A Pirate's Guide to Fine Dining

by Lady_of_War_and_Heartache

Summary:

Sora doesn’t know if the drug she drank is a success until she finally gives birth and two of her five babies are crying.

Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji are silent as corpses, but her little Sanji hiccups around light coos, and her tiny Gomako wails.

Three months later, when Gomako finally joins her brothers in their playpen, Niji will yank on his sister’s hair and bite her wrist to the bone so that she may relinquish his favorite toy.

Gomako doesn’t even flinch. She simply tosses the toy in the opposite corner of the playpen and toddles over to the doctors so that they may look at her wrist and check it for infection. And Sora will see this and despair, because her husband and his pet scientists robbed her daughter of everything.

Or: A self-insert lands in the world of One Piece and has to figure out how to navigate a world built on dreams when she is incapable of having one herself.

Featuring: A very much alive Trafalgar D. Water Lami, a confused Zeff who wants to know why the sea's given him more daughters than he knows what to do with, a very competent Buggy, and a Sanji with a sister who will teach him to act normal around women, so help her Nika.

Chapter 1: West Blue Halibut

Sora doesn’t know if the drug she drank is a success until she finally gives birth and two of her five babies are crying. 

Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji are silent as corpses, but her little Sanji hiccups around light coos, and her tiny Gomako wails.

“Three of the subjects seem to be perfect,” a doctor tells her husband, barely audible over her daughter’s cries, “But it seems that the third child did not take to the experiments at all, and the fifth only took to them partially.”

“Can anything be done to rectify this?” Judge demands.

The doctors scramble over themselves to offer up solutions as Sora silently follows her children in their tears.

‘Oh, my babies,’ she pleads to herself, ‘I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. It wasn’t enough. I wasn’t enough. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.’

Because even now, her husband will try to rob her children of their humanity. And as Sora lies there in the childbed, weak and slowly dying, it’s with the growing knowledge that nothing she has done or could do would ever be enough.

Three months later, when Gomako finally joins her brothers in their playpen, Niji will yank on his sister’s hair and bite her wrist to the bone so that she may relinquish his favorite toy.

Gomako doesn’t even flinch. She simply tosses the toy in the opposite corner of the playpen and toddles over to the doctors so that they may look at her wrist and check it for infection. And Sora will see this and despair, because her husband and his pet scientists robbed her daughter of everything.  

*****

Gomako is six when she realizes that the dull numbness she discounted for a hormonal cocktail of shock, grief, and unmedicated depression is actually a biomedically engineered, bone-deep apathy that she just can’t shake.

Alone in the abandoned doctors’ office, Gomako decided that sitting there doing nothing would just be an inefficient waste of time. And she is not a creature of waste: as she learns from the pilfered files laid before her, she was built and bred to be the most rational, efficient, nonfrivolous girl in the North Blue.

With the doctors’ files, Gomako can pinpoint the exact moment she doomed herself. It was the moment the girl who came before Gomako opened her eyes to find that she couldn’t see her friends clinging to the driftwood with her in the rocky seas. The moment the girl’s lungs stopped burning and she found herself surrounded by giants in cold, sterile white.

It was the moment the girl who came before Gomako made the mistake of crying. That is what brought the doctors to kill the girl for good and let Gomako take her place.

The doctors, meticulous as they are, kept very clear notes. Apparently, Gomako was a surprise. Only four children were expected: four perfect sons to be turned into four perfect weapons. The presence of a fifth child, the doctors declare, disrupted their calculations and is what led to the third son being born with neither the biological enhancements nor emotion-suppressing technology they implemented.

Gomako, the fifth, unexpected child, did not suffer this defect. Her physical enhancements were perfect, and her emotion-suppressing technology was present, though faulty.

‘As to be expected,’ the doctors wrote, ‘Female humans are naturally much more emotional and irrational than their male counterparts. A stronger update to the pre-existing system is all that is needed.’

Gomako knows that the doctors are wrong, of course. She suspects that like her physical mutations, the emotional suppressing technology worked exactly as intended. The problem wasn’t that it was faulty, but rather that it was suppressing the wrong emotions.

Contrary to his claims, Judge didn’t want completely emotionless weapons. He just wanted to rid them of the obstacles that would stop them from heedlessly following his orders. Obstacles like guilt, shame, compassion, pity, and empathy. The other emotions— the ones that could drive them to fulfill their purpose —would stay, although they would be dampened to ensure that the weapons did not ever pursue those emotional highs over Judge’s wishes.

The girl who came before Gomako didn’t know this, but the doctors measured their supposed ‘success’ by her crying. They erased emotion after emotion, looking for the one that would cease her ear-piercing wails. And so away went hunger; away went pain. But the little babe still cried, and so the doctors started doing away with emotions at random trying to find the one that was affecting her so.

Gone was curiosity.

Gone was sadness.

Gone was joy.

But that didn’t stop the crying either. And neither did any of the other emotions the doctors targeted, the simple emotions people normally associated with a baby’s still-developing mind.

They didn’t know to target grief. Who would ever expect a newborn to be in mourning, after all?

When those simple feelings still didn’t seem to work, the doctors decided to erase all emotions entirely. Then, thank the gods, Princess Gomako of the Germa Kingdom fell silent. Finally, the doctors had killed the girl who had come before.

This information is not shocking to learn. Or if it is, Gomako couldn’t say. At the very least, it doesn’t feel shocking but rather as if a complex puzzle finally connected a few tricky pieces.

For you see, even if the doctors had killed the girl who came before Gomako, they still hadn’t destroyed the echo she left behind. For Gomako had received a gift from the girl. A gift in the shape of a story not yet finished.

“Hm,” Gomako said, closing the files and replacing them in their proper cabinet, “That is certainly something to think about.”

And think she does. As she returns to the empty chair in the empty doctors’ office, she thinks and ponders over what to do with the story-turned-possible-reality that the dead girl in her head once knew.

And Princess Vinsmoke Gomako makes a decision.

*****

The decision leads to Gomako standing between Ichiji, Niji, Yonji, and a prone Sanji laid flat in the training yard.

“Cease this nonsense,” she says, “There is no use in sparring with one who cannot even stand to face your challenge.”

Her brothers do not have the benefit of a dead girl’s knowledge and perspective, and so react exactly as three entitled princes do when told ‘no’ for the first time.

They begin to throw a fit.

“Why’re you being such a spoilsport, Gomako?” Ichiji demands, “You’ve never stepped in before.”

“That’s because I never saw a reason to, before. But then I browsed the library and found a book of quotes from a famous physicist. And now I know that your actions are insane.”

They all squawk in outrage at the declaration.

“How dare you?!” Niji cries, “We are perfect beings constructed by our wise father! How dare you imply that we are any less?!”

“We’re no slaves to emotion, not like he is,” Yonji says, gesturing at Sanji, who is fearfully looking up at them.

Gomako shakes her head and asks, “Are you not beating our brother every day in the name of ‘improving’ him?”

Her three brothers try to give nods and exclamations of agreement.

“See, it’s a good thing,” Ichiji says.

“Yeah, so step out of our way and let us get back to it,” Yonji agrees.

Niji takes a few menacing steps forward and chuckles darkly. “It might not have worked yesterday, but who knows, it just might work today.”

She grabs Niji and pushes him back. “I see. So you truly are insane.”

“Insanity,” Gomako perseveres over their new round of squawks, “As defined by the physicist, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Is that not what you do here? Is every day not a continuous cycle of testing the same failed hypothesis? Are you three not insane for doing so?”

“Or,” she continues, “Does this daily cycle actually have a different motivation? Do you three simply beat on our brother because it is convenient? Because it is satisfying to contrast your physical perfection against his defection? Because you three are driven by your enjoyment of hurting another?”

This, of course, was the last straw. To imply that Vinsmoke Judge's perfect weapons were inefficient is one thing, but to suggest that they acted inefficiently because of their emotions was quite another. 

“We aren’t broken!” the three cry as they descend upon Gomako.

Gomako puts up a much stronger fight than Sanji ever could, but it is still a disadvantage against her. Gomako, unplanned, unneeded child that she is, doesn’t have a mutated power of her own. She instead has a hodgepodge of weaker powers borrowed from her siblings. She can create blinding lights from her hands and eyes, but they are not strong enough to be directly wielded as a weapon like Ichiji’s energy beams. Her speed is fast, faster than most of her siblings, but not fast enough to beat Niji. Similarly, she is stronger than all of them but Yonji, and is stealthier than all of them but more obvious than what she suspects a mutated Sanji would be.

That is to say, individually, Gomako is the most well-rounded Vinsmoke. And with Sanji’s mutations nonexistent as they are, the sneakiest one. But those advantages mean nothing in a direct fight against the three superior versions.

The fight ends with her joining Sanji on the ground, much of her skin dented in. She knows she is beaten badly because even if she can’t feel the pain of the action, her body refuses to move.

“I apologize for not being able to stop them. Shall I take you to the infirmary once my legs stop rebelling against me?”

“No, that’s fine,” her brother sniffles. Either he’s been crying, or the others broke his nose. Gomako’s neck is also rebelling so she can’t turn and see which it is. “Thanks for stepping in, anyway. You didn’t have to stop the three of them like that.”

“And I won’t be, tomorrow. As I said, doing the same thing over and over again is insanity, and unlike our brothers, I have no need to adopt such a trait.”

“Oh,” her brother’s voice gets small and gains a note of…. pain? Pain feels like an emotion that would fit in this instance, though once again, she cannot be sure. “Either way, thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” she says.

They lay there together in silence until they both find the strength to stand. From there, they depart, Gomako to the infirmary because even if she can’t feel the pain doesn’t mean her body is in peak condition, and Sanji in the opposite direction, perhaps towards the kitchens. Gomako takes this as his dismissal of her, and she continues on, planning what course she will take tomorrow.

*****

The next day, once official training is over and Judge dismisses them to their own pursuits, Gomako uses her well-trained stealth to ambush Niji and kick in his left kneecap. Then, before her fastest brother can recover, she picks up Sanji and hauls him away, quickly losing the slower Ichiji and Yonji in the following pursuit.

“I thought you said you weren’t going to interfere again,” Sanji shouts as she dodges through the grounds.

“Apologies, was my meaning not clear? I will no longer be stopping Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji as I did yesterday, as yesterday’s attempt was clearly a failure. Therefore, I must intervene in a different way. This method seems much more successful, does it not?”

“I guess!” he cries as she leaps from a small bridge and onto an even smaller boat passing underneath. By the time Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji catch up to them, the baffled gondolier has already steered them far out of reach. The sound of her older brother’s cursing is drowned out by her heavy breathing and the babble of the artificial stream.

“So, shall I attempt the same escape tomorrow, or do you think the others will have caught on?” she asked, setting Sanji down.

Her brother shrugged his shoulders. “I don’ know. But why’re you going through all this trouble just for me?”

Gomako shrugged back. “It’s like I said yesterday: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. Our father and brothers have been beating you and forcing you through surgeries every day for six years, expecting that to make you stronger. It hasn’t made you stronger. Therefore, if pain, suffering, and modification have not made you stronger, then perhaps care, kindness, and accepting you as you are will.”

Sanji sniffled at her words. Gomako contemplated if he truly had received a broken nose yesterday.

Without much warning, her brother pulled her into a tight hug and whispered a soft ‘Thanks’ against the shell of her ear. Gomako gracelessly slotted her arms around him in kind and patted his back robotically.

“There, there,” she said, trying to act on the memory of comfort from the girl who came before, “You shall persevere through this and become stronger in your own way. Now, how do we get back to the palace? Lunch is to be served in less than two hours and I do not wish to miss it. They are serving West Blue halibut and I want to compare it to our usual fare.”

“I think,” Sanji sniffles, “I think we can just get dropped off and go back the way we came. Do you…” his words trailed off slightly before he found his train of thought and asked, “Do you think the halibut will be lighter than regular North Blue whitefish?”

Gomako shrugged. “I haven’t the slightest idea, but I think it’ll be good to find out together.”

Chapter 2: Overcooked Eel

Summary:

“Extra,” Yonji says. (No, that doesn't seem right. Sneers? Sneers.) “Doesn't that mean unneeded? How fitting for our little sister.”

Niji laughed and agreed. “The Fifth, the Dispensable.”

“Unwanted Orange,” Ichiji agrees.

“That name makes me sound like a food product,” Gomako points out, barely looking up from her plate, “Though I guess it does match my assigned color, so carry on.”

Although Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji try to stop their daily flight from the training grounds, they cannot seem to successfully pull off a plan to stop her from stealing their favorite punching bag and running for the hills. It seems that the three of them are not very strategic thinkers and don’t know how to coordinate outside of a brawl, let alone how to stop a quicker, more creative opponent who refuses to engage them in direct combat.

Very soon, Gomako has her primary and secondary exit strategies mastered, and a few tertiary ones noted if she ever needs them. Sanji has grown very accustomed to being scooped up and thrown over her shoulders, and with the benefit of practice, they shave their daily escape time down to an average of seven minutes and thirty-two seconds. 

Once they are free from morning training for the day, they often spend the two to three hours before lunch wandering the nearby towns. It took a while for the village children to warm up to them— the Vinsmokes are elusive even by royal standards, and Gomako’s airs and expressions did nothing to help —but Gomako has determined that her brother is too affable not to like. The other children adore him, and he adores them right back. They play running games and draw chalk artwork on the sidewalk and on one memorable occasion, hold a swim race between Gomako and all the older children. That had initially begun as someone’s big brother teaching them to swim, only for Gomako and Sanji to reveal that they already knew how. They had been told to prove it, and it all devolved from there.

Gomako’s sound victory had turned her emotional deficiency into an apparent ‘cool kid’ aloofness that paired well with her brother’s openness. This has the unnecessary complication of many of the children deciding that they are in love with her. Gomako's continuous rejections and insisting that she physically cannot return their affections, for some reason, do nothing to curb the confessions. If anything, they somehow increase in number.

(The echo of the girl who came before compares her to a fictional character named Sasuke.

If Gomako had the capacity, she thinks she would feel enraged at the comparison.)

Some days, though, they cannot escape into the common towns. Be it the palace gates are closed, her brothers cut them off, or for any other number of reasons, some days they are constricted to the castle. Those days are always duller than their afternoons in the towns, but Gomako and Sanji try to make it bearable. 

Sanji shows her the kitchens and cooks for her. She may not have emotions, but she does still have her sense of taste, and that is all she needs to tell her brother that his work is exquisite. Gomako in turn shows him the libraries and which are her favored volumes. There is a horrible lack of fiction, but the glossy encyclopedias filled with pictures of their subjects are just as good. As are the few scattered cookbooks and travel logs hidden among the shelves. If they can’t make it to the kitchens or the libraries in time, Gomako and Sanji often find the trickiest hiding places in the palace. Chambers and secret passageways are discovered, and mentally recorded. Gomako knows there will one day be a time when she desperately needs them.

Unfortunately, they cannot spend their whole day with each other. She and Sanji must return by lunch and dinner or a handful of soldiers come to fetch them. And during these tense meals, Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji finally start to enact their revenge. 

“Why isn't Gomako named Goju?” Ichiji asks Judge one day as the servants take away the soup course in favor of a simmered eel dish. The eel, Gomako notes with distaste, is obviously overcooked and tough, just as Judge prefers. Were Sanji free to speak, he would whisper to her that eel is supposed to be a light, sweet dish with a delicate flavor, and that overcooking it is the easiest way to ruin the dish.

“It is strange, is it not, for a girl not to follow the daughter naming convention established by Reiju?” Ichiji continues as the rest of them begin to dig into the eel.

Vinsmoke Judge pauses in his cutting and looks up from his plate. The expression on his face conveys… something, but with no knowledge save for borrowed memories and Judge already a stone wall of a human, Gomako cannot decipher it.

“If she were a planned outcome, then she would bear the name Goju,” Judge says, “But as she was not, her naming convention is different. ‘Go’ for five, as she is the fifth of her batch, and ‘mako’ for the term ‘omake,’ meaning extra.”

“Extra,” Yonji says. (No, that doesn't seem right. Sneers? Sneers.) “Doesn't that mean unneeded? How fitting for our little sister.”

Niji laughed and agreed. “The Fifth, the Dispensable.”

“Unwanted Orange,” Ichiji agrees.

“That name makes me sound like a food product,” Gomako points out, barely looking up from her plate, “Though I guess it does match my assigned color, so carry on.”

For some reason, this caused the boys to grow annoyed. At least, she thinks it's annoyance. It could very well be constipation instead. 

“Unessential Orange,” Ichiji spits.

“Redundant Orange,” Niji agrees. 

“Irrelevant Orange,” Yonji drawls.

“Spare,” Reiju offers around a bite of eel, “The one with no purpose except to be a lesser version of us.”

Suddenly, Sanji slammed his hands onto the table and jumped out of his chair.

“Don’t say that about her!” he shouted, and even Gomako knew he was angry, “She hasn’t done anything to you! Why are you being so mean?”

“And why are you being so disrespectful?” Judge demanded, “You know you are not to speak unless spoken to, boy.”

Sanji trembled, just a bit, and Gomako tried to determine if it was fear or anger that ruled him. Even if she had her full emotional capacities intact, she doubted she’d be able to tell.

Judge scoffed. “Make your apologies and sit back down.”

Sanji stood there, still trembling, and glared at Judge.

“No.”

Judge’s eyes rose from his dinner as he slowly placed his fork down.

“What did you just say, boy?”

“I said no,” Sanji repeated, voice firm, “Not until they apologize first.”

Gomako stilled as Judge cast his eyes around the table. They flitted from child to child before settling on Ichiji.

“If your brother has enough pent-up energy to disrupt my meal, then he has enough energy to continue training. Assist him to the grounds and help him release it.”

Gomako has to vault over Yonji to make sure she is the one to get to Sanji first. She knows acting out directly where Judge can see is showing her hand, but this entire conversation and their daily outings have already revealed that she and Sanji share more loyalty to each other than the rest of the Vinsmokes. Unless she has severely miscalculated, her attempts to protect him now should not be a surprise.

“Must you be so set on acting the white knight?” she asks, dodging into servants' corridors and weaving her way through the rush of cooks, maids, and laundresses going about their work.

“They shouldn’t have said those things!” Sanji shouted, long since accustomed to the Gomako Fireman’s Express, “They weren’t being nice at all, and you’re not like me. You’re not—”

“An emotionally knowledgeable child?”

“A failure.” If she hadn’t been running for both their lives, Gomako would’ve dropped Sanji immediately and began scolding him for holding such beliefs. “You’re strong, and smart, and, and—”

“And you,” she emphasized, jumping into an unattended laundry cart and throwing the dirty sheets over their heads, “Are kind and compassionate and will experience things I most likely will never understand. You might not be the perfect weapon, Sanji, but you are perfect. Just the way you are.”

He started crying then. Gomako pulled him into a hug, ignoring the rocking motion of the cart beginning to move. She’d gotten better at those hugs over the past few months. They were still a bit awkward, but she thinks they both benefit greatly from them.

“I surely can’t be the only person to tell you this,” she mutters. Even excluding the memories from the girl that came before, she knows that Sanji is just… goodness. In everything. To hate him is to go against all possible logic in favor of some ridiculous emotion she couldn’t possibly name.

“Just you,” he whispers back. “Just you and Mom.”

“Clearly, our mother is the smarter parent,” Gomako says, “We are going to visit her tomorrow so she can help me set you straight.”

Sanji’s quiet for a long time before he nods and simply says, “She’d like that.”

“Then that settles it,” Gomako agrees, "Hopefully, you'll actually listen to her."

Notes:

Sanji: *shaking with rage because the other Vinsmokes are being mean to Gomako*

Gomako, completely incapable of determining emotions: *butterfly meme* Is this.... constipation?

*****

Day/Chapter 2 of Novella November! Hope you've enjoyed!

Chapter 3: Hospital Food

Summary:

When tomorrow comes, Sanji and Gomako forgo their trip to the villages in favor of sneaking into the infirmary and meeting with their mother.

Sora is sitting up in a clean white cot, a paperback novel in hand. Right as she goes to turn the page, she catches sight of them out of the corner of her eye, and her expression lights up.

“Sanji!” she smiles, “And my little Gomako, come to visit. What a nice surprise.”

When tomorrow comes, Sanji and Gomako forgo their trip to the villages in favor of sneaking into the infirmary and meeting with their mother.

Sora is sitting up in a clean white cot, a paperback novel in hand. Right as she goes to turn the page, she catches sight of them out of the corner of her eye, and her expression lights up.

“Sanji!” she smiles, “And my little Gomako, come to visit. What a nice surprise.”

“Hi, Mom,” Sanji says. They share a hug and then her brother seamlessly snuggles onto the bed, right next to Sora’s side. Gomako becomes very aware very quickly that she has not deigned to visit her mother throughout the entirety of her stay in the hospital ward.

She knows she should feel ashamed of her behavior, but a blank continues to be drawn in her mind, so she instead piles next to Sanji and joins the hug. Gomako notes that the first hug with her mother is a lot less awkward than the first with her brother.

As to be expected, the repetition of a skill helps in the mastery of it.

“And how have my two babies been?” their mother asks as she sets her book aside.

“Good,” Sanji says.

“Well enough. But I need an ally against my brother,” Gomako answers decisively.

Sora chuckles, a small smile climbing onto her expression. “Now, now. A good mother could never side with one of her children against another. I’m sorry, my sweet girl, but I must sit this one out.”

“So you won’t help me drill it through Sanji’s thick skull that he isn’t a failure just because he has a basic range of empathy.”

Their mother took but a moment to let her words sink in before she quickly changed her tune. “Well, every rule has its exceptions. Sanji, what’s got you saying things like that?”

Her brother bit his lip and refused to answer, so Gomako did so for him. “Last night our siblings began jeering at me for thinking and acting differently than they do. Sanji stood up for me and insisted that they all halt their behavior. When our father told Sanji that he shouldn’t speak unless spoken to, Sanji said that he refused to apologize until the others did. When our father told our brothers to teach Sanji a lesson, I carried him away and we both escaped punishment.”

Sora’s lips stretched into a wide smile and her eyes crinkled at the corners. Gomako didn’t completely understand why she was smiling at a harrowing ordeal, but to each their own.

“Oh, I am so proud of you, my darlings!” she exclaimed.

“You’re not mad?” Sanji asked with a sniffle.

“How could I ever be mad at my two children for standing by one another when they needed it?” Sora said, shaking her head, “No mother would ever be mad at that.”

“As I said yesterday,” Gomako confirmed, “Mom is the smarter parent.”

Sora laughed, clear and beautiful as a bell. “I don’t know about that. But thank you, my dear, for the kind words.”

They snuggled there for a while, quietly recounting their daily adventures. Eventually, doctors came to deliver their mother her lunch and then enforce her regular nap. Gomako and Sanji dislodged themselves from the cot and said their goodbyes.

“Thank you for visiting me today,” Sora said, “If you’re ever feeling up to it, please do so again. I’d love to see all my babies, and I’d like to hear if my son and two daughters have caused any mischief against their brothers.”

Gomako should try to tell her mother that she and Reiju are not ones for causing mischief together. That she and Reiju don’t interact with each other at all beyond the mandatory training sessions. But then she looks at her mother’s face and decides that discretion was the better part of valor.

“We will visit again,” Gomako says, “Thank you for having us. It was… nice to talk with you.”

Sora gives one last smile before the doctors shove them out of the infirmary and force the pair to find lunch of their own.

*****

“Why were you so… scowly when Mom asked us to visit with Reiju?”

Gomako looked up from her book and then shrugged her shoulders at her brother. “I cannot rationalize our sister’s actions, and whether or not her alleged kindness in private is able to make up for her cruelty in public.”

Sanji gave her a confused look. “But Reiju is kind. She just has to follow along with what Father says. She isn’t really mean.”

Gomako shrugged again. “When examining our sister’s behavior, two quotes come to mind. The first is from an ancient religious text from our family’s library: ‘We are only what we are in the dark; all the rest is reputation.’ Following this line of thinking, our sister is truly kind, as you say, and her true character bleeds through when she does not have to mask her intentions from our father.”

Sanji nodded. “See, Reiju’s nice.”

“According to the first line of thinking, yes. But when we account for the second, it becomes muddled,” Gomako explained, “There is a quote by my favored physicist and philosopher that says ‘The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.’ Following this line of thinking, Reiju is not, in fact, nice or kind, for she stands silently by and allows Judge and our brothers to act unopposed, only stepping in when there is no risk to herself.” 

“Of course,” she continues to muse, “Reiju is a victim of Judge as well, though a different variation than you and I, and we should not ask her nor expect her to risk her safety or well-being, even if she is the eldest of us. But even so, that does not necessarily mean that it is a kindness to heal your wounds when she silently allows the blows to fall, or even delivers the blows herself. And yet there is still that first, contradicting, line of thought that opposes this and says that she is truly good.”

“That just sounds like you’re making it too complicated,” Sanji huffed, “When Reiju can be kind, she is. So she’s nice.”

“That very well could be,” Gomako acknowledged, “Because your emotional processing has remained intact and fully functioning, you could be picking up on emotional and psychological complexities that I simply cannot comprehend. This is truly as reasonable a way to determine it as anything. But there is a flaw in this that I don’t quite know how to rectify.”

“And what’s that?” Sanji snarked.

“I have yet to experience Reiju’s ‘goodness’ for myself,” Gomako said with a shrug, “It seems kindness is an indulgence our sister only reserves for you and, perhaps, our mother. As I have not been a receiver of such actions, I genuinely, truly cannot tell you if they make up for her actions in public. But from where I stand, having only ever known and experienced what you call ‘the facade Reiju holds in the presence of Father,’ I say that, no, it very much does not ‘make up’ for anything at all.”

Sanji opened and closed his mouth like a fish, clearly trying to think of a rebuttal. As he continued to remain dumbstruck, the expression on his face shifted from haughtily confident, to quizzical pondering, to quiet, subtle sleepiness.

‘Wait,’ Gomako thought, reexamining the pinching around his eyes, ‘That's anger. Quiet, subtle anger.’

Gomako just shrugged again and returned to her book. “Those are just my musings. Once again, I very well could be wrong. But don’t try and make me sing our sister’s praises to Mom because I will once more have nothing to say.”

And with that, Sanji departs the library, thinking hard.

Notes:

Technically late by 15 minutes, but I don't think it's late enough to warrant a fail to the challenge.

Hope you've enjoyed the chapter, and make sure to check in again tomorrow!

Chapter 4: Ratatouille

Summary:

“Gomako?”

“Yes?”

“Do you ever get tired of me leeching off of you?”

The blond boy cringed as the iron skillet bent and screeched in his sister’s hands.

“Where,” she began slowly, “Did you get that ridiculous idea?”

Gomako is practicing sword katas in a small courtyard away from her brothers when a plateful of food and a single rat land on her head. She slowly plucks the rat from her hair, and looks up just in time to see Judge’s back slinking away from a window a few stories up.

“I do believe this is a canon scene,” she tells the rat, gently placing it in her pocket, “Let’s go up and test that theory, shall we?”

Gomako finds Sanji quietly crying to himself as he picks up and cleans the dishes he used to cook. She walks up to his side, takes the wet pan from his hands, and begins drying them.

“What nonsense has Judge been spouting this time?”

“He… he…” her brother sniffled, “He says that cooking isn’t an activity fit for princes. And that if I ever want to be worth anything, I need to give up my dream and train ten times harder.”

“Well that’s stupid,” Gomako says decisively, “Firstly, anyone can cook, as everyone needs to eat and can appreciate a good meal. Secondly, being a cook with a dream and being a strong warrior are not mutually exclusive. It could help, actually, to have a dream driving you to become stronger. And thirdly, Judge’s ideas of value are flawed. You know this and I know this. Do not take only his words when defining what it means to be of worth.”

“Yeah,” he sniffled again, “I know.”

Gomako nodded her head and continued to dry the dishes, believing that the matter was settled. At least until Sanji opened his mouth and quietly asked.

“Gomako?”

“Yes?”

“Do you ever get tired of me leeching off of you?”

The blond boy cringed as the iron skillet bent and screeched in his sister’s hands.

“Where,” she began slowly, “Did you get that ridiculous idea?”

“Father—”

“Vinsmoke Judge,” Gomako said sharply, “Is an egomaniac with delusions of grandeur. He believes that some slightly impressive technology is enough to conquer an entire ocean just because some far-flung ancestor of our mother was able to do so with less.”

“But he’s right. I do leech off of your strength.”

Gomako does not know anger. She doesn’t know the pulsing of rage beneath her skin, nor is she familiar with the thumping fury that beats in time with her pounding heart. But if she had to guess, whatever mental disconnect is sparking in her mind like a live wire is as close as she can get.

“I am only going to say this once,” Gomako says slowly, cupping Sanji’s face, “You. Are. Not. A. Leech. A leech implies an unequal relationship on your end where I receive nothing. That is not the truth. I receive your kindness, your joy. I am gifted with your laughter and smiles. I partake in the fruits of your labor and can bask in the warm memories they bring. Our relationship, brother, is one of mutual symbiosis. We would both be lesser if the other was not in our lives. 

“Judge is the leech. Judge is the one who used our mother like a broodmare and abandoned her to doctors and hospital rooms when he had no more use for her. Judge is the one who decided he was too weak to conquer on his own and thus needed a platoon of living weapons to do it for him. Judge is the one who has robbed our siblings and I of our emotions and Judge is the one who will raise unfeeling psychopaths that will produce nothing beneficial to society even if they live for a thousand years.”

“It’s not like I’ve ever done anything good either,” Sanji mumbles.

“Besides I and our mother, I know at least one who would disagree.” Gomako reached into her pocket and gently removed the rat. She reached out and showed Sanji her cupped hands, where the small, whiskered head popped up to look at him.

Sanji broke down a bit, seeing his little friend safe and sound. The rat twitched its whiskered snout and squeaked before climbing over to her brother.

“Hey, little guy,” Sanji said, “I’m glad you’re okay.”

The rat squeaked again and rubbed its little head against his thumb.

“Best to keep your companion away from Judge’s eyes. I don’t know if I’ll be there to save him again.”

“Okay,” he agreed, “We should name him. He deserves a name.”

“What’s his name, then?”

Sanji shrugged.

In a fit of indulgent whimsy, Gomako looked at the rat sitting proudly in the kitchen and said, “Remy.”

“Hm?”

“His name,” Gomako said again, “Is Remy Ratatouille.”

*****

Gomako had thought that Remy would be Sanji’s companion. He was, after all, the one who had initially fed the rat and bonded with him. However, it seems that Remy latched onto Gomako.

“Why won’t he go to you?” Gomako asks, glancing down at the rat sitting in her hands. In an attempt to entice the creature, Sanji had held various foods for Remy. Remy, though, would sniff delicately at the offerings, occasionally grab something in his mouth, and then dart back over to Gomako to sit and eat.

“Rats are pretty smart,” Sanji says, using one of his fingers to scritch Remy behind the ears, “He probably knows you’re someone who can protect him.”

“You can protect him just as well,” she counters.

Sanji just gives Gomako a look before rolling his eyes and returning to the onion he was dicing into small cubes. “I couldn’t do a thing about Judge throwing Remy out the window, so he knows I can’t protect him. But you saved him, and you always save me, so it’s no wonder that he chose you instead.”

“I guess that makes an amount of sense,” she allows. “But I don’t know how well I can meet his emotional needs.”

“He’s a rat,” Sanji said, “Does he even have emotional needs?”

Gomako shrugged. “If a being has emotions, they should also have emotional needs.” Remy gave a squeak and curled up into a ball in her hands, giving a soft sigh of contentment. Gomako gently patted their head and continued, “I will try my best, but I will be in need of your assistance in this regard. Please inform me if I am neglecting Remy, as Remy will not be able to advocate for himself.”

“Okay,” Sanji agreed, “But I don’t think you’re going to need a ton of help.”

“But it is important that whatever help I do request is given,” Gomako said, “It is unrealistic to expect perfection, especially in an area outside my expertise. To ask me and me alone to respond to emotion is as asinine as—”

“—as Judge calling chefs useless when he wouldn’t know flour from powdered sugar?”

Gomako nodded. “Exactly.”

Notes:

Hello, hello, hello! It's been a while, hasn't it?

Suffice to say I failed Novella November. That's what I get for trying to do a daily writing challenge during my busiest month, lmao. But now that I've recovered from burnout and have the free time, I'd like to give this challenge another go! The premise is still the same: 1000 words a day minimum for every day of the month. Outside of my (very vague) outline, I cannot pre-plan or write ahead. As such, this fic is going to be very loosey goosey, but I think I'm going to have fun writing it.

Wish me luck, and I hope you enjoy the ride of Novella August <3

Chapter 5: Nectarines & Bubblegum - Part One

Summary:

"Reiju's coming with us to the village today," Sanji explained slowly, speaking like he did when one of the village toddlers pulled on his pant leg and asked a question, "Just act normal. You don't have to do anything extra like including her in games or anything, just act like you always do: beat some kids in a race, show off Remy to the vendors, poke a lizard with a stick and make scientific observations about it. Just do whatever you usually do and Reiju will hopefully tell you what her deal is after."

"....okay?" Gomako agreed.

One day, there is an unforeseen break from Sanji and Gomako’s routine. As Gomako is rushing through the halls, her brother and pet rat hoisted on her shoulders, Reiju chases after them. Gomako had assumed that their sister was joining Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji in their attempted bombardment, but that assumption goes out the window when she tackles a pursuing Niji to the ground.

Not one to give up a tactical advantage, Gomako books it for the village, blindly following one of the escape routes she had long-since memorized. "Did you ask Reiju for her assistance in our flight?"

"Nope," Sanji answered.

"You are squirming more than usual. Does this indicate an uncomfortable position in my hold, a bout of nerves at our sister's uncharacteristic behavior, or are you lying?"

Sanji squawked and tried to stammer out a denial, but Gomako only had to hold her silence for a few moments before he was offering up sheepish explanations.

"I didn't ask Reiju to help us escape. I just told her about what you said the other day."

Gomako blinked, thinking back on her words and wondering how any of her requests for less frosting on her dessert and ponderings of Remy's dietary needs related to her elder sister.

"How is any of that relevant?" Gomako finally asked, "Does Reiju want to schedule more spars with me?"

"No!" Sanji shouted, squirming out of her grip, "I told Reiju about how you think she's only ever nice to me and mom."

"Oh." Finally remembering the relevant conversation from nearly three months ago, Gomako nodded. "Yes, Reiju's kindness is not something I've borne witness to, so I have to take your word that it exists."

"That's the problem!" Sanji rolled his eyes and huffed, "You should always be kind to others, especially those who haven't done anything wrong. You've never done anything bad to Reiju, so I asked what gives."

"And thus she assisted us.... to prove that she can be nice?" For some reason, it felt like Gomako was grasping at straws even though her words made perfect logical sense.

Sanji slapped himself on the forehead.

