Star Child

by Raevyniel13

Summary:

I died. I thought that would be the end, but somehow, I woke up in another world. A world of pirates. Except, I wasn't exactly myself anymore. Oh, well. Gotta make do, I guess. Let's see if I can make a difference in this crazy world.

Chapter 1: Captured By Pirates?

Screaming. Pain. Sirens. Nothing. 

 

“-ink it'll rain?”

“Nah. Just cloudy.”

Muffled voices filtered through the walls as I blinked confusedly in the darkness. Where am I? I had a feeling I should probably stay quiet for the time being. My hand pressed against the wall beside me. It was wood, slightly damp and rough to the touch. Cautiously mapping out my surroundings with my fingers, I deduced that I was in some sort of box or chest. It was tall enough for me to kneel, but the lid was either locked or sealed in some way. 

The ground suddenly shifted, and I was knocked sideways, hitting one of the walls with my funny bone. An involuntary hiss escaped my lips, and the box stopped moving.

“Did you hear that?”

Oh, no! My heart pounded as a scraping sound came from outside. Sunlight poured into my space, and I winced reactively. I balled up my hands to rub my eyes. Then, I blinked up at the two men who towered over me, looking just as surprised as I felt. One of them had strawberry blond hair and blue eyes, and the other was a brunet with hazel eyes. For some reason, they had a pale glow around them. Maybe I hit my head. Their clothes were torn in a few places, and they both sported pistols on their belts. Are they pirates? 

I gulped. “P-please don't kill me!” My voice sounded weird to my ears.

Blue Eyes chuckled slightly. “Don't worry, Kiddo. We won't hurt you. How's about you tell us what you're doin’ in a chest?”

Kiddo?! My earlier fear was forgotten as I jabbed my finger at him angrily. “Lookie here, Mister! I may be short, but that doesn't mean you can call me… a…” I trailed off, staring at my finger, which was a lot shorter than it used to be, not to mention attached to a child-sized hand. The blood drained from my face as I opened and closed my fist in front of my face. “Why the hell am I a kid?!” I shouted, in a voice much younger than my mentality.

Hazel Eyes reached toward me placatingly. “Calm down. Maybe we should have our ship's doctor have a look at you.”

Panic filled my body. “Stay away!” I screeched, ducking out of his grasp. I didn't know where I was. I didn't know who they were. Hell, I didn't even know if I was still me. Leaping out of the chest, I raced barefoot across the warm sand of the beach. My eyes frantically scanned the island before me, searching for a place to hide. There were trees, but the branches were too far off the ground to grab. 

Hearing a shout behind me, I dove headlong into the forest. Maybe I could lose them there. Ferns and flowers flew past, none of them big enough to conceal my form. There! A group of bushes were growing at the base of a thick tree, and I beelined for them. In my haste, however, one of my feet caught on a root, and sharp pain shot through my ankle as I fell. Shit! Biting my tongue against the pain, I dragged myself into the bushes and examined my injury. My ankle was already starting to swell, and it hurt to touch.

Now what? I have no medical training for this. I was starting to think that seeing the ship's doctor wasn't such a bad idea. A twig snapped nearby, and I jumped. Better to face them head-on, I suppose. I crawled out of the bushes, and tried to stand, but I couldn't put any weight on my ankle. 

Blue Eyes was leaning casually against a nearby tree trunk, an amused smile on his face. He still had a faint aura. “Ya done runnin’, Little Miss?” Ah, right. He probably has observation haki.

“I hurt myself,” I muttered, pointing to my ankle.

His eyes widened and he pushed off the tree. “Oh, crap! That looks bad!” He approached me hesitantly. “Are you alright with me carrying you?”

I nodded. “If you tell me your name first.”

The man smiled. “I'm known as Bomber.” He carefully scooped me into his arms. “And who might you be, Little Miss?”

“Astra,” I replied promptly. 

Bomber's smile widened. “It's nice to meet you, Astra. I'm sorry we frightened you on the beach. Tad looks scary, but he's a big softie once you get to know ‘im.” He was heading toward the opposite side of the island. Their ship must be docked there. 

“Are you a pirate?” I asked.

“Yeah, but only in name. We don't really do all o’ that killin’ and lootin’ stuff,” he said defensively.

I relaxed, leaning my head against his chest. “That's good to hear,” I murmured. “Not really interested in dying.” Again.

Bomber laughed. “Not many are.”

I heard a familiar bird call and I perked up. “Oh! There are chickadees here!” I exclaimed.

“What's a chick dee?” he asked curiously.

“Chickadee,” I corrected. “It's a type of bird. That sound there is its call. Do you hear it? It goes, chickadee-dee-dee. It's warning its friends that we're here.”

“You seem mighty knowledgeable about them, Astra.”

“Yeah, well, there were a lot of them living in the woods near my home,” I explained. 

“And where might home be?” he asked casually. 

“Michigan,” I replied. I knew he was fishing for information, but I was certain he wouldn't be able to find such a place on any map. 

He hummed. “Never heard of an island by that name. What sea are ya from?” 

He was being so nice, I didn't want to lie to him. “None of them,” I said. 

“Is your island on the Grand Line, then?”

I shook my head. “It doesn't exist.” 

His grip tightened slightly. “I see. And your family?”

I shook my head again. “They don't exist either. Technically, I should be dead right now, but I'm not.”

After a few beats of silence, Bomber mumbled, “I'm sorry.” He remained quiet for the rest of our journey through the woods.

As the trees thinned, I turned my head toward the shore, curious to know which crew I landed on. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of the massive ship anchored off the island, and I sat up quickly in Bomber's arms. No freaking way! 

The horizontal white crescent on the flag. The whale-shaped prow. I looked up at Bomber, eyes wide as saucers. “You're a Whitebeard Pirate?!”

Bomber chuckled. “I guess I forgot ta tell ya that.” He sat me in a dinghy and rowed over to a rope ladder that hung off the side of the ship. “You'll hafta get on my back,” he stated. With my arms clasped around his neck, being careful not to choke him, he climbed up onto the deck. He swung me around so I was nestled in his arms again, and started across the deck. 

“Whatcha got there, Bomber?” a man with a pompadour asked, and I couldn't stop myself from staring. Thatch was still alive! He also had an aura, but his was tinged with red.

“This is Astra. Found ‘er alone on the island. Think Marco should take a look at ‘er ankle,” Bomber explained.

Thatch took in the state of my body with a frown. “When's the last time you ate, Astra?”

I shrugged. “Dunno.” My stomach chose that moment to growl loudly, and I grimaced. 

Thatch's frown deepened. “I'll make something for her,” he murmured, rushing off, probably to the kitchens.

Now that I was aware of my hunger, it was hard to focus. That, and my ankle had begun to throb. “It hurts,” I whined, curling into Bomber's chest.

“Don't worry, Astra. We're almost there.” He pushed through a door. “Marco, I've got a patient for ya!” he called. He set me down on one of the cots.

“If it's Tad again, tell him I'm not healing his sunburn if he refuses to wear sunblock, yoi!” Marco called from a side room.

“I found a child on the island,” Bomber clarified.

Within seconds, Marco was beside us. “Why didn't you start with that, yoi?” he asked, annoyed. His face softened when he looked at me. “Hi, there. I'm Marco. What's your name,yoi?”

“A-Astra,” I stammered. I was actually talking to Marco! His aura was brighter than the others, and gold.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Astra. Is it alright if I take a look at you, yoi?” he asked.

I nodded. “I hurt my ankle in the woods,” I told him. Marco began to examine my ankle.

“I still have to take the rowboat back to shore for Tad. Are you good, Astra, or do you want me to stay?” Bomber asked. 

I smiled at him. “I'm good. Thank you.”

With a wave, Bomber exited the infirmary. Once he was gone, my face screwed up in pain. Marco looked up, concern written on his face. “Your ankle's broken. I can reduce the swelling, and start the healing process, but you'll have to stay off of it for about a month, yoi.”

“Great. Do that. Please,” I forced out through gritted teeth. A soothing warmth spread across my lower limb, and the throbbing lessened. I peeked open my eyes, that I don't remember closing, and watched the blue flames dance around my ankle and eventually extinguish. “Cool.”

Marco smiled. He asked me a few questions as he wrapped my ankle in a hard cast. “So, Astra, do you live on this island, yoi?”

“No.”

His hands slowed their work momentarily before continuing. “Would you like us to take you back to your home island, then, yoi?”

“You can't. It doesn't exist.”

This time, he fully paused to stare at me. “It doesn't exist, yoi?” 

I sighed. “The place I came from doesn't appear on any maps, and it never will. How would you describe that?”

Marco nodded slowly and resumed wrapping. “How old are you, Astra, yoi?” he asked, changing the subject.

Twenty-eight. “Dunno. How old are you?”

“I just turned forty-three, yoi,” he said. The year the anime starts. I don't have much time.

“You're old.”

He chuckled.

Thatch knocked on the infirmary door. “I have some soup for Astra. Can I come in?”

“Yeah,” Marco replied.

The cook swept into the room with a tray balanced on his hand. “Hey there, Little Lady. I warmed up some chicken broth for you. Eat slowly now.” Setting the tray in my lap, he looked at Marco. “She said she didn't remember the last time she ate,” he explained quietly.

Marco nodded. “I'll run some tests to see if she has a vitamin deficiency, yoi.”

I stared hungrily at the bowl in front of me. It smelled good. Bringing the spoon to my mouth, I let the warm liquid trickle down my throat. It was so delicious I wanted to cry. I carefully brought another spoonful to my lips. It took all of my self-restraint not to gulp the soup down.

Marco finished the cast and removed his gloves, donning a second pair. “I'm going to draw some of your blood, okay, yoi?”

I presented my left arm to him without deviating my attention from the food. I barely acknowledged the prick in my elbow. Thatch took the dishes from me when I finished the soup, but I stopped him before he could leave the room. “Thatch, I won't allow you to die,” I said with full seriousness.

His brow furrowed. “Uh, thanks?” He looked to Marco for an explanation, but Marco just shrugged. “Right, well, I have to get started on dinner. See you later, Astra!”

With my belly full and my ankle wrapped, I was suddenly hit with a wall of exhaustion. My eyelids drooped. I didn't even feel my head hit the pillow. 

Chapter 2: Taking The Plunge

Raised voices roused me from my sleep. “-an't keep her, Bomber! A pirate ship isn't a safe place for a little girl, yoi!” That was Marco.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. The infirmary was empty, so they must be outside. 

“She doesn't have anywhere else to go!” Bomber argued. “And she's a lot tougher than she looks!”

“No. My decision is final. We're dropping her off at the next island, yoi. It's only two days away. They have an orphanage there that will take her in, yoi,” Marco said firmly.

I found it hard to breathe all of a sudden. They were going to dump me at a random orphanage?! I couldn't let that happen. Two days wasn't much time, but I needed to somehow convince Marco that I should stay.

I heard the door open, and I pretended that I only just woke up. “G'morning, Marco.”

He smiled at me. “Good morning, Astra. How's your ankle feeling, yoi?”

I shrugged. “Immobile. It doesn't hurt, if that's what you're asking.”

“That's good to hear. Listen, we're taking you to an island that has a bunch of children around your age. There are some nice people there who will take care of you, yoi,” Marco said gently.

I folded my arms. “No. I refuse.” I'd never been one for beating around the bush.

Marco sighed. “Look, you can't stay on this ship. You're only a child. It's dangerous, yoi.”

“I need to save Thatch!” I exclaimed angrily. “How am I supposed to do that from an orphanage?!”

