An Unlikely Solution for an Unlikely Situation!

[Bobbie]

After Namkhai’s recent confession, and a few more unkind words from the rest of the crew, silence befell the ship. Danielle hadn’t uttered another word since that moment and simply removed herself from the conversation, going downstairs to the cabin to check on her brother. While the stairs were still a struggle, her leg was recovering and she made it without any help.

For the next couple of hours, Danielle was uncharacteristically quiet and only resurfaced after several hours had passed to walk to the taffrail and feel the sea breeze on her face, despite the boat still docked. The crew’s words were playing on repeat in her head and she continued to think about what Namkhai said… Rosalina was going to break her heart.

Barbossa didn’t bother Danielle while she was in her cabin, and he tried to make himself useful in other ways. This mainly consisted of conversing with Gabriel to try and lift spirits with talk of martial arts and swordsmanship, demonstrating some swipes and stances. Aware of how private Danielle was, he didn’t dare allow the topic of their talk to steer in the direction of anything from her past and would quickly change subject if the risk of that happening arose. Seeing Danielle finally emerge prompted Barbossa to bring his conversation with the Professor to a close to go and speak with her, but Hayden joined the pair before he had the chance to.

“She wants to be alone - I wouldn’t if I were you.” The twin explained, offering his advice whether it was asked for or not.

“But… I thought she has a time limit to get this done. So many hours have already passed and it’s going to be dark soon.” Confused, Barbossa tried to talk his way past Hayden, “She’ll lose another 8 hours, or more, to the night.”

Hayden, however, shook his head. “She knows.” He was worried about his sister, and that was clear in his tone as well as his gaze as he turned to watch her from across the deck. As he did so, he wondered, perhaps hopefully, whether this could all be over now. If she didn’t make it within the time limitation and never got Rosalina’s hand, would it be that terrible? Muttering his thoughts out loud, he grumbled, “Better to face the heartbreak now than after jumping through all these hoops to please an impossible rugrat.”

“Very well, then…” Barbossa uttered with a little nod as he wondered if there was anything he could do to help. If there’s nothing more I can do here, I should try to get Namkhai’s autograph before I am asked to leave, he thought to himself.

Left alone with her thoughts, Danielle continued to weigh her options. They might have been right, all of them, Rosalina came across as quite rotten… but it wasn’t so impossible to believe that there was a nicer side to her that Danielle had genuinely fallen in love with. If that wasn’t worth fighting for, what in life would be? Love was never supposed to be easy, that was what she was always told. Of course, it would have helped if she had some kind of model to form her beliefs on, but her own parents could not provide that. Neither Danielle nor Hayden had ever met their father, and their mother never remarried.

Taking a deep breath, she turned around to face inward of the deck, watching whoever was out and about on it. Barbossa, Gabriel and Hayden seemed to be chatting. Hayden was of no help whatsoever, considering how he fainted and nearly vomited at the pharmacy after just holding that hand. Perhaps Barbossa had some connections that would be useful…

---

Danielle: #fffd17
Rosalina: #ffaaff
Sir Olivier: #b9a3ff
Hayden: #c3f8fa
Barbossa: #4f8235

[Mr. Moon]

Gabriel #1

While the rest of the crew were sharing their thought on Rosalina, Danielle decided to leave the conversation and hid herself under the deck, leaving the rest of them upstairs in an especially grumpy mood. Even Gabriel, who was usually able to keep his light and kind behaviour looked down, well at least until he and Barbossa engaged in a several hours long debate about their respective martial arts, including few demonstrations.

Also, Beast was nowhere to be found on the main deck, spending all the time with Danielle and trying her best to cheer up the depressed treasure huntress, whatever she liked it or not.

When the blonde finally reappeared on the main deck, most of the crew members turned in her direction.

“You know…”

Gabriel started carefully, heading towards the treasure huntress slowly, almost as if he was afraid, that any sudden movement or loud noise could chase her back under the main deck.

“I was thinking and…maybe I was wrong in one thing. You know looking back at what happened in the castle I realised that maybe Rosalina is…hmmm”

He scratched his stubble beard trying to find the right words that would describe what he was thinking.

“To put it simply, she is puppy. And puppies are not inherently bad, on the contrary, they are good, but sometimes, when you spoil them too much, even these lovely furballs can turn our quite rotten. So maybe, if we…remove this puppy…I mean Rosalina from the bad influence of her dad and offer her appropriate discipline and…hmmm training isn´t the right word, but you know what I mean. Anyway, maybe it´s not too late to save her and made her into good puppy?”

A loud dull noise marked the end of Professor´s speech, as Namkhai hit his face with open palm, shaking his head in a pure disbelief. On the other hand Hariyama was nodding sagely, agreeing with Gabriel whole heartly.

“Exactly! I was telling you guys, someone who likes my mochi cannot be bad!”

Even Sigrid smiled, her eyes suddenly sparkling with a mischief.

“So what you are suggesting is, we storm the castle and take Danielle´s princes for her!”

She grinned, forgetting that what she considered to be normal speech volume was loud enough to be heard over most parts of the village.

[Bobbie]

Watching Gabriel break away from the trio and approach her, Danielle waited. His caution was not unwarranted, as she made no attempt to move toward him in return and looked like she might just run back to the stairs, down to her cabin, if the wrong move was made. Beast kept her such good company that she spent the entire time down there in silence but snuggling the fluffy creature and petting her unceasingly.

