Thirty minutes. That is how long me and Valdis have been standing in front of Babylon ever since we mentioned the fact that I flew onto the island. You may be wondering why me and Valdis are standing and not walking; Babylon became completely absorbed by the idea that I flew. You may be wondering how somehow can go on about the fact you flew for thirty minutes without a break or even a drink of water; I am actually wondering that myself. Now, why are we listening to her babble on about me flying? I don't know and besides I'm not sure if she's even talking about flying anymore.

It started so innocently... she was surprised by the fact I could fly and I explained the concepts of eating a devil fruit to her and how I could transform into lightning, being a Kuja it was expected that she would be surprised by the fact one could be able to do such things since they're not exposed to devil fruits. So I decided to politely answer questions for her. It was all about lightning and electricity at first; the extent of my abilities and how they work and what not. She then began talking about... I am not even sure anymore. I know she's enthusiastic to be meeting a devil fruit user especially a logia...

BUT OH MY GOD CAN SHE SHUT UP FOR FIVE MINUTES?

"Do you guys have a ship?" Finally after all of her droning on ceased, we were left with a question. I hesitated, not because I didn't have an answer but I just wanted to savor the silence that we had. My ears feel so relaxed...

"Well, the marines have a bunch of ships so I'm pretty sure that's a yes." With my answer Babylon shook her head, from that I take it that she wants a different answer.

"Not the marines, I mean you!" Me? I suppose certain marines customize their ships but I don't think I've seen anything too out of the ordinary.

"No, I don't have a specific ship I use." Babylon's eyes lit up, her reaction was melodramatic considering the answer I had.

"Then would you mind if I built your ship?" ...What? I'm not going senile since I'm still a child even if I have the mentality of a woman in her thirties. Maybe I've gone insane from her non-stop chatter. "I swear I'll make you the best ship ever!"

Okay so I'm not insane, or at the very least she is also insane. She is a child who has no knowledge of devil fruits or the outside world and she is requesting to build a ship? That sounds pretty unbelievable and ideal; and that's coming from a reincarnated nine year old child with super-Haki with a first mate who has some impeccable combat prowess.

"Valdis." I turned to face her who was more asleep than awake at this point. "Did she just say she wants to build a ship for us?"

"Wait she did? I haven't heard a word she's said." Ignorance is bliss. "We need a ship, don't we? Besides it would be nice to get away from all the bloody marines."

That's what I'm thinking... but I am seriously thinking otherwise because of how much this girl just talks! Wait, what am I saying? THIS IS A NINE YEAR OLD CHILD, HOW WILL THEY BUILD A SHIP?

"Anne."

"Call me Babylon."

"Babylon, that sounds like a lovely offer... but you're a child." Both Valdis and Babylon stare at me with confusion, they don't seem to understand my reasoning. "How on Earth can I believe that you can build a ship?"

"Well I wouldn't believe you could punch a boar of the island if I didn't see it for myself." Well that was rather attention-grabbing, wasn't it? "How about I show you my designs?"

"That sounds reasonable." Well, I suppose it... did she say designs? She's designing ships? "How much ships have you built, Babylon?"

We took a turn in the opposite direction, we were heading through a couple of shrubberies and some foliage before we came across what was a rather simplistic cave. I could tell from the outside that it was well-lit and was pretty well-maintained.

"None." Should I really be surprised at that? "I've just been designing them all this time."

Inside the cave was something I would expect to see from a reserved shut-in; piles of books-although in this case it's pachments-as their source of entertainment. Although that's really the sign of a shut-in, is it? There was a table placed at the end where the parchments were stacked, it also had various tools for drawing as well. The parchments were blank and on the end side of the table was a smaller stack of drawings. There was really nothing else in here.

"Cozy." Valdis commented, she was in a rush to see the drawings peculiarly, I didn't take her for an artsy type of person. "Maris, come look at these."

"What is it?" When I walked over myself, I suppose I'm rather justified in saying I was... surprised, but it was just astounding. "These are all designs of ships... the bottom ones vary in quality. These top ones look like ships of the line and galleons."

"Oh that's what you call them? I call them big ships and bigger ships." Well, she is still a child. "So, could I build your ship?"

Well, it's clear she has a great talent in designing ships, although with building one I'm not entirely sure. Y'know what they say about theory and practice. Although her designs are detailed and pretty pristine if I say so myself... even if she's a big-talker who I stop paying attention to after five minutes this definitely looks like a great skill.

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Wait... isn't this drawing...

"Babylon!" Unfortunately when I just took notice of a very important drawing it was interrupted by two very scruffy voices. They sound like... Sandersonia and Marigold, right? Wait, if they're here then what happened at the negotiation? Babylon required my undivided attention just to know what she was saying! Oh, but the drawing is important as well! Which one seems more interesting?

"Oh, Miss Marigold and Sandersonia!" Babylon obviously knows them well. "Meet my new friends! They're Marines!"

And... our identities are right out the window. Amazing, I suppose I'll find out what happened after dealing with them.

"Marines? Babylon stand-" Marigold was quick to get defensive but was also quick to stop when she saw the two of us. Well let's be honest; you wouldn't expect two nine year olds to be dangerous marines, would you? "They're... children."

No shit Sherlock.

"Um... nice to meet you, I'm Maris and this is my friend, Valdis." We are nine... which isn't the normal age for a marine to be, especially a commissioned officer. This seems good, right? If it isn't then this is going to suck.

