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“Go on. Kill me.” You spit out, unflinching in the face of the barrel of the pistol pointed right between your eyes, “Death would be a far better fate than having to serve under you .”
“You insolent bitch!” The Celestial Dragon that had the nerve to raise a gun at you trembles with rage as he screams, “Those words will be your last!”
Your eyes are unfazed, your expression defiant and immovable despite the cold, cruel gun of a tyrant being pointed right at you. You’re ready to die for your cause, for your friends, your family. And that has got to be the most attractive look that Franky has ever seen on you.
—
When the Straw Hats first got word that several people from the famous shipwright island of Water 7 were kidnapped and taken to build some new man-made island project for the Celestial Dragons, none of them wasted even a second in changing course to save their old friends. Franky, as a local to the island, was especially heated enough to start preparing an extra stockpile of weapons and upgrades to both his body and his vehicles for when they anchored.
“They’d better be ready for a beating if they did anything to my precious little brothers and sisters!” He had declared as he packed in as much ammo and cola as he could fit into his body.
There was no way to tell who exactly from Water 7 were kidnapped, but whether they were Franky’s subordinates or the shipwrights from Galley-La, they were friends. And the Straw Hats would always come to help out their friends.
Though they tried to be smart about it upon docking, investigating the island and coming up with a plan first, things eventually fell apart — as they usually do with the Straw Hat Pirates — when they found out that you had been taken along with all of the shipwrights.
Franky had split off with Luffy and Chopper in the Black Rhino FR-U4 in search of the assholes in charge to, as their captain would put it, beat them down and send them flying. Luffy was going to do it anyway, but there was no way Franky wasn’t gonna get a piece of that action once he found out that members of the Franky Family were on this island.
Since it was mostly shipwrights that were supposedly taken, Franky didn’t expect many of his old subordinates to be part of the group, since they were only good at demolishing things. But Zambai ended up being one of the first people they ran into on the island, pulling Franky and his group aside to explain the situation.
As it turns out, an entire boatload of shipwright workers were lured out to a special island where some engineers’ convention was supposed to be held. But it all turned out to be a ploy for the Celestial Dragons to kidnap the skilled workers and bring them all the way to this part of the Grand Line to build an entirely new island from scratch — a World Nobles’ pit stop of sorts for their travels away from Marie Jois.
So not only were engineers, shipwrights, and architects from all over the Grand Land taken, but all of the people who just happened to be accompanying them got mixed up into it too. And those who didn’t have special skills that could contribute to the production of this new island were taken as slaves, hostages, or simply killed if they had shown too much resistance.
And one of those people who got caught up in the mix, to Franky’s horror, is you.
Now he’s seething. Steam keeps puffing out of his nose and his mechanical joints ache to be cocked and fired at the first Celestial he sees. Because if those scummy, arrogant, fat-pocketed, criminals so much as laid a finger on you, they’re dead.
Much like Luffy, Franky could care less about how powerful the Celestial Dragons are. He and his family have been fucked over enough times by the World Government to know that they don’t do shit for the world unless it benefits themselves. If that wasn’t the truth, then maybe Tom-san would still be here.
Like hell he's going to let the lowest excuse of aristocrats take his friends and his girl and get away with it. So they rampage through the island, beating up guards and saving every victim they run into. It takes some convincing for a lot of them to defy the Celestial Dragons, but a lot of them make the right choice pretty easily whenever some snotty stuck up authority figure comes waltzing around pointing guns to their faces.
Brilliantly, some of the shipwrights who had been forced to build this entirely new city had actually been constructing secret escape routes the entire time they'd been working on it. Zambai told them that they almost got caught several times for working on it, from either interrogation or not progressing quickly enough on the 'actual' island they were supposed to be building for the Celestials. Several people got a few bruises from it, but they managed to keep it a secret until now.
While they haven't been able to build or smuggle in enough boats to get everyone who was kidnapped off of the island, Zambai volunteers to steal a few ships with the friends he's made on this island while Luffy and the others cause a ruckus. That should be enough of a distraction to keep all the guards on the island away from the armory, which will leave the Celestials' personal boats and ships free for the taking.
Franky and Chopper had relayed the plan over to Nami and the others over transponder snail but once Luffy got running, they had no choice but to chase after and keep up with their captain.
At some point, however, they did lose sight of Luffy like they usually do, but in the process, Franky spots something else. A procession of those jerkoff nobles somewhere along a road leading to one of the docks on the island. There are three of them, judging by their stupid bubble-headed outfits, and they're riding on rickshaws pulled by some unfamiliar faces.
However, walking on the ground alongside the rickshaw pullers are several escorts, carrying luggage or just following along. And Franky recognizes you among the group immediately.