With the first words uttered by the Professor, Danielle was already sceptical that anything wise would follow. First, she raised an eyebrow, her gaze fully focussed on him in apprehension of whatever ridiculous claim would come next.

It was a surprise when she heard him say that perhaps he was wrong. With a glimmer of hope, her frown softened into a more neutral expression; however, that hope was almost instantly crushed when Gabriel opened his mouth to continue talking and he called her Rosalina a puppy.

Her frown immediately returned and she glared daggers at the Professor. Her murderous gaze only left his person once, and that was to glance toward the passage down to the cabin as she considered simply going back down there to be with Beast again, where she wouldn’t be bothered with stupid analogies. Turning back to him, her jaw was clenched in frustration.

“Rosalina is not a puppy!” She snapped at him the second he concluded his great speech, then heard Namkhai’s palm smacking into his own face in disbelief of what was just proposed.

Danielle looked at Namkhai, but soon rolled her eye and turned her head away again. He was the one she was angriest at for his outburst earlier that triggered the mean commentary about her fiancée, the love of her life, and her decision to put blind faith in the name of love. He even had the audacity to parade it as genuine care for her, using it as an excuse for his insensitive and rude manner of giving his opinion that nobody asked for.

However, hearing Hariyama speak positively about her beloved made Danielle realise that perhaps Gabriel’s analogy was not the worst. There was some logic behind it that the treasure huntress found herself nodding to, but it simply wasn’t a solution.

“I hope to do that after marrying her, taking her away from her father and that dreadful castle… but other than the traditional way, there’s no chance Rosalina would accept leaving home.” Danielle may have been thinking out loud at that point, until she heard Sigrid’s voice boom through the air and she looked up at the giantess with her hands in closed fists.

“Nobody is storming any castle or kidnapping any princess! And keep your voice down, you can’t go yelling that for the entire village to hear!”

While under different circumstances, Hayden would have been happy that his sister seemed to be slowly coming back to her angsty self, he was currently distracted. Staring at Sigrid, his mouth partly open as it took a few attempts for him to get his words out.

“How long has she been there? She’s… a giantess…”

Barbossa looked at Hayden and patted his shoulder with a gentle chuckle. “Your first time seeing one, I take it? Yes, mighty and magnificent,” he agreed with the young blond’s unspoken thoughts, then continued. “If I may also make another suggestion… I do recall a former student of mine having one hand amputated. I wonder if it can be claimed that the hand belongs to him…” The older man stroked his beard, as if he had just given some scholarly advice.

This time, it was Danielle’s turn to hit her face with an open palm as the stupid ideas just kept coming.

However… she had no better plan herself.

---

Danielle: #fffd17
Rosalina: #ffaaff
Sir Olivier: #b9a3ff
Hayden: #c3f8fa
Barbossa: #4f8235

[Mr. Moon]

Gabriel #2

The Professor tilted his head to the side, when Danielle mentioned that Rosalina wasn´t puppy, almost as if he was really thinking about it, comparing various characteristic of that mean ginger to his ideal of puppydom.

“I mean, of course she isn´t puppy. She is mean and spoiled and…uh…”

He stopped, slowly realising, that this probably wasn´t helping his case too much.

“Anyway, what I want to say is, that we don´t have much time and eventually, taking her out by force might be the only way of doing this, unless you want to tell her good bye forever.”

Gabriel explained, turning his head towards Hayden who noticed Sigrid only now. Hearing a praise for her people, the giantess in question raised on her feet, stretching her back to show herself in her full might and glory, before sitting back down on her boat.

“Yes and I am a giant. But you can call me Sigrid. May I know your name you, adorable copy of Danielle?”

She asked, poking his cheek with one of her huge fingers, making Niko chuckle.

Sighing, Gabriel turned his attention back to Barbossa, who just mentioned one of his students that lost hand.

“I mean, that’s…hmmmmm.”

He muttered.

“Oh come on, don´t tell me you are really thinking about it.”

Namkhai growled, but the Professor ignored him, his brain already spinning a possible story about how could that hand find its way into Danielle´s box.

“Well, we can probably always say we…I don´t know switched them by accident? Wait! I have an idea!”

His eyes brightened as he turned to Danielle and her master.

“We don´t even need that student! We can say that you have box a reliquary, with a hand of…hmmmm some old master, a founder of your style in it and Danielle visited you before meeting Rosalina with her box and accidentally switched these two!”

[Bobbie]

The Professor would be correct in his realisation that his comments were not helping. If he hadn’t come to such a conclusion by himself, the glare in his direction would have made that clear soon enough. Thankfully, he had the wits about him to stop talking before digging a deeper hole for himself.

The treasure huntress only looked in Sigrid’s and Hayden’s direction once to make sure that her brother wasn’t unintentionally pushed overboard, then turned back to Gabriel. “I get what you’re trying to say, even though you are absolutely terrible with your wording… but it won’t work, she won’t be happy about it, and…” She wanted to continue with a sarcastic comment about what happens when Rosalina isn’t happy, but after just recently snapping at everybody else for speaking ill of her fiancée, she thought it unwise, even if it were true. “She won’t be happy about it.” Instead, she just repeated her last phrase.

