Burning

Note: Just quickly to minimise confusion, the character is called Ran and it's pronounced with a long r-sound and a-sound rather than a short r-sound as in the 'ran' of the past tense run. By the way, Ran means Lily, which is the symbol of death.

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She simply watched, helpless.

Ran clenched her fist as she stood to the side. Sengoku glanced at her with a warning in his eyes. Her nails imprinted in her palms as she looked anywhere but at the figure kneeled on the platform, head bowed down in submission.

This was not how it was supposed to be.

The stupid, stupid man, how she would've loved to have knocked some sense into him, hitting and screaming. And now, it was too late.

The explosion from the sky caught Ran's attention, along with Sengoku's, and they watched as Strawhat Luffy's boat entered the harbour from the sky.

She felt, rather than saw the irritation that Sengoku felt when he turned stonily to Vice-Admiral Garp, who had his hands on his head in horror.

'You're accursed family again, Garp.'

She watched as Garp began to panic and she turned away, not able to watch this. She knew that no matter what happened, Sengoku would have Hiken no Ace eliminated today. That was why she was here. Because she would be the one person who Hiken no Ace would not raise a hand against.

She bit her lip as she looked at the wooden platform beneath her boots. That dark, painful hole inside her stomach was twisting, turning and killing her from the inside out.

She gasped as she took a step forward as Garp hit the ground and Strawhat Luffy continue to make his way up. Sengoku turned his head to her sharply, halting her movement towards the criminal.

'Lily.'

That was all it took. A sharp warning and a name. That was all it took to remind her of everything she had accomplished in her short career as a marine officer. That was all it took to remind her of the brilliant future she had at Marine Headquarters if she remained according to its code. Because she was The White Lily.

The Marine's newest symbol of death.

Her dark eyes desperately turned and greedily ate the view of the kneeled figure, whose eyes where on his younger brother's in disbelief. Biting her lip, she held back the tears in her eyes as she closed her eyes and swallow.

'This is the path you chose.'

Ace turned to her, his gaze burning her even though he was cuffed with Karouseki.

'Our paths split ways years ago. This is what the two of you chose. You chose to make me your enemy.'

He looked at her, and even after all these years, she can still see his feelings even though she does not want to. He is in pain before he replies quietly.

'No, this is the path you chose. You chose sides. We don't have to be enemies and you know it.'

Her hand moved down her hips, to the holster on her leg.

She felt her hand close around the gun.

'No….you must die today.'

'What are you doing?'

She looks up from her position on the ground and then looks away.

'This was a test, wasn't it?'

Sengoku sighed.

'I had hoped you would pass. But it was expected. Even Garp could not do it.'

It was to be expected. How could she betray him when he refused to betray her?

Her hands shook as she pointed the trigger at Luffy, who was now standing infront of Ace, protecting him.

'Move, Luffy. This bullet has Karouseki in it. If I shoot you, the bullet won't rebound back. It'll pierce you.

'Don't do this, Ran-nee.'

She bit her lip before she shouted back at him.

'Move now, Luffy!'

She was loosing her professional tone.

She saw Ace murmur something softly to Luffy who nodded. She prepared herself. Luffy turned to her.

'Sorry, Ran-nee'

She saw the attack coming, yet she allowed him to knock her off the platform and allowed herself to hit the ground and tumble for a few meters. She rolled onto her stomach and stayed down, feeling betrayal eat her inside and her mind remonstrate her for her actions.

She watches Ace and Luffy battle together, covering each other and taking down the numerous marine officers. Of course, it was quality over quantity.

'He's still going to die, isn't he?'

Sengoku glanced down at her before resuming his actions and watching the fight.

'That is why I had six Shichibukai and all the Admirals here. I won't let him leave alive.'

'This is justice at its grossest form of distortion.'

'That is how the system works. Just like history.'

Sayuri looked at the pair and stood up. It was shameful for her to be on the ground, trying to avoid her battle.

'Do you love him?'

She avoided Sengoku's gaze, but saw him scrutinizing her from the corner of his eye.

She angrily stormed away, not bothering to even spare him a second glance.

Of all the nerve. She felt her blood boil as she marched through the crowd. He…the bastard had the nerve to play her, leave her a note telling her he loved her, disappear across the ocean and then…

'Ran!'

She didn't bother stopping or running. He had always been faster than her and with what she had heard from headquarters regarding his logia abilities, she didn't stand a chance of escaping.

'Ran, it's not what –'

She glanced around, the area was quite clear, no civilians. It seemed that the natural landscape would have to suffer for the greater good.

