sail with his nakama on the Oro Jackson again with the sea breeze blowing in his face and the unpredictability of life. He would never get to exchange words with Hikari again and get to know her better, thinking that it could be a lucky coincidence that he met a white haired girl because she might be related to the woman his grandfather, Gol D. Sinbad, met.

Roger gazed at all the crowd, a victorious, D smile on his face as he said his last words that will shake the world.

"You want my treasure? You can have it! I left everything I gathered together at that place. Now you'll just have to find it!"*

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Hikari left a day after, not willing to barge in on the grief of the Roger Pirates. It wasn't her place.

She did acquire a vivre card and decided to give a piece of it to Lavender, in case Lavender gets lost or can't filter Hikari's mind from all the other minds around her. The vivre card was put inside a a thin, but sturdy metal tag which was attacked to a silver collar. The tag was light enough for the vivre card to move the tag to whatever location Hikari is.

Currently, they were on a boat that is heading for Syrup Village. Hikari haven't been there before so she might as well go there before she time travels to a random place again.

It was lucky for Hikari that a merchant ship allowed her and Lavender to stay on their ship. Other wise, both of them would've had to either sail on their own (Hikari isn't confident of her navigation skills at sea), find another ship (which will take days for one to arrive), or stow away on a ship (Hikari and Lavender will absolutely get very bored and will be more likely to get caught).

Lavender broke the comfortable silence by whacking her tail against Hikari's head. "Why did you let them touch me? Their hands were sticky, nya!"

"Sorry, but those kids really wanted to touch you. Besides, I did wipe your fur down afterwards." Hikari placated Lavender with head rub. "Besides, they calmed down almost immediately and isn't that better than prolonging their bawling? Your ears are sensitive."