Then it seemed almost everyone’s attention was on Barbossa. Namkhai once again disapproved and the blonde started to wish that she had hit him on the head with that spatula instead of Henry. With a quick sweeping glance around the deck, she couldn’t find her last weapon, but there were other tools still lying about. A skillet in particular caught her eye.

Much like his sister, Hayden was also distracted as his face had just been poked by a huge finger. His first reaction was to tense and close his eyes, bracing himself for impact not unlike a child on a football field who spotted the ball flying through the air in his direction. Realising that the poke was harmless, coupled with Sigrid’s flattering words, however, he opened his eyes again with a nervous laugh.

“My name is Hayden. I’ve never met a giant before, I didn’t mean to stare… but…” his eyes seemed to sparkle with fascination as he stared at Sigrid, his breath taken away and his smile growing. “Wow…”

Gabriel’s words, however, caused him to capture both Hayden’s and Danielle’s once more, the brightness in his eyes somehow reflected in his tone. Hayden raised an eyebrow sceptically, glancing at Namkhai. The Titan seemed to be on the same page as him, although he chose quite a savage way of expressing that. Danielle also hesitated, but was clearly considering it. “That could work… all those books in that library, I doubt Sir Olivier has actually read them all and the name of some old founder could have easily slipped under his radar. We might be able to get away with it.”

With that, Barbossa smiled and nodded. “Very well,” he uttered, seeming to be in agreement with his former student. Eager to help in any way that he could, he wished that this would bring him one step closer to being forgiven by the angry woman. Unable to contain his hope for such a notion, he nodded once more. “I would be happy to assist you in realising your dream, Danielle. It’s the very least I could do…”

Danielle frowned at him, despite his kind words, as if he were about to propose to her. In fact, she knew very well where his mind had gone, his proposition here may not have been of marriage, but it was one that she was equally unwilling to accept.

“As much as I may not have gelled very well with your fiancée-”

“You barely met her.” The treasure huntress cut in.

“Still, you have my support and I only wish you to be happy in life. Perhaps, if I may gently ask, this gesture of mine could warrant, in return-”

“A signature? From none other than the mighty Namkhai, Titan of Bokh?” Danielle interrupted him before the man could go on to even imply that his efforts would be enough for her to forgive him for leaving her with only one eye. Aware of his bounty fascination, she had to believe that there was no way he hadn’t noticed Namkhai yet, having proclaimed himself to be the wrestler’s greatest fan many years ago. “Absolutely! I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”

Barbossa was stunned. This was not the route he meant for his request to go, but Danielle offered him something that he simply couldn’t say no to.

Danielle shouted the words out to ensure that she was heard clearly, which only accentuated the sarcasm that she did, unsuccessfully, try to mask. Perhaps going overboard with her attempt to steer clear of any mention of making amends, she offered the greatest compliment she could manage at the current moment. “He really is as great as he looks, but…” she shrugged, avoiding looking at Namkhai. “Who knows, maybe now’s not the time.”

Proof that the man had been won over presented itself when the man’s cheeks became rose in colour and he glanced toward Namkhai. Clearing his throat, he quietly uttered the words, “Would you?”

---

Danielle: #fffd17
Rosalina: #ffaaff
Sir Olivier: #b9a3ff
Hayden: #c3f8fa
Barbossa: #4f8235

[Mr. Moon]

Gabriel #3

Slightly surprised that there was nearly no push back against his plan, the Professor smiled, nodding as Danielle was working on additional details to their plan.

“Actually, I might have something that could help if you…”

Gabriel muttered, disappearing under the main deck faster, than it should be possible. Because of that he completely missed the moment when Barbossa asked for Namkhai´s autograph.

“My what?”

The Titan asked with one of his eyebrows raised in surprise as for a moment he was pretty sure he misheard them. However a second later his brain managed to connect the dots back to the moment when Rosalina mentioned, that Danielle´s former master was actually a great fan of his criminal career.

“I mean, sure just give me something to write with and something to write on.”

He shrugged almost as if it was absolutely normal for him, or more likely as if he had no interest in that.

Using the upcoming confusion and fact that seemingly everyone was focusing on Namkhai and Barbossa, Sigrid reached forward, gently snatching Hayden from the deck, while keeping one finger in front of his mouth to make sure he will be quiet.

“Hello there.”

She smiled at him when he was safely on her palm in front of her face.

“Hmmm, why didn´t I ever noticed on Danielle, you really are handsome, are you going to join us too?”.

She muttered, taking as close look as possible, before leaning slightly backward to give him a bit of free space.

Meanwhile, after lots of searching and throwing stuff around Gabriel finally found what he was looking for, rushing up while holding silver jewellery box decorated with pearls.

“Here you go. You can use this as the original box. I mean, it´s not very similar, but better something than nothing right? It´s also quite valuable too, three centuries old I found it on some excavations in West Blue and been using it for…wait a second…”

The Professor paused opening the box only to pull out handful of chocolate chips cookies filled with nougat.

“Here, take it just…shake out the crumbs or something.”

[Bobbie]

As Namkhai asked for confirmation, the dojo master froze and Danielle was worried that her plan to distract the man would fall to pieces if Namkhai’s ego resisted the idea of giving an autograph. Thankfully, although not quite as enthusiastically as Danielle expected, the wrestler agreed.