"This is what you meant when you said there're emotional nuances you can't grasp, isn't it," he muttered more to himself than to her, "Because you're the smartest person I know but Seas you're a dense idiot."

Her brother grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. 

"Reiju's coming with us to the village today," Sanji explained slowly, speaking like he did when one of the village toddlers pulled on his pant leg and asked a question, "Just act normal. You don't have to do anything extra like including her in games or anything, just act like you always do: beat some kids in a race, show off Remy to the vendors, poke a lizard with a stick and make scientific observations about it. Just do whatever you usually do and Reiju will hopefully tell you what her deal is after."

"....okay?" Gomako agreed. She didn't understand how Reiju observing her usual activities would play into any hypothetical kindness, but she wasn't one to question her brother.

So instead she just gives Remy a few pats, grabs Sanji by the hand, and walks towards the only slice of normal present in Gomako's life.

*****

"Gomako, Sanji," a boy their age yells when he sees them walking up the lane, "We were just about to pick teams."

"Awesome! How many per team?" Sanji asked.

"There's nine of us, so someone will have to sit out until others can join."

"If our sister participates, the teams will be even and no one will have to 'sit out,'" Gomako offers as she secures Remy in her breast pocket.

The kids grouping around them let out a cheer.

"I didn't know your sister was coming," a girl says, "I thought you said that she likes to stay at home."

"I do not remember ever saying Reiju 'likes' staying at the castle. I just said that she does." With Remy secured, she gave the other children a small nod. "Sanji has convinced her to embark with us today. She should be around here somewhere, and if not, she should be arriving soon."

Sanji sighed. "I'll go and find her."

For some reason, her brother seemed sulky(? Dejected? Irritable? Sullen?) when he said this. Gomako didn't understand why, but she had long since given up on understanding every single shifting emotion others may have. After a few minutes of waiting, and a couple of reassurances that Gomako was not lying and that Reiju truly had come to visit today, her siblings rounded the corner and joined the line-up of kids.

There was almost a fight between the two captains over who would have Reiju (the patented 'big kid' of the group) on their team until Gomako's sister said she had never played before.

"How've you never played soccer?" one of the kids demanded.

"I've just never played," Reiju said again.

"Are there just not enough kids at the castle to play soccer?"

"No," Reiju said again, repeating her words slowly, "I've never played before. It is not a hobby Father encourages."

"What, playing?"

Reiju's silence speaks for itself. The surrounding kids begin to shoot her, and Sanji and Gomako, very expressive looks. Rather than trying to decipher said looks and the emotions behind them, Gomako steps forward.

"Soccer is a game played between two teams. Points are scored by maneuvering a ball past a set goal line, usually indicated by a large net. As we do not have access to such nets, our goals are marked by the four trees closest to where we are standing," Gomako explained, pointing out the trees and the goals they marked, "Players are allowed to move the ball using any method they can, save for grabbing it, throwing it, or pushing it with your hands. The most common and convenient method is kicking the ball. The only players allowed to touch the ball with their hands are each team's respective goalies. The goalie's duty is to guard the goal line and do their best not to let the opposing team maneuver the ball past it."

Reiju nodded in understanding.

"For me, and most likely you, it is best to match athletic ability with the average player on your team," Gomako further explained, leaning in so her words would not reach the other children, "While above average athletic ability is acceptable, performing to the heights Judge and his scientists would push for often results in 'sore losers' and children swearing to 'never play with you or your brother again.'"

Reiju nodded once more before turning back to the captains.

"I think I understand, now," she said, "Let's 'play.'"

Notes:

Day 2 of Novella August!

Word count: 1123

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 6: Nectarines & Bubblegum - Part Two

Summary:

"My, my. That's quite an accomplishment for a single pie," Reiju said, "I hope it lives up to such expectations."

Gomako took a bite of the aforementioned pie. "It is delicious, but I think our brother could do better."

Reiju giggled as Sanji rolled his eyes. "Ignore her. Gomako says that about every meal."

Soccer is, in the general opinion of the other children, a success.

Reiju takes a couple of games to find her groove, but once she does, she's running circles around everyone, dribbling the ball like a pro. She's a bit hesitant about scoring, but eventually falls into a system where she only does so after Gomako has. It's a fair enough way to pace herself as any, and it helps even more when some of the older kids finish up with their daily chores and are allowed to join. Even the biggest and most athletic civilian kids are no match for her, but at least they and Reiju can share conspiring looks and showy indulgences for the youngest ones.

Around noon, the teams break up and the other children begin making their ways back home for lunch. Gomako and Sanji move to do the same, but Reiju pulls out a coin purse and says she'd arranged for a distraction back at the castle.

"We shouldn't be expected until dinner," she explains, "Let's find an establishment to eat at and enjoy the rest of the day."

Sanji gives a cheer while Gomako nods. "That sounds like an agreeable plan," she says, "Do you have any particular preference? Seeing as you are the one to have arranged this, and I assume you are also paying based on your still-clutched bag, it seems only fair that you hold the ultimate choice about what we eat."

Reiju shook her head. "No, I have no preferences. I was hoping one of you would have a place in mind. Perhaps a diner or restaurant you had wanted to visit but never had the chance to."

Gomako looked to their brother who immediately grabbed them both by the hand and started leading them towards a South Blue eatery a few blocks away. The waiter was happy to seat them and showed off a menu that Gomako clocked as Irish in origin. It took her a while to remember that Ireland was not, in fact, a location in this world, and then she spent a good few minutes pondering over the nature of her life and that of the girl who came before. Did every locale have a direct equivalent in the opposite world? Or was Oda just drawing inspiration from the world around him and this reality built off the framework he once laid?

"Sister, why are you staring at your cottage pie like it holds the secrets of the universe?"

"The cottage pie contains no secrets, but it is making me question the very world we live in and my place in it."

"My, my. That's quite an accomplishment for a single pie," Reiju said, "I hope it lives up to such expectations."

Gomako took a bite of the aforementioned pie. "It is delicious, but I think our brother could do better."

Reiju giggled as Sanji rolled his eyes. "Ignore her. Gomako says that about every meal."

"I wouldn't have to say it if it wasn't true," Gomako countered, "I cannot help it if most of my dishes are prepared by the best cook in the world. A shame Judge insists on everyone following his own tastes. As usual, such tastes are subpar and much would be improved if he were out of the picture."

Reiju gave a coy smile at her words. "I've been meaning to ask you about that."

"About what? My insults of Judge? The insults that definitely don't count as treason."

"You're the one who had to check if they were treason in the first place!" Sanji snapped, "Don't blame me for thinking it might be safer if you stopped saying stuff like that about our father."

Gomako gave Sanji a look. "Firstly, Judge married into the royal family and thus is prince consort, despite any false claims of kingship. As such myself, a daughter of the ruling queen, is of a higher stance and may say what I please about Consort Judge. Secondly, I do not attempt to overthrow the royal family if I criticize a single member of it. Third, everything I say is the truth as I see it: telling the truth isn't treason unless the powers above me have outlawed truth. And if such a thing has occured, the best thing I can do is continue to speak the truth and rebel against such a dictatorship."

Reiju's smile grew as Sanji groaned.

"While all of that sounds very enlightening, my question is of a different, but similar, vein. Why do you call Father by his given name?"

"Oh, that's simple," Gomako said, cutting into her pie, "By definition, a 'father' is a male parent. Also by definition, a 'parent' is someone who brings up and cares for another. Judge has never in his life cared for anyone but himself, so he is incapable of being a father, and certainly isn't mine."

"Gomako!"

Reiju bent over in her seat and began wheezing with laughter as Sanji's face grew pale and terrified(?). Gomako just continued to eat her lunch.

"Are we planning on getting dessert somewhere?" she asked as her sister continued to wheeze and her brother continued to gape like a fish, "I think I saw a candy store that would be adequate."

*****

They left the village center with bags of saltwater taffy and bubblegum to split between themselves. As the siblings took a scenic route back towards the castle, they stumbled upon an old orchard. The overgrown nectarine trees were ripe with fruit, and Sanji declared that he would climb one of the trees and bring back nectarines to make jams or tarts or some other treats. As he began to climb up, Reiju offered Gomako a piece of bubblegum and said, "I owe you an apology."

"Whatever for?" Gomako asked, unwrapping the pink confection and popping it in her mouth.

"Firstly, for any false assumptions I've held about you and any hurtful words or actions I've wielded against you based on such assumptions."

Gomako cast a long look into the middle distance, thinking back. "Besides that one night at dinner where you joined our brothers in their teasing, nothing comes to mind."

Reiju frowned. "But I thought Sanji said you were hung up on me not liking you?"

"Oh, no, I sincerely believe that before today I haven't seen your kindness. But it was less an additional animosity and more of a.... well, a lack of something I couldn't name."

Reiju sucked in a harsh breath between her teeth.

"I cannot apologize enough, sister," she said as they watched Sanji climb higher and higher into the trees, "For the longest time I thought that you, of all of us, were the one with the least amount of humanity in your heart. I believed that Judge's modifications had squashed you like a bug and left you as nothing but the machine Judge wished for. That you took Sanji away everyday, not because you wanted to protect him and let him enjoy life, but because you preferred to be the sole focus of his pain. I've seen today that that is wrong."

Gomako blinked, unsure how to respond to such words.

"I forgive you," she finally said as Sanji sprang back to the ground and began gathering nectarines in his arms. "It's obvious that you've realized your mistakes, and so long as you attempt to do better in the future, I see no reason as to why I shouldn't."

Reiju smiled and pulled her into a little side hug. "Thank you, sister."

"You're welcome. Would you like to meet Remy?"

And so in that old, abandoned orchard, the three princelings and one rat traded treats and stories and warmth as they learned who each other truly were, rather than the facade they had to put up for survival.

Notes:

A little late, but day 3 of Novella August!

Word count: 1299

See you later today for day 4 <3

Chapter 7: Salty Tears

Summary:

"I believe you," Gomako said, looking up at her mother. The two let the silence solidify between them until Gomako asked, "Why did you marry Judge?"

Sora stiffened. "What was that?"

With Gomako's newly built bridge with Reiju, she decides to attempt to strengthen her bonds with the others in her family.

Judge, is, well, Judge, so Gomako's olive branch gets torn out root and stem before it even gets a chance to bloom. Similarly, any connection with Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji grows at a glacial speed, if it grows at all. None of her brothers understand why she, an almost perfect weapon for the Germa Kingdom, is so attached to Sanji, the patented failure of the Vinsmoke family. Their questioning leads to Gomako's attempts at logical explanation, which leads to her brothers yelling because they think any word against them is someone trying to pick a fight, and then a fight is picked and Gomako has to start kicking their asses and doing her level best to bite through a nigh-impenetrable exoskeleton.

So that just leaves one last member of the family, and frankly, the only one Gomako should have pursued in the first place.

"And then what happened?" Sora asked as she brushed her fingers through Gomako's hair.

"And then everyone decided to ask Grace's big brother what we should do if no one could decide who got Reiju on their team. James decided as the ref that Sanji, Reiju, and I should just play on our own team and everyone else play against us if we were so good. I was goalie, and I only allowed two goals to pass me by. Reiju scored three times and Sanji scored once, so that meants that we won."

Sora chuckled. "I doubt the other children were happy about that."

"They quickly made their displeasure known," Gomako agreed, thinking back, "But then James snapped and said if they 'sucked so bad they lost seven-on-three' then they had no right to complain about the other players being good."

"No, they very much do not." Gomako felt the fingers fall from her hair and pull her in just a little bit tighter. "Did you ever do it?"

"Do what?"

"Go down to the villages and play games with the commoners?" Gomako asked, "You were a princess, once, like I am. I think your idea of princesses is more aligned with the fairy tales where they're beloved by all, rather than Judge's opinion that royalty is completely untouchable by the common man."

Sora smiled at her, the look soft. "It wasn't as frequent as your adventures, but yes, I did sneak out once or twice. My father was so mad when he learned. I was precious to him, like you and your siblings are precious to me. But I was so much weaker than you are, and he was so worried about me getting hurt. Eventually, we compromised: I could leave the palace whenever I liked, but I had to give your grandfather notice and take at least two guards with me. And having royal babysitters did not set the mood for friendships."

"I believe you," Gomako said, looking up at her mother. The two let the silence solidify between them until Gomako asked, "Why did you marry Judge?"

Sora stiffened. "What was that?"

"If your father cared half as much for you as you do for me and the others, how in the world did you end up married to Judge? He isn't a good father, I doubt he's a good husband, and no king that's halfway decent spends his days planning to conquer his neighbors and turn his children into weapons. So how in the world did your father arrange such a match?"

Sora sighed and began to comb her fingers through Gomako's hair again.

"When you're a parent, your greatest wish is to always do what's best for your children. My father, he.... I loved him, but what he thought was best for me didn't always reflect reality. He loved me, but he thought I was fragile, weak. That I didn't have the constitution or the will strong enough to rule on my own. So he picked out Germa's strongest up-and-coming warriors and found the one he believed would complement me best. When he passed, he thought he was leaving his kingdom in the hands of a perfect team with your father as the iron will to protect Germa's interests, while I was the soft touch that would be the heart of the kingdom."

"Grandfather was unaware of Judge's convictions?"

"He wasn't unaware, no," Sora said, "He just believed that he wouldn't have the influence to ever act on them. I would be queen, after all."

Gomako blinked. "Grandfather was a fool, then."

"You can believe that if you wish. Seas know I've certainly thought so every once in a while," Sora agreed, "You can't live your life, though, blaming others for the situation you find yourself in. Even if the world you see is not one of your making, you can either choose to wallow in self-pity, or decide to make the best of it. I picked the latter, and I could not be happier for it."

"You're bed-bound, though. And Judge is unjustly ruling your kingdom in your stead."

"But I've got two lovely daughters and four amazing sons. I've got a gorgeous view of the sunset every night, and a nurse willing to sneak me all the romance novels I could wish for. I've got a roof over my head, food in my belly, and some of the most comfortable blankets in the world. And to top it all off, I've got a heart full of love," Sora explained, smiling, "I'd say that's a pretty good existence, wouldn't you?"

Gomako scowled a bit, but couldn't refute any of her mother's words.

Sora chuckled again a pressed a kiss to Gomako's forehead. "There is so much bad in the world, my dear. You cannot let it define you. Promise me that you'll always do your best to focus on the good, and to let love lead you."

"I can't feel love."

"Just because you can't feel something, or see it, doesn't mean it isn't there. You are so loved, my dear girl. So, so, so loved. And even if the road is long and tiring, I need you to remember that. Please, promise me that you will remember that you are loved, now and forever."

"I promise," Gomako whispered.

"Good." Sora pressed another kiss to her face before gently pushing her off of the hospital bed. "Now go on and get out of here. Let your mother rest. Goodbye, Gomako. I love you."

"I...." Gomako began, unsure of her words, "I think your company is superior to everyone else save Sanji and Reiju's and that I should visit more often."

Sora smiled and ushered her towards the door. "Don't worry. I know you love me, too."

Gomako glanced between her mother and the door. Acting on instinct, she darted forward and gave Sora a hug before rushing away with farewells on her lips. She heard Mother laugh behind her, and knew if she could, she'd hear that sound every day.

It'd take over a decade, but eventually Gomako would be able to identify the swell of love, helplessness, and heartbreak that rose up whenever she thought of this day: the last day she ever saw Queen Sora alive.

Notes:

Day 4 of Novella August!

Word Count: 1209

See you tomorrow <3

Chapter 8: Meal Rations

Summary:

Gomako remembers words from another life: that black goes good with everything. She believes this to be patently false. Black is an inferior color and she would rather any other color option. If Gomako had her way, no one would be wearing black, least of all her.

Especially today.

Gomako remembers words from another life: that black goes good with everything. She believes this to be patently false. Black is an inferior color and she would rather any other color option. If Gomako had her way, no one would be wearing black, least of all her.

Especially today.

If it wasn't for the countless machines and chemical cocktails built into her body, Gomako thinks she would be feeling a wide variety of emotions. Grief would be chief among them, of course, as would the ones associated with it such as sorrow. 

She also thinks anger would be high on that list. Gomako thinks there is more than enough to be anger about: the unfairness of the world, the choices that lead to this outcome, the fact that Judge was still breathing while Mom was not. But most of all, Gomako thinks she would be angry at herself.

Because Gomako had grown complacent. 

She had allowed herself to be lulled into a false sense of security just because she had established a routine. She wonders to herself if she would’ve savored those days of relative ease more had she known how fleeting they would be. Because seemingly out of nowhere, her world comes crashing down.

It starts with her mother’s death. After so many years of stability, Queen Vinsmoke Sora of the Germa Kingdom passed quietly and unassumingly in her sleep. Gomako does not know the exact cause, but she assumes it was either heart failure, lung failure, or complications of the late-stage terminal illness. The how truly doesn’t matter so much as what comes after it.

She, Reiju, and Sanji get four months of clinging desperately to some semblance of normal. Four months of Gomako silently embracing her brother as he bawls and mourns. Four months of Reiju laying Gomako’s head in her lap and reading a book aloud, letting her words wash over them. Four months of Sanji pushing plates of food toward her and her sister and asking if they think Mom would’ve liked it. Four months of sneaking into the towns only for the children, their friends, to give them weird looks and awkward condolences before they ultimately are deemed “weird” for not “getting over it” already.

Four months of adjusting to the world’s pressing weight before another of Gomako’s touchstones is ripped from her.

It happens just as suddenly as it did to their mom. One night, she’s bidding Sanji to have sweet dreams, and the next morning she is dressed in black again and standing witness to his funeral.

Gomako doesn’t cry. None of the Vinsmokes cry. Not Judge, nor Ichiji, Niji, or Yonji. Reiju’s face is blank as well, though Gomako can tell that it takes work to keep it so, rather than the effortless long stare she has or the truly apathetic looks from the other Vinsmokes.

Once the funeral proceedings draw to a close, Gomako silently follows her brothers to the training grounds, completes their daily tests for Judge and his ever-watching lackeys, and then heads for the library once they are dismissed for personal time.

Gomako walks leisurely through the halls and passes silently by the shelves of books. She stops intently in front of a stack and quickly grabs three books: one travel log, one cookbook with a ribbon sticking out halfway through, and a compilation of sea myths. She then makes her way over to a heavy shelf in the corner, pulls five scattered books out in a specific order, and descends into the secret passageway that opens before her.

After she is sure that the shelf-door closes behind her, Gomako lets her eyes get used to the darkness and makes her way through the winding passages deep beneath the castle.

Gomako darts through twists and turns, backpedaling whenever she finds a dead end, and drawing a mark in the dust whenever she makes a new turn. The labyrinth is merciless, long, and tricky to navigate, but with a single goal in mind, Gomako persists.

Eventually, though, she reaches her destination.

“Hello, Sanji,” she says, looking down at the muzzled boy in the cell, “Had I the capacity, I would be overjoyed to see you’re alive.”

*****

Gomako’s daily trips to the village are replaced with trips to the dungeons.

Actually, that statement is misleading. ‘Replaced’ implies that Gomako never returned to the village to bid farewell to their playmates and said playmates’ associated adults. That isn’t true. Gomako returned to explain that her brother’s death had been faked, and after many concerning looks and gentle remarks from said adults, she returned again with a letter from Sanji explaining everything. That, luckily, had reaffirmed Gomako’s words as more than grief-stricken delusions and allowed her to make her final goodbyes without causing offense.

And so a new routine is established.

Gomako wakes every morning bright and early to begin training. Group training always ends with spars around noon, after which, she and her brothers are dismissed for free time. Gomako tucks away a quick, filling meal (never as delicious as Sanji’s), before individually working through her sword katas for an hour. Then she makes a show of disappearing into the library before Gomako uses the passageways to visit her brother.

Reiju effortlessly slots her way into that new routine. Gomako hadn't wasted even a day before she was promising her brother that she'd find some way to help him, and the first thing she did was rope their sister into it. It was just logical; two heads were better than one, after all.

The two visit daily, bringing whatever they think is needed: clothes, blankets, books, words of encouragement. They try their best with bringing food and water, but neither of them have the skill of their brother and they still haven't found a way to safely remove that damned mask without hurting him so Sanji is very limited in his speech.

"Bmmm-hmmm," Sanji tries to say, his eyes growing wide.

"No, we still haven't found a key," Gomako says, dropping her bag and sliding it between the bars of the cell."

"Mmmm, yuhhhhmmm!"

"We're trying, Sanji, but it's almost impossible to find so small a thing in such a large castle."

"Hrrrrrr!"

"So this is where you've been going every day."

Gomako swears up and down that she had been as careful and as vigilant as she could. That she had taken the utmost scrutiny in ensuring that her visits to Sanji would be kept secret. Evidently, it wasn't enough.

"Should've known a useless failure like him wouldn't even have been able to die right," said Ichiji as he, Niji, and Yonji gave dark smiles, "Let's see if you still think he's worth the trouble after we're done with you."

Notes:

Day 5 of Novella August (these updates just get later and later, don't they?)

Word count: 1121

See you tomorrow <3

Chapter 9: Choked Words

Summary:

"What happened?!"

Reiju's screeching cry is the first thing Gomako hears when she wakes. Gomako waits a few minutes, and once her healing factor finally begins to work properly, she accepts the drink of water from her sister and begins to explain.

"What happened?!"

Reiju's screeching cry is the first thing Gomako hears when she wakes. She blinks her bleary eyes open, barely processing the flash of pink and Sanji's incomprehensible, still-muffled words. Reiju pulls her up, and even though Gomako can't feel pain in any meaningful way, the creaking of metal and her locked, rebelling limbs are all Gomako needs to know that she is very, very hurt.

Sanji offers up his thin pillow, which he props between Gomako's back and the rough wall. Gomako waits a few minutes, and once her healing factor finally begins to work properly, she accepts the drink of water from her sister and begins to explain.

"I find it patently unfair that of all the powers amongst our siblings, I clearly have the weakest," Gomako said, "Yonji is strong enough to overwhelm me easily, especially in close combat. Niji's lightning can lock my muscles and give him time to get more hits in while I'm stunned. Your poison immunity and expertise will take time to cultivate, but will eventually be the most versatile of all of us. And even Ichiji, whose powers mine most replicate, is at least strong enough to pierce others with his attacks. Meanwhile, all I have are light shows that are only good for flash-banging myself and others."

Reiju's face grew pale as the implications of Gomako's words sank in.

"Our brothers found the cell."

'Look at that, the spare's actually trying to protect the failure!'

'Doesn't she know it's useless? The strong are always meant to destroy the weak.'

'Let's remind both of them how the natural order of the world truly works.'

Gomako nodded with a wince. "Our brothers found the cell," she confirmed, "I tried my best to drive them off, but they know, now. It's only a matter of time before they return, and I am not strong enough to defend our brother. I'm sorry."

Sanji reached out between the cells and squeezed Gomako's hand. Gomako tried to squeeze back, but as stated before, her limbs were in open rebellion and refused to move a millimeter more than necessary.

Reiju collapsed next to her, cradling her head in her hands. "What are we going to do? We can't keep watch forever. Eventually, Judge would send people to search for us and if he finds two of his weapons distracted by a failure...."

Her words trail off, but further explanation truly isn't needed. Judge had already staged a funeral; as far as he was concerned, his third failure of a son was already a dead man walking. 

Gomako finally found the strength to squeeze back at Sanji's hand, her tight grip grounding her in the present. She took a long, deep breath, and racked the memories of the girl who came before for any scrap of useful information. Finally, it came to her.

"Do you know anything about cruise lines?"

*****

There isn't much to go off of, not truly. Just a vague timeline, some facts that should line up, and a single name: The Orbit. But when you're stranded on rocky seas with nothing but a single lifeline, all you can do is grab on tight and weather the storm ahead.

Through weeks of research and careful planning, Gomako is able to find the ship that will lead her brother to his destiny. She presents her golden find with a few other escape routes for Reiju and Sanji to consider, but Gomako's mind is made up and it's easy to convince her siblings to agree.

It helps, to, that of all their possible marks, The Orbit is legitimately the best one. The ship's route never leaves the East Blue, and a calming existence in the safest sea with the Red Line between Sanji and Judge.... The prospect is tempting, to say the least.

The only issue is how to set up the opportunity for escape. Conquering the North Blue has always been Judge's goal, and to abandon it, no matter how temporarily, would be insanity. Especially abandoning it in favor of attacking some East Blue outpost logistically impossible to keep under Germa control.

Reiju and Gomako become very, very good at faking reports. They choose their target carefully, but eventually they catch wind of an Eastern island called Cozia that would do nicely. Cozia, while technically in an advantageous position in the East Blue prime for takeover, had a long-standing monastery of dedicated martial artists, with some even claiming that Vice Admiral Garp had learned under them in his youth. All Gomako and Reiju had to do was slip reports of a supposed traitor to Germa seeking refuge on the island, send a warning to the monastery that a hostile warlord was soon to attack, allow the real reports of Cozia shoring up their defenses to pour in, and then let Judge's paranoia do the rest.

They hadn't anticipated Judge sending his child weapons to join the fighting, but in all honesty, it was the ideal situation. The chaos of battle gave them the perfect cover to circle back around. Gomako gathered up a bag of clothes, food, and a handful of mementos, namely the ribbon from the bag of taffy they once shared, a locket necklace she had grabbed from one of Mom's jewelry boxes, and a book about the All Blue. By the time she raced down to the cells, Reiju had already pulled apart the iron bars and was unlocking the mask on their brother's face.

A resounding click echoed throughout the room as Reiju pulled the mask off and Sanji gasped in his first unburdened breath in months.

"Reiju.... Go....Gomak—"

Gomako rushed forward and pulled him into a hug.

"You have only one chance, don't ruin it!" Reiju insisted, grabbing the both of them and pulling them down the hallway.

There was no petty confrontation with Judge where the useless worm of a man forbade Sanji from ever using the name 'Vinsmoke.' (As if it was Judge's name to give and take. The nerve.) Instead, Sanji's last moments in Germa are spent with his sisters, who hug him fiercely and wish him every happiness they can muster. Instead, a single rat pops its head up to nuzzle his nose and remind him that even the smallest kindnesses can make a difference. Instead, his tears are wiped away, and a mother's last words are echoed through the mouth of her youngest child.

"There is bad in this world, but there is also good. You are good, Sanji. Never forget that," Gomako said, "I don't— I can't feel love. But just because you can't feel something, doesn't mean it's not there. And if love is a choice, then I choose to love you. I will always choose to love you. Even if we're far apart, even if we never see each other again, even if you think yourself unworthy of it, I love you. Until the Seas run dry, I love you."

Sanji choked up at the words and began to cry. Above the noise of battle crashing around them, a call of retreat sounded in the distance. They were running out of time.

"Sanji! Stop crying!" Reiju interjected, "Listen! Don't ever come back here."

Sanji nodded with a soft 'uh-huh' as he wiped at his eyes.

Reiju also began to tear up. "The sea is broad! You'll.... you'll...." 

She pulled Gomako and Remy in closer, grasping at her and Sanji's shoulders. "You'll definitely meet kind people someday!"

Gomako shoved the bag of supplies into her brother's hands. She pulled Reiju and Sanji into one last hug. Gomako let them clutch at each other for as long as they dared, willing this one final moment to last an eternity. Too soon, though, Reiju was breaking up the hold and turning their brother around. Together, the two sisters pushed him towards the Orbit.

"Run!" Reiju cried, "Run and don't look back!"

Together, Gomako and Reiju stood, watching as their brother became nothing but a speck in the distance. It wasn't until Reiju sniffled and wiped a handkerchief at her face did Gomako realize that she had been crying, too.

Notes:

Day 6 of Novella August!

Word count: 1352

To counter the angst of this and the upcoming chapters, I've got a question for you all. As per the challenge, I cannot plan much of this fic out. This is a bit of a double-edged sword because on the plus side, I don't have the chance to lock myself into decision paralysis that often leads to writer's block. On the downside, though, I don't have enough time to truly think out story beats to their fullest capacity. Therefore, I'm going to let you readers choose which forking path to follow. So the issue on the table:

Should Gomako get a Devil Fruit? Options are:

A.) Yes, Gomako gets a Devil Fruit
B.) No, Gomako doesn't get a Devil Fruit but she does get a *sword* with a Devil Fruit
C.) No, Gomako doesn't get a Devil Fruit or a sword with a Devil Fruit. She's playing on hard mode.

I won't spoil what the Devil Fruit is, but it is non-canon/an original Devil Fruit from me, and is (in my opinion) very overpowered. Let me know what your vote is in the comments. We have a few chapters before this choice becomes relevant, and I'll give you a heads up later down the line when voting closes.

Thanks so much for reading, and I'll see you tomorrow! <3

Chapter 10: Bitten Tongues

Summary:

But regardless of nebulous goals to one day leave Germa and Judge behind, one fact still remained: Gomako had to get stronger. She had to be able to survive on her own without fear of dying before she found her brother. She had to train and plan and scheme until she had the perfect way out.

And then she'd be free.

....whatever that meant.

Gomako doesn't quite know what to do with herself now that Sanji is free.

The days following the battle on Cozia feel empty now that the routines she planned her life around are impossible to fall back into. There is no brother to protect and aid down in the cells. The single time she attempts to return to the village, there is no laughing grin to charm her into playing a new game. Remy's food is no longer a rotation of dishes being tested and improved, but rather the same basics that Gomako can scrounge up. The library, once her sanctuary of logic and reason where she could hide away from the world she wasn't meant to be a part of, is now as silent as a grave Even Reiju's warmth seems muted: a dying fire rather than the kindling flame it once was.

There is no overarching goal to strive for. No grand destiny preserved from an extra lifetime. So Gomako distracts herself with the only avenue available to her: training.

'If I can't leave to meet Sanji sooner, my best bet would be to see him at Whole Cake and help him get out of his marriage and back to his crew,' Gomako thinks as she runs through the sixth round of katas that day, 'Sanji sets sail as a pirate when we're nineteen, so accounting for the time skip, if I wait for canon to catch up I'll see him again when we're twenty-one.'

Gomako doesn't know why, but she flinches and feels shivers run down her spine. It's a sign she heard associated with pain, or fear, or dread. But that hardly makes sense as Gomako cannot feel such things. She shouldn't be having a physical reaction to the simple thought of waiting thirteen years to see her brother again.

Remy lets out a distressed squeak from her pocket. Gomako immediately drops her practice sword and pulls the rat into her grasp. Remy squeaks again and nuzzles at her hand.

"Thank you for pulling me out of my thoughts," she tells him, "It is entirely illogical to wait over a decade in Judge's grasp. For one, there is never a good reason to ever preemptively give in. Secondly, Judge will never have my best interests in mind, so why should I act in his?"

But regardless of nebulous goals to one day leave Germa and Judge behind, one fact still remained: Gomako had to get stronger. She had to be able to survive on her own without fear of dying before she found her brother. She had to train and plan and scheme until she had the perfect way out.

And then she'd be free.

....whatever that meant.

Gomako isn't quite sure. But she knows one day, someday, she'll find out.

*****

Nothing happens in a vacuum. A butterfly flaps its wings and a hurricane roars; a pebble is tossed into a still pond and a tsunami breaks the shore; a weapon sharpens itself and the wielder takes notice.

Although nothing of note was truly gained, Judge still considered Cozia a success. So much so that he deemed his children battle-hardened enough to begin being deployed at his leisure. Gomako is lucky, at least in the beginning. For months all of her orders are simple retrievals. Assassinations are all well and good, but Judge has five other loyal soldiers at his disposal. With Sanji previously lacking mutations and now free from his clutches forever, Gomako is Judge's stealthiest blade in the dark, and he needs those skills the most. Knowledge is power, after all, and killing is such a final solution. Why completely remove a pawn from the board when you can blackmail them into serving a different master?

But luck isn't eternal. Eventually, Judge issues orders that Gomako would rather refuse.

It happens at the turn of the new year. Sanji has been gone for six months. Six months Gomako has been allowing herself to be wielded as a weapon for Germa. Six months of stolen files and extorting kingdoms. Six months until Gomako is ordered to drown her hands in blood all for the sake of Judge and his ambitions.

There's a kingdom called Rouen that had recently struck some accord or other with Germa. As part of the Rouen royal family agreeing to terms, it was requested that a particular man be killed and that the death not be traced back to the king and queen. Judge agreed readily, and though Yonji was stronger, Niji was faster, Ichiji more powerful, and Reiju more experienced, Gomako was the one chosen to complete the deed.

"Do not let yourself be seen," Judge ordered as a soldier passed her the file at the wave of his hand, "I don't care how you do it or how the body's disposed of. Just end the man and return before the last week of February."

Gomako cuts it close. Very close. But she's back in Germa by the twenty-third only to be greeted by Reiju dragging her away before she even had a chance ask what was what.

She stumbles into a study room only to see a small dinner table set up with food and a cake.

"What's this?" Gomako asked.

"Are you...." Reiju tried to begin before she shook her head and gestured for Gomako to take a seat. "I know it's early, but it's for your birthday. What with the upcoming trip overlapping with any possible celebrations, I took the initiative to do something now."

Gomako blinked. "What upcoming trip?"

Reiju looked up. "Didn't Judge tell you?"

"I'm not exactly his most trusted advisor," Gomako grumbled.

"But I'd thought you would've at least put it all together," Reiju snapped, expression irate, "Don't tell me you haven't noticed: all the islands we've been attacking, all the dirt you've been collecting, everything Judge has been building up to over the past few months. What have they all had in common?"

Gomako bit at her lip and thought as she saw Reiju light the nine candles on the cake. Finally, though, it hit her.

"The Reverie."

Reiju nodded.

"Happy birthday, Gomako. To celebrate, we're jumping straight into the lions' den."

Notes:

Welcome to Day 7 of Novella August! We're officially a week into the challenge and all's going good so far.

In regards to the Devil Fruit conundrum, it seems that about a third of y'all created a secret fourth option, that is have Remy eat the Devil Fruit. This would've been offered as an initial option, but the truth is I already have plans for Remy to eat a different (and not nearly as overpowered) Devil Fruit. The Devil Fruit Gomako('s sword) may or may not have would NOT be a very good fit for the little guy. So the options will remain as follows:

A.) Gomako eats the mystery Devil Fruit
B.) Gomako does not eat the Devil Fruit but does get a sword with the Devil Fruit
C.) Nobody/nothing gets the Devil Fruit. We're playing on hard mode.

Also, in regards to the surprise Reverie arc: sometimes you plan out a fic, and other times you cross-reference an actual timeline, realize you have the chance to do the funniest and/or greatest thing ever, and decide that you'll never forgive yourself if you let the plot bunnies hop away. So buckle up, readers, and get ready for some angst, angst, angst with a side of revolution ;)

Chapter 11: Frying Oil

Summary:

Pride goeth before the fall, and Gomako was the only one of her set who felt no pride in the Vinsmoke name.

