One Way Home, Chapter 14.

Chapter 14: War Preparation.

—OoOoO—

A girl sat cross-legged quietly on the roof of a speeding sea train car that bravely broke through the raging storm. She was in the front, getting the best seat to see the terrifying scene. Even so, her flat expression and sharp eyes showed unwavering courage even when faced with the wrath of nature.

Maki’s body was wet, not only because of the pouring rain but also because of the waves that sometimes hit her. Her school uniform was also not spared from the heavy, cold water pouring from the sky. Even though the strong wind made her dry quickly, the water that kept hitting her kept her body wet.

However, every beginning must have an end. The storm that seemed capable of drowning anything had subsided, and the sun's warmth was slowly making its way through the gaps in the black clouds. The light that brought life slowly illuminated every corner that had been hit by nature's wrath, bringing new hope to continue fighting to face an uncertain future.

Maki closed her eyes, letting all the cells on her skin enjoy the light filled with life energy. The fast-moving train made her hair dance along with the strong wind. The chaotic calmness gave her a different sensation than anything she had ever felt.

“There you are, Maki.”

The girl opened her eyes when she heard her name being called. Without turning around, she could tell who the voice belonged to. However, she still did so to look at the face.

“What brings you here, Ussop?”

“Who are you calling Usopp? I’m Sogeking, the King of Snipers!”

Maki rolled her eyes in boredom. A tired sigh also escaped her lips.

The boy walking closer was her partner, who was wearing strange clothes. Although he called himself a king, the yellow mask with three sharp points on both sides and the top made him look like a clown. Not to mention, the shabby red robe he wore gave an impression that was far from harmonious.

“You don't think everyone’s as stupid and innocent as Luffy and Chopper, do you?”

“Well, at least, let me do this cool role playing just this once, please?” Usopp replied with a little whine.

Instead of giving a verbal response, Maki raised an eyebrow. However, she quickly threw away all the questions and turned her body to look ahead.

“Have people ever told you that you’re prettier without glasses?” Usopp asked, sitting next to Maki.

“Are you tryna hit me?”

Hearing the indifferent and flat reply, Ussop jumped slightly and immediately looked at the girl in panic.

“What? Of course not! I already have a lover back home who’s waiting for me to come back, you know?”

“Yeah, yeah. Sure, you have.”

Again, only an indifferent reply came out of the girl's mouth. Usually, the response Ussop received was disbelief wrapped in kindness or trust from genuinely innocent people. Even though what he said earlier was the truth, people sometimes tended to doubt him because of the amount of nonsense he said.

However, it was already a common thing for the long-nosed boy. Even if his interlocutor answered indifferently or suspiciously, Ussop never cared about it.

“You know, Nami and the others are looking for you,” Usopp explained his reason for meeting Maki, “You’ve been out of sight since we left Water Seven. People might think we’re not a solid group if you don’t show up at all.”

“Well, actually, I just wanted to see how this thing would cut through the rolling waves.”

To be honest, what most made Maki lose her words wasn’t the fairyland in the clouds or the terrible disaster called Aqua Laguna. Contrary to that, Maki was amazed by the sea train technology they were riding at this time. For Japanese people who were used to seeing technological developments, this mass transportation mode was something she had never seen before and had never thought such technology existed.

Although it was debatable because other universes might have different laws of physics or supporting materials that couldn’t be found on Earth, that didn’t reduce the greatness behind the discovery of the sea train.

Because of that, Maki was curious about how the object would survive the various natural shocks and waves. Moreover, a few moments ago, a giant wave seemed able to drown anything in its path. Her heart suddenly beat so fast, impatient to see what would happen. Unfortunately, the wave was broken by Zoro's slash attack, making a path open for the train to pass through.

After that, nothing else interesting happened as the storm began to subside. In fact, the group came across Sanji's car, which was separated from the enemies’ main locomotive.

“So, what ‘bout you? What brings you here?” Maki asked after a moment of silence, “You didn’t come just to say that, did you?”

“Well, you know, it felt awkward being there after what happened yesterday.”

Maki glanced at him from the corner of her eye, then returned to the horizon. The long-nosed boy seemed to have difficulty expressing his thoughts. His mouth looked like it was about to open every now and then, but he closed it tightly the next second.

“Don’t think too much about it. If anything, we actually feel helped by your presence.”

Maki paused in her words as she suddenly realised something.

