'Hmm, hmm, hmm...'
The tranquil waves of the persistent current lapped against her melody. She was manipulating what resembled a sphere of emerald flames, and with each breeze, the flames would contort, revealing the direction of the wind.
'Another job well done...'
Dracule Mihawk was heading back to her abode. She tilted her hat to gaze at the dusk, gradually deepening. The day would be over in a few hours.
WHOOSH!
A gust of wind swept past her verdant flames, and the currents abruptly shifted, signaling her entry into the calm belt. Her flawless finger dipped into the sea and traced circles along the surface for a few minutes until something emerged from the deep waters.
The creature cascaded water and circled her a few times, confirming her identity. It was a colossal yuda serpent.
RUMBLE!
A mere hint of her Conqueror's Haki was all the serpent needed before it swam back underwater and positioned itself, carrying the small vessel towards Rusukaina.
With a fleeting smile, she relaxed and waited, occasionally glancing sideways, where she could see vessels of all sizes entering and exiting, heading in various directions. This 'service' was called the 'Amazon Network,' and Veyron hadn't created it; it was the brainchild of Boa Hancock, the empress of Amazon Lily.
All she had to do was give Gorgon an order, and the rest of the underwater serpents would follow suit. Ships en route to Rusukaina bearing a 'token' had to be escorted in and out of the calm belt. This token was typically given to merchants or transportation vessels, and there were very few exceptions for those who didn't require a token to enter Rusukaina.
'Always going above and beyond...'
She was one such exception.
The serpent led her to the docks first, where a small entourage awaited, the army of Rusukaina composed of individuals from various races, with Shandians at the forefront.
"My lady..."
She merely nodded and crossed her arms, slightly annoyed by the necessity of this procedure, although she understood its purpose.
"Since you don't have a token... the code?"
"Ask the question."
"What does our God share with the rest of the Yonkos?"
A hint of tension surfaced when the question was posed. Even some of the observing merchants who recognized Mihawk swallowed hard.
'Prestige? Power? Army...? What is it?!'
She approached the Shandian to whisper the code into his ear.
"Mental health."
The rest of the army eyed the man for confirmation, and he simply nodded, trying to suppress the urge to laugh.
"Welcome back, my lady... please carry on!"
They all bowed towards her, and she merely nodded once again before docking her vessel and heading to her mansion, leaving behind a curious crowd desperately eager to learn the code that would grant them unrestricted entry and exit to Rusukaina.
...
'To think our god is so astute. He knows that a faker would never provide that response... not only is it a lie, but any invader would never be able to decipher it...'
They were oblivious to the fact that the 'code' was far more intricate.
'Mental health' was the genuine response.
'Prestige' was the answer they were required to provide if, for any reason or circumstance, they had been compelled by a third party to divulge the code. If the aforementioned party stated 'prestige,' they would be permitted entry into Rusukaina... directly into an ambush, unbeknownst to them.
There were numerous codes to employ in different scenarios, and Mihawk couldn't be bothered to attempt to master them all. She was only aware that 'Mental Health' was the code she was required to use.
'Always overdoing yourself...'
Passing the mansion, she ignored the people attempting to greet her and stumbled upon two enormous lion cubs dozing at the entrance. She gently stroked each of them before entering and discovering a colossal baboon preparing a barbecue for another group of baboons who seemed to be partying.
"Tone it down, Larry... I don't want any noise."
!!!
They hadn't anticipated the madam's swift return, and as a result... the party had to relocate.
…
Inside the mansion now, Mihawk hung her coat and hat and placed Yoru on one side of the main hallway.
"Veyron? Primrose?"
No one responded; the mansion was deserted... a bit disheartening given its liveliness during the previous two weeks. Nonetheless, she simply sighed and entered.
The warlord noticed a hanging frame that wasn't flush against the wall. It was a photograph of a vast expanse of sea with red lightning beneath the water and a majestic green haze in the skies.
She couldn't help but smile
as she straightened it before heading upstairs. The lady retrieved a stack of yesterday's and today's newspapers from the balcony and took a seat on her throne after pouring herself a cup of tea.
'Peace...'
She almost let out a sigh of contentment.
**
**
At least three hours had passed. Mihawk's eyes fluttered open, having drifted off to sleep without realizing it. The sky outside was already dark, her cup lay empty beside her.
"Veyron?"
Once again, there was no response... leaving her slightly irritated. On the table next to her was a den den mushi, and she considered it for a few seconds before shaking her head and placing the newspapers on her chair.
She made her way to their shared room, shed her robes, and took a long bath. Drying herself off, she studied her reflection in the mirror, unaware that she was scrutinizing herself a bit more than necessary.
Mihawk then proceeded to her wardrobe, where she found an assortment of robes, dresses, nightgowns... and her characteristic shirt and trousers. She was about to reach for the shirt and trousers... but hesitated before slipping into a seductive black babydoll that Primrose had acquired for them.
A small gasp escaped her lips as she donned it, blushing and attempting to calm her racing heart.
'Today feels different...'
The most formidable swordswoman had different plans for the evening.
She lay down on the bed, with only a few candles illuminating the room. As she contemplated the possibility of needing to distract herself with something, a wisp of aura tickled her senses.
!!!
With a swift brush of her hair, she turned onto her side and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.
'W-What am I doing?!'.
BOOOMMM!!
The sonic boom reverberated shortly after footsteps echoed on the balcony. Mihawk was slightly surprised that she hadn't been able to sense this other individual at all, who was standing beside Veyron. She assumed it must be Robin.
That was... until Veyron entered the room and caught Mihawk 'yawning' as if she had just woken up.
"Good evening, husba-!"
"M-Mihawk?!"
"Isabel...?!"
Two stunned faces stared at each other in utter bewilderment. For one thing, Mihawk had no idea why this woman was here, 'Why is she with my son, how did these two meet each other?!'
As for the silver-haired lady, who had to rub her eyes twice to ensure she wasn't hallucinating, 'What is she wearing?! I can see everything!'
"Oh my..."
Veyron, for his part, was momentarily speechless at his mother's attire. Her intentions for the evening were clear... things were about to get really awkward.