Barbossa promptly reached into his kimono to take out a folded wanted poster of Namkhai as he approached his idol. “Here… I have a pen for you.” The man’s hand disappeared into his kimono again and emerged again with a pen in his fingers.

It’s almost as if he came prepared, like he knew… Danielle silently commented in her head as she watched their interaction.

While everyone was busy, Hayden was snatched up by the giantess and seated upon her palm. Staring at her, incredulous, the young lad was in awe of such a gigantic being. He knew giants existed, but to be so close to one in person was truly something else. Rising to his feet, he extended his arms at his sides in something of a balancing act, then steadied himself just in time to hear her compliment.

“Thank you, and you really are beautiful,” he replied with a soft smile and a blush on his cheeks that intensified the closer she got. Then he looked down at his sister as he considered Sigrid’s question. As he did, however, he couldn’t stop a laugh from escaping his throat. “Look at my sister, she looks so small from up here!” As if this was some kind of rare victory over his sibling, he seemed to enjoy the power that his elevated position granted him. Composing himself once more, he turned back to Sigrid and offered a light shrug. “I don’t know… what exactly does joining you consist of? And I presume Danielle is the other person joining you?” He asked, his tone now riddled with caution. “I can’t quite imagine Rosalina’s father being okay with his daughter marrying somebody so well integrated into a group such as this one… as nice as you lot all seem to be, there is the issue of bounties and reputation. I saw your face in the newspaper.”

As the Professor emerged from the lower deck with a fancy-looking box, Danielle’s eye turned toward him. With an eyebrow raised, she wondered why he even owned such a hideous-looking box, but that was soon answered. It was an artefact… and a cookie container.

“You store cookies in… a three-centuries-old jewellery box?” The question just rolled off her tongue automatically as the image of him taking a handful of cookies out of such an elegant box was so absurd. However, she knew to limit her sarcastic comments for now. First of all, he was trying his best to help her, and secondly, he was holding some delicious nougat-filled cookies which she hoped that he would offer to share without having to be asked. She could sniff out the sweet smell of her favourite flavour quite easily.

“Thank you, this could work…” she reached out to take the box before glancing back at Barbossa to inform him of Gabriel’s solution as it seemed he had missed it. He was beaming with pride and satisfaction.

---

Danielle: #fffd17
Rosalina: #ffaaff
Sir Olivier: #b9a3ff
Hayden: #c3f8fa
Barbossa: #4f8235

[Mr. Moon]

Gabriel #4

Raising his eyebrow even higher as he realised, that Barbossa came suspiciously well prepared for someone who didn´t plan this in advance, Namkhai took the offered pen and signed his own wanted poster, feeling rather inappropriate while doing so.

“Here you go.”

He muttered, returning both the pen and the poster back to their rightful owner.

Meanwhile on the next ship Sigrid´s cheek turned red when she was complimented by Danielle´s brother.

“Oh…no, I mean, you are just saying it out of courtesy, there is no way you could find someone as big as me…ooooops!”

She cried out as she realised that in her frustration, she tried to “wave off” his compliment by the same hand Hayden was standing on. As the poor pharmacist was launched away, the giantess lunged forward, grabbing him mid air and pulling him back to herself.

“I am sorry, are you alright? So sorry, I am so clumsy!”

She cried petting his head with single finger.

“I mean, we are not really bad people, that thing on Mirrorball was total accident and…the Professor very noble…I mean a real noble from Toroa so we are actually very good company for Danielle and you.”

She said, trying her best to ignore Gabriel´s scolding look, that was directed at her.

With his rather unnaturally sharp eyes the Professor couldn´t but notice how his blacksmith accidentally launched Danielle´s brother, getting ready to rescue him himself, only to find out that such attempt would be a waste of time.

“Hmmmm.”

He muttered, filling his mouth with a large cookie to clam down his nerves, while nodding at Danielle´s remark.

“Yes, pretty much. I didn´t have any better use for it so…would you like some?”

He offered her hand full of cookies as he noticed the very characteristic look in her eye, one that Myra taught him signalled that woman would like something but is too proud or angry to ask for it.

Waiting for the treasure huntress to take her share, Gabriel took another cookie and nodded.

“Anyway, with this sorted out we should probably pay Mr. Olivier another visit rather sooner than later?”

[Bobbie]

Hayden’s arms flailed as he was suddenly launched into the air before he could even begin his reply to the woman’s comments. The wind rushing through his hair as he flew across the sky soon came to stop, however, and was replaced with a pressure all around his body as he was caught mid-air.

Shocked into silence, the young man stared at her while she apologised and proceeded to pat his head with a single finger. The size difference between their two bodies was phenomenal.

When he couldn’t suppress it anymore, he let out a laugh with a big smile on his face. “I know you’re not bad people. If you were, you would have let me fall!” He explained, before turning his head to look at Gabriel down below. It was a bit difficult to move while in the giantess’ grasp, though he couldn’t really complain. It was warm and cosy with her fingers wrapped around him to hold him. Seeing the angry look on the Professor’s face, Hayden wriggled his arms free and decided to give him a thumb’s up to let him know that everything was fine and there was no cause for alarm.

He then turned back to Sigrid.