“Save Thatch from what, exactly, yoi?” Marco asked.

I lowered my gaze. “If I leave now, Thatch will die within the next year,” I confessed quietly.

Marco stiffened. “What do you mean?”

I recalled the red tinge in Thatch's aura. He has the mark of death on his soul. “It's not something I can easily explain. I just know. Please. I don't want him to die.” Because if he dies, Ace will die. I couldn't say that part out loud though.

“Why do you even care? You only met us a day ago, yoi.”

I know everything about you guys. Yeah, that'll go over great. “You guys were nice to me,” I said honestly. “And that soup was really tasty,” I added.

With another sigh, Marco pinched the bridge of his nose. “Alright. You can stay until your ankle heals. You'd better have a solid reason for me to trust you by then, yoi.”

I stuck out my pinkie. “Promise?”

He rolled his eyes, but he still hooked his pinkie around mine. “Promise.”

<><><><><>

A few days later, I asked Marco for a mirror, which he provided. I hesitantly looked at my reflection. I didn't recognize myself, like, at all. I was undeniably a child. A very young child. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say I was about four years old. My hair, which was plaited in the back, was mint green, and my eyes were a vivid teal. I spent an hour just staring at my eyes in the mirror. They were stunning. 

“Astra?” Marco's voice pulled me from my thoughts. “We made some crutches for you, so you can roam around the deck if you want, yoi.” He set them against the side of the bed.

“Thank you.” I swung my legs off the bed and grabbed the crutches. Anything was better than staying bedridden.

“Be careful. The starboard side of the deck was just swabbed, so it might be a bit slick, yoi,” he warned me.

“I'll bear it in mind,” I said, slipping the crutches under my arms. I tested my good leg before heading outside, barely breaking stride as I nudged the door open with my foot. I'd had my fair share of experience with crutches, having broken both of my legs on separate occasions, not to mention having had multiple ankle sprains. 

I squinted in the sunlight, and looked out over the massive deck. A handful of the crew were animatedly playing a card game. I assumed money was involved, if the shouts were anything to go by. I didn't spot any familiar faces at first glance, so I stuck to the edge as I crossed to the front of the ship. I felt Marco's eyes tracking my movements, but it didn't bother me. I understood he wanted to keep his family safe.

I climbed a short set of stairs, which allowed me to view my full surroundings. The beach was crowded with nearly fifty pirates, sunbathing, swimming, playing volleyball, you name it. It made sense that there would be at least that many on board. 

Climbing down, I continued along the edge until I was facing the sea. I set my crutches down and sat on the high wall. The water stretched out endlessly toward the horizon, and, for the first time since arriving in this world, I felt truly homesick. This wasn't my world. This wasn't my body. Marco didn't trust me. I wasn't part of the crew. I had no place to call home. Despite being surrounded by people, I was alone. But, I also had nothing to lose. I had already died. If I did nothing, everyone around me would be hurtling toward certain death. Why shouldn't I at least try to change the world? 

“Sea King off the starboard side!” someone called from the crow's nest, and a moment later, the ship rocked in the water. I tumbled over the side of the ship. The water stung as I struck the sea with a splash, and I immediately felt my strength being sapped away from me. I have a Devil Fruit?! I was sinking, and I could barely move. A massive creature swam past my body, then twisted to stare at me, and I screamed.

Marco POV 

For someone so young, Astra seemed quite adept at maneuvering on crutches. From the shade, I watched her travel along the bulwark and climb up to stare at the sea. I was pretty sure she was harmless, but I still preferred to keep tabs on her. Hearing a call from the crow's nest, I glanced up.

“Sea King off the starboard side!” 

The ship rocked. My eyes immediately snapped back to Astra. She wasn't there. Panicked, I started forward. “Shit! Astra!” I formed my wings and dove over the side of the ship, just in time to see her small form slip beneath the waves. “Shit!” With a Sea King in the water, it wouldn't be safe to send anyone in after her.

The sea beneath me began to roil, and I prepared to fight. Instead of its head, however, the Sea King's tail snapped out of the water, flinging something small through the air. I darted forward, catching Astra's body in my talons. The sea immediately calmed, signaling the departure of the Sea King. Weird.

I carried Astra back to the ship and set her on the deck. Then, I knelt beside her. She wasn't breathing. Four chest compressions in, she started coughing up seawater, and I sat back with a relieved sigh.

Curling onto her side, she took a shuddering breath. “Worst. Bath. Ever,” she muttered.

I couldn't hold back my laughter.

<><><><><>

Getting Astra dried off, I applied a new cast on her ankle, since the old one had begun to disintegrate. She was silent through the entire process. “Are you alright, yoi?” I asked when I was finished.

There was conflict behind her eyes for a moment. “Apparently, I have a Devil Fruit,” she said quietly.

My brow furrowed. “Apparently? Shouldn't you know whether or not you ate one, yoi?”

After another internal struggle, she said, “I am me, but this…” She gestured to her body. “This isn't me.” What did she mean that wasn't her? I was just getting more confused, and it must've shown on my face, because she let out a frustrated growl. “Look, my brain, mentality, soul, whatever you want to call it, doesn't belong to this body. I have no idea who this person is!” she exclaimed, pointing to herself again.

Does she have schizophrenia? Or some type of amnesia? “Right,” I said slowly.

She glared at me. “Of course you don't believe me. You should've just let me drown. That way, Teach can kill Thatch and Whitebeard, and Ace will get executed. I'm trying to save your whole family, but why would you ever believe me? I'm just a crazy person, obviously.” She snatched up her crutches and raced out the door.

It took me a moment to process her words. “Wait! What?!” I hurried after her. She wasn't on the deck. Dang, she's fast! I could sense her moving through the ship, heading toward the kitchens. I should've guessed. 

I was out of breath when I burst through the galley doors, and Thatch glanced up at my arrival. He was behind a counter, preparing things for tomorrow's breakfast. “Where is she, yoi?” I demanded.

Thatch raised an eyebrow. “Who?” 

“Don't play dumb, Thatch. I know Astra's in here. Now where did you hide her, yoi?” For some reason, my haki wasn't able to pin down her exact location.

Thatch gave me an indifferent look. “Maybe the little lady doesn't want to talk to you right now.”

If what she said is true, then… “I'm sorry, Astra. I'm willing to hear you out, yoi,” I spoke to the room. Please. I need to know.

“P-promise?” Astra's wobbly voice came from behind the counter where Thatch was standing.

I sighed. “Promise.”

“I want Thatch to hear it too,” she added.

Thatch looked surprised. “Me?” 

I rounded the counter to see Astra curled up between Thatch's feet. Her eyes were puffy. “Yes, you. It's a story and a half, and I don't want to repeat it more than necessary,” she said stubbornly.

Thatch set his knife down. “Alright, Little Lady, if it's that important to you, I'm all ears.”

Astra glanced up at me, and I nodded. She took a deep breath. “What I told you before was the truth. The place I came from doesn't exist. I don't fully remember the events leading up to my death, but I know I died.” She paused. “I died,” she repeated, as if it finally sank in. “But then I woke up inside a treasure chest, in this stupid body. Before I died I was twenty-eight years old, and now I'm a freaking toddler,” she grumbled. “I don't know anything about who this person was, though I get the feeling that they were already dead when my soul or whatever inhabited their body.”

“So, you're, like, a ghost possessing a corpse?” Thatch asked, face pale.

“More like a relocated soul,” she replied. “I’m still a human being with needs and wants and dreams. Just not in my original body. You're friends with a literal phoenix, Thatch. This isn't that weird.”

She has a point there. “That still doesn't explain what you told me earlier, yoi,” I commented.

“I'm getting there, Birdie. Be patient.” Birdie?! I scowled at her, and she shot me a cheeky grin before continuing. “Back at home, there was this guy. I suppose you could consider him an oracle or a seer. He wrote and drew what I considered to be stories at the time, but now I view them as prophecies of a potential future. I thought things like haki and Devil Fruits only existed in that man's imagination. I knew who you were as soon as I saw you, Thatch, because you were in one of his drawings. Hard to mistake that hair.” She giggled.

Thatch didn't have a bounty poster, as he usually stayed in the galley, so that part of her story seemed believable enough. “What was the story about me?” Thatch asked excitedly.

Astra's face grew somber. “I'm sorry. There was only one story about you, and it was about your death. In it, Marshall D. Teach, later known as Blackbeard, murders you in order to steal a Devil Fruit you found.”

I watched Thatch's face drain of color. “D-do you remember what the Devil Fruit looked like?” he stammered.

“I think it looked kind of like a purple pineapple,” she replied. “It's called the Dark-Dark Fruit.”

“Shit,” Thatch whispered.

“Thatch? What's wrong, yoi?” I asked.

He staggered over to a cupboard and retrieved a small box. “I found this while I was exploring today. I was planning on unveiling it once we returned to the Moby Dick, but…” He lifted the lid, revealing a purple Devil Fruit that strongly resembled a pineapple.

“Shit,” I agreed.

Chapter 3: Best Laid Plans

Astra POV

Thatch and Marco both stared at the Devil Fruit sitting on the floor between them. They had to sit down once the reality of the situation sank in. Finally, Marco looked up at me. “Now what, yoi?” he asked.

I thought for a moment. “How much time do we have before we arrive back at the Moby Dick?”

“A little under a month, yoi,” he replied.

I raised an eyebrow. “Is that why I had until my ankle healed? You didn't want me to meet Whitebeard, did you? What, were you afraid he'd adopt me on the spot?”

Marco averted his eyes. “That's not important right now, yoi.” So, that's a yes.

I tapped my fingers on the floor. “I have the beginnings of a plan, but you guys aren't going to like it,” I said hesitantly.

“We can decide that after we hear it, yoi,” Marco said.

I told them. They didn't like it.

“No. Absolutely not, yoi.” Marco stated.

“Do you have a better idea?” I countered.

His jaw ticked. “Not at the moment, but I won't allow you to be a decoy, yoi,” he gritted out.

“It's the best option! I'm not a member of the crew, so even if I die, it's not a big deal!” I argued. Why doesn't he understand that?

“N-not a big deal?!” Thatch spluttered. “You're talking about losing your life, Astra!”

“I've already died!” I shouted. “This is just a bonus, and if it saves your life, then it's worth it!” The kitchen rang with silence after my outburst. I lowered my voice. “Look. If Teach kills Thatch, Ace goes after Teach. Teach captures Ace, and Ace gets executed by the marines. Whitebeard takes his fleet to rescue Ace, and Teach kills Whitebeard. If I get rid of the starting factor, I might be able to save everyone, even if I die in the process.”

Marco let out a long sigh. “What's to stop Teach from taking the fruit if you die, yoi?”

“I'll have a fake one,” I replied. I looked at Thatch. “No one's going to force you to, but I think you should eat it,” I told him. “It isn't safe to have this fruit out in circulation. Besides, you probably don't swim anyway because you don't want to mess up your hair.” That earned a small snort from Marco.

Thatch eyed the fruit warily. “You said it's called the Dark-Dark Fruit? What sort of powers does it grant?”

“It's a unique logia. You'd become darkness, but unlike a normal logia, it doesn't allow you to avoid attacks. In fact, physical attacks would hit you harder because it's more like a black hole. It draws things in. That also applies to Devil Fruit powers. If you touched a Devil Fruit holder, their abilities would be nullified as long as you're in contact with them. There might be more that I don't know about, but that's the gist of it.” 

“You're right,” Marco said. “That is a dangerous fruit. For an enemy to possess, yoi.” He also looked at Thatch.