“How ‘bout your wound, tho?” asked the girl in the ponytail.

“I applied some ointment and drank the medicine Chopper left yesterday. As long as I can avoid direct engagement, I should still be able to make it, somehow.”

“I see.”

Maki's short reply ended the conversation. However, for someone who loved to have fun like Usopp, it was a situation that made him a little uncomfortable. Because, even though Maki didn't have a face as fierce as Zoro, the two of them looked like intimidating beasts when silent.

Usopp rubbed the back of his neck, hoping it would ease his nervousness. Above all, he felt discomfort from what he said to Maki yesterday, even though she had said she wasn’t offended.

“About me saying that you would take my place because you literally have better eyesight than me, I truly apologise,” the boy said softly.

Maki narrowed her eyes and stared straight at Usopp. Her furrowed brows and pursed lips clearly showed her annoyance.

“Didn’t I tell ya I ain’t fussed ‘bout that?”

Despite trying to restrain herself, the characteristic of her Kansai dialect, which tended to sound straightforward and frank, gave a different nuance to the reply.

“I- I know, but still, it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth every time I think about it,” Ussop said.

Maki's eyes seemed to narrow even more when she heard the reply. It made Usopp's guts shrink as if he felt that she could skin him alive just using her eyes alone.

“If I say it's fine, then it's fine. Stop whining and shut it off.”

Usopp swallowed back the words he was about to say when he heard Maki's strong emphasis. He immediately looked away, avoiding any further eye contact with the girl. However, his eyes occasionally snuck glances at Maki from behind the mask. The awkwardness in the air created a silence between them.

“Ah, shit. Fuck it. You’re making me look like a bastard one here,” Maki suddenly opened her mouth.

This made Usopp jump a little and look back at the girl.

“Wh-what? You’re the one with a foul mouth.”

Maki returned the gaze with flat eyes, making it difficult for her interlocutor to guess her expression. However, after observing him for a while, Maki took a deep breath as she brushed her bangs back.

“One thing’s for sure, even if you say I can fill your position, but in the end, I prefer to face my opponents head on, beat their shit, and knock ‘em off.”

Maki stood up from where she was sitting, her eyes still fixed on the long-nosed boy.

“So, throw away all your stupid thoughts, you jerk.”

Ussop waited to see if there were any other words the girl wanted to say. However, her mouth was tightly closed, and her eyes stared at the horizon with a yearning desire. Longing and regret radiated from those amber-coloured eyes. Although faint, Ussop could see Maki's hands trembling slightly because she was clenching them tightly.

Ussop may be selfish and prioritise his own safety. However, he was sensitive enough to notice his conversation partner's emotional changes.

“Hey, don’t tell me… you miss your home? That’s why you’re alone?”

Maki spontaneously glanced at Ussop, but after that, she just averted her eyes.

“The storm made my mood a little messed up, but it's fine.”

Without waiting for a reply from her interlocutor, Maki immediately turned around and left the place. Meanwhile, Usopp could only watch her as she walked further away from his sight.

'She's so strong to the point I almost forgot that Maki is a year younger than me and stranded in this foreign world all by herself.'

Usopp recalled how they first met. He remembered the look of confusion, anxiety, and hostility that Maki gave him when she first set foot on the Going Merry. However, that fragile side was quickly overwritten when she showed her prowess in close-quarter combat with a powerful physical body.

Moreover, people no longer considered her an ordinary girl when they heard her story about being suddenly thrown into another world while she was on a battlefield. The strong impression, courage, and maturity that the girl exuded made people think she was a flawless warrior.

However, the sadness that only she could feel, the restlessness that no one else could possibly understand, and her search for something that might not exist, Usopp never imagined before that such a thin rope would be Maki's only hope to move forward.

“Behind that seemingly sturdy and indestructible back, it turns out she is just like any other human being who’s full of anxiety.”

—OoOoO—

Maki expected nothing less for the facilities of a train that could even brave the madness of a storm at sea. The interior design may not be the most luxurious of her experiences as a modern human. However, each car was immaculate, neat, and comfortable. The shocks felt inside were minimal, even though it had to break through all kinds of waves in the ocean. In fact, the facilities were quite complete for a prototype.

Maki exited the restroom with her hand, wiping her glasses with a handkerchief. Her clothes were still wet after daydreaming on the train roof despite the storm's peak. However, her skin and hair were water-free after she dried herself in the restroom. She even changed her footwear into sandals after putting her boots into the dryer machine.

