Chapter Text
It was supposed to be a normal fucking day. A NORMAL FUCKING DAY.
I woke up a little more groggy than usual, my skin clammy and greasy, which was a little out of character, but nothing I couldn’t handle. However, the marks that decorated my skin were itchy and a little more noticeable than usual..
Well, it’s nothing I can’t handle, and I just didn’t want to pay attention to the skin that was damaged beyond repair. The soft flesh scared for life, and under the ruined skin, was a labyrinth of secrets and pain. One that even therapists like to avoid.
My hair was an absolute disaster, the brown locks scattered all over the place. It looked like I was seated under a helicopter as it took off. The highlights that littered my hair seemed to be even more spread out as different strands of hair stuck out everywhere. Nothing a hair brush couldn’t fix!
Another unusually weird thing was that there were eye-bags under my deep-brown eyes. It's not that unusual now that I think about it, but these were darker and seemed to have more weight to them. The darkness of the bags only intensified the brownness of my irises, the usual golden-brown glow was nowhere to be seen in the artificial lighting of my bathroom.
Lifted an arm over my head, wincing at the pull it gave my muscles. The bones in my legs and arms popped, luckily enough it wasn’t a bad feeling and it let my sleepiness fall away. After which I began to complete my sort-of-morning-routine, which was: brushing teeth and hair, washing my face, and taking a shower. I don’t care what anyone says, I forgot to take a shower last night, so I took one this morning to make up for it. I was never one to miss a shower, and when I do, I make sure to scrub the shit out of myself the next day.
After my beautiful shower I let my feet take me back to my room, dragging my body out of the warm bathroom and producing the best feeling of steam. I’d have to find a good sauna one day. When I managed to force my brain to give into the loss of warmth, I slowly trudged through my room and shuffled through some laundry that was still in its basket from its cleaning a few days ago. Not my problem if they are clean!
I sighed slightly as I picked out a regular outfit, well, regular for me at least. It was a black tube-top that fit snugly around my chest and back, not tight enough to hurt, but also not loose enough for it to slip. The person in which I bought this lovely top from gave me a pair of sleeves that don’t connect to the tube-top, they just cover my arms from just below my shoulder to my wrist for both arms, the same color black as the tube-top.
I cried in thanks to her.
Along with the tube-top and connect-less sleeves (which I put to the side for now), I pulled out a pair of cargo pants, one with plenty of pockets and room for movement. The color was a deep-grayish brown, it was a perfect match for the black that was plastered on the top. The cargo pants were matched with a deep-green belt that was made of a rough fabric I couldn’t name off the top of my head.
I grunted in mild satisfaction at my choice and began the task of putting them on, and it really wasn’t hard, I don't know why I was complaining to be honest.. Before putting on the tube-top I managed to wrangle a strapless-bra on, it was black with hooks that made it look like a corset. Although it was significantly more comfortable and a lot more useful than one, so I don’t really count it as one.
The bra wrapped around my back entirely, but the fabric was light and literally the softest thing in the entire world. After I clipped the bra in place and pulled on the tube-top with its sort-of-sleeves, I slipped on the cargo pants.
Luckily, I looked good in this outfit so no changes were necessary at the moment, I did add a loose, off-shoulder jacket that was a black and white plaid to help with the chilly breeze that was nearing.
After one good look at my figure in the mirror I sighed and slipped on some socks and pulled on some black combat boots. Say what you want, combat boots are comfortable when you break them in, and they are sturdy. I’ve had these bad boys for two years now!
I paused as I was about to head out and looked around my room. It was basically barren, only a few essentials and maybe some clothes thrown around here and there. However, it was nothing to look at, I really never thought of decorating it when basically nothing of sentimental value was given to me or ended up with me. Anything that I’d bought usually ended up being used within the first month and I’d never end up rebuying it.
I walked over to my messy bed and began to ruffle up the covers, making the bed quickly and trying to make it look at least decent. The only thing I really owned was a medium sized, stuffed bunny. It was a light pink with white littering the body, mostly in cute patches, the ends of the feet and arms were a cute pastel pink, so light it could’ve passed as white if you didn’t look closely.
The ears were floppy and had the same whitish-pink at the ends, but the inside of the ears were a fluffy tan color which was adorable. The eyes were buttons and had been sewed in with extremely strong string, don’t ask, I have no idea what it was.
The body was fluffy, the fur light and soft to the touch. Even after years of being alive it seemed barely touched and I liked it that way. The only thing that set it apart was the lining of stitches that was strung across its neck, a light gray criss-cross line that snaked through the soft fabric. It saddened me a little to see it, but I loved this rabbit all the same. I named it “Ben” which, in retrospect, was a boring name, but it was lovely all the same. So it stuck and became his official name.
I smiled at Ben and reached out to the end of the bed, grabbing my phone and unplugging it from the charger that was situated perfectly in a socket at the end of the bed. I turned the phone over, the case: A clearish gray color that sported different charms and nick-nacks, which included—but not limited to—a bunny that had the same pink color as Ben, a small Australian Shepherd dog in memory of my past pet, a burger (hey don’t judge me), a peace sign and a few other charms that pulled the whole thing together.
I loved it.
I turned on the screen and checked the charge which sat at a good 87%, more than I thought as I had completely forgotten to put it on the charger last night and only managed to place it on at 4am… it was 5:30am. Not bad. Not bad at all.
The lock-screen had a picture of me and my best-friend crouched down in front of a creek with large smiles on our faces. We were around the age of 8-9 and had found the creek not even a few days ago and it had become our favorite place in the whole world, and it still is for me to this day.
I turned it off and gently placed it into the pocket closet to my side, making sure the zipper—that was conveniently sewed onto it—was zipped up all the way, I didn’t want to get robbed! Although, it would be cool to say I survived a robbery attempt… No. The trauma would stay forever and my therapist would kill me.. So I turned around and walked over to the coat hanger that I’ve been using as a bag holder instead. I plucked my small backpack off its hanger.
It was a deep maroon color and had a red-velvet type of fabric but with black leather underneath to keep it strong, that made up most of the backpack. Luckily, it had leather straps that were very sturdy (It was tested by yours truly), the straps were adjustable, and the bag itself could hold a decent amount of things. Plus it was flameproof (again tested by me).
I filled the bag with some food (mostly instant ramen, some cinnamon bread, and a few drinks: a can of sprite, three bottles of water, and a thermos of coffee), a pair of clothes that resembled what I was wearing, but the shirt was over-sized and comfortable and some Hello-Kitty pajamas that were new. I tossed in a few other things (including a blanket) and began my walk to the front door.
I was going to have to pull an all-nighter at my job, might as well come prepared!
I worked for a large-scale company that works with machinery, mostly gadgets and gizmos. It was a wondrous company that gave all (most) employees a chance at their handy work. And guess who passed the exam with flying colors? This girl. Guess who was sent to management because she was a girl? This gal.. I hate it.
I was amazed by the building and tampering of all sorts of metals and weapons. Especially guns. I loved building them from nothing but chunks of metal and some wood. I learned how to craft them at a young age, mostly out of wood but who cares? I took that talent and turned my hobby into a full blown job. Well… tried to turn it into a job.
No matter how hard and how amazing I was at the making of things, I was marked down by my gender and forced into the “Ideal” type of work-woman. It was infuriating, I had all this talent and it was wasted on a desk job. However, was I recognized for my negotiation skills? Nah, I was seriously milked dry and used often for that ability. I hated everything about this stupid job. Including my boss and the office I work in.
My boss was a huge misogynist and believed that women belonged in the kitchen, being submissive pets that could be dominated at any moment, used by their partner whenever they pleased. So I bet you could guess what his reaction was when a female walked into his “domain” (office area where everyone worked) and sat down to work.
He was insanely pushy, mostly a huge pervert. I was constantly catching him trying to touch me, or “accidentally” bumping into me. He tried for over a week to put me into this atrocious workplace outfit. The skirt barely covered my ass and the shirt was so low my tits would’ve been hanging out.
Obviously I said no, and when he took it up with the higher ups, they ruled in my favor (for public appearances) and so he had to make due with my everyday outfits. As you can see his idea of “getting back at me for not pleasing him” was to work me until I became the submissive, picture perfect woman for him. And the other guys were just as bad, if not a little better, but still the same attitude.
You might be thinking, “Oh, why don’t you just quit?” Well, there's a few reasons: I need to pay the bills. If I quit now it could take weeks, if not months, to find another job and I still need food. Second, the job pays well. Not much to say on that one, it’s pretty simple. And the last reason was that I needed a schedule. Quitting my job would throw me through a hoop that I wasn’t ready for and my mental health would suffer more than it was already.
So no. I would not be quitting my god-awful job. Even if it sounds like the best thing in the entire world.
…—O—O—O—...
As I trudged down the steps of my apartment, the concrete looking like it could crumble underneath my feet at any moment, I reached behind me and pulled out my headphones from their case. It was a blain black case with a pink Hello-Kitty outline embedded in the rubber.
I popped in the headphones and connected them to my phone, hooking up my music and pressing play. The sudden bursting of music at full volume rang into my ears, causing me to flinch and hurriedly turn down the volume. I seriously need to get my ears checked at this point, I’ve done that five times in the past two days…
With the volume at a decent level, the songs and classical music began to fill my head. It was soothing and the dread of what's to come at work lifted off my shoulders. It was an amazing feeling, one I cherish every time it happens to bless me with its presents, if only momentarily.
I hummed along to a particularly catchy toon, letting the calmness of the less-busy morning give me some semblance of peace. I hope that one day I could afford to have this peace everyday, that one day I could live in peace and happiness. However, until then I would work my ass off, taking one step at a time for that dream of mine.
I sigh in content as I reach a crosswalk, a small crowd of people waiting for the sign to turn green. As I settled in a comfortable waiting position the sign turned a bright green, which sadly meant I had to move. The crowd of people had moved on and were around half-way across the street already when I began to walk forward. Each step made with a small skip, one barely recognizable as I hummed the toon again.
Music was a calming escape that many people took. It gave infinite possibilities of different lives, calming melodies that gave way to even more calming moods, the variety of songs that were strewn along the web gave kids, teens and adults the possibility to run away from their problems in the form of a tranquil hum to a heavy corus of instruments and harsh words that pull at the soul.
I preferred the humming music, the soft lullaby of the soothing female and male voices that held the purpose of calming down a particularly upset mood. The words peaked into the life behind the voices, the harsh truth of the world. Songs about lost loved ones, heart break, death, depression and so many more unsettling topics that the people of the world have tried to avoid until it is faced by them. I loved these types of songs, they connect with the soul greatly.
Oh, I also like heavy metal. That shit’s the bomb.
I kept my eye peeled on the path ahead of me, trusting my legs to take me where I needed to go. My arm jostled a little as I lifted the backpacks straps back to my shoulders. Like hell I'd lose this bag, no way I'm going to get robbed when this is literally my life line for the next 24 hours. I’m broke as hell!
Suddenly a scream was heard, I turned my head to the side to see what was happening. A car had gone out of control and was barreling down the street, right towards me. Well fuck.. I have to move, I have to.
And so I did, I jumped to the side, avoiding the oncoming car and scurrying over to the pole that I had previously been leaning on.
GOD DAMN that was close–
I breathed a sigh of relief as I dusted off my shirt. However, that's when I noticed the car wasn’t heading straight anymore, it was swerving and moving side to side before it rocked a little more to the left and charged towards me again.
However, this time I couldn’t move out of the way quick enough. Well fuck. I always imagined how I’d die: drowning on a cruise, getting blown up through an accidental error in my work, poisoned, murdered. I had so many different ideas, but getting hit by a car wasn’t on it. Of course it was a possibility, but I wanted to go out with a bang! (no joke intended)
The car hit fast and hard.
The first thing I felt was shock, not pain and not anger, just numbness and pure shock. That lasted all of five seconds before the wave of pain hit me. It was horrible, my entire body became filled with a horrific sequence of numbness and agony. My vision blurred, making nothing visible for a long time.
Wait. no.
That can’t be right. It had only been a few seconds. The excruciating pain threw me out of my thoughts as my vision forcefully cleared. I looked down, the car hadn’t just hit me, it crushed me.
My entire midsection was slammed into the pole with the car stationed in front of me. Sandwiching my body in a horrible position. It didn’t help that my first instinct was to move, which was rewarded with a particularly agonizing wave of pain. Not that I wasn’t in excruciating pain, but it hurt just a tiny bit more.
The car was covered in blood..
Was that my blood?
Oh man, that's a lot of blood.
My vision blurred again, but this time it didn’t clear up. That's when the noises of the world (which were previously blocked by the ringing in my head), rushed into my head all at once. And I started to scream.
The voices of people screaming were fed into my head and the last thing I heard before the dark spots that had been clouding my eyes covered my sight fully, was someone calling out for an ambulance.
A beautiful hum was heard as I drifted away.
…—O—O—O—...
Death wasn’t difficult. It was… dark. Dark and peaceful. The most peaceful I’ve probably ever been in and ever will be. It was like drifting through a river, the current strong, but oddly comforting, like it's telling you that you’re going to be ok and that everything is going to be fine. And you’ll believe it, cause I do. I really do.
It was like the music that was playing in my ear after I got hit. It was a tranquil sound, the lyrics of “Ocean Eyes, by billie eilish” began to slowly fill my head. Or my soul? I don’t quite understand the meaning of death, and I don’t think I’ll ever find out. All I knew and wanted to know was that death was peaceful. Very peaceful.
That was how I felt before my soul? Spirit? I don’t know.. Was ripped out of that current. It was painful. Extremely painful. My head and body(?) felt like they were ripped apart and put back together, all while I sat back and felt everything that happened.
The pain began to calm down, very slowly, but it went down. It was like my soul? Spirit? Was getting readjusted to my body. Like it was used to the river after only being in it for a few minutes. Like it broke a connection I didn’t even know was there until it snapped. Interesting..
I was tossed onto something hard but soft at the same time. They could’ve at least been gentle with setting me down after I’d just died , but nooo, I was just going to be manhandled whenever I guess.
When I opened my eyes I was greeted with a white room, padded with soft cushions and filled to the brim with vibrant sofas and chairs. It looked like a mixed version of a hippies room and a mental ward. It hurt my fucking eyes.
“Thanks! That’s what I was going for!” I jolted at the voice, looking around manically, wondering who the hell just talked and why it was so god-damn loud. Seriously, why am I being treated like I didn’t just get crushed in half by a moving FUCKING vehicle!?
“Ah, sorry. It's my first time doing this so I’m a bit nervous, I guess I accidentally raised my voice!” I looked up towards the—generously lowered volume— voice, I wondered who I’d see. Maybe God? Maybe the devil? And angel? A demon? I don’t particularly care, but I was curious!
“Ah, No. I’m neither of those beings!” Only to find a young boy, one with bright blond hair and a mask, split in half and holding both the colors white and black. The design was the happy-sad face. One smiling gleefully and one frowning solemnly, both featuring a tear on their cheek. The boy himself was wearing overalls with shorts and a blue and white striped shirt. He had red sneakers (I think?) and white socks. He wore a small bandage on his left knee. He was the picture perfect representation of an innocent little boy.
“I am but a guardian, one who has immeasurable power and an even larger need for entertainment!” The little boy jumped around like a kid who just got told they were going to Disneyland, “I am here for one reason and one reason only.” he pauses and leans towards me, his mask covering any aspect of his face, but I bet a million dollars he is grinning like mad under it.
Like I'd believe that, he’s got to be some type of God. A quiet chuckle is what gave me my answer.
“To send you off into another life! One with wondrous opportunities for entertainment!” The boy jumped and began to float in mid-air, giggling like a schoolgirl after her crush texted her something. However, my train of thought was cut short as his words registered–
“Absolutely fucking not.” I said almost immediately. My first life sucked ass, there is no way I'm heading back into that hell-hole and poor excuse of a living environment. If I had to kill myself again and forcefully jump back into that (peaceful) river, so be it.
“You don’t have a choice! Silly girl!” The boy giggled again, “However, I am here to help you pick out a few character traits and grant dome wishes before I toss you into your new life!” I side eye him, there is no way. This is to good to be true, there has to be some catch–
“Smart girl!” The boy pumped his fist into the air making me sweat-drop, “Yes! You have no clue what universe you’re going to and after three wishes, three negative traits are added. Some can be light and easy to deal with, while others are harder to handle.” I sigh in disappointment. Of course this wouldn’t be that easy.
“Can I ask questions to help with my wishes? What's my limit? Can I keep my memories? What traits are off limits?” I send a hurricane of questions towards the poor boy, who, I might add, looks like he’s vibrating in anticipation.
“Yes you can. Six wishes. You'll see! And almost every trait is on the table, but if I decide I don’t like the one you pick, you have to pick again.” Ok, fair enough, but the amount of wishes raises a TON of suspicion. I can basically wish for anything six times..
“So let me get this straight..” I start, hoping my theory is just a theory and not reality, “I’m getting six wishes, more than three, hell! More than one ! And that might be because the world I’m going to be thrown into is literally going to be the worst living experience ever and I’ll need all the help I can get?” At this the boy nods his head as he hops from one foot to another.
I hate being right.
“Ok, traits first! You get three-five traits, and they have to be accepted by muah!” The boy cheers again. Alright, there seems to be no way of getting out of this, so might as well play along, my mental breakdown can wait until later!
Much, much later…
“Um…” I close my eyes and begin to think of my choices, which are a lot of things. I need something practical, but also something I could exploit to its fullest with little to none drawbacks, “I want to be able to absorb information, I want to be able to read a book and memorize its contents and the important bits after the first or second time, hell even third time if that’s what it’ll take. This includes a near-perfect memory.” I announce. It was perfect. I could learn about the world with no trouble at all!
Plus I would be hella smart!
“Granted! I like that one, but near-perfect is a bit much, so you'll have a good memory, but not the best!” The boy says with a snap of his fingers, and that seemed fair enough, “Another one!” He says with enthusiasm. This makes me a little worried, why the hell is he being so joyful?
Like, didn’t he just rip my soul from eternal peace??
“Question: are there powers in this world and can you tell me about them?” This makes the boy think for a second, their poster moving into one of intense thought. Damn, I’m totally screwed if this over-enthusiastic God is thinking .
“I can’t tell you the names or how them work as it would ruin the surprise” I resist the urge to roll my eyes, it would be incredibly stupid to roll my eyes at an all-powerful being, “But I can say that there are many different abilities, although there are four that are the most powerful.” He thinks for a second while I digest this new information, “The first three basically count as one, so I’d say two skills are important!” I slump back and start to mull over the different scenarios and plans before I decide to come back to this at the wishes part.
“I want to be able to have a strong will: determination, bravery, ect.” I state, if I was going into another world, it wouldn’t be wise to be scared all the time. I wouldn't get anywhere in life. Besides, if I’m getting another chance at life (which I’m still against), might as well explore the fucking place.
“Ohhh, great choice! Granted!” The boy snaps his fingers again, “three more left, if you choose of course!”
“Luck.” I state immediately.
“Hmm, can you elaborate on that please?” The boy says with a smile (I think?)
“With luck I’d be able to avoid certain situations or possibly get out of a considerably tough position. Or gambling of course” I smile slightly at my amazing planning for the future and possibly the most horrific outcomes. Having luck on my side would also give me peace-of-mind right now. I’m seriously worried about surviving in a world I have zero clue about right now.
“Wonderful! Granted!” Another snap of his fingers and he leans on the palm of his right hand, “Two more!” He raises his fingers in a peace sign to prove his point. No matter how you look at it, this God is cute. Maybe he thought ahead and used it to his benefit? I wouldn’t blame him either.
“Stealth.” I say after a small second of thought, “If I think about how dangerous this world is going to be, stealth is going to be a VERY important factor..” To be honest, if I want to explore the world, then I might have to get by dangerous people? Monsters? Aliens? I don’t actually care right now, but stealth is important to have in your arsenal of talents.
“Perfect! Granted!” The boy giggles and skips around the room after a quick snap of his fingers,
"Alright..." I frowned slightly, I didn't knwo what else to ask for. I already had a bunch of things... "Uh.. Can I have a good skill for negotiation?"
"Sure, that sounds fun!" He bounced from one foot the the other.
"Thank goodness." I sighed, I didn't want to have to overthink anymore.
“Time for the six wishes! And I think you already have one lined up?” He asks innocently, like he didn’t just read my goddamn mind.
“Yes, I want to have full mastery over the power with three put into one.” I say hesitantly, I actually might be pushing it, but you never know unless you try? And three in one? I’m way too lazy to master that many things. Plus my ADHD won’t help in the slightest, so getting it out of the way would be beneficial to.. Well me!
“Hmm, why not both?” The boy asks, obviously weighing the pros and cons of this wish. God, I really hope he grants this one *mentally sobs *
“Cause’ you would say no. It would be too overpowered and you said you wanted entertainment.” I respond blandly, “Also, I want to learn at least something, but three in one sounds difficult and I’m insanely lazy!” At this the boy nods his head thoughtfully and nods his head (like that bastard didn’t just read my mind).
“Alright, granted! However, there will be quite a bit of limitations to this I hope you know that!” This time a flick of his wrist happens, making a small glow happen, but nothing more happens.. For now I guess..
“I want to have my bag from before I died plus Ben, my stuffed bunny.” I say, by voice quiet as I think about something, “I’d like to add onto that wish and put in more details if that's alright with you.” I really hope this works.
“Sure, sure! I’m having fun already!” The kid is bouncing up and down in the air at this point, he’s been either bored for years , or just really excited. My bets on the latter.
“I want Ben the bunny to be indestructible, nothing should be able to break, tear, harm, or even damage Ben. He’s too important. My phone and headphones would be useless without a charger or wifi so I want you to use your magic or whatever to pause the battery and have near-perfect wifi.” I take a deep breath, the boy is seriously vibrating at this point. I wonder how long he has waited to use his powers?
“My phone and headset should be connected through like a tether of some sort to keep it from getting stolen, and the same indestructible thing should apply to them both as well.” I finish off with a smile, “Is that good?”
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Oh my god that’s going to be so fun to see!” The child is bouncing with joy, “And I’ll even add in that you can keep all your songs! But anything about this universe has to go, so no sources other than me! Also, no connection from your previous life!” The boy goes through a few more rules before granting my wish. Honestly? I totally thought it’d be a no.. glad it wasn’t though! I might’ve gone crazy without music—
“I want a family, a good one!” I say happily, wondering if this life may be different and I could live anew. That was before he spoke up, “Sure! But now we get to do the negative traits and effects now!” I groan in despair. I completely forgot about that bit–
“Now, now! It shouldn’t be too bad…” Yeah, it shouldn’t be anything I can’t handle! “Lets see here.. For the condition of your first wish, you have a habit of running your hand through your hair when you get stressed out, plus you have a problem with keeping it clean, you can't go a few days without showering before you kinda start to freak the fuck out.” Oh, that one isn’t too bad, I could definitely work with that!
“For your second: You are allergic to peanuts and red-peppers, oh and pomegranate” Another one I could handle easily, damn I hope all of them are just as nice..
NOOOO! I FUCKING JINXED IT NOOO—
“For your third: You are brave only in the face of imminent danger or if your body deems it fit for the situation. So you will react normally most of the time.” Okay, not bad, not bad. It isn’t my favorite set back, but I could handle it somewhat easily..
“And for your last consequence on traits: you have a slight gambling addiction! So when presented the chance to gamble, you have a harder time saying no.” Alright, not good when near bars or at a casino.. Avoid those I guess. I mean it really shouldn’t be that hard to do right? And my luck could come in handy when forced in that situation.
“Now for your wishes, because they are a bit over-the-top, these will be a bit more harder-to-handle,” Fuckkkk I knew I jinxed myself, “You’ll have zero control over one part of the 3-part power when you get it, like you can't control it in the slightest. And the lone power needs to be trained just as hard. If you ever find it, that is!”
I hate how it makes sense though. I should be mad at how insanely difficult that's going to be, but you know what, it make fucking sense. I’d have to work for my power, no matter if I have mastery of the second one. And even then I’ll have to learn and unlock whatever the stupid power is.. That's a fair drawback.
So much for being lazy..
“And with the mastery of the one power with three inside, you’d have to unlock it!” I blink, what the hell!? Come on, that has to be cheating! Nooo! That's so unfair, I’d have to unlock the power(s) that I’d wished mastery on?? God damnit.. That makes so much sense! Ugh, I knew I jinxed myself.
“For your second one: I’ll decide when you get your bag. If I don’t deem you ready for it then you won’t be getting it, and for the first few years of your new life, Ben will be prone to damage.” I sigh, another fair drawback. Man, I hate it when others (essentially a child ) are oblivious and goofy while being one of the fairest and smartest people you’ve ever met.. Fuck me man..
Welp! Nothing I can do about it now other than scream and cry silently in my head.
“Also, I won’t give you infinite charge on your phone,” That made me scowl and make an angry squawk. How tf does he intend on me CHARGING my wonderful, gorgeous, amazing, could-never-do-any-wrong, phone!? As far as I know there might not be a charging port, “But, I’ll provide a solar-powered portable charger that is connected to your person, useful for both your headset and phone. I’m feeling nice so I’ll give free wifi and I'll make sure the phone won't break from water or other people! It won’t get more than five feet away from you!” I sigh in relief, at least I won’t have to worry about breaking it and not having wifi!
Wait…
Water damage?? No wifi?? Where the hell am I going!?
“Now: you have to find your family. I’m not going to make this easy for you!”
Wait.. “Find your family” That means.. Ah god damnit, not again.. I’m going to have this abusive ass, shitty family that pours a bunch of trauma into me, then I’m going to have insane trust issues, find a group of people that I’d call my family while trying to push them away so far I'd only be hurting myself..
I knew I hated the found family trope for a reason..
You know, not what I meant by good family, but who cares! Certainly *cries* not *cried some more* me *sobs uncontrollably*.
“Oh! Three more wishes, so now the floor is now yours!” I break out of my mental crying and begin to think carefully, very carefully.
Well as carefully as someone who just experienced the worst pain imaginable, died, got tossed into a random situation that sounds like it’s straight out of a fanfiction and is currently talking to an all powerful being about rebirth.
I need to put a lot of thought into these wishes. I really don’t want to be screwed over to be honest, which is bound to happen, so might as well put it off for as long as possible!
“I want to be able to build a good amount of muscle, I want to be physically and mentally strong!” The boy nods and grants the wish, urging me to continue, “Um, I want to master a weapon of my choosing,” The boy nods again and flicks his wrist, that glowing floating around his hand for a second before disappearing, “And finally, I want an IOU” At this the boy shifts his position slightly, if he didn’t have a mask on I’d assume his face would be one of confusion.
“Ah, you have no idea what you want!” I hang my head in shame before slowly nodding, “Alright! That's fine, which means it’s time for the drawbacks: for your first you have to train a lot on meditating and building strength. I’m not going to magically give them to you, you need to work for them, but it will be easier to build and keep them!”
I nod my head, I kinda already assumed that’s what I’d have to do. I’m fine with that, “The weapon of choice has to be a type of sword, no guns and long range weapons. You can still learn how to use long-range weapons! You won’t be as talented as you are with your weapon!” I nod my head to this as well–it seems reasonable!
“However, you’d have to use the gun as a last resort, the sword of your choosing has to be your main weapon,” Damn, that kinda ruins the first loophole in that drawback, but all is fair in death and rebirth I guess!
“One last thing, this is optional, so don’t think you have to do it.” I raise my eyebrow as I put my undivided attention on the boy, “You can spin the wheel of consequences, and when you do this you have to take the drawback, no matter what it is.” I nod my head, listening intently,
“But, you get to keep your memories.” I shake my head yes with a smile. Like hell I’d lose my amazing engineering talent!
“Then come, come! Spin the wheel,” A wheel pops up in front of the boy, who lets out a string of curses that would make even a demon blush.
I walk over to the wheel as the child sidesteps and allows me to draw closer. I place my hand on the side of the 10 feet-tall wheel in front of me. Just get this damn thing over with so I can go. And so I spin it, pushing all my weight into this one spin..
After a minute the wheel comes to a stop, although I can’t see the drawback as I am short as fuck compared to this gigantic wheel, “Ah, you have two things!” The boy says as he floats up to the height of the wheel, “You have slight arachnophobia and attachment issues! Congrats!” I fell to the floor in despair, why did it have to be attachment issues! Like seriously? I’m fucking screwed! Yay…
“Anyway, good luck my little friend! Enjoy your new life as much as possible dear kitten!” I’m gonna kill him. How dare he call me kitten!? I’m no furry, not that I hate them- I just don't want to be one.
I have met some furries that are sweet, but most were cringy,
no-social-skills-in-the-slightest type..
The ones that bark and hiss at you on the streets?
Yeah, those.
With a snap of his fingers the floor beneath me opened up, the milky-white color instantly transforming into a deep-purple. The murky substance slowly began to snake up my legs, moving upward at a rapid speed, “Oh! And you won’t get the first power right away, you’d have to find it!”
Okay, WHAT THE HELL!?
Nah, come back here and let me punch you in the face. There is no way he just told me to find the power that’s going to make me wanna kill myself out of anger when trying to master it.. I hate powerful beings now.
I might as well call him God if this is what he’s doing.
I hate Gods.
A giggle was heard from the boy as he snapped his fingers again, “Now, now! Go have fun and make sure I’m satisfied! No unexciting things now!” I rolled my eyes as the deep-purple water was up to my mouth, covering it and snaking up to take away my vision. I struggle for a second before realizing that the floor(?) beneath me is pulling me down. OMG—
Then the floor swallows me whole and my consciousness fades into nothing.
Notes:
Alright!
This is the end of the first chapter and I am loving this already! I have around.. eh.. 12 prepared chapters already written out, and a good idea of where this story is going.
And I must warn you guys, she is totally going to be powerful, like I mean powerful, but I hope to add in some limits here and there. And she won't win ever battle, so don't worry on that end. It is going to feel pretty fast pace in the beginning, mostly because if I went into real detail, it would take.. around 150,000 words before we even get to cannon, and I don't have that patience and right now I'm at 80,000+ and still not near cannon..
So good luck with this crazy story and please inform me if anything is wrong or something is incorrect! I'm still human and not the best at grammar...
See you next chapter!!
Question: If you could be reincarnated in OP, what crew would you want to join?
Edit: Oh my god.. I changed a bunch of stuff here, so if you want to know some of the extra details, please read through it! Thank you for reading if any of you guys are new!
Chapter 2: Growing up
Summary:
My girl's memories are wonky at best and she is having trouble acting like a child.
Luckily there is something or someone who is willing to help her.
But why?
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Moving most memories to storage…
———
Complete!
Will return once old enough!
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
I can’t move. I can’t breathe (I have no clue how I’m alive??). I feel cramped, and my body is unresponsive to my beckoning call. I hate this. Someone help me, get me out of here. Why is it dark? Maybe it's because my eyes are closed? I try opening them. It doesn’t work. Why was I stupid enough to die, again? Maybe this is all a bad dream.. A very realistic bad dream. God.. I hope it’s a bad dream.
…—O—O—O—...
It wasn’t a dream, or at least I’m more convinced than before that this is real. I’m still trying to force my brain into thinking that I am still in my bed and home, fiddling with Ben and tossing around in my sleep. It isn’t working that well and my body becomes extremely upset with my mood. Well, I might as well continue to rethink my existence..
…—O—O—O—...
Ok, I’m getting upset. This space I'm in is getting even more cramped by the day, I think. Sometimes I get these, er, urges? They are like whispers and pushes on how to do something or what I should do. I sometimes let them take over, sometimes I let them kick the walls of my enclosure, sometimes I let them shift my body from one position to another. But those are only when I feel I can’t do anything but let them lead me. I hope this nightmare ends soon, or I might develop claustrophobia along with my arachnophobia.
Maybe..
God, I hope not–
Stupid Gods.
…—O—O—O—...
One day, when I let those whispers take over, they shifted me downward(?). This position isn’t comfortable at all and I mentally scream at the urges and tell them to turn me back. However, they don’t. The whispers go silent for the first time in a while, they turn themselves off and let me stew in my new uncomfortable position.
Not like it lasted long.
A few minutes(?) later my head(?) was pushed, yes pushed, out into a place I could not currently acknowledge. The lights were blinding, the air was freezing, people were shouting, someone was crying. It was all too much. My head—bursting with these new sounds—started to hurt immensely. That’s when the whispers came back, and I listened to them.
I started to cry
…—O—O—O—...
Well, I know why I felt like I wanted to go right back where I was when I was thrown into an area filled with the most overwhelming sensations ever!
I was born.
I was pushed out of the body of another and forced to get used to my own. I can’t even open my eyes yet, let alone move my body willingly . It seriously has to be a prank at this point, there's no way this is happening to me. I suddenly wish I had been allowed to flow down that calming river of the dead. I wonder why!
So because I am in the most useless situation ever, not knowing how babies are, let alone acting like one. I let the whispers guide me. They tell me what to do and when, tell me how to move when something touches me, how to squawk and how to function (to the best of my ability right now). So far it's been working and (as far as I know), and no suspicion has been raised that I basically took over the body of this infant.
Other good news is that I am still a female! It would’ve been hella weird if I had to get used to a male body with my memories. However, the whispers tell me that being born without a dick wasn’t the best thing to happen.. Well! Nothing I can do about it now! I’ve been saying that a lot lately.
I hope that purgatory god or whatever gave me a pretty face, and a good body, maybe some good hair as well. Oh God, please have let me be pretty! I silently murmured curses and insults at the god who brought me here. Yes, I don’t care that he said he says he’s not a god, he sure has the powers of one!
I really hope my eyes open soon, I’m getting pretty tired of not seeing shit, and the loud ass noises are getting old pretty fast when I don’t have a face to the voices. For now all I can do is let the whispers and murmurs take over and lead me through being a child.
The whispers are sweet in their own way. They push and poke at my mind, testing and observing it. I like them. Their words that are lost in the space of my mind are soft, but loud. They tell me things, things that I should do and what I shouldn't. They give me advice that I’d follow in a heartbeat. I love the whispers that help me find myself. And for some reason I have a feeling they love me back.
I hope I don't make a mistake..
…—O—O—O—...
I made a mistake.
What mistake might you ask? Well I opened my eyes.
Yeah you heard me right, I opened my eyes for the first time and everything around me went to shit. I heard screaming and crying, someone was calling for someone else, another person was shaking, a few people went to the floor and someone may have passed out. And I just blinked.
It's not like my eyes were ugly by any means, the second I managed to get my eyelids to listen to me and open, the whispers called out the color red. I first thought it was bright red, but the whispers went into more detail, a deep-red, with outlines surrounding a white pupil. The red filtered from the deep-red and a maroon color. From what I heard the whispers tell me it's beautiful. From what they tell me, I'm a blessing and I should keep that with me. From what they tell me, I’m going to be ok.
So with what the whispers tell me, I was confused on why everyone had screamed like I was a demon. I don’t think I have horns, or a tail as that would’ve been uncomfortable. So I have little to no clue on what everyone was crying about. Maybe I was too beautiful for their eyes!
Hey, I never said I was humble–
So it wasn’t because I was a demon, but I might as well have been named one. My eyes definitely had a roll in the commotion, but that was because they were different from my parents. I knew this because my father(?) came to look at me. Yes. look at me. He didn’t even hold me, just walked in, loomed over my cradle for a second and walked out. He doesn’t seem like a good man.. He’s not
He had green eyes. Stay away
My mother came in next. She was a lot more caring than my father(?) She picked me up and held me firmly in her arms, firm but comforting. She held me close to her chest, her arms tightening around my small body as I blinked up at her. She gave me a closed eyed smile, one that I swore to remember as she swayed back and forth, cradling me as if I was the most important thing in the world to her. And I was. Safe
Her eyes were brown. We like her
I loved my mother, she was a kind lady, her eyes held a softness that most kids would kill for. She held me at every turn, never leaving me by myself. We wonder why? She would sing me lullabies, weird ones that held meaning and love in their words. She would play with me whenever she could, which was quite often, and would bring me picture books of any kind. I loved the ones with stars, and when she noticed my room was covered in stars and planets the very next day. Be careful
Yes, I love my mother very much. Keep her safe
…—O—O—O—...
She was the first person who caught onto my “geniusness” She’s safe
It was a late Saturday afternoon a few months after my birth and I was bored. We had been playing with some blocks that had been shipped in a few days ago and my mom had just built a tall tower.
“Look here Jessie! It's a tower!” That's my name. My name is Jessica, Ginervera #. Jessica. It was a pretty name and I loved it. I loved it because my mom gave it to me, and I love my mom. She had long brown hair with brown eyes, a slim body and frail bones. Keep her safe. Don’t let her leave. Her cheeks were hollow and her skin was a sickly white. However, when she was like this, seating on the ground with me, playing with some toys and making sure I don’t accidentally kill myself in this weak body of mine. Her cheeks held color, her skin filled with warmth, her eyes lit up and she became… Happy.
I want to keep it that way. Protect
So When I didn’t respond, and her eyes dimmed, I blurted out with as much control as my baby-brain could muster and said my first words–
“M.. ma– mam… mama?”
She stilled for a second, her eyes covering over with water, a few tears falling from her face. The light in her eyes comes back in full force, even brighter than it was a second ago. Her cheeks flush a red color, not one kin to blush, but a color that brings the warmth back to her ears and nose.
“Mama?” My questioning tone causes her to quickly wipe her eyes, her arm coming up and rubbing the fabric over her eyes to dry up the wetness. Once done she quickly swoops me up in her arms, this time placing her cheek to mine while seated on the floor. Her tears falling from her eyes didn't stop and her cheek was still wet even after she tried to dry them.
I reached up and carefully (well as carefully as I could) tried to dry her tears. Like hell I would let my mother cry and get her lovely face wet. I couldn’t bear to see her in such a way and swore that I would kill anyone who made her cry, even myself. Maybe that’s going too far . Yeah maybe you’re right ..
“Oh Jessie, my baby girl.” She said as she took my significantly smaller hand in hers. She brought it up to her mouth and kissed the knuckles, letting a smile dawn on her face, “It’s not your fault my baby, I’m just so happy.” I tilted my head first and then nodded in acknowledgement, trying to fit a smile on my tiny face, instead I bursted into tiny giggles that filled the silent room.
My mother smiles again, her tears halting but that flush on her cheeks and ears stayed. I hope that they stay forever. Forever
My father(?) wasn’t around often, barely at all actually. Good. He would occasionally walk into my room and stare at me, then leave, sometimes he would hold me up, put her down, but never as gently as my mom, and would leave. He wasn’t pretty at all. He had mustard colored hair and green eyes. His frame was pudgy and plump, the roundness found on him wasn’t that of a healthy man. And the meals that he ate would cause every doctor on the planet to have a heart attack on his behalf. It didn’t help that he was short either. Stay away
I can’t take over my body yet, I let the whispers lead. I don’t understand how to act childish, so I let the voices help. I trust the whispers, they’ve helped me so much, and they wouldn’t lead me wrong. So when the whispers tell me to cry when he’s near, or tell me to throw up my lunch onto his brand-new shirt. I do it. When they tell me to avoid him and to never show any signs of intelligence like my mother said, I follow them. Thank you .
And when they tell me my father(?) isn’t a good man. I believe them without a doubt. Someday, I hope they lead me somewhere far away. With my mom of course! We will .
Age 1:
Life as a child is particularly annoying to be honest. I don’t know how to act or what to do. I don’t know when to cry, or when to laugh. I haven’t a clue on what it means to be an innocent child. So I do what the whispers say. I give them the front seat. On my first birthday I allow them to take control of my mind and body, pushing my conscience into the backseat. Watching and giving my opinion on the scene in front of my eyes. I let them take those opinions and add them into my daily life slowly, not to draw attention.
“Can you make it so I look like I’m getting smarter? I don’t want to immediately seem like a genius when I come of age.” I ask the whispers as my body is sitting on the floor, playing with the blocks that my mother bought me.
“Of course” it responds, the voice a deep lul this time around. It seems Theo’s voice has taken over the whisper this time. Theo is one of the five noticeable tones in the whisper. Of course there are others, the whisper is never limited. However, there are five who are given or already have, the power to have their voice distinguishable through the vast expanse of the whisper.
“Thanks Theo.” I answer back, watching as the little girl who I am begins to slowly place the blocks together in a common word that was written down around the mansion frequently. It’s so subtle that it doesn’t raise suspension, but it also shows the raising intelligence. I hope I don’t mess this up..
“We won’t, darling child.” Theo responds, this was another revolution. Because my brain is the size of a baby’s, my emotional intelligence is the size of a baby. I am considered a child because my baby brain isn’t ready to hold the amount of maturity I held as an adult. The whispers tell me I’ll be able to return my maturity and vast knowledge at the age of five. And I believe them.
≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾
It had been a few months since the blocks and me and the whispers have been making good progress on showing my mother the intelligence I hold. The whispers tell me to avoid my father(?)
“Yes, it is best to stay away from that poor excuse of a male.”
Oliva is leading today. Theo was needed in the whispers and let Oliva float into the driver's seat effortlessly. I like Oliva a lot, she has many tales of her life before. Before she became a part of the great whisper. She traveled all over, visited places she can't tell me just yet, fought in battles she cannot allow me to understand yet. She tells me there are others like her. Others that aren’t as nice, others that I should avoid if I want to stay alive. I told her I would. However, the way she explains the features of the world so beautifully made me make a promise. A promise to show the other whispers and myself where she was talking about. I will bring them to these wondrous places that she calls home.
“Thank you darling.”
Oliva is sweet, I like Oliva. I hope Oliva likes me back.
“Of course I do, sweet, sweet child.”
They talk as if they are years older, talk like I am actually a child in their eyes.
“You are our child.” Oh, that’s right. I am a child. A child with adult memories. A child who knows things that others don’t. A child with the weight of the whispers. They do their best to lessen it. I thank them for that.
“Your welcome darling”
≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾
Oliva decides to stay for a while longer. She leads my little body, letting it fall clumsily every now-and-then to make it seem like I’m trying to crawl. It is very convincing. My mother begins to fawn over my small figure, holding out her arms, urging her little daughter to crawl forwards.
It isn’t that simple though. The little body isn’t ready for movement like crawling or walking. It might be able to crawl, but it would cause too much attention to be placed onto my small child mind. It wouldn’t be beneficial to my well being. So I tell the whispers to avoid any movement that isn’t trying to lift my head that is too big for my body. I tell them to take it slow. And they do.
“You’ll be safe, you’ll be fine.” Oliva is always so good at comforting. She tells me that she was a mother. A mother of one, a mother that adored her child with all her heart. She says she's fine, but I can tell that Oliva misses her kid. I can tell that being in the void of the whispers doesn’t allow her to travel like she used to.
“I promise to find your home.” I tell her one day as we guide my little body, telling it to keep trying. She stills, well as still as a whisper can get. I feel Oliva’s gaze set on me from the blur she is. I know she is beautiful. She let me see her unblurred form after a few days of knowing each other. She was very pretty. Her long white hair looked like snow, I hope to see snow just as white as her hair one day.
When I told her this she laughed and told me that I was making her feel old. I apologized and she waved it off with another laugh. Her eyes were blue. Not just any blue. A light, sky blue that shone with mysteries and secrets. When I asked her about her eyes and the secrets they held, she looked at me with a fond type of smile. Then she pinched my cheek and told me to stop worrying about adult things.
Yes. I am a child. I am not the adult from the memories anymore. I wasn’t her at all. I was just watching the memories from her perspective. Or at least I am now. I have a feeling that when the time comes I will no longer be only this child. I will be the girl from the memories. I will be her. I am her. This is all confusing. But I know I am her, just a different version. A child version of her that saw what the future held.
Yeah that's a good description.
“Thank you.” Oliva smiles through her blur, a smile that holds sadness in its wake, sadness but relief. One that seems just as sad. I hope that she finds happiness when I find her child. Her form has to stay blurred, it hurts when I unblur the whispers. They tell me that it will get better, but not to push it. So I don’t. But I do know that Oliva is pretty and that she loves her daughter more than anything. I will find her, I will find her child and give Oliva a reason to smile happily. I promise.
≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾
Life is unfair. That is the first lesson taught through my older-me’s memories and the whispers. I know a few situations from the adult-me’s old life, but the whispers are the ones who give me more examples. Not as detailed as the memories, but they are still interesting to hear.
My favorite tale is that of a liar. Noland the Liar, it's not familiar, not yet anyway they called him. However he was no liar, people just didn’t believe him. I believe him though, I believe him because the whispers believe him. And the whispers are never wrong.
His tale was sad, but that made it all the more interesting. He was a traveler, one that set out to go on an adventure and search the world. Just like Oliva, but different because they had different goals. Noland came across an island, one that held an amazing civilization that was advanced and prosperous, but the most amazing detail is that they lived in a city made up of pure gold.
When Noland made his way back to his homeland he told them all about the city of gold and its inhabitants. He told the tale as it was, never spinning the truth, he was in awe of the citizens and how they lived, but the king wasn’t interested in the same things as Noland. He was captivated by the promise of gold. And so he set off to the land that held the city of gold, only to find that it had disappeared.
The king thought he had been tricked and accused Noland of trickery, sentencing him to death. The most captivating part of this story to me was that even in the end Noland kept to his promise that the city of gold did exist. And right before he was executed he said the words, “There really was a city of gold! It must have sunk into the sea!” and that was the last thing he said before perishing at the hands of a cruel society.
No one believed him, but the whispers did. The whispers promised that he was truthful. They promised that he wasn’t lying and that the island not only held the promised gold, but that it hadn’t sunk at all.
“What do you mean ‘it did not sink’?” I ask as my little body threw a block and laughed at an unsuspecting guard. He looked down at the small girl and shook his head in a joking exasperation before crouching down and started to play with the little girl.
“I cannot explain any further, darling child.” Oliva said in her cryptic tone, it held so many secrets, I wanted so badly to learn everything there was to know about this world. I want to tear it apart, learn its contents and piece it back together. But I know I can’t, the whispers say so.
“It is beyond my power.” I knew this, the other five told me this as well. They tell me they're held back by a powerful force that tells them to keep their mouths shut about certain things, they tell me that when the time is right I’ll learn everything I need to know. So for now I will continue to learn from the world in front of me and the memories given to me by my older-past.
“It’s ok, I believe it anyway.” I smile as my small body shakes with little giggles as she successfully gets the guard to sit down fully, rolling his eyes while he plays with the blocks the little girl gave him. He smiles through his mock exhaustion, rolling a ball towards the little child, this causes her to throw it back to him and they go back and forth like this for the rest of her play time. I like this guard. I do too.
Somewhere in the space of the great whisper, a voice calls out its thanks, and the feeling of happiness fills my mind, this causes the little girl to giggle again, happier this time around. I want to feel that again, but I know that it wasn’t something that could happen often. So I enjoyed the feeling that lasted for a second before calling out to my thanks to the whispers.
“ I should be the one thanking you. ” An unknown voice calls out back to me. I smile and let Oliva take full control as I fall into a sleep that's only made for me and me only.
Notes:
Ah, I love when characters are super confused and have no clue where they are.
Remember the color of her eyes, they are important for later! and if it seems like its moving quickly, it's because I assume children don't have the best representation of time.
Answer: Strawhats obviously, I am in love with their dynamic and a certain captain has my heart in a choke hold...
Question: If you could have any devil fruit, even a custom made, what would you have?
Chapter 3: Souls and Stuff
Summary:
Girly grows up and makes promises
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Age 2:
My second birthday wasn’t anything special. I was woken up by my mother with a hug and a kiss on her forehead. The kiss lingered and made me wish she could do it again. And she does, she sets another one on my cheek this time. I laugh as the kiss tickles my cheek, the laugh comes out in small giggles.
“One kiss every year.” My mother smiles before placing me down onto the floor, taking my hand and leading me over to my dressing room. I don’t dislike the dresses per-say, but I don’t enjoy them either. These dresses are made for larger kids, ones that are a bit taller and more rounder in the stomach area. I don’t look like that. I don’t want to look like that. You won’t . I smile as my mother picks out a dress that has flowers covering the ends. It is still puffy and wide, but it at least looks less like a tie-dye reject. It came down to my ankles when my mother helped me put it on, the long-sleeves went over my small hands and covered them fully, the fabric was soft and smelled suspiciously like cinnamon.
But that doesn’t matter because mom picked it out, and mom is the best. Yes, protect her . So when I put on some tights to go along with the dress, I let mother pick me up and hold me close to her chest. She holds me for a lot longer than what a normal hug would be, but I let her. The whispers tell me she is worried, so I let her hold me close to make her stop worrying. Don’t worry .
The whispers tell me that something is wrong, they tell me that my family is wrong, that my family is bound to break. I believe them, my adult-self had a consequence with something like that. I hope mama comes out of it fine though. If she doesn’t I will bring down hell to everyone that took part in her death. Yes, protect her .
Mother is just as worried as me, just as worried about my safety. So I let the whispers take over, let them help my mother in a way I cannot. I let myself be thrown into the passenger seat while the whispers guide my body.
“She will live bubbles.” Lola says to me as she makes the child snuggle into my mothers hug, giving the comfort I was unable to provide as a child with adult memories. My mother hugs back a little tighter, making the little girl giggle and her smile lovingly at her little girl.
Lola was the third distinguishable whispers. She was chipper and upbeat, different from Theo and Oliva. Both of them are mysterious and cryptic, never explaining the confusing sentencing they put together. I like to talk about the different recipes that she made when she wasn’t a part of the whisper. Having Lola here gives me someone to balance out the personalities. Huh. balancing out? Is that something I’ve heard of? No, I don’t think so.
“I will make sure she does.” I respond, promising that the woman who is taking the little child in her arms out of the bedroom and into a long hallway that leads to the dining room, where her husband and the little girl's father(?) waiting for their arrival.
“We will guide you.” Was all that Lola gave me in response, nothing on how the whispers will help, nothing on when or where they will guide us. But I do know that they will never lead us somewhere painful, they will protect me and my loved ones, and in return I will show them the world, show them places that they want to go and areas where they haven’t. They will be the voice that tells me things I need to know or understand, and I’ll be their everything else. I made that promise and I intend to keep it.
≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾
“Why are you guys here?” I ask one day, the little girl being lifted up into her mothers arms, they are going outside for the first time and Lola is helping with the reaction needed. I was excited, yes, but I have no idea how to show the excitement in the way of a baby. So I let Lola send that excitement in the way a baby would show it: A loud giggle, a happy squawk here and there and the loving way a baby would cling to her mother when happy. The whispers help a lot during these days when reactions are hard to understand, I am thankful to them, trying to show that thanks in how I try to talk with them.
And they understand my way of gratitude, so they talk with me more. They tell me stories of experiences, tales of wondrous adventures, they spin the stories in such a way that makes me yearn for that type of feeling. The feeling of freedom, the feeling of being able to have the wind at my back and the feeling of ##### at my side… What? What was that? Why can’t I think of ##### ? Not yet . The whispers tell me that it isn’t time yet. And I believe them, I trust them and they trust me.
“I mean why are you with me? You could be with someone else, someone worth your presence.” I feel a spark of wonder and then frustration roll through my body. The feeling runs through my legs, to my arms, to my head and then it sinks into my stomach, my bones and my brain.
“ You are the only one worthy of our words .” the whispers respond, trying to erase the self-doubt that had taken pit in my gut, the feeling of dread that I know came from my adult-self. It wasn’t pleasant, if I had a choice to get rid of it I would, but the feeling was a part of my brain, a part of my future and a part of my person. It wasn’t something that could be taken away, but it could be lowered so low that it wouldn’t be noticeable. So that's what the whispers do.
“ The only one worth our knowledge and time. The only one who would trust our word. You are the only one who can handle our constant presence. You are worthy ” And I trust them, I believe them. I let the whispers suck up the self-doubt until it is barely there. It was the first time they had forced a feeling down, and I was glad. It wasn’t a good feeling and I was happy that the whispers took care of it.
“Thank you, I needed that.” I say, reaching out with my mind, taking the small ball of consciousness that belonged to me and reaching out with that, producing makeshift arms that wrap around the whispers in a grateful hug. They respond happily and hug back tightly with words of their own
“ You’re welcome .” That's the moment when I realized the whispers were just as protective as me as I am of them, that they would and will do anything to protect me. Me and mine. I will protect me and mine.
The little girl marvels at the world surrounding her, the trees all too big, the buildings oh so tall, the people loud and obnoxious, the street lined with stalls of food or trinkets. Her mother buys some of these trinkets, one being a little hair pin in the shape of a star, a bright star. She promises that she will take care of it forever. She's making a lot of promises. She hopes she can keep them. You can .
≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾
The next time they go out, I ask the whispers if I could have control. Even if it's just for a day, I want to experience the new world that I was placed into. And the whispers say yes almost immediately, they know I feel lost, they know I need to feel something with my own skin and not the second-hand touch that I get when staying out of the way. I need to feel something, I need to feel like I belong.
You do belong . And for once, for once I don’t believe them. I don’t believe the whispers. My heart is beating yes, my skin feels the cloth surrounding my arms yes, I can see, hear, taste, touch, and smell things yes, but my mind has begun to reject this new reality. And I need to feel in place. I need to live.
So the whispers tell me to be careful, they tell me that they are watching and waiting for me to allow them back. The whispers switch places, they give me the driver seat and take the passengers spot. I slide into the mind of the little– no, into my body. I slip into my rightful place, my own mind. This is mine, it's just being used for my benefit for a little while.
When my mother comes to get me for our day out, she can sense something is different. She can see how the look in my eyes was probably distant for a second, wondering if I belonged. She could see the change in demand, and the change in personality.
“Are you ok, rosebud?” I look up at her, her face is full of mild concern as she holds my little hand that just feels so.. Wrong. I don’t feel a part of this world. I don’t feel a thing. And I think she can see it, she can sense it like any good mother would be able to. She can see through any bultshit that might spew from my mouth.
The whispers are conflicted. For the first time since I could hear them, they are conflicted. Some of them say to tell her the truth, some of them say don’t and some can’t choose. And I don’t know what to do. That’s when it hit me–I was too dependent on the whispers, I began to rely on them for everything. I can’t have that, I need to make choices of my own.. To feel.. Alive.
“Jessie?” I realized that my mother is now crouching down to my level, her frail hand is cupping my cheek, her eyes blooming in motherly concern for her child. I take my smiler hand and rest it on top of her hand, smiling as I make my choice without the help of the whispers.
“Mama, we need to talk.” and when I look back into her eyes I can tell she understands the importance, she nods her head and picks me back up. She takes me back to my room, closing the door and locking it before gently setting me down on some pillows laying down. She rests next to me, laying side-by-side as she prepares for what's to come. She knows something is wrong, but she promises herself that no matter what, her daughter is her daughter.
≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾
“I’m not normal.”
This was the first thing out of my mouth. My mother deserves to know, she will be taking care of me for the rest of her life, the least I can do is let her decide if she wants to. The response I receive is a quiet hum, when I look up she is staring up at the bed’s canopy. She is listening, she isn’t pushing me away, she wants to listen, she wants to know .
“I’m not a child, I think.” T his catches her attention, if only for a second, she stills and then places her hand on my head, letting her fingers slide through the strands of my deep-brown hair that I had inherited from her, “I died and was given the opportunity to be reborn.” The fingers never stopped moving, it was soothing to feel the fingers move, to feel the tingles that run through my body every now and then, “I tried to say no, the God-like-being wouldn’t let me.” That caused the fingers to stop, stilling only a second after they landed on my scalp, “I didn’t want to be alive again, cause life wasn’t nice, life hurt, and I didn’t want to have to go through it again. But now that I’m here it’s… hard I guess, it’s–”
“No.” I was cut off when my mother moved her hand to my mouth, silencing me and making it so no more sound escaped my mouth, “I know. I knew.” My breath caught in my throat. She knew? Then why didn’t she say anything? Why didn’t she act differently? Why didn’t she push away?
“I knew the second you said mama for the first time. You were different.” my breathing seemed to stop, “But you are my daughter. You are my sweet baby girl.” My breathing definitely stopped, “And whatever you were keeping from me, I knew was hard to handle. You are still a little girl.” I felt a soft finger stroke my cheek, wiping away something. Oh, is that tears? Was I crying? It feels weird—I can’t remember the last time I really cried…
“I love you because you are my daughter. You are my baby and no one else's. I don’t know what you had to go through and I don’t care , because right now you are mine. And remember, you were given to me for a reason .” yeah I was definitely crying, I could hear the soft sobs that were escaping my mouth, I could feel the tears and fingers that wiped them away, I could taste the salt of the tears that had fallen past the gentle thumb, I could smell my mothers sweet perfume that has the scent of cinnamon, and finally, I could see my beautiful mother, who was comforting her daughter. Her daughter. I was her’s . Her’s forever. We are proud .
≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾
We sat in my room for hours. She asked about my old home, she asked about my old pets, my old friends, my old school, my passions and everything else that related to my past life. She listened and listened and listened. She held me when I cried, comforted me when I fell down that path of darkness when remembering my old friends. She stayed with me, even though I was different. She didn’t care. And I love her for that.
She laughed at my funny stories, held me tighter when I explained my old family situation, got angry on my behalf when I explained my old relationships, and then we laughed when she was done ranting on how grotesque my old boyfriends were. I explained my old and new interests, explained how I died and how I was given to her. She didn’t care when I told her about my complicated situation with being a child with adult memories, a child-self with memories of what had happened. She didn’t care. Not at all.
After a while I told her about the whispers and she got quiet. I was confused when she lightly grabbed me by the shoulders and turned me to face her. Her face had hardened, a serious expression was plastered on her usually relaxed and smiley face.
“Never tell anyone about those whispers, the voices you hear. Never .” I froze at her tone, it wasn’t mean or harsh, but it held power and authority. She wasn’t asking me to keep quiet, she was ordering me to stay silent, she was telling me to be calm and keep to myself. And it wasn’t a question.
“That information will either get you killed or taken away from me, and I’d rather die than have you taken away.” I hadn’t moved a muscle, my spine had straightened out after the first sentence and it only seemed to lock into place as her tone became more authoritative, “The dead should stay dead.” Her voice had gone into a sort of protective mama-bear mode that everyone liked to make fun of, but it was scary to see up close.
Wait.. did she say the dead? Have I been talking with the dead? I pause my train of thought to reach out to the whispers, “ Are you guys ghosts ?” I ask, something tells me they aren’t, but I still need to ask. No, we are spirits, we are the voice of the long gone. We aren’t ghosts no, we are souls who have no purpose in heaven or hell . Oh, that makes some type of sense. They are dead people, but they don’t have a physical form like ghosts, so they are wandering souls or spirits who either don’t want to leave or just don’t feel like they have a place in either afterlife. Interesting.
I don’t really care, you don’t? They were my first friends, they helped me through tough spots, gave me advice, took over when things looked rough, and went out of their way to make things easier for me. They choose me, and now I get to choose them. Huh? I choose to keep them close…
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.
.
Thank you
Age 3-4:
Ever since I had told my mother about the life I had before, I have been happier. I’ve started to feel , I’ve been able to enjoy myself more. The whispers keep close, they speak into my ears when danger approaches, they take a hold when I feel cornered, but promise to switch off every now and then. It isn’t yet time for me to have full control. It isn’t time to let me know. And I understand. I don’t want to understand right now. I want to live like a kid. I want to enjoy the time I have with my mother. And they respect that.
Mother knows when the whispers take over. She can see it in my eyes, she can understand they do it for my protection, and she goes along with it. She comes over and hugs my body even when the whispers are so clear to her. Once I asked why she does it, and she answered that it was because the whispers were a part of me, so they were her children as well. That made the whispers shiver and latch onto her.
We like her . They say one day as my mother tucks me into bed, “ I love her too ” I respond to them, smiling both externally and internally. Protect . They say back, to which I nod my head. Protecting her is what I must do. I love her and so do the whispers. She is mine, forever and always mine. Nothing will ever change that. The whispers voice their agreement.
≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾
The next time I need to let the whispers take control, Raven takes the driver's seat. Raven is neither a boy or a girl, they tell me. Much like the whispers and how they feel. Raven likes to be complimented, but they’ll never tell you that, they will just look away shyly and avoid any further conversation on the topic.
Despite the name, Raven is an outgoing soul, they like to talk about the adventures they went on, and the ones they wish they could’ve made. They chat about their life when they could feel things and how dying ruined their point of view for a few years. They talk about how they are lucky to have found the whispers and how they are happy to have met me.
Raven is kind and sweet. I like Raven and Raven likes me. I hope to keep it that way.
≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾
M̴̳̈́ỹ̴̡ ̵̤͋f̴͓̉à̵̦ť̶̳h̷̺͐e̷͇̔r̴̨͂(̸̝̏?̵͇̎)̷̲̾ ̵͓͠d̵̩̋o̶͚͊ḙ̸͒ṣ̸̈́n̸̯̐’̵͍͠ť̷̠ ̴͓͑s̶̛̬e̷͎̒ë̴̡́m̵̩̚ ̴̘̉ṱ̴͂ȯ̴̢ ̷̛̣l̵͉̀ḭ̶́k̸̤͋e̷͍͠ ̴̛̟m̵̖̊é̴͜ ̷̯̃t̴͔͂h̷͕͑a̴̬̍t̵̗͑ ̴̣̆m̸̯̆ǘ̶͔č̷̻h̴̆͜.̵͐, ̶̦͊b̴̦̃ê̶͉c̸̣̋ä̸͇u̴̩̚s̷̹̑ȅ̴ I̵͒͜m̶̛̤̾̆ ̷̭̰̈n̸͚͓̞̏̓o̸̡̭͕͌̔̅t̶̬̜̼͛͝ ̷̧̖͐h̷̨̬̹͑̊͂i̶̯̠̙͊̉s̴̞͗ ̴̻̄̊d̷̖̃̂å̵̮̠̙̊u̴̡̟̓g̶̹̘̕h̴̑͜t̵̲̩͓̅̏͝é̶̗̪͊̇ṟ̶̐?
아직은 때가 아니다
≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾
My father(?) doesn’t talk to me much, he sits back in his chair with a cup of sake and drinks away his kidney. He watches me walk around, he watches me play. My father(?) sits back and watches like he is looking for something, like he is searching . I don’t understand what he is looking for in me, but I do know the whispers stay silent and don’t speak when he is watching. They seem to sink into the shadows and hide away from him, like they are scared of what will happen if he finds out. I trust them, so I don’t comment on it. I love them so I hide them away as well. They are happy when I do.
Father(?) hates to brush his teeth or practice normal hygiene, it is insanely gross and I constantly have to cover my nose to ignore the presence of his lingering body odor. His diet never seems to get any better either, the meals of carbs and sweets never hold any fruits or vegetables, which I eat religiously with the exception of red-peppers, and anything that involves peanuts. The whispers say not to. I know I can’t. I just can’t figure out why . I believe it has something to do with the memories locked away. The whispers tell me someone locked away the important memories, locked them away until I was ready.
If I'm not ready then I just have to wait until I am. And until then I can live my life happily with my mother, and hopefully not my father(?). He sure puts the “fat” in father doesn’t he . I giggle at the whispers, they make jokes like that all the time, I think the whispers are silly. Yes, he really does!
The whispers seem to be divided at times now and days. They move from one perspective to another, sometimes I hear from a male, sometimes from a female. I think that I’m finally getting used to the whispers and now I can tell the difference between two categories. I like how I’m getting stronger.
The female whispers are elated when they find this out, I hear that they don’t like to be mixed in with the males. The male whispers are just as excited, apparently it is difficult to provide information when both genders are fighting for the right response. I am glad fighting is no more, I never did like fighting. Or did I? I can’t remember.. You will in due time . The male souls tell me, and I believe them. I trust both sides of the coin that the whispers have given me. No matter what it lands on I will always follow the path. However, my own decisions aren’t overlooked. The whispers tell me I’m doing good. I love the whispers. We love you too, child .
≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾
“Jessica, pass the bread.” My father(?) holds his hands out like he didn't just demand something from me. How hard is it to ask for something? I’m seriously considering poisoning his next meal.. Wait… No… Come on guys, don’t feed me ways to kill the man . I reach out to the whispers, they have become one and all entities at this time, no split genders right now. Apparently, I can only hold the split for a day, and then I’m basically bedridden for the next few hours. It only gave me a migraine, but my small body couldn't handle the strain, nothing too bad! It scared the shit out of mom though.
Sorry… even if they are all together, I can still tell the difference in tones, and that one was a half-assed apology, the whispers really wanted him dead I guess. No you’re not, you guys are a bad liar. I swear I could hear the split female side laughing their asses off while the male side shrunk in dramatic sadness. I couldn't see it, but the feeling was enough to make me laugh.
We tried… I chuckled to myself, which earned me an annoyed look from the man sitting at the head of the table. And failed . The whispers groan in despair, but I feel the acceptance of defeat.
“Jessica, I have a few questions for you.” My father(?) places down his utensils with a clink sound echoing at their touch down. I quirk my head to the side, what could he possibly want to ask a three-year-old girl? His daughter(?) especially.
“You have the eyes of a demon,” I blink for a second, letting my mind slowly sort out the words said to me. What!? That bastard ! Even the whispers were mad. Why would he say that? Never mind why, how could he say that to a little girl? If I didn’t have the minor bit of maturity I gain from the memories, I would have definitely been upset.
“And demons are freaks,” Hold on, WHAT!? Where the hell was he going with this!? It seems all he is doing is insulting me and ridiculing me for something I didn’t have a choice in. and red eyes? No, I’ve heard of eyes that are the worst colors to be, more related to the devil. Like bright red, not deep red. THAT FAILED ABORTION BASTARD ! Oh.. the whispers haven’t ever been this mad before.
“And freaks can do things normal humans can’t. What can you do?” He really put a lot of tone into ‘normal humans.’ yeah, this guy sucks, I refuse to call him my father now. Even then I have a sinking feeling he isn’t my father. The way I resemble my mother almost perfectly was too good to be true, plus even if you took away my mothers genes, I still wouldn't have looked like the man seated in front of me. That’s a really good thing you know . I internally nod my head at this, I agree fully . The whispers send a shiver of content down my spine, I smile back at them.
Back to his question though, mother told me to never tell another soul, (“ haha get it ?” “ Yes, yes, very funny. ”) and my mom was smart, “I don’t know what you’re talking about father, I haven’t had anything happen out of the ordinary!” I placed an innocent smile on my face, it was the one that I had perfected, with the help of the whispers obviously! Your welcome young lady !
“Hm, I guess that was to be expected from a girl. I swear, the women of this world only bring us males down.” Ah, there it was. The misogynistic view that most adult men like to use as an excuse for why they treat women so badly, “Seriously, is it so hard to just sit back and let the man dominate you?” Ok yeah, I definitely didn’t need to hear that. Aren’t I still literally three years old?? Why the hell is he complaining about his sex life to a three year old !?
Yeah no, my appetite has long been destroyed. Gross indeed, let's kill him! I refuse to respond to that, if I could avoid murder, even if it's temporarily, then I would. Some horrible views on how a woman should “ behave ” isn’t warranted for murder.
“You need to learn early on that you are an object, an object used for a man's personal pleasures.” I gape at him, is this really the conversation that he wants to have right now? I mean I get having your own beliefs, but this has to be going too far. Kill him. Kill him or we will . I stop to think about it for a second before shaking my head internally, No, I don’t want to commit a huge crime at the age of three . I hope you understand, and also, you don’t have a physical form to commit any type of murder . The whispers go quiet for a second, although it isn’t fully abandoned as the pure boiling rage that had encompassed my mind was still lingering. We shall find a way ! I chuckle inwardly at their determination.
“That you are nothing, half a human, even if you have the demon's eye, you are nothing but a slave to your partner.” oh my God, he was being serious. I hopefully thought this was a ruse to get a reaction out of me, or a prank. But noooo, it just had to be serious. Now I have to deal with a misogynistic asshole, who will probably try to find me a “partner” as soon as possible to be honest. We will kill him for you ! I roll my eyes at the whispers enthusiasm, sure, sure .
“Do you understand?” He looked down on me, his eyes shining with what seemed to be a gleeful squint, but it was the evil type, the type that only had terrible thoughts and ideas. How the hell? What the hell? God damnit. I hate this man. We do too .
“Do you understand?” his tone went from a zero to one-hundred in a second, it would’ve been impressive if he wasn’t trying to drill the idea that I was nothing, into my head. To respond I shook my head negatively, but then a head positively. I needed to be careful with my answer here.
“I have no thoughts on the subject yet father, I am not fully grown yet to understand this subject.” Oh, ok, that seemed to work! He had relaxed back into his seat and began to shovel the world's most unhealthy dish of pure carbs into his mouth. I definitely don’t agree with him, but I can’t say anything in fear of getting married off in an instant for a punishment. So I have to stay at neutral ground for now!
“That’s acceptable, now be a good girl and give me the extra bread and gravy.” I almost vomited at the nickname, but managed a simple nod and smile as I passed over the bread and gravy.
After a few more minutes the dining room door swung open and my mother came rushing towards the table. She pulled out the chair next to mine and sat down, “Oh! I’m so sorry for being late, the other nobility kept me around longer than expected!” It was a lie, I could tell because the whispers say she was. But I was a good child who loved her mother. I would never rat out the one person who cares for me, even when knowing my secrets!
We ate dinner in peace after that, the only sounds available was the sound of utensils clinking together, the breathing and chewing of the people around, and the horrible sound of heavy panting coming from the fat man. I hope he does die one day soon.
OH COME ON-
…—O—O—O—...
When I turn five is when I let the whispers stand down. I slowly transition myself into a different mindset and into another perspective.
Notes:
Here we are folks! The third ever chapter of this god for bit story that has wormed its way into my life so much that now I have random scenes pop into my head. It gets annoying after the first fifty.
But, the people don't stop coming and each Kudo that was left gave me the extra push to read this over and edit it. I think I'll try to post every week or so, I don't want to run out of premade chapters so soon, writing them is a bitch and I'll be damned if I spend my time rushing a chapter and it not turning out good.
You guys only deserve my best!
Anyway, the next chapter should speed things up, and I finally made it to canon with my pre-written chapters! Its so fucking hard and I will kneel down in front of any author and PERSONALLY praise them for getting chapters out when they haven't pre-written them.
Oh, and I'm still iffy on romance, it might happen, it might not.
I have the upmost respect for you guys, girls and gays out there ❤
Answer: A logia of sorts, one that allows the user to control any and all wavelengths.
Question: Which One Piece man would you say is the hottest?
Edit: I have changed some of the wording, fixed spelling and even added her possessive phrase! Tell me if you can find it ;p
Chapter 4: Escaping
Notes:
!WARNING!: This Chapter contains Sexual Assault of a Minor, it is not THAT detrimental to her character, so if you don't want to read it, PLEASE skip over it. I had a hard time writing it and I don't want others to feel uncomfortable while reading.
There will be a warning right before the scene, it's quite big actually, but I still want to warn you guys.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
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!Transition complete:!
Welcome to One piece: The wondrous world of pirates, featuring Jessica Ginervera!
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
I opened my eyes, except this time it wasn’t my kid self with my adult memories. It was my actual self, my own conscience in a five-year-old body. FUCK YES!! Oh my god. I seriously didn’t need to know how kid me—before I died obviously— would react to being in a new world, with my memories.. Yeah never again please and thank you!
To be honest I really don’t know what to think about my current position. I have zero clue what universe I’m in, I’m probably going to go through an identity crisis for a little while, I know my dad sucks, D anger and my only friends are the whispers, who I love just as much as my mother. We love you too.
Not much to do now other than study my surroundings I guess, so I look around my room. It was a lot more, er, extravagant? Then my old one. It had a queen size bed in the middle of the room, mostly pink and white with sparkles, nice colors I might add! It was draped with canopies and mosquito nets in the same color style. They were held back by pink ribbons and lace lined the edges of the bed.
It was like any princess bed in any movie. I loved it. Being treated like a princess was fucking wonderful. Although I have a sneaking suspicion that this wasn’t my fathers doing. Eh, whatever. Doesn’t bother me right now! The room looked straight out of Sofia the First, and that's what it was. Damn, such an amazing room to be honest.
I hopped out of my extremely large bed and wandered over to my dressing room, it was literally one of the largest closets I’ve ever seen. Like I mean bigger than my old apartment! Wait– that's a terrible representation.. Any room could be bigger than my old apartment, so maybe bigger than two? Of my old apartments? Yeah!
Anyway, I was happy to see that Bed was still in perfect condition. I had received him when I turned two, from my mother of course, and I’ve kept him under my watchful eye everyday, and when I can’t I hide him away in different places each time. I don’t want any harm to come to him.
Thankfully, my clothes weren’t that hard to reach. Not thankfully, they were all dresses and puffy shirts and skirts. Oh man, I can wear a dress and feel pretty, but one of these? No. Absolutely not. It looks like a mad man went crazy and tossed a bunch of colors together in a failed tie dye experiment. Too many colors on each dress.
I sighed and chose the plainest one I could find. A puff-sleeved dress that reached a little past my knees. The colors were pink, blue, and green. I know, terrible colors to be put together. They were spread out and scattered everywhere on the dress. If I find the stylist of these monstrosities, I will personally enact the punishment of destroying art, myself!
After putting on my dress and some slip-on shoes, I began to skip my way down the dining room like I used to do when the whispers were in control. I personally like the whispers, they’ve gotten me through some tough shit. Lucky for me they are still there, just in the back of my mind, talking and helping me throughout my daily life I guess.
When I enter the dining room I run up to my mother and smile up at her, hugging onto her dress when she looks down with her own sweet smile.
“Hey my little rose bud, how are you this morning?” Even though she smiles, I can see the sickly parasite wiggling its way through my mothers body. She has gotten thinner and more pale. I think I know what's going to happen, and I pray to god that it doesn’t. I hear him laughing. Fucking bastard.
“I’m good mama! I slept really well and now I feel much better!” I say, my voice producing the high-pitched tone most five-year-olds have at this age, “I said good morning to Benny already!” I smile brightly, causing my mothers face to warm up, even if just a little bit.
“That’s wonderful my sweet girl, how about you sit down and have your birthday breakfast.” I smile at her one more time before jumping into my chair and settling down. Soon enough some pancakes were brought out and placed in front of me. Imagine a stack of pancakes with syrup layered throughout the stack. Yeah, it looks amazing.
I picked up my fork and knife, they were designed for my smaller hand. Once I was prepared enough, I began to do what any little kid would do when faced with a massive stack of pancakes. I began to devour that thing. I mean table manners went straight out the window when that gold-brown disk of joy hit my tongue. Seriously, I was like a lion eating its prey after its first successful hunt in weeks.
“Now, now, don’t eat so fast darling, you might choke.” My mother placed a gentle hand on my shoulder and smiled as I began to slow my pace. I was still eating pretty fast, but at least I wasn’t at risk of choking myself to death. My mother soon stood up from her seat and placed a soft hand on my head,
“Rose bud, I am going to go get your present, wait here for me ok?” I beam up at her through a mouthful of pancake. Her hand ruffles my hair, messing up the position of the star hair pin she got me. I made a noise akin to a squawk as she chuckled. I watched her as she walked out of the dining room, listening to her footsteps fade as my hair pin was getting fixed by my hands.
Suddenly the second door that led into the dinning room opened, it was a bit harsher than expected, but she knew who it was and didn’t need to think about why someone would slam the door open. It was her dad(?), he—instead of walking to his seat—circled the table and stood right in front of my little form, still munching on a mouthful of the fluffy goodness in front of me.
“Jessica, I have someone I want you to meet.” Wow, this was the first time I’ve heard that sentence. He never introduced me to coe-workers, other nobility, and even family friends. So I just assumed he didn’t want anyone to see me, which I was completely correct by the way. Anyway, I nodded my head as I finished off the bite I had in my mouth before wiping off any syrup left on my face.
I hopped out of my seat and stood in front of my father(?), waiting for him to show me the way to his friend. Before he did anything he handed me a small box. Inside was a dainty bracelet, a greenish-blue color—that looked strangely familiar—with some pretty beads lined up around it. I smiled up at him and began to slip it on. The second I touched it the whispers tried to call out to me.
Key word: Tried ..
DON’T – The whispers were cut off the second the bracelet was touching my bare skin. Only a small buzzing sound took their place. It was weird, but I just assumed that they wanted to give me and my father the bonding time that we needed. No matter how terrible he was, at least he was changing? Maybe? I don’t know if this counts as changing, but at least he’s trying! I think..
…—O—O—O—...
When we both neared our destination, I was greeted by a massive doorway, not like the other huge doors that probably made up most of the materials when building this place, it was gigantic. The intricate carving design was made with swirls and twists. You could follow one and then find yourself on a completely different path then the one you had picked. It was amazing. The door was mostly black and brown, which ruined the possibility for more colors if you ask me..
My father(?) opened the door, it heaved for a second before swinging open slowly. In the room sat a man, probably early to mid twenties, reading a book on the single couch that occupied the room. Seriously, there was nothing there but a plain, black couch.. When he saw us walk in he placed the book down at his side and stood up to greet us with a bow.
“Jessica, this is Mr. Smith, he is another nobility, one from a particularly high-standing one as well.” I nodded my head to this and gave my best curtsy, which wasn’t much to be honest, I never liked etiquette, “I’d like you to have a chat with Mr. Smith while I go fetch something to eat from the dining room. I had forgotten how famished I am!” My father(?) laughed loudly and walked out of the room, leaving me alone with the man who was still standing politely.
WARNING→Sexual assault and rape beyond this point
!SKIP IF NOT COMFORTABLE!
This also includes mentions of: Panic attacks, self-hate, thoughts of suicide and a few other things I forgot the name of.
!Read at your own risk and possible mental health!
!Skipping this section probably won’t affect the story itself, it will have some importance in her personality, but you don’t have to read the details to figure out what happened!
I’m serious, even I don’t feel comfortable with this, and I wrote it!
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
“Ah, hello sir! My apologies for the late response, I’ve never been good with social stuff.” In a sense that was truthful, I wasn’t good with meeting new people, but I was more concerned about where the whispers had gone. The buzz was still there, but the whispers would usually comment on any new person, however they were unusually silent today. I wonder why..
“It’s alright young lady, please, have a seat!” I smiled at him and trotted over to the couch. It was plush and soft, I almost sank into the cushion if I hadn’t caught a hold on the arm rest that was luckily near me. Oh my fuck, that could’ve turned out badly.
“So, Ms. Ginervera, I’ve heard wonderful things about you from your father!” I tilted my head confused at that. I seriously didn’t think he was talking about me at any social event he went to, I didn’t even consider he was speaking any words of kindness. Maybe I had thought of this guy wrong? Maybe he is soft on the inside? Nah, he’s an asshole through and through.
“Yes, he has said wondrous things about you!” I nod slowly, watching as he stands up and walks over to the massive door, (I’ll never get over how pretty it is!) and looks at something before nodding and turning around to look at me. However, it wasn’t a good smile like the one he had been wearing when I walked in, it was one that sent shivers down my spine.
Shit.
“Wonderous things, yes, so many wondrous things about his cute, adorable daughter!” He began to stalk closer to my spot on the couch, this was starting to get a little creepy to be honest. Where's the whispers? Where’s my father(?). I don’t know, but I sure do hope he comes back soon, cause I’m getting really fucking uncomfortable right about now.
After a few seconds the man was standing in front of me, looking down at me with that same smile that made me recoil immediately, fuck that shits creepy as shit. Oh my god, seriously, where the hell is everyone!? I know whats going to happen, I’ve had it done before, it’s going to be torture. Someone help. Someone fucking help, I’m still a god damn child.
The man leaned over and took a hold of my left wrist, he squeezed his hand so that I had to wince at the pressure that began to hurt. I might be small but that doesn’t mean I can’t fight. I began to flail, my free arm went up to scratch his face while my legs kicked around, trying to hit anything they could.
It was really all in vain though when silver chains sprouted from the man's hands, covering my legs and arm, successfully pinning me to the couch. WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?
He must have seen my confusion, because be bursted out laughing, “Oh dear child, this is the power of a devil fruit!” I paused. A what? A devil fruit? No it can’t be real, that's the type of fruit from the anime One Piece– Oh shit. Oh no. This is bad. This is very very bad.
The man continued to chuckle as he took off his shirt. Eww he’s just as ugly below his shirt then he is covered. Give me a break, I’m about to be fucking raped here, I’m allowed to make some jokes to cope.
When he tossed off his shirt he began his rant again, “Oh yes! I was so happy to find out that Mr. James had a daughter! Nevermind the age, I knew I just had to take the one thing that could not be replaced!”
He was full on cackling like a mad man at this point, “Ah yes, when I asked him about dealing with you, he was so excited! Agreed immediately! We are to be married tomorrow, but I wanted to have a little fun before. You know? So call me Jack!”
WHAT!? FUCKING MARRIED?? And my poor-excuse-for-a-father(?) accepted it? He is allowing his only daughter to be fucking raped and married off at the age of five!? Yeah no, I’m going to fucking murder this asshole.
My train of thought was last as I felt a hand sneaking up my dress, it was cold and slimy, leaving a trail of grease and unease as it continued its path up my leg. Oh. My. Fucking. God. I cannot let this happen. I’m going to be sick. The feeling of his hand crawling across my inner leg made me gag and filled my eyes with tears.
I did not want to have to do this again. It already happened once in my previous world, and it took years of therapy and counseling to get out of the self-deprecation and depression, and even then I still had to take some serious meds to keep myself sane. Please, please, please get me out of this situation.
The man laughed again, this time letting his fingers guide under my underwear, tugging at them and slowly taking them off. The feeling of the fabric dragging down my legs only increased the tears and rising panic attack.
It was exposing. I hate it. I hate this. I swear if this actually happens I am going to kill myself. I am going to fucking find a way to murder both me and this shit-bag.
“Well, well, well, let's see what we are working with here!” The cackling began again, “Oh! Wait, forgot a few things~ hehe~” Jack began to unbuckle his belt, seemingly having a hard time with the… unbuckling part.. I would have laughed if I wasn’t about to relive the worst feeling of my life.
Maybe I could use this as an escape opportunity? I looked around the room, much to my dismay I realized that they had taken away everything in this room. This proved the point that James planned this. Oh. My. FUCKING. God. I am going to fucking kill myself.
I felt the tug at my underwear again, this time the fingers pulled them all the way down, leaving me mostly exposed. I still had my dress, but it didn’t do much to cover anything if he did start now.
The fingers that had taken off my underwear began to snake back up my legs, and when I looked up I saw that Jack had managed to take off his pants. To be honest, his dick was pretty long, around eight to nine inches, and would fucking tear my child body a part. And he was smiling.
The fingers slide up to my inner thighs, pressing down against the soft flesh. This made me move, I struggled against the silver chains that constricted my movements. However, the chains only tightened, making me cry out in pain. That's when I realized my mouth was covered as well. Fuck. Fuck . Fuck . FUCK Someone get me the fuck out of here!?
“Oh? You like that don’t you~” I tried to scream out my anger but it was muffled by the tightening chain, “I knew you’d come around, now let me just–” His fingers slid upwards again, grazing the lips of my private part and pressing down every now and then. He was fucking playing with me, like a damn toy.
I really couldn’t stop the tears even if I tried at this point. As his fingers moved closer and closer to where the entrance to my body was, the tears only increased tenfold, pouring down my face with no intention of stopping.
I tried to move again, I tried to fight back, but with the chains restricting the movement of my arms and legs, it was only my torso that moved. This caused the fingers to move downward faster, stopping directly in front of the hole that was going to be the center of my pain.
“Oh? Impatient are we?” I sent him the worst glare I could muster right now. I probably looked horrible, my hair a mess, gagged, chained, tears falling down my face and soaking the fabric of my dress. And he smiled .
I tried to scream out of anger again, but it was cut off and turned into one of terror and fear as his finger’s pressed down, not entering, but creeping very close to. I was crying harder now, no doubt the tears only fueling his hunger, but I couldn’t help it. I was about to be ruined, destroyed, hurt. I was about to lose something that I had lost in my previous life as well. I was going to lose the one thing that I’d hoped to keep intact.
I felt the tears increase as his fingers pushed past that small barrier, entering my body forcefully and not welcomed. I cried again, this time my chest began to move up and down at a faster rate, my heartbeat picking up speed and my breathing becoming so fast I thought I might actually pass out. I was brought back to the world as a surge of pain coursed through my body, his fingers moved forward, digging deeper and pushing in, unwilling to stop no matter how hard I cried.
It was his middle finger I guessed, it made its way through my body until it pressed up against the wall that separated his fingers and the rest of my insides. However, he didn’t seem pleased at the length and pushed harder. I screamed out again, the tears only doubling again. I was going to be so dehydrated after this, if it ever ends. The finger somehow managed to find a smaller hole to dig into, pushing into that. I felt his finger drag against the walls of my body, slipping out of the hole and leaving me heaving with pain and terror.
How do I stop this? How do I make it so I’m not ruined for the rest of my life? How do I get the damn whispers to come back!? That's when it hit me. The bracelet, a gift from James. It was the reason I couldn’t hear the vast expanse that would protect me. How do I get it off though? I have an idea, let's hope and pray to God it works.
“Mhhh mhhh mmm–” I muffle something out loud, Jack looked back over at me and raised an eyebrow. I did the same thing, to which he smirked and slowly controlled the chins away from my mouth.
“Yes, my honey-bun~?” He said with a sickly-sweet tone, I tried my absolute hardest not to scream, shout, cry, or make any noise that would cause him to replace the chains.
“M-m-my bra-bracelet..” I murmured to him while tilting my head towards the bracelet that covered my wrist, “I-it w-w-was given b-by my m-mama, t-to p-protect m-me.” I seriously was trying to get my stuttering under control, but with the second panic attack rising and what will happen if I don’t do this right, I wasn’t really concerned that much about it right now.
“Protection you say? Well we can't have that now can we?” He walks over to my wrist and grasps my arm in his hand. It was gross. I feel gross. Please let this work. He didn’t even think twice before ripping it off my wrist, this caused blood to form around a new wound, but I didn’t care, because the whispers came back. And they were PISSED .
Warning ends here! Although viewer discretion is advised!
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
WH-? WHO? WHY? I SWEAR- KILL! HIM!? . It was overwhelming yes, but when they finally grasp the situation, you bet your ass they did something about it. Within a few seconds I gave the whispers what they needed. Power. I basically begged for help. They did it without even needing to ask either, because one moment I was tied up and crying, the next I was carried off of the couch and brought to a corner nearest to the door and farthest from Jack.
The soul who had carried me was Oliva. Her form was visible and she had a physical body? Ish. it was like a poltergeist I guess, except they could pick up and hold people. She was absolutely seething with anger. I mean, seriously, it would be very scary to be on the receiving end of that look.
The other souls that were summoned was Theo: who was beating the hell out of Jack, mostly with kicks to the chest, stomach and face. Raven: Who was ruining his hair and beating the shit out of him as well. And finally: A blond-haired man named Yorki, he was the funniest out of all of them, but he was super strong and was nice!
Oh, he also was Brook's original Captain.
However, that would probably have to wait because he was currently beating the hell out of Jack. I would’ve watched it if I wasn’t already on my way to another panic attack...
Oh well, maybe next time!
The tears had slowed down, yes, but stopping was a whole other thing. Oliva was comforting and said she would be holding onto me until my own mother came. However, as far as I know she isn’t in the vicinity, but that's a problem for later.
I started to hiccup from the amount of crying and the sudden influx of oxygen allowed to enter into my lungs, which gave way to the vomit I'd been holding back for awhile now. My precious breakfast was poured out from my gut and onto the floor. It didn’t just stop there though! Oh no, I continued to vomit for a few minutes until the only thing that came out was the acidic bile from my stomach.
Oliva had held onto me the entire time, giving me the comfort and safety I really needed at the moment. Yorki, had finished the brutal beating that I could only assume rivaled what I would’ve done (in my adult body that is) and made his way over to me and Oliva.
“You ok bubbles?” I choked out a watery laugh at his nickname, I never will understand how they came up with that one!
His beat down had been almost a success– Jack was bleeding… badly… my eyes were covered from seeing too much, but I caught a glimpse at the horrific crime scene that had become of his body.
For anyone wondering– yes he probably has brain damage! Yippie!!
“Are you ok bubbles?” He asked again as he crouched down to my level and pressed his right index finger to my forehead. He laughed a little as I swatted his hand away and sent him the worst glare I could muster. It wasn’t that effective..
“Does it look like I’m ok?” I snap back, my voice missing the heat that usually would come with the remark, “I seriously think I need a therapist and maybe some alcohol.” Yorki sent a look to Oliva before grabbing my shoulders and shaking me back and forth lightly,
“NO! Don’t you dare get addicted to drinking!” he was seriously beginning to make me dizzy, which didn’t go unnoticed by Raven, who had finished with her beat-down of Jack. She wandered over to our corner and gave the go-ahead for Oliva to take her turn. The smile that presented itself on Oliva’s face wasn’t one I’d like to be on the receiving side of.
“Hey! You’re going to make her throw up!” Raven yanked me out of Yorki’s hold and placed me right into her arms, they snaked over me protectively and firmly, “We can’t kill her!”
“You can’t die from throwing up once!”
“Yes you can! The odds are just very small!”
“So it won’t happen to bubbles”
“It could!”
“It's not likely though!”
I chuckled at their usual banter and relaxed slightly in Ravens hold. I was safe, I wasn’t going to be hurt and I definitely wasn’t going to see Jack again. Suddenly the door to the room was thrown open, the stomping of hurried footsteps entered my mind and I looked up from my position in Raven's arms.
My mother was standing in the doorway staring at the scene before her. She first looked at the (now brain damaged) man laying on the floor, a pool of his own blood steadily growing larger by the second. She seemed about ready to call the guards to quickly take him to the doctor before her eyes landed on me.
I definitely was a sight to see. My eyes were totally red and puffy from crying, I was dehydrated as fuck (mostly a me thing, but still!), I was clinging onto a blue ghost-like being that she definitely didn’t know, three others were still beating the shit out of the male, and Yorki was crouched down next to me in a protective stance. Finally her eyes landed on the underwear that had once belonged to me, I would never wear that pair ever again.
Her eyes widened in realization, her fists tight end and she walked over to where I was located in the corner nearest to her. Raven didn’t think twice before handing me off to my mother, a slight promise was held between me and her before I was transferred. The second I left her arms, a wave of exhaustion overtook me and the five souls floated back into the whispers.
My mother held onto me tightly, hand holding my head into the crook of her neck as she sped through the hallways. I couldn't see where I was going, but that fuck to the whispers. Oh yeah, the whispers were still fucking pissed.
The different splits became more evident after my “awakening” of giving the distinguishable five souls a soildish form. However, they all were in agreement that Jack should’ve been killed, or at least tortured until begging for death. I was given a lot of new ways to murder someone in cold blood.
My eyes were droopy and my body sagged a lot, I couldn’t really make out the world through my blurred vision, and the noise that came from my surroundings became far too loud. The whispers tell me it's a drawback from overuse of my energy, and that I’d need to regain my strength. Fuck. I hate working out!
However, none of that mattered right this second, because the second me and my mo, entered my room, she began to throw items and clothes into a suitcase, a plain black one. I tilted my head to the best of my ability, but just enough so she would understand. I was not going to try to talk right now. That would be fucking stupid of me.
“We are leaving,” she responded to my silent question without looking up from her quick packaging, “I can get us out of here unnoticed. Devil fruit.” she said as my questioning look turned into one of understanding, “Clear-Clear Fruit, It allows me to turn invisible and with some extremely hard focusing, I turn a small organism invisible plus some luggage for around thirty minutes.”
Around enough time to get out of the manor if we hurry, but not enough time to make it to the docks. We’d need to make sure to not be seen by the townsfolk then.
Unable to really talk, I nodded my head, which made her face shift into pure sadness. She looked so upset and shamed, and I think I knew why. She blamed herself for Jame’s actions, blamed herself for not staying with me. Which is pure bullshit if you ask me. I didn't even know what was about to happen.
Wait..
A DEVIL FRUIT!?!
OK this is all too much for me. Seriously, this day is going to be number one in “the worst, but most informative, days of my life.” and that's including my first! James is a horrible person (I kinda knew that, but this proved it), I still have the PTSD from my previous life, my Haki is still locked (FUCK), my mother is a devil fruit user, and she is going to die. WHAT!?
With what I can remember, the perverted guy from Thriller Bark had that fruit, but right now my mom has it. So unless my presence has ruined the timeline completely already, then mom is going to die. Oh.. that doesn’t mean I can’t stop trying to protect her! If anything this gives me more of a reason to stay close to her, FUCK YEAH !
I smile at the familiar voices of the whispers, I’m so glad to have them back to be honest. I’m never wearing Sea-Stone again. Good .
“Jess, come here.” I wandered over slowly to where she had finished her quick packing, “Wear this.” She tossed a brownish cloak like hers over my body, fitting it so that my body was covered and the hood was on my head. She picked me up and sat me down on the bed pulling off my small heels and slipping on some shoes that looked like sneakers. After she was done assessing the small luggage, she picked me up again, placing me on her back and securing me with a leather rope of some sort.
“Wha-” I was cut off when she grabbed the suitcase with her right hand and stood still, seemingly waiting for something to happen. For a moment nothing happened, but the next a cool sensation enveloped my body, shining over my clothes and every other part. It was quite claiming, it was nothing like those fingers.
I began to shake for a second, my body shutting down into a panic before I was brought back to reality by the soothing sounds of the whispers and the quick movements of my mother's body beginning its track to the harbor.
Oh. That's right. I’m safe, I’m fine, no one is going to touch me, no one is going to hurt me, especially not him . Yes, you are safe, we will protect . I inwardly smile at the comfort the whispers bring. No matter how hard I try, I’ll always be dependent on the whispers for aid, even if for minuscule things like advice, or larger things like: protecting me from getting raped by anyone. Yes, I depend on them, but they also depend on me.
I shook my head slightly, allowing my senses to be brought back to me and my mom’s great escape. While I was losing myself in my mind, mom had apparently made it out of the manor without being seen or heard. I was pretty upset for a second, I had missed out on observing the power of the Clear-Clear Fruit in action, other than behind a screen and from another horrible man. Wow, how many more horrible males am I going to meet before Luffy!?
“Ok, we are almost there hun.” I nod my head, pushing down any and all thoughts. I can have a breakdown later , right now I need to focus on getting the fuck out of this hellhole. We snuck through the streets and made our way around allies when mom’s devil fruit ran out of steam. Apparently she didn’t have that much of a grasp on the powers as she didn’t have time to test it out. I applauded her nonetheless.
The allies were tight, but between my small five-year-old body and my moms thin stature, we made it through without too much trouble. When mom’s fruit stopped and we became visual, I was given the chore to drag the luggage along, mom needed to focus on moving fast. So we continued the walk/escape towards the harbor, which didn’t last too long as we lived pretty close to them. Business and all..
…—O—O—O—...
Well, we made it to the docks alright, but we made one fatal mistake: We took too much money. Now, usually it isn’t too much of a problem if people knew you were from a noble family, but you show up at a dealership for boats, in cloaks, obviously running, and have a bucket load of money? It raises suspicion. Don’t get me wrong, we did get a boat, but the authorities were notified of two suspects and to check them out. Which wasn’t going to happen.
So here we are, mother and daughter, stealing a boat that has a different serial number than the one we bought. It was small, but it was big enough to allow two people to rest on it comfortably, plus some space left for our stuff.
Oh! We stole some fruit and bread from the kitchens, and by we, I mean my smart, beautiful mother.
After a little while of sailing (we were around a mile or two away from the docks), I saw that a few marines were circling the docks, probably looking for either me and mom or the two “suspicious people in cloaks.” I turned to look over at mom, she was sitting stiffly at her seat, shuffling some of the extra food she picked up around the small space we had. She looked up at me, her lips turning up into a small smile, one full of relief and sadness.
One good look at her face, the face of my mom, the face of my caretaker and the woman who loved me even with my backstory and the whispers ( No offense – None taken ), and I felt my own beginning to break. The past two hours began to hit me like Truck-kun.
It was hard, my body began to feel cold and disgusting, my hair suddenly felt greasy and stringy, my legs turned to jello and my body began to shake. Looks like my second panic attack hit harder when suppressed.
“Oh baby, oh my little rose bud..” She brought her arms around my torso and pulled me into her arms. They wrapped protectively around my little body, engulfing me into one of those protective mama-bear hugs.
She began to rock back and forth slightly, “You are safe now.” That’s what broke my composer. I couldn’t hold back anything, no matter how hard I tried, it seems like I still have those kid urges or my mommy issues from my previous life hit harder when I need comfort from a parent.
Either way I was sobbing into her shirt, holding onto it like my life depended on it. The dam that I’d held back broke and more tears fell down my face, more emotions poured out into the world, more cries of despair left my mouth.
And she held me, she held me through my breakdown, held me through the beginning, the middle and the end. She held me and rocked me back and forth and my small hands balled into fist and tried to slam into the boat. I stopped after she took the first few punches, cause she didn’t want to hurt me.
So I avoided the physical portion of my breakdown, and focused more on letting out the pain that captivated my being for my entire life here, plus a few years of my last one.