Thatch hemmed and hawed over the decision for a good twenty minutes. Finally, he lifted the Devil Fruit to his mouth and bit into it. He immediately gagged. “Oh my god! That is disgusting!” He eyed the remainder of the fruit with dismay. “Do I have to eat all of it?”

“N-”

“Yes,” Marco said seriously, interrupting me. “It doesn't work unless you eat the whole thing, yoi.” I saw his lips twitch, though, as Thatch struggled through the rest of the Devil Fruit. 

Thatch was slightly green by the time he finished. “I might be sick,” he moaned.

Marco clapped him on the back. “You'll be fine, yoi.” He looked at me. “You're certain you want to do this, yoi?”

I nodded. “I am. If you come up with a better plan before we get there, I'm willing to consider it though.”

<><><><><>

The weeks passed, and Marco removed my cast the day before we were due back. I rolled my ankle around thoughtfully. My anxiety was through the roof. What if something goes wrong?

Marco let out a sigh. “I still don't like the plan, yoi.” I opened my mouth to respond, and Marco held up a finger. “However, I can't think of any other way to make Teach reveal his true colors without putting my brothers at risk, yoi. I insist that you keep a dagger on you, though.” He handed me a small, sheathed blade. “If your life is threatened, please use it, yoi,” he said quietly.

“I will.”

He gave me a small smile and held out his pinkie. “Promise?”

Chuckling, I reciprocated the gesture. “Promise.”

<><><><><>

I stayed near Marco as his subordinates unloaded their supplies from the ship. Several of his brothers crowded around to welcome them back, and I spotted Teach lurking on the outskirts of the group. His aura was black. Ace was also in the group. His aura was almost fully red, and his chest glistened in the sun. Too bad I'm a child right now. 

Ace slung an arm around Thatch's shoulder. “Hey, Thatch! Find anything interesting on your expedition? New foods to try, maybe?” His eyes lit up at just the prospect of Thatch’s meals.

Thatch grinned. “We actually found a Devil Fruit on one of the islands we explored. It looks like a purple pineapple. I wonder what powers it imbues.”

Teach pushed his way forward slightly, interest gleaming in his eyes. “Did you say a purple pineapple?” he asked, trying not to seem too eager, but failing miserably.

“Yeah. Have you heard of it, yoi?” Marco asked.

Teach laughed dismissively and waved his hand. “I read something a little while back. It might not even be the same fruit I'm thinking of.”

Marco scratched his neck. “Oh! I left the box on my desk, yoi. Astra?” He looked down at me. “Could you go grab it for me, yoi?”

I shrank back slightly. “I don't want to go by myself,” I said quietly.

“Alright.” Marco looked around at his nearby crewmates. “Uh, Teach, would you mind going with her, yoi?”

Teach grinned widely. “I'd be glad to.” Could he be any more transparent? “Come on, Astra, was it? Let's go get that Devil Fruit.” He held out a hand toward me.

I fought to hide my revulsion as I took his offered hand. I led the way to Marco's office, letting go of Teach's hand to open the door. My senses were on high alert as I walked toward the box sitting on the desk. I picked it up and heard the door click shut behind me. Heart thumping, I turned to face the traitor. My hand dropped to my belt. The dagger was gone.

My blade glinted as Teach examined it calmly. He smiled sinisterly, meeting my gaze. “That box looks heavy, Astra. Why don't you let me carry it?”

I shook my head and took a step back. “M-Marco asked me to grab it.”

His face morphed into a look of fury. “Give it to me, you brat!” he snarled, brandishing my dagger in one hand and a multi-bladed claw on the other.

I gulped and retreated another step, my shoulders hitting the edge of the desk. I'm going to die again. His attack came at me fast. I instinctively ducked out of the way, catching a small nick on my ear. I dodged again as the blades whistled past, just missing the tip of my nose. I briefly registered a pounding coming from the door, but I was in survival mode. I couldn't afford to lose my focus. I was getting tired, though, and my next dodge was a half-second too slow. I hissed as the claw slashed across my face. I clenched my eyes shut in pain, preparing myself for the finishing blow, but it never came.

I flinched as a pair of arms picked me up. “Astra!” It was Marco. The burning in my face dulled, and I slowly opened my eyes, meeting the bright blue, and extremely worried, gaze of the First Division Commander. 

“Where's… Teach?” I asked, trying to catch my breath.

Marco's jaw clenched. “He's dead, yoi.”

All of the tension faded from my body. “Good. I don't think I could've dodged any more of his attacks.”

Surprise showed on Marco’s face. “You were able to dodge him, yoi?”

I nodded sleepily. “Pro’ly coulda lasted longer if I didn't get tired,” I murmured, curling into his chest.

Marco shook me gently. “Hey, you can't fall asleep yet. I need you to tell me what happened, yoi.”

I forced my eyes back open. “He stole my dagger during the walk over, so I was defenseless. He locked the door and asked me to hand him the box. When I refused, he lunged at me. I dodged a few times, got hurt, and then you arrived.” I yawned. “Can I sleep now?”

He hugged me tightly to his chest. “Yes. You can sleep now, yoi.” 

Chapter 4: Commander Meeting

Marco POV

When I carried Astra back to the Moby Dick, a few of my brothers came over, curious. Thatch immediately rushed to my side. “Is she…?” 

“She's alive,” I informed him, and his face broke into a relieved smile. “She managed to dodge Teach's attacks until I got there, yoi.”

Ace's eyes widened. “How?! I can't even keep up with him! And I've trained! She's, what, like five?!”

“Don't let her age fool you. She's a tough kid,” Thatch said.

I felt Pops watching me. “I'm going to get her settled in the infirmary, yoi,” I told them. “I was able to stop the bleeding, but she'll probably still have scars from this. Oh, and Ace? Could you call a commander meeting? We need to discuss what just happened, yoi.”

Ace nodded and rushed off to inform the others. Thatch followed me to the infirmary, hovering like a concerned parent. “Are you sure she's okay?”

"She'll be fine,” I assured him. “She's just exhausted, yoi.”

Shadows gathered around his left hand. “So, Teach was really ready to murder over this,” he murmured thoughtfully. “How come none of us saw that coming? He's been part of the crew for close to thirty years. Were we just blind to the signs?”

I sighed. “Save it for the meeting, Thatch. Maybe the others will have better insight, yoi.” Laying Astra on one of the beds, I applied ointment and bandages to her facial wounds. She whimpered in her sleep, and my heart ached. So much for not getting attached.

Ace knocked on the door. “Everyone’s gathered.”

I sent one last glance toward Astra's face, then Thatch and I followed him. Pops and the other Commanders stared at me expectantly when I entered the room. Ace went over to sit by Jozu, but Thatch remained beside me. I addressed Pops first. “During our expedition, we found a child locked inside a treasure chest that had washed ashore on an uninhabited island. She seems to have knowledge of some future events, yoi.”

Pops nodded, and I continued. “One of the first things she said to us was that she wouldn't let Thatch die, yoi. She told us that Teach was going to murder Thatch in order to obtain a certain Devil Fruit, which she named, yoi. She didn't know that Thatch had already found that exact Devil Fruit earlier that day, yoi.” 

Guilt bubbled up in my throat, and I took a deep breath. “In order to verify that Teach wanted it, we made a decoy fruit and left her and Teach alone with it, yoi. When she wouldn't hand it over, Teach tried to kill her. Luckily, I was able to intervene before he succeeded, but his rage and lust were both evident in his actions, yoi.”

“How could you put a child through something like that?!” Izou interrupted indignantly.

I tensed my jaw. “It was her idea, yoi. She volunteered. She said she was willing to die if it meant saving Thatch’s life, yoi. She was adamant about it, in fact, yoi.”

“If you used a decoy fruit, where's the real one?” Vista asked.

Thatch held up his hand, darkness coalescing around it. “I ate it,” he said bluntly.

“What did you do with Teach?” Fossa asked. 

My face hardened. “When I broke down the door, Teach lashed out at me, yoi. He had no qualms about attacking a crewmate. I slit that monster's throat, yoi,” I stated coldly. “Teach would have killed me, were it not for my Devil Fruit, yoi.” I waited for my words to sink in.

“Wait a minute. Then, how did that child survive?!” Ace shouted.

“I don't know, yoi,” I answered honestly.

The room devolved into speculations about Astra's abilities, and I just listened to the others, lost in thought. How did Astra survive? Observation haki didn't work against Teach, as I quickly discovered. He really had been duping us for decades, huh? Hmm. Does it have to do with her Devil Fruit? She mentioned she has one, but she hasn't told me what it is. Maybe she doesn't know.

I heard the door open behind me, and I turned to see Astra peeking into the room. “You guys are loud,” she complained. My brow furrowed slightly. The infirmary is on the opposite side of the ship. She entered and closed the door. By that point, every eye in the room was on her. She waved half-heartedly. “Sup.” She still looked a bit tired. She noticed Pops, and her eyes widened. “Holy shit! You're huge!” I heard Ace snort.

Astra made her way over to stand directly in front of Pops. She studied him silently for a moment before pointing at him. “Become my father,” she demanded. I internally groaned. Here we go.

Pops leaned forward slightly, face neutral and eyes calculating. “No,” he said simply. I did a double-take. Did I hear that correctly?! I had never seen him refuse to take in a child. Ever.

Astra glared up at him. “Yes.”

“No,” he stressed, and I felt the air grow heavy.

Astra stubbornly stood her ground. “Listen here, Old Man! I will be your daughter, whether you like it or not!” A few of my brothers sucked in their breath at that. I may or may not have done the same.

The air pressure was nearly suffocating, and yet Astra refused to budge. Does she have a death wish? Pops suddenly sat back with a laugh, and the pressure dissipated. “Alright, I fold,” he admitted, eyes twinkling. “I'll be your father. What's your name, little one?”

“My name is Astra. Did you have to use that much haki?” she grumbled. “That shit takes a lot of energy to hold at bay.” What the hell?!

Pops laughed again. 

Astra POV

When I woke up in the infirmary, I immediately got out of bed. I needed to find Thatch. I needed to see if his aura changed. I heard Ace and Thatch, along with a few others, so I followed their voices through hallways and to a large door. I pushed it open and peered inside. All of the Whitebeard Commanders were there. 

Thatch was standing next to Marco. The red tinge on his aura was gone, and a wave of relief swept over me. Good. It worked. Ace's hadn't changed, though. That was worrying. Marco noticed me. I guess I can't just leave now. “You guys are loud,” I complained, walking fully into the room. Everyone turned to stare at me, so I gave them a little wave. “Sup.”

Then, my eyes landed on Whitebeard, sitting at the edge of the room in a massive chair. Pictures did not do him justice. That man was a freaking monolith. “Holy shit! You're huge!” I exclaimed. Someone snorted.

My feet carried me forward as I tried to pick out the colors of his aura. It was harder to focus on than the others because his was patchy, but once I was up close, I could see streaks of red and green, muddled to brown in places. Red seemed to be associated with future death, but I wasn't sure what green meant. Maybe illness? Anyway, I had always dreamed of becoming a Whitebeard Pirate, and so, with confidence, I pointed at Whitebeard. “Become my father!” I've always wanted to say that.

Whitebeard leaned forward and regarded me calmly. “No.” What?!

I glared up at the skyscraper before me. Is he challenging me? ‘Cause I don't back down easily. “Yes,” I insisted.

“No,” he repeated more firmly, and the air pressed down on me. 

I pushed back. “Listen here, Old Man! I will be your daughter, whether you like it or not!” I shouted. If he wants me to leave this ship, he'll have to pry my dead fingers from the floorboards.