She spun on her heels and thrust out an open palm, feeling the haki leave her body and slam into him, pushing him through tree trunks before he was finally stopped by hitting one of the thicker trunked trees. She blinked at the damage she had caused, surpried. Her haki hadn't been that strong before. Ace groaned as he struggled back up and she was completely was immediately on guard again, knowing that it wouldn't be that easy to touch him again.

'Damn, Ran, is that usually how powerful your haki is? Because damn that hurt.'

She watched his movements warily as she twirled her two guns in her hand.

'Ahh, I thought you looked surprised. You must be damn pissed if you managed to increa-'

Ace broke off his sentence as he dodged her bullets. That was had been a smart move on his part, considering how they hadn't been ordinary bullets.

'Ran, calm down!'

'Calm down? I am calm, Hiken no Ace.'

She stated coldly as she cocked the gun in her right hand at him, anticipating his movements. He held up his hands.

'Hey, I swear, what you saw was only for a mission that I-'

His lie sent her over the edge, and any façade of passivity left her countenance

'Oh, now you're lying to me?'

Ace stepped back as she fired again, easily evading her attack.

'I can't believe you, you don't think that your reputation hasn't reach headquarters' ears? The only reason you aren't dead in bed yet is because none of the women in headquarters want to whore themselves out to you!'

His eyes widened at her comment and his eyes locked on her armband with the Marine's symbol. Her attire had thrown him off, but that had been because he usually encountered male marines.

He was prepared for her next attack and disappeared behind her, knocking her guns from her with the back of his hand before pushing her against a tree. Before she could protest, he crushed his lips against hers.

And it was taking everything she had to clench onto her fraying strands of sanity. She was as bad as she had been at fifteen, unable to even stand properly because of him when he kissed her. Finally, when they finally needed to part for air, he looked into her eyes intensely and she flinched at the penetrating gaze which every girl fell for. The eyes which looked into every girl's eyes and told them they were special, only to leave them shattered the next day, week or month.

'I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lied. I've been with other women.'

She felt her heart sink and she slid to the ground. He let her and crouched down beside her, reaching out his hand to touch her when she snapped at him.

'Don't touch me.'

'Ran, you have to believe me. They didn't mean anything. You're the only one who I care about. Who I love. The past three years have only reinforced that for me.'

She felt anger boil in her for the second time that day.

'You love me yet somehow, you've also been having fun with other women as well? You make it sound like it's my fault. What, so if I ever feel any sexual frustration, I should just jump into bed with the nearest male who I find physically attractive?'

He didn't reply as he looked away, knowing she was right. His defeat didn't mean anything to her, because she was pained by this as well. She couldn't do this.

'I have no right to ask this. But you know how selfish I am. Join me. Join Whitebeard's crew. Stay with me forever. Come with me to the New World.'

She considered this for a fleeting second with happiness and joy before she looked away. He knew she had always wanted to be a marine. She looked at him, knowing he would understand that he was forgiven. She stretched up to kiss him softly and slowly, savouring his touch. She then pulled herself away, knowing that if held her any longer, she would be willing to do anything for him.

'Don't contact me ever again. Next time we meet, we'll be enemies, Hiken no Ace.'

She winced at his gaze, she could see the pain. But she knew he'd let her go. Because he's always respected her wishes. She turned to leave,

'Take care.'

She stopped and bit her lip, forcing herself not to cry.

'And you stay out of trouble, you idiot.'

'I'd be lying if I said no.'

Her eyes widened as she chocked back a scream and let her heart disappear, to be consumed by the burning lava that was also engulfing Ace.

'Ace!'

She watched him burn alive and she bit her cheek to see if she was dreaming. She watched Luffy's eyes widen as he watched Ace burn. That was never supposed to have happened. Ace was fire. He did the burning.

Her eyes fell on the piece of paper between Luffy's fingers.

The paper quickly disintegrated and she prayed with that a tiny piece would remain. Because with that piece of paper, her soul was burning along with it.

Please…..

Her eyes on the paper on the ground, she ran towards him, not caring anymore for her career in the Marines. Because he is the one person who has always welcomed her with a smile. He is the one person in this world who she values above her own life, and she doesn't give a damn if he doesn't love her back –which she knows isn't even the case.

But she cannot live knowing that he is not sailing the stupid sea with his repulsively bright hat and shamefully uncovered chest. She reaches him and her eyes are on the piece of paper, watching it decrease in size slowly but surely. And no matter the speed, it is far too rapid for her.

If he survives….I swear….I swear I will stay by his side….always….

She watches as her future burns before her.

----------------------------- Fin

Quite short took about an hour to write? Please tell me what you think.

This was just one of those 'touch and go' stories, got inspired by that image of the vivre paper burning in Chapter 573. Yes, I know Ace dies but I decided to make this a little less angsty than it would be if he dies in this story.