'I don't understand because the dryer isn't powered by electricity, but by cola. But if it works, it works, I guess.'

Maki raised her glasses and pointed them at the light, ensuring no spots were left behind.

'I don't know if my boots will dry in time, but as long as the inside isn't too wet, it's still much better than nothing.'

Usually, using a standard shoe-drying machine, drying shoes in a modern dryer would take two hours. However, the one Maki used wasn’t the shoe dryer found in Jujutsu High. It was more like a regular clothes dryer, but Granmy Kokoro claimed it could also dry shoes.

Maki put her glasses back on after ensuring no water spots or other stains were left behind. She immediately walked towards the first car, or the second, after the locomotive, to gather with her other colleagues.

The girl saw that every seat she passed was packed, and some were willing to sit on the floor. She was even sure that the situation in the other carriages wasn’t much different, showing high enthusiasm in the raid on Enies Lobby even though logically it was a suicide operation.

However, Maki felt very excited when she saw people who set off with different interests but could unite for one common goal. For the Franky Family, no other fuel ignited their fire of resistance other than the strong desire to save their boss. Surprisingly, the people of Galley La also managed to get some civilians to join after hearing how their homeland was used as a conspiracy ground.

Lastly, of course, the Straw Hats had reasons quite similar to the Franky Family. However, Maki was sure her group wouldn't be satisfied without destroying those who dared to toy with them.

'This sense of unity and oneness regardless of background feels refreshing. I know it sounds stupid, but if the association had this character from the start, events like the Hyakki Yakou and Shibuya Incident could’ve been handled better.'

Maki, basically, was a girl who had always had big dreams and was guided by her own principles. Regardless, she believed she could lead the clan even though people always looked down on her and laughed at her. In fact, many people call her a naive girl and think of her as a small koi fish who yearned to turn into a dragon, just like in a fairy tale. Even so, her determination never wavered, and her mind was always focused on achieving her big dreams.

However, growing up without the presence of people who supported her dreams made Maki a selfish and sceptical girl. This complexity slowly decreased after she got to know Okkotsu Yuta, a boy who openly supported her and even admired her sincerely.

And now, when Maki met the other big dreamers with bigger dreams than hers, it stimulated her brain and heart.

'That makes me even more impatient to go home. There are so many things I wanna do,' she thought with a faint smile.

—OoOoO—

Almost all of the Straw Hats gathered in the front passenger car. The only ones absent were Usopp, who was technically no longer part of the group, and Maki, who was still busy drying her body. However, it wasn’t only the pirates who occupied the car, several core members of the Franky Family and civilian troops led by Galley La were also present.

Despite the big fight right before their eyes, relaxed expressions were thick in the crowd. Thanks to Luffy and his bottomless cheerfulness, which radiated positive vibes to everyone. The morale boost the young man gave with his mere presence allowed the group to maintain their confidence.

However, while chatting casually, the main topic hadn’t been touched even though Sanji had regrouped. It was because one member hadn’t gathered. But they didn’t have to wait any longer, as Zoro saw a bespectacled girl walking towards him, followed by a long-nosed man with a strange mask.

“There she is, along with U— I mean, Sogeking.”

All eyes were on the figure Zoro pointed at. Even Sanji felt excited after seeing the girl as his eyes changed to those lovey-lovey eyes. However, when he was about to call her name passionately, Luffy blocked him with enthusiasm.

“Maki! Where’ve you been? I thought you weren’t coming.”

The black-haired boy prepared to jump on the girl. However, Sanji held his shoulder.

“Hey, Luffy, give her some space. Can’t you see Maki-chan is soaking wet, huh?”

After reprimanding Luffy, the blonde man immediately looked at Maki with love.

“I saw you daydreaming on the roof of the train. Are you okay, Maki-chan? I can make you a hot drink right away.”

“Stop talking nonsense, you third rate cook. This train doesn’t even have cooking utensils,” Zoro snapped.

Meanwhile, Maki let out a soft sigh with her eyes closed. Even though they had been together for a few weeks, it was hard for her to get used to two people who could fight over even the most trivial matter.

“Sorry, the storm made me ponder for a moment,” said Maki, who chose to ignore them, “Besides, I’m quite curious ‘bout how this train made it through the storm.”