You’re dressed like an exotic dancer, showing a lot of skin and decorated in bejeweled chains and translucent scarves. And the worst accessory he could ever imagine on you: a bomb collar.
Franky is seething. Because Zambai and all of the other people on this island had them on too. This is what makes this entire situation truly vulnerable, why they can’t go barging in as they usually do; because the collars may kill you without the Celestials having to lay a finger on you. It’s infuriating to have to just sit back and watch this.
You’re following the band of Celestials with some sort of platter in your hands, like you have to be ready to serve them tea at any moment. What really sets him off, however, is the look of defeat on your face as you just follow along behind them like some obedient pet, like you had been through so much cruelty that you had just resigned yourself to this fate.
They follow you for a good several minutes, just trying to see where your group may lead them. Sticking to the plan to gather as much information as possible first. There were certain steps they had to take for this mission in order to save everyone without harming them.
However, all of that is forgotten in a flash as soon as the Celestial lays a hand on you.
It doesn’t happen right away, since those world noble bastards like to drag out their disgusting behavior for their own entertainment. But after ‘inspecting’ the dock the shipwright had been working on and finding some unreasonable fault with it for no reason, the Celestial decides to punish him. Just to be nasty.
However, you can only stand by and watch for so long until the Celestial brings out a weapon. From the look on your face, Franky can only guess that you’ve been forcing yourself to hold in your disgust and rage whenever you see physical abuse happening in front of you. At some point, however, the Celestial pulls out the pistol and you can no longer sit still and pretend nothing is going on.
The sad, cold, defeated look you had on your face until now widens in shock, and then morphs into determination once you see him pointing the trigger at a man who’s already been beaten to the ground and covered in the blood and boot prints.
You’re in front of the shipwright in seconds, guarding him with a protective stance and a rebellious look in your eyes.
“What in the world are you doing, girl?” One of the Celestials not holding the pistol questions you first, “Stand aside like a proper slave. You are a servant, not a guard dog.”
“Do not hurt him any further.” You say, or demand. There is nothing polite or subservient about your tone.
“What did you just say to me?” The Celestial with the pistol growls while the others reel back in shock. “You dare to speak to me out of turn? A mere human servant dares to speak at all without prompt? On your knees, ingrate!”
When you don’t move from your spot, keeping your guard around the injured shipwright, the Celestial brings his hand down to strike at you, screaming, “I said on your knees! You want to act like a dog, then you will be treated like one!”
Franky is set to boost himself all the way over to where you are when the bastard starts slapping and kicking you until he forces you onto your knees, dribbling about how he dressed you up so pretty only to be disrespected. He’s seeing red, hearing that these disgusting excuses of human beings would dress you up like their personal doll and treat you like a slave and expect you to think of it as a favor.
The only reason he hasn’t Coup de Vent’d all the way over to the docks already is because they’re still waiting on Zambai’s call/signal, and you’re holding strong. Despite getting smacked around by a loser who doesn't even deserve to know of your super existence, you don’t give him the satisfaction of a reaction. Even after receiving a few kicks to the stomach and being forced to your knees, you continue to defy him without any hesitation.
As sexy as it is to watch you not take that stupid Celestial’s shit, it seems he eventually gets tired of smacking you around without getting so much as a sound from you, because he eventually pulls the gun back on you instead.
But you, ever the fighter and so full of fire like he’s always known you to be, look the fucker straight in the eye, while covered in dirt and blood and all, daring him, “Go on, kill me. Death would be far better than having to submit to you .”
There it is. Your spitfire resilience. The inner strength and courage that Franky has always known you to have. One of the things that he’s always loved most about you. Despite knowing the consequences, even while forced to your knees to look up at one of the most powerful nobles in the world, your eyes burn with an unforgiving fire that gnaws at a snotty aristocrat’s nerves and plucks at Franky’s heartstrings.
“Insolent bitch! Those words will be your last!” The Celestial shouts in a frenzy just before he pulls the trigger.
What happens next erupts into frenzy before anyone realizes it’s happening. Or that their own bodies are moving.
The bullet lands against a wall of rubber, stretching back before ricocheting right back towards the Celestials who shot it.
You disappear from your spot on the ground, suddenly seated right atop a sturdy, metallic, colorful mechanical limb.
The Celestials start shouting and freaking out at the chaotic upturning of events, and are wildly shooting at every unrecognizable newcomer they see. Franky sets you down and works hurriedly with his miniature hands built into his palms to pick at the tricky lock of the bomb collar around your neck. Although it hasn’t started beeping yet, he can’t risk letting that threat stay on you any longer.
“F-Franky?!” You shout once you get ahold of your bearings.