(Granted, she was also the only one who would actively go out of her way to set fire to Marijois if given half a chance. Truly, her eternal poker face was the greatest boon her sperm-donor had ever accidentally given her.)

The journey to Marijois is tedious in a way that Gomako is unused to.

By and large, she had allowed herself and her consciousness to drift, for a lack of better words, over the past few months. Gomako had allowed herself to become lost in the constant cycle of training, fighting, and monotonous repetition that was now her life. It seemed, though, that Judge had temporarily put a stop to the usual regimen in favor of whipping Gomako and her siblings into acceptable company.

"How would a prince or princess such as yourselves greet an honorable World Noble?" one of the various tutors asked. Where Judge had found an etiquette tutor fit to teach Reverie attendees, let alone the dozen or so that had plagued their halls, Gomako could only guess. "Prince Ichiji, perhaps you know?"

Ichiji straightened up in his chair and gave a confident nod. "It's nice to meet you. How's the weather?"

"No. Prince Niji, would you like to try?"

Niji scowled and said, "Why aren't you bowing to me? Don't you know who I am? That I can kill you?"

"Absolutely not!" the tutor snapped. "Prince Yonji, you must have a better attempt than that."

"....hi?" Yonji finally tried after a few moments of fidgeting.

The tutor groaned. "Princess Gomako, dare I even hope that you know better?"

Gomako blinked slowly at the desperate, tearful man. "Should a Celestial Dragon appear before me, it is proper to bow and prostrate myself as they pass. My back and shoulders should be bent at a minimum of forty-five degrees, though not as low as other common folk. I should not speak to the Celestial Dragons unless bid to do so."

The tutor practically cheered with joy as her brothers scowled at her.

Contrary to Judge and the tutors' beliefs, Gomako wasn't learning the proper etiquette faster than the others because she was a 'proper young lady with womanly charms' or any other such nonsense. Gomako was just lacking the large obstacle barricading her brothers: their pride.

Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji defined themselves with their relation to Judge and Germa 66. Because they were powerful weapons that had been successfully wielded upon Judge's request, they thought themselves more valuable than others who had never had reason to fight. Because her brothers were the princes of Germa and were never denied any request within its border, they thought themselves entitled to every honor and luxury. Because Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji had never had to defer to anyone besides Judge, they could not imagine a world where someone else had the power to make them kneel.

Pride goeth before the fall, and Gomako was the only one of her set who felt no pride in the Vinsmoke name.

(Granted, she was also the only one who would actively go out of her way to set fire to Marijois if given half a chance. Truly, her eternal poker face was the greatest boon her sperm-donor had ever accidentally given her.)

When the etiquette tutor has turned them over to the gentle mercies of the ballroom dance instructors, Judge unceremoniously barges into their practice and demands an update on their progress. It's an exercise in exasperated nosiness to inconspicuously circle close enough to Judge to overhear what's being said while also continuing the dance that the instructors have yet to release them from.

"It seems only the princesses will be ready in time, Your Majesty," one tutor explained at a whisper, "It isn't ideal, but at least...."

Gomako frowned as she was waltzed away. 'What was that about?' she thought as she and her partner glided through a circuit of the ballroom, 'I would assume the Reverie, but it's not as if the week-long conference includes a dancing competition.'

She was soon swinging back towards the group, readying her ears to listen in on the conversation.

"I had already assured that Germa had three viable heirs. To not include any of my sons in favor of my daughters—" Judge grumbled.

Gomako rolled her eyes as she was moved back around. That hadn't added much to think on beyond a general misogynistic sentiment that Gomako had never heard Judge indulge in, but was not surprised that he included.

This time, when Gomako and her partner grew closer to the group, she fell into a dip to ensure a smidgen of extra time to eavesdrop.

"....and of course, there is marriage to consider. Even if neither of them are a World Noble's first wife—"

Gomako froze.

"Princess, is everything alright?"

"Teacher, might we break for lunch?" Gomako asked, completely ignoring her dance partner and his question, "It is getting awfully close to noon and I'm sure everyone is a bit peckish."

A hesitant statement of agreement had no sooner past the instructor's lips than Gomako was turning on her heel and rushing out of the room. She let her feet guide her away, not truly taking note of where she was heading until she collapsed on an infirmary bed and face-planted into a pillow.

She should've seen it coming.

She should've seen it coming.

Vinsmoke Judge was very much not above pimping out his children for his benefit, and he was also very much not known for giving his enemies their due credit. Pride goeth before the fall, and while her brothers had enough pride for a dozen lions, Judge had enough for a thousand. 

This was a man whose grand plan of the story revolved around dragging back his 'useless' son to gain the benefits of marrying into a Yonko's crew, and then turning on and killing the Yonko's crew before he could gain any of the aforementioned benefits. This was the man who tried to pull that foolishness on a woman famous the world over for her manic mood swings and the iron grip she held on her family and those who married into it. This was the man who didn't realize that to Emperors of the Sea, turnabout is more than fair play and marrying into a family for their research was well and good, but killing them all and stealing it for yourself worked just as well.

In short, Judge thought himself much, much more clever than he was, most importantly in regards to who would and would not keep their honor in an agreement. Whatever deal he was hoping to strike would be suspect, especially if the other end of that equation were the World Nobles.

"If Judge marries me off to become the fourth wife of some Celestial loser, I'm going to commit murder," Gomako vows, "First the potential husband, then Judge."

Gomako would have to warn Reiju and make sure they kept their wits about them. They truly were going straight from the frying pan directly into the fire.

Notes:

Welcome to Day 8 of Novella August!

Word Count: 1131

We're getting to Marijois next time, pink promise. Thanks for reading, and see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 12: Haute Cuisine - Part One

The Germa representatives arrive at Marijois bright and early on March 3rd. Marines meet their flagship as the Vinsmokes approach, ready to escort them from the Red Port and into the heart of the Holy Land.

Gomako is lined up with her brothers on the deck of the ship, dressed in frills and ribbons that, while admittedly aesthetically pleasing, are extremely inefficient for her movement. It takes all her concentration to stay balanced and upright as she follows her brothers off the gangplank and onto solid ground.

It is entirely against her will that Gomako admits the architecture to be impressive. Like any empire built on the backs of the enslaved and oppressed, and which had hundreds of years and unimaginable wealth to work with, beauty and grandeur are values held in great esteem. That beauty is reflected in every inch and crevice they pass, from the grand mansions and palaces, all the way down to the gilded carvings decorating the roads.

Unbidden, a vague memory enters Gomako's mind. It is one belonging to the girl who came before, when she traveled to a far-off land called London. The girl and her friends toured the Tower of London, and while she ooh'ed and aah'ed over the paintings, and took various notes about the history, she had felt sickened at the sight of the royal family's crown jewels. The memory especially centers around a particular diamond, what was it called.... Corinor? No, the Koh-i-Noor. The girl who came before had wanted to puke as she read the little plaque explaining the jewel's history.

'Unearned wealth plucked from the grasp of a deposed child-king. An untouched treasure worn by emperors, shahs, emirs, and maharajas, only to be carved down to fit the standards of a queen who never deserved to lay eyes on such a treasure, let alone falsely claim it as her own,' Gomako reflected, 'It is, indeed, quite a fitting comparison.'

Eventually, the Germa party arrived at the plaza they and the other monarchs would be mingling in. Judge halted their approach and turned to Reiju, Gomako, and their brothers.

"You are to fan out and make favorable first impressions with the other Reverie attendants. Do not insult anyone and do not give others cause to involve themselves in Germa 66's business. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," they all confirm. Judge nods at them and goes off to speak with whatever royal prick has caught his interest. Reiju and Gomako barely have to exchange a glance before they're disappearing into the crowd together and comparing notes.

"Judge is most likely looking to marry one of us off."

"I think this is the best opportunity you will ever get to escape."

The sisters blinked at each other before demanding in unison, "What?!"

"What on earth do you mean by escape? I am not nearly strong enough to survive on my own, and especially not survive on my own in the Grand Line or Marijois," Gomako stated firmly, "I'd be dead or enslaved faster than you can blink. It would be better for me to wait and continue to gather my strength."

"Nonsense," Reiju insisted, "You're already more than strong enough to survive whatever the world can throw at you. But I don't think you're strong enough to stay."

"Now you're the one speaking nonsense. Germa, while more than tedious, will provide me a space to constantly push myself and improve. The Grand Line is much to tumultuous and unpredictable. It is better for me to stay in Germa--"

"Germa is killing you!"

Reiju gripped Gomako's shoulders tightly. The tone of her voice was pressing and serious, her expression pained.

After a few moments of heavy breathing, Reiju continued. "I didn't want to say anything, because I thought you were already tying up loose ends. When you bid complete farewell to the villagers, and stopped going to the library, and made comments about boxing up Mom's jewelry, I thought that was you dropping hints about your looming departure. I was surprised when you returned to Germa from your first solo mission, but I justified it by telling myself that you couldn't leave after your first mission. Judge would've sent others in pursuit for sure. But then you kept spending non-stop days in the training fields, and taking more missions, and coming back. And slowly but surely I saw my sister wear away like a rock breaking against the tides."

"Well it isn't as if you're planning out an exit strategy," Gomako pointed out, "Don't think I didn't catch your phrasing. 'The best opportunity you will ever get to escape.' Are you planning to stay as Judge's weapon forever?"

Reiju flinched at the question. "As the eldest Vinsmoke, I have a duty to look out for my younger siblings. All of them. With you and Sanji gone, Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji won't have anyone to turn to should they ever wish to oppose Judge."

Gomako doesn't know how, or why, but for the first time in her life she burst into barking, hysterical laughter.

"Don't tell me you're going to doom yourself for them," Gomako got out between her continued laughter, "People only change if they want to, and our brothers don't want to. And with Judge running the show, they never will. What are you going to do five, ten years from now when you've wasted your life and any chance you've ever had of living happily?"

Her older sister was silent, a look she couldn't name taking over her face.

"I'll tell you what you're going to do," Gomako spat, the laughter finally dying and leaving a venom in its wake, "You're going to let Judge wallow in his own fifth like the pig he is, and then you're going to lie down and die so that Germa's legacy will end and the world spared from our family's rot."

Reiju and Gomako continued to stare at each other, letting the other's words sink in.

"You should still take this chance given to you and leave," Reiju eventually said.

"I'll leave if you do," Gomako challenged before deflating a bit.

"Circling back to my original point," she began, "I think Judge is planning to marry one of us off."

Reiju frowned. "Couldn't that possibly be a good thing? If we were to wed a king or an heir to another kingdom, we would be out from under Judge's thumb."

"That's assuming Judge would take our loss lying down," Gomako pointed out, "He would sooner expect us to wed our husband, perhaps bear a royal heir, and then through a coup and take their place. And besides, it's not a snotty prince I'm worried about. It's, well...." Gomako gestured around her.

"The World Nobles?" Reiju asked, confused, "But wouldn't that be ideal? Judge could never reclaim us if we're married to a Celestial Dragon, and we would live out the rest of our days in paradise."

Gomako stared at Reiju. "If Judge ever tries to wed me to such filth, I need you to help me kill my potential in-laws, and barring that, to kill me as quickly and humanely as possible."

Reiju searched her expression intently. "Are you truly so opposed to such an idea?"

Gomako slowly nodded her head. "I would rather die. One day, when we're not in the heart of the monsters' den, I will lay out their crimes at your feet. But until then, please promise me to never bring up such an idea again, unless or until Judge starts bragging about having a Celestial Dragon for a son-in-law."

"Very well," Reiju accepted, "Now let's return to the fray and actually rub elbows with the royals. The best thing to be done while deep in enemy territory, after all, is to ensure you cannot easily be picked out as an outsider."

Gomako nodded in agreement. She scanned the growing crowd, searching for one of the handful of possible targets she deemed acceptable. Luckily, she saw a flash of color out of the corner of her eye and narrowed in on her prey. 

Gomako said, grabbing her sister's hand, "There. They seem about our age, don't they? Wouldn't they make an acceptable conversation partner?"

"That they would, sister," Reiju agreed.

"Then come on," Gomako said, "Let's try and 'make some friends.'"

Notes:

Day 9 of Novella August! Can't believe I posted a chapter before midnight, lmao.

Word Count: 1380

Fun fact, I actually did get the chance to visit London over my college spring break! It was an overall great experience, especially as my first time travelling internationally with only friends my age and not my parents. We had a day set aside for touring the Tower of London, and while I thought the Ye Olde torture chambers, paintings, suits of armor, and architecture were fascinating, I did in fact almost puke when it got to the royal jewels. That's not an exaggeration or hyperbole; I had to physically leave the building that houses the crown jewels and take a breather I was so upset.

The Koh-i-Noor Diamond especially stood out because turning it over to Queen Victoria was a mandatory condition of the Treaty of Lahore, which essentially launched the beginnings of British control in India. The diamond was then cut down from its estimated 793 carats to 186 carats and then again to its current 105.6 carats. All of this to (and I'm quoting the Tower of London website ) "improve its brilliance and conform to contemporary European tastes."

Eugh. When the *American* thinks your imperialism has gone too far, you KNOW it's bad.

TLDR: Britain should return everything it has stolen to the countries they belong to. All imperial powers should, in fact, return the things they have stolen and make reparations to the countries they have harmed.

Thanks for reading, and I'll see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 13: Haute Cuisine - Part Two

Summary:

"It's Germa's first time attending the Reverie, isn't it?"

"It is," Gomako confirmed.

"How are you liking it so far? Has your father sworn himself to the Empty Throne yet?"

Gomako approached the child with her sister and gently called to them to get their attention.

"Hello," she said, "I am Princess Vinsmoke Gomako, of the Germa Kingdom, and this is my elder sister Princess Reiju. It is an honor to meet you."

"Hello," the young merman said, "I'm Ryuboshi! My Mama and Papa's the Queen and King of Ryugu Kingdom, do-re-mi!"

"That is wonderful. What is your kingdom like?" Gomako asked, trying her best to sound polite rather than the boredom her stoniness would suggest. 

"It's beautiful!" Prince Ryuboshi exclaimed, his melodic voice filled with enthusiasm, "It's filled with so many wonderful people and beautiful places, re-mi-fa! I've heard some people call it paradise."

"I've never been to a paradise, before," Gomako said.

Prince Ryuboshi gave her a smile. "I'm sure your home is just as nice, fa-sol-la! What's Germa like?"

"Germa is a very militaristic state," Gomako began to explain, "Its most important industry, besides its army, is its scientific innovations. There isn't much to truly write home about, though I guess the makeup of the kingdom is fairly unique."

"What makeup, do-ti-do?"

"Germa is not a traditional kingdom based around an island or an island chain. Rather, the entire kingdom is located on the backs of giant snails. That means that Germa can easily move locations whenever it wishes."

The merman prince gasped in delight. "I've never heard of such a thing, la-sol-fa! Are the giant snails related to Den Den Mushi?"

Their conversation continued. Gomako and Prince Ryuboshi would take turns asking each other questions and explaining minor facts about themselves. Their back-and-forth occasionally stalled, but they were both determined to continue. Eventually, Gomako spotted Reiju slowly inch her way over to the other prince from Fishman Island. They, too, struck up a conversation which only lost steam when a blonde figure made her way over.

"Well, well," the mermaid said with a smile, "It seems I may have been unnecessarily nervous about my children's capabilities in making friends."

"Hello, Mama!" Prince Ryuboshi said, smiling, "Did you get any more signatures for the petition, ti-la-sol?"

"Unfortunately, none yet, but the day is young and we've still got plenty of days and events ahead of us," Queen Otohime said, a determined smile growing across her face, "But those can wait for now. Why don't you introduce me?"

"Mama, this is Princess Gomako of Germa, fa-mi-re! She lives on the back of a giant snail! Gomako, this is my Mama."

"It's an honor to meet you, Queen Otohime," Gomako said, attempting her best curtsy in the frilly, ribboned dress.

"The pleasure is mine, princess," the mermaid demurred, "It's Germa's first time attending the Reverie, isn't it?"

"It is," Gomako confirmed.

"How are you liking it so far? Has your father sworn himself to the Empty Throne yet?"

"I do not believe I have been here long enough to decide if I' like it' or not," Gomako deflected, "And as for my father, I haven't a clue. Though I doubt I'd know if he did until after the first day of meetings."

Gomako half-wished that people besides the ruling royals were allowed to lay their eyes on Imu's Throne. She knew it would be asking for trouble to go out of her way and draw Imu's eye more than necessary, but she believes it would be desperately satisfying (or even therapeutic) to see Judge forced to bite his tongue and swear that he'd never endeavor to conquer the world in front of the Celestial Dragons and his forty-nine peers. His eyes would twitch like a madman, she just knows it.

"It is a shame that the heirs must stay out of the official council," Queen Otohime agreed, "It would be beneficial to everyone if more voices could be heard. At the very least, some Reveries would run much smoother if those who inherit their respective thrones could actually see the proceedings in action before they're forced to champion their kingdoms on their own."

"Just as you say." Right then, a chiming bell sounded throughout the plaza, drawing the Reverie attendants' attention.

"It seems I must depart," the mermaid said, "If you are attending any of the banquets tonight, please feel free to seek me and my family out again. Ryuboshi, Fukaboshi, please go straight back to our quarters. You know how much I worry."

"I'll make sure we make it back," the older and much larger merman, Fukaboshi, agreed.

"Bye-bye, Gomako. It was nice meeting you, mi-re-do!"

"It was good to meet you as well," Gomako said, "You are very pleasant company. I look forward to our paths crossing again."

With that, the two princes of Fishman Island departed. The plaza as a whole began to empty, with either the rulers making their way inside to open the Reverie, and their guards and children turning back to their ships and apartments.

"That was a productive morning, don't you think?" Gomako asked as Reiju joined her again.

"I would say so," her sister agreed, "Now where did our brothers go?"

The two girls quickly searched the plaza to try and find them, but it was pointless. The Germa princes were nowhere to be found.

"Hm. This could be problematic," Gomako said, "I assume one of three events has occurred. Option one: our brothers have returned to the ship and have not caused any issues. I believe that is the least likely option. Option two: our brothers, in their hubris, have decided that they deserve to see the Reverie take place and have snuck inside. This is the most dangerous path, but I think also highly unlikely as the security at such an event is nigh impenetrable. And option three, the one I believe to be the path they chose: Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji are exploring Marijois and will most likely find a way to offend a Celestial Dragon on their own turf. If such an offense takes place, there is very little we can do to prevent an international incident."

Reiju shared a look with her. She then sighed, "Let's go find our foolish brothers, then, before they pound on the wrong toes and we have to turn to one of your many arson plans."

"Can't I just commit a little arson? As a treat?" 

"No."

"Spoilsport," Gomako said, shaking her head before she hooked her arm through her sister's elbow and prepared herself for the long search ahead.

Notes:

Day 10!

Word Count: 1069 (nice)

I know a lot of you wanted Vivi, and while I pinky promise that we'll see her before the arc is up, I've got a super soft spot for Otohime and her kids. I don't know if I'll mention it in a later chapter or not, but Otohime, Fukaboshi (eldest son of Otohime & Neptune), and Ryuboshi (middle son) are at the Reverie while Neptune is watching Manboshi and Shirahoshi back on Fishman Island.

And in case anyone is curious, this is the timeline I'm referencing. The year is currently 1512, and while the timeline is very good about laying out orders of events, I'm going to be a little flexible about what happens when. It won't be anything too crazy, but please keep in mind that for this fic, the timeline is a vague reference and not a concrete resource.

Chapter 14: Grilled Kebabs

Summary:

Gomako sat down on the bench, taking a breath in the shade. Just as she began to relax, she heard a small squeak.

"That's odd," Gomako thought, "I could've sworn I left Remy back on the ship."

Reiju and Gomako stick close together as they try to navigate through the streets of Marijois.

If Gomako had her way, she would be leaping through the alleys and climbing off the buildings to quickly move through the Holy Land. Unfortunately, she's never had to do such actions in a formal dress with a long, trailing skirt.

"I really should practice and train in different outfits," Gomako lamented as she gathered the lacy material in her arms, "It's something I'll have to keep in mind for the future."

While she did have a continuous problem with the skirt, Gomako knew what was truly slowing her and Reiju down was the continuous lip service they had to give whatever Celestial Dragon crossed their path. The constant bowing and empty compliments quickly piled up, making Gomako believe they couldn't go five steps without a new World Noble to praise.

"When do we concede that we gave a valiant effort, but it was for naught?" Gomako asked, "We still haven't a clue where our brothers are, nor if we could assist them in any mayhem they have caused. At this point, it might be between them and whatever god they choose to pray to."

"Don't be such a pessimist," Reiju scolded, "Our brothers will be fine, and so will we. Here, why don't you take a break while I browse the food stalls to see if there's anything you'll like."

Gomako hummed. "Very well. Be sure to grab something Sanji would have liked."

Reiju softened at her request. "I will."

Gomako sat down on the bench, taking a breath in the shade. Just as she began to relax, she heard a small squeak.

"That's odd," Gomako thought, "I could've sworn I left Remy back on the ship."

Another squeak made her open her eyes and search the surrounding area. A flash of movement caught her attention, and Gomako leaned down to look under the bench.

There, huddled up near the back bench leg, was a rat. Its silky coat and smaller size indicated that it was most likely a pet, or barring that, a lab rat.

"Hello," she told it, "Did your owner let you escape?"

Gomako slowly extended her hand towards the creature. Without warning, the rat bit her. However, Gomako being Gomako, she could not feel the pain, nor was the bite strong enough to break skin. She slowly dragged her hand back to herself, with the stubborn rat refusing to let go. Once the rat was close enough, she used her other hand to cup its body, and cradled the small creature in her grasp. The rat still had yet to stop biting her.

"Hm. Feisty little creature, aren't you?" Gomako asked.

It was then that Gomako returned with two mugs of ice water and two meat skewers grasped in her hand.

"It's odd, the vendors didn't make me pay. Regardless, here are some...." Reiju trailed off before giving Gomako a disbelieving look, "Really, sister?"

"The creature found me, I did not find it," Gomako defended, "And it is clearly a pet. Its owner will eventually come looking for it. Why not keep the creature company until then?"

Reiju shook her head but took a seat next to her on the bench. "I do not understand your fascination with them, but alas, there are worse traits to have. What do you think of the kebabs? The spices smell delicious, no?"

Gomako agreed that the meat seemed well-seasoned and accepted the skewer. The two sat on the bench together, occasionally exchanging soft words. Gomako was even able to coax the rat into releasing her thumb in exchange for bits of steak torn from the kebab.

Right when they had finished their food, a girl entered the square. Gomako wouldn't have noticed her if her obvious panic wasn't so highly displayed, and if her appearance wasn't so jarring. Granted, Gomako's world was much more diverse than that of the girl who came before. She had, after all, just spent the morning talking with mermen. But this was the first time that the girl who came before had a word for something that Gomako had not.

'Vitiligo,' Gomako thought, taking in the white patches that decorated the girl. They contrasted highly with her darker skin, especially the large patch circling her right eye and the one sitting opposite just off the left corner of her mouth. Her dark brown hair was cropped short, and her eyes were the color of molten gold. There were only two stains on the girl's appearance, neither of which were her fault, but both of which were impossible to ignore.

"Sora, Sora!" the girl whisper-hissed, cupping her mouth to try and project her voice as much as she could. Gomako scowled at the circular brand burnt into the back of the girl's hand. "Where are you, you stupid rat? Milgram's going to kill me for this."

Gomako realized in an instant that the girl must be looking for the rat still cupped in her hands. As discreetly as possible, she cleared her throat and tried to catch the girl's attention. The other girl whipped around and squinted at her. Once Gomako was sure she had caught her gaze, she angled her eyes downward at her hands.

The girl followed her eyes and gasped. In an instant, she was running towards them, but once she got near instead of grabbing the rat as Gomako expected, the girl collapsed into a well-practiced kowtow.

"Oh, honorable saintesses, this lowly one graciously thanks you for finding its master's pet. This one begs for a merciful punishment, and--"

"Neither of us are saintesses, so I don't think we can punish you," Gomako cut off, offering up the rat that was squirming towards the other girl, "Here's your rat back."

The girl tripped over herself to catch the rat from her hands. "Wha-- hold it-- what do you mean you're 'not saintesses'?"

"My sister and I are both guests at the Reverie," Reiju revealed, "Though I understand why you might confuse us as such, given that we do not have an.... accessory similar to your own," she continued, gesturing at the collar hanging from the girl's neck.

The girl blinked her golden eyes up at them. "You're not.... oh. Oh," she breathed. She looked between the two sisters before narrowing in on Gomako's hand.

"Sora bit you," she said, rising out of her kneeling position, "Oh, that's not good."

"What isn't? It's not as if it broke skin."

"But even so, Sora's a lab rat. Who knows what virus she's come into contact with recently? It's probably best if you and your sister come back with me and try to get it cleaned and disinfected."

Gomako and Reiju shared a look. Gomako highly doubted that any supposed virus couldn't be eradicated in a Germa lab, and it was obvious the girl had an ulterior motive in luring them away. But Gomako was more inclined to follow the golden-eyed girl than she was to wait around the square and continue the vain search for her brothers.

"I'll follow your lead, Reiju," Gomako finally decided, "I believe you have a better mind for these types of things, and as I said earlier, I don't think we should leave each other's sides."

Reiju looked between Gomako and the girl before she sighed and waved her hand.

"You might as well lead the way. My sister will not admit it, but she's curious. It's best I kindle that curiosity, lest it be lost forever."

The girl beamed and grabbed Gomako, her other hand occupied with keeping the rat from squirming away again.

"Stay close," the girl said, turning and making her way against the crowd, "And follow me."

And with that, the three girls dove further into the heart of the Holy Land.

*****

("Genuine question: how the hell did you two survive long enough to meet me? I was a stranger, a slave, and I told you to blindly follow me into hell on earth."

"I'm gonna be honest, I'm about seventy percent sure I was at least a little suicidal in that year without Sanji," Gomako sheepishly admitted.

"And I have a noted weak will when it comes to indulging my little siblings' whims," Reiju pointed out, "You already won Gomako over with Sora, and by then, there was no arguing. Besides, are you dissatisfied with the results?"

"Ha! Not in the slightest. I just hope the two of you have gotten better at avoiding obvious kidnapping plots."

"My entire crew got lovingly shanghaied into becoming Whitebeard pirates," Reiju deadpanned.

"Have you met our captain? I'm pretty sure Luffy bribed, kidnapped, or gaslighted almost everyone into joining," Gomako noted idly, "If anything, we've only become more enthusiastic about the kidnappings with age."

"I hate how much I agree with that.")

Notes:

Day 11 of Novella August!

Word Count: 1473

In case it wasn't clear, that last scene in the parentheses is a flash-forward, and the unnamed character dialogue belongs to the girl we meet this chapter.

Thank you for reading, and I'll see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 15: Eaten Words

Summary:

Before she could follow the girl up the gangplank, Reiju pulled Gomako aside. "Are you sure you can trust her?" Gomako's elder sister asked, "You certainly are having us take a large leap of faith on the words of a stranger."

"Oh, I don't trust her in the slightest," Gomako said.

Reiju blanched. "Then why did you let her bring us here?!"

Gomako and Reiju followed the girl through the streets of Marijois. It seemed that the girl knew them well, as she led the two of them halfway through the city and they only had to stop and bow to Celestial Dragons twice. Eventually, the small party of three girls and one rat were approached a private dock and the single ship occupying space in its yard.

Before she could follow the girl up the gangplank, Reiju pulled Gomako aside. "Are you sure you can trust her?" Gomako's elder sister asked, "You certainly are having us take a large leap of faith on the words of a stranger."

"Oh, I don't trust her in the slightest," Gomako said.

Reiju blanched. "Then why did you let her bring us here?!"

Gomako let out a deep breath that was almost a sigh. "Because even if I don't trust her, I trust whoever's got the key to her chains even less. Neither of us can imagine the sheer amount of bravery it has taken to even get us this far. And even if I don't know her enough to trust her, even if whatever scheme she's got is going to go up in smoke, I can at the very least respect the girl enough to hear her out."

Reiju took in her expression before shaking her head with a groan. "I get it now. I think I've figured it out. I know why Judge had to go all out on your emotional modifications."

"I doubt that," Gomako dismissed. She would be very surprised, indeed, if Reiju could puzzle out the girl who came before. Gomako didn't even understand her, and she lived with the girl's memories in her brain.

"It's because Judge and his cronies knew, somehow, that you were the one with the biggest heart." Reiju squared her shoulders and squeezed Gomako's hand. "Very well. Let's go and help with whatever hair-brained scheme this is."

With that, the two sisters marched up the plank and onto the ship. The girl, who had begun fidgeting nervously when they stopped to talk, quickly ushered them below deck. Predictably, she quickly locked the door behind them. Unpredictably, the rooms below deck appeared to be an honest lab space with a few medical cots and supplies laid out.

"Okay, so, ah," the girl began, gently placing the rat back in its enclosure on the other side of the room, "Let's get that bite looked at, yeah? Yeah. Yeah, that's a good way to start."

Gomako sat down on the nearest cot as Reiju stood guard at the foot of it. The girl pulled out a first aid kit and slowly approached Gomako as if she were approaching a wounded animal ready to lunge.

"You're right, it looks like Sora didn't break the skin, after all," the girl said, "I'd still suggest disinfecting and wrapping the finger, though. Just in case."

The girl began to do just that, babbling a bit as she worked. The nervous chatter cut off, though, when she heard footsteps approach from the door opposite the one they entered.

"I thought that was you coming back. Did you find Sora? Marsh and Barracudon said they would help you look if you—"

A pink-haired woman swung open the door. She took in the scene, glancing once at the girl, then at Gomako and Reiju, and then back to the girl.

The woman's face grew crimson. "TRAFALGAR D. WATER LAMI!" she bellowed, "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!"

"Ginny!" The girl, Lami, shot up out of her seat and darted forward. "Listen, I know this looks bad, but I have a plan—"

"—and what good's a plan if Milgram comes back and kills you for bringing strangers into his laboratory?"

The two continued to argue as Gomako sat there, frozen.

"I don't quite know what I was expecting," she thought, "But it certainly wasn't to meet two of the people Oda fridged the worst."

Gomako did not often think of the man who supposedly created the world she now lives in (mostly because it would cause her to go off the philosophical deep end and make her question her very existence), but the girl who came before had been a dedicated fan and defender.

The singular issue the girl who came before had, though, was Oda's penchant for killing off parents and parental figures. Bellemere, Banchina, Rosinante, Saul (initially), Olvia, Rouge, Tom, Otohime.... Sora.

(If Gomako ever travels to the world of the girl who came before, she is going to have words about that particular writing decision.)

But the worst offense in her eyes had been Ginny. 

Ginny, the slave-turned-freedom fighter.

Ginny, one of the founders of the Revolutionary Army.

Ginny, the Seas-damned cause of God Valley.

Ginny, the woman who had been recaptured, re-enslaved, and forced to bear a child she never asked for.

Ginny, who died without the love of her life hearing her last words.

Ginny, who was alive and yelling at Lami. Lami, who had just as much Will of D. as her brother did, but who hadn't gotten to smile in the face of death like all her other D.-clan compatriots. Lami, who had apparently survived a Buster Call only to be chained and stored away to die in some lab of a Celestial Dragon.

"—and what did you expect, that they would just waltz in here and join in whatever mess you're tricking them into? Lami, I've told you already, you cannot trust people with your life if you don't even know that they value it."

"I haven't even asked them to do anything yet. They could still agree to it—"

"I agree."

"—and.... hold on, what was that?" Lami whipped her head around and blinked at Gomako.

"I agree," Gomako said again, "Whatever plan you've got cooked up, I agree to it."

Reiju groaned as Ginny sputtered. "You don't even know what you're agreeing to!" they snapped in unison.

"It doesn't matter, I'm in," Gomako pressed.

Lami beamed and pumped her fist in the air. "Yes!" she hissed to herself.

"Fine," Ginny said, "Fine! I'd be a hypocrite to tell you not to at least try. But I know you, Lami. I know you, I know you fucking D.'s, and I know that no plan survives first contact with the enemy. So you are going to gather up anyone and everyone who has agreed to be a part of this, and you are going to walk everyone through every single step, branching path, and back-up plan you have. Got it?"

"Got it," Lami agreed, "Let me go and get everyone. Okay, okay, okay-okay-okay," she said, darting towards the door Ginny came in, "Dear Nika, I hope this works."

Notes:

Day 12 of Novella August!

Word Count: 1093

To anyone who guessed Lami and/or Ginny, you're correct! We've got a fairly big chapter ahead of us tomorrow tying in this mysterious plan, so stay tuned <3

Chapter 16: Juicy Gossip

Summary:

"Oh," Reiju breathed, "I can respect that, if nothing else. It can't be easy already knowing you have blood on your hands due to Judge."

Gomako hummed in agreement. "If I got my way, I'd shred every file Judge ever had any of us steal. I can't tell what he's planning with all of that information, but I assume it's nothing good."

"I was talking more about the recent assassination."

"Oh," Gomako blinked, "That isn't the best example. I didn't kill the mark."

That night, Gomako and Reiju return to the Reverie guests' quarters and begin to play their part in Lami's plan. The first night, after Judge comes storming back from the council's meeting in a huff, Reiju and Gomako both fancy themselves up and prepare for the opening ball being hosted that night.

While the world knows the Reverie as the gathering of the fifty leading nations of the World Government coming together to peacefully solve the world's problems, to anyone 'honored' enough to attend, the truth is much less idyllic. As has been the truth since time immemorial, there are a handful of strong, rich, powerful players and the lackies they drag around to do their bidding. Most problems aren't solved with honesty and open communication, but rather bribes, threats, and backroom dealings that never see the light of day. Cooperation is playacted, but under the surface, centuries-old grudges cling like ticks, sucking their ounce of blood when it is least expected.

"I think that Judge is.... frustrated," Gomako muses as the tailors and handmaids help her and her siblings dress for the night. Niji and Yonji are raising a stink about having to wear their stiff military dress, and Judge is glaring at them like he'd cut their throats if he could. "He most likely expected to waltz into Marijois and automatically be courted as the new most powerful ally any nation could wish for. But in reality, he's just another semi-powerful player without the stability and prowess to back it up. A couple of royals might send out a few feelers to see if Judge and Germa would suit their purposes, but the level of influence Judge thought he would have likely won't be seen in his lifetime, if Germa ever achieves such influence at all."

When Gomako is finally asked to step down from the little step stool, she finally pulls herself out of her thoughts and looks over her appearance in the mirror. Her bright orange hair is pulled back in a simple updo, and her purple eyes are accented with very basic makeup. Her dress is a cool teal that complements her colors well, and she appreciates that no one had gone out of their way to try and emphasize features that did not and should not exist in a nine-year-old.