“I’m here, let it all out.” And I did.
Notes:
And here we are!
I really hope I did a good job on this chapter (to those who read everything), I've never had to experience a sitationship like that, so I went off of what my friend has told me and what I assume she (as in Jessica) would react.
And yes, this will be kinda important in the future- mostly around Thriller bark or Skypiea maybe, I haven't completely decided. So I hope I was able to show the emotions and feelings correctly.
Guess who figured out which world she was in!! Yep- Our local traumatized girly.
Answer: Luffy, number one for me, but either Law or Paulie, those two are hot.
Question: How long would it take you to get used to the One Piece world if you were randomly dumped into it?
Chapter Text
It took a few hours (eight to be exact) for me to finish my episode, the tear marks that stained my face and mom’s shirt only confirmed that I wasn’t dreaming it. And with my newfound mental capacity, I began to question some things in my head, things that the whispers couldn’t answer and the things that I’ve noticed.
One: My mother seemed to be really good at using her Devil fruit, but she could only turn it on for thirty minutes, which was pretty weird if you ask me, especially when guy-who's-name-I-didn't-remember used it for longer during Thriller Bark. It was curious how she could also turn others invisible, I can’t remember if the perverted-guy used it or not, best not to think about it too much right now.
Two: Remember the five souls? Well I can now see their forms fully, without having to focus hard on it. Apparently they didn’t notice either, which made me wonder if they had always been floating around me like this. I haven’t acknowledged them yet, best to save it for when mom isn’t awake, but they are like normal ghosts–A light-blue, almost white base color, with a darker blue nearing the edges. Their hair colors only barely were shown and their eyes were milky-blue.
Three: Why some strands of my hair had turned into a bright, strawberry red color. If my head was the same color as the small, red highlights, then I would definitely pass as princess Ariel!
Four: where we were going. Pretty much self-explanatory. Might as well start asking!
“Hey mama?” She turned her head in my direction for a second, her eyes locking onto mine before she sat up with a smile, “Yes Rosy?” I smiled a bit more at the cute nickname.
“Why has my hair changed colors?” She looked at me for a second, she seemed to contemplate the pros and cons of telling me. She sighed as her eyes trailed downward, “Do you want the full truth darling?” At this I paused, what does she mean “Full truth?”
I slowly nod my head which makes her sigh again, “James isn’t your father.” everything became silent, everyone (including the souls) waited with bated breath on the contents of that sentence, “It was a one night stand, I had gone out to a bar to relieve myself of stress through a few drinks. I wasn’t planning on meeting a gentleman there, nevertheless sleeping with him, but he won me over, and I asked to spend the night. Yes. I did, it wasn’t helpful that he was downright gorgeous either..” He looked out into the sky, nostalgia forming in her eyes, “He stayed around for a week, we said our goodbyes, and a few weeks later I was pregnant. I assumed you were James' child, and he assumed it as well. However, when you came out, looking so beautiful with your baby face,” I blushed at that and pulled out one of those long “mooooom!”
She laughed at my antics and continued, “You had some pieces of hair that bore the same stunning red as the man in the bar, I loved it, I loved how you weren’t Jame’s, I loved how you represented a night that had no meaning.” I tilted my head at this, which was caught by her, making her quickly explain her reasoning, “No, no, no, I mean that I was glad I could raise you as my child and not James's! If he was your father I can’t imagine what he would’ve let happen when you’d come of age!” I shiver at that.
Nope. Nope. Nope! Happy I ain’t his child!
“Anyway, I couldn’t just let James see your hair, he would’ve killed you right then and there! So I enacted a bit of my devil fruit, hiding the red to make sure no one, even you, could spot the difference in your DNA. I'm just so happy you took after me, my sweet baby.” She ended it with a smile and a tight hug, I jokingly pushed away at her lips that peppered my face with small kisses, pulling some giggles out of me.
“What was his name, mama?” I was curious about who this red-hair, charmer that swayed my mother so much that she spent the night with him. He seemed nice, plus I had some of his genes, I might want to meet him one day! Red hair shouldn’t be too hard to spot, especially bright red-hair!
Wait…
Bright red-hair
Wait…
Charmer
Wait–
Handsome–
“His name was Shanks.” My jaw (and the soul’s) dropped. SHANKS!? My father, the male I share genes with, the man who has the strongest Haki in the world and is insanely strong is my father!? Nuh uh, that can NOT be true. Omg, how am I supposed to handle that? WTF!? My father– he– huh!?
My mental breakdown wasn’t noticed by mom as she continued her explanation, “We talked throughout the whole week, I told him I wanted to have children one day and some of the names I liked, he said that he didn’t want to settle down, but like the name…” She trailed off, hinting at me to finish the thought for her.
“Jessica..” I finish after a second, my brain going kilometers, no, miles a second. I moved my head to look out at the waterscape. Oh. My God. My fucking father is going to become—or already is—a fucking Yonko… AND HE CHOSE MY NAME!!
Yeah, craziest fucking day ever… even the souls had begun to freak out: Cora was pacing (floating) back and forth, Oliva was looking into the distance with a mixture of worry and thoughtfulness, Lola was trying to figure out whether to congratulate or apologize to me, Raven was holding her head in her hands while curled up in a corner of the ship, and Theo was sitting next to her probably contemplating his life choices to be honest. It was pretty funny, but I wouldn’t dare laugh.
“Yep, and I knew, when you came out, that the name fit you perfectly. Plus the nicknames were adorable!” I groan into my hands, but I still smile happily at her. No matter how dense she is about some things, she is still my loving mom, and I intend to keep her alive. Somehow..
“Ah, but it’s time for us to head to bed now!” She lifted me into her arms and laid me down on a bench of the small boat, she had pulled out some blankets from the suitcase, pulling it over me. She kissed my head and went to lay down at her own small makeshift bed, “Good night rose bud.”
…—O—O—O—...
I had waited until I heard her breath had slowed into a calm, steady rhythm before I sat up myself, swinging my legs over the bench that was being used as my bed. The souls had placed themselves opposite of my position on the boat, each settled on either air, or the boat itself. Raven and Lola were chatting excitedly over something I didn’t hear, Theo and Oliva were quietly speaking about some ancient civilization. Cora had his eyes closed, looking like he was at least trying to get some rest. It wasn’t helping that he was wobbling to the right or left every now and then.
“Hello?” Each of their heads snapped to where I was seated, making me coil back in shock, “Well damn, that kinda creepy..” At that moment Lola and Raven came speeding across the boat, flying through mom and smashing into my form. Huh, I guess I can touch them after all. That’s a bit weird..
“You can see us!?” Lola basically screamed in my ear, Raven wasn’t as quiet either, but at least she had the decency to apologize for it, “Woah! I can hold you! I can touch– oh wait that sounds horribly wrong– Sorry!” I giggle a little and she beams at me with a childish smile, she was only 13 when she died.
“Mhm, don’t ask, I have no clue either.” That was more pointed towards Theo and Oliva, who made their way over to us, Oliva going behind me and placing herself in a position where she could braid my hair, and Theo sat across from me, “Ah, you know us so well.” She chuckles lightly as both her hands made talented rotations from each strand. Yorki had sat next to Theo.
“So.. How are you guys?” The awkwardness in my voice made Nico Oliva chuckle again. Yes, I figured out who she reminded me of, and a quick question confirmed it. Plus Corazon, I figured him out almost immediately as well, “We are fine, pretty pleased at the work we had done earlier.” I cringed at the memories, trying my hardest to block out any more tears. Although, I think even if I tried to cry, nothing would come out, I’m spent for tears!
I nodded my head, letting my new braid fall onto my back, “So, how do I get over knowing my mother is going to die soon?” I ask with total sincerity, I really don’t know how I was going to survive without her. Fucking abandonment issues. All of them freeze for a second, each sending glances at each other, “I know it’s going to happen eventually, but I don’t know how I’m going to handle it, let alone move on”
Theo looked over at Oliva, a silent exchange seemed to happen before I was hoisted up into Olivas arms, she cradled me close to her smiling down at me as Raven raised a hand and patted my head, “When that day has to come, we’ll be by your side. Don’t you worry about being alone.” The other souls nodded seriously at this, although they had smiles that gave warmth. Good fucking god, thank you so much for the whispers!
“So, are you going to go looking for your father?” Lola piped up, pulling me out of my original thankful prayers and into contemplative thoughts, “No, I want to spend time with mama before the Gods take her from me.” I say, sadness spilling over my features, I knew she’d have to go, but I didn’t want her to. Destiny is a cruel, cruel thing and its partially the fucking god’s fault. I mean damn, he is such an asshole!
“But, if he happens to show up, I wouldn’t mind saying hi!” I school my features in a mask of slight happiness, I could not let my sadness envelop me when I have such a short amount of time left with mom, I would not let it ruin the moments I have with her.
The souls seem to understand, watching and quietly talking as I drift into a deep sleep, one that is filled to the brim with nightmares and terrors..
…—O—O—O—...
The reality hit me hard as I whipped my head around to stare at my mother.
“Mom, are we in the North Blue?” I said suddenly, my eyes wide with… something.
She blinked and nodded, “Yes, we are.”
“Do you know where the city of Flevance is? You know, the ‘White City?’” I asked hurriedly, my thoughts spinning as I calculated the timeline I had.
She mulled it over and nodded, “Yes, of course I do. I heard that the World Government is looking into a disease there, what’s wrong?”
As my thoughts wrapped around the new information, a single decision weighed heavily on my consciousness.
“Mom, we need to go there.” I said, my voice distant but firm.
She took a deep breath and looked down at me with both confusion and mild concern, “Why, honey?” No denial, just a question that hit me like a gut punch.
“T-theres someone who’ll die soon, a little girl, and I want to save her.” I mutter, fidgeting with my hands as my eyes darted nervously towards the ocean.
My mother sighed and placed a comforting hand on my head, “You can’t save everyone dear, you know that, right? And you’ve gone through so much–”
I bit my lip, “I know that, but I can save her, and all I have to do is get her off that island. She’ll die if I don’t do something.”
Mom looked at me with kind, and gentle eyes, like she knew I didn't understand I couldn’t save everyone. However, she nodded her head slowly, in agreement and shifted the sails properly.
“Alright, but we can’t stay for long.” I nod my head firmly, refusing to budge on this matter.
“I promise, we won’t.”
She took one more glance at me and smiled again, it was soft and loving, “I’m proud of you, you know? I’m proud you’re still thinking of saving others, even when you’ve already dealt with so much.”
My heart filled with warmth and for the first time in a while, I let an easy smile fall on my lips.
“Thank you, mama. For everything.’
She didn’t even need to ask about what ‘everything’ meant. She knew her daughter and knew what she meant.
…—O—O—O—...
The trip wasn’t that long, apparently our homeland wasn’t too far away from Flevance and we’d traded with them a few times in the past.
Due to our land's good relationship with the city, all my mother had to do was flash a badge and provide proper payment for our entry and we were in.
Everything was sparkling white and gorgeous, the marble and the streets beautiful and stunning. I loved it so much and the reality of me not being able to save it hurt more than I assumed.
We wandered down the streets in casual clothes, using the excuse my mother was here to show me around and teach me how others not in my position lived. She told others it was to keep me from growing up like my “father.”
No one liked the man, and they only did business when money was involved, so when they were told that, everyone encouraged the “trip” and helped show off how they lived day by day.
I hummed as I watched a blacksmith bang a hammer down on something I think would turn out to be a pan, but my eyes wandered over to a worried looking family.
A certain boy stood out with his hat and familiar features.
Ah, looks like I found our targets!
…
…
That sounds like we’re going to kill them–
…—O—O—O—...
“I found them, mama,” I whispered when she scooped me up, her arms wrapping around me like I was the most precious thing in the world. Her hold was firm—thin arms, yes, but strong in the way only mothers could be when they were about to do something reckless for their child.
Her sigh trembled, brushing against the top of my hair. “Are you sure about this?” Her voice was quiet but sharp with worry, like every word could cut. “Honey… this isn’t just dangerous. We’d be stealing a child. Kidnapping. If we do this, we can never come back here.”
Her words sank into me like heavy stones dropped into water. She was right, of course. I wasn’t stupid—I knew the difference between saving and stealing, knew the weight behind her warning.
But the thought of walking away, of leaving Lami behind to rot in the cruelty of fate, was unbearable.
I hesitated, my little fists curling into her shirt. My voice came out smaller than I wanted, shaky but stubborn. “We… we need to do this. I need to at least save someone.”
For a moment, she only looked at me, her eyes glistening with a mix of pride and pain. Then she smiled—sad, resigned, but touched with love. It was the kind of smile that said she’d already decided she’d follow me, no matter how foolish my wish was.
…—O—O—O—...
We slipped into the night.
The world outside was hushed and heavy, the city cloaked in moonlight and silence. The kind of silence that pressed against your ears until you swore it might shatter at the smallest sound. We left everything behind on the boat—clothes, supplies, the safe little bubble of routine. None of it mattered.
What mattered was a girl trapped in a house that wasn’t a home.
Invisible shadows wrapped around us, courtesy of mama’s devil fruit. It was strange—like wearing air as a second skin.
No one could see us, but I still felt naked under the watchful eyes of the night. We crept through alleys slick with old rain, boots soft on cobblestones, hearts pounding in a rhythm too loud for comfort.
The plan was simple. Almost insultingly simple.
Step one: locate the house holding Lami.
Step two: break in—(and yes, okay, it sounded criminal as hell, but trust me on this).
Step three: collect Lami carefully, like she was glass. (I swear it’s good kidnapping!!)
Step four: get out fast, still invisible, and vanish before the city wakes.
On paper, it sounded easy. In reality, every shadow looked like a soldier, every creak of wood like a scream.
I glanced up at mama, the ghost of her hand gripping mine even under the veil of invisibility. She looked calm, her eyes scanning every corner, but I knew her well enough to feel the tension radiating off her.
She was scared.
She had every right to be.
But we kept moving. Because sometimes saving someone meant becoming the villain in another story.
The city was asleep.
That helped, but not enough. Sleepy cities were still loud in their own way—the occasional bark of a dog, the slosh of waves hitting the harbor, the clink of a guard’s boots dragging across stone. Every sound felt magnified, echoing through the invisible cloak Mama’s Devil Fruit wrapped around us.
We moved in silence, following the trail of whispers and half-remembered overheard conversations until the house loomed ahead.
It wasn’t some towering fortress or heavily guarded mansion, but that almost made it worse. It looked… normal. White plaster walls, a slanted roof, lanterns burned out for the night. You’d never think a little girl was dying slowly inside.
My stomach twisted.
Mama squeezed my hand before letting go, her whisper barely a breath. “Last chance to turn back.”
I shook my head hard. My chest ached, but my voice came steady. “No. I’m doing this.”
Her sad smile flickered in the moonlight before she faded fully invisible, leaving only the warmth of her presence by my side.
…—O—O—O—...
The first obstacle: the gate.
Wooden, sturdy, but not invincible. Mama placed her palm on the lock, her Devil Fruit weaving a shimmer through the air, and with a soft click, it swung open without so much as a groan.
She motioned me through, then closed it behind us, my heartbeat was already thundering.
We crept through the garden, stepping over damp grass that smelled faintly of mint. The windows glared down like eyes, most shuttered, one cracked just slightly.
I tried not to imagine people inside, sleeping, dreaming, unaware of the thieves slipping under their noses.
At the back, we found the door. Solid oak, iron lock. A harder test.
Mama knelt, tracing her fingers along the handle. “Locked tight. We’ll have to be quiet.”
I crouched beside her, watching as she coaxed the tumblers with invisible threads of power. The metal whined in protest, and I froze, heart leaping into my throat. Every second stretched long enough to snap. Finally—soft, mercifully soft—the lock gave way.
The door creaked when we pushed it. Not loud, but loud enough.
We both stopped, breath caught, waiting.
Somewhere inside, a floorboard groaned. I swore my heart stopped.
But no footsteps followed.
We slipped in.
…—O—O—O—...
The air inside was heavier, tinged with stale smoke and something sweet rotting. Shadows pooled in the corners, deeper than outside, pressing in on us like they knew we didn’t belong. Every board beneath my feet wanted to betray me, every step a gamble.
We followed the faintest trail of sound—a cough, weak and raspy, like someone too small for lungs that heavy. My chest clenched. That had to be her.
But first, another locked door.
This one was smaller, tucked at the end of a hallway lined with old paintings. The kind of hallway that screamed at you to run instead of sneak. Mama bent down again, hands glowing faintly as she worked. I pressed my ear to the door.
There—breathing. Raspy, uneven and fast.
My throat tightened and mama’s hands faltered once, the lock stubborn.
I touched her arm. “Let me try.”
She raised an eyebrow at me like I’d lost my mind, but she shifted aside.
I lifted a lockpick, one I had no experience with, and placed it in the lock, focused my eyes, and focused. I tugged and twisted until the metal scraped just enough for Mama’s power to finish the job.
Click.
The sound was so small, but it felt like the loudest victory in the world.
The door swung open an inch, shadows spilling across my face. I peered in.
The room was bare. Just a narrow bed pushed against the far wall, thin blankets heaped over a tiny shape curled beneath them. Moonlight bled through a crack in the curtains, painting pale silver across her face.
Lami.
My throat closed, tears burning behind my eyes. She looked so small. Smaller than me.
I slipped inside, careful, quiet, like even breathing wrong might shatter her. My fingers brushed the blanket, tugging it back just enough to see her face properly. Hollow cheeks and cracked lips. A child who deserved anything but this.
“Hey,” I whispered, my voice breaking, “It’s okay. I found you.”
Her lashes fluttered, confusion flickering before she sank back into sleep. She didn’t stir again.
I looked over my shoulder at Mama, who stood frozen in the doorway, eyes soft with something sharp underneath.
“We’re taking her,” I mouthed.
And Mama nodded.
…—O—O—O—...
Mama crouched, slipping her arms beneath the girl with a tenderness that looked almost alien in the dark. She lifted her as if she were made of spun glass. Lami barely weighed anything—far too little for someone her age.
Her head lolled against Mama’s shoulder, and the smell hit me then. Stale sweat, sickness clinging to her skin, like fever and dust. My stomach knotted.
“She’s so light,” Mama whispered, horror flickering in her eyes. “Too light.”
The guilt punched through me so hard I nearly staggered. Why hadn’t I come sooner? Why hadn’t I been strong enough, clever enough, fast enough? My fists clenched until my nails dug crescents into my palms.
I wanted to scream, but I couldn’t. Not now. Not with her so close, so fragile.
“Jessica,” Mama said sharply, her voice soft but warning. I hadn’t realized I was trembling, twitches of frustration prickling in my fingertips. “Not now. We need to get her out first.”
I bit down on the rage, forcing it back into the pit of my chest. My throat burned as I nodded.
…—O—O—O—...
We slipped back into the hallway, Mama leading the way with Lami tucked in her arms. The invisible cloak of her Devil Fruit wrapped around us again, hiding us, but not hiding the weight of the situation.
Every step felt like it could betray us. The boards creaked louder now, the house seeming to sense we were thieves in the night. I pressed close to Mama’s side, glancing behind us every other heartbeat.
Halfway down the hall, a door opened.
My lungs seized. A man shuffled out, scratching his head, muttering curses about needing water. His bare feet slapped against the floor, carrying him toward the kitchen. He walked right past us—so close I could’ve touched him if I reached out.
I held my breath so long my vision sparked, praying, begging, don’t look, don’t look, don’t look.
He didn’t, the kitchen door shut, and silence fell again.
Mama tugged me forward. My knees nearly gave out with relief, but I followed.
At the back door, Mama worked the lock again with her free hand, moving slower this time, the weight of Lami slowing her. I put my tiny hands against the door, pushing just enough to keep it steady as the lock gave way.
We spilled into the garden, the night air sharp and cold. I sucked in a breath like I hadn’t breathed in hours.
…—O—O—O—...
On the way back, Lami stirred weakly, a small sound breaking from her throat. Her eyes cracked open, glazed and unfocused, and she coughed—a wet, rasping sound that made her whole body shake.
I froze, horror crawling over my skin. Her cough sounded wrong, dangerous. Like her lungs were caving in with each breath.
My chest squeezed painfully.
She blinked up at Mama, lips trembling as she whispered something too faint to catch. Then she slipped back under, exhausted.
I bit down hard on my lip, tasting copper. My anger coiled like a snake ready to strike. Not at Mama, not at Lami—but at myself. At the world. At fate.
I should’ve been faster. I should’ve been smarter. If I was stronger, if I was better, she wouldn’t be this sick. I could’ve healed her already, saved her before it got this far. Why can’t I fix her right now? Why can’t I do anything?
Tears blurred my vision, hot and unwanted. But I refused to let them fall.
Instead, I walked faster, keeping pace with Mama as we slipped invisibly through the city, my small jaw set in iron.
Lami’s weak coughs echoed in my head, each one another reminder.
I couldn’t save everyone. But I would save her.
Even if it burned me alive trying.
…—O—O—O—...
The docks were quiet, the planks slick with dew, lanterns long burned out. A faint fog rolled over the harbor, hugging the water like a secret. Perfect cover, if we were fast.
Mama’s invisibility clung to us still, though I could feel the strain in the way her breath hitched each time she had to adjust Lami’s weight in her arms. She didn’t complain, didn’t falter, but I knew every extra second invisible was costing her.
Our boat was waiting, rocking gently at its moor, ropes creaking against the posts. Safety and escape.
I scrambled aboard first, clambering over the side with hands that shook harder than I wanted to admit. My knees hit the deck with a thud, and I spun around just in time to see Mama step onto the planks, Lami cradled against her chest.
The invisibility flickered and then broke like a soap bubble, the three of us shimmering back into view. I didn’t care. We were far enough now, and the sea was our only way forward.
Mama set Lami down on the nest of blankets we’d hurriedly spread earlier. She looked even smaller against them, her thin frame swallowed whole by the fabric. Her chest rose and fell shallowly, a wheeze escaping with each breath.
I dropped to my knees beside her. “We did it,” I whispered, though my voice cracked. “We actually… we did it.”
Mama’s hands trembled as she tied us free from the dock. “Yes, but now comes the hard part.”
The boat drifted away from the shore, oars dipping into the black water. The city shrank behind us, the house that had held her disappearing into the fog.
I looked down at Lami’s face—sallow skin, lips dry and cracked, hair clinging in damp strands. She was so beautiful and so broken all at once, and it burned me to see her like that.
She’s safe now, she’s safe now, she’s safe now, I repeated in my head like a prayer. But another thought echoed louder. She’s sick. Too sick. And I can’t fix her.
The anger surged up again, sharp and hot, flooding every vein in me. It felt like fire under my skin, eating me alive. My fists shook against the deck.
“I should be able to help her,” I hissed, glaring at my own useless hands. “What’s the point of finding her if I can’t—if I can’t do anything?!”
“Jessica.” Mama’s voice cut through, steady and low. She was rowing now, every muscle in her arms working to put distance between us and the city. “You saved her. That’s not nothing. That’s everything.”
I shook my head violently, tears spilling this time despite me trying to swallow them down. “It’s not enough! She’s still hurting. What if she—” I stopped, choking on the word dies.
Mama’s gaze softened, but her eyes were steel underneath. “Then we fight to keep her alive. Together. One step at a time.”
Her words didn’t soothe me. They only fanned the fire. Because she was right, and that was the part I hated. We weren’t done. Not even close.
I leaned over, adjusting the blanket so it tucked beneath Lami’s chin. My little hands brushed her cheek, cool with fever, and I swore right then and there.
I don’t care what it takes. I’ll find a way. I’ll make myself strong enough, smart enough, something enough. I don’t care if it burns me to ash. I won’t fail her again.
The oars cut through the dark water. The city disappeared behind us. And the three of us—me, Mama, and the girl we had stolen just to save—sailed into the unknown, with nothing but determination and desperation to carry us.
…—O—O—O—...
Lami woke up with a startle and glanced fearfully around, her face red with fever and body trembling with sickness.
“W-where’s my mama and papa?” She questions shakily, her coughs coming out wet and raspy. I winced, but decided to just… tell her the truth and get it over with. Sometimes a bandage needed to be pulled off quicker to ease the pain.
“We… we took you.” I said finally, my eyes darting towards the ocean, “I heard you were sick and…” I trailed off for a second, “And we knew what was causing it.”
She looked horrified, “Y-you kidnapped me?!”
I winced again, “Yeah… there’s no other way to put it, I guess.” I sigh and twiddle with my fingers.
“W-why?!” She asked, I could hear the anger building in her chest, good, that meant she still had the energy to continue going.
“Because you were dying and no one was listening.” I say, and it was true, we’d told some doctors about how it was the island’s minerals and air poisoning them and causing the disease, but they just laughed us off and told us to get a doctors degree before coming to them.
I’d even tried telling Law’s family about my conclusion, they smiled sadly and told me that without proof, they couldn’t take it up with the others.
At least they somewhat believed me.
“And I couldn’t let someone die..” I muttered, “So I took you and I’m going to make you get better so you can see your family again without… you know… being dead.”
She still looked upset, but her conclusion was just as similar as mine:
If she stayed, she would’ve died.
She would have left her parents and brother forever. At least in this situation, she can go back to them when she gets better.
Lami drooped and tears welled up in her eyes, “C-can I really not go back?” She asked, coughing violently after she spoke.
I gave her sad eyes and shook my head, “You’ll die.”
She sniffled and when my mom came out with some soup, she let her comfort her in the best way she could:
Story telling and food.
…—O—O—O—...
Notes:
Edit Number Two:
Hey hey!! If you’re new here, welcome!! I hope you enjoyed this chaotic, messy, slightly heartbreaking chapter. 😅 It was hard to write, and to be completely honest… I don’t even know if I like the end result. But guess what? I’ve now committed to rewriting nearly every previous chapter just to include Lami, so here we are. Please gods of writing, let this be okay.
If the pacing felt fast — it was. That was on purpose. Lami is literally on the verge of death, and Jessica’s not wasting time when it comes to saving her. She can’t waste time. Survival is on the clock, and we’re racing it. That next chapter? Yeah. That’s where the fight to keep her alive begins.
To my lovely returning readers: I am so, so sorry for the sudden additions and rewrites. I know I messed with the flow, and I totally get that it might feel jarring. But I couldn't stop thinking about Lami. I needed her to survive. It might feel forced at first, but it will pay off. Trust me. Please? 😭
I love you all so much for sticking around, through the updates, the edits, the chaos, and the cliff-dives into last-minute rewrites. You're legends.
Answer: Give me like… two weeks. Hopefully I’ll stop questioning my entire existence by then and be semi-human again. Maybe. No promises.
Edit Edit (Yes, Another Edit):
I went through and fixed a few spelling errors and tweaked some pacing. This chapter was flying by faster than a marine seagull on steroids, and I wanted to smooth a few parts out. I’ll be revisiting the earlier chapters too, but I felt this one needed immediate attention. If there’s anything else you notice—please tell me! I’m all ears (and sleep deprivation)!
Chapter 6: Chapter 5.3 Saving Lami is our number one priority!!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
…—O—O—O—...
The island was small, barely more than a smear of green against the endless blue sea. A stretch of quiet shoreline, a scattering of huts further inland, and a forest rising like a wall behind them. Hardly anyone lived here—that was obvious from the silence, from the way the docks were half-rotted and empty.
Which was exactly why Mama chose it. Safe, isolated and forgotten to the world.
We hauled the boat up just enough onto the sand so the tide wouldn’t claim it, then carried what little we had into the treeline. Mama kept Lami against her chest the whole time, wrapped in a blanket like a doll, her feverish breaths dampening the fabric.
I kept glancing back at her, each shallow inhale twisting deeper into me. She looked even paler in the daylight, lips cracked, dark shadows bruising her eyes. Her cough had gotten worse on the trip—wet, hacking, rattling her small ribs.
Even so, she was sharp tongued and witty, but also kind and gentle. I decided I couldn’t let the world take her from Law and now us, she was too… kind for death.
We made camp near a stream, using old driftwood and canvas from the boat to build some kind of shelter. Mama laid Lami down gently, tucking her into a nest of blankets, her expression carved from worry.
The silence was too much and my chest burned with it. Finally, I blurted out, “I’ll go.”
Mama’s head snapped up. “Go where?”
“Into the village.” I pointed toward the faint smudge of smoke curling above the huts. “There has to be someone who knows how to help her. Herbs, medicine—something. I’ll find it.”
Her eyes widened, then narrowed, “Absolutely not.”
“But Mama—”
“No.” Her tone cut like steel, “You’re five. Five. You don’t wander strange islands alone, especially not when people could hurt you or worse. Do you even hear yourself?”
I flinched but held my ground, “I can do it. Please. You don’t understand—I don’t know how to take care of someone sick. I can’t just sit here while she…” My throat closed around the thought. “…while she gets worse.”
Mama softened for half a second, but then she shook her head. “We’ll figure it out together. I’ll—”
“No, Mama.” My voice cracked, but I pushed through it, stubborn. “People… they don’t talk to grown-ups the same way they do to kids. They hide things and lie, but in front of a child, they’ll slip up. They’ll speak loosely and I can listen.”
She stared at me, frowning, torn between anger and heartbreak.
“I’m small,” I pressed, leaning forward, “No one will think I’m dangerous. They won’t expect me to be paying attention. I can hear things you can’t and learn things you can’t. Please.”
The silence between us was heavy, the only sound was Lami's coughing. Each ragged breath drove the knife deeper, and I knew Mama heard it too.
Finally, she rubbed a hand over her face, sighing like the weight of the world had dropped on her shoulders, “You shouldn’t even have to think like this. You’re just a child.”
“I don’t get to be ‘just a child,’” I whispered back. “Not if it means letting her die and letting you down.”
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and for a moment, I thought she’d refuse again. But then she pulled me close, crushing me into a hug so tight I almost couldn’t breathe.
“You come straight back here,” She said, voice trembling against my hair, “No detours. No risks. If anything feels wrong, you run.”
“I will,” I promised, though we both knew I’d push it if I had to.
When she finally let go, her hands lingered on my shoulders, holding me as if to memorize me before letting me walk away. “Jessica… don’t make me regret this.”
I nodded, fire burning in my chest. “I’ll find a way, Mama. I promise.”
She huffed a laugh suddenly and kissed my forehead, “Just like your father, always so reckless.”
I giggled and hugged her tightly, her arms tightening around my body once more.
And with that, I turned toward the thin trail leading down into the village, my small fists clenched tight, my heart pounding with fear and determination.
Lami’s cough echoed behind me. A reminder and a promise.
…—O—O—O—...
The village was smaller than I’d expected.
From a distance, the smoke curling from the chimneys made it seem alive, bustling even, but as my feet padded along the dirt path between the huts, I realized there were barely any voices, barely any movement.
A chicken clucked lazily in the dust, a child chased after it with a stick, and somewhere behind a crooked fence, an old man hacked phlegm into the grass. That was it.
Twenty-five people, maybe less. The kind of place the rest of the world had forgotten existed. Which, in a way, made it perfect.
Nobody here had anything worth stealing, so nobody came to take. But it also meant resources were scarce, secrets were probably buried deeper than the roots of the palms swaying overhead.
I adjusted the hem of my tunic, trying to look as harmless as possible—which wasn’t hard, given I was literally five. My hair was messy, my feet ached from the walk, and I doubted I looked like anything but a lost child.
Good. That was exactly what I wanted.
Mama had told me to ask about herbs, remedies, anything simple, but I wasn’t looking for that.
Herbs couldn’t fix Lami.
A Devil Fruit could.
The thought had struck me the night before, somewhere between the rhythm of the oars and the wet, rattling coughs tearing out of Lami’s throat. Devil Fruits could twist the laws of the world, make the impossible possible.
Fire from hands, invisibility from air, whole oceans of power sealed into a single bite. If such things existed, then there had to be one—just one—that could help her. Heal her. Save her.
The problem was… I didn’t know where to look. Fruits weren’t just lying around in baskets at the market. They were treasures, curses, miracles and people killed for them.
But this island was small, people here would talk and people who thought they were safe often let things slip.
So I smiled, soft and wide-eyed, and started asking questions.
…—O—O—O—...
The first person I tried was an old woman hunched over a basket of laundry. Her hands were wrinkled, her skin weathered like old leather, but her eyes were sharp.
“Excuse me,” I piped up, tugging on the edge of my sleeve like I was nervous. “Do you know if there’s… um… special fruit here? Something different? Maybe the kind that makes people better when they’re sick?”
Her gaze cut into me, and for a second, I thought she’d snap, but then she huffed, shaking out a sheet. “You mean like miracle cures? Bah. City talk. You want cures, you go boil ginger and pray the fever breaks.”
Not helpful, but I smiled politely anyway, thanked her, and moved on.
…—O—O—O—...
The second person was a fisherman mending his net by the water. He looked half-asleep, but when I asked the same question, he barked a laugh.
“Fruit? Aye, we got fruit. Bananas, coconuts, mangos. They’ll fill your belly, kid, but they won’t fix your bones.” His laughter faded into a sigh, “Though… I once heard a story. Long ago, someone washed up on our shores. Said they’d eaten a strange fruit, gave them the power to breathe under water.”
He scratched his chin, eyes faraway. “Didn’t last long. The sea took him in the end. The sea always does.”
I tucked that away, heart hammering. Not useful, not yet—but proof. Proof people here had seen them before.
…—O—O—O—...
By the time the sun leaned lower in the sky, painting the huts in warm orange, I had scraps of whispers pieced together.
A child had once bitten into a “cursed fruit” and could light candles with his breath before vanishing one night with his family.
A sailor had offered strange fruit for trade years ago, but the village elder turned him away, fearing it was cursed.
Another old man claimed the forest held trees that bore “shining fruit,” but everyone else dismissed him as senile.
Stories, rumors and ghosts of truth.
Each one twisted something in me tighter. My little hands balled into fists at my sides, frustration biting deep. It has to be out there. Somewhere. If people keep talking about it, then it’s real. It has to be real.
But what good were whispers when Lami was burning with fever right now? What good was I, running around with my tiny legs, hoping to stumble into a miracle before she wasted away?
My throat burned.
For a moment, I wanted to collapse right there in the dirt, scream at the villagers until they gave me something—anything.
But then I thought of Mama’s face, tight with fear, and Lami’s small hand twitching in her sleep.
I couldn’t give up. Not yet.
…—O—O—O—...
I found myself standing in front of the largest hut in the village. Bigger than the others, with a crooked totem carved outside, its paint faded by sun and rain. The elder’s house.
If anyone knew, it would be them.
I swallowed hard, my small hands trembling. I was five. Just a child. No one should have expected me to be here, doing this. But I wasn’t leaving without trying.
So I straightened my back, marched up to the door, and knocked.
Because even if I didn’t know how yet… I would find a way to cure her.
Even if it meant tearing the world apart.
…—O—O—O—...
The elder’s hut smelled of smoke and herbs, thick enough to make my nose wrinkle. The walls were lined with dried plants, shells, and carved masks staring blankly into the dim interior. A low fire burned in the center, glowing embers licking at a blackened pot.
He was old—so old his skin looked like parchment stretched over bone, his eyes a cloudy gray that still cut sharper than a knife. He sat on a woven mat, back straight despite the weight of his years, fingers curled around a carved walking stick that looked older than him.
“What do you want, little one?” he rasped before I even opened my mouth.
I tugged at the hem of my tunic, making my voice small. “I was… I was wondering if you knew about special fruit. The kind that helps people when they’re sick. My—” I swallowed. “—my friend is really sick, and I just… I need to help her.”
His eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I thought he’d strike me down with just a glare. Then he huffed, a sound like dry leaves scattering. “Children,” he muttered, shaking his head. “Always chasing stories they don’t understand.”
“I’m not chasing stories,” I whispered fiercely, surprising even myself. “I know they’re real. Devil Fruits. I know they can help.”
At that, his gaze sharpened, a flicker of something passing through his eyes—fear? Anger? It was gone so quickly I almost thought I imagined it.
“There is nothing for you here,” He snapped, slamming his stick against the floor. “Run back to your mother. Stop asking questions before your tongue brings you trouble.”
The dismissal stung, but I stayed rooted. “Please. Just tell me if you know anything—”
His hand tightened on the stick.
He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper, words meant to scare me into silence. “Children don’t know when to quit, always poking their noses where they don’t belong. Looking for fruit that was never theirs to eat. And when they find it—”
His lips curled, eyes narrowing. “They never stay long enough to regret it.”
My breath hitched.
It was only a murmur, tossed out like a warning, but it was enough. He realized what he’d said the instant the words left his mouth.
His mouth snapped shut, jaw working, eyes going wide with a spark of alarm before he scowled and waved me toward the door. “Out. Now.”
I stumbled back, heart hammering. He thought he’d scared me, and maybe part of me wanted to run.
But as I slipped outside into the fading light, his voice still hissed in my ears. Fruit that wasn’t theirs. Never staying long enough to regret it.
The pieces clicked, sharp and cruel.
The rumors. The disappearances. The stories that stopped too suddenly.
He was hiding Devil Fruits and the people who found them—who tried to claim them—didn’t just vanish. They were made to vanish.
Killed and the fruits taken back.
A cold shiver rolled down my spine, but beneath it, something hot and furious sparked alive. The fire in me roared higher than it ever had before.
He thought he scared me off, but he had done the opposite.
Now I knew where to look.
I turned on my heel and walked away from the elder’s hut, fists clenched, jaw set. My small legs carried me back down the dirt path, back toward the treeline where Mama and Lami waited.
Lami’s cough echoed in my memory, raw and desperate. I pictured her face—too pale, too thin, lips cracked with fever.
I wasn’t going to fail her.
The elder could bury his secrets under herbs and ashes all he wanted. I would dig them out. I would find those fruits.
And I would save her.
Even if it meant tearing apart every corner of this island.
…—O—O—O—...
The boat creaked softly against the dock posts, rocking with the tide as if it knew our secret. By the time I padded back across the sand, the sun had dipped lower, smearing the horizon with streaks of gold and violet.
Mama sat on deck, cradling Lami in her lap. A wet cloth lay across the girl’s forehead, her fever still burning hot enough to make sweat bead on her pale skin.
Each cough that rattled through her chest made Mama’s jaw tighten, though she stroked Lami’s hair with steady, gentle hands.
I climbed up quietly, my legs aching from the walk back. For a moment, I just stood there, watching them. The picture burned itself into me: Mama’s tired eyes, Lami’s fragile breathing. The weight of it pressed on my chest until I thought I might explode.
So I moved. I settled beside Mama, reaching for the small bowl of water and dipping the cloth back in, wringing it with my tiny hands until it dripped cool again. Carefully, carefully, I laid it back across Lami’s forehead.
Her lashes fluttered, but she didn’t wake.
I swallowed hard, voice low, “Mama… I know what’s going on.”
Mama glanced at me, her expression tight with both worry and relief at my return. “What happened? Did anyone hurt you?”
“No.” I shook my head quickly, fists curling in my lap. “But the elder… he said things. He tried to scare me away, but he slipped up. He knows about Devil Fruits.”
Her brows furrowed, but she didn’t interrupt.
I leaned closer, whispering fiercely, like the shadows themselves might be listening. “He said children don’t know when to quit looking for fruit that doesn’t belong to them. That when they find it, they don’t stay long enough to regret it.”
Mama’s eyes widened. Just a flicker, but I saw it.
“That means he’s hiding them,” I pressed, my voice trembling but sure. “The stories about people disappearing—it’s him. He kills them and keeps the fruits for himself. That’s why no one ever finds them. That’s why they’re just whispers.”
Silence stretched. Only Lami’s ragged breathing filled it.
Finally, Mama exhaled, her hand tightening on Lami’s shoulder. “Jessica…”
“I know it sounds crazy,” I said quickly, afraid she’d brush me off. “But think about it—why else would he get so angry at just a kid asking questions? Why else would people vanish after finding fruits?”
I looked down at Lami, chest aching. “We need one. For her. And if he’s hiding them… then we can’t leave yet. We stay. But we pretend we’re gone. A few days. Long enough for him to stop watching.”
I lifted my chin, trying to sound braver than I felt. “Then I’ll go back. And I’ll steal them.”
Mama was quiet. Too quiet. My throat tightened, fear crawling in. “Please,” I whispered. “It’s the only way. I… I can’t just sit here while she—” My voice cracked, the rest stuck behind a lump of tears.
For a long time, Mama just stared at me, weighing my words. Then her expression softened, pride flickering like a candle behind her tired eyes. She reached over and cupped the back of my head, pulling me close until my forehead pressed against her shoulder.
“You’re five,” She murmured. “You shouldn’t have to think like this. You shouldn’t be planning heists or worrying about curses. You should be playing, laughing, living.”
“I can’t,” I mumbled into her shirt, hot tears soaking the fabric. “Not while she’s like this, I took her and now I have to save her.”
Mama sighed, her arms wrapping tight around me and Lami both. “And that’s what makes you different. Even under all this pressure, you’re still thinking, planning, fighting. I’m proud of you, Jessica. More than you’ll ever know.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, clinging to her. The fire in my chest didn’t dim, but her words steadied it, sharpened it.
We sat there until the sky turned deep indigo, three bodies huddled together against the cold. And in the quiet, I swore again: I’d find those fruits. I’d steal them right out from under the elder’s nose.
For Lami.
For all of us.
…—O—O—O—...
The morning after my return, Mama pushed the boat off the sand with a grunt, her bare feet digging deep into the shore. The tide caught the hull, rocking us forward, and soon the little island shrank behind us. From a distance, it looked like we were leaving for good.
That was the point.
“We’ll keep just out of sight,” Mama explained, her hands firm on the oars. “Circle around the far side. If he’s watching, he’ll think we’ve gone.”
I sat cross-legged on the deck beside Lami’s bundle of blankets, fidgeting with the edge of my tunic.
The girl stirred faintly, coughing into the fabric, the sound ripping through me every single time. “Do you think he’ll really buy it?” I asked, trying not to sound as anxious as I felt.
Mama gave me a look. “He’s an old man who thinks a child can’t keep secrets. Yes, he’ll buy it.”
Something in her tone made my lips twitch, like she was half-amused despite everything, but my chest was too heavy to smile back.
I dipped the hand towel into the bucket of cool seawater, wrung it out with my tiny fists, and pressed it back to Lami’s forehead. She whimpered faintly but settled again, her breathing shallow.
Every time I looked at her, the fire inside me flared hotter.
…—O—O—O—...
The first day, we kept the island on the horizon, drifting just enough to stay hidden behind the crags of the coast. The sea was calm, a pale blue sheet rippling under the sun.
I spent hours peering back through Mama’s spyglass, the wood too big for my small hands, squinting until my eyes ached. From this far, the village looked like toy houses, smoke curling up like lazy ribbons.
“Anything?” Mama asked, pulling a line of fish from the water.
I shook my head, frustration burning. “No. Just people walking around. Nobody’s panicking. He probably thinks we’re gone.”
“That’s good.” She set the fish down, her expression unreadable. “That means we’re doing this right.”
But patience was not my strong suit. By the end of the day, I was bouncing on my heels, whispering, “Can I go now? Just a quick run into the forest—”
“No.” Mama’s tone cut sharp, though her hand brushed my braid when I pouted. “We wait.”
I hated waiting, but I hated Lami’s cough more.
…—O—O—O—...
The second day, the weather turned gray. Clouds smothered the sun, and the wind snapped at our sails with sharp little teeth. The sea slapped the hull harder, restless.
Mama steered us close to a cluster of rocks where seabirds nested. We hid there for hours, sails down, the boat tucked against the shadows of stone. If anyone from the village looked out, all they’d see was a scrap of cliff and seafoam.
I practiced.
While Mama patched a torn sail and kept half an eye on me, I crawled around the deck on all fours, pretending to sneak. My little body pressed flat to the planks, moving inch by inch, heart thumping with the thought of slipping past the elder’s defenses.
When Mama caught me, she raised a brow. “What are you doing?”
“Practicing,” I said seriously, pushing myself upright. “I have to be quiet. Invisible. If I trip over a chair or sneeze, I’ll ruin everything.”
Her lips quirked, like she wanted to laugh but didn’t. “You won’t ruin everything.” Then her voice softened, and she tapped my forehead with one calloused finger. “Because this—” she pointed at my head “—is sharper than you think. And this—” she touched my chest “—burns brighter than most people’s whole lives. He won’t see you coming.”
The fire inside me roared higher at that.
…—O—O—O—...
By the third day, the waiting had become unbearable. Lami’s fever hadn’t broken. Her cough was worse, each rasp like sandpaper tearing her throat.
I sat beside her with tears stinging my eyes, wringing the towel until my knuckles turned white.
“Mama,” I whispered, voice cracking. “What if I’m wrong? What if there aren’t any fruits, and she…”
Mama hushed me, pulling me into her side. “You’re not wrong. You saw his face. You heard his words. There’s something there.”
I nodded against her, swallowing hard. “Then tomorrow. Please. We’ve waited long enough. He’ll think we’re gone by now.”
She studied me, her eyes searching, her hand brushing a strand of hair from my face. “Tomorrow,” she agreed quietly.
My heart lurched. Tomorrow.
I looked down at Lami, her tiny body trembling under the blankets, and set my jaw.
Tomorrow, I’d steal from the elder.
Tomorrow, I’d find the Devil Fruits.
Tomorrow, I’d save her.
…—O—O—O—...
The world was quiet that night, the kind of quiet that makes every breath feel too loud. The sea lapped gently against the hull, moonlight spilling silver over the deck like it had been painted there. Clouds drifted lazily across the stars, veiling and unveiling them in slow rhythm.
I sat on the deck with my knees pulled to my chest, watching the horizon. The village was out there, hidden by trees and distance, but I could feel it pressing at me like a challenge. Somewhere in that crooked little hut, the elder slept with secrets buried at his feet. Secrets I needed to unearth.
Behind me, Mama tied down the sail for the night, her hands steady, her expression carved from shadows. She glanced at me, and her mouth twitched like she’d been fighting words all evening. Finally, she sighed, straightened, and walked over.
“So.” She knelt in front of me, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. “You’re really doing this.”
I nodded, throat too tight to answer.
She studied me, her sharp eyes searching for cracks. Then, unexpectedly, she smiled—soft and tired but proud. “You know… sneaking into villages in the middle of the night to steal things? That’s very much your father’s kind of trouble.”
My head snapped up, wide-eyed. “Really?”
“Really.” She chuckled, ruffling my hair until it stuck up everywhere. “I swear, you’ve got his blood in you. Mischief wrapped in stubbornness. He’d be insufferably proud of this plan.”
My cheeks warmed, and I ducked my head to hide the smile threatening to escape. I didn’t know much about him, not really. But if he’d be proud… then maybe I was doing the right thing.
“Don’t tell me you’re encouraging her,” came a voice, faint and raspy.
Both of us turned. Lami had stirred, propped weakly against the bundle of blankets. Her face was pale, her lips dry, but her eyes—those sharp, witty eyes—sparkled in the moonlight.
“Someone’s gotta keep her humble,” Lami wheezed, managing the tiniest grin. “If she succeeds, I’ll never hear the end of it.”
I scrambled to her side, clutching her hand. It felt too hot, too fragile in mine. “Don’t talk like that. You’ll be fine.”
She squeezed my fingers weakly, her gaze locking onto mine. “You’re five. You should be playing tag, not pulling off heists.”
“I know,” I whispered.
“Then why do it?”
My throat burned. “Because I can’t let you stay like this. I won’t.”
For a moment, silence stretched between us. Then Lami’s smile softened, her eyes shimmering. “Thank you. For… for trying. Even if you don’t find anything. Thank you for wanting to.”
Tears pricked my eyes, but I forced them down. “I’ll find it. I promise.”
“You better,” she rasped, smirking faintly. “Or I’ll come back from the grave and haunt you until you do.”
That broke a laugh out of me, shaky and wet. “Deal.”
…—O—O—O—...
Mama pulled me into her arms next, crushing me against her chest so tightly it hurt. She buried her face in my hair, her voice muffled. “You come back to me, Jessica. You hear me? You come back.”
I hugged her back just as hard, burying my own tears in the crook of her shoulder. “I will.”
When she finally let me go, her hands lingered on my shoulders. Her eyes glistened, but her smile was fierce. “Go make your father proud. And your mother too.”
I nodded, heart thundering, fire blazing in my chest.
…—O—O—O—...
I slipped off the boat and into the sand, the grains cool between my toes. The night wrapped around me, sharp and still, every sound magnified: the rustle of palms, the whisper of the tide, my own quickened breath.
Behind me, the boat rocked gently with its two precious passengers. Ahead of me, the dirt path wound toward the village, toward the elder, toward the hidden fruits.
I clenched my fists, lifted my chin, and stepped forward.
Five years old. Too small. Too young. Too stubborn to quit.
The night swallowed me whole as I walked toward the village, ready to steal back hope.
…—O—O—O—...
The village looked different at night.
By day, the huts were harmless things—crooked walls, chipped shutters, smoke curling lazily from chimneys.
But under the moonlight, they hunched like crouching beasts, their shadows long and sharp against the dirt paths. Lanterns had long since guttered out, leaving the place swaddled in silence so thick it pressed on my ears.
I crept along the edge of the houses, small enough to vanish behind fences and rain barrels. My heart pounded in my throat with every step, each beat threatening to give me away. The air smelled of salt and smoke, tinged faintly with the bitter tang of herbs—the elder’s herbs.
His hut loomed at the far end of the path, larger than the rest, its crooked totem glaring like a sentinel in the dark. The carved eyes seemed to follow me as I crept closer, each step quieter than the last.
“Just a child,” I whispered to myself, forcing my breathing steady. “Too small to notice. Too quiet to catch.”
…—O—O—O—...
The door was barred from the inside. I pressed my ear against it, hearing only the faint crackle of dying embers. My stomach twisted. He was inside.
The thought made my legs tremble. I could run now, back to Mama, pretend I hadn’t tried. But then Lami’s face flashed in my head—her cracked lips, her tiny hand clutching mine, her whispered thank you.
No. I wasn’t running.
I circled the hut, bare feet silent on the dirt. The back window was crooked, half-open, its frame warped from years of weather. Perfect.
I slid my tiny fingers into the gap, pushing carefully. The wood groaned faintly, a sound that made my breath catch in my throat. I froze, counting heartbeats—one, two, three. No movement inside. Slowly, I eased it open wide enough to squeeze through.
The smell hit me first.
Dried herbs and old smoke, yes—but underneath it, something sour. Rotting wood, damp earth and something sharper, metallic, like rust. It made the hairs on my neck rise.
The fire in the center of the hut had burned down to glowing coals, painting the room in faint, pulsing red. Shadows danced along the walls, stretching and twisting with each flicker. I crouched low, pressing myself against the floor as I slipped inside.
…—O—O—O—...
Every creak of the boards beneath me sounded like a scream. I moved slowly, carefully, one step at a time. The elder’s walking stick leaned against the far wall, its carved top catching the firelight. His sleeping mat was nearby, a lump under a thin blanket.
I held my breath, waiting for a snore. Nothing. His breathing was shallow, but steady. Asleep.
My gaze darted around the hut. Shelves lined with jars, bundles of dried plants hanging from the beams, stacks of brittle scrolls tied with fraying twine. At first glance, it looked like any old healer’s hut, but I knew better.
He was hiding them. Somewhere in here, the Devil Fruits were buried.
I crawled toward the shelves, fingers trailing along the rough wood, searching for anything out of place. A loose board. A hollow sound. Anything.
A jar clinked under my hand, and I jerked back, heart leaping into my throat. The elder stirred on his mat, letting out a low groan. My blood turned to ice.
I crouched low, every muscle trembling, praying he wouldn’t open his eyes. Seconds dragged like hours. Then his breathing steadied again.
I exhaled slowly, silently.
Too close.
…—O—O—O—...
I edged further, scanning the walls. A rug sat in the corner, rough and woven, its edges curling up. Too deliberate. Rugs in huts like these were rare—every scrap of cloth was precious.
I crept toward it, heart hammering louder with every step. My fingers brushed the edge, lifting it just slightly.
Beneath it—floorboards. Ordinary. But one was darker, newer, out of place among the warped old planks.
My pulse roared in my ears. That’s it. That’s the spot.
I pressed my palm against the board. It shifted just faintly, loose enough to lift.
A thrill shot through me. This was it—the stash. The secret. Proof I wasn’t wrong.
But before I could pry it up, the elder coughed in his sleep, rolling onto his side. The walking stick clattered faintly against the wall.
I froze, every muscle locked, my tiny body crouched like prey caught in a hunter’s gaze.
The elder’s breathing settled back into its slow, steady rhythm. The hut was quiet again, save for the faint pop of coals and the pounding of my own heartbeat.
I pressed harder on the loose board beneath the rug. It shifted, protesting with a soft creak that made my stomach flip. Slowly, carefully, I pried it up with my tiny fingers.
The wood lifted just enough to reveal darkness below. My breath caught. I slid my hand in, trembling, until my fingertips brushed something smooth and cold.
When I pulled the board fully aside, the stash revealed itself.
My eyes widened.
Nestled in the hollow beneath the floor were four fruits. Not ordinary fruits—these were strange, impossible things, each one seeming to hum faintly with energy, as if they knew they weren’t meant for this world.
The first was a deep crimson red, swirled with golden spirals that glowed faintly under the firelight. Its skin looked as though flames were frozen mid-dance, curling endlessly around its surface.
The second was a pale silver-white, its ridges shaped like waves frozen in motion. Tiny flecks of shimmering blue dotted its skin, like stars scattered across the night sea.
The third was black as obsidian, shot through with jagged streaks of green that pulsed faintly, like veins alive beneath the skin. It almost seemed to breathe, shadows shifting across its surface.
The fourth was a strange, mottled orange, covered in curling ridges that resembled scales. Its skin gleamed faintly, as though slick with dew, and the stem coiled like the tail of a serpent.
My breath came quick and shallow. Devil Fruits. Four of them and proof. Proof the elder had killed for these—stolen them from the people who had dared to claim them.
Anger surged in me, hot and fierce. I wouldn’t let him keep them. I couldn’t.
My hands shook as I reached in, gathering them one by one into my arms. They were heavier than they looked, their strange warmth seeping into my skin. My small body trembled under their weight, but I clutched them tighter, refusing to let go.
He doesn’t deserve them. He doesn’t deserve anything. I’ll take them all. Every last one.
I lowered the board back into place as best I could, though my hands fumbled. The rug covered most of it, but not perfectly. I didn’t care. My chest roared with fire and purpose.
But as I turned to slip back toward the window—
A voice cut through the silence.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
My blood froze.
The elder was awake, sitting upright on his mat, his cloudy eyes blazing sharp in the dim firelight. His hand clutched his walking stick, knuckles white.
“Thief,” he hissed, rising to his feet with surprising speed. “Little rat. I knew you’d come back.”
Panic surged. My legs moved before my brain caught up. I bolted, clutching the fruits against my chest as the elder’s stick slammed against the floor.
“STOP!” He bellowed, his voice tearing through the quiet village.
I lunged for the window, my small frame slipping through just as the stick cracked down where I’d been. Splinters flew, stinging my skin. I hit the dirt outside and scrambled upright, the fruits weighing me down, but adrenaline fueling every step.
Shouts rang out. Lights flickered in nearby huts as villagers stirred, voices rising in confusion.
I didn’t look back.
I ran.
Through the dirt paths, past fences and startled chickens, my bare feet pounding the ground. The fruits dug into my arms, heavy and awkward, but I clung to them like lifelines.
Branches tore at my skin as I barreled into the forest, leaves whispering frantic encouragement as I pushed deeper into the dark.
Behind me, the elder’s furious voice echoed. “Bring her back! She’s taken them!”
The forest swallowed me whole. Roots clawed at my ankles, branches snapped against my face, but I was quick—quicker than they’d expect a five-year-old to be. My lungs burned, my chest heaved, but I kept running.
Because I wasn’t just running away.
I was running toward Lami. Toward saving her.
And I’d die before I let go of the fruits.
…—O—O—O—...
The forest was alive with noise now.
Branches snapped behind me, feet pounding against the earth as villagers poured in from every direction. Their shouts crashed through the trees, harsh and furious. Torches flared in the dark, wild flames bouncing shadows across the undergrowth.
“Catch her!”
“She has them!”
“Don’t let her reach the shore!”
Ah, so all of them were in on it.
Great.
My lungs burned, each breath a ragged tear through my chest. The Devil Fruits weighed heavy in my arms, but I clutched them tighter, refusing to let them slip. The rough skins dug into my skin, bruising my ribs where I hugged them close.
Don’t stop. Don’t fall. Keep running.
The trees thinned, opening into the clearing by the beach. My feet stumbled as roots gave way to sand, and then the dark outline of the boat came into view, rocking gently in the shallows.
“MAMA!” My voice cracked as I tore across the sand. “MAMA, GO!”
She was already moving. Mama had been waiting at the shore, lantern dark, eyes sharp. At the sound of my cry, she dropped everything, sprinting to the water’s edge.
“Jessica—” Her voice broke, relief and terror tangled together. She shoved the boat forward into the tide, muscles straining. “Get in, now!”
I didn’t slow. I hurled myself onto the boat, my tiny body slamming against the deck with a thud, the fruits spilling across the wood but not rolling far. My arms shook from the effort, my breath ragged, but I scrambled upright and waved frantically.
“They’re coming! Hurry!”
Lami stirred weakly from her blankets, her fevered eyes flickering open just long enough to see me. Her cracked lips tugged into the faintest, delirious smile. “You… you really did it…”
“No time!” Mama’s voice cut sharp. She pushed the boat harder, the waves rising to catch us, and with one final shove, she leapt aboard, grabbing the oars.
The tide caught us, pulling us out just as the first villagers broke through the treeline.
Torches blazed along the sand, their shouts carrying over the water. The elder was at the front, his stick raised high, his face twisted with rage. “Thieves! Bring them back! Those fruits are ours!”
“Row, Mama, row!” I cried, scrambling to scoop the fruits back into my arms. My small hands trembled, but I held them fast. “Don’t stop!”
Mama’s arms moved with furious strength, the oars slicing through the water, pushing us farther and farther into the night sea. The villagers surged into the surf, waves crashing around their knees, but they didn’t dare follow deeper.
The elder’s voice rang out one last time, shrill and broken with fury. “You’ll regret this, girl! Those fruits will curse you!”
I stood at the bow, chest heaving, my hair whipping in the sea wind. My arms ached, my lungs screamed, but I clutched the fruits tighter and glared back at the shrinking figures.
“Then let it curse me,” I muttered under my breath. “At least she’ll live.”
The boat carried us farther and farther, the torches dwindling into pinpricks of fire, the shouts fading into the roar of waves.
I collapsed to my knees at last, laying the fruits carefully in a pile before me. My whole body trembled, the adrenaline ebbing, but inside me, the fire still blazed bright.
We had them. All four.
And with them, a chance.
…—O—O—O—...
The four fruits sat in the middle of the deck like treasures stolen from the gods. They didn’t look real, not with their twisting, impossible skins and faint hum of energy vibrating around them. I sat cross-legged in front of them, chin in my hands, staring like they might leap up and introduce themselves.
Mama sat beside me, pulling a heavy leather-bound book from the chest we’d hauled along for emergencies. The Devil Fruit Encyclopedia. The cover was scarred and faded, but the gold etching of a spiraled fruit still gleamed faintly. She dropped it into my lap with a grunt.
“You stole them, you read them.” She said, smirking.
I puffed my cheeks out. “Excuse me? I’m five. This book is bigger than me.”
“You should've thought about that before you robbed an elder blind,” she shot back, leaning back on her hands. “Besides, you’re the one who insisted you’re a genius.”
I rolled my eyes but flipped the book open anyway, the musty pages creaking. “Fine. Genius powers, activate.”
Lami stirred weakly from her pile of blankets, her voice raspy but still sharp. “If you two are done flirting with disaster, can we figure out which one of these things doesn’t kill me?”
Mama barked out a laugh, and I stuck my tongue out at Lami before turning the book toward the first fruit—the crimson one, with golden spirals frozen like fire.
“Ooooh,” I breathed dramatically, running my finger along the entry. “The Iyashi-Iyashi no Mi, the Heal-Heal Fruit! Paramecia. Allows the user to accelerate the body’s natural healing process on themselves and others.
They can close wounds, repair damage, and even calm pain or sedation by adjusting nervous system activity. Combat use: can numb enemies, put them to sleep, or literally break their rhythm mid-fight. Also, user can amplify someone’s energy output for short bursts… like a turbo button.”
I slammed the book shut for emphasis. “Lami, congratulations. You get to be both a doctor and a WWE fighter at the same time. You’re basically a one-woman hospital who can also suplex people.”
Lami blinked at me, her fever making her look half-dazed. “…So I can heal myself and choke-slam pirates?”
“Yes,” I said proudly. “And then patch them up again so you can do it all over. You’re the circle of life, Simba.”
Mama snorted, trying not to laugh. “Well. That explains the fire patterns. Makes sense for her.”
“Wait,” I said suddenly, wagging a finger at Lami. “But don’t get cocky. You can’t replace Chopper. He’s the crew doctor. He’s tiny and adorable and smarter than me, which is unfair, but we’re not stepping on his hooves, got it?”
“Who the hell is Chopper?” Lami croaked.
“Future bestie,” I said quickly. “Don’t ask questions.”
…
We moved on to the second fruit—the pale silver-white one, ridges shaped like frozen waves, flecked with tiny blue stars. It shimmered in the moonlight, looking almost too delicate to touch.
I flipped pages until I found it. “Ooooh, this one’s cool. Kaze-Kaze no Mi. A Logia. Wind itself.”
Mama whistled low.
“The user becomes the wind,” I read, eyes wide. “They can disperse into air, create gusts sharp enough to cut, tornadoes, vacuums, or even steal the very breath from someone’s lungs.” I tilted my head. “That’s… horrifying and amazing. Also, ten out of ten dramatic potential.”
Mama raised a brow. “You’re not keeping that one.”
I smirked, snapping the book shut. “Didn’t plan to. This one’s for a guy I haven’t met yet. Blond, stubborn, revolution-y type. He’s gonna love it.”
“Jessica,” Mama said, deadpan, “sometimes I forget how terrifyingly specific you are for a five-year-old.”
“I’m a visionary,” I said, patting the fruit like it was already wrapped for Sabo’s birthday.
…
The third fruit sat sulking in the corner of the pile—the mottled orange one with ridges like scales, the serpent-tail stem curled tight. It looked almost alive, glinting faintly in the firelight.
I flipped until I found it and read aloud, voice rising dramatically. “The Neko-Neko no Mi: Model Lioness. Zoan. Grants the user the ability to transform into a lioness or hybrid form, complete with enhanced strength, speed, claws, and a roar that can disorient enemies.”
Mama hummed, intrigued. “That could be useful.”
“Useful?” I gasped. “Mama, are you kidding? That’s badass! Imagine turning into a giant lioness and tackling people! Or better—imagine sticking this fruit into a weapon. You swing your sword, and it turns into a lion mid-slash. Boom, a dead guy.”
She gave me a side-eye. “You’ve thought about this way too much.”
“I think about everything too much,” I said with a grin. “It’s my brand.”
…
Finally, we turned to the last one—the black fruit with jagged green streaks pulsing like veins. It looked sinister, but when I flipped to the entry, my jaw dropped.
“The Toshi-Toshi no Mi,” I whispered. “Paramecia. It allows the user to manipulate their own age and the age of others.”
Mama frowned. “That sounds… dangerous.”
“Dangerously awesome,” I corrected. My chest thrummed with excitement, though I tried to play it cool. “This one’s meant for someone else too. Pink hair, future crewmate, major attitude. She’s going to rock this fruit harder than anyone else could.”
Mama’s eyes narrowed at me. “And how exactly do you know that?”
“Secret,” I said, zipping my lips with an exaggerated motion. “But trust me—it’ll make sense when we get there.”
She groaned, muttering under her breath about me being more trouble than my father ever was.
…
When the book finally lay closed, the four fruits gleamed between us. A healer, a storm, a predator, and time itself. Stolen from a monster, claimed by us.
Mama exhaled slowly, leaning back on her hands, her gaze softening as she looked at me. “You did good, kid. Really good. Not many grown pirates could’ve pulled this off, let alone…” she gestured at my tiny frame, “…a child barely big enough to carry the book.”
I grinned, sticking my tongue out. “What can I say? Criminal mastermind.”
Lami coughed but managed a weak laugh. “More like gremlin mastermind. But… thank you. Both of you. For not giving up on me.”
“Gremlin mastermind accepted,” I said proudly, bowing with a flourish. “Now let’s get you healed up before you roast alive.”
Mama smirked, reaching out to ruffle my hair again. “And so begins the age of chaos, courtesy of my daughter.”
“Correction,” I said, wagging a finger. “Courtesy of my brilliance.”
The three of us sat there in the quiet night, the sea rocking us gently, the future glowing in the fruits between us. For the first time since we’d fled the city, my chest felt lighter.
The fruits sat like a jury in front of us, each one gleaming with its impossible swirls. My hands hovered over the crimson-and-gold one — the Iyashi-Iyashi no Mi. Lami’s fruit. The one that could finally turn things around.
I scooped it up carefully and plopped it into her lap. “Congratulations! You get the ugliest, nastiest miracle snack in the world.”
Lami blinked at it, then at me. “…This thing is supposed to save my life?”
“Yup.”
“It looks like a tomato and a lava lamp had a baby.”
“Yup.”
Mama smirked, arms crossed. “Go on then, take a bite.”
Lami eyed us both like we were the villains in this story, then sighed and brought the fruit closer. “If this kills me, I’m haunting both of you.”
“Get in line,” Mama muttered.
I grinned. “Eat, eat, eat, eat—”
“Fine!” Lami snapped, and chomped down.
…And immediately gagged.
Her whole face scrunched up like she’d bitten into a rotten fish soaked in battery acid. She tried to swallow but coughed, nearly spitting it back out. “WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!” she croaked, her voice breaking like a squeaky hinge.
I slapped the deck laughing so hard I nearly fell over. “Devil Fruit initiation! Welcome to hell, princess!”
“It tastes like… like someone fried vomit and sprinkled sadness on top!” she groaned, clutching her throat. “I want my money back!”
Mama barked a laugh. “And yet, you’re still chewing.”
“Because you maniacs told me to!” Lami shouted, then gagged again as she forced down another bite. Her whole body shuddered. “No, nope, I can’t—this is the worst thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
“You’re not even halfway—” I started, but she shot me such a murderous glare that I slapped my mouth shut, grinning behind my hands.
Finally, with a heroic groan, she swallowed the last bit, then flopped back onto her blankets like she’d fought a war. “If I live, I demand snacks. Real ones. With sugar. Forever.”
“Deal,” Mama said dryly.
I crawled closer, poking her arm. “Sooooo… do you feel different? Magical? Powerful? Ready to punch God?”
Lami cracked one fever-glazed eye open. “I feel like I licked a sewer pipe. That count?”
Before I could snort, Mama’s hand caught mine. “Give her time. She needs energy to use it. She’s still weak.”
And sure enough, within minutes, Lami’s eyelids were drooping. She yawned, mumbled something about never forgiving us, and slipped back into sleep, her body finally surrendering to the rest it needed.
The deck went quiet. Just the sea, the stars, and the steady, calmer rhythm of her breathing.
I leaned back against Mama’s side, letting out a long sigh. “Well… that was disgusting but successful.”
Mama chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “You did it. You brought her back to us.”
I grinned, cheeks hot with pride I tried to play off. “Yeah. Guess I’m kind of amazing.”
“Kind of?” Mama teased. “You’re insufferable.”
I stuck my tongue out at her, but my gaze lingered on Lami’s sleeping face. The color already looked a little better in her cheeks. The fever wasn’t as brutal.
It wasn’t fixed. Not yet. But it was working.
And for the first time since we found her, I believed she’d really live.
…—O—O—O—...
A few years later (I’m lazy… and have no idea how to write the rest of their trip ;p): The Beginning Of An Adventure!
Age: 8
…—O—O—O—...
It had been a few years since me, mom’s and Lami’s great adventure and we had built quite a life!
After a long week of floating around on a boat, we had made land on a cozy little island that the villagers call “Canadian Island.” It's safe to say I bursted out laughing the second I found a place out of sight.
The worst part about having that name is that the Island is actually pretty cold! Thank you God!
It was worth the weirded out looks Lami and Mom sent me.
Mom found a job working as a barista at a nearby bar, while me and Lami managed to get a placement in school with a full scholarship! Don’t get your hopes up, it was elementary school, but mom didn’t have to pay for it!
I breezed through every single class and with my prior knowledge I was able to make it through middle school just as easy, although I was stopped at that because of my age..
Apparently the adults didn’t want me to be bullied because of my age, which I fully agreed with and told them I would wait a year before continuing my studies. They seemed ok with that.
Lami was just as good with school, she focused on medicine and working with her devil fruit though. She was in a horrible state of sadness after the news of her home being destroyed reached her.
It took everything in me and mom to keep her from doing something she might regret.
She threw herself into her studies and worked hard on making her parents proud.
Mom found an old, rickety house that was sold to her for cheap. She bought me and her a few carpentry books to help us fix it up. Luckily my ability for absorbing knowledge allowed me to take in all the information really quickly, and soon me and Lami were helping mom hammer in wood and cleaning the interior of the home. It was finished in a month at most.
Lami had fun with practicing other skills as well, wanting not just to focus on medicine, but also the other aspects of surviving.
Mom praised me and Lami, and after figuring out our passion for reading. She even spent some of her money on different books about the world I was now living in.
I dove into my studies of the new planet and sucked in everything I could in one year, which was quite a lot considering after my first month of reading through all the bought books, mom managed to get me a library card for the private library a few blocks down.
Lami scoured over her medicine and doctor books for hours, testing her devil fruit on injured animals and kids, she was already amazing, and I could tell she was going to be a wonderful doctor.
Safe to say I was very happy and went there quite often. Although, she never told me how she got her hands on one..
The library was amazing, small, but amazing nonetheless. Books towered over one another in an (unusually) organized manner.
I was so excited to pick a book up and read it that I managed to freak out the librarian, she tried to scold me about being careful because I was a clumsy kid, but with me having done nothing wrong (yet).
She couldn’t do much other than calmly tell me to behave and be quiet, unless she wanted to face the wrath of the other people watching our interaction.
One thing that I noticed was that the kids on this island were treated with insane amounts of protection, like I once saw a kid fall and scrape his knee on some rock and his mother plus like ten bystanders rushed over to the kid and helped patch up his knee.
There wasn’t even blood.
Lami was getting annoyed that she was having to be called on everyday for stupid stuff like that, her words becoming more and more sarcastic at every request.
A kid was mildly sick? Hospital with no need for a full payment. Sneezed? Don’t worry! Here's a test for deadly diseases that they might have!
I asked around during my first few months and found out that children here were very likely to fall ill or become extremely unlucky, resulting in death or another chronic thing that would eventually kill them.
It was understandable and kinda funny to watch as people fussed over some little things. And with that, it was looked down upon when an adult yelled at a child, a five-year-old on at that! I may have chuckled a bit later on.
The point is that I was safe if I wanted to go out and that the library was my to-go place when either: bored or just needing some peace. Which was quite often.
I devoured those books, sucked them dry and latched onto the next one at (from a normal five-year-olds standards) break-neck speed. Lami wasn’t much better, she was a mastermind when she focused her mind on something.
Mother was particularly happy when me and Lami moved on from nobles to pirates. Apparently she longed to be one when she was a child, only being held back by an arranged marriage with James.
Ugly man.
The next few months went by without a problem, my birthday passed and I got some training weights and some of those cuffs that hold weights for my arms and legs.
This meant mom was letting me start my training! Fuck yeah! Which also meant the next few months were spent training. I was six then and Lami was 8, we were going to get strong together!
A training day consisted of running for miles around the town, getting up early in the morning and chasing after my own feet until noon. All while carrying the extra 25 pounds. It was hard at first, but it got easier after the first two months, and that's when me and Lami decided to take it up to the mountains nearby.
It fucking sucked. No one ever tells you this, but when you get reincarnated you don’t just spawn in with the correct stamina needed, so you need to train, and the training doesn’t just skip, it takes forever!
Mom watched us like a hawk the first few weeks when we came back all bruised up from fighting for our lives with some wolves. Stupid things were too territorial so I needed to prove my strength against them.
…We didn’t win…these encounters started to become normal and so I came to think of it as like a “final boss” type of thing.
In the first week of my seventh birthday, me and lami managed to defeat it. The alpha of the group bowed down to us when we did, and when we managed to get his head held back up high and allowed him to keep his spot. we could tell I made a friend of the pack, I didn’t mind it at all.
I’m such a Mary Sue..
Do I care?
…
Nah
…—O—O—O—...
The souls were pretty active most of the time, and now that I could hear and touch them, they became even more clingy and talkative. I swear, if Theo and Oliva weren’t there, the others would have made me drown myself.
They talked about all sorts of things: lessons they took as kids, the best routes to take when searching for gold, how the way people move and what indicates their motive, and so on. It was very educational sometimes! And others…
“Take that back right now!”
“No, it's not my fault you were stupid enough to lay your life out for a marine, especially one who you didn’t know well!”
“I wasn’t being stupid! I actually thought she was my friend, I didn’t know she was going to stab me in the back… Literally!”
“Enemy 1O1: Don’t let a stranger on the opposing side into your life without a complete background check!!”
“An exception made only for Yorki.”
“Hey!”
“Am I wrong?”
“YES!”
We were literally talking about the different types of seakings and all of them started to speak over one another and become engrossed into a full on debate on whether or not Lola was stupid for allowing a marine she had known for a few weeks into her house for dinner.
I have to agree that it wasn’t the smartest idea, she didn’t even run a background check on the girl. Anyway, I went back to my book, tuning out the brawl that had begun between Lola and Theo. No matter how dangerous that got, at least they left me out of it!
…—O—O—O—...
My seventh birthday was fun, everyone in the town decided that they wanted to throw a party for me (for some reason).
It was book themed so most of the kids dressed up in different kinds of books and ran around acting like their favorite stories, the adults dressed in casual clothes and stood around talking with one another and watching the kids from the corner of their eyes.
I was decked out in some 1700s fashion, wig and everything, telling the kids stories of my time that they believed I had made up. Lami was twinning with me and we snickered all night when making it.
It was hilarious.
I got to cut my cake, which was in the shape of a large book, and I found that it was dark chocolate! Mom had taken the day off and was standing next to me the entire day! She helped me up when I fell or told me some words from this world I had yet to learn fully.
One thing about being in an anime is that the language is totally different. They say they speak English in the dub, but as soon as you die and get reincarnated, you learn that it's Japanese.
Luckily all those years of being isolated and put into a Japanese duolingo class, helped me quickly learn the language, but I never forgot my original one! Hell I even cuss out a few kids and adults here and there in it, no one ever caught me.
Except Lami, I taught her English in exchange for pure silence.
Me, Lami and mom, on her days off, would go adventuring around the island! Through caves, climbing mountains, rowing small boats through a tiny lake just beyond the village, trailed after animals, learned to hunt, tracked bigger variants of the smaller animals and so on.
We did everything this village could offer while we lived there.
“When I get older I want to travel!” I exclaimed happily one day while we were packing up our tent, it had gotten all messed up when we had a pillow fight the night before while camping.
“Yeah, me too!” Lami nodded in agreement, her lang, brown hair bouncing along with her head.
Mom chuckled under her breath for a second before it turned into a full on laugh. She was healthier now.
Her skin had color, her eyes were brighter and she was able to do things she never could. I blame myself. She used her devil fruit every day since I was born to hide my heritage, it took a lot out of her.
She tells me not to worry and that she chose to use it, but I still have that inking feeling of self-hate that seeps in every time I see her doing something I know she never could.
Because of me.
“Why are you laughing!?” I fake a betrayed face, repressing the urge to laugh with her, I had to resist looking over at Lami, or I might’ve bursted out laughing at the mere sight of her.
“It is a perfectly wonderful dream!” Mom just shakes her head, indicating that she had more to say, but her laughs got in the way.
“No, no, no, I’m laughing because that was my dream.” I tilt my head in confusion, “I used to want to travel everywhere as a child, to see the world and dive headfirst into its secrets, learn everything there is to know about it, and earn my place on this planet.”
My lips were gradually growing into a wide smile, tilting up after every word, “But, my father didn’t want me to go far, so he betrothed me to James.” My smile dropped immediately. How could he do that to his daughter?? And to that grotesque man as well!
Lami’s infuriated groan confirmed she felt the same way.
“Ah, don’t worry, if I hadn’t been engaged to him, I would've never had you, and you are worth far more than a dream.” I sniffled at that, seriously, why the hell does God have to take away this wonderful woman I call my mother!? I swear I will kick his ass if I ever see him again, or that lighting guy from Skypiea.
His name was Enel right?
“Well, if you are going to go out to the sea, I have an option for you my dear.” Mom stood up, dusting her pants off, gently picking me off the ground and doing the same to me.
“It was something I stumbled across while picking some berries for our dinner a week back.” Ok, if she hid it for a week, then it must be important enough that she needed to think about giving it to me. Maybe a late birthday gift?
Lami trotted next to me, her curiosity peaked as well, “Do you think it’s drugs?” She whispered in English, causing me to stumble and cough up half my lungs.
“NO?!?!” I whisper-yell back to her, a horrified look on my face. The traitor just laughed.
Mom grabbed my hand and pulled me close to her while she moved through the forest with grace. It was beautiful how easy she got used to the terrain after only living here for a few months.
She wouldn’t let me go out until she knew the land well enough, she didn’t want me to get lost and she didn't have a clue where I might be. So far it has been very beneficial.
“Just around this tree..” she muttered to herself as we turned a corner, which was a very large tree by the way, and came face to face with a small opening. It seemed to lead to a small cave, one that could probably fit two adults and a child comfortably.
It was smooth stone, almost like someone had made it that way, the rocks that surrounded the inside were stacked up in a way that made for a perfect living space with protection, “Here we go! Jessie, Lami, go inside while I grab it please?”
I nodded my head and jumped into the hole, successfully entering the makeshift home. It was cozy, I liked it a lot. Who ever did this must have either fucking hated society or had a huge impulse for bases.
A thump indicated Lami had landed next to me, her awed gasp also confirmed she thought it was cool as well.
Either way, I was thoroughly impressed. I heard a grunt from behind me and as I turned, I saw my mother jumping down into the cave, covering the entrance with some leaves. In her hands, she held a good-sized lump wrapped in palm fronds.
“Here, open it up, Jessie.” She held it out like some holy artifact. I took it, immediately regretted my life choices because the damn thing was heavy, and stumbled like a baby giraffe before plopping it on the ground before I shattered every bone in my body.
I squatted down, poked at the leaf wrapping suspiciously, then slowly started unraveling the layers.
When it came into view, I yelped and promptly fell back on my butt, gawking between the thing and my mom. “Where—How—HUH!?” My stuttering sent her into wheezing giggles.
“It was sitting beside a tree, so I hid it away until I could give you the chance,” she said, smug as hell.
I nodded slowly, still stunned. “Okay. Alright. This is fine. Totally fine. No problem. I’ll… figure this out. Yup. Totally got this.”
From her seat on a rock, Lami snorted, adjusting the braid I’d done in her hair earlier. “For someone who’s supposed to be a genius, you sure sound like you’re one loose screw away from a meltdown.”
I shot her my fiercest glare. “You’re welcome, by the way, Miss ‘I was dying until I got a miracle fruit.’”
She gave me a lazy salute. “And I’ll thank you forever for it. But that doesn’t mean I won’t point out when you’re gaping like a fish.”
“Rude,” I huffed, turning back to the thing while Mom was still snickering.
“I don’t know, can I think about it?” I finally muttered.
Mom nodded, rewrapping the lump carefully and stashing it in a carved-out nook in the rock wall, covering it with leaves again. “Yes. I’m not forcing you, okay?”
I sighed in relief, then held my hands out in silent plea. “Take me home. My brain’s fried.”
That earned me another chuckle as she scooped me up into her arms, carrying me back toward the shore. Lami trailed behind, muttering something about how I was living the princess life while she was stuck walking.
“Build up your stamina, short stack!” I called over Mom’s shoulder, smirking.
“You’re literally younger than me!” Lami shot back, her raspy laugh echoing off the cave walls.
…—O—O—O—...
The next week went by without trouble. I finished high school (because apparently, being a reincarnated genius with the memory of two lives makes standardized education my chew toy) and was shoved straight into what they called “extra work.” Which… yeah, sure, call it college if you’re boring.
They gave me some placement exam, probably expecting me to drool on the paper. Newsflash: I aced it.
Every single question.
Quantum physics? My jam. Mechanics? Easy. Art? I’m Picasso with sass. Tests and labs are my heaven—except the tests. Those suck balls.
Needless to say, the village lost its collective mind. They sent out a notice about my “early graduation,” which made Mom cry so hard she almost drowned me in hugs.
“My genius daughter!” She sobbed, squeezing me like I was going to vanish.
I didn’t correct her. I kinda liked being her genius daughter.
During the little celebration that followed, I pulled the chief aside and begged him to keep the whole “early grad” thing quiet from the Marines.
The last thing I needed was some idiot in a white coat dragging me onto a ship for “testing.” He nodded quickly, promised to keep it secret, and offered me congrats. I exhaled in relief.
Of course, I was an idiot to hope.
…—O—O—O—...
I’m screwed.
Fucking screwed.
Screwed. Screwed. Screwed!!
A note arrived from the World Government, polite as poison, telling me I’d been “chosen” for recruitment. Research labs. Tests. Training. They called me an opportunity.
An. Opportunity.
Not a person. Not a child. Just an object.
I shoved the letter at Mom, and holy hell, I’d never seen her so furious. Flames practically shot from her ears. Lami, sitting nearby with her arms crossed, muttered, “Uh oh, Mama Bear mode unlocked. Run.”
She wasn’t wrong. Mom stormed down to the town hall like a force of nature, kicked the doors open so hard they smacked the walls, and slammed the letter onto the mayor’s desk. The poor man looked like he wanted to vanish into his chair.
The culprit turned out to be some newly recruited marine hoping to climb ranks by tattling about me. Rookie mistake.
“NO!” Mom roared, her voice shaking the rafters. “No way in HELL is my seven-year-old daughter being dragged off to a lab to be tested like a rat!”
She jabbed a finger at the trembling marine, who looked one sneeze away from pissing himself. “She’s a CHILD! A little girl who just happens to be smarter than you could ever dream of being!”
I swear the guy actually did piss himself. Lami leaned toward me, whispering, “I almost feel bad for him.”
“Almost,” I agreed, smirking.
Mom grabbed parchment, scribbled a reply so savage I think even Eustass Kid would’ve blushed, and ended it with the same flowery “Best Regards” the Government’s letter had used. She folded it with a snap and handed it back to the messenger bird.
“Whew!” she said sweetly, clapping her hands together like she hadn’t just nuked a marine’s career.
She scooped me up in her arms and turned on her heel, leaving behind a shell-shocked mayor, a puddle of terrified marine, and about a dozen villagers who suddenly had a whole new respect for her.
Lami trailed behind us, arms folded but grinning like a cat. “Note to self: don’t piss off your mom.”
“Good plan,” I said, leaning against Mom’s shoulder, smug. “Step two: make her cookies.”
“Step three,” Lami added dryly, “Maybe don’t steal cursed fruits from homicidal elders again.”
I stuck my tongue out at her. “No promises.”
Mom groaned. “My daughters. The bane of my sanity.”
And yet, her arms never let go of me, not once.
…—O—O—O—...
“Mama?”
She looked over at me, eyebrows lifting when she caught my tone. I was sitting on the floor with a pencil in hand, practicing my drawing skills. Honestly? Not bad, considering I’d graduated with a minor in art in my last life. But seven years without touching a sketchbook left me a little rusty.
“Yes, hon?” she asked, and her voice was warm, but careful. I didn’t usually sound like this.
“I think you might die, and I don’t know what to do.”
Her body went rigid. My pencil slipped from my fingers as fat, silent tears started rolling down my cheeks and staining the paper in front of me.
“I don’t think I c-can stop it either,” I hiccupped, rubbing at my eyes with my fists.
Mama crossed the room in record time, scooping me up like I was still a toddler, hugging me so tight it almost hurt. Her tears fell too, hot against my hair as her fingers stroked through my red-and-brown strands.
“I’m— I’m s-sorry, Mama,” I sobbed, burying my face against her shoulder. “I-I don’t th-think I can stop i-it!”
“I know, Rose Bud. I know.” Her voice was rough, breaking at the edges.
And I hated it. Hated that the universe thought it was funny to give me a cruel, loveless mother in my last life and a wonderful one in this one — only to rip her away early. It wasn’t fair. Stupid gods. Stupid destiny. Stupid everything.
I cried until my little body ran out of tears. At some point, my eyelids grew heavy, and I drifted off still tucked in Mama’s arms, warm and safe even under the shadow of doom.
…—O—O—O—...
After my meltdown, Mama laid off her usual work for a while. Instead, she devoted the next few weeks to me. Walks together. Quiet meals. Even silly little games she made up on the fly just to hear me laugh again.
She knew–she admitted later–that she had a suspicion how her life would end, but not so soon. That only made her more determined to soak up every moment.
I was grateful. If she hadn’t, I might’ve spiraled. Again.
Because the thought that clawed at me day and night was simple: I couldn’t save her. Again, someone I loved was slipping through my fingers.
It wasn’t fair.
It wasn’t fair.
It wasn’t fair—
WHACK.
“OW! MOM?!” I shrieked, clutching my head and whimpering dramatically. “Abuse! Abuse in broad daylight!”
She didn’t look the least bit sorry. “You were spacing out again. And from the look on your face, it wasn’t a good thought.”
From her corner of the room, Lami smirked, arms crossed. “Wow. Imagine being so mopey you need to be physically smacked back to reality.”
I glared at her. “Imagine being ugly.”
“Bold talk from someone who just got owned by their own mother,” she fired back, grinning.
Mama pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering something about daughters and headaches, before settling beside me on the floor. Her expression softened. “Listen, sweetheart. I want you to remember this: it isn’t your fault.”
The humor drained out of me. I looked away.
She sighed, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “From what you told me — about the Clear-Clear Fruit being used in the future — yes, I’ll have to die for it to be found. But, Jessica, you couldn’t have controlled what I did as a child. I ate it out of spite for my father. He forced me into marriage before I even understood its powers. He died before I ever told anyone.”
My lip wobbled.
“If I hadn’t eaten that fruit, I wouldn’t have married James — which, yes, might sound like a blessing.” She gave me a wry smile. “But then I wouldn’t have ended up stressed enough to wander into that bar, where I met someone who gave me the only thing I’ve ever been truly proud of.” She squeezed me tighter. “You.”
My nose burned, eyes stinging again.
“I’d never undo that, Jessie. Not for anything.” She kissed my hair and chuckled. “Not even if it meant avoiding your weird little personality.”
“Hey!” I squeaked as she pinched my nose, squawking and batting her hand away. “Stop it!”
My giggles broke through anyway, echoing off the walls. Lami leaned against the doorframe, arms still crossed, but her smile softer than usual. “You two are disgustingly sappy, you know that?”
“Shut up,” I shot back, but I was smiling too.
Mama’s laughter faded into a sadder smile. She pulled me fully against her side, her other arm wrapping around my waist. “So, I’ll enjoy any time I have left with you. Until the end, my Rose Bud.”
I rested my head on her shoulder, finally quiet, finally calm. The whispers that had haunted me fell silent too, as if they agreed — that this was our time.
Oh right.
Remember that incident? Well when I had summoned all of them in their physical forms, I had unlocked a sort of bond between me and the whispers. I saw more of them. More souls became noticeable, mostly in their incorporeal forms, but I see them nonetheless.
I had asked Oliva about it once… It was very cryptic….
…—O—O—O—...
“Why can I see more of you guys? Like I can see souls on the streets sometimes.” I looked up at her, we were having a tea party and she had just placed the cup up to her lips.
“Sometimes the older we get, the more that we see.” I nodded, that made somewhat sense, because I’m getting older, I’m allowed to see more. Interesting.
“How is it though? How can I see you guys?” I really want to know. Why can I see them, it's out of the ordinary for this universe. And I’m in One fucking Piece!
She tilts her head and thinks for a moment before a slight smile works its way onto her face, “Sometimes the answers lie right in front of us, but we are too blind to see them.”
She pauses and takes a sip of her tea, “However, sometimes when we look too closely and focus too much, we miss the obvious signs.” With that she sets her–now empty–tea cup down on the small table, says her goodbye and dissipates into the realm of the whispers.
WHAT!? Huh!? That did jack shit for… anything!!
…—O—O—O—...
Anyway as you can see, I am nowhere near close enough to understand how I can see them, but I do know that as I get older I can see them more. Anyway, back to the bond!
The bond was like a rope—a very, very, very thick rope—that connected me to the soul/spirit realm. It could be tugged on and pulled, prodded at and even shortened. However, the most important trait is that it connects spiritual energy, from both the actual souls and me.
The bond allowed me to call upon the five distinguishable souls only, because they had the highest power at that time. It used up a lot of their spiritual power, as I barely had any to spare when fighting for my purity. So to thank them for literally everything, I’ve been leaking a small stream of my replenished power into their world or realm. This affects all spirits or souls, it gives them all power, but I do order my energy to focus more on the five that saved me.
It’s safe to say that my (unintentional) kindness gave way to a type of popularity that could only be described as.. Overwhelming… Everywhere I went souls flew up to me and hugged me happily. They thanked me for letting them feel full for once in their existence in the whisper. I smiled at this and gave them a sweet “your welcome.”
However, after the twentieth soul, I politely asked them to ask everyone to please not come up to me. After I said that I think a type of feeling was sent down the bond. It was a feeling of being overwhelmed, which was recognized and the souls didn’t bother me much anymore. I did get packages every now-and-then, but it was manageable.
So after I had let the bond stay, I began to meditate seven to ten times a week, when I wasn’t hanging off of mom of course. I have been doing this for the past few months, it helped a lot.
This was used to strengthen the bond, hopefully unlock my Haki, figure out what the hell I am, and just calm down. I usually took a small walk down to a silent river farthest from my home, sat down under a tree, and began to disassociate from the world.
In
I let my thoughts fade, my mind moving into a pitch black cavern
Out
My ideas and future knowledge were pushed back, nothing was left in its place
In
My worries and concerns disappeared, leaving an empty space that was soon clouded by that darkness
Out
My mind went still, nothing was heard, nothing was seen, nothing was smelled, nothing was tasted, and nothing was felt.
In
I was blank. There was nothing.. Until there was something. A bright light flickered into existence. The spark wasn't fire. I think. The flame was white, not the orangish red that normal flame was used to.
Out
I cupped my nonexistent hands and lifted them up, urging the light to come towards me like i’d been trying to do from the first time I’d started
In
It moved. Thus a little hesitant, but it moved. The light flickered and swayed back and forth, seemingly teasing me and testing my patience. So I waited. This was a seventieth attempt.
Out
When finally it touched my hands an intense pain erupted from my back. The bones snapped, the muscles ripped, nerves spiked, everything fucking hurt. I cried out in pain, my back only snapped into another wave of pain. Suddenly my cheeks burned in the same wave, then my head, then my tailbone.
It all burned in an excruciating pain that made me feel as if someone was ripping apart my body, shifting things around, and trying to set it back the way it came with no knowledge of anatomy.
And it wasn’t a quick pain either, it only increased in time, my arms began to burn, so did part of my neck and legs. Soon enough my body gave in and I lost consciousness, my vision blanking into that same blackness that I had been trying to achieve.
Fucking meditation.
I’m never doing it again.
However as I lost my eyesight, I swear from the corner of my eye, A flash of white appeared on my lower arm…
…—O—O—O—...
I woke up with a sharp, frigid jolt. My eyes shot open, and I gasped, spitting out water as my lungs filled with air. I was in the fucking river, soaked from head to toe. Cold currents pushed against my body, the weight of my drenched clothes pulled me down slightly as I scrambled to my knees.
Ok, what in the actual fuck happened!?
“What the hell…?” I growled, (what the fuck!?) my voice raspy as I swiped my soaked hair out of my face, “Of all the goddamn places to fall into, it just had to be the fucking river? Of course! God hates me.”
But as my hand swept back, I froze. My fingers weren’t quite… how do I say this… Normal. They had changed, morphed if you will.
I lifted my hands out of the water, watching with wide eyes as droplets cascaded down my forearms. My skin was no longer the smooth, soft flesh of a child. Instead, patches of glistening scales shimmered beneath the sunlight—They began at my hands and forearms, trailing down to maybe my legs? Maybe up to my neck? I really don’t care where they are right now.
The scales were beautiful, each one perfectly shaped, layered over one another like armor. Their base color is an off-white, almost pearly hue. However, they have a depth to their colors—the edges of each scale were lined with a faint iridescent sheen, casting faint hints of silver and lavender when the light hit them.
They covered small areas lining up my arms… Hell they even spread upwards and disappear under the sleeves of my shirt.
“Oh… My… Fuck…” I mutter under my breath, my heart racing as I inspect my arms more closely. The texture seemed to be both smooth and rough. Each scale was slightly raised, giving a tactile quality like polished stone. I reached out with my hand, the claws that were adorning my finger tips vanished into thin air as I touched the shimmering scales.
They felt cool, much like marble, and were nearly as tough I could assume—offering pretty good natural armor while allowing mobility. The areas near my joints had smaller—and with some small experiments—more flexible scales that ripple like quicksilver.
Huh… at least they didn’t make me fucking stiff.
I lifted my gaze, chest tightening with unease. Something felt off—not just in my arms. My hole fucking body. My legs wobbled as I tried to stand, my balance being thrown off by an unfamiliar weight behind me. Glancing over my shoulder expecting the worst, my eyes widened even more. How is that possible? I don’t have a fucking clue!
There, sprouting from my back were small, delicate wings, yet surprisingly sturdy? The color is the same off-white, almost gray, like a mute ivory tinged with the faintest hint of silver. They were semi-translucent, allowing the limited sunlight from the setting sun to pass through them in a soft glow, casting faint shadows of the internal bone structure.
“I have… wings!?” I whisper-shout, my eyes narrowing in disbelief. Listen. I know weird things happen in this world, but DAMN. This had to be freaky. I reached out, my fingers twitching as I gingerly touched the structure of my new wings. They were sensitive, my touch sending a strange tingling sensation down my spine. What the hell is going on!?
The membranes themselves were silky smooth but taut, with visible veins–that had yet to be covered with new scales that would probably grow in—running beneath the surface like intricate networks.
I tried to stretch out them experimentally, they shimmered subtly, catching the light with an opalescent sheen that shifts between pale blues and soft purples, as though the wings were woven from threads of moonlight.
Ha, funny thought! As if the gods would do that. I already was going to be fucking powerful. I shook the thoughts out of my head and turned my attention back to the new wing I had acquired somehow.
The texture was delicate and velvety, almost like the finest silk, but with an underlying sturdiness. Thin tendrils of energy occasionally pulsed faintly at the edges, as though the wings were alive with a power I haven’t yet undercovered… Yeah I’m not going to look into that right now…
The bones of the wings were a slightly darker shade of gray than the membranes, almost ash-like, with a glossy overcoat. At the tips, sharp claws protrude—small now but likely to grow larger. The claws had a polished, obsidian-like appearance.
I’m so fucking broken. Like a dragon!? Yeah, I’m going to have to pray to the gods in thanks. I seriously love this new development. Maybe. I have yet to decide….
As I steadied myself, a swishing sound came from behind me, like water being pushed out of rhythm slightly.
I already knew what it was before taking in the sight: A long, thinish tail extended out from the base of my spine, dragging through the water as I stood there, still partially dumbfounded.
It shared the same off-white coloration as my wings and scales, but with additional dark gray patterns–almost like natural striations—swirling along its length. The tail, from my view, was incredibly flexible, moving with a serpentine grace.
The scales covering the tail were much finer than those I saw on my arms and legs, kinda like a second skin, giving it a sleek, smooth appearance.
The tail itself tapered into a sharp point, with the very tip darker in color, a deep black, resembling an onyx blade. It was smooth and firm at sight, that glossed over when sunlight hit it.
“Wow.. That's actually so fucking pretty.” I swished my tail around to see the details up closer. There were faint glowing lines that ran down its length.
These lines were barely visible when the light hit them, but when I touched the lines it pulsated with something that made me jerk my hand back in surprise.
“I’m so fucking awesome now!!!” I jumped up with joy… well I tried to jump… my wings and tail lashed out wildly and caused me to trip right back into the–suddenly fucking freezing—river water.
“N-n-never mi-mind..” I say to myself as my teeth chatter from the cold as I stood up. I take a look at my current position: Standing in the river bed free from the confines of the pain that had overtaken me for a second (it probably was a lot longer than a second) there, but fucking freezing my ass (or tail) off!
I wasn’t that far in, but it still annoyed me to no end at the sheer absurdity at the whole thing! I trudged over the river bed and quickly crawled my way over to a semi-dry spot under a tree.