“Ponder, huh? It's surprising to hear that a crazy girl like you also has a soft side.”

Upon hearing Zoro's apathetic reply, a sudden crossroads appeared in Maki's temple. The girl clenched her teeth, forcing a smile onto her face with the bulging eyes.

“Do you wanna get beat up or something, you jerk?”

Everyone seemed excited, but in a way that made their heads spin. Zoro's indifferent words actually seemed like a taunt to provoke his interlocutor. However, what made it worse was that just like other strong fighters, even someone who always appeared calm, like Maki, was a musclehead, so she wouldn't give in when she heard the taunt.

'I wonder how people like them can be so calm in battle,' Nami thought as she watched her friends.

The short-haired girl then sighed while pinching the bridge of her nose. Her eyes were closed, not allowing the dizzy sight to enter her vision. However, she knew someone had to mediate the situation as they got closer to their destination.

“You guys, seriously, stop fighting and listen to what Paulie has to say!”

Nami's shrill voice instantly silenced the muscleheads. They simultaneously turned to her with wide eyes. Even the group from the Franky Family and Galley La were no less surprised to see the orange girl who suddenly screamed.

“Can you guys be quiet for a moment? We’re almost at Enies Lobby, and yet we don’t have enough information about the inside.”

“What's wrong with that? Just beat them up and take Robin back. That's all, right?” Luffy said with an innocent face.

Meanwhile, Maki also felt embarrassed because she seemed underestimating the situation.

“What Nami said is right,” Maki said as she patted Luffy on the shoulder, “We need a plan for an operation of this scale.”

Luffy turned his head when he felt a pat on his side.

“But we’ve a plan, you know.”

“Huh? Really?”

Maki responded with a raised eyebrow, earning an enthusiastic nod from Luffy.

“We come, beat them, get Robin back, and leave. Sounds good, right?”

Maki's face immediately turned sour when she heard the plan that had no plan. She wanted to say something to Luffy, but she was distracted by his innocent expression, with his lips rolled inside, which looked ridiculous.

“I know how you feel, Maki-chan," Sanji said calmly, "But for now, let's put that aside and let's hear what Paulie has to show us."

Hearing his name called for the umpteenth time, Paulie seemed unmoved without reacting. The smoke from his cigarette billowing in the air was the only thing that indicated movement on the man's part. He observed everyone gathered in silence. His eyes scanned each and every one of them, especially those who were part of the pirate group.

"Is it really my turn to talk now? Are you sure you've had enough?" he asked sarcastically.

Paulie didn't wait for an answer. Instead, he pulled a paper roll and a piece of tape from his pocket. He stood up and walked over to the train's wall. With his skilled hands, he unrolled the paper and taped it to the wall for everyone to see.

“That…, don’t tell me that’s a layout of Ennies Lobby?” Maki muttered.

Without needing to turn his head, Paulie gave his response quickly.

“To be more precise, this is a rough illustration that I made based on what I remember when I was doing maintenance there.”

As the smoking man said, it was an illustration that gave a rough idea of ​​Enies Lobby.

“If you want to save Nico Robin and Franky, you’ve to understand the important parts of Ennies Lobby,” Paulie said.

He paused his presentation momentarily, ensuring all eyes were on him.

“It may sound strange, but Ennies Lobby is an island structured like a cliff that juts out into a ravine. In this case, the ravine in question is a gaping hole that allows seawater to plunge into it.”

Paulie drew a black circle around the island illustration and gave it black shading to emphasise his meaning.

“This part at the very back,” Paulie said, thickening the lines on the image he was pointing at, “Is the Gate of Justice which directly connects to the other two major strongholds, Marineford and Impel Down.”

Paulie made a circle with a red marker and even circled it several times on that part to emphasise how crucial it was.

“Anyone who passes through this gate will never be able to come back out because the only destinations are those two places.”

“In other words, we have to save Robin and the blue-haired guy before they enter the gate?” Nami asked.

“Yes, that's it,” Paulie replied with a nod.

After hearing the explanation, the people seemed preoccupied with their own thoughts. Their expressions were complicated. Even Luffy seemed to have a serious look on his face that was rarely seen in his eyes.

While his audience remained silent, Paulie waited for the next question. He was sure they had a lot to ask. Sure enough, a question was heard just before he reopened the discourse.

“What about the guard? Are there many troops stationed there?” Maki asked.