“A real noble, huh?” As the question came out of his mouth, Hayden’s smile faded. He wondered if Danielle was using these people for their wealth, only to reach her end-goal faster, but he hoped that she wouldn’t stoop that low. They seemed like such genuine and nice people.

The blond’s gaze once more fell on his sister just in time to see her take a cookie from Gabriel.

“Sure, if you don't want them all…” she muttered as she took one, and then another in her other hand so that she wouldn’t have to ask for seconds later on - if they would last that long. One bite of the cookie and Danielle was filled with nostalgia, as it took her back to all the great times in her childhood of nibbling on nougat sweets and their first encounter back in the tomb… of course, she hadn’t actually got to taste the cookies before they were spilled onto the floor, but it was still a memory that she could now think back to quite fondly.

As soon as one hand was emptied, she simply couldn’t resist swiping another one to take three in total.

“Yes, we should get moving.” She replied, her mouth still full of the sugary treat and some crumbs on her face. Turning around to look for Barbossa, she quickly spotted him right beside Namkhai, doing absolutely nothing other than hovering by the celebrity’s side. “As soon as he’s done fang-” Danielle didn’t get to finish that sentence as the moment Barbossa spotted her in return and gestured that he was coming. He nodded respectfully to Namkhai and began to make his way over to her with the poster and pen tucked away once more.

“Here he comes. Got your fancy autograph?” Had her mouth not been stuffed with another large bite of cookie, her tone would have probably been twice as aggressive; but, as it was, she was slightly preoccupied with the delightful flavours.

“Shall I hold the box? Your hands seem rather full…” her former sensei offered, meaning no disrespect in his observation. Taking the box, he made sure to get rid of any left over crumbs, giving the delicate thing a rather rough shake, then smiled and nodded to himself as if he was proud of his work after a brief inspection of its interior.

The second cookie was already gone and Danielle now dusted any remnants of it on her trousers. Luckily, the expensive suit that she was still wearing was silky enough to allow what would usually stain cotton to be brushed right off it.

“I can hold it.” She crunched and chewed the cookie while holding her only free hand out, but Barbossa shook his head.

“You need your free hand to hold onto that beautiful dog. Don't think I didn't notice you walking oddly, and I saw you  board the ship on her back." Danielle was quite surprised that Barbossa noticed that, as she thought she hid it well. "Now, where did she disappear to?”

---

Danielle: #fffd17
Rosalina: #ffaaff
Sir Olivier: #b9a3ff
Hayden: #c3f8fa
Barbossa: #4f8235

[Mr. Moon]

Gabriel #5

Watching Danielle taking cookies from him made Gabriel think how well he picked his puppy. The blonde treasure huntress was nearly perfect. Stubborn, yes and sometimes moody, but so incredibly cute when she was munching on his cookies with something close to pure children´s happiness reflecting in her only eye, that he couldn´t but forgive her everything.

“So cute…”

The Professor whispered loud enough for the people standing next to him to hear, despite not even realizing he said these words aloud.

“Awooo?”

As Barbossa pointed out the absence of the beautiful big dog, the puppy in question raised her fluffy head from behind some crates that were lying on the main deck. Tired of all the talking, she found herself a place to take a short nap but was immediately woke up by someone mentioning a beautiful dog, which was a description that in her little world fit only to her.

“Woof, woof!”

She added, walking towards Danielle and lowering herself so the treasure huntress could climb her back.

“Well, guess we can go, you guys watch over the ship and…don´t cause any trouble please.”

He gave a warning look to Sigrid who at that time was flirting with Hayden, ignoring him completely.

“Hmmmmm.”

Muttering for himself, the Professor shook his head and headed back towards the castle, watching Danielle and Beast for the whole journey. Watching his two puppies together was his way of calming his nerves and steeling them for the upcoming meeting. Because something was telling him, that despite coming back with passable excuse Mr. Olivier won´t be happy to see them again. And Danielle already made it very clear she doesn´t want him dead.

Still, despite all his effort Gabriel´s expression visibly darkened the more they were getting closer to the castle, turning completely to his stern mask when they appeared in front of the main gate.

[Bobbie]

Cookie-muncher Danielle thought she heard something, but it took her a moment to register the words, clearly indicating that she had when she glared at Gabriel.

“You better not be talking about me…” she grumbled. Usually, it might not have been so bad to be referred to as ‘cute’, but this was a man who twisted that into his very odd perspective of a cute woman being viewed as a lost puppy. This never failed to disturb Danielle.

Nevertheless, it was time to get moving and she climbed onto Beast’s back, petting her with her empty hand, and then rushed to gobble down whatever was left of her last delicious cookie.

Then they were off!

Throughout the journey, Danielle could sense that Gabriel’s mood was not the greatest, but she didn’t say anything. Despite defending Rosalina quite strongly, she could understand why he would dislike her and her father, especially. He was an intimidating man in her eyes and perhaps simply unamicable in the Professor’s.

Barbossa was quiet for the entire journey, pondering his former student’s life choices and going over their made-up story in his head. He wanted this to work in order to be of assistance to Danielle, but, at the same time, a part of him really didn’t.

Upon reaching the castle, Danielle was the only one who could offer the two guards the slightest hint of an optimistic smile out of the three people, and they were all guided up the staircase. Much like earlier, they were escorted up the narrow stairwell and to Sir Olivier’s office.