I sat there grumbling about my predicament, and maybe having a few existential crises here and there. Why did I get a dragon.. Everything? Why did I hear the whispers? I didn’t ask that no-named-god for any of this! So why!?
A bright light broke my thoughts as some words were inscribed into the ground.. In pure fucking gold… Yeah, gods (or just this one) are definitely arrogant assholes. At least I get the gold?
“Yo! So that whole thing was not meant for you in the slightest! I was supposed to give that to someone who was sent to the demon slayer realm, just to mess with them you know?” I felt my eyebrow twitch in annoyance, “Anyway, this was totally better and I definitely won’t be taking it back! Good fucking luck and stay moderatly safe my dearest kitten! Or should I now say dragonet?”
I hate that being with my entire being..
Seriously! How would some all powerful being, ruler of dimensions, mess up something this drastic!?
I clutched my head in my hands, letting the massive headache that I’d been holding off go. The pain was almost enough to distract me from my life changing transformation… Almost..
The wings themselves weren’t that bad, it was the feeling of them. With how new they were, it was incredible that I didn’t fall over and rest on my stomach. Each movement was a struggle, each touch sent violent shivers down my spine and everything just couldn’t stay away.
Again.
I fucking hate gods.
I’m so gonna beat the shit out of Enel…
The tail was actually the easiest thing to control and feel. The scales seemed to have hardened, preparing for a bumpy trip if I couldn’t learn to pick it up in time. It was very pleasant to swish around! I didn’t do much though, my wings still ache badly.
The worst was the stupid horns. They weren’t that big. Growing from the sides of my head, I could feel everything. The wing blowing through them, the whispers talking happily about my transformation, the wave from the ocean miles away, lapping at the rocks that littered the beach.
I didn’t hear, I didn’t see, I didn’t smell or taste. But I felt everything for miles. It was so fucking overwhelming. With my new form, the rumors that are going to spread, every burden that had been pushed to the side came crashing down with every flutter of a bird's wings. It was terrible.
The only thing that managed to snap me out of my panic-induced trance was the sound of pounding footsteps barreling through the woods. Branches snapped, leaves rustled, and then Mama burst through the brush like a storm, eyes wild and scanning the clearing.
When she saw me sitting there, trembling and useless, her whole body lurched forward. “Oh, honey, are you okay?” Her voice cracked as she dropped to her knees, hands flying to my shoulders, my face, my arms.
She pulled me into her chest so quickly it knocked the air out of me, her heartbeat hammering against my ear.
“I don’t know what happened, but I don’t care,” She rushed on, her voice both soothing and frantic. Then she pulled back just enough to really look at me, her gaze flicking over every inch of me.
Her fingers hovered over my scraped knees, my shaking hands, the dirt smeared across my face. The warmth in her tone froze as her back went rigid.
“What happened, Jessica?”
Notes:
HELLOOOO!! 💥 I know, I know—chapters are changing, timelines are shifting, and everything’s going a bit wonky right now. Trust me, it’s stressing me out too 😭 But I just wanted to say: I love you all and I’m so, so sorry for the chaos! I’m trying my absolute best to fix everything without losing my mind (or my sleep schedule), and I promise this mess has a purpose. Even if it currently looks like I gave a toddler a timeline and said, “Here, sweetie, go wild.”
I’m also combining chapters (yes, again) to hopefully speed this process up and make it less confusing for everyone—including me. Because let’s be real, even I need a damn flowchart to remember who knows what, when, and how the hell they got there. If anything’s suddenly been smushed or renamed or slightly changed, it’s probably because I’m attempting to save future-me from suffering a breakdown trying to patch 38 different subplots. I'm sorry if anything feels jumbled because of that, I really am!! I swear it’ll all make sense soon.
Rewriting things hurts, but it’s necessary. I want this story to be something I’m proud of—and something you can enjoy without getting whiplash from the edits. I’m doing everything I can to make sure it flows better, feels stronger, and keeps the chaos fun instead of confusing. Thank you so much for being patient with me, even when things get flipped upside-down, inside-out, and dragged through the editing mud. You're the reason I'm still writing at 3AM instead of setting my laptop on fire 🔥❤️
I promise I’m trying. I swear I’m trying. Please stick around. The good stuff is still coming, I just gotta build the runway first—preferably before the plane crashes.
Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Fate Sucks Ass and Painful Goodbyes
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Shit..
She never says my full name unless I’m in trouble..
“I-I was meditating?” I tried, my voice wavering slightly as I lifted my head to meet her eyes with a nervous gaze, “And.. Boom?”
She pulled away, enough to hold my face in her hands, scanning for any sign of injury, “I knew it, the eyes of a dragon, souls, I should’ve known.” I tilt my head to the side slightly, her tone and face was full of worry, sure I was turned into a fucking dragon, but I was still alive and was only out for… Actually–
“Mom,” She looked into my eyes after doing one more scan of my form, “How long was I away for?” It didn’t feel that long, but when I sleep it's barely a few seconds being out, so I could be wrong–
“Four days.”
…
…
…
“WHAT!?”
Four days!? Thats… that's so much longer than I expected, I suddenly understand the worry in her tone. Oh, also the hunger.
“Here, you must be starving Jess.” Mom held out a wrapped up cheese sandwich, which I took gratefully and shoved it down my throat like it was the first thing I had in days.. Oh, yeah it was, “I was so worried! Don’t ever do that again!”
“Oh yeah, I promise I won’t turn into a dragon out of nowhere, promise!” She chopped my head from the sarcastic remark, but her face slowly filled with that loving smile I loved, and the worry fell away.
“Oh don’t talk to your mother like that! You’ll be grounded for life!” I gave a faux gasp and placed a dramatic hand over my heart, my hair swishing to the side as I turned my head up to her with a betrayed look,
“No! How could you!” She bursted out laughing and soon set me in her lap while she settled her body on a tree close by. A sigh escaped her lips as she held my small body close to her less frail, one.
Ever since we had left the horrible island that she had called home, mom had gained more weight, her cheeks became less hollow, her eyes held a light that was only a bit dimmer than when she was with me and she all in all looked a lot healthier!
I smiled at this thought as I finished my sandwich, but I didn’t dare move, four days was a long time to go without her.
I know I should be acting more like an adult or something, but I simply couldn’t. I never had a good bond with my mother from my past life, so a loving bond with the one here? I held onto it like my life depended on it.
“Mom, what's your real name?” She looked down at me with a temporarily surprised expression before clearing her throat,
“Ginervera D. Hope.” she looked out into the distance for a second, her eyes clouding slightly before turning her gaze back down to me, “My name is Ginervera D. Hope.”
I tilted my head, she was a member of the D’s. which meant I was as well… Ah shit…
“That’s pretty.” I say, not wanting to keep the thoughts of imminent death and having to keep that to myself if I ever wanted a normal life…
A normal life?
Ha! Fuck that, I’m a goddamn dragon. There's no way I’m ever having a normal life with wings like these. “Damn right, being normal is overrated anyway!” Shut it Theo. I felt the eye roll as he slowly dissipated and went back into the Void of Whispers.
“Yeah, my mother named me,” I feel like there is more to the story, but pushing it doesn’t seem like the best Idea right now, so I stayed silent, munching on a berry from the bundle that I had missed, “Your dragon form is quite the sight Rose.”
I smiled up at her, she was right after all. It is very stunning, the wings, tail, scales and probably the horns, if I ever stop the feeling of everything at once! Hopefully..
“Thanks ma.. How did you know I was a dragon?” She looked down at me with a raised eyebrow, making an effort to look at my newest additions, “Ok, before I gained these things.” I point my thumb behind my back to bring attention to my wings,
“Ah, right.” She makes a small hum of acknowledgement from the back of her throat, “Your eyes, the white pupils and reddish irises are key components of being a dragon.” Now that stumped me, how had I never heard of this in the anime or manga?
“But the last dragon known was killed during the void century, so everyone assumed they had gone extinct.” I nod my head at this information.. No wait, that isn’t right, millennial dragons weren’t killed off!
“But–” I cut myself off, not knowing how to explain my thoughts fully, luckily, mom knew what I was trying to say and explained herself,
“Ah, I meant that soul dragons were killed off.” Oh, that makes sense…
Wait…
WHAT!?
She must have seen something cross my face, because she chuckled under her breath for a second before continuing, “Soul dragons are characterized as beings with white pupils, scales ranging from black to white, red eyes that pierce the soul directly and are half human. They were the World Government's biggest fears.
Someone with the power over souls, someone who can communicate with the dead, someone who, if wronged, holds a serious grudge? The World Government couldn’t take that risk, no matter what, so they eradicated them off the map.”
She sucked in a breath before looking out into the dark sky, “Every single one of them were killed, murdered off the face of the earth. They tried to escape, tried to run, but none of them managed to flee.” Something in me growled and twisted violently, clawing at my chest like it was trying to break free and get revenge for them.
“All but one.”
The clawing stopped for half a second, “She managed to escape, dove under the waves and swam like her life depended on it. Sealing away her powers and blending in with the mortals, she gave up her life and went into hiding. Soon she fell in love with a human male, and after a night she managed to have a little girl who she loved dearly.
She revealed herself to the man a few nights before she showed him his daughter, but before she had the chance, he had Marines come to kill her off, leaving her daughter alone. Her last wish was for her daughter to continue her legacy.”
I listened with rapt attention, my gaze never wavering. It was so interesting to hear something that I didn’t already know, like damn this was such a sad story, but it was hella informational!
“So, did her daughter get dragon powers?” Mom drew her gaze from the stars and set her clouded eyes towards mine before shaking her head.
“No, the powers skipped generations, never staying with a routine, but the consistency that was known throughout the line, was that the powers favored females.”
I nodded my head before drawing up a confusing conclusion, “But didn’t you say the last dragon was killed off in the void century? It seems like there were more dragons after the extermination.” Mom nodded her head and held me just a bit tighter,
“The other holders of the soul dragon legacy never had enough power to fully transform, or even half-way, into their dragon. And even if they could, they never did. It would be a death sentence.”
She pulled back enough to set a serious gaze, “Do you understand me? You will be hunted for the rest of your life, you won’t be left alone until your blood coats the Government’s hands.”
I nod my head, it looks like my wish for a normal life was flushed down the drain the moment I began to talk with the whispers.. So before I was even born.. You guys suck. A collective laugh was heard before Oliva’s voice was heard down the link “Ah, we love you to bubbles” I rolled my eyes and gave mom a look telling her they whisper were being loud again.
She hummed and looked back up to the stars, “Do you see that one Little Rose?” She pointed to a group of stars I’d never seen in my whole life (or lifes), “That is called ‘Custos Aurum’ or The Dragon’s Hoard.”
“Ohhh, that sounds so cool! Wait– are you telling me this cause I’m now a dragon?” She laughs and flicks my forehead, causing me to hold the spot with both my hands and pout of at her,
“Just listen,” Her eyes crinkle in amusement as she positions me between her legs so I could follow her gaze, “If you look there, you will see a coiled dragon with its head pointed upward, a “Hoard” of clustered stars should be right under it.” I follow her finger as she points out three stars in a triangular shape for its head, its body spirals and some closely spaced stars give the illusion of scales. A bright cluster of stars seemed to form its “treasure,” which was slightly offset from the dragon.
It was so pretty!
“It means many things: protection, greed and hidden treasures. However, the meaning I love the most is: The delicate balance between guarding what is precious and the cost of excessive attachment.” I tilt my head to the side, nodding slowly and slowly digesting the new information.
“It also represents wealth, secrets and the wisdom of knowing when to let go.” She smiles as her eyes trace the constellation over and over.
“Oh, so this is because I’m a dragon now.” I deadpanned at her, “And I really think we are overlooking that huge fact.”
She chuckles (and ignores that last comment), “I just think it's a good lesson to learn early on, that's all.” Her tone suggests otherwise, but I choose to ignore it, instead I trace the constellation, memorizing it.
“You know, there is a myth that goes with him, do you want to hear it?” I nod my head, seemingly a little too quickly as mom laughs louder and places a hand on my head, “Alright dear, here is the tail:
Deep within a forgotten cave, a dragon named Aurigon guarded a treasure of unimaginable wealth. Legends said the treasure wasn’t gold or jewels but the wisdom of the gods themselves, locked away to prevent misuse.
Mortals and immortals alike tried to claim it, but Aurigon remained undefeated. When the gods grew fearful of his power, they turned Aruigon and his hoard into a constellation, trapping him in the heavens for eternity.
The stars of his hoard now shine as a symbol of wisdom’s true value: that it must be earned, not stolen
And that my child is the story of Aruigon and his hoard.”
I swear my eyes had to be shining, cause like, that is such a fucking good myth! And it teaches a wonderful lesson. A dragon who became powerful to hoard his treasure, was cast away because of his extreme power and addiction. I like it a lot!
My eyes must’ve been shining, because mom laughed and smiled lovingly, “Do you want to hear another one?” I’d never nodded my head faster, “Alright then, why don’t you choose this one?”
I lift my eyes up and scour the sky for any stars that catch my eye. Suddenly, a bright cluster of shining dots enter my line of vision, and I point directly towards them, “That one please?”
Mom looks up and her eyes glimmer, “Ah, that one is one of my favorites, it’s called ‘Ignis Aeternum’ or ‘The Phoenix.’ The meaning is: Renewal, rebirth and resilience. It represents the ability to rise from hardship stronger and brighter.”
My eyes follow her finger that traces a body that is a vertical line of five medium-bright stars with wings made up of arcs of smaller stars that curve outward and upward. What I think is the tail, extends into a shimmering line of faint stars with one bright star at the tip.
If I picture it in my mind, I see a fiery bird with wings outstretched, the tail trailing downward in a sweeping arc of stars. Its head, (represented by a bright, fiery red star) is slightly tilted upward, showing its ascent.
“And it’s safe to assume you want the myth behind this one as well?” When I nod my head she turns her eyes back to the stars, “Well…
Long ago, the land was ravaged by a war that left the earth barren and the skies dark. The goddess of hope, Erya, created the Phoenix as a beacon of renewal.
The great bird would fly across the heavens every thousand years, burning itself to ash and rising anew, spreading warmth and life wherever it soared.
One night a mortal hunter shot the Phoenix, mistaking it for prey. As it fell, the stars captured its radiant spirit, creating the Phoenix constellation. It remains a celestial reminder that even in despair, renewal is always possible.
It was quite a good one.” She finishes off with a wilted smile, one that left me a bit clueless, but nevertheless, it was such an amazing myth. Both of them were beautiful and very empowering! I wonder what the other constellation myths are like!
“I think that one is my favorite.. For now.” Mom chuckles, ruffling my hair, drawing a muffled protest from my mouth. Although, it wasn’t as effective as I would’ve liked it, the yawn I let out surely dwindled the effect, “What’s your favorite, mama?”
She turned her head back to the sparkling sky before smiling down back at me and pointing slightly to the left of where Ignis Aeternum lay still, “That one, it's called ”Amantes Aeterni” or “The Eternal Lovers ". They are my favorite out of all of them.”
I look towards the constellation and squint through my drooping eyelids, there were two figures reaching towards each other, their hands almost touching, connected by a faint string of stars symbolizing a bond.
Each “lover” is formed by a vertical line of stars for the body and pairs of faint stars for the arms and legs. Their hands are two bright stars, nearly touching, with a faint “thread” of tiny stars connecting them.
“They represent true love that transcends boundaries, time, and space. However, their meaning is love, unity, and sacrifice. The constellation tells the story of two lovers who were separated by fate but reunited among the stars.”
I nod my head along, my eyes drooping lower and the background noises becoming a small buzzing sound, “Can you tell the myth?” She nods her head and slowly pets my head as her voice drifts me to sleep.
“Of course my little Rose…
The lovers, Elara and Orion, were separated by the gods after their forbidden union. Elara, a mortal healer, had fallen for Orion, a god of the hunt. When their love was discovered, Elara was cursed to roam the earth, while Orion was chained to the sky as a constellation.
Heartbroken, Elara sacrificed herself to join him, and her soul was turned into stardust, forming a second figure beside him. The Eternal Lovers constellation now shows the two reaching for each other, their hands nearly touching, representing the unbreakable bond of true love..
It reminds me of you.. My child”
And although the last bits of her voice were whispered into the night and lost onto the ears of a now-sleeping Jessica, the whispers heard her loud and clear.
…—O—O—O—...
When my eyes blinked open again, I was in my bed, cocooned in blankets, staring at the ceiling with dreary eyes and the kind of blurry vision that makes you wonder if you forgot to upgrade your eyeballs. I rubbed them furiously and tried to sit up, half convinced I’d dreamed everything.
Maybe the transformation. Maybe sitting under the stars with Mama as she whispered about constellations and what they meant. Maybe the god who couldn’t keep track of his stupid universes.
Almost.
The heavy weight on my back, the sharp tug of new muscles where there hadn’t been before, and the cool coils of scales curled around my leg reminded me otherwise. Nope. I was a dragon now. Surprise! All thanks to one dumbass god who apparently couldn’t read his own paperwork.
At least I was going to be a badass pirate? Maybe? Hopefully?
I wallowed in my little identity crisis for a full thirty seconds before the door creaked open. Mama swept in with a plate of food balanced in her hands, spinning once in a wobbly little twirl like she was auditioning for “Cool Moms of the Year.” I couldn’t help chuckling.
“Here’s dinner, my little Rose,” she announced proudly. She set the plate down in front of me — steak and potatoes, cut up small, with a cup of water on the side. My mouth watered instantly.
I picked up a fork and speared a piece of steak, halfway to my mouth, when my brain finally processed what she’d said.
“D-dinner?”
She nodded, settling at the edge of the bed and urging me to eat.
I stuffed a few bites into my mouth before blurting, “How long was I out??”
I swear to fucking GOD if it’s been four days, I am personally murdering Enel—
“Ah, only a day, hon. You slept through breakfast and lunch.”
I deflated. “Only a day? That’s boring. I wanted at least a three-day coma so I’d have an excuse for dragon-related homicide.”
From the doorway came a dry little cough. “Wow. You really do set the bar low for ambition.”
I glanced over, cheeks puffed full of potato, to see Lami leaning against the frame with her arms crossed, smirk plastered on her face.
“You’re alive,” I muttered through my mouthful.
“You’re a dragon,” she shot back. “Guess we’re both full of surprises.”
“Pffft.” I waved my fork like a sword. “Don’t act smug. You should be worshipping me now. Dragons get tribute.”
She rolled her eyes. “Tribute, huh? I’ll make sure your grave gets flowers when you choke on that steak.”
Mama sighed but smiled, ruffling my hair carefully around the sensitive horns now jutting out of my head. “Enough, you two. Let her eat.”
“See, Mom supports me,” I said triumphantly, stabbing another piece of steak.
“Mom supports keeping you alive,” Lami countered. “Big difference.”
…—O—O—O—...
Once the plate was cleared, Mama scooped it up and set it aside. Her expression softened, but the worry in her eyes lingered. “I’ve been reading everything I can on dragon transformations. Soul dragons especially.”
My ears perked up, tail twitching lazily under the blankets.
“There’s a book that’s been passed down for generations,” she continued, smoothing my blanket as though tucking me back in would solve anything. “It says the first few days are the hardest. Your body is trying to accept new limbs, new organs, new instincts. It’ll throw everything out of balance.”
I nodded slowly, sipping my water. That made sense. My entire body felt like it had gone twelve rounds with reality itself.
“So you’ll need protein, meat, sunlight,” Mama said firmly. “But since we can’t risk people seeing you right now, you’ll have to settle for an open window.”
“Cool,” I muttered. “I’m officially a houseplant.”
“More like a feral lizard,” Lami muttered from her perch, though her grin softened it.
“HEY!” I threw a pillow at her, but it thudded uselessly against the doorframe. “Rude.”
Mama chuckled, patting my head. “She’s not entirely wrong, Rose Bud.”
“Et tu, Mama?” I groaned, flopping back dramatically.
After a pause, I turned to her, quieter this time. “Mom… will I ever be able to hide it? My appearance, I mean.”
Her face fell. She hesitated, eyes glistening, then shook her head. “Eventually. But it’s a terribly hard process.”
The weight in my chest deepened, and I sat back down, wishing I could just sunbathe on a rock until my brain stopped hurting.
“Can I at least see that book?” I asked.
Mama stood, brushing her hands on her skirt. “Alright. But please, try to rest.” She left the room, Lami slipping in to take her place, plopping onto the foot of my bed.
“You do realize you’re terrifying now, right?” Lami said, smirking. “Like, if you sneeze, you might burn down the house. Congratulations.”
“Great,” I deadpanned. “Can’t wait for that to make it onto my résumé.”
Mama returned with an ancient-looking tome that looked like it had survived about nine apocalypses. The spine read: Dragon’s Guide for Newly Formed Whelps.
She placed it gently in my lap. “Here’s the book. Enjoy it. But don’t stay up all night.”
I flipped it open instantly, eyes darting to the table of contents. My grin stretched wider with each line.
“Ooooh… now this looks fun.”
Lami leaned over my shoulder, snorting. “Of course you’d call something titled ‘Digestive Fire Regulation’ fun.”
“Hey,” I said, smirking. “Don’t judge my hobbies.”
Mama just sighed fondly, brushing my hair back from my horns. “My daughters. One’s a dragon, the other’s a smartass. I suppose that balances out somehow.”
And as I skimmed through the pages, the whispers of doubt faded just a little, replaced by the thrill of discovery.
Part 1: The Essence of a Soul Dragon
- What Is a Soul Dragon?
- Origins and History
- Soul Dragon Physiology
- The Connection to Souls
- The Soul Nexus
- Understanding Your Soul Core
- Bonding with Other Souls
- Strengthening the Nexus
- The Evolution of Power
- Stages of a Soul Dragon’s Growth
- Whelp, Drake, and Elder States
- Transformative Milestones
Part 2: Abilities and Manifestations:
- Soul Sight: Peering Beyond the Veil
- Seeing and Interpreting Souls
- Differentiating Between Pure and Corrupted Souls
- The Art of Soul-Touch
- Speaking to Souls
- Gifting and Borrowing Power
- Healing Damaged Souls
- Creating Soul Forms
- Summoning Physical Manifestations
- Shaping Soul Constructs
- The Spirit-Fire Phenomenon
- Harnessing Elemental Fire from the Soul
- Techniques and Mastery
- The Link Between Spirit-Fire and Emotion
Part 3: Challenges and Perils
- Corruption of the Soul
- Recognizing Signs of Soul Rot
- Avoiding and Combating Corruption
- The Strain of Overextension
- Managing Energy and Limits
- Preventing Soul Burnout
- Dealing with Outside Forces
- Handling Soul Predators
- Battling Those Who Seek to Exploit Dragons
Part 4: Integration into the One Piece World
- Navigating the Grand Line
- Adapting to the World of Pirates and Marines
- Forming Alliances with Other Beings
- Famous Soul Dragons of Legend
- Historical Figures
- Modern Influences
- Living Among Humans
- Maintaining a Low Profile
- The Balance Between Dragon and Mortal Life
Part 5: Wisdom of the Elders
- Sacred Teachings of Elder Dragons
- The Role of Wisdom and Patience
- Stories of Trial and Triumph
- The Final Ascension
- Preparing for Elderhood
- The Legacy of a Soul
Part 6: Crafting and Expanding Your Power
- The Art of Spellweaving
- Fundamentals of Spell Creation
- Drawing Energy from the Soul Nexus
- Weaving Elements into Spells
- Harnessing Unique Powers
- Personalizing Abilities Based on Soul Traits
- Experimenting Safely with New Techniques
- Adapting Powers to Specific Needs
- Building Your Spirit Arsenal
- Forging Soul Weapons and Tools
- Enhancing Objects with Spirit Energy
- Maintaining and Strengthening Creations
- Creating and Managing a Spirit Realm
- Establishing a Personal Space in the Spirit Realm
- Anchoring and Stabilizing the Realm’s Structure
- Storing Physical and Spiritual Items Safely
- Advanced Techniques for Soul Manipulation
- Fusion of Powers with Other Beings
- Developing Multi-Layered Spells
- Overcoming Limitations Through Practice
Part 7: The Transformation Journey
22. Understanding the Essence of Transformation
- What is the Dragon Transformation?
- The connection between Soul Core and physical form.
- Why transformation is unique to each dragon.
23. Physical Manifestations During Transformation
- Changes to body structure and size.
- The emergence of dragon-specific traits (e.g., scales, wings, claws).
- Energy radiance and its outward effects.
24. Emotional and Mental Shifts
- The heightened sense of awareness and intuition.
- Emotional intensity and how to channel it effectively.
- How transformation enhances mental clarity and focus.
25. The Role of the Spirit Realm in Transformation
- Drawing energy from the Spirit Realm to fuel changes.
- How the Spirit Realm influences the transformation process.
- Maintaining balance between physical and spiritual forms.
26. Stages of Transformation
- Initiation: Recognizing the call to transform.
- Unfolding: The gradual activation of the dragon form.
- Completion: Achieving full transformation and stabilizing energy.
27. The First Transformation Experience
- Signs that a dragon is ready for their first transformation.
- Emotional preparation and overcoming fear.
- The importance of mentorship during this critical moment.
28. Enhancing Control Over Transformations
- Techniques for transitioning smoothly between forms.
- Building stamina to extend time in dragon form.
- Strategies for mastering partial transformations (e.g., only activating wings or claws).
29. Challenges and Limitations
- Physical strain and energy depletion from extended transformations.
- Emotional turbulence and how to manage it.
- Recognizing when to revert to preserve stability.
30. Evolution of Transformation Abilities
-
How transformations grow more powerful with experience.
-
Unlocking advanced forms or alternate appearances.
-
The connection between personal growth and transformation potential.
I stare at the bullet points in shock. There was so much information right at my finger tips, and it was all mine.. I think I now understand how Robin feels whenever she discovers something new.
I look out the window and notice that the sun has fallen below the horizon. Well, nothing to do but read I guess. I trace the pages with my fingers, my skin trailing down the rough pages that smell of ink and, well, old pages.
Now, all I have to do is figure out what I want to learn first. There was literally everything I needed to know, and I saw a small note on the front saying there was another Table of Contents on the inside somewhere.
I might be drooling..
I shook my head and looked over the headlines and bullet points, not letting a single word leave my sight. Each one would give lots of information on my new life, but I think transformations should be my main focus.
I flipped over to Transformation journey and began to scan the first section:
What is the Dragon Transformation?
The transformation into a dragon form is the pinnacle of a Soul Dragon’s connection to their power and essence. This metamorphosis is both a physical and spiritual process, embodying the true nature of a dragon’s soul. Unlike simple abilities or spells, the transformation is an immersive experience that reshapes every fiber of the body, manifesting the raw power of the dragon’s Soul Core.
This process is unique to Soul Dragons, as it requires a deep bond with both the Spirit Realm and their own energy. It is not merely a physical change–it represents a moment of profound growth and self-actualization, wherein a dragon unlocks a deeper understanding of their place in the balance between realms.
Ok, so this explains something I guess, not much, but at least I know my transformation came earlier than normal. I have a theory that it’s because I technically died, and I am a resurrected soul and that helps with the whole thing, but I’m not too sure.
Lets just continue reading, I’m enjoying this:
The Connection Between Soul Core and Physical Form:
The Soul Core serves as the catalyst for transformation, releasing immense energy to reconstruct the body. This energy flows outward, breaking down the existing human form and reassembling it into the dragon’s shape. The process highlights the intimate relationship between the dragon’s soul and physical form, as the body becomes a direct reflection of their inner power.
I nodded my head knowingly, so that was why it felt as if my body was being ripped apart, it was. That is such a creepy thought, I was being torn apart from the inside and reassembled to match the power in me..
I hope that doesn’t happen every time I decide to transform.
But with my luck, it probably will.
SIgh.
Why Transformation is Unique to Each Dragon:
No two transformations are alike. Each dragon’s form is a direct manifestation of their individuality, reflecting their personality, emotions; strengths, and spiritual connection. For example, a dragon with a fiery disposition may develop blazing scales, while one attuned to calm waters may exclude a soothing aura. This uniqueness ensures that transformation is a deeply personal journey, with each dragon discovering their own identity through the process.
I look back at my own wings and scales. Each of them are either a pure white, off-white, ivory or some type of gray/black shade. I scan the examples and find that these colors represent..
Oh shit..
I may or may not be fucking screwed…
1. Pure-White
- Meaning in Aura: Pure-white signifies a soul of unyielding purity, clarity, and purpose. This color reflects a dragon with a heart deeply connected to the ideals of justice, hope, and renewal. Their aura is often calming and radiant, drawing others toward their leadership and wisdom.
- Personality Traits: Dragons with pure-white auras are often selfless, disciplined, and deeply empathetic. However, they may struggle with unrealistic expectations of themselves or others, as they strive for an ideal that might feel unattainable. Their unwavering commitment to doing what is right can make them seem stubborn or distant at times.
- Special Note: Pure-white dragons often feel a strong connection to the Spirit Realm’s light elements and may excel in healing or guidance-oriented abilities.
2. Off-White or Ivory
- Meaning in Aura: Off-white or ivory shades reflect a soul of harmony and balance, but with hints of personal imperfection. These dragons have embraced their flaws and learned to integrate their light and shadow sides. Their aura exudes a sense of peace and understanding.
- Personality Traits: These dragons are gentle yet determined. They are introspective and value connection with others, often acting as mediators or peacemakers. They are kind and nurturing but may occasionally doubt their ability to make an impact, leading to moments of self-doubt.
- Special Note: Dragons with off-white or ivory auras often excel in creating bonds with others and may possess abilities tied to reconciliation or fostering unity in divided groups.
3. Shades of Gray
- Meaning in Aura: Gray represents duality and introspection. A dragon with a gray aura walks the line between light and dark, embodying neutrality and adaptability. This color signifies a soul that is neither wholly optimistic nor cynical but one that seeks understanding in all things.
- Personality Traits: Dragons with gray hues are wise, contemplative, and pragmatic. They see the world in its complexities, often acting as observers or strategists. They may struggle with indecision or detachment, as their ability to see all sides of an issue can make them hesitate when action is required.
- Special Note: Gray dragons are adept at shadow-based techniques and may be uniquely skilled in blending the energies of light and dark for powerful, balanced abilities.
4. Black
- Meaning in Aura: Black signifies depth, mystery, and untapped potential. Dragons with black auras often harbor immense power, tempered by their internal struggles. This color reflects a soul that has endured pain, loss, or hardship but has emerged stronger and more determined. Their aura can feel intense or even intimidating to others.
- Personality Traits: Black dragons are resilient, passionate, and fiercely independent. They often walk their own path, unafraid to challenge norms or confront darkness head-on. However, they may struggle with feelings of isolation or a tendency to hide their vulnerabilities.
- Special Note: Dragons with black auras are often connected to elements of shadow, death, or rebirth. They excel in creating barriers, absorbing energy, or wielding destructive forces with precision.
5. Combinations of These Colors
- Pure-White and Off-White/Ivory: Reflects an idealistic yet grounded personality. These dragons strive for perfection but understand and accept the beauty of imperfection, making them natural leaders who inspire others.
- Gray and Off-White/Ivory: Indicates a soul in harmony with both light and shadow. These dragons are mediators, valuing balance and understanding in all things. They are flexible and pragmatic but carry a gentle, nurturing side.
- Gray and Black: Represents a personality deeply introspective and resilient. These dragons have a profound understanding of both light and dark aspects of existence, making them powerful strategists or protectors.
- Pure-White and Black: A rare combination symbolizing a personality of extremes. These dragons grapple with intense inner conflicts, balancing their desire for purity and justice with the powerful forces of darkness they wield. They are often seen as enigmatic, inspiring awe and caution in equal measure.
Quick question…
Why is there no combination of, I don’t know, ALL OF THEM!?
This is terrible, awful, horrible, I hate my life. Why can’t I just be normal? I’m not even normal in dragon terms.
No, my existential crisis can wait for after I finish this!
Physical Manifestations During Transformation:
Changes to Body Structure and Size
The transformation process is brutal and unrelenting. Bones splinter and reform, muscles tear apart to reshape themselves, and nerves reconnect to accommodate the new anatomy. The body grows significantly, expanding to accommodate wings, horns, claws, and a tail. These changes occur in rapid succession, causing intense pain as the old human form is destroyed to make way for the dragon’s true self.
Well, this would’ve been nice to know before, you know, it happening to me. I totally thought I was dying, or at least being tortured until I ultimately either die from the pain, or pass out (which I did).
The Emergence of Dragon-Specific Traits
Once the skeletal and muscular changes stabilize, dragon-specific traits emerge. Scales burst through the skin, offering unparalleled protection but leaving the surface hypersensitive for several days. Wings unfold from the back, each joint cracking into place as the membranes stretch to their full span. Horns grow from the skull, causing a dearing ache as they push through.
—
Energy Radiance and Its Outward Effects
As the transformation completes, the dragon’s body radiates with raw energy. This aura often manifests in visible phenomena such as glowing scales or a shimmering mist around the wings. The energy is a tangible expression of the dragon’s power, drawing the attention of souls and entities in the Spirit Realm.
I yawn out loud, my eyes drooping and causing my vision to start to blur. My wings stretch out unconsciously as I lift my arms above my head. I smack my lips together as I rub my eyes and look around the room. It was darker than before, making me even more exhausted than before.
“It seems I need to go to sleep now.” I say mostly to myself as I close the book and set it to the side of my bed on its back. “Yes you do, bubbles. So lay down and sleep.” Cora floats over and makes a show of trying to lift the covers of my bed over my head.
I chuckle at his attempts and pull the covers over my body just the way he was trying to do, “Alright, Alright dad, leave me alone!” I say dramatically as he places his hand over where his heart should be and gasps out in mock betrayal,
“Just go to sleep, you’ll need all the rest you can get.” Raven cuts in before Cora can respond, Lola bounds over and hugs me, saying many good nights before she is dragged away by Theo, who wishes me sweet dreams before he walks out (read: through) the door. Oliva only smiles and pats my head as she floats off from the spot where she was reading along with me.
“Good night guys, I’ll see you tomorrow!” I give them a small wave before closing my eyes and letting sleep take over. The last thing I saw was Raven waving as she floated away and Oliva settling in a chair near my door, probably keeping guard.
…—O—O—O—...
When I blinked my eyes open, the first thing I noticed was that I wasn’t as hypersensitive anymore. Sure, every sense was still cranked up like some god had accidentally hit the “MAX” switch, but it had gone down by a smidge.
Which, in my book, was a win. Because if it hadn’t? Yeah, I might’ve just offed myself out of sheer sensory overload.
Fuck god’s entertainment package.
Anyway, I sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes, stretching my wings out (because apparently I do that unconsciously now — sorry walls), and letting my brain catch up to reality.
The scales curled around my ankle glimmered faintly in the dim light, a reminder this wasn’t some fever dream. I was still a dragon.
I stayed on the edge of the bed for a solid five minutes, wobbling through my thoughts, then decided I was ready to function like a semi-human. I stood up, managed two steps toward the door…
And promptly faceplanted as it opened.
My yelp was pitiful at best. My body smacked the floorboards, wings splayed out like broken umbrellas.
“Jess!” Mama’s voice cracked as she appeared in the doorway, panic stamped across her face. She was at my side instantly, crouching to help me up.
“Oh, honey, are you okay? I didn’t mean to knock you down.” Her hands fluttered over me like she expected my face to fall off any second.
I gave her a crooked smile and waved it off. “I’m fine. Totally fine. Just… floor-testing gravity. Spoiler: it still works.”
She sighed in relief and scooped me into her arms anyway, like I was still three. I wrapped my arms around her neck, secretly enjoying the comfort, and held on as she carried me downstairs. My body still wasn’t fully adjusted — five days since the transformation, and I still got tired faster than I liked.
She set me in a chair at the dining table, and I yawned so wide my jaw cracked. My wings twitched at the sound of sizzling from the kitchen. Pancakes? Or… at least whatever this world had for pancakes. Whatever they were, I was ready.
“Mama?” I called, leaning against the table.
“Mhm?” she hummed back, flipping something that smelled heavenly.
“Why didn’t you seem surprised when I transformed? You took it… I dunno, weirdly well. And you know a lot about dragons like me.”
The sizzling was the only answer for a long moment. Finally, she came out balancing three plates, each stacked with fluffy, sweet-smelling rounds. She set one in front of me, the other in front of herself, one at the empty seat, and sat down.
“Do you remember when I told you powers skip generations?” she asked as she started cutting mine into little bite-sized pieces.
I nodded quickly, stabbing one with my fork and stuffing it into my mouth. My eyes rolled back. Gods, so good.
“Well,” Mama continued, her voice quieter now, “I was gifted my dragon powers by my mother. She didn’t want them, so she handed them down to me.”
I blinked, fork hovering. “She… what?”
“Yes, it’s possible, but only to blood relatives. Only children and the cost is… great.” She didn’t explain further, and she didn’t need to. The sadness in her eyes spelled it out clear enough: death was the price.
I swallowed hard, nodding slowly, my chest tight.
“But that’s how I got a small share of power,” She said, smiling gently. “And how you inherited an immense one.”
Before I could answer, a familiar voice piped up from the stairs, “Well, that explains why Jess is the size of a toddler but eats like a sea king.”
I groaned, dropping my fork, “Lami! Don’t you have literally anything better to do?”
She grinned, sauntering into the room with her arms crossed, “Nope. Teasing you is my full-time job.”
Mama chuckled, sipping her coffee, “Don’t let her get to you, Rose Bud.”
“Too late,” I muttered, glaring at Lami as I stuffed another bite of pancake into my mouth. “You’re just jealous that my horns are prettier than your hair.”
“Ouch.” Lami clutched her chest dramatically. “Low blow.”
Mama shook her head, amused. “Honestly, the two of you together are more exhausting than dragon research.”
“Speaking of!” I said, perking up. “That book you gave me is so cool. I’ve already flagged, like, twenty things I wanna try.”
Lami leaned over my shoulder, snagging a piece of pancake off my plate. “Flagged? Or obsessed?”
“Obsessed is just passion with better branding,” I shot back.
Mama laughed softly, brushing a hand over my head, careful of the horns. “Take care of it, Jessica. That book belongs to you now. More than it ever did to me.”
I hugged her arm impulsively, smiling. “I will.”
Breakfast wrapped up, and Mama tucked me back into bed upstairs, kissing my forehead. “Rest. No more floor experiments.”
As she left, I caught a faint shimmer in the corner of my room. Yorki’s ghostly form floated closer, placing a hand against my forehead.
“You know,” He said in that quiet, knowing tone, “I have a bad feeling about today.”
I raised a brow. “I’m always careful.”
The look he gave me was so unimpressed that I burst out laughing. It echoed through the room, bright and unguarded, before my eyes slipped shut again.
And that laughter was the last thing I heard before drifting off.
…—O—O—O—...
Screaming.
That was the first thing that dragged me out of sleep. The second was my mother’s panicked cry as she rushed into my room. My eyes cracked open just in time to see a shadow looming above me, a bag in one hand and a knife gleaming in the other.
My breath froze in my throat, but instinct didn’t. Before my brain caught up, my legs shot out, and one perfectly placed kick landed square in his groin. The man folded with a strangled noise before collapsing sideways.
An audible crack followed — Mama, slamming a potted plant over his head. He hit the floor with a thump, motionless.
“W-we need to go, Jessica.” Her voice shook, tight with fear.
It took less than a minute for her to shove shoes on my feet and throw a small pack of food and clothes together. Her hand closed around mine, wrapping me in that cool coating of her Devil Fruit power, hiding me in its shimmer.
I looked back only once. My room, my bed, my home — our home. Tears burned my eyes. I didn’t know why this was happening. I didn’t understand who that man was. But I knew one thing: nothing would be the same again.
I darted back, ignoring Mama’s frantic hiss, just to snatch the book from my bedside. My fingers curled around it tightly as a beam cracked across the ceiling. Splinters rained down, but I dodged through, back into Mama’s arms. She crushed me against her chest, burying my face in her collar so I couldn’t see what else was burning, breaking.
They must’ve gotten the letter.
Her stride jolted me as she bolted down the forest trail. Normally, this path smelled of pine and wildflowers, a place where we traded gossip and nonsense. But now it reeked of smoke and ash. Behind us, screams echoed from the village. This wasn’t just about me. They were razing everything.
“Almost there…” Mama’s breath hitched as her pace quickened.
Branches tore at her clothes. Roots scraped against her boots. Then her footsteps shifted, stone echoing under her soles. The rocky clearing. I recognized it.
And we weren’t alone.
“Finally!” a voice hissed. Lami burst out from behind a boulder, hair half undone, eyes wide with worry. “You took forever — I thought they got you!”
Mama didn’t stop moving, but she reached her free hand out, gripping Lami’s wrist as if she could tether us all together by sheer force of will. “Stay close. Don’t let go.”
“I won’t,” Lami said quickly. There was no smirk this time, no sharp remark — just the steady edge of someone trying to hold it together. Her gaze flicked to me, softened even through the chaos. “Jess, you okay?”
I nodded shakily, though the ache in my head said otherwise.
Mama kicked aside a pile of rocks, revealing the hidden hollow. She dropped into the cave with practiced speed, pulling both of us down. The entrance sealed behind us with leaves and branches, smothering the firelight from above.
Her arms trembled as she set me on the far side of the cave. “We can’t stay here forever, but we need to take it. Even if you don’t eat it, it can’t fall into the Government’s hands.”
Lami shifted closer to me, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder, her hand finding mine. No teasing, no grin. Just steady warmth.
Mama walked to the back, shoving aside more rocks until she revealed the bundle hidden beneath leaves. She lifted it reverently.
An egg.
It gleamed in the dim light, half ember and half void. The fiery side shifted like molten rock, orange bleeding into gold, while the other half swallowed light in deep, rippling black streaked with faint silver veins. The two halves strained against each other, clashing but never breaking–like siblings locked in eternal rivalry.
“Here you go,” Mama whispered, pressing it into my hands. “Keep this safe, darling.”
I swallowed hard, sliding it carefully into my light pack beside my book and spare clothes. It nestled snug, radiating strange warmth and cold all at once.
Mama’s lips twisted into the ghost of a smile. “A dragon with a familiar. You’ll be the Government’s worst nightmare, my dear.”
I tried to smile back, crooked and faint. Lami didn’t smile at all, but she tightened her grip on my hand.
Mama pulled me into her lap, pressing her cheek to my hair. “I have a boat ready. It’s on the far side of the island. But I can’t keep us hidden the whole way.”
“Then we’ll fight if we have to,” Lami said quietly, her voice steadier than I’d ever heard it. “We’re not letting them take her.”
Mama looked at her, something like gratitude flickering in her eyes. She hugged me tighter. “Just a safety precaution. I couldn’t forgive myself if either of you got hurt.”
I wanted to argue, wanted to shout that I could run on my own — but I didn’t. I just pressed my face into her collar again, let her lift me, and nodded.
The three of us moved together into the shadows of the forest, south-east, toward escape.
…—O—O—O—...
It felt like forever before Mama’s frantic steps gave way to the crunch of sand beneath her boots. The uneven ground made her stumble, and I realized we’d reached the beach. Through the blur of smoke and tears, I saw it: a dinghy, bobbing weakly against the shore, salvation in battered wood and rope.
“Get in,” Mama whispered hoarsely, scanning the treeline for oars, her voice ragged from smoke and fear.
I hesitated. “Mama—”
“Now!” Her bark carried no room for argument.
I scrambled into the dinghy, my small frame trembling. Mama shoved it into the water with desperate strength, then climbed in after, hands closing on the oars. Each stroke was furious, fueled by terror and determination. The flames roared behind us, eating the island alive, and the screams of the villagers echoed, fading as distance grew.
Beside me, Lami clutched the edge of the dinghy, her knuckles bone white. Her usual smirk was gone, her eyes glassy as she tried not to cry. She slid closer to me, pressing her shoulder against mine like a silent shield.
I turned to look back at the island — at our home burning — but Mama’s hands cupped my cheeks, forcing my gaze forward. Her eyes shimmered with tears, her voice trembling but firm. “Don’t look back, Rose Bud. No matter what happened, don’t look back.”
For a heartbeat, there was nothing but the sound of the waves slapping against the wood, the acrid stink of smoke, and Mama’s steady breathing. Her fingers threaded through my hair, murmuring soft comforts.
Then the peace shattered.
A Marine ship loomed ahead, its white flag stark against the blood-red horizon. Cannon fire rumbled faintly, the vessel bearing down fast. Mama’s face hardened, and she shoved both Lami and me beneath the wooden bench.
“Stay down,” she whispered, her voice shaking. “No matter what you hear, don’t come out until it’s safe. Do you understand me, Jessica? Lami?”
I nodded, tears spilling silently. Lami grabbed my hand in the dark, squeezing it hard. “We’ll do what she says,” she murmured, her voice breaking. “We’ll be okay.”
The Marines’ voices grew louder as the ship pulled alongside. The boat rocked violently.
“Step out of the dinghy!” a Marine barked, rifle trained.
Mama stood tall above us, arms spread wide, blocking the bench where we hid. “There’s nothing here for you. Leave us alone!”
The Marine sneered, muttering into his transponder snail. An order crackled back. His eyes narrowed as he raised his rifle.
The shot cracked like thunder.
Everything slowed.
A wet heat splattered over my socks. Mama’s body jerked, then collapsed against the bench. The world tilted, muffled, unreal.
When I looked up, blood poured from a perfect hole in her forehead. Her eyes stared glassy and empty, the warmth gone.
I slapped my hand over my mouth to smother the scream clawing up my throat. Beside me, Lami froze, her whole body shaking violently. Her grip on my hand turned crushing, her breath coming out in harsh gasps. She didn’t speak. She couldn’t.
Blood dripped down through the cracks of the bench, soaking my sleeves, matting into my hair. Bits of bone and brain clung to the wood. The stench of iron filled the air, thick and choking.
The Marines exchanged a few curt words, then left, satisfied. The thrum of their ship pulled away, fading into the distance.
We stayed still, silent, pressed together in the dark, until only the waves remained.
When I finally crawled out, Lami followed, her hand never leaving mine. The sight above the bench stole the air from my lungs. Mama lay slumped, her hair sticky with blood, her body already pale.
My knees buckled. I collapsed into the pool spreading beneath her, sobs tearing from my throat. “Mama—” My trembling hands cupped her face, cold already.
But she was smiling. Just faintly. Smiling, like she was relieved. Relieved we were safe.
Lami knelt beside me, tears streaming silently down her face as she touched Mama’s shoulder. She didn’t say anything — there were no words. Only the broken sound of her breathing, and her arm wrapping tightly around me so I wouldn’t drown in grief alone.
As the sun sank, painting the sea in blood-red and gold, we guided the dinghy into open waters. Mama’s body rested beside us, her hand limp and cool against mine.
Right then and there, I made a promise.
I would travel. I would become the world’s greatest adventurer. I would live so loudly, so brightly, that Mama would never be forgotten.
And when I found someone who became mine — truly mine, always — I would be strong enough to protect them.
Lami squeezed my hand, her tear-streaked face tilted toward me. “We’ll do it together,” she whispered hoarsely. “For her.”
And with that vow binding us, the ocean cradled us into the night.
…—O—O—O—...
It took a few days for Mama’s body to start decomposing. At first, it was just the blood drying, dark and sticky on the dinghy floor, staining the wood and soaking into my socks until it felt like I’d never be clean again. But then… the stench came.
It was unbearable — thick, putrid, searing through my heightened senses until my stomach clenched and I had to recoil further and further from her. Even curled on the opposite side of the boat, the smell clung to me, burrowed into my lungs.
Sailing the dinghy wasn’t hard anymore; my dragon body had finally started adjusting to the new limbs and strength. But sailing with my mother’s corpse slowly rotting beside me?
Yeah. That wasn’t going so well.
The extra clothes in my bag were ruined, soaked through with blood from when I’d tried — and failed — to clean them with seawater. My main outfit was crusted with dried stains too, but at least I could tolerate wearing it dry. Salty, wet fabric rubbing against scales? Not a chance.
Another development: my bag had somehow been delivered intact, floating near the dinghy as if the universe decided I deserved one nice thing. Inside, I had my phone. My headphones. I charged them every afternoon with the solar attachment, and when they were full, I listened to music. Calming tracks, mostly — soft melodies that reminded me there was still beauty somewhere.
But even with that… most days ended the same way. I cried myself to sleep. I cried when I woke up. I cried when I ate, when I rowed, when I stared at the endless stretch of blue that was the ocean.
I thought I’d run out of tears by the second day. I was wrong.
Lami was there too, sitting hunched on the opposite side of the boat, her knees pulled up to her chest. She didn’t cry as loudly as I did, but her eyes were always red, her jaw always tight. She stayed close, offering me quiet comfort when the sobs got so bad my chest hurt, but otherwise… she just sat in silence, staring at Mama’s body.
We both knew what needed to happen.
Everything in me screamed to push her off the boat, to rid us of the reek, to give our lungs a break. But my heart wouldn’t let me. I couldn’t just toss her overboard like trash. This was my mother.
She was the one who held me when I cried, who made space for my rants about books, who treated me like my voice mattered, who loved me more fiercely than anyone had ever loved me before. She was the opposite of my last life’s mother. She was everything.
I needed to give her a proper ritual, something worthy. But there was nothing here. No driftwood to build a pyre, no altar, no way to honor her beyond just… keeping her close.
So we let her stay.
Even as her body rotted in the sun, filling the dinghy with decay, we let her stay.
“Jess…” Lami’s voice broke through the silence one night, soft and hoarse. She reached for my hand, her grip firm despite her trembling fingers. “She’d… she’d understand. She wouldn’t want this for us.”
I shook my head violently, tears spilling again. “I can’t. I can’t let her go. Not yet.”
Lami didn’t argue. She just pulled me closer, tucking me under her arm like the older sister she’d somehow become. And together, we endured it.
…
Days blurred. Salt. Tears. Stench.
At one point, my head was tucked between my knees, every thought screaming, I hate this. I hate life. Why does it have to be me?
Oh, right. I was a dragon. That little fact kept slapping me in the face whenever I started to wallow.
Great, I thought bitterly. I’m a dragon. Big scary monster. And I’m still pathetic. Still stuck in a boat with a rotting corpse and no idea what to do next.
I even prayed no one would find us — that we’d just drift forever. Because what would happen if the World Government got their hands on us? I couldn’t survive that. Neither could Lami.
But life had other plans.
The dinghy jolted suddenly with a heavy thump. My head snapped up, vision blurry from tears, just in time to see green.
An island.
It hadn’t been there yesterday. I must’ve drifted into it without realizing.
For a moment, my brain didn’t compute. Then, slowly, I unfolded my cramped legs and pushed myself up. My whole body wobbled like jelly. Every step felt wrong. But I managed to stumble to the edge.
And then I collapsed.
Sand scraped my cheek as I coughed, gritty grains filling my mouth. My arms gave out, and I flopped onto my back, the sun beating down.
Beside me, Lami stumbled out of the boat too, collapsing to her knees in the sand. She pressed a hand over her face, breathing hard, then glanced at me. Her lips parted, her voice ragged.
“We made it.”
Her words cracked, but there was something like hope in them.
I didn’t answer. I just stared up at the sky, tears leaking sideways into my hair, praying that maybe–just maybe–this island was the start of something better.
I let my legs stretch out, pins and needles stabbing as blood finally moved again. The sand was warm under me, grounding in a way, though nothing could settle the heavy pit in my chest. Slowly, I stood, grabbing my bag and setting it carefully away from the dinghy.
The smell of death still clung to everything.
I padded down toward the water’s edge, not too close to risk the tide undoing my work, and dropped to my knees. My claws made short work of the sand, scooping and tearing through it faster than any shovel could.
To keep myself from breaking, I slipped my headphones on. The music bled into my ears, Melanie Martinez’s voice filling the void.
“Feeling unsure of my naked body,
Standing back, watch it take shape—”
I hummed along, breath shaky.
“But, I never really cared about that shit before,
Look around the room to whoever wants me—”
The lyrics stung. Memories I didn’t want bubbled up, but I kept digging. My claws carved deeper, wider, until the sand piled high beside me.
The pit was big enough.
I sat back, pulling the headphones down around my neck. The music still played faintly as I stood and made my way to the dinghy. My stomach twisted violently when I reached in and took hold of Mama’s limp arm. The stench hit me full force, rotting flesh in the salt air. I gagged but refused to let go.
Lami appeared at my side without a word, her face pale, lips pressed tight. She hooked her hands under Mama’s shoulders while I gripped her legs. Together, we dragged. My arms burned, my lungs strained, and it still took over fifteen minutes to get her to the hole.
When we finally laid her down in the sand, I dropped Mama’s arm and doubled over, hands braced on my knees, panting hard. “Holy… shit.”
“Yeah,” Lami muttered, voice raw, sweat sticking her hair to her face. She didn’t look at me, her eyes fixed firmly on the body.
It took another ten minutes — longer, maybe — to shift her into the hole properly. Mama’s weight was unreal, not from fat but from the stillness, the dead heaviness that fought against every movement.
When she was finally in place, I froze, tears blurring my vision. Lami squeezed my shoulder gently, her voice soft but steady. “We can do this, Jess. She deserves this.”
I nodded, throat too tight to speak, and together we pushed the sand back in. Each clawful, each handful, was like burying myself alive.
When the last grains fell, I trudged back to my bag and pulled out the slab of rock I’d carried from my old life. It wasn’t big, not tombstone-sized, but it would work.
I crouched over it, using my claws to scratch into the surface. Her name. Her date of death. A quote she’d loved. And a little heart, etched at the bottom, because I needed it there.
When it was done, I carried it back, setting it gently into the sand at the head of the grave. It leaned slightly, imperfect, but it was all I had.
Lami finally sank to her knees beside me, her hand brushing against mine. “It’s not much,” she whispered, her voice trembling, “but… it’s enough. She’d like it. I know she would.”
I swallowed hard, staring at the stone, then nodded. “I hope she’s happy. Wherever she is.”
We stood together, side by side, staring for a moment longer before I forced myself to turn.
Mom wouldn’t want me to waste away here, chained to her grave. She’d want me to move forward. To fight. To live.
So I prayed silently — for her peace, for her happiness. I promised I’d come back one day, with flowers, with stories, with proof that I’d made her proud.
Then, with Lami’s hand gripping mine, I walked into the thick forest overlooking the beach and I didn’t look back.
…—O—O—O—...
Our first few days were hell.
Every consequence hit me like a brick to the face. My bloody hand kept threading through my hair, matting it worse, which only freaked me out more. My clothes were shredded, stiff with filth, and my stomach had been gnawing at itself for days.
Lami wasn’t doing much better. She’d sit with her knees tucked to her chest, pale and silent, but her eyes tracked me constantly, like she was terrified I’d collapse and never get up again.
The first good thing — the only good thing — happened when I stumbled onto a running river.
I almost cried in relief. Actually, no, I did cry. Dropping everything, I tore off my clothes and practically threw myself in, scrubbing at my skin with a desperation that made my arms ache. Mama’s blood. My own tears. The stink of smoke. It had to go.
“Don’t drown yourself,” Lami muttered from the bank, but her voice was hoarse, tired, not teasing. She held my bag tightly to her chest like she could shield it from the world by willpower alone.
God — that infuriating, meddling bastard — had left shampoo and body wash in my bag, like some sort of half-assed apology. I used every drop, lathering until my skin felt raw, until I could pretend I was clean.
When I was done, I turned to my clothes. Scrubbing them in the water until my fingers went numb, I got most of the blood out. Not all, but enough.
There was no village here. No people. Which meant if we wanted clothes, food, or even shelter, we were on our own.
I groaned, dragging the wet clothes out of the water and holding them up. “Well, this sucks. What now? Do I just sit here naked until they dry?”
Lami’s face turned bright red. “Oh my god, Jess—just… just figure something out.”
I smirked faintly despite myself. But she wasn’t wrong. I flipped open the dragon book, scanning quickly until I found something useful: Heatless Fire.
It was simple in theory. A beginner’s ability. Take a deep breath. Imagine the fire building in your throat. Calm it, condense it, move it down your arm, then let it out in a steady flow.
In practice? I burned a leaf to ash on my first try.
“Was that supposed to happen?” Lami asked cautiously from her perch on a rock.
“No,” I groaned. “Shut up.”
It took thirty tries to burn only half a leaf. Ten more to keep one intact. By then I was sweating, shaking, and ready to throw myself back into the river.
But finally, finally, I managed it on my clothes. Just a steady warmth, no flames — though the cuffs of my shirt still scorched.
“Oh, how I missed you,” I muttered dramatically as I slipped back into my clean clothes.
Lami exhaled in relief, looking less like a ghost for the first time in days. “Better. At least now you look like a person and not… whatever you were.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I shot back, but my voice was weak, drained.
We still needed somewhere to sleep. I remembered all those survival documentaries I’d binged in my past life — don’t sleep on the ground, you’ll regret it. They hadn’t been kidding. My first nights on the sand ended with ants swarming me alive. I still shivered just thinking about it.
So, tree it was.
Dragging my bag over my shoulder, I stared up at the massive trunks surrounding us. “Guess it’s time to channel my inner Tarzan.”
“Or break your neck,” Lami muttered, but she was already standing, brushing dirt from her knees. “I’ll go first.”
“No way.” I extended my claws, digging them into the bark. “If I’m going to die climbing, I’m dying dramatically.”
The climb was slow, unsteady, my wings twitching uselessly at my back. I wasn’t strong enough yet to fly — hell, I could barely climb. But after scraping my arms and nearly slipping twice, I made it to a thick branch.
There, I found a hollow to stash my bag and tugged on one of the dangling vines. Strong. Perfect. I tied it around my torso and legs like a makeshift harness, leaning back against the trunk.
Lami joined me a few minutes later, hauling herself up with surprising strength for someone running on no food or rest. She dropped onto the branch beside me, panting.
“See?” I grinned weakly. “Survival genius.”
She leaned her head back against the tree, eyes closing. “You’re an idiot.”
“…Yeah.” I sighed, letting my own eyes drift shut, my body trembling from exhaustion.
Tomorrow, we’d have to hunt. Build something that resembled a nest. Figure out how not to starve.
But for tonight? Just staying off the ground, tied to a tree, with Lami breathing steadily beside me — that was enough.
“My neck’s gonna be sore tomorrow,” I groaned softly.
“Mine too,” Lami whispered back.
And for the first time in days, I felt like maybe we’d survive this.
…—O—O—O—...
I was right: my neck hurt like a bitch. Almost as much as my stomach.
It grumbled loud enough to scare off birds, stabbing me with hunger pangs that made my head spin. I untied the vine from my waist, stretched my sore arms, and scanned the trees for anything edible.
The gods — in a rare moment of not being total assholes — must’ve heard my prayers, because a few trees over, there they were. Bananas. Perfectly ripe, golden bundles hanging just out of reach.
“Finally,” I whispered, clutching my stomach. “Divine mercy.”
“Or divine mockery,” Lami muttered from the branch above me, her eyes bleary from lack of sleep. “Watch them taste like dirt.”
I shot her a look. “Shut your pessimism hole, I’m starving.”
Tying a vine around my waist for extra security, I carefully hopped across branches, testing each one before shifting my weight. The ground looked way too eager to break my legs if I fell.
When I reached the cluster, I tugged hard at the thick stem. It snapped loose, nearly pitching me off the branch with it, but I managed to stumble back with the heavy bunch cradled in my arms.
“Banana haul secured!” I announced proudly, wobbling back toward our makeshift perch.
Lami rolled her eyes but shuffled closer, looking hungrier than she wanted to admit.
The second I sat, I tore into the bananas like a wild animal. I lost count after ten, but I definitely inhaled another five before my stomach stopped screaming. The peels rained down to the ground below like confetti.
I leaned back with a groan of relief. “Oh my god. Bananas are my religion now.”
“Save some for me, heathen,” Lami said dryly, snatching a few off the cluster before I could devour them all. She peeled one slowly, savoring it like she was trying to make it last forever.
“Sharing is caring,” I sing-songed through a mouthful of fruit.
Her gaze softened for a second, her voice quieter. “Yeah. Caring’s why I’m still here, Jess. Don’t forget that.”
I paused mid-bite, throat tight. Then I swallowed and grinned crookedly. “Noted. But also, I’m not apologizing for eating fifteen bananas.”
She smirked faintly. “Gremlin.”
“Love you too, big sis.”
…
After the feast, I realized our current perch wouldn’t cut it. The branch was too narrow, too exposed, and there was no way I was letting the egg hatch here.
Then I saw it: a massive tree a few lengths away, sturdy trunk, crisscrossing branches, thick leaves for cover. It was perfect. My dragon instincts practically purred at the sight.
With newfound banana-fueled confidence, I made my way over, stopping when I found a natural cradle formed by three intersecting branches. Wide, hidden, strong. A nest waiting to happen.
“We’re moving,” I declared.
Lami looked at the tree, then at me. “Figures. Dragons and their hoarding instincts. Next you’ll want gold.”
“I’ll settle for moss and vines, thank you very much.”
…
The rest of the day became a blur of gathering. I yanked vines down until my hands stung, dragging loops of them over my arms. Some resisted, snapping back and nearly smacking me in the face. Lami laughed at that one.
By the time dusk crept in, we had a pile stacked at the base of the tree.
The next morning, neck screaming and stomach grumbling again, I shoved more bananas in my mouth for fuel and climbed back up. The egg was safe, wrapped in my spare clothes, occasionally warmed with careful bursts of heatless fire.
Then I started weaving.
Over. Under. Pull tight.
The first loops were messy, uneven, but I adjusted, using claws to knot them together, digging them into the bark for stability. Lami gathered moss from the roots below and handed it up to me, clumps soft and tangled.
“This’ll keep the egg warm,” she explained simply. “Better than nothing until you get stronger.”
“See? You’d make a great housewife,” I teased, smirking.
“Eat dirt,” she said, but there was no bite in it. She was smiling faintly, and that was enough.
By midday, sweat poured down my face, dripping into my eyes, but I kept weaving. More vines. More reinforcement. My fingers cramped, but I didn’t stop until the second layer took shape, deeper and sturdier.
When the sun dipped low, painting the sky orange, I finally leaned back, chest heaving, and stared at what we’d made. It wasn’t done, not even close, but it was strong. It looked like the start of a real nest.
Lami climbed up beside me, brushing moss from her hands. She sat cross-legged, surveying it critically. “…Not bad. For a gremlin.”
“High praise,” I said, wiping sweat off my forehead. “Coming from a walking zombie.”
She smirked, nudging my shoulder. “We’re not dying yet. Guess that’s something.”
“Damn right,” I said, leaning back against the trunk. My hands throbbed, but satisfaction burned in my chest.
I prayed the nest wouldn’t collapse under us. My muscles hurt too much to care if it did.
“Jess?” Lami’s voice was soft, steady.
“Yeah?”
She hesitated, then smiled faintly. “You did good today.”
And for the first time in a while, I believed her.
…—O—O—O—...
The next day, I made a plan. Finish the second layer, push through the third. My fingers still felt like sandpaper and my palms had raw spots from yesterday’s weaving, but there was no time to whine. The nest had to be finished.
I grabbed what was left of my pile of thick vines and got to work, already dreading the moment I’d have to gather more.
The second layer went quicker than expected. I wove the vines like a net, reinforcing the whole structure so it wouldn’t shift under weight or weather. This layer was about depth, creating a cradle–not just for me, but for the egg. My dragon instincts purred at that thought, tail twitching.
“Jess,” Lami’s voice broke my focus. She was crouched on the branch above, carefully braiding a thinner vine into a rope. “You’re leaning too far.”
“I’m fine,” I grumbled, sweat dripping down my forehead.
“You say that right before you faceplant.”
“Rude. Accurate, but rude.”
By midday, the humidity had me cursing every god in existence. My hair clung to my face, my shirt was plastered to my skin, and my hands cramped every time I pulled a knot tight.
Lami climbed down to help me tighten a few sections, her hands slower but steadier. “You’re too impatient,” she muttered, tugging a vine until the wall creaked into place.
“And you’re too bossy,” I shot back.
“Older sisters get that right,” she said flatly.
“…Fair.”
The third layer was where things got tricky. This was the support wall. If this failed, the whole nest would collapse, and I wasn’t about to die from falling out of a tree like some idiot bird.
I climbed around the edges, weaving in smaller branches, pulling vines taut until my muscles screamed. The whole thing creaked like it might snap, but little by little, it held.
By the time we finished, I flopped onto my back in the crook of the tree, panting. “Damn. I’m so fucking cool.”
Lami snorted, sitting cross-legged with moss still stuck in her hair. “Cool? You smell like a wet dog.”
“Excuse you, wet dragon.”
“Still stinks.”
I grinned up at her, flipping her off weakly.
…
The sky started bleeding into orange, but I wasn’t done. My dragon instincts clawed at me, restless. The nest was strong, but survival wasn’t just about shelter. I needed weapons.
I climbed down again, my body protesting every move, and started hunting for the right branches. Long, sturdy ones for spears. Smooth, straight ones for arrows. A curved piece for a bow. I chipped stone into sharp shards, testing each edge against the bark.
Lami followed silently, arms full of gathered vines. “You’re really going all in on this,” she said, watching as I split the tip of a spear.
“You say that like it’s optional,” I grunted, wedging a stone point into the slit and binding it tight with a smaller vine. “Unless you’ve suddenly decided to become edible, we’re gonna need these.”
She grimaced. “Hard pass.”
Together, we stripped branches of twigs and smoothed them against rocks. I carved, and she tested the balance. When the spears were done, I moved to the bow.
This one nearly broke me. Finding vines strong enough to hold tension took forever. My hands trembled as I twisted them into a cord. But when I tied it and pulled it back, the branch bent perfectly.
“Holy shit,” I whispered.
“It actually works,” Lami said, eyes wide.
“Why do you sound surprised?”
“Because you usually break things.”
I scowled, but she wasn’t wrong.
We carved arrows together, me sharpening the tips while she bound them with stone pieces. I even managed a quiver, weaving one from spare vines while she adjusted the fit of the strap so it wouldn’t dig into my shoulder.
By the time we finished, the sun had dipped low, the sky painted in soft oranges and purples. I ran my fingers over the smooth wood of the bow, the rough heft of the spears. They weren’t perfect, but they were ours.
Lami leaned against the trunk, staring at the weapons. “…We might actually survive this.”
I smirked, twirling one of the spears dramatically. “Damn right. Tomorrow, we hunt.”
She raised a brow. “Tomorrow, you hunt. I’m not cleaning up your dragon mess.”
“Protective big sis until it’s inconvenient, huh?”
“Exactly.” She smirked faintly, tossing me a banana from the dwindling bunch. “Eat up, Gremlin. You’ll need the energy.”
And for the first time since Mama’s death, the future didn’t look impossible, just hard. Hard, but survivable.
…—O—O—O—...
I woke up with one goal: pelts. As many as possible. Any animal with a coat that screamed “soft and cozy” was about to become nest material.
Armed with my new weapons, I stretched out my stiff limbs and leapt from the tree, using my wings to glide down. My bare feet landed silently on the forest floor, claws digging in for balance.
Lami climbed down after me, grumbling. “You realize most people would start with… I dunno, finding berries?”
I shot her a smirk. “Most people aren’t dragons.”
“Most people don’t smell like one either,” She muttered, wrinkling her nose.
“Love you too.”
…
The first animal I spotted was a small deer-like creature, its coat golden brown and thick enough to make my dragon instincts practically drool. Perfect.
I crouched low, notching an arrow and steadying my breath. I’d hunted before–in a past life, with Dad teaching me how to aim–but it still felt foreign in my hands.
The arrow flew. Not perfect, but enough to wound. The creature stumbled, bolting through the undergrowth.
I sprinted after it, branches whipping past me. My wings flared, propelling me forward, and with a final burst of speed, I lunged. Spear in hand, I ended its struggle cleanly.
One down.
“Remind me not to piss you off,” Lami said from behind me, trying to sound casual, though her wide eyes gave her away.
“Noted,” I said, wiping my hands on the grass. “You get the next one.”
“What?!”
“You heard me. Sharing is caring.”
She groaned, but she picked up the bow anyway.
…
The rest of the day became a rhythm. Tracking, hunting and hauling. Lami even managed to bring down one of the rabbit-like creatures herself–though the arrow missed its mark and she ended up whacking it with a rock.
“Don’t laugh,” She hissed, cheeks flushed.
“I’m not laughing,” I wheezed, choking on giggles. “I’m celebrating your brutal efficiency.”
By the time the sun hung low, we had six animals: three rabbit-like creatures with thick pelts and two more deer-like beasts with dark, soft fur. Nest material secured.
Then came the worst part.
Skinning.
“God, I miss grocery stores,” I groaned, stone blade in hand.
Lami made a face but crouched beside me, holding the pelts taut while I cut. “Yeah, well, grocery stores don’t come with free weapons practice.”
“Don’t make me spear you.”
She smirked faintly but stayed quiet, watching carefully. Together, we peeled back the hides, working slowly so we didn’t ruin them. The smell was metallic, pungent, but neither of us stopped.
The meat couldn’t go to waste either. We wrapped it in broad leaves I’d collected earlier–the same kind I’d used for the nest–and salted it down with coarse crystals I’d scavenged near the shore. Packed neatly into a shallow pit lined with stones, the meat would keep for a while.
Lami hovered as I scraped the hides clean, her face pale but determined. She gathered more salt, sprinkled it over the pelts, and swatted bugs away while I stretched the hides over branches to dry.
The process was slow, backbreaking, and disgusting. My arms ached, my claws were sticky, and my whole body reeked of blood and sweat.
But by the time the sky turned orange, we had made progress. Pelts drying, meat stored and weapons intact.
We climbed back up to our perch, my egg safe and warm in its cloth wrappings. I gave it a burst of gentle heat before curling into my spot, exhausted.
“Tomorrow we line the nest,” I murmured, eyelids heavy.
“Tomorrow we don’t starve,” Lami corrected softly, adjusting her own vine harness.
I cracked a tired grin. “Look at us. Survival pros.”
“More like idiots who got lucky.”
“Semantics.”
She rolled her eyes but leaned closer, her shoulder pressing against mine. For once, she didn’t move away.
The cool night breeze swept through the canopy, carrying away the stench of blood and sweat, and I finally let myself drift into sleep.
…—O—O—O—...
The next day came too quickly. My whole body screamed in protest when I sat up, and my neck felt like it had been stomped by a Sea King. But work was waiting, and so were the half-dried pelts.
Heating them up with controlled bursts of fire drained me faster than I wanted to admit. Every puff left me dizzy, every flicker of flame singed my throat. By the time I finished drying the last hide, I collapsed against the tree trunk, groaning.
“You look like you wrestled a volcano and lost,” Lami said, crouching nearby with an armful of moss she’d gathered for padding.
I shot her a glare. “I won against the volcano. Barely.”
“Uh-huh.” She dropped the moss into the nest and dusted off her hands. “You keep pushing like that, you’re going to set your own tail on fire.”
“Wouldn’t be the worst way to go,” I muttered, dragging myself back to work.
One by one, I hauled the pelts into the nest. The thickest furs went across the base first, overlapping carefully so no vines poked through. It was slow, meticulous work, but when I stepped back, the nest looked less like a basket and more like… an actual home.
My dragon instincts practically purred, satisfaction humming through my chest. I stretched out across the fur base, sighing. “Holy shit. This is amazing.”
Lami raised a brow, unimpressed. “You’re laying in animal skins like some feral queen, and you’re proud of it.”
“Damn right,” I said, rolling over to grin at her. “Respect your queen.”
She snorted but settled onto the edge of the nest, running her hand across the lined floor. “…It’s actually soft. Good work, Jess.”
Her praise made my chest swell — though I’d never admit it out loud.
~~~
The leftover pelts stared at me accusingly. No way was I wasting them. Pillows. We needed pillows. Problem: no needle.
“God could drop me a sewing kit right now and I wouldn’t complain,” I grumbled, staring at the sky. “Come on, you owe me.”
Nothing.
“Fuck you, God.”
Lami coughed, biting back a laugh. “Losing it already?”
“Lost it years ago.”
So I scoured the forest floor for bones, and sure enough, I found a small sharp one from yesterday’s hunt. A little carving, a little swearing, and boom–crude needle. Twisting shredded vines into cord for thread took longer, but by the end, I held up my makeshift kit proudly.
Lami leaned over my shoulder. “That’s… actually decent.”
I beamed. “See? Gremlin skills.”
“…Gremlin skills that forgot one major thing.”
“…What?”
She pointed at the pelts. “Stuffing. You’re not going to fill pillows with dirt, are you?”
I froze. Then growled. “Feathers.”
Lami patted my shoulder sympathetically. “Good luck, Queen of the Forest.”
…
Ten minutes and one breakdown later, I was stomping through the underbrush. “Chicken hunting time.”
“Productive,” Lami said, following behind me with her bow ready.
We found them quickly — small, wild chickens pecking obliviously in a clearing. They were practically begging to be caught.
I let two arrows fly, quick and clean. Lami added one of her own, hitting the bird square in the chest.
I blinked at her. “…Show-off.”
“Older sisters always get the better shot,” she said with a smug grin.
We plucked the feathers one by one, piling them on broad leaves so they wouldn’t blow away. Cleaning them was the real nightmare. We dunked them in the stream, rinsed until our arms ached, then laid them out in the sun to dry.
By the time the sky burned orange, we had drying feathers, ready hides, and a nest lined with soft pelt.
I dropped into the fur base, staring up at the canopy. “Tomorrow, pillows.”
Lami curled up beside me, rubbing her sore hands. “Tomorrow, food first. Pillows second.”
“Priorities, sis.”
“Exactly.”
We both laughed, tired but lighter. For the first time in days, the ache in my chest eased–even if my neck still killed me every damn morning.
…—O—O—O—...
The first thing I did was gather the dried feathers and my leftover pelts. My precious, ugly little bone needle and vine thread were finally going to earn their keep.
The first few stitches were clumsy, uneven little things that looked like I’d let a raccoon try sewing, but after a few tries, I found the rhythm.
The needle slid through the hide smoother than I expected, the vine thread pulling tight, holding edges together. Slowly, the pouches began to take shape.
Lami sat nearby, knees pulled up, watching me with narrowed eyes. “You realize those stitches look like drunk spiders, right?”
“Bold of you to assume drunk spiders aren’t efficient,” I shot back.
She smirked faintly, then shifted closer. “Here, give it.”
I grumbled but handed one over, watching as she carefully looped the thread through. Her stitches were straighter, cleaner. “Show-off,” I muttered.
“Older sisters get automatic skill upgrades,” she said with mock-seriousness, passing the finished pouch back.
“Bullshit,” I snorted, stuffing it full of feathers until it was plump and soft. Then I sewed it shut, sealing the stuffing inside.
By the time we finished, we had several decent pillows. Ugly as hell, but soft. I plopped onto one with a sigh. “Okay, nest? Check. Pillows? Check. Now… blankets.”
Lami groaned. “You mean more hunting.”
“Correct!” I grabbed my bow and spear dramatically, strapping them over my back.
“…God help the animals,” She muttered, but she grabbed her bow too.
…
Hours of tracking later, after many pep talks to myself (“Come on, dragon badass, don’t miss this shot—”), we had results. A handful of large, fluffy rabbit-like creatures and one deer-like animal with fur soft enough to make me want to cry.
Their pelts were perfect blanket material.
The process was the same: skinning, salting, stretching. Messy and smelly, but by now I had the steps memorized. Lami helped stretch the hides onto branches, her hands steady even when her face scrunched at the smell.
“You’re way too calm about ripping skins off animals,” I commented.
She shrugged. “You get used to it when it’s survival.”
“…You scare me sometimes.”
She smirked. “Good.”
…
While the pelts dried, I decided it was time to get serious about organizing.
“This is the main nest,” I announced, spreading my arms dramatically as I pointed to the center. “Sleeping quarters. Pillows here. Soon-to-be blankets here. Softest floor pelts beneath my royal butt.”
Lami raised an eyebrow. “Your royal butt?”
“Shut up.”
I reinforced a smaller section for the egg, weaving extra vines into a raised cradle right beside my spot. My dragon instincts settled at the sight, humming contentedly.
Next came food storage. The salted meat went into woven baskets — janky but functional. Fruits and veggies (when we had them) got their own section.
Finally, I picked a sturdy branch nearby and labeled it the “kitchen.” A controlled fire pit would go there once I felt confident I wouldn’t set the whole damn tree on fire.
By sunset, everything was in place. Our nest actually looked like… a home. A weird, dragon-made treehouse home, but still.
“Holy shit,” I whispered, hands on my hips. “We did it.”
Lami leaned back against the trunk, surveying the setup. “Not bad. You almost look like you know what you’re doing.”
“Excuse you. This is top-tier survival chic.”
She laughed, shaking her head.
I leapt back to my temporary, uncomfortable resting spot, groaning as my neck cracked. I gave my egg a gentle burst of heat and flopped down, grinning despite the pain.
“One more day,” I whispered, “and no more neck pain.”
Lami yawned, curling up beside me on her vine harness. “One more day and maybe I’ll stop calling you a gremlin.”
“Liar.”
“Yeah.”
And with that, I closed my eyes, satisfied. Tomorrow, the nest would finally be finished.
Hell yeah!!
…—O—O—O—...
The first thing I did when I woke up was check the pelts. Finally, finally, they were soft enough. The leather had tanned into a rich brown, pliable instead of stiff, and the fur felt like heaven between my fingers.
I dragged the thickest of them over my sleeping area, layering them until it looked less like survival and more like luxury. Warm, cozy and perfect.
“Great,” Lami muttered as she sat up and stretched. “Now you look like some feral princess.”
“Correction,” I said proudly. “Dragon princess.”
She rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched upward.
Once the blankets were down, I tightened loose vines, testing every seam of the nest. The branches supporting it creaked under me, but I wasn’t about to fall and snap my neck, so I wove extra thick vines across the supports.
“This is the most important part,” I murmured, glancing at Lami. She already knew what I meant.
I climbed down carefully into the shaded alcove where my egg rested. The shell was warm, faintly pulsing with the life inside. My breath caught as I cradled it against my chest.
My dragon instincts surged, curling possessively around it, and every step back up the tree felt heavier than it should have.
Lami kept close behind, just in case. “Don’t drop it, Jess,” she warned quietly.
“As if I would,” I snapped, but softer than usual.
Back in the nest, I lowered it into the little cradle I’d built specifically for it–furs and moss padding the bottom, vines tight around the sides. I pulled a pelt over the top for warmth, my claws lingering against the shell.
“Looks secure,” Lami said, crouching down beside it. She glanced at me, voice steadier now. “You did good.”
I swallowed, forcing myself to nod. “Yeah. Thanks.”
…
With the nest complete and the egg safe, I turned my attention to other survival chores.
Solar charging. I’d spotted a clearing where the sun hit almost all day. Perfect. I gathered flat stones, arranging them in the sunniest spot of the nest, and set up the solar charger.
“Only you would survive the apocalypse and still prioritize your playlist,” Lami said dryly. I’d explained to her a bit about my situation and about the gadget I possessed. She was not amused when I almost broke an arm protecting it.
“Excuse you,” I said, fiddling with the angle until it was perfect. “Music is survival.”
She snorted but didn’t argue.
I plugged in my phone and headphones, sighing in relief. One thing down, a million to go.
Next was water. I found a tree with giant bowl-shaped leaves, tying them together into a funnel system that dripped rainwater into a carved bark bowl. Add that to river water for washing, and we were covered.
Food storage came next: woven vine pouches for dried meat, baskets for fruits and veggies when I found them.
Weapons? They got their own corner. My bow, my spears, and a few sketched ideas for sword-like weapons. Lami actually approved of that one.
“About time,” she said. “Spears are fine, but you need reach. Something heavier.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I muttered, tucking the sketches away.
Then came the canopy project. I stitched flat leaves together with vine thread, tiling them like shingles. Beneath them, I lined bowl-shaped leaves, cutting holes and sticking random bamboo stalks through (don’t ask me how I found it). The whole setup filtered into my water collection below.
“Didn’t know you were also an engineer,” Lami said, eyebrows raised.
“Genius dragon princess, remember?”
She groaned. “I regret encouraging you.”
Finally, decorations. Because why not? I wove shapes into the walls — flying horses, a rainbow cat, even a few memes from my past life.
Lami stared at one of them. “…Is that a frog screaming ‘no thoughts, head empty’?”
“Yes.”
“Why.”
“Because it’s art.”
She pinched the bridge of her nose but didn’t stop me.
…
By the time my phone was fully charged, the sun was dipping low. I flopped onto the nest, pulling the blankets over me, my tail curling instinctively around the egg. My wings folded tight, cocooning both of us.
For the first time since Mom died, the nest felt… safe. Like home.
I smirked sleepily. “Tomorrow I wake up without neck pain. Hell. Yeah.”
“Tomorrow you wake up and hunt,” Lami muttered, curling up nearby.
“Buzzkill.”
“Reality check.”
We both chuckled, and as music trickled softly from my headphones, sleep finally came easy.
.…—O—O—O—...
The next few weeks went by lazily.
Lazy in a “we still had to survive” kind of way — but compared to those first hellish days? Yeah, it felt almost easy.
I went out to pick fruits and veggies, hunted every now and then, trained midday until my arms wanted to fall off, but most of the time I just… existed. Took advantage of the comfort of the nest I’d worked myself half-dead to build.
Weekends, though? Those weren’t lazy. Those were for Mom.
Every Saturday morning, Lami and I tied daffodils, tulips, and forget-me-nots together with thin vines we’d dried into twine. We trekked through the forest and down to the beach, flowers clutched carefully in my hands.
Mom’s grave always greeted us with silence. The sea lapped at the barrier I’d built around it, waves curling close but never drowning her. She always did love the ocean.
I traded out the wilted flowers for our fresh ones, tucking them carefully into the sand mound, and laid out the best cut of meat from our hunt. “She deserves the good stuff,” I muttered every time. Lami never argued.
The tombstone I’d made stood tall, sturdier than the first one. I’d carved her name into it properly this time, though I still traced it with my claws every time like I could etch it deeper into the world.
Then I sat down and told her about the week.
How the egg was glowing more lately, how training sucked, how much I missed her. I rambled about random things too–how the sky looked like fire last night, how hunting was getting easier, how my bow aim was finally less trash.
Lami always sat beside me, knees drawn up, quiet. She didn’t add much, but her presence was grounding.
Today, though, I said something I hadn’t planned. “W-why can’t I see you?”
The words spilled out before I realized what I was asking.
“She moved on.”
I jerked my head up, startled. Oliva stood there, her form half-translucent but solid enough to make my heart pound. She stepped closer, her voice calm. “Your mother chose to move into the afterlife. A soul can remain in the void… or pass on.”
I blinked, throat tight. “…The void?”
“It’s vast. Endless. We only glimpse the living when a soul dragon enters our space. But if one is strong enough, they can request a binding.”
Theo sat down beside me, his voice softer. “Your mother didn’t want to see your grief. She couldn’t bear to watch you suffer. So she moved on.”
I stared down at the sand, clutching a shell in my hand until it cracked. That… made sense. If I were her, I wouldn’t want to see my child crying either.
“Makes sense, I guess.” My voice was small.
Theo smiled faintly, and Oliva placed a cool, gentle hand on my head.
“Well,” I sniffled, forcing a grin, “time for me to go check on eggy.”
Theo chuckled, Oliva’s smile warm. They faded as I stood, brushing sand off my pants. Lami placed a hand on my shoulder as we walked back together in silence.
…
The climb back to the nest was easy–roots and rocks weren’t obstacles anymore. I hopped into the cradle of vines and fur, took a long sip from the water system I’d rigged, and walked over to my egg.
It was glowing faintly. Shimmering. My dragon hummed in my chest.
I cupped my claws around it and sent a gentle wave of heat. The glow flared in response, a shimmer like laughter.
I grinned. “You like that, huh?”
Satisfied, I flopped onto my bed, headphones sliding into place, music washing away the ache of the day. Lami hummed faintly along, lying on her side with her arms crossed behind her head.
~~~
A few days later, my shampoo finally ran out. Tragedy. Absolute catastrophe.
“Jess,” Lami deadpanned as I complained for the fifth time, “your hair looks fine. Stop crying about it.”
“Fine is for peasants,” I huffed. “I refuse to live like a grease monster.”
She pinched the bridge of her nose. “God help me.”
So, I glided down from the nest and searched. It didn't take long. Near a freshwater stream, I found soapberry trees — round, greenish-yellow berries that foamed when crushed. Jackpot.
The unripe ones caused burns, so I picked them carefully. Lami double-checked each one like a hawk.
Next, I collected ash from our cooking pit. Soaked it in water to make lye, waiting for the top layer of liquid to separate.
Back at the nest, I crushed soapberries in the wooden bowl I’d carved, adding water until a slippery foam formed. Then, I skimmed the lye solution and mixed it in carefully.
But the basics weren't enough. Nope. I was going luxury.
I cracked open one of the coconuts we’d stashed, straining out oil with a scrap of fabric and stirred it in. The mixture thickened, creamy and smooth. For scent, I added crushed citrus peels.
It looked… amazing.
Lami leaned over, suspicious. “That’s either shampoo or poison.”
“Luxury shampoo.” I corrected, wagging a claw at her.
“Poison.” She muttered, but she didn’t stop me.
The next time we bathed in the river, I scooped some up and lathered it into my hair. Foam bloomed under my claws. The coconut oil kept it soft, the citrus made it smell fresh, and holy hell–it worked.
I practically squealed. “Lami! Feel my hair!”
“Absolutely not.”
“C’mon!”
She groaned but finally ran her fingers through it, sighing in reluctant approval. “…Okay. That’s actually soft.”
I grinned so wide my face hurt.
We filled a pouch with the rest, stashing it for later. I even planted a soapberry tree near the nest for future batches.
As I sat there later, wings wrapped around me and my tail curled protectively around the egg, I thought:
This was perfect.
Living here. Training. Laughing with Lami. Talking to Mom. Waiting for the egg.
For the first time, life didn’t feel like survival. It felt like living.
Well…
It was living.
I wasn’t alone.
Notes:
Hello! Hello! Hello!
I have delivered this chapter with no idea if its good or bad. I hope it doesn't move to quickly, but I really didn't want to write out fifty thousand words of her creating a nest, sitting in a boat with her mom's rotting corpse and other stuff like that.
Plus this is entirely different than what I had planned, so please tell me how it is?
Answer: Uh... A lot, maybe five or six times depending on the day? seven+ on weekends tho.
Question: If you could add one world, any world at all from anime to live action, what world would you add to this one?
Chapter 8: Chapter 8: WHY IS MY LIFE LIKE THIS?! ...DAD?!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
It was a lovely Saturday morning, leaves rustling and wind blowing calmly, sun peaking overhead with beams of like hitting all the right spots and it was all in all a lovely day-to-be.
I was walking through the forest on my way to my mothers grave to tell her about my recent ground-breaking revelation after working on my sword weapon for five months now.
I had developed a type of… scythe I guess. It was double sided and was retractable. I just had to build it, but I got all the details and designs down!
I was also excited to tell her I might’ve unlocked Observation! I don’t actually know if I did, but it was a possibility as I'm trying to unlock it by dodging tree branches and claws of my prey. Lami had been helping as well, she'd decided on a sword-type weapon as well, preferably two blades, but she wasn't picky.
I had walked up to her grave happily, setting down the flowers… only to realize the ones before were…
Not there…
I looked to the side and blinked as I came face to face with bright red hair and black eyes.
I blinked at him.
He blinked at me.
I blinked at him… and then realized I was still in full dragon form…
“AHHHH!!!” I screeched and jumped a good bit into the air, this time when I opened my wings to fly like I’d been trying for the past month or so, instead of falling on my face, I made it a few wing beats into the forest!
“Wai-” I didn’t wait to hear him as I fell, this time I landed on a tree branch and hopped my way back to my nest to protect my egg. This was a new development, apparently, my dragon has…adopted the creature inside of the egg as its own hatchling.
Not that I mind.
I just hope it’s safe…
Third person in the Red Hair pirates and Shank’s pov:
The wind carried the scent of salt and greenery as the Red-Haired Pirates approached an uncharted island, its dense forests pressing against a long stretch of pristine beach. It was the kind of place most pirates would sail past without a second thought—no villages to visit, no supply caches, no grand treasure troves waiting to be plundered. Yet, Shanks had ordered them to stop here.
"Still don't get why we’re docking here, Captain," Yasopp muttered, tightening the straps of his rifle as the rowboats slid onto shore. "We ain't low on food, ain't got no need for repairs, and this place ain't exactly screaming 'hidden riches.'"
"Just a gut feeling," Shanks responded with a lazy grin, stepping onto the sand with his usual ease. "Something about this island… it’s pulling me in."
The crew exchanged skeptical looks, but none challenged their captain. Over the years, they'd learned that when Shanks got that look in his eye—calm but thoughtful—it was best to trust him.
"Alright, men!" Benn Beckman took charge. "We spread out, keep your guard up, and report back if you find anything out of the ordinary. Let’s not waste too much time—if there's nothing here, we’re leaving by sundown."
With that, the crew dispersed, exploring the forest that loomed beyond the sand.
…—O—O—O—...
(First-Person POV — Shanks)
I walked ahead of the others, my boots pressing into the soft sand as I made my way down the shoreline. The wind was gentle, the air thick with the scent of salt and sun-warmed earth. It was a peaceful place, untouched by the chaos of the world.
Then I saw it.
A small grave, placed close to the edge of the beach, but not enough as so the water would hit it. The handmade tombstone, crafted from smoothed stone, stood solemnly among a bed of flowers. It was simple, but carefully made. Someone had taken great care to carve the words deeply, ensuring they would withstand time.
Ginevera D. Hope
My chest tightened.
That name... it felt familiar. I couldn’t place why, but it stirred something deep in my memory, like a song I'd once heard in a dream but couldn't quite recall.
I crouched down, eyes scanning the fresh bouquet of daffodils, tulips, and forget-me-nots resting in front of the stone. Someone was tending to this grave—regularly.
With a quiet sigh, I picked up the old flowers, intending to find new ones to replace them. Whoever this woman was, she mattered to someone.
And that was when I heard it.
The sound of small feet crunching against the forest floor.
I turned, still holding the discarded flowers, just as a figure stepped from the trees.
She was small. A child.
She couldn’t have been older than seven or eight, with wild dark hair streaked with red strands that glowed faintly under the sunlight. Her eyes—a deep, burning crimson that faded into a lighter color, with intriguing white pupils—locked onto mine, and for a long moment, we just stared at each other.
Then, realization dawned in her expression.
Her eyes widened in sheer horror.
And then she screeched.
Not a little gasp. Not a startled yelp. A full-on, high-pitched, ear-shattering scream that could probably be heard from the next island over.
Before I could even get a word out, she turned and bolted—but not before unfolding the massive wings at her back and flapping them violently.
Wings?
Oh.
Oh.
She’s a dragon.
A bloody, full-scaled dragon.
She took off in the air, her transformation so seamless that for a second, I thought I'd imagined the little girl standing before me. But no—she had been there, and now she was flying backward into the trees, her shriek echoing as she crashed onto a branch.
I winced.
"Oof. That looked painful."
The girl—no, the dragon—clumsily scrambled to her feet (claws?), wings flapping awkwardly as she attempted to steady herself. Then, without another word, she hopped away on all fours like some oversized reptile disappearing into the jungle.
…What?
I blinked, still crouched beside the grave, utterly at a loss.
That was… not what I was expecting today.
(Third-Person POV — Red-Haired Pirates)
When Shanks returned to the ship, his crew was already waiting for him, most of them lounging on the deck with half-hearted patience. Yasopp was cleaning his rifle, Lucky Roux was stuffing his face (as usual), and Beckman leaned lazily against a barrel, watching their captain approach.
Shanks stopped at the foot of the gangplank, hands on his hips, and announced, "We're staying."
A pause.
Then, a collective groan.
"Captain," Yasopp whined, "you better have a good reason, because we found nothing worth sticking around for."
Shanks smirked. "Oh, I found something, alright."
Beckman raised a brow. "Treasure?"
"Better."
Lucky Roux swallowed a mouthful of meat. "A hidden village?"
Shanks shook his head.
Yasopp rolled his eyes. "Don't tell me you found another weird fruit."
Shanks chuckled. "Nope. I found…" He paused for dramatic effect, then grinned.
"A dragon."
Silence.
The crew collectively exchanged confused glances.
"...A what ?" Beckman finally asked.
"A dragon," Shanks repeated. "A little one. Looks about eight. White, gray, black. Really bad at flying."
More silence.
Then, Yasopp groaned, rubbing his face. "You expect us to believe you found a child dragon? You’re not drunk, are you?"
"Not yet," Shanks admitted. "But I’m serious. There’s a kid—well, a dragon—out there, and she ran off into the forest when she saw me."
"Maybe because you scared her?" Roux pointed out.
"Probably. I did kinda catch her at a grave," Shanks admitted, tossing the discarded flowers onto a barrel. "But that’s not the weird part."
Beckman exhaled a long puff of smoke. "There's more?"
Shanks nodded, his grin fading into something more thoughtful. He leaned against the railing, looking out toward the island.
"Her face," he murmured. "She looked familiar."
That got everyone's attention.
Shanks rarely forgot a face, and if he did find someone familiar, there was a reason.
Yasopp frowned. "You think she's someone important?"
Shanks shrugged, but there was a flicker of something in his expression—an instinct, a feeling deep in his gut.
"I don’t know," he admitted. "But I intend to find out."
A slow grin spread across his face as he pushed off the railing and clapped his hands together.
"So, gentlemen, pack it up—we’re staying put for a while. And keep your eyes open."
He smirked.
"We’ve got a little dragon to catch."
He turned around to go search when Yassop called his name, “Yo Cap.” He turned his head over his shoulder,
“I found this.” An egg gleamed, the mixed colors burning in obvious displeasure.
“Ah.. looks like we just have to wait for her to come to us, then.” He sat back and picked up a drink, they’d soon see the kid, if that egg meant what he thought it meant.
…—O—O—O—...
Back to our gal Jessica:
I was freaking out.
My egg was gone.
The space where it had rested—the cradle of moss and pelts I’d woven with bloody fingers and sleepless nights—was empty.
Empty.
My dragon roared, a guttural, feral sound that echoed only in my chest. The claws of my soul scraped at my ribs as I scrambled frantically around the nest, tearing at vines and pelts like maybe, maybe, it had just rolled out of sight. But no—nothing.
Nothing but the echo of loss that burned hotter with every passing second.
It was close to hatching. So close.
And it was mine. Mine, mine, mine always.
Someone had stolen one of mine.
No—someone had stolen one of hers.
My dragon’s fury licked through my veins like wildfire, and she was livid. A primal, searing wrath. The kind that promised blood.
Me? I was bawling. The kind of ugly, snotty, Midoriya-level crying that puffs your face until you look like a half-drowned puffball. My tears blurred the world as I clawed at the nest again, shaking, hyperventilating.
“Jess!” Lami’s voice cut through the chaos. She scrambled up into the nest, her eyes scanning wildly before locking onto me. Her face went pale. “…The egg.”
“They took it!” I wailed, clutching my chest like I could cage the grief inside. My voice cracked, raw. “They—Lami, they—”
Her jaw clenched, her own hands trembling as she grabbed my shoulders, shaking me lightly. “Jess, breathe. Breathe, damn it. Who took it?”
Through sobs, through the burn in my throat, I spat the name. “…Pirates.”
Her eyes widened. Not because she doubted me—but because we both knew exactly what that meant.
They were stronger. Far stronger than me, stronger than my dragon. If it came down to a fight, we’d lose.
But they had one of mine.
And dragons do not let thieves slide.
My dragon recoiled at the thought of them holding her hatchling, curling inward, gutted. But beneath the grief, fury sparked again, hotter, sharper. She would fight. We would fight.
I sniffled hard, swiping my sleeve across my tear-streaked face, and forced myself to stand. My legs trembled but held. My claws extended, clicking against the branch as I dropped down from the nest.
“I’m getting it back,” I said, voice hoarse but steady. “No matter what. I’m getting my dragon back.”
Lami hesitated, her mouth open like she wanted to stop me—to remind me we were kids, that they were Shanks’s crew—but then she shut it. She saw the fire in my eyes, the wild glint that wasn’t just me but the dragon in me, too.
“…Then I’m coming with you,” she said quietly.
We walked in silence, branches whipping past as I stormed through the forest, wings twitching restlessly. My chest ached, every breath jagged with rage and panic.
By the time we reached the cliffside, the sea stretched out before us—and there, moored just offshore, was the ship I’d spotted when flying back earlier.
The Red Force.
My claws dug into the earth as I stared at it, my dragon hissing in my veins.
“They think they can take from me,” I whispered, voice trembling.
“They can’t,” Lami said firmly. “Not without a fight.”
I bared my teeth, eyes narrowing. My dragon’s fury surged with mine, boiling over.
I was getting my egg back.
No matter what
…—O—O—O—...