"Get a move on, already," Judge barked, startling Niji and Yonji out of their whining, "No one cares if you'll be comfortable. You just have to be strong representatives for Germa. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," Niji and Yonji grumble while Reiju and Ichiji both roll their eyes. Judge nods his head and stalks away, the rank and file of his offspring following in suit. 

Three carriages are waiting for them at the door, in which Judge claims the first, directs Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji into the second, and then tells Reiju and Gomako to hike up their skirts and get in the third. Once the door of the carriage is safely closed and the horses begin to trot away, Reiju turns to Gomako and asks one last time, "Are you sure?"

"Positive," she confirmed without a second thought, "I don't know if this will succeed, but I do know that I won't be able to live with myself if I don't at least try."

"How sure are you that you feel no emotions?" Reiju asked, "You claim that you don't, but then turn around and imply your supposedly non-existent guilt will eat you alive. Do you even realize you're saying things like that?"

Gomako cast her gaze out the window, thinking over how exactly to word her answer. "It's not guilt. Not exactly. Guilt is when you feel that you are responsible for wrongdoing. If I ignore this plea for help, if I do not even attempt to assist Lami in her bid for freedom, I will know that I am responsible for wrongdoing."

"You wouldn't be responsible," Reiju pointed out gently, "It's not as if you're the one who stole them from their homes and stripped them of everything they are."

Gomako hummed in thought. "There's an old saying. One that's often misquoted and misattributed, but very relevant to this conversation: 'The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.' One day, maybe years from now, I will take back what Judge has stolen from me. And when I can stand to look at myself and see all of myself for the very first time,  I could not tell you if I would be a good person or not, but I can tell you that I refuse to reflect on my existence and say to that girl 'I did nothing.'"

"Oh," Reiju breathed, "I can respect that, if nothing else. It can't be easy already knowing you have blood on your hands due to Judge."

Gomako hummed in agreement. "If I got my way, I'd shred every file Judge ever had any of us steal. I can't tell what he's planning with all of that information, but I assume it's nothing good."

"I was talking more about the recent assassination."

"Oh," Gomako blinked, "That isn't the best example. I didn't kill the mark."

"Excuse me?!" Reiju demanded, voice climbing an octave in disbelief(?), "You didn't— then what in the world took you so long? Were you just.... prancing around the fields of Rouen, picking wildflowers and trying to find a mate for Remy?"

"No, nothing like that," Gomako dismissed, "I first had to research the mark on my own and determine if he was worth killing. While doing so, I discovered that the man was the lower-class lover of the youngest Rouen princess. As the princess wasn't to inherit any estates, she was responsible for finding her own way in the world. The king and queen expected that to translate into her securing herself a rich husband; she decided to begin the most successful newspaper in the South Blue. He was her best investigative journalist, and the both of them had been approached by Big News Morgans for recruitment."

"And the king and queen weren't happy with a peasant marrying into royalty," Reiju summarized, catching on quickly.

"Exactly. However, with the princess's occupation, they couldn't risk sending their own lackies after the man, lest the princess trace his death back to them. Thus, the Rouen royal couple agreed to back Judge's bid for Reverie attendance if he removed the journalist from the equation."

"So you went rogue for two strangers?"

"Judge's orders were as follows: 'Do not let yourself be seen. I don't care how you do it or how the body's disposed of. Just end the man and return before the last week of February,'" Gomako explained, "He never said to kill anyone. So being sure not to be seen, I stole the man's unconscious body from his home, disposed of him in the princess's bedroom with the file Judge gave me, and spent the following night and early morning writing and printing the man's obituary in the princess's newspaper. Thus, with my assignment complete, I returned to Germa 66 before the end of February. I would've returned sooner, but there were some complications on my transport back. The liner I was on had to make a detour: something about a newlywed couple meeting someone for a job interview."

Reiju shook her head with a chuckle. "You, sister, are impossible."

"If Judge wants to be obeyed, he really should make his instructions clearer. I'm no mind reader. I am just simply a girl trying her best to make sense of a world not fully meant for me," Gomako said with a shrug, "This world is built with freedom in its very bones. Who am I to try and strip such a thing from another?"

*****

They arrive at a ginormous mansion scarcely five minutes later. When Gomako first steps out of the carriage, she has to strain her neck up and up and up to even begin to take in the scale of the imposing, luxurious building. There is no word from her first life to describe it, and even the most expensive castles and manors of this life seem paltry in comparison. All of the wealth Gomako could ever imagine wouldn't be enough to build such a thing.

There are four nearly identical estates within view on the horizon.

(No one should ever have this much wealth hoarded to themselves. No one. Especially not genocidal, self-righteous, bigoted slavers with more red on their ledgers than any Yonkou or Pirate King could hope to claim.)

(When the people shall have nothing more to eat, they shall eat the rich. Gomako wondered exactly when the Seas' children would finally be allowed to feast.)

The Vinsmokes gather themselves and ascend the grand staircase together before quickly being directed towards a ballroom. An announcer pushes open the doors and clear delcares to the room, "King Vinsmoke Judge, of the Germa Kingdom, and his children: Ichiji, Niji, Yonji, Reiju, and Gomako."

Even dressed in clothing much finer than their usual fare, Gomako thinks that she and her family look like paupers compared to most of the room. The kings, queens, princes, princesses, and various other attendants are largely draped in the most expensive-looking silk money could buy. Many are adorned in their country's crown jewels: glittering diamonds as large as eggs, sapphires so blue they look like crystallized ocean waves, emerald and ruby necklaces that would make a person hunch in on themselves. Gomako has never been more underdressed in her entire life.

She could hear Judge grinding his teeth as they descended the stairs. "Find a way to occupy yourselves until dinner. I must have words with a certain man."

He stormed off towards a group of sleazy men whispering by a pillar of marble. After their brothers departed, Reiju and Gomako met eyes and then started casing the room for places to start.

"Prince Ryuboshi," Gomako called, spotting the boy she met earlier, "It's good to see you again."

"Princess Gomako!" the merling exclaimed, "I'm happy to see you hear, ti-la-sol! Let me introduce you and your sister to another friend of mine. This is Princess Vivi, of Alabasta."

The blue-haired girl gave a smile and a polite wave. "Hello!"

"Hello, Princess Vivi, it's an honor to make your acquaintance," Gomako said easily, "Is it also your first time attending a Reverie?"

"It is!" the princess confirmed, "This is the first time Father said I was old enough to attend."

"Perhaps you'll be interested in participating in my sister's game, then," Reiju said.

Ryuboshi and Vivi both perked up in interest. "Game? What game?"

"As it is our first time in attendance, I wished to introduce myself to as many people as possible," Gomako said, "I was going to compete with Reiju to see who could meet the most people. We would reconvene at dinner, after which we would introduce the others to those they hadn't yet met."

"Oh, that sounds fun!" Princess Vivi said, "Can I play? I love making new friends."

"Do-re-mi, that sounds like the perfect way to find people who would want to sign Mom's petition. I'll play, too," Prince Ryuboshi agreed.

"It's settled, then. Shall we meet back at the table closest to the balconies for dinner?" Once the others gave nods of agreement, Gomako counted them down and the competition began.

This part of the plan was the easiest to accomplish, on paper, but it would be harder for Gomako specifically. It was already hard enough for her to read others' emotions, trying to read the emotions of snooty nobles who hid everything under layers of faux politeness and over-inflated ego was almost impossible. But she had to make it work.

Gomako just approached every person she saw, introduced herself with the impeccable manners the tutors had drilled into her head, let the other person list their name and titles, spouted a single pleasantry, and then was off to the next one. Even if she came off a little awkward, it didn't matter. The introductions weren't the truly important part. That occurred when the four royal children met at the table they pointed out earlier and swapped the names of everyone they were introduced to.

Ryuboshi had spoken to a few nobles Queen Otohime had previously spoken highly of, and had almost spoken to a Celestial Dragon before chickening out. Reiju had mingled with and politely nodded along with a group of nobles who had recently vacationed in Pucci and San Faldo. Vivi, surprisingly, was the boldest of the four of them and had briefly spoken with a World Noble girl a bit younger than her.

"Her name was St. Jaygarcia Venus Helene, and she was such a brat," Princess Vivi complained, "You'd think she never had been told 'no' before."

"There's a very good chance she hasn't," Gomako pointed out while in the inside she was patting herself on the back and thanking Vivi profusely. She couldn't have orchestrated a better set-up if she tried. "I wonder if she's related to one of the people I introduced myself to: St. Jaygarcia Hercules Milgram."

"I don't know," Vivi said, "Maybe we can find her after dinner and ask her."

The four ate their dinner together, with King Cobra, Queen Otohime, and Prince Fukaboshi joining them. Once their plates were clear and music began to play for dancing, the four royal children descended upon the crowds in search of either St. Jaygarcia Venus Helene or St. Jaygarcia Hercules Milgram to ask if they were related. Very quickly, other adults, both royals and Celestial Dragons alike, offered up their refutations.

"St. Jaycarcia Milgram? I don't know any Milgram's, do you?"

"There aren't any Jaycarcias with such drab, common names. You must be thinking of someone else."

"I think I would know if this Milgram fellow existed. Who would hide a connection to one of the Five Elders?"

Guest after guest, royal after royal, Celestial Dragon after Celestial Dragon all answered the same: they had never heard of a 'St. Jaygarcia Hercules Milgram' and if the man did exist, they certainly didn't know them. But then they would ask why a pack of children were searching for such a man, and soon the entire party was buzzing itself into a tizzy trying to decipher the missing guest.

"Looks like stage one is complete," Reiju whispered.

Gomako nodded. "Now on to stage two."

Notes:

Day 13 of Novella August!

Word Count: 2407. Not the biggest chapter I've ever written/published, but certainly much bigger than the daily chapters I usually write.

Also, check the tags! I've updated them to reflect some of the more intense themes that I *did not* think this fic would be focusing on when I first mapped it out. I'll be adding some other chapter-specific warnings in the summary from here on out, but please if you think there's anything that crosses a personal line, do not feel obligated to keep reading. Take care of yourself, first and foremost.

But as always, thanks for reading, and I'll see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 17: A Variety of Fruits

Summary:

Just as Gomako sat down in the shade and started to peel her orange, a particular hushed rumor caught her ear.

"This Milgram fellow.... you don't think he's a bastard, do you?"

Gasps and denials followed the hesitant question.

"Well, well," she thought, "Someone finally let the proper cat out of the bag."
*****
Chapter warning: mentions of bio-warfare & bio-weapons, human experimentation, and slavery!

"Welcome to our first, and hopefully only, Freedom Plotting Extravaganza. Thank you all so much for coming," Lami said to Gomako, Reiju, Ginny, and the other slaves gathered in the ship's medical ward, "As you may have noticed, a couple of new faces have joined us. Please say thank you to Reiju and Gomako for volunteering their services."

Not a single person moved or spoke a word. Gomako and Reiju just sat on their cot, returning blank stares to the gathered group.

"Anyway," Lami continued, unbothered by the stony reception, "If all goes as planned, the whole lot of us will be free before the week is up. Our first order of business, of course, is dealing with Milgram. Specifically, Milgram's Devil Fruit."

Gomako felt herself frown as she thought of the various overpowered Devil Fruits the Celestial Dragons could get their hands on. "Is he a particularly strong combatant?" she asked.

A few in the group snorted while others shook their heads.

"It's a powerful Devil Fruit," a yellow fishman said, "But a combatant one it is not."

"Yar, but we still have to deal with it," a grizzled old woman scowled, "If we don't, it won't matter if we get these Davy Jones-damned collars off. We'd still be bound and trapped like a mutineer in the Locker."

"Milgram's Devil Fruit is the  Kusuri Kusuri no Mi: the Medicine Medicine Fruit," Lami explained, "And it's the only reason any of us are still alive."

*****

The next day, while Judge, Cobra, Otohime, and the other rulers were assembled for the second day of the Reverie, Reiju, Vivi, and Gomako carefully walked the streets of Marijois, eavesdropping on the gossip of the street vendors, market-goers, and anyone else who paused long enough to share gossip.

"Who do you think this Milgram fellow is, anyway?"

"Perhaps a man hoping to marry into the Jaygarcia family?"

"But it's so presumptuous to adopt such a name before an engagement is even announced. Does the man have no manners?"

"A second son? One who might, yugh, WORK for a living?"

"Perhaps he's one of those who has an unfortunate fondness for the common folk. He was introduced, after all, at one of those Reverie balls."

Reiju soon returned with a bag of fresh fruit, passing Vivi a few dates and granting Gomako an orange. "It seems the hunt is on for your Milgram character," she said, tossing Pell a fig, "Do you think anyone will find the man?"

"I couldn't say," Gomako shrugged, "But the best we can hope for is a continued curiosity and someone willing to dig for answers."

"I still want to know if he's related to that Helene girl from last night," Vivi said, "I hope he is and that he's nice than she was. Someone should put her in timeout time like Dad did when I led the Suna Suna Clan in a revolt against a tyrant."

"His Majesty is not a tyrant just because he said you and your friends didn't need another serving of dessert," Pell deadpanned.

Vivi clenched her fist and stated with a fire burning in her eyes, "We shall one day rally our forces. That custard pudding shall be mine!"

Pell shook his head and hinted for the trio of girls to take a moment to sit down and enjoy their food. Just as Gomako sat down in the shade and started to peel her orange, a particular hushed rumor caught her ear.

"This Milgram fellow.... you don't think he's a bastard, do you?"

Gasps and denials followed the hesitant question.

"Well, well," she thought, "Someone finally let the proper cat out of the bag. Now the question just remains: will that cat stick around, and will someone cause a scene trying to shoo it away?"

*****

"The first step is to make sure people know Milgram exists, and that such an existence is scandalous," Ginny had said, "The Celestial Dragons aren't going to give two shits that someone's hired a mad scientist to perform human experimentation. But if that someone happens to be one of the Five Elders? And the man he hired happens to be a bastard son of said Elder? One that said Elder took grave steps to hide his entire life? Oh, people's gums will be flapping from here to the New World."

"If Milgram's work was completely and utterly useless, people would be talking. But the bastard's been creating and reconstructing plagues and bio-weapons. The second that breaks, people will be wondering if Saturn is looking to throw a coup against the other Elder Stars," Lami added, "And that paranoia-- that mayhem --is when we need to strike."

"Question," Gomako interjected, "Won't this get traced back to my sister and I? What's stopping Saturn from finding us and demanding how we found out about his son?"

"It could. But it's very, very unlikely that it will," Ginny said, "Firstly because after the initial night, you will not let Milgram's name pass your lips. And secondly, because dollars to donuts some idiot's going to ask about it first."

*****

True to Ginny's words, some idiot did ask about Milgram first.

It happened on the fifth night of celebrations. The rumor mill had been churning non-stop, and simmering tensions had slowly been bubbling to the surface for the past three days. On the third night, when St. Jaygarcia Saturn made a surprise showing at the nightly banquet and glared daggers into any sycophant who so much as tried to approach before announcing that he'd be hosting the remaining events at the Jaygarcia manse, Gomako knew that it was only a matter of time.

It was some drunkard of a king who finally crossed the line. He had barely gotten the words 'St. Hercule Milgram,' out of his mouth before he was being skewered through the throat and Saturn was ordering someone to dispose of the filth. The entire Reverie audience stood shell-shocked as Saturn threw the dead king's crown at his new widow and stalked out of the room. Reiju and Gomako shared a single look before they were disappearing out into the estate gardens, and Gomako stripping out of her dress and into the stealth suit she had smuggled in.

Gomako scaled in through a window, allowing her intuition to guide her through the labyrinth of rooms. Eventually, she stumbled upon a secret passageway and followed it deep underground. The crashing sound of waves told her she was getting closer and closer to the ports, but she stopped just shy of antechamber and carefully narrowed in on the tense voices just on the other side of the door.

"To spread your presence to others in one thing, but to claim an undue relation is entirely another!"

"I've already told you, I have nothing to do with this little kerfluffle, but even if I had orchestrated it as you so claim, I would be well within my right to do so. Wouldn't I, Father?"

"You are a tool of the Jaygarcia family, nothing more! Do not assume yourself more important than you are."

"I am twice the man and ten times the asset your precious Jupiter is, and you know it. Who was it that discovered the first antibiotic?! Who conquered the White Lead Disease?! Who both created and cured your precious Sapphire Scales?! Because I assure you, it isn't your precious heir!"

The yelling grew closer. Gomako scaled a rock formation and hung from a stalactite on the roof of the cave. Two men, both seemingly of similar age and appearance, stormed into the cavern. Gomako waited for five tense minutes, hearing no sound but the pounding of her heart, before she dropped to the ground and darted into the chamber. 

She cased the room with practiced ease before examining the half-lab, half-office. She first began by gathering up every key and key card she could find before skimming through the files scattered about. Gomako grabbed whichever ones seemed of use, and then started pouring over the vats of chemicals stored in the lab space. Careful not to breathe in, she focused energy in her hand and sent the strongest blast of light she could muster at the chemicals dousing the lab space. The volatile cocktail of liquids ignited, and Gomako rushed back to the gardens where Reiju was there ready to assist her back into her gown and hide her score under their skirts.

"Phase two done?" Reiju asked as they made their way out the front door of the Jaygarcia mansion.

"Just two more to go," Gomako confirmed, "We'll be tasting freedom soon."

Notes:

Day 14!

Word Count: 1432

In case it wasn't clear, the parts of the chapter that were completely italicized were flashbacks, particularly flashbacks of Reiju & Gomako learning Lami's plan.

Hope you're enjoying the chapter! I'll see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 18: The First Taste of Freedom

Summary:

"Shit," she said, "I don't know which one goes with what, and I don't think we have the time to figure it out."

Gomako thought, running through the memories of the girl who came before. Wasn't there a moment in one of the arcs? Sabaody, wasn't it, with Rayleigh?

"How's your Haki?" she asked, "Specifically your Armament Haki? Do you know the internal destruction technique?"

Ginny pondered her question before slowly raising a hand to her neck. "Nika fucking damnit. This is gonna' hurt like a bitch."
*****
Chapter warning: murder & drowning

They enact stage three of the plan that night. After everyone has returned from the party and wandered off to bed, Gomako slips back into the stealth suit from earlier. She grabs a leather bag to haul the keys, keycards, and files in, but also adds two changes of clothes, about a week's worth of sealed rations, and an empty jug to fill with drinking water. Gomako debates with herself for a few moments before also placing her mother's jewelry box in the bottom of the bag.

"Don't give me that look," she tells Remy as she lets her pet scurry up into her hair, "Is it perhaps a touch sentimental? Yes. Can I also pawn the jewelry if I'm running low on cash and need to acquire funds not easily traced to me? Also yes. There is a perfectly logical reason to take my mother's belongings with me, therefore any sentimentality can be excused."

Remy just squeaked and secured himself.

"It seems we're on the same page," Gomako said, carefully opening up her bedroom window and scaling down the outer wall and onto the ground. She carefully dashed towards the meeting place, where Reiju was already waiting. 

"It seems you've forgotten to pack," Gomako pointed out, eyeing her sister's lack of bags.

"Seeing as I am not leaving with you, I do not need such frivolities," Reiju dismissed.

"Should I turn around, then? It'd be a waste of time to haul unnecessary weight across Marijois."

Her sister scowled at her words. "You won't win this game of chicken, Gomako. Just accept your fate and leave with the others."

"I've already told you my terms," Gomako reminded her, "I'll leave if you do."

The two sisters stared each other down before coming to a silent agreement and making their way towards Milgram's ship. They didn't have the time for arguments, especially not an argument both parties were determined to win.

It took them a little less than half an hour to reach the ship, where a bruised Ginny was waiting for them. "What happened to you?" Gomako asked.

Ginny gave a beaming, satisfied grin. "Nothing that wasn't worth it. You got the goods?"

Gomako climbed up the gangplank and passed the older woman her bag. Ginny snapped open the first pocket and dug out the keys and the keycards.

"Shit," she said, "I don't know which one goes with what, and I don't think we have the time to figure it out."

Gomako thought, running through the memories of the girl who came before. Wasn't there a moment in one of the arcs? Sabaody, wasn't it, with Rayleigh?

"How's your Haki?" she asked, "Specifically your Armament Haki? Do you know the internal destruction technique?"

Ginny pondered her question before slowly raising a hand to her neck. "Nika fucking damnit. This is gonna' hurt like a bitch."

There was a resounding crack that echoed off the water, followed by more swears and a huge splash. Not five seconds later, the water from the splash burst upwards like a geyser. 

Ginny rubbed a hand against her throat. "Oh yeah, that's at least a second-degree burn," she said, voice much more hoarse than it had been a moment ago, "Pinky, get the keys to Lami and the others. Don't let anyone try that trick I just pulled, except maybe Mary. If the old sea dog does try it, tell her to coat her neck in Armament beforehand. Once your done, join up with Oranges and me. We're going to enact part four of the plan."

"I thought you said you and Lami would have that handled."

"I thought so, too, but Milgram must've taken Daddy Dearest's words a little too much to heart. He's demanding his 'therapeutic bath' now, and Lami's still too hurt to move. I need you two's help. We won't get another chance before Milgram realizes his precious lab experiments are getting a little too bold for his own good. You won't even have to do the hard stuff, promise. You'll just be hauling water."

Reiju and Gomako shared a look before they turned to Ginny and nodded.

"Perfect," the woman said, "Let's get this shitshow on the road."

*****

The death of Dr. Milgram is straightforward and quicker than he deserves.

One of Ginny's labors around the ship is transporting water for various purposes. True to form, Milgram's ship is equal parts scientific marvel and vanity project. Of course such a man wouldn't do something as plebeian as pay for a consistent water supply. Instead, he has designed and maintained a water filter that turns the surrounding ocean into drinkable, Devil Fruit-friendly freshwater.

Therefore, when Milgram tells Ginny to fill him a bath, she has Reiju and Gomako each take a pitcher full of salt water from over the side of the boat, and begins to enact the plan.

Ginny fills the tub first. The water is clean and clear, almost offensively so. She then adds an immense amount of bubble bath, fogging the water. Then, she simply informs the doctor that his bath is ready and that she is ready to assist him. 

Dr. Milgram strips down and sinks into the tepid tub. After a few minutes, he snaps his fingers and shouts, “Twenty-Nine, more warm water.”

Gomako takes the pitcher of water, which had been heating off in the other room, and passes it to Ginny through the doorway. Ginny pours it into the tub. She then exits the room, and instead of going to the water filter, returns it to Gomako who once more fills the pitcher off the side of the ship. She then returns to the side room, sets the pitcher on the heater and sits quietly as Ginny asks, “More bubble bath, doctor?”

This song and dance continues for a little over half an hour before it reaches a tipping point. Just as Reiju is filling up the eighth pitcher, Dr. Milgram begins to sputter and flail about, unable to pull himself out of the— now saltwater —pool.

Ginny just finishes pouring the pitcher, sets it aside, walks to the head of the tub, and gently pushes Dr. Milgram's head below the surface. He fights and fights, but he ate the fruit of the Devil, and the Sea will have its pound of flesh. Milgram stops struggling after five minutes and grows completely still after twelve. By twenty, Ginny slowly takes her hand away and begins cleaning up. By thirty, she's tossing Milgram's corpse into the ocean and returning to Gomako and Reiju.

The three of them then rush to the hospital ward where all of the others are gathered. Lami is laid out miserably on a cot with a horribly twisted leg. A few others are lounging around with stray burns around their necks, though none as bad as Ginny's.

“Everyone still got their meds?” Ginny asks.

“Still here. I don’t know if they’ll be as potent, but it’s at least a start,” Lami says, shaking an orange bottle of pills. None of them truly knew whether or not Milgram’s medicine would stick around after his Devil Fruit returned to circulation. It was a gamble, but one they had decided was worth it. “I have enough to last me a little over a month. I can make it to two if I stretch it, and can survive up to three without causing irreversible damage to myself.”

Gomako nodded. “Very well, then. A little over a month to find a Devil Fruit somewhere in the world. Let the search begin.”

Notes:

Day 15 of Novella August! Officially halfway through this challenge!

Word Count: 1256

Hope y'all enjoyed! See you tomorrow <3

Chapter 19: Food for Thought

Summary:

After a moment of scanning, Mary shakes her head. "Nothin' new. Looks like we'll be needing a right proper hunt."

They then race back to the medical ward where the yellow fishman is shaking his head. "Nothing in the kitchens."

Ginny bites back a scowl and turns to the group. "Okay, we've got some decisions to make."

The first thing they do is case the ship.

Reiju pulls out the sack of fruit she had bought earlier that day, dumping the contents onto the floor and scanning the produce for those familiar swirls. When those are a bust, Mary, the old woman, grabs one of the keycards and reveals a secret door in the wall.

"Diseases weren't the only thing Milgram liked to play around with," she explained, switching on the lights and showcasing a wall of glass compartments. Within each compartment is a Devil Fruit, or, alternatively, a regular fruit sitting on a lonely pedestal. "I doubt he'd keep the base fruit for his own power, but it never hurts to check."

After a moment of scanning, Mary shakes her head. "Nothin' new. Looks like we'll be needing a right proper hunt."

They then race back to the medical ward where the yellow fishman is shaking his head. "Nothing in the kitchens."

Ginny bites back a scowl and turns to the group. "Okay, we've got some decisions to make. We've got a slim window to get out of here without raising suspicion. Milgram likely won't be summoned by Saturn for at least another few days. If we aren't far enough from Marijois to at least be out of Baby Den Den range, we're fucked. Ideally, we'd be leaving by dawn, and not an hour later. Do you think between all of us, we can do a general casing of the city? We won't be able to check every nook and cranny, obviously, but we can at least peak in all of the vendor carts and see if a Devil Fruit has popped up."

"There's usually a method to the Devil Fruit madness," a tall, muscled man offered, "The Kusuri Kusuri no Mi obviously grants a medicinal power. Are there any fruits traditionally used as common cures?"

"Citrus fruits are high in vitamins and are necessary to stave off scurvy and other common illnesses," Lami began, "Bael fruits, sugar apples, bilimbis, figs, Jaya plums, rose-apples, myrobalans, and jujubes are also used worldwide for common medicinal uses. But I can't guarantee any of those are the ones we're looking for."

"At the very least, it's a place to start," Ginny said, "Mary, Puffer, you two keep looking through the ship in case we've missed something. Yoyo, Maddox, Henriquez, you'll be searching the docking area in case there's a naturally growing plant nearby. Pinky, Oranges, you two are going to be coming into the city with me. If you're seen, at least you'll have the excuse of being invited into Marijois."

Gomako nodded her agreement, grabbed her bag, and followed Ginny back down the gangplank and into the city. The streets were dark, abandoned, and quiet; it seemed as if they were the only souls awake. As the trio drew closer to the market area, Ginny stopped and turned to the two sisters. Her gaze swept over the two, taking in their appearances. 

"We're short on time, so please keep interruptions to a minimum," Ginny said, kneeling down to meet their eyes. It wasn't the kowtow the World Nobles demanded, nor the bowed posture of a peasant addressing princesses. No, Ginny's single bent knee, straight back, and glittering eyes reminded Gomako of a knight kneeling to swear loyalty or protection. "Thank you. Both of you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You two have done so much for us in so short a time. More than we've truly had a right to ask. But you've both helped us in our darkest hour without so much as a moment of hesitation or a hint of reward. And for that, there is nothing I can do but thank you."

"You're welcome. But there is a way to thank us, if you truly wish to. Please," Reiju said, bowing back to Ginny, "Please take my sister with you when you go."

"Not unless you take both of us," Gomako countered.

"You don't even have to ask," Ginny agreed, rising back to her feet. She turned back to the fruit stalls while Reiju shoved at Gomako.

"I've already told you. I'm. Not. Going," Reiju stressed, "I have a duty to look after our brothers and help them find the humanity Mother knew they had."

"And I've already told you: there's no use trying to change those who don't want to change. Human nature is stubborn, and you will be a single drop in a metaphorical ocean. Anything you could possibly accomplish would be undone by Judge in minutes, so why doom yourself to a life of misery for a useless task?"

"At least I would be sticking around for a decent reason. You were just planning on staying with Germa until you 'grew strong enough' to leave. You would've moving that goalpost forever, while slowly killing yourself in the meantime."

A loud snort cut the two sisters off.

"Nika's glow, you sure are reminding me of some old friends," Ginny said, replacing a tarp on a stack of fruit and quickly moving onto the next one.

That stopped Reiju and Gomako from immediately diving back into their argument. "How so?" Reiju asked, curious.

"You, Pinky, sound a lot like my Kumachi," Ginny said, "I love him, probably more than anyone else in the world. He's the kindest, strongest, most selfless person I know. But I know, one day, that selflessness is going to be the death of him. He refuses to inflict pain onto others, insisting that he's strong enough to take it all on by himself. No matter what I do, I can never get him to understand that he doesn't-- he shouldn't --need to bear everything alone. But he doesn't listen; Kumachi just keeps piling the world's problems onto his shoulders, not understanding that seeing him in pain like that is torture for those who care about him."

Reiju looked like she wanted to protest Ginny's words, but instead closed her mouth in (contemplation? sheepishness? realization?) acceptance.

"And you, Oranges," Ginny continued, digging through a barrel of fruit, "You're like the Chief. A strong, smart, scheming viper who's willing to hide patiently in the grass for the perfect time to strike. However, you and him both fail to realize that 'the perfect time' is often a myth. Sometimes you do truly need to sit and wait for pieces to start falling into place, but other times you wait so long on your window of opportunity that you don't even realize it's already passed you by. Tell me truthfully: if your sister wasn't pushing you to leave with us, when would you ideally abandon a kingdom and family that sounds pretty fuckin' shitty?"

Gomako attempted to respond to her question, but could not find an answer that didn't feel lacking in some way.

"Thought so," Ginny said, "I'll tell you what I wish I'd told Kumachi and Dragon two years ago, and what I swear to tell them the second I can: the world does not neatly fit into your exacting ideals. Its hurts and injustices are too big to fix on your own, and no matter how much it'd improve things, you cannot flawlessly reshape it by yourself. There are others who want to help, though. All you have to do is let them."

Ginny gave the two of them a found look before rolling her eyes. "Go ahead and chew on those words for a bit. But in the mean time, hurry your butts already! We've got a Devil Fruit to find!"

Notes:

Day 16 of Novella August!

Word Count: 1254

Hope you've enjoyed! See you tomorrow <3

Chapter 20: Alabastan Figs

Summary:

"What are you wearing?" Vivi asked, looking up and down at the lacy monstrosity Gomako had squeezed into.

Gomako, wearing three layers of clothes under her dress, every piece of gold not already tucked away in her mother's jewelry box, and with various books and folders stitched to the petticoats of her skirt, looked her friend dead in the eye and said, "I wanted to feel pretty."

They search the entire night for a sign of any Devil Fruit, but to no avail. None of the fruits in the market stalls have changed, and the dawn creeps ever closer.

"Shit," Ginny says, "Shit! Okay. Okay. We have to get back to the ship, soon, and tell the others we couldn't find it. Maybe someone had missed something in the kitchens or in one of the Devil Fruit boxes."

"What's going to happen to you all if we can't locate the Kusuri Kusuri no Mi?" Gomako asked.

"Milgram was keeping most of us alive with that fruit, kid," Ginny said, "I'm the luckiest one: he had just gotten his hands on me a couple of weeks ago and he said he didn't want to infect me with anything until something 'developed a bit more.' Come to think of it, Puffer should be able to walk away from it, too. Milgram was just interested in his blood; something about a weird mutation in his typing. Mary, Yoyo, and Henriquez's conditions will most likely worsen, but it's also likely they'll survive. But Maddox, Lami, and the others relied on Milgram's medicine. If we can't get our hands on this Devil Fruit, they'll only have as long as their individual stashes will last them."

Gomako frowned. "Then leaving Marijois without the Kusuri Kusuri no Mi isn't an option. "

"It might not even be in Marijois," Reiju pointed out, "And if it is, there's a very good chance it's in the homes of a Celestial Dragon. What do you suggest? That we go through every building with a fine-tooth comb? We don't have the ability to do so, and if we did, we don't have the time. Face it, sister, it's best that we depart from here immediately and hope the Devil Fruit's on the next island."

Gomako's head snapped up. "You've decided, then?" she asked, voice suddenly breathless.

"Miss Ginny made a very good argument. I ask that we return once more to the Germa quarters, but--" Reiju continued, before Gomako could cut her off, "That is only because I admittedly did not pack a bag. You were right, I should have done so last night."

"Head back and then meet on the ship as soon as you can," Ginny instructed, "Make sure you're seen about in the royal housing, but be doubly sure no one sees you sneaking back to us. It might throw a few people off the scent if they don't think you're missing right away."

"We'll be back by noon," Gomako promised, "If we aren't, head off without us."

Ginny agreed and the three split up: Reiju and Gomako to squirrel away a few more supplies, and Ginny off to tell everyone else the bad news. The two princesses of Germa arrived just as the servants were laying out breakfast. Judge stumbled in, with Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji following not a few minutes later. They all ate the provided eggs, toast, sausages, and fruit with nary an inkling of suspicion cast towards the sisters. Once Judge dismissed them to dress themselves and prepare for the day, Gomako and Reiju rose together from their seats, calmly walked to their room, and the second the door was closed, dove for their trunks.

Once they were dressed, they descended the stairs, only receiving a raised eyebrow and a slight sneer from Judge at their appearance. Their brothers tried to mock them, but neither Reiju nor Gomako took their bait, so they soon faltered and their insults stopped.

They took the offered carriages to the plaza. Judge and the other rulers were called in to the daily meeting, and Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji soon vanished to wherever they went during this time. Gomako was well beyond caring. Gomako and Reiju began to inch their way back to the carriage and off to the boat, but a familiar laugh stopped them in their tracks.

"What are you wearing?" Vivi asked, looking up and down at the lacy monstrosity Gomako had squeezed into.

Gomako, wearing three layers of clothes under her dress, every piece of gold not already tucked away in her mother's jewelry box, and with various books and folders stitched to the petticoats of her skirt, looked her friend dead in the eye and said, "I wanted to feel pretty."

Vivi just laughed harder. Reiju, the traitor, also began to laugh. This was even more insulting, as Reiju herself was trussed up like a turkey and in so many layers Gomako could very well expect her to keel over from heat stroke at any moment.

"Well, far be it for me to truly judge you. If this is what makes you feel beautiful, then I'm happy to report you are the most beautiful girl here," Vivi said, smiling.

Gomako felt herself relax her stance at those words. "Thank you for the compliments, Princess Vivi," she said, "It has been an honor getting to know you these past few days, but unfortunately, this is to be our final goodbye."

"Oh, is Germa not staying for the rest of the Reverie?" Vivi asked, "I thought everyone stayed for the closing ceremonies."

"Germa will be staying, but my sister and I shall be departing," Reiju said, "Something has come up that we need to attend to. Please pass on our farewells to Ryuboshi and his family when you see him next."