“So this is it…” Barbossa uttered in awe of such a luxurious castle once they reached the top step. “Living here must be truly amazing.”

Danielle sighed, “I’ll tell you the same thing I said to the Professor and hope this will yield better results… don’t act weird.”

To this, the older man frowned in confusion as he couldn’t understand why she would make such a request of him.

Without waiting for Barbossa to reply, or for Gabriel to improve his gloomy mood, Danielle gently prompted Beast to take her inside the study once the doors were opened and the red carpet and fireplace greeted them.

Within, Rosalina was still present and in the company of her father. Upon seeing Danielle, she smiled, but the large dog that her fiancée was seated upon prevented her from getting any closer. When she saw Gabriel, her smile turned into a sour scowl in the man’s direction.

“If you hit me again, my father will command all the guards to throw you in the dungeon, just F.Y.I.”

“Rosalina, sweetheart…” she was promptly silenced by her father, whose attention was divided between the newcomer, a man he knew of but had never met, the Professor, who formerly threatened his own life, and the treasure huntress, who started all this chaos.

“Well? Do you have proof that the severed hand does not belong to some murder victim of yours or your new crew?” He asked as his gaze now fell on the box that Barbossa carried.

“Yes. That hand in the other box was some sort of memorabilia… of… uh...” Getting down from her ride, Danielle hesitated in her speech, as it seemed that the combination of the intimidating man and her lover staring at her with such demand in their eyes caused her to freeze once more. Turning to Barbossa, she gestured toward the box for him to present it.

Thankfully, Barbossa was happy to oblige, beginning his explanation of a draggingly long and fantastical story about an old master who befriended his ancestors and was a co-founder of his dojo. The story would eventually end with the mishap of swapping the two boxes - which were remarkably dissimilar and rather difficult to get confused.

---

Danielle: #fffd17
Rosalina: #ffaaff
Sir Olivier: #b9a3ff
Hayden: #c3f8fa
Barbossa: #4f8235

[Mr. Moon]

Gabriel #6

The Professor followed Danielle, Barbossa and Beast to the castle as a rear guard of sort, staying quiet for most of their journey, even after Danielle asked her former teacher to not act weird giving a gentle jab to Gabriel. He could probably counter and mention, that there is nothing weird about protecting people who he cares about from harm and that he would do it again, if either Rosalina or her father will try to be mean to her again, but he didn´t. For once, it would be a waste of time as she probably knew and then the treasure hunters looked already stressed enough by just being there so he didn´t really want to push her any further.

Entering the study, the Professor looked around finding out, that beside Rosalina and her dad the room was also occupied by two members of their guard. Tall and wiry men in full armour, armed with short swords. Perhaps it was their presence what gave the ginger enough courage to go and try to threaten Gabriel, but the Professor ignored her attempt. Giving her nothing but a single murderous gaze, before moving towards Danielle to be a good moral support for his terrified puppy.

Fortunately he wasn´t the only one with the same idea as Barbossa stepped in and explained the whole story behind switched boxes instead of her. When he finished, the Professor nodded, shifting his gaze towards Mr. Olivier.

“As you can see, it was just an accident.”

From the tone of his voice was obvious, that this wasn´t just a simple declaration, but also demand. One that could have a serious consequence if ignored.

“So, there is no need for you to stay in the way of their marriage. Am I right?”

The question completely rhetorical was addressed Rosalina´s dad.

[Bobbie]

The two guards present in the room were immediately made alert the moment Gabriel entered the room, making it very clear that he was the reason they were both there. The look that he gave Rosalina only further reinforced the proof that they were needed.

The girl shrank and instantly quietened down, taking a step away from him and nearly stumbled in a fold in the carpet. She then proceeded to scowl at The Professor from her safe spot behind her father.

Once Barbossa was finished explaining, Olivier made absolutely no attempt to hide that he didn’t believe a word of it, but he didn’t object or contradict a single element in that made up story. He glanced at Danielle, who was standing so still that her posture appeared terribly unnatural and uncomfortable, then he glanced at Gabriel again.

Danielle pursed her lips as she waited for all of this to blow up, expecting the man to disregard their claims. She was tempted to move closer to Gabriel as he spoke, but allowing herself to do that once the last time they were in this room was embarrassing enough. She couldn't allow it a second time.

Gabriel's tone was undeniably defiant, if not threatening.

Olivier picked up on this, just as Danielle did, but he offered a knowing smile instead of retalliation. “Of course…” he uttered with an uncharacteristically gentle nod. “All just an innocent mistake, I understand. I have no reason to stay in the way of their marriage on such account.”

A hint of a smile appeared on Danielle’s face, as well as on Rosalina’s. The latter was so excited that she couldn’t resist hopping on the spot and clapping her hands with a squeal, as her father’s approval seemed to mean the world to her - perhaps even more than the actual wedding.

“However…” her fiancee’s father continued, his voice making the treasure huntress go cold as she looked at Gabriel, then at him once more before he continued.

“I would like to discuss the matter of this wedding with my daughter’s lover. As a father-figure yourself, I am sure you understand. If you wouldn’t mind giving us a moment?”