Right back to Shanks and his crew yall:
The egg sat in a sturdy crate on the deck of the Red Force, its surface smooth and gleaming under the soft glow of the evening sun. It was unlike anything the crew had ever seen—marbled with swirling patterns of silver, black, and red, its presence seemed almost alive .
Shanks stood nearby, arms crossed as he stared at it. He didn’t know why , but something about this egg unsettled him. It wasn’t fear—it was more like... a sense of trespassing.
Like he was holding something that belonged to someone else.
And he was, and he knew it.
Beckman leaned against a barrel beside him, puffing lazily on his cigarette. “You sure it’s a good idea to keep that thing on board?” he asked.
Shanks grinned. “What, scared it’s gonna hatch and bite you?”
Beckman snorted. “Not me. But whatever left that thing behind is probably not gonna be happy about it.”
As if in response to his words, the sky rumbled.
The wind shifted, the temperature around them dropping just a fraction. A strange stillness settled over the ship. Even the usually boisterous crew members quieted, their instincts flaring.
Then they heard it.
A roar.
It wasn’t loud, nor was it the deep, earth-shaking sound one might expect from a fully-grown beast. But it carried rage—a wild, primal fury that sent a shiver down the spine of even the most seasoned fighters on the ship.
Yasopp, cleaning his rifle, froze mid-motion. “What the hell was that?”
Lucky Roux stopped chewing. “That… sounded like a dragon .”
Shanks exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. Well… that didn’t take long.
The attack came fast.
One moment, the ship rocked gently against the waves. The next, something landed on the deck with a heavy thud, the force nearly knocking some of the crew off their feet.
Shanks turned just as she appeared.
Half-dragon, half-human.
A girl no older than eight stood crouched low, her claws scraping against the wooden deck. Her body was covered in shifting scales—not a single solid color, but a wild mixture of white, gray, and black, almost like the swirling storm clouds before a typhoon. Her eyes—deep, burning crimson—locked onto the crate holding her egg.
But it wasn’t just her appearance that made the crew freeze.
It was the rage radiating off of her.
Her breathing was heavy, almost growling, her tail flicking like an angered predator. Her wings were partially spread, twitching as if preparing to launch forward.
Shanks met her eyes, and for a second, all he saw was pure instinct.
She wasn’t thinking.
She wasn’t reasoning.
She was here to take back what was hers.
A low, animalistic snarl rumbled from her throat as her claws flexed.
And then—she moved .
…—O—O—O—...
She was fast.
Not the way a normal child was fast. Not clumsy or panicked. No — this was predatory speed. Scales flashing, claws gouging the deck, she launched straight for the crate.
But the Red-Haired Pirates weren’t just any crew.
Before she could reach her egg, Beckman moved.
Years of experience made his body flow like water. He stepped into her path and caught her wrist with iron precision.
She screamed.
Not the scream of a child. A dragon’s cry — sharp, vicious, primal. Her tail lashed, aiming for his ribs, but Beckman twisted, spinning her mid-air before slamming her down, pinning her to the deck with a grip like steel.
She thrashed wildly. Her body wasn’t big, but her strength was wrong, unnatural — claws screeched across the wood, wings beating so hard they sent gusts of wind tearing through the ship.
“Hold her still!” Yasopp barked, moving in with quick steps.
The second he got close, her jaws snapped toward him. A clear warning.
Yasopp froze, muttering, “…Yeah, okay, not touching that.”
Beckman cursed, straining against the tiny storm in his arms. “Damn, she bites.”
“LET HER GO!”
Every head whipped around at the sound of Lami’s voice. She stood on the other side of the deck, bow drawn, arrow aimed directly at Beckman’s temple. Her arms trembled, but her jaw was set, her eyes blazing with protective fury.
“Touch her again and I’ll put this through your skull,” she hissed.
The crew stiffened. No one doubted she meant it.
Shanks exhaled, stepping forward, his hands raised in a show of calm. “Alright, alright. Let’s not make this worse.”
Beckman shot him a look. “Got a plan? Because she’s—” He glanced down at the girl clawing at the deck, wings snapping wildly. “—very pissed.”
Shanks crouched low, keeping his movements slow, deliberate. He leveled his gaze at the girl pinned to the wood.
Her crimson eyes flicked toward him, still wild but focused.
“Hey,” Shanks said softly. “You want the egg back, don’t you?”
For just a second — a breath, a heartbeat — her thrashing faltered. A subtle twitch in her shoulders, a hesitation in her claws.
Good.
Shanks slowly reached into the crate and lifted the egg, its marbled surface shimmering under the sun. The moment it left the wood, her body snapped taut, her breathing sharp and shallow, claws digging grooves into the planks.
But she didn’t lunge.
Shanks held it out, careful, slow.
She sniffed the air — a tiny motion, but her pupils blew wide, recognition flashing like lightning.
Belonging.
He set the egg down in front of her.
“Here,” he murmured. “It’s yours.”
The fight drained out of her all at once. Her wings drooped. Her claws relaxed. The crimson haze in her eyes flickered out.
She curled immediately around the egg, tail wrapping it like a shield. Her cheek pressed to its warm shell.
And then — her body went limp.
She passed out.
Chaos exploded instantly.
“Is she breathing?!” Yasopp shouted.
“She fainted, calm down!” someone else yelled.
“Don’t crowd her, idiots!” Beckman barked, already loosening his grip and stepping back.
Lami sprinted across the deck, falling to her knees beside her sister. Her bow clattered against the wood as she pressed trembling hands to the girl’s shoulders. “Jess? Jess, wake up—please.”
Her voice cracked, but the steady rise and fall of her sister’s chest finally made her exhale in relief.
Benn sighed in defeat, dragging a hand down his face as Shanks leaned back on his heels. Then, Shanks laughed — a booming, belly-deep laugh that startled half the crew.
“Alright, guys,” he said, grinning wide. “Where’d you find the egg? I’ve got a little lady to deliver home.”
…—O—O—O—...
Back to our favorite girly:
Recognition hit like a cannon blast.
I jolted upright, gasping, scanning my nest in a frenzy. Everything was in place. The furs. The walls. The canopy. And right beside me—
My egg.
Whole. Gleaming. Its swirling Yin-Yang ripoff patterns pulsed faintly as if mocking my panic.
I lunged for it, clutching the shell to my chest, tail coiling tight around it like a snake strangling prey. My dragon hissed possessively, curling around the egg from the inside, daring the world to try again.
“You know…”
My head snapped up, crimson-burgundy eyes meeting lazy charcoal ones.
Shanks.
The Red-Haired bastard himself, sitting cross-legged smack in the middle of my nest like he belonged there.
“You’re strong,” he said casually, cheek propped against his fist. “When your dragon’s in control.”
My eyes narrowed, suspicion sharpening my voice. “Who are you?”
The fucker laughed, broad and easy, like this was a tavern joke instead of a home invasion.
Lami appeared on the edge of the nest, climbing up silently, her bow already in hand. She froze when she saw him, then hissed low in her throat, notching an arrow. “Jess… who the hell is this?”
Shanks didn’t flinch at the sight of her weapon. He just looked around the nest like he was inspecting furniture. “Nice setup. Your mom help with this?”
I puffed up with pride despite myself. “No. I did.”
His single eye flicked back to me, unreadable. “…No help?”
I shook my head, gently setting the egg into its cradle of moss and pelts. It gave a happy little shake, and I cooed without thinking.
Under his gaze, sweat prickled at the back of my neck. “U-uh… you want something to eat?”
Shanks blinked, then grinned. “Sure. What’s on the menu?”
Lami’s glare sharpened. “Jess.”
But I ignored her, stomping toward the makeshift kitchen, muttering as I checked supplies. “Uh… deer-on-drugs meat, rabbit-on-steroids meat, and some fruit and veggies.”
He chuckled. “Drugs? Steroids?”
I pointed at one of the drying pelts. “Look at that thing. Tell me it wasn’t juiced.”
He tilted his head, amused. “…Fair enough. Deer, then. Got any apples?”
I tossed three his way, and he caught them effortlessly. Show-off.
As I spiced the meat with the last of my herbs, Shanks leaned back against the wall of my nest, smiling like this was a friendly chat. “Sorry ‘bout the egg thing. Didn’t know it was yours.”
My tail curled tighter around the egg, a protective growl rumbling low in my chest. “It’s fine. I guess.” Then I grimaced. “…Sorry about her. She’s… protective. I don’t have a good handle yet.”
Shanks waved it off, biting into an apple. “Understandable.”
Lami didn’t lower her bow. “Don’t talk about her like she’s an animal.”
He raised a brow at her tone, but didn’t argue.
“I’ve got a few questions,” he said instead, eye flicking toward me. His gaze caught the strands of red spreading through my hair, but he let it pass.
“Ask, but don’t expect answers,” I said firmly.
He laughed again. “Wouldn’t dare. So… name? Or should I keep calling you ‘dragon kid’?”
“Jessica,” I said proudly, chest puffing again.
He tilted his head, studying me. “That your real name?”
“Mom gave it to me when I was born. Said my father wanted it too.” C’mon, ask who he is, dammit.
Instead, he asked, “And your mom?”
“Ginevera D. Hope.” My voice softened. “Mama was strong.”
A flicker crossed his face. Recognition? Maybe. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
The words made my chest ache. I nodded, smiling sadly. “Thanks.”
His gaze drifted to the egg. “That’s yours?”
“Mine.” The word came out like a growl.
“What’s in it?”
I blinked down at it. “Dunno. But it’s mine. And it belongs with me.”
He didn’t push. Instead: “Where’d you get it?”
“Mama gave it to me before we left home. Said it was important. I believe her.”
“And home?”
“Far away,” I said shortly. “Not here anymore.”
The look he gave me screamed that told me nothing, and I shrugged.
Finally, he leaned forward. “Why’d you attack my ship?”
I tilted my head, unimpressed. “You took my egg.”
He smirked faintly. “Fair enough.”
I flopped down beside the egg, curling my body around it. “I’m going to sleep. Leave.”
He chuckled, standing. “Alright. Mind if I take the drugged meat with me?”
“Fine,” I muttered, already half-asleep.
He laughed, heading for the exit. “See you tomorrow, Jessica.”
Only once he was gone did Lami lower her bow, eyes still blazing. She sat beside me with a scowl. “I don’t like him.”
“Yeah,” I murmured, stroking the egg’s shell. “But I think he’s important.”
Her frown deepened, but she shifted closer, her hand brushing my shoulder. “Then I’m not letting him near you alone again.”
I smiled faintly, curling my tail around the egg and my wings around both of us. “Deal.”
Sleep tugged at me, heavy and warm. Tomorrow, Shanks could bring up his name.
But tonight, the egg was safe.
…—O—O—O—...
It did not come tomorrow.
Or the day after.
Or the day after that.
I was done with the mystery game.
For the past few days, I’d been stuck with this red-haired pirate who acted like I was some kind of stray kitten he’d accidentally adopted. He gave me food, asked me questions, didn’t steal my egg again (one bonus point), and didn’t toss me overboard when I wandered onto his ship (which was still shocking, considering I nearly set the deck on fire the first time).
But that one thing nagged at me.
His name.
I already knew it, of course. Shanks. Red-Haired Shanks. One of the future emperors of the seas. But the way he hovered, the way he seemed invested in me, the way I was still alive after trying to bite his first mate’s arm off… yeah. I wanted to hear it out loud.
So, as we sat near my nest — me curled around my egg, him sipping from a flask like we were old drinking buddies — I pounced.
“Hey, old man, what’s your name?”
He choked so violently I thought his lungs were staging a coup. He hacked, pounded his chest, wheezed, turned red — it was glorious.
Lami, perched on the edge of the nest with her bow in reach, raised a brow. “You killed him.”
“Old man?!” Shanks croaked once he’d regained half his dignity.
I blinked innocently. “Yeah? You’ve got wrinkles.”
(He didn’t. But it was fun to mess with him.)
He stared at me like I’d stabbed his ego straight through the heart. Then he squinted suspiciously. “Why d’you wanna know my name, kid?”
I shrugged, curling my tail protectively around my egg. “Just making sure you’re not some creep who stole my egg to fatten me up for stew.”
He gawked. “A STEW?! Why the hell would I—”
“You do have the face of a kid-eater,” Lami added flatly, not even glancing up from sharpening an arrow.
“WHAT TYPE OF FACE IS THAT?!”
I smirked, biting back laughter as he clutched his chest like he’d been mortally wounded. He groaned, muttered about “damn disrespectful brats,” then finally took another swig.
“Fine,” he grumbled. “The name’s Shanks.”
My tail froze mid-sway.
I stared at him.
Then clapped my hands together and beamed. “Oh, my mama said my dad’s name is that. Hi, Dad!”
Shanks exploded.
Drink everywhere. Full spray. Nearly set the ocean on fire.
“EW EW EW!” I shrieked, wings flaring as I dodged the spray. “GROSS!”
Lami dropped her knife, eyes snapping wide. “…WHAT?!”
Shanks, meanwhile, made a sound that did not belong in the human registry. Something between a dying sea king and a possessed accordion. His jaw hit the floor, his eye bulged, his soul straight-up departed.
I tilted my head. “What? You didn’t know you had a kid?”
The sound he made then… yeah, I’m not sure the human throat is designed for that.
I burst into giggles. Then laughter. Then full-on rolling around the nest, clutching my stomach while tears spilled from my eyes.
Lami just sat there, looking like she’d aged twenty years in five seconds.
“WHAT—WHAT?!” Shanks flailed, gesturing at the sky like God owed him an explanation.
I wheezed, “Oh nooo, are you having a parental existential crisis?”
“EXCUSE ME?!”
Lami buried her face in her hands. “You’re going to give the Yonko-to-be a stroke, Jess.”
I cackled harder.
Shanks dragged a hand down his face, groaning. “You—YOU CAN’T JUST DROP SOMETHING LIKE THAT—”
“It’s called delivery, old man. Learn it,” I said smugly.
He collapsed backward, groaning into the sky.
Then, out of nowhere—he started laughing.
Not just chuckling. Not just a snort.
A full-body, tears-streaming, shoulders-shaking, rolling-on-the-floor laugh.
I froze, mid-wheeze, watching him lose his mind.
Then he shot upright, still grinning like a lunatic, and scooped me off the ground.
“I HAVE A KID!”
“PUT ME DOWN, YOU OAF!” I screeched, wings flapping wildly. “YOU’RE GONNA DROP ME!”
He spun me around like a trophy. “I HAVE A KID!”
“Yes, we established that—NOW PUT ME DOWN—”
Lami was on her feet in a flash, bow raised. “Put her down or I’m taking out your other arm, pirate.”
Shanks ignored both of us, lifting me higher like I was the world’s worst flag. “AND SHE’S AWESOME!”
I groaned, covering my face with my claws. “You’re so dramatic.”
He grinned so hard I thought his head might split. “You’re my kid. You should know, I’m dramatic.”
I sighed, resigned. “…Fair.”
Lami, still aiming her arrow at his chest, muttered darkly, “This family is doomed.”
…—O—O—O—...
Shanks was still laughing like a lunatic, clutching me so tight I thought my ribs were about to file a lawsuit.
“I HAVE A KID!” he bellowed again, spinning me like I was a carnival prize.
“PUT! ME! DOWN!” I shrieked, flailing wings, claws, and tail like a feral cat caught in a blanket. “I’M NOT A TOY, YOU GIANT SEAWEED!”
He ignored me completely, beaming like he’d just won the Grand Line lottery.
Lami stood about three feet away, bow still casually drawn, expression flat. “You look ridiculous,” she said. “Both of you.”
I screeched, trying to wriggle free, claws scraping against his stupid coat. “LAMIIII! HELP ME!”
She tilted her head, then smirked. “Nope. You deserve this.”
“TRAITOR!”
She shrugged. “You dropped the ‘dad bomb’ without warning me. This is your punishment.”
I wailed. My dragon, furious at being smothered like a plushie, clawed at my chest, but even she couldn’t break me free of this red-haired idiot’s iron hug.
Meanwhile, Shanks—future Emperor of the Seas, allegedly terrifying pirate captain—was vibrating like a sugar-high toddler. His voice cracked with desperate joy as he turned to Lami.
“Listen—LISTEN, kid, I swear—I’m not a threat!” he stammered, clutching me tighter as I howled. “I wouldn’t hurt her, I’d never hurt her, she’s—she’s mine!”
Lami raised a brow, arrow tip never wavering. “You say that while suffocating her.”
“I’M GONNA DIE,” I screeched into his chest, muffled by his stupid, dumb, sea-salt-smelling shirt. “LAMIIIIII—”
“Shhh,” Lami said sweetly, lowering her bow just enough to make him sweat. “This is karma. Consider it character growth.”
“WHAT?!” I howled.
Shanks’ grin faltered, panic edging his laugh. “I—I mean it! I don’t care what she is—dragon, demon, whatever—she’s my kid! And I’ll protect her! I’ll protect both of you!” His voice cracked again, pleading now. “Please believe me!”
Lami’s eyes narrowed, studying him, deliberately letting the silence stretch. He looked like he was one heartbeat away from collapsing in an existential puddle.
Finally, she smirked. “I believe you.”
Shanks sagged with relief. “Oh, thank the—”
“But I’m still not helping her,” she added, crossing her arms. “She dug her own grave.”
“LAMIIIIIIIIIIIIII!” I screamed again, clawing desperately at his face now. “YOU’RE ENJOYING THIS, AREN’T YOU?!”
“Immensely,” she said, utterly deadpan, and oh-so-smug.
Shanks, in the middle of his meltdown, just kept rocking me back and forth, babbling half-laughs, half-pleas. “I have a kid—I have a kid—oh god, I have a kid—”
“Correction,” Lami said calmly, finally lowering her bow and smirking like the devil herself. “You have a dragon.”
Shanks froze. Blinked. Looked down at me thrashing in his arms like a trapped eel.
And for the first time since this entire ridiculous scene began—he looked like he might actually faint.
…—O—O—O—...
I don’t know which pov it is rn.. A mixture I guess?
It had started as a normal day. The crew was lounging about, doing whatever it was that professional pirates did when they weren’t looting, drinking, or fighting sea kings. Some were playing cards, some were cleaning weapons, and a few were making bets on how long before their captain did something stupid again.
Then, Shanks showed up.
And everything went to hell.
…—O—O—O—...
(First-Person POV — Jessica D. Ginevera)
There were many things I expected to happen today.
Maybe a casual nap curled around my egg. Maybe hunting down another oversized steroid-rabbit for dinner. Maybe even arguing with Lami about whether or not she really needed to keep pointing her bow at Shanks’s face every time he came near me.
Being presented like a stolen kitten to a crew of dangerous pirates?
Yeah. That wasn’t on the list.
“EVERYONE, GATHER ‘ROUND!”
My shriek was muffled as I was hoisted into the air by the back of my shirt like some kind of prize chicken. My wings flailed, my claws scraped, my dignity died.
“BEHOLD!” Shanks bellowed, spinning on his heel like he was on stage. “MY CHILD!”
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Benn Beckman froze mid-puff, his cigarette dangling dangerously from his lips. The ever-unflappable first mate looked like his brain had just blue-screened.
Lucky Roux stopped chewing—mid-bite. His half-eaten drumstick dangled limply from his mouth like it was suddenly a foreign object.
Yasopp, sharpshooter, sniper extraordinaire, father of a kid somewhere across the sea, almost dropped his rifle straight into the deck.
I flailed helplessly in Shanks’s grip. “I SWEAR TO THE SEA, PUT ME DOWN!”
But Shanks was glowing—grinning like a lunatic, his eye bright with unholy joy—as he swung me around like I was the grand prize at some marine festival carnival.
“I HAVE A KID!” he declared, voice booming with pride. “LOOK AT HER!”
The crew collectively stared.
I dangled. My tail lashed. My wings twitched.
“…Sup,” I muttered, as awkward as a damp seagull.
The silence cracked.
And then chaos erupted.
…—O—O—O—...
(Third-Person POV — Red-Haired Pirates)
Yasopp, who had faced countless battles, stared down Sea Kings, and lived to tell tales of impossible shots—promptly lost his entire damn mind.
“YOU HAVE A KID?!” he shrieked, lunging forward and grabbing Shanks by the collar. His voice cracked like he’d just hit puberty again. “SINCE WHEN?!”
Shanks, still holding Jessica like a trophy cat, beamed. “Since always, apparently!”
“APPARENTLY?!” Yasopp shook him violently, his dreadlocks whipping. “HOW DOES THAT EVEN WORK?!”
Jessica, still dangling like a feral kitten, had checked out of existence. “Put. Me. Down.”
Ignored.
Shanks laughed, Yasopp screamed, and then—
“WAIT.” Yasopp froze mid-shake. His wild eyes darted to Jessica. “…Kid. Who’s your mom?”
Jessica blinked. Then, with the grace of someone casually dropping a nuke mid-dinner, she said:
“Ginevera D. Hope.”
Yasopp screeched so loudly a flock of gulls scattered from the mast. “AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!”
He hit the deck like a sack of bricks, rolling onto his back and clutching his face. “GINY?! YOU MEAN THAT HOT—”
Shanks’s boot connected with his ribs before he could finish. “DON’T. YOU. SAY IT!”
“OW!” Yasopp wheezed.
Jessica snorted, crossing her arms mid-dangle. “Wow. You guys are so mature.”
“RIGHT?!” Shanks shouted proudly, swinging her higher. “SHE GETS IT FROM ME!”
“YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW HER!” Yasopp wailed from the floor.
Benn Beckman, long-suffering, pinched the bridge of his nose. He had followed Shanks through wars, through bar fights, through every drunken escapade imaginable. But this? This might actually kill him.
“You mean to tell me,” Benn started slowly, his cigarette dangling, “that we have been sailing across the Grand Line, dodging marine fleets, fighting warlords, facing Sea Kings—”
“Yep!” Shanks chirped.
“—and for eight years you had a kid?”
“Apparently!”
Benn inhaled, then exhaled a drag so deep it looked like he was trying to smoke his soul out of his body. “I think I’m going to pass out.”
Jessica wiggled in Shanks’s grip, deadpan. “He’s gonna pass out.”
Benn glanced at her, then at Shanks, then back at her. “…Kid. What’s your name?”
“Jessica D. Ginevera.” She puffed out her chest proudly. “Mama said I got my dad’s hair. You tell me what that means.”
Benn’s cigarette slipped from his lips. He actually paused. Then his gaze shifted slowly, painfully, between the red-haired idiot holding her and the red strands streaking through Jessica’s hair.
“…Oh my god,” Benn muttered. “She really does have your hair.”
Shanks grinned so brightly it was blinding. “I KNOW, RIGHT?!”
Jessica groaned. “This is the dumbest day of my life.”
“Mine too,” Benn said flatly.
~~~
Lucky Roux took all of three seconds to process everything before grinning wide enough to split his face. “WELL, WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SO SOONER?!”
Before anyone could stop him, he lumbered over, scooped Jessica out of Shanks’s grip—egg and all—and smothered her in a bear hug.
Jessica shrieked, wings flaring. “PUT ME DOWN, FAT MAN!”
“Fat man?!” Roux gasped, mock-offended. “Rude!”
Shanks wheezed with laughter. “SHE’S GOT MY ATTITUDE!”
Benn rubbed his temples. “That’s not a good thing.”
“I AM NOT A DAMN TOY!” Jessica screeched, kicking against Roux’s belly.
“You are now!” Roux cackled.
The nest nearly collapsed under the weight of all the chaos.
Jessica bit Yasopp, kicked Roux in the stomach, and called Benn an “old grandpa smoker” in under ten minutes.
By the time the dust settled, Jessica was perched on a barrel, arms crossed, wings twitching, tail flicking with visible irritation.
Shanks sat beside her, grinning like he’d just won the world’s biggest jackpot.
Yasopp lay flat on the deck, muttering about dead women and cursed bloodlines.
Benn drank heavily from a flask, eyes dead to the world.
Lucky Roux was already plotting how to fatten Jessica up with food, humming cheerfully.
And off to the side, Lami leaned against the mast with her bow in hand, the very picture of a tired babysitter. Her glare was sharp enough to slice steel, but her voice was bone-dry when she finally spoke:
“…I give up on you people.”
Jessica slumped dramatically against her egg. “Welcome to my life.”
"I don't need a welcome, I've been living in it for years now."
"Die."
…—O—O—O—...
The entire ship was still reeling from the absolute bombshell of insanity Shanks had just dropped.
A few minutes ago, everything was fine.
And then, in peak Shanks fashion, he’d grabbed the small half-dragon girl who’d tried to set the ship on fire, lifted her into the air like a misbehaving kitten, announced she was his daughter, and just… waited for his crew to process.
They did not process well.
Yasopp had a minor breakdown, Beckman was drinking for three men, Lucky Roux had adopted me on the spot, and the rest of the crew stared at me like I’d just eaten the moon.
I huffed, sitting on a crate with my arms crossed, tail flicking. “Look,” I said flatly, glaring at the crew of grown-ass men who apparently shared one collective brain cell, “as much as I’d love to ride around on a big fancy pirate ship and wreak havoc, I’m not joining your crew.”
Silence.
Shanks blinked, still grinning like an idiot. “Wait. Why not?”
I stared at him. Then at Yasopp, who was whispering about early retirement. Then at Beckman, halfway through his bottle. Then at Lucky Roux, who was calculating how to feed me like I was a festival feast. And finally, back at Shanks, my newly revealed father, who looked utterly convinced I was about to sign up for the pirate life like I wasn’t literally eight.
I inhaled. Exhaled. Sighed.
“Alright, morons. Slow it down so you can keep up.”
A half-hearted “hey!” rippled through the crew, but I ignored it.
“One: I’m eight.” I held up eight fingers. “For those of you missing some brain cells, that means I’m a literal child. No training. Never fought a person. Barely have control over my dragon form. You want me on a crew? I’ll be dead in five seconds.”
The crew nodded. Fair point.
“Two: I’m a half-dragon with a massive target painted on my back.” I stretched my wings. “Do you idiots realize what happens if the world finds out I exist? I’ll have the Government, bounty hunters, and psychos lining up to take me apart. And spoiler? I can’t fight them.”
Shanks’s grin wavered.
“Three: I just met you, Dad.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “You seem great. I want to know you. But I’m not latching onto you like some kid desperate for daddy’s approval. I don’t want to rely on you for everything.”
That one hit. His grin faltered, but respect flickered there too.
“And four: I have a magical egg to hatch. No, I don’t know what’s inside. Don’t ask.”
“Of course you don’t…” Beckman groaned into his bottle.
The crew stared at me like I’d just rewritten their worldview.
Shanks sat down on the deck, blinking dumbly.
I rolled my eyes. “Seriously, you’re acting like I gave you the meaning of life.”
Beckman sighed. “Kid, do you know how rare it is to hear common sense on this ship?”
“Yeah,” I said, smirking. “You guys are running on one brain cell, and alcohol’s winning.”
Shanks wheeze-laughed. “Oh, I like her.”
“Course you do,” Yasopp muttered. “She’s literally your kid.”
Through it all, Lami leaned against the mast, arms crossed, expression sharp. Finally, she cut in, her voice cool and steady: “She’s right. She’s not ready to be on a pirate crew. And if you idiots cared about her at all, you’d stop treating this like a circus and start thinking like adults.”
The crew fell silent again, though this time they looked sheepish. Even Beckman’s smirk softened.
Shanks perked back up anyway. “Well, that’s easy. I’ll just take you somewhere safer!”
I blinked. Did I want to leave? Not really. Did I have a choice? Also not really. But could I milk this for everything it was worth? Oh, hell yes.
I summoned up every sad memory I had, sniffled dramatically, and widened my big, innocent dragon eyes at him.
“I don’t wanna leave my nest.”
Shanks froze.
Got him.
“I know it’s safer,” I continued, voice cracking, “but Mama’s buried here. She told me to stay safe. She made sure I was hidden. And now you want me to leave her behind?”
Direct hit. Shanks visibly flinched.
Even Lami’s eyes softened. She stepped forward, folding her arms tighter. “She’s not wrong, Captain. You can’t just tear her away like it means nothing.”
Shanks panicked, waving his hands. “Whoa—no, no, I didn’t mean it like that! You can take stuff with you! Anything you want!”
I looked away dramatically, wings drooping. “I don’t even know what I’d bring.”
Shanks rubbed his neck. “I’ll help carry it. All of it, if I have to. Okay?”
I turned slowly, lip trembling. “You’d… do that for me?”
He grinned. “Of course! No problem.”
“Wow, thanks, Dad. That means a lot.”
Then I bolted into the trees.
By the time he realized he’d been played, I was already halfway back to my nest.
Shanks turned helplessly to Benn. “Did… did she just—”
Benn exhaled smoke, smirking. “Captain, you just promised to carry an entire dragon nest.”
Shanks blinked. Then blinked again. “OH, FOR FU—”
“She played you,” Benn added smoothly.
Shanks groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “That little dragon brat scammed me.”
Lami stepped out from the shadows, smirking for the first time in days. “Correction: we scammed you. She planned it, I backed it up.”
Shanks’s jaw dropped. “…You’re in on this too?!”
Lami shrugged. “Older sister duties. Somebody’s gotta keep her safe. And if you want her trust? Carry the damn nest.”
Benn laughed outright. “Captain, they’re already running circles around you.”
Shanks groaned into his hands. “…She’s gonna be dangerous when she grows up.”
Lami’s smirk turned sharper. “She’s already dangerous. I just make sure she doesn’t burn the world down too early.”
Meanwhile~~
I grinned like a demon.
I could already hear it — the exact second Shanks realized what I’d pulled.
Somewhere deep in the trees, his voice rang out like a dying seagull.
“BEEEETRAYAAAAL!”
I snickered. “Got ’em.”
Behind me, Lami snorted into her hand. “You’re evil. I approve.”
I had packed everything: the nest vines, rolled into giant leaf bundles like pirate-sized carpets; my pelts, dyed and numbered so I’d know exactly where each went; my ridiculous pile of pillows (twenty-five and counting, tied into one massive twine ball); and yes — my Soapberry tree. Because hygiene is non-negotiable.
Lami, ever the realist, raised a brow at the mound. “You do know you just tricked a Yonko into becoming your moving company, right?”
I smirked, stroking the egg nestled in my lap. “Yep. And I regret nothing.”
The egg shivered under my touch, a faint purr rumbling from within. My dragon instincts all but squealed. It was close. Very close.
And for once, I wanted my dad there for it.
So I stood, balancing carefully, and headed through the forest with Lami trailing close behind.
…
The Red Force was lively as always. I hopped up onto the railing, egg held firmly in my arms. A chorus of startled pirate shrieks greeted me.
“Holy—!”
“AHHH!”
They clutched their chests like I’d shaved years off their lives, but a few even waved back. Progress.
“Jessie!”
Then I was scooped up into a hug, Shanks careful not to jostle the egg. “What are you doing here, Star?”
“Star?” I raised a brow.
He grinned sheepishly. “Thought it suited you. I was right.”
I sighed but adjusted the egg so the whole crew could see. “I thought you might want to watch this hatch with me.”
Shanks blinked, clearly caught off guard. “You… want me there?”
I nodded. “You weren’t around for my big moments, so maybe you could start with this one.”
The silence was immediate. The crew froze. Then—
“SO SWEET!”
“SO NICE!”
“SO MUCH BETTER THAN HER FATHER!”
“HEY!” Shanks barked, but his voice cracked. His eyes shimmered as he crushed me into another hug.
“Don’t cry on my shirt!” I yelped, wriggling. “It’s my only one!”
The crew wailed dramatically into their sleeves while Lami leaned against the mast, smirking. “They’re worse than you,” she whispered.
“Terrifying thought,” I muttered back.
Shanks finally set me down on his shoulder like a parrot. “Of course I’ll be there, kiddo. Is it today?”
“Mhm.” I stroked the shell gently. “My dragon’s restless. I made a smaller nest for it to hatch in.”
“Do you want the crew there too?”
I tapped my chin. “Definitely Lucky.”
“WOOHOO!” Lucky Roux whooped, immediately sweeping me up onto his shoulders.
Shanks squawked. “Why Lucky?!”
“No offense,” Lucky added cheerfully.
“Good eye for food,” I shrugged.
“Fair enough,” Lucky said, bouncing me once before Shanks snatched me back and hoisted me up like a human shield.
“How about Benn and Yasopp?” he said, striding off. “They’ll help take care of the little guy.”
Benn froze mid-step. Yasopp nearly choked. Both stared at me, then at the egg.
I stared back, deadpan. “…You’re using me as bait, aren’t you?”
Shanks snickered, steering us confidently—
“Uh, Dad?” I pointed. “Wrong way.”
He spun on his heel without missing a beat. “Right! This way, crew!”
I groaned, hugging the egg tighter as Lucky trailed after us, still grinning, while Benn lit a cigarette and Yasopp muttered about early retirements.
Beside me, Lami walked with her hands clasped behind her back, smiling softly for once. “This is insane,” she said under her breath, “but… kinda nice, huh?”
I grinned back. “Yeah. It really is.”
…—O—O—O—...
The leaves rustled as I stared at the egg in front of me.
It rested in a tiny, carefully crafted nest I’d made out of pelts, leaves, and feathers — all scavenged, cleaned, and obsessively rearranged until it looked like something straight out of a fairy tale. The kind of nest you’d see painted in a children’s book, where magical creatures come from.
I could barely breathe.
For days I’d obsessed over this egg — no, more than obsessed, haunted it. I’d guarded it from wind, rain, Shanks’s meddling, and even Lami, who once made the mistake of nudging it too close to the fire and earned the full force of my dragon screech.
Shanks had grumbled about packing away my “main nest” to bring here, muttering that I was “too manipulative for my own good.” (He’s just mad because I played him like a fiddle, and he knows it.) But he still did it. Because deep down he was as curious as me.
Now, the moment was here.
Behind me, the “babysitters” were already turning it into a gambling ring.
“I’m telling you, it’s gonna be a bird,” Lucky Roux said, arms crossed, chewing on something like always.
“No way,” Yasopp countered, narrowing his eyes at the egg like squinting might give him X-ray vision. “I’m calling big cat.”
Benn Beckman exhaled, his cigarette glowing faintly. “You’re both probably wrong.”
Shanks crouched beside me, that ridiculous grin plastered across his face. “What do you think, Jess?”
I didn’t even look at him. My eyes stayed locked on the egg, my claws twitching. “I think you should shut up before I breathe fire on your hair.”
He laughed, but before anyone else could chime in, the egg shuddered.
Silence.
The shell flickered — one half glowing faintly with ember-cracks, the other rippling with shadows like spilled ink.
Then—
A small crack.
I leaned forward, heart pounding.
Another crack. A muffled, high-pitched chirp followed.
Then a jagged line split the shell, and the first fragment fell away.
A talon pushed through.
And then another limb — but it wasn’t a talon. It was soft, furred, shadowy.
Two.
Wait. Two?
Before I could even process that, the egg split in half and two tiny forms spilled into the nest, collapsing in a heap of damp fluff and trembling limbs.
The first was the phoenix — or would be, someday. Right now, he was a pathetic little puffball, feathers sticking out at odd angles, wings too stubby to even flap. His dull, burnt-gold down clung to him awkwardly, and his talons were so weak they curled uselessly as he squeaked, distressed and ridiculous.
I loved him instantly.
The second was smaller still, her body draped in velvety, smoke-like fur that shimmered strangely in the light. Her oversized ears twitched as her too-round silver eyes blinked up at me in complete confusion. Her tiny paws looked far too big for her, and her little tail flickered like mist.
She looked like she might dissolve if I breathed too hard.
Neither moved at first.
The phoenix gave another pitiful squeak. Immediately, the little panther twitched, ears perking, before dragging herself over and draping her soft, shadowy body over him like a blanket.
I made a noise — half-gasp, half-laugh — as my chest squeezed so hard I thought my ribs might crack.
“Oh, that’s adorable,” Shanks whispered, grin practically splitting his face.
“Twins?” Yasopp breathed. “Didn’t see that coming.”
“I still technically won,” Lucky argued, gesturing with a half-eaten roll. “It’s a bird.”
“It’s also a cat,” Benn pointed out, his tone so dry it made me snort.
“Looks like the cat’s winning the argument,” Lami piped up suddenly, crouching closer beside me. Her usual sharpness was gone, replaced with a quiet, wide-eyed awe. “She’s already guarding him. Jess… they’re protecting each other.”
And with that realization, my heart just broke open.
I scooped them both into my hands without thinking, cradling their impossibly light bodies against my chest. The phoenix let out a weak trill and buried his damp head into my thumb, while the panther sniffed at my wrist before promptly biting my sleeve and gnawing like a tiny menace.
I nearly cried.
Shanks cooed, snatching up the panther like she was a sacred relic. “You’re a little menace, aren’t you?”
She blinked at him… then tried to bite his finger.
“Oh, this one’s gonna be trouble,” Yasopp grinned.
“Already is,” Benn muttered.
Lucky offered the phoenix a crumb of bread — and the puffball immediately latched onto it, pecking clumsily until half was gone.
Lucky stared. “…It eats.”
“That’s generally how living things work,” Benn deadpanned.
Shanks laughed so hard he had to set the panther back down in my lap, where she immediately curled back over the phoenix like a possessive blanket.
Two.
I had expected one.
But I’d gotten two.
Is this what moms of twins feel like?!
They weren’t leaving me. Ever. Mine and mine always.
Shanks nudged me with his elbow, grinning. “So, Jess. Names?”
I swallowed. “This little puffball is… Helios.”
The phoenix squeaked proudly, chest puffing up.
“And this little girl will be Lunaire.”
At her name, the tiny panther sat up straighter, licked her paw like she was some kind of queen, and gave her brother a disdainful look.
Helios chirped back, indignant.
Lunaire pounced.
Within seconds, they were rolling around the forest floor, tiny squeaks and growls filling the air as they wrestled like feral toddlers.
“They’re energetic,” Shanks said with a sweatdrop smile.
“Energetic?” Yasopp muttered. “They look murderous.”
“Lovely names, Star!” Shanks laughed, clapping me on the back.
I plucked the two apart before they killed each other, placing Helios in one hand and letting Lunaire climb onto my shoulder. Both clung on immediately, glaring at anyone who looked too long.
“Uh…” I looked down at my tattered shirt — barely hanging together after that fight with the mutant rabbit from hell — and sighed. “I don’t exactly have room for two clingy babies.”
Lami snorted, finally letting out a real laugh, the sound warm and rare. “Guess you’re their jungle gym now.”
“Don’t worry, lass!” Yasopp said, patting my head like I was still five. “We’ll get you something better than… that.”
I gave him a flat look that made Lami laugh harder.
And when Yasopp launched into a rambling story about his son throwing a barrel at three months old, I tuned him out, shot Benn a look, and got nothing but a smirk in return.
I silently promised to introduce them to my bunny…
BEN!
MUAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!
…—O—O—O—...
When everything was finally packed and ready, and both Lunaire and Helios were curled up in my small, portable nest, fast asleep without a care in the world, we set off. The ship cut across the water smoothly, sails swelling in the wind as the island slowly shrank in the distance. I lingered at the rail longer than I meant to, my gaze locked on the small mound of earth beneath the trees, my mother’s grave. Watching it fade further and further away felt like someone was tugging the ground out from under my feet, like each inch we traveled stretched some invisible cord thinner. My chest ached, but I forced myself to stand tall, gripping the railing tightly.
She would’ve been happy, I told myself firmly. She would’ve been proud to know that I was moving, not stuck in grief, that I was leaving that island behind to start whatever the hell this was going to be. She wanted me safe, and this was safety — or as close as I was ever going to get with Shanks as my father.
A hand rested on my shoulder, pulling me out of my thoughts. I turned and found Shanks smiling down at me with that same easygoing grin that looked like it could charm an entire navy battalion if he tried. He held out a cup toward me.
“…Is this sake?” I asked suspiciously, squinting up at him.
The man looked at me like I’d just kicked his dog straight in the ribs. “NO! What kind of father do you take me for?!” His voice pitched like I’d insulted his entire bloodline. “It’s juice.”
I blinked at him, then down at the cup, then back up at him with an unimpressed expression. Then, very slowly, I turned my gaze toward Lucky Roux, who was happily chewing on something nearby, and deployed my deadliest weapon: big, sweet, innocent eyes that could make grown men crumble.
“Lucky,” I cooed, holding the cup out just a fraction, “can you please change this into sake for me?”
Lucky’s grin widened, already reaching toward the cup, but Shanks practically teleported forward, snatching it back like I’d just asked him to hand over state secrets.
“What—wait, NO!” he barked, hugging the cup like it was treasure. He now looked like I’d not only killed his grandmother, but also buried her in his favorite sake barrel.
I puffed my cheeks and gave him my best pout, arms crossed in defiance. “You’re no fun.”
From the mast, Lami snorted loudly. She leaned back against the ropes, her arms folded as she watched us with pure amusement dancing in her eyes. “Jess, you’re literally eight,” she said, laughter bubbling in her voice. “You don’t need sake. Just drink the juice before I steal it from you.”
I whipped around, glaring. “Traitor!”
“Realist,” she corrected, grinning, and stretched like she had all the time in the world. The shift in her was strange and comforting all at once — after everything that happened, seeing her laugh, seeing her relaxed for once, was like fresh air after days of choking smoke.
Shanks, meanwhile, cleared his throat dramatically, clearly desperate to redirect the conversation before I tried any more grand theft alcohol. He straightened, puffing his chest out like he was about to declare something monumental.
“What I meant to come over here and say is that…” He paused for dramatic effect, then threw his arms wide, nearly knocking Benn Beckman with his elbow. “IT’S TIME FOR A PARTY!”
I slapped a hand to my forehead, dragging it down my face. “Of course. Why would I ever expect anything else from you people?”
Around us, the crew erupted in cheers, voices booming across the deck. Someone was already dragging out barrels, instruments appeared out of nowhere, and the sound of drums began to pound against the air.
Lami hopped down from her perch, her grin widening. “Well, I guess we’re partying.”
“You’re enjoying this way too much,” I grumbled, but even as I sulked, my lips tugged upward.
“I mean…” She gestured around at the chaos of grown men dancing, laughing, and bellowing sea shanties out of tune. “Can you really blame me? When’s the last time we got to laugh instead of cry?”
That one hit home, and I quieted, letting my eyes wander over the crew. She was right. Even if this was loud, obnoxious, and bound to get out of hand, it was better than the silence that had been suffocating us for days.
Still, I jabbed a finger at her. “If they wake up Lunaire or Helios, I’m siccing the firebird and angry kitty on their beds.”
Lami threw her head back and laughed. “Deal. But until then—” She grabbed my arm, tugging me toward the mess of dancing pirates. “You’re not sitting this out, little dragon.”
I let out a dramatic groan but didn’t fight her. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t so bad to let myself laugh too.
…—O—O—O—...
Notes:
Wooooo! I did two chapters in a week! I finally had finished editing this and thought it would be good of me to make up for the long absence!
I just want to say that I love each and everyone of you guys who have read though this, commented, and even gave me kudos on this silly little story I made up. I'm just hope everyone is having just as much fun reading it as I am writing it!
Answer: I would add Harry Potter, only if I could be a witch though. If not? I'd add the One Piece world and watch as OUR government struggles with whole ass pirates with powers.
Question: Who is your anime crush?
Chapter 9: Please help!
Chapter Text
Hello everyone! I didn't want to have to edit the chapter for this question, but it is still important:
Should I even give her a Devil Fruit?
I mean, shes already hella strong and familiars are powerful as well, plus I have many ideas on a few of new ones... but I think a Devil Fruit would be to much, and as much as I want her to be very strong... that seems like over kill.
But then again, I love the idea of this Devil Fruit and it's capabilities, and the God said something about "Other power" and I don't want to change the drawback, so I'd need a new power to give her that's not to powerful, but still uncontrollable...
Should I use the Devil Fruit for a different fic? Or just push through the reluctance and give her a Devil Fruit?
Please respond! I'm having trouble deciding and my chapters rely on this information!
Chapter 10: Chapter 9: Traveling on a boat sucks ass
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The party was…begrudgingly fun.
I couldn't drink (I sure as hell tried), but they gave me a cup of some apple juice.. Not the same, but it tasted good.
Dad was having a blast. At every chance he held me up, showing me off to the crew as his dragon daughter. Which was thoroughly accepted and I really didn’t have to explain anything about it…
Which I mean…
WHERE WAS THE QUESTIONS?!
If I was on a crew, and my captain happened to bring a dragon back with him, I'd start asking questions!
For the first few hours I was passed around and had a blast like everyone else.
The food was excellent and my dragon was oh so happy to be in a full area. Apparently Soul dragons are social creatures..
I had also taken to discussing some of my weapon ideas to Benn. He was pleasantly surprised at my knowledge on the mechanics and we had a long chat on how we’d go about building my scythe.
Lucky, as usual, was placing piles of food in front of me. He didn’t believe me when I said I was eating well, so he just kept filling my plate. And to be honest? I ate that shit up .
It was no surprise to me when Yasopp (after he processed everything of course) began to go on and on about his son, Usopp. It was heartwarming at first for his love for his son, but then I remembered he abandoned said son, to become a pirate. My mood soured a little, but nothing a sip of apple juice couldn’t fix.
Lami had fallen asleep somewhere, the traitor.
Around midnight was when the party started to calm down.. Somewhat.. The cheering had subsided for loud conversions, and I wasn’t being passed around like a trophy anymore, which was good, but now I was slightly overwhelmed and that wasn’t great .
Dad and Lucky had been having an enthusiastic conversation when Yasopp took a large gulp of his drink, “So, how’d ya end up on an island like that?”
I blink up at him, debating whether to tell them or not. Eh, why not, “Well, I didn’t always live there.” I took a swig of my apple juice, “I used to live on the…the Canadian Island.” A collective wince went through everyone.
“Ah, so they did kill everyone. Do you know why?” There was a small bit of silence and I raised a brow,
“The World Government said that they were searching for something and one of the occupants had… set fire to the island.” I muttered something under my breath and that led to a collective laugh from everyone who heard.
“What were they searching for?” Yassop placed a hand on his chin,
“It was definitely an egg of sorts, something about either destroying it or keeping it.” My dragon went deathly silent and started to slowly growl deep in my chest.
“Ah… the same egg that Helios and Lunaire hatched from?” My words only registered as strained to Benn, who let out a snort and walked away, looking like he was going to get something,
“Hmm. Yep! That's. The.. one…Oh” His smile turned nervous and he began to sweat, “Ah, but you had it so they're safe!” At his words, Benn came back and shoved the tiny ball of fluff known as Helios and the small kitten Lunaire in my arms.
My dragon curled its presence around the half-asleep animals, they slowly went back to sleep as they curled in next to each other.
More than one heart absolutely melted at the sight.
“You’re right! I did keep them safe, thanks a bunch Yassop!” he blinked at my change in tone and then chuckled nervously again,
I chug down the rest of my (third) cup and set it down on the counter next to me, sighing as I rest my back on the seat.
The chatter in the background was calming in a sort as I held my lovelies closely, until someone spoke up, “Hey, wasn't Giny a Nobel?” I looked up and sighed at the looks,
“ Was , me and mom were Nobel’s, yes, but we ran away when I was five” I say, waving off their concern, “Don’t worry about the reason, I’m pretty sure you’ve all heard about her… Husband..”
“Oh yeah, that fatso!”
“The bastard!”
“The reason any ship would sink!”
I snickered at the names they had called him, and it looked like they had been calling him that for a long time, “He was most of the reason.” A collective, dramatic/sarcastic gasp went through the surrounding people.
“What! No way!”
“That fatty!?”
“He could never !”
“How could he!”
I was now not even trying to hide my laughs, although I made sure that Helios and Lunaire weren’t disturbed.
An arm was thrown around my shoulder and my father pulled me closer, “Alright fellas, let's leave the little lady alone!” they cried out in acceptance and I was soon left alone with my dad.
“Now, Imma go to sleep ‘kay?” He looked down at me an snorted,
“Yeah, yeah, don’t worry. I’ll make sure your friends don’t kill themselves.” I chuckled and then closed my eyes.
For once, drifting off on a boat wasn’t so bad.
…—O—O—O—...
I yawned slightly as I sat up, Helios and Lunaire had woken me up by tapping my nose, “Yeah, yeah.” I waved away their attempts and stretched slightly.
I grabbed a stray piece of bread and meat and handed it over to them, they made sounds akin to a sibling fight over food, but soon went to absolute town on the food.
I gave them a small head pat each and then walked out onto the deck, rubbing my neck.
I quickly blinked away my blurriness that comes with waking up and took in the people around me.
I blinked again at what seemed to be a fucking graveyard of fallen drunks. People laid everywhere in random positions. One was draped over the port side rail, and another was spread out like a starfish with a cup in hand.
The funniest was when a man had seemingly blacked out and fallen over a barrel, his friends tried to prank him I guess, but then they all blacked out, falling over him. It looked like a failed congo-line…
I giggled a little and looked up when I felt a shift above me. Dad draped his arm over my shoulders and had a cup in the other. He grinned down at me and took another swig of his drink.
I deadpanned at him, “You’re going to die young.” I heard him laugh and take another large gulp before turning to me with another one of his bright smiles,
“Nah, I would never let a simple cup of sake kill me!” To prove his point he took another drink.
“It won’t be the alcohol, your liver will probably fail on you.” His response was a laugh.
“Let's stop talking about my drinking habits and start talking about you!” I rolled my eyes at his change in subject.
“Alright, what do you want to know?”
“What’s your favorite color?”
“Hm, I like the color blue, but red is a close second.”
“Favorite book?”
“I like the story ‘Noland the Liar.’”
“That's a good one, how about your favorite food?”
“Ah, it’s a bit basic, but I like pasta a lot! Burgers are also pretty good.”
“Drink?”
“Apple Juice.”
“Uh… I don’t know anymore questions..”
I giggle and rest my head back onto the rail, “I like the stars. Mama told me about the constellations and their meanings.”
He turned his head up to the stars and hummed, “Ah yes, Hope was quite attracted to the stars, it was her favorite subject. She ranted about them for hours if she could.”
I eyed him curiously, “How long did you know my mom?” I scrunched my nose in confusion, to which he laughed,
“A few days, a week at most. We weren’t docked for long.” I hummed at that before I blinked, remembering the dragon book. I reach behind my back, only to find my backpack missing.
I jolted and began to frantically scramble and search for it, only to look up and see it dangling in front of my face.
“Lookin’ for this?” I nodded my head quickly and grabbed it just as fast, ripping it open and scrambling through the contents. When I confirmed everything was where I left it and I didn’t have to explain anything, I zipped it back up,
But not before dad reached forward and snatched up the dragon book from the backpack, “Oh? What’s this?”
“It’s the book that supposed to help me with my powers or whatever,”
“It looks quite old,”
“Yes, that’s because it is old.”
“Ah, are you going to read it now?” I turned the book around to look at the front cover
“I was going to, do you want to read it to me?” He opened his mouth and closed it for a second, frowning slightly before turning his head to face me,
“Are you sure? I don’t want to damage it.”
“Yeah, think of it as a bedtime story, and the book itself is quite durable.”
“Well, if you’re so sure, where did you stop?”
I reached out and flipped through the pages and landed right where I had left off a few nights before, “Right here.” He nodded his head and cleared his throat as I shuffled closer so I could see the pages and follow along with the words as he began.
Emotional and Mental shifts:
Heightened Sense of Awareness and Intuition:
The transformation doesn’t only change the body–it sharpens the mind. Dragons experience an overwhelming flood of sensory information, from the vibrations in the air to the subtle shifts in energy. This heightened awareness can be disorienting at first but ultimately empowers the dragon to perceive their surroundings with unparalleled clarity.
“Damn, this is a really useful thing to have! And you can do this?” He looks down at the page in amazement and turns to me as I shrug,
“Not yet, I think it takes some time to develop, I did transform earlier than normal, so it might take a little longer.”
He hums and then rereads a few of the lines, at least I think that’s what he is doing, his eyes crossed some lines and then he turned back to me,
“Do you have the same.. Sensory problems?” I blink and nod slightly,
“It’s not that overwhelming anymore, but it’s still there. Don’t worry, I can still handle loud noises, it’s just a bit louder for me.” He nodded his head and continued.
Emotional Intensity and How to Channel It Effectively:
The process of transformation amplifies emotions to an extreme degree. Feelings of triumph, fear, or pain are magnified, often leaving young dragons overwhelmed. However, this intensity can be channeled into powerful bursts of energy or used to connect more deeply with the Spirit Realm. Training in emotional regulation is essential to harness this newfound power without succumbing to instability.
“We are definitely training you in that as soon as possible.” He said as he finished the paragraph,
I squawk and look up at him in mild horror and confusion, “What! Why!?”
“One: it seems important, two: the book says it's important, and three: we can teach you how to lie like a pirate this way!” He says, and I must admit, he makes a pretty good point, but one thing really is messing me up,
“..How will we be training this by any chance?”
“By training of course!”
“THAT MAKES NO SENSE?!”
Enhancing Mental Clarity and Focus:
As the transformation settles, dragons report a profound sense of focus. The pain and turmoil of the process act as a crucible, refining their mental composure in even the most chaotic situations, solidifying their role as protector and leaders.
“Wait a minute.. What do they mean ‘the pain of transforming!?’” He looks over at him with confusion and a tiny bit of concern. I guess that because I’m still breathing, the concern is much less.
“Ah, well, you should probably read back a few pages..” His eyes turn to the book and his hands flip a few pages over, as he reads I keep my eyes on his expression. Watching in amusement as his face slowly turns from mild concern to horror,
“God damn, that’s gotta hurt like hell.” He looks over at me again,
“Are you ok?” When I nod my head he flips the pages back over to begin again, “As long as you’re fine I guess.” At least he’s taking his father position seriously.. Maybe..
The Role of the Spirit Realm in Transformation:
Drawing Energy from the Spirit Realm to Fuel Changes:
The transformation draws heavily on the Spirit Realm’s energy, creating a symbiotic exchange. Dragons channel this energy through their Soul Core, using it to fuel the reconstruction of their bodies. Without this connection, the transformation would be impossible, as the physical body alone cannot endure such a drastic change.
“I’m glad you have whatever a Soul Core is.” He says as he flips the page over and onto the next,
“Don’t ask, I don’t know what it is. I just skipped to the transformation part. I need to know how to change back so it’ll be easier to blend in every now and then.” I say while shrugging my shoulders, I had crawled into his lap to look at a few pictures and realong better,
“That was smart,” He says as he began again,
How the Spirit Realm Influences the Transformation Process:
The Spirit Realm shapes the transformation, guiding the dragon’s body to reflect their spiritual essence. The stronger the dragon’s bond with the realm, the smoother the process. This influence also determines unique traits, such as the coloration of scales or the nature of the dragon's energy aura.
“Well that explains the pain I guess.” He looks down at me with a raised eyebrow in a questioning gaze, “Ah, well you see, I’m still eight years old, I haven’t had as much time as, let’s say a sixteen year old. So my transformation was harder and more painful than normal.”
He nods his head and begin to read again,
Maintaining Balance Between Physical and Spiritual Forms:
Transformation requires a delicate balance between the physical and spiritual aspects of a dragon. An imbalance can result in incomplete changes or energy instability, leaving the dragon vulnerable. Regular meditation and practice ensure that both forms remain in harmony, allowing for seamless transition between them.
“NO! I REFUSE!!” I cry out, starling dad as he finishes the section.
“Woah, what's wrong?” He asks, setting the book aside for a second as he looks down at me,
“I promised myself I would never meditate again! Mediating is what caused this fucking transformation. Like hell I’m about to let the gods give me another painful surprise! Fuck the gods and fuck their.. CHILDREN!” I rant as I make vulgar gestures at the clouds overlooking the moon.
I could’ve sworn a middle finger shaped itself out for a second. Fuck you too Gods.
Dad barks out a loud laugh, clamping a hand down on his mouth as he catches the glare I send his way. His shoulders shake in silent laughter as he struggles to catch his breath.
“Oh fuck off and read the damn book already!!”
He raises his hands in mock surrender as he picks the book back up, “Alright, alright.”
He opens the book, a few small chuckles being heard and quickly being shut up.
Stages of Transformation:
Initiation: Recognizing the Call to Transform:
The transformation begins with a deep, instinctual pull from the Soul Core. Dragons describe this sensation as a combination of urgency and inevitability, as if their very essence demands the change. This stage often comes during moments of heightened emotion or crisis, when the dragon's inner strength is needed most. However, there have been a few who describe a flame that draws them in, almost like a desperate calling, pulling them towards it. This doesn’t require the crisis part of a normal transformation.
“Oh. My. Fucking. GOD! This would’ve been helpful before it happened!?” Dad began to laugh again at my outburst,
“Like I totally thought I was going through an early life crisis! Ughh.” I sent another glare upward to him, which wasn’t that effective, but at least he was beginning the next section.
A small warning was written above the section, “Well that isn’t worrying at all .” He said blandly before continuing.
Unfolding: The Gradual Activation of the Dragon Form:
During the unfolding stage, the body begins its painful reconstruction. Bones crack and reshape, muscles stretch and tear, and scales push through the skin. This stage is marked by intense agony and requires immense mental fortitude to endure. Dragons are advised to find a safe space to transform, as the process can leave them vulnerable to external threats.
“Again, this would’ve been helpful before the damn transformation!!” I cry out in anguish, “I would have chosen somewhere better to meditate!”
A hand pats my head softly, “You are alright, right?” I raise an eyebrow at the concerned tone,
“Somewhat, it was agonising and I pretty much passed out through the whole thing.” He hums and turns back to the book,
“I don’t exactly like that last part very much,”
I snort, “Neither did I.”
He pinched my arm, causing me to squawk out and glare at him.
Completion: Achieving Full Transformation and Stabilizing Energy:
The final stage is the stabilization of the dragon form. Energy flows throughout the body, sealing wounds and solidifying changes. While the pain subsides, the new parts–such as wings, tail, and scales–remain highly sensitive for several days. During this time, dragons must rest and acclimate to their new forms.
“Did you rest at all?” He asks while looking down at me with silent suspicion. Seriously, I would neve– ah, wait I would just get up and prance around… Fuuuckkkkk
“I mean, I was passed out in the river for four days.. Does that count?” I ask sheepishly, causing his face to fall into a deadpanned look,
“No, no it does not.”
I sigh, “I mean, I slept in my bed for a day.. Then I was on the boat for another few days.. Does that count?”
It was his turn to sigh as he nodded his head, “I guess,”
“Just read through the next few, I’m pretty pissed at this right now..”
“Whatever you say, brat.”
“WHAT!?"
The First Transformation Experience:
Signs That a Dragon is Ready for Their First Transformation:
Young dragons often experience subtle signs leading up to their first transformation, such as heightened sensitivity to energy, vivid dreams of the Spirit Realm, or unexpected bursts of strength. These signs indicate that their Soul Core is maturing and preparing to initiate the process.
Emotional Preparation and Overcoming Fear:
The first transformation is both exciting and terrifying. The pain and uncertainty can be daunting, but emotional preparation is key. Dragons are encouraged to meditate, seek guidance from experienced mentors, and trust in their own strength to overcome the challenges ahead.
The importance of Mentorship During This Critical Moment:
Having a mentor present during the first transformation is invaluable. Mentors provide guidance, reassurance, and protection, ensuring the young dragon completes the process safely. They also offer advice on managing the aftermath, from coping with sensitivity to mastering new abilities.
“...Are you ok?” Dad looked down at me with an eyebrow raising in concern. It was a normal reaction to be honest. I had gone quite quiet and was silently sitting there,
I took a deep breath and…
“That’s…..Alright….. Wonderful…..” I grinded my teeth together as I tried to formulate a sentence.
He laughed loudly, which seemed to wake Benn up, as he jumped down from his perch up at the crows nest, standing in front of us.
“What’s making him wake up everyone else?” A small glare that didn’t really have any heat, was sent his way, but was quickly replaced by laughing again.
“I’m quite upset at this god forsaken, dumbass book right here, and it seems my reaction has amused him greatly.”
He blinked for a second before grinning, “I can see why, do you know you tend to speak more formally when frustrated?” I sent him a glare, not that it did anything.
“If I didn’t, now I do, so thank you for your less-than-needed comment. I shall take it with great consideration.” This only made Dad laugh more, a wheeze making itself present every few seconds.
“Ah, switching topics, are you done reading, because that book of yours seems like it will fall into the ocean at any second.”
This snaps me out of my anger and I quickly grab the large book from the side where dad had placed it. The right side of it was teetering dangerously towards the sea.
“Thanks,” He nodded his head and pulled out a fresh cigar as I shove the book into my fathers hands and turn to the page where we left off, not looking at the previous passages.
“Just read already!!” I cry out to him, having half a mind to elbow him in the ribs, it wouldn’t do anything, but it'd make me feel better!
“Alright, alright, fine!” He takes the book and holds it back up, Benn was leaning against the rail besides us, listening.
Enhancing Control Over Transformations:
Techniques for Transitioning Smoothly Between Forms:
Mastering the art of shifting between human and dragon forms is crucial for a Soul Dragon. The process requires precise control over the Soul Core’s energy flow, allowing the body to adjust seamlessly. Techniques such as rhythmic breathing, energy channeling exercises, and focused visualization help minimize pain and speed up transitions. Beginners often experience partial transformations or uneven distribution, which can be corrected through guided practice and feedback through experienced mentors.
Dragons who master this Skill can transition with minimal disruption, making it possible to use their dragon form in combat or emergencies without hesitation. Advanced practitioners may even learn to shift specific parts, like activationing wings or claws without fully transforming.
“Oh yeah, we are definitely adding this to your training regimen.” Dad says as he turns to the next page,
“...What training regimen?”
“Can you remember this Benn?”
“What training regimen..?”
“Sure Cap.”
“WHAT TRAINING REGIMEN!?”
Building Stamina to extend Time in Dragon Form:
Remaining in dragon form for extended periods of time can drain both physical and spiritual energy. The strain on muscles, nerves and the Soul Core can leave dragons vulnerable if they overextend. To counteract this, stamina training is essential. This includes exercises like prolonged energy channeling, endurance testing in harsh environments, and sparring in transformed states.
Over time, stamina improves, enabling dragons to sustain their form for longer duration's. Experienced Soul Dragons can maintain their dragon state for days or even weeks, though regular breaks are necessary to avoid Soul Core depletion.
There has been a recent development in Soul Dragon Form. If a Soul Dragon is transformed near, or in a body of water while following what is described as a white flame, then this does NOT relate to them. They are quite rare and don’t need to transform back.
“Huh, I guess that's just another thing I’m just so great and amazing at!” I say while puffing my chest out in pride,
“Yeah well, don’t get your hopes up, 'cause those training ideas are being added to your regimen.”
“WHAT REGIMEN?!”
Strategies for Mastering Partial Transformations:
Partial transformations are a valuable skill for dragons who wish to balance power with practicality. For example, activating only wings for flight or enhancing hands with claws for combat can conserve energy while providing significant advantages. Training for partial transformations focuses on isolating specific energy pathways within the Soul Core and learning to control their activation.
Dragons must also practice reintegrating transformation parts back to their human form without causing instability. This precision takes years to perfect but offers incredible versatility in battle and everyday situations.
“Were you getting all that Benn?” I look up to see Benn with a pen and paper as he writes quickly down on it,
“Yeah, adding partial transformations to the regimen.”
“WHAT REGIMEN?!”
Challenges and Limitations:
Physical Strain and Energy Depletion from Extended Transformations:
Despite the benefits of transformation, it comes with significant challenges. Extended time in dragon form can lead to severe physical strain, including muscle fatigue, nerve sensitivity, and damage to internal organs if energy reserves are pushed too far. Dragons may also experience energy depletion, leaving them unable to transform or use their abilities until they’ve fully recovered.
Managing these risks involves regular rest, consuming energy-rich food, and reconnecting with the Spirit Realm to replenish the Soul Core. Advanced dragons often carry energy-restoring talismans or rely on allies for support during prolonged transformations
“Yeah, I don’t think I’ll need most of that, but the drawbacks seem to stay the same. I do eat a lot of meat and veggies, sometimes I just snack on some fruits.” I look up and see Benn scribbling down something,
“I’m not even going to try.” I say while dad begins again.
Emotional turbulence and How to Manage It:
The intense emotions associated with transformation can sometimes spiral out of control. Feelings like anger, fear, or sorrow may become amplified, clouding judgment and disrupting focus. Unchecked emotional turbulence can even cause involuntary transformations, leading to dangerous situations.
To combat this, dragons practice emotional grounding techniques such as meditation, journaling, or connecting with trusted mentors. Developing self-awareness is key, as it allows dragons to identify triggers and manage their responses effectively.
“You know, this is very helpful!” Dad said happily, apparently also writing down something on the side.
“Yeah, the training regimen will be jam packed with different exercises.”
“I give up.”
Recognizing When to Revert to Preserve Stability:
Knowing when to return to human form is just as important as mastering the transformation itself. Staying in dragon form for too long or pushing past physical and emotional limits can lead to lasting damage. Signs such as wavering energy, difficulty maintaining form, or sharp pain in sensitive areas like wings or horns indicate it’s time to revert.
Dragons are encouraged to listen to their bodies and avoid overexertion, even during critical moments. Learning to gracefully exit dragon form ensures long-term health and stability.
“Hm okay, okay. Did you hear that, little me, you gotta know when you need to draw back!”
“God back to Star.”
“...fine.”
Evolution of Transformation Abilities:
How Transformations Grow More Powerful with Experience:
As Soul Dragons gain experience, their transformations become more refined and potent. The initial pain and instability of early transformations lessen, replaced by a sense of control and mastery. Scales may become harder, wings more robust, and energy radiance brighter. With each transformation, dragons unlock hidden potential, such as enhanced speed, durability, or new elemental abilities.
Experienced dragons often develop unique traits that set them apart, such as patterns on their scales or specialized abilities tied to their soul essence. This growth reflects their journey, both as individuals and as protectors of the Spirit Realm.
“So I can get patterns? Or better skills? Thats so fucking overpowered and cool!!”
“Yeah, yeah, don’t worry we’ll add it to your regimen!”
“NO!!”
Unlocking Advanced Forms or Alternate Appearances:
Over time, some Soul Dragons discover the ability to shift into advanced forms or alternate appearances. These forms may be larger, more powerful, or imbued with unique features like elemental auras or additional limbs. Unlocking these forms requires deep meditation and an unshakable bond with the Spirit Realm.
Advanced forms often come with additional challenges, such as greater energy consumption or heightened sensitivity. However, their power can be invaluable in dire situations, cementing the dragon’s role as a formidable force in both realms.
The Connection Between Personal Growth and Transformation Potential:
A dragon’s transformation potential is deeply tied to their personal growth. As they overcome fears, strengthen relationships, and deepen their understanding of the Spirit Realm, their abilities evolve in tandem. Emotional resilience, spiritual insight, and a clear sense of purpose fuel their development, allowing them to unlock new heights of power.
This connection emphasizes the importance of holistic growth—focusing not just on physical training but also on emotional and spiritual well-being. A dragon who embraces all aspects of their journey becomes a beacon of strength and wisdom, embodying the true essence of their soul.
“Well, that;s the end of that, I kinda curious about this ‘Soul Core’ that was being brought up a lot” I hummed and narrowed my eyes at the book, acknowledging my father's words,
“I’m still pissed at this book though.”
He laughed and ruffled my hair, causing me to let out a terribly unladylike squawk.
“Stop, stop, stop! Just turn to the chapter that explains it already!”
“Alright! No need to get aggressive,” He says with what I assume would be a smirk if I could see his face. However, he does turn to the Table of Contents, which makes me quiet down.. For a second at least.
“Hm, we could immediately skip to the Soul Core section, or we could read it through.” He hums slightly as he debates the choices he named, “Why did you skip ahead actually?”
I glare up at him, no real heat in my stare as I point to my dragon features, “I’m going to be murdered off by the government, if I couldn’t hide these away soon. It was literally my only choice to skip ahead. I thought I told you this already?”
“Oh, yeah. I forgot… I guess we’re going to read in order now?”
I nodded my head—rolled my eyes at the change in topic—and then came to a sudden conclusion, “Wait.. you’re going to be reading it to me from now on?”
“Hell ya! Why wouldn’t I pass up the option to get to know my newfound child?” His grin told me any answer I had (other than “Oh my god! I can’t wait!” or something like that) wasn’t going to do anything.
Not that I had any problem, I quite liked to follow along while someone was reading to me. It was like a double way of getting information.
I was getting ready to listen to part one, when another thought smacked me right in the face, “Hey dad?” He looked over and gave me a raised eyebrow in question, “If someone were to.. Try and attack me to get Helios and Lunaire, what should I do?”
He blinks at me and then laughs (I didn’t understand what was funny), “Fight’em of course, what else would you do?”
“Throw them overboard, cut their heads off, torture them,” I start to list off on my fingers, my fathers smile slowly becoming more strained, “Ah, then there's–”
“Alright, alright! I get it, where did you even learn that stuff?” He looked down at me
“..Gotta know how to kill someone if you want to survive?” He deadpans at me, causing a sigh to escape my lips, “I read about different murder techniques.”
“Thought so, why were you searching for that stuff anyway?”
“...I got curious?” He gives me another look, “Fine, I wanted to murder this stupid marine who was giving my Mama trouble. She caught me though..”
I looked up to see his reaction, which was down right amusement, “Really? What was this marine doing?”
I huffed out in annoyance just thinking about the guy, “He was a terrible customer, I mean really, who complains about booze? It was a new batch too!”
“Hm, I don’t like him already,”
“That’s just because he wasted booze.”
“Damn right.”
“You’re hopeless, you know that?”
“You betcha… I don’t have a nickname yet..”
I chuckle, “Then how about you think of one while reading?”
“Sounds like a plan!” He shuffles around a bit and places the book down in front of both of us as he begins his reading again.
Part 1: The Essence of a Soul Dragon
Origins and History:
Soul Dragons are among the most enigmatic creatures in the universe, their existence deeply tied to the spiritual balance of all living things. The legends surrounding their origins speak of a time before the physical world took form, when the fabric of existence was raw and teeming with energy. It was during this primordial era that the first Soul Dragons were born, their bodies and spirits formed from the residual essence of creation itself.
Unlike elemental or terrestrial dragons, Soul Dragons are not bound to the physical realm. They act as intermediaries between the worlds of the living and the dead, guardians of the natural order of souls. Tales of their deeds range from saving entire civilizations from spiritual collapse to waging fierce battles against corrupted entities that seek to disrupt the balance. Over millennia, they have been both revered as celestial protectors and feared as harbingers of death, depending on the cultures that encounter them .
“Oh, mom didn’t tell me that. It's actually pretty cool!” I say as my eyes wander over ancient pictures of different dragons with deep colored scales. The dragons were like me, not full human, but definitely not fully dragon. The expectations were pretty obvious though.
They all had either a deeper color in scales or a different pattern. No dragon is the same, and I quite like that!
“It’s interesting that Soul Dragons were born from whatever the hell ‘residual of creation itself’ is, but it sounds powerful.” I nod my head, tapping his arm multiple times, telling him to continue.
Soul Dragon Physiology:
A Soul Dragon's body is a marvel of both physical and spiritual design. Their shimmering, scale-covered bodies radiate with an otherworldly glow, an indication of their spiritual energy. This glow changes in intensity and color based on their emotional state, reflecting the harmony—or discord—within their Soul Core.
Internally, Soul Dragons are equipped with a unique organ called the Soul Core , a crystalline structure situated near the heart. The Soul Core is a conduit for spiritual energy, connecting the dragon to the spirit realm and enabling their extraordinary abilities. While their physical bodies are formidable, their true strength lies in their spiritual essence. A Soul Dragon with a weakened or damaged Soul Core may lose access to its powers or even risk fading from existence.
…
“Uh, don’t damage your Soul Core, alright?”
I nod my head quickly.
Like hell I’d fade away! I just got my super powerful powers!!
“N-no problem.”
The connection to Souls:
A Soul Dragon’s defining trait is their unparalleled connection to souls. This connection is not merely a sensory ability but a deep, intrinsic bond that allows them to interact with souls on multiple levels. They can see the essence of a soul, perceiving its color, texture, and even its emotional resonance.
Through this bond, Soul Dragons can heal wounded souls, repair fractures caused by trauma, and protect others from spiritual harm. However, the connection is not without its challenges. Soul Dragons are naturally drawn to corrupted souls, compelled to cleanse or purify them. This task can be dangerous, as corrupted souls often lash out, seeking to drag others into their darkness. For a Soul Dragon, the connection to souls is both a gift and a responsibility.
“Don’t go chasing corrupt souls around here, I don’t think that’d be smart.” Benn chimed in, apparently he’d switched the original paper with another, and I swear the title at the top was label, Things to avoid with a dragon kid. It almost made me laugh.
“I won’t, I’m not totally reckless.” he gave me a raised eyebrow, which I scoffed at and nudged my father to continue on.
The Soul Nexus:
Understanding Your Soul Core:
The Soul Core is the source of a Soul Dragon’s power, a crystalline structure formed during the dragon’s birth. This core is a living, pulsing entity that houses the dragon’s essence and connects them to the spiritual world. It acts as both a reservoir and a conduit for spiritual energy, allowing the dragon to perform feats that transcend the physical plane.
Caring for the Soul Core is paramount. Dragons must regularly engage in meditative practices to ensure the flow of energy remains balanced. Imbalances can manifest as physical symptoms, such as a dimming of their scales, or as spiritual disruptions, such as weakened connections to other souls. Dragons are encouraged to attune themselves to their core through quiet reflection and spiritual exercises, fostering a deep understanding of their own essence.
I sigh sadly, “I guess I can’t get out of meditating can I?”
Dad laughs loudly, “Not a chance kiddo!”
“...I like that nickname, but don’t make it the main one, Star is still my fav.”
“Hell yeah!”
“Watch your language around her Captain” Benn chimed in from the side
“W-What! But you see how much she already curses!”
“It’s to set a better example.”
“Says who?”
“Yasopp”
“Oh he curses all the time!”
“Not around his son.”
Dad grumbled and poked my back to stop the giggling that I had started up, “Whatever, don’t expect a miracle.” And with that he went back to the book,
Bonding with Other Souls:
One of the most profound abilities of a Soul Dragon is the capacity to bond with other souls. This bond is not to be taken lightly, as it intertwines the essence of the dragon with that of the other being, creating a mutual exchange of energy and trust. Such bonds are often formed with those the dragon deeply cares for or wishes to protect.
The process of bonding involves opening the Soul Core to another, allowing their essences to touch and intertwine. While the bond provides immense benefits—such as increased strength and shared emotions—it also comes with risks. If the bonded soul becomes corrupted or damaged, the dragon may feel the effects within their own core. Thus, forming a bond is a sacred act, requiring consent, trust, and careful consideration .
I gasped in recognition, which made dad and Benn look down at me, my hand covered my mouth,
“What's wrong? Did something happen?” I shook my head at my fathers questioning,
“No, I just now know I already am bonded with.. Five others?” I say nervously as I look up at my dad. He just blinked and shrugged his shoulders, he turned his head to go back to the book before I asked,
“Aren’t you going to ask who I am bonded with?” He looked down at me in amusement,
“Are you going to tell me?”
…
Touche’ dad
Touche
“If they allow me.”
I turn my head and motion the five over to me. They had been nearby for the evening, watching me carefully and keeping an eye out for any danger and still giving me space to hang out with my newfound parents.
So what do you want me to say?
“What do you want to say bubbles?” Asked Lola as she bounced over towards me, “I don’t mind about me personally, I wasn’t particularly well known. ”
Alright, what about you guys?
“Um, I’d like to stay a secret for a little while longer. I just don’t feel like being known yet.” I nod my head as Cora rubs the back of his head sheepishly,
“Me as well, please.” I nod again over to Oliva.
“I’m fine with being known,” Raven says calmly
“So am I” Said Theo
Oki doki!
I turn back to my father, “So three are fine with being known, but two don’t want to have their names said yet, if that's fine?”
Dad smiles, but he looked towards where I had been nodding my head at with mild discomfort and wonder, “That’s fine, I don’t want to fu– mess with the dead.”
I smile back at him, “Smart choice, well, There's Lola, she’s very upbeat and I like to hold conversations with her because there's always a topic being brought up.”
“Then there's Theo, he's very level-headed and one of the calmer Souls. He hangs out with one of the No-Named Souls and I like to listen to them, I get lots of knowledge that way.”
“And next, there's Raven, she is quiet at first, and is level-headed, just not as much as Theo, but if you compliment her or get her going on a subject, she gets very hyper easily!” I’m beaming as I explain the three Souls who allowed me to mention them,
What about you guys? I send a message through the Whispers,
Sure, we don’t mind! Was my reply back,
“And finally, there is the Whispers! It's like a collection of Souls all in one place, but nowhere at all. Get me?”
He did not in fact get me. In fact, he seemed to understand less and less as I went on about the Whispers, so I gave up. However, The three Souls mentioned were beaming down at me from the praise,
“Uh, not really, but I’ll take your word for it!” I chuckle and rest my head back, because I was small for an eight year old, my head barely reached past the upper part of his stomach.
“Fair enough, I give up though.” He raised an eyebrow, “I’m tired, I want to sleep, I feel sleepy, I am exhausted I–”
“Ok, ok, ok, I get it!” A hand clamped over my mouth to stop me from spewing out more synonyms of being tired. I really thought I was doing well, I probably wouldn’t have lasted much longer though. I was running out of words.
I felt my eyes droop as I settled backward. I registered the fact that my book was returned to my backpack, but not much else. However, soon a pink, fluffy, bunny shaped object was placed in front of my face.
“This yours?” Dad held out Ben, I grabbed him and held him close to my chest, he was fluffy and comforting. A small reminder of where I was from, however horrible my life was there. He was a gift from someone special.
Both Helios and Lunaire cuddled onto him immediately as well, so it’s a win-win situation!
“Mhm, he is special to me.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, the smell of sake and sea water filled my senses, the small wind brought the slight smell of smoke from Benn’s cigar. It didn’t bother me that much, I’d gotten used to the smell of smoke throughout the years of my past life.
“Oh, it is a he? Does he have a name?” I nod my head slightly, my exhaustion taking ahold of me very quickly,
“...Can you tell us?” I yawn, preparing my voice for speech, trying not to slur my words like I usually did when tired,
“Ben. His name is Ben. I call him Benny though.” I yawned once more, not catching any more of the conversation as I had fallen asleep.
…
…
…
…
…
3rd person:
Shanks held his sleeping daughter in his arms, trying his absolute hardest not to wake her up with his laughing. It had been a close call a few times, his shoulders had shaken her into a half-awake, half-asleep state, but she quickly fell back into a deep slumber.
Benn glared at his captain, he had yet to convince the damn guy that his name was completely different from the stuffed bunny that the little girl was holding close. However, the only argument he had was that his name was spelled differently, and that she called the rabbit Benny.
That last one was immediately taken off his side of the argument when Shanks had started to call him Benny. Which resulted in a one-sided silent battle between the two men.
After a few minutes of Shanks laughing his ass off while trying to keep the little girl asleep, he had calmed down enough to stand up and begin searching for a place to put the sleeping girl.
Their ship wasn’t meant for a small child, no matter how mature she seemed. She had seemed a bit distant at first, and they thought the only thing that kept her from hiding away was the constant conversations that were lent to her during the night.
That was proven not true when she told them she didn’t quite like boats.
Most of the crew was excited to see her and ask about her dragon limb. However, that was quickly put at the bottom of ‘things we should talk about with our captain's daughter’ list.
She had a good habit to have when being a pirate: keeping a close eye on your surroundings, even when it seems like danger is at a good distance away. She was a smart one, but they all felt a twang of pity for the poor girl.
She was a small one, barely 4’1 and had severe trust issues at such a young age. It didn’t change how they acted though, quite the opposite in fact! They partied for as long as they assumed would be deemed appropriate for the girl.. Then they all passed out drunk.
Not that she minded much, she enjoyed the peace, and even got to spend time with her newfound father.
Speaking of which, he had led himself to his own room, which wasn’t used as often as it should’ve been. He usually just slept where his drink was. It wasn’t a good habit, but he was a captain, he was a pirate and a free man, he could do whatever he wanted.
That said, he plopped the little girl down on his bed, she had immediately curled into a ball and scooted over to the far side of the bed, pressing against the wall, her familiars doing the same. However uncomfortable it looked, she had sighed in contentment. Which was good in his book!
He sat down at the edge of the bed, placing a hand on the girl's head, careful to avoid the sensitive horns.
He wouldn’t say he was the best father in the world, but he sure as hell can say he is doing his best. And he assumes he is doing well. She looked happier and less tense.
He smiled to himself and let his hand drop. Yeah. he would train her to become strong, and would give her the necessary tools to bring up her power. He would do that much for her.
One thing he was proud of, for the small amount of time he’s had with her, is that she is strong. Not physically right now, but mentally. She had gone through some things that would probably make a grown man break. But she carried it around like it was nothing, not giving anyone the satisfaction to see her break in front of them.
And he was damn proud of that.
She would make a fine pirate.
His Sea Star would sail with one of the best crews the world would ever see. She would stand alongside the person she chose as captain and protect her new family with her life.
And he couldn’t be more proud.
If this is what being a father is like, then he sure doesn’t mind her being around for a while.
Notes:
Thank you all for waiting! Sorry for not updating on Wednesday, my family got the flu and I've been trying to keep my distance so i don't get sick.
Anyway, I have to give my thanks again for everyone that commented last chapter. It gave light to a bunch of problems with Jessica's character and I promise that I'll try and fix everything up, plus I've got a bunch of new ideas for limitations and drawbacks thanks to you guys!
Now: The training with the Red Haired Pirates will be coming next chapters, but I need to make revisions and fix up somethings within it, so please be patient with me! I wanted this one to be her bonding with most of them as I can't have her going with them so willy nilly.
Trust issues and all :p
I hope you like this chapter and if any of you catch any mistakes or problems I have missed, please tell me! I love constructive criticism, it helps me better my writing!
Answer: Depends on the anime, but overall? Luffy one hundred percent!
Question: if you had to train with Garp, what would be your method of escaping him? and do you think it'd work?
Chapter 11: Chapter 10: Training with strong pirates is HELL
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
I seriously should’ve continued asking them about the training regimen, cause I think this is a form of torture.
It had been about two weeks since coming aboard dad’s ship, and each day was filled up with insane training. Seriously, I think my.. Everything is going to fall off!!
I’m so fucking glad that I usually have Sundays off, but damn do I wish I had longer than a day. Here, let me tell you what hell I had been shoved into:
It was currently Monday, which was… Hell:
Monday Training:
Strength and Endurance with Benn Beckman:
Now, don’t get your hopes up, actually, keep them lower than they already were.
Warm-up was usually around 6:00 - 6:15… IN THE MORNING! I know, it should be illegal to be woken up at 6:00 to start training. I said as much and dad laughed and told me they were pirates and didn’t care about rules. I sighed and grumbled about pirates and stupid training.
He laughed again.
Anyway, the warm up wasn’t too bad. Me and Lami started off with running 2 laps around the deck, which would be fine if I didn’t have weights around my stupid ankles and wrists. When I was training back with mom at the village and hopping around the forest’s trees, the weights I used were not this heavy.
In fact, I might fall over and die if these get any heavier.
Next was dynamic stretching. Which was easy, we did arm swings, leg kicks and torso twists, Benn told us our forms were terrible and we had to do it all over again. It was upsetting, but I would’ve taken that over the one minute plank I had to do three times.
The plank was a one minute hold, probably to engage my core, but my form was so off that I was made to do it three fucking times. It hurt and I cursed the gods for the first time of many.
-o-
Now, I would’ve taken warm ups over anything else the day had to offer.
Lami was sometimes pulled away for a different set of training, but we did get paired up in the same set sometimes.
Strength training was absolute hell. Which was most likely my new favorite word to describe training.
Benn had me do what he called “Weighted Barrel Push” We were to push a mid-sized barrel across the deck. It was filled with sand and it focused on upper body strength.. I guess. It was 50 meters per round and we had to do it four times with one-minute rests between them.
Next was “Pull-Ups and Climbing.” We were to use ropes and hang from the mast, it was to also practice pulling ourselves up to the crossbeam. My goal was to do five pull-ups per rope and climb to the top three times. Benn supervised to probably ensure we didn’t mess up the technique.
After that I was to do the “Leg Strength Drill,” Set for me. I carried a weighted crate (it lighter than the barrels luckily), but unluckily I was to do lunges across the deck. Twenty meters per round and I had to do 4 rounds… Yeah my legs were going to fall off.
It was around 7:15 am at this point and I was allowed a cooldown for.. Fifteen minutes!
Seriously, I’d never been happier. We did static stretches for my arms, legs and back. It was somewhat heaven, or calm before the next storm.
We also did deep breath exercises. By we, I mean me and Lami. Benn had to stop and help out around the ship for a little bit, so I took deep breaths and sat peacefully..
Next I was allowed to stop and go eat a light breakfast. I sat down next to my father and Lami, and began to eat half like a mad man, and half modestly. I wanted to have at least some of my mothers teachings with me!
Lami's snort didn't help either.
Breakfast consisted of high-protein foods like eggs, fish and fruit to restore some of my energy.. I was grateful when I didn't have that many scrambled eggs, I never liked the texture, it made my stomach feel funny.
After breakfast, it was usually late morning.. Or 8:00 am:
Speed and Reflexes:
For the warm up, he had us do sprint intervals, fifty meters springing and a jog back. I repeated it five times before he was satisfied. I was panting heavily, seriously, I hated cardio, no matter how important it might’ve been.
Next, Yassop had me doing some shadowboxing, mostly to improve my reaction speed and agility. It was kinda fun, but my arms were throbbing by the end of it.
I sent a small glare over at my father, who pretended not to see it and began a light whistle.
After the warm up he did something a bit different than Benn. He told me that we would be playing a small reaction game. He would toss wooden discs or small balls in unpredictable directions.
I had to catch or dodge them, depending on the direction, speed and well, my reaction speed. He said we would be done with it when I managed to get ten catches and five dodges.. IN A FIVE MINUTE SPAN..
I sighed in defeat and began begrudgingly. He had me do this four times, with one minute breaks in between. I’m just glad I got breaks. I did get hit with some of the speeding balls and discs, but nothing too bad.
Next on his list was a small obstacle dash.. I loved the idea, but hated the actual exercise. He had set up a custom course with ropes, barrels, and crates off to the side.
I had to run through while avoiding the obstacles, crawling under ropes and leaping over barrels. All while keeping an eye out for small stones that would be launched in my direction by Yassop. I was forced to do this for three rounds! With two minute breaks.
It was hell.
Finally, he had us do a small spar. It was made to practice dodging and countering his attacks with soft, padded weapons. I did more dodging than countering. Actually, I didn’t even get one hit in, but I was getting increasingly good at backpedaling and moving out of the way with attacks.
The cool down was heaven, all that I did was a light jog around the ship to loosen up my muscles and a gentle stretching for my legs and back.
Break was around 9:30 and lasted thirty minutes. We had a small snack of Nuts, dried fruit and water. I sat around Lami and my father, ranting about my training, which caused him to laugh at my frustration.
At midday, I was put into training with Lucky as Yassop was helping around the ship now. The warm up was one of the best I’ve ever had. He had me do some yoga-inspired stretches, focusing more on my wings, back and legs.
The first exercise was dynamic wing movements. I practiced extending and retracting my wings slowly and steadily to build muscle control in them. I did five rounds of twenty extensions. Safe to say my wings were strained. Lami was to do the same, but focusing more on her strengths, like her arms and legs.
Next was balance training, I stood on one leg while balancing a small weight on my outstretched wings. I alternated stances, thirty seconds per side, and five rounds. My wings made my back ache.
The next wasn’t any better, but I didn’t complain as it was a lot better than Benn’s training.. And Yassop’s. I was to do advanced stretching, I followed Lucky as he did some crazy stretches that I didn’t even know were possible. We focused on backbends and splits, he said it was to ensure fluid movements in battle.
It might help, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it!
I wasn’t happy about the final one at all. He had me walking along the ship's rails without falling, carrying a wooden staff balancing on my palms while walking forward and backward. It was fucking scary, especially each time I almost fell into the ocean. Sure there were people to catch me, but the way my heart jumped into my throat each time made me hella happy when I finished with that!
Break was amazing, I had a lunch full of fish, rice and vegetables. Water and some apple juice was as refreshing as a cold cup of water at night.
After lunch, there was no break, I was placed right into training with my dad. He taught me a little about mediation, which was funny because I never thought he would be able to stay still for longer than five minutes at a time. But he surprised me by sitting still for a good thirty minutes while I practiced meditation.
I closed my eyes and took deep breaths, my mind slowly depleting of any thoughts. That small white flame was there in an instant. The white bud of hot light that never seemed to hurt me, flew around my body as my eyes followed the little light. It was mesmerizing, the white fire, I reached out to it and it immediately flew into my hand.
This time, no pain was accompanied by it. The flame was warm, but not quite hot in my palm. I reached out my second hand and stroked what I thought was its head. The flame wiggled and then jumped from my hand, the small bud circled around me happily.
I guess it did.
I was about to ask something when I was pulled out of my meditation with a poke on my cheek. I opened an eyes and saw my father smiling brightly,
“I guess meditation is your strong suit, or are you just sleeping?” I snorted and waved him away with my hand, he let out a small sound of mock betrayal, but sat back down in front of me.
“I guess, the flame was weirdly friendly though. I held it and no pain happened so it’s not that bad I guess.”
Dad thought about it for a second before something like a thought appeared on his face, “What if it was there to transform you? But it wasn’t supposed to be seen for a while? You did say your transformation was earlier than normal, so it might just be happy you saw it.”
I nod my head, following his thought process, “Yeah I guess that's a good explanation, but why’d you have to poke me?”
“Oh, I just wanted to! Plus it's time for more training!” I groaned, but stood up, a bit reluctantly, but I still stood up. Lami was still meditating, but I assume she just fell asleep.
Dad helped with my energy and mental stuff. For the first exercise I was to project my energy outward in small bursts. He had tried to explain what it might feel like, and it helped a lot. I managed to hit the quota he set: Hold my aura for ten seconds without losing focus. I did this for five rounds until he was happy with my work.
The next was focus training. A game where he tries to distract me with light conversation or sudden noises while I try to maintain my concentration on my energy and the bond. The Whisper and Souls also helped out in this. They constantly were talking, but it would help in the long run I guess.. I didn’t have to like it though.
The next was my favorite, he told me stories of powerful people and their stories. Mostly to build my inspiration to push through different challenges. It was quite peaceful and I liked it a lot.
After the stories I got to have a small snack of fresh fruit and water. Resting for a good thirty minutes before my last training of the day.
Evening training was fine. I practiced with Benn and some of the crew. I flapped my wings in slow, controlled movements to warm up the muscles. Although they were sore, the wings followed along and did pretty well.
The drills I was forced to do were quite taxing on my poor wings. I used my wings to push myself off the deck slightly, supposingly to build strength. I did three rounds of ten wing push-ups. I hated them more than most things.
I was then instructed to hold my wings in various positions while balancing on one foot. I did this for one minute per stance.. Five stances were what I was supposed to do, but they decided that because I was pretty good at controlling my wings, I was to do three more.
I cursed the gods again.
Finally, I was to practice lifting off the deck. The crew helped me in small hops unsung my wings. I managed a four -second flight at the height of two inches. Which was more than the goal of three seconds. I was proud of my accomplishment, but not happy when I realized the duration would probably move up.
I finally was allowed to cool down by flapping my wings. I finished and ran over to the kitchen to eat something. I was starving and food sounded like the best thing ever. However, I was stopped and taken to the head to wash up.
Once done I shuffled into my (now clean) clothes and wrapped the dirty ones in my arms, placing them in a bucket of soapy water off to the side, letting it soak and wash off the sweat from today's work.
Once done I ran to the kitchen, tossing myself into a chair next to my dad, he and the crew laughed at my excited face, but made a plate for me anyways.
I was given a large plate of meat, fruit and vegetables. It was so fucking good after a day as stressful as this one, that I abandoned all manners and ate it like it was my last meal on earth.. Before passing out into a deep sleep right after.
I swear I heard laughing from my side as I was picked up and moved over to the bed, which I curled up in and fell into a deep sleep.
…—O—O—O—...
When I woke up the next morning, it wasn’t gentle, or calm. I had the covers ripped off and my body slung over the shoulders of someone. I blinked the sluggishness out of my eyes and saw bright red hair.
“Come on Sea Star! We are going to start your morning training now!” I groan and begin to struggle in his arms. My body was so fucking sore. I’m hurting in places I didn’t even know could hurt.
A scream from the side told me Lami was in the same predicament.
It soothed my soul a tiny bit.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have a chance to escape and I was brought out onto the ship, my flailing had stopped at that point and dad placed me on the ground as I grumbled about hating mornings and how I was going to curse the gods for making them.
“Well, I’ll leave you to it! Good luck Sea Star!” He laughed as he walked off, leaving me to shakily stand up and face Benn with a deadpan stare. A smile was placed on his face, looking a little too pleased for my consciousness to be happy.
I chuckled nervously, “...So what's on the agenda for today?”
-o-
I shouldn't have asked.
Really.
It was probably my fault.
I first was told to start with the same warm up stretches as last time, but after they were done, I ran three laps around the deck, gradually increasing the speed with each lap. And he seemed to like Yassop’s idea of shadowboxing, because he had me do it for five minutes. He said it was a good way to activate my muscles.
It took me less than a second to realize that the days weren’t the same. How I came to this discovery is less than appreciated. I was told to sprint the length of the deck with small weights strapped to my ankles, six times… WITHOUT SLOWING DOWN!! And I only got one minute's rest in between!!
Safe to say me and Lami were panting like crazy.
He didn’t even give me time to calm down, because the second I finished the damn sprints, he gave me a medium-sized barrel for me to toss forward with a certain amount of strength. He had me toss it at least two meters per toss.. I did ten tosses twice, with two minute rests after the first set.
To be honest, I hate bodybuilding. Like I swear to god I'm getting heavier after each push up. I was ordered to do three sets of ten push ups, three sets of fifteen squats and three sets of plank holds, thirty seconds.. EACH …
My cool down was just a light jog and some stretching. And this was all before breakfast.
I seriously am so happy that I made it for breakfast. The grilled fish and over-easy eggs tasted like heaven and the pear that I ate was the sweetest one I’d ever had.
However, the peace could only last so long. Because as I finished my meal, I was manhandled again, this time Yassop had slung me over his shoulder and made his way outside with a small wave over to my dad. Who I gave a pleading look. He either didn’t notice or pretended not to notice.. FU–
Yassop, for a warm up, had me jog lightly around the ship while maintaining a steady breath. It was pretty hard considering my legs were still sore, but with the stretching that I'd done yesterday, I wasn’t in too much pain.
After my quick jog, he did a small target practice using small rocks and having me throw another one, trying to make the one I threw hit the one he tossed. I only hit the rock once out of thirty; he said I’d get better and to not be down.
And when he said I’d get better, what he meant was I was going to train my ass off getting better. So I spent some time throwing weight objects at some moving objects he set up. I wasn’t allowed to continue if I didn’t hit seven out of ten in each round.. There were five rounds.. I am so fucking lucky the targets are larger than the small stones.
The next was quite fun, at least for me. Yassop tossed multiple objects at once, either towards me or up, and I would either catch or dodge them based on his instructions. (e.g., “Catch that blue ball, dodge the yellow one”). We did this for twenty minutes, and it’s safe to say it was my favorite one of all so far.
Unfortunately, the next exercise was me walking along a narrow plank with small weights in my hands, trying to maintain proper balance and focus and Yassop tried to distract me. I did moderately well, only falling off a few times.
I was pleasantly surprised that it was my last exercise with him and it was now breaktime.. No matter, I’m going to take that break and love it!
I had some dried fruit, nuts and water before Lucky called me over. Yassop had long been away helping the rest of the crew.
My warm up with Lucky was simple yoga poses to stretch out my back, legs and wings. Then I practiced flapping my wings in controlled bursts to loosen the muscles.
My first lesson with him was me using my wings to push against ropes held by him, he said it mimicked resistance bands. I hated it. And we did three rounds of ten flaps! With only one minute rest! My wings are going to be so sore..
I then had weights placed on my back and I was to walk across the deck, fifty meters per round, with four rounds. It wasn’t too bad, I quite enjoyed the peace!
However, the peace fled the moment I was to practice high jumps. I used my legs to push up and my wings to propel upward. I made it four meters, which was above the three meter goal.
…I’ve never been so disappointed in myself.. I should’ve held back! Now I’m going to have to go higher! Ugh..
The final order was flexibility, I did many different stretches, pushing past what was comfortable. I seriously don’t think doing the splits would ever help me, but go off I guess!
And finally I got to go eat some lunch. Which was a heavy meal of rice, frilled vegetable, and lean meat. I scarfed it down like a pro, seriously, I hate training.
-o-
I had flight and adaptability with dad, he was better with this than mediation, probably because it was more active than just sitting somewhere silently. So he had me meet him out on deck at 1:00 pm to warm up.
