Author's Note: It sucks to say this, but... This is the final chapter of the fic. The end of an era in One Piece fanfiction. I actually have tears in my eyes as I write this.
Thank you to everyone that reviewed, favorited, followed, and read the fic. I'd use this space to thank each and every single one of you, but there are way too many people to thank. Thank you so much for helping this fic grow and move along!
And now, for the last time, let's get the chapter started.
Disclaimer: For the last time, I don't own One Piece. Just my OCs.
Twenty years later...
A lot had happened since the Capricorns returned to the Goa Kingdom to reinvent themselves - Teru came back and became an official Capricorn Pirate. Yuriko of the Stockholm Syndrome Pirates was arrested for kidnapping and sent to a women's prison in the North Blue. Shinji and Eri from Julietta's crew never got to tell Yuki-Rin that she was their birth daughter - They disappeared while hiking in the Iroha Mountains in the Grand Line.
The Capricorns, unfortunately, were still going strong twenty years later. Some of them - Yuki-Rin and Kazuma included - even got married and had kids, carrying on their nefarious deeds in secret. All Isabella Sarutobi, Hatori Chidori, Molly O'Flannigan, Showtarou Shinohara, and Gareth Archer could do was lay low. However, on this spring evening, the five decided to go out.
"Why are we going out to dinner again, dad?" Hatori's lanky, blue-haired, teenage son asked him as they entered a humble, plainly-decorated diner.
"It's because Isabella has an announcement to make," Hatori answered as a waitress sat the two down in large booth near the windows.
"Am I going to meet Yukari and Kazura?" The boy asked.
"No, Taro, I don't want you hanging out with Yukari and Kazura. Not only do they live in the East Blue, but their mother and father are dangerous. This is the same reason why you can't meet Edmund, Rhett, Amelia, Bridey, Locke, Aurelia, Aleksandar, Mason, Pearl, and Lien," Hatori explained.
"If you don't want me to meet them, how do you know who they are?" Taro asked.
"Because Showtarou is Pearl and Lien's uncle. He's forced to visit them and remain friendly with his cousin, Aki," Hatori explained as Showtarou and a teenage boy with black hair and horn-rimmed glasses sat down in the booth. "And, speak of the Devil, look who's here."
"Sorry if we're late," Showtarou said as he and the boy sat down.
"You're not. It's Isabella who is always late to these things," Hatori explained.
"Hi, Noboru. Hi, Uncle Showtarou," Taro greeted the two newcomers.
"Taro, please. Call me 'Showtarou'. You've known me all your life, so you don't have to be so formal," Showtarou explained.
"Dad, weren't you really formal back when you were my age?" Noboru asked.
"Yeah,' Showtarou answered with a nervous laugh. "I had such a huge stick up my ass when I was a teenager. I'm glad I grew out of that phase."
"Hey, everyone. Are we starting dinner?"
Gareth walked in, his arm around a blonde-haired, important-looking woman. Two blonde, teenage girls - one with wavy hair tied into a ponytail and the other with boy-short hair - trailed in behind him.
"Gareth, Lana, welcome. How are Bethany and Beatrice?" Hatori greeted as the family sat down.
"They're doing alright. We're in the middle of helping Beth fill out her paperwork to join the Marines," Lana - the blonde woman sitting next to Gareth - explained.
"Beatrice isn't joining the Marines?" Showtarou asked.
"I just think the Marines are getting to be too harsh on civilians," Beatrice - the short-haired girl - answered with an apathetic shrug.
"Beatrice," Gareth warned his daughter.
"I'm just saying," Beatrice pointed out. "That, and they never caught the pirate crew dad joined when he was young. Didn't they murder all of the students at a high school in the East Blue recently?"
"I've never heard of that," Beth argued.
"It was all over the news, Beth. How could you be joining the Marines and not know about this?" Beatrice argued.
"Hey, everyone. What did we miss?"
Molly and Isabella approached the table and sat down.
"Nothing much," Hatori answered. "In fact, Isabella, don't you have something to say?"
Isabella cleared her throat.
"Fasten your seat belts, kids, I'm now a Shichibukai," Isabella announced in a low voice so the people in the diner wouldn't notice. Everyone cheered.
"Isabella, that's great! You've just one-upped Yuki-Rin!" Hatori commented.
"Thanks, Hatori. I know it's kind of cliched to say this, but I couldn't have done it without you guys," Isabella explained.
"How did the World Government come down to the decision?" Molly asked.
"One of the Shichibukai, Lydia Kroll-Wyandotte, was promoted to Yonkou, so they needed a spot to be filled. That's it," Isabella answered.
"So, does this mean you're going to work with the Capricorns, or what?" Taro asked.
"It means that they are our enemies now. I beat them to the Shichibukai spot, and they most likely want revenge," Isabella explained.
"What does it mean for us?" Noboru asked.
"At the most, we might have to go into hiding. However, since I do work for the World Government, we should be safe," Isabella explained.
"What about me? I'm supposed to join the Marines in a few weeks!" Beth cried.
"They won't hurt you. You're going to be just fine in the Marines," Isabella answered as a waitress came over to the table and placed cups of coffee next to everyone. Promptly, Hatori raised his cup of coffee.
"I propose a toast," Hatori suggested. "To Isabella and to Beth. Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Everyone clinked their mugs of coffee together. Sure, the Capricorns were still out there, but for Hatori Chidori, Isabella Sarutobi, Gareth Archer, Molly O'Flannigan, and Showtarou Shinohara, their futures were going to be bright, as far as they were concerned.
The End
115 chapters
181,505 words
287 reviews
37 favorites
32 followers
36 members of the Capricorn Pirates
January 31st, 2011 - December 13th, 2014
One crew
One Piece: Parallel Works
Ending Note: And... That's all, folks! "Parallel Works" is over. I will now direct you to the sequel, "Ancient Ways" - More pirate crews, more heroes, more villains, more of evil!Capricorns, and a new batch of heroes await you in "Ancient Ways".
As always, review this fanfiction. It's my pride and joy, basically. And I hope you all enjoy "Ancient Ways".