"I'll be sure to do so," Vivi said, "I hope I'll get to see you again someday. And if you're leaving early, then it's even more appropriate that I give you this."

Vivi pulled a sack from behind her back and handed it to Gomako. She opened it and felt her eyes widen as she took in its contents.

"I know you and Reiju said that you had a brother who loved to cook, and that you two were buying a bunch of different fruits in the market the other day. So I grabbed some Alabastan figs from the larder last night. They're my favorite, and I don't think they grow outside of home, but I really hope you--" Vivi's words were cut off by Gomako, who had pulled her into a tight embrace and was hugging her so hard it was getting a little hard to breathe.

"Thank you," Gomako said, "Thank you so, so much. This means more to us than you know."

"You're.... welcome...." Vivi wheezed out. The second Gomako let go, she gasped in a mouthful of air and continued, "I didn't know you loved fruit so much. I'll bring cactus fruit the next time I see you, that's a real treat."

"Contact me if you ever need someone dead. I'll make the man disappear, no questions asked," Gomako vowed.

Vivi gave an awkward laugh, most likely unsure if Gomako was serious or not. Gomako, who was dead serious, gave her one more quick hug before rejoining Reiju.

"Farewell, Princess Vivi," Gomako said, "I wish you well. And remember: should you ever get in over your head, I'll be more than willing to help. All you need to do is ask."

*****

Reiju and Gomako return to the ship just past ten o'clock. Lami points and laughs at their get-ups, and Ginny smirks like she's about to join in, but Gomako unties the sack of fruit and holds up the treasure inside.

"Is this it?" she asks, showing the fig-shaped Devil Fruit off to the room.

"Holy Nika," Ginny said, leaping up, "Where did you get that?"

"From a friend," Gomako said, feeling the corners of her lips twitch upward, "I take it I'm right, and this is the Kusuri Kusuri no Mi?"

"We'll double-check with a Devil Fruit manual, but I think so, kid."

"Perfect," Gomako said, "So that means there's only one question left: who's going to eat it?"

Notes:

Day 17 of Novella August!

Word Count: 1301

Alright, readers! This is the final call for voting in regards to the Gomako Devil Fruit situation! As a reminder of the options:

A.) Gomako eats an original Devil Fruit
B.) Gomako does not eat a Devil Fruit, but she does get a *sword* with the Devil Fruit
C.) Gomako gets no Devil Fruit & no Devil Fruit sword. She's playing on hard mode.

Some notes to address in case any of this affects voting:

1.) Remy is already getting a Devil Fruit. No voting outcomes will change this.
2.) Gomako's Devil Fruit (or lack thereof) will not affect whether or not she can use haki. I've already figured out what I want to do in regards to haki, and how this will interact with A, B, & C.
3.) The Devil Fruits in A & B are the same Devil Fruits. If Gomako doesn't get it, the sword will, and if the sword doesn't get it, another OC will. Essentially, voting C will not softlock the Devil Fruit out of the story.
4.) Gomako will not be usurping Sanji's place in the Monster Trio. She will instead be a member of an extended Monster Trio (new name to be released as it becomes relevant)

The Devil Fruit/sword will be acquired within the next two chapters. If the option you voted for isn't picked, please do not be upset at me or anyone else in the comments. I am just a simple author who's throwing this all together on a daily basis, and I think it shows. We're all just here to have fun and see if I can do a full month of daily updates.

As always, thank you for reading, and I'll see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 21: The Fruit of the Devil - Part One

Summary:

"What can Reiju and I do?" Gomako asked.

"Right now? Sleep," Ginny said, "We'll get you two sorted out chore-wise later. For now, just hop on a cot and rest. You've both had a very long night, and you'll just be in everyone's way if you try to help right now. The whole lot of us have been sailing this vessel for weeks, months, or in some cases, years. Trust us to know what we're doing."

It's soon decided that Lami should be the one to eat the Devil Fruit. While everyone is quick to volunteer, Puffer points out that as the youngest of Milgram's victims, Lami should (hopefully) be the one to outlive the rest of them. It's also practical as Lami is one of the few that will need the Kusuri Kusuri no Mi's medicine for the rest of her life.

"While Milgram only gave all of us enough to keep us alive, I trust you to actually work to cure us," Maddox said, "And you already mentioned before that Amber Lead Disease cannot be cured by medicine, only stalled."

Lami scowled, but nodded. "The only way to cure me would be to surgically remove every speck of Amber Lead from my bloodstream. While that's theoretically possible, in reality, that would take a minimum of a dozen surgeries, a successful heart transplant, and the time, money, and resources to accomplish it. The only doctors I would ever trust to get it right would be those with a Flevance background, and as far as I know, I'm the last person in the world who could ever accomplish that."

"Alright, then. That settles it," Ginny said, passing Lami the Devil Fruit, "Down the hatch, girlie, and then everyone else get moving. We've got to blow this popsicle stand before someone catches on."

Lami sat up straighter in her cot, squared her shoulders, and took a giant bite out of the fruit. "Eeeeewwwwww! It tastes like vomit and flan had a butt-ugly baby together. Bleh, bleh, bleh."

"That's how you know it's working. Now get back to work," Ginny barked, "We should've been out of here yesterday. Usual sailing stations, chop chop."

"What can Reiju and I do?" Gomako asked.

"Right now? Sleep," Ginny said, "We'll get you two sorted out chore-wise later. For now, just hop on a cot and rest. You've both had a very long night, and you'll just be in everyone's way if you try to help right now. The whole lot of us have been sailing this vessel for weeks, months, or in some cases, years. Trust us to know what we're doing."

Gomako hesitantly nodded her head and laid down on the empty cot next to Lami. Reiju gestured for her to move over, and once she made space, her older sister sprawled out next to her. It didn't take long for Gomako to get comfortable, or for her to fall into the movement of rocking waves beneath her. The last thing she registered before she finally drifted off was Mary's call to raise the anchor and set sail.

*****

Gomako awoke stiff and tense. She blindly reached out for Reiju, only to be met with an empty mattress and a quick, 'She's helping with dinner,' coming from the other bed.

"How long was I out for?" Gomako asked, rubbing at her eyes and sitting up in the cot.

"Only five hours or so," Lami reassured her, "We got out of Marijois without notice-- thank Nika for Milgram's private dock and Ginny's talent for memorizing clearance codes --but Marineford's going to be a bit trickier. They usually require a Den Den call with Milgram every time we pass through. Ginny's going to try and send a report to headquarters with the fax snail, but if that's not enough, someone's going to have to impersonate Milgram."

"Is someone on the ship good with voices, or looks like Milgram?" Gomako asked.

"Not particularly, and no," Lami said, "Which is why we're hoping for the fax snail to work out. If it doesn't...."

Gomako swung her feet over the side of the bed, thinking hard. "When, exactly, are we going to be passing through Marineford?"

"We'll be there within the next couple of hours."

Gomako nodded to herself and then rose from the cot. "Alright. Did anyone know Milgram had a Devil Fruit? Also, do you want me to bring you anything for lunch?"

"I don't think so. Milgram didn't really answer to anyone except for Saturn, so I don't think anyone else would know about his fruit. And get me three servings of whatever's being cooked up," Lami pleaded, "I haven't had a decently sized meal in months."

"I'll be sure to pass along the request," Gomako promised. It seemed Luffy wasn't the only D. with an appetite.

*****

Two hours, and one soup-and-sandwich lunch, later, and everyone who could be spared was gathered once more in the med bay. Ginny had a circle of various Den Den Mushi surrounding her, and was hesitantly feeding a sheet of paper into one snail with a very wide mouth. Everyone waited a few silent, pressing minutes. Just when everyone thought they were in the clear, a snail phone began to ring.

Ginny cursed colorfully. Others joined in, but after the second round of ringing, she called for silence, and after the third, she hesitantly answered.

"Greetings from the S.V. Stanley. With whom am I speaking?"

"S.V. Stanley, this is Lieutenant Yale of the Marineford Communications Office. Are you the captain of your vessel?"

"No, Lieutenant, I am simply the standing communications operative on board. Is there an issue requiring the presence of the captain?"

"Not particularly. It's just noted on the Stanley's file that personal reports are the norm for the vessel. Is there a reason that a written check-in was sent to the office today?"

"The captain of this ship is not at his best, Lieutenant," Ginny said clearly, "I took the liberty of drafting a written report. The captain reviewed and verified this document before I sent it to you not fifteen minutes ago."

"That report is sitting right in front of me, ma'am," Lieutenant Yale agreed, "I just feel that it would be better if I could get personal confirmation from the captain himself."

"That simply is not possible," Ginny deflected.

It was clear that Ginny wouldn't be able to completely stall the officer. Gomako jumped up and rushed off to the Devil Fruit room, determined to act, even if her plan was not fully thought out, and admittedly, a bit hasty. She pried open the door, casting her eyes over the Devil Fruits, willing for one to catch her eye. Only, it seemed that it wasn't a Devil Fruit that caught her eye.

There on a table sat a stand holding up a sheathed rapier. The sight of it seemed to pull her in, almost like a siren's melodic voice captivating a sailor. Gomako hesitantly reached out her hand and took the sword.

She was surprised at how right the sword felt in her grasp. Gomako ran her hand up and down the well-cared-for leather, settling it just above the spade-shaped pommel. With a quick, smooth motion, she pulled the sword from its sheath, testing the weight of the blade in her hands. She gave a few practice lunges and parries, marveling at the almost rainbow sheen covering the blade.

And then the metal began to combust.

Gomako almost dropped the sword, but something in her told her to hold fast. So instead she tightened her grip, gritting her teeth as the metal grew red-hot. In response, the rapier only continued to warm, and Gomako continued to strengthen her hold.

'A stubborn thing, aren't you?' she thought, 'Well, I can be stubborn, too. Let's see who'll last longer. You very well may have just met your match.'

Amazingly, it seemed just then that some threshold was passed, some test aced, some understanding reached. Because the sword transformed in front of Gomako's eyes, turning into a rainbow-colored lion with twelve wings and the head of a crocodile. The beast bowed once to Gomako before raising its head and bopping its snout against her face.

"You know what?" Gomako said slowly, "This works."

She raced out of the room, making sure the animal was following. With a slam of the doors, Gomako marched forward, snatched the Den Den from Ginny, and said to Lieutenant Yale, "I apologize greatly for our tardiness. Here is the captain to speak with you."

Gomako slowly turned the Den Den towards the beast, which snarled at the poor snail.

"Fucking seas!" Lieutenant Yale whimpered, "What on earth is that thing?"

"Our captain, of course," Gomako said, "He recently ate a Zoan Devil Fruit and is still figuring out the ins and outs of his powers. He's unfortunately been stuck in his animal form for a while now."

"Yes, exactly," Ginny said, snatching the Den Den back, "I was trying to be discreet, Lieutenant, to save the captain his dignity. But it seems you couldn't starve off your curiosity and allow us on the Stanley to pass through. For shame, sir, for shame!"

The lieutenant began to bluster and offer up apologies on his end, while everyone fought to stifle laughter on theirs. Reiju threw an arm around Gomako's shoulder and pulled her into a hug.

"You truly are going to cause all sorts of mischief now, aren't you?" she asked her.

"You better get used to such mischief following me," Gomako agreed, "I've got nine years' worth to make up for, after all."

Notes:

Day 18 of Novella August!

Word Count: 1523

As you can see, the winner of the Devil Fruit poll was B.) Gomako get's a sword with a Devil Fruit! Apologies if your vote wasn't the option picked, but I can't please everybody. I just hope you enjoy where I end up taking this story.

The Devil Fruit in question is the Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Chalkydri. We'll be diving into the intricacies of the sword and the Devil Fruit next chapter, but all you really need to know for now is that a chalkydri is a mythical creature often tied to phoenixes and the sun.

Hope you enjoyed, and I'll be seeing you tomorrow <3

Chapter 22: The Fruit of the Devil - Part Two

The second they sail past Marineford, Mary is giving the sword-creature a distrusting look and rounding on Gomako.

"Where exactly did you find that, girlie?" the older woman asks.

"In the Devil Fruit room," Gomako answered easily, "I imagine it was one of Milgram's experiments."

"Ha!" Mary snorted, "As if that man ever could've cooked up something like that. No, child, I know that sword. And what's more, I know who the last owner was. And Betting Anne had that fruit long before Milgram ever got his dirty paws on it."

"'Betting Anne'?" Gomako asked. The creature gave a rumbling purr, rubbed its head against her elbow, and transformed back into its sword form. Gomako caught the rapier by the handle, and at Mary's look, turned it over in her hands. There, on the other side of the blade, the words 'Betting Anne' were carved, reflecting light with their rainbow sheen.

"Aye, that's the sword alright. I'd know it anywhere."

"Did you sail with the previous owner?" Reiju asked, dropping her arm from around Gomako.

"No. No, I sailed on a rival crew. Two rival crews, actually, but that's a story for another time. Regardless, even if you'd never sailed with them, everyone from my time knew the High Rollers and their captain," Mary explained, "By reputation, if nothing else. Aye, not a lot of people were willing to cross High Rollin' Rouge."

"Rouge," Gomako breathed. It was a long shot, and never mentioned in the girl from before's memories. But then again, the tale never repeated names if it could help it, and only had one woman named that, besides. "Do you mean Portgas D. Rouge?"

"Well, I'll be," Mary said, "I'd have thought High Rollin' Rouge hadn't been remembered too well. Egg on my face, it seems."

"Hold on," Lami interjected, "If everyone and their mother knew to fear High Rollin' Rouge, how come you didn't expect us to know her?"

"Well, how many pirates do you know from my era, besides Whitebeard, Big Mom, Kaido, and Roger, that is? Have you heard of Silver Axe? Gloriosa? Captain Jack and Red Swan Liz? Davy Jones-damned Rocks D. Xebec? Hell, even Shiki's starting to fade into obscurity, and he's still technically a Yonkou," Mary challenged. 

When she saw no recognition in Lami's eyes, she continued. "The reason you've never heard of High Rollin' Rouge is the same reason you haven't heard of the others. A little before or after Roger claimed his treasure and lost his crown at Loguetown, they disappeared. Some people bowed out with the birth of a new era, while others got swatted by other pirates looking to crown themselves king. Either way, once they were gone, the World Government erased them from memory and they've all faded from the history books. I'm not too sure what exactly happened to Captain Rouge, but I do know this: she never would have given up her sword without a fight."

Gomako felt metal tremble under her hands. She gently brushed a few fingers up and down the blade, trying to comfort it.

"The Devil Fruit, the Zoan creature, do you know what it is?" Gomako asked.

To Gomako's surprise, it was Ginny who spoke up.

"If I'm not mistaken, that creature was a chalkydri," she said, "It's a mythical creature, so most likely a Mythical Zoan to go along with it. Expect some high-octane bullshit to develop."

"What kind of 'high-octane bullshit'? Some specifics, if you please," Gomako requested, finding the vague answers unhelpful.

"In the mythology I know, chalkydri are partners of phoenixes, and companions of Nika," Ginny explained, "It is said that they sing at sunrise, and that their song tells the world to rejoice in the new day to follow. As for powers.... manipulating heat and light, for sure. Some say magnetic fields and some type of magical aether, as well. Their cry is also known to destroy that which stands in the way of the rising sun. Some other disputed powers are that to heal others, summon other celestial beings, and manipulate time. I wouldn't put much stock into those; the healing might be a holdover from their phoenix partners, and the summoning celestial beings is definitely just them being companions of Nika. Couldn't tell you where the time manipulation comes in, though. That's just straight-up a rumor with no clear basis. Either way, if you want to get in the chalkydri's good graces, maybe add an offering to the Nika shrine we have set up in the kitchen?"

"Hm." Gomako looked over the rapier again, thinking hard. "Would you like it if I gave proper acknowledgement to this Nika fellow?"

The sword's mournful trembling turned into excited vibrating, and Gomako nodded her head.

"That seems to settle it. Direct me to the kitchens, please. I haven't any of the talents of my brother, but I think I can at least try to whip something up."

That afternoon, Gomako added a few strips of bacon and a buttered roll to the Nika shrine. Betting Anne transformed back into its beast form, gave her an approving nuzzle, and curled up at the foot of her bed. When Gomako slumbered off that night, she dreamed of wild red eyes, echoing laughter, and the pounding of drums that seemed to beat in time with her own heart.

*****

(Half a world and oceans away, a boy wearing a straw hat stumbled into a bar and asked his caretaker for dinner.

"It'll be done in half an hour, Luffy. It's steak and potatoes: doesn't that sound nice?"

"Ne, ne, Makino! I wanna have bacon for dinner! Bacon and those good dinner rolls only you can make."

"I can warm you up a leftover dinner roll, but there won't be any bacon tonight. Maybe for breakfast tomorrow?"

"But I want it now," the boy whimpered.

The bartender laughed. "You'll have to be patient, Luffy. You'll get your bacon eventually."

"Stupid breakfast," the boy grumbled to no one in particular, "One day I'm gonna' have the best pirate crew in the world, and my bacon-giver's gonna' be on it. And they'll let me have bacon whenever I want".

"I don't think bacon-giver is an official role on a pirate crew," the bartender laughed, placing a plate in front of the boy, "The closest thing I can think of would be the cook."

"They can't be the cook," the boy said, scandalized, "They'd never steal the cook role for themselves. Nah, they'd have to be the bacon-giver. Or maybe a singer, since musician's gonna' be someone else, too. We'll figure it out when I meet 'em."

"Whatever you say, Luffy. Whatever you say.")

Notes:

Day 19 of Novella August!

Word Count: 1111 (love when numbers accidentally end up like this! I think it's fun)

Quick note: I know I literally said the Devil Fruit name last chapter, but I'm quickly retconning myself because "Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Chalkydri" makes more sense thematically (and in general) than "Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Chalkydri". For one, Chalkydri are more likely to be classified as birds rather than fish, and two, that means the Chalkydri Devil Fruit can more clearly match with the Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Phoenix.

Also, you can pry my "Pirate Captain Portgas D. Rouge" headcanon(s) from my cold, dead hands. D.'s are fuckin' badasses, and while Rouge is already a badass for extending her pregnancy, she deserves to be even more of a badass in general.

Thanks for reading! I'll see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 23: The Fruit of the Devil - Part Three

Summary:

"If what Lami's saying is true, and Anne doesn't respect Remy because he's weak and food-like, what if we made Remy less so?" Reiju asked, "We do still have an entire room on the ship dedicated to storing Devil Fruits. Surely if Remy ate one and proved to Anne that he was at least enough of a threat not to bother with, she would be more likely to let him be."

Gomako considered that line of thinking while Lami cackled.

"Anne, Anne, no." 

Gomako scooped Remy up into her hands, glaring at the chalkydri who was getting a little too close for the rat's comfort.

"Remy is my companion. You should treat him with respect," Gomako said. She had been trying to introduce the two creatures to each other for nearly a week. It had so far been in vain, as Anne had a habit of overcrowding Remy and eyeing her pet like she wanted to eat him.

The rat in question popped its head up just enough to catch sight of the crocodile face smiling right at him before he squeaked in fear and scampered up her arm to hide under her sleeve.

Gomako sighed. Reiju offered up a comforting pat to Remy's fur while Lami just shook her head.

"Anne's going to eat that rat within the week."

"Don't say stuff like that," Gomako ordered, turning her glare from the living sword to the other girl, "They just have to get accustomed to each other, that's all."

"I'm fairly certain I've seen starving cats more likely to spare your pet than Anne is," Lami scoffed, "You're asking a literal weapon with a favored pastime of killing pirates to get along with a rat. It's doomed to fail, Go-Go."

Gomako rolled her eyes at the nickname Lami had taken to addressing her by. While she found nicknames on the whole to be a tad grating, Gomako especially did not appreciate being likened to a pair of outdated boots.

"If what Lami's saying is true, and Anne doesn't respect Remy because he's weak and food-like, what if we made Remy less so?" Reiju asked, "We do still have an entire room on the ship dedicated to storing Devil Fruits. Surely if Remy ate one and proved to Anne that he was at least enough of a threat not to bother with, she would be more likely to let him be."

Gomako considered that line of thinking while Lami cackled.

"Are you seriously going to give one of the Devil Fruits to a rat?!" she hollered, "You do know Milgram had access to Celestial Dragon-based funding, right? That kind of money is 'fuck you' money. It's 'I just bought an island because I felt like it' money. It's 'any Devil Fruits I come into possession of are at least decent threats' money. You're seriously going to give one to Remy?"

"He's already a more worthy owner than Milgram ever was," Gomako pointed out. Lami considered that and then shrugged, unable to argue. "The least we can do is ask for permission."

Once Lami had pulled herself from her bed and grabbed her crutches, the three girls, one rat, and one chalkydri padded through the corridors of the ship and towards the communications center. Ginny, the second most experienced sailor and de facto captain after Mary had ceded the position, had essentially moved into the room so she could monitor the Den Den Mushis around the clock.

Barracudon was just leaving when they arrived. Ginny raised a single finger, checked a few things on some snails' shells, and then turned to them. "What's up, brats?"

"Can Remy eat one of the Devil Fruits?" Gomako asked.

Ginny raised an incredulous eyebrow. "You're giving first pick of the Devil Fruits to your pet rat?"

"Anne is giving concerning signals in regards to Remy. Specifically, in regards to whether Remy is food, a toy, or prey to be hunted." As if on cue, the chalkydri gave a churring growl and snapped her maw towards Remy. Remy gave another squeak and dove for cover under the collar of Gomako's shirt. "Reiju suggested that a Devil Fruit might give Remy the necessary edge to survive should Anne make an attack."

Ginny blinked at them once, twice, and then burst into laughter. "Yeah, sure, go ahead and let your rat eat a Devil Fruit. Are you sure you don't want one, instead?"

"While there may be benefits to consuming a Devil Fruit, at this point in time, I feel capable in my abilities and my goals to increase my strength on my own. If there is ever a time where this belief changes, I will deal with it then," Gomako explained, "Also, between growing used to Anne and now potentially training Remy, adding a third Devil Fruit power feels needlessly complicated rather than beneficial."

"Alright," Ginny said, "Make sure it's only the one Devil Fruit. If he tries to eat more, he'll explode."

"Very well. Thank you, Ginny." Gomako, Reiju, and Lami left the woman to her Den Dens, making their way towards the Devil Fruit lab. Once they were there, Gomako placed Remy back in her hands and slowly brought him to each individual case.

"Are there any that stick out to you?" Gomako asked, "I know certain Devil Fruits might call to those who are a better fit to them."

Remy just continued to sit stalk still in her hands. Occasionally, he would give a dismissive twitch of his whiskers or a short squeak. But then, about halfway through the last row of glass cases, Remy started going crazy. He squeaked up a storm and chased his tail in circles in front of a vaguely banana-shaped Devil Fruit.

"This one?" Gomako asked, pulling the case out of the wall and opening it up. She gently lowered Remy inside, who sniffed the Devil Fruit and then chomped into it.

"Alright, so now the rat's got Devil Fruit powers, because of course he does," Lami noted, "But what exactly do they do?"

Gomako lifted Remy out of the case. The second he was free, he dove at Anne.

"Remy!" Reiju and Gomako cried. But before they could try and catch the rat, he gave a squeaky war cry and spat metal shavings directly at Anne's eyes. Startled, the chalkydri summoned a spit of flame in response. This was a mistake, as the second the metal shavings made contact with the fire, they burst into tiny meteors of purple light.

Anne cried at the attack while Remy landed on her head and started chasing his tail in victory. Eventually, Anne gathered herself and tossed Remy off of her. He landed on the ground with nary a twitch of his whiskers, and when Anne lowered her head so she could look him in the eye, Remy held her gaze steady. Eventually, the living sword gave a mellow churr before getting comfortable on the floor. Emboldened, Remy climbed on Anne and curled up into a tiny ball on her furry shoulders.

"Well," Gomako said, "At least they're finally bonding."

"Yeah, that's great," Lami agreed, "Now help pick up and clear out the smoke before the smoke detectors go off and everyone on the crew comes running."

Notes:

Day 20 of Novella August! We're closing in on the end of this challenge, but still going strong so far!

Word Count: 1125

Remy's Devil Fruit is the Kay Kay no Mi/K K no Mi, the Potassium Devil Fruit! He is now a Potassium Rat! Potassium as an element is highly reactive, especially to light, fire, oxygen, and water. When it reacts, it creates lilac flames and gives off high amounts of energy. Since the Devil Fruit controls a periodic element, there is some debate among scholars on whether it counts as a Logia or a Paramecia. At least for now, the Kay Kay no Mi is categorized as a Paramecia, but this could be subject to change. Remy, like all users of the Kay Kay no Mi, will soon grow a fondness for bananas and other potassium-rich foods.

Thanks for reading, and I'll see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 24: Pork Ribs

Summary:

Gomako hummed in thought. "I think you're asking the wrong question. Or at least, you're asking a question based on a view or opinion you have that you think is universal, when it very much is not."

"And that view-slash-opinion is....?"

"That I need to empathize with someone or something in order to care about it."
*****
Chapter warning for passing mention of animal euthanization and general Judge bullshit.

As much as she would find it ideal, Gomako cannot spend her days idling around with Reiju, Lami, Remy, and Anne. A life at sea has no place for bums, and with such a large ship manned by so small a crew, every pair of hands is needed to keep afloat. So, between relearning sword katas with a much more lively weapon and trying to keep Remy from burning a hole through the hull, Gomako has chores.

Initially, the chore list is rather short. For all that Gomako had sailed before, she'd never been expected to truly take part in the upkeep of the vessel. There had been a few awkward mornings of Barracudon teaching her common knots, Mary lecturing about the fundamentals of navigation, and Henriquez demonstrating how to repair the sails. However, once she was set with the basics, Gomako was a quick study and was flitting around to whatever member of the crew needed help.

There were a few members who were hesitant in requesting assistance from Gomako. Whether this was because Gomako was a child, an ex-royal, or still mostly a stranger, she couldn't say. Two weeks of steady work and shared meals thankfully put most of that apprehension to rest, but Gomako still found herself drawn to the jobs and locations that would cause others the smallest amount of discomfort.

That mostly meant Gomako was doing odd jobs on the upper deck when Mary or Barracudon were at the helm in the early mornings, assisting a still mostly bed-bound Lami in the med wing after breakfast, making lunch with Puffer in the kitchens, and then monitoring the Den Dens for an hour or two so Ginny could have a break.

"You've got a way with animals, has anyone ever told you that?" Ginny asked, biting into the pork ribs Gomako had brought up.

"That's not a compliment I've ever received, no," Gomako said as she refilled water bowls and sprinkled shredded lettuce leaves into the Den Den terrariums. "Granted, the only people who ever saw me with Remy were Reiju and Sanji, and Anne is a very new development, so it's not like most people have the chance to judge my animal-handling skills."

"You're so gentle with all of them. I'm surprised you didn't have a million pets running around the palace, or something."

"Judge most likely would have viewed any hypothetical pets as emotional weaknesses and ordered that I or my siblings brutally euthanize them. Three of my four brothers, at the very least, would've enthusiastically followed this order."

Ginny's smile slipped from her face in an instant. "What the fuck?!"

Gomako shrugged. "Judge wished for brutal living weapons and had to surgically repress my emotions to get one. Killing innocent puppies and kittens would be the least of his crimes. In fact, if I'm remembering correctly, I acquired Remy when Judge threw him out of a four-story window and the dear landed on my head."

Ginny's expression had shifted from spooked to horrified. Gomako also suspects at least a decent portion of disgust is being displayed as well.

"Nika's glow, your sperm donor is a fucking cartoon villain. The more you share about him, the more I'm glad you and your sister decided to leave."

"Judge is a small, deplorable, pathetic, useless worm," Gomako agreed, "One day he is going to fall into a self-made problem my brothers can't fight his way out of, and on that day I hope I have my emotions so I can point and laugh at his failings."

"I hope for that, too. But that kind of circles back around to my original question: how are you so good with animals?" Ginny asked, "A lot of animal handling is expressing and giving the animals proper care. By your own admission, you don't feel empathy and thus can't always get a good read on their needs. So how do you do it?"

Gomako hummed in thought. "I think you're asking the wrong question. Or at least, you're asking a question based on a view or opinion you have that you think is universal, when it very much is not."

"And that view-slash-opinion is....?"

"That I need to empathize with someone or something in order to care about it," Gomako said, "You're right: I can't always understand what the Den Den Mushi or Remy or Anne or Reiju or Lami or you or anyone are trying to convey emotionally. But I do not need to understand you emotionally to think that you are all people and creatures who deserve full bellies, kind winds, and the freedom to enjoy them. I don't know every slave in Marijois by name, but I can look you in the eye and tell you honestly that they deserve to be returned to safe homes far, far away from Celestial Dragons and their inflated self-importance. I may not be able to understand why an animal might be scared, but I can act as a calming presence that can address whatever is the root of their distress. Because ultimately, empathy might be a tool that spurs one to act with compassion, but a lack of empathy is not a brick wall stopping one from doing the same."

"Huh," Ginny said after a few moments to digest Gomako's words, "Huh. You're one smart cookie, kid. You've given me quite a lot to think about."

The two let the conversation drift off. Gomako continues checking on the snails while Ginny finishes her lunch. Eventually, she passes Gomako her plate and tells her she's off the hook for the rest of the day.

Gomako nods and takes the empty dish down to the galley, leaving Ginny to her pondering.

*****

Ginny chews on Oranges' words for hours, turning them over in her head and thinking through an answer to a question she's been too afraid to ask.

"What's got you thinking so hard, chief?" Barracudon calls. The fishman leans his weight against the door and takes in her worried face. "Haven't seen you this contemplative since Lami first brought up her hair-brained scheme to rope two princesses into a freedom run."

"What's more important to you: your hypothetical moral obligations or your current responsibilities?" Ginny asks.

"Oh, we're just diving straight into it? No preamble or nothing? Okay, ugh...." Barracudon says, thinking over the question, "Can I get more details on what the moral obligations and the current responsibilities are? Because teaching any of my future kids how to be friendly might be a 'hypothetical moral obligation', but probably not one I'll likely have to deal with, seeing as I have no plans of ever having kids. So in that case, current responsibilities more than take precedent. But if my moral obligation is making sure Lami doesn't go overboard and drown while my current responsibility is readjusting the sails, I'm diving into the ocean after my crewmate, no question."

"My current responsibility is making sure none of us get captured by Marines and/or other World Government lackies, and generally keeping everyone on this ship alive and free," Ginny said, "My hypothetical moral obligation as an ex-slave and a self-proclaimed freedom fighter and revolutionary is making sure other people don't get captured by Marines and/or other World Government lackies, and generally stay alive and free."

"Do you know someone who's planning a slaver raid?"

Ginny shook her head. "There's been chatter on the Den Dens. A Rear Admiral is setting up on Foolshout Island. He's looking to set a trap for the Sun Pirates. Specifically, he wants to be the man who brings down Fisher Tiger."

"Shit," Barracudon says, "Fuck."

Ginny nodded her agreement. "I've tried to reach out, but either the Sun Pirates don't have a long-range Den Den, or they're ignoring my calls. Regardless, the only way to warn them in time is the completely change course and hope we reach them before they spring the trap."

"And thus risk all of our lives and freedoms in the hope that we don't fall into the Marine trap ourselves," Barracudon summarized.

"Yeah. Yeah, that's about it," Ginny confirmed somberly.

"I think there's a pretty obvious point you're overlooking that could very easily solve this whole thing up nice and easy."

"And that is?"

"While you've certainly been acting like it, last I checked, you have not officially been declared or voted in as captain," Barracudon pointed out, "Which means Common Law still applies. Since you're so torn about this decision, just call a Vote on it and let the crew decide if this is worth the risk."

Notes:

Day 21 of Novella August!

Word Count: 1426

First chapter with a POV that isn't strictly Gomako. Gonna' be honest, I kind of thought this would be Gomako POV throughout, but then I realized that Ginny infodumping to a kid with an age still in the single digits is really, really weird. Gomako may have more going on under the surface than your average kid, but she still is ultimately a kid right now even if she very much does not act like it. So Ginny gets to have the Very Adult Conversation with a bona fide Actual Adult.

Also, once more, this is the timeline I'm using. There are some liberties in this story (ie, not EVERYTHING is/will be canon-compliant), but by and large this is the barebones structure I am building off of. As a reminder, the current year in-story is 1512, and as you can see from the timeline, 1512 is a BUSY year in the world of One Piece. Just keep this all in mind as the story continues, please & thanks.

As always, thank you for reading and I'll see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 25: After-Dinner Conversation

Summary:

That night, right after dinner is finished, Ginny asks everyone to stick around in the galley for a bit. Once the dishes are cleared away and Puffer comes in from the kitchen, she hops up on top of a table and draws the room's attention.

"I, as a member of this crew bound by Common Law, would like to call a Vote."

That night, right after dinner is finished, Ginny asks everyone to stick around in the galley for a bit. Once the dishes are cleared away and Puffer comes in from the kitchen, she hops up on top of a table and draws the room's attention.

"I, as a member of this crew bound by Common Law, would like to call a Vote."

Whispers immediately erupted, but Gomako looked for someone to give her an explanation.

"The Sea's by and large a lawless place, but there are some basic tenets that all sailors are bound to," Puffer said, catching her expression, "These tenets are called Common Law, or the Seven Rules. The first Rule is that everyone on the crew, from the captain to the lowest chore boy, has the right to have their voice heard on matters concerning the crew. The second Rule is that any member on the crew can call for a Vote. Votes usually have one of three purposes: to choose a captain, to choose a quartermaster, or to change how the ship is operating."

Gomako hummed in thought. "I was under the impression that Ginny already was the captain."

"Acting captain," Lami corrected.

"What's the difference?" Reiju asked.

"Acting captains are always temporary. Their power is limited, and anyone sailing under an acting captain is not bound to their service and thus can leave whenever they want. If a crew is dissatisfied with their acting captain, they can easily pick another one," Lami said, "In contrast, actual captains-- be they elected or self-proclaimed --are permanent positions that can only be replaced by death, Vote, mutiny, or Davy Back."

"Ginny doesn't want to be the official captain," Puffer said, "If she did, she would have called for a Vote before now. And no one would call for a Vote for a quartermaster and not a captain. So whatever this Vote is about, it's probably about the crew at large."

Gomako nodded again, returning her gaze back to Ginny and Barracudon, who had joined her up on the front table.

"As you all know, I've taken it upon myself to tap and monitor Marine Den Den lines to ensure we would be prepared for any patrols that could intercept us," Ginny said, "A few days ago, I intercepted a call from a Rear Admiral setting a trap for a rogue ship. I monitored this Rear Admiral's calls, worried he was tracking us on the Stanley."

A few worried murmurs rose, but Ginny quickly called the attention back to herself and continued.

"To my relief, it became abundantly clear that the trap was for another crew and another vessel. However, I have gotten no response when I've tried to flag this vessel and warn them."