“Although it’s called a stronghold, Enies Lobby is basically a high court. So, you won’t find any large forces there. In fact, I just found out today that Cipher Pol is also based there.”

Considering that the agency that caused the chaos in Water Seven was a secret force that specialised in espionage, sabotage, and other dirty tasks, it was only natural that not many knew where its headquarters were. Even CP0, the highest unit in the agency, was always by the side of the World Government's top brass unless it was on assignment.

Technically, it could even be said that Cipher Pol didn’t have a fixed headquarters because every place that became their operational area could be used as one. However, they were still an organisation that needed a chain of command to connect them collectively with Marineford and Mary Geoise. Because of that, Enies Lobby was agreed to be the secret command centre for all Cipher Pol units, except CP0, which was under the direct authority of the Five Elders.

“Before you feel relieved by that information, you should know one thing,” Paulie continued his explanation, “Although there’s no obligation to have a large number of troops on standby at Enies Lobby, doesn’t mean that the Marines are short of manpower or that it’s an easy place.”

"So?" asked Sanji impatiently.

Paulie momentarily glanced at the blonde guy before returning his attention to everyone else.

“I’ve only heard this from the guards I chatted with. However, beyond the Gate of Justice, there’s a giant current, a powerful vortex, that can carry a ship from Marineford to Enies Lobby in just thirty minutes.”

Those who listened to the explanation simultaneously widened their eyes as if they couldn't believe what they had just heard. Some people covered their mouths with one hand, but a small number tried to remain calm even though one individual didn't feel anything from the explanation. Their brows furrowed, and some even started looking at each other and whispering to fill the silence.

An unusual silence hung in the air as if the atmosphere had become tense.

“No, that’s understandable. It wouldn’t make sense to make it sound easy in the first place,” Zoro said, breaking the silence, “So, do you’ve an estimate of how many enemies are on standby there?”

“Probably around two or three thousand. So, we should focus on sending our strongest fighter to the Judicial Tower, while the rest will clear the way,” replied one of the men from the Franky Family.

The man with spiky black hair standing against gravity stared at the Straw Hat group, especially the monster quartet.

“You four are clearly the strongest here,” he continued, “So, please avoid unnecessary fights, at least until the last gate. As for some of us, we’ll dispatch first to open the way.”

“No, it wouldn't do,” Maki quickly argued.

Before people could nag her, the bespectacled girl immediately gave an explanation.

“Do you think a guy like this,” he said, pointing at Luffy, “would happily go along with the plan?”

It may not have been even a month since Maki joined the group. However, she could easily guess Luffy's simple thoughts. The straw-hat boy wouldn’t think about complicated things and would act according to his heart's content. In fact, the other members agreed with Maki's statement even though they didn’t express it directly.

“That’s right! It’d have been faster if I had joined the fight from the start!” Luffy said with a little shout.

Paulie took a deep breath, and then his hands reached for his face, rubbing his palms roughly on the forehead. A heavy sigh escaped his mouth with his eyes closed as if to reject the stupidity the guy showed. His fingers massaged his temples, trying to find a way out and an alternative quickly.

“Just let Luffy join in the fight from the start. He won’t fall or get tired just because of that,” Sanji commented casually as he took a sip of his cigarette, “In fact, it might even make things easier for us since it would attract more enemies.”

Paulie stared at the blonde for a moment before sighing again.

“Fine if you say so. Then tighten your grip.”

Paulie looked at each of the people with extreme seriousness. Cold sweat was dripping from his forehead, showing the man's nervousness. Although technically, he wasn’t the team that would break through to the final gate, he was mandated to guide the alliance because he knew Enies Lobby the best.

“After Luffy, Franky Family, some people from Galley La, including me, dispatch, you’ll use Rocket Tom and blast straight through the main gate. There’ll be chaos after that. So, make the most of it and just charge straight through.”

—To Be Continued—

Author Note: Hello... how are you all? Hopefully, everything's fine.

In this chapter, I intentionally changed some information about Enies Lobby's function as the headquarters of Cipher Pol as a whole (except CP0) rather than just being CP9's base. Why? Because I want to add the nuance that Cipher Pol is a large organisation with Enies Lobby at its core, not just an organisation focused on CP9.

Also, I want to try writing some of Maki's dialogues using abbreviations to emphasise her Kansai accent.

That's all from me. I hope you can enjoy this chapter. See you in the next one.