Sabaody Archipelago, Island 79, Hotel Street. As the sun dipped below the horizon, resin bubbles began to rise from the ground, catching the fading light and scattering it into a kaleidoscope of colors.
Inside the main hall of a red-roofed, three-story villa, Gion lounged on a long sofa. Fresh from her bath, her hair hung damp and loose, and she wore nothing but a thin white sleep dress. Her legs, pale and slender, were crossed elegantly as she towel-dried her waist-length black hair. She turned to Domino, who sat beside her in a red sleep dress.
"Did you bring it? The 'Aphrodite's Temptation'? Everything hinges on this." "Ah! Well... I did bring it, but... I doubt Sephiroth will just drink it willingly." Domino hesitated before placing a delicate crystal vial on the table.
Tina, draped in a pink sleep dress with a cigarette dangling from her lips, leaned back calmly.
"Even if we manage to get him to drink it, what's stopping him from walking out and finding someone else? We can't exactly force him to stay."
Gion smirked, her tone dripping with confidence.
"Don't worry, I've already thought this through. The simplest method is always the most effective—cry, make a scene, threaten to kill yourself. Cliché, yes, but practical. He won't have the heart to leave. As for getting him to drink it? That's the easy part. You two just need to follow my lead. Like this... and like that..."
"Wait, really?!" Tina and Domino exclaimed in unison.
Gion chuckled softly, her eyes gleaming.
"Of course, there's more to it than that. There's also..."
"Ah?!" the two interrupted, wide-eyed.
"Don't just sit there! Hurry up!" Gion snapped. Reluctantly, Tina and Domino followed her instructions, applying the 'Aphrodite's Temptation' to themselves.
Finally, Gion spritzed a bit of perfume on herself and her companions. The clock struck seven. A streak of red light flashed across the void, and Sephiroth stepped through the door, a butcher knife in hand. His gaze landed on the three women casually chatting on the sofa, and he froze. What on earth was going on?
Were they finally coming to their senses? A flicker of hope sparked in his chest.
"Come, sit down," Gion purred, rising from the sofa. She glided over to him, gently pushing him onto the couch and removing the swords from his waist. She handed them to Tina, who placed them on a nearby rack.
Gion perched on his lap, her skirt tossed carelessly aside. She tilted his chin up, leaning in to whisper into his ear, her breath warm.
"Surprised? Shocked?"
"Very," Sephiroth admitted, his voice steady.
Gion giggled, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Hehehe! Good. I'm feeling a little impatient myself..."
Suddenly, Sephiroth stiffened. Something was wrong. His body felt... off. He took several deep breaths, using his ability to slow his blood flow before leaning back against the sofa, his expression unimpressed.
"Alright, cut to the chase. What do you want? No need for all these theatrics."
The three women exchanged nervous glances.
Domino whispered, "What do we do? He's onto us!"
Tina added, "What if he gets mad?"
Gion smirked. "Relax. Watch this."
She stood up, her face suddenly somber, and declared, "In four more days, the day the Marines execute Ace, the Whitebeard Pirates, the Big Mom Pirates, and the Beasts Pirates will join forces to attack Marineford..."
At that time, the three of us will have to go to the battlefield, and we might die in battle. Therefore, we dare not ask for anything, we just want you to spend these last few days with us properly." Sephiroth closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and due to his dissatisfaction at being schemed against, couldn't help but mutter:
"Hiss~!
Since that's the case, you can completely choose not to participate in this war, and isn't Domino the Deputy Warden of Impel Down? Why does she also have to go to Marineford to participate in the war?" "Because I need to be responsible for escorting Ace to Marineford...
In addition, the Marine's current combat strength is severely insufficient, so Fleet Admiral Sengoku has transferred a large number of elites from various organizations under the Marine's command, and even a portion of Impel Down's forces have been transferred to support Marineford." "I see, Sengoku has even transferred people from Impel Down... It seems he's truly reached a desperate situation!"
Tina knelt in front of Sephiroth, looking helpless:
"Tina, please! Come and help the Marine! The Marine desperately needs your help right now..." Hearing this, Sephiroth immediately wanted to refuse very firmly, but unfortunately, the three were his girls, which made him hesitate:
"Ahem! I'm not a Marine now, and I don't have the standing to help.
If I participate in this war, it means I'll be on the opposite side of those three Four Emperors Pirate Crews. Those Pirates might hate the house and its owner, and extensively damage the Umbrella Corporation's properties... Therefore, it's not that I don't want to help, but that I can't help!" Hearing this, Gion, while stroking his silver long hair, said with a smile:
"Hehehe-! Isn't that simple?
Fleet Admiral Sengoku has already said that if you are willing to come back, he can use the Marine's regulations for re-enlisting retired Generals to rehire you and restore your Vice Admiral rank. Furthermore, Fleet Admiral Sengoku will assign you to the special confidential unit 'Blade'.
They are a completely free-acting guerrilla force that can engage in war with the Four Emperors without the permission of their superiors. In addition, under normal circumstances, if you are not mobilizing Marine forces for irregular operations, you yourself will have all the authority of a regular Marine Vice Admiral. How about it? Isn't this condition very good?
As long as you agree, it's equivalent to having the privileges of a Marine Vice Admiral without having to do anything normally." "Sounds pretty good..." Gion, while whispering in Sephiroth's ear, coaxed him:
"Right! Right! Then come back to the Marine, okay!" "But... I don't care about the little authority of a Marine Vice Admiral at all! I finally left the Marine, and now you want me to go back?
What's the meaning of this?" Sephiroth complained somewhat helplessly. "Hmph! Fine, since you've made up your mind not to come back to the Marine, then we won't keep you company either!" Hearing this, Gion immediately pushed Sephiroth away angrily and signaled Tina and Domino to stop quickly and join her in a united front. "Tina, Domino, let's go!
Anyway, we're going to the battlefield in a few days. I happen to know a bar with a lot of handsome guys. Let's go there and have fun for a few days, then go to the battlefield together without any regrets." Saying that, Gion picked up the skirt that had fallen to the ground, glared at him coldly, and prepared to turn and leave. "..."
Seeing this scene, Sephiroth couldn't help but put his hand to his forehead and sighed inwardly:
It's all a setup! But... Very helplessly, he fell for it! "Alright! I promise you, stop making a fuss, okay? However, you have to tell Sengoku that if he wants me to work hard in this war and not slack off... he has to pay more!"
Gion's scowl vanished in an instant, her face lighting up with a radiant grin. "Hehehe! I knew it—you'd never be that cruel, you bastard!" She practically glowed with triumph.
Sephiroth studied the three women's delighted faces, then let out a derisive snort. His voice dripped with mock sweetness. "Don't celebrate just yet... I'll have you sobbing apologies before I'm through."
Hearing this, the three women immediately turned to leave, but he moved faster—long fingers closing around their wrists like manacles. They struggled, but his grip was iron. A wicked smirk played on his lips as he leaned in. "Now, now... running away would be rude, wouldn't it?"