We had a silent staring contest for several minutes before the force of his presence backed off and he laughed. “Alright, I fold. I'll be your father.” Hooray! “What's your name, little one?” 

“My name is Astra,” I told him. Then I pouted. “Did you have to use that much haki? That shit takes a lot of energy to hold at bay.” As if I wasn't already exhausted enough from facing Teach. Whitebeard's only response was another laugh. Typical.

I chose a random spot on the ground and sat down. Every eye in the room was still on me. I sighed. “You guys were talking about me earlier, and I thought I'd clear some things up. I am not a ‘naive, little child’, nor am I an ‘alien with spooky space powers’.” I used my fingers to make quotation marks in the air.

Izou shifted uncomfortably, while Ace turned pink and sank down in his seat. “It was just a theory,” Ace mumbled.

“I was able to dodge Teach because of my Devil Fruit,” I continued. Energy prickled just beneath the surface of my skin.“It's called the Vital-Vital Fruit,” I explained. “I can view the vitality of others, but I also have the ability to boost my own speed and strength for a short time.”

“What do you mean, view the vitality of others?” Thatch asked.

“All of you have colored auras. The colors seem to indicate different things,” I explained. “Marco's is gold, which I assume is because of his Devil Fruit. Most of the rest of yours are white, which is fully safe and healthy. Thatch's had a tinge of red until today, probably because of Teach. It seems like red indicates how at risk your life is, even taking into account future events. And I think green is illness.”

“You said most of ours are white,” Fossa said quietly. “Whose aren't?”

I made eye contact with Ace, who visibly sweatdropped. Then, I quickly scanned over the rest of them. “Haruta has a bit of green, Ace's is red, and Pops…” I lowered my gaze to my lap. “He has a lot of both.”

Marco spoke up. “The red and green for Pops is understandable, considering he has a terminal disease, yoi. Everyone here is aware of that. Haruta, I'll give you a check-up after this, yoi.”

“What about Ace?” Jozu asked. He looked questioningly at his youngest brother. Ace, for his part, didn't appear to have any interest in speaking.

“I refuse to let Ace die,” I said quietly, drawing the attention away from him. “Even if it costs me my life, I will do anything and everything possible to prevent his untimely demise.” A look of surprise crossed Ace's face. I stood up. “I'm really tired now, so I'm heading back to the infirmary. Bye.” I exited the room and started down the hallway. I meant every word I said. Ace wasn't dying on my watch. I yawned. Even with enhanced vitality, this child's body tires quickly.

Chapter 5: Echoes of The Past

Marco POV

The room was silent after Astra left, until Curiel let out a long exhale. “Wow. That was… interesting.”

“You can say that again,” Izou said. “How old did you say she was, Marco?”

I shrugged. “I don't know, yoi. She doesn't know. If I had to hazard a guess, probably not more than five years old, yoi.”

“Wow,” Curiel repeated.

Thatch nodded. “Now you see what Marco and I have been dealing with for the past month.”

“I like her,” Blamenco smiled. “She's fiery!”

“Speaking of fiery,” Izou spoke pointedly. “Ace, do you have any idea why your life would be at risk?”

Ace tried to shrink into his seat. So, he does know, but he doesn't want to tell us. Pops cleared his throat, and we all looked at him. His gaze was focused on Ace. “Ace, my son,” he said gently. “I know how hard this is for you. The decision is yours to make, but I can assure you that nobody in this room will judge you.”

The emotion on my youngest brother's face was raw. His mouth opened, but he struggled to speak. “Th-the marines want me dead,” he finally forced out.

“They want all of us dead,” Namule muttered, and I shot him a warning glance. Let him get this out.

Ace curled in on himself even more. “They want me dead because of who my biological father was. My mother's name was Portgas D. Rouge, and my biological father's name was…” He took a deep breath. His hands were trembling. “Gol. D Roger,” he revealed quietly.

“Okay, and? You’re still our brother,” Fossa declared. “A lot of us have parents we’re not proud of, but we all found this family. If the marines want you, they'll have to go through us first!”

Everyone echoed a similar sentiment, leaving Ace in tears. “Why would anyone risk their life for me?” he asked brokenly.

“Because we care about you, you idiot,” Thatch replied promptly. “You're just too dense to realize it.”

Ace barked out a damp laugh. “Perhaps I am. I was raised by mountain bandits after all.” Now that was a tidbit I didn't know. 

Izou gave his shoulder a small squeeze. “Each day you live is validation of your worth,” he told him, and for some reason, that made Ace cry even harder.

I grabbed the attention of my brothers. “I'll go ahead and adjourn the meeting now, unless anyone has anything else they'd like to discuss, yoi.” They all shook their heads. “Alright. Haruta, I'll meet you in the infirmary, yoi.” He nodded.

Pops beckoned me over, and I flew up to his shoulder. “Out of curiosity,” he began. “Which island was Astra found on?”

“Solitude, yoi.”

He hummed thoughtfully. “I see. Thank you.” I waited for him to say more, but that seemed to be all. 

As we all filtered out of the room, I noted that Ace remained seated. I headed down the corridor after Haruta. All of a sudden, he crouched down in the middle of the hall. I increased my pace. By the time I reached him, he was standing back up with a sleeping Astra in his arms. “Looks like she passed out on her way back,” he murmured. 

We both continued to the infirmary, and Haruta laid Astra gently on a bed. Then, he hopped up on the exam table. His vitals were normal, and I didn't see anything wrong with him physically, but I did a basic blood draw as well, just to be on the safe side. 

When I saw the results, I frowned. “Haruta, have you been avoiding fruits and vegetables again, yoi?” His eyes darted away guiltily and I sighed. “You have a mild case of scurvy, yoi. Because of Astra, I was able to catch it before it got bad, but if this happens one more time, I'll tell Thatch to feed you only lemons and broccoli for an entire week, yoi.”

Haruta paled and he stood up. “Y-you know, I think I should drink some orange juice.”

“I think that would be a wise decision, yoi,” I said dryly.

He hurried away before I could change my mind.

<><><><><>

It only took a day for Astra's wounds to heal. It seemed like her Devil Fruit also enhanced her body's natural healing factor. As I predicted, though, she was left with three scarred lines across her face, running from her right cheekbone to the left side of her jaw. She grinned at herself in the mirror. “Now I've got something in common with Shanks!” she said proudly.

I suppose so, but that's true of anyone with three scars, right? I didn't want to dampen her mood, however, so I kept that thought to myself. “Astra, you said that you don't know anything about the body you're in, yoi. What about your mind or soul or whatever? Could you tell me about yourself from before you were her, yoi?”

She nodded. “I grew up in a sparsely populated area. My family lived quite a distance away from the nearest town, so I spent a lot of time exploring the woods near our house. When I was about five, I decided that samurai were really cool, so I begged my parents for a sword. They bought me a cheap, wooden one, but I loved it. I spent several hours each day swinging it at trees. When I got a bit older, I started saving up to get a proper sword, and my parents realized I wasn't going to outgrow my obsession, so they enrolled me in kendo classes. I biked to town every weekend. It was really fun!” Her eyes shone with passion. “I got really good at it too! I was top of my class! When I moved away to go to college, I tried to find a club on campus or a dojo, but there weren't any nearby, so I just continued training on my own.”

“College, yoi? What's that?” I hadn't heard that term before.

Astra blinked. “Oh, uh, it's basically a school for adults.”

“I see. What were you studying, if you don't mind me asking, yoi?”

“Molecular Genetics, with a focus in cancer research. I was set to graduate in April.” Astra paused for a moment. “What month is it?”

“Currently? It's mid-February, yoi.”

She nodded thoughtfully. “Luffy should be getting his first bounty soon,” she murmured.

“Ace's brother, yoi?”

She smiled. “Yeah. He's gonna make waves.” Her smile suddenly faltered, and she put a hand to her chest. “That doesn't feel right,” she mumbled. “Hey, Marco, can you grab a stethoscope?”

I quickly retrieved one from my office, and I heard a crash in the other room. Oh no! I hurried back in panic to find Astra waiting on the bed. She pointed toward the back wall. A tray had fallen off the counter. I sighed with relief, and brought the stethoscope over to Astra. As I listened to her heart, my mouth ran dry. “You have a heart murmur and an arrhythmia, yoi.”

Astra POV

As Marco said that, several things clicked in my mind. “So that's why I tire so quickly. I'm guessing it's congenital heart disease. This girl probably originally died of a heart attack.”

Marco frowned. “I haven't seen something like this since…” He trailed off. “No way, yoi,” he breathed. He peered closely at my face. “It's possible,” he muttered. “Especially with that Fruit, yoi.” He let out a small breath of laughter. “I can't believe I didn't notice it earlier, yoi.”

“Would you mind telling me what's going on?” I asked impatiently.

“I think I might know who you are, and it seems kind of crazy, yoi,” Marco said dazedly. “Almost thirty years ago, we had a crewmate whose first-born child had a heart defect. I did everything I could at the time, but I told them I didn't think she would live past five, yoi.” He ran his hand through his hair and started to pace. “She was three, almost four, when her dad decided to travel with a different crew, yoi. I don't know what happened to her after that, but her mom possessed a Fruit that could send people through time, yoi. If something bad occured after they left, it's possible that the little girl got sent twenty-four years into the future, yoi.”

I stared at him in shock. “You're telling me I might be the daughter of Oden and Toki?!”

Marco laughed in disbelief again. “Your hair. Your eyes. You look exactly the same, yoi. I seriously can't believe I didn't see the resemblance sooner, yoi.”

“What was her, or rather my, name?” I asked.

Marco ran back to his office and started rifling through papers. After about ten minutes, he returned with a journal. “I kept records of every major medical procedure I performed or assisted with, yoi.” He quickly flipped through the pages. Here it is: Kouzuki Hoshiko, born on the 9th of March twenty-eight years ago, yoi.”

How many coincidences before it's creepy? I think we've already hit the limit. I felt lightheaded. "I have the same exact birthday as her,” I mumbled. “Our names even… Oh, I'm gonna pass ou-”

<><><><><>

An uneven beeping roused me. I was hooked up to a couple of machines, one of which was reading my heart beat. I don't think that's what a heart is supposed to sound like. A blond lady wearing a short, pink nurse's dress was sorting medical supplies nearby. 

She glanced over. “Hi. Astra, right? My name's Tate. I'm one of the nurses here. How are you feeling?”

I took stock of my physical state. “Tired and extremely hungry,” I replied.

“Any pain? Dizziness? Nausea?”

I rolled my eyes. “No. I would've mentioned it if I did. I understand you're trying to do your job, but can I please just have some food?”

She blinked at me. “I'll inform Dr. Marco that you're awake.” She left the room.

I sighed and sank down into my pillow, listening to the sound of my stuttering heart. I thought back to my last conversation with Marco. Could I really be a member of the Kouzuki clan? A memory rose unbidden to the surface of my mind.

I was lying on a bed much like the one I was currently in, also surrounded by medical equipment. My vision was slightly blurred. A green-haired woman stood beside me, holding my hand. It was my mother. She smiled, but there was sadness behind her eyes. Leaning over, she pressed a kiss to my forehead.

I shook my head. My vision was still blurred. I wiped the tears from my eyes and pressed a shaking hand to my forehead. It felt like that happened only a few months ago. I'm remembering things I've never experienced, but I know them. The feelings associated with the memories were mine. I knew that was Toki in the flashback, but emotionally, she was my mother. I threw an arm over my leaking eyes. 