He had me slowly flap my wings, mostly to build up lost control and some strength. He had me do this while I lightly jog around the ship, waving to someone of the crew as I did so.
First part of his flight training was for me to extend my wings to their full length and then jump off some crates, flapping slightly to stay in a gliding position for five rounds. It hurt slightly, my back ached with the tension between my back and wings, but it was kinda fulfilling to finish it with around 2-3 seconds each round.
The next thing he had me do was slightly different, but mostly in the same field of gliding/flying. I flapped my wings in short bursts to stimulate hovering, trying to gain a duration of 15 seconds per attempt, which went pretty well, although I only made it through 3 of the 5…
The last one he had me do before a break was some wind resistance practice. He would create gusts of wing with the ship’s sails (much to the complaint of the crew) while I stood on a crate and tried to stabilize myself using my wings for one minute a round. I made it through.. None of the three. It was something dad said we’d work on..
After a quick thirty minute break and some fresh fruit and water, I was all set for my evening practices.
I stretched my arms, legs, and wings to prevent any stiffness or (worse) soreness. I was then led into a basic combat movement practice. I practiced punches, kicks and some tail sweeps under Benn’s guidance. I did three rounds of fifteen moves each.
Next I did defensive maneuvers: dodging soft, padded strikes from the crew while maintaining my stance. I did this for thirty minutes. Mostly getting my ass handed to me on a silver platter, but it would be helpful in the long run!
Finally, I was placed in a plank pose.. Told to maintain it for thirty minutes.. WITH A BARREL ON MY BACK!! As light as it was, thirty minutes was seriously too much. So I failed that one in less than five minutes. I was helped to my feet and led into a cooldown of stretching before heading to the bathroom and doing my night-time hygiene routine.
I had a towel over my hair as I walked into the table and slumped down in the chair, eating my food at a concerning rate before thumping my head on the wood.
“You ok Sea Star?” I grumbled out something about killing or sleeping. I couldn't really tell which one to be honest, but it made dad laugh and he picked me up, walked me to his room (which I’ve mostly been sleeping in) and passed out the second my head hit the pillow..
I dreamed of stars, galaxies and ocean waves. It was peaceful.
…—O—O—O—...
Wednesday wasn’t much better. I was woken up at 5: 50 am and got ready for another day of training.
Benn had me warm up by running three laps around the ship’s perimeter while carrying light weights, dynamic stretches focusing on my arms, legs, and wings to prepare me for the.. “Intense exercises” ahead.. It didn’t give me much hope. Finally, a quick shadow boxing practice was tossed into the fray.
After warm ups, I was subjected to lifting a medium-weight barrel from the ground to an overhead position, three sets of ten reps with a two minute rest between each set. After I had completed the inhumane task, I was told to pull a heavy crate across the deck using ropes to represent pulling heavy loads.
I pulled the crate ten meters per pull with 4 pulls and a three minute break between them.
Finally he had me strengthen my tail by having me use my tail to push or pull a smaller crate. I was told that it built control and power in my tail, which was great for eventual combat.
After a quick breakfast, I sluggishly dragged myself over to Yassop, who began to immediately toss small objects at varying angles for me to dodge, catch or deflect. I didn’t do so well, I got hit more than twenty times and my catching left much to be desired. And don’t even ask me about deflecting..
After my miserable attempt at the warm up, he had me navigate through a maze of swinging ropes, barrels and nets while staying low or jumping over obstacles. I had to complete it in under three minutes.. I had to do it eight times for it to finally stop..
After the obstacle course, I was subjected to balancing on one leg or tail with my wings extended while he threw soft objects at me to distract me. I was to hold my position for thirty seconds per side, five times.. I made it through! Just barely, but I did do it!
I was set to do a quick thinking exercise, a few riddles and puzzles were sent my way as I continued physical movements, like jogging or wing flapping.
And finally I was soon blindfolded and set somewhere while I tried to identify objects or predict movements based on sound or touch alone. It was meant to sharpen my dragon senses, but I blocked those out for now, it was the perfect time to try to activate Observation Haki! Not that I didn’t block it out the whole time, I did turn on dragon senses halfway through so I could get some practice with it!
And with that I was allowed my final break with some fresh fruit and water before I began today's flight and wing coordination training. I had Lucky this time and I wasn’t too sure what I would be doing to be honest.
With that I walked out to meet with Lucky, who, as always, had a leg of meat in one hand and was chowing down on it, finishing as I came out.
“Alright Spitfire, we’re gonna work on your flying stuff today! Ain’t nothing gonna happen if ya just stand there!” I nod my head and begin the warm up I had learned earlier.
I started off with gently flapping my wings to improve the blood flow and reduce stiffness, then I striked yoga-like poses to stretch out my spine and tail. Luckily, it was quick and simple!
When we began the actual training, I was told to climb up to the mass and jump off. It shocked me at first, but then they went on to say I would stretch my wings out and glide to a marked point on the deck, using my wings for a controlled descent.
I was to land within two meters of the marked point and I would try this five different times with three minute breaks…
I failed.
I failed badly.
The first time I jumped off and immediately went canteening for the ocean and had to be pulled out of the air before I hit the water. The second I had a little air time.. Before I straight up dive bombed the damn ship, landing face first into the wood. Luckily, my nose just needed to be patched up,
I was much less welcoming for the third time, but I managed to jump off.. Only to immediately overfly the mark and slam headfirst into dad while he had his back turned. And yes, he did turn around (observation haki) but he really couldn’t stop me from plowing into him if he didn’t want to hurt me.
The fourth time wasn’t really me jumping, more of like springing away from emanate death.
It was a spider and I freaked out.
So with that in mind, it was perfectly normal that I fell onto Benn, who had been walking out onto the deck. I apologized, but was immediately whisked away for my last try.
I stared down at the deck from the mass and deadpanned. They had made the mark larger, but everyone had scattered a few.. Twenty feet away from where I was aiming. So with much reluctance, I took a running jump and opened my wings.
I squeezed my eyes shut to brace for my crash, but it didn’t happen.. I opened them for a second and squealed with happiness that I was actually gliding down to the (much larger) mark!
And then the winds changed and I was slapped in the face with the sail.. And fell.
Everyone witnessed me curse out the most colorful words I’d heard.. And probably laughed at my plight.
I sight and allowed myself to begin the next exercise was a bit more stable, I was to hover in one spot, using controlled wing flaps. I had to do this for 15 seconds, gradually increasing it as my strength builds up. I managed five seconds.
The next was to build strength in my wings, I flapped my wings against ropes that Lucky held. I had to do three rounds of ten powerful flaps. It was so fucking hard. Which soon replaced my numb satisfaction as I began to stretch my wings and upper body for my cooldown.
And with a goodbye to Lucky, I was on my way for lunch, which was some grilled chicken, rice and steamed vegetables. I was given a cup of apple juice, and a large mug of water. I drank and enjoyed my meal at a relatively normal pace.
Afternoon training with dad was going to be hell. Not with the fact he was a bad teacher or anything, I was just not looking forward to the insane amounts of combat I was going to have to do. I sucked in a breath and began my warm up.
The warm up was some quick footwork, moving side to side while avoiding some stones to improve my agility and balance.. Butttt, if it happened to help unlock my observation haki, then who am I to disapprove? I was then placed into a quick round of shadow boxing while dad helped correct my form or the way I threw out punches.
The first thing he had to do was dodging practice, he threw soft (for him) punches and kicks at me, it was my job to anticipate and dodge effectively. I was not allowed to hit back, only move out of the way. It was annoying, but would be versatile to learn.
The second was basic striking. He had me throw punches, kicks, and tail sweeps on a padded dummy. He observed and helped correct anything that wasn’t up to mark or that would cause potential harm.
The final practice was stance holding. I was to hold a proper combat stance for one minute intervals while dad challenged my balance.. Through rocks and small pebbles.
The cool down was the normal stretches, with focus mostly on my tail and legs instead of back and, well, anything else.
I had some water and a sweet pastry that tasted quite good, before being whisked off to do some stamina and group drills with some of the crew.
I warmed up with a light jog alongside some people while listening to them exchange stories and tales. The next was a game of tug-a-war that I had suggested. My tail and wings helped my team win. Even if dad called it cheating, I knew he’d let me and my team win.
I still won though.
We ran alongside each other again, this time, gradually getting faster with each lap, we ran about one kilometer total before beginning light sparring with padded weapons against each other.. Under dad’s supervision of course, but I trusted Benn more to come over and stop things if it got too violent.
A gentle stretching was all I needed before I rushed off and completed my nightly routine. Once washed up and ready, I made my way to the kitchen and to the table, where I ate a pretty big helping of fish stew, bread and fruit.
Then I hopped off, walked out of the dining room and tried to make my way to the bed I usually slept in. Only to be picked up and placed on my fathers shoulders as he laughed and joked all the way to his room.
When he set me down I immediately rushed to the bed, shuffling into the corner with my new pillow and blankets that the crew had somehow found and given to me. I fell asleep with a goodnight to my dad and a gentle song from Raven and Oliva. They were amazing at harmony.
…—O—O—O—...
When I woke up in the morning I jumped out of bed and probably made my way over to the deck, where I was met by Yassop for my morning training.
Apparently he was doing agility and reflex today, so my warm-up consisted of running three laps around the deck while dodging different ropes that the crew so graciously swung in my path.
Light stretches for my legs, wings, and tail were added for flexibility. My quick reaction drills was Yassop throwing small objects being thrown at me again.
Apparently it was supposed to have me focus my peripheral vision, but at this point I just think he enjoys hitting me with rocks.
For the first practice, ropes swung across the deck mimicking aerial maneuvers. I was to complete the course without touching the ropes in 5 attempts. Within each of those attempts I would get two minute Breaks in between. I passed two attempts, the other three I failed.
Unfortunately for me, the next exercise was me having to sprint to different marked points on the deck as he called out random directions. My goal was to react within one second to his commands. The duration of this was 10 minutes so the intense sprinting, 5 minute rests and repeat.
Like I said. HELL.
And again I was fortunate enough to have to balance on my tail while catching soft projectiles he threw at me. Apparently this was to build stability and awareness of my Dragon tail’s capabilities. it was, to me, just another way he could throw things at me.
Usopp's so gonna hate me when I start to teach him haki.
Luckily, the cool-down was soon and I did some gentle stretches to loosen up my back and legs, while slowly breathing to calm down after the drills. And fed me breakfast consisted of smoked fish, and fresh fruit.
Lucky led me over to Benn for his training time. I was led into shadow boxing with weighted gloves and wing stretches for my warm up. Focusing on my extension and retraction with the folding.
First practice, he had me lift and toss the medium weight Barrel into a marked target zone. My goal was to land the barrel within the designated area. I had three sets of 10 throws with 3 minute rests in between. I passed, only slightly, but I did pass.. I'm still gonna have to do this, aren’t I?
FUC–
Next he had me do precision tail swipes, I had to use my tail to knock over specific wooden blocks set up by Benn. My goal was to only hit the marked targets without touching others. I had five rounds of 15 blocks.. And may or may not have…
Failed miserably.
Don't ask.
The next exercise was a little different, he tested the toughness of my scales by applying controlled pressure with blunt objects. The goal here was to improve my ability to tense specific areas of my body for defense.
It was weird and I could almost immediately, if not before, harden and tense my body, awaiting the prodding of the object. It was useful!
With nothing else to do, Benn tossed small objects for me to catch or block using only my claws, tail or wings. Forcing me to anticipate their trajectory while only using a few limbs. It was actually pretty hard.
My break was filled with me eating jerky, nuts, drinking lots of water and preparing for the worst training that was bound to come.
Lucky had me do some light jogging combined with gentle wing flaps to loosen my shoulders for one part of the warm up. While, dynamic stretches that focused on my core and tail were the second part.
He said we were doing flying basics today, so he had me leap off the mast and glide towards a marked area on the deck. I did five different jumps, with corrections from Lucky after each. I'm happy to say that I managed to make it somewhat close to the mark at my fifth try.
Hovering practice was a little bit different because I had to attempt to stay airborne using short, controlled wing flaps. I had to hold the position for 10 seconds, gradually increasing the time. My goal was to improve stamina and control of my wings and flying.
When resistance training, was just me flapping my wings against resistance created by ropes held by Lucky. I did 3 rounds of 20 flaps with 5 minute breaks. It was quite difficult, and I’m not looking forward to the actual wind.
Finally, right before lunch I did a cool-down of slow, controlled wing stretches to prevent strain. Once I finished I rushed into the kitchen and scarfed down my lunch, which consisted of grilled fish, steamed vegetables, and rice.
After lunch, I met up with my father on the deck. I was to be practicing combat and endurance with him today, so I knew it wasn't going to be fun.
For warm up I did footwork drills to improve my speed, also focusing on basic strikes and tail movements with him supervising. It was a pretty good warm up all in all, and I would say it was even one of the more tame ones.
He threw me into dodging exercises almost immediately. Punches were thrown left and right with patted attacks and I had to dodge without using my wings. My wings were folded in on themselves and I tried to balance my body with the extra weight of them folded in.
It was very difficult to balance but I managed.. Somewhat.
Basic striking was just practice punches, kicks, and claw swipes on padded dummies. I did three rounds of 15 strikes each. Actually, I was wondering how each of these dummies got fixed everyday, but I'm guessing it's just some logic I shouldn't understand.
The combat stamina test that Dad made focused on maintaining energy over extended rounds and fights, as he pulled me into light sparring with him.
Safe to say I did not have enough stamina for that, and it was only two, ten minute rounds, with 5 minute breaks in between.
Cooling down was just some gentle stretching to relax my muscles and tail, and my break felt even better with some fresh fruit and water.
Evening training was literally the same as the day before. running across the deck, tug of war, endurance running, sparring in pairs it was all the same. I liked the routine very much.
My nightly hygienic duties were finished soon and I rushed into the dining room to scarf down at an incredibly fast rate my meal of stew, bread, and a sweet dessert made of fruit and some sweet honey.
My head thunked down onto the table as I passed out into a deep sleep. I heard dad chuckle while my body was being moved and placed onto something soft. I could only assume I was placed into bed, covered by my blankets and pillows, awaiting the next day of cruel, cruel torture (training).
…—O—O—O—...
Friday was my third favorite day of the week, it was the last day before the weekend, which wouldn’t consist of training!
With that in mind I rushed out of bed and did some wake up stretches. I was up a few minutes earlier than usual, but at least I still got out of bed!
When I walked out to meet Benn, he had me do the normal jogging around the ship, stretches (that focused on my torso and lower back this time), and some wing flaps to prepare for balance-intensive drills that I was going to do today.
For my first practice, I held a plank position while he placed weighted sacks on my back. I was to hold for thirty seconds per set, increasing to one minute over time. I did five different rounds, with a two minute break in between them.
It hurt a lot to try and stand still, but it wasn’t as bad as hanging from the ship's mast using my tail while performing crunches. That was painful. I barely made it through the three rounds of ten crunches each. Seriously, I might not make it through some of these exercises..
I think he might’ve taken some pity on me, because my last order was to balance on one leg while extending my wings outward, while holding a weight in my hands. This was quite easy and I managed through the four rounds, barely falling or swaying.
Stretches were welcomed as I slowly did them, as to not make it obvious I wanted to leave to go eat.
So the second we were done I rushed over to the dining room and ate the large omelet with vegetables, toast and the usual fresh fruit. Seriously, it was so fucking good. I think this might be my favorite meal here so far! (Other than mom’s food. That shit was delish!)
-o-
After breakfast I met up with Lucky for my flying lessons, which after yesterday, I wasn’t looking forward to.. But I had to suck it up and complete it so I could get stronger!
He had me stretch out my wings while lightly jogging in place and some short flaps to activate my shoulder and chest muscles.
The flight drills were.. Fine.. I wasn’t jumping off the mast this time, just an aerial obstacle course that was set up with ropes and barrels. I was to finish without hitting the obstacles. I did this for five rounds.. and failed each one!
My dive and recovery practice was me doing controlled dives from the mass, pulling up before hitting the deck. I had to attempt ten dives, increasing my speed each time.. Oh I absolutely failed, destroying my nose and jaw in the process.
I actually thought something was broken for a second, but my dragon healing got to it first and I was soon fixed up, if not a little tired from the healing.
I also think Lucky took pity on me, because all he had me do for the next drill was to hover over the deck for as long as possible without landing. If I focused hard and strained myself, I could do ten seconds, which was pretty impressive!
A cool down of gentle wing stretches and breathing exercises with a snack of a protein bar and water was all it took for me to be ready for the next training season with my father.
-o-
For warm up I did some simple shadow sparring, and quick footwork drills. Nothing too exciting, but would help nonetheless.
That bastard had Benn help him out! That cheater! How could he?? The betrayal! Dad and Benn both took turns creating surprise attacks from different directions, they all made my life so much harder, especially when Yassop decided it looked fun enough to start tossing small stones in my direction.
Dad was all for it as well! Traitor!
After getting my ass handed to me on a silver platter, he had me do some tail and claw combos. I practiced coordinated strikes with my claws and tail, aiming for precise hits.
I wish I could say any of them hit..
The multiple opponent sparring was quite cool! I enjoyed the feeling of adrenaline, even if I didn’t beat anyone. It was still interesting to adapt to the battlefield! And with some light sketches and deep breathing, I was sent on my way to lunch!
Some fish stew, bread and roasted vegetables awaited me at my table spot, and I inhaled it. I wasn’t about to let it get cold because I was too busy savoring the dish. It was nice and warm!
Some of the crew was waiting for me on the deck. We had planned this the day before and added it into the training schedule. Our warm up was some light calisthenics, including jumping jacks and arm swings. And we didn’t forget the simple stretches!
We had fun with this training though. A relay race was made and we ran alongside each other, me using my wings to gain some speed. This ignited a small argument on whether they could use objects or not.
They couldn’t.
We all sparred with different members for fifteen minutes before switching to the next person, with five minute breaks between each person. I enjoyed the laughter and was analyzing their different fighting methods.
Finally, we played “Captured the Barrel”. It sounds like “Capture the Flag”, but instead of two different barrels, there was one that was guarded by the crew. I had to retrieve it without being caught. I had a lot of fun just messing with the guards. I didn’t win, but it was fun!
Our cool down was just some slow, deep stretches for my wings, back and legs. Nothing much. Plus a good snack and break.
Evening training was actually surprisingly easy. For warm up we did gentle movements to relax my muscles. It was weird, but I think it's just to prepare me for a calmer weekend.
We did a free form session, where Dad allowed me to focus on areas I felt needed improvement. He provided guidance if I needed help on certain subjects that he had more knowledge on. Mostly combat and sword play, but it was perfect!
Meditation and visualization techniques were provided by Benn so I could improve my focus and combat mindset. although I have zero idea what that means.
Dinner was a filling meal of fish bread and vegetables. I also had a lovely cup of apple juice to go with my water.
I did my nightly routine and went straight to bed. I didn't even say goodnight to anyone or anything.. Well I might have said goodnight to my dad but other than that no one heard a peep!
And so I fell into a dreamless sleep, waiting for the weekend to approach with open arms.
Notes:
Hello, hello! I am super excited to show this chapter, its been on the 'to write' and 'to edit' list WAY to long and I finally fixed it up. I swear, trying to make a training scheduled is insanely hard and if I didn't have a deep respect for authors now, this would've made me praise them more.
I hope you enjoy this chapter and if there's anything I should add or fix, please tell me! I don't mind constructive criticism and it actually helps me be a better writer!
Answer: I'd try to make a pathway that is easy to run through before he arrives to a hiding place, but with observation Haki? Yeah, I'm screwed, I wouldn't get away and my ass would be sent to hell immediately.
Question: If you could grow up as the twin to any One Piece character, who would it be and why?
Chapter 12: Chapter 11: WHY DID YOU DROP ME OFF HERE?!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The first time there was a pirate attack, was a couple weeks into our training. We were nowhere near strong enough to take on even a single pirate. So me and Lami stayed below like we said we would and had our legs swing off from the bedside.
Helios and Lunaire were roughhousing on the floor, being quiet but also playing.
They were so adorable.
I yawned and fell back onto the bed, I had gotten quite tanned since starting my training and I was proud of it! My skin was a deep honey color that was very pretty. I adored my new look and promised to keep my skin from turning back to that sickly pale color that I had been wearing before.
Anyway, training was going great! After the first week or two I managed to get a good handle on the schedule, sometimes when one was occupied, another would take his place, but I was getting stronger each day and I could feel it.
I had been banned from reading the book until further notice, as it could be read sometime in the future. I knew they’d be dropping me off in a few day’s so I didn’t mind all that much.
So I trained my ass off and practiced fighting forms anytime I could. It was frustrating at first, I couldn’t find the right fighting style for me. I knew I wanted to wield a scythe, but I couldn’t build one and was stuck with swords or guns.
It was a problem for another day, and I could tackle it after dad destroys these pirates.
We were currently a few weeks away from the island Dad said I was staying at. He wanted to give me a bit more time to train, so we took a route that was a bit longer.
I couldn’t escape quicker. Dad took it upon himself to make a learning opportunity like fathers usually did and began training me in different weather, from freezing snow to boiling hot sun. I trained in every type of environment.
Seriously, I don’t think I can last much longer..
Life was happier for me. I had gotten some new clothes after a pit-stop. No dresses or skirts at all, just some tank tops, shirts, shorts, and pants. Nothing much, but it made my life a whole lot easier.
I heard the shouting suddenly stop and a pair of feet stomping down the hallway to where I was,
“Sea Star! Time to come out and train!” I sighed and begrudgingly got up, I should’ve known..
"Gods, I hate training so much." I muttered, slinging an arm over my eyes dramatically.
"You've said that five times now." Lami snorted.
"Doesn't make it any less true."
…—O—O—O—...
The first time I unlocked my haki was… well, let’s just say it wasn’t graceful. It was loud, chaotic, and very on-brand for me.
It started out like any other day. I was hunched over my breakfast plate, hair sticking out in ten different directions because mornings and I had never been friends, trying to wake up with food instead of caffeine. It was a bright Wednesday morning, the kind that should’ve been peaceful, except peace didn’t exist on this ship. Not when Shanks’ crew was around.
Sure enough, a handful of them barreled into the room, their voices raised and overlapping like excited children.
I raised one tired eyebrow and looked toward Lucky Roux, who was happily chewing on what I swore had to be the same hunk of meat he’d been eating since I got here. Without missing a beat, he leaned closer and explained between bites, “They’re excited because they won a bet up on deck.”
I yawned, fighting the urge to put my face back down on the table. “What were they betting on this time?”
“Whether or not the mast could hold three men at once,” he said with a shrug, as if this was the most normal statement in the world.
“...And did it?”
Lucky smirked. “Nope.”
From across the table, Lami snorted into her cup. She’d been quieter these last few weeks, the weight of everything still heavy on her shoulders, but moments like this brought out that hint of joy again. “I swear, you people are children,” she said, shaking her head. Her eyes flicked toward me, amusement softening her features. “You fit right in.”
“Hey!” I protested, pointing my fork at her. “I’m way more mature than these guys.”
That earned a laugh from the crew behind us and an exaggerated cough from Beckman, who was already reaching for a bottle at nine in the morning.
Rolling my eyes, I scraped the last bits of food off my plate and carried it to the sink. I hummed under my breath as I grabbed a sponge and started scrubbing, still only half awake. My dragon senses were muted—Dad had suggested I keep them turned off sometimes to train my other instincts—and so everything felt muffled, distant, quiet.
Until suddenly, it wasn’t.
Something pinged in my head. Sharp. Fast. Wrong.
I didn’t even think. My body moved before my mind caught up, and my hand shot out. My fingers closed around cold metal.
A knife.
The room froze.
I blinked down at it, then looked up slowly. Across the table, one of the younger crew members was frozen mid-gesture, hand half-raised like he’d been waving it around carelessly. His face had gone pale. “I—I didn’t mean to—”
The others gawked at me, wide-eyed. Lami, sitting straighter now, looked just as shocked but her lips were twitching like she couldn’t decide if she wanted to gasp or laugh.
Lucky’s grin spread so wide I thought his face might split in two.
Oh. Oh no.
“Uh oh,” I muttered.
The door creaked open, and I already knew who it was before I turned.
Dad strolled in, hair a mess, coat swinging lazily. He scanned the room, eyebrow arched at the way everyone was staring at me. When his gaze dropped to the knife in my hand, and then to Lucky’s massive grin, his own smile began to creep across his face.
That was not a good smile.
“Uh… what now?” I asked nervously, sweat prickling at the back of my neck.
His grin widened, sharp and far too pleased.
“Training.”
I groaned, flopping my head dramatically onto the counter. “Ah, damnit.”
The crew erupted into laughter, Lami included this time, her chuckles spilling out as she leaned back with crossed arms. “You had to show off at breakfast, huh?” she teased. “Now you’re doomed.”
“Et tu, Lami?” I whined.
She just smirked. “Yup.”
…
And so began the nightmare.
Observation haki training was, apparently, code for “get pelted with random shit until you cry.” Yassop took particular glee in personally handling my lessons, arming himself with a sack full of pebbles, shells, spoons—literally anything he could get his hands on—and throwing them at me at unpredictable intervals.
“Focus, kid!” he shouted cheerfully as another pebble bounced off my forehead.
“I AM focusing!” I shouted back, rubbing the sore spot.
“Not enough!” Thunk. Another pebble.
Lami sat off to the side, sipping juice and watching me like I was a circus act. “You’re not supposed to catch them with your face, Jess.”
I shot her a glare, barely dodging another spoon. “Thanks, big sis. Very helpful advice!”
She grinned, unabashed. “Anytime.”
The worst part? She was actually pretty good at helping. Whenever my frustration bubbled too high, she’d calm me down with some sarcastic remark or a reminder to breathe, and that weirdly kept me from snapping entirely.
It went on for hours. Pebbles, spoons, knives, even a boot at one point. By the end of the day, I was bruised, cranky, and ready to set the ship on fire.
But deep down… I couldn’t deny it.
Every time my hand moved before my eyes saw, every time my body dodged before my brain shouted danger, it lit something up inside me. Something wild. Something strong.
And though I’d never admit it out loud, I could tell from the look in Lami’s eyes that she was proud.
…
I collapsed onto the deck later that night, sprawled on my back, groaning like a corpse. “This is hell.”
Lami plopped down beside me, nudging my shoulder with hers. “Yeah, but you’re getting better.”
I cracked one eye open. “You think so?”
“I know so,” she said, her smile small but real. “You’re already better than you were this morning.”
I blinked at her. Then grinned weakly. “Oh, Usopp. You’re going to hate me.”
Lami laughed softly, shaking her head. “What the hell does that mean?”
“You’ll see,” I said, smirking up at the stars.
Sweet, sweet revenge was coming.
…—O—O—O—...
It was a couple more weeks of training (now around a month and a half of training now) and I seemed to have gotten better at being woken up at that outrageous hour. I actually have developed a habit of getting up early, it sucks, especially on weekends!
Anyway, my transformation training was going great! I could feel my transforming back into a human goal coming along nicely, I might even be able to soon. Or so I hope. It's been annoying hiding away when someone comes along to test their luck.
They always lose quickly, but it's the principle of it!
So I’ve been practicing meditations on the weekends as well when I have time, especially when I wake up early. It’s been going good, I’ve perfected the ability to block out any and all thoughts, noise, movement and anything.
It took a while, and I kept getting interrupted (which helped in the long run, but was still annoying), but it was all in good fun!.. I think.
Anyway, I’d been gaining a bit of muscle and my wings had been getting stronger! I was pretty good at fighting now, and my tail was good and strong. I still haven't been able to find a weapon, but I seem to be getting closer. Swords are nice, I like the feel of them, but it just didn’t feel right.
So for now I practice with every weapon available to me, except guns. God, I hate guns.
But for now, I will continue my training and hope to god I get everything right.
…—O—O—O—...
Ok, so I was getting annoyed.
What was annoying me, might you ask?
Well, it was my stupid dragon.
I could picture it as perfect as day. A large pale white dragon with different shades of gray and black, attacking a perfectly laid out gate. One that held it back from ripping my body apart.
It was restless and wanted to be let out so bad, but my body and spirits wouldn’t let it. I could only watch from afar as the dragon constantly ran into the bars, the cage, that trapped it. I felt sorry for it, but every roar and every bang reminded me that if I let it go, I wouldn’t live.
The dragon didn’t trust me, even though it was technically me , it didn’t trust me at all. I had to earn it, and I haven’t yet. This caused me to not be able to go human again.
That was the reason I’m so frustrated right now, I want to turn back into a human. I want to feel what I was before awakening the dragon. The wings and tail didn’t feel right yet, no matter how much time had passed since the transformation, I didn’t feel comfortable with them yet.
I could move them fine, sure I could attack with them, sure I could use them, but I didn’t feel them like I could with, say, my arms or legs. I wasn’t prepared for them, and my dragon wasn’t prepared for me.
So the transformation just wouldn’t come, and I was annoyed.
I had tried to talk with Dad about this, but it just never worked out the way I wanted it to. He was a good listener, but he didn’t know what to do, and pushed me to train a bit more around my transformations.
I was happy he was trying, and I could see he was slightly upset he couldn’t do much, but I still felt.. Not me.
So I began to train relentlessly on the weekends, occasionally being able to make out my human form, but it just never came, and I was getting so fucking annoyed .
Well, let's hope I get good results soon, because if I don’t, that dragon is going to hear from me.
…—O—O—O—...
My Observation Haki training was coming along nicely, better than I’d ever expected it to.
The god had actually kept his word (shocking, I know) and granted my wish, and I had to admit — I was really good at it. So good, in fact, that even Dad was impressed with my growth, which was saying something, because he’s not exactly easy to impress. Not to say it wasn’t difficult, because it was; I trained almost daily and Benn made sure it was a regular part of my schedule, so it wasn’t like I was slacking off.
So much for being the lazy gremlin-girl I wanted to be. Sigh.
Anyway, Observation Haki was one thing. But now, apparently, I had to start working on Armament too, because why not? Conqueror’s could wait — if I even had it, which I wasn’t about to test just yet, unless I wanted to accidentally knock half the crew unconscious like an idiot.
A few days later, with the late afternoon sun dipping low and streaking the Red Force in gold, I found myself pacing near the port side railing, trying — for the hundredth time — to shift back into my human form. My wings twitched angrily, scraping against the wood with every restless flick, and my claws clicked sharply against the deck as my talons dug in. My scaled arms folded tightly across my chest, frustration radiating from every part of me.
“Deep breath, Spitfire,” Benn called out, puffing on his cigar, his voice steady as always. His tone usually calmed me, but right now, it grated like nails on a chalkboard.
“I am breathing,” I snapped, throwing my arms up. My wings stretched with the movement, pulling painfully at muscles I still wasn’t used to.
Lucky Roux, cross-legged nearby and happily munching an apple, chuckled. “Maybe you’re trying too hard, kiddo. Just let it flow, like we talked about.”
“Easy for you to say,” I muttered, glaring. “You’re not stuck like this.”
Yasopp, perched on a barrel and looking way too entertained, grinned. “Don’t hurry it. Those wings make you look badass.”
“Yeah,” I deadpanned, flexing my claws. “So badass. Totally what I was going for. A dragon girl cosplay.”
The crew laughed, and I huffed, my tail flicking irritably.
Dad leaned casually against the railing, his grin steady, his eyes watching me without judgment. He didn’t need to say anything; just having him there made me want to try harder. I knew he believed in me, even if I didn’t quite believe in myself.
And then there was Lami, lounging on a coil of rope a few feet away, her chin propped in her hand as she smirked. “Don’t worry, Jess. You’ll figure it out. You’re way too stubborn not to.”
I rolled my eyes. “Thanks, sis. Great pep talk.”
She laughed. “Hey, you’ve got this. And if you don’t? I’ll still love you, scales and all.”
Her words loosened something in my chest.
I closed my eyes and inhaled. Sunlight warmed my face, salty sea air filled my lungs, the crash of the waves against the hull faded into the background. I focused, reaching inward. The dragon was part of me, but sometimes it felt like it wanted to run the show. I had to meet it halfway.
Then it hit.
A searing heat ignited in my chest, like a furnace exploding outward. My eyes snapped open as I gasped.
“Jess?” Dad’s voice cut through sharply.
I doubled over, clutching my middle as the heat flooded my body, wings snapping violently before folding inward, dissolving into streams of golden light. My claws melted back into fingers, my scales rippled and shattered across my arms like glass breaking before fading into nothing.
It was overwhelming — not pain exactly, but pressure, relentless, crushing, like the dragon inside me was reluctantly retreating. My breath came in ragged bursts as I sank to my knees, hands trembling against the wood.
“What the hell?!” Yasopp shouted, scrambling off his barrel.
“Is this it?!” Lucky yelled, apple forgotten at his feet.
Even Benn’s calm cracked, his cigar nearly dropping from his lips as he strode forward.
Dad reached me first, kneeling, gripping my shoulders tightly. “Sea Star, talk to me. Are you okay?”
“I— I don’t know,” I stammered, voice trembling. My wings flickered once, then vanished. My talons melted away, leaving only small, human hands. And then, as suddenly as it began, it was over.
The heat ebbed, leaving a warm hum beneath my skin. I stared down at myself, wide-eyed, my bare arms and legs smooth and familiar again.
“I… I did it,” I whispered, tears stinging my eyes. “I’m human. I think…”
For a beat, silence. Then the deck exploded.
“She did it!” Lucky whooped, throwing both arms up.
“That was insane!” Yasopp hollered, grinning so wide his cheeks nearly split. “Benn, you owe me now!”
Benn sighed, pulling a few beli from his pocket and handing them over, though even he couldn’t hide the small smile tugging at his lips. “Unexpected, but impressive.”
Lami jumped up from her perch, practically running over to me. Her eyes shone with joy as she crouched and hugged me tight from the side. “I knew you could do it! Holy crap, Jess, you’re amazing!”
Dad’s booming laugh rolled across the deck, his hands tightening on my shoulders. His crimson hair glowed in the fading light as he looked down at me with a grin so wide it nearly rivaled Luffy’s. “Sea Star, that was incredible!”
Tears spilled over as I looked up at him. “I wasn’t even trying… it just happened!”
“That’s because you’ve been working your ass off,” he said, ruffling my hair. “All that training? It paid off. The dragon trusts you now.”
I couldn’t help the bright smile that broke over my face. He was right. I’d earned this.
I threw my arms around his neck, burying my face into him, a few tears slipping free. His laughter rumbled against me as he hugged me tighter, rocking me slightly.
The crew cheered, their voices ringing out with the crash of the waves and the call of the gulls. The sun dipped lower, painting the sea in red and gold.
Lami ruffled my hair too, laughing softly as she pressed her forehead against mine. “See? Told you. Too stubborn not to pull it off.”
I laughed wetly, leaning into her touch. For the first time in months, I felt like myself again.
…—O—O—O—...
Now that I had my human transformation tucked away in the back of my arsenal, the next step was obvious: perfecting it. Which sounded simple, but was anything but.
We added extra hours of training each week, focusing only on the transitions. It didn’t take long to find the first great limitation — speed.
Sure, I could switch from dragon to human without pain if I did it slowly, easing each part of my body into its new shape like puzzle pieces sliding into place. But that method took nearly two minutes to complete a full change. Two minutes might as well be two eternities in a fight. I couldn’t exactly tell an opponent, “Hold up, gimme one hundred and twenty seconds to grow scales.”
It was a problem. A big one.
So I decided to practice after dinner, on the deck. Safer than sneaking off, and it meant I could be watched. If something went wrong, at least I wouldn’t be alone.
…—O—O—O—...
The Red Force’s deck groaned softly beneath my bare feet as the ship rocked over the waves. The night was heavy with humidity, the kind that stuck to your lungs. Stars glittered faintly above, distant and cold.
I paced, restless energy buzzing in my veins, skin prickling like static. My heart hammered, each beat louder than the last, the dragon in me clawing to be let out. Something didn’t feel right. Too close. Too eager.
Shanks sat off to the side, pretending to relax with a drink in hand but watching me from the corner of his eye. Lucky Roux picked at leftovers, unusually quiet.
Lami lingered near the railing, arms crossed tight, her expression sharp. She’d insisted on coming, even though it was late. “You’re not practicing something this risky without me watching,” she’d told me, and now I could feel her stare burning into my back with every step.
Then it happened.
The shift came suddenly, violently — not with the usual slow warmth but like my chest had been seized in an iron grip. My ribs squeezed until I couldn’t breathe. No warning, no control. Just agony.
Shanks shot to his feet immediately. “Jessica?!”
The first wave of pain slammed into me. My spine arched, a sickening crack echoing through the night. My bones twisted, reshaping faster than they could mend. I dropped to my knees, claws bursting from my fingers with sharp, wet pops. My scream came out broken, ragged.
Lami’s face drained of all color. She lurched forward, hand half-extended before jerking back, helpless. “Jess! Stop—stop, you’re hurting yourself—” Her voice cracked with panic, but I couldn’t stop even if I wanted to.
My skin rippled, scales ripping through like shards of glass tearing from beneath. Blood welled at each patch, dripping steadily onto the deck. The copper tang filled the air, mixing with salt and smoke.
“Holy shit,” Lucky whispered, frozen in horror.
Shanks looked ready to tear the transformation out of me himself, fists clenching uselessly.
My wings came next. The bones in my shoulders snapped like dry sticks. My back split, muscles shredding as the appendages forced their way out. I bit down hard enough on my tongue to taste blood, jaw locked against a scream that rattled in my chest.
Benn and Yasopp burst onto the deck at the sound. Yasopp paled instantly, covering his mouth with his hand as blood spattered the boards.
And through it all, Lami’s voice cut through the chaos, sharp and trembling: “Jess, breathe! You’ve got to keep breathing—don’t you dare give up on me!”
But there was no slowing down. My tail exploded from my spine, thrashing against the deck. Horns tore through my skull with a crack that sent stars bursting behind my eyes. Every nerve felt like it was being pulled apart, rewired in fire and lightning.
It was fast. Too fast. Seconds, not minutes. But every heartbeat was its own eternity.
When it ended, I collapsed forward, trembling, wings twitching weakly. My claws dragged against the wood, leaving deep grooves. My tail lay limp. Every muscle screamed. My breath rasped in shallow, uneven bursts.
Shanks was kneeling beside me instantly, but before he could touch me, Lami shoved past him, dropping to her knees at my side. Her hands hovered over my shoulders, not daring to press against the blood and scales.
Her voice was soft, breaking. “Jess… hey. Look at me. It’s over. You’re okay.”
I forced my head to turn, meeting her wide, panicked eyes. Guilt swam in them, a storm of fear and helplessness she couldn’t hide.
Benn appeared with a wet towel, and Shanks carefully began dabbing blood from my face, moving down my arms. I winced, but compared to what I’d just been through, it was nothing.
“Holy fuck, what just happened?” Yasopp demanded, eyes wild.
I coughed, chest aching, and croaked, “Q-quick… t-tran… transformation.” My voice cracked, stuttered, the words torn from a throat raw from screaming, I tried to chuckle, the sound weak and breathless. “N-no more… quick… ones. Lesson… learned.”
Benn muttered something about stubborn dragon brats under his breath, but Lami only shook her head, brushing hair from my forehead with trembling fingers. “You don’t get it, Jess. Watching you like that—I thought you were going to die. I can’t—” Her voice cracked, and she bit her lip, refusing to let the tears fall.
I blinked up at her, pain hazing my thoughts. “I-I’m okay… big sis. I’m okay.”
Her laugh was soft, watery. “You’re not okay. But you’re alive, and that’s enough for now.”
Shanks lifted me carefully, my small frame limp in his arms. The crew hovered close, still shaken.
“No more rushed transformations,” he said firmly, his voice a promise. “We take it slow. She heals first.”
I managed a crooked smile. “So… bath and bed?”
That got a rough laugh out of the crew, shaky but real. Shanks nodded, holding me close as he carried me below deck. My eyelids drooped, exhaustion dragging me under.
The last thing I heard before sleep claimed me was Lami’s voice, quiet but fierce:
“You’re not scaring me like that again, little sister. I mean it.”
And I believed her.
…—O—O—O—...
…
So I wasn’t really happy with my new insight.
I was good at Observation, yes, but god damn was Armament was so fucking difficult. I think it was something to do with willpower and spiritual things or whatnot. I was doing a swell job, I managed to get my arm to ripple with Haki, dad said it was incredible, but I was so annoyed at not being able to do more.
That was another development. I was to switch between my dragon and human form a few times a day. It was to get my body used to the switch and so I don’t have another terrible transformation again.
Luckily, while I was sent to bedrest, I was able to begin some slight training on Armament. I was amazing at Observation, and Armament was a work in progress… I’m doing better than a lot of the kids on the grand line, let alone the blue sea.
it was also because Lami watched me like a hawk literally every minute or so.
So it wasn’t a surprise when my injuries healed quickly and I was back to training. Of course I got some concerned looks and questions, but with a quick showing of my arms and legs, I was let go with a small warning of not overworking.
I think my faster, accidental transformation reminded the crew that I wasn’t just some miracle pirate mascot—they were dealing with a kid. Not just any kid, but a dragon kid. A dragon kid who, if the Government ever caught wind of me, would be hunted, chained, and weaponized before I could blink.
So it wasn’t a surprise when, one night, Dad came over, crouched down so his shadow swallowed me whole, and laid a hand gently on my head.
“Hey, Sea Star,” he murmured, his smile a little softer than usual. “We’re reaching the island.”
I blinked up at him, scooping both Helios and Lunaire into my arms. The phoenix chick nestled against my collarbone, while the panther cub shoved her face into my neck. I trudged onto the deck, still half-asleep.
“We’re gonna sail behind the island so you can set up your nest,” he said, voice casual but eyes sharp, like he was checking if I was excited or about to cry.
I smiled brightly as the island came into view. Something about it tugged at me—like I’d seen it before—but I shoved the thought away. Familiar or not, it was mine now.
“Hmm,” I hummed, tapping my chin, “can you help me move the tree? I don’t know if I can carry it…”
His big hand immediately ruffled my hair. I swatted at it, scowling.
“Sure, but you gotta find a place first. I’m not wandering with a whole tree in my arms while you ‘decide,’” he teased.
I glared at him. “I am not that indecisive.”
From behind us, Benn coughed something that sounded suspiciously like, “yes, you are.”
I ignored him and marched over to the railing. “Fine, fine. I’ll be back in a second.”
“Alright,” Shanks called after me, “but hurry—our hair will be gray before you return!”
I grabbed a pebble and whipped it at his forehead. He dodged, laughing, as I flicked my tail and darted into the trees.
Time to find my perfect nest spot.
~~~
The forest smelled thick and green, every root curling like a hand to trip me. I climbed over the gnarled base of a giant tree, scanning.
“Too exposed,” I muttered at one clearing. “Easy target. Next.”
A cave caught my eye. I ducked in, sniffed, and recoiled instantly. “Ugh. Something definitely peed here.”
A wide tree stump seemed promising until I tilted my head. “The sun angle’s off.”
I froze.
“…Did I just judge a tree based on sun angles?” I groaned, dragging a claw down my face. “This is what happens when you’re stuck alone too long with a picky dragon brain.”
I moved on, muttering about trees like some deranged lumberjack, until my nose collided with bark.
And I saw it.
A massive, ancient tree. Its trunk twisted and scarred, its roots curling over boulders like a dragon staking its claim. And high above—higher than any sane person would bother climbing—was a platform of natural branches and vines, perfectly interwoven by nature itself.
Secure. Hidden. Impossible for anyone else to reach.
My wings fluttered in excitement. “Jackpot.”
I scaled the trunk, claws digging in, dragging myself higher and higher. When I finally reached the platform, I pulled myself up and sprawled across the branches.
It was perfect. A breeze rolled through, cool but not sharp. The platform cradled me like it had been waiting just for me. I could see everything, but no one could see me.
“This is it,” I whispered, grinning. “Nest secured. Dragon victory achieved.”
Then I remembered—Shanks had agreed to carry everything.
I smirked. Oh, this was going to be fun.
~~~
I landed back on the Red Force, wings snapping open dramatically. Okay, fine, I tripped on my tail mid-landing, but I recovered like a pro.
The crew perked up as I swaggered in.
“Back already?” Shanks asked, still leaning on the railing with a drink.
“Yup!” I chirped. “Found the perfect spot!”
Benn narrowed his eyes. “That fast?”
I grinned. “I’m efficient.”
“Uh-huh,” Benn muttered, cigarette bobbing.
Shanks pushed off the railing. “Alright, let’s haul your stuff and—”
“Correction.” I lifted one claw. “You will haul my stuff. I will supervise.”
Silence.
“OH, HELL NO!” Yasopp shot up. “We’re not carrying all your junk!”
I flicked my tail smugly. “It’s not junk. It’s essential belongings.”
“You’ve got an entire tree worth of vines!” he snapped.
“And you’ve got an entire ship full of guns,” I shot back. “Do I complain? No.”
He muttered curses, but Lucky Roux just laughed. “She’s got you there.”
Shanks crossed his arms. “Nice try, kiddo. You’re helping.”
I gasped, dropping onto the deck like I’d been mortally wounded. “But I’m so tiny. So fragile. So weak.”
Shanks raised a brow. “You literally tossed Yasopp across the deck last week.”
“That was different,” I argued.
Yasopp’s muffled, “No, it wasn’t,” earned him a glare.
I sniffed, curling my tail around me. “Mama always carried everything for me… before she…” My voice cracked just enough. “Before she was gone.”
Silence fell.
Shanks shifted awkwardly. Lucky’s lip wobbled. Benn pinched the bridge of his nose.
Finally, Shanks sighed. “Fine. I’ll carry the heavy stuff.”
Hook.
“And you guys are helping!” he barked at the crew.
“WHAT?!” they howled.
Line.
I clasped my claws together, smiling sweetly. “Wow, thanks, Dad! That means so much.”
Benn groaned. “…She just scammed you again.”
Shanks froze. “Wait—no—dammit, KID!”
Sinker.
I cackled.
~~~
Hell broke loose when we actually started.
“WHY DO YOU HAVE SO MUCH STUFF?!” Yasopp shouted, arms full of woven mats, pelt blankets, and my entire pebble collection.
“Because it’s necessary,” I snapped, tail flicking. “Pebbleton III is a treasure.”
Lucky wheezed. “Treasure?! It’s a rock!”
“Not just a rock,” I gasped. “THE rock.”
Meanwhile, Shanks was dragging the soapberry tree through the dirt, sweating bullets. “This thing weighs a ton!”
“That’s why you’re carrying it,” I said sweetly.
Benn, loaded down with vine bundles, muttered, “I’m too old for this.”
Through all the chaos, Lami strolled along with nothing but a small basket of fruit, her expression calm as ever. She looked at me, then at the groaning men, and quirked a smile.
“You know,” she drawled, “if you ever get bored of scamming pirates, you could make a killing running a moving company.”
“Hey!” Yasopp barked. “Don’t encourage her!”
“I’m not encouraging,” Lami said smoothly. “I’m admiring. Big difference.”
Even Shanks shot her a betrayed look. “Not you too!”
Lami’s grin sharpened. “Older sister privilege. Someone’s gotta balance her chaos with common sense.”
Jessica—me—smirked. “See? She gets it.”
By the time we reached the base of my giant tree, the crew looked ready to mutiny. They craned their necks upward, jaws dropping.
“You…” Shanks began slowly. “You picked the tallest tree on the island.”
“Yup!” I said cheerfully.
“And you expect us to carry this—” he gestured at the hoard “—all the way up there?!”
I tilted my head innocently. “That was the deal.”
Shanks groaned, dragging his hands down his face. “I am never making another deal with you again.”
I grinned. “Smart choice, old man.”
And Lami, perched calmly against a root with her fruit basket, smirked. “You’ll break that promise in a week.”
Shanks glared at both of us.
The crew groaned.
And I laughed so hard my wings twitched.
…—O—O—O—...
After everything was set up, I took a slow look around, my claws trailing over the familiar textures.
The first stop on my grand tour was, obviously, my sleeping area. The floor was a tightly woven patchwork of vines I’d spent forever perfecting, layered over with soft pelts I’d scavenged, bartered, and nearly broken my back dragging up this stupidly tall tree. It smelled like warm earth, like sun-dried leaves, and like something that was finally mine.
I nudged one of the pelts with my foot, pleased when it sank just slightly under my weight. Perfect.
Plopping down into my throne-pile of pillows, I stacked them higher until I got the angle just right — not quite lying down, not quite sitting up. Regal. Like a dragon-queen on her throne. I stretched my legs out and tugged one of my big blankets over myself, testing the whole setup.
“…Perfect,” I whispered, smug.
From her own little corner of the nest, Lunaire huffed and kneaded her claws into her bedding before curling up, her fur catching the dappled sunlight like dark silk. Helios, on the other hand, was already fluffed up, aggressively preening his feathers like he was auditioning for “Most Dramatic Bird Alive.”
I chuckled and scratched Lunaire behind the ears before turning to where the most sacred of sacred treasures lay.
Pebbleton III.
My pebble. My pride. My one true rock.
He was placed just right near my bed, displayed with all the honor he deserved. I nodded approvingly. “Yep. Right where he belongs.”
“Only you would give a rock a royal title,” Lami muttered from the side, leaning back on her elbows with her legs crossed.
“Correction,” I shot back, “a sacred pebble.”
She snorted but didn’t argue, which meant I’d won.
I padded over to my hoarding corner next. The sticks — my “weapons.” They were sorted neatly by size and purpose. Medium sticks for general whacking, long sticks for reach-whacking, and the big boys for intimidation whacking.
Lami raised an eyebrow. “You know none of those will actually save your life, right?”
“Not with that attitude,” I said flatly, patting one of the longer sticks. “This one’s practically Excalibur.”
She rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched like she was fighting a smile.
Next came my food baskets, woven and tucked along the left side of the nest. Each was filled with dried fruits, nuts, and random snacks I’d gathered. I inspected one like a picky merchant. “Still full,” I muttered, giving a proud nod before setting it down.
Lami leaned over, snagged a nut, and popped it in her mouth. “Correction. Was full.”
I glared. She grinned. I didn’t stop her.
Beside that was the crown jewel of any dragon-child’s collection: my “pretty things.” A carefully arranged mound of feathers, shiny rocks, shells (don’t ask how they got this far inland, they’re mine now), and a few trinkets I’d swiped from Shanks’s crew.
“For the record,” I said defensively when Lami tilted her head at the metal bits, “if they don’t notice me taking it, it’s free game.”
“Sure,” she deadpanned. “That logic will definitely hold up in court.”
I ignored her and strutted to my sitting area. A flat pelt for lounging, a smooth stone “table” in the middle, and the perfect branch angled for dangling my legs while surveying the land. My tail curled lazily as I perched on the edge, gazing over the endless forest.
The sway of the trees. The shimmer of sunlight through the canopy. The distant hush of waves against the shore.
Quiet. Safe. Mine.
I sighed, stretching my arms wide. “This is so fucking cool.”
Lami snorted softly. “I’ll give you that one. It is… cool.” Her tone softened, though she quickly covered it with a smirk. “Still looks like a glorified pillow fort.”
“Jealous,” I muttered, chin high.
~~~
Later, I glided down to the forest floor where Shanks was waiting with that infuriating grin. My Soapberry tree sat happily nearby, buds blooming, soaking up light.
“Everything to your liking?” he asked, eyebrow raised. “Because I’m not unearthing that thing.”
“Everything’s amazing, thanks, Dad!” I chirped, beaming.
He muttered something, but smiled anyway, ruffling my hair before hoisting me onto his shoulder like I was weightless. “Promise me one thing, okay? Take care of yourself. And keep in contact.”
I blinked. “Sure, but… I don’t have a Transponder Snail.”
He grinned, handing me a scrap of paper. “There’s a rich place nearby — Goa something. I’m sure you can find a way to borrow one. Here’s my number. Call in a few days.”
“Borrow?” Lami repeated dryly, arms crossed.
“Permanently,” Shanks clarified with a wink.
I giggled as he set me down on the beach. “Alright, Sea Star. Stay safe, okay?” He hugged me tight, kissing the top of my head.
The crew shouted as they boarded:
“Stay safe!”
“Don’t die!”
“You can’t just say that!”
“Call us!”
“Keep training!”
I waved until the Red Force was nothing but a speck, the sun dipping low. My grin only faded when the last sliver of the ship vanished.
“Well,” I muttered, trudging back. “Looks like I’ve got my work cut out for me.”
Lami walked at my side, silent for a long time, until she finally murmured, “We’ll be fine. You’ve got your nest. I’ve got you.”
Warmth flared in my chest.
Then my brain caught up.
Wait. Did he say… GOA KINGDOM!?
My scream sent birds scattering from the trees and the shoreline rippling with startled waves.
Notes:
Omg! I'm super sorry for my extended absence! I've been packing a lot because we're moving and I lost my laptop among the clutter, plus my energy has just been drained to the limit with a lot of the different things happening right now.
I also have a few other fics I'm writing in and I have a one-track mind and I tend to focus on one thing until I burn out, so I'm very sorry this is late!
Answer: Nami, she's one of my favorite characters and honestly? She scored in the gene pool. I'd give a lot to be her twin.
Question: If you were allowed to pic where you were born in the One Piece world, where would you want to be born?
Chapter 13: ASL Arc: Chapter 12: I'm thoroughly screwed
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
It took some time, but I eventually got into a routine.
At first, I cursed Shanks for breaking my sleep schedule back when he was around — the man had drilled “early bird pirate gets the treasure” into me — but damn if it didn’t come in handy now. Waking up with the sunrise meant I had time to train (a watered-down version of my original plan, because hell no was I running myself into the ground), bathe, laze around, and play with Luna and Helio when they weren’t busy terrorizing the local wildlife.
Speaking of wildlife, the river nearby had crocodiles. Or alligators. I didn’t know the difference — and didn’t care. I was the superior scaly beast now, so when I’d let out a warning growl during my first bath, they got the message and cleared out of that entire section.
Which left me and Lami the best damn bathing spot in the world.
The river water shimmered golden, perfectly warmed by the lazy glow of my “Heatless Flame.” Steam curled upward in soft spirals as I leaned back against a smooth rock, wings trailing gently in the water. My claws drummed against the stone as I worked shampoo into my hair.
Paradise.
I sighed in contentment, humming as the suds rinsed away. “Y’know,” I called over to Lami, who was wringing out her shirt on a nearby rock, “this is peak luxury. Who needs castles when you’ve got a dragon-heated spa?”
She smirked faintly, arching an eyebrow. “You’re just happy you scared away the crocs. Admit it.”
“Damn right,” I said proudly. “Queen of the swamp. Respect my roar.”
She rolled her eyes but didn’t argue, which meant I’d technically won. I closed my eyes again, humming happily, already planning my next move. Maybe I should sneak into Goa soon and snag a Transponder Snail. I miss those loud idiots already.
That was a problem for future Jess. For now? I soaked in the bliss.
…—O—O—O—...
“I’m tellin’ ya, this is the best spot!” Ace announced proudly as he marched down the trail, gesturing grandly toward the river.
Sabo frowned, eyeing the still-steaming water. “I dunno… why did the alligators leave?”
“Who cares?” Ace snorted. “More space for us!”
Luffy, already shirtless and vibrating with excitement, shouted, “RACE YOU!”
“Wait—”
“LUFFY—!”
Too late. Luffy cannonballed into the water with a splash so loud it scared a flock of birds out of the trees.
Ace blinked. “Dumbass.”
Sabo sighed like a disappointed father. “I’ve got him.” He waded in after their thrashing brother, hauling him up by the back of his shorts as Luffy flailed.
“GACK—HELP—I CAN’T SWIM!”
“Then stop jumping in!” Sabo snapped, dragging him toward shallow water while Ace dove in with a grin, kicking up another wave.
The next few minutes were pure chaos: Luffy trying to dunk Ace, Ace trying to drown Luffy back, and Sabo sighing through all of it. None of them noticed how far they’d wandered upstream.
Not until Sabo froze.
“Uh… guys?”
Ace, mid-splash, glanced over. “What?”
Sabo, pale as parchment, pointed toward the steaming section of the river.
Half-submerged, wings splayed in the shallows, was a dragon-girl. Very noticeable and very grouchy, “WHAT–THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!”
A brown-haired girl burst up from the waters, her eyes went wide, then narrowed into a glare that could’ve killed gods, “WHAT THE FUCK?!” She yelled, voice cracking like thunder. “PERVERTS!”
…—O—O—O—...
I was mid-hair rinse, eyes closed, humming to myself, when the water rippled wrong. At first, I thought, fish. Then I heard voices. Boys’ voices.
My eyes snapped open.
And there they were.
Three shirtless, dripping-wet boys — staring straight at me.
Oh no. Oh HELL no.
This was not how I wanted this meeting to go.
Ace and Sabo looked like their souls had just ascended, their faces exploding into shades of red that probably weren’t medically safe. Luffy, of course, grinned wide and shouted the first thing that came to mind:
“Oh, cool! You have horns!”
My brain fried. Completely short-circuited.
“WHAT–THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!” I screeched, ducking deeper into the water, wings flaring out and tail curling tight to form a makeshift shield.
Behind me, a splash—Lami burst up from where she’d been bathing downstream, instantly clocking the situation. Her eyes went wide, then narrowed into a glare that could’ve killed gods. “WHAT THE FUCK?!” she roared, voice cracking like thunder. “PERVERTS!”
Ace turned such a violent shade of crimson he looked ready to spontaneously combust. Sabo’s brain clearly blue-screened — his eyes were wide, mouth opening and closing like a dying fish. And Luffy? Completely unfazed.
“Are those real wings? Can you fly?!” he yelled, splashing closer.
“LUFFY, SHUT UP!” Ace and Sabo howled in unison, practically falling over each other as they spun around.
“LEAVE! NOW!” I shrieked, thrashing water in their direction.
“YEAH, BEAT IT!” Lami bellowed, scooping up a rock and winging it past Ace’s head. “I’LL DROWN YOU MYSELF!”
“OH GOD—OH GOD—SORRY—” Ace stammered, trying to cover his flaming face with both hands while simultaneously grabbing the back of Luffy’s head and forcing him toward shore.
“WE DIDN’T KNOW—WE’RE SORRY!” Sabo shouted, his voice cracking like glass as he practically shoved Ace along, his entire body radiating secondhand embarrassment.
“Hey! Wait! I wanna ask the dragon lady questions!” Luffy kicked and flailed in Ace’s grip like a captured sea king.
Ace, still bright red, punched him in the head. “SHUT UP AND SWIM, YOU MORON!”
“I CAN’T SWIM!”
“Then drown!” Ace snapped.
“SABO, HELP!” Luffy wailed, flapping uselessly as Ace tried to drag him along.
Sabo, muttering curses under his breath, snagged Luffy by the arm and towed him toward the shore like he was hauling trash out of the ocean. His ears were red all the way to the tips.
I stayed frozen, wings clamped around me, glaring absolute murder at their retreating forms. “IF YOU COME BACK, I’M FRYING YOU ALL!”
“AND I’M FEEDING YOUR BALLS TO THE FISH!” Lami added, hurling another rock for good measure.
Ace and Sabo didn’t even look back, sprinting for the forest with faces still beet-red, dragging their idiot little brother between them.
Luffy, completely unbothered, twisted in their grip just to shout over his shoulder: “HEY, WANNA JOIN MY CREW?!”
I hurled a soapberry at his head with all the force of divine wrath. The berry bounced off his forehead with a thunk, and his laughter echoed as Ace and Sabo wrestled him out of sight.
Lami collapsed beside me in the water, face still flushed with fury. “I swear to god, Jess… if they come back, we’re eating them.”
I groaned, slapping both hands over my face. “Ugh. Kill me now.”
…—O—O—O—...
After that… mildly traumatizing bathhouse incident, I made up my mind. If I was going to survive on this island without constantly worrying about loud, shirtless intruders, I had to meet the little devils properly.
So, I went looking.
Observation Haki stretched wide, I hopped branch to branch with practiced ease, tail flicking out to steady me whenever bark crumbled underfoot. Beside me, Lami followed along in silence — more cautious than me, but sharp-eyed and steady. She’d never admit it, but she was watching my back.
Luckily enough, a couple hundred feet away from our nest, I picked up their voices. Loud, boyish, and already bickering. Figures.
“They’re either eating or wrestling,” I whispered.
“Both,” Lami deadpanned, squinting through the leaves.
And sure enough, there they were — three small boys, tangled together in what looked like a very heated argument about meat.
“LUFFY, YOU HAVE YOUR OWN!”
“GET OFF!”
“But meaaatttt!”
I giggled, perching on a branch with my chin in my hand. Helios chirped from my shoulder, tilting his head like even he couldn’t believe these were my future crewmates.
“I know, I know. They’re… energetic,” I whispered.
Helios chirped again, indignant.
“Your bet’s on the freckled one? Mine’s on the strawhat.”
The bird squawked back in disbelief. Lami sighed. “Are you seriously gambling with your familiar about kids you haven’t even met yet?”
“Yes,” I said flatly.
Before she could smack me, the boys spilled out of their treehouse. Perfect timing. I slipped Helios into my pocket, letting my tail coil around the branch. Then, with all the dramatic flair of a dollar-store Spiderman, I flipped upside down.
All three boys screamed.
“’Sup?” I grinned, dangling in their faces.
Ace was the first to recover, though his blush could’ve lit the whole forest on fire. “WHAT are you doing here?!”
I swung lazily, upside down grin widening. “Well, I was taking this lovely bath, thinking I was alone… then suddenly three very loud boys came barreling in.”
Ace combusted. Sabo wasn’t far behind, sputtering like a broken kettle.
Lami, now perched above on another branch, barked out a laugh. “Smooth. Real smooth.”
“I had to see who my unexpected guests were,” I continued, flipping to land lightly on my feet.
Sabo coughed into his hand, trying to recover. “Uh… s-sorry about that. How old are you, anyway?”
“Eight,” I said cheerfully. “Turning nine soon.”
Before either Ace or Sabo could answer, the strawhat boy bounded forward, grin blinding. “Hi! I’m Monkey D. Luffy and I’m gonna be King of the Pirates!”
I laughed, ruffling his hair. “That’s a wonderful goal. You think you can do it?”
He nodded so hard his hat almost flew off.
“Then I look forward to seeing it. My father’s a pirate, too.”
His eyes widened, stars practically glowing. “Really?! Who?!”
I leaned down conspiratorially. “Have you heard of Red-Haired Shanks?”
Luffy froze. Then exploded. “YOUR DAD IS SHANKS?!”
“Mhm!” I tugged a strand of my hair forward, the streak of red catching the light. “See? Got some of it from him.”
That was all it took. Luffy tackled me with the strength of a cannonball, shrieking, “THIS IS SO COOL!”
“LUFFY, YOU CAN’T JUST—” Ace grabbed him, trying to peel him off, while Sabo sighed and lent a hand.
“Because—ugh, never mind!” Ace finally gave up, dropping his little brother like a sack of flour.
Sabo turned to me instead, voice gentler. “A… dragon? You’re really a dragon?”
I nodded. “Mom’s side. Runs in the family.”
Luffy popped up again, bouncing on his toes. “Dragon girl! Join my crew!”
I blinked. Smiled. “Sure.”
The reaction was instant.
Ace spun so fast he almost snapped his neck. “WHAT?!”
Sabo froze mid-breath, mouth hanging open.
And Luffy… well, Luffy screamed with joy. “YAY! A CREWMATE!” He launched himself back at me, wrapping around me like a koala.
“CRYBABY GOT A CREWMATE BEFORE US?!” Ace shrieked.
“HEY!” Luffy shouted indignantly, clinging tighter to me.
Lami finally dropped from her branch, landing beside me with her arms crossed. “If she’s in, I’m in. Package deal.”
Sabo blinked between us. “Wait—there’s two of you?”
“Yup,” I said brightly. “Dragon girl and her terrifyingly overprotective big sis.”
“Damn right,” Lami said, smirking at Ace’s still-reddened face. “And if any of you little morons try anything stupid again? I bite.”
The three boys collectively flinched. Even Luffy.
Helios squeaked from my pocket, wriggling until I pulled him out. His feathers flared in irritation, and he squawked loud enough to make Ace nearly trip over himself.
“What is that?!” Ace and Sabo yelped together.
I beamed. “This is Helios! He’s a phoenix, and one of my familiars.”
The boys gawked, stunned into silence.
…—O—O—O—...
I won’t even bother to describe the exact level of shock and chaos the boys went through when I dropped all of my little revelations on them, but let me tell you, it was enough to have me gasping for air after laughing so hard that my sides ached. Their faces were priceless — like someone had just told them the sky wasn’t blue, but in fact, neon green.
“So let me get this straight…” Sabo pinched the bridge of his nose, already looking like he needed a nap to process all of this. His blond hair stuck damply to his forehead, his shirt half untucked from scrambling earlier. He gave me a long, suffering sigh. “You are a dragon.”
I nodded happily, tail flicking behind me. “Correct.”
Sabo stared. “Last of your kind, I guess?”
I bobbed my head again, cheerful as ever.
“You also have… a phoenix… that you can talk to.” He gestured weakly at Helios, who was currently perched nearby, clicking his beak at Luffy for poking him one too many times.
“Yup,” I chirped.
Sabo scrubbed his hands over his face. Ace, on the other hand, shoved himself into the conversation with the grace of a rock. “And your father is a really important pirate, the same one that saved the Crybaby over there.”
“I AM NOT A CRYBABY!” Luffy immediately hollered, indignant, cheeks puffed like a blowfish.
I giggled so hard I snorted, nodding anyway. Ace’s grin widened wickedly, satisfied.
Sabo shook his head, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like I can’t do this anymore, while Ace leaned forward again, voice rising. “And now, by some freak accident, you’re part of our little brother’s crew — and if we had asked you first, you would’ve joined us?”
“Yup,” I said again, far too cheerfully, watching as both Ace and Sabo swiveled their glares toward Luffy.
Said boy was completely unbothered, still poking Helios. The phoenix snapped at his finger, nearly got him too, but Luffy just giggled and splashed a little water back in his direction. When he finally noticed the silence, he turned his head, eyes blank and goofy as ever, and waved happily at the three of us like he hadn’t just started a war.
Ace and Sabo groaned in defeat, dragging their hands down their faces in perfect unison.
“Where do you live?” Sabo asked finally, probably hoping to salvage some sanity out of this conversation.
I froze. Frowned. Living in a nest wasn’t exactly… normal. Definitely not the kind of thing kids bragged about at sleepovers. “...Um.”
Sabo immediately caught my hesitation, his expression softening. “Are you okay? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to!” he added quickly, holding up both hands like I was a spooked animal.
I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly, claws digging lightly into the scales there. “It’s just… I live in an unusual way, and I don’t want you guys to laugh at me.”
Ace tilted his head, brow furrowed. Sabo stayed carefully neutral. And Luffy, predictably, said the dumbest but most genuine thing possible: “Why would we laugh?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted with a shrug. “But it’s not like anyone else I’ve met lives this way, and I don’t really know how to explain it.”
After a long pause, I decided bluntness was my best bet. “I live a few hundred feet away. That way.” I jabbed a finger north. “In a nest.”
Three sets of eyes blinked at me. Luffy stopped pestering Helios mid-poke, though the bird looked far more annoyed than surprised.
“A nest?” Sabo repeated carefully.
“Like… a bird?” Ace asked, clearly trying to imagine it and failing spectacularly.
“Why would you live without walls?” Luffy blurted, tilting his head.
I huffed, folding my arms like I was about to give a lecture — because apparently, I was. “A nest is extremely important to a dragon. Without it, I can’t rest properly. It gives me peace of mind, keeps my instincts settled, and warns off other animals. Without a nest, my instincts are on edge all the time — like this constant, nagging warning in the back of my head that something is wrong. Even if I’m exhausted, I can’t fully relax. It’s like living in enemy territory every second of the day.”
Lami, sitting beside me with her arms crossed, nodded firmly. “She’s not exaggerating. I’ve seen it. Without the nest, she’s miserable. Barely sleeps. Snaps at everything.” Her voice softened a little. “It’s real. It matters.”
I took a deep breath, turning to look at them. Sabo was nodding along already, eyes sharp with understanding. Ace was still frowning, arms crossed, thinking it over like it was a puzzle he hadn’t solved yet. And Luffy… poor boy had that glazed-over look in his eyes, the telltale sign that he was spacing out completely.
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.
“Okay, think of it like this,” I said slowly. “A nest is a dragon’s version of a home. Without it, I feel like I’m constantly being watched, like something could attack me at any second.”
Luffy perked back up. “But you’re strong, right? Why would you care?”
“Yeah,” Ace agreed, “it’s not like anything would attack a dragon.”
I rubbed my temple, trying not to scream. “It’s like your favorite spot to sleep. You know how you always pick the same place because it just feels right?”
Luffy gasped so hard he nearly fell off his log. “Oh! Like our treehouse?”
“Yes,” I said flatly. “Exactly like your treehouse.”
Ace and Luffy immediately devolved into a wrestling match, arguing over who had claimed the comfiest spot first. Sabo pinched his nose again. Helios hopped onto my shoulder with a disgruntled squawk, rubbing his head against my cheek like he was as done with this as I was.
Lami rolled her eyes, leaning close to whisper, “See? Told you they wouldn’t get it. You should’ve led with ‘treehouse.’”
“Shut up,” I whispered back, but I couldn’t stop the small smile tugging at my lips.
And then a thought hit me like lightning. I sat up straighter, wings twitching behind me. “So… how do you guys train?”
That got their attention. The wrestling boys immediately froze, sitting up straight like soldiers under inspection. Sabo tilted his head, clearly curious.
Within seconds, all three were explaining their methods in chaotic bursts. Ace bragged about running laps through the forest, Sabo described his staff drills in meticulous detail, and Luffy just yelled about punching trees until they fell over.
I listened, humming thoughtfully, then tilted my head. “Huh. That’s… very… uh… not a lot?”
Three sets of eyes glared daggers at me.
I raised my hands defensively, laughing. “Hey, hey, don’t judge until you hear my training!”
Lami snorted beside me. “This should be good.”
…—O—O—O—...
For the next several minutes, I laid it all out — my waking up routine, the drills, the meditation, the sparring, the running, the “please-God-don’t-let-me-die-today” exercises. I didn’t sugarcoat a single detail. By the time I was finished, sweat dripping down my temple and my chest heaving from just talking about it, all three boys — Ace, Sabo, and Luffy — were staring at me like I’d just told them I drink lava for breakfast.
“…What’s wrong?” I asked, blinking at their horrified faces. Had I said something bad?
They glanced at each other, had one of those silent kid-telepathy conversations, and then spun back toward me and Lami, shouting in unison:
“HOW ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?!”
I puffed out my chest proudly, placing both hands on my hips like some kind of tiny hero. “Pure spite!”
They froze. And then, slowly, all three nodded with the solemnity of monks receiving enlightenment.
“Yeah,” Ace muttered. “That checks out.”
“Spite’s strong,” Sabo agreed gravely.
Luffy’s hand shot into the air like we were in school and he’d just remembered the answer to a question. I pointed at him with a sigh, and he beamed.
“Are you super strong?”
I nodded smugly. “Very. My Observation Haki is pretty good, but my Armament isn’t great yet. And I’m not even gonna touch Conqueror’s for a while.”
They all blinked in total confusion. Even Luffy tilted his head like I’d just told him about taxes. The only one not lost was Lami, who just rolled her eyes because she’d been through the same speech a hundred times during our joint training.
I sighed dramatically. “It’s a set of powers — really important on the Grand Line.”
All three boys sucked in a breath like I’d just said the words free meat.
“Observation lets me scan everything around me. People, movement, emotions. Half a mile radius, easy.”
Their jaws dropped.
“Armament,” I continued, “is basically my spirit turned into armor. If I can focus on a spot, I can harden it, block attacks, hit harder. And Conqueror’s is… willpower. Makes weak people pass out if you flex it hard enough. That’s all I know so far.”
The boys just stared. And then Luffy slammed a fist into his other palm with a loud smack. “So it’s a mystery power!”
I stared at him deadpan. “You know what? Sure. It’s a mystery power.”
“Cool!” Luffy cheered like he’d just solved world hunger. Ace, oddly enough, looked satisfied with that explanation too. But Sabo squinted at me, gears clearly turning.
“You said it’s well known on the Grand Line?” he pressed.
I nodded. “Not so much in the first half, but in the second? If you don’t know it, you die.”
That earned me more wide eyes, and Ace leaned forward. “So how do you use it?”
I shrugged. “I don’t actually know. Observation came from months of dodging branches. Then Yassop started throwing rocks at me until one day, boom, I could sense them coming.”
“…Throwing rocks?” Sabo repeated, clearly unsure if I was joking.
“Yep. Lots of rocks,” I said brightly. “For Armament, I think it was just sheer spite. I got sick of the stones hurting, so I unlocked it to make them stop.”
Lami snorted beside me, trying not to laugh.
The boys sweatdropped in unison.
“Oh, and Armament negates Devil Fruit powers. They don’t work against it.”
That earned me a synchronized turn — three sets of eyes cutting straight to Luffy. Then to their own hands.
“GRAMPS IS A CHEATER!” Ace and Sabo bellowed, identical scowls twisting their faces.
I clapped both hands over my mouth to stop my laughter from spilling out, but it was hopeless. Their betrayed little expressions were too much.
“Gramps?” I asked once I caught my breath.
All three of them shuddered violently. Sabo was the one who answered. “He comes here sometimes and… tortures us.”
Luffy groaned, flopping onto the ground with both hands cradling his head. “He uses that Armament thingy to make the Fist of Love! It hurts so bad!”
“Yep,” I said with a grin. “Guess that means I need to avoid him, doesn’t it?”
Four sets of betrayed glares hit me at once.
“He’s your Gramps, not mine!” I defended quickly, laughing as their glares softened only slightly.
Before anyone could argue further, my stomach growled loudly enough to startle Helios. “Anyway, I have to get back to the nest. Luna’s probably waiting for lunch.”
Ace grumbled something under his breath, Sabo gave me a polite wave, and Luffy launched himself forward like a cannonball, wrapping me in a soaking-wet hug.
“Come back, okay? Captain’s orders!”
I laughed, ruffling his hair. “Aye aye, Captain.”
He giggled, letting me go, and I gave one last wave before securing Helios on my shoulder. With a sharp flex of my legs, I leapt off the branch, wings snapping open.
Behind me, I heard Luffy gasp in pure awe, and Ace shout, “Don’t encourage her!”
I grinned so wide my cheeks hurt, soaring toward the trees.
…—O—O—O—...
For the next few days, I made it a point to visit the boys’ hideout — dragging Lami along with me whether she liked it or not. Sometimes we even brought Luna. Luffy and Ace adored her immediately, trying to bribe her with scraps of food and petting, but to their absolute devastation, she took the greatest liking to Sabo. He carried her around like a prized treasure, smug as hell while Ace pouted in the corner and Luffy whined about how unfair it was.
I procrastinated as long as possible, but eventually, I caved. There was something I wanted to ask them, and no amount of distracting myself with forest wandering or dragon training was going to push it off forever.
So one afternoon, I marched up to their ridiculous little treehouse, wings twitching with nerves, tail swishing like I was spoiling for a fight. Without hesitation, I kicked the door open so hard it smacked against the wall.
The three boys inside yelped, springing to their feet like soldiers caught slacking. Their panic only melted when they saw me standing there, smirking like I owned the place.
“JESSICA!” Sabo snapped, pressing a hand over his chest. “Don’t do that again!”
“Stupid dragon!” Ace growled, rushing over to give me a rough shove to the shoulder.
“How dare you scare us like that!” Luffy added dramatically, flailing his arms before lunging in to tackle me around the waist.
I burst into laughter, fighting them off as best I could with my wings flapping awkwardly in defense. They only backed off once they were satisfied I knew exactly how much I’d startled them.
When the chaos settled, I plopped down onto the floor with a grin plastered across my face. Sabo eyed me suspiciously, already exasperated.
“What now?” he asked, voice full of weary resignation.
I waved off his concern and leaned back on my hands. “I was wondering if you guys wanted to join me on my heist.”
That one word—heist—lit a fire in the room.
“Heist?!” Ace repeated, eyes wide, a grin stretching across his face.
“What are we going to do?!” Luffy demanded, bouncing on his heels like he was powered by springs.
“And what do we get in return?” Sabo asked, pinching the bridge of his nose but clearly interested despite himself.
Before they could fire more questions, Lami stepped into the room behind me, arms crossed but lips twitching with amusement. “Don’t worry, boys,” she said, her voice carrying that older-sister edge that made Ace and Sabo instinctively straighten up, “I’m here to make sure she doesn’t get you all killed.”
“Hey!” I whined, tail flicking as I pouted at her. “You’re supposed to back me up!”
Lami smirked. “I am backing you up. By making sure you don’t end up face-down in a ditch.”
I huffed but pushed on. Lifting a claw for emphasis, I grinned. “Okay, listen. One: I need a few things from Goa. Now, I could do it by myself—”
“Yeah, right,” Ace scoffed, and Luffy snickered.
“—but,” I continued loudly, “I thought you guys might want a chance to mess with the fancy-pants people there.”
That got them. Ace’s grin sharpened, and even Sabo’s serious mask cracked with interest.
“Two: I might need a distraction. And what better distraction than…” I leaned forward dramatically, eyes gleaming. “…a dine-and-dash.”
Their smiles widened with every word.
“Hell yeah!” Ace shouted, pumping a fist. “Free food and a chance to screw with rich people? Count me in!”
“Me too! Me too!” Luffy echoed, hopping from foot to foot, nearly smacking Sabo in the face with his flailing arms.
Sabo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose again, but his smile gave him away. “Fine. Sure. What would we lose, anyway?”
Lami groaned, rubbing her temples. “My sanity, that’s what.” But when I looked at her expectantly, she smirked and added, “Of course I’m in. Someone has to keep you idiots alive.”
“Perfect!” I clapped my hands together, wings flaring in excitement. “We’re leaving in ten minutes!”
“WHAT?!” Ace, Sabo, and Luffy chorused, their voices breaking in a mix of shock and outrage.
But I was already halfway out the door, cackling as I leapt from the treehouse, planning my first ever heist with giddy anticipation.
Behind me, Lami followed with a resigned shake of her head, muttering, “God help me, I’m actually going to let this gremlin drag me into a crime spree.”
…—O—O—O—...
We met up at the beginning of the Gray Terminal, the air thick with the stench of smoke, rot, and garbage. The second my dragon-sensitive nose caught it, I gagged violently and dropped to my knees, clutching at my face like I’d just been assaulted by a thousand rotting fish.
“Ughhhh, it burns!” I groaned, pressing my palms against my poor, suffering nose. “Dragon nose… gahh… sensitive… blehhh!”
Ace raised an eyebrow, looking down at me with a mix of suspicion and disdain. “What the hell’s wrong with you?”
I flopped dramatically into the dirt, rolling onto my side like I was auditioning for a tragedy play. Luffy crouched down immediately, poking at my shoulder, worry plastered all over his face. “Jess, you okay?!”
Sabo, calmer than both of them, tilted his head and fished something out of his pocket. “I figured as much,” he said, stepping forward and holding out a small clip. “Here. I stole this a while back. It smelled bad for me too, but it helps.”
I blinked up at him through watery eyes, practically glowing with gratitude. “You’re a saint, Sabo. My actual savior.” With fumbling fingers, I clipped the thing onto my nose and nearly sobbed in relief as the burning stench dulled.
Lami, standing tall beside me, crossed her arms and smirked. “And people say I’m dramatic. Honestly, Jess, you’re hopeless.”
“Shut up,” I mumbled, climbing back to my feet, brushing dirt from my deep green pants. The color matched nicely with the brown tank-top and cropped jacket I’d scavenged, a practical outfit for crawling around junk heaps.
That’s when I noticed all three boys staring at me like I’d grown an extra head.
“What?” I asked.
Sabo’s eyes narrowed, and he pointed. “You… you’re human again.”
Ace’s gaze sharpened, suspicion dripping from his tone. “You can be human too?”
I blinked and gave them a slow nod, tugging the nose clip into place a little firmer. “Uh, yeah?”
“Then why the hell be a dragon all the time?” Ace asked, arms crossing as if I’d personally insulted him by existing.
I dusted off my jacket and straightened my shoulders, meeting his glare head-on. “Because being human may be nice for blending in, but I learned the hard way that suppressing my dragon side causes more harm than good. I’m stronger when I don’t hide.”
Lami nudged my arm gently, backing me up. “She’s not kidding. It nearly killed her once. So, dragon first, human second. Deal with it.”
Sabo gave a thoughtful nod, lips pressed tight in understanding. Luffy nodded too, completely unfazed, like I’d just told him I could juggle. “Cool! You can switch!”
Ace frowned a little longer, clearly chewing it over, but finally gave a short nod. “Fine. As long as you’re not gonna turn on us mid-fight.”
“Please,” I scoffed, tugging my bow into place over my back. “I’ve survived worse than you.”
That earned me a sharp look — and a grudging smirk.
“You ready?” Ace asked, eyes flicking between Lami and me.
I nodded, patting the arrows strapped to my waist. “Ready.”
He raised a brow. “A bow? Really?”
“Yeah,” I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck sheepishly. “I’m better with swords, but when I was a weak little kid I had to hunt somehow. Bow was all I had, so I became decent with it. I’ll find something better in Goa, but this works for now.”
“Better than nothing,” Sabo said with a shrug.
Luffy beamed at Lami. “Do you fight too?”
She smirked, cracking her knuckles. “Better question: do you?”
Luffy’s grin widened like a kid promised candy. “I like her. She’s scary.”
“Good,” Lami said, her smirk sharpening. “I intend to be.”
Ace groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Great. Two of them.”
…—O—O—O—...
With the nose clip strapped on, breathing through the stench wasn’t nearly as bad, and I managed to push through the rancid trash bin without retching. The second we tumbled out into the side streets of Goa, I ripped it off with a gasp of relief, wiping grime from my cheeks and tucking the clip into one of my many, many pockets.
The Kingdom smelled… overwhelming. Salt rolled in from the sea, mixing with sweat, grease, tar, and some faint, stomach-churning stench that made me question why I was alive at all. My big bag swung empty and eager at my side, ready for everything I was about to stuff inside it.
“Find the place yet?” Lami whispered, eyes flicking between alleys, her tone all business.
I huffed, frowning. “This place is too damn big! I can’t see anything that doesn’t reek of fish!”
She snorted softly, but before she could reply, my gaze caught on a gaudy, ridiculous storefront across the plaza.
“Chatter & Crawl: The Best Transponder Snail Emporium in Goa!”
The sign had a cartoon snail in a top hat and monocle painted on it, staring at us smugly like it owned the world.
“…Well,” I muttered, adjusting my bag strap. “That’ll do nicely.”
I turned back to my crew of chaos — Ace, Sabo, Luffy, and Lami. The boys were already grinning like they’d been waiting their whole lives for me to say “go.” Lami, though, arched an eyebrow at me with that protective older-sister vibe. “You sure you don’t want backup inside?”
“I’ve got it,” I assured her with a crooked grin. “You keep them distracted.”
She smirked, cracked her knuckles, and then nodded once.
And just like that, they were off.
Ace and Sabo bolted into a food stall, grabbing loaves and hunks of meat in fluid sweeps. Luffy, naturally, shoved his face straight into a tray of skewers and stuffed his arms full of pastries. And Lami? Oh, she was the master of diversion. She tripped a crate in the path of the furious vendor, scattering apples everywhere, and laughed mockingly when he slipped.
“HEY! GET BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE—!”
The whole square erupted in screams and curses. The smell of fresh bread and roasted pork filled the air as people tried to help chase the “poor, starving orphans” currently making everyone’s life miserable.
Perfect cover.
I slipped into Chatter & Crawl, catching the bell above the door with my fingers before it could ring. The shop smelled faintly of moss and damp shells. Rows of tanks lined the walls, filled with snails blinking lazily. Brushes, moss beds, snail paste, even shampoo were arranged on the shelves.
I cracked my knuckles. Showtime.
Two normal baby Transponder Snails went into my bag first — one for me, one for the boys’ treehouse. At least Sabo would use it responsibly. Luffy… probably not.
Then I swept the shelves. Snail food? Bag. Mini cleaning kits? Bag. Weird snail conditioner? Bag. Anti-spy rigging for black snails? Oh hell yes, bag.
And then I saw it.
A locked case labeled in big, bold letters:
“SHIPPING TO CELESTIAL DRAGONS — DON’T TOUCH!”
Inside were two baby snails — one white, one black.
“Oh-ho,” I whispered, crouching down with a grin. “What do we have here?”
White snails meant calls anywhere, no matter the distance. Black meant eavesdropping, secure lines. Jackpot.
“Looks like you struck gold, bubbles,” Yorki’s familiar, faint voice murmured beside me. He’d been lingering since I last gave him energy, watching over Brook.
“I know,” I muttered, smirking as I melted the lock with a wisp of spirit fire. Click. The case opened. “Oh no, guess I have no choice but to rescue these poor babies from slavery. Tragic.”
Yorki chuckled, fading again. “I’ll go check on Brook. Be safe, little one.”
“Bye, bubbles,” I whispered back before turning to my loot.
The white snail blinked at me groggily. “Guuuuh?”
“Shhh, Duchess Petal Fluffington,” I whispered solemnly. “You belong to me now.”
The black one glared. Flat. Unimpressed.
“And you, Count Sneakerton McShadowsnout. Feared lord of darkness.”
Both stared at me. Judging. I ignored them.
The other two got names too: Sr. Wigglington the Fourth and Lady Bumblesniff von Slitherbottom. The judgment in their tiny snail eyes was almost audible.
Armed with my new snail court, I turned to leave—only to notice a pair of small swords hanging near the counter. Half-sized katanas, perfect for me until I forged my scythe. I snagged them, tying them at my waist just as distant yelling grew louder.
Ace, Luffy, and Sabo’s laughter rang through the streets. Chaos had officially reached full bloom.
Slipping out the back, I vanished into the shadows just as the four of them tore past, Lami leading the charge with a sack of fruit slung over her shoulder, shouting, “MOVE YOUR ASSES!”
I grinned, clutching my bag to my chest. This was our life now.
And I loved it.
…—O—O—O—...
A few minutes later, I strolled up to the outskirts of town, swinging my bag over my shoulder with all the swagger an eight-year-old dragon girl could manage. Lami trailed just a step behind me, hands stuffed into her pockets, her face carved into that perfect mix of “don’t mess with me” and “I’m keeping my idiot sibling alive whether I like it or not.”
The boys were already waiting, lounging under a crooked tree. They straightened when they saw us, their curiosity barely hidden. I grinned wide, pulled out a snail from my bag, and shoved it right into Sabo’s hands.
“For you guys,” I announced, puffing my chest like I’d just presented him with treasure.
Sabo blinked down at it, holding the little creature carefully. He inspected it like it might explode before giving me a long, skeptical look. “…Huh. Didn’t think you’d actually pull it off.”
Ace leaned closer, peering over Sabo’s shoulder as we started walking back together. “What’s its name?”
I smirked, drawing out the words like a dramatic reveal. “Sir Wiggleton… the Fourth.”
There was a beat of silence.
Ace blinked once. Twice. “…The fourth?”
“Yes,” I said firmly, like that answered everything.
Luffy gasped, eyes sparkling with unfiltered wonder. “WHAT happened to the other three?!”
I gave him my best deadpan stare. “Luffy, sweetheart, I literally just made that up.”
Sabo groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Of course you did.”
“Hey,” I chirped, unfazed, “just call him Wiggles for short.”
From beside me, Lami snorted, shaking her head. “You’re insufferable, Jess. Poor snail doesn’t even know it’s doomed.”
Ace sighed, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like stupid names under his breath.
But I wasn’t done. Not even close.
I dug back into my bag, proudly holding up another snail — this one pastel-colored and looking like it had already given up on existence. “And this,” I declared, “is Lady Bumblesniff von Slitherbottom.”
Ace choked, actually stumbling a little. “WHAT?!”
Luffy pointed at it with delight. “Why is she named that?!”
“Because she looks like a Bumblesniff,” I said matter-of-factly, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
The snail, in return, stared at me with the eternal exhaustion of someone cursed to endure my nonsense.
Sabo exhaled sharply, like all the hope he’d ever had for the future just left his body. “…Alright. Whatever. What about the other ones?”
Grinning like a maniac, I pulled out two more snails, one white and one black, and held them up proudly. “Meet Duchess Petal Fluffington and Count Sneakerton McShadowsnout.”
Ace just stared. “You… you named them that?”
“Yes,” I said sweetly.
Luffy tilted his head, curiosity sparkling again. “Do they like their names?”
The four of us turned to the snails. The white one gave me the slowest, most soul-crushing look of disappointment I’d ever received in my life. The black one? Pure deadpan, like he was already plotting his escape.
Lami smacked her forehead with her palm. “Jess, I swear to god, you just bullied four innocent snails.”
“Nonsense!” I said brightly, waving at them. “They’ll get used to it.”
Sabo groaned into his hands. “I don’t think they will.”
Ace crossed his arms tightly across his chest, lips twitching as though he was barely holding back laughter. “No, really. This is cruel. You’re cruel.”
“Correction,” Lami cut in smoothly, giving Ace a sly grin, “she’s cruel, I just supervise.”
Ace snorted despite himself.
Meanwhile, Luffy beamed, already poking Wiggles with a finger. “I like them! He’s squishy!”
The poor snail retracted into its shell with the slowest, most judgmental glare at Luffy I had ever seen.
Sabo just shook his head like a man staring into the abyss. “We’re going to be so wanted one day.”
I adjusted my bag, grinning like the chaos goblin I was. “Already are.”
And with that, the six of us—four boys, two sisters, and four very disgruntled snails—marched into the forest.
I felt accomplished. Victorious, even.
Even if my snails were probably plotting my demise.
…—O—O—O—...
After I finished giving the boys as much snail-care gear as I could spare (read: I shoved it all at Sabo because he looked like the only one responsible enough not to accidentally drown his snail in soup), I climbed back into my nest to start setting up my own little snail haven.
The nook I’d chosen was just off from my sleeping spot, big enough to tuck into without crowding the rest of the nest. I lined the space with moss and leaves—some from the store, some scavenged from the forest floor. It was soft, springy, and it smelled clean, earthy. From there, I carved out a few small bowls from rock, rough around the edges but sturdy enough to hold food and water. I promised myself—and my snails—I’d refill them twice a day, no excuses.
Lami crouched nearby, arms crossed, watching me fuss with the setup. “You’re treating them like royalty,” she teased, but her smile was soft. “I didn’t even get a bed this nice when we first landed on the island.”
“Yeah, well,” I sniffed, flicking a pebble in her direction, “you didn’t come with a shell and an existential need for leafy bedding.”
She snorted, rolling her eyes, but she stayed close, occasionally handing me bits of moss or straightening a lopsided twig wall without me asking.
I worked fast, building tiny beds from rocks and moss—flat stone bases, lined with soft padding so their shells wouldn’t scrape. Then I set up the rigs on the side, making sure they could choose whichever they liked when it was time to link calls. Over it all, I wove a little dome of sticks and vines, leaving small gaps so they could slip out if they wanted but shielding them from rain or harsh sunlight. Extra branches hung down inside like a playground, a place to climb or rest.
Finally, I added fresh water and a scatter of chopped fruit.
“Alright,” I whispered, lowering the three of them inside. “Welcome home.”
Bumble’s antennae twitched in surprise. Petal and Shadow stilled, blinking their big, wet eyes as they slowly explored. They touched the moss, the bowls, the play branches. Then, as if the realization struck them all at once, they turned back toward me with tears brimming in their tiny eyes.
They rushed forward, climbing onto my hands, nuzzling their little faces against my palms like they couldn’t thank me enough.
“Ohhh, you’re gonna make me cry,” I cooed, stroking each one gently, fingertips brushing over smooth shells and soft skin. “See? Told you I’d take care of you.”
Lami knelt beside me, resting her chin on her fists, watching with wide eyes. “They actually look… happy,” she murmured, a little amazed.
“Of course they do,” I said proudly, giving her a sideways grin. “Unlike you, they appreciate me.”
She shoved my shoulder lightly, but her lips twitched with a smile.
“Alright,” I said, setting them back down gently, “time to meet the family.”
I called Luna and Helio over. The snails hesitated, but my familiars were patient, nudging them softly, curling protectively around their new little neighbors. The warmth between them made my chest ache in the best way.
Afterward, I crouched back down to Bumble. “Hey, sweetheart. Can I make a quick call?”
She blinked at me, then nodded after a moment, waddling over to the rigs. She tilted her head, waiting.
“You get to pick which one feels right,” I told her gently. “No forcing. It’s your choice.”
Her antennae flicked, then she slid into a purple rigging that matched her shell perfectly.
“Good girl,” I said softly.
I typed in the number for Wiggles and held my breath as the connection clicked. Bumble’s face blinked once—then shifted into Sabo’s.
“Hello? Oh! Hi Jessica!” he said, eyes lighting up. “Whoa, this is so weird but also really cool!”
I laughed, the tension easing from my chest. “Yeah! Did you finish Wiggles’ area? I just wrapped mine up.”
Sabo grinned, angling the view so I could glimpse the dome Wiggles now lived in. “Yeah. Thanks for the tips. He looks really happy. I… kinda wonder how he was treated before.”
I sighed, my smile fading. “Transponder Snails aren’t usually treated kindly by their… well, their owners. But that’s not what they are to me. They’re friends.”
Lami’s hand found my shoulder, squeezing gently.
Sabo sighed too, but then his grin returned. “Well, Wiggles is happy now. Luffy and Ace like him, too. Though Ace refuses to say his full name. He was outvoted when we tried to change it.”
I snorted. “Figures. Ace doesn’t get it.”
Sabo chuckled. “I think it’s a good name. Luffy thinks it’s cool.”
I beamed. “See? And my guys don’t hate their names anymore either. Plus, Luna and Helio love them, so that’s like… the ultimate stamp of approval.”
Before Sabo could answer, Bumble’s face warped and suddenly Luffy’s big grin filled the rig.
“Woah! Jessica, I see your face! This is awesome!”
“LUFFY, DON’T DO THAT!” I yelped, horrified. “You could hurt Wiggles!”
His smile crumpled instantly. “Oh no! I’m sorry, Wiggles!”
From the background, Sabo groaned, “Luffy, get out—”
And then Ace’s voice bellowed faintly: “DON’T POKE HIM, IDIOT!”
I couldn’t stop myself from laughing, even as I shook my head. “Alright, I’m hanging up. Let the poor snails rest, okay?”
Both Sabo and Luffy shouted agreement (Ace’s “DON’T POKE HIM!” echoed again before it cut out).
The rig powered down. Bumble exhaled like she’d been holding her breath the entire time, sagging with relief.
I gave her an apologetic smile and stroked her gently. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I just needed to check on your brother, make sure he’s being cared for. You don’t need to worry—he’s safe. They like him. A lot.”
Her little face brightened at that. She wriggled happily, then toddled back into the mossy bedding, taking a long sip of water, nibbling on fruit, then curling up to rest.
I chuckled softly and turned toward Shadow, my snowy white snail, who was blinking at me expectantly. “Alright, buddy. Your turn.”
Lami leaned back against the nest wall, watching me fuss with a fond, tired smile. “You’re ridiculous, Jess,” she murmured. “But… it’s good. Really good.”
I grinned back at her, heart lighter than it had been in weeks.
Petal tilted her little head at me, feathers fluffing as she chirped, and then sighed in the most dramatic bird way possible before hopping onto the black rigging. “Thanks,” she trilled, her beak clicking like punctuation, “I really want to talk with my dad.”
“Yeah, yeah, hang on.” I huffed, handing her a leaf of lettuce before rifling through my papers. Took me a minute, but eventually I found the scribbled number and grabbed the snail-phone. The line rang, buzzing long enough that I thought no one would answer—then it clicked.
“Oi, who the hell is calling this line in the late afternoon? It’s party time!”
Ah. Lucky. My favorite.
“Heya, Lucky! Is my dad there?”
There was a sudden choking sound on the other end, followed by a loud, panicked wheeze.
“The hell—Jessica?!”
“Yep. The one and only.” I grinned, leaning back smugly.
“You little—do you know what kind of pain you caused after you didn’t call us when the Cap’n said you would?! Benn had to physically keep him from turning the ship around!”
“That sounds like a him problem,” I deadpanned, inspecting my nails.
Roux groaned so loud it buzzed the snail. “You and Shanks are way too alike. Hold on.”
Muffled shuffling, a chair scraping, and then—
“JESSICA?!”
I winced, yanking the snail away from my ear as my father’s voice boomed like thunder through the receiver. Ow.
“Hi, Dad.”
“HI, DAD?! You haven’t called in a month and a half! DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED WE WERE?!” His tone wobbled between furious, terrified, and utterly relieved.
I shrugged, though he couldn’t see me. “I mean, I assumed you were worried, but I wasn’t missing. I knew where I was the whole time.”
A faint thump echoed through the line. Yeah. That was him smacking his forehead against a table. Classic.