"The ship the Marines have been tracking is the Snapper Head," Barracudon revealed. Across from Gomako, Puffer let out a surprised yelp and nearly fell out of his chair. "And that means, of course, that the crew the Rear Admiral is targeting is the Sun Pirates."

The voices that began to fill the galley were less whispers and murmurs and more of an uproar. Recognition and what Gomako thought was dread passed behind Lami's eyes. Puffer pulled himself off the floor and began yelling so loud Gomako couldn't make out the words he was saying. Reiju was the only one who remained silent, looking confused at everyone's reaction and completely lost at the implications.

Ginny let out a long, shrill whistle to draw everyone's attention back to her.

"As I said, I have gotten no confirmation of contact from the Snapper Head or its crew. At this point in time, the only way to communicate with them would be to change course immediately and meet them on open waters. But if we do that, we risk ourselves and have to navigate whatever trap the Marines have set for the Sun Pirates. So," Ginny said, sweeping her gaze over them all, "I'm calling for a Vote."

Barracudon stepped forward. "I understand that not everyone here might be familiar with Fisher Tiger or particularly care about his tale. But I refuse to stand idly by as the person who scaled the Red Line and freed the slaves of Marijois walks to his demise."

"And I understand that some of you might not think this risky endeavor is worth it," Ginny said, "That your duty to yourselves and the others in this room is much more important to you than the Sun Pirates. And that's okay. It's been a long, long time since any of us last got to be people. And people.... people are selfish. Let yourselves be selfish, if that is your wish. None of us, not one of us, can judge you for being so, and if anyone gives you shit for Voting one way or the other, I swear on the Seas Nika soars over that they'll get some sense knocked into their skulls."

"Give yourself a minute or so to think it over," Barracudon said, "When it looks like you're all ready, we'll Vote."

The voices picked back up for a final time. They weren't whispers or shouts: just pressing conversations of people talking over their fate. Reiju tugged on Gomako's sleeve and gave her a look.

"You don't seem as confused as I am," her sister said, "Have you heard of this Fisher Tiger and the Sun Pirates before?"

"I know of them," Gomako said slowly, "I know of their captain's stubborn bravery and his inherent compassion that can look like blood-curdling rage. I know of their second's natural integrity and honor. I know of a human girl who will one day help thousands in the same way the Sun Pirates helped her. I know of a crewmate who will drift aimlessly and punish and torment an island for crimes they had no part in. And I know, with everything I am, that they do not deserve this. I cannot understand an ethereal thing like hope, but when I picture the near future, I picture them sailing together for years, untouched by the government and organization that wants nothing more than to rip them apart."

"Ah," Reiju said, "They are good people, then, to have gained your esteem without you ever having met them. I shall follow your lead, then."

The conversations died off naturally, the way most conversations do when a general consensus must be made. Barracudon and Ginny shared one last look before Ginny raised her hand. "All those in favor of continuing our course as-is?"

A few hands popped up. It wasn't an insignificant amount, but it was nowhere near the majority. Ginny nodded her head and stepped back as Barracudon took her place.

"All those in favor of changing course to intercept the Sun Pirates and pass along a warning about the trap the Marines have set?"

The rest of the hands, Gomako's included, rose throughout the galley. Puffer gave the three girls seated around him an approving look. Lami bumped her elbow against Gomako's and flashed a bright, D.-worthy smile.

"It's decided, then," Ginny announced, "We'll set course for Foolshout Island. We've got a pirate crew to help."

Notes:

Day 22 of Novella August!

Word Count: 1193

Next chapter's going to be the Sun Pirates' confrontation, and thus will be on a bit of the larger side. I'm looking forward to it, and I hope you are, too.

Also, love me some Pirate Lore. A lot of my lore/headcanon is a mix of Pirates of the Caribbean, historical piracy, and whatever fun stuff pops into my head. I will say, however, that my Common Law (One Piece sailing edition) is not to be mistaken with common law (actual thing in American and English legal systems).

My Common Law is literally just the general law/guidelines that sailors follow. Some people take it more seriously than others, and some people might not follow it at all. It's more likely to be followed on merchant/civilian vessels (where Common Law is the general "law" of the sea), then pirate ships (which can get a little loose with rules, but do generally have to adhere to the Code, which Common Law supports), and very rarely on Marine ships (where their own laws, regulations, and hierarchy take precedent over Common Law). Common Law has seven core beliefs (the Seven Rules), which are:

1.) Any and every member of a crew has a right to share their opinions
2.) Any and every member of a crew has a right to call a Vote
3.) While Captains may appoint crew members to certain positions, the position of Quartermaster shall always be decided through Vote
4.) Captain's orders are to be followed, but Doctor's orders are to be obeyed
5.) Any shipwreck survivors are to be granted food and board until they can be delivered to the nearest island
6.) Should anyone on the crew lay eyes on the klabautermann, they are to alert the captain and shipwright immediately
7.) Always respond to calls asking for help

Thank you for reading, and I'll see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 26: Hard(tack) Conversations

Summary:

"You got it, boss," Barracudon said, securing the terrarium to his back, "If all goes well, you'll hear from me before nightfall. Kind winds."

"And rushing tides to you," Ginny nodded. Barracudon gave one last wave to the crew gathered on deck before he threw himself over the rail and dove into the water below.

Once he was gone, all Gomako and the others could do was wait.

The crew of the S.V. Stanley sails without stop for six days and six nights. During that time, everyone is reviewing their plans and what roles they have to play.

Anyone who had Voted to remain on their original course individually spoke with Ginny to make clear what they were comfortable helping with. While Mary had told tales of polarizing Votes that had split crews in the past, thankfully, there was none of that here. No one morally objected to assisting the Sun Pirates, and those who didn't want to or couldn't join in a fight would remain on the ship and were responsible for making sure the crew had a quick escape, if necessary.

Unfortunately, Ginny had put her foot down and included Lami, Reiju, and Gomako in that particular group.

"Reiju and I are strong enough to bend iron bars in our hands," Gomako said, "She has the ability to secrete or digest a wide variety of poisons, and I can blind opponents very easily."

"That all sounds very, very cool. You're still not going," Ginny said, not looking up from her table of printed Den Den Mushi transmissions.

"If you are worried about us being seen or caught by the Marines, I can assure you that I have a strong background in subterfuge and have already previously infiltrated dozens of high-profile targets and successfully bypassed their top-of-the-line security. One such security was, in fact, that of Marine Base H-4 under a Vice Admiral's control."

"Really?" Ginny asked, "Which Vice Admiral?"

Gomako straightened up, seeing that her negotiations were getting somewhere. "Vice Admiral Prodi."

"Prodi? Mr. Fine-Tuned Justice?"

"Yes, that's him."

"Impressive. You're still not going."

Gomako nearly stumbled back. "Why not?!" she demanded. If Gomako wasn't stuck speaking in her usual deadpan, she imagines the question would sound petulant and whiny.

"Are you ready to listen to my well-thought-out and well-reasoned argument, or are you just going to dismiss my every point without actually trying to understand my side? Because if it's the latter, I'll save both of us our time and give you an answer you deserve."

"And that answer is?"

"Because I'm acting captain and I said so," Ginny answered, pulling out a black Den Den and poking it awake.

"That answer is dissatisfactory, and I demand a real one," Gomako insisted.

"Are you ready to actually hear a real answer?" At Gomako's nod, Ginny finally completely set down her work and turned fully towards her. "Alright. Firstly, I'm not just humoring you when I say we need people to guard the ship. There is a very real possibility that the Marines will swarm us the second we sail into their trap. And even if they ignore us initially, they'll be on us like maggots on hardtack once we're sailing away, especially if the Snapper Head goes down and we're the only vessel the Sun Pirates could escape on."

Ginny waited for Gomako to nod in understanding before she continued.

"Secondly, while we aren't a crew with proper, hard-lined roles, if we were, you and your sister's role would be chore girl, cabin girl, or apprentice. And I know that may not mean much to you right now, but to I and the others on this ship, that is a very important fact," Ginny said, "Cabin kids and apprentices are placed on a vessel to learn how to survive at sea, and are oftentimes children. No crew usually allows a crewmate to take an apprentice without confirming that the mentor can keep them safe on the open water, and cabin kids are essentially apprentices to the entire crew. We, as a collective mentorship, are duty-bound to keep you, Reiju, and Lami as safe as possible. And that means not allowing you to join in on open combat if at all possible. Even if you weren't an apprentice or cabin girl, you'd be a chore girl, and a chore girl's duties are keeping the ship clean and in shape, so they won't be fighting anyway."

"But I still have plenty of experience that can help," Gomako pressed, "If you send me ahead, I can sneak past the Marine ships and warn the Sun Pirates."

"Barracudon could swim ten times faster than whatever trick you could pull with stealth, and be ten times safer because he'd be heading straight for the Snapper Head rather than having to slip through a literal battalion of Marines," Ginny said, unmoved by her arguments, "And that leads me to my third point: the crew we're approaching is made up of fishmen with a very understandable grudge against humans. They'll likely listen to a fellow fishman before they would to you or me, and then if they accept help from Barracudon or Puffer, they'd only accept those they vouch for. And I hate to break it to you, but they're going to vouch for adults they've known for months or years before the two children they've known for less."

"I thought.... I thought Barracudon and Puffer liked me," Gomako said, mind racing at how she could have possibly misjudged the two's opinions so badly.

"Don't you get mixed up about it, they absolutely like you," Ginny reassured gently, "I'd even go so far and say that they're well on their way to adoring you. You're a pretty adorable kid. But it's because they care about you that they don't want to thrust into a fight you aren't ready for. And that leads me to my final point."

Ginny cupped Gomako's face and made sure Gomako held her gaze. "No matter what you think, you are not ready for this fight. It's a Rear Admiral heading this charge, and that means at least one combatant who's mastered one form of haki, minimum. No one, not even the greatest prodigy who's been in a thousand fights, has haki mastered before they hit double digits. If you joined this fight, it's very possible that you won't even be able to get in a meaningful hit before Strawberry or one of his underlings has dispatched you. If that were to happen, Mary, Barracudon, I, or someone else would have to get you out of there and to safety. And that would just mean one less person there to help the others. So with all of this in mind, where is it, exactly, that you will do the most help?"

"Back at the ship," Gomako finally conceded, "Ready to defend it and help sail away should we need an escape."

"Good," Ginny said, "I'm glad you've seen my point of view. Now find me a good terrarium big enough for a regular, a horned, and a black Den Den. We've got a care package to prep."

*****

After waterproofing the Den Den terrarium, Ginny sealed the three snails inside and passed the case to Barracudon.

"That should be enough air for a couple of hours. Call us as soon as you can to tell us our course of action. Make sure the horned snail is blocking calls, and then use the regular one to call us. I've been breeding for white Den Den; my latest batch should be good to cover our asses from any black Den Dens the Marines may have."

"You got it, boss," Barracudon said, securing the terrarium to his back, "If all goes well, you'll hear from me before nightfall. Kind winds."

"And rushing tides to you," Ginny nodded. Barracudon gave one last wave to the crew gathered on deck before he threw himself over the rail and dove into the water below.

Once he was gone, all Gomako and the others could do was wait. She tried to keep busy by either equipping the med bay with Lami or prepping meals in the kitchen with Puffer, but there was a relentless energy crawling under her skin. Gomako found herself pacing the corridors of the ship, rapidly checking in with Ginny every quarter of an hour to see if there had been any word from Barracudon. It got to the point that Mary, with the help of an exasperated Reiju and a growly Anne that was more than fed up with her, dragged her to the galley by the ear and forced her to sit down at a table.

"Sit your ass down, girlie," Mary ordered, "Your nerves are serving no one, least of all yourself."

"I am not nervous. I cannot feel such things. I simply think it has been much too long since Barracudon has sent word and I thus must come to the logical assumption that he is dead and the Sun Pirates are doomed."

"Davy Jones give me patience," Mary swore under her breath, "Sit down."

Gomako sat. Reiju passed her Remy, who was immediately bombarded with rapid petting.

"You listen to me, child, and you listen good. The Sea gives and the Sea takes. She's the truest lover and a right bloody mistress. She can be the cruelest, coldest bitch you'll ever have the misfortune of meeting or the kindest, most generous benefactor a woman could ever ask for. But the one thing she's not is constricting. The Sea is wild, sprawling, and above all else, free. I couldn't tell you what she's got in store for us, but I can feel it in my bones that she won't be delivering us to Davy Jones tonight."

"How can you stand it?" Gomako asked, "How can you sit here and assume the best outcome? It isn't logical."

"Sitting around and assuming the worst outcome isn't too logical, either," Mary pointed out, "And yet you're still doing well on that front."

"If I assume the worst, then I am prepared for the worst. Anything else is thus a pleasant surprise."

"And when was the last time the worst outcome, the truly worst outcome, actually occurred?" Reiju asked. "Being unable to find Lami's Devil Fruit was a bad outcome, and sailing away from Marijois without talking to Vivi would've been the worst, but that didn't happen. Mom passing and Sanji being taken was a bad outcome, and believing he was dead and thus leaving him to his fate would've been worse, but that didn't happen, either. Tell me one truly horrible, terrible series of events that you weren't able to find a way out of."

Gomako sat and thought in silence.

"You can't think of one, can you?" Reiju asked, "See, we'll be fine. Even if it all goes sideways, even if we can't help the Sun Pirates, even if we get caught by the Marines, we'll find a way to keep on living. We always do, don't we?"

"If you say so," Gomako said, rising to her feet, "Now if you excuse me, I think it's about time I check back in with Ginny."

*****

"Oranges, if you're here again to pester me about the snail calls, just get lost and--"

"Has there ever been a hardship you've endured that you've kept to yourself?"

Ginny looked up from the Den Dens and back to where Gomako was standing at the door.

"I know, in theory, it's always healthier to share troubling memories with others. A burden shared is a burden halved, and all that. But what if something happened? What if you remember something horrible and traumatic and unlivable, but you survived it. You survived it, and it's been dealt with, and it can never hurt you again. And you know, in theory, that you should talk to someone about it, but if you talk about it, you know that person is never going to look at you the same way ever again. What do you do, in that situation?"

Ginny rose to her feet and took a hesitant step forward. "Kid.... I.... are you...."

She cleared her throat and shook her head. "There're some things that happened to me when I was taken from the East and brought to Marijois. Things I'm only going to tell one person, and that's only after the both of us get thoroughly wine drunk and gorge ourselves on chocolate. I've told you, before, about my three closest friends: my Kumachi, the Chief, and Iva. Of those three, who do you think I'm going to be telling?"

Gomako blinked up at her. "Kuma?"

Ginny shook her head. "Nope."

Gomako's thoughts stuttered to a halt. "Iva, then? Of your stories, it seems they would be most likely to drink wine."

"Wrong again," Ginny said, making an 'X' with her arms. "Dragon owes me a drink-n'-bitch night, and believe you me, I am going to cash in."

Gomako blinked again, trying to piece together that mental puzzle. "Huh?"

"I love them both to death, but I know Kumachi and Iva are not the people who can help me process everything," Ginny revealed, "Kumachi would just take all my suffering as sign that he's failed me, and Iva would get caught in the dramatics of it all and forget somewhere along the line that it all happened to me, a living, breathing person. Dragon, though, is a great listener, a patient man, and knows just how to spin me out of a well of self-pity and straight into a constructive direction. If I have my way, Kumachi and Iva are never going to know more than the broad strokes of what went down, and that's okay. More than okay, that's my right. It doesn't matter how much we love each other, they are not owed my trauma. I can tell whoever I want whenever I want, and kid, you can, too."

"But wouldn't Reiju and Sanji deserve to know? Aren't I lying to them?"

"Is it something that directly affects them?" Ginny asked. At Gomako's shake of her head, she continued, "Then you aren't lying to anyone, you're just enacting your right to privacy. What even brought this up, anyway?"

Gomako was about to answer, to tell Ginny about the girl who came before and the shipwreck that transformed her into Gomako. To explain the slow stripping away of her emotions, of the one time the truly worst possible outcome not only took place, but left her with no silver lining. Of what it felt like to die twice. She was about to tell the woman all of this, when suddenly--

"Puru-puru-puru-puru.  Puru-puru-puru-puru."

"Nika damn it. Of all the times," Ginny hustled back to the now-ringing Den Den. "We'll pick this up later, okay? I promise. But for now, we've got bigger things to deal with."

Gomako nodded. "I'll go alert the rest of the crew."

"Atta' girl. Go, shoo," Ginny said, waving her away. Right as she turned to leave, she answered the Den Den Mushi and said, "This is the S.V. Stanley. To whom am I speaking?"

"This is Fisher Tiger of the Snapper Head." The snail sitting proudly on the table grew sharp teeth and a head of dark curls tucked under a camo bandana. "I've heard you're offering my crew and me some assistance?"

"Aye," Ginny said, "That we are. Let's talk, Captain Fisher, about what exactly is waiting for you on Foolshout Island."

Notes:

Day 23 of Novella August!

Word Count: 2509

I swear there were at least two separate parts in this chapter where I wanted to write "And then Barracudon finally called," but Gomako took the wheel and said "We're doing character studies this chapter, and there's nothing you can do about it". We'll get to the Sun Pirates confrontation next chapter, pinky promise. It also looks to be gearing up to be another Ginny POV, so I hope y'all are excited for a switch up!

As always, thanks for reading and I'll see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 27: Snail Food

Summary:

"What, exactly, do you think is going to happen once we land on the island?" the captain asks, shark-toothed mouth pulled back in a frown.

"Roughly ten days ago, I intercepted a call between Rear Admiral Strawberry and Marine Headquarters," Ginny began to explain, "I had been on alert for any possible paroles that could track our vessel, and was initially relieved when I learned that a mass of ships would be traveling in the opposite direction of our heading. And then I learned why. I wasn't exactly thanking my lucky stars when I discovered that our lucky break would come at the expense of Fisher Tiger and his crew sailing straight into a trap."

Ginny wants to focus on the matter at hand. She needs to focus on the matter at hand. But her short-cut conversation with Oranges is still running through her mind. The list of things that could create that haunted look on Gomako's face is truly, truly short, and none of it good. But Ginny cannot and will not forgive herself if she lets this opportunity pass her by, so she bucks up and focuses on the snail sitting impatiently before her.

"What, exactly, do you think is going to happen once we land on the island?" the captain asks, shark-toothed mouth pulled back in a frown.

"Roughly ten days ago, I intercepted a call between Rear Admiral Strawberry and Marine Headquarters," Ginny began to explain, "I had been on alert for any possible paroles that could track our vessel, and was initially relieved when I learned that a mass of ships would be traveling in the opposite direction of our heading. And then I learned why. I wasn't exactly thanking my lucky stars when I discovered that our lucky break would come at the expense of Fisher Tiger and his crew sailing straight into a trap."

"And you decided to completely change your course and risk yourselves and everyone under you.... for what, exactly? Our paltry gratitude?" The Den Den rolled its eyes, obviously reflecting the disbelieving actions of the caller.

"Our decision was decided by Vote, as dictated by Common Law," Ginny answered, "And as to the why's of it.... I cannot speak for everyone. It wasn't a unanimous decision, and not everyone would have the same reasons as me. But I can give you my reasons very easily."

"Well, then," the fishman drawled, "Let's hear them."

"I didn't want you or your nakama to be captured by the Marines."

"...."

Ginny waited as the Den Den Mushi sat in disbelieving silence. If she could wait out Iva's dramatized reactions, she could damn well wait out a mulish captain inclined to think the worst of her.

"....that's it?" he finally asked.

"That's it," Ginny confirmed, "It's a rather understandable and thorough reasoning in my eyes."

"It is a reasoning I myself agree with, but one I did not expect you to extend to a group of strangers. Fishmen strangers, at that."

"To paraphrase a very wise girl, I do not necessarily need to know you or even care about you to still believe that you and your lot are people deserving of basic freedoms, rights, and respect."

Fisher Tiger had another bout of pressing silence following those words. Ginny could hardly blame him; she herself had needed a few minutes to sit with them after Oranges had left, leaving a whirlwind of ideas floating through her mind. 

"That's not a sentiment I've found to be popular amongst humans," Fisher Tiger said slowly, still a little shell-shocked at the words.

"It's not a sentiment I'd heard put into words before, but now that it's been clearly laid out, I find them to be an almost vital belief in my heart," Ginny said, "I'd call it basic human decency, almost, but that seems a tad too exclusionary."

"Basic decency, then," Fisher Tiger offered, "I'd say that's a much better word for it."

"Yeah. Yeah, that's much more fitting. And it seemed the majority of the crew stands by it," Ginny began, "I already explained to my people that I do not hold it against them if they chose to put themselves and their freedom above yours. If our brave representative dove into our circumstances, I hope you'd agree."

"Ah, yes. That reminds me. Could you tell me a bit about this representative and what he'd likely tell me?"

"Oh, you know, brave, strong, one hell of a swimmer," Ginny described, smile growing on her face, "Should've told you to wake up the horned Den Den, monitor possible interference on the black one, and that the normal one would be covered by a white snail on our end. If he didn't or if you didn't follow his directions in that order, I will be having words."

A familiar laugh sounded from the snail. There was a bit of shuffling, and for a moment, the Den Den changed features to reveal a knowing grin.

"Don't worry, chief. Your directions were followed to the letter," Barracudon reassured, "Thank you for the compliments, by the way. I think they've convinced Captain Fisher that you're no spy trying to pull a fast one."

"Thank you for putting in a good word. That, I know, is what's really gotten us this far." Ginny thanked him with a small bow of her head. The snail was passed back to Fisher Tiger, and Ginny drew herself back to the important conversation ahead.

"It's true, then? Your port of origin, our shared background, the two princesses you convinced to rescue you from the castle?"

"Aye. Aye. Princesses, I've found, have it in them to slay Dragons and steal away their unearned hoard."

"We've a stolen treasure of our own. That's why we're heading for Foolshout," Fisher Tiger revealed, "A few of my nakama are pressing me to sail far, far away from this trap, but so much has been taken from our treasure. I refuse to be the one to tell them that they'll never see their home again because the Marines very well could be holding it hostage against me. But then again, if the isle's residents are attempting to turn us over...."

Ginny scowled. "No one likes a turncoat, least of all me. I and a few others have offered to join up with your crew and ready ourselves for a fight. Even more will be hanging back on the Stanley ready to ferry us away should the lot of us need an escape. Would you be willing to accept these terms?"

"I don't like them," Fisher Tiger said, and bolt of worry shot through Ginny, "I don't like them one bit. But yes, acting captain of the S.V. Stanley, yes I am willing to accept them."

She sighed in relief. "Okay, wonderful, thank you. Send me bearings to meet you at, and I and my landing party will depart. Clear skies and baleful winds. Look after our helmsman for us."

"He'll do well in our care. And may the tides turn away your enemies and the Sea Kings find their meal elsewhere on this night."

The call disconnected with a 'gacha,' and Ginny collapsed back into her seat.

"First hard part down," she said to the empty room, "First hard part down, only a million more to go."

*****

A string of coordinates had been sent by way of Lord Faxington, the faxing snail, and their small party is ready to go within the hour. It truly is a tiny group: not even a dozen people. But there weren't many true combatants on their ramshackle crew to begin with, and Ginny had to weigh everyone's skills carefully, and split them up even more carefully still, to make sure the Stanley could defend itself should the need arise. In the end, it's Puffer, Mary, Maddox, and a few others who are sailing out with her, and even with that group as small as it is, Ginny wonders if it'll be enough to do anything.

"Henriquez, you're acting captain until my return," Ginny appointed, tossing Puffer the box of baby Den Dens, which he immediately started distributing.

"Aye aye," the man in question agrees, giving a mocking salute, "I'll be sure not to kill your little pride and joys until you get back. They love salty food, right?"

"If you step within five yards of my babies' terrariums, I will force a Devil Fruit down your throat and keelhaul your ass until we reach the East Blue." Her threat did nothing but strengthen the bastard's shit-eating grin. "Oranges, you're in charge of the Den Dens. Keep them calm, fed, and watered. Pinky, are you good to help Lami in the med bay?"

"Yes, ma'am," all three girls agreed.

"Wonderful. I'll try to make sure word is sent before any patients crash on your cots, but if I can't, don't hold it against me. Everyone else good to go?"

Once she got shouts of agreement, Ginny swung onto the smaller exploration boat and ordered for Henriquez to lower them down. "Launch! We've got allies to meet and a helmsman to retrieve. Let's go!"

*****

Ginny normally didn't get sea sick, but the smaller vessel made the waves seem huge, and her stomach was rolling the entire way over to the meet-up point. She couldn't be happier to spot the fish-head-adorned ship and to be tossed a rope by a light blue fishman with comically oversized lips.

"Permission to come aboard?" Ginny called out, still fighting down the slight urge to vomit.

"Granted!" barked a familiar voice. A rope ladder was thrown over the side, and once their skipper was secured, they all climbed up.

Ginny was getting suspicious looks the second her feet hit the deck of the Snapper Head, but she ignored them in favor of the quick hug from Barracudon.

"You holding up alright, chief?" he asked, "You're looking a little green around the gills, if you don't mind me saying."

"I'm good, promise. Just a bout of nerves coupled with some rough waters. I'll be good to go by the time we land."

"Shahahaha! Figures a pathetic human would think these tame waters 'rough.'"

"Arlong!" snapped the voice that had permitted them aboard, "Show some damn respect. If they're right, these humans have gambled a lot just to make sure we know what we're walking into."

The crowd on deck parted for the captain, and a tall, muscled red fishman strode forward.

"It's an honor to meet you, Acting Captain Ginny," Fisher Tiger said, giving a shallow bow of acknowledgement to her and her crewmates.

"And I, you," Ginny said, bowing back. "May I ask for a breakdown of what the plan is? We're at your disposal."

"We'll be reaching Foolshout by morning, where I was hoping you or one of the other humans on your crew could escort Koala to her village. The rest of us will fan out and wait for the Marines to move in. If they attack you, Koala, or her family, we will then reveal ourselves."

Before Ginny could even ask what or who this 'Koala' was, a little girl no older than Lami rushed forward and wrapped herself around Fisher Tiger's leg.

"Don't do it, please don't do it, Tiger-nii," the girl begged, "You don't have to go to Foolshout. Actually, I don't even want to go back! I've got my family right here, right? What could a crappy island I can't even really remember have that you all can't give me?"

Fisher Tiger frowned and shook the girl off. "What've we told you about those fake smiles, Koala? You don't have to be happy all the time."

The girl fought back tears as the same long-nosed fishman laughed again. "Let's just skip the drop-off and avoid this ordeal entirely. Or better yet, send her with the humans and we can all wash our hands of their filth for good, shahahaha!"

Ginny blinked slowly and had to make an active effort not to ball her hands into fists. 'If that bastard says another word against his cabin girl, I'm going to punch him in the face.'

"Arlong-nii is right, yeah," little Koala agreed with a sniffle, "I can go with the other humans, yeah. You don't have to risk getting hurt. Please don't get hurt because of me."

"See, even the child knows she's not worth the fuss, shahahaha!"

'With Armament," Ginny resolved, 'I'm going to punch his stupid nose off with a fist coated in Armament Haki.'

It seemed she wasn't the only one thinking along those lines, because a blue fishman with tusks dressed in a traditional kimino slugged him in the stomach first.

"That's more than enough, Arlong," Fisher Tiger growled as the blue fishman scooped up Koala and tucked her into his side, rubbing her back and soothing her cries. "If you insult our allies or even think badly about Koala, I'm putting you on barnacle duty for a year. Jinbei, get Koala some warm milk from the kitchens and get her to bed. Captain Ginny, if you and your nakama could please follow me, we've got a war council to attend."

Notes:

Day 24 of Novella August!

Word Count: 2072

And the Sun Pirates make an entrance! Not many notes other than: I love Fisher Tiger! I LOVE JINBEI! Arlong can jump in a hole! Koala needs (and will receive many) hugs!

Hope you've enjoyed and see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 28: Blood in the Water

Summary:

"Are you seeing it, too?" she asked lowly, not letting her eyes stray.

"I am," Fisher Tiger confirmed, "I'd normally discount it as the usual hostility I receive from humans, but do you see the ones on the edges who can't take their eyes off you?"

"Like a human willingly standing within twenty feet of you is shattering their world view? Yeah, I see them." Ginny's gaze swept over the crowd again, taking note of who looked scared, who looked scornful, and worst of all, who already looked guilty. "If they haven't contacted the Marines already, they were planning to do so soon."
*****
Chapter warning for canon-typical violence and a slight mention of suicidal ideation (it's VERY minor, but is present)

Captain Tiger's estimation was right, and they reached Foolshout by morning. Even though everyone was aware of the possible ambush and knew there was a fair chance they'd be taking her right back, most of the Sun Pirates were still in tears as Koala took her first steps off the Snapper Head and onto the cactus-filled shore.

"Don't go, Koala! You can keep sailing with us!" one merman cried.

"You're a good girl, even if you are human!" another wailed, slightly muffled by a handkerchief.

"Would you pull it together?" a third pirate demanded, though Ginny also noticed that he couldn't bear to watch on as the young girl departed.

This display soothed a few of Koala's nerves. "I'll tell the whole village how great you guys are! I'll let everyone know that fishmen are nice and not scary!"

That rose a cheer from the watching crowd as more and more waved goodbye.

"I'll miss you!" Koala cried, "So long! Thanks for everything!"

"Bye!" an octopus fishman called with a smile, "Good luck out there!"

Ginny turned to walk with Captain Tiger, Koala moving to go between them. As they drew closer to the village, Ginny could see that some of her anxiety returned, and she reached up and grabbed onto Fisher Tiger's hand for comfort.

"It's Koala!" she heard shouted off in the distance. At that moment, Ginny knew that their trio had been spotted by the villagers. Dozens of people came pouring out of houses, and someone said, "She came back! Look, it's your daughter! Come and see for yourself!"

A short, brown-haired woman pushed her way to the front of the gathering crowd. "Koala?! You're home!"

The girl in question began to tear up. "Mom...?"

Fisher Tiger gave her a gentle push forward. That was all Koala needed to start sprinting forward and meeting her mother with a wail.

"I'm so glad you're back!" Koala's mother cried.

"I missed you so much! Mom," Koala said, continuing to wail, "I love you!"

As touching as the moment was, it was soured for Ginny as she took in the distrusting looks of the other villagers.

"Are you seeing it, too?" she asked lowly, not letting her eyes stray.

"I am," Fisher Tiger confirmed, "I'd normally discount it as the usual hostility I receive from humans, but do you see the ones on the edges who can't take their eyes off you?"

"Like a human willingly standing within twenty feet of you is shattering their world view? Yeah, I see them." Ginny's gaze swept over the crowd again, taking note of who looked scared, who looked scornful, and worst of all, who already looked guilty. "If they haven't contacted the Marines already, they were planning to do so soon. They're probably looking at me, realizing Koala wasn't the only innocent person snatched from their home, and are now wondering exactly how many they've doomed with their preemptive hatred."

Captain Tiger hummed, not disagreeing. "Would it be cruel of me to say I hope that they stew in their guilt for the rest of their days?"

"If it is, then I'm cruel, too," Ginny said, "Nika, I hope they choke on it."

She focused back in on Koala for a moment, who was busy telling her mother about the friends and family she had made at sea. "Everyone says fishmen are bad, but that's because they don't know them! I've met so many nice fishmen who saved me!"

"I...." her mother trailed off, brushing back some of Koala's hair, "I think you're confused right now."

The girl shook her head. "Mm-mm! I sailed a long time with Tiger-nii and all his friends. If you got to know them, you'd like them, too. That's all it takes."

Ginny caught the woman's gaze. She closed her eyes and slowly shook her head in shame.

'I wish it could be that easy,' Ginny thought sadly as Koala's mother tried her damnedest to conceal the hate flashing across her face. 'It should be that easy. But we don't live in an easy world. But one day...."

"Let's depart for now," Fisher Tiger suggested, "Enough time should have passed for our crews to get into formation. Even if they did sell us out, I don't think it's wise to do this near the village."

The two turned and leisurely departed, sending waves back to Koala as she yelled her goodbyes and swore to never forget Captain Tiger, Hachi, Aladine, and the others.

"I know things like this does take time, but I do hope that by the time Koala's grown up, fishmen and humans can get along," Captain Tiger said idly as they walked.

"I hope for such a thing, too," Ginny agreed, "The world's got a lot of work to do before that, but one day, some day, there will be peace between our kind. I just know it."

The two let the silence hang comfortably from there as they continued to walk. Ginny felt a few pings on the edge of her Observation, and she snapped twice to let Tiger know they were being watched. Soon enough, the sound of guns being drawn stopped them in their tracks as two dozen Marines circled them. A man stepped forward, cutting a ridiculous figure with at least a meter's length of hair gelled straight up with the usual Marine snapback hat balanced precariously on top.

"Ah ha!" the man said, "There you are! Fisher Tiger of the Sun Pirates. I am Rear Admiral Strawberry. We were informed that you might be stopping on this island."

Ginny shouldn't; she knows it's a very serious situation and that her fellow captain is in the middle of experiencing an active betrayal. She knows it's horrible, horrible timing, but she just can't keep a straight face.

"Snerk-hahahaha!"

Her laughter throws the rear admiral off his whole schtick, which he tries to recover. "That girl--"

"Snerk-hahahaha!"

"That girl--"

"Snerk-hahahaha!"

"That girl-- goddamn it, woman, what are you laughing about?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I just, snerk," Ginny snorted, trying to regain herself, "Captain Tiger's supposed to be taking you seriously? Really? Really?"

Ginny could see a vein forming in Strawberry's forehead. "And what, exactly, is so funny about one of the best Marines in the corps ready to bring him down?"

"Firstly? Kamabakka called: they want to know how you managed to seize the means of production of all of their hair care products," Ginny began, "Secondly? If you're one of the best Marines the institution can offer, my friends have some explaining to do in regards to how they haven't completely dismantled every single one of your strongholds already."

Strawberry's forehead vein throbbed in irritation, but it seemed he found his verbal footing at last. "That girl is property of the Celestial Dragons, but we're going to look the other way on that matter. At least, for the time being, that is. The village elders were more than willing to sell you out so long as we spared her. We can't touch her, of course, seeing as her owners must decide how they want to punish her first. But as for you, you must realize why we're here. There are two charges laid at your feet: assault, and escape."

"Snerk."

Strawberry growled. "What is it this time, you nuisance?"

"Nothing, nothing," Ginny waved away. "It's just. You're talking real big for someone who's outnumbered, outgunned, and outclassed in every sense of the word."

It was the Marines' turn to be ambushed as Ginny's nakama and two-thirds of the Sun Pirates emerged from behind the various cacti surrounding them, their own guns, blades, and fists quickly being readied to fight.