I heard the infirmary door open and Marco's sandals cross the floor. “Astra?” he asked worriedly. “Are you alright, yoi? Are the lights too bright? Do you feel dizzy, yoi?”

I shook my head, leaving my arm in place. 

A warm hand brushed against my shoulder. “What's wrong, yoi?” Marco asked gently.

“Hoshiko's memories are still inside my head," I confessed. "I remembered Toki, my mother, kissing my forehead while I was hooked up like this. It made me sad because I know that Toki is d-dead.” My chin trembled. My mother is dead.

Marco's hand combed through my hair. “Deep breaths, Astra. In and out. In and out, yoi.”

I followed his instructions until my breath evened out. “Thank you. It's overwhelming, having such strong emotions that are mine, but at the same time, not mine.” I dried my eyes and looked around. “Did you bring food with you? I told Tate that I was really hungry. I would've gone searching for Thatch if I wasn't attached to these.” I gestured to the cords running across my body.

Marco frowned. “She didn't mention anything about that, yoi. I'll go get you something. Do you have a preference on a meal? I'm fairly certain Thatch would be willing to whip up nearly anything for you, yoi.”

I thought for a second. “Right now, I'm really craving sautéed zucchini, thinly sliced and lightly salted. ...and something chocolaty,” I added with a grin.

He gave me a small smile. “I'll give your order to Thatch. I should be back soon, yoi.” He handed me a small blue snail with a button on its back. “In the meantime, if something happens, push this. It's paired with a snail I keep on my person, yoi.” 

I nodded. So, it's basically Life Alert. As he was walking toward the door, I said, “Could you tell Ace to stop hovering around outside the infirmary? If he wants to talk to me, he can. I don't bite…hard.”

Marco's lips twitched. “I'll let him know, yoi.”

Notes:

Kouzuki Hoshiko died and was transmigrated to Astra's body. After twenty-four years on earth, she died again and returned to her time jumped body. Since the age of four, Astra has been Hoshiko, but through the years, she forgot her real name. Hoshiko(as Astra) learned how to wield a katana and how to treat genetic diseases.

Chapter 6: Hard Decisions

Ace slowly slunk into the room, looking slightly embarrassed. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “I heard that you had a health problem, so I wanted to check on you, but I wasn't sure whether you were awake or not, and I didn't want to disturb you if you were sleeping, and-”

“Ace,” I said firmly. “You don't have to walk on eggshells around me. In fact, I'd prefer the opposite. You obviously want to ask me something, so ask it.” 

He gulped. “O-okay. Uh, do you know when or how I'm going to die?” he stammered.

“I don't,” I told him bluntly. “By saving Thatch, I changed the fate of the future. I have no idea what'll happen with this crew from here on out.”

“If the future's going to be different, how was I going to die?” he asked curiously.

“If the marines somehow capture you, the events may still occur. Knowing that, do you still want me to tell you?” If it gets to that point, it might be out of my hands.

Ace nodded. “I'd rather know.”

“After capturing you, the marines will hold a public execution. They'll reveal your bloodline to the world. Whitebeard's entire fleet will go to Marineford to rescue you, but not all of them will walk away. Luffy will also show up to save you, and he'll manage to free you. However, as you make your escape, Akainu will insult Whitebeard.”

“I would never stand for that,” Ace growled.

“Exactly. You'll turn back. Rather than attacking you, though, Akainu will target Luffy.” Ace's eyes widened. “I think you understand how that would end.”

“I would take the hit,” he said quietly. “In that future, does Luffy escape?”

“Yes.”

“Then, if that future still happens, I wouldn't do anything differently,” he stated.

I sighed resignedly. “I know, but if I can stop the marines from capturing you, it might not get to that point.”

Ace leaned back in his chair. “I can understand my brothers, but why do you care so much about saving me?” 

“This may sound weird coming from a four-year-old, but I'm a big fan of yours,” I said, downplaying my emotions. I can't just tell him I have a huge crush on him. I'm four. That would be super duper uncomfortable for him. “I think you're awesome, and I don't want you to die.”

“You certainly don't act like a normal four-year-old,” Ace commented.

“How would you know how normal kids are supposed to act?” I countered.

He paused, and I saw the gears in his head turn. “Point taken,” he conceded, flashing a grin at me.

I felt a fluttering in my chest. It was probably my arrhythmia. “Hey, um, could I ask you something?”

His grin widened. “Shoot.”

“Does your Devil Fruit make your body really warm?” I asked.

The back of his hand pressed against my cheek. “You tell me,” he said. It felt like the sun-warmed sand on the beach that makes you want to curl up on a towel and take a nap. I leaned into it. 

“Astra!”

My eyes snapped open, and I blinked at Ace a few times. “What?”

“You passed out,” he said worriedly.

I waved a hand dismissively. “Yeah. That'll happen. My heart's all kinds of messed up.” Something caught my eye as I lifted my arm. There was a red line on my forearm that wasn't there before. It was about an inch in length and only a few millimeters wide. I rubbed at it, but it remained unchanged. Strange. I mentally shrugged. I'll figure it out later. I returned my attention to Ace. “The answer's yes, by the way. You are very warm.”

Ace didn't smile. “Are you dying, Astra?” he asked in a small voice.

I sighed. “Probably, unless we can find a trained surgeon who can perform the proper surgery on my heart. Marco's good, but I know he doesn't have that level of expertise.”

“What level of expertise, yoi?” Marco asked, entering the infirmary with a plate of food.

“To fix this,” I said, pointing to my chest. I accepted the tray from him and shoveled zucchini into my mouth. It was delicious! I finished it all in a matter of minutes. Ace tried to stealthily dip a finger into my small bowl of chocolate pudding, but I slapped his hand away. “Mine.”

Marco sat on my other side. “You are correct, yoi. I don't know how to perform heart surgery, but we can find someone who does. We have several connections, yoi.”

I debated whether to make my suggestion, but I finally decided to voice it. “I know someone who could do it, but I don't know that you would trust him.”

“Who?” he asked.

“Trafalgar Law.”

Marco raised both of his eyebrows. “The rookie who's known as the ‘Surgeon of Death’, yoi?! That guy?!”

I nodded. “He possesses the Op-Op Fruit and has extensive medical and surgical knowledge. He'd be able to do it.”

“No, yoi. We're not entrusting your life to a different crew. We'll find somebody else, yoi.”

“And by the time you do, I might be dead,” I stated calmly. “At least let me talk to him.” I'd like to have Marco's permission, but if I had to, I'd try to find Law on my own.

Marco's jaw ticked. “As a commanding officer, I'm saying no, yoi.”

Damn. I didn't expect him to pull rank on me. It'll be considered insubordination if I leave now. I flopped back onto my pillow with a scowl. “Fine.” I handed him my dishes. “Tell Thatch it was delicious.”

Marco sighed. “I'm sorry, Astra. I'm not willing to risk it.” He left to return the tray to the kitchen.

Ace, who was silent through that whole exchange, stood up. “Are you certain that that Tra-guy can save your life?” he asked quietly. I nodded. His face hardened. “Okay.”

Marco POV

I sighed again as I navigated the halls of the Moby Dick. What was I supposed to do? I couldn't trust a rookie captain who had a powerful Devil Fruit. There were too many unknowns. 

“How's the Little Miss doing?” Thatch asked when I entered the galley.

“We need to find a surgeon for her,” I told him. “She said the food was delicious, though. She scarfed it down.”

Thatch smiled. “I'm glad she liked it. I'll stop by to visit her later.”

I nodded acknowledgement, and headed back to the infirmary. I didn't hear any beeping as I neared the room. Quickly pushing open the door, I discovered that the machines were silenced and unhooked. Astra and Ace were gone. “Shit!” I raced out onto the deck, spotting Izou. “Did Ace leave, yoi?” 

Izou raised a disinterested eyebrow. “Yes. He left about twenty minutes ago on his striker. Why do you ask?” 

“Was Astra with him, yoi?” I fought hard to keep the panic from my voice.

“No. He just had his normal rucksack with him.” 

I couldn't sense her presence anywhere nearby. “Well, she's no longer on this ship, and he's the only person who's left recently, yoi." His rucksack. "I'd bet she was inside his bag, yoi," I added quietly.

“Why would Ace be smuggling Astra off the ship, Marco?” Izou asked sharply.

My jaw ticked as I scanned the horizon. “To try to convince a specific surgeon to perform heart surgery on her, yoi.

He frowned. “I don't understand. Why would that be an issue?”

I leveled my gaze at him. “Because that surgeon happens to be a rookie captain in Paradise, yoi.”

“Ah.” Izou pursed his lips. “Well, there's not much we can do about it now. You know Ace never takes a transponder snail with him. Besides, I’m fairly certain Ace is capable of protecting her.”

Should I tell him who she is? “I'm worried for her safety, yoi. She has congenital heart disease. She could literally have a heart attack at any moment, yoi.”

“Isn't that quite a rare birth defect? If I recall correctly, Oden-sama's eldest had it as… well…” I kept my face neutral as Izou's eyes widened in realization. He let out a small gasp, covering his mouth with a hand. “Little Hoshiko-sama? Really?”

I nodded. “She only seems to remember bits and pieces of the past, but she's definitely her.”

He turned to gaze worriedly out at the sea. “Kaido has connections across the Grand Line. If her identity becomes known, she’ll be hunted down.”

Be Be Be… Beeee Beeee Beeee… Be Beeee Be…The transponder snail in my pocket started beeping intermittently, and I pulled it out, confused. It was connected to the snail I gave to Astra, and it would only let out a sound if the other's button was pressed. It lasted about a minute and a half before it went silent once more.

Izou let out a sigh. “It was tap code. It just repeated the same five letters over and over. S. O. R. R. Y. Sorry. I take it Hosh-Astra has its pair?”

“Yeah, but the communication is only one-way, yoi.”

Astra POV

I slipped the blue snail into my pocket after sending the message to Marco. I hope he's not angry at me. Ace held me tightly in his arms as he navigated the striker across the waves. “If you start feeling faint or otherwise unwell, let me know, and I'll stop at the nearest island,” he said, keeping his eyes alert on our surroundings.

“I will.” I slowly shifted to a more comfortable position. “Thank you for doing this for me,” I murmured. It felt like I was wrapped in a cozy heated blanket.

“You deserve to live a full, happy life,” he replied firmly. “It wasn't your fault you were born with a bad heart. I want to help you fix it.”

“That means a lot, coming from you,” I said, struggling to keep my eyes open. “Just as a warning, I may take a lot of naps. As long as I'm still breathing, there's no need to panic,” I informed him. 

Ace grinned sheepishly. “I'll probably still panic, but I appreciate the heads up.”

Shortly afterwards, I passed out against his chest. I drifted in and out of consciousness as we traveled, but I started getting hungry at some point, and I suppose Ace did too, because he docked at a small island and walked into town, looking for a restaurant.

We entered a pub, and Ace slid into a booth, setting me beside him, against the wall. He ordered thirty bowls of stew for himself, then asked what I wanted. I ordered fish and rice, with green beans on the side. As we enjoyed our meals, I noticed several of the patrons watching us as Ace's stack of empty bowls grew. About twenty bowls deep, Ace's head suddenly dropped to the table, his spoon still poised for a bite. I expected it.

What I didn't expect was for a group of four men to immediately stand up and approach our table. “Is your brother okay?” one of them asked with false concern.

I leveled a glare at him. “He's fine, so mind your own business.”