Danielle took a deep breath, but before anybody could say a word, she replied. “Beast needs to stay,” she wished for The Professor to stay as well, but knew that it would only portray herself in a negative light, turning to Gabriel for protection. “As you’re probably aware, I am injured… Beast has been by my side every moment since then, she stays.” Looking at her ginger beloved, she felt guilty, but she simply didn’t want to be alone with Olivier…

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Danielle: #fffd17
Rosalina: #ffaaff
Sir Olivier: #b9a3ff
Hayden: #c3f8fa
Barbossa: #4f8235

[Mr. Moon]

Gabriel #7

Almost as if he had some supernatural sense, that would tell him his puppy needed him, Gabriel moved towards Danielle, putting one hand on her shoulder as a way of assurance, that everything will be alright, before listening to Rosalina´s dad´s response.

The Professor was watching Mr. Olivier with a suspicion written all over his face. He wasn´t really able to read in his tone and face, but something was telling him, that he shouldn´t trust this man so easily, especially if he was agreeing with him. His suspicious look changed into warning one when Rosalina´s dad demanded some time alone with Danielle, claiming that as a father figure himself Gabriel should understand his request. And he did, but at the same time he didn´t want to leave his puppy in such dangerous, hostile environment alone. The Professor almost declined when he realised, that Danielle would never forgive him if he jeopardized her chances to marry Rosalina.

“Very well…”

He nodded slowly, focusing his murderous gaze on Mr. Olivier.

“But if you´ll make Danny cry. Just a single tear on my puppy´s face, I´ll kill every single person in this castle, understood?”

He growled his threat, turning around to wait outside the room.

“You two are going with me.”

The Professor snapped at the two guards standing by the door. It wasn´t a request but clear order. One they obeyed after a moment of hesitation. Probably because Gabriel was the main reason for their presence anyway.

Leaving his two puppies behind, the Professor closed the door and leaned against the wall, to have his back protected. He didn´t really think these two guards, who looked like they were more accustomed to a ceremonial than combat role, would try to attack him, but one couldn´t be sure enough in a situation like that.

[Bobbie]

The tension in Danielle’s body would be clear even from a single touch on her shoulder, especially by the way it slowly transitioned into something more relaxed at the Professor’s reassuring gesture.

Most, if not all, signs of her comfort slipped away, however, and was once more replaced with risen shoulders, her jaw clenched in frustration. Of course, she knew that he meant well with his comment, but being called his puppy a second time in front of the woman she intended to marry and her father was crossing the line. Turning her head, she stared at him, her eye twitching as she silently wished to rip his tongue out for speaking those words.

Perhaps amused by the blonde’s reaction or merely trying to save face, Olivier smiled. “I would never live with the shame of knowing I caused a tear to roll down the cheeks of my daughter’s fiancée, even a single one.”

It was ironic that he’d say that, yet Danielle had never revealed herself to be much of a crier. There were times she swallowed the urge to break down in sobs, but that was the furthest she allowed her emotions to show. Oftentimes, even Rosalina failed to notice the teary reflection in Danielle’s eye…

Letting out a sigh, the treasure huntress watched Gabriel and Barbossa walk out, the two guards following close behind. Rosalina, of course, remained in the room, but Danielle knew better than to expect the ginger to defy her father - not on her behalf.

“How many favours did you need to cash in on to rope in a dojo owner to present that blatant lie?” Olivier began once he was sure the doors were closed and he was sure he wouldn’t be heard. His eyes were now fixed on Danielle.

“What-”

“Obviously a made up story, desperately constructed in an attempt to convince me that the people you associate with - that man, specifically - are not dangerous.” As Olivier continued, Danielle had very little chance to speak or defend herself. She now stared at the older man in pure distrust and resentment, her guard up just in case.

“They’re not dangerous people. They’ve gone to great lengths for me and have been very generous, assisting me with acquiring the funds-”

“Oh!” Again, Rosalina’s father interrupted her. “So you mean to say that what you have acquired thus far are by no means through your own efforts?”

“No, that’s not what I’m saying!” Danielle replied, the words quickly coming out of her mouth in case she didn’t get a chance to finish her sentence again. When she was prompted to continue, she was quite surprised. “They have expertise that was useful in locating certain treasures and meeting the right acquaintances. Along the way, they also ensured that the riches I had collected remained safe.”

“I see… so they were merely tools in the grander scheme.” With a sly smile, the man seemed very masterful at twisting her words.

Danielle frowned, though she tried her best to limit her glaring. “No.” She had to deny it. She thought of Beast, mostly, who had become so very important to her over their time together. The Professor was, of course, very special to her and even some of the others in the crew had a reserved corner in her heart. “They’re much more to me than that.”

“Well, then…” Olivier seemed to soften for just a moment, satisfied with the corner he successfully backed his prey into, before the man snickered. “That is quite unfortunate because, you see, my Rosalina has mentioned a few names that rang a bell… Kiozan Hariyama has a bounty of 6 million Beli. Namkhai Monkhbat, 13 million, Sigrid Grovsmed has recently obtained a bounty of over 30 million.”

Danielle’s jaw dropped. She always knew that this would come back to bite her at some point, and it seemed that day finally arrived. “That… doesn’t mean anything-”

“It means a lot. It means that if my daughter marries you, then these friends of yours will become frequent acquaintances of hers, since you say that they are so much more than mere tools… that is, unless you will recant that statement and can assure me that you will no longer have anything to do with them?” Olivier prompted Danielle, knowing full well that the relationship she appeared to have with the Professor was not one to let go of easily.