“Where. The hell. Have you been?! I said a few days—not weeks!”
“Okay, so funny story actually…”
And then I began.
I told him how the island hated me personally. How it sent actual murder hens after me. “They look like normal chickens, Dad, but if you breathe near them they lunge at your face with the fury of a thousand storms.”
“Sounds like normal chickens to me,” he sighed.
“No, you don’t get it. These things hunt in packs. They corner you. They’re like feathery little war criminals.”
Silence. Then the man lost it, laughing so hard I could practically hear Lucky wheezing in the background.
“Not funny!” I yelled. “I was stuck in a tree for three hours while they circled me like a corpse waiting to happen!”
“You’re part dragon. Why didn’t you just fry them?”
“...Because I got attached,” I muttered. “And I gave them meat. So we’re cool now.”
Silence again.
“Jessica. My lovely daughter. Are you telling me you now have an army of death chickens?”
I cleared my throat. “Moving on!”
Then I gave him the highlights. The snake the size of a ship. The cave I claimed. The never-ending parade of carnivorous assholes that tried to kill me every other day.
Lami piped up from where she was sprawled on the bed, arms crossed, glaring at the snail like it personally offended her. “Don’t forget the part where I had to keep you from falling face-first into that snake’s jaws.”
“Details,” I said sweetly.
Dad made a noise halfway between a groan and a prayer. “Gods above, she’s found a partner in crime.”
“You bet,” Lami said flatly. “Somebody has to keep her from dying of stupidity.”
I flipped her off. She flipped me off back.
Then I got to the lake incident. I explained—maybe too gleefully—how three boys had wandered in while I was bathing.
The line went silent. Dangerous silent.
“...Dad?”
“You’re telling me,” he said, voice low and calm in the kind of way that screamed dangerous, “that three boys walked in on you while you were bathing?”
“Yes.”
“Three boys your age?”
“Mhm.”
“…And you let them live?”
“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I tried to drown them,” I huffed. “But they were fast. And so embarrassed that I kinda felt bad.”
“WHO ARE THEY?!”
I winced again, ears ringing. “First of all, ow. Second, you actually know one of them. Remember that rubber kid in Fushia?”
A beat of silence. Then: “…Monkey D. Luffy?”
“That’s the one!”
Silence. Deep inhale. Deeper exhale. Then full-blown, wheezing, throw-your-head-back laughter.
I waited it out. Eventually, he stopped mid-cackle, his tone suddenly wary. “…Wait. He can’t swim. And that boy doesn’t care about privacy. What did you do?”
“Oh, I tried to drown him.”
Lucky and Yassop exploded with laughter in the background.
“Oh, and we’re friends now,” I added casually.
Dad groaned. “Fine. Whatever. You met Luffy. He’s an idiot, but he’s… fun.”
“Oh, and I robbed a transponder snail shop!”
“THAT’S MY GIRL!” he roared, pride dripping from every syllable.
“I got great snails too!” I said happily. “Their names are Duchess Petal Fluffington, Count Sneakerton McShadowsnout, and Lady Bumblesniff von Slitherbottom. Say hi, kids!”
Lami groaned into her hands. Dad chuckled. “Yeah, those sound like your names.”
And then I dropped the bomb.
“Oh, well… I may have also joined Luffy’s crew.”
Silence. Pure. Heavy. Absolute.
“…What.”
I twirled a strand of hair. “Yep! Official pirate now. Swore loyalty, shook on it, Pirate Code and all.”
“YOU JOINED A CREW LED BY A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD?!”
“When you say it like that, it sounds dumb,” I admitted.
“BECAUSE IT IS!”
Too late. I laughed, tipping back in my chair. “Can’t back out now. Besides, it’s not just me. Lami’s in too. We’re a package deal.”
“Hi, sir,” Lami said flatly, leaning into the snail. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep her from dying. Probably.”
Dad made a strangled noise that sounded like an aneurysm in progress.
“Don’t worry,” I chirped, grinning ear to ear. “I’m still your daughter!”
“I know that!”
Another deep inhale. Another deep exhale. “I’m hanging up before my blood pressure kills me. And if you wait another month to call, Jessica, I swear—”
“Love you too, Dad!” I beamed, slamming the receiver down.
Lami sighed, flopping onto the bed. “He’s gonna lose his mind.”
“He already has,” I said cheerfully, scooping Petal up for cuddles.
And honestly? What a successful day it was.
Notes:
Hello! Hello! I'm proud to say I got this one out early, but there are a few things I need to add here before I forget:
1: Everything is moving fast because I am getting burned out on her backstory saga and everything, so I my writing became a lot quicker and less detailed. I'm sorry, but I really don't want to drag out her childhood anymore. I have so many ideas for the future.
2: I am still moving and my editing has not been the best, so any help pointing out mistakes would be appreciated!
3: Thank you all so much for 100+ kudos and 3000+ hits! I love you all so much and words can't explain how much I love that you guys like my story! Your comments keep me going and I love them so much! Thank you all for reading!
Also, I am writing multiple stories, so please be patient with me when it comes to uploading!
Answer: Drum Island. I love the cold and I would LOVE to meet Chopper!
Question: If you could save one character from dying, who would it be and why?
Chapter 14: Chapter 13: IT'S AN OLD MAN!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
As the days stretched on, the boys and I fell into something close to a routine. We trained together. We fought together. We argued constantly. And, of course, I introduced them to my training schedule — which ended with me getting my ass handed to me three times over because apparently forcing them to get up early and run laps around the forest made me “a menace.”
They were whining now, but they’d thank me later. Someday. Probably.
Lami joined in too, though she was less reckless than me. At ten, she had this sharp, older-sister vibe, even though she was only a year younger than Ace and Sabo. She didn’t just train, she watched them, corrected their stances, shoved them back into place when they slacked off. Where I was the chaos, she was the anchor — and together, we were impossible to separate. A package deal.
One part of my routine was Observation Haki training. I had set up a contraption in a clearing — about the size of the boys’ treehouse — that launched rocks at me from every direction. The idea was to dodge, dodge, dodge, until my instincts sharpened enough to keep me alive.
It wasn’t Yassop-level revenge prep, but it kept me busy until I could get to Usopp.
“OW! I SWEAR—GAH!” Ace yelped as he tried to dodge, only to get smacked square in the shoulder by a rock the size of a fist.
I collapsed onto my side in laughter, kicking the ground as Sabo and Luffy practically cried from watching Ace get pummeled. Lami just stood there with her arms crossed, shaking her head, but even she was smirking.
After a while, I called Ace back, resetting the rocks into their baskets. Then I walked into the middle of the clearing, tying a strip of cloth over my eyes.
“Alright! Turn it on!”
With a click, the mechanism engaged. Rocks whirled into the air and shot at me from every direction. I flared my Observation, senses reaching, pinging each projectile as I spun and ducked. One hit my shoulder, another clipped my ribs, a third thudded into my gut, but the rest? Dodged. Smooth. Clean.
“Shut it off!” I shouted, and the contraption slowed, rocks tumbling back into their baskets. I yanked the blindfold down and strode back to the group, wiping sweat from my brow.
Lunaire was perched nearby, her scales glinting faintly in the light. Helios wasn’t with us — he’d caught a cold, nothing serious, but enough for me to keep him resting. Lunaire rumbled low, like she was unimpressed.
“Oh, shush,” I said, side-eyeing her as she trotted over and jumped onto my shoulder. “I dodged most of them.”
Her laugh was sharp and barking, vibrating against my skin, but she settled happily anyway. I grinned. Someday, I’d be strong enough to carry her there even when she got bigger.
“How’d we do?” Luffy piped up, bouncing on his toes. He was practically vibrating with excitement.
I chuckled, glancing at all four of them. “In terms of who’s most likely to unlock Observation first? Sabo.”
“HAH!” Sabo punched the air as Ace and Luffy slumped. Lami, perched on a rock, smirked knowingly.
Ace narrowed his eyes at me. “In terms?”
I hummed. “Yep. Luffy’s probably going to unlock Armament first.”
“YES!” Luffy whooped, spinning in a circle before tripping over his own feet.
“And Ace,” I continued, ignoring Luffy’s dramatic cheering, “you’re going to be an expert in Conqueror’s.”
That shut him up — in a good way. He nodded, satisfied, a little smug.
“What about you?” he asked after a beat.
I tilted my head, thoughtful. “Me? I’m going to be decent at all of them, but Observation is my specialty. It fits. I’m already halfway there.”
Ace nodded slowly, while Sabo beamed, and Luffy bounced again like he was ready to punch the air.
“Well, I guess it’s time—” I started, but froze.
Something pinged on my radar. Something strong. Not just strong — overwhelming. A tidal wave of Haki, barreling straight toward us. And it wasn’t just wandering. It was looking.
“Jess?” Lami asked quietly, her back straightening, her eyes narrowing as she read my expression.
My gaze dropped to Luffy. He was mine now — my Captain. One of mine and mine always. But if I wanted to keep him safe, if I wanted to keep all of us safe, I had to make a choice.
Do I risk it?
My instincts surged with the answer.
Fuck. Yes.
I transformed in a heartbeat, wings bursting wide, scales glittering faintly. Luffy yelped in shock as I scooped him into my arms. He flailed, his voice high and panicked. “WAHHH—JESSICA WHAT—”
I slapped a clawed hand over his mouth, cutting him off. “Garp.”
His whole face went sheet-white. His arms locked around my neck like a vice.
Behind me, Lami’s voice rang out, sharp and fierce. “Don’t you dare leave me here!”
She sprinted forward, and I hooked her with my other arm, wings snapping once, twice, before catching the air. We rose clumsily, branches scraping my wings, but higher, higher, until the forest stretched beneath us.
Ace and Sabo shouted, but their voices were fading as I flew, as fast as my body would allow. Faster. Always faster.
The wind roared past, carrying us away from the clearing, away from Garp’s crushing presence.
Luffy clung tighter, Lami pressed against my side, her jaw tight and her eyes locked on the horizon.
Do I want to set my chicken and snake army on him?
…
Not right now.
A moment of tense silence passed before the screams hit us. Ace and Sabo. Raw, unfiltered terror echoing through the forest. The sound made my chest tighten, but it wasn’t enough to slow me down. Beside me, Luffy trembled against my side, clutching at me like a lifeline.
“D-do you think they’re okay?” he whispered, his voice small.
The look I gave him must’ve said everything, because he paled and nodded quickly. “…Yeah. You’re right.”
Lami, running along the branches behind us, bared her teeth. “If they’re not, I’m ripping his ears off.”
We made it back to my nest fast — faster than I thought I could. Once inside, I shoved a pelt over my Transponder snails, disguising them as nothing more than a messy pile of pillows and blankets. Their eyestalks bobbed nervously as they shuffled back into the shadows. “Shh. Garp’s here.”
Helios and Lunaire were tucked into the little pocket I’d woven beneath layers of vines, a hidden hollow meant exactly for this sort of thing. Safe. Out of sight.
I pulled Luffy with me into the tightest corner I had, curling my tail around us, folding my wings over our bodies, burying us in as much cover as possible. Lami pressed herself close on the other side, arms wrapping around me and Luffy both, her breath hot and uneven against my ear.
“Do you think he’ll find us?” Luffy asked again, his voice shaking harder this time.
I gave him a long, flat look. His face fell. “Right. Observation. You already know.”
And then I felt it. The pressure slammed into my radar like a wave, suffocating and sharp.
He knew. He knew where we were.
“He’s locked onto us…” I whispered, my voice trembling.
Luffy whimpered. “D-do you think he’ll destroy your nest?”
I froze. My chest squeezed tight.
But then Luffy, of all people, tilted his head and thought about it. “…Nah. He never destroyed the bandits’ hideout or our treehouse.”
For a heartbeat, I almost let myself believe it. Relief trickled in — then the tree shuddered violently as something massive landed on it. My nest rattled, leaves shaking loose, vines snapping taut — but miraculously, nothing cracked.
“BAHAHAHA! Did you really think you could hide from me?”
The voice shook me to my core. Heavy. Grating. Terrifying.
Then he moved into the nest itself, his hulking frame filling the space. His eyes scanned everything until they landed squarely on me. On us. They narrowed, sharp and suspicious.
“Another brat?!”
Before I could even scream, a massive hand closed on the back of my shirt and yanked me into the air. Luffy clung to me, flailing, his legs kicking wildly. Lami lunged forward with a feral shout, clawing at Garp’s wrist.
“Put her down! Put them down!”
But the old bastard lifted me higher, dragging all three of us off the floor, dangling like caught animals. My knees curled up instinctively, squeezing Luffy closer to my chest. My tail looped over him protectively, squeezing tighter every time he whimpered.
“A dragon brat!” Garp barked, eyes wide with something halfway between suspicion and glee.
Luffy’s knuckles went white as he clung to me, his eyes darting between my face and his grandfather’s.
Garp gave me a little shake, rough enough to make my wings twitch, probably trying to get me to drop Luffy. But I didn’t. Neither of us let go. We clung harder. And when we didn’t budge, he barked out a laugh and let us fall back onto the pile of pelts.
“BAHAHAHA! Looks like you’ve taken a liking to my grandson! You’ll make a fine Marine!”
He crouched down, his shadow swallowing us whole. I leveled my gaze at him, steady even though my hands trembled. “You’re not going to kill me?”
Both Luffy and Lami stiffened at my words, fear ripping through them like lightning.
Garp blinked, almost insulted. “Why would I do that, you brat?!”
I frowned. “Because that’s how my ancestors died, right? The Marines killed them off for being different?”
The flinch was immediate. The twitch in his jaw. The way his eyes darkened, if only for a second. He looked away, somber, and when he looked back, his grin was weaker.
“Yeah. Guess we did. Not me though!” He forced the laugh back into his throat, rough and barking.
I deadpanned. Didn’t even blink.
“Don’t worry,” he said, laughing again. “I ain’t gonna kill you. That’d be a waste of a future Marine!”
Beside me, Luffy’s mouth opened to argue — to shout that I wasn’t going to be a Marine, I was his crewmate. But I slapped my hand over his lips and hissed into his ear. “Say that and he hits us with The Fist of Love. Trust me.”
Luffy swallowed hard and nodded, eyes still wide.
“So,” I said cautiously, “I’m assuming you’re here to… train us?”
Garp grinned, flashing a thumbs-up.
I sighed, dragging a hand down my face. “Okay. But can we not do it on my nest? It’s important to me, y’know.”
His grin softened just a touch. “Ah! So we are in a nest. Knew it. I’ve heard how important these are to dragons. Fine then. We’ll go… over there!” He jabbed a finger in the direction of the smoke rising through the trees. Where Ace and Sabo were.
Lami bristled beside me, her nails digging into the bark. “You already hurt them, didn’t you?”
“Bah, they’re fine!” Garp waved her off with a laugh.
“Can I at least fly us over there? Me and Luffy and Lami?” I asked quickly, desperate to keep control.
He leveled me with a look that made my skin crawl. I wilted, sighing. “Fine.”
I dropped back into my human form and hugged Luffy and Lami both against me. The next thing I knew, Garp’s hand was on the back of my shirt again.
“See ya over there, brats!”
And then he threw us.
Like. A. Missile.
I screamed bloody murder, the sound ripping through the trees. Luffy wailed too, flapping his arms like it would somehow help, while Lami buried her face in my shoulder and cursed every god she knew.
The flight lasted forever — long enough for me to regret every life choice that brought me here — and then, with a sickening crash, we landed.
On Ace and Sabo.
Groaning in pain, I peeled myself off Ace’s stomach while Luffy and Lami scrambled off Sabo’s legs. Both boys lay bruised and battered, glaring up at us like we’d just spat on their graves.
“You left us!” Ace accused, pointing a shaky finger at me.
I nodded sagely. “Yup.”
“WHY?!”
“I saved myself and my Captain. Every man for themselves.”
Ace froze. Then, after a beat, he sighed and nodded reluctantly. “…Makes sense.”
“Yeah,” Sabo muttered, groaning as he sat up. Then his eyes widened, his finger trembling as he pointed skyward.
My stomach sank.
I didn’t even look up before whispering, “I hope he doesn’t stay long.”
And then—
“FIST OF LOVE!”
The blow rattled the earth, rattled my teeth, rattled everything.
I prayed he didn’t stay long.
…—O—O—O—...
Unfortunately, the old man stayed.
Not for a few hours, not for a day, but for almost three whole fucking weeks. Three weeks of pure chaos, three weeks of headaches, three weeks of me wondering if this was some new god-tier punishment. And in those weeks? Garp discovered my Transponder Snails.
Specifically, my rare white one.
And he almost took her.
“I don’t see why a brat like you should have such a rare Transponder Snail!” His booming voice rattled through the trees, making birds scatter like they’d just been shot at. His shadow loomed over me as we sat in my nest: Luffy perched loyally at my side, Ace and Sabo hovering behind us, both visibly exhausted from another endless day of surviving.
Petal — my white snail — sat curled against me like she knew her life was in danger.
I panicked. I couldn’t lose her. So, I pulled the oldest trick in the book.
I turned on the waterworks.
Tears welled in my eyes, hot and heavy, dripping down my cheeks. My lip wobbled like I was auditioning for “Most Pathetic Child of the Year.” Garp visibly faltered, though he tried to hold strong.
“Be-because my p-papa is so f-far away,” I hiccupped pitifully, clutching Petal tighter.
Luffy’s eyes narrowed into a glare at his grandfather, practically growling under his breath. He didn’t say it, but I knew he was thinking it: you made her cry.
“And your… mother?” Garp asked gruffly, though his voice was softer now.
Perfect. Showtime.
Big, fat crocodile tears spilled down my face as I whispered, “Sh-she got k-killed by so-some Marines…” Then, I let loose the wail of a lifetime, shrill and gut-wrenching.
Garp flinched like I’d stabbed him.
From behind me, the boys joined in like a chorus of angry guard dogs.
“Stupid Gramps!”
“Yeah, old man!”
“You made her cry!”
Ace, Sabo, and Luffy’s voices blended together, righteous fury aimed at their grandfather. For half a second, it was glorious. Then Garp turned his glare on them — that soul-piercing, world-ending glare — and the three of them clamped their mouths shut like someone had sewn them closed.
Lami, meanwhile, had been sitting stiff as a board the entire time, pressed against the farthest edge of the nest like she thought maybe the tree would eat her and hide her from his gaze. Her eyes were wide, her lips pressed into a thin line, and when Garp’s attention flicked briefly her way, she physically shrank, muttering under her breath, “Nope. Nope. Not dying today.”
And then he picked me up. By the back of my black tank top, like I was a kitten being hauled off by the scruff. I dangled helplessly in his grip, wailing like a banshee.
He sweatdropped as I got louder, shaking me slightly like that would somehow turn the tears off. It didn’t. If anything, it made me wail louder. Loud enough that the entire forest seemed to shake. Birds fled in panicked flocks. Even the boys cringed at the sound.
Lami slapped her hands over her ears, muttering, “Jess, you’re gonna get us killed!”
Finally, Garp seemed to come to some kind of decision. He snatched up the boys in one hand, still carrying me in the other, and jumped. The whole tree rattled as he landed, sprinting straight through the forest like a hurricane in human form.
We reached a rickety shack perched on the edge of the clearing. He slammed the door open so hard it nearly flew off its hinges. Inside, there was a loud crash, and then a woman stormed in, eyes blazing — Dadan.
She opened her mouth to start her usual scolding tirade… and froze.
Because there was Garp. And there was me, shoved right in her face, still sobbing violently, tears streaming down my cheeks like a waterfall.
“Fix her,” Garp barked.
“WHAT?!” Dadan’s jaw dropped.
I wailed louder.
She flinched like the noise had physically punched her in the gut. Groaning, she grabbed me by the back of my shirt the same way Garp had, inspecting me with a practiced eye. “Fine, fine — if only to get her to shut up. What the hell did you do?”
Garp rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and held up Petal. “I took this from her.”
Dadan stared. Then she deadpanned, “Well give it back?!”
“Huh. Didn’t think of that.”
Her sigh was so loud it rattled the rafters. She plunked me down on the floor and shoved Petal back into my hands.
Like flipping a switch, the tears cut off. My eyes dried, my sniffles vanished, and I beamed up at them with the brightest, happiest smile I could muster.
“Thanks!” I chirped, skipping toward the door with Petal clutched to my chest.
Luffy bolted after me, laughing like this was the best prank ever pulled, while Ace and Sabo staggered behind in shock.
Lami followed last, her face pale, whispering to herself, “I can’t believe she just conned Garp. We’re all gonna die.”
Inside, Garp and Dadan stared after us, silent.
“…Did she…?” Garp asked slowly, still holding his chin like he was trying to compute what just happened.
“Y-yes… I think she did,” Dadan muttered, a bead of sweat sliding down her temple.
And outside, I was already humming happily, dragging Luffy along as if nothing at all had happened.
…—O—O—O—...
“Old man, this is going way too far!” I screeched, my voice breaking as my little legs kicked frantically in the air.
“CALL ME GRAMPS, YOU BRAT!” Garp bellowed, his massive fist dangling me like a ragdoll over the yawning pit below.
And what a pit it was.
Spiders. Dozens of them. Huge, hairy monsters with thick brown-and-black fur, their bodies twitching as their too-many legs scraped against the rocks. Their beady black eyes gleamed up at me in perfect synchronization, as though they were already choosing which part of me to snack on first.
I shrieked, twisting and thrashing in his grip. “IF YOU MAKE ME DO THIS, I’LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!”
My hands latched onto his wrist with a death grip, but my legs kept flailing as if I could somehow kick the fear away. Arachnophobia or not, anyone with a pulse would’ve been pissing themselves at the sight of these furry little devils waiting below.
“IT’S TO MAKE YOU STRONGER!” Garp thundered, shaking me up and down like I was some kind of training weight instead of a small child staring death in the mandibles.
“STRONGER?! I HAVE ARACHNOPHOBIA, YOU… YOU DUMBASS OLD MAN!” My shrieks echoed through the clearing. My voice cracked so hard it probably terrified birds three islands over.
On the sidelines, Ace and Sabo were doubled over, practically choking on their own laughter. They were clutching their stomachs, rolling in the dirt, tears of mirth streaming down their faces as they watched me dangle helplessly.
“HAH—LOOK AT HER FACE—” Ace wheezed.
“She’s gonna—she’s actually gonna faint!” Sabo howled, slapping the ground.
Meanwhile, Luffy stood there, frowning so deeply his brows nearly touched. “Gramps, that’s mean!”
And then there was Lami.
My supposed older-sister figure had been glaring daggers the entire time, her fists clenched tight at her sides. Her voice cracked when she shouted, but she shouted anyway: “GARP, PUT HER DOWN! THIS ISN’T TRAINING, THIS IS TORTURE!”
“SHUT UP, YOU BRATS!” Garp roared, giving me another shake like he was trying to rattle the fear out of my bones.
My sweaty palms slipped.
I screamed as gravity betrayed me, hurtling down toward the nightmare pit. Tears blurred my vision, my throat raw from terror. This was it. This was how I died — spider chow.
Then — strong arms wrapped tight around my waist. I was yanked away from doom mid-fall and sent crashing back onto solid ground. My head spun, my ears rang, but when I blinked through the haze, I saw him.
Luffy. Beaming his big, stupid, wonderful grin at me.
Relief exploded in my chest. I grabbed him by the shoulders, sobbing and shaking as I smothered him in a hug. “THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOUUU!” My words tumbled over each other in frantic gratitude. “I’M GETTING YOU FIVE—NO, SIX CROCODILES TONIGHT!”
He hugged me back just as hard, his laugh ringing bright and pure. “YAY!!”
From the corner of my eye, I caught Lami collapsing to her knees, clutching her chest as if she’d nearly had a heart attack. “I’m—oh my god—I’m gonna kill that old man one day,” she muttered breathlessly, still shaking.
A low huff dragged my gaze upward. Garp loomed over us, scowling down with his arms crossed.
“Gah. Fine. You don’t have to,” he grumbled.
I barely had time to exhale in relief before his head swiveled toward Ace and Sabo.
The brothers froze mid-laughter, their smiles shattering instantly.
“You two, however…”
They screamed as he scooped them up like sacks of potatoes, their arms flailing wildly as he hurled them into the pit.
“NOOOO!”
“THIS ISN’T FUNNY ANYMOOOORE!”
Their wails echoed as the spiders surged.
Then his eyes cut back toward me, Luffy, and Lami.
My stomach dropped.
“Did you think you’d get out of training?!”
For one suspended second, me, Luffy, and Lami locked eyes. Silent agreement flashed between us.
Run.
We bolted. Crashing through the trees, stumbling over roots, flapping wings and flailing arms, sprinting for dear life.
“FIST OF LOVE!!!” Garp’s roar shook the clearing as he charged after us, his shadow falling like a storm.
“AAAAAAAAHHHH!” we screamed in unison, voices splitting the night as the forest rang with chaos.
…—O—O—O—...
By day five of Garp’s so-called “Marine Torture Camp,” I was ready to either kill myself or kill someone else, whichever came first and required less energy.
The old man had woken us before the sun rose, barking orders with that terrifying mix of joy and cruelty only Garp seemed capable of. And today? Oh, today he had chosen something out of the deepest circles of hell.
“ALRIGHT, YOU BRATS!” His voice boomed across the training field, rattling through my skull like cannon fire. All of us looked up in pure, unified terror, because nothing good ever followed that tone. “CARRY THIS MASSIVE BOULDER UP THE MOUNTAIN OR I’LL BEAT YOU TO THE TOP MYSELF!”
I stared. We all stared.
The “boulder” in question was larger than me and nearly half the size of Garp himself. I swear it had an evil aura. Ace’s jaw clenched so tightly I thought his teeth would shatter, his body trembling with the effort to not scream profanities. Sabo’s face was already slick with sweat, his eyes filled with the kind of soul-crushing regret only children with abusive mentors could understand.
Luffy? My beloved future captain? He had already made the executive decision to cheat. Instead of carrying his boulder like a normal idiot, he was dragging it across the dirt with a grin, humming to himself like he was out for a stroll.
And me? I was having a deep, spiritual conversation with every single bad life choice that had led me here. My horns, my wings, my existence—none of it seemed worth this particular brand of suffering.
“I could just… fly?” I muttered under my breath, staring at the rock like it had personally wronged me. The idea of bypassing the entire ordeal by lifting off was so tempting my wings twitched.
Of course, the universe hated me.
Garp’s head whipped around, his grin so wide it could split the world in two. “WHAT WAS THAT, BRAT?!”
I froze. “Uh—”
Too late.
The demon-man himself bent down, grabbed a boulder twice the size of ours — twice the size, I swear on my scales — and with the casual energy of a man tossing a beach ball, he hurled it straight at my head.
“FLY THAT, YOU LAZY DRAGON!”
I screeched, wings flaring as I bolted sideways. The monster rock slammed into the ground an inch from my face, sending sand and pebbles exploding everywhere.
“WHAT THE HELL, OLD MAN?!” I shrieked, voice cracking so hard it hurt.
Garp just laughed, hands on his hips, chest shaking with amusement. He didn’t care that he’d nearly turned me into dragon paste. He didn’t care that I was traumatized, my life flashing before my eyes in vivid high-definition.
Ace and Sabo? They were staring at me in horrified silence, wide-eyed, faces pale, until they turned back to their own boulders with newfound determination. Because suddenly their task didn’t look so bad compared to death by meteor assault. Both of them started shoving their rocks uphill like their lives depended on it — which, to be fair, they probably did.
Luffy? He was still dragging his rock, humming, blissfully ignoring the chaos. Honestly, I started to wonder if he was doing it on purpose. Play dumb, fly under the radar, let the rest of us suffer while he coasted. Huh. Smart.
Lami, meanwhile, had her arms wrapped around her own boulder, veins bulging in her neck as she pushed with every ounce of strength in her body. Her face was twisted in fury. “I swear to GOD, if this old fossil makes me carry one more rock, I’m gonna strangle him with his own cape!” she roared.
“Yell louder, maybe he’ll throw another one!” I shot back, voice dripping with sarcasm.
Her head snapped toward me, eyes blazing. “DON’T JINX IT, JESS!”
Right on cue, Garp’s voice boomed again. “WHAT’S THAT? BACKTALK?!”
We both screamed and shoved our boulders harder, like maybe if we looked busy enough, he wouldn’t hurl another chunk of death at us.
Spoiler: he still laughed like a maniac.
I swear, surviving this training camp wasn’t about strength. It was about learning how to live in constant, crippling fear of one deranged old man.
…—O—O—O—...
I was not an idiot.
When Garp first showed up, crashing into our lives like a cannonball with lungs, I had instinctively known one very simple fact: if I wanted to survive his brand of training and chaos, I needed a backup plan. Specifically, I needed food that wasn’t just meat. Sure, dragons love meat, but even my body craved balance. Greens, fruits, something other than monster jerky. Fighting wild animals every day wasn’t exactly giving me the best nutritional spread.
So, like any reasonable dragon with an ounce of survival instinct, I had raided Dadan’s storage. Bananas, mostly. Big yellow bundles of hope. Did I feel bad? No. Not even a little. She could get more — I couldn’t. Not for the next three weeks.
I hauled my treasure back, tucked them neatly under my nest, and declared myself victorious.
It was foolproof.
It was perfect.
It was—
I froze mid-bite, a half-eaten banana dangling stupidly from my mouth. My jaw went slack. My tail stilled. Because standing at the base of my tree, arms crossed and eyes blazing, was Monkey D. Garp and he was looking up at me like I’d just spat on Marineford’s flag.
“Uh,” I managed, forcing the banana down in one gulp. “Breakfast?”
His knuckles cracked like gunfire.
“THAT’S STEALING!” His voice shook the leaves from the branches.
I snorted, trying for bravado. “That’s survival, old man.”
And the moment those words left my mouth, my brain screamed abort mission. Because that was not the correct answer.
Garp launched upward with terrifying speed, and before I could move, his fist slammed down on top of my skull.
“FIST OF LOVE, YOU BRAT!”
“AAAAHHHHH!” I screamed, clutching my head and glaring up at him with watery eyes. “WHAT THE HELL, OLD MAN?! I WAS EATING!”
“STEALING IS BAD!” he thundered, like some unholy moral judge from the heavens.
“IT WAS JUST A BANANA!” I wailed.
He didn’t care.
The boys—Ace, Sabo, and Luffy—were doubled over, wheezing with laughter. Their faces were red, tears leaking from their eyes, and their cackles stabbed my pride worse than the fist. My brow twitched violently.
And then inspiration struck.
I turned the biggest, most innocent eyes up at Garp, hands still cradling my aching head. “Why are you punching only me? I saw them eating stolen fruit too!”
The laughter died instantly and three sets of eyes widened in betrayal and horror.
“...Really?” Garp growled, swiveling his head toward the boys.
“Yes,” I said sweetly, grin curling across my face like a devil. “They had oranges. And they didn’t even share.”
The blood drained from their faces.
“Well then…” Garp’s teeth gleamed as his grin stretched wide. “Looks like I need to PUNCH IT INTO YOUR SKULLS THAT STEALING IS AGAINST MARINE RULES!”
“TRAITOR!” Ace shrieked at me, pointing like I’d sold them to the Navy.
“YOU DAMN DRAGON!” Sabo yelped, already bolting.
“I DIDN’T EVEN EAT MINE YET!” Luffy screamed as he tried to scramble after them.
And I? I cackled like a lunatic, wings flaring, as the three of them went screaming into the trees with Garp hot on their heels.
“Have fun, boys!” I called after them, smug as hell. “Consider it payback!”
Then I noticed Lami.
She’d been standing to the side, arms crossed, glaring daggers at Garp like she was about to chew him out on my behalf. “You didn’t have to hit her that hard, old man! She’s just a kid!”
Her bravery lasted all of three seconds.
Because the second Garp’s shadow turned toward her, she squeaked, stumbled back, and yelled, “I DIDN’T STEAL ANYTHING, I SWEAR!” before bolting after the boys.
Her voice echoed through the trees as she ran for her life. “SHE’S THE GUILTY ONE, NOT ME!”
And just like that, I was left alone under my nest, rubbing my aching head, chewing on another banana, and laughing so hard I nearly fell off the branch.
…—O—O—O—...
It started as a “normal” sparring session.
And by “normal,” I mean Garp treating us like cannon fodder while we flailed around, desperately trying not to die.
Ace was already face-first in the dirt, wheezing curses at the ground. Sabo had gone down next, knocked flat so hard his hat had flown off. Luffy followed not long after, still twitching faintly where he’d landed in a crater the size of a cart.
That left me and Lami.
She stood at my side, fists raised, eyes locked on the old man like he was the devil incarnate. Her breathing was sharp, steady, her whole body ready to intercept anything that came my way. Older sister mode fully engaged.
I clenched my fists, tail lashing furiously. My wings twitched at my back, itching for space. Like hell I was going down without a fight.
Garp smirked like the lunatic he was. “What’s it gonna be, brats? You gonna take your beating or just stand there like scared little kittens?”
My brain screamed at me to run. But my pride? Oh, my pride had other plans.
“Screw you, old man!” I lunged forward with a snarl, swinging my fist straight for his jaw.
Naturally, he dodged like it was child’s play and buried his knuckles in my gut.
I wheezed so hard it was basically a scream.
Before I could stop it—before I even processed the pain—a burst of fire roared out of my mouth. A blazing torrent of dragon’s breath erupted right past Garp’s shoulder and blasted into the forest.
For a good five seconds, everything stopped.
We all just stood there, watching the trees catch fire.
“…Oops,” I croaked, clutching my stomach. Old men should never hit that hard.
Ace, still lying facedown, turned his head just enough to gape at me. “You—YOU CAN BREATHE FIRE?!”
Sabo scrambled upright, eyes wide. “WHY HAVEN’T YOU DONE THAT BEFORE?!”
I deadpanned at both of them. “Because I’m a dragon, geniuses. Of course I can breathe fire. I don’t do it because, oh I don’t know—we’re in a flammable fucking forest!”
They both blinked, nodded, and muttered, “Fair.”
Meanwhile, Luffy had popped back up and was jumping like a maniac, pointing at the spreading blaze. “SO COOL! SO COOL! SO COOL!”
Lami, however, was losing her entire mind. She whipped around at me, voice shrill with panic. “Jessica, WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST DO?!”
“I didn’t mean to!” I squeaked back, gesturing helplessly at the flames now climbing a tree.
And Garp? That bastard didn’t even flinch. His grin widened like I’d just handed him a birthday present.
“GOOD!” he bellowed. “FINALLY SHOWING SOME SPIRIT!”
“OLD MAN, THE FOREST IS ON FIRE!” I shrieked.
“THEN PUT IT OUT!”
“HOW?!”
“I DUNNO, FIGURE IT OUT!”
Sometimes, I truly hate being right about the universe being rigged against me.
And then Sabo, voice tight with horror, croaked, “Uh… guys? Isn’t our treehouse in that direction?”
All hell broke loose.
Ace dove straight for the flames, throwing dirt with both hands, smothering whatever he could. I’ll admit it: for once, I was impressed.
Sabo panicked so hard he hurled his hat at the fire—then panicked again and scrambled to get it back before I snatched it out of the air with my tail and shoved it back at him. He nodded frantically in thanks before following Ace’s lead with the dirt.
Luffy, bless his idiotic soul, started blowing on the flames. Which of course spread it faster and set a bush alight. He yelped, waving his arms like a lunatic, then immediately copied Ace and Sabo, scooping dirt with his bare hands.
I screeched, bolting to the side and grabbing a bucket of water that absolutely hadn’t been there before. I wasn’t questioning it. The gods clearly took pity on me for once.
Lami was everywhere at once, smacking dirt out of Sabo’s trembling hands faster, yelling at Luffy to stop feeding the fire oxygen, and screaming bloody murder at Garp the entire time. “ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND, YOU OLD FOSSIL? WE’RE CHILDREN! YOU’RE GOING TO KILL US!”
Garp?
The absolute sadist was doubled over, laughing his ass off while we all scrambled to keep from burning alive.
~~~
…—O—O—O—...
A few days later is when shit almost went sideways for me.
It started out innocently enough — as in, none of us were bleeding yet. That was progress.
We were sitting around a small fire after another hell session that Garp dared to call “training.” The old bastard had us punching trees until our knuckles split open and we couldn’t even feel them anymore, then turned around and punched us straight through the trees. You know, casual bonding activities.
So when dinner came, most of us slumped in the dirt like corpses, except Garp, who sat cross-legged with a mountain of meat stacked beside him. He was eating like a war god while mocking us between bites, each chew somehow louder than my entire nervous system.
Me, being the brilliant mastermind I am, decided to stir the pot.
“So,” I said casually, tearing into my own chunk of meat. “Are you gonna teach us the Six Powers?”
Ace paused mid-chew, one brow raised. Sabo blinked rapidly, confused. Luffy tilted his head like I’d just asked what two plus two was.
“The what?”
Garp, chewing on a hunk of meat the size of my torso, froze. Slowly, deliberately, he lowered it. The silence was so sharp my skin prickled.
My sweat glands panicked first.
“WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!”
I blinked at him innocently. “Uh… the Six Powers? You know — Soru, Geppo, Tekkai—”
The earth itself trembled as Garp shot to his feet. My survival instincts screamed louder than my brain. He loomed over me, shadows swallowing his eyes.
“Kid,” he said calmly—too calmly—“you’ve got five seconds before I assume you’re a spy.”
Cue panic.
See, I couldn’t exactly explain that I was a reincarnated soul from another world with full knowledge of basically the entire plot. So I did the next best thing: I lied my ass off faster than Nami on tax day.
Squaring my shoulders, I stared up at Garp with what I prayed looked like steely courage and not my bladder about to give out. “Marines raided the island I was on. They wanted something bad enough to kill for it. I don’t know what exactly—maybe info, maybe a Devil Fruit—but they weren’t leaving without it.”
Garp narrowed his eyes. Behind him, Lami had frozen with her food half-raised, her knuckles whitening around the bone. She looked ready to spring between me and him despite the fact that he could flatten her with a sneeze.
I pushed on. “My mom got me to the coast and shoved me into a dinghy. I was freshly transformed, senses all over the place, overwhelmed by the burning island and screaming villagers, but I hid and survived.”
Garp’s gaze flickered and his jaw tightened.
“They spotted us.” My throat closed, but I forced the words out. “One look at my mom. One word. Bang. She was gone.”
Ace flinched. Sabo swallowed hard. Luffy edged closer, his big round eyes locking onto mine. He didn’t say a word, but I could feel him reading me—reading my pain—and it gutted me. I cursed Ace for being so emotionally constipated that Luffy had basically trained himself to notice every flicker of hurt in people.
“My hearing was sharper back then,” I continued, voice flat, practiced. “I caught the Marines talking. About the Six Powers. About how my mom must’ve overheard. She didn’t. She was too far. But they assumed.” My hands clenched into fists. “So they shot her. Then they left me alone in that boat with her body.”
Lami’s jaw trembled, her eyes shining. She turned her glare on Garp like a blade. “Happy now? That’s what you wanted to drag out of her?!” Her voice cracked but she didn’t back down, even though her whole body shook.
For once, Garp didn’t bark back. He looked… old. Grim. He gave a slow nod, shoulders heavy. “That explains it.”
Relief sagged my chest.
Then, predictably, he ruined it.
“Well…” he said, a smirk twitching back onto his face. “I’LL JUST BEAT THAT MINDSET OUTTA YA!”
“WHAT?!” I yelped, scrambling to my feet. “ARE YOU INSANE?!”
“IT’S CALLED TRAINING, YOU BRAT!”
“THIS IS CHILD ABUSE!” I screamed as his massive fist came swinging toward us.
Chaos erupted.
We all bolted in different directions. Sabo tripped over a root, Ace tried to fight back and got sent flying into a tree, Luffy screamed as he held his head, rolling on the ground after a glancing blow.
Lami, to her credit, planted herself between me and Garp like she was going to punch him back. She screamed, “STOP TRAUMATIZING CHILDREN, YOU CRAZY OLD MAN!”
He just laughed like a thunderclap and swung harder. She dove out of the way with a shriek, eyes wide. “HE’S A MONSTER!”
Meanwhile, I didn’t even get to scream properly because his fist connected with the ground next to me, and the sheer force slammed my head down into the dirt so hard it cratered.
“OWWWWWWW!”
Somewhere, someone was still laughing. It was not me.
…
By the end of it, we were all groaning in the dirt, smoking like broken fireworks. Garp, of course, was happily finishing his meat, not even winded.
Lami lay sprawled beside me, her hair full of leaves, glaring up at the night sky. “I hate him.”
“Same,” I groaned, voice muffled against the dirt.
“I’m gonna yell at him again tomorrow.”
“You’ll die.”
“Worth it.”
I wheezed a laugh, and despite the bruises, despite the craters in the ground, despite everything… it felt like the first spark of family again.
…—O—O—O—...
My brow twitched as I caught Luffy’s gaze locked on my tail. His wide, curious eyes practically screamed “bad idea loading,” and I swear I could feel the stupid energy radiating off him like heat waves off pavement.
I turned my head slowly, deliberately, pinning him with a look. “No.”
Luffy blinked up at me, his face the perfect picture of cluelessness. “Huh?”
I crossed my arms, the weight of my wings flaring slightly behind me, and raised a brow at the way sweat was now dripping down his temples. “Whatever you’re thinking of doing, or whatever dumbass idea is currently fermenting in that rubber skull of yours? The answer is an automatic no.”
His eyes narrowed just a fraction, his brain gears grinding so loudly I could practically hear the metal squealing. He was clearly debating whether the pain would be worth the fun. Ace, watching from the sidelines with his usual exasperation, immediately tensed — he knew that look. He saw the exact moment Luffy made his decision.
“Luffy, what are you—” Ace started, voice already laced with panic.
Too late.
With a war cry only an idiot could summon, Luffy hurled himself forward and onto my back, arms wrapping around my neck like he’d just claimed me in the name of dumbassery. “Come on! Wait, what was it those people say on horses again? Oh! Giddy up!”
And he actually giggled.
For one horrifying moment, Ace’s face twisted into genuine concern for his younger brother’s continued existence.
That was the exact moment I snapped.
“YOU ABSOLUTE MORON!” I screeched, fury exploding out of me as my wings snapped wide and my claws dug into the dirt. I took off at a dead sprint, crashing through the trees, flapping wildly as Luffy clung on for dear life. “I SWEAR—GET OFF ME!”
Branches cracked, leaves flew, and Luffy’s delighted howls echoed through the forest as if this was some carnival ride instead of a death sentence.
Ace and Sabo could only stand there, pale and frozen, watching in horrified awe as I beat the living daylights out of their idiot brother in real time. Lami, standing right beside them, had her jaw dropped so wide you could’ve shoved an entire melon in it.
“Oh my god,” she whispered, shaking her head furiously, “he’s dead. He’s actually dead.”
“A-are we going to help him?” Sabo asked weakly, still unable to look away. His face looked stuck somewhere between horrified and impressed.
Ace didn’t even blink. “...I don’t have a death wish.”
Lami whipped her head toward him, eyes wide. “That’s your brother!”
“He’s also an idiot,” Ace snapped back, glaring at her like that somehow made it excusable.
Sabo, meanwhile, nodded sagely, already turning to leave. “Yeah, no. Not worth it.”
“You guys are unbelievable!” Lami threw her hands in the air, spinning on her heel. “Unbelievable! The dragon is killing him and you’re walking away like it’s laundry day!”
Ace didn’t even flinch. “You’re welcome to try and save him, then.”
Lami’s mouth opened… then snapped shut. She turned back toward the chaos, where Luffy was currently being whipped around like a ragdoll while I shrieked bloody murder. She winced, then crossed her arms stubbornly. “Okay, fine, maybe I also don’t have a death wish. But I’m still judging you!”
Garp, who had been leaning against a tree nearby with a bag of crackers, absolutely lost it. He was cackling so hard his entire body shook, crumbs flying out of his mouth as he nearly choked from laughing.
“You—pfft—kids are—HAHAHA!—you’re killing me!”
“SHUT UP, OLD MAN!” Lami snapped at him, face red, fists balled at her sides. “You’re supposed to stop this, not sit there and laugh like a lunatic!”
That only made him laugh harder. “Heh! The girl’s got fire!”
Lami actually squeaked and flinched backward, her anger crumbling into sheer terror as she realized she had just yelled at Garp of all people. “Oh no. Oh no no no. I’m dead. He’s going to kill me.”
“You’re fine,” Ace muttered, side-eyeing her. “He only kills people with his fists.”
“Not helping!” she hissed, glaring daggers at him.
Back in the trees, the chaos reached its peak. I roared, wings snapping like thunder as I body-slammed Luffy into a thick trunk. The impact rattled the ground, leaves shivering loose and drifting down around us.
For one blessed moment, silence.
Then Luffy, dazed, bruised, his face scraped raw, threw his arms up in the air and cheered with wild, dizzy delight. “That was fun! Can we do it again?!”
The forest fell silent. Ace and Sabo exchanged a long, tired glance.
Ace sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “He’s an idiot.”
Sabo gave him a flat look. “You didn’t know that?”
And just to really put the cherry on top of the disaster sundae, I stomped over and kicked Luffy square in the side.
He wheezed, collapsed, and still had the audacity to grin up at me with stars in his eyes.
“I hate my life,” I muttered.
…—O—O—O—...
It started off as a perfectly innocent idea.
Ace and I were sprawled out in the dirt, staring at the canopy like it had answers to our boredom. Luffy was off doing who-knew-what — muttering something about “secret training” and swearing I wasn’t allowed to tag along. Sabo was holed up with a stack of books, muttering about how if he was going to be a pirate, he wasn’t going to be an incompetent one.
I had praised him for that — genuinely, too — but then immediately wallowed back into misery with Ace. The two of us sat there in silence, matching sighs echoing off the trees like a sad chorus of neglected children.
So, as two bored preteens with too much time and zero impulse control, naturally we decided the best course of action was to make moonshine from scratch.
We’d seen the mountain bandits do it. They’d stumbled around after, laughing like hyenas and falling into each other. We figured: how hard could it be?
Answer: very.
We cobbled together a still from scraps we’d scavenged out of the forest — metal scraps, old wood, anything we could get our grubby hands on. It was, if I do say so myself, a work of art. A perfect marriage of science and stupidity.
“Y’know,” I said while adjusting one of the pipes with my claw-tipped fingers, “you should really look into engineering or metalworking books. That way you can dunk on Sabo when he tries to sound smart about mechanics.”
Ace raised an eyebrow at me, wiping sweat off his forehead with the back of his wrist. “Books, huh? Thought you hated studying.”
“I do,” I said, dead serious. “But stealing—uh, borrowing — books from Goa just to watch Sabo squawk? Worth it.”
That made Ace chuckle, and for a moment I swore he actually looked like he was considering it. “Yeah, alright. That’d be a good skill to have.”
I jabbed a thumb toward my chest proudly. “Okay! Next time I’m out, I’ll get ‘em!”
We turned back to the still, adjusting and tinkering like little gremlins. And then Sabo found us.
The horror on his face could’ve lit up the forest.
“This is illegal!” he shrieked, clutching his books to his chest like they might protect him from our crimes.
Ace smirked, waving him off. “Not if nobody finds out.”
“We’re in the middle of the forest! Who’s gonna find out?!” I threw my arms wide, incredulous.
And that was when fate decided to spit in my face.
Enter: Garp.
The second he crashed through the brush, we froze. He froze. His eyes went to the still. His jaw dropped. For a blissful half-second I thought maybe we’d be fine — and then he grinned.
It was not a kind grin.
Ace and I stiffened at the exact same moment, the same thought crossing our terrified brains. Oh no.
“YOU LITTLE BRATS ARE MAKING BOOZE?!” His voice rattled the trees.
Every instinct screamed at me to deny it. To run. To hide. Instead, like the absolute dumbass I am, I nodded quickly with a bright smile. “Wanna try some? We made it really well!”
Ace mirrored me perfectly, his grin a little sharper, like he was about to prank God himself.
Before Garp could answer, another voice cut in. “You what?”
Lami. She came stomping out from behind another tree, her braid frizzing loose and her eyes wide with the kind of panic only a big sister could manage. “Jessica! Ace! Are you out of your goddamn minds?!”
“Relax,” I said, trying for nonchalance while sweating bullets. “We were bored—”
“BORED?!” Lami screeched, flinging her arms out. “So you decided to commit a felony under the nose of Grandpa Punch-The-Ocean Garp?! Do you want us all dead?”
“I mean—” Ace started, but his words died as Garp walked forward, cracked his knuckles, and picked up the entire still like it weighed nothing.
We all watched in horror as he hurled it into the ocean. The splash was like a funeral bell.
“HEY!!” Ace and I shrieked together. Ace’s voice broke with outrage, mine cracked with mourning for our beautiful, illegal baby.
Garp turned back, knuckles still popping, grin widening.
Ace leaned toward me, whispering fast. “Any way out of this you see?”
I shook my head furiously, comical tears streaming down my face. “We’re screwed.”
“Correction,” Lami muttered, already pale as death, “you’re screwed. I’m running.”
But she didn’t move. Not really. She just stood there, trembling as much as we were, her fists balled up at her sides as if sheer willpower could protect us.
And then, in the most horrifyingly sadistic tone an old man should never have, Garp said: “You three just earned double training.”
Our souls left our bodies.
Ace and I were scooped up by the scruffs of our necks, flailing wildly, while Lami yelled the entire time. “PUT THEM DOWN, YOU CRAZY OLD MAN! THEY’RE JUST KIDS! YOU CAN’T—HEY! I SAID DON’T DRAG ME TOO!”
Sabo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he watched us all get hauled off like sacks of rice. “Told you.”
…—O—O—O—...
The evening had been going well. Almost suspiciously well. The fire crackled warmly, the meat roasting on sticks dripped fat into the flames, and the training aches in our bodies buzzed with that dull, post-torture satisfaction only Garp’s brand of “love” could provide.
We were quiet—the good kind of quiet. The kind where no one wanted to risk breaking the peace because we all knew it was fragile, delicate, and absolutely necessary if we didn’t want to collapse into the sand and die.
And then, because the gods hate me, Luffy opened his mouth.
“Hey, Gramps,” he mumbled around a mouthful of meat, practically inhaling half a carcass in one bite, “since you train Jessie and Lami now, does that mean you’re their Gramps too?”
Silence.
Pure, unadulterated silence.
I choked so hard on my water that it shot out of my nose, sprayed onto the fire, and hissed into steam. My lungs staged a mutiny as I hacked and wheezed, clutching my chest. Ace and Sabo froze like statues, their wide-eyed sympathy radiating toward me like some kind of silent funeral prayer.
Because Garp… oh, Garp didn’t laugh.
He didn’t bark out one of his usual thunderous, head-rattling laughs.
He stared.
My stomach dropped straight through the ground. My hands waved frantically, my head shook so violently I nearly gave myself whiplash. “WAIT, NO! I DON’T WANT TO BE RELATED TO THIS OLD MAN!!”
Lami, bless her dumb protective instincts, slammed her stick of meat into the dirt and stood up like she was about to take on the Navy itself. “Hold on a second—NO. Absolutely not! You are not roping us into whatever twisted family tree you’ve got going, old man!”
Garp’s grin stretched slow and wide across his face, teeth flashing in the firelight. It was the kind of grin you only see in nightmares and bad omens. Ace and Sabo visibly gulped, inching away like cowards.
“Ohhh?” Garp boomed, voice shaking the earth. “SO YOU DO WANT TO BE MY GRANDDAUGHTERS, EH?!”
My soul evacuated my body at lightspeed. I shrieked so loudly birds took flight from the treeline. “NO! NO, NO, NO! YOU SENILE OLD MAN! I NEVER SAID THAT! WHERE DID YOU EVEN GET THAT FROM?!”
Lami joined in instantly, her voice cracking as she yelled, “ARE YOU DEAF OR JUST DELUSIONAL?! WE DON’T WANT THIS!!”
But it was too late.
It was far too late.
The madness had already taken root in his eyes. Garp’s chest rumbled as his grin turned manic. “THAT’S IT! YOU’RE PART OF THE FAMILY NOW!”
I screamed. Loud. Long. The kind of scream that promised therapy bills.
Ace and Sabo screamed too, clutching their heads like the sky was falling. Their cries were pure despair, the kind reserved for people who knew they were doomed by association.
Meanwhile, Luffy—my traitorous captain, my supposed friend—threw his arms in the air and beamed. “Yay! You hear that, Jessie, Lami? You’re family now!”
Garp’s laugh boomed over us like cannon fire, rattling my bones.
“Noooooo!” I wailed, curling into a fetal ball on the sand, rocking back and forth as I sobbed into my knees. “I didn’t ask for this! I didn’t want this! Why does fate hate meeeeee?”
“Fix this!” I screamed at Lami through my tears.
“I’M TRYING!” she screamed back, fists shaking at Garp. “LISTEN HERE, YOU MENACE! WE DIDN’T CONSENT TO THIS—STOP ADOPTING CHILDREN LIKE YOU’RE COLLECTING STAMPS!”
But Garp only roared louder, pounding his fist into the ground so hard the earth split. “TOO LATE, GRANDDAUGHTERS! YOU’RE MINE NOW!”
There was no escape. No denial, no argument, no salvation. Just despair.
All I could do was curl tighter into my ball and pray to any god still listening that death would come swiftly.
…And beside me, Lami mirrored me—clutching her knees, rocking back and forth, tears leaking down her face as she whispered brokenly, “Why us? Why me? I didn’t even do anything.”
And Garp laughed.
And Luffy grinned.
And I knew… there was no way out.
…—O—O—O—...
A few days later is when it started.
I woke up to the sound of rustling at the base of my tree and, when I leaned over the side of my half-finished nest, I froze.
A mountain—not a pile, not a stack, but an honest-to-god mountain—of meat sat against the trunk. Perfectly wrapped, perfectly trimmed, and glistening in the morning light like it had rolled straight out of some high-end restaurant kitchen.
And not scraps either. These were the biggest, juiciest, most expensive-looking cuts I had ever seen. And I’ve been through two lives.
I blinked once. Twice. Then croaked out, “…The hell?”
Before I could process further, a blur of straw hat and unholy appetite launched itself out of nowhere. Luffy, of course. He had materialized like some kind of carnivorous cryptid, probably drawn here by the scent of steak miles away. Without hesitation, he reached for the top package.
I kicked him square in the side before he could touch it.
“WAAAHH! Ow! Why’d you do that?!” He clutched his ribs like I’d mortally wounded him.
I leveled the most deadpan stare I could muster. “Because, genius, for all we know this meat is poisoned, and I’d rather not be responsible for anyone’s death until much, much later in life.”
Luffy tilted his head, actually thinking about it for once. After a full minute of gears grinding in that rubber brain, he nodded solemnly. “Fair.”
Before I could stop groaning, the underbrush snapped open and Ace and Sabo burst into the clearing, panting like they’d been chasing a runaway cannonball. Which, honestly, with how fast Luffy could move when food was involved, they might as well have.
“Jessica! Did you—HOLY CRAP, THAT’S A LOT OF MEAT!” Sabo nearly tripped over himself staring at the pile.
Ace’s jaw dropped so hard I swore I heard it crack the dirt. He just stood there, wordless, eyes wide as plates.
Meanwhile, Lami shuffled out of the nest behind me, hair a mess, eyes still tired, but her gaze sharpened as soon as she registered the pile. “That’s… not normal,” she said flatly, crossing her arms. “Jess, don’t touch it until we know where it came from.”
I was still processing when the answer shouted itself into existence.
“MORNING, GRANDDAUGHTERS!”
I choked so hard I nearly fell off the branch. “I SAID STOP CALLING ME THAT!!”
But Garp, in all his brick-headed glory, ignored me completely. He stood below us with his chest puffed out, his fists on his hips, grinning wide in a way that made it painfully obvious where Luffy got his family resemblance.
“I brought you two a gift!”
I blinked, still pointing at the obscene pile of food. “…Meat?”
“MEAT!” Luffy cheered from where I’d punted him into the dirt, already scrambling upright again.
“Exactly!” Garp roared, proud as a peacock. “Brats need to eat to grow strong! And you two are my only granddaughters, so I brought you something to make you strong Marines!”
I gawked between him and the meat, my brain short-circuiting at the sheer audacity. A hundred ideas for what to actually do with this much meat started whirling around in my head.
Ace, however, squinted at the pile, then at Garp, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. “…Wait. You’ve never given us meat before. We’ve always had to hunt.”
Sabo folded his arms slowly, nodding. “Or, you know, anything at all.”
Garp just grinned, full teeth, completely unbothered. “Because you’re not my first granddaughters, obviously!”
Ace and Sabo deflated like popped balloons. Their souls practically left their bodies on the spot.
Meanwhile, Lami—who’d finally made her way down the trunk to stand beside me—arched a brow at Garp. “…So meat only shows up if you’ve got ovaries, huh?” she said coolly. “Good to know where we stand.”
I clapped her on the shoulder, grinning wide now. “Thanks, Gramps! I’m sure I’ll grow up big and strong now!”
“Good!” he boomed. “I’ll bring more!”
Ace looked at him like he was an imposter wearing his grandfather’s skin. Sabo wasn’t far behind with his suspicious glare.
Luffy, meanwhile, was already inching toward the meat again, drool stringing from his mouth. I didn’t even hesitate. A quick jab of Armament-coated knuckles cracked across his skull, sending him bouncing back into the dirt.
“WAIT UNTIL I COOK IT!” I barked.
Ace and Sabo perked up immediately, eyes bright. “So… we can have some?”
I groaned, already regretting it, but sighed anyway. “…Fine.”
“YAY!” all three idiots cheered at once.
Lami just pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering under her breath. “Our family is insane.”
...
She wasn’t wrong.
…—O—O—O—...
The next gift was not food.
No.
It was gold.
And jewels.
And rings, bracelets, necklaces, goblets, and even small golden statues so detailed and shiny they looked like they belonged in some sacred vault.
I’d woken up a little later than normal that morning — yesterday’s Armament training had wrung me out like a wet rag — and I was still yawning, wings twitching as I hopped down from my nest.
Only to stop dead, my legs buckling slightly as I stared at the massive pile of treasure waiting below me.
It wasn’t just a pile. It was a mountain. Gleaming, glittering, screaming take me, hoard me, roll around in me, you’re a dragon now, it’s destiny.
I swear I felt my soul leave my body and cross into the afterlife, hand-in-hand with all the poor fools who’d probably died trying to collect this stash.
“Ah, ah, ah,” Raven’s voice cut smoothly through my shock. He appeared at my side like a shadow given form, his hand settling lightly on my shoulder. “Can’t have you dying on us, Bubbles.”
I gaped at the mound, then at him, then back at the mound. “Easy for you to say! I bet you’ve never woken up to a pile of gold this big before!”
He tilted his head, thoughtful, his usual calm mask slipping just enough to suggest he might actually be impressed. “…You may have a point.”
“One point for the little lady!” I chirped triumphantly, though my voice cracked halfway through.
“…Hey… Gramps?” My gaze stayed locked on the sparkling chaos of wealth, my words slow and dangerous. “What. The hell. Is this?”
And Garp—infuriating, wonderful, insane Garp—just threw his head back and laughed proudly, his fists planted on his hips. “Dragons like treasure, right!!”
I opened my mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
And then… in a moment of pure, deep, undeniable weakness, I reached forward, grabbed a gold necklace encrusted with rubies, slipped it over my neck, and smiled so brightly it probably blinded half the room.
“…Yeah. Yeah, we do.”
Lami, who’d been standing slightly behind me, gave me a look equal parts horror and exasperation. Her arms crossed tightly, her foot tapping. “…You did not just sell your soul for shiny trinkets.”
I flashed her a toothy grin, holding up a pearl necklace before dramatically slipping it over my head. “Correction, Granddaughter. I sold my soul for several shiny trinkets.”
Her face twisted like she’d just bitten into the worst banana on the planet. Ace, however, was less impressed. He practically choked as I turned toward him, jewels draped across my neck, my gaze narrowed like some dragon queen ready to torch the world for her hoard.
“JESSICA, NO!” He shouted, panic coating every word. “H-he’s bribing you!”
I leveled a slow, blank stare at him, deliberately placing the pearl necklace on with deliberate, soul-piercing eye contact. Ace gulped audibly, his shoulders slumping in horror.
Sabo, standing next to him, just sighed and facepalmed. “Too late, Ace. She’s gone full dragon. The gold’s won.”
“Sold to the highest bidder,” I said, raising my hand like I was at an auction, jangling three bracelets on my wrist.
Ace groaned like I’d personally stabbed him. Meanwhile, Luffy—the ever-loyal chaos gremlin—had picked up a golden ring from the pile. He grinned wide, holding it up like a prize. “Can I have some?”
I paused mid-drip of my dramatic dragon persona, glanced at him, then at the pile. “…Can I think on that one, Cap’n?”
He nodded solemnly and set the ring back down. “Okay!”
Ace dragged his hands down his face, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like prayers. Sabo just shook his head. Raven exhaled slowly, clearly regretting every life choice that had brought him here.
And Garp?
Garp laughed. He laughed like he’d just witnessed the funniest damn joke in the entire world. His booming roar filled the clearing, hands on his knees, tears threatening the corners of his eyes. “Bwahaha!! Look at you! Just like a real dragon!”
Lami muttered darkly, “A dragon with zero dignity.”
I patted her shoulder, smirking. “Don’t worry, Sis. When I take over the world, I’ll build you a gold-plated library.”
Her eyes widened a fraction, lips twitching despite herself. “…Okay, maybe that’s not the worst bribe.”
“SEE?!” I threw my arms up, sending bangles clattering. “The dragon hoard works on everyone.”
Ace groaned louder. Sabo groaned with him. Luffy cheered. And Garp laughed until I thought he might actually pass out.
…—O—O—O—...
I had accepted a lot of things.
I had accepted food. I had accepted treasure. I had fully leaned into the shameless bribery, called Garp “Gramps” without hesitation, and even pocketed more gold than a noble’s treasury chest. All of this, much to Ace’s and Sabo’s endless despair and their frequent lectures about “principles” and “dignity.”
But this?
This was too far.
I stared at the egg.
A massive, speckled thing, round and warm, pulsing faintly as though something inside was humming with life. It shifted against my arms like it was happy — happy to be safe, happy to be mine.
Garp, grinning ear to ear like a lunatic with no moral compass, patted the top of the shell as if he had just given me a shiny balloon from the market. “I got you a new egg!”
My eye twitched so violently I swore I’d give myself a concussion.
I sat down cross-legged in front of the mystery egg, arms folded tight across my chest, tail flicking behind me in a way that absolutely screamed “angry cat,” much to my utter displeasure. “...So,” I said, forcing each word out through gritted teeth as I fought the urge to scream bloody murder at the man, “where… exactly… did you get this?”
Ace, Sabo, and Luffy all turned their heads in perfect sync toward him, expressions ranging from suspicious to horrified to awestruck. Lami folded her arms too, standing beside me with that steady, no-nonsense look she’d perfected ever since she’d decided she was my “older sister.”
Garp just grinned wider, not a shred of shame in sight. “Stole it!” he declared proudly, like a man announcing he’d baked bread instead of committing high treason.
I blinked.
Ace blinked.
Sabo inhaled slowly like he was trying not to explode.
Luffy gasped in awe, because of course he did.
And Lami? Lami muttered, voice low and flat: “...Of course you did.”
“YOU STOLE IT?!” I screeched, slapping both hands over my face as fat, dramatic tears streamed cartoonishly down my cheeks.
“Yup!” Garp nodded, arms crossed like a smug mountain. “Straight from a Marine research base in Enies Lobby!”
Silence. Thick. Heavy. Like the entire universe held its breath.
Ace actually choked on air. He knew where that was, because I had insisted all of them learn about Enies Lobby, Impel Down, Marineford, the whole nine yards. Information mattered. Knowledge mattered. It might save their lives one day.
This? Oh, this was not how that knowledge was supposed to be used.
“YOU STOLE AN EGG… FROM ENIES LOBBY?!” Ace’s voice cracked into a shriek. He looked about ready to have a full aneurysm on the spot.
Sabo rubbed his temples with both hands, groaning like a man twice his age. “That’s one of the most highly guarded Marine facilities in the entire world, Garp!”
Luffy, grinning like his jaw was about to fall off: “THAT’S SO COOL!”
“NO, IT’S NOT!” I screamed back, clutching the egg tighter against my chest. “WHY DID YOU TAKE IT?!”
For the briefest moment, I thought I saw something flicker in Garp’s eyes — something less reckless, something softer — but it was gone in an instant, replaced by that infuriating grin. “Figured you’d like it!”
Ace threw his arms in the air, practically screeching, “Oh my god! Y-you can’t just steal from your own people!”
Garp snorted. “Watch me.”
“You—You don’t even know what’s inside it!” I barked, my voice shrill with disbelief.
“Nope!” he shot back cheerfully.
Sabo looked like he was a single word away from a full mental breakdown. “How—how did you even get away with this?!”
“Easy!” Garp cackled, pounding a fist to his chest. “Blamed it on pirates!”
Ace and Sabo facepalmed in perfect unison, groaning like their souls had just left their bodies.
I stared at him, slack-jawed. “You mean to tell me… that you, a MARINE HERO, STOLE A MYSTERY EGG from one of the most secure research facilities in the entire world and then just—JUST BLAMED IT ON RANDOM PIRATES?!”
“YEP!” Garp boomed, grin somehow getting wider. “If they report it, they’ll have to admit they got infiltrated!”
Sabo genuinely looked like he was in pain. Ace was still groaning into his hands.
Lami pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering, “We’re all going to die.”
Meanwhile, Luffy clapped his hands together like a seal at feeding time. “I WANNA DO THAT SOMEDAY!”
“NO, YOU DON’T!” Ace and Sabo shouted immediately, both looking about ready to strangle him.
I just clutched the egg closer, eyes twitching, praying to every god and deity in every world that these idiots didn’t keel over when Enies Lobby actually happened.
Then I looked over at Garp. Ace and Sabo were still mentally short-circuiting from the absolute bullshit that was his last explanation. Luffy, the sunshine incarnate, was tracing little patterns across the egg’s shell, humming like nothing in the world could ever be wrong.
But my mind kept circling back to that split second where Garp’s grin faltered. Something had flashed across his face, something heavy. And I gave in to my curiosity.
“Gramps,” I said slowly, narrowing my eyes, “give me the real reason you got this egg.”
Garp, still grinning, didn’t answer right away. He glanced at the egg, then at me, then back again. His grin softened into something more worn. I pressed.
“This is a familiar egg. It has to be seriously important, probably guarded up the ass. It looks important. And a familiar in the Marines? That’d be a fucking powerhouse.” My tail twitched as I jabbed a claw at the egg. “So why are you handing it to me—a kid—who’s not even a Marine?”
He sighed, leaning back with a grunt. “Alright, I guess if you’re gonna be takin’ care of it, I owe ya an explanation.”
The boys perked up immediately. Luffy, though, didn’t care about the words—he’d set the egg in his lap, petting the shell with a tenderness that would’ve made saints cry. His whole face lit up.
Garp rubbed at his temple. “I did get the egg ‘cause I figured you’d like it,” he started.
I opened my mouth, but he raised a massive hand to shut me up.
“But—there was a rumor.”
I blinked, instincts tightening in my chest. My arm shot out automatically, dragging Luffy (and the egg) closer to me.
“A bad one. Word was, near Enies Lobby, they were gonna hatch this egg in containment.” His mouth twisted as if the word itself tasted rotten. “That was common practice before the rules changed. Illegal now. No higher-ups approved, but the whispers said if the creature inside didn’t bond with its handler…”
He didn’t finish. Didn’t need to. My gut churned. I’d seen what happened to animals deemed useless in my last life.
Ace shifted uncomfortably, fists curling. “So they were gonna raise it as a weapon?”
“Probably,” Garp grunted. “If it was strong enough. If not… well.”
Sabo grimaced, his voice sharp. “That’s disgusting.”
Beside me, Lami let out a breath through her nose, low and controlled. “Typical,” she muttered, arms crossing. Her eyes were sharp, though, protective as they flicked to me, then to the egg.
Luffy, hugging the egg tighter, scowled. “They can’t do that!”
“That’s why I took it,” Garp said simply. “Figured you’d care for it. Dragons take care of their young.”
I nodded slowly, then glanced at Luffy—and immediately sweatdropped. Because the brat had turned the full force of his puppy dog eyes on me. Soul-shattering. Legendary. Illegal.
My brow twitched violently. “I was already going to say we could keep it. Stop looking at me like that!”
Luffy cheered, nuzzling the egg so happily that the damn thing jittered in his lap like it was giggling. His eyes shone with sheer adoration.
And in that moment, I had a life-altering realization:
If Lunaire and Helios weren’t the only familiars out there… then—
“Gramps,” I croaked, my voice rough.
He grunted. “What?”
I jabbed a claw into his chest, ignoring the suicidal stupidity of it. “If you ever find another one of these eggs—or any creature about to be shoved into some hell like that—you bring them to me. Got it?”
Blink.
Ace and Sabo’s heads snapped toward me in unison.
Luffy’s grin widened like the sun. “Yeah! More pets!”
“Not pets,” I snapped, glaring. “Friends.”
Luffy hugged the egg tighter, beaming even brighter.
Then I whipped around, gesturing at Ace and Sabo before they could breathe. “You two’ll help raise them. It’s a win-win. You learn responsibility, the eggs stay safe. Think of it as away training for when Gramps isn’t here!”
Did I know this was going to bite me in the ass later? Absolutely. Did I care? Nope.
Ace’s jaw dropped so hard I thought it’d unhinge.
Sabo made a strangled noise somewhere between a drowning cat and a broken violin.
“WAIT—WHAT?!” Ace yelped.
“We’re not babysitting eggs!” Sabo groaned, horrified.
I grinned, tail flicking smugly. “Oh yes, you are.”
Luffy pumped his fist, egg still cuddled in his lap. “I wanna raise an army of cool creatures!”
“NO, YOU DON’T!” Ace and Sabo roared in unison.
Lami, arms folded beside me, finally spoke again—calm, even. “They’re not wrong, Jess. An army sounds… reckless.”
I shrugged. “Not an army. A family.” My gaze softened on the egg. “One no one can touch.”
Her lips quirked just slightly. “Alright. Family I can live with.”
Garp’s booming laugh cut through the chaos. “Y’know… that ain’t a bad idea!” He looked downright proud.
Ace groaned, flopping back dramatically. “Please kill me now.”
Sabo buried his face in his hands. “This is insane.”
Luffy ignored all of it, still fawning over the egg like it was the most precious treasure in the world.
And Garp clapped his massive hand down on my shoulder. “YOU GOT IT, GRANDDAUGHTER!”
I smirked, satisfied.
And in that instant, watching my weird, chaotic family implode around me, I knew this was exactly what Mama would’ve wanted.
…—O—O—O—...
“She’s completely fallen.”
The words were muttered with all the weight of divine judgment, but they came from Ace, who was sprawled out in one corner of my nest with a book open across his lap. His brow furrowed in quiet concentration, a contrast to the chaos around him.
And chaos it was.
A few days later, Luffy had claimed his throne atop a mountain of gold coins and jewels, swinging his legs happily like he was perched on a king’s dais. His straw hat bobbed with the motion as he reached out to gently pat the egg nestled beside my main sleeping spot. The egg looked almost regal there, cushioned on a mound of moss and wrapped in fabric, treated with reverence even Luna and Helio seemed to approve of.
“Jessie?” Luffy called, his voice bright and casual.
I was busy a few feet away, stacking gold coins into a precarious tower, humming under my breath. It was a game I used to play with plastic poker chips in my past life — except now the weight in my fingers was real gold, warm from the sun, gleaming in the dim canopy light.
“Yeah?” I murmured, balancing the final coin on the stack.
“Can we call your nest…” He paused dramatically, arms spread wide, “…‘The Hoard’?”
I froze, coin teetering in my grip, and slowly turned my head. My eyes scanned the scene — the ridiculous piles of treasure chests that practically spilled into one another, the scatter of gemstones glinting like stars, the absurd mountain of gifts Garp had dropped off during his last visit (I’d begged him to limit it to one gift per visit, but apparently “toning it down” still meant half a caravan), and the modest but growing stockpile of gourmet food he’d somehow acquired for us that morning.
My wings twitched, tail curling as I sighed in defeat. “…Yeah. That tracks.”
Ace groaned from his corner, closing his book long enough to pinch the bridge of his nose. “I—I’ve been praying to the wrong god all this time, haven’t I?”
Sabo didn’t even bother to sit up. He was sprawled luxuriously against a sea of pillows, a cooking book held loosely in one hand as he stared into the middle distance with all the despair of a man who had just accepted his fate. “I’m this close to turning to satanism and hoping that works.”
Luffy beamed, springing to his feet on the mountain of coins, his grin wide and reckless. “THE HOARD IT IS!” he shouted, throwing both arms into the air as if he had just declared a new era. Coins clattered and slid beneath him, but somehow he stayed upright.
I grinned, flicking a coin into the air and catching it with practiced ease. “Call it what you want. I’m rich, baby.”
“Rich in headaches,” Lami muttered as she trudged past, arms full of folded cloth from the pile Garp had sent. She carefully set it near the nest, her expression a perfect mixture of fondness and exasperation.
I arched a brow at her. “Careful, Lami. Jealousy isn’t a good look on you.”
“Jealous?” She snorted, fixing me with that sharp, older-sister stare she’d perfected. “No, I’m just trying to keep you from building a death trap of coins that’s going to bury us all in our sleep.”
Ace barked a laugh. “Honestly? She’s not wrong.”
“Traitors,” I said dramatically, clutching at my chest as though wounded, though my grin betrayed me.
“Realists,” Lami shot back, but her lips twitched into a smile. She plopped down beside Sabo, stealing one of the spare pillows, and leaned back with a sigh. “But fine. Call it the Hoard. Just don’t come crying to me when it collapses.”
“Never!” Luffy cheered, still balancing like a madman atop the shifting coins.
From the forest floor below, I stood proudly, arms crossed, wings flaring slightly with poorly-hidden excitement, my tail flicking like an exclamation mark.
The Hoard was mine.
Ours.
And I wasn’t ashamed in the slightest.
…—O—O—O—...
Behind me, dozens of birds strutted and squawked, their feathers puffed up in chaotic glory, while snakes slithered over the dirt and coiled lazily around roots. Their beady eyes locked on me with unnerving loyalty, following every twitch of my hands, every tilt of my head, as though I were some divine creature commanding their very existence. Their mighty leader.
Aka: me.
In front of me stood Ace, Sabo, Luffy, Lami, and even Garp himself, each one wearing some unique combination of deep concern, mounting exasperation, and — in Luffy’s case — starstruck delight. Their gazes shifted between me and my “army,” like they were still debating whether I was a genius, a lunatic, or both.
“Behold!” I cried, throwing my arms wide as dramatically as humanly — well, dragonly — possible. “My Death Chicken and Death Snake Army!” My chest swelled with nothing less than pride and utter contentment.
The boys stared.
Ace’s eyebrow twitched. Sabo pinched the bridge of his nose. Lami crossed her arms, giving me that older-sister look that screamed you’re insane but I can’t stop you, and Garp… Garp just looked baffled.
Finally, the old man scratched his head, grunting, “...The hell am I lookin’ at?”
I whirled toward the flock with a sharp gesture, nearly smacking a snake in the face with my wing. “THESE,” I announced, pointing at the puffed-up birds with grand flourish, “are the Death Chickens!”
As if on cue, one of the roosters let out an ear-splitting screech. The sound tore through the clearing like a banshee’s wail. Its wings flapped wildly, dirt scattering beneath its talons, before it calmed just enough to peck ominously at the ground.
Ace physically flinched, his jaw tightening. “That thing sounds like it crawled out of hell itself.”
“EXACTLY!” I crowed, grinning wildly. Finally, someone got it.
Sabo groaned, tilting his head like a man preparing for the worst. “...I’m afraid to ask, honestly, but… what about the snakes?”
That grin on my face widened into something sharper, something that even made a few of the snakes flick their tongues with restless energy. “Funny you should ask,” I said sweetly, giving a sharp whistle.
Several large serpents slithered out from the undergrowth at once, their scales glistening under patches of sunlight. They curled themselves around my legs and wings, tongues flicking the air, the soft hiss of their breath making the chickens puff up defensively.
Luffy’s delighted squeal nearly burst my eardrums. “SNAKES!” He ran forward without hesitation, crouching low to pet one. With a small nod from me, the snake tolerated it, and Luffy dissolved into hysterical giggles, practically vibrating with joy.
Garp blinked at the scene, muttering under his breath. “...Where did you even find all these… wonderful creatures?” He amended quickly when three of the snakes reeled back in threatening poses, and the chickens collectively screeched like war horns.
I huffed proudly. “Well… the snakes just started following me! I think it’s the dragon thing. And the chickens? They chased me around trying to kill me until I bribed them with meat!”
Lami buried her face in her hands. “You bribed chickens into becoming your army? You’re unbelievable.”
Garp gave me the flattest, most unimpressed look of all time, the kind only an old Marine veteran could master.
Ace pointed stiffly at the largest rooster of the flock, its eyes glowing with unholy malice. “That one is glaring at me.”
I grinned, practically bouncing on my heels. “That’s General Cluckington.”
Sabo groaned, rubbing at his temples like his brain cells were packing their bags to flee. “I feel like we’re losing control of the situation.”
“We never had control,” Lami muttered, shooting me the sharpest look. “And you, little sister, are one concussion away from becoming a full-blown villain.” But she stood a little closer to me anyway, like she was ready to step in if my “army” decided to test their loyalty.
Meanwhile, Luffy was practically vibrating out of his skin, bouncing from one foot to the other. “Do they bite?” he asked, grinning like this was the best day of his life.
I shrugged nonchalantly, even as a snake slithered across my shoulders. “Sometimes. But only if I tell them to.”
Ace and Sabo exchanged a look that could only be translated as this is how we all die.
And me? I just smiled wider, basking in the chaos.
I loved being a dragon for many reasons.
But this? This right here? My Death Chicken and Death Snake Army bowing to my command while my siblings and grandfather looked like they were questioning all their life choices?
Yeah. This was my favorite reason yet.
…—O—O—O—...
Sitting in my nest — now officially christened The Hoard (because if dragons don’t name their hoards, what’s even the point of being a dragon?) — I let my claws trail over a line of shining treasures. Trinkets, coins, and scraps of polished metal I’d painstakingly collected and polished glimmered in the sunlight streaming through the canopy. The gold caught on my scales and reflected back, painting me in shifting hues of red and firelight. It was gorgeous. It was mine.
And across from me, three boys sat cross-legged, each one radiating temptation like little devils on my shoulder.
Ace was doing that thing where he tried to act like he didn’t care. His arms crossed, chin tilted up, trying for cool and failing miserably because his eyes kept flicking to the pile. Every five seconds. Without fail.
Sabo was the picture of restraint, hands folded politely in his lap. He didn’t look at the gold, but the way his foot tapped against the bark betrayed him. He wanted to ask. He wanted to reach out. But his manners were winning—for now.
And Luffy? My so-called Captain? Yeah, not even trying. His eyes practically turned into gold coins from a cartoon, his mouth hanging open as he drooled openly, finger twitching like he was imagining the pile was meat.
Beside me, Lami sat with her arms folded, her gaze sharp. She leaned slightly closer to me, her shoulder brushing mine in that protective older-sister way she’d developed ever since everything. Her voice dropped low so only I could hear. “You know if you don’t share soon, one of them’s gonna faceplant into your stash.”
I sighed dramatically, flipping my hair over my shoulder like I was some tragic queen entertaining peasants. “Fine. I’ll share.”
Ace and Sabo perked up immediately, and even Lami’s lips twitched with amusement.
Luffy grinned so wide I thought his face might split. “AWESOME!”
I held up a single clawed finger as the three of them started to inch forward. “Ah-ah-ah! Since Luffy is my Captain, he gets first pick.”
The forest went quiet for a second. Then Ace exploded. “WHAT?!”
Sabo muttered darkly under his breath, “She’s already pulling favoritism…” His narrowed eyes flicked from me to Luffy, clearly not buying my neutrality.
Lami smirked faintly. “You’re not wrong.”
I chose not to mention the very obvious truth that if they were my Captain, I probably would’ve let them go first too. Nope. That secret was staying tucked away.
Meanwhile, Luffy had already flung himself headfirst into the pile with zero hesitation. He wriggled through the coins like a puppy digging into a sandpit, tossing shiny things left and right. Gold clattered. Trinkets rolled. I winced each time something fragile hit the wood, but Lami’s hand on my arm kept me from snapping at him.
After a solid minute of chaos, he popped up, beaming like he’d just found the One Piece itself. In his hands were… a single gold coin, and two capes. One red. One silver.
I blinked. “…That’s it?”
“Yep!” Luffy chirped, his grin brighter than the damn sun. He bolted over to the egg tucked in the corner of The Hoard — his egg, apparently, since he’d claimed it the second he laid eyes on it — and gently draped the silver cape across its shell like it was royalty.
My heart softened instantly. A smile tugged at my lips. “Well… that’s actually kind of sweet.”
Ace, however, practically combusted. He shot to his feet, throwing his arms into the air. “YOU COULD’VE PICKED A GOLD STATUE! A WHOLE CHEST OF TREASURE! ANYTHING!”
Luffy shrugged, unbothered. “I like capes.”
I snorted, leaning my chin into my palm with a grin. “Man of culture, honestly.”
Lami elbowed me lightly. “Or man of chaos.”
“Tomato, tomahto,” I whispered back.
Sabo, still waiting politely like his life depended on it, finally cleared his throat. “So… can we pick now?”
I let out the most dramatic sigh I could muster. “Yeah, yeah. Go nuts. BUT—” I snapped my claws sharply, making all three of them flinch, “—not too much!”
That warning lasted all of five seconds before Ace and Sabo dove into the pile like starving scavengers, wrestling and shoving each other over a particularly shiny bracelet.
Lami sat back with me, shaking her head. “Boys.”
“Tell me about it,” I muttered, sliding a gold bangle over my wrist and admiring the way it gleamed against my skin. My grin widened, fire curling in my chest. “Still, this is so fucking cool.”
Lami smiled softly, her voice quiet but sure. “Yeah. It is.”
…—O—O—O—...
“Gramps,” I said sweetly, planting myself cross-legged on the ground in front of Garp like the world’s most innocent grandchild. Luffy, Ace, and Sabo were sprawled behind me, already grinning because they knew I was up to something.
Garp narrowed his eyes immediately, suspicion practically radiating off him. His huge arms crossed over his chest as he loomed like a thundercloud. “…What?”
I clasped my hands together dramatically, batting my lashes. “You should teach us Geppo or Soru.”
His snort was so loud it probably scared the birds out of the trees. “Hell no.”
I gasped, slapping a hand over my heart as if he’d stabbed me. “But why?! Why would you deny your precious grandchildren such an opportunity?”
“BECAUSE IT’S A TOP SECRET MARINE TECHNIQUE!” he bellowed, the force of his voice rattling through the clearing.
I pouted, leaning forward with my best wide-eyed look of betrayal. “But Gramps… if you really loved me, you’d teach me.”
The silence that followed was thick enough to choke on.
Ace and Sabo froze, staring at me like I’d just pulled a pistol on the old man. Luffy tilted his head, then nodded as if I’d just said the most reasonable thing in the world.
Garp’s jaw dropped. He pointed one massive finger at me, looking horrified. “You— you little—”
Before he could finish, I sprang to my feet and threw my arms wide, voice booming as if I was delivering gospel. “GRANDCHILDREN SHOULD LEARN FROM THEIR GRANDPARENTS! It’s tradition! It’s destiny! It’s—”
“—it’s manipulation,” Lami cut in dryly, arms folded as she stepped up beside me. Her expression was flat, but her eyes gleamed with the kind of protective older-sister exasperation only she could pull off. “And the fact that it’s working is insane.”
“Shhh,” I hissed, waving her off. “Don’t ruin this for me.”
Garp opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. His face went from furious red to contemplative blue to defeated gray in about three seconds. Finally, with a deep, gravelly sigh, he muttered—
“…Fine.”
The reaction was immediate. Ace whooped so loud Sabo had to clap his hands over his ears. Sabo himself burst into shocked laughter, half-disbelieving and half-impressed. Luffy threw his fists into the air and yelled, “Meat celebration!” for reasons only he understood.
I grinned, practically glowing with triumph. “Victory is mine.”
Sabo leaned over, shaking his head in disbelief. “That was evil.”
“I know,” I said proudly.
Lami groaned, dragging a hand down her face. “I cannot believe I’m stuck surviving with you.”
“You love me,” I shot back immediately.
Her lips twitched, and though she tried to fight it, the tiniest smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. “…Unfortunately, yeah.”
…—O—O—O—...
It was the last day before Garp was set to leave. I woke up in grateful tears, thanking every single star in the universe that the old man would finally stop haunting my life with his insane “training.”
That relief lasted about five minutes.
Because naturally, Garp’s idea of a farewell gift was to beat the absolute hell out of us.
“COME ON, BRATS! ONE MORE TIME!”
My lungs let out an unholy wheeze-scream as I dodged yet another boulder, the massive rock whistling past my face and slamming into the ground with enough force to send dirt flying into my eyes. That made ten in five minutes. I was pretty sure I’d torn a few muscles in places I didn’t even know I had muscles. My everything hurt, and my everything wasn’t going to be up and running for a long while after this.
Ace was rolling across the dirt like some kind of busted rag doll, arms and legs flailing as he desperately avoided Garp’s infamous “Fist of Love.” Judging by the panicked way his eyes darted, I swore he’d unlocked some bastardized form of Observation Haki purely out of survival instinct. Honestly? Fair. I would’ve too.
Sabo wasn’t doing much better. He clutched his ribs with one hand, face pale and sweaty, wobbling on his feet like he couldn’t decide whether to pass out or just keel over and die on the spot. Honestly, passing out seemed like the merciful option.
Luffy? Luffy had abandoned all sense of strategy and was running in circles around the battlefield, shrieking at the top of his lungs like a chicken with its head cut off. The insane part? It was actually working. He’d only been hit fifteen times.
And then there was Lami.
She was limping, her braid half undone, but she still planted herself squarely between me and Garp whenever he lunged my way. “Back off, old man!” she shouted, swinging a broken branch like it was a sword. It shattered instantly against his forearm. Her face crumpled in disbelief. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.”
“WHY DOES IT HAVE TO END THIS WAY?!” I screeched at the sky, at Luffy, at anyone who’d listen, my voice breaking into something close to tears.
Garp’s grin stretched ear to ear, his teeth flashing like a predator’s. He cracked his knuckles, the sound carrying like a gunshot.
“NO BETTER WAY TO SAY GOODBYE THAN TRAINING, KIDS!”
“THIS ISN’T TRAINING, IT’S ATTEMPTED MURDER!” I shrieked back, diving to the ground as his fist sailed past my head and cratered the earth behind me.
He barked out a laugh. “YOU’LL THANK ME WHEN YOU’RE STRONG MARINES!”
“I CAN GET STRONGER BY MYSELF!” I howled, scrambling to my feet, legs shaking so hard they almost gave out beneath me.
“I’LL MAKE YOU EVEN STRONGER THAN THAT!” he roared back, launching himself forward like a cannonball in human form.
Beside me, Lami grabbed my arm and yanked me down just in time for Garp’s punch to miss us both by an inch. The crater it left behind sprayed dirt and stones everywhere.
“Remind me why we haven’t just killed him yet?” Lami shouted over the chaos, her voice ragged but firm as she helped haul me up.
“BECAUSE HE’S A MONSTER,” I screamed, coughing up dust.
Across the clearing, Luffy attempted another grand escape, sprinting for the trees. “I’M DONE, I’M DONE, I’M DONE!” His declaration was cut off when Garp casually swatted him like a fly, sending him rocketing into the air with a scream that echoed like a firework.
Sabo and Ace clutched each other in pure, wide-eyed terror, both shouting nonsense as they stumbled backward.
Finally, we all collapsed in a pathetic heap, our limbs tangled, our chests heaving as we gasped for air. Luffy crashed back down from the heavens, landing face-first into the dirt with a sickening thunk. He twitched once and went still.
Garp loomed over us, nodding in satisfaction, his massive hands on his hips. “You’ll all make fine Marines someday!”
“LIKE HELL WE WILL!” we screamed in unison — me, Lami, Ace, Sabo, and Luffy’s muffled voice from the dirt.
It wasn’t victory, but it was the only defiance we had left.
…—O—O—O—...
Notes:
Not much to say here, I'm glad to finally get back to posting! But it might take longer, I'm reaching the end of my pre-written chapters.
I love the idea that Garp, because he's never had a granddaughter, spoils her while beating the absolute shit out of her. Plus I like the idea that he doesn't care that much about upholding rules he seems unjust: He steals a super important egg because it is in danger of torture and/or death.
Answer: Ace obviously, but if he was destined to survive already? Then Corazon.
Question: What name would you choose if you got thrown into the One Piece world?
edit: Sorry, I forgot to add 'name' in the question-my bad!
Chapter 15: Chapter 14: New friends and the truth comes out.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
After two solid days without Garp hovering like a demon out of hell, I decided it was finally safe to call up my dad.
Purpurpruprupru—CLICK.
“JESS—”
“Before you say anything,” I cut him off, holding up a finger even though he couldn’t see me, “I have a genuine reason, and a damn good one at that.”
Silence stretched for a moment, broken only by muffled chatter in the background. I could hear Benn’s voice somewhere off to the side. Then Dad cleared his throat, his voice low, careful.
“Better be the best damn reason in the Grand Line…”
If I didn’t know better, I’d swear he was pouting. I couldn’t help chuckling, resting my chin against my palm. Across from me, Luffy sat cross-legged next to the egg, happily stroking its shell like it was already his newest crew member. He was only half-listening, more focused on fussing over its “comfort.”
“Well… you know Luffy, right?” I started carefully.
Dad scoffed. “Of course I know Anchor!”
My stomach twisted, but I pushed on. “You know his full name… right?”
“Monkey D. Luffy. Of course I know that, what does that have to do with anything?!”
He was already starting to get irritated, and I was dancing circles around the subject like my life depended on it. To be fair—it kinda did. The fear of Garp popping out of nowhere like some senile bogeyman was fresh.
I coughed into my hand. “He, uh… has this grandfather. Pretty famous Marine…”
Lami, perched stiffly at my side, wiped her palms on her knees. Even she was sweating now. She knew where this was going.
Dad’s expression on Petal’s little snail face twisted into a grimace. He knew.
“And he comes around every now and then,” I added, “to… ‘train’ them.”
Dad’s voice dropped, tight with suspicion. “And by train, you mean…?”
I threw my arms out. “Getting my ass handed to me nine ways to hell by a sadistic old man who thinks beating children bloody builds character? Yeah. That kind of training. So forgive me if I haven’t had a lot of free time to pick up a snail and chat.”
Dad winced. “Especially since I’m a pirate and he’s training them to be Marines?”
I nodded grimly. “Oh, and also, you apparently ‘corrupted his grandson into being a pirate.’ His words, not mine. If I called you during all that, I’d either be enlisted right now or halfway dead from brutal tor—training.”
Silence, then a cough. “…Yeah, that’s a pretty damn good reason.”
I stared at him through Petal’s face, deadpan.
“…Are you okay?!” He blurted.
My scales bristled, my voice cracking into a shriek. “I am currently processing the fact that he beat me so hard I’m in a constant state of paranoia that he’s listening through the VINES I LIVE IN! WHAT DO YOU THINK?!”
My chest heaved as I panted. Luffy immediately abandoned the egg to drape himself over me, giggling. “You’ll be fine, Jessie! Gramps never kills us!”
I gave him the driest look I’ve ever mustered. “That doesn’t say much, does it?”
Lami’s hand landed on my shoulder, squeezing once, steady. “She’s right. That’s not comforting at all.”
Luffy blinked between us, clearly confused why neither of us shared his optimism.
Petal’s little snail face perked up again. “Anchor! Is that you?”
Luffy beamed. “Yeah! This doesn’t count as our meeting though!”
Dad laughed, warm and unbothered, though I could hear someone chuckling in the background too.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “Unless you can fight through a Transponder Snail, we’re fine to talk.”
“Nope! Can’t do that! But soooo much has happened!” And just like that, Luffy launched into his ramble, words tripping over themselves in his excitement.
“When you left, Gramps dropped me in the mountains with mean, old bandits! Then I met Ace and wanted to be his friend, so I followed him every day! He hated it at first—really hard! Then these pirates kidnapped me, but no matter how much they beat me up, I never told them where Ace and Sabo’s treasure was! Oh! Sabo! He’s Ace’s first friend, he’s smart and knows almost as much as Jessie!”
At the word beaten, I caught the way Petal’s brows twitched on Dad’s snail face. He didn’t interrupt, though—he leaned closer, listening to every detail like it was gospel.
“And then I became their friend, and we built this really cool treehouse! Then we swore on sake that we were brothers! So I have two older brothers now!”
By the time he was finished, he was panting.
“Cap’n,” I said, pinching his cheek, “Breathe before you keel over. Can’t have you dying on me before we even set sail.”
Dad’s expression sobered slightly. “Hey, Luffy.”
Luffy blinked, distracted from wrestling my hand away.
Before Dad could continue, I cut in sharply. “If you’re about to say ‘protect my daughter or else’ or ‘treat her right or I’ll hunt you down,’ I’m hanging up. I swear to God.”
He shut his mouth with an audible click. “…Dammit. I was really looking forward to that.”
I scoffed, but Luffy tilted his head, confused. “Why would I hurt Jessie? She’s Nakama now. You don’t hurt Nakama.”
For once, I sighed in fond exasperation instead of panic. Dad, however, seemed to take it as the best reassurance he could’ve asked for. Relief softened the little snail face.
“Oh good,” he said. “I was worried for a second.”
“Worried for me?” I asked dryly.
“Not at all! It’s your crewmates I’m worried about!”
My eyebrow twitched. Luffy frowned. “Why? Jessie’s really nice! Unless I touch her gold, or eat her meat, or mess up her Hoard—then she yells. But she’s nice!”
I gave him a flat stare and patted his head. “Luffy, sweetheart.”
“Yes?”
“The egg looks cold. Why don’t you go check on it?”
“OH NO! REALLY?!” He bolted, sprinting back to the egg like a worried mother hen.
I glanced back at Petal. “See? Perfect caretaker. That thing’s probably going to bond with him, and honestly? I couldn’t be happier.”
“Another egg? Seriously?” That wasn’t Dad—it was Benn, his voice echoing from somewhere off-snail. He sounded done.
“In my defense,” I said quickly, “Garp brought it to us because the World Government was planning to raise it as a weapon. If it didn’t meet their standards, they were going to kill it.”
Silence. Then cheers erupted in the background, loud and raucous.
“Well, I can’t say I like my daughter getting beaten up by an old man,” Dad admitted, “but at least he saved an innocent creature.”
I deadpanned, groaning. “Yeah, yeah. Noble cause, yada yada. I just wish it didn’t come at the expense of my sanity.”
Beside me, Lami leaned forward, her voice quieter but sharp. “She’s not exaggerating, Shanks. That man’s training nearly broke her.”
Dad’s expression softened further, almost guilty, but he rallied with a grin. “So—how much do I want to hear? Everything. I always have time for my daughter.”
For the first time in what felt like weeks, I smiled without forcing it. “Good. Then buckle in, Dad. Because this is one hell of a story.”
And I started from the very beginning.
“So, it was a normal day — a normal day of me teaching the boys how to use Observation Haki and—”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Dad cut in with a laugh, one brow arched high. “You’re teaching Anchor Haki?! Are you sure you can? I mean—don’t get me wrong—you’re good at it, considering you’re my daughter after all—”
I gave him the driest look possible, lips flat as stone.
“—Anyways,” he continued, chuckling at his own joke, “you are good, but are you sure you can handle teaching it?”
I tapped my claw against the table. “Yeah, I can handle it. I mostly built a machine that holds rocks and just… throws them randomly. They always ricochet back into the baskets I set up, ready to fire again. It’s really useful and so funny to watch as the boys get pelted with stones. Kahahaha!”
Dad clapped his hands together, grinning wide. “Yep! There’s my girl, just as sadistic as she is kind.”
I stuck my tongue out but pressed on with the story. “So we had just finished when I noticed a very strong Haki signature entering my range. And when I say strong, I mean holy shit strong. So I did the normal, logical thing: transformed, grabbed Luffy, and fucking booked it out of there in record time.”
“Gahahaha!” Dad threw his head back, his cape swishing with the movement. “Wonderful! I wouldn’t expect anything less than my daughter knowing when to pick and choose her battles!”
I smirked smugly before my face twisted into a grimace. “Yeah, well, he took one look at me and said I’d make a fine Marine… before yeeting me into the sky like a sack of flour. I got some impressive airtime, and then landed right on top of Luffy’s brothers. Then, of course, we spent the rest of the day running for our lives, praying to a god that didn’t listen for mercy.”