"It seems that you were under the mistaken impression that I would adhere to your human custom of 'coming quietly,'" Fisher Tiger observed, "As if any Child of the Sea would go down without a fight. Perhaps we should introduce you, Rear Admiral Strawberry, to our own traditions that my crew and I are quite fond of. It's called 'fighting honorably' and 'annihilating your opponent.' Now, I know such concepts might be entirely new to you and your fellows, so I think a live demonstration is in order. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Sounds like a wonderful learning experience to me," Ginny said, letting Armament creep up her arms, "Don't worry if the lesson doesn't sink in right away. I have a feeling the lot of us will be very, very patient teachers."

All it took from there was a raise of Strawberry's hands, a charging cry from the pirates, and a flash of gunfire, and the battle was on.

*****

Koala was trying to enjoy being home. She was trying to enjoy the questions and the noise growing into a party, but....

But.

But Koala wasn't stupid. She just knew the Marines were planning to attack, all because of her. So when she heard blasts and bangs out in the distance, blasts and bangs Koala hadn't heard since Tiger-nii threw his gun overboard and the rest of her new family followed suit, Koala knew what it meant.

"Did you hear that noise, Mom?" she still had to ask, "It was so loud."

Her mother froze.

"....no," Koala pleaded in her head, "No, no, no, please don't mean what I think it means."

"What noise?" Mom finally asked, looking away from her.

Koala felt her smile-- the smile Tiger-nii said she didn't have to always have, the one Hachi would always try to replace with a marble game and a laugh --Koala felt that smile freeze on her face.

"It was probably the neighbors getting a little too rowdy setting up a celebration. Why don't we head inside and--"

"Liar."

"Wh-- what?" Mom asked, surprised at the question.

"Liar!" Koala yelled, fighting the urge to grab a rag and start cleaning. "You told the Marines about Tiger-nii and his friends! You told them they were coming!"

"Koala, sweetie," Mom began, "I know you think they're your friends, but they're pirates. They're dangerous. And really, fishmen pirates on top of that, it's a wonder they even delivered you in one piece."

"You, you--" Koala gasped, "How could you?! Tiger-nii and Hachi and Aladine-sensei and Uncle Jinbei and even mean old Arlong are the only reasons I'm here! They're the only reasons I'm not stuck in Marijois scrubbing marble floors and wondering if today is the day I finally get to die! They're my nakama, and you tried to hurt them! They're my nakama, and they're going to die because of me!"

"Koala!" Mom snapped, "You are causing a scene. Stop making me and the village out to be some, some villains. We just did what's best for you. The Marines promised us you'll be left alone now, and isn't it better this way? Now we can just put the whole thing behind us."

"No," Koala said, stepping away from her mother's reaching hand. She shook her head, "No, no, no! You're wrong. The Marines don't keep their word! Nobody keeps their word except...."

"We're taking this girl back home!"

"I know it's hard to believe, but Captain Ginny told me herself. I swear we'll stand beside you and help."

"I'm good, promise. Just a bout of nerves coupled with some rough waters. I'll be good to go by the time we land."

"Pirates," Koala mumbled. She clenched her fists, and before she could think more on it, she bolted.

"Koala! Koala, where are you going? Koala?!"

"I can't stay in a place like this," Koala thought, running towards where all the blasts were coming from, "You can't rely on a traitor for anything other than to betray you again! They already sold out my family once, they'd do it again to me in a heartbeat. The only people I can trust are my nakama!"

"Hey! What's a kid doing here?"

Koala froze at the sight of a Marine pointing his musket at her, but the old human woman from the other crew slammed him over the head with the wooden side of a different gun.

"I thought you were back home, brat!" the woman barked.

"My home's with the Sun Pirates!" Koala said, ducking as the woman swung the musket around and batted away another two men dressed in white.

"Well then you should've stayed back on the ship! Stupid fucking cabin brats, I swear to Davy Jones."

"I can go back to the Snapper Head."

"That'll do you no good," the old woman said, "Arlong informed us that it sank and the rest of your crew had to abandon ship. They're sinking the Marine boats and then they're swimming for the Stanley. Your best bet, girlie, would be making for our skipper and waiting there."

Koala was about to agree and ask where the small boat was being stored, when an unnatural, crushing silence encompassed the battlefield. Koala whipped her head around and felt her eyes widen as she saw the cause.

"Boss!" the Sun Pirates screamed.

"Tiger-nii!"

*****

The only, and Ginny means only, saving grace is that the Marines start retreating the second Fisher Tiger goes down. It was clear that they had figured out they wouldn't win this fight, and that with their initial target technically dispatched, Strawberry had enough to claim his monumental ass-kicking as a Victory for Justice.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon," Ginny urged, tearing off her jacket and putting pressure on Captain Tiger's bullet wounds. 

Finally, someone picked up on the baby Den Den. "Is this urgent?"

"Get me your doctor!" Ginny shouted, "Fisher Tiger's hurt!"

There was swearing and shouts on the other end of the line. Ginny kept her hands steady, not moving even when others of the Sun Pirate crew raced up to her.

"What's going on?" a voice called, "How bad is it?"

The blue fishman that Ginny thought might be the first mate pulled the Den Den bracelet off her wrist and spoke to the snail. "It's bad, Aladine! I'm seeing six entry wounds, at least! We'll try and stop the bleeding as best as we can, but even now I can tell the Boss is going to need a blood transfusion."

"We just punctured the final Marine ship and were about to head for the Stanley," the doctor said, "Damn it, their medical equipment won't be fit for use, and their blood supply would go bad in an open swim."

"We've got a well-stocked med wing on the Stanley. Is it possible for you to meet us there and still be able to treat him?" Ginny asked.

"Not unless one of your crew can do a blood transfusion. The Boss has a very rare blood type; none of us can safely donate."

"What's his typing?"

"S, with the RH- pair. Even among professional medical settings, valid transfusions are rare."

Ginny blinked stupidly before she barked down a laugh. "PUFFER!"

"Captain?!" the fishman called, racing up to her.

"What's that weird mutation of yours that Milgram was so focused on? The one that had him taking monthly samples?"

"I apparently have a rare blood type. S, RH-."

"Do you think any of your blood could be used in a donation?"

Puffer contemplated her words carefully. "Lami would be the one who knows if it's actually safe, but if it isn't, I should be good to directly transfuse."

Ginny turned back to the Den Den. "If you and our cook can get back to the Stanley, and Jinbei, I, and my people transport Tiger on our skipper, would there still be enough time to get him safely treated?"

"Yeah, the blood transfer was the main miracle someone had to pull out of their ass," the doctor of the Sun Pirates said, "We'll have to be quick about it, but I trust Jinbei to keep our captain alive."

"Then strong swimming and helpful currents," Ginny said, "Let's head home."

Notes:

Day 25 of Novella August!

Word Count: 2642

Because I like to show my work whenever I foreshadow something important, here's the relevant line from chapter twenty of this fic:

 

"Milgram was keeping most of us alive with that fruit, kid," Ginny said, "I'm the luckiest one: he had just gotten his hands on me a couple of weeks ago and he said he didn't want to infect me with anything until something 'developed a bit more.' Come to think of it, Puffer should be able to walk away from it, too. Milgram was just interested in his blood; something about a weird mutation in his typing."

 

That "weird mutation" is the S(RH-) blood type, which according to the fan wiki, only 11 named characters have, so yeah, a REALLY rare mutation. Fisher Tiger truly is one of the unluckiest characters in the 'verse. (And I know he declined treatment in canon because of prejudice, not because of a lack of availability, but my point still stands. Dude was at least a little jinxed).

Anyway, another surprise POV in this chapter! Loving that for Koala. A lot of this chapter is built around episode 543 of the anime, and after rewatching it for the fic, you cannot look me in the eye and tell me the villagers wouldn't have sold Koala down the river if the Celestial Dragons came back for "their property."

I know in the sub & the original translation, it seems like Strawberry legitimately agreed to leave Koala & the village alone, but I'm a dub girlie and in that he says "We'll look the other way for the time being." To me, that 100% implies that Strawberry planned to return and kidnap Koala again, and if by some miracle the villagers don't hand her over to save their own hides, they already failed in protecting her once. I doubt they could've/would've succeeded in protecting her the second time around. So yeah, Koala is sticking with the Sun Pirates! Those are her nakama, and they love each other!

As always, thank you for reading, and I'll see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 29: Stew and Seafood

Summary:

"Nakama and allies homeward bound," she said, stepping into the med bay, "Ginny said to prepare Puffer's samples if possible?"

"Got it. Reiju, check the coolers for any blood bags with circled P's on them. Throw out any drawn more than a month ago," Lami instructed, "I'll try and get a few beds ready. Did Ginny give any indication of how many were injured?"

"Not an exact number, no. She just said you'll 'be getting a few new bunkmates,'" Gomako explained, "I'm heading to the kitchens to prepare something for everyone who's returning. I will optimistically assume they like stew."

After a full twenty-four hours of waiting with the Den Den Mushis, Gomako dives for the snails the second a familiar 'puru-puru-puru-puru' sounded throughout the room.

"This is the S.V. Stanley, how may I direct your call?" she asked, gearing up to run and notify whoever was needed.

"Oranges," Ginny began. Gomako let the smallest amount of tension drain from her posture; it was always good to have assurance that the Marines weren't currently hot on their tail. "We're inbound from Foolshout. I and the others should be there within five hours, but a few of our new friends will be coming in within the next two. Lami's going to have a few bunkmates and a new peer to play with. Tell her to take a look at Puffer's samples and prepare them if possible. She'll know what that means."

"Aye, aye," Gomako agreed, "Do our new friends have any dietary restrictions?"

"I couldn't tell you, and that is so not my priority right now," Ginny answered.

"Fair enough. I'll see you soon and will tell the necessary people to prepare," Gomako said, "S.V. Stanley signing out."

She ended the call with a 'gacha,' grabbed a small terrarium for the snail she just called with and the biggest white Den Den, and raced through the halls of the ship.

"Nakama and allies homeward bound," she said, stepping into the med bay, "Ginny said to prepare Puffer's samples if possible?"

"Got it. Reiju, check the coolers for any blood bags with circled P's on them. Throw out any drawn more than a month ago," Lami instructed, "I'll try and get a few beds ready. Did Ginny give any indication of how many were injured?"

"Not an exact number, no. She just said you'll 'be getting a few new bunkmates,'" Gomako explained, "I'm heading to the kitchens to prepare something for everyone who's returning. I will optimistically assume they like stew."

She leaves the other two girls to their work and does just that. Gomako had been one of the only ones to step foot in the kitchens with Puffer gone. It seemed the crew agreed that they were the fishman's domain, and no one wanted to be on the bad side of the person who prepared their food. Gomako, though, who had been assisting him since she stepped onto the Stanley, was a bit more welcome, and thus had taken it upon herself to make the crews' meals in Puffer's absence. It helped, too, that cooking was also something to do instead of just incessantly waiting for the Den Dens to ring, all the while (logically) assuming the worst possible outcome.

Gomako did not consider herself an overly spiritual person, and the girl who had come before hadn't claimed any one religion. But even so, she found herself ladling an extra bowl of soup into an empty cup and placing it on the center of the Nika shrine.

"Please protect them," Gomako said, gazing at the small, laughing icon carved into the panel of wood, "Keep all of my crewmates free another day, and those who seek to free others safe on the waves. You would like them, I'm sure, and such people belong to no one but themselves and the Sea. Don't let some undeserving dogs claim what is not rightfully theirs to take."

For good measure, she added some extra bacon and a few apple slices from the fridge. "Thank you. I hope you enjoy the food."

*****

("Oi, old hag! Can we have stew tonight?"

"I thought you and those troublesome brothers of yours were planning to roast your alligator on a spit. Why're you begging for stew all of a sudden?" his new caretaker asked.

"'Cause my bacon-giver made stew, and now I want stew," the boy whined.

"Ugh, when are you going to give up that stupid imaginary friend?" the eldest brother complained, "You're getting too old for it, Luffy."

"It figures that his imaginary friends would give him meat," the middle brother snorted, "How many are there, again?"

"They aren't imaginary friends! They're just nakama I haven't met yet!" the youngest boy defended, "My bacon-giver's just the only one that ever tries to reach out. And there's her brother the cook and her gonna'-be sister the surgeon. She's meeting another of our nakama soon, but I can't tell which one."

"Is bacon-giver even a position on a pirate ship?" the caretaker asked.

"Well I can't tell what her crew role is yet! It's so weird because I know her brother's going to be our cook and her gonna'-be sister's our surgeon---but not our doctor, that's very important. But for some reason, I can't give her a position on the crew."

"Maybe your bacon-giver won't be on your crew," the eldest brother teased, tipping off the youngest's straw hat and giving him a noogie.

"Of course she is! I just can't.... ooooooooohhhhhhhhhh." The young boy's face flashed in realization. "Shishishishi. That makes sense! I can't give her her role on the crew because she has to be Voted for it, just like Shanks said."

His two older brothers shared a look. "Hah?"

"My bacon-giver's going to be my quartermaster!" the boy said, "Now that that's cleared up, Dadan, make us some stew!")

*****

Barracudon's the first one to return to the Stanley, with dozens of fishmen and mermen following behind him.

"Permission to come aboard?" someone called from the water. 

"Granted!" Henriquez allowed, already throwing a rope ladder over the side.

As the others climbed up, Barracudon was pointing the Sun Pirates in various directions, reclaiming command as helmsman. Most of the other crew made their way to the galley to dry off and rest, or followed Aladine to the med bay. Hatchan, though, was ushered into the kitchens where he found Gomako stirring a giant pot.

"Oh, hello," the octopus fishman said to the girl, "You look like you're around Koala's age. Do you help Puffer cook?"

"Assisting with lunch is one of my daily chores," Gomako confirmed, "Do your nakama like stew? I thought it would be the easiest thing I could make on such a large scale."

"They do, but they like seafood best. And after a really hard fight and such a long swim, they'll need the extra protein. Do you mind if I raid your larder and ask you to help with making a seafood feast for everyone?"

"So long as you instruct me as necessary. I am no culinary expert."

"Sure thing. Let's get cooking! I'm Hatchan, by the way. Feel free to call me Hachi."

"I am Gomako."

The pirate chef and the little chef-in-training washed their hands and pulled out fresh cutting boards, ready to cook as much food as their crews could ever want.

Notes:

Day 26 of Novella August!

Word Count: 1125

Hope you've enjoyed the chapter! I'll see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 30: The Roots of Understanding

Summary:

Fisher Tiger wakes slowly. A large part of him hadn't expected to wake at all, and yet, he still finds himself blinking blearily awake in an unfamiliar bed in a clean white room. A shock of panic strikes through his heart, and Tiger flails in his cot, half-expecting to find himself chained to it. Instead, a familiar touch guides him back down.

"We're aboard the S.V. Stanley," Aladine say.
*****
Chapter warning for mentions of slavery, rape, and abortion. Nothing is very in-depth, but it does take place

Fisher Tiger wakes slowly. A large part of him hadn't expected to wake at all, and yet, he still finds himself blinking blearily awake in an unfamiliar bed in a clean white room. A shock of panic strikes through his heart, and Tiger flails in his cot, half-expecting to find himself chained to it. Instead, a familiar touch guides him back down.

"We're aboard the S.V. Stanley," Aladine says slowly, "You received eight bullet wounds to the chest and upper abdomen, three of which I had to surgically remove. You have three broken ribs and five bruised ones. I will be monitoring your lungs for the coming weeks, but it seems you were lucky enough to somehow not have anything puncture them. I had to perform a blood transfusion, which was donated from Puffer of the allied crew."

"The.... others?" he struggled to get out.

"A few minor injuries, but other than Chew, who broke his arm, nothing major. The Snapper Head was destroyed in the conflict, but in retaliation, Arlong and the others who remained aboard sunk the attacking Marine vessels. Captain Ginny has been monitoring Marine channels; there has been and most likely will not be any Marines in pursuit."

"The crew? Koala?" Tiger asked, voice raspy.

Aladine finally lost his 'serious doctor expression' and let slip a small smile. "Koala returned with us to most of the crew's delight. She didn't think she could trust her village to keep her safe, and I am not going to question that wise decision more than necessary. Almost everyone is bonding with the other crew, and if they aren't actively making friends, they're at least being civil. Or in Arlong's case, sulking in the corner with his mouth shut."

Fisher Tiger nodded his head, easing himself back onto the cot and letting any lingering tension drain from his body.

"Dr. Aladine, sir," a new voice said, "Should we discuss Captain Fisher's treatment options now, or should I leave that to you?"

"Go ahead, Lami," Aladine said with a nod.

The girl nodded back and turned to Tiger. "Hello, my name is Trafalgar D. Water Lami, of the Stanley crew. I have minor medical training and will be assisting Dr. Aladine in his duties. What those duties entail shall be determined by you. Patient comfort should, after all, be accommodated as often as possible."

"Hello," Fisher Tiger said back, a little off-footed by the human girl's carefree attitude in the face of a merman doctor invading her med ward and taking over the space to treat a fishman patient. But then again, Tiger had long since determined that the children of the world were less likely to possess the hate of their grown-up counterparts. Hopefully, young Miss Lami wouldn't allow such hatred to grow in her heart.

"Dr. Aladine shall be the one in charge of your primary care. I will only be around occasionally to clean, restock, or potentially treat other patients. If you are comfortable with it, I might also participate in minor medical tasks, such as changing your bandages or assisting in the set-up of further blood transfusions. Does this sound agreeable?" the girl asked seriously.

"Yes. Yes, this is.... agreeable," Tiger answered slowly.

Lami and Aladine both nodded.

"The other further duty I may have is making medicines," Lami continued, "I recently ate the Kusuri Kusuri no Mi. This Devil Fruit grants me the ability to create medicines, so long as I understand the chemical makeup of the medicine and the intricacies of what the medicines will be treating. I have recently gotten the hang of creating iron supplements. Do you consent to consuming these supplements as Dr. Aladine may prescribe?"

"No!" Tiger said, his answer coming out much more pressing than he thought, "That is, not that I doubt your handling of your powers, I just--"

"No justification is necessary, Captain Tiger," Lami reassured, "Any patient may accept or refuse care as they wish. Will that be all, Dr. Aladine?"

"Please notify the kitchens that Fisher Tiger will need a very iron-rich diet," Aladine said, "But other than that, you may go, Lami."

The human girl bowed to Aladine, and then in an instant, she threw off her lab coat, tore off her rubber gloves, and all but transformed into another person.

"How'd I do, how'd I do?" she asked excitedly, bouncing on the heels of her feet, "I tried to act all serious like Gomako does, but without her wicked resting bitch face."

"Your bedside manner was more than acceptable," Aladine said with a chuckle, "You're free until after dinner. Go have fun with your friends."

"I might swing by earlier than that," she said, heading for the door, "Someone's got to bully Ginny into getting a check-up."

"Perhaps you might mention setting a good example for the rest of the crew," Aladine suggested, "That's usually the magic words I use to get the chief to agree."

Fisher Tiger squawked at the very obvious abuse of doctor's orders, but the Lami just cackled.

Aladine shook his head and turned back to him. "I told you, didn't I, that most of the crew was making friends? I am not immune to that phenomenon. And I doubt you will be, either."

*****

Aladine agrees to let Fisher Tiger leave the med bay and spend a few hours before dinner up on his feet. His crew's doctor watches him like a hawk the entire time, and follows him around with a chair and a water bottle 'in case he gets winded,' but even an ounce of freedom is appreciated.

Tiger is greeted by cheers and hellos from almost everyone who sees him. Even the human strangers who had remained on the Stanley give him smiles and well-wishes as they go about their duties. Tiger finds this strange. Not nefarious or fabricated, just.... unusual. No human's ever been genuinely happy to see Tiger whole and hearty instead of the opposite. He keeps expecting the usual disgust awarded to him by humans, but it never comes.

Eventually, Tiger winds up seated by the helm, seated a few meters away from where Barracudon is manning the steering wheel. The two fishmen nod at each other before Tiger turns away to enjoy the sea breeze and watch whatever's going on on the main deck below them.

To his surprise, Kuroobi is having a heated discussion with a young girl. Fisher Tiger almost thinks she's related to Captain Ginny before he catches a closer look and determines that the pink hair and purple-ish eyes are the only traits the two humans share. Regardless, the young girl seems to say something that makes Kuroobi stop and ponder. Eventually, his nakama holds up his arm to reveal a stinger jut out at his elbow. He accepts something from the girl and sticks the stinger in.

Fisher Tiger has all of five seconds to realize that the thing the girl passed Kuroobi is a shot glass, and that the stingray fishman filled it with venom. By the time those facts sink in, the girl downs the liquid in a single gulp and smiles up at Kuroobi.

"Reiju!" Barracudon barks from his place at the helm, "What have we told you about consuming toxins without proper supervision?!"

"But it tastes so good!" the young girl defended, "And besides, Puffer-san told me he won't let me try his venom until I can prove another fishman's venom won't kill me."

"No, Puffer said he won't let you drink his neurotoxin until he get's the all-clear from an actual doctor."

The girl stuck her tongue out at Barracudon. Kuroobi just laughed.

"It sounds like you've got a mind for poisons, kid," Kuroobi said, "Have you tried combining them with a few good hits?"

"I'm practiced in general combat but nothing poison-specific."

"Then come on, let me show you a few things."

Fisher Tiger was gobsmacked. Kuroobi, who was usually one to follow Arlong's pure outrage against humans, was enthusiastically showing off some fishman karate moves to the young human girl.

Barracudon sighed. "Seas save me from menace cabin girls"

Tiger was wondering if he should be asking the Sea for sanity, instead. It seemed the world's currents were turning topsy-turvy.

*****

Dinner that night was spent in the galley, where Hachi, Puffer, and another cabin girl were busy flitting from table to table delivering dishes fit for a feast. Fisher Tiger's plate was shoveled high with oysters and clams (for the extra iron), and leafy greens (for the iron again, but also the added vitamins).

His nakama sat around him, sharing laughter and stories and pure relief at making it another day. Koala, in particular, was much more bubbly than usual, constantly giving wonderous looks to those seated around her, savoring the food on her plate as if it were the last meal she'd ever eat, and laughing far more than he'd ever seen her laugh before.

Eventually, when the meal began to slow and a few of his crew dismissed themselves to bed for the night, Koala waved over the third cabin girl.

"Gomako, Gomako!" Koala cheered, "Tell Tiger-nii your stories from before."

"What stories?" Tiger asked.

The girl, who looked almost identical to the one who had spoken to Kuroobi, except for a crop of bright orange hair and more bluish eyes, made her way over to the table. "They aren't my stories. I did not write them. You simply said you were bored, and I remarked that many cultures use storytelling to pass the time on sea voyages, and you asked if I knew any 'good ones.' I then began to recite a story I had known to be highly-regarded."

"Don't get technical with me!" Koala giggled, "Just tell the story for Tiger-nii! It's such a fun one."

With a sigh and a shrug, the girl hopped up onto the table. Almost everyone, not just those seated with Fisher Tiger, felt their eyes draw to her.

"The year Buttercup was born," the girl began, voice cutting through the galley, "The most beautiful woman in the world was a Bourgeois scullery maid named Annette."

Fisher Tiger sat, enthralled, as the girl spun a grand tale of romance and adventure, all in the soothing monotone that she refused adjust. Right as she approached the final test of wits pinning the Man in the Black Mask against the supposedly-cunning Vizzini, Hachi called for her to return to the kitchen and clean the dishes. The girl hopped off the table with nary a thought and got back to work. 

A few moments later, Tiger was embarrassed to realize that he was one of the many who insisted that the girl come back and finish her story. But it wasn't as if anyone could blame him: what would happen next?

*****

When Fisher Tiger finally made his way back to the med bay, he was startled to find a weepy Captain Ginny sitting on one of the beds.

"Shit, fuck," she said, moving to rise to her feet, "I'll let you rest, Captain Tiger. Goodnight."

"Wait," he said, not quite knowing what was urging him to stop the woman in her tracks, "Are you alright?"

"I am, I will be," the usually bold, unshakable human said, "Just.... got some bad news. Personal bad news," she was quick to assure, "Nothing that'll likely affect the rest of the crew. Just...."

Ginny collapsed back onto the bunk. Tiger made his way over to his own. "Would you like to talk about it?" he asked hesitantly. He was by no means the one his crew went to with their heartache, but he knew what it was like to feel that he couldn't truly share his deepest thoughts and feelings with others. Aladine may have joked, but captains did, in fact, have to set a good example of strength to the rest of the crew.

Ginny stared despondently up at the ceiling. "Is there anyone you hate for something they can't help? And then you feel like a hypocrite and a horrible person, because obviously they can't help being who they are any more than I can help being who I am. And you feel like the rottenest person in the world because you preach day and night that everyone's a person who deserves the same chances as you, and that no singular person should ever be held accountable for a collective group's sins, especially if the individual never took part in it."

Fisher Tiger blinked slowly. "Every day of my life."

Ginny whipped her head over to look at him. 

"Do you remember, on the boat, when you were transporting me to the Stanley and I briefly awoke?" Tiger began slowly.

Ginny nodded. "I'm actually surprised that you remember. You were pretty out of it."

"No, I imagine I was more lucid than you think."

"But, but you were refusing treatment, and telling us you wouldn't get the blood transfusion?" she asked, confused.

Tiger nodded. "That's because I thought, at the time, that the donated blood came from a human."

Ginny blinked in confusion. "You were going to refuse life-saving treatment because you thought said treatment was only possible due to a human person?"

Fisher Tiger nodded. "I urge all of my nakama to show mercy to humanity and to give humans the chance to be kind, but in my heart, I am scared and disgusted of humans. I have seen and experienced so much of humanity's cruelty. So, so much. Every horror story you hear whispered in the dead of night holds a kernel of truth; every possible moral standard you could ever set is eventually broken. Right when you think humanity could sink no lower, it finds soft ground and a strong shovel, and starts to dig."

"It used to be so easy to dismiss humanity as a whole, and to explain any of 'the good ones' as outliers. And then a ship full of  humans traveled leagues to save us," Fisher Tiger said, laughing, "And I tried to dismiss you all as exceptions, as ones who'd only hold empathy towards us because you went through similar horrors. But that didn't hold true because there are two princesses who never spent a day in chains, and who are still bonding with my crewmates. I tried to say it was just because many of you are young or idyllic, but there's an old, crotchety woman who faced down a Rear Admiral for us. And I realized very quickly that by dismissing humans as cruel monsters, just like most humans do to my kind, I ignore the great capacity of human kindness. But more importantly, I dismiss the great capacity of human growth."

"And now?" Ginny asked.

"And now the hate for humanity is still in my heart, but it's loosened. Unstuck from the glue holding it in place. I will not be rid of it today or tomorrow, but I feel as if I can now begin to chip away at it little by little."

Ginny hummed in thought, still staring at the ceiling.

"I'm pregnant."

It was Tiger's turn to whip his head around to look at her.

"Lami finally got me in here for a check-up and ran a full physical because she's a brat and wanted to punish me for not regularly stopping by when I'm injured. The pregnancy test was just a standard procedure. Neither of us actually thought it would be positive," she explained slowly, "I hadn't had my period for the past three months, but I've always been inconsistent. That happens when you grow up a slave and regularly starved. Lami estimates that I'm between twelve and fourteen weeks along. I should start showing soon."

Fisher Tiger did not offer his congratulations. He knew they would be misplaced.

"The only people who could possibly be the father are the Celestial Dragon that forced me to be his eighth fucking wife, or his fuck ass son who liked to go on power trips and play with daddy's toys," Ginny sneered with disdain, "I would relish the chance to slit both of their throats, but instead I'm carrying one of their child because life's not fucking fair."

"Do you want to keep it?" he couldn't help but ask.

"I...." Ginny trailed off, "Lami offered to try and make me something, and I have a friend in the East Blue who can help when we get to them."

"That doesn't answer my question," Tiger said, "Do you want to keep it?"

Ginny couldn't give an answer.

"If you do, no one could or would blame you. It's your body, and you have a right to decide what you do with it. But if you do raise the child, they're not going to be a Celestial Dragon's spawn. They'll be the child of Ginny: the acting captain who led her crew to victory and freedom. The one who saved the Sun Pirates."

Ginny closed her eyes, picturing something. Whether it was a future with a babe at her hip, or one of wild, independent lonesome, he did not know. But whatever the future was, it made her smile.

"Fuck, there's going to be so much logistics to figure out," she bemoaned, "Kumachi better be holding my hand through everything, I swear to Nika."

"Even if he's not, I think you've got some nakama who can easily step up to the plate," Tiger soothed, "How far out are we from the East Blue, anyway?"

"Close," Ginny revealed, "We'll be reaching Reverse Mountain soon. Have you ever Cut the Corners before?"

"No," Tiger said.

"Oh, well, then I hope you're good with whales," she said, "Because you're going to be getting a crash course in D.-style sailing one-oh-one."

Fisher Tiger's nerves flared at her growing grin. "What now?"

"Don't worry," Ginny dismissed with a laugh, "We already have a D. on board, and I know the lighthouse keeper. Trust me, we'll get through this with minimal screaming. I hope."

Notes:

Day 27 of Novella August!

Word Count: 2992

To anyone who was worried we would be getting no Bonney: you can relax now. She will exist. Bonney logistics:

1.) Bonney's birthday is September 1st. If someone is born then, they would likely be conceived around the end of the previous December and/or the first week of the previous January.

2.) Milgram received Ginny "a few weeks" before Reiju & Gomako met the Stanley crew. As a reminder, they all met during the Reverie, which occurred in the first week of March. This means Ginny joined up in late January/early February, roughly a month after Bonney's conception.

3.) Bodies & pregnancies can be very individual, but first-time mothers generally start developing a baby bump 12-16 weeks into the pregnancy. For Ginny, this would be roughly late March/early-to-mid April.

4.) Ginny's feelings towards Bonney are going to be complicated right now, but she proved in canon that she does ultimately love & want her daughter. I highly doubt she would've asked Kuma to look after Bonney otherwise. That said, I personally am pro-choice and could not imagine a world where Ginny didn't at least *consider* terminating her pregnancy, especially as it was one born of rape. But again, as in canon, Ginny is ultimately going to choose to keep Bonney & will ask Kuma to raise her. Only this time, she's going to ask Kuma to raise Bonney WITH her instead :D

Other Notes:

Fisher Tiger the complicated (fish)man that you are. Letting go of hatred is never easy, but I believe in you!

The story Gomako was telling was, indeed, a One Piece-adapted version of the Princess Bride. I sincerely believe that the Princess Bride is one of the greatest stories I've ever gotten the pleasure to experience, and I think it fits perfectly into the One Piece universe.

I've been rereading some of my work, and I've realized I need to make Lami, Reiju, Koala, and Gomako weirder. Weird Little Girls(TM) are the lifeblood of my fics, and I can't believe I've strayed so far from roots.

And, as always: thanks for reading and I'll see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 31: Fresh Chowder

Summary:

Gomako hears that they've arrived at Reverse Mountain before she sees it. She's shucking clams in the kitchens, helping Hatchan and Puffer prep a chowder, when a long, low echo rattles the dishes stacked in the cupboards.

"BWOOOOOO!"

Gomako had not given much thought to the logistics of navigation. While she considered herself to possess at least above-average intelligence, she had no training in cartography or meteorology. She acknowledges, though, that for her own safety, she should've at least asked who the crew's navigator was a little sooner. At the very least, it would've meant she could've had a more vigilant handle on Anne before the chalkydri bowled Mary over and sent the log pose flying across the deck. Gomako, rightfully, was put on deck-swabbing duty until they reached Reverse Mountain.

"Why are we even heading for Reverse Mountain, anyway?" Gomako asked, "Don't the waters move towards the Grand Line? Are we expected to row the entire length of the mountain and then row back down again?"

"Ha! No way in hell," Mary dismissed, "We'll be Cutting the Corners."

"And what does that entail, exactly?"

Mary gave Gomako a smile. There was an emotion or two behind the smile, ones that she couldn't quite decipher. "Oh, you'll find out."

Gomako, recognizing that the older woman had no plans to explain her cryptic words, wandered off to ask someone else what 'Cutting the Corners' meant. Unfortunately, it seemed that no one quite knew. Barracudon had sailed with someone who had 'Cut the Corners' once, and Henriquez assured her that some old sailors of his hometown had done so and lived to tell the tale, but no one could accurately explain what the process was.

"Don't worry about it," Ginny had said when Gomako finally got around to asking her, "It's just an old sailing route that you can only pull off at Reverse Mountain. Cutting the Corners is our only way to safely get to the Four Blues without sailing through Marijois."

That stopped Gomako in her tracks.

"Didn't we start in Marijois?" she asked, "Wouldn't it have made more sense to sail directly from there to the East Blue?"

"It would've if we still had Milgram aboard when we left," Ginny answered, "You need layers upon layers of clearance to leave or enter Marijois. We got away with sailing past Marineford because no Marine would expect a band of 'criminals' to have the balls to sneak past them. If we went through one of the Blue Seas passages, we would've needed written and verbal confirmation not just from Milgram, but from Milgram's backer to even make it past the first gate. And trust me, Oranges, St. Jaygarcia Saturn wasn't going to give us shit. We didn't need the direct attention of one of the Five Elder Stars for trying, either."

Gomako nodded, accepting this explanation. "Very well. Now what exactly is 'Cutting the Corners'?"

"Now why would I give you a straight answer and ruin Mary's fun?" Ginny teased, "It'll be fine. All we need is skill, resolve, and the luck of the devil to pull it off. I'd like to think between Mary, Lami, and the rest of us, we've got those three very well covered."

Gomako turned away without a word and returned to the deck to see if any more swabbing needed to be done. If everyone was going to be withholding or clueless, she might as well see if she could climb back into Mary's good graces and get a straight answer that way.

*****

Gomako hears that they've arrived at Reverse Mountain before she sees it. She's shucking clams in the kitchens, helping Hatchan and Puffer prep a chowder, when a long, low echo rattles the dishes stacked in the cupboards.

"BWOOOOOO!"

"Ah!" Hatchan catches the dozens of bowls with his half a dozen arms. Gomako is not so graceful and goes flying into the bag of empty clam shells lying at her feet.

"Did we hit something?" Puffer asked, only to be drowned out by an even louder echo.

"BWOOOOOOOOO!"

"I think I should go investigate," Gomako says, tying up the bag of shells, "I'll let you know if we have, in fact, hit something, and if that something can be diced up and cooked for dinner."

She emerges onto the deck to see most of the Sun Pirates staring off into the distance. Fisher Tiger steps forward and turns to the others. "Aladine, Jinbei: can either of you understand it?"

"Not this far out," the merman doctor says, "It's mourning, that's for certain, but I couldn't tell you about what."

"The fellow's voice is strange," Jinbei continued.

"How so?"

"It's got a musical quality to it, even more so than regular whale songs," he tried to explain, "It's almost as if someone taught him to sing before he learned to speak."