The man chuckled. “Got a tongue on ya, I see. Well, we'll take you and collect your brother's bounty.” He reached over Ace's slumbering body to grab me, so I stabbed his hand with my fork. He reeled back with a snarl. His companions drew weapons, and I saw the other patrons slipping out of the restaurant. Crap! Wake up, Ace!

Chapter 7: Visiting Sabaody

Astra POV

As the four men closed in, I grabbed the nearest weapon, which happened to be Ace's dagger. It wasn't as good as a katana, but it would do. I stood on the bench and pointed it at them. “Back off!”

“Aw, look. The girlie wants to fight,” one of them laughed.

They want to underestimate me? Fine by me. I flung myself towards the one to my left, slicing his throat before he had time to react. Landing on the floor, I spun to face the remaining three, who were frozen in shock. "I told you to back off,” I said quietly, leveling the blade at them.

Shock turned into anger. “You killed Angus!” the one on the right bellowed, swinging his sword at me. His movements were sloppy and slow. I easily sidestepped his blade and plunged the dagger into his bicep. He howled with pain, dropping his weapon. As he momentarily retreated, the last two attacked together. I once again dodged, but this time, I cut the hamstring of one guy and stabbed the other one in the gut.

“Are we done yet, or do you three want to end up like Angus?” I threatened. They took a step back, then they looked behind me and their eyes widened in terror. I glanced back. Ace had finally woken up. “About time,” I muttered. 

One of the idiots decided to lunge at me while my back was turned. Ace raised his hand to attack, but I spun on my heel and leapt up, burying the dagger in the man's heart. “I warned you,” I hissed. The other two ran away. 

Using the man's pants to wipe the dagger clean, I handed it back to Ace. Then, I looked down at my blood-stained clothes and sighed. “I need a new outfit.”

Ace threw his head back and laughed. “I didn't know you knew how to fight, Astra!”

I nodded. “I can fight with most bladed weapons," I told him. "But, I prefer using a katana.” 

“Well, let me finish eating, and we'll go get you some new clothes and a weapon, okay?”

I grinned at him. “Sounds good! But you'd better not fall asleep again!”

The dead men had enough beri on them to cover our meal, but Ace left a little extra for the trouble. I was tired after my fight, so Ace carried me to the clothing store. I wanted something I could fight in. I picked out a gray kimono and a magenta divided hakama, along with a pair of black tabi boots. I asked the old lady who owned the shop if she could remove the kimono's sleeves for me. 

As I got changed, I thought, Left over right, unless you're dead… but I am dead. Yohohoho! I wrapped the kimono right over left with a smirk. Fully dressed, I stepped out of the changing room.

“Oh, dearie, I think you put your kimono on wrong,” the owner fussed.

I looked at her with a straight face. “No, I didn't.” 

She paled. “Uh…” She looked at Ace, who just shrugged. “Right.” She plastered a smile onto her face. “Have a nice day, young man.” Intentionally avoiding my gaze, she bowed and shooed us from her shop. She didn't even ask for payment.

Ace scratched his head. “That was weird.”

I giggled. “Yeah. Let's go see if they have any katanas here." They didn't, so Ace bought me a shortsword instead. It was better than being unarmed.

We set off on the sea once more, and I fell asleep again. The next time I awoke, we were underwater, being pulled along by a sea beast. Ace was seated. I curled into Ace's chest, and tried to ignore the inky depths of the sea around us.

His arms tightened around me. “It's alright, Astra,” he murmured. “I've got you.”

Ace POV

It was very obvious that Astra was not a fan of being deep underwater, so I decided to bypass Fishman Island and head straight for the surface. When we were nearly there, I cut the sea beast free. As we rose above the waves, the bubble around my striker burst, and Astra shifted in my arms. 

She blinked in the sunlight. “Are we stopping at Sabaody?” she asked.

“Probably,” I told her. “It's about time to get more food.”

She nodded. “There's a bar I'd like to visit on Grove 13,” she murmured, and her eyes drifted closed again. I knew she said that she'd nap a lot, but every time she fell asleep, I watched her carefully to make sure she was breathing. I wasn't taking any chances.

I could see the archipelago from where we were, so it was fairly easy to get to. The grove she mentioned was nearly in the exact center of the cluster of mangroves. Luckily, due to the size of the striker, I could navigate through the water between groves. The issue, though, was that we would be traveling through the lawless zone. Astra's hair was eye-catching, so slavers might try to target her. 

As we neared Sabaody, I gently shook Astra to wake her up. “Would you be okay getting back inside my rucksack until we get to the bar? I don't want to draw unnecessary attention.”

She nodded. “Sounds good.” She climbed inside, and I cinched the top closed. Then I carefully threaded my striker through the waterways. Soon enough, Grove 13 came into view, and I secured my ship to the exposed roots before clambering up onto solid ground.

There was a long set of stairs leading up to a small hut. A sign over the door read, ‘Shakky's Rip-Off Bar’. I had no idea why Astra wanted to visit such a place, but I was willing to indulge her. I quickly jogged up the steps, opening my bag at the top.

I had to wake Astra up again. “Hey. We're here.”

She smiled sleepily. “Thank you, Ace.” She got to her feet and walked into the bar, and I followed behind her. The place was empty aside from a short-haired woman behind the counter. She was leaning against the wall, smoking a cigarette. 

She glanced toward me and hummed. “What brings the second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates here?” Ahh. She's knowledgeable.

“I asked him to bring me here,” Astra explained, climbing up onto one of the stools. I quickly stepped behind her in case she fell off.

The woman raised an eyebrow. “And what brings you here, young lady?”

Astra was looking around. “Is your husband in?”

The woman smiled. “No. I haven't seen him in about four months. He's probably in one of the gambling houses or pleasure halls. He'll come back eventually.”

“Aw, man,” Astra pouted. “I was hoping to see him.”

“What's your name, young lady?” the woman asked.

“Seems rude to ask for mine when you haven't provided your own,” Astra retorted.

The woman laughed. “Fair enough. My name's Shakky.”

“I'm Astra, though your husband would know me as Kouzuki Hoshiko,” Astra replied.

“Kouzuki?!” I yelped. What?! Is she related to Oden?!

Shakky twirled the cigarette between her fingers. “Hoshiko?” she mused. “Has it been twenty-four years already? How time flies.”

I was terribly lost. Twenty-four years? But she's only four! “Astra? Who- Wha- How-?” My mind had trouble forming a question.

Astra spun to face me. “I was born twenty-eight years ago. My mother used her Devil Fruit to send me into the future, where I would have a higher chance of survival, given better medical practices. My father was Kouzuki Oden. My name is-was Kouzuki Hoshiko.” She gazed at me anxiously. “I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I didn't want to freak you out.”

Well, consider myself freaked out! What the heck?! Time travel?! I had to sit down. “Does Marco know?”

She nodded. “He's actually the one who figured it out first. I had a, shall we say, lapse in memory after the jump. In fact, I'm still recovering some of my memories.” She turned back to Shakky, who was rummaging through her fridge. “What did your husband tell you about me?”

“He said you were a chatty, precocious child with a stubborn streak, and that you were the spitting image of your mother.” Smiling, Shakky set a sandwich down in front of each of us. “You certainly don't disappoint.”

Astra puffed out her cheeks. “He called me stubborn? He's the one who let a papercut get infected because he refused to let Crocus-san treat it!”

An affronted huff came from the doorway behind Shakky. “I did no such thing!”

An old man with silvery-gray hair walked in, and Astra nearly knocked her plate on the floor with how quickly she leapt over the counter. “Ojisama!” she exclaimed. 

I choked on my sandwich. Ojisama?! That was Silvers Rayleigh!

Astra POV

I jumped toward Rayleigh, whose eyes widened in surprise. “Hoshiko?” He caught me easily in his arms. “It really worked?”

I prodded at his gray beard with one of my fingers. “You got old, Ojisama.”

Rayleigh chuckled, eyes twinkling fondly. “That I did.” His fingers gently traced the scars on my face. “These look recent. What happened?”

I shrugged. “Marshall D. Teach tried to murder me.”

He shared a look with Shakky. “Teach, you say?”

“Yeah, but Marco killed him, so we don't need to worry about him anymore,” I told him. 

He hugged me. “That's good to hear.” He looked past me with a sharp gaze. “Who's your friend?”

I glanced back at Ace, whose face was pale. He was staring intently at his plate. “I joined the Whitebeard Pirates. That's Ace, one of my new brothers. He's helping me find a surgeon.”

Rayleigh extended a hand toward Ace. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Ace. I'm Ray. I coat ships.” I had to hold back a snort. Is that really how the Dark King introduces himself?

Ace stared at the offered hand for a few moments before stiffly shaking it. He remained silent.

I yawned. “Shakky-san? We're trying to track down Trafalgar Law. Do you know where we could find him?”

Shakky hummed. “The most recent news placed him at Foolshout Island. If he's following a log pose, he should be heading for Candlewood next. That island requires three weeks for the pose to set, so he should be there for a while. I believe I have an eternal pose I can give you for Candlewood. It is a winter island, though, so I'd recommend picking up some warmer clothes before you leave.”

“I can go shopping for us both, if you want to talk a bit longer,” Ace blurted, rising from his stool. I nodded, and he practically fled from the bar. His sandwich was only half-eaten.

Rayleigh chuckled. “I don't think he likes me very much.”

“Of course he doesn't,” I said bluntly. “You were Roger's first mate, and he blames Roger for ruining his life.”

He frowned. “How does that work? Roger died before that kid was even born.”

“That's the exact reason why he hates him.” They deserve to know. “He's Roger's son.”

 

Chapter 8: Prison Break

Astra POV

Shakky and Rayleigh listened quietly as I explained the circumstances surrounding Ace's birth. “He wants nothing to do with Roger's legacy, though, so please leave him be. I just wanted you to be aware of his existence.”

Rayleigh frowned. “How do you know all of that?”

I revealed my unique life experience to them, and Shakky smiled. “So, you carry a lot of information.”

“I do. It's a bit terrifying, to be honest.” I yawned, feeling my consciousness slipping again. “Man, lethargy's a bitch,” I mumbled, laying my head on the counter.

Unbeknownst to me, the red mark on my arm had begun to shrink while we were talking.

Ace POV

I definitely did not expect to run into the Pirate King's first mate. Much less have Astra refer to him as an uncle. And, she was apparently Oden's daughter who traveled through time?! I was hoping that shopping would clear my mind. I tried to make a list while I walked through the groves toward the shopping district. What do kids need for cold weather? Hat, coat, scarf, boots, mittens. I think that's all. Should I grab a blanket, too? She has enough problems already. I'd hate for her to get sick on top of that.

A bullet zipped past my shoulder and I spun around. Crap! I dropped my guard! A couple dozen marines emerged from the bushes. I was surrounded, but I didn't panic. They were all low rank marines. I smirked. This'll be an easy fight. Three of them charged at me with swords, their blades swinging harmlessly through my body. My grin widened. They weren't even haki users.

“Fire Fist!” I launched a swift counter attack, blasting seven of them away in a single burst of flame. I almost felt bad for them. Almost.

A barrage of bullets rained toward me. They don't seem to learn, do they? I turned and punched another stream of fire towards them. Sharp pain suddenly blossomed in my abdomen, and my flames dissipated, my knees nearly buckling from exhaustion. They must've had a single seastone bullet hidden within the spray. Shit!

I dropped into a defensive crouch and drew my dagger. I may be weakened, but I can still fight. The remaining marines closed in around me, drawing swords. I swung at them and broke left, hoping to create some distance. I only made it about five feet before a rope snared my ankle, yanking me off balance. I face planted on the ground. Cursing, I reached down to cut the rope, but one of the marines kicked the dagger from my hand.