Dad’s grin faltered. “Yeesh… that sounds rough. I kinda feel bad now for leaving you there. It was supposed to be safe.”
I rubbed my temples and groaned. “…You… uh… how long do you think he was there for?”
Dad tilted his head, waiting.
I buried my face in my hands. “Three fucking weeks. Three utter shit weeks that came straight from the devil’s ass cheeks.”
Dad’s face drained of color. Around us, even the crew listening in looked horrified.
“I… I am truly sorry…” Dad said finally, his voice tight.
I sighed, wiping at my damp eyes with the heel of my palm. “It’s… not fine, but I survived. That has to count for something.”
“Yeah it does!” Luffy piped up brightly from where he was fussing over the egg. “You were super cool and strong against Gramps!”
I smiled at him, heart tugging. “Thanks, Luf. I needed that.”
He gave me a big thumbs-up, and I turned back to Dad. “Anyway. Here are a few of his… methods of training.”
Lami groaned loudly, dragging both hands down her face. “Oh my god. Here we go again. Do we have to relive it?”
“Yes,” I said firmly. “Trauma-sharing is how we cope.”
She flopped back, muttering, “I’m too young for therapy.”
I ignored her. “Well, before I get into it, Garp found out about Petal and almost took her.”
Shanks froze. “Petal?”
“Her transponder snail,” Benn reminded him gently.
“Ohhhh,” Dad said slowly. “Well, since you’re talking to me now, I’m assuming you managed to convince him not to?”
I giggled, and his smile faltered. “Ah yes. The wonders of emotional manipulation and bringing up dead relatives!”
Dad’s face fell, processing. Then he shook his head quickly. “Well—as long as it wasn’t me dealing with that… Good job, my Sea Star!”
I beamed before launching into the next story. “This one time I stumbled into the secret lair of an army of spiders.”
Dad sucked in a sharp breath. He knew about my arachnophobia.
“And apparently when I turned on my heel and hauled ass out of there, Garp took it as a sign of better training opportunities.”
“…Are you okay?” he asked seriously.
“Yeah, Luffy caught me before I landed in the pit. But we got chased around for hours afterward.”
“Hours,” Lami muttered bitterly, glaring off into the distance like she was reliving every leg cramp. “Do you know what it’s like to run in circles with a giant laughing maniac calling it ‘bonding?’ Because I do.”
“Anyway!” I continued quickly. “Another time, he had this massive rock. No, boulder. Like, three times my size and heavy as shit. He had us carry our own up a mountain or he’d punch us up it. And I did not want the latter.”
“A-ah…” Dad’s face looked like he’d swallowed something sour.
“Yeah. Tell me about it. Another time, I stole some bananas so I wouldn’t die from only eating meat, and guess what? I got a ‘Fist of Love’ for that one. For trying to not die of scurvy.”
Dad winced.
“And then during sparring—his version of sparring, which is basically ‘beat the shit out of children until they can’t feel feelings anymore’—he got a good hit in my gut. Which, unfortunately, caused me to breathe a very large amount of fire into the surrounding forest.”
“…Oh no,” Dad said faintly.
“Yep. And guess what he had us do? Put it out. With our bare. Fucking. Hands.”
Lami lifted her palm, still scarred faintly red. “Do you have any idea how long burned hands take to heal without proper medicine? Because I do.”
Dad stared at us like he was ready to faint. “You… put out a fire. With your bare hands.”
“Yep!” I said cheerfully. “And don’t even get me started on my ruined shirt. It was my favorite sparring tank-top.”
Dad opened his mouth, closed it again.
“Oh, and Luffy somehow roped me into calling Garp ‘Gramps.’ So now… he’s my kinda grandfather? I think? I don’t actually know.”
“...What?”
“Yeah. The only reason I started was because he did a damn good job bribing me.”
Dad’s voice was strained. “So… in three weeks… you got Vice Admiral Garp to bribe you into calling him Gramps?!”
I nodded proudly.
“Yep.”
Dad leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. “…Sounds about right.”
“Mhm. And just so you know—if I disappear for more than a few days, it’s because Garp is terrifying.”
“Fair enough,” Dad muttered. “Fair enough.”
Then he straightened, eyes glittering with the thrill of battle. “I’ve gotta let you go now, Sea Star. A fight is calling my name, and I want to follow it!”
I laughed. “Go on, Dad. It’s fine. I’ll catch you up on more later.”
“I’ll be holding you to that. Bye, Sea Star! BYE ANCHOR!” he bellowed so loud the den den mushi shook.
“BYE!!” Luffy yelled back happily.
And just like that, the line went quiet, leaving the three of us staring at each other in the aftermath of recounting our hell.
“…So, do we tell him about the part where Garp made us swim laps with boulders tied to our ankles?” Lami asked weakly.
“Nope,” I said immediately, flopping back with a groan. “That one’s going to the grave.”
After the call, I walked over to Luffy and sat next to him as he hummed happily, “You really like this egg, don’t you?” He looked over at me and then at the egg,
“Yeah! I wanna be its friend, but I can’t right now, so I gotta let it know I’ll be its friend when it hatches!” My voice bubbled with childish determination, though my chest ached beneath it. I looked at Luffy fondly, his wide-eyed grin making the world feel less heavy for once.
But then, like a wave crashing through the quiet, the thought came to me: I couldn’t keep this secret forever. Not from him. He was my Captain. And if there was anyone in this world I could trust with something this massive, it had to be him.
The problem was… it was terrifying.
My stomach twisted as I glanced up at the canopy above us, the leaves shifting with a lazy breeze. I’d been carrying this truth alone for so long, tucked deep inside me like a burning coal, and letting it out felt impossible. But if I didn’t… if I never took this leap of faith, I was going to drown in my own thoughts.
“Hey, Captain,” I said finally, my voice quieter, heavier.
He tilted his head toward me, still smiling, still full of that unstoppable energy, like even the trees bent in his direction.
“I got a pretty big secret,” I admitted.
“That’s fine! Everyone has their secrets!” His easy, carefree reply tugged a small smile out of me despite the storm brewing inside.
“No… not in this way.” My voice cracked, softer now. I forced myself to meet his gaze, then immediately looked away, staring instead at the quilt of leaves above. “I… know things. A lot of things. Dangerous things. And if I don’t handle it right… more than one person could die.”
The smile slipped off his face. He stiffened, shoulders tightening like the tension in me had jumped into him.
“I don’t want the blood on my hands right now,” I whispered. “I don’t know what to do.”
He leaned forward slightly, earnest, serious in a way most people never saw. “You want to tell me?”
“Yeah. But I need you to promise me it won’t leave this nest. No matter what. Okay?”
“Okay.”
The word was simple. Firm. And it was enough.
I exhaled a shaky breath. Well. Here goes nothing.
“I’m— I’m not from here.”
Luffy blinked. “Duh, Shanks brought you here!”
“No…” I turned, meeting his gaze dead-on this time. “I’m not of this world, Luffy. I died. And some god — some bored, stupid god — tossed me into this one.”
The silence that followed was so thick I thought it might crush me. I rolled onto my back, staring at the endless blue sky above, where almost no clouds drifted today.
“I died,” I repeated, quieter now, “and when I woke up, I was here.”
Luffy tilted his head, steam practically visible from his ears as he thought hard, trying to process. I almost smiled at the sight of it.
“So… how do you know things?” he asked finally.
I gave him a soft grin. “Well, you’ve got a good imagination, right?”
“Yeah!”
“Okay. Imagine this: a place where there isn’t much sea. Where pirates don’t exist.”
He gasped so loudly it echoed through the trees. I snickered despite myself.
“Technology was so advanced we had devices that could answer any question in the world,” I explained.
“Sounds cool,” he admitted, grinning again.
“It was. But now imagine someone named Oda — a storyteller — came up with an idea. A manga. A story told through pictures. About a boy with a straw hat who wanted to become Pirate King.”
Luffy’s head snapped toward me so fast I thought he’d break his neck. His eyes were huge. “You mean…?”
“Yeah.” My smile softened, tinged with nostalgia. “His name was Monkey D. Luffy. And he was beloved. Everyone who read the story rooted for him. Cried for him. Laughed with him.”
I drew in a long breath. “And then imagine a girl — twelve, maybe thirteen. Sheltered, locked inside by strict parents who barely let her leave the house. She got her hands on the first of those books, thanks to one of her few friends. And she fell in love with the story.”
“Bleh!” Luffy scrunched up his nose. “That sounds awful!”
I chuckled. “It was. But the manga gave her something she didn’t have — freedom. She got angry at the villains. She cheered for her favorite crew. She cried over backstories. She lived through them, because she couldn’t live her own dream.”
“That was you?” His voice was quiet, frown deepening.
I nodded, sadness pooling heavy in my chest. “Yeah. My past life was hell, Luffy.”
He clenched his fists, his jaw tight. “That’s not fair. That’s not… no one should live like that.”
“Pain doesn’t always make you stronger,” I said softly, thinking of Garp’s words, of Shanks, of everyone who had told him differently. “It just… hurts.”
He didn’t argue. Just looked at me, eyes blazing with something fierce and protective.
I went on. “I grew up. Got a boring job. Tried to settle. And then… one day, I died. Crushed in half by a car.” My voice wavered. “And instead of peace, instead of rest, I was ripped out and shoved here. Into this story I loved so much.”
Silence settled again, heavy as the sea.
Beside me, Lami shifted slightly. She’d been listening the whole time, sitting close, her arms drawn tight around her knees. She already knew all of this, knew where I was from, knew what I carried. And though she didn’t speak, her gaze softened, her lips trembling. She was grateful — grateful I’d dragged her with me when I did, because if I hadn’t, she’d be gone. She didn’t need to say it. I saw it in her eyes.
I waited. For a reaction. For rejection. For something.
Luffy’s mouth opened, then closed. His brow furrowed, thoughts spinning so fast I could practically hear them grinding.
And then, finally, he grinned. Wide, bright and unshakable.
“So you want to explore the world?”
I sat up so fast I almost headbutted Luffy, staring at him incredulously. “I just told you I’m from a whole other universe, with knowledge of the future, with the potential to completely screw this world sideways if I breathe wrong — and that’s the thing you latch onto?! That I want to explore the world?!” My voice cracked as my hands flailed. “I literally am not even supposed to be here! I don’t bel—”
A hand clamped over my mouth.
I blinked, wide-eyed, as Luffy leaned forward, his face serious for once. “It doesn’t matter.”
My brain stuttered. What?
“It really doesn’t matter where you came from before,” he continued, eyes steady. “Because you’re here now, right?”
Slowly, uncertainly, I nodded, still too stunned to speak.
“Which means you aren’t that girl from before, right?”
Another nod.
“Which means that instead of being that girl who couldn’t live, you’re being your own self.”
The words sank into me like stones into water, rippling through everything I’d been choking on for weeks. I thought about it hard — about Mama, about Lami, about every choice I’d made since waking in this world — and… yeah. That’s exactly what I’d been doing. Trying to push the past aside so I could finally live.
I nodded again, this one shaky, hesitant.
“So that proves you were born here. That you do belong here,” he said firmly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You just have a hard time believing you belong.”
I blinked at him, stunned, then nodded again. His hand dropped from my mouth, leaving me frowning — not upset, but thoughtful.
“So… what you’re saying is I have to stop viewing the world as fictional?” I asked carefully.
He nodded with that big dumb grin.
“Damn… you can be smart sometimes.”
“Hey! I’m always smart!”
I gave him a long, dry look. He stuck his tongue out at me.
Before I could retort, a soft voice broke in. “He’s right, you know.”
Lami had been sitting close the entire time, hugging her knees to her chest, listening quietly. Her face was pale but her eyes were warm, steady. “You’re not watching anymore, Jess. You’re living it. And I’m… glad. You pulled me into this when you didn’t have to.” Her voice wavered, and she looked away quickly. “If you hadn’t, I’d be dead already.”
My chest tightened. I reached out and nudged her shoulder gently, and she leaned into it just enough that I felt her warmth.
I sighed and flopped back onto the nest of leaves, then bolted upright again, staring at Luffy. “So… if I decide I want to screw up the timeline to save people I love… I can do that?”
“Yeah! But don’t spoil our adventures!”
I nodded, chewing my lip. After a moment of hesitation, I winced. “…Do you want a spoiler about… uh… the safety of Sabo?”
His head snapped toward me so fast I thought his neck might break. “Is he in danger?”
I nodded.
“How bad?”
I avoided his eyes, staring up at the trees instead.
He pouted. “Okaaaay, fine, but only to save him! Not more!” His cheeks puffed like an angry balloon.
I laughed softly. “Okay, okay. Well… I won’t go into the details of his past, because that’s his story to tell. But I do know something really, really bad happens. Sabo gets blown up.”
Luffy’s smile collapsed into sheer horror.
“BUT!” I yelped quickly, hands flying up. “Now that I’m here, we can stop it. And he didn’t die. He just…” My throat caught. “…he lost all his memories. For ten years, you thought he was dead.”
The horror deepened. His hands clenched, shoulders trembling.
“I don’t want that to happen,” I whispered.
“Me either,” he said fiercely.
“But if my presence has changed things too much and he actually—”
My mouth was covered again. His eyes burned into mine, but softer this time. “Don’t think like that.”
My chest loosened. I gave him a grateful smile. “Thanks.”
“No problem!”
We sat there a moment, the weight of it all pressing down. Finally, I muttered, “It’s… it’s going to take me a long time.”
“What will?”
“Realizing I’m not watching anymore,” I admitted. “That I’m living the dream I always had. I’ve been here for a while, but it’s still hard, y’know?”
Luffy smiled, that bright, unshakable smile that somehow made the shadows scatter. “I know! It’s like Ace, when he stares off into space. I usually tackle him, then we spar! It helps!”
I gave him a look. “…Are you sure you’re Luffy?”
He frowned at me like I was the idiot here.
“Don’t blame me,” I huffed. “I only ever saw the screen version of you. Not the real you.”
He thought about it, then nodded. “Yeah, I can see that!”
I turned my head, staring into the dense, humid forest. The trees swayed gently in the wind, their roots sunk deep, their trunks unyielding. It was… refreshing. To hear someone say I belonged. To believe it, even a little.
Because technically… I did. Shanks didn’t have a daughter in the anime. Mama didn’t even exist there. But here? Here I was real.
Suddenly I was tackled hard enough to knock the air out of me.
“LUFFY!!” I shrieked.
“I said I tackled Ace! Shishishishi!”
“DON’T TACKLE ME, YOU IDIOT!”
“But what do I do instead?”
I glared at him, pointing furiously. “I don’t know! Ask for a hug every now and then! Force me back to the present through sheer willpower and hugs! Something that doesn’t REQUIRE ME GETTING BODY-SLAMMED INTO THE GROUND OR MY NEST!”
“You’re back,” he said simply, grinning like an idiot.
I blinked. “What?”
“You looked sad before. Now you’re back. I’m glad!”
Heat crept up my cheeks, so I shoved his straw hat down over his eyes. “Shut up.”
“Whyyyy!”
“SHUT IT!”
“I refuse!”
“You can’t—”
“I can too!”
“Can not!”
“Can too!”
“CAN NOT!”
“CAN TOO!”
We went back and forth like that, our bickering filling the nest until even my chest didn’t feel so heavy anymore.
Lami stayed nearby, her arms still around her knees, but her lips twitched into a small smile as she watched us, and in that moment, I realized Luffy was the best mood-fixer in the world. The very best.
…Guess I’d just have to get him a mountain of meat to repay him.
…—O—O—O—...
We blew past the weight of my confession faster than I thought possible, slipping back into our usual rhythms. The only change was that Luffy started hugging me more often. He wasn’t subtle about it either — sometimes he’d just throw his arms around me mid-sentence, or mid-bite of food, like his stretchy instincts told him exactly when I was sliding back into that spiral. Honestly? He wasn’t wrong.
Lami noticed too. She didn’t say anything, but I caught the way she softened whenever Luffy distracted me out of a dark thought, or the way she’d stand a little closer on the bad days. Her sharpness dulled in those moments, replaced with quiet steadiness. I could see it in her eyes — she was still grateful I had dragged her into this chaos instead of leaving her behind. Because she knew, deep down, if I hadn’t “kidnapped” her, she would’ve been dead by now.
In other news, the egg was close to hatching. Every day the shell seemed warmer, heavier, more alive. And after turning it over in my head for hours, I decided Luffy should get the first choice at bonding with whatever was inside. He was… well, he was Luffy. And something about that felt right.
“Hey, Sunshine?” I called, watching him crouched at the edge of the clearing.
He perked up instantly, grinning, while poking a frog that was, frankly, bigger than it had any right to be. The frog, unimpressed, looked about one poke away from biting his finger clean off.
“Yeah?” he asked brightly.
I sighed, already regretting this conversation. “What do you know about familiars? Or… bonding with them?”
“Nothing!” he chirped without hesitation.
Of course.
“Alright, then listen carefully,” I said, my voice heavier. “Familiars aren’t pets. They’re companions, bonded spirits, partners. They’re tied to you in a way that goes beyond normal understanding. The bond between a familiar and their chosen person is permanent, unbreakable, and deeper than most connections.”
His brows furrowed. “Deeper than family?”
“Not quite,” I admitted, tilting my head. “It’s… different. Not stronger, not weaker. Just different. When you bond with a familiar, it isn’t about training them or keeping them fed. It’s about connecting, becoming part of each other. Like an extension of yourself.”
Lami sat nearby on a fallen log, arms crossed loosely, listening intently. She didn’t interrupt, but her gaze flicked to me, steady and thoughtful. She already knew what it meant for me to carry bonds this deep. She knew how dangerous, how important, how fragile it all was — and she also knew that in a twisted way, it saved her too.
I reached out and ran a claw gently over Lunaire’s tiny head. The panther cub purred, pressing into my touch, her sleek fur vibrating with warmth. “When I bonded with Lunaire, I could feel her emotions for a while. Her fear, her hunger, her need for attention. And when her soul clicked into mine, I knew what she needed. It wasn’t words. It was connection.”
I scratched under Helios’ beak next. The phoenix chick fluffed up proudly, glowing feathers shimmering like embers. “Helios was different. He’s stubborn, proud, sharp. He wanted strength — but he also loved his sister more than he let on. When we bonded, I didn’t just promise him. I promised her too. To protect both of them.”
I leaned back, shrugging lightly, my hand still resting on Lunaire’s head. “It’s not owning an animal. It’s choosing each other. That means Lunaire and Helios aren’t just mine. They’re part of me.”
When I glanced up, Luffy was staring at me, eyes wide, mouth hanging open. He wasn’t about to say something smart — I could tell from a mile away.
And sure enough, he pointed straight at Helios. “So if I punch him, would you feel it?”
I immediately kicked him in the shin. “OW!”
“DON’T TOUCH MY BIRD!”
“Okay!!”
Lami groaned into her hand, muttering, “Why do I feel like I’m the only sane one here?” But there was a flicker of a smile tugging at her lips, soft despite her exhaustion.
I rolled my eyes and sat back down. “Anyway. I… wanted to offer you a chance to bond with whatever’s in the egg.” My voice dipped into a mutter. “You seem to like it. And I’m sure it likes you too.”
Luffy’s head snapped toward me, grin stretching wide. “Really?!”
“Mhm.” I shrugged, pretending not to care, though my chest tightened with nerves. “You’ve been glued to it since the start. You might as well be its favorite already.”
“I do like it!” he said proudly. “The egg’s so pretty, and it glows sometimes!”
“So,” I asked, raising a brow, “do you want the chance?”
“YES!!”
I tilted my head toward the nest. “Well, it looks cold.”
His whole face twisted in horror. “WHAT?!”
I burst out laughing, clutching my stomach as his head whipped toward the egg. It sat on its bed of leaves, warm and shimmering faintly. I’d tucked a steady trickle of Heatless Flame beneath it hours ago.
Luffy leaned over it frantically, then whipped back around with puffed cheeks and a furious pout. “No it’s not!!”
“Kahahahah!” I doubled over.
Lami shook her head, rolling her eyes.
…—O—O—O—...
The egg had been resting in its little nook for weeks now, nestled into a makeshift cradle of soft pelts and feathers that I’d fussed over far too much. It was kept warm not just by the bedding, but by Lunaire’s steady presence curled protectively around it, and Helios’s habit of hopping down to tuck his wings over the shell whenever the air grew drafty.
And of course… there was Luffy.
He had taken to poking the egg with one finger, tracing the strange swirls and patterns along its shell, and talking to it like it was already part of the crew. He’d pat it gently while rambling about tiger fights he’d won, and all the adventures he planned to have when he became Pirate King.
Honestly? It was adorable. And who was I to argue with adorable?
Now, though, things were different.
We were all sprawled in my nest for our weekly recovery day — bruises and sore muscles from a long week of training had us piled in a lazy heap, limbs stretched wherever they landed. Ace was lying on his back, one arm flung dramatically over his face as he groaned about the heat and how Observation training had left him feeling like he’d been trampled by a sea king. Sabo was sitting cross-legged, calm as ever, his nose buried in some history book that looked far too heavy for a “relaxing day.” Lami was leaned up against my side, quiet, her hand absently combing through the fluff of my hair as if the motion soothed her as much as it soothed me.
Luffy, of course, was in his own world, happily flicking a rock back and forth like it was the best toy in existence.
Then it happened.
The egg moved.
A tiny, sharp crack echoed through the air.
I froze mid-bite, my sandwich still hanging halfway to my mouth. Lunaire’s ears twitched instantly, her head snapping up from where she’d been curled lazily at my feet. Helios, perched on my shoulder, let out a curious chirp that vibrated against my cheek.
Ace lifted his head just enough to blink at us, confusion cutting through his whining. “Huh?”
Sabo’s book snapped shut so fast the sound cracked through the air like a whip. His calm face was gone, replaced by wide, startled eyes.
Luffy launched himself upright so suddenly he nearly smacked his head on the ceiling. “IT’S HATCHING!!”
I caught him mid-scramble before he could lunge at the egg. “Hold it! Give it space. Too much crowding can make it nervous.”
He froze, then nodded rapidly like I’d just given him the most important mission of his life. I set him carefully down right in front of the egg. He crouched, practically vibrating with excitement, eyes sparkling brighter than the sun.
The egg wobbled again.
Cracks spiderwebbed across the shell, sharp and sudden. A faint scratching noise rose up, soft but insistent, as whatever was inside pushed against its prison.
Luffy bounced on his heels, shaking like he’d been caught in an earthquake. “Come on, come on, come on!!”
Another crack splintered down the side, the shell groaning in protest. And then—
With one final, desperate shove, the egg shattered apart.
Silence fell.
From the broken shell, a small creature emerged, shaking bits of yolk and shards of shell from its tiny body.
At first glance, it looked like a ferret — but no normal ferret ever looked like this. Its fur rippled like storm clouds, a swirling mix of smoky gray and sharp white streaks, threaded through with glimmering veins of gold that sparked faintly like lightning. Its paws were tipped with tiny, razor-sharp black claws, and its tail, fluffy and long, crackled with faint blue static.
Large, luminous blue eyes blinked up at the world, wide and curious. Delicate though it was, there was speed in the way it moved, muscles twitching under its small frame.
Lunaire slunk closer, nose twitching with interest. Helios chirped, wings puffing. The newborn creature tilted its head, sniffing the air—
And locked eyes with Luffy.
There was a long, still beat of silence. Then—
CHOMP!
The baby ferret launched forward like a bullet and clamped its teeth onto Luffy’s arm with shocking force. Sparks crackled from its tail as it dug in, claws clinging like hooks.
“AGHHHH—it bit me!” Luffy wailed, spinning in circles with the furry leech dangling off his arm.
Ace and Sabo collapsed instantly, wheezing with laughter. Ace slapped his knee, barely able to breathe. “Guess it likes him!”
Sabo’s grin stretched wide as he leaned over, laughing so hard his shoulders shook. “More like it’s trying to eat him.”
Lami had covered her mouth with both hands, eyes wide, but when Luffy started spinning around like a top with the ferret dangling off his arm, she broke. A startled laugh burst out of her, cracked and watery, and she shook her head. “Oh no… ohhh no, he’s doomed.”
Luffy, meanwhile, had gone from panicked to thrilled in the span of two seconds. His grin was blinding, his eyes sparkling even as blood dribbled from his arm. “I’m going to call you Chompers!”
The ferret — Chompers — paused mid-bite, tilting its tiny head as though considering the name. Then, apparently satisfied, it finally released Luffy’s arm and hopped up onto his shoulder. It curled into a ball, tail flicking sparks as it nestled against his neck.
Luffy giggled madly, scratching behind its ears. “Yeah! You’re Chompers!”
I smiled faintly, Lunaire curling against my side and Helios puffing with pride on my shoulder. “I like it. Fits the little guy.”
Ace and Sabo exchanged a look, their grins turning sly.
“…I kinda want one now,” Ace muttered.
“Me too,” Sabo admitted with a smirk.
I groaned loudly, dragging a hand down my face. “Don’t. Just don’t. Pray Gramps doesn’t find two more endangered eggs, because I am not dealing with this.”
“Oh yeah!” Ace perked up, slamming a fist into his palm like he’d just solved world hunger.
“Perfect idea,” Sabo agreed cheerfully.
I twitched violently, tackling them both to the ground as they started chanting for Garp to bring them eggs. “DON’T WISH FOR POOR ANIMALS TO BE IN THAT POSITION!”
“HEY—”
“GET OFF ME!”
“STOP FLAILING—YOU’RE FLAILING INTO MY FACE—”
Meanwhile, Luffy was rolling on the floor with laughter, Chompers clinging happily to his shoulder. “They’re having a ton of fun!”
“LIKE HELL WE ARE!”
“SHUT UP, ACE!”
“DON’T TELL ME TO SHUT UP—OW, STOP BITING!”
…—O—O—O—...
Chompers fit in well really quickly, Luna and Helio loved him and Helio especially liked to play a makeshift game of tag with him. Luna was more… laid back and preferred to cuddle with him when it was time for naps.
Luffy and Chompers got along like peanut butter and jelly.
They were utter chaos and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Luffy immediately included Chompers into our training sessions and I had to practically force him to let Chompers train with Lunaire and Helios.
“Luffy, he’s still a baby, he won’t be able to keep up with us for a long time!”
“But Gramps said–”
“Gramps doesn’t have a familiar, right?”
“Nope!"
“Who has had, not one, but two of them for months?”
“...You…”
“Mhm, they need to build their own muscles before joining us, okay?”
“Fineee! Go on Chomper, kick their asses!” I gave him a deadpan stare before turning to my own partners,
“Kick him a new one guys!”
“Hey!”
“You just did the same thing.” I pointed out and every argument went down the drain and he drooped.
“Now, I’m assuming we have training of our own to do?” He perked up and we went right into sparring, he was getting better at punching, but he still had a long way to go.
…—O—O—O—...
“We should tell Ace and Sabo.” Luffy said one day, I looked at him in more confusion and wariness then shock.
“Are you sure?”
Lami was tense as well, more over the fact that more people would know my secret, but she knew this was also something that needed to happen soon.
“Mhm, Ace will help protect Sabo and it’d be important for him to know how you know what you know.” I thought about it and nodded my head.
“Alright, but I really hope this doesn’t backfire on me and cause them to lose the minor trust I’ve gained.”
“Don’t worry! You’re not required to tell all your secrets and Ace’ll understand that!”
I sighed, “Okay.”
Two hours later~~
“WHAT?!”
“…that’s… unexpected.”
The twin outbursts overlapped, sharp and disbelieving, their voices echoing against the trees. Their tones were different — Ace’s fiery temper on full display, Sabo’s voice quieter but weighed down by shock — yet the core was the same. Equal disbelief. Equal resistance.
Sabo’s brows furrowed as he sank into thought, his fists resting against his knees. He was already dissecting every word I’d spoken, the cogs in his head spinning furiously. Ace, however, had no patience for that. His anger crackled like dry brush under flame.
“Why didn’t you tell us before!?” His voice cracked with betrayal, sharp and hot.
I met his eyes without flinching. “Would you have believed me?”
That stopped him cold. His mouth opened, then shut. “What?”
“Would you have believed me?” I pressed, softer now but no less firm. “A random girl who showed up out of nowhere, claiming she knew everything about your world, your past, your future?”
The fight bled out of him all at once. His shoulders slumped, and he dropped back down with a frustrated growl. “No…”
“Exactly,” I said, nodding once.
Behind me, Luffy clung stubbornly to my back, his little arms wrapped tight around my shoulders. He hadn’t let go once during the entire conversation. His warmth was steady, a small anchor against the storm brewing around us.
“Well, that settles it,” I said firmly. “I’m here because I was given permission to help… to save someone in danger. My captain entrusted me with that.”
Ace blinked hard, the anger in his eyes cooling to confusion. Sabo’s face paled, sweat beading on his brow. He knew. I could tell he knew exactly who I meant.
“But,” I added, my tone gentler now, “it requires that person to be open about a few things.”
Sabo swallowed hard. His hands tightened into fists. “Do I have to?”
I shook my head. “No. I could still save you without it. But eventually… you’d tell them either way.”
He exhaled shakily, his shoulders lowering an inch. “That makes it easier,” he admitted, his voice a rasp.
Ace wasn’t convinced. He’d gotten to his feet again, fists clenched, jaw tight. He was overwhelmed — by my backstory, by the idea that one of his brothers was in danger, and by the possibility of secrets slipping between them. His fury had nowhere to go.
I stepped toward him. “Ace, listen. It’s Sabo’s story. It’s his choice. And it’s not easy to tell something that feels like it’ll drive the people you love away.”
That landed. His glare faltered. He grumbled something low under his breath before dropping heavily back to the ground, still smoldering but no longer ready to explode.
“Thanks,” Sabo muttered in my direction, then sighed, finally lifting his gaze toward the others. “Alright. I’ll tell you. But… don’t think too differently of me, okay?”
Lami, who’d been standing silently nearby, arms folded tightly, stepped closer. Her voice was steady — not sharp like Ace’s, not shaky like Sabo’s, but calm, older-sister calm. “None of us will. You’re still you, Sabo. No story changes that.”
Sabo’s lips twitched in something like gratitude.
Luffy grinned brightly, like it was the easiest truth in the world. “Why would I think different?”
Ace snorted, arms crossed. “That’s stupid.”
Sabo’s brow twitched at the jab, but his mouth softened into a small, grateful smile anyway.
And then he told it.
His story spilled out in halting pieces at first, then in a flood. A home that wasn’t a home. Parents who treated him like property, like a tool, like anything but a child. Loneliness so thick it choked him. Running away just to breathe.
It was the kind of story that carved deep. I hated it — hated when parents created a child only to wound them, to deny them the love and care they deserved. Every word stung somewhere deep inside me.
When Sabo finished, silence pressed heavy over us. The three brothers moved first, their hands clasping together in a vow. A promise. One only they could make.
Luffy turned his wide eyes on me. “You too!”
I blinked, then smiled softly. “I know, but… this is a moment between brothers. And as much as it’d be cool to be one, it’s not my place.”
Ace and Sabo both glanced at me, and I could see the gratitude in their eyes. Gratitude that I understood, that I respected their bond instead of intruding on it.
But Ace’s expression shifted suddenly, realization sparking. “Now that Sabo said all that… what happens to him? How do we stop it? Does he die?”
I hesitated. Their eyes sharpened, waiting.
“Well…” I looked away. “He doesn’t… die, per se.”
Ace’s glare was so dry it could’ve rivaled Alabasta’s desert. “That doesn’t fill me with hope, you know.”
I gave a shaky laugh. “Right. Okay. So you know how Sabo’s mom and dad suck donkey ass?”
Sabo barked a laugh at that, though it sounded more like a cough.
“Yeah, well. When they find out he’s alive, they drag him back. And… let’s just say it gets bad.”
Horror flickered across Sabo’s face. I hurried on. “But that won’t happen. Not anymore. I’ll change that. Permanently. Still — there’s one more thing. Bluejam’s a bastard. Don’t trust him. And whatever you do, don’t help him move barrels.”
Ace and Luffy shared confused looks but nodded anyway.
“Those barrels,” I said grimly, “were meant to set Gray Terminal on fire.”
Their expressions collapsed into horror.
Sabo’s hands shook. “I… I tried to run. To escape. And then…”
“The Celestial Dragons,” I finished. “One of their ships appeared. You crossed their path.”
Blank stares. I sighed. “Okay, quick lesson. Celestial Dragons are the descendants of the twenty founders of the World Government. They call themselves gods. They enslave, they destroy, they do whatever they want. And if anyone dares touch them, they call in an Admiral. And the Admirals kill.”
As I listed it out, the boys’ faces twisted — horror, disgust, rage. Lami stayed silent beside me, her jaw clenched, her hand resting lightly on my shoulder as if to keep me steady too.
“You set sail that day, Sabo. You passed by their ship. And they blew your boat apart.”
Ace’s entire body shook with rage. He looked ready to punch anything that breathed. Sabo instinctively edged back, knowing full well his brother’s temper.
“But you didn’t die,” I said quickly. “You lost your memories. All of them. And that hate you carried for your noble blood… it was stronger than even your bond to your brothers. You never came back. You couldn’t.”
Silence fell again. Heavier this time.
And then—
“Yeah,” Ace muttered, shockingly calm, his eyes burning like coals. “That’s not happening.”
I stared at him. Even Sabo blinked in surprise.
“As much as I want to beat the shit out of those horrid bastards,” Ace went on, his fists tightening, “I can’t. Not without drawing an Admiral down on us. But letting them take Sabo? Letting him forget us?” He shook his head firmly. “Not a chance. Not while I’m alive.”
For once, there was no reckless fire in his voice. Only resolve.
Huh, so he can be rational.
Ace glared at me, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles cracked, and finally snapped, “So… how the hell do we even stop it?”
His frustration crackled in the air, raw and fiery, but instead of snapping back, I met his stare head-on before flicking my eyes toward Sabo. “We need to solve the problem at the source: the pirates… and your father.”
Sabo blinked, and then his eyes sharpened with understanding. He nodded slowly, the corners of his mouth tightening as he pieced it together. (God, I loved competent people — it felt like breathing fresh air for once.)
“So… we need to let my father know I’m alive, lure him into taking me back — but not without a fight,” Sabo said, his tone cautious, testing the thought out loud. His voice picked up speed, certainty growing, but then faltered. He looked down at his hands, shoulders sagging. “Once I’m there… I don’t know what happens next. That’s where I get lost.”
Ace’s jaw locked, fury simmering again, but he stayed quiet, visibly restraining himself.
I nodded slowly, keeping my voice even. “Yes. I can take care of the pirates. Ace, you can help, too—”
He cut me off with narrowed eyes. “There’s a big damn ‘but’ coming, isn’t there?”
I didn’t deny it. I nodded firmly. “Yeah. I’m going to let my dragon take control for a bit, because I need those pirates dead.”
Luffy and Sabo both jolted, staring at me with wide-eyed shock. But Ace? He didn’t even blink. He just nodded once, grimly, like he’d already accepted this blood-soaked reality.
“They’ll know you’re a dragon,” Ace said, his voice low. “If you go that far, there’s no hiding it anymore. You’ll be using Haki. They’ll see. They’ll know. And they’ll come back.”
My lips pressed into a thin line, but I still nodded. “I know. But his—what, first mate? —hurt Luffy. The second he did that, no matter when it happened, no matter what universe it was in, he made it personal between crews. And I don’t let that shit slide.”
At my words, Luffy’s small hands balled into fists against my sleeve, and he gave a fierce little nod, eyes burning with a kind of trust that made my chest ache.
Sabo looked torn, chewing on the inside of his cheek, but finally asked, “Are you absolutely sure killing them is the only way?”
I met his eyes with every ounce of seriousness I had. “Yes. In the original, they died in the fire anyway. And it wasn’t clean — they went insane once they realized they’d been tricked, when everything slipped out of their grasp. This time, at least… it’ll end fast. And there’s more. Ace has a good chance of unlocking Conqueror’s Haki in the process.”
At that, Ace snapped his gaze toward me, suspicion flashing. His voice was sharp. “And what the hell does that mean for me?”
I hesitated — winced, even. “It means Conqueror’s Haki is rare, but people in the New World use it. A lot of them. And it’s also…” I trailed off, my stomach twisting.
“It’s also what,” he growled, his glare cutting into me like knives.
I sighed heavily. “…It’s also been called ‘Roger’s Will.’”
His expression twisted, fury and disgust boiling to the surface. “I don’t want it. I don’t want anything that ties me to that bastard.”
My shoulders slumped, exhaustion heavy in my bones. I tugged Luffy off my back and into my lap, rubbing at the ache in my spine. “So I can’t talk you out of it, huh?”
Ace crossed his arms defiantly. “No. You can’t.”
“Then can I at least try to convince you to use it?”
He frowned deeply, but finally leaned back, arms still crossed, glaring like he was daring me to waste his time. “Fine. But it better be the best damn reason I’ve ever heard.”
I swallowed, remembering the heavy words my father had once laid on me, the same impossible conversation. “Conqueror’s Haki is one-in-a-million rare. If you have it—”
“Not good enough,” he snapped immediately.
I bit my lip, not wanting to play this card yet but knowing I had to. “Then what if I told you you’ve only been told the worst parts of Roger? That everything you’ve heard was twisted?”
Ace’s eyes narrowed dangerously, suspicion flaring. “He’s a bastard. What haven’t I been told that wasn’t true?”
I shrugged faintly. “You’re not wrong. He was one of the stupidest men alive. He kept visiting a woman, let rumors spread, left her completely unprotected, and left you with the weight of his name. He was careless.”
Ace’s eyes softened just slightly, pleased at my condemnation. But before he could ride the satisfaction too far, I added quietly, “But he also wasn’t the worst pirate. As far as I know, he didn’t pillage. He didn’t rape. He treated his crew like family. My father sailed with him.”
That snapped Ace back into sharp focus, eyes flashing at me — not in anger at me, but at the truth of it.
“Look,” I continued quickly, “I don’t like him either. But having Conqueror’s Haki? That means you could protect your family. You could surpass him. You could prove, once and for all, that you’re better than him.”
The fire in his eyes dimmed slightly as he sat back, thinking hard. Then he exhaled. “…Fine. But I have questions.”
“Go on,” I said, bracing myself.
“What type of dragon are you?”
Of all the things I expected, that wasn’t one of them. I blinked, then grinned a little. “I’m a Soul Dragon. I can see and talk to souls.”
His eyes widened. Even Sabo sat up straighter. And Luffy? Luffy gasped so hard it was like I’d just told him I was made of meat.
“You see ghosts?!” he squeaked, eyes sparkling.
I chuckled softly and shook my head. “Not ghosts. Souls.”
Sabo tilted his head, already pulling a notebook from his pocket. “What’s the difference?”
Before he could scribble a single thing, I reached out and pushed the notebook down gently. “If you’re going to write anything about this, it has to be in a different language. Or a code you invent yourself. No records. Not yet.”
Sabo frowned. “Why?”
Lami, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke up, her voice low but steady. “Because if the World Government finds out about this too soon, they’ll kill her.”
The boys all froze.
I nodded grimly, grateful for Lami’s bluntness. “Soul Dragons were exterminated for a reason. The Government fears our power. If they learn about me before I’m strong enough to fight back, I’m done. And Garp keeping quiet? That’s the only reason I’m still here.”
“No!” Luffy shouted, gripping me tighter. “They can’t take you!”
I smiled, brushing his hair gently. “As long as I stay hidden, they won’t. I promise.”
Sabo sighed, snapping his notebook shut. “Then I’ll come up with something private.”
“Good,” I said with a relieved smile. “Now — the difference. Ghosts are stuck. They can’t move on, can’t leave the place they died. Souls aren’t bound. They can watch loved ones from afar, sometimes even linger close, but only if they’re strong enough.”
Sabo’s brows furrowed. “So you connect them. You give them power.”
“Exactly. And sometimes, a soul offers me a bond. If I accept, I can summon them physically, let them fight with me… or just let them visit their loved ones properly.”
Ace squinted at me, catching the hesitation in my voice. “But?”
I winced. “…But I can’t accept all of them. And one caught my attention recently. Someone who wants to bond — but I need permission first.”
Sabo went rigid, piecing it together instantly. His eyes shot to mine. “It’s someone who knows one of us.”
I nodded slowly.
Ace’s head whipped toward me, suspicion sharp. “…It’s someone I know, isn’t it?”
I hesitated, then nodded again. “Yeah. But not Roger, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Ace’s eyes widened, then narrowed, the realization dawning. “You mean—”
I nodded once more. His breath caught sharp in his throat.
“I… I’m going to need to think about it,” he said finally, voice cracking.
“I know,” I whispered. “That’s why I haven’t accepted. If you say no, then it’s no. I won’t open that wound without your say.”
Ace exhaled shakily, leaning back with relief, though his hands still trembled faintly. “…Thanks. I guess.”
A grin split across my face instantly. “Oh? Sorry, didn’t catch that. Can you say it again?”
“YOU DEFINITELY HEARD IT. SHUT UP!”
I cupped a hand to my ear dramatically. “Hmm? My ears must be clogged—”
“BULLSHIT!”
I burst out laughing, clutching my stomach as Sabo cracked a grin and even Luffy giggled into my shirt. Lami let out a soft laugh too, shaking her head at me like an exasperated older sister.
Ace’s face went crimson as he exploded. “SHUT IT, ALL OF YOU!!”
The cave filled with laughter, loud and messy and alive. For just a moment, grief and fear loosened their grip on us.
And I held onto that moment like it was gold.
Notes:
Hello, hello, hello! Guess who found her laptop~ Me! It is almost dead and I can't find the charger, so this is going to be the last chapter for a while. However, I have good news!
1.) The ASL arc is ending soon! I'm going to FINALLY start on the main plot and add in some of our favorite dead family members!
2.) I've decided to start off the romance when they're older, building the relationship up. Be prepared, it's not TECHNICALLY a slow burn, but both Jessie and Luffy are incredibly dense, plus Jessie has an immense fear of rejection. So it might take a while to get them to acknowledge the feelings.
3.) I'm posting a new One Piece story! It's name is still undermined, but it's another self-insert type with a girl thrown into the world with Harry Potter magic and Maui magical tattoos. She has to deal with an annoying god, finding a brother, getting to know her father, and figuring out what the world has to offer her and her friends. The posting date should be around may 15th or so. If you don't want to read, you don't have too, but it's just something I'm excited to post.
But if you like humor, a flirtatious oc, magic, mystery and more. I think you'll enjoy the story! So look out for it!
4.) I GOT BUNNIES!!!!! Two adorable, fluffy bunnies! A fluffy albino boy named Basil (I named both of them) and a fluffy silver-gray one named Juniper! My siblings have there bunnies, but mine are just sooo cute! It's not really relevant, but I think bunnies should be celebrated no matter what setting. 😙
5.) Finally: I survived a year!! My birthday was two days ago and I am happy I've stayed alive for this long!
That is all the updates for today!
In relation to the chapter: I thought a ferret matched up with Luffy perfectly, and just so everyone knows, Chompers is a storm ferret, but his electricity doesn't harm Luffy (obviously, he's rubber after all) and the pairing was just to good to not be true. I'm going to be adding a bunch of creatures to this fic, including one for each Ace and Sabo. I just don't know what animals would go well, so if any of you lovely people have any ideas for animals and/or powers for them, please let me know!
(If you don't like it, please keep it to yourself. I added it in the tags, but this is completely self-indulgent. I love writing and creating content like this and don't need people to tell me whats too much or not.)
Anywho, I love all yall and I'm so happy to have reached 140+ kudos and 4,000+ hits! It's honest so much more than I thought I'd get, but I'm grateful for everyone of you, your comments and praise keep me going, so thank all of you! 🥰
Answer: Vreya .D Evangeline. I absolutely LOVE this name and the nicknames are just so cute. I mean, Eva? Eve? Lina? So adorable!
Question: If you could get rid of one Devil fruit permanently, which one would you get rid of and why?
Edit: Lami has been added and let me tell you: remember above when I said the ASL Arc is ending soon? Utter bullshit, don't believe past me.
Chapter 16: Chapter 15: Broken and Burned
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
After that fiasco, life started to feel almost normal again.
Until Garp came back.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHH!” My screech rattled through the clearing. Lami, Ace, and Sabo snapped their heads toward me, and Luffy spun around so fast his hat nearly fell off. Even Chompers froze mid-chomp on a stick.
“What?!” Ace barked, annoyed, but then his eyes followed my line of sight.
“GARP!” I shouted, pointing like I’d seen the devil himself.
All of them went pale.
Before I could so much as twitch toward escape, a massive fist came down on my skull, and I was sent face-first into the dirt.
“THAT’S GRAMPS TO YOU, BRAT!”
“OWWWWWWWWWIE!” I yelped, Helios swooping protectively over my head while Lunaire trotted over and nudged at my limp body.
“Oh?” Garp’s shadow loomed above me, and I winced. “You have familiars now?”
I peeked up at him with wide, horrified eyes, then forced myself upright with all the dignity of a wet noodle. “You didn’t ask, old man!”
His brow twitched, and I knew I was doomed.
I motioned frantically for the others to run. And bless them — all four (yes, Chompers included) gave me looks that ranged from pity to pure gratitude before hightailing it out of there.
“That is… GRAMPS TO YOU, BRAT! FIST OF LOVE!”
The second blow buried me in the dirt again. This time I didn’t even fight it. Fate was cruel.
By the time he’d finished smacking me around, he’d already caught up with the others and gathered us all like a fisherman scooping tuna into a net. His eyes zeroed in on Chompers, who was perched on Luffy’s shoulder.
“Looks like the egg hatched,” he grunted.
“Yeah!” Luffy beamed. “His name is Chompers—OW!”
Chompers sank his teeth into Luffy’s rubbery shoulder without hesitation.
While Luffy flailed, I groaned, rubbing my sore head. “As you can see, he lives up to his name.”
Garp laughed thunderously, shaking the ground. His gaze swung toward Ace and Sabo. “I’m assuming the next egg goes to one of you?”
Both boys nodded eagerly.
“Yeah! So find them soon!” Ace shouted.
“Mhm! I want one too!” Sabo chimed.
BAM. WHACK.
“OW!”
“HEY!”
I glared at both of them, my wings flaring. “Stop wishing the worst on innocent animals!”
They wilted instantly under my glare. Even Garp gave me a look of pride.
“That’s my wonderful granddaughter!” he boomed.
I sagged in defeat. “I’m never going to shake that title, am I? I’ve been bribed.”
“Nope,” Ace and Sabo chorused, nodding solemnly.
“Whatever,” I huffed. “My reasoning still stands. Any eggs in danger of being used as weapons or destroyed come to me.”
Lami, who had been hovering behind me with crossed arms and a stormy expression, finally spoke. “She’s right. You don’t get to treat lives like toys just because you’re excited.” Her sharp tone made both boys shrink even further.
“Exactly!” I jabbed a finger toward Luffy, who was still trying to pry Chompers off his arm. “Look at him. He cared for that egg even when he didn’t know if it’d hatch for him.”
Ace and Sabo nodded slowly.
“So what you’re saying,” Sabo murmured, “is if we don’t feel a connection, we shouldn’t try to bond?”
“Exactly!” I grinned. “It has to be mutual. It’s not about ambition. It’s about care.”
Ace sighed but nodded. “Alright, I get it.”
“Me too,” Sabo added.
Garp crossed his arms, grinning like a proud gorilla. “Good. You brats are learning.”
I squinted up at him. “Hey, Gramps? Do you have a book on familiars? It’d help.”
He scratched his chin, then nodded. “Of course! I’ll get it from the information stash!”
We all sweatdropped.
“…That’s illegal, isn’t it?” I asked flatly.
“Yep.”
“You don’t care, do you?” Lami deadpanned, voice edged with exhaustion.
“Nope.”
“Why?”
Garp just plopped down, shaking the ground. “Because it’s never used. And with smugglers bringing in a shipment of eggs, you’ll need it!”
My blood ran cold. I dropped to my hands and knees, trembling.
“Jessie, what’s wrong?!” Luffy shouted, diving on me.
“H-how many eggs?!” I croaked.
“A shipment,” Garp said casually.
I choked. My wings drooped so low they scraped the dirt. Ace and Sabo exchanged worried looks as I let out a strangled sound.
Listen, I knew I’d said I’d protect any eggs that came my way. But an entire shipment? Expanding my nest? That much responsibility?
I was a kid. A freaking child.
“WHY MEEEEEE?!” I wailed, tears spurting comically. “I didn’t mean a whole ass army of animals! Stupid gods messing with me!”
I flopped dramatically onto the ground, pounding the dirt like Sanji in a lovesick fit.
“Waaaaah!”
The boys sweatdropped. Luffy crouched beside me, poking my cheek. “Think of it this way, Jessie: more nakama!”
I wailed louder.
Lami knelt down, pressing a hand to my shoulder. Her voice was gentler than usual. “Jess… breathe. You’ll figure it out. You always do.”
I sniffled, burying my face against Luffy’s vest when he tugged me closer. His cheerful patting didn’t help, but the warmth of both him and Lami holding steady beside me did.
“She’s fine!” Luffy chirped.
“NO, SHE ISN’T!” Ace and Sabo yelled in unison.
Garp roared with laughter. “Well, I’ll intercept them in a week! Then all the eggs will mysteriously break!”
I curled tighter around Luffy, sobbing harder at the thought.
“…Ah.” For once, Garp actually looked nervous. He scratched the back of his head. “Well… I’ll postpone training. Fix her by tomorrow or it’s double.”
“Thanks,” Ace muttered dryly.
“We’ll try,” Sabo added.
Meanwhile, Lami was still rubbing circles on my back, glaring daggers at Garp. “You could try not to traumatize her.”
“Traumatize her?” Garp repeated, scandalized, as though the situation wasn’t obvious.
I wailed louder.
…—O—O—O—...
“…So you’re saying she’s crying and depressed because of how many new eggs are coming her way?” Shanks asked, his voice dry as the den den mushi mirrored his unimpressed sweatdropping expression. The snail’s little eyes shifted sideways at the wailing echoing through the background.
“Yep!” Luffy chirped happily, patting my head with both hands as if his enthusiasm alone could stop the tears streaming down my face. I was bawling like someone had told me dragons were going extinct. He had no clue why. To him, more eggs meant more Nakama. That was obviously a good thing!
“Ah… have you asked her why she’s… crying?” Shanks asked slowly.
“Nope!”
“…Shouldn’t you be doing that?”
“Mhm!”
“…Are you going to?”
“Oh yeah!”
“…IDIOT!!”
Ace, who had been silently suffering through this exchange, slammed his fist into Luffy’s head so hard the boy bounced against the treehouse wall. He sighed deeply, collapsing into the nest of pillows I’d set aside for them so they didn’t step into my sleeping space.
“Yo, Jessica,” he said flatly, “tell us why you’re being a crybaby.”
“DON’T ASK LIKE THAT!” Sabo barked, pelting a pebble at Ace. The rock clinked off his temple, and Ace whipped around, veins bulging.
“DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!”
“SHUT IT!” Sabo snapped.
Their yelling overlapped into chaos, which was the only reason Lami’s dry voice cut through like a knife. “God, it’s like babysitting toddlers with fire powers.” She plopped down cross-legged beside me, arms folded, then glanced at my blotchy red face. “So. Are we crying because of hormones, dragon puberty, or something stupider?”
“LAMIII!” I wailed, hiding my face in my arms.
Shanks’ snail blinked slowly, its little whiskers twitching. “She’s not wrong to ask.”
Sabo groaned and leaned forward, trying again with actual patience. “Jessica… what’s wrong with the extra eggs?”
I peeked up at him, then stared long and hard. So long that sweat visibly rolled down his temple by the two-minute mark. By minute three, he looked like he was waiting for execution.
Finally, I croaked, “So many small animals to take care of… so many new children… so much responsibility—WAHHH!” My voice broke as I buried my face again.
Everyone sweatdropped in unison.
Lami patted my back once, very awkwardly. “There, there. You’re a mess, but at least you’re self-aware.”
“Well,” Sabo admitted, scratching the back of his neck, “she… kind of has a point. I think she assumed Garp would only bring one or two more eggs. Not… whatever was on that smuggler’s ship.”
“Try dozens,” Lami muttered darkly. “Whole crates of them. He just dropped that bomb on me then laughed like it was my problem too. Old man nearly gave me a heart attack.” She shuddered dramatically. “Do you know how scary it is when Garp stares at you like you’re supposed to be responsible? I yelled at him! And then he laughed! LAUGHED! My soul left my body.”
Shanks’ snail tilted its head, amused. “You yelled at Garp?”
“Damn right I did!” Lami shot back. “What’s he gonna do, throw cannonballs at me barehanded? …Oh wait. He can.” She paled instantly and groaned, pressing her face into her palms. “Why do I open my mouth.”
Despite my tears, a hiccuppy giggle escaped. Lami peeked at me through her fingers, then sighed. “See? I’m funny even when I’m terrified. You’re welcome.”
I sniffled, cheeks damp. “…Really? You’ll help me take care of them?”
“Yeah,” Sabo said firmly, giving me one of his earnest smiles. “You won’t have to do it all alone. We’ll each take one or two, bond with them, raise them together.”
Ace hesitated, then nodded. “Fine. It could be good training too. Just don’t shove the ugly ones at me.”
“ACE!” Sabo barked.
“What?! I didn’t say I wouldn’t take them!”
Luffy, oblivious, just grinned wide and nodded so hard his hat flopped. “We’ll be the best egg-crew ever!”
Something in my chest finally loosened. I sniffled, wiped my puffy eyes with the heel of my hand, and sat up straighter. “Okay… okay, I can do this. We can do this.”
I rubbed my face, yawning wide. “I’m exhausted, though. Mind if I hang up to sleep?”
Shanks’ snail’s face softened with amusement. “Sure. But next time, no crying. I want to hear about training. Progress. Show me how strong my girl’s getting.”
I nodded, gently returning Petal to her den den snail spot before setting the receiver down.
“Luna, Helio,” I mumbled, rubbing my eyes again. The two little companions perked up. “Sleep?”
They squeaked happily and bounded into the sleeping area, curling against me without hesitation.
Ace and Sabo got to their feet, brushing themselves off. “You coming, Luffy?” Ace asked.
The poor boy froze, torn between staying and leaving, eyes wide and conflicted. I gave him a tired smile. “Go on. You can stay next time you guys come over to read or whatever.”
His face lit up instantly. He scooped Chompers onto his shoulder, waved, and bounded down the treehouse steps after his brothers.
Lami flopped onto her back beside me with a groan. “Don’t mind me, I’m staying. Too tired to climb down, and besides—someone has to make sure you don’t drown in your snot.”
I huffed a laugh, curling into my nest. Within moments, sleep pulled me under, her steady presence beside me like an anchor.
…—O—O—O—...
The next few days were… training. And by training, I mean “getting our asses kicked twenty-four-seven with no mercy, no reprieve, no chance to breathe.” Garp didn’t just train us — he demolished us with the cheerful enthusiasm of a man tossing cannonballs for fun. It was exhausting, bruising, humiliating, and somehow also the funniest, most terrifying thing I’d ever survived.
One particular morning stood out—the moment when both my friends and I realized the real drawbacks of having dragon powers.
It had started so nice, too. The sun was warm, the birds were chirping, I woke up with actual energy, and I even dared to think maybe this day wouldn’t be so bad.
And then—
“DRAAAGON BRAAAT!”
The voice boomed across the clearing like thunder.
My good mood evaporated instantly. I froze mid-step and slowly turned to glare at Garp, who was standing there with his hands on his hips, grinning like a devil who’d just spotted fresh prey.
“…What, Gramps?” I deadpanned, already regretting everything.
He cracked his knuckles. “It’s time you train your dragon powers!”
I blinked slowly, sweat already breaking out on my forehead. “My what now?”
“YOUR DRAGON POWERS!”
Lami, sitting on a nearby log munching on an apple, choked mid-bite. She slapped her chest, coughing. “Oh no. Oh no no no. That’s code for ‘he’s about to punt you into the next life.’ Jess, run.”
I sighed in pure defeat, rubbing my temple. “Whatever. Fine. I guess I have a place I could—”
“YOU DON’T NEED IT!”
I barely had time to snap my head toward him, eyes wide. “Huh—AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HOLY SHIIIITTTT!”
Because the old bastard had already kicked me. Mid-turn. Without warning.
And when I say “kicked,” I mean he sent me flying like a cannonball. My flight time was genuinely impressive. I soared over the treeline, screamed loud enough to scare off birds, and crashed through the air like a human comet.
I landed with a sickening thud, ricocheted off a tree, bounced across the dirt like a skipping stone, and finally skidded to a pathetic stop, leaving a groove in the earth.
“GAH! I HATE YOU, OLD MAN!” I croaked, coughing up dirt.
Back at the clearing, Garp was laughing so loud I could hear it echo.
Lami, still on her log, had her head in her hands. “I swear to god, he’s going to kill her one of these days! Old man!” she shouted at him, her voice cracking as her face went red. “She’s SEVEN! You can’t just kick a SEVEN-YEAR-OLD ACROSS AN ISLAND!”
“BUILDS CHARACTER!” he bellowed back, tears of laughter streaking down his face.
Lami groaned like her soul had just left her body. “I’m gonna have to explain to Ace why his baby sister has boot prints on her back. I hate this.”
Meanwhile, I was peeling myself off the dirt, wincing at the fresh stinging cuts all over my arms and legs. My hair was full of leaves, my clothes were filthy, and my dignity was somewhere back at the launch site.
“Well…” a familiar voice said gently. Oliva, calm as ever, approached and offered me a sympathetic smile. “Garp’s training was always… harsh.”
I shot her a look. “Well, you’re dead now, so I don’t think he can hurt you anymore.”
Her smile tilted wryly. “And I’m grateful for that every day. Not the dying part—the not getting punched part.”
I snorted, shaking leaves from my braid. “Good for you.”
“Alright,” she said, stepping back toward Robin, “I’ll leave you to it before he decides I need another ‘Fist of Love.’”
“Better you than me,” I muttered, then sighed and squared my shoulders.
Time to get serious.
I closed my eyes, reaching inward toward the glowing core of fire that pulsed deep in my chest. The part of me that was dragon, spirit, something more.
I wanted to enhance it, to grow it, to bond again — but Ace hadn’t given me an answer yet, and I wasn’t about to force it. So instead, I focused on what I could control: Heatless Flame and a new technique I’d been tinkering with, something I’d dubbed Full Body Blaze.
The idea was simple: cover myself completely in my spirit flames. Enemies would burn on contact. Allies would remain untouched.
The execution? That was another story.
I frowned in concentration, holding onto the little flicker of white fire I’d used for Heatless Flame. I fed it energy, but twisted the intention—not to dry, but to burn. To protect myself and scorch everything that dared hurt me.
When I opened my eyes, a shimmer cloaked my body. Pale, flickering light danced across my skin like the ghost of fire. Not heatless this time—not harmless.
My lips curled into a grin. “Yes! Finally!” I laughed, focusing harder on keeping the flames stable.
For once, I actually had something to do besides get punted like a soccer ball.
I had managed, after hours of struggling, to get a faint flicker of fire shimmering across my body. Not a full-on blaze—more like a stubborn lighter flame refusing to die out in the wind. Still, it danced across my skin like a second heartbeat, and I couldn’t have been prouder.
My chest heaved with sharp, ragged breaths. Sweat beaded down my forehead, dripping onto the dirt floor and soaking the front of my shirt. My arms trembled as I stretched them out, sore to the bone, and my legs weren’t much better. For some inexplicable reason, they felt like I had run a marathon while dragging a wagon full of boulders.
Then, as if to add insult to injury, my stomach released a monstrous gurgle that made me wince.
“Well,” I muttered, wiping my face with the back of my sleeve. “Time to find something edible before I keel over.”
I started limping toward the tree line, dreaming of fruit, maybe even a roasted pig if the universe decided to pity me.
“NO YOU DON’T!!”
The world tilted as Garp materialized in front of me like some kind of pissed-off genie, his massive hand closing around the front of my shirt. I shrieked bloody murder, kicking and flailing like a wild cat.
“You’ve been standing around all day!” His grin was wide, feral. “Time for some real training!”
A tick mark popped on my temple. “YOU TOLD ME TO PRACTICE DRAGON STUFF!”
“Details, details,” he said with a dismissive wave, which only made my tick mark pulse harder. Then, before I could say another word, my world spun — and I was unceremoniously thrown into a pile of sweaty, groaning bodies.
“Hi Jessie,” Luffy mumbled from under me, his face pale, his smile shaky like he’d just gone a few rounds with death.
I scrambled off him, blinking at the mess. “Hiya, Luf. You… okay?”
“Nope.”
“Ah. That tracks.”
Before I could even offer him a hand up, my head exploded with pain as Garp’s fist slammed me into the dirt like he was planting me there. My vision swam, and I looked up at him with watery, pain-filled eyes, clutching my skull. “THAT HURT, YOU OLD IDIOT!”
“NO PAIN, NO GAIN!” Garp roared, his fist already cocked back. “NOW GET UP AND FIGHT ME, BRAT!”
From the sidelines, Lami’s voice cracked, comically high-pitched. “ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?! SHE’S EXHAUSTED!” Then, realizing she’d just yelled at him, she slapped her own mouth shut and scrambled backward a few feet. “Uhh… respectfully… sir.”
“Pipe down, girl,” Garp said without looking at her, and she just muttered under her breath, “Oh my god, I’m gonna die of secondhand fear.”
Meanwhile, I sat up, crossed my arms defiantly, and stared away. “No.”
The tick mark on Garp’s forehead throbbed visibly. “What did you say, you brat?!”
“I said no,” I huffed. “I don’t have the energy.”
“Well, that’s TOO DAMN BAD!” His fist arced toward me again.
I yelped and, out of pure reflex, my wings exploded from my back. It saved me from getting flattened into a pancake, but it was a mistake—because the second I shot out of the way, everything slammed into me at once.
Voices. Too many voices.
“Caw caw caw!” “That’s just fine.” “We have enough, just buy it.” “Pathetic mongrels.” “Daddy, daddy! I want that one!” “Bark bark bark!” “Get up, boy.” “They really are pathetic.”
Scents. A thousand of them.
Ocean breeze. Fresh water. Grass. Flowers. Fruit. Dog shit. Tiger piss. Baked goods. Sweat. Tears. Garbage. Metal. Bird feathers. Rotting meat. Mud. Worms. Vine sap. The tang of blood.
And sensations. Too sharp. Too real.
The dirt pressing against my palms, every grain distinct. Grass slicing at my skin. A worm squirming frantically back into the ground. Leaves veined like maps under my cheek. Droplets of dew trembling on a single blade.
My tongue burned with tastes I hadn’t invited—breakfast, lunch, yesterday’s dinner, every trace of salt and iron from blood that still clung to me.
Everything. All at once.
It was too loud. Too strong. Too much.
I gasped for air, but even the oxygen seared my nose like knives. My vision blurred, the world pulsing too bright, too detailed.
I tried to close my eyes, panting, clawing at the ground to hold onto something, anything, but my core was drained—empty. No fire, no balance, no energy left to ground myself.
Somewhere in the storm, voices broke through, distorted and unrecognizable:
“...Je#@ie?”
“Is s$e ok!%?!”
“&ey!!”
Lami’s hands were on my shoulders, shaking me gently, her voice raw with fear. But the words twisted, tangled, meaningless in the cacophony.
And then I lost my grip completely.
The energy inside me flared, ruptured, and boomed outward.
The ground shook. A ripple of raw force slammed through the clearing. Screams erupted from every side, but I couldn’t understand them — couldn’t understand anything. My wings spasmed once, and then my whole body gave out.
I collapsed face-first into the dirt, the overload drowning me in darkness.
The last thing I felt was Lami’s arms catching me, her own scream cut off by the roar of the world imploding in my head.
…—O—O—O—...
I blinked awake groggily, happy—no, ecstatic—to realize I wasn’t being bombarded with every sound, smell, and flicker of light on the planet. My body actually felt… semi-normal. Or, y’know, as normal as you can be when you’re a dragon girl with horns sticking out of your head.
“...Gods, what… happened?” I groaned, throwing an arm over my eyes dramatically.
“JESSIE!!”
Suddenly, I was suffocated in a pile of rubber limbs and fur—Luffy flinging himself at me with the force of a cannonball, and three of my fluffy companions tumbling right on top of him.
“YOU’RE OKAY!!” Luffy sobbed like I’d just resurrected from the grave, squeezing me so tight I thought my ribs might snap.
I raised an eyebrow at the dog pile, then slowly sat up, head pounding, hair sticking out in seventeen different directions. “Cool reunion and all, but I’m going to ask once again—what happened?”
Ace and Sabo were nearby, both visibly relaxing for the first time in what looked like hours. Sabo pinched the bridge of his nose like a tired dad while Ace dropped his head back with a sigh of relief.
Sabo was the first to speak. “When you transformed and dodged Gramp’s fist, you dropped to your knees, breathing like you’d just sprinted across the Grand Line. We tried to reach you, but then your whole body ignited in these… white flames.”
“Like, holy crap,” Ace added, waving a hand as if words alone couldn’t capture it. “Big whoosh, scary bright, nearly blinded me.”
I blinked at them, then scratched the back of my head sheepishly. “Oh. Yeah. That. I was… experimenting with a new ability. Problem is, I was already running low on energy, and transforming gobbled up the rest. Cue overdrive senses turned to eleven.”
The boys immediately turned, glaring murderously at one person in particular.
Garp, standing a little ways back, actually had the nerve to look sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck like a guilty old mutt. “Eh-heh… sorry ‘bout that.”
Before I could even roll my eyes, Lami stormed forward, face pale but furious, jabbing a finger straight at him. “SORRY? SORRY?! Do you have any idea how terrifying it is to watch your little sister collapse into a bonfire like some human torch?! I nearly passed out, old man!”
Garp opened his mouth, but Lami wasn’t finished. She smacked her hand against her forehead, pacing like she was trying not to combust. “You’ve got fists the size of small islands and the brain of a walnut! Did you even think about holding back? No! Because you’re Garp the Hero! You just smash things and apologize later! Gods, I need a drink…”
Ace snorted. Sabo covered his mouth to hide his laugh. I just grinned, because wow, Lami yelling at Garp was peak entertainment.
“Whatever,” I said, shrugging as I hugged Luffy and the animals back, squeezing them until they squeaked. “Thanks for dragging me back to my nest, guys.”
They smiled, but Luffy wasn’t convinced. He poked my cheek with one rubbery finger. “You sure you’re okay? Do you need meat? Meat fixes everything.”
I opened my mouth to say no… but my stomach growled loud enough to answer for me. “…Okay yeah, I need meat.”
Luffy whooped triumphantly, darting off, and a few minutes later I was chomping happily into a massive hunk of it.
Mid-bite, I turned my gaze on Garp, cheeks stuffed, eyes narrowed. “I’m blaming you.”
He sputtered. “WHAT?!”
I shrugged innocently, mouth full. “Technically, it’s your fault. And blaming myself feels a little too far-fetched.”
That started a glorious back-and-forth that only ended when Garp’s fist — gently, in his terms — thudded against my skull. I yelped, clutching my head like it was split in two, while he laughed like some sadistic grandpa gremlin.
“See?!” Lami screeched, throwing her hands in the air. “This is exactly what I’m talking about! Child abuse! Senior citizen menace! Somebody arrest him already!”
Garp just cackled harder.
…—O—O—O—...
“…No…” I said carefully, dragging the word out as my eyes locked onto the monstrous waterfall roaring in front of us. It wasn’t just big. It was ridiculously big—the kind of thing you’d expect in a horror movie where the next scene is your funeral. My brain immediately flashed back to that one Demon Slayer scene where Tanjiro’s sensei kicked him off a cliff. Spoiler: it didn’t end well for my nerves.
“YOU DON’T HAVE A CHOICE!” Garp bellowed, voice booming with the cheerfulness of a man who thought trauma counted as “training.” The ground vibrated with his laugh.
I whipped my head around just in time to see Ace and Sabo already mid-air, arms flailing, screams echoing like tragic battle cries. They disappeared into the hellish water below with two quick splashes, bodies bobbing up a second later like sad little blobs of bread dough.
“Oh god,” I breathed, hands clutching my shirt. For one heart-stopping second, they floated still. Then they started thrashing, sputtering, and flailing like half-drowned cats. Relief washed over me in a shaky exhale. Okay. Not dead. Yet.
Beside me, Luffy chuckled nervously, sweat dripping down his face. “Shishishi… looks fun?” He sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than me. He didn't even have to do it, he and Lami had Devil fruits.
“Fun?!” I snapped, voice cracking, “That looked like death!”
“Correction,” came Lami’s voice, sharp and dry as she leaned against a rock with her arms crossed, “that looked like attempted homicide disguised as exercise.” Her expression was flat, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her absolute terror. She shot Garp a look that could’ve killed lesser men. “And you call yourself a grandpa? What kind of lunatic throws kids off waterfalls?”
“THE STRONG KIND!” Garp barked proudly, ignoring her glare.
“Oh, sure,” Lami muttered, throwing her hands up, “real strong—mentally scarring children since the dawn of time!” She caught my wide-eyed stare and sighed. “Don’t worry, Jess, I’ll totally haunt him if you die.”
“…I don’t… want to,” I whispered, inching back, wings itching to unfurl. I was already half-prepped to transform and fly away, dignity be damned.
Unfortunately, Garp noticed. His shadow loomed over me like a mountain, and before I could blink, his giant fist smacked me flat into the dirt. The impact rattled my teeth and left a cartoon-like imprint in the ground.
“DON’T YOU DARE FLY AWAY!” Garp roared, eyes gleaming with terrifying joy. “OR TRIPLE TRAINING!”
“TRIPLE?!” I shrieked, wriggling under his iron grip. “That’s illegal! Call Child Protective Services!”
“Call a priest!” Lami yelled, backing up several steps, her face pale as she pointed at him. “You’re literally Satan with a white beard!”
Garp ignored her entirely, lifting me like a sack of rice. His grin stretched ear to ear. “SURVIVE!”
And then he yeeted me over the edge.
The scream that ripped out of me was soul-shattering, echoing all the way down as the spray of water blurred my vision. “I HAAAAAATE THISSSSSS!”
From above, I could hear Lami’s voice, shrill and panicked. “YOU MANIAC!”
Then came the splash, and icy water swallowed me whole.
…—O—O—O—...
“GET HIM!” I whisper-shouted, my little finger stabbing forward like a commander pointing at enemy territory. My target? None other than the devil himself: Vice-Admiral Monkey D. Garp, snoring peacefully in the distance like he didn’t just try to drown me in the name of ‘training.’
Revenge was mine.
I had gathered my army, every animal friend I had ever bribed with scraps and head pats: chickens, snakes, a raccoon with murder in its eyes, even a squirrel that had been training in shadow for this very moment.
And I? I rode on the back of my most loyal steed — General Cluckington, feathers glistening in the moonlight, wings flared with righteous fury. A tiny pocket knife was clutched in my hand, my body clad in makeshift armor pieced together from scraps of wood and tin.
The boys were still asleep in their treehouse, blissfully unaware of the coup d’état about to unfold.
From behind me came the quiet sound of someone snorting back laughter. “Jess… you’re actually insane,” Lami whispered, crouched nearby with her arms wrapped around her knees. Her lips quirked into a grin, but her eyes were locked on Garp like she was watching a volcano about to explode. “And when this backfires? I’m so not helping you.”
“Yes you are,” I hissed back. “If I die, you’re next in command!”
Her eyes bugged. “Next in comm—HELL no!” She slapped a hand over her mouth, muffling her laugh, but her shoulders shook violently.
A sharp screech from my chickens and the ominous hiss of snakes announced our attack. The devil was about to know fear.
Garp shot awake, eyes wide with surprise, just in time for death chickens to descend upon him in a flurry of feathers and fury. Snakes lunged forward, slithering for ankles. For ten glorious seconds, I thought we had him.
Then he moved.
It was like watching a hurricane punch a tornado. My army didn’t stand a chance. Chickens flew in every direction, feathers clouding the air. Snakes were flung aside like pieces of rope. The raccoon actually hissed at him before Garp backhanded it into a tree.
And me? I froze. Then survival instincts kicked in.
“RETREAT, GENERAL!” I screamed, yanking Cluckington’s feathers. The great bird squawked and turned tail, his legs pumping furiously as we fled.
“GET BACK HERE, BRAT!” Garp’s roar rattled the trees.
I cried — like actually cried — as Cluckington sprinted faster. My voice cracked as I sobbed, “LEAVE ME ALONE!”
The boys were awake now, heads poking from the treehouse. Horror painted their faces before Luffy’s dissolved into pure glee. He clutched his stomach, wheezing as he toppled to the ground.
Ace and Sabo tried. Oh, they tried to hold it in, but the second I let out a shriek that sounded more banshee than human, they lost it. They clung to each other, laughing so hard they nearly fell from the platform.
“Don’t laugh!” I screeched, tears flying back into my own face as Cluckington bolted past them.
Lami was doubled over near the tree, one hand on her knee, the other waving helplessly. “You’re—you’re gonna die—” she wheezed, laughter spilling out even though her eyes screamed absolute horror at Garp stomping after us, scratches and feathers clinging to his giant frame. “Jess, why would you do this?!”
“REVENGE!” I howled pitifully, my voice breaking.
Then the world tilted.
The chicken screeched to a stop. I blinked, heart plummeting, as a shadow fell over us.
“...You really thought,” Garp rumbled, looming in front of Cluckington, his expression dark as thunderclouds, “that I’d fall to those beasts?”
I paled. Very, very slowly, I shook my head. “...Please don’t hurt Cluckington…”
His lips curled into a grin that promised nothing but doom.
“Three.”
“What?”
“Two.”
“Oh SHIT—”
“One.”
…
…
…
“WOAH!” Luffy’s voice cracked the night as he pointed at the sky. “Ace! Sabo! Chompers! Look! A shooting star! Make a wish!”
“We wish to be spared!” the boys chorused in unison, hands clasped together.
“Cheep… cheep…” Cluckington whimpered in betrayal.
…
“Not a chance.”
“AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”
The world spun as my tiny body was launched into the air like a firework, my scream echoing across the island, but all Garp did was laugh.
And somewhere high above the trees, I thought bitterly, So this is what it feels like to be Team Rocket.
…—O—O—O—...
“Hey Gramps?” Garp perked up at my rare use of his preferred name,
“What?” He said back gruffly, not that he meant it rudely, just that he was currently trying to beat the idea of pirates out of his grandson's rubbery head.
“Can I go down to Makino's for a bit?” He raised an eyebrow, his granddaughter usually did whatever she wanted, regardless of what he said.
“Sure, why are you asking?” I sighed and looked away, my ears turning a reddish color,
“No reason.” Garp’s eyebrow twitched, he asked a question.
“Why?” I stiffened and decided to look him dead in the eye. If he wants to play this game, I’ll win it.
“Well, there are a few questions I need to ask her. Things I don’t think you’d know.” I saw a vein pop on his forehead, one thing I figured out early on, is that he doesn’t like to have his intelligence questioned.
Bye kids, that is.
“JUST ASK!!” I smirked inward, yes. This is exactly what I was looking for. It only makes things better that Ace and Sabo have just come back from hunting, both carrying heavy animals.
“Alright, how are babies made?” He froze, Ace and Sabo froze. It was awesome, “What underwear should I get?” A strangled sound escaped Ace, and I almost felt bad. Until I remembered earlier when he made fun of Sr. Cluckington.
“What's ‘lady things.’ what–”
“GO ASK MAKINO!!!” I grinned, making my face the definition of innocence.
“Okay! Good luck, by the way!” I skipped off towards the town,
“Good luck with what?” Sabo asked, he was the first to recover, unfortunately, Ace was still unresponsive.
After a moment, all of the boys relaxed, it seems Jessica’s warning for all for noth–
“How are babies made?”
…
“BYE SHITTY GRAMPS!!” Ace made a run for it. It was quite impressive how fast he was running while carrying the giant tiger. Sabo wasn’t that far behind him, Gramps made this mess, he can clean it up.
…—O—O—O—...
“Hey, Ms. Makino?” The woman perked up at her name being called out. I had met the woman a few weeks ago when Luffy practically dragged me to introduce his new crewmate to her.
She was nice and kind, which was a breath of fresh air when dealing with a bunch of boys twenty-four-seven.
“Yes? Do you need anything, dear?” I nodded my head shyly,
“I need help with… lady things.”
“Ah, come here then–I’ve been wondering when you’d come around. There’s not much you can learn from all those boys.” I nodded my head sagely, their reactions earlier only proved her concerns.
“Do you mind if I stay around here for a little bit? Maybe a day or two?” Makino looked at me with a questioning brow and I grinned lightly, “Don’t get me wrong, I love the boys… but I’d like to get to know you a little better, since you’re a girl and all…”
She hummed in understanding, “Of course, give me a moment.”
She set up a small sleeping area for me in the back and then sat me down to chat,
“So, there’s something called a uterus–”
And that’s how my weekend started.
…—O—O—O—...
“Thanks again for letting me stay! I had a bunch of fun!” I called back to Makino, waving enthusiastically as I walked back towards the forest.
“Oh don’t worry about it! I had fun–do come again!” I grinned and waved once more before running off, as much as I loved my ‘girl time,’ I missed the boys and my familiars.
I hummed all the way back to the tree house, flying up onto the deck and looking through the door.
I frowned, usually someone would be here around this time of day. It was unusual, but something must’ve come up; maybe they’re at the bandits' place?
I hopped down and skipped my way down the path I made towards the shack. It was rocky, but it was due.
When I reached the small home, no one was around either. I swerved my head in confusion, where was everyone? I don’t think my disappearance was bad enough for a prank this large.
I frowned, looked up towards the sky.
I froze.
There was smoke rising up from where I know Gray Terminal sits.
Fuck.
Today it happened.
How did I not see this coming?! I knew something was bound to happen soon, I should’ve just stayed with them and had my lady chat with Makino later! Shit.
I was supposed to make this stop!
I made a plan.
I had everything perfect.
But..
It’s all ruined because I wanted a break.
I abandoned my bag of goodies Makino packed for the boys and me, taking off in a sprint towards the cliff edge. I know what's going to happen. I promised myself I wouldn’t let it happen.
So I won’t.
I said ‘fuck cannon’ the second I even mentioned Haki, it’s time I say it once more and save the boy who is generally one of my favorite people ever. Seriously, he’s smart and competent. That combo is very hard to find.
The trees seemed endless. Thick overgrowth blocking my path every turn I took, it was annoying. Why did I have trouble navigating now?! I needed to be somewhere fast.
…—O—O—O—...
Soon I breached the treeline, skidding to a stop at the face of the large cliff, eyes narrowing at the rowboat that had casted off from the docks. It was heading past the stupid Celestial Dragons ship.
I transformed, letting my wings unfurl and my tail flick unhappily at the scene taking place.
With one final push, I jumped off the cliff face and shakily managed to fly my way down. I wasn’t the best at flying, and I’ll need more practice, but right now I can’t doubt myself.
“SHOOT IT DOWN!” I hear the ugly Celestial Dragon’s voice call out. It was grainy and ugly. It's a wonder how no one has laughed at it.
Just as the gun cocked back, I dashed over and yanked Sabo off the small boat,
“J-Jessica?!” He whisper-shouted, clinging onto my neck as I bit my tongue, trying to not fall in the water, “What are you doing!?”
“Saving your ass from dying!” I hissed, turning tail and flapping my wings faster.
“How–” Just as he said that, the boat exploded.
Shrapnel flew outward, embedding themselves into my back and wings. My skin sizzled as the heat wave blasted into us. Sabo cried out in pain, and I knew it got hit too.
Luckily not enough to cause memory loss.
Unluckily, the explosion caused me to lose balance and I tipped sideways. I noticed the cliff face had a small section carved out. If I aimed correctly, I could get us into it. It would hurt and likely cause a knock-out, but at least we wouldn’t drown.
I curled into a ball, encasing Sabo so that he wouldn’t get the brunt of the fall. He clung on tighter, noticing where I was taking us. I clenched my eyes shut, grinding my teeth together.
This was going to hurt.
I was right.
A burning pain blistered across my body, reaching from my legs all the way up to my head–which was not a good thing. Rocks snagged my skin and sharp stalagmites punctured holes wherever they could.
I screamed, it muffled through the fabric of Sabo's outfit. He did the same, and I can only assume he also got insanely hurt from the tumble.
As soon as we rolled to a stop, my arms relaxed–well, they more or less slumped, as if they couldn’t dream of tightening their grasp on anything for the next few years.
Everything hurts.
No, not hurts–burns. Stabs. Crushes. I don’t even know if there's a word that fits what this feels like.
Sabo is safe. That’s the only thing anchoring me right now. But now that I’ve let go, now that he’s out of my arms (safe. safe. safe.) and the panic has ebbed like a dying tide, the pain surges in like a tsunami.
I try to move. A twitch, a shift of weight. Bad idea. Every nerve in my body lights up like a thousand needles soaked in acid. My legs tremble beneath me, and I realize I’m trying to stand.
I don’t remember deciding to, but I’m on my feet—or some approximation of it. My knees buckle in, one leg crooked wrong, the other refusing to hold steady. I have to lurch sideways and slam my shoulder into the cave wall to keep from collapsing
The breath that hisses through my teeth sounds more animal than human.
I dragged Sabo up with me, even if my arms were begging to just give up and die already. I winced, acknowledging I probably broke a few arm bones as well.
“Y-you ok-okay?” I said through gritted teeth, my less-hurt arm coming up to hold my chest/rib area, like it would somehow heal the bones quicker.
“S-sorta?” Was the questioning answer I got in return. It made me sigh in relief, he hadn’t lost his memories and wouldn’t be considered dead. And because the plot absolutely loves to keep its course, he’ll probably still join the revs no matter what.
I groaned, leaning forward as I coughed out some blood. Shit, I think I bit my tongue hard enough to cause blood, hopefully that wasn’t lung-punctured blood.
“G-good.” I replied back, then something hit me, “W-why the h-hell did you s-set sail?! You knew a-a Celestial Dragon w-was going to b-be coming today!” I sent him a glare. He at least had the decency to look ashamed.
“I thought I c-could make it…” Well, at least his speech isn’t too messed up. I did take the brunt of the attack though.
“W-whatever. At l-least your o-okay.” I gulped, the action hurting more than it should, “W-we need t-to get out o-of here.” I say with a wince, everything hurts and I’m pretty sure I’m going to scar.
“H-how though?”
“F-flying, how else?” Sabo looked over in concern, his eyes widening. Ah, that wasn’t a good sign…
“Y-your back!” I looked over my shoulder. What I saw had me gawking in horror–I could practically feel what little blood I had left drain from my face.
My back–
Gods, my back.
It’s worse than I thought.
Charred skin, angry red and black and blistered to hell. I can see where pieces of wood and metal still stick out of my flesh—one long plank stabbed in and burned so deep I can’t tell where it ends.
Some of the metal is melted. Melted. Into my back. Every breath shifts them, makes them grind. Some wounds leak blood. Others leak a darker fluid. Burned fat? Muscle? I don’t know.
It looks like my wings tried to protect me but only ended up catching some of the heat. The webbing is scorched. Torn in places. One wing won’t fold right. Feels like it’s hanging limp and useless.
There’s a spot just below my shoulder blades that makes me want to scream every time I twitch. Feels like the burns have peeled away enough flesh to reach bone.
My tail scrapes against the stone, twitching with pain. Even that hurts. A deep cut runs along the base, and every movement pulls at the raw edges like they’re being peeled open.
And my legs—gods, I didn’t even register how bad they are. I glance down. My right shin is bowed inward, bone clearly cracked, if not shattered. My left ankle? Swollen and discolored. Every toe on that side is bloodied, maybe broken. And I’m standing on them. Because of course I am. Because I’m a goddamn fool.
My arms aren’t much better. The right one is limp. Dead weight. There’s a sharp ache in the forearm—fractured. Maybe both bones. My left is working, barely, but there’s a split down my palm where I must’ve caught myself on a rock. It’s bleeding freely, trailing red droplets to the ground.
My ribs hurt to breathe. Not just a dull throb—sharp, jabbing stabs. I know that feeling. At least two are broken. Maybe more. Every breath is like being stabbed from the inside.
Then there are the punctures.
Stalagmites.
There are two that I can feel. One tore straight through my thigh. A clean hole, surprisingly—if anything can be called clean right now. The other’s in my side. Deep, but missed anything fatal. Hurts like hell, though. I can’t even press a hand to it without wanting to scream.
The rest of me is a canvas of cuts and bruises. Some shallow, some long, jagged tears from where I must’ve rolled across rock. My clothes—what’s left of them—are shredded. Charred in the back, soaked in blood down the sides. My hair’s tangled, matted with ash and blood.
I want to sit.
I can’t sit.
If I stop moving, I won’t start again.
So I stand. Shaking, heaving. Leaning against this cold, damp cave wall, letting the stone hold up the weight of my broken body.
I gulped and let out a shaky sigh, “I-it could b-be worse?” It definitely was a question more than a statement, but the pain is making it hard to tell.
“Y-you shouldn’t be f-flying!” Sabo said frantically, “Y-you shouldn’t even be s-standing!” He obviously was struggling with his own set of broken bones.
I sighed–before wincing at the pain, “I-its really th-the only w-way.”
“C-can’t we climb?” I sent him a deadpan look and he sweatdropped, “Yeah y-you’re right..”
I sigh… before groaning in pain at the action.
“I h-hate this..” I mutter, trying to get my breathing uncontrolled again,
“You should s-sit down. Your b-back…” I send him a wobbly smile,
“If I s-sit d-down. I w-won’t get b-back u-up.” He sighs as well… and then winces, holding his ribs in pain, “I-I can g-get us up..” I murmur,
“B-but–”
“W-we can’t cl-climb, we can't w-walk, f-flying is th-the only w-way.” He gave me a long look before sighing–and then wincing again,
“F-fine… b-but don’t o-over d-do it..” I nod my head, sucking in a deep breath. He stumbled over, almost tripping over her own feet at least three times. When he was in range, I reached out an arm–my good one–and wrapped it under his arms.
“R-ready?”
“M-mhm. You?”
“A-as ready a-as I c-can be.”
The mouth of the cave yawns open ahead of me, the gray light of dawn creeping across the stone. The cliff rises above us like the spine of the world. Jagged. Vertical. Relentless.
I clench my jaw, shift my weight forward, and crouch. My right leg almost buckles. The muscles spasm, the broken bone grinds, and a wet sob forces its way out of my throat. My ankle’s barely holding, and my shin might as well be splinters—but I push anyway. I don’t have time for healing. Or rest. Or logic.
My wings unfurl. Or try to.
One wing drags. The webbing is torn, the edges burned and ragged. I can feel blood sliding down my back, leaking from between the blistered flesh and embedded shrapnel. The bones in the wings groan. The muscles twitch violently.
Too damaged. Too raw.
Too bad.
I bite down on the scream crawling up my throat and jump.
The instant I leave the ground, gravity reminds me of my broken ribs. I feel them shift again—one jabbing deep into something that makes my whole body go cold for a second. My vision pulses black, but I force my wings to beat.
One.
The air catches unevenly. The torn wing struggles to pull air. The other flaps harder to compensate. It’s like trying to swim with a leg full of lead.
Two.
I rise. Barely. The weight of Sabo nearly pulls me back down, but I adjust. Press him tighter to my chest. His head rests against my collarbone, and for a moment, I feel the fragile rhythm of his heart.
It steadies me.
Three.
Each beat of my wings tears at the burns. Scales—what’s left of them—catch the wind like brittle leaves. I can feel the metal shrapnel shifting in my back, tearing muscle. Some wounds are reopening–if they even closed at all. My blood is warm down my spine.
Higher.
I don’t look down. I can’t look down. If I look, I’ll fall.
My legs dangle uselessly, both throbbing with fire. My tail helps a little, angling me forward, but it’s weak. I twitch it wrong and feel another cut split open.
The cliff doesn’t get closer fast enough. It’s endless. Towering. My wings are shaking now. My shoulders are soaked in blood and sweat, and the air up here is colder—biting at every open wound.
My left arm is locking up. The muscles seizing. The pain is too much. I shift him slightly, trying to cradle his weight against my body instead.
That small adjustment almost ends me.
The movement tears something deep in my back. I cry out—can’t hold it in—and my wings falter. I dip. Plummet a few feet. Wind rushes up and I almost lose him. Luckily, he seems to understand and holds on a bit tighter.
I thank him and curse him at the same time.
I groan through clenched teeth, jaw trembling. One wing beat. Another. Slow. Jerky. Wrong. But upward.
Closer now. I can see a ridge.
Come on. Come on. Don’t stop now.
Every muscle is liquid fire. Every flap of my wings is like tearing open stitches that don’t even exist yet. My vision is a blur of color and pain and light. My heart is pounding too fast, too hard.
Then—stone.
My foot hits something.
I land hard, skidding across gravel and soil. My knees collapse. My legs give out entirely. I fall to my side, cradling Sabo even in the crash, rolling to protect him as we tumble.
We come to a stop.
I’m half-hanging off the edge, breathing in short, ragged gasps. My head swims. My wings sprawl out behind me, twitching weakly.
But we’re up.
We’re up.
He scrambles up, almost collapsing through his own pain, and gasps for air, “Y-you did i-it.”
I huff a laugh–a horrible decision, as my insides punish me through another crippling wave of pain, “Ye-yeah.”
I push onto my stomach and lean on my elbows, my body yelling at me to just lay back down, but I push myself up into a sitting position. The action has me panting.
“Ah! J-just lay b-back down… I-I’ll find h-help.” I ignore him, there's no way I’m sitting out here and becoming easy pray for the tigers.
I shakily stand up, my… everything begging me to just stay still, but, like I said, I’m not going to die here to a bunch of stupid tigers.
“L-lets go.” I mumble, taking very, very small steps forward. Sabo groans, but seems to understand my insistence and follows along.
…
I trip.
It hurts like hell.
I scream out in pain.
This is going to take forever.
…—O—O—O—...
I was right once more.
It took nearly five agonizing hours to stagger and stumble through the forest, through pain, through blood, through exhaustion, until the small, crooked shack came into sight. The one we assumed the boys were hiding in.
“Y-you re-rea-ready?” My teeth clattered as the words stumbled out. My voice was shredded, my body trembling violently. The stutter had worsened — not from nerves, but from blood loss. Too much blood loss. My head spun with every step.
Shit. I needed medical help yesterday.
“M-m-mhm,” Sabo muttered, his words slurring, his arm pressed tightly to his ribs. He was just as far gone.
Together, leaning on each other for balance, we pushed open the bandits’ door. The wood groaned loudly, announcing our presence before either of us could speak.
Inside, dozens of eyes turned. Wide, startled, disbelieving. I recognized my captains — Luffy’s wide eyes, Ace’s pale face, Gramps’ sharp gaze, Dadan’s jaw dropping. The others blurred into nothing, background noise in my blood-hazed mind.
“SABO!!! JESSICA!!” Luffy’s shriek cracked like lightning, his tiny body about to launch across the room.
I braced, every shredded muscle screaming. Across from me, Sabo stiffened the same way.
“Luffy!” Ace’s arm shot out, yanking him back just in time. His voice shook with the same desperate need he was holding back. “They’re injured!”
Injured was too soft a word.
My legs gave out first. I collapsed to the floor, my knees smacking the boards hard. Beside me, Sabo crumpled, coughing blood into his sleeve.
The room erupted.
“AHHH!” A chorus of horrified voices echoed around us, chairs scraped, footsteps thundered. Hands reached for us, panicked voices overlapping in a blur.
I couldn’t move. Couldn’t talk. My tongue was useless, my throat burned with iron and smoke.
Sabo managed, barely. “Sh-she needs h-help.” His words were ragged, each one tearing out of him.
“YOU BOTH DO!!” Dadan’s voice cracked, sharp and desperate.
But Sabo shook his head violently, clutching his side as pain wracked him. “N-no! I m-mean she’s d-dying! Look a-at her back—”
Every gaze shifted, and then the silence broke.
“Shit.” The word was collective, horrified, unanimous.
Lami’s gasp cut through it sharper than anything. She stood frozen in the doorway, her hands shaking as she took me in. Her little sister, the one who saved her life, the one who teased and laughed with her, now lying broken on the floor. My back torn open, shredded, ruined—blood soaking through everything, pooling beneath me.
Her knees buckled, but she forced herself forward, crouching beside me. Her voice trembled but held firm as her hand hovered, terrified to touch. “Jess… Jess, please. Please stay with us. Don’t—” Her words cracked into silence, swallowed by tears.
Something cold pressed against my back—a wet towel, maybe. It didn’t help. The second it touched the burn, I jerked, a scream tearing out of me, sharp and raw. The shard buried deep in me sent pain exploding through every nerve.
“Hold her still!” Someone barked. “We need to stop the bleeding!”
“All right, we need to get her—both of them—to a hospital yesterday!” Another voice, blurred and meaningless.
I laughed weakly, blood bubbling in my throat, a grin tugged at my lips despite the agony. That’s exactly what I thought earlier; yesterday would’ve been nice.
“Jessie! Don’t die! Captain’s orders!” A familiar cry cut through the haze.
My eyes struggled to focus, but I caught the outline of a straw hat lowering into view. Luffy. His voice shook, thick with tears, but his order was iron.
I lifted a trembling hand, gently patting the crown of his hat. My voice rasped, broken but determined. “I-I-I wo-won-won’t.”
“P-promise?” He whispered, a sniffle catching.
My grin widened, coughing rattling my chest. I pulled my hand back into view, shaking violently, but I curled it into a fist. Slowly, I lifted my pinky, stretching it toward him. “P-pi-pi-pinky p-p-prom-promise.”
A smaller pinky slid into mine, warm, desperate, clinging. And with that promise sealed, I let go, a smile carved into my face, even as unconsciousness claimed me.
Notes:
I AM BACK BABY!!!
I come in explosively hot, and yes, that is a reference to this chapter.
Now, one thing I always thought, was that they overlooked the exploding boat thing a lot. Sure Sabo got a large scar near his eye and memory lost... but what about the shrapnel? What about the extreme heat? Those would cause MAJOR burns and injuries that would likely scar more, so I added a but more detail.
Did I add the promise and smile at the end just because I could and it made it sadder and more depressing? Yes. Yes I did.
I regret nothing.
Anyways, yes, there is going to be a batch of Familiars, it's where Ace and Sabo get theirs, but the rest are going to be free and happy (I just want to write a bunch of cute animals). I, however, have zero idea on what I want to give them as Familiars and what powers these animals would have, so any ideas would be AMAZING!
This chapter is where Jessica begins to blame herself, because of course she needs more mental trauma, it builds character. HOWEVER, I refuse to let it simmer, Luffy is emotionally perceptive and will catch it early on, so looks forward to more cute scenes (I just LOVE fluff).
The ASL arc is coming to a close in a few chapters, so we'll soon be seeing plot take place! But my posting schedule is horrid and please, PLEASE, don't expect me to post every week, it'll probably be something like every 2-3 weeks depending on family matters and other external forces.
Answer: Yami-Yami No Mi (I think that’s what it’s called). Blackbeard can’t go after the fruit if it doesn’t exist!
Question: if you could have one animal from the One Piece world as a pet (no matter how rare), and it’d be extremely loyal and only answer to you, what animal would you want?
I love you all~! Have a good day/afternoon/night! ❤
Chapter 17: YOU WILL NEVER KEEP ME RESTRAINED!!!!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The world didn’t return in a rush. It dragged me back, slow and thick, like molasses dripping through a cracked hourglass.
First was the beeping. A slow, steady metronome tapping at the edges of my skull. Then the smell—sharp disinfectant, bitter alcohol, and something floral that tried so hard to be comforting but just ended up cloying.
And pain.
Gods, the pain.
I groaned before my eyes even opened. It wasn’t the dull ache of waking after a nap. It was raw, blistering, stitched-together agony. My body felt like it had been burned, broken, stapled, and then glued back with hope and dragon spit.
“—I think she’s waking up—”
Oh no. That voice was way too enthusiastic.
I cracked an eye open and was immediately assaulted by blinding fluorescent light. I groaned, squinting at the vague shapes hovering far too close.
“Sunshine,” I rasped, “Either I’m in heaven, or hell’s had a redecorating spree.”
“JESSYYYY!!”
I didn’t even have time to breathe before a cannonball of warmth and rubber limbs launched onto me. Luffy clung like a barnacle, tears and snot soaking my gown as his arms wrapped around me with enough force to pop a lung.
“Luffy—Luffy, breathe! You’re gonna drown me in your snot!”
“But you were asleep for a week!” he wailed, clinging harder, voice cracking. “I thought you were never gonna wake up and we were gonna have to—hic—bury you under the cherry tree like they do in sad stories!”
“…That’s oddly specific and deeply concerning. Sunshine, I love you, but ow—ribs, baby captain! I need those ribs!”
A booming laugh cracked across the room like a cannon shot. Garp. “He held it in for ten whole minutes after you conked out again. Brat had to be tied down.”
“I WAS NOT!”