Gomako followed their gazes, watching as the Stanley drew closer and closer to their destination. Eventually, she returned to the kitchen to help finish meal prep, but ever so slowly, hour by hour, the mournful cry grew louder. At some point, someone points out a black speck on the horizon. And then that speck, too, starts to grow.

"BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The girl who came before once read an interview of a fantasy author who had their written work adapted to the screen. In the interview, the author wrote how surprised he was by the sheer scale of the castles used as set pieces. He explained that it was easy to write down a seemingly grand number on a page, but to see those figures in real life made him realize exactly how fantastical his fantasy world was.

Gomako keeps this in mind as she looks up and up and up. It's one thing to read or watch a cartoon where a whale is the size of a mountain. It's quite another to behold such a beast in real life, where just the part of the creature visible above the water is already much taller than any skyscraper from another world.

With a few flicks of his tail, Laboon rolls his body even further out of the water, gearing up to ram into the Red Line. The people around Gomako panic, racing to get out of the way of the whale's splash zone and/or avoid becoming collateral damage. Gomako, though, doesn't.

Instead, she walks towards the mast, climbs up to the crow's nest, and does something she's never done before.

"Yo-hohoho, yo-ho-ho-ho. Yo-hohoho, yo-ho-ho-ho."

The whale freezes when he hears Gomako open her mouth and begin to sing.

"Yo-hohoho, yo-ho-ho-ho. Yo-hohoho, yo-ho-ho-ho."

Slowly, ever-so-slowly, Laboon eases his way back down to the water and answers back with a softer, but no less mournful, "BWOOOO!"

Gomako takes this as a sign to keep singing.

"Gather up all of the crew, it's time to ship out Binks' Brew! Sea wind blows, to where, who knows? The waves will be our guide!" It isn't easy to sing a song Gomako technically has never heard before. It isn't easy to sing, period, in fact. Even the simplest of tunes requires emotion inflection that she cannot easily replicate, but for the life and safety of her nakama, she will try her best. "O'er across the ocean's tide, rays of sunshine far and wide! Birds, they sing of cheerful things in circles passing by!"

Far down on the deck below, a voice rises up to join her.

"Bid farewell to weaver's town! Say so long to ports renowned! Sing a song, it won't be long before we're casting off!"

As Laboon calms further, more and more join in on the tune.

"'Cross the gold and silver seas, the salty spray puts us at ease! Day an' night, to our delight, the voyage never ends!"

The giant whale finally enters the water fully, and Gomako lets her voice die down with the end of the verse.

"Yo-hohoho, yo-ho-ho-ho. Yo-hohoho, yo-ho-ho-ho."

"Yo-hohoho, yo-ho-ho-ho. Yo-hohoho, yo-ho-ho-ho."

"Yo-hohoho, yo-ho-ho-ho. Yo-hohoho, yo-ho-ho-ho."

Laboon lets out a few more cries and chitters at the lyrics before quieting down and diving to the depths below. It is then, and only then, that a light from the nearby lighthouse shines directly at their ship.

"Oi!" a voice calls by way of a megaphone snail, "What'd you lot do to Laboon?!"

Notes:

Day 28 of Novella August!

Word Count: 1343

Hope you all enjoyed, and I'll see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 32: Steamed Crustaceans

Summary:

"Hey ya, old man!" Ginny called, "You remember me?"

Crocus paled comically fast and pointed an accusing finger at the woman. "Oh no, you don't! Out, out, out of these waters! You D.-clan adoption bait will destroy my last shreds of sanity."

Ginny pouted. "If this is because of the incident with the paints, I still say that was Dragon's fault."

"Don't get your flower in a twist!" Mary jeered as Gomako descended from the crow's nest, "We just sang to the old boy, Crocus, that's all."

"Hmh. Well, it's sight better than the usual attacks rookies greet him with," the old lighthouse keeper grumbled, "And speaking of, I'd have never expected you to be sailing with a new crew, Mary."

"Nakama they may be, but this lot ain't a proper pirate crew," the older woman said seriously, "You of all people know why I've put the black flag days behind me."

Crocus gave her a once-over before shaking his head. "Any left on your list?"

Mary's smile turned dangerous. "Not a one."

"Congratulations are in order, then. I'll pour out a toast to Jack and Liz."

"I appreciate the offer, but we don't have the time. The acting captain was hoping to Cut the Corners, and you know we have to pull that soon before a storm pops up to ruin it for us."

"Now who on earth is crazy enough to pull a stunt like that?"

"Hey ya, old man!" Ginny called, "You remember me?"

Crocus paled comically fast and pointed an accusing finger at the woman. "Oh no, you don't! Out, out, out of these waters! You D.-clan adoption bait will destroy my last shreds of sanity."

Ginny pouted. "If this is because of the incident with the paints, I still say that was Dragon's fault."

"I don't care whose fault it is! I just want to be enjoying retirement, not cleaning up the bullshit of the next generation. If I had any interest in that, I would've volunteered to host my crew's cabin boys more often."

"Well you're in luck," Ginny said, "All we want to do is Cut the Corners; helps us do that, and I'll be out of your balding hair."

*****

They ate lunch, as Crocus insisted that you shouldn't Cut the Corners on an empty stomach. As they feasted on the chowder and steamed crustaceans Gomako had helped prepare, she finally got an answer to what 'Cutting the Corners' actually entailed.

"The Calm Belt surrounds the Grand Line, and usually the only way to circumnavigate it is to either go through Reverse Mountain or Marijois," the old doctor explained, "But if you're gutsy enough, you can sail through it. Now, if you're smart and powerful, you'd find someone with Conqueror's haki to take out the sea kings, or train up a large sea beast to pull you through. But if you're insane or desperate enough, you can try and launch your way through where the Calm Belt is thinnest."

"How does that work?" Reiju asked.

"The Calm Belt is thinnest directly off of the tip of Reverse Mountain, or its 'corner'. All you have to do is ride the current and build up enough momentum and pressure behind you to push through. There're two catches, though. Firstly, you've got to be fast enough that you can skim over the sea kings' nesting grounds without becoming dinner. And secondly, there's only ever enough power to put a ship on a straight shot path. You can't adjust your course in the Calm Belt or you'll lose momentum, and you can't keep sailing forward or you'll run head-on into the Red Line. It's damn near impossible, but there is a way."

Gomako let those words sink in before she slowly nodded her head. "I see. Captain Ginny, can you assist me in writing a will?"

"You won't need a will, brat," she said, ruffling her hair with affection(? possibly annoyance), "Mary and I have both done this before, and it helps that we have two D.'s on board to cover our bases."

That made her pause. "I'm sorry, two?"

Mary cackled.

"Ah." Gomako gave a nod and returned to her seafood.

"Really, Mary, you didn't even share your name?" Crocus asked with a frown.

"Many things were a need-to-know basis, and the bastard in charge of us sure as shit didn't need to know," Mary snarked, "But yes. Rea D. Mary, formerly of the Platinum Pirates, at your service."

Things devolved a bit from there as others called out and demanded tales of Mary's time with the Platinum Pirates. She wove stories of adventures and treasures past, but rarely spoke well of any of her old crew, save for the fondly mentioned Jack and Liz. Gomako thought that there was something that flashed in the old woman's eye when she spoke, some still-smoldering rage that had largely been reduced to coals, but Gomako didn't mention it.

Eventually, Mary's stories came to an end, and dirty dishes were collected, washed, and battened down with the rest of the kitchen supplies. Gomako returned to the deck, and once everyone who was able to was present, began to assist in rowing the oars.

They didn't have to row up all of Reverse Mountain (thank the Seas), but they did have to position carefully at the mouth of the mountain's river. Crocus, who could only shake his head at the insanity before agreeing to help, closed up a water door between the two lighthouses.

"Steady...." Ginny said, watching as the waters built behind the wall. Gomako's eyes, though, were drawn towards Laboon, who circled to the back of the ship, right behind the steering wheel and the stern, but also quite a ways starboard.

"Steady...."

Gomako silently watched as the giant whale slowly began to lift his tail higher and higher.

"Steady...." Ginny urged again as a bit of water sloshed high enough to nearly fly over the water door.

At this point, Laboon was almost completely vertical in the water, only keeping his head below the waves.

"Now!"

Faster than Gomako thought possible, the water door swung open. The water rushed forward and straight towards the Stanley. It rushed them in an instant, pushing them faster than Gomako had ever moved before on the water.

"BWOOOOOO!"

With a great bellow, Laboon slammed his tail straight down. The tsunami sent out in the aftermath caught their ship and only added to its speed. 

For a moment-- for a single moment --time stopped and the Stanley stood stoic on the waters.

And then they go

I

Y                  N

L                                 G

F                                               .

Notes:

Day 29 of Novella August!

Word Count: 1039

Rea D. Mary is totally named for Mary Read, the Golden Age Pirate. Also, yes she is a D. because she's badass and we need more female D. clan members. Rouge was the only one for the longest time, and she died in a flashback. Spoilers: I know two more women have since officially joined the D. clan ranks and that they are both very narratively important, but one is also (presumably) dead, and that's still only 3/15 named D.'s.

Also, sorry if the last part is hard to read. I've always loved when fanfics can make the words kind of follow the shape of the action, and since this is my self-indulgent, quick-write fic, I figured I might as well try my hand at it. It obviously won't become a regular thing, I just wanted to see if I could do it. Maybe I'll bring it back for special occasions.

Anyway, thank you for reading, and I'll see you tomorrow <3

Chapter 33: Popcorn and a Show

Summary:

She hangs onto the railing for dear life as the Stanley skips through the Calm Belt like a skillfully tossed stone. In the back of her mind, she wonders why no one had the sense to suggest they all head below deck, or at the very least, make lifelines for those who were staying up top.

That stray thought is blown off with the wind when a single speck of red is spotted in the distance.

"Alright, alright!" Ginny bellows over the pandemonium, "Red Line incoming!"
*****
Chapter warning for previously-mentioned Ginny backstory stuff (pregnancy, rape, etc.). It's fairly hands-off, but please be safe!

"Seas fucking damnit--"

"Nika, protect your children--"

"Wa-hahahaha!"

"Ginny, I'm going to kill you--"

"Davy Motherfuckin' Jones--"

"Woooooo-hooooo!"

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The various shouts and yells are the only things Gomako's mind registers other than the blur of colors and the rush of wind surrounding her. She hangs onto the railing for dear life as the Stanley skips through the Calm Belt like a skillfully tossed stone. In the back of her mind, she wonders why no one had the sense to suggest they all head below deck, or at the very least, make lifelines for those who were staying up top.

That stray thought is blown off with the wind when a single speck of red is spotted in the distance.

"Alright, alright!" Ginny bellows over the pandemonium, "Red Line incoming!"

That doesn't quite stop the shouting, but it does incentivize others to make for their posts. Gomako joins Henriquez at the sails, waiting for Ginny's signal. The acting captain raises her fist and points one finger upward. As one, all of the Sun Pirates let out a powerful Fishman Karate punch towards the front of the ship, adding some opposing force to break up the initial momentum of the Stanley.

Once the waters settle and the slower-- but still barreling forward Stanley --returns to balance, Ginny raises up two fingers. That is Henriquez's que, and he, Gomako, Reiju, Lami, and a few others unfurl the sails. The wind catches,  and some drag is introduced. More importantly, though, a bit of directional control is regained, and Henriquez is having the group haul portside so the ship would turn in the opposite direction and away from the Red Line.

Three fingers are then raised, and Ginny and the Sun Pirates join everyone else on the oars. With Henriquez directing the sails and the oars turning against the current in the water, they are able to straighten out the Stanley and eventually slow it to its usual speed.

"Welcome," Ginny says, to the exhausted and panting crew, "To the East Blue."

*****

Ginny hasn't been in the sea an hour, but she already feels like she's home. She may have lived out most of her days in a little village in the Sorbet Kingdom, but here in the East, with familiar currents and well-missed fish swimming in the tides.... these are the waters that shaped her. This is the place Ginny chose to call her own, the place she will see free from the World Government or die trying. These are the waves that will cradle her when she hears the drums pounding in time with her heart.

Ginny will one day help ring in the dawn; what better place for it than where the sun will rise?

"Captain Ginny," a voice calls. She turns around to see Fisher Tiger giving her a contemplative look, "Where exactly are we heading from here?"

"That, Captain Tiger, is a very good question," she says, "As much as I'd like to say I know exactly where my people's base of operations is, or that I have their Den Den number memorized and ready to use, that will not be the case."

"It wouldn't?" he questioned, the gaze in his eyes turning disbelieving, but his tone free of judgement.

Ginny nodded. "I was captured two years ago, and at the hands of a traitor, at that. I know I was the one with a talent for snail rearing, but if the others sacrificed security for convenience or for the barest hope I'd find my way back, I'm going to strangle all of them with my bare hands."

"Is it possible, then, that your friends aren't even in the East Blue?"

"Oh absolutely," Ginny confirmed, "But just because my friends won't be here doesn't mean I'll be without allies. At the very least, I know plenty of friendly ports in this Blue, and these are much, much calmer waters than the Grand Line."

"Fair enough," the fishman said, "What's our heading, then?"

"Orange Town," Ginny confirmed, "I need to ask a favor of a fellow snail enthusiast who's got a finger on the pulse of this sea. He probably won't be too happy to see me, though. I still owe him five thousand berri and a new hat."

*****

Gomako has seen many things in her life, and is much more well-traveled than a nine-year-old really has any right to be. But never has she been to a circus. A pirate circus, at that.

Ginny had invited the entire crew along, bargaining a Devil Fruit from the Devil Fruit room for tickets and snacks. Koala and Lami dragged her and Reiju to the front row, claiming that as this was all of theirs' first circus, they simply had to have the best seats in the house.

"Do you think they'll have an elephant? Circuses always have elephants, right?" Lami asked.

"Do they?" Koala asked, swallowing down a mouthful of popcorn, "I've never heard of a circus before. What do they do?"

"Circuses are travelling entertainment shows, most often showcasing animal, acrobatic, and other talent acts to communities that do not have ready access to such things," Gomako explained, "I spotted a trapeze wire earlier and hope such tricks are performed safely and with skill."

"Shhh," Reiju shushed, "I think it's starting."

The fires around them dimmed and a few colorful spotlights began circling.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, joy seekers of all ages, I am honored to introduce to you tonight the one and only, Buggy Pirate Circus!" Cheers and claps rose to meet the announcer. Once they died down, the announcer continued. "Now put your hands together for your ringmaster tonight: the endlessly entertaining, forever fabulous, always amazing..... Captain Buggy the Clown!"

With a puff of smoke, the spotlights converged onto the center. A twirling orange cape and a snap of blue hair cleared out the lingering smoke, to reveal Buggy in all his red-nosed glory.

"Thank you, thank you," he called, giving the audience a couple of bows. "I see we've got quite the crowd tonight. I'll warn you now, the acts can be a bit...." he threw a knife, cutting through a thin rope that dropped a tarp from above, "Corny!"

Popcorn fell from the sky. Koala gasped in delight and tried to catch it with her mouth like snowflakes in the first winter storm. Lami laughed and took the more obvious route of using her popcorn bucket to get a refill. Reiju, the backstabber, tossed the popcorn at Gomako, which she was honor-bound to retaliate.

"In all seriousness, we've got a great show for you tonight," Buggy said, "Now let's start things off with Cabaji the Acrobat!"

*****

Once she was sure the girls were in Jinbei's safe hands lining up for the post-show animal meet-and-greet, Ginny cut away from the crowd and over to the private tents.

"It's rude, you know, to enter without knocking."

"It's a tent. There's not exactly a door to knock," Ginny snarked, "Good to see you, Captain Buggy."

The pirate clown looked away from the mirror and swiveled his seat around to face her. "Well, well, well, look what the tides pulled in: Ginny of the Revolutionary Army. The East lost a wonderful conversationalist when you got captured. It'll be nice to have someone to gossip with again."

"It's good to be back," she agreed, "Any word on where I can find my comrades? I'm not a fan of running around like a headless chicken, and it'd be an insult to go anywhere but you for a head start."

"They're setting up on one of the Gecko Islands, getting ready for some bleeding heart mission or other," Buggy answered easily, "I'll lend you a snail number if you promise not to mention where you got it."

"That's a pretty easy answer. Almost too easy. What's the catch?"

"Basic competency at your job. Please," the man begged, "The people running it right now are such hoarders. No one's ever told them that you can attract more flies with honey, or that people don't like to yap about their personal lives to someone who's essentially a stone-faced, judgmental brick wall."

Ginny laughed. "That answers who took over my job in communications. Dragon'll get an earful, don't you worry. But can I say something, off the books?"

Buggy looked her over before shooting off a hand and shoving a hidden snail into his desk drawer. "Shoot."

"I got some answers to one of your prevailing mysteries," Ginny began slowly, "I don't want to put it off because that might seem like I'm hiding it from you, and I didn't want to use it as payment because it's too personal to hold over your head."

"Which mystery?" Buggy asked, turning back towards his mirror and wiping his makeup off.

"I found out who your counterpart's bio family is."

The pirate froze. "And why," he gritted out, "Would I give a rat's ass about Shanks?"

Ginny shrugged and met his gaze in the mirror. "Don't know. Just figured if my childhood friend was blood-related to Celestial Dragons, I'd want to know."

"He's what?!" Buggy spat, half incredulous, half venomous.

"He looks a lot like his birth father and is obviously a dead ringer for his twin brother," Ginny said, "Considering the fact that I'm carrying either his sibling or his nibling, I think I'm qualified to make that judgment."

Buggy went pale enough to match his previous makeup.

"Look, I obviously don't hold anything against him," Ginny explained, "He had fuck-all to do with those bastards' sins. I just figured you'd have a better time warning him off bringing attention from Marijois. Nika knows I didn't enjoy the undivided attention of two Holy Knights."

"Those fucking sons of bitches, did they...." Buggy shook his head and grew even paler, "Was there a tattoo, a brand, a birthmark, something on their left arms? Looked like a circle and a cross?"

Ginny's eyes widened. "How'd you....?"

"Shanks had that damned mark since Captain pulled him out of a treasure chest," Buggy explained, "Fuck. Fuck!"

Ginny was now the one growing pale. 

"Thank you for telling me, but also fuck you because now I have at least half a dozen fires to put out," Buggy said.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" 

"I might need to borrow some snails later down the line, but right now, no," Buggy sighed, "You've had a long couple of years and I won't need to borrow anything for at least a week. Just work with me when I call and I'll say we're even."

"Okay," Ginny nodded, "I'll get out of your hair, then. Thank you, and kind seas, Captain Buggy."

"Yeah, yeah," he waved off, "Go and head back to your nakama already. And kick Dragon in the nuts for training up his communication officers so poorly."

"I'll make him regret switching up protocol, I promise you that much," Ginny swore. "Farewell for now."

"See ya' when the tides turn," he bid, "Fucking hell, why's it always Shanks? Can't I learn a single world-shattering fact not involve him? Just once?"

Notes:

Day 30 of Novella August!

Word Count: 1851

Hope you like the chapter and the first look at Buggy! I love this clown, and while I like to think my version of the character will be fun and at least a little unique, I would be remiss not to mention the lovely stereden, who originated the "Competent Buggy" tag, and from which many Competent Buggy fics draw from. I, myself, will be yoinking their "Buggy runs a spy network/communication hub" idea, but fingers crossed I can build my own twist on things instead of copy-pasting ideas and interpretations already written. Those previously written ideas are spectacular, but I always like to whip up something fresh if I can.

Other than that, not of notes! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you tomorrow for the final day of Novella August <3

Chapter 34: Spring Rain

Summary:

Ginny let out a slight wince before smoothly saying, "I'd like to speak to the head curator, please."

"And who, may I say, is calling?"

"Please inform him that it's the library director of the East Collection," Ginny said, "Please inform him that I deeply apologize for keeping him waiting, but I'm more than ready to reclaim my position and that I've got plenty of new tomes and artifacts to catalogue."

"...." the steely silence lingered on for nearly five minutes. Eventually, though, the other caller said, "Please hold,"

The crew sleeps in the Orange Town docks that night. Ginny says that she knows she put everyone through the wringer yesterday, and that it'd be complete cruelty to not at least let them all sleep off the adrenaline. Gomako ignores this order and wakes to help with breakfast. Lami, Koala, and Reiju also seem to be incapable of sleeping in, as they too wake at their usual times and finish up their daily chores bright and early. Gomako pulls over a platter of breakfast for the four of them, and once they're done digesting, they agree to spend the early morning together and let the rest of the crew sleep.

Which is how Ginny finds the four collective cabin girls trying to recreate trapeze tricks on the mast's rigging, much to Henriquez's distress and Barracudon's amusement.

"Alright, get down here," the acting captain calls, "You lot have scared our poor boatswain enough for today. If you've still got barrels of energy, I'll be needing some help in the Den Den room this morning."

Gomako and Reiju drop down from the rigging, while Koala shimmies down a rope, and Lami adds a backflip to her dismount. Ginny shakes her head and ruffles their hair before waving them towards the Den Dens. Koala starts cooing over the snails and singing little songs to ones she thinks are pretty. Lami picks one up and starts pondering over how different traits affect their use. Reiju enters a staring contest with Lord Faxington. Gomako is the only one who actually begins to work, adding lettuce and water to the snail terrariums and poking a few awake.

Ginny, munching on a plate of bacon and eggs she most likely got from Puffer, wakes up a regular Den Den, hooks up a white Den Den on its shell, and begins punching in a number off of a small piece of paper.

It rings with the familiar 'puru-puru-puru-puru,' until someone picks up on the third ring cycle.

"O'void Library Collection, how may I assist you today?" a voice asked. Their cheer was very obviously faked, even to an emotionally inept Gomako.

Ginny let out a slight wince before smoothly saying, "I'd like to speak to the head curator, please."

"And who, may I say, is calling?"

"Please inform him that it's the library director of the East Collection," Ginny said, "Please inform him that I deeply apologize for keeping him waiting, but I'm more than ready to reclaim my position and that I've got plenty of new tomes and artifacts to catalogue."

"...." the steely silence lingered on for nearly five minutes. Eventually, though, the other caller said, "Please hold," and the sound of footsteps could be heard from the other end of the line.

Gomako shared a look with Reiju, who had soundly lost the staring contest with Lord Faxington. Koala and Lami scooted closer to them, and leaned in.

"What do you think all this is about?" Lami asked.

"Tiger-nii sometimes makes notes about the voyages he goes on," Koala offered, "Maybe it's like that?"

"I don't know," Reiju cautioned, "Captain Ginny is looking a little nervous, and I don't think the other person was expecting a call from her. Are we sure everything's okay?"

"I think we should trust Captain Ginny," Gomako said, "She has yet to steer us wrong, and even if this series of events might be unexpected for the other party, that does not automatically mean it is unwelcome."

The girls quieted down as the other line picked back up again. There were more footsteps, the sound of s banging door, and voices to indistinct to make out words. Eventually, though, a new face popped up on the snail. Gomako couldn't make out any distinctive markings besides a mane of black hair and something red (a burn, perhaps) covering the side of the snail's face.

"Who is this?" a new voice asked.

Ginny gave a small smile. "Hello, my dear curator. Did you miss me?"

"Gin--" the man cut himself off, "Are you okay? Are you in the East?"

"I'm safe and healthy, and yes, I'm in the East."

"Where? Actually, no, it doesn't matter. I'll cover ground faster than you can."

"Don't do anything rash!" Ginny scolded, "Our ship's docked in friendly waters: took the crew to the circus."

"Wonderful, that's pretty close. I'll see you within the hour."

"I swear to Nika, don't you--" the snail call ended with a 'gacha,' which Ginny swore at.

"Kids, go spread the word to the crew," she said, looking up from the snail, "We've got to make for the Gecko Islands before a storm starts rolling in."

*****

They left Orange Town within ten minutes, and within fifteen, rain was pelting down hard and fast. Most people were below, warming themselves in the galley, but Ginny was pacing the deck under the watchful eyes of Barracudon.

Ginny had wanted a few more hours to settle her nerves and ready herself before she laid eyes on her friends. It wasn't that she didn't want to see them--quite the opposite, in fact. It was just that Ginny didn't know how they'd react to, well, her. She felt like a different person than she was two years ago, she was a different person than two years ago. She had endured much, survived more, and had walked away changed. And Ginny didn't know if those with the power to crush her heart underfoot would still love the stranger she had become.

All she could do was wait for judgment. Wait and see if there's a world where they can build something worthwhile once more. Because there are things Ginny would sacrifice in a heartbeat; people she could live without. But Iva and Dragon and Kumachi aren't one of them.

Ginny looks up as lightning splits across the sky. She had heard, once, that there are three things any wise person fears, and that a storm at sea was one of them. 

'I must not have an ounce of wisdom in me,' Ginny thinks, smiling wide as the dark clouds circle closer, 'Because there is no fear in my bones, and the rain feels like an embrace.'

There's a roll of thunder, a crash of waves, a wild bolt striking the top of the crow's nest, and then Ginny sees him. A gale of wind pushes back the ever-present dark green hood from his face, and fans his robe behind him like a bird's wings. The figure takes a few cautious steps forward, treading lightly. It reminds Ginny of a farmhand approaching an animal they fear will bolt: trying with all their might to exert an air of calm while within is a whirlpool of anxiety and hope. He stops a couple of feet away from her, drinking in the sight of her safe and sound.

"Ginny," Dragon chokes out, "You're here."

And as she catches the eye of her fearless leader, matches the gaze of the man she will follow to the ends of the earth, Ginny finally understands.

"You're a right idiot, Chief," she says, pulling the man into a tight hug, "You know I could never blame you for anything."

Dragon stumbles, but he soon finds his footing and returns her embrace. Infuriatingly, the man's still a living, breathing furnace of heat, even in the chilling downpour. "Words cannot describe how happy I am at this very moment."

"Then don't try," Ginny said, "Love doesn't always need words. Being here is usually enough."

So Dragon stays silent and keeps on hugging her.

*****

"I'm good with staying here forever, but can you at least quit the rain?" Ginny asks. They had moved to the galley to dry off and warm up. Dragon and her hadn't stopped clinging to each other. It was honestly getting a bit embarrassing, but Ginny hadn't realized how much she needed this. She hadn't had consistent contact with someone she wanted to have touch her since she'd been kidnapped. Now she was making up for years of touch-starvation and Monkey D. Dragon cuddles.

"Not until I regain full control over my emotions, so probably not until we already land on the Gecko Islands outpost and I can let everything out," Dragon rebuffed.

"We have to put off the wine nights, don't we?" she groaned.

Dragon smirked and shook his head. "At least until after our current job. I'll read you in as soon as you want."

"I'll have to get my ducks in a row, first. Are Iva and Kumachi....?"

"Ivankov's in the middle of a supply run, and Kuma's checking in on Sorbet before meeting up with us. But they will both be helping, that I can guarantee," Dragon said, "It's an all-hands-on-deck type of situation. Nearly everyone'll be coming East soon."

"Right," Ginny said, trying not to let her disappointment show.

"What, am I not enough for you, Miss Ginny?" he teased.

"No, I just figured I could maybe rip off the bandage straight up," Ginny sighed, "But anyway, what's this job about?"

Dragon dropped his smirk and his expression grew serious. "It's a clusterfuck. We've received word that a traveling party of World Nobles is coming to Dawn Island."

Notes:

Day 31 of Novella August!

Word Count: 1530

And thus, with this chapter, my writing challenge comes to an end! 31 chapters, all with at least 1000 words, all written 1 day at a time! I'm beyond proud that I was able to stick with this challenge and see it through to completion. Thank you so, so, so much to anyone that's been reading along every day. You all mean the world to me <3

But that, of course, brings us to the question: what comes next? This fic is obviously not over, but I cannot feasibly keep up with daily updates going forward. College starts again for me in a few days, and that will keep me plenty busy.

So, I'll be moving chapter updates to Fridays. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep chapters a bit longer and perhaps a little more thought out (I get to actually plan out this fic again, yay!). This is still, however, going to be my "self-indulgent/commit to the bit" fic, because we stay loosey goosey in this household :D

Once more, thank you all so, so much for reading! I'll see you Friday <3

Chapter 35: A Taste of Purpose

Summary:

"Well, that certainly gives us something to think on," Reiju said idly as the others began to mill about.

"What do you mean?" Gomako asked.

Reiju gave her a look. "We escaped Germa and our father on the belief that Ginny and the others would care for us and give us purpose, did we not? Where does that leave us now that there is no purpose for us to follow?"

The Revolutionaries' base was on one of the smaller, abandoned Gecko Islands. It was a bit ramshackle, with tents, docked ships, and temporary housing dotting the shore and the immediate inland. But people were smiling and happy to welcome them, and plenty of people offered to help Gomako and the others unload the Stanley and finally rest on dry land.

Dragon pulled away Fisher Tiger and Ginny to explain something, to which Ginny returned and explained to the crew; Fisher Tiger did the same to the Sun Pirates.

"There's a Celestial Dragon vacation party coming to the nearby Goa Kingdom." Many of the crew began booing and cursing. Ginny let it go on for a bit before drawing attention back to herself. "Dragon-- our Revolutionary Dragon, not those chucklefucks --has learned that to greet the World Nobles, the Goa nobility plans to burn down their poorer districts with the inhabitants inside. The Revolutionaries have offered to assist in evacuation and any confrontations, if it comes to that. I have already pledged my assistance. I also cede my position of acting captain of the S.V. Stanley."

The crowd grew quiet at those words.

"I like to think that I've served you all well. I know that each and every one of you will have a place in my heart for the remainder of my days," Ginny said, taking the time to make eye contact with all of them, "I wish you all the best, and would give you days of calm tides, full bellies, and freedom. But my place is with the Revolutionary Army. I cannot and will not command you all to fight alongside me in a war you don't believe in or think asks too much. So I leave you to decide on your own what you wish to do. I know it can be hard to make such choices, especially when you haven't had the liberty in such a long time. But I urge you all, please, to think carefully on what you want. You're all free to stay with the Revs until we depart from this island. Dismissed."

"Well, that certainly gives us something to think on," Reiju said idly as the others began to mill about.

"What do you mean?" Gomako asked.

Reiju gave her a look. "We escaped Germa and our father on the belief that Ginny and the others would care for us and give us purpose, did we not? Where does that leave us now that there is no purpose for us to follow?"

"Hm," Gomako hummed, shrugging her shoulders, "I honestly do not know what you're talking about."

Reiju's gaze turned unimpressed.

"I am being serious," Gomako said, "I did not agree to assist Lami in her hairbrained scheme because I knew the people we met would give us a purpose to follow. I agreed to help because I morally, and objectively, believed it to be the best thing to do in that situation."

"Then what purpose did you expect to find?"

"None," Gomako said, "I do not know if I have need of a purpose. All I know is being Judge's weapon is no fate I wish to hold. Anything after that is secondary."

Reiju pondered that for a moment.

"I think...." she began, "I think you may be correct. Finding an ultimate purpose is a lot to put on our shoulders. We are, after all, still children. We have time to find a purpose to pursue. I think, first, though, we should try and find Sanji. He'd be in East Blue, so long as he stayed on the Orbit. I do not know if he would hold the key to our ultimate purpose, but I know, at the very least, that I felt more fulfilled when you were both by my side."

"Understandable," Gomako agreed, "I believe as well that the three of us make more sense as a trio. We shall stay in the East Blue, then. Would you also find it agreeable to request to work under Ginny until we do?"

"Yes," Reju said, "It's gotten us this far. Let's not meddle with something that needs not be meddled with."

*****

When the sisters informed Ginny of their decision, she nodded before ushering them over to a room with Koala, Lami, Jinbei, Hatchan, Fisher Tiger, Aladine, and Monkey D. Dragon.

"Okay, so. This might be an odd request, and I deeply, deeply apologize if this feels patronizing, but we need you girls to act as representatives for the Revolutionary Army," Ginny said.

"Like propaganda pieces?" Lami asked.

"No," Ginny said, shaking her head, "Not like propaganda pieces. It's like.... okay, Captain Tiger, how did you first feel about the Stanley crew when you first heard about us?"

"Apprehensive," the fishman admitted after a moment, "I was worried that you were, perhaps, not what you seemed."

"And how did that change after you met us face-to-face? After the battle? After boarding our vessel and meeting the rest of the crew?"

"Better," Fisher Tiger allowed, "I was still doubtful when we first made contact, but during and after the fight I trusted you much more than when you initially called. And even more so once I saw that none of your crew were the type to turn us in."

Ginny and Dragon both nodded. 

"The people of the surrounding islands are going to be of similar minds," the leader of the Revs explained, "They will fear us because they do not know us or our intentions. Although the Army has kept to ourselves as much as we can, it is impossible to not make at least minor contact with our neighbors. So, we would like you all to be ready to meet the townsfolk of the Gecko Islands and be prepared to answer any questions they have."

"Oh, so it's like how I was going to tell the village how great my nakama are?" Koala asked.

"Yes, yes, exactly like that," Ginny said, "You don't need to be shouting the Revolutionaries' message from the rooftops; just go and explore the towns. If any kids ask to play with you, go ahead and do so if you feel like it. If an adult stops you and asks about who we are or where we're coming from, go ahead and say we're all from a different sea, but we aren't pirates and we don't want to be causing trouble."

"All you have to do is make friends," Dragon said, "Even strangers with a good first impression are that less likely to turn us all in to the Marines."

"I imagine we'll be doing the same for fishmen?" Fisher Tiger asked.

"If you're comfortable with it, yes," Dragon agreed, "I was born and raised in this sea, and even though I can assure you that it's much wilder than any outsider can believe, fishmen and merfolk aren't common. To some, you might even be a myth. I expect for many, you'll be the first non-humans they ever meet."

"Then you don't have to tell us to be on our best behavior," Jinbei said, "We're used to exploring the Grand Line and giving humans a good impression of our people."

"Then we'll leave it in your expert hands," Ginny agreed. She kneeled down to Gomako and the other girls' level. "What do you three say, are you up for it?"

Gomako shared whispers with the others before turning back and saying, "We're in."

"I still think it sounds like propaganda," Lami snarked, "But yeah. Where do you want to ship us off to first?"

Notes:

Reiju: "Let's try and find our brother, because he is the only person who gave us purpose. This is a totally healthy mindset and doesn't need to be addressed at all."

Gomako: *nods in agreement*

Also, I think I'm stuck between another story rock and a hard place and need ya'll to make a story decision for me because I'm very, very torn. However, the story decision is a spoiler so I'm going to ask you all to pick a number:

1

or

2

That's all you're getting, have fun voting :)

Thank you for reading <3

Notes:

Welcome to my very first-ever Novella November!

The name of the game is to write and post one chapter of 1000 words (or more) every day in November. To try and keep this fun and as writer-friendly as possible, I've mashed my favorite tropes into my most current hyper fixation. Let's see if I can actually keep up!

Thanks for reading, and I'll see you tomorrow :D