It takes him a minute but soon, something clicks inside the collar and it releases the lock. He immediately yanks it away from your body to toss into the sky and shoots a few weapons left bullets at it, destroying it in an explosion over everyone’s heads.
The look of confusion on your face morphs into joyous disbelief and tearful relief as Franky finally smiles down at you, “You alright, superstar?”
Luffy got the jump on him this time, but at least you’re safe in his arms now.
You're silent and slack-jawed as you reach up to touch his face, and his shoulders, and his pecs, all of which are completely new upgrades since he saw you last. However, you pay all the change no mind as you lift yourself up to wrap your arms around his massive neck, “I am now.”
The battle that follows is loud and chaotic, full of destruction and shouting, as it usually is. You sit atop Franky’s shoulders for part of the fight until he asks you to help him drive the Black Rhino while he focuses on attacking from the backseat.
And even though this is your first time handling this vehicle, you’re a natural at the wheel. You take him down the most practical routes to get to as many enemies within his range as possible, you take his directions smoothly, your timing for swooping in to back up his friends is beautiful, and whenever he looks down at you, he sees that super bright light in your eyes has finally returned. Which matches perfectly with the large grin on your beautiful face.
It’s only during those small seconds between battle, where you’re shouting in glee and gassing up the accelerator, that Franky realizes how much he’s missed you. How much time he’s gone without listening to you laugh, or seeing you smile at him, or spreading your excitement or causing chaos with him at his side.
Amidst all this action, you’re his perfect partner in crime. You always have been.
By the time it’s all over, Franky wonders if he’s really been away from you for several years, because the way he and you just clicked together again like magnetic puzzle pieces felt like you hadn’t been apart for more than a day.
Though that’s clearly not the case, since you greet Brook and Jimbei for the first time when you join them on the Thousand Sunny, and you awe at how much each of the crew members have changed since you last saw them.
“Especially you, handsome.” You turn your gorgeous smile up at Franky, running a hand along his new armored body, “Could hardly believe my eyes.”
“How d’ya like the upgrades? Extra superrr, don’t you think?” He responds with his arms up to form his signature star with his larger, bulkier arms.
“I’ll say.” You agree, tapping and twisting at all of his joints to open compartments and test functions like his body is a shiny, new toy you’re dying to explore. Though unlike his crew mates who mainly just drool in awe of his cool, robot-like features, you’re tackling him with all kinds of technical questions and comments as you jump around playing with his cyborg parts.
“Wow! You totally upgraded all of the old iron parts for that expensive steel alloy stuff! So sturdy!”
“You managed to fit extra rotating magazine compartments for weapons left?? That’s crazy! So you don’t need to carry around a bandolier anymore. Your ammo storage capacity is over triple what it used to be!”
“And all of this still runs on the same amount of cola? I dunno how you got your hands on the materials to make an engine this fuel efficient, but this is truly something revolutionary…”
Franky laughs loud and proud at how quickly you pick up on all the new changes, letting you prod at him to your heart’s desire. He sure doesn’t get this much appreciation for his genius engineer work from any of the other women he’s surrounded by.
You weren’t even much of an engineer yourself before, but even then, you were always curious about his body. Back in Water 7, you’d always stick around him and bug him with questions, occasionally asking if you could help him with maintenance for some parts he couldn’t reach. He liked you, so he entrusted you to do small tasks for him that did actually make things much easier for him. And sooner or later, you eventually became one of the people he trusted most aside from himself to operate on him.
“I’ve seen all the coverage on your crew over the past few years, but seeing all of this with my own eyes is just…” Your excitement settles down enough for you to regard him with a more sentimental smile on your face, and when you look at him, you just say, “I sure missed you, big guy.”
You come in for a hug and Franky is struck for a moment before he smiles as well and wraps you up in his arms that are way bigger than you now. With his old BF-36 body, you always felt like just the right size to hold in his arms and carry you on piggyback.
Now though, he completely towers over you and could probably carry you around on one shoulder. And while he’s probably not built with the best shape for cuddling anymore, you still accept and appreciate him and all his eccentricity the same as you always have. Somehow, in an even deeper way than any of his crew mates and best friends of the last few years do.
“I missed you too, superstar. But I can’t believe you were about to get yourself killed by a Celestial Dragon. I was gonna put so many holes into that bastard.” He slams a fist into his other palm as if he has knuckles to crack. He’s getting heated just thinking about how you must have been treated these past several weeks.
“Yeah, that wasn’t a part of the plan…” You admit, “We’ve all been planning our escape for weeks now, and Heffy is such a big part of the strategy. I don’t think we all would’ve been able to make it without him, so I had to help him before that Celestial snob killed him.”