More ropes slithered around my body like snakes, restricting my movement, and a female rear admiral leapt down from a tree. “Not feeling so hot now, are you, 'Fire Fist’?” She strutted over to me, and I winced as she ground a boot into my bullet wound, an obnoxious smirk upon her face. “You know, I think I might just see a promotion in my future.”

Astra POV

I blinked up at Shakky as she shook me awake. She looked concerned. “It's been seven hours, and Ace still hasn't returned. It's going to get dark soon.”

I sat up quickly, panic shooting through my veins. “Do you know which direction he took when he left?”

“It seemed like he was taking a direct route to the shopping district. I sent Ray-san in that direction, just to check.”

Only ten minutes passed before Rayleigh returned. He tossed a singed marine cap onto the counter. “Looks like there was a fight on the next grove over, just before the shipyard,” he said grimly.

“Which way is the Marine Base?” I demanded, strapping on my short sword.

Rayleigh crossed his arms. “You are not taking on a marine base, Hoshiko. You're a child!”

“I can't let the marines execute him,” I stated, heading toward the door.

He moved to block my path. “I don't care. You're not going.”

I placed my hands on my hips and jutted out my chin. “I propose a wager, then. If I can land a hit on you while your eyes are closed, you'll tell me where the base is and let me go. Do you agree to the terms?”

Rayleigh grinned and closed his eyes. “Sure thing, kid.”

I smirked. He fell into my trap. I walked over to Shakky and leaned against her for a second. I saw Rayleigh frown slightly. Then I silently walked behind Rayleigh and punched him lightly in the back of the knee.

His eyes snapped open when he felt me make contact with his body, and he spun around in surprise. “How did you do that? You were just over there!” He pointed toward his wife.

I smiled at him. “It's one of my Devil Fruit abilities. I can set an echo of my vital signature. It only lasts for ten minutes, but during that time, I can move about freely without being tracked. Now then, about our wager…”

Shakky chuckled. “She certainly played you, Ray-san. A woman after my own heart.”

With a furrowed brow, he pointed southeast. “It's that way. You understand how dangerous this is, right?”

I nodded. “I am well aware of the risks, but I'm willing to die to keep Ace alive. If he gets executed, my dream is over.” With that, I walked out the door.

Ace POV

I groaned as I regained awareness. I was shackled with seastone to the wall behind me, and the edges of the cuffs dug painfully into my wrists. The bullet wound in my gut had been tended to and bandaged. I grimaced. Of course. Can't have me bleeding out before they get a chance to execute me. 

With a bit of difficulty, I shifted my legs into a more comfortable position beneath me, kneeling to take some of the pressure off of my wrists. At least Astra wasn't captured. She should be safe with Shakky and Rayleigh. I mentally apologized to her. I'm sorry, Astra. I was an idiot, and I fell into a trap. You went through so much trouble to try to save me from an untimely death, but I went and got myself arrested. Seas, I'm such a worthless piece of garbage. My body sagged. Maybe it's just fate. Maybe this is the universe telling me that I deserve to die. 

Astra POV

It was a piece of cake convincing some poor marine boy to escort me to the marine base. I cried about losing my brother and how dark and scary it was outside. Being a child certainly had its privileges. No one saw me as a threat. It was also quite easy to knock the marine out once we got close to the base.

So, now I was in the bushes twenty yards from the base, planning my next move. I felt Rayleigh's presence somewhere behind me. Worrywart. A set of guards passed around the exterior of the building every ten minutes, so I had plenty of time to reach the main entrance. The only issue was that the gates were locked. I decided to use a failsafe. 

“Help!” I cried, running toward the base. I ran frantically, tripping over my own feet. “Please, help!”

The two guards rushed over to me. “What's the matter?”

I scrubbed my face and thought about Ace dying. Tears sprang to my eyes. “I-I can't find my brother! Then it got dark and-and I got scared and-and I asked a marine for help, but someone attacked us and I ran. I'm scared!”

One of the guards wrapped his arms around my body. “Hey, it's alright. We can help you.” Sucker! “My name's Devin. What's your name?”

I hiccuped. “A-Astra.”

“Alright, Astra, do you remember where you got attacked?” he asked gently.

I pointed a shaky finger back in the direction I ran from, where I left the unconscious marine. Devin addressed the other guard. “Take Larry and Simon and check it out. I'll bring little Astra here inside where it's safer.” All according to plan.

I clung to Devin's uniform as he carried me through the gate. Obstacle one: cleared. I subtly observed the layout of the building as we walked through the halls, noting the lack of security snails. “D-Devin-san? Are your friends going to be okay? What if they run into dangerous pirates?”

He smiled reassuringly at me. “You don't need to worry about that. We're all trained to deal with pirates. In fact, we just captured a really bad one this morning.”

I widened my eyes. “R-really? Was it scary?”

He lowered his voice conspiratorially. “Honestly, it was a bit scary, but if it keeps citizens like you safe, then it's worth it.” 

"C-can I… Would it be alright… if I saw the pirate?” I asked hesitantly. “I wanna have a cool story to tell my brother.”

He looked uncertain. “I'm not really supposed to…” 

I implemented puppy dog eyes. “Please?”

He hemmed and hawed for a moment before sighing. “Oh, alright, but don't use my name when you tell your brother, okay? I don't want to get in trouble.”

I flashed him a bright, watery smile. “Thank you, Devin-san! You're the most awesomest marine ever!” I internally cringed at myself. 

The cells were unguarded. Seriously? Their security sucks! I tried not to let my anger show when my gaze fell upon Ace. I hated seeing him chained up like that. He appeared to be conscious, but he kept his head lowered. Had he already resigned himself to death? Baka.

I scanned the walls. A ring of keys were hanging near the door, and there were no snails in here, either. Sorry, Devin. Enhancing my strength and speed, I snatched the ring of keys off the wall and snapped my elbow up into his chin, dropping him instantly. I scurried over to the cell. I was just tall enough to reach the lock, and it opened with a light click.

Ace finally raised his head slightly, and his eyes widened. “As-mmmph.” I clamped a hand over his mouth. Then, I climbed onto his shoulders and carefully unlocked his cuffs, mindful not to touch the seastone. As his wrists dropped, he rubbed at them with a wince. “How?” he whispered.

I set our presences to the wall, and felt pain pierce through my skull. I was at my limit. “We're in a time crunch. I’ll explain later. Can you blast that window open? Then we'll run like hell.” I pointed to a barred opening outside of the cell.

His teeth flashed in the dim light. “Sure can.”

I climbed onto his back, and held on as tight as I could. I can't pass out until we're safely away. A loud explosion split the silence of the evening, and Ace barreled through the window, smoke obscuring our escape. Several marines shouted from the building behind us as he dashed past shrubs and small trees. Rayleigh appeared beside us, easily matching pace. “I moved your vessel to the shipyard,” he said quickly. “Dock 7.” Then, he vanished into the night.

Ace adjusted his course, heading for the docks. He picked up speed as his boots pounded against the wood, and he leapt onto the striker, zipping out of the harbor at breakneck speed. My fingers hurt with how tightly I was clinging to Ace's back, but a massive grin was stretched across my face.

Once he judged we were far enough away from the archipelago, Ace slowed down and carefully brought me around to his front. Laughing wildly, he hugged me to his chest. “You're crazy, Astra!” Then, much quieter, “Thank you.”

“You're not allowed to die, Ace,” I murmured, feeling the evening's events catching up to me.

“Neither are you,” Ace replied.

Notes:

I picture Devin as the older Greengrocer brother from One Piece Fan Letter.

Chapter 9: Refuge From The Storm

Ace POV

Astra slept for two days straight after we left Sabaody. It terrified me. I glanced down at her frequently to make sure her chest was still rising and falling. When she finally cracked her eyes open, I nearly cried in relief. Don't scare me like that! 

She smiled up at me in a way that reminded me of Luffy. “G'morning. Or afternoon. Hard to tell,” she mumbled.

“It's just past noon,” I told her, returning the smile.

I spotted a landmass in the distance and steered toward it. Astra was probably hungry, and my appetite was returning now that I knew that she was okay.

The wind picked up as we neared the island. It looked like a storm was coming. I circled the perimeter of the shore, finding a small grotto that would provide shelter for the striker.

“How do you feel about staying at an inn tonight?” I asked Astra.

“As comfortable as your arms are, Ace, I wouldn't say no to an actual bed,” she replied with a yawn.

Using my body to shield her from the bulk of the wind, I trekked toward a town I saw earlier. It was almost on the opposite side of the island. By the time we reached buildings, rain was falling in sheets, pounding against my back as I hunched over Astra's small form. A streak of lightning lit up the sky, followed by a loud crack of thunder. I felt Astra flinch in my arms, so I held her a little tighter.

I squinted through the downpour. I was pretty sure that one of the signs said ‘inn’, so I shouldered my way through the door. Thankfully, I was correct. It was warm and dry inside, and I could smell meat cooking somewhere out of sight. My stomach growled. 

The building muffled the sounds of the storm quite well, which hopefully meant that Astra wouldn't be bothered by the thunder tonight.

“Terrible day for traveling,” a wizened, old woman remarked, emerging from a beaded doorway.

“Really? Couldn't tell,” Astra muttered dryly.

The woman laughed. “I'm Tilda, the owner of this inn. What do you require? Shelter? Sustenance?”

“Both, please,” I said. I glanced down at Astra's damp clothes. “And perhaps a towel or two.”

Tilda smiled. “Of course.”

Astra and I got dried off while Tilda prepared our meals. It seemed we were the only lodgers for the evening.

“Here you are, dearies,” Tilda said, placing plates in front of us both. Mine was piled high with some type of shredded meat, and Astra had her usual, fish and rice with vegetables.

“Thank you for the food.” Makino drilled that phrase into my head when I was younger, so now it was second nature to say it.

After we polished off our meals, Tilda showed us to our room. “Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs bite… But, if they do, bite ‘em back!” she cackled. Then, she tottered back down the hallway out of sight.

Astra giggled. “I like her.” 

I agreed. She was strange, certainly, but not in a bad way. We moved fully into the room and closed the door. There were two sets of pajamas on the bed, in our sizes. The room also had an attached bathroom. I let Astra take a bath while I changed into pajama bottoms, laying my shorts on a chair to dry. I couldn't sleep in a shirt. I'd get too hot.

Laying down on the bed, I found that it was quite comfortable. So much so that I started to fall asleep instantly.

Astra POV

As I lowered myself into the warm water, I was quickly reminded that I can't take a bath. I felt panic as the strength drained from my body. My grip on the edge of the tub failed. “Ace!” I shouted weakly, just before I slipped beneath the water.

I heard a muffled bang, and moments later, Ace yanked me out of the tub, wrapping a towel around me. He hugged me to his chest.

I coughed. “No baths,” I muttered.

I could hear Ace's rapid heartbeat. “No baths,” he agreed breathlessly.

After a few minutes, he picked himself off the floor and drained the tub, leaving me to get dressed. My hands still trembled as I pulled the pajamas over my slightly damp body. Exiting the bathroom, I climbed onto the bed and curled up beside Ace. His arm wrapped around me protectively.

<><><><><>

Morning arrived far too quickly, but a quick glance through the curtains showed that the storm had passed, and our clothes were dry. Ace was still snoring, so I slipped into the bathroom to get changed. When I returned to the room, Ace began to rouse from his slumber. He yawned and stretched his arms over his head. “Man, that was the best sleep I've had in a while.”