Standing beside Beast, Danielle’s heart was torn. One member of the crew was right there beside her, and he was expecting her to reject the doggo there and then. The woman’s brow was knotted and she glanced at Rosalina for help, perhaps too optimistically.

Rosalina sighed, “Danny, these are dangerous people… I won’t feel safe.” Feigning the innocent tone of a distressing damsel, the ginger seized the opportunity to get revenge on the Professor for slapping her.

“I can’t… how can you expect me to leave these people after all that they’ve done to ensure that your daughter gets a future she deserves?” Danielle frowned as she turned her attention back to Olivier and shifted the focus onto what they had done for Rosalina rather than herself. Meanwhile, one hand clutched Beast’s fur, as if in fear of the doggo being taken away from her.

With a shake of his head, Olivier picked up a paper that had gone unnoticed earlier and continued reading. “Professor Gabriel Moon, over 36 million, and his crew - what does he call it? Martial Arts… Research Instruc- no, Institute? Collectively with all of its members, a bounty of 111,800,000 beli. That is a lot.” The senior man lifted his gaze from the paper to watch Danielle’s reaction, seeing the devastated look on her face and quite enjoying it as his own form of victory over a man, supposedly a noble, who thought he could threaten Sir Olivier and get away with it. “Well… perhaps this is the real test for you… just how much do you love Rosalina?”

Danielle was furious. Furious at this disgusting excuse of a man before her, Rosalina for, once again, doing nothing to come to her rescue, and furious at the Professor for allowing such bounties to accumulate.

However, most of all, she was furious at herself. She felt ashamed… embarrassed to have fallen for a woman who comes from such a wicked family, although it only fuelled her deep desire to take Rosalina away from Olivier. Lowering her gaze, she avoided meeting Beast’s at all cost. How could she look that beautiful creature in the eyes while committing the ultimate act of betrayal? She couldn’t… and she despised herself for it.

“I will cease all travels with them…” as the words came out of her throat, Danielle felt a piece of her heart tear off and shrivel in the most painful way she ever thought imaginable. A part of her that will always belong to these people for all that they’ve done and for all they were. All she could hope was that Rosalina’s love will ever be enough to make up for such a great loss.

“Good answer…” Olivier replied with a smirk across his lips, slightly skewed at one corner. “Of course, I don’t expect this to sit very well with a man who addresses you as his ‘puppy’ or ‘protegee’, so… you have until sundown. Say your goodbyes, and by morning, you will see to it that their ship sails off the island, and you will come back here to confirm it.”

Danielle looked at him pleadingly. “This isn’t necessary… They aren’t dangerous, Rosalina will be perfectly-”

Having had enough, Olivier now slammed on his desk, causing Danielle to flinch, her body tensing once more. “Aren’t dangerous!? That man had me by my throat against this very wall!” his arm swung around to point to the wall behind him. “Or have you forgotten that even YOU had to beg him to release me? Have you forgotten that he struck Rosalina, my daughter?! Your fiancée!”

Frozen on the spot, the scorned lover now seemed to be shutting down. Her teeth were pressed together, and she didn’t dare utter a word, only responding with a nod now. Her body shook with anger and fear - fear that she will lose everything. Seeing through her attempts to remain strong in the face of what she now viewed as a monster, Olivier inhaled deeply and composed himself once more.

“Now… we don’t want to worry Professor Moon with any tearful outbursts, do we?” At this point, the man gently nudged Rosalina, who rushed over to Danielle and took her hands.

“Danny…” placing one hand on Danielle’s cheek, she made her look her in the eye and gently wiped a tear that fell with her thumb. “It’s going to be okay. It will be just the two of us soon. We’ll have the most beautiful wedding, and live our lives together, in love. We can get through this if we stay strong for each other. I love you, and I want you.”

Something amidst the ginger’s speech elicited a nod from Danielle, though she looked nothing short of a shattered individual.

“Come on,” wiping a second tear, Rosalina kissed her lover. “It’s going to be just like we’ve always dreamt it would be. We’re so close to finally being married! Please, Danny…”

Another nod was offered before Danielle lifted her eye to glare at Olivier and raised her hand to take Rosalina's and move it off her face. Danielle was a sensitive woman, whether she showed it to many people or not; when she felt something, she felt it burrow deep inside her and it stuck with her for a long time before she found it in her to let go of her emotions. Yet, never, in all of her 27 years of existence, had she ever felt the same degree of hatred that she felt toward this man. A part of her wondered if a small fraction of her desire for Rosalina’s hand in marriage was to spite that terrible old man, to beat him at his own cruel game.

“Beast,” she finally pulled away from Rosalina, knowing full well that the dog’s heart may have been just as broken as hers. Blocking those thoughts for now, she steeled herself to hide any evidence of her sadness so as to prevent a murderous rampage from the Professor.

“It's time to go.” Turning, she made her way to the door to leave this office and meet Gabriel and Barbossa outside once more.

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Danielle: #fffd17
Rosalina: #ffaaff
Sir Olivier: #b9a3ff
Hayden: #c3f8fa
Barbossa: #4f8235