So you were going to sacrifice yourself in order to preserve the rescue plan for everyone else on the island. As impressive and admirable as that is, Franky doesn’t know what he would have done if he ever ended up finding out you got killed by a Celestial Dragon. Maybe he would’ve declared war on the World Government all over again. He can only be thankful that he and the rest of the crew made it here in time.
After getting everyone patched up, accounted for, their collars removed, and out of the range of the mini Marie Jois, they all dock on a small island for the day to celebrate a successful escape. Everyone is properly eating, drinking, catching up, meeting new people, and letting go of their worries from the past several months of being captured. It’s a wild time as it usually is, and Franky enjoys it as much as he always does with everyone else. But this time feels just a little more fun because he has you back.
You drink and party and shoot things into the sky and climb on top of tall surfaces and make him laugh with so much nostalgia and affection that he can’t help but keep an eye on you the whole night. He and you don’t follow each other around, since you’ve both always allowed each other plenty of freedom being your own people, but the more he’s in your presence, the more he realizes he loves being with you.
It’s not long before he pulls you aside to have a moment alone with you. He carries you on top of his shoulder as he climbs up one of the hills on the island, and only lets you down when he reaches the cliff where you can both oversee the festivities beneath the purpling horizon.
“Wooow.” You coo at the sight, your eyes shining bright as it reflects the gorgeous setting sun, “Franky, this is awesome! I haven’t seen something this beautiful in… in a long time.”
Franky lets out a sigh at the sad drop in your voice, suddenly reminded of the pain you must’ve been through for the past several months now. So he breaks out the two bottles of cola he brought with him and pats the grassy spot beside him for you.
Your smile is back without a hitch, and with a clink of the two glass bottles, you settle into one another as easily as you used to. You tell him about how things had been going back home before you all got abducted, how Kokoro and the brats were doing, how Iceberg’s floating island plans were coming along, and how the Franky Family still can’t build for shit.
“You know… you really had me worried for a while.” You say at some point, halfway through your cola, “Your captain causes a ton of trouble at a huge Navy HQ not long after you left Water 7 and then no one hears about the Straw Hats for a good two years… And then suddenly you’re taking over the New World and more than doubling your bounties. It’s absolutely nuts.”
While you do actually sound concerned, you’re also laughing, as if you didn’t expect any less of him and the crew he joined.
He laughs with you, finding it to be the easiest thing in the world. “I admit that we got into a lot more trouble than we needed to sometimes, but I’d only do things that would make you proud, superstar.”
“Oh yeah?” You smile up at him, “So I’m still on your mind now even after all these years of taking down world government powers and evading death?”
“Of course.” He says immediately, despite the humor in your voice. “Everything I’ve seen or done so far since I left Water 7 is essentially a story I was waiting to tell you whenever I saw you again, beautiful.”
“Well, what are you waiting for then? I’m right here! Tell me now!” You say excitedly, practically bouncing in your seat.
Franky laughs heartily as he brings a massive arm around you to pull you closer, leaning down to place a kiss on top of your head, “Where do I even start?”
He doesn’t know how long he spends talking to you about his adventures, answering your excited questions, listening to your related anecdotes about all the times you found out something new about him and the Straw Hats in the News Coo. Even long after the sun goes down and the evening chill settles in around the two of you, he feels warm from the inside — and it has nothing to do with his internal generator.
It’s because he’s here with you. Talking to you, laughing with you, reliving his greatest memories, and… suddenly wishing he could have shared them with you, too. Like this. Like a few days ago, when you were fighting side by side as a seamless duo. He loved it. He loved seeing so much life in you.
“Say, superstar…” He says when you and he take a breather from the exciting conversation.
“Hm?”
“What do you say, next time we go off to sea, you come with me?” He finds himself asking.
You take your time thinking about it, looking down at your empty cola bottle as you crank it around by the base of the glass.
That’s to be expected. Your first encounter with the New World was enslavement and tyranny from the scum of the World Government, and you nearly got killed in the process. He wouldn’t be surprised if you were wary about setting sail into even more dangerous waters, even if it was with him.
But if knows you, then he’s got a super feeling about how you’ll respond. That smile on your face when you jumped into battle by his side said it all. And the warm, hopeful smile lighting up your face right now seems to say the same thing.
“Yeah. I’d love to do that.” You finally say.
Without another hitch, Franky lifts you up in his hands as he stands on his feet, raising you above his head to spin you in the air before pulling you into a hug, “Look out New World! A new superrrstar is about to take over the sea! Aow!”
Your laugh echoes through the hills and the stars in the sky already look brighter, the festivities sound louder, and his cool, mechanical body feels warm and human. Franky can already tell that things are going to look a little brighter from here on out.