“You literally had to be rubber-banded to the chair, Luffy,” Ace deadpanned from the corner, arms crossed. “And you chewed through them.”
“You’re awake…”
That voice. Softer, steadier.
I turned my head and my vision blurred for a whole new reason. Sabo, pale but alive, reclined in the bed beside mine, a weak grin stretched across his tired face.
“I told them you’d wake up,” he rasped, chuckling hoarsely. “Didn’t think you’d be sarcastic right out the gate, but… I should’ve.”
“Damn straight,” I muttered, lips cracking into a smile. “You good, rich boy?”
“I am now.”
Unfair. Totally unfair. Don’t make me cry — crying hurts.
Before I could say anything else, I felt another weight. A gentler one. My gaze flicked down, and Lami was there. Not barging in with a smirk or a sarcastic jab. She was folded into the chair by my bedside, eyes red and swollen, her fingers curled tightly around mine like she’d been anchoring me to life itself.
She didn’t speak at first. Just stared at me, lips trembling. Then, in a voice soft as paper tearing, she whispered, “Jess… don’t you ever do that to me again. You hear me? You scared me worse than anything in my life.”
I swallowed hard, squeezing her hand back. “Didn’t exactly plan this one, sis.”
Her jaw clenched, and she pressed her forehead briefly against the back of my hand, letting out a shaky laugh that wasn’t funny at all. “I swear, if you had died… I don’t know what I would’ve done.”
I didn’t have an answer. So I just squeezed her hand harder.
“…I was out for a whole week?” My voice cracked as I tried to focus again. “A full seven days?! I missed a whole apocalypse, didn’t I?”
Garp moved closer, arms folded, that smug grandfatherly grin plastered on. “Doctors said your back looked like someone poured boiling stew and shrapnel on a grill and then flipped you halfway through.”
“…Well, damn. Poetic, Gramps.”
He grinned wider. “You needed immediate surgery. Got the melted metal pulled out, cleaned the burns, fixed bones, patched vessels. Honestly, you looked like roadkill with wings when we dragged you in.”
“Aw, I knew I’d wake up beautiful.”
“Your dragon healing is what saved you,” he added, tone hardening. “You should’ve bled out. Powers stitched you together just enough for surgeons to work. Don’t worry, they won’t squeal. I gave them an ultimatum.”
Ace muttered from the corner, eyes narrowing. “He threatened their bloodline.”
I blinked. “…Well. Thanks?”
Then, a grin tugged weakly at my mouth. “Please tell me I at least got a badass scar out of this.”
Garp barked a laugh. “Kid, your back’s a battlefield. Burns, punctures, stitches that look like war embroidery. You’ll be scaring kids for decades.”
“Oh, hell yes. Can’t wait to traumatize some nobles.”
Ace scoffed. “Don’t get excited. You’re benched. Garp said no training until you stop walking like a broken chicken.”
I tilted my head. “Is that concern I hear, Spade-boy?”
“No.” His denial was too quick. “You’re just… annoying to replace. That’s all.”
“Aw, you do love me.”
“I don’t!”
“Say it louder, maybe it’ll sound true.”
Before Ace combusted, Garp cut in. “No training for you and Sabo. Doctors’ orders. Ace and Luffy? Triple training.”
“WHAT?!” Ace howled.
“I’M STILL CRYING!” Luffy screeched. “YOU CAN’T PUNISH A GRIEVING CHILD!”
I wheezed a laugh, wincing as my ribs protested. “No regrets teaching him sass. None.”
“Life lesson,” Garp said proudly. “Never slack off just because someone else almost died.”
“That’s not even—ugh.”
“Sunshine,” I muttered, stroking Luffy’s hair as he clung tighter, “you’ve got to learn how to cry without headbutting my sternum.”
“But I missed youuuuuu!”
“Yeah, well,” I sighed, “I missed you too, Cap’n.”
Across the room, Sabo chuckled, his voice a ragged whisper. “Your familiars are resting, by the way. Took a hit when you did — psychic link — but Dadan says Chompers hasn’t left their side.”
Relief washed through me, heavy and slow. “Good. They deserve rest. Felt like a shard of my soul snapped when I went down.”
Sabo nodded, his smile faint. “They’ll be okay.”
Garp cleared his throat, loud enough to shake the walls. “Another week in this bed, minimum. You’re not dying. Good job not dying.”
“Wow,” I muttered. “Brought a tear to my eye, Gramps. Truly tender.”
“You’re grounded, though.”
“Grounded?!”
“You flew into a cliff. On purpose.”
“I crashed into a cliff. On accident. While saving a life. Minor detail.”
“Grounded.”
I groaned, letting my head flop back. Luffy refused to budge from my chest, and I didn’t ask him to.
Instead, I let myself feel it. His warmth, Sabo’s smile, Ace’s fake scowl, Garp’s gruff presence, and Lami’s trembling hand still wrapped in mine.
Through fire, blood, broken bones, and shredded wings — I was still alive.
“I’m still here,” I whispered.
“Damn right you are,” Ace muttered.
And even through her tears, Lami whispered too, voice soft and steady. “You’re not leaving me again.”
I squeezed her hand and smiled, weak but fierce. “Never.”
…—O—O—O—...
The Den Den Mushi rang.
Every single person aboard the Red Force froze in place like someone had fired a cannon straight at their heads.
Shanks — who had been pacing so relentlessly that he had carved actual grooves into the deck like a caffeinated lunatic — spun around so fast he nearly tripped over Benn Beckman’s boot. His wild hair stuck out, his eyes crazed, and he looked one second away from throwing himself into the sea just to swim to his daughter.
“IS THAT HER?!” His voice cracked.
Lucky Roux dropped his sandwich mid-bite, mayonnaise splattering on the deck.
Yasopp, jumpy as always, nearly pulled the trigger on his rifle and would’ve shot the poor snail if Benn’s hand hadn’t smacked it down.
Benn, long-suffering as ever, exhaled through his nose like a man who had aged twenty years in seven days. “Yes. It’s her.”
The Den Den Mushi blinked slowly, the familiar lazy eyelids drooping, its little mouth curling into the faintest sarcastic grin.
Shanks lunged, snatching it up like it was the only lifeline in the world, his hands visibly shaking. “JESSICA D. GINEVERVIA, WHY HAVEN’T YOU CALLED ME?!”
“Hi, Dad,” Jessica chirped, voice bright and irritatingly casual. “Sorry, was a bit busy, almost dying. Anyway—how’s the weather?”
Shanks blinked. “…WHAT.”
The crew collectively leaned in, sensing the storm about to unfold.
“You promised you’d call every three days,” Shanks growled, pacing again even as he held the snail, “You said—and I quote—‘Cross my dragon heart, no matter how much trouble I get into, I’ll call every three days!’ It’s been ten. TEN! I thought you were dead! I thought you were abducted! I thought a bear ate you!”
“Okay, first of all,” Jessica said sweetly, “if a bear did eat me, I’d have made it puke me back out. And second—brace yourself, father, ‘cause here’s what you missed on My Life is a Disaster: Dragon Edition!”
“Oh no,” Benn muttered, already pouring himself a drink straight from the bottle.
Jessica inhaled dramatically. “So! I flew into an explosion.”
“You WHAT?!” Shanks’ voice cracked again, this time at a pitch that made Yasopp wince.
“Yeah, to save Sabo. It was this massive missile sent by a Celestial Dragon. Real douchebag energy. Anyway, I tucked him in my arms, flapped like hell, and boom—I got shrapneled! Like, entire chunks of metal and wood embedded in my back.”
Yasopp’s rifle clattered to the deck. “HER BACK?!”
“I’m not done,” Jessica said cheerfully.
“Oh god,” Lucky Roux muttered, reaching for a second sandwich like emotional support food.
“So then I crash-landed into a cave at full speed and broke, like… everything.”
“EVERYTHING?!” Shanks wheezed, hair sticking up in ten directions.
“Oh yeah!” she went on happily. “Both legs, an arm or two, nose probably. One stalagmite went right through my thigh — boop! Another tried to impale me from the side. Rude.”
Lucky Roux choked on his sandwich. “What the hell has she been doing?!”
“And THEN,” Jessica sang, “I stood up on said broken legs, bleeding like a fountain, and flew up the side of a mountain carrying Sabo. Consciousness optional, apparently.”
“WHILE BLEEDING?!”
“Yup! Then I walked several miles to Dadan’s shack, passed out, and didn’t wake up for a week. Surprise!”
Silence. Complete and utter silence.
Shanks had gone ghost-white. Benn was now halfway through the bottle. Yasopp looked like he was about to pass out. Lucky Roux dropped his second sandwich entirely.
And then another voice cut in, sharp and fondly furious.
“You absolute dumbass.”
It was Lami, finally leaning into frame, her face shadowed but her voice steady. “Do you have any idea what it was like watching you stumble into that shack covered in blood, half-dead already? You save my life, then nearly lose yours in the most Jessica way possible — by throwing yourself at explosions and mountains like an idiot. I swear…” She sighed heavily. “I’m grumbling because of your stupidity, but don’t mistake it — you scared the hell out of me.”
The Den Den Mushi blinked with Jessica’s grin. “Aww, Lami, you do care.”
“Of course I care, you little gremlin,” Lami snapped, though her voice wobbled just enough to betray the tears she’d already shed days ago. “That doesn’t mean you get to do it again.”
Jessica hummed. “No promises.”
The crew collectively groaned.
“Want the medical rundown?” Jessica chirped. “It’s super fun.”
“NO—” Shanks barked.
“I had metal melted into my back, wood jammed into muscle, second and third-degree burns along my spine, shredded wings, two broken legs, cracked ribs, a punctured side, punctured thigh—oh! And I technically died for forty-three seconds.”
Benn facepalmed so hard it echoed. “Jessica. What the actual hell.”
Jessica blinked innocently through the snail. “What? I didn’t plan to be flambéed like a steak on pirate grill night.”
Shanks had stopped breathing. Yasopp was openly praying. Lucky Roux looked like he needed a nap and three sandwiches.
“And now,” Jessica finished proudly, “I’ve got badass scars! My back looks like an angry volcano.”
There was the sound of something thudding to the floor. Probably Yasopp. Or Shanks’ soul leaving his body.
Shanks sputtered, his voice breaking apart. “WHY—didn’t—you—CALL ME—sooner?!”
Jessica tilted her head. “Because I was unconscious, Dad.”
He froze mid-tantrum. “…Oh.”
She smirked. “You gonna yell at a half-dead eight-year-old who literally died saving a friend?”
Shanks’ lip wobbled. “…No.”
“Damn right.”
Lucky Roux sniffled. “She’s just like her old man.”
“She’s stronger,” Benn muttered into his drink.
“Alright,” Shanks said at last, voice shaking as he tried to pull himself together. “But are you okay now?”
Jessica shrugged dramatically. “More or less. Back in my nest, Luffy cried — adorable mess, honestly — and I’m banned from training for now. Free vacation!”
Shanks laughed, watery and relieved. “You scared the crap out of me, menace.”
“Aww, love you too, Dad.”
The Den Den Mushi grinned Jessica’s grin.
“…You’re grounded.”
Jessica snorted. “I live in a nest. What are you gonna do, take my branches? That’s literally what Gramps said! Are you scheming against me together?”
“I will fly to that island and SIT on you,” Shanks threatened.
Jessica smirked. “Try it, old man. I’ve got more scars than you now, which makes me stronger.”
The crew howled with laughter. Even Lami, despite her sigh, chuckled softly in the background.
“Alright, brat,” Shanks said finally, rubbing his eyes with a shaking hand. “Call me again in three days. Three.”
Jessica rolled her eyes fondly. “Fine, fine. Clingy much?”
“Jessica—”
“Bye~!”
Click.
The Den Den Mushi went still.
The Red Force’s deck was silent for three full seconds before Shanks exhaled a ragged breath and collapsed backward onto the floorboards.
Benn stepped over him, stealing the bottle. “She’s gonna kill you one day.”
“Worth it,” Shanks wheezed from the deck, smiling up at the sky with glassy eyes. “So worth it.”
…—O—O—O—...
Well, that went well!
I smiled and set Petal down, gently patting her head and feeding her some more leaves for her hard work,
“Thanks sweetheart, I know it’s hard to stay on call for long, since you’re still so young.” She chirped and took the offerings happily, sliding her way over to her friends.
I sighed and recovered them, it was sunny and I didn’t want to overheat them.
“You good over there, Sabo?” I got a pleasant hum from where Sabo was flipping the pages of a history book, “Good.”
“Bubbles, you have no idea how scared we were.” I blinked and gave the five ghosts a sheepish smile, all of them were around me now.
“Sorry, I–no wait, I did mean for it to happen… I don’t have an argument.” I deflated like a sad balloon.
“We could tell.” Oliva said, her voice a mixture of amused and concerned. She walked over and set a hand on my head, “But, I am glad you’re safe and sound.”
I grinned up at her, my smile reaching my lips with a crooked curve, “Thanks, I’m glad to be alive as well.”
I was then swarmed by the other worried ghosts.
…—O—O—O—...
My back still feels like someone tried to iron it flat with a frying pan dipped in acid and trauma, but hey—progress!
The doctors told me, in no uncertain terms, to rest. So naturally, I did the only logical thing: built myself a fortress. A glorious citadel of plush superiority. Twelve pillows. Five blankets. And one (1) clingy Luffy, who has not stopped cuddling me since the hospital spat me out with stitches and a warning not to “rip myself open like a meat piñata.”
Currently, he is draped across my stomach like an emotionally unstable scarf, his arms cinched around me, his messy hair tickling my chin every time he burrows closer. I have petted his head so much I’m pretty sure I’ve smoothed out all the wrinkles in his brain.
At the foot of the nest, Chompers snoozes in a curled ball, while Helios and Lunaire lie wrapped in fluff, their tails twitching faintly as they dream. My familiars are healing, slow and steady, warmth radiating off them in soft pulses. They need time.
So do I.
But still.
I made a promise.
With a sigh, I stretched my good arm out and tapped Petal’s shell with a fingertip. She stirred awake, little eye-stalks wiggling in sleepy confusion.
“Go ahead,” I muttered. “Summon the dramatic old man.”
Two rings.
“JESSICA.”
I grinned instantly. “Well, well, well. Look who’s still alive and fabulous. Didn’t I tell you I’d call in three days?”
“Alive and fabulous,” Shanks repeated flatly, sounding both relieved and exasperated. “Not, ‘Hey, Dad,’ not, ‘How’s the weather.’”
“I did greet you,” I shot back. “It was just very sarcastic. That counts.”
“You little menace.”
“Aw. Love you too.”
From her chair tucked against the wall, Lami snorted, crossing her arms. “You hear this? She’s milking the near-death thing like it’s a personality trait.”
I stuck my tongue out at her. “It is a personality trait.”
“Yeah, well, you almost bled out on me, so excuse me for not laughing as hard as usual,” she said, though her smirk softened the sting.
I wriggled deeper into my pillow fortress with a groan of satisfaction, Luffy shifting with me, nose pressed to my collarbone like some oversized baby chick.
“Still on bed rest?” Shanks asked, his tone warm but sharp, like he was hunting for signs of rebellion.
“Yup. No training, no fighting, no lifting heavy stuff, and apparently no looking intimidating either. I’m officially benched. Doctors said something about not tearing my stitches open like a meat piñata.”
“Jessica!”
“What? Their words, not mine!”
“I highly doubt that,” Lami muttered, rolling her eyes. “Bet you said that first.”
“She’s fine,” Benn’s calm voice rumbled in the background, mellow and wine-heavy. “Sarcastic little gremlin’s back at full emotional strength.”
“Emotionally unkillable,” I announced proudly. “Physically? Hanging on with duct tape and pure spite.”
“Preach,” Lami said, raising an imaginary glass.
Shanks chuckled, but there was an edge to it. “And the scars? Any news?”
I shifted, my head flopping to one side. “Oh, they’re gnarly. My back looks like a flaming porcupine used me as a scratching post. Patchwork stitches, burn marks, the works. Pretty sure if I sunbathe I’ll look like cursed jerky.”
The silence that followed told me exactly what his face looked like: worry so thick it ate through him.
I softened, just a little. “But I’m okay. Really. The worst is over. I got patched up. My familiars are resting. Luffy’s been attached to me like a human heating pad since we left the hospital.”
“Not letting go,” Luffy mumbled into my shirt, muffled and stubborn. “You could’ve died.”
“I didn’t, Sunshine.”
“Still could’ve.”
“I’m too stubborn to die.”
He sniffled. I booped his nose.
From her chair, Lami smirked but her eyes were sharper, protective. “That’s true. She’s way too annoying to die young.”
“Wow,” I said flatly.
“You’re welcome.”
“I mean it,” I said into the snail. “You don’t have to worry anymore, Dad. It hurts, but it’s a healing kind of hurt. The kind that means I’m still here.”
Another pause. Then, softer:
“…I’d fly to that island and wrap you in bubble wrap if I didn’t think you’d bite me.”
I snorted. “I would bite you.”
“Exactly.”
“Twice if you touched my pillows.”
“You rebuilt the nest again, didn’t you.”
“I am the Queen of Pillows. Ruler of soft, cozy sovereignty. This is my kingdom.”
“It’s warm,” Luffy murmured against me. “Smells like you.”
“Sunshine, that’s either adorable or deeply creepy.”
“Can’t tell. Still snuggling.”
“Still snuggling,” I echoed with a smile.
“Gods help me,” Shanks muttered.
Background noise erupted over the snail—Yasopp’s dramatic hollering, Roux demanding if I was eating properly.
I leaned in conspiratorially. “Don’t tell Roux, but I may have bribed someone into sneaking me spicy chips.”
“Jessica!” Shanks barked.
“Look, I’m already a disaster. Let me have flavor.”
“You’re going to be the death of me,” he groaned.
“But not today.”
“…Not today,” he admitted, the smile audible in his voice. “Call me again in three days?”
“Of course. Unless I fall into a pit, get struck by lightning, or get crowned queen of a small island. Y’know. Tuesday.”
“Please don’t.”
“No promises, Old Man. I’m eight.”
“Gods help me.”
I let my head fall back, eyes fluttering shut. The rain pattered gently outside the hollow, Luffy hummed low against my chest, and Lami shifted closer in her chair, arms crossed but eyes steady, watchful, protective.
“Thanks for picking up,” I whispered.
“Always,” came his steady reply. “Rest easy, Seastar.”
Click.
The silence that followed was warm.
“Well,” Lami drawled, finally breaking it. “At least you didn’t tell him about the second chip stash under your pillow.”
“Lami!”
She smirked, fond and wicked. “Relax. Your secret’s safe with me, Squirt. But only because you almost died. Once you’re better? I’m blackmailing you.”
“See? Annoying,” I muttered, but my smile betrayed me.
Her grin widened, sharp but protective. “Yeah. But you love me.”
And damn it, she wasn’t wrong.
…—O—O—O—...
I wasn’t technically disobeying orders.
I was stretching. Flexing and testing my range of movement.
…In a tree.
…Balancing upside down by one leg.
…Okay, maybe I was being a little disobedient.
But can you blame me?! I’d been stuck in that damn pillow nest for eleven days. ELEVEN. DAYS. Of sniffling Luffys, soup with no spice, and Dadan threatening to literally glue me down if I twitched funny.
Sabo ratted me out twice just for rolling over too fast. He had this whole “caring older brother” thing going on, which was sweet, but also annoying because he was right.
My back still ached like hellfire and regret, my legs were stiff, my stitches tugged every time I moved, but everything was healing. Mostly. Kind of.
Okay, look—I knew I wasn’t cleared to train, but my tail twitched in my sleep last night.
You know what that means?
Progress.
I’d snuck out of the nest without waking Luffy, who was wrapped around me like a living emotional fanny pack, hiccupping and mumbling about meat even in his dreams. Helios snorted in his sleep as I slipped past. Lunaire cracked one eye open and judged me silently. Even Chompers gave me that look—the one that screamed, “You’re about to do something stupid, aren’t you?”
And I was. But I’m a woman of action, a dragon of momentum, a menace of motion.
So here I was: clearing behind the shack, early morning, cool breeze, sun peeking through the trees. Birds chirping, blissfully unaware that I was one backbend away from reopening six surgical wounds.
Perfect.
I cracked my neck, stretched my arms, and flexed my claws. My tail swished with smug satisfaction, then I tried a little leap forward. Nothing fancy, just a micro-test of speed and balance.
Immediately tripped over my own foot, slammed face-first into a log, and got bitch-slapped by a branch.
“Ow.” My face was full of moss, my back screamed in pain, my tail somehow got tangled in vines, but—important detail—I didn’t scream.
Victory.
Flopping onto my side, I wheezed, “Okay. Maybe… not dashy-dashy just yet.”
But did I stop?
HAHAHA no. I’m a dragon, not a quitter.
I rolled over, got on one knee, and started doing the world’s jankiest set of punches. Left arm? Mostly okay. Right arm? Still sore, still healing, still threatening to fall off if I pushed too hard.
Each strike tugged my stitches like I was flossing my skin with pain, but I kept going. Because the world doesn’t wait for weaklings.
And then… I felt it.
The Vibe.
You know The Vibe. That deep, soul-piercing rumble in your gut that says you’re being watched by something ancient, judgmental, and very large.
I froze mid-punch, arm stuck out like an idiot. “…Hi, Grandpa.”
No response.
I turned slowly.
Garp stood at the edge of the clearing, arms crossed, Marine cap shadowing his eyes. He looked like a mountain sculpted from disapproval. Behind him?
Ace, halfway through a piece of toast, Sabo, covering his face, Luffy, dangling upside-down by the back of his shirt, and Lami, arms crossed, lips pressed so tight I thought they’d disappear. Her eyes blazed murder.
“Oh no, she’s dead,” Ace whispered, chewing solemnly.
“Sweet dragon gods above,” I muttered.
“Jessica,” Garp rumbled, voice like thunder cracking a calm sea, “what the HELL are you doing.”
I straightened up, cracked my back (bad idea, ouch), and grinned with zero remorse. “Stretching.”
“Stretching?”
“Yup. Stretching. Very light. Extremely legal.”
He stalked into the clearing. “While doing punches. Covered in leaves. With your tail tangled in a bush.”
“Dynamic stretching,” I said with conviction. “Totally doctor-approved.”
“I was at the hospital,” Garp growled, “when the doctor said, and I quote: If she moves before another week passes, I’ll break her legs myself.”
“Yeah, well, she doesn’t have wings. She doesn’t understand.”
I was so dead.
“Back in the nest,” Garp ordered flatly.
“I just got out of the nest—”
“BACK.”
“Fine,” I huffed, untangling my tail with all the grace of a scolded puppy. “But only because my ass is full of bark.”
He waited.
I shuffled.
And then came the jump scare: Lami stormed up, crouched down to my level, and hissed low enough that only I heard: “If you ever make me think I’m about to lose you again, Jessie, I will tie you down myself. And you know I’ll use knots even Sabo can’t undo.”
“…Yes, ma’am,” I squeaked.
Luffy launched himself into me the second I got close, sniffling like I’d betrayed him personally. “You said you were gonna rest…!”
“I was! I was resting while moving!”
“That’s not how resting WORKS!”
Behind him, Ace cackled. “Told you she’d try something stupid.”
“I didn’t think she’d punch a log,” Sabo groaned.
“It was a training log!”
“It was on fire, Jess.”
“Symbolic fire!”
Lami dragged a hand down her face. “I’m surrounded by idiots.”
Garp hoisted me under one arm like a potato sack and marched back to the shack. He plopped me into the pillow nest and piled extra blankets on top so I’d have to move a whole mountain to escape.
“One more stunt,” he said, smirking, “and I’m telling your father.”
My soul left my body. “YOU WOULDN’T.”
“Try me.”
And just like that, grounded. Again.
At least Luffy was back to clinging like a baby sloth, Ace tossed me half his toast in solidarity, and Sabo kept muttering about “idiot siblings.”
And Lami? She sat at the edge of the nest, arms crossed, smirking faintly. “Next time you sneak out, Jess, at least pretend to be subtle. You’re making it too easy for us.”
“Next time?” I wheezed.
She leaned down, kissed the top of my messy hair, and whispered: “You’re not scaring me like that again. Got it?”
“…Got it,” I muttered, cheeks hot.
Still. In my head, I was already planning my next escape.
This wasn’t over.
Not by a long shot.
…—O—O—O—...
I was so good. For three whole days. Which, in my personal history of self-destructive dragon gremlin behavior, was basically saint-level. A Guinness World Record.
I stayed in the nest. I let Luffy cling to me like his personal dragon-shaped teddy bear-slash-body pillow. I ate the boring soup, drank the gross, bitter medicine, and didn’t even fight the doctor when she threatened to staple my wings down.
Three days of obedience. Three days of saintly patience.
But today?
Today I cracked.
Because boredom is just violence with better branding, and I was about to alphabetize tree bark just to feel something.
Luffy was out cold, curled up against me like a furnace with limbs. His face was mashed into my side, mouth open in full snore-mode, drool puddling onto my bandages. It was disgusting. And also kind of adorable. Which made it worse.
So I wiggled my way out of the blanket pile with the precision of a thief escaping a museum. One toe at a time, tail curled carefully so I didn’t knock over the emotional support watermelon Sabo had left me.
And then? Freedom.
I didn’t sprint. More like… fast-wobbled. My scars still screamed, my thigh hole still made itself known, but whatever. This wasn’t rebellion.
This was coping.
Running with half-healed burns and ribs that hated me was emotional therapy. I was chasing serenity through mild self-destruction. Totally healthy behavior.
I made it to the clearing. Glorious, empty, waiting. Wind kissed my face. Dirt squished between my toes. My wings twitched sore but alive. My tail swished behind me, smug.
I cracked my knuckles. Stretched my arms. Drew in a deep breath and whispered to myself like a lunatic with a personal soundtrack.
“Not running from pain. Running through it. This is character development. I am the protagonist. Cue Rocky montage music—”
“JESSICA.”
I tripped on my own damn feet and nearly ate dirt.
Ace stood at the edge of the clearing, arms crossed, a half-eaten piece of toast dangling from his mouth like judgment incarnate. His glare could’ve fried eggs.
“...Hi,” I said, smiling innocently through the blood seeping through my fresh bandages.
“You’re supposed to be resting.”
“I am!”
“You’re running.”
“It’s medicinal! My trauma needs cardio!”
Before Ace could explode, another voice cut in from behind him. Smooth, sharp, amused.
“God, you’re pathetic.”
Lami. She leaned against a tree, arms folded, eyebrows raised so high I thought they’d fly off her face. But her voice wasn’t cruel — it was that older-sister tone, half exasperated, half fond. The one that said I’m going to roast you, but I’ll kill anyone else who tries.
“Lami!” I squeaked, throwing my hands up like she was the cops. “This isn’t what it looks like!”
“It looks like my baby sister sneaking out of bed rest to jog laps like a dying grandma on caffeine.”
“...Okay, it’s exactly what it looks like.”
Ace pointed at me like he was citing evidence. “See?! Even she—”
Lami cut him off with a wave. “Relax, Fireball. If she drops dead, I’ll drag her back myself. And then I’ll make sure her corpse is grounded.”
“HEY!” I yelped. “That’s so rude!”
She smirked. “But not inaccurate.”
Ace growled, “Back. To. The. Nest.”
“Nope!” I turned and bolted.
And oh, sweet dragon gods above — I was winning.
Branches whipped past. My legs screamed. My tail whipped like a victory flag. Behind me, Ace shouted my name, but I cackled like a feral goblin.
“THIS IS STILL THERAPEUTIC!” I bellowed.
“YOU’RE GONNA REOPEN YOUR STITCHES!”
“THEN I’LL STITCH THEM BACK WITH DIRT AND SPITE!”
Lami’s voice cut through both of us, dry as desert air. “If you idiots make me chase you, I swear I’ll tie you both to the bed. Together. With rope. And I won’t untie you until you cry.”
That actually made me falter. “...You wouldn’t.”
“Oh, I would.”
Ace shot me a smug look as he closed in.
I tried to speed up. Failed. Tripped over a root. Slammed flat into the dirt with a heavy thud.
“...Ow,” I muttered, cheek glued to mud. My back screamed like a banshee.
A shadow fell over me. Ace, glaring, panting, twigs sticking out of his hair.
“Jessica,” he said, low and dangerous.
I wheezed. “Hi again.”
Lami appeared a second later, crouching down so her sharp eyes were level with mine. “Explain. And if the words ‘mental health exercise’ leave your mouth, I’m dunking you in salt water.”
“...Okay, but hear me out,” I said weakly. “It was a very important mental health exercise.”
She pinched the bridge of her nose. “You ran for thirteen minutes. Barely. You almost ate your own tongue when you tripped.”
“That’s a record! Wanna see me beat it?”
“Jessica—” Ace started.
“I will bite you!” I snapped back.
Ace reached down, yanking me upright like I was nothing but a sack of dumb decisions. My knees buckled, but he caught me, letting me lean against him despite his muttering.
Lami trailed at my side, her tone softer now. “C’mon, Dragon Brat. Let’s get you back before you collapse again. You scared me enough the first time.”
I quieted, just for a moment, before blurting: “I’m not grounded, right?”
Both of them, in perfect harmony: “You’re so grounded.”
I groaned. “What are you gonna do, take away my trees?”
“You’ll see,” Lami said sweetly, which was somehow worse.
“...I’m scared now.”
“Good,” Ace grunted.
And because I was an idiot, I decided to sprint again. “YOU’LL NEVER CATCH ME ALIVE!” I screamed, vanishing into the underbrush with all the grace of a half-healed chaos goblin.
Both of them shouted after me. I shouted back. Somewhere, Luffy definitely woke up and was crying again.
This was fine. Totally fine.
I’d regret it in five minutes. Maybe less. But for now?
I was cackling, running, alive.
But come on, I didn’t plan to sprint off like a lunatic gremlin with a death wish.
…Okay. Maybe I did.
But in my defense—
Actually, no. I had no defense. I was just like this.
I’d barely made it three steps from Ace before I felt the air shift behind me — heavier, faster. Another set of feet thundering through the undergrowth, snapping branches like gunfire.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” I wheezed mid-sprint, “NOW YOU TOO?!”
“Jessica, slow down!” Sabo’s voice cracked from somewhere behind and left, already too close for comfort.
“Oh my GODS,” I shrieked, gleeful and manic, “I HAVE A WHOLE CHASING PARTY! I’M BELOVED AND HUNTED!”
Ace groaned like his soul had left his body. “Sabo, why are you here?!”
“She passed me by the shack screaming, ‘BET YOU CAN’T CATCH ME, CAPITALISM!’” Sabo snapped, voice ragged with exertion, “What did you expect me to do?!”
“Cheer??”
“Absolutely the hell not!”
And then another voice cut through the chaos, sharp and furious.
“JESSICA D. GINERVA, IF YOU RIP OPEN ONE MORE STITCH, I’M TYING YOUR ASS TO THAT NEST WITH MY BELT.”
Lami.
I cackled so hard I nearly swallowed my own tongue. “EVEN MY OLDER SISTER BETRAYS ME. THIS IS A FAMILY COUP!”
“You call this betrayal?!” she shouted back, her feet hammering against the forest floor. “No, THIS is called ‘not watching my idiot little sister bleed out in the woods like a dumb fairytale corpse!’”
“RUDE!” I sang, dodging under a fallen tree. My tail smacked it, but who cared? “BUT FAIR!”
I bolted around a thorn bush — lost another bandage, ow — and launched myself over a shallow stream with all the grace of a cryptid caught on camera at 3 a.m.
“Can’t stop me!” I crowed, wings fluttering painfully but gloriously. “I am SPEED! I am RESISTANCE! I am—ow—totally fine!”
Behind me came a crash, a curse, and the sound of three teenagers slowly realizing I was not going to stop.
“You’re going to get infected!” Sabo roared.
“Let her fall off a cliff again,” Ace muttered darkly. “She probably wants to.”
“I CAN HEAR YOU,” I yelled back. “AND I’M OFFENDED.”
“You’re leaking!”
“Only a little! It’s emotional bleeding!”
Lami’s voice sliced through the rest, furious. “If you don’t stop right now, Jessica, I swear I will carry you back by your horns and mount you on the damn wall like a hunting trophy!”
“I’D LOOK AMAZING AS A TROPHY,” I howled, ducking under a branch.
My side was definitely damp. My thigh burned like fire. My back? On strike. But I’d tasted freedom. I’d outrun Ace, I’d lapped Sabo, and Lami — older-sister wrath and all — was still two strides behind me.
Victory.
I juked left, vaulted a mossy boulder, tail snagging another vine (again), but I tore free and kept running. Because if I stopped now, they’d catch me. And if they caught me?
No more nest escapes. No more light jogging. No more training punches.
Just soup. Endless soup. And Luffy sobbing into my chest like I’d been drafted into a war.
(Okay, to be fair, that part wasn’t awful.)
“Jessica, STOP!” Sabo begged.
“NO!” I screamed back, “You can’t stop me, you well-meaning, politically inclined blond bastard!”
“You’re going to kill yourself!”
“THEN LET ME DIE COOL!”
I tripped over a tree root mid-declaration, twisted sideways, and somehow turned it into a roll. A cool roll. A definitely cool roll.
“Nailed it,” I muttered as a bandaid fluttered off into the wind like a tiny white flag of stupidity.
“STOP RUNNING!” Ace bellowed.
“I’M NOT RUNNING! I’M EXISTING WITH PURPOSE!”
“YOU HAVE A HOLE IN YOUR SIDE!”
“I’M A HOLEY GIRL!”
“You’re going straight to hell,” Sabo hissed.
Lami, wheezing but relentless, yelled: “If she goes to hell, I’m dragging both your dumb asses with her!”
The wind whipped my hair wild. My heart pounded war drums in my chest. My body screamed with every stride, my stitches probably writing angry complaint letters, but I didn’t care.
Because even after everything — the explosion, the crash, the week in bed — I was still here. Still laughing. Still me.
And for a few glorious, chaotic minutes?
I was winning.
“YOU CAN’T CATCH ME, I’M THE DRAGON BREAD MAN!” I howled at the top of my lungs as I launched myself down the slope toward the ravine trail, arms flailing like some kind of feral parade float.
“Oh, that’s it—” Ace snarled, spitting crumbs from the toast still hanging out of his mouth.
“I’m gonna tackle her,” Sabo panted, already veering left.
“Get in line,” Ace snapped, breaking into a full sprint.
“TRY ME, BITCHES!” I screeched back over my shoulder—then nearly faceplanted on a squirrel that had the audacity to exist in my path.
This was the best cardio I’d had in weeks. I was half-dead, sweat soaking through bandages, “bandage juice” sloshing, but my lungs were singing and my face actually hurt from grinning.
Up ahead, the path curved toward the river rocks, the same place we used to skip stones and where Luffy once tried to eat a fish alive. If I could just make it there, double back through the gulley, maybe—maybe—I’d make it to the rope swing.
If I made it to the swing? I won the universe. Eternal glory. Songs written in my honor.
“Jess, watch out!” Ace yelled behind me.
I turned my head—too late.
A root, a branch, a conspiracy of evil nature caught my foot and sent me lurching forward. For one wild second I panicked—then instinct kicked in.
I launched myself. A full dive-roll-twist. Wings flared—just for balance, not flying, don’t tell the doctor—and landed hard on my hip behind a fallen log.
“Ow,” I muttered into the dirt.
The forest went silent.
Then I sat up, leaves sticking out of my hair, a bandage gone, tail tangled around my ankle. And realized—I was ahead of them. Still. Motherfreaking. Winning.
I grinned so wide my cheeks ached. “Okay,” I whispered to myself, “tactical hiding time. Pop out later, scare the hell out of them. Genius.”
Footsteps thundered closer.
“Jess—?!”
I dove headfirst into the brush like a possessed possum. Twigs, mud, vengeance.
And then—
SLAP.
The wet, deadly sound of sandals on skin.
“GINERVERA D. JESSICA!”
My blood turned to ice.
Oh. My. Gods.
“OH SHIT,” I screamed, bolting from the brush like a squirrel strapped to fireworks, “SHE BROUGHT THE SLIPPERS—!”
Dadan.
Big, stomping, sleep-deprived, furious Dadan. She stormed into the clearing like the wrath of every disappointed mother ever rolled into one woman with open-toed shoes.
I didn’t look back. Didn’t dare. I just ran harder.
Sabo screamed. Ace screamed. And I screamed the loudest.
“YOU’VE BEEN OUT OF THE HOSPITAL FOR A WEEK!” Dadan bellowed, sandals slapping in deadly rhythm, “YOUR STITCHES ARE—WHAT EVEN IS THIS?! THE OLYMPIC FOREST SPRINT?!”
“This is training!” I shouted back, nearly eating bark as I leapt over a log. “It’s mental trauma conditioning!! You wouldn’t understand!”
“I’M ABOUT TO CONDITION YOUR FACE!”
SLAP SLAP SLAP. The sound of vengeance in sandals.
“She’s possessed,” Sabo wheezed, clutching his ribs as he ran. “Eight-year-olds don’t move like this!”
“Cut her off!” Ace yelled.
“You cut her off!” Sabo snapped. “I’m not dying for this!”
“You’re already dying! Look at your face!”
“I’M JUST SWEATY!”
“Jessica!” Lami came charging out of the trees like divine retribution in a messy braid and rolled-up sleeves. Her glare alone could have peeled bark off a tree.
“BETRAYAL!” I shrieked, sprinting faster. “I’VE BEEN BETRAYED BY MY OWN SISTER!”
“Don’t play the victim!” Lami snapped, sprinting with terrifying efficiency. “You’re a walking hazard sign!”
“I’M A HEROIC SYMBOL OF HOPE!”
“You’re a goblin in medical tape!”
We barreled across the creek. I leapt rock to rock like a demented frog. My tail smacked water, my wings flared, and I landed in a crouch. I turned mid-run and flipped them off with both hands.
“YOU CAN’T CATCH A LEGEND!” I howled.
“YOU’RE NOT A LEGEND!” Dadan roared, sandals slapping like gunshots. “YOU’RE A TAX EVASION IN BANDAGES!”
“I AM THE NIGHT!”
“YOU’RE AN EMOTIONAL HEADACHE!”
Fair, honestly.
I juked left, legs jelly, lungs screaming. The big boulder loomed ahead, the one we used as a lookout. If I could just make it to the swing—
The swing.
Oh, dragon gods, the rope swing. It dangled in the breeze, a beacon of chaotic glory.
“This is it,” I whispered. “This is destiny.”
“I’M GOING FOR THE SWING!” I roared, sprinting harder, wings straining, heart hammering.
“NO, YOU’RE NOT!” Ace, Sabo, Lami, and Dadan all shrieked in unison.
But it was too late.
My feet slammed the dirt, I pivoted, grabbed the rope, and leapt.
WHOOSH.
I swung.
Air blasted through my hair, my legs dangled, my scars screamed, my stitches probably popped like party streamers—but I was airborne.
“I AM SPEED! I AM FIRE! I AM—”
Snap.
“Oh.”
The rope snapped, and I plummeted straight into the bushes.
“...Jessica?” Sabo called, half-panicked.
“No way she’s still—” Ace muttered.
Rustle. Rustle.
I BURST out of a bush thirty feet away, scratched, muddy, concussed, grinning like a war criminal.
“STILL WINNING, BITCHES!”
And I ran again.
…—O—O—O—...
Let me tell you something real important:
There is no sweeter feeling than hiding in plain sight while your enemies scream your name like dramatic extras in a soap opera who don’t realize the camera’s not on them anymore.
I was buried. Literally.
I’d shoved myself under a half-hollowed log in a moss patch, dragged some branches over, and used my tail to hook extra leaves across the gap. From the outside? I looked like swamp debris.
Sexy, chaotic swamp debris.
My heart hammered like war drums, my ribs were throbbing, my thigh was sticky again (definitely bleeding), and my back felt like it had gone twelve rounds with a bed of nails. But you know what?
Worth it.
Because outside, I could hear them.
Dadan’s voice bellowed through the trees like an earthquake in flip-flops. Sabo kept arguing with Ace, who was swearing every time he stepped on something sharp. Somewhere in the chaos, there was a loud yelp and a crash.
Probably Sabo.
“YOU SAID GO LEFT!”
“SHE WENT LEFT!”
“THAT’S A DEER, YOU IDIOT!”
“OH SHIT—”
I stuffed my laughter into my sleeve. Quiet, quiet, still. I was the phantom. The cryptid. The dragon-child of chaos hiding under a log like a war criminal with a sense of humor.
And the best part?
I had snacks.
Two stolen rice balls and a candy stick tucked in my pocket from when I’d snuck off with ninja-level skill and raided a bandit’s plate. Untouched because, well — chaos doesn’t wait for chewing time.
I nibbled smugly, eyes peeking through the leaves.
“Where the hell did she go?!” Dadan thundered, her voice cracking with pure rage-fatigue.
“She was right here!” Ace barked, snapping a twig in half like it personally offended him. “I had eyes on her!”
“She’s not that fast,” Sabo argued.
“She’s not smart enough to hide this well,” he added flatly.
“I AM SO,” I whispered fiercely to the moss.
“This is gonna end with her needing another hospital stay,” Dadan muttered, absolutely done with life.
There was a beat of silence. Then branches snapped again and Lami emerged from where she was poking through the underbrush.
Her tone was dry as ever, but there was that edge underneath. The one that meant she was two seconds away from dragging me back by the horns.
“Really? All of you running around like headless chickens while she’s bleeding out again? What’s the plan, boys, tire yourselves out before she keels over?”
Ace groaned. “We’re trying to catch her!”
“Yeah, well, maybe try using the thing between your ears instead of your feet,” she shot back, probably extra snappy due to my (super cool and very awesome) escape, “Not that you’ve ever used it before.”
Ouch.
Even hidden, I winced. Savage, but then another voice drifted in, softer, sleepier, and somehow infinitely more terrifying.
“Why do you all look so stupid?”
My whole body froze. Carefully, slowly, I poked an eye through the leaves.
There he was. Luffy. Bedhead in full force, shirt wrinkled, eyes puffy, arms crossed in the ultimate pout. He looked like he’d wandered straight from his nap into a battlefield and was unimpressed with everyone’s performance.
“Where’s Jessy?” he asked, squinting at Dadan, Ace, Sabo, and Lami like they were personally inconveniencing him.
“She—uh—she escaped,” Ace said, scratching the back of his neck.
“She escaped bed rest,” Sabo clarified helpfully. “And then tried to train. Again. Then ran. Again. Then did this rope-swing stunt, and now she’s hiding.”
“We don’t know where,” Dadan admitted, pinching her nose. “She could be bleeding into a bush for all I know.”
Luffy blinked slowly, then turned to the trees, “Jessy,” He said simply. “Come out.”
I twitched. Hard.
“C’mon,” He said again, softer this time, almost plaintive. “I miss you.” And just like that, every ounce of willpower I had left evaporated like steam.
I sighed, long, dramatic, suffering, then I wriggled free, branches clattering as I emerged like a gremlin summoned from the underworld.
Gasps erupted.
“WHAT THE—?!” Sabo shouted, nearly tripping over himself.
“You’ve GOT to be kidding me,” Ace groaned, dragging a hand down his face.
“YOU ABSOLUTE—” Dadan shrieked, running out of words and resorting to pure volume.
Lami just gave me a slow clap, “Ten out of ten. Stealth execution. Zero out of ten for common sense.” But her eyes softened, relief slipping through her sarcasm as she took in the fact that I was still upright. Barely.
And Luffy just smiled. Big, warm, brain-dead sunshine grin, arms open, no judgment and no scolding. So I limped straight into him, filthy, bloody, limping, but unrepentant.
“You,” Dadan sputtered, pointing a shaking finger, “you—you—you absolute menace—”
“I’ll ground myself,” I muttered, brushing leaves off. “Later.”
I dropped to my knees, curled into Luffy’s side like he was the only safe place in the world. His arms wrapped around me instantly, chin resting on my head, protective and soft.
“I couldn’t find you,” He mumbled, half-asleep. “Thought maybe you ran away from me.”
“I’d never run from you, Sunshine,” I whispered, exhausted. “Just… everyone else.”
He made a quiet, happy noise and held me tighter. My eyelids fluttered, my tail curled around his leg, and I was out like a light. Not from pain, not from blood loss, just… comfort.
Behind us, Ace groaned. “She came out for him?”
“She napped on command?!” Dadan screeched, personally offended.
“She’s got wings, for crying out loud—how is Luffy carrying nap energy?” Sabo demanded.
“Because he radiates nap energy,” Ace snapped.
Lami just shook her head, crouching nearby with a small smile tugging at her lips. “Told you morons she wasn’t gone. You’ve just gotta let Sunshine call her, apparently.”
I didn’t hear them. Didn’t care.
Because I was safe. I was wrapped in Luffy’s warmth, his heartbeat steady against my ear. He was drooling on my forehead, yeah, but honestly? Cute.
I’d won.
Again.
Even if I was about to be carried home like a sack of regret by my older siblings.
Totally worth it.
…—O—O—O—...
Do you want to know about the worst part of getting caught?
Not the chase. Not the crash. Not even the way my body still felt like a stitched-together ragdoll.
No. The worst part of getting caught is ending up back in the nest like a disgraced forest princess — pinned under ten blankets, held hostage by three guilt-tripping brothers, a sandal-wielding parental figure who had apparently declared war on windows, and one very smug older sister who now policed how many steps I took to the bathroom.
Lami had developed this unnerving habit of sitting by the window with her arms crossed, eyes narrowed, like she was daring me to even think about trying something stupid. The sarcasm was still there, sharp as always, but it was lined with a steel edge of protectiveness that hadn’t been there before. She was my shadow, my guard dog, my sarcastic warden.
And I didn’t fight her. Not this time.
Because after the Chase of Legends™, I’d pulled out my trump card. My nuclear option. My ultimate defense: The Look™.
A perfect cocktail of wide, watery eyes. Trembling bottom lip. Strategically raspy voice. A sigh so pitiful it could break the heart of a warlord. Combine that with my bandages and the undeniable fact that yes, I had technically almost bled out again, and it was unbeatable.
I didn’t have to use it on Luffy, though. He knew. He always knew, but he never called me out, not once. He just let me curl into him like a clingy dragon burrito while he petted my hair and nodded solemnly as I whispered things like, “I only wanted to feel the wind again,” as though I hadn’t been sprinting full-force through tree branches like a feral raccoon.
Ace, Sabo, Dadan, and Lami though?
Hook. Line. And sucker-punched.
Sabo brought me extra fruit slices with the quiet reverence of a man delivering offerings to a temple. Ace actually stopped calling me a dumbass for nearly twenty-four hours. Dadan didn’t throw a sandal when I refused soup. And Lami? She covered me with another blanket, muttered “idiot,” but then sat next to me until I fell asleep—like I might vanish if she didn’t.
It was perfect. Too perfect.
Which was exactly when the snail rang.
From him.
“Oh no,” I mumbled, cocooned in four blankets like a sleepy sushi roll, “It’s the father-shaped one.”
Luffy, perched at the edge of the nest with rice crumbs all over his shirt and seaweed in his hair, grinned like this was his favorite sitcom. “I’ll get it~”
“Sunshine, wait—”
Too late. He was already chirping into the Den Den Mushi. “Hi, Shanks!”
“LUFFY,” came the immediate voice of doom, “Is she okay?! The ginger woman said she almost died again?! Is she breathing weird?! Did her wings fall off?! Did she—”
“She’s fiiiiiine,” Luffy said through a yawn. The snail’s face morphed into Shanks’ — wide-eyed, exhausted, stressed beyond belief.
“She’s been sleeping a lot,” Luffy added casually, “Like, a lot a lot. All curled up. Not fighting or flying or yelling at Sabo or anything. Real peaceful.”
Silence.
Complete, horrified silence.
Then:
“Peaceful?” Shanks’ voice cracked like splintering wood.
“Yup!” Luffy chirped.
“...Jessica?”
“She’s right here,” Luffy hummed, nudging the snail toward me.
I drew a long, theatrical breath. Let my eyes flutter half-open. Tilted my head toward the snail with the stoicism of a tragic anime heroine. Time to commit.
“Hi… Dad,” I whispered, voice hoarse and delicate, like I was narrating my own deathbed scene.
The snail-face paled instantly. “...Hi? That’s how you say hi? After making me think you DIED AGAIN for five days?!”
“I’m still recovering,” I murmured, placing a hand dramatically across my forehead. “Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. Spiritually. Celestially.”
“Celestially?!”
“I nearly bled out saving a friend,” I sighed. “I think that qualifies me as a tragic protagonist.”
“Oh my gods.”
“I barely have the strength to speak. I only got up to drink water and emotionally traumatize Sabo.”
“She’s been really sleepy,” Luffy added helpfully, smoothing my hair like he was my emotional support plushie. “Didn’t even try to fly. Only hissed at Ace once today.”
Shanks looked like someone told him the sea was dry.
“She’s NEVER peaceful for three days in a row,” he barked, “She’s not sleepy, she’s plotting!”
“I’m right here,” I whispered, “and I’m deeply hurt that you think so little of me in my time of need.”
“Jessica—”
“I almost DIED, Father.”
“You’re FAKING this!”
“Shanks,” Luffy said softly, “She’s in pain…”
“SHE’S FINE!”
“She whimpered when I tucked her wings in,” Luffy countered.
“BECAUSE SHE’S MILKING IT!”
“I’m so emotionally fragile right now,” I whispered, a single perfect tear slipping down my cheek, “This aggression… it wounds me.”
“YOU’RE GASLIGHTING ME!”
“What’s gaslighting?” Luffy asked.
“It’s what SHE’S DOING. TO ME. THROUGH A SNAIL.”
Lami, who had been leaning casually against the wall this entire time, arms crossed and smirking faintly, finally snorted. “You’re really losing to an eight-year-old, huh?”
“LAMI, DON’T YOU START—”
“You raised her, didn’t you?” she drawled. “Kind of your own fault.”
“YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE ON MY SIDE!”
“She’s on bedrest,” Lami said, voice dripping with sarcasm, “covered in enough bandages to qualify as modern art. Forgive me for siding with the bleeding child.”
Ace and Sabo walked in just in time to hear that. Sabo was balancing a tray of juice and soup, Ace holding a heating pad. Dadan peeked in with yet another blanket draped over her arm.
“She needs rest, old man,” Dadan muttered.
“WHY DOES NO ONE BELIEVE ME?!” Shanks howled.
“Because you’re yelling at a wounded child,” Sabo said calmly, setting the tray down.
“She’s faking it!”
“She just said she was going to die tragically,” Ace muttered. “She wouldn’t lie about that.”
“I WISH I COULD THROW SOMETHING AT YOU RIGHT NOW.”
“I’ll pray for your emotional maturity,” I said sweetly, curling closer into Luffy’s lap.
“I raised a DEMON.”
“You raised a dragon, actually,” Lami said flatly, tucking the new blanket tighter around me before adding with a smirk, “Same thing though.”
“SEE?! EVEN SHE AGREES!”
Luffy giggled, curling around me like a scarf. “You’re just mad she outsmarted you.”
“I’M BEING EMOTIONALLY TERRORIZED BY AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD.”
And I smiled, content and peaceful.
Wrapped in blankets, tucked under Luffy’s chin, with Lami guarding the window like a sarcastic sentry, I drifted off to sleep knowing one thing for sure:
Once again—I won.
…—O—O—O—...
So here’s the thing: I never actually said I was faking.
I also never said I wasn’t faking.
I simply vibed my way through the entire experience with the face of a tragic orphan princess and the inner soul of a retired theatre kid who just needed a nap, some guilt-based fruit snacks, and maybe the occasional gasp for dramatic effect.
For days, I laid around in my nest of blankets like a Victorian ghost girl, sighing at the ceiling, fluttering my lashes, and crying dramatically into Luffy’s shirt anytime Dadan brought soup. My wings twitched occasionally, my legs wobbled like drunk noodles, and my voice carried the sorrow of seventeen lifetimes.
But eventually? My wings stopped spasming. My legs remembered how to function like normal appendages. And I no longer needed to wail into Luffy’s chest just to avoid eating “restorative porridge.”
In short?
I was healed.
Could I have kept the act up longer? Absolutely. I could’ve stretched it out for another week of emotional cuddles, forehead kisses, and full-body Luffy blanketing. Maybe even thrown in a few extra fainting spells for flavor.
But the truth? I was starting to lose it.
If I had to hear the phrase “restorative porridge” one more time, I was going to set the blanket nest ablaze and march directly into the sea.
So, naturally, I declared my triumphant return as dramatically as possible.
“I am reborn.”
With that, I sat bolt upright, cracked my neck like a wrestler prepping for round two, spread my wings wide to their full, glorious span, and announced, “Alright, I’m back, you clingy soup-obsessed weirdos. Let’s go punch trees or whatever.”
Cue chaos.
Dadan screamed so loud a bird literally fell out of the nearest tree.
Ace, who had been mid-pan flip, nearly dropped the whole thing. “She’s upright! And sassy again!”
Sabo made a noise that can only be described as half-laughter, half-breakdown. “Oh thank the gods, she’s back.”
Luffy blinked at me, grinned like it was obvious, and shrugged. “Knew it.”
Because of course he did. He always does.
And Lami? She crossed her arms, leaned against the doorway, and said flatly, “Great. The goblin rises. Guess I can stop spoon-feeding you like a dying bird.”
“Hey!” I shot back, pointing a clawed finger at her. “Those spoonfuls were comforting.”
“They were pathetic,” she corrected, smirking now, though her eyes softened when they met mine. “But cute. Don’t scare me like that again.”
The relief on everyone’s face was so raw, so unfiltered, it almost made me feel bad.
…Almost.
But I’m not the type to wallow in guilt when I’ve got wings to stretch and chaos to unleash.
Life slipped back into normality faster than expected. Over the next two days, I sparred lightly in the clearing (with actual permission, which was wild), trained gently with Ace and Sabo, and reclaimed my rightful spot draped over Luffy like he was a human couch.
My energy came back quick, and I played it off like my “body had finally caught up with my spirit,” which sounded wise and noble. Really, it just meant I was tired of fake-crying on command.
And that’s when it started.
The Biting.
The first time was… well. Accident-adjacent.
Ace had made some crack about my tail getting stuck in a tree again, and I was trying to decide between kicking him or spitting fire. Instead, my instincts took over.
Chomp.
I leaned forward and bit his arm; not hard—just a neat little nibble. A playful snap of teeth, the kind of precise little bite toddlers use when they’re chewing on a stick.
“WHAT THE HELL, GREMLIN?!” Ace shrieked, flailing like I’d gnawed him down to the bone.
I sat back innocently, blinking. “What? It was a light bite.”
“You bit me!”
“I bite things sometimes! It’s a dragon thing.”
“No it’s not!”
“Yes it is.”
“It’s not even a Quirk thing—it’s just weird!”
“That’s racist. Against dragons.”
Luffy wheezed in the background, clutching his stomach, tears of laughter running down his face.
Sabo had his face buried in his hands, muttering, “Please not again, please not again.”
And Lami? She sighed, reached over, and cuffed me lightly on the head. “Jess, stop chewing on Ace. You’re not a teething puppy.”
I grinned at her. “But I’m a dragon. Totally different.”
“Sure,” she drawled, tugging me into her side anyway. “Dragon. Puppy. Same difference. Just don’t draw blood, okay?”
Ace stormed off, still hollering about “tiny monsters with wings” and “how did Shanks even survive this,” but I caught the ghost of a smile tugging at his mouth.
He liked it. The attention. The drama. The chaos.
He just wasn’t ready to admit it yet.
…—O—O—O—...
The second time, I bit Luffy.
Not out of anger, not out of spite, not even as a joke.
I bit him because I looked over and saw him sitting there in the grass, cross-legged like some weird little Buddha, sun glowing on his skin, rice stuck on his nose, and that big dumb grin spread across his face like the world had never known a bad day. And something ancient and dragon-deep inside me just went:
Bite.
So I did.
I leaned forward, jaws snapping like instinct, and clamped my teeth into his shoulder — right between his neck and his arm, where the skin was warm and his laughter vibrated through.
No warning. No announcement. Just a clean, simple chomp.
He blinked. Slowly. Like he wasn’t even mad, just processing. Then his eyes dropped to the fresh teeth marks on his shoulder before lifting back to me.
“Oh,” he said, voice muffled by the half-chewed food in his mouth. “That’s new.”
I pulled back, wiped my lips, and deadpanned, “Affection.”
“Oh. Okay.” He nodded, accepting that immediately, then leaned forward and sank his teeth into the back of my hand.
I froze and stared at him. “Did you just—?”
“Affection,” he echoed, chewing happily, his grin widening like he’d discovered the best game in the world.
My brain short-circuited. “…I like you so much it’s painful sometimes.”
“I like you too,” he replied with absolute sunshine, “Your bites are nice.”
Ace, from across the yard, cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “You guys are freaks!”
By the third day, it wasn’t even a question anymore.
If I was happy? Bite.
If I was annoyed? Bite.
Playful? Bite.
Hungry but pretending I wasn’t? Bite.
If Ace walked by with his stupid freckled face and hair that looked especially biteable? Definitely bite.
When Lami ruffled my hair to show her love, her hand lingering just a little longer than usual in that protective “big sister” way she had adopted since she had gotten better and was actually able to stand up after she cured herself of that Amber Lead disease? I turned my head and bit her wrist.
She yelped. “Jess! What the hell?”
“Affection,” I mumbled around her skin.
She sighed, pulled her arm free, and tapped me lightly on the forehead. “You’re lucky I love you, gremlin.” But there was no heat in her voice. Just that fond, exasperated big-sister tone she had perfected.
Sometimes I bit objects instead of people—chair legs, ropes, random chunks of wood—and once, disastrously, Chompers. Don’t ask. My hair is still singed at the ends, and Ace laughed himself into the dirt about it.
Sabo, ever the logical one, stared at me the third time I gnawed on the edge of his sleeve like it was jerky. “Are you hungry?”
“No.”
“…Do you have rabies?”
“I have instincts.”
“…Have you seen a therapist?”
“I bit her, too.”
The best part? He didn’t know if I was joking.
The weirdest part? Nobody even questioned it anymore.
At first, they tried. They asked, they raised brows, but I answered with such straight-faced seriousness—things like “This is dragon culture” or “It’s an ancestral communication method”—that they gave up.
Even Luffy convinced himself it was true, and at one point he actually asked Dadan to bite him so he could “understand me better.”
She slapped him with a slipper instead.
So yeah, I’m healed. I’m walking, breathing, living, and sometimes, when words don’t cut it, I nibble my friends to show them they matter.
And if anyone dares question me?
I’ll bite them too; just angrily, not lovingly.
Just ask Ace. He’s got the teeth marks to prove it (but they're loving teeth marks, don't listen to him).
And Lami? She rolls her eyes, mutters about my “feral dragon phase,” and still keeps a protective arm hooked loosely around me whenever she’s near.
Because no matter how ridiculous I get, she’s not letting me slip away again.
Notes:
I AM BACKKKKKKKK!!! RISING FROM THE ASHES LIKE A DEFORMED PIGEON COSPLAYING AS A FUCKING PHOENIX, BITCHES!!! 🕊🔥 Marco better watch his back, because I’m coming for his damn title, and unlike him, I’m running entirely on caffeine, spite, and the unhealthy belief that “I’ll just fix it in the next draft.”
Spoiler: I won’t.
Okay… deep breath… serious time. (Kinda. Don’t expect too much from me here, I have the attention span of a squirrel on espresso.) First of all: I’m so, SO sorry for the wait on this chapter. I burned out—like, hardcore “drag my crispy carcass across the desert of writer’s block” levels of burnout.
I’ve been juggling... thirteen active WIPs on docs, another thirty running laps in my brain, and then school decided to kick down the door and yeet my schedule directly into the sun. I’ve basically been surviving on chaos, memes, and crying into snacks at 3 a.m.
That being said, I’m finally crawling out of the rubble, pen in hand, mildly feral, and ready to try and be a functioning author again. My goal is to post at least every two weeks, maybe sneak in some extras when I can, but I cannot promise a steady schedule yet—life is chaotic, and I’m one emotional meltdown away from writing self-insert One Piece crackfics where Chopper becomes a TikTok star.
So… yeah. We’re aiming for flexible chaos productivity. ✨
Now… about this chapter. I don’t actually know how I feel about it. Like, yes, it’s funny, it’s ridiculous, it’s very “Jessica being Jessica,” but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m forcing her recovery a little too quickly.
I’ve been trying to wrap up Jessica’s Backstory Arc because I really want to dive headfirst into canon events, but I don’t want to bulldoze over her emotional journey either. Balance? Don’t know her. Do you guys think it feels rushed? Be honest, my fragile ego can handle it. Probably.
If anyone has ideas, advice, or just wants to scream theories into the void with me, PLEASE do. Tell me your thoughts, your chaos, your unhinged plot pitches—*everything*. I’m living for the comments, the theories, and the yelling. I promise I read every single one of them, usually at 2 a.m. while convincing myself I’ll “just edit one more line” before passing out face-first into my keyboard.
Anyway. I love you guys. Like… so much. Thank you for sticking around, for your patience, your jokes, your wild theories, and your endless support. You make writing this fic a thousand times more fun, and I genuinely wouldn’t still be here without you absolute gremlins hyping me up.
I hope this chapter made you laugh, made you scream, maybe gave you an idea or two about what kind of chaotic disaster Jessica’s future holds. I’ll see you guys in the comments (because we know I practically live there) or in the next chapter—whichever comes first. Stay hydrated, stay chaotic, and as always…
— Cookie, your local feral phoenix pigeon 🕊🔥
[Jessica kicks the metaphorical door open]:
“OKAY, HOLD UP—” 👹 "Do you people SEE what Cookie just did to me?! ‘Forcing her recovery’ my scaly ass, SHE IS LITERALLY SPEEDRUNNING MY TRAUMA ARC. I’m out here, fighting ghosts, grandpas, emotional damage, AND explosions, and this gremlin just went, ‘eh, she’s fine now, throw her back in!’"[Points aggressively at the readers.]
“Back me up here. Tell her I deserve, like… I dunno… ONE chapter of uninterrupted naps. Maybe snacks. Preferably snacks. And—HEY—don’t laugh at me, Luffy agrees!”
Luffy from off-screen: “Yeah! Snacks first!”
Jessica: “SEE?! Justice for Jessica 2025, y’all. I’m filing a complaint with the author union.”
Answer: A motherfucking DRAGON! DUH!! Those fuckers are so fucking cute.
Question: What would your ideal weapon be in the OP universe? Would it have a DF or not?
Chapter 18: UPDATE!!! IMPORTANT!!!
Chapter Text
HELLOOOO MY LOVELY, STUNNING, UNBELIEVABLY PATIENT READERS!! 💖💥💫
First things first: YES, there is a chapter coming this weekend—BUT it’s being shifted to tomorrow instead of today. Why? Because your local feral writer (me) took a long, hard look at the emotional chaos that is this fic and said: “I can make this more devastating.” And so... a rewrite has been summoned. Entire scenes are being rearranged like puzzle pieces I just sneezed on. BUT it’s for good reason, I promise you.
Let me explain what’s happening and why the sky is no longer the limit—it’s a chaotic, flaming rollercoaster that I’m yeeting Jessica onto face-first.
So you all remember how Lami, Law’s little sister, was seven when she died in canon? Yeah, well... not anymore. Because guess what?
Jessica was five and had JUST regained her memories when everything happened. Five. Years. Old. And despite being fresh out of soul-reboot mode, this stubborn little dragon-child looked at the universe and went, “No. Not her.” And she will save Lami.
That’s the rewrite. That’s the shift. That’s the cannonball of emotion barreling at us.
Why am I doing this?
Because Jessica has “Hero Syndrome.”
You know the type. The “if I’m not protecting someone right this second I will combust” type. The “if someone’s crying, bleeding, or lonely within a 100-mile radius, I must fix it or I’ll die trying” type. The “yes I’m five but I have the emotional depth of a war general and the moral compass of a saint possessed by a hurricane” type.
And that, my dear readers, is not sustainable. 😅
So here comes this major emotional turning point. She does save Lami—this isn’t up for debate, I love you all but don’t even try with the “are you sure?” questions—I am. I am sure. But it’s not going to come easy. It’s not going to be without consequence. Because saving Lami is going to nearly kill her.
This near-death moment is going to be a HUGE part of Jessica’s arc. It’s not just a “yay, we saved a child” moment—it’s a “look what it cost her” moment. It’s going to shake everyone around her. It’s going to knock the wind out of the reader. And it’s going to be the first step toward breaking that dangerous “I must save everyone or I’m worthless” mentality.
Does it fix everything? No.
Does it help? Yes.
The full emotional repair won’t come until the ASL Arc, where everything will explode into emotional fluff, trauma healing, and sibling chaos (so keep tissues handy). But for now? We get a raw, intense, painfully real chapter that changes everything. This rewrite has been screaming at me to be born, and I finally listened.
What this changes:
Pretty much everything, in the best way.
-
Jessica’s motivations, her limits, and her understanding of what “saving someone” truly means.
-
The fate of Lami, who will now live, grow, and become something extraordinary.
-
The emotional weight of Law’s backstory—because someday, he’s going to find out.
-
And the direction of the crew, because yes, Lami is joining.
You heard me. Lami is joining Luffy’s crew. It’s happening. She will have a Devil Fruit. I haven’t locked in which one yet, but it’s down to:
-
Corazon’s Fruit (because poetic chaos and I crave pain),
-
Or a custom Devil Fruit that will help cure Amber Lead Disease (because ✨symbolism✨).
Her role isn’t finalized yet, but it’ll be either medic adjacent (because I’m a sucker for poetic parallels) or fighting-focused (because I like to give cute characters massive power spikes).
And before anyone asks: No, I’m not changing my mind. This isn't a “maybe” plot twist. This is a “burned into the bones of this fic like dragonfire” plot twist. I love Jessica. I love Lami. I love emotional development with sharp teeth. And this arc gives me all of that. 😌
Also, let’s not ignore the fact that Law deserves to still have a sister. Even if he doesn’t know it right away. Even if it takes years. Even if it breaks him to realize he wasn’t alone after all. I’m going to wreck him with love, and I’m going to love doing it.
So—chapter tomorrow. With the rewrites in place. With the drama injected. With the world shifted just enough to break your heart and patch it back up again.
And in the meantime, I highly recommend rereading the past few chapters—especially anything connected to Jessica’s memory arc or Law’s flashbacks. The clues are there. I’ve been building this for a while. 🧩
Or don’t. That’s fine too. Live your life. Be mysterious. Let the new chapter slap you in the face with no warning. 😇
Either way, thank you all for sticking with this story. For the kudos, the comments, the bookmarks, the crack theories, the essays, the chaos, and the emotional damage. I’m grateful beyond words. I’m excited beyond reason. And I’ll see you all tomorrow for the next chapter.
Prepare yourselves. It’s gonna be a ride.
With love, flames, and possibly tears,
—Cookie 🍪
Chapter 19: Saving Ginny because I said so
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
…—O—O—O—...
“So, I have a sneaking suspicion I’m going to be subjected to the care of many different eggs soon.” I mutter one morning, the others around me chewing on some overcooked meat that Ace had accidentally burned.
“How’d you know that?” Luffy asked from my side, a confused look on his face as he fed Chompers a piece, the little ferret took one bite and then zapped it into dust.
Luffy giggled and patted the menace's head.
“Haven’t you noticed Gramps has been late?” I point out, motioning to the (luckily) empty place where our horrifying Grandpa usually sits.
“You’re right, he does usually come around his time of year to torture–I mean train us.” Sabo said, looking warily around the area like Garp would magically pop into existence at just the mention of his name.
And let’s be honest. He might.
“I still don’t know what I’m going to do.” I mutter, setting down my drink.
The boys and Lami paused and looked at each other before Ace spoke up, “I thought we said we’d help you raise them? What’s there to worry about?”
I look at him, a look on my face I can’t even place an emotion on, “Ace, how old are we?”
He blinked, probably taken aback, “Uh, You’re eight, Luffy’s seven, Lami is ten and me and Sabo are eleven?” He said slowly, not understanding my point.
I sigh and look down, "Exactly, we are children.”
The silence was weighted.
“We are children who can barely take care of ourselves. We got lucky with Helios, Lunaire and Chompers, but can we really take care of so many small, baby animals?” I ask, my voice hesitant.
“I don’t know if we can handle training, growing up, and taking care of baby animals all at the same time. And we can’t forget these animals will probably have powers, so we’ll need to train them as well.”
I sigh once more and place a hand to the temple of my head, “I may be from another world with experience, but in this world, I am just a kid with knowledge of a past life. I don’t even know how to care for myself, let alone a bunch of baby animals.”
The silence stretched on until arms wrapped around my neck and I was pulled into a hug by Luffy, Lami close behind, pulling both of us into her arms.
“Huh–” I started, but a hand on my head and an arm around my shoulders cut me off. Ace was standing off to the side, looking embarrassed, while Sabo sat down next to me.
Sabo spoke first, “You’re right, we probably won’t know how to do all of that.” He squeezed my shoulders gently, “But we can sure as hell try, sure we’re kids, but we’re stronger and better than everyone else.”
“Damn right.” Ace grunted, obviously struggling to figure out how to comfort someone, “We can handle some stupid little animals.”
Lami squeezed her arms tighter, “You’re literally my sister in all but blood, don’t think I can’t take what you’re holding onto.”
Luffy huffed from where he was wrapped around my neck, “You don’t have to carry so much, you know.”
I flinched, but he continued, “It’s like you said, you’re still a kid like us.”
I bit the inside of my cheek, the weight of everything crashing down all at once.
There was so much I could do… and I can’t.
I could help Nami, but I’m not strong enough.
I could find Usopp and give him a better support system, but I’m not strong enough to leave yet.
I could help Jinny and Bonney, but I’m not strong enough.
I could save Kunia, but I’m not strong enough.
I could do so much good, but…
“I-I’m not strong enough.” I whisper finally, sniffling as tears well up, “I know how to save so many people… but I’m not strong enough! I could help kids have a b-better life a-and save them from death!” I whisper.
A hit on my head snapped me out of my spiral, I looked up shocked at Ace, who looked pissed.
“And why is that your problem?”
I pause, stumped, “Huh?”
“Why is all of that stuff your problem?” He repeats, “You're a child, remember?” I droop, defeated.
“B-but–”
“No buts, you can’t save everyone.”
He’s right… but.
“I-I can’t just let it happen without trying something!” I snap, anger taking over for some unknown reason, “I-I know things that could save people, I-I can help. Sure I can’t save everyone, but what about the kids I can. What about the kids I watched get hurt and killed over and over because they got shitty cards?”
I begin to shake, “I watched kids our age get shot because of a disease that was genetic, I watched people die for no other reason than they escaped enslavement, I watched as people killed themselves over dead loved ones.”
Lami froze before squeezing harder, knowing it was the Amber Lead incident I was talking about.
I tighten my hold on Luffy’s vest, “Hell, I watched as you guys thought Sabo died for ten years. I could barely save him. How am I supposed to live with the fact I could’ve saved kids who didn’t deserve to die or be tortured just for living?”
I gulped, “I just… I just can’t. I can’t save everyone, but I want to try.”
The silence was… loud.
“Alright.” Luffy finally spoke up, “But you don’t have to do it alone.”
I pause at that, not understanding.
“You have a dad who can help, remember? He might not be able to do something directly, but Shanks is super cool and probably can try.”
Ace nodded, “Gramps would probably do anything you asked if you just… like… laid on the tears a bit and let him hit you around for a while.”
Sabo squeezed a bit tighter, “And I’m sure you know a few people from your memory who can help. Plus, if anyone dies, I’m sure you’ll get them as a soul and help them as much as you can.”
I sniffle once more, “B-but what about–”
“No buts.” Ace said again, “You aren’t alone, the second you told us where you’re from, you gave us a part of that weight.”
Lami nodded, “You just haven’t let us hold any of it on our own.”
My lower lip quivered and my tears fell faster, I buried my face into Luffy’s shoulder, crying silently as shivers wracked through my body.
…—O—O—O—...
When I was finished crying, I came to a decision.
“I’m going to have you save some people, alright?” I turned to Lami, she started for a second before nodding.
“Who?”
I bite my lip and began, “She’s probably dying right now, so it’s urgent."
She nodded again, “Alright, but who?”
“They are from the Revolutionary Army and if my calculations are correct, she has a few days left at most. They contracted a rare genetic disease due to experimentation that makes the body form these… blueish crystals on the body from cells.”
I begin to draw a visual on the ground, “It’s due to a chemical failure, and I think it has something to do with the body's cells crystallizing, but I’m not a doctor."
Lami looked contemplative, “Why do you think it's from the cells?”
I looked up into the trees, “In the story, the only way Ginny’s daughter was cured was from an experimental cell transplant.”
Lami nodded, “And my devil fruit accelerates and the healing process, which means if I study the body a bit more, I can pinpoint the affected cells, break them down and ‘clean’ the body of the disease.”
I nod and fidget with my fingers before looking her directly in the eyes, “Are you okay with this? You’ll be working hard and there isn’t much reward that goes after this.”
Lami gave me a look that said I was stupid, “I cured myself from the Amber Lead disease, sure it took a few weeks, but it was also genetic, remember? This is practically my playground.”
She leaned back on the animal pelts behind her, “And if it’s to save someone who doesn’t deserve to die? I’ll do it.”
I nod and walk over to Petal, “Alright, well, prepare yourself, we’re going to be having company real soon.”
…—O—O—O—...
Puru puru puru puru…
Click.
The den den mushi’s eyes opened, pupils sharpening to mimic the presence on the other end. I let out a shaky breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. Dad had–reluctantly, and with the kind of groaning only he could muster–asked around until he tracked down the number I needed. The number of a man I probably had no business calling.
Still, I was just glad he picked up.
“Hello?”
The voice was rough, clipped, like gravel ground under a boot. It wasn’t unkind, but it wasn’t exactly welcoming either. I felt my shoulders hunch instinctively, like the sound alone carried weight.
“Uh… hi,” I started, and even to my own ears I sounded meek. Just a little. Just the tiniest crack in my tone.
Okay, yeah. Maybe not tiny. Maybe a lot.
“Who are you?” came the follow-up, sharper this time, like a blade cutting straight through pretense. He probably already knew who I was—men like him always did—but he wanted to hear me say it.
I swallowed hard, the words sticking in my throat before tumbling out. “M-my name is Jessica and… uh… I think I can help you?”
Smooth. Really smooth. I was terrified. This was Monkey D. Dragon. One of the most dangerous men alive, and oh, let’s not forget, the trauma-inducing parental figure in my life is Garp. No pressure.
“And how would you do that?” The question should’ve sounded mocking. Instead, it was flat, measured. Not dismissive. He wasn’t brushing me off; he was curious—how exactly was a little kid supposed to help him?
I bit my lip, panic fluttering in my chest, before forcing the words out. “Is this line secure?”
A pause, along one. “Yes.”
“No one will be able to know where or who I am?” My voice rose, sharper, almost desperate. If I was going to do this, I had to be certain. This was a lore-drop conversation, and I couldn’t risk it spreading.
“Yes,” he said again, calm and steady.
I sagged, finally exhaling. Then I straightened, forcing steel into my spine. No more shaking, no more quivering voice, this mattered.
“My mother was named Ginervera D. Hope,” I said clearly, “and I am her daughter. I am the last Soul Dragon alive, and the souls have given me information about a certain individual who I can potentially help.”
The silence that followed stretched so long I thought the line had gone dead. My fingers dug into the wood of my tea table, heart pounding.
Then he spoke again, low and deliberate. “I’m listening.”
Relief surged through me. Well, that was good.
“I have a friend,” I continued, fumbling a little but pressing on. “She has the powers of the Iyashi-Iyashi no Mi–the Heal-Heal Fruit. It allows her to accelerate the body’s natural healing process on herself and others.”
I shifted on the vines, fidgeting with the hem of my shirt. “The souls… They told me about a certain pink-haired woman who needs to be cured of a disease that’s turning her skin into crystals.”
The silence on the other end could’ve meant anything. Agreement. Disbelief. Fury.
And I couldn’t tell the damn difference.
“We—we’re not completely sure we can cure it immediately!” I blurted, words tumbling over each other in panic. “B-but we can definitely buy time until she can figure out how to cure it!”
Finally, Dragon’s voice returned, measured but still edged with steel. “And how can you buy time?”
I sagged again, relief washing over me. He wasn’t shutting me down. He was still hearing me out.
“Her name is Lami,” I said, forcing myself to slow down, to sound confident. “She’s a survivor of the Amber Lead disease. She cured it herself. With the information given from the souls, she’s confident she can make a cure. She specializes in hereditary diseases.”
The word hung in the air. Hereditary.
I knew that hit him hard. Because that meant Ginny wasn’t just sick–the disease could pass on. It was a shadow looming over her child, too.
“Where?” His voice was clipped now, urgent.
I cleared my throat, my palms slick with sweat. “I’m on Dawn Island. And I can’t leave… because I won’t leave my captain.”
Another pause. “Captain?”
“Yes,” I said quickly. “His name is Luffy.”
There, I name dropped his son. Please let that be enough to keep me from being snatched up and locked in Revolutionary daycare forever.
…
…
Was this man ever going to speak again?! The silence was murdering me! My brain was spiraling. My chest was spiraling. Everything was spiraling.
“What’s your price?” He said at last, voice cool and firm.
I gulped and leaned closer to the den den mushi. “The souls see more than anyone could ever know. They drift in an endless void unless taken out. They know things greater than we’d ever find out ourselves.”
I let that hang in the air, heavy, before continuing. “I have a Devil Fruit that a certain child must eat. An unborn child. One resting in the woman we hope to save. As much as I hate it, I’m already ruining the future just by calling you. I can’t let more butterflies flap their wings.”
A longer pause. I pressed my hand over my mouth, terrified I’d said too much.
Finally, his voice came, heavy as thunder. “Fine. We’ll be there in a day. During the night.”
I nodded rapidly, even though he couldn’t see me. “We’ll have cover waiting.”
“You know more than you let on.” He said, and this time there was something sharper in his tone–suspicion, or maybe acknowledgment.
I took a shaky breath. “The souls are always speaking.”
And then the line went dead.
I slumped back against the railing, den den mushi drooping in my hands.
Good god. That guy was intense.
…—O—O—O—...
“Lami, are you ready?” I asked, my voice tight with nerves as I tied off the last knot of vines. The canopy we’d built overhead creaked faintly in the breeze, a patchwork roof of leaves and branches designed to shield the patient from the harsh white glare of the moonlight.
My hands moved quickly, tugging, pulling, adjusting, anything to keep them busy while my stomach twisted itself into knots.
Lami exhaled hard through her nose, arms crossed, her jaw set. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Good,” I murmured, my skin prickling. “Because I feel them coming.”
The words had barely left my lips when the air split open with a flash of energy, blinding for half a heartbeat. And then they were there.
First came Kuma — enormous, towering, a mountain of muscle and presence. His frame blocked out half the canopy, the ground itself groaning under the weight of his steps. He cradled a bundle of cloth in his massive arms, small and fragile compared to him, and I knew instantly that inside lay Ginny.
Behind him, a figure emerged from the shadows like the night itself had shaped into a man. Dragon. Cloak drawn tight around his shoulders, hood pulled low, eyes cutting across the clearing with sharp, practiced intensity.
It wasn’t the way someone looked at friends or allies–it was how predators scanned for threats, how leaders judged battlefields. His gaze lingered on the vines, the table, the firelight flickering at the edges of my nest, and for one fleeting second, I thought he doesn’t trust us.
Lami, bless her, didn’t waver. She stepped forward and bowed low, her voice even and smooth, the kind of polished professionalism she’d been practicing for weeks. “Hello. I’m Lami. It’s very nice to meet you, and I truly do hope I’ll be able to cure your sickness.”
Her words rang with confidence, but I knew her well enough to see the way her fingers trembled at her sides.
“Hello,” Kuma rumbled, his voice deep enough to vibrate through my chest. He wasn’t the stoic weapon I remembered from books and whispers — there was something warmer in his tone, heavier. Something that made him feel human.
Lami nodded once, then gestured to the makeshift table we’d cobbled together out of planks and rope, its surface covered in folded sheets Mama had insisted on. “Here. Please place her here, and I’ll see what I can do.”
For a moment, Kuma hesitated. His massive frame bent protectively over the bundle, his hands reluctant to let go.
Then, with a carefulness that made my throat ache, he lowered Ginny onto the wooden table. She looked impossibly small against him, her body frail and pale beneath the folds of fabric. In his other arm, he continued to cradle the smaller bundle.
We all stepped back as Lami moved in. Her face shifted — gone was the nervous girl I’d whispered with in the dark. In her place stood the healer, calm and focused, eyes scanning like she’d been born for this.
She pulled Ginny’s arm gently from the cloak, her fingers light as feathers. The moonlight caught against the crystalline sheen of the Sapphire Scales creeping across her skin, glittering like shattered gemstones embedded in flesh.
Lami’s mouth tightened. She brushed her fingertip across one patch, and Ginny flinched, a tiny sound escaping her lips.
Lami sighed softly, the weight of it hanging heavy in the air. Then she lifted her chin, her tone steady and professional as she looked to Kuma. “Alright. Do I have permission to sedate her and dampen her nerves so she isn’t receptive to pain?”
The giant’s jaw flexed. He looked down at Ginny, then back at Bonney in his arms, then at Dragon. For a long heartbeat, the silence pressed. Finally, he gave a single, deliberate nod.
“Yes,” he rumbled. “Do what you must.”
…—O—O—O—...
Lami stood over her, no trace of hesitation in her posture. A year ago, she might have faltered — her mother’s presence always steadied her, always filled in the cracks. But now, with only memory and practice to hold her upright, Lami’s spine carried all that weight alone.
“Jessica,” she said without looking up, her voice clipped but not unkind. “Water. Clean, and cold.”
I scrambled, dipping the wooden ladle into the barrel and hurrying to her side. She took it without glancing at me, pouring the stream over her cloth and wiping down Ginny’s forehead, her temples, the fragile line of her jaw.
Ginny stirred faintly, a soft groan leaving her throat, and Lami’s free hand pressed to her pulse. Her eyes flicked to the den den mushi lantern Mama had left us before she died — the one Lami now used as a timer. One minute. Two. Her brow furrowed.
“Pulse weak,” she muttered, mostly to herself. “Respiration shallow. Scales spreading rapidly across dermal layers. Fever spiking — dangerously high.”
She lifted Ginny’s arm again, tilting it in the firelight to catch the gem-like growth. Her thumb pressed gently at the edges where living flesh met crystal. Ginny winced even in unconsciousness.
Lami frowned deeper. “Rapid nerve response. That means the scales are fusing at the junctions. Pain receptors are on fire.”
I swallowed hard. “That’s bad, right?”
“Bad means dying.” Lami’s words were blunt, her tone clinical, but I caught the way her shoulders twitched. The way her jaw clenched.
Kuma shifted uneasily, Bonney nestled tighter in his arm. Dragon remained stone-still, his gaze sharp, measuring, as though cataloging every move Lami made.
Lami dipped the cloth again, pressing it against Ginny’s neck, her chest. Cooling her as best she could. “The first step is stabilization. If I dive in with my powers now, I’ll burn her out. She doesn’t have enough energy reserves to survive the shock.”
She moved quickly, tugging open the satchel she always carried. Inside: rolls of bandages, a vial of ground herbs, a small pouch of mineral salts. Not nearly enough for this kind of sickness, but she used them anyway, sprinkling the salts into a fresh ladle of water before tipping it carefully to Ginny’s lips.
“Come on,” Lami murmured, tilting her head just enough so the liquid trickled down. “Swallow.”
Lami’s lips pressed into a thin line, her hands hovered over Ginny’s chest, palms faintly glowing as her Devil Fruit’s energy stirred to life. The air thickened, humming low, as though the world itself leaned in to watch.
“This is just the first step,” she murmured, voice low and steady. “Stabilize her breathing. Cool the fever. Sedate the nerves. Buy enough time to cut into the real work.”
She decided early on to repeat every step out loud, giving the others a run down on what she’s doing to make sure they feel better about trusting her with Ginny.
“Step two,” she said aloud again, “Cellular recognition.”
Her hands lowered until they brushed lightly against Ginny’s forearm, right where the scales glittered in the firelight. At first, nothing. Then, slowly, her power seeped in.
The scales shone brighter under her touch, each crystalline edge catching the glow. Then a faint sound split the night–not shattering, but a small, sharp crack.
Tiny fractures spiderwebbed across one of the scales. Another line formed on the next. The gems weren’t vanishing, but they were beginning to break–the body rejecting them, finally realizing they didn’t belong.
Lami’s brow furrowed, sweat already beading at her temples. Her hands trembled slightly, but she kept her pressure steady. “Her cells… they’re responding,” she murmured. “Finally recognizing the crystals as foreign. The immune system is… confused, but it’s fighting.”
Kuma leaned forward, his massive frame casting a shadow over all of us. Bonney squirmed faintly in his arm, as though sensing the tension, the fear, the desperate hope rolling through him.
She was still a baby, after all, and babies were hella smart with situational awareness.
Dragon remained still, his hood shadowing most of his face, but I could feel his observation–sharp, unyielding. He didn’t just watch Lami’s work; he measured it, catalogued it, searching for truth.
I realized my presence would only make the air thicker, so I slunk back quietly, leaving Lami the full stage. My feet padded across the dirt until I ended up next to Dragon, the edge of his cloak brushing against my shoulder as I crouched down.
Lami’s voice cut through the silence again. “Crystals are cracking, not dissolving. The body’s recognizing them as invasive, but it’s a slow process. Too slow.”
Another crack, another fracture spreading like lightning through the gem-like growth.
Ginny’s chest rose and fell more evenly now, her feverish flush beginning to fade, but her body twitched under the strain. Lami pressed her other hand to Ginny’s temple, the glow shifting, and the patient stilled again, sedated, calm.
“Good,” Lami said, “We’ve started, and we’ll keep starting until it ends.”
The cracks had spread far enough now that the scales no longer looked like flawless gems–they were fractured, imperfect, the body finally pushing back.
Lami exhaled slowly, her hands never leaving Ginny’s arm. Her shoulders trembled, sweat dripping down the side of her face, but her voice remained firm, clinical.
“Step three,” She stated. “Cellular replacement.”
Her glow shifted–softer this time, warmer, less like pressure and more like sunlight filtering through skin. It spread from her palms in rippling waves, sinking into the cracks and fractures of the crystalline growth.
“Her body recognizes the disease now,” She explained, not looking up but speaking aloud for Kuma, for Dragon, maybe for herself, “The immune system is rejecting it. Now we teach her to replace what she’s lost.”
The glow pulsed deeper, reaching beneath the glittering surface, coaxing the tissue beneath. Where the scales had cracked, tiny strands of flesh stirred, struggling against the crystalline hold.
Ginny’s chest hitched, a groan breaking through, but Lami’s hand pressed gently to her temple again, her sedation wrapping the woman back into quiet.
And slowly, miraculously, the body began to fix.
From beneath the scales, new skin grew–pink, fragile, but alive. At first only in patches, like tiny shoots forcing through cracked earth. Then broader, spreading along her forearm, pushing aside fragments of the crystalline disease.
“Think of it like pruning,” Lami said, her eyes narrowing in focus. “Cut the rot, guide the growth and let the healthy cells take root.”
Her hands trembled with the effort, her Devil Fruit pouring energy into the process, but not all at once. Too much, and the body would collapse from exhaustion. Too little, and the disease would reassert itself.
So she paced it. Pulse by pulse. Encouraging, urging and coaxing.
Kuma bent lower, his massive frame casting a shadow over both patient and healer. His face was taut with something I couldn’t name–fear, hope, the kind of desperate faith only a father could muster. Bonney stirred in his arm again, a tiny sound slipping from her swaddled form.
Another scale fractured, fell away like brittle glass, and beneath it healthy flesh shone faintly pink. Another patch of skin knitted itself back together, veins glowing faintly as circulation returned.
Ginny’s chest rose deeper, her breathing no longer so shallow. A flush crept back into her cheeks, faint but undeniable.
Lami sagged forward a little, her arms trembling, but she kept the pace, refusing to flood the body all at once. “Not too much,” she whispered, almost scolding herself.
And the body listened.
The disease was not gone–the crystalline patches still glittered in places, stubborn and jagged. But now, for the first time, they weren’t winning. The healthy cells were.
Like a garden pruned of its rot, Ginny’s body was beginning to bloom again.
The glow from Lami’s hands deepened, shifting from soft warmth to something sharper, more focused. Her breathing came in short, controlled bursts, sweat dripping freely down her temples now.
“The surface is stabilizing,” she said, her voice hoarse but steady, “But if I don’t flush the fragments out of her bloodstream, they’ll spread again. Faster and most likely, stronger.”
She pressed one palm against Ginny’s chest, right above the sternum, and the other to the crook of her arm where the veins pulsed faintly beneath thin skin.
Her Devil Fruit’s energy pulsed inward, slipping into the circulatory system itself. I couldn’t see it–not really–but the way Ginny’s body reacted made it clear. Her back arched faintly, breath catching, veins glowing faintly under the skin like silver threads.
Inside her, the power carried through the bloodstream, seeking out every shard of crystalline infection. Where the scales had cracked, fragments had broken free and drifted like glittering poison in her veins.
Now, Lami’s energy wrapped around them, dissolving, breaking, and reshaping.
“Targeting crystalized fragments,” Lami explained when a crystal fell to the floor with a loud pang.
Her eyes locked on the faint tracery of veins under Ginny’s skin, “Breaking them down and letting the body flush it out naturally.”
Another crack, faint but audible, echoed from beneath the skin as a patch of scales on Ginny’s collarbone fractured and crumbled into dust. Her body shuddered, sweat beading across her forehead as though expelling heat from the purge.
“Too much strain on the kidneys and liver will kill her,” Lami said, her voice clipped, almost scolding herself.
She shifted her glow, pulsing it rhythmically through Ginny’s chest, like waves of light rippling through her veins. Each surge broke down another cluster of crystalline fragments, reducing them into harmless byproducts.
Sweat dampened Ginny’s sheets. A faint chemical tang hit the air–the body already trying to purge what it no longer recognized as its own.
“Her blood’s clearing,” Lami said, relief threading through her exhaustion, “The immune system is adjusting and it’s learning what not to keep.”
Ginny groaned faintly, her hand twitching against the table. Lami pressed her fingers lightly to the woman’s temple, sedation washing over her again, gentle and merciful.
The glow flared again, spreading through her torso, her limbs. The crystalline shimmer across her skin dulled as the bloodstream stopped feeding it. The jagged edges began to dry, crack, and weaken.
But Lami didn’t let herself get carried away. She cut the surge off suddenly, panting hard, hands trembling as she pulled back,, “If I push more, her liver will collapse. Her body needs time to filter what I’ve already broken down.”
Silence pressed heavy over the clearing. Ginny’s chest rose and fell, deeper now, steadier. Her skin glistened with sweat, but her color looked… better. Stronger.
Kuma let out a breath I hadn’t realized he was holding. Even Dragon’s shoulders eased the faintest degree.
“She’s not cured,” Lami said finally, her voice rough but resolute. “But the disease is losing. Piece by piece and her body is clearing itself now.”
“What’s her condition like?” Dragon asked, walking up to the sleeping woman, hundreds of pink, tender spots of flesh scattered her skin.
Lami hummed, taking a large drink of water and sitting down in a chair, “It seems to be stable, unfortunately, I cannot do much more without risking her life in one way or another.”
She racked a hand through her hair, “However, give it a few days, maybe a week, and if you bring her back, I can purge the rest of the scales and hopefully cure the disease.”
Dragon nodded, “And her child?”
Lami shook her head, “I refuse to work on a child that young, her pain receptors won’t react like an adult would and the pain would be immense. If she starts to show symptoms, she’ll probably be old enough for me to rid her of the disease."
The sigh that escaped Kuma was both heartbreaking and utterly amazing to hear.
Lami smiled, “Plus, it wouldn’t take as long, if I’m correct, Ginny here has had this disease for years, Bonney will only have had it for a few days at most, if you bring her to me immediately.”
She shrugged, “I hope this worked out well, it’s my first time working with someone other than myself and that idiot over there.” She pointed a thumb over at me and I gasped in offense.
“Excuse me, I’m not that difficult.”
“You ran for us for three hours while screaming ‘you can’t catch me, I’m a legend in dragon form’ while your stitches came undone and you bled out.” I sweatdropped and looked away.
“I thought I told you it was mental therapy.”
“And I thought I told you that was bullshit.”
“Hey! No cursing in front of the baby!”
I motioned to the–utterly adorable–little girl in Kuma’s arms.
Lami’s eye twitched and she muttered something unpleasant under her breath I conveniently forgot to pick up.
Dragon’s eyebrow raised, “Stiches?”
I huffed, my cheeks puffing out, “I don’t need to tell you my entire life story–”
“She flew into an explosion to save our suicidal noble friend.” Lami stated plainly, I sent her a glare and she shrugged, “Hey, Sabo’s been talking about thinking of joining the Rev’s, might as well put in a good word for him.”
“That doesn’t mean you gotta repeat my heroic act of stupidity!”
“But that’s the highlight.”
“Go to hell.”
“Oop, no cursing in front of the child.”
“I hate you.”
“Love you too, sis.”
Dragon had a small–eh, it was probably a smirk–smile on his face, “I’ll keep that name in mind.” He then disappeared, the dramatic man.
Kuma had gently picked up Ginny at this point and sent Lami and me a thankful look, “Thank you, I am in your debt.”
Lami shook her head, “Nah, I don’t need all that, I’m just doing my little sister a favor.”
Kuma raised an eyebrow and Lami explained, “I’m pretty sure Dragon has told you a bit about Jessica’s… situation.” He nodded, “Well, the souls tell her about things here and there, and she couldn’t let Ginny die.”
He sent me a grateful smile and I bowed my head in embarrassment, “Don’t worry about any debts,” I said with a smile, “But I’m also sure Dragon told you about my price?”
“He did, something about a fruit and butterflies.” Kuma responded, and I nodded, holding out the Toshi-Toshi no Mi.
“Here, please don’t let the butterflies flap their wings too much.”
Kuma hesitated, but nodded firmly, “I thank you once more.”
And with that, he was off.
…
…
…
“That was so fucking intense.” Lami slumped.
“Worse than Garp?”
A pause.
“Nah, I’d take that over Garp any day of the week.”
“Preach sister.”
…—O—O—O—...
Notes:
HELLOOOOOOO. OMG. YOU GUYS.
You have no idea how hard I’ve worked on this. Like. My spine is jelly. My brain is pudding. I am a husk of my former self.
Okay. Let me back up.
Remember when I said I was adding Lami into the story? Yeah. That was both the best and worst decision I’ve ever made in my entire life. I spent the entire weekend rewriting and stuffing in over 100,000 words like a maniac on caffeine and delusion, and now I hate myself. Deeply. Passionately.
Remember when I also told you that you wouldn’t have to reread the previous chapters?
I LIED. I WAS WRONG. I’M SO SORRY.
There is so much that got added about Jessica and Lami’s relationship that I think… you have to go back. Especially if you like sibling dynamics, sarcasm, pain, or watching Jessica get yelled at for trying to die heroically. Again.
Yes, Lami is sassy. Yes, she’s sarcastic. Yes, she will roast you into ash. She’s her brother’s sister, of course she’s got that steel backbone and no-nonsense attitude. But she’s also a menace in her own right, and I CANNOT WAIT to keep writing her chaotic brilliance.
Did I save Ginny just in time?
You’re damn right I did.
Do I care that this might totally screw with canon since I haven’t reached Kuma’s full backstory yet and only saw snippets on Instagram reels?
…Not really. Look, I sobbed at that storyline and decided I was going to do something about it. Am I fixing it? Probably not. But am I making it hurt less and giving Bonney a win? Yes. Yes, I am.
If anything felt slightly OOC, I’m so sorry—I tried, I really did. I’m doing my best with what I know and what I want to punch emotionally into the plot.
Now, can we talk about Jessica’s mental breakdown scene? I’ve been WAITING to write that. I had so much fun breaking her down just so I could stitch her back up with the help of her chaotic found family. The Hero Complex? We’re tossing that out the window. Now I get to focus on the parts of her that aren’t just sacrifice and over-responsibility. FINALLY.
What’s coming next?
Sabo’s gonna get his Devil Fruit.
Jessica’s about to receive a shipment of eggs.
More absolute nonsense and emotional rollercoasters are on the way.
Also, I put my own sparkly twist on the Sapphire Scales disease! Since I couldn’t find much canon info, I invented my own cursed science. Basically: it’s a disease that crystallizes blood and white cells, and the body doesn’t even register it as a threat. A literal internal traitor. Fun, right? :)
Anyway. I love you all so much. Thank you for being patient with me, for rereading, for staying through my hot mess scheduling, and for letting me go feral with my story.
See you in the next chapter. Prepare your tissues. And maybe snacks.
— With all the chaos in my soul,
me 💖
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