The tension was as high as the moon in the skies. Grey clouds concealed the moon as if it didn't have any business with whatever was happening inside that mansion.
There was a massive marble table with several chairs on the top floor. Only three chairs are in use.
"Why am I the only one on this side?" He pouted, things weren't going the way the lightning god was expecting, for one... Isabel got extremely chummy with Mihawk and to his surprise, the latter wasn't even disallowing her from approaching that much.
He had known Isabel to be a stable figure during Mihawk's childhood and sometimes even a mentor and he didn't know what to think about this new relationship.
"Veyron… explain" Mihawk's eyes drifted to the lady sitting next to her; taking her hand in her own and smiling dumbly, nearly resembling a granny who finally found her grandaughter, except that this 'granny' looked even younger and prettier than herself.
Veyron had his inhibitions, he couldn't conceive a way of explaining everything without getting an earful, but at the end of the day...
'What's the worst that could happen? she's my wife now… not just my mom' he naively thought.
"I'll explain, it was like this..."
And so the young man began his fantasy and rather roundabout tale. From start to finish, he tried to go through the trenches at every corner; deepening the part where he freed Alabasta, how shocked he was that Crocodile was a woman all this time and concealed it from them but even Robin knew that secret. How she was Rocks' daughter.
The economics and potential Alabasta held for their alliance, even about Vivi who looked cute-
!!!
A hand took one of his ears and he began to sweat, Mihawk had seemingly teleported from her end of the table and next to him with a not-so-friendly gaze.
"Brat, go… to the point".
"I-I was just about to reach that~"
After coughing a bit, he ignored the pain in his ear and then mentioned Dragon's visit at Alabasta. How awed he was to meet the revolutionary he had deeply 'respected' in the past and his group Kuma and Ivankov.
His confused at the fact that Ivankov should be imprisoned in Impel Down but one way or another he managed to escape albeit he was still curious how-
"Veyron!"
Mihawk was about to explode so he had no choice but to hope for the best. He had to tell Kuma's sad story; overdramatising it a bit to the point the heavens needed to have mercy on Kuma and Ginny… he didn't have any other choice other than to help them head straight into the enemy lines without regard for consequences.
Since Kuma hadn't decided to take action, he'd be the hero and do it... everything for the sake of Dragon owing him a favour later.
"You did what…?"
Marie Geoise had to be invaded after Kuma's outburst without a single plan or stratagem of success.
"Are you insane!?"
Thankfully everything went well and they weren't discovered by any other knight. Instead, they were discovered by Isabel who was the only one among the knights that was barely reasonable.
"This woman… reasonable? She fooled you well".
"I'm here you know?"
By the time his story ended, Veyron's ear was red like a tomato even visible amidst his dark skin, thankfully it seemed like this was as far as the punishment would go. Her face didn't portray anger at his recklessness but instead, relief at his safety.
It was a good sign that he hadn't made a mistake loving this lady.
"And Robin allowed you?" That's when her voice turned a bit poisonous, they had an agreement to not allow him to do reckless things if possible and Robin had been one of the main advocates.
Without wasting a second, Veyron threw his dark wife into the gutter to save his own arse.
"She did! She went as far as to say she'd keep the secret for you. I was so astonished Mom!"
"I never thought you'd throw her in the ditch like that, what would she think if she heard you now?" The swordswoman sighed.
"But it is the truth! I was a hundred per cent expecting her to stop me and tell me 'No, Veyron... it is too dangerous' or something like that" He stated mimicking her uncaring voice, "and here she went and said that she supported me and going there to save Ginny is what 'I would do and I love you for it' I mean... do I have a choice at that point-"
A finger rubbed is lips for silence.
"You were going to go anyway, liar... you're not getting out of this. Go to the bed and wait for me...".
'S*ht, it didn't work...!'
The young man sighed and left the room, there weren't only wins in life.
Both of them watched him go and Isabel couldn't help but release a brief laugh once he was gone.
"You're probably the only person in this world that can make that man behave like that. I thought you'd be the submissive one, Mihawk".
"I would if he treasured his life more. But among all of us, I'm the only one that can stand up to him and make him listen"
The ex-knight sat on the other end of the table with her legs crossed.
"I never thought you would be one to share".
"It has its advantages and disadvantages, Isabel".
"You're not calling me Aunty anymore?"
"I'm a little kid no longer".
"I know... you have grown up. Became a fine woman, the strongest actually... and you even married who you wanted. Your father would be proud".
"I know he would, and he would love Veyron too".
"I imagine..."
"So... why are you here? I know are not planning a trap or anything but you should have known better than to break the status quo. I'm not an ally of Marie Geoise-"
Mihawk was neither thrilled nor disappointed with the visit and a part of Isabel understood why. The radical differences between their positions and who she represented.
'I represent our disgusting future... she represents the future I longed for us' Grief struck Isabel's heart, albeit momentarily.
"Neither am I. I explained some things to Veyron but I have something significant to tell you".
"...?"
"Maximus is alive".
!!!
That was all it took for the conversation to take an abrupt turn.
"What...?"
"Your father is alive... although... that's more than likely no longer your father".
"What are you talking about? Explain!".
Unlike with Veyron, this time Isabel divulgated plenty more information.