I smiled. “Yeah. We got lucky, stumbling upon this place.”

Ace took his turn in the bathroom, and then we headed down the hall toward the dining area. Tilda already had breakfast waiting for us, which was odd, but I wasn't about to complain.

Over breakfast, I asked Tilda if she knew how to get to Candlewood, but she said she had never heard of that island before.

After we finished eating, Ace paid her, and she waved us out the door. “Safe travels, dearies!”

We made it back to the striker without issue, and as Ace untied it from its mooring, I caught sight of something green fluttering near the front of the vessel. “Hey, Ace, what's that?” I pointed to a small green ribbon protruding from a seam.

Ace frowned. “That's a storage compartment, but it was mostly empty when we left the Moby Dick.” He reached over and swung open a metal hatch. The ribbon was attached to a large parcel wrapped in cloth. A note was pinned to the bundle.

“‘Hope this helps’,” Ace read. “It's signed with an ‘S’ that looks like a snake.” He unwrapped the cloth. It was a blanket wrapped around winter clothes in both of our sizes. Tink. A small object dropped on the ground and rolled a bit.

I picked it up and smiled. It was an eternal pose to Candlewood. “I think Shakky-san left these for us,” I said, handing him the pose.

Ace grinned. “That's easier than asking at every island we pass.” He put the winter clothes away and picked me up. “Let's go, then!”

He navigated the striker out of the grotto and onto the open sea, adjusting course to follow the pose. After a minute, I glanced over his shoulder. “Um, Ace?”

“Yeah?”

“That island's gone.” The ocean behind us was completely empty.

Ace shrugged. “The Grand Line's weird. Best not to dwell on it.”

“Okay.” I wasn't feeling as drowsy as usual, so I watched the rippling waves behind us as the striker carved through the water. It had already been about a week since we left the Moby Dick. “Do you think Marco is angry at me for leaving like we did?” I asked quietly.

Ace chuckled. “You? No. Me? He'll probably tear me a new one when we get back.” 

I felt a twinge in my left shoulder. “How far away do you think Candlewood is?” I asked, trying to keep my voice casual.

His brow furrowed. “Ah, that's a crap shoot. Could be anywhere from a day to a week.”

I nodded and turned my head forward, closing my eyes against a wave of nausea. “Here's hoping it's on the shorter end of the scale, then.” I was aware that I promised to tell Ace if I felt unwell, but we were already going as fast as we could, and I didn't want him to panic. 

Next thing I knew, my entire torso was sore, and Ace was bent over my body, tears in his eyes.

Ace POV

Astra went limp in my arms once more, and when I glanced down at her, I immediately stopped the striker. She wasn't breathing. No no no! Shit! After making sure the hull wouldn't burn her, I laid her down. I tried to remember the CPR stuff that Marco forced everyone on the crew to learn. “Astra! Come on! Please! I t-told you you're not allowed to d-die! D-don't d-die!” My vision blurred as I pressed on her chest over and over, begging her to stay alive.

It felt like an eternity passed before I heard a gasp from Astra. Her teal eyes flickered open, and I collapsed to the floor beside her. Tears streamed down my face as I clutched her to my chest. I couldn't form words. I was just so relieved that she was alive.

“We need to find Law,” Astra mumbled. “I'm gonna sleep now.” When her body fell limp again, fear spiked through my veins, but I relaxed when I felt her breath fan lightly against my skin. 

I wiped the tears from my face, and stood shakily, situating her body so that I could monitor her breathing. “We need to find Law,” I echoed firmly. Holding the pose in my free hand, I started up my flames. As soon as possible.

Chapter 10: Candlewood

Ace POV

It took another two days before Candlewood came into sight. Snow began to drift down from the sky, lightly obscuring my vision, and I paused to bundle up Astra before continuing toward the island. I didn't bother with a coat for myself. I could handle a bit of cold. Normally, I would have used my haki to clear the skies, but I didn't want to scare off the surgeon. Astra had been unconscious since her heart attack. I couldn't jeopardize her chances.

The shore immediately gave way to a dense forest of green and orange. It almost looked like the trees were alight with flames, but a closer look showed that it was just the fruit they produced. The forest created a ring around the perimeter of the island, but it seemed that there was a clearing in the center, perhaps a town. As I carried Astra past the treeline, I met several signs that held warnings against fire. Apparently, the trees were highly flammable. I wouldn't be able to use my fruit, then.

Maybe I should grab that coat. I turned around to quickly jog back to the striker, but I couldn't find my way back to the shore. I barely took five steps! How am I lost already?! A chill began to creep beneath my skin, but I was wary of activating my flames. If the trees caught fire, Astra could get hurt. I just had to suck it up and power through.

I plunged onward through the low-hanging limbs of the candlewood trees, crossing my fingers that I would reach either the center or the shore. Three hours later, I was still pushing through densely packed branches. Am I going in circles? There was no way to know for sure. I was shivering violently by that point, but I refused to risk lighting up the entire island. 

Another two hours passed as I stiffly and stubbornly trudged through the snow. I was determined to get Astra to that surgeon, no matter the cost. I shouldered past a group of thick branches and suddenly stumbled clear of the forest. There was indeed a town nestled within the clearing, and I forced my numb legs to walk toward the cabin-like buildings.

As I got closer, a polar bear emerged from one of the buildings. He noticed me immediately, his eyes widening in panic. “Captain!” he cried, shifting into a defensive stance. A tall man wearing a long black coat hurried out of the cabin behind the bear. 

I recognized him from his bounty poster. He was the man we were looking for. My knees gave out, and I twisted to keep Astra safe. My teeth chattered when I spoke. “P-p-please,” I begged. “S-save h-her.”

Law POV

I heard Bepo's concerned shout and rushed outside the cabin, hand raised to call up a room if needed. A half-naked man was shuffling through the snow, clutching a bundle of something in his arms. It was hard not to recognize such a prominent member of the Whitebeard Pirates, but what the hell was he doing here of all places?! 

‘Fire-Fist’ Ace seemed almost relieved to see me as he collapsed to the ground. He practically thrust the bundle he was holding toward me and Bepo. “P-p-please, s-save h-her.” His voice was thin as the words tumbled from his blue lips. His head dropped a moment later, leaving me quite confused.

Why the hell is a Whitebeard Pirate begging me for help?! I frowned as I contemplated his words. Save her? I glanced at the bundle he held. It was a very young girl, barely even five, if that. I was suddenly reminded of another certain someone who trudged through snow to save a child's life, and my jaw ticked. “Tch!” I'm probably going to regret this. “Scalpel!” I pocketed Fire-Fist's heart for good measure before picking up the child. “Bepo, bring him inside,” I said, nodding toward Fire-Fist.

“Yes, Captain!” Bepo scooped up the man while I carried the little girl into the cabin. 

Once we entered the warmer space, I laid her on a bed and attempted to wake her. She was unresponsive, which was quite worrying. I removed the blanket and coat from her body. She didn't appear to have any injuries on the outside of her body, aside from some recently healed scars on her face. There was a small red mark on her arm, but it seemed harmless.

“Where should I put him, Captain?” Bepo asked.

“Lay Fire-Fist-ya on the ground near the fireplace,” I said, performing a scan on the girl's body. I frowned. “Scalpel!” Removing her heart, I examined it carefully. It beat sporadically in my hand. “She has an atrial septal defect,” I muttered. I returned the girl's heart to her chest and rebundled her. “Change of plans, Bepo. We're heading to the Tang. This child requires surgery.”

Bepo looked hesitant. “Are you sure you want to bring him onboard, too?” I leveled a glare at him, and he ducked his head. “Sorry.” 

With Fire-Fist in his arms, he followed me to the edge of the forest. I called up a room, transporting the four of us to the beach. I strode across the sand and up onto the deck of my submarine. Penguin, who was on watch duty, frowned when he saw us. “Who's that? Wait… Why is Bepo carrying ‘Fire-Fist’ Ace?!”

“I'll explain later. Prepare the operating theater. This child needs heart surgery.” Hopefully, Fire-Fist would be able to provide me with answers once he woke up.

<><><><><>

Several hours later, I removed my gloves. The surgery was a complete success, as testified by the steady beeping coming from the heart monitor connected to the young girl's chest. “Penguin, keep an eye on her. If she regains consciousness, inform me immediately.”

I walked down the hall to the room that contained Fire-Fist. I unlocked the door and entered. He was sitting patiently on the cot. How unexpected. He looked up, eyes wide with worry. “Is Astra okay?” 

I kept my face and voice as impassive as possible. “Assuming Astra is the name of the young girl that was with you, she has been treated,” I told him.

Fire-Fist's shoulders slumped in relief, and he offered me a small smile. “Thank you.”

I scowled. “Don't mistake my actions for generosity. I'm not a charitable man.”

For some strange reason, his smile widened into a grin. “Name your price, then.”

What do I even ask for? I wasn't sure, so I decided to stall. “First, answer my questions,” I demanded.

Fire-Fist leaned back casually, that damned easy grin still upon his face. “Sure. What do you want to know?”

Despite his relaxed demeanor, I wasn't about to let my guard down. I crossed my arms. “Why did you seek me out? Surely the crew of an Emperor would have plenty of doctors on call.”

He shrugged. “You'll have to ask Astra about that. She told me to find you.”

That wasn't much of an answer. “How old is she?” 

“Four.” 

That's about what I expected, but how does a four-year-old know who I am? “You had mild hypothermia when you entered the village. Why weren't you using your Devil Fruit to stay warm?”

“I didn't want to accidentally burn the forest down. The signs say that the trees are super flammable,” he explained.

That makes sense. “Why wouldn't you wear a coat, then?”

His cheeks reddened, and his grin turned sheepish. “By the time I realized that I shouldn't use my powers, I wasn't able to find my way back to my raft,” he admitted. “I thought I'd be fine. Besides, it was more important to me to get help for Astra.”

“You're an idiot,” I said bluntly. “If I hadn't been there, you both would have died from your hubris.” Why does it bother me so much? I shouldn't care what happens to them! He's an enemy!

Fire-Fist sighed. “I know,” he muttered. “I put Astra's life at risk.”

Does he not even care about his own well-being?! I wished he didn't remind me so much of Cora-san. “I'll let you know if Astra regains consciousness,” I said abruptly. Then, I quickly left the room and relocked the door. I was pretty sure if he wanted to escape, the lock wouldn't stop him, but it was the principle of the thing. Making sure none of my crew was nearby, I leaned against the cold metal wall. Pull yourself together! He's not Cora-san! He's a Whitebeard Pirate! Behind my closed eyes, Fire-Fist's wide grin mirrored Cora-san's, and I released a long sigh. I hope, for his sake, that Astra wakes up.

Ace POV

Law was strange. As soon as I awoke, I noticed that I had a hole in my chest where my heart should be. Based on his reputation, I assumed Law took it as insurance or leverage, but he didn't even mention anything about it. 

Instead, he scolded me about my less than smart actions on the island. He honestly sounded a bit like Marco. Maybe it's just a doctor thing. I had sensed Astra's presence nearby, so I knew she was alive, at the very least, and when he told me that he treated her, I was over the moon. If it came down to it, he could keep my heart in exchange for hers. 

Law's presence lingered outside after he exited the room. What is he doing? Does he think I'm going to try to escape? Like I said before, Law was strange. I could tell he was a good person though. At no point during his ‘interrogation’ did he actually seem hostile, just a bit grumpy and anxious. Now that I thought about it, I supposed that was understandable, given my position on Pops's crew. I often forgot how infamous I had become.

I was confident he wouldn't harm Astra, so I was content to