"Oh, you guys look strong!" Don't say it, don't say it. For the love of God, don't bloody say it. "Wanna fight?"

She said it.

"Please ignore her." Well, it seems this negotiation is already going south, so why not finish it off? "I understand that we are here to discuss the treaty of being a Shichibukai with Boa Hancock. So we don't waste anymore valuable time, how about we head over to finish that?"

They're silent, which could either mean they're speechless because we're children or they really aren't going to tolerate any of our shit anymore. If we do fight them then I'm 99% sure we will fail this mission, if we don't then there's only a fifty-fifty chance we'll fail. I'm liking my chances.

"We should take them to the Hebihime." Marigold finally spoke, they both do seem surprised some I'm going to guess my chances are good here. "It seems that he was right."

He...? So that means there's a man here, and since no other person in the world could possibly stand in the same room as that woman without being aroused then it's quite clearly Aokiji. He'd be too lazy to even try and make a move.

"If they're here, then what on Earth caused the boar to be sent off the island?" Moral learned; don't punch boars off Amazon Lily. It seems people get suspicious when you do that.

"It was me! I built a cannon which packs a punch and tested it out on the boar!" I find that as believable as a child who possesses super-Haki. Then again I'm missing the point that this is a girl who is only a child and can produce detailed designs of galleons and ships of the line... if she is even confident to the point she can build a ship then whose to say she couldn't make a cannon that powerful?

Wait... I'm being an idiot! This is a girl who can accurately draw detailed designs of first-rate ships and could possibly build one! It doesn't matter if she can talk a lot or bore people to death! What's important is she can do such things despite being a child!

I want her on my crew!

"Babylon... you should have told us you were going to be doing something so dangerous. We wouldn't be in such a mess!" Sandersonia scolded her, they gestured for us to go out the cave and walked out themselves. Although this is a good time to talk with the two of them.

Considering the situation, we should focus on trying to resolve this peacefully since destroying the Kuja isn't really something I want on my record. I can't afford to be messy here,can I? I'm going to have to think all this through and most importantly... make sure these two shut up.

"Anne, Valdis, I'm going to need you to listen carefully." I took a more stern tone instead of a more sarcastic one. "Under no circumstances once we enter the throne room will you say anything."

When I did turn around to them I was expecting more of their confused expressions where they wanted me to explain something but they both seemed to understand. Valdis seemed bored but still understood and Babylon took the situation's sensitivity seriously.

With that in mind we walked out of the cave.

----------------------------------------

I took the leisure to eavesdrop by using Haki and my devil fruit, to find out what's going on with Hancock and Aokiji.

Let's see... animals, Hancock... Hancock... A lot of people are talking about Hancock. Her popularity is frightening, only an odd few are talking about something other than her. That of course makes it easier to find them since they're the only ones talking about marines and weapons... and compensation. So it really did fail that much?

"Admiral, I demand an explanation! Or perhaps you wish to become statue instead?" Wow, first words I hear from her are a threat. Then again, I'm not one to be talking. She is meant to be some sort of stunning beauty... I guess the angle and way I'm seeing her isn't really that good if she doesn't look like much.

"I told you before; it's just my two ensigns. It won't be that difficult to find them, they cause a lot of commotion." Aokiji looks pretty normal, then I guess my Haki isn't giving me a lower-quality view of the beautiful pirate empress.

If that's the case... is this it? I find Emma Watson more attractive than her, I find Olivia Wilde more attractive than her! That's kind of unfair since they're pretty people, but still! If I had to go on a date with either her or Rebel Wilson then I would pick Rebel Wilson, not just because the conversation we would have would be far more interesting and I kind of liked Pitch Perfect.

Okay, I got distracted for a moment and now I'm feeling slightly sad that I will never watch Pitch Perfect three.

Damn it! Focus, this is a negotiation with a pirate empress warlord who clearly has the upper-hand and I'm not paying attention to the conversation she's having because I was so disappointed that she looks so normal!

"Why do you still feign ignorance? What-" she was rather deep in her speech before the phone rang. She picked it up and on the other side were her sisters!

"Sister, there's something important we must tell you!" Sonia hastily informed her.

"What is it? Did you find the weapon?"

"No... the man wasn't lying. He had two ensigns on the island." It seems that they've lost their biggest piece of leverage, but they've still got something.

"Oh, so those two men somehow slipped past the grasp of sea kings? What lucky fools." Well, she is an empress of an island and it seems she has realized that she has only that to go on now.

"... It was two little girls. The boar flying was Babylon testing something." It seems Hancock's hiding her surprise over it, she's very composed, isn't she?

"Nevertheless, they've broken the treaty, it is something that can't be forgiven so easily." With that she hung up and not only that but I've gotten a pretty dangerous and possibly stupid idea which may bite me back later.

Her enslavement.

Hancock was captured and enslaved as a child by world nobles, on her back is the hoof of the soaring dragon which is used to mark slaves. It is something she'd kill to keep secret and because of that it would be stupid to even bring up in a negotiation like this. Although considering the situation we're in I'm sure to get out of this mission at the bottom and I'm not okay with failing a mission... again. If I play it carefully then I might actually win her over with it. If I'm going to use it then I need to plan this out, since Babylon and Valdis are going to shut up I've just got what I'm going to say.

Here's hoping I don't accidentally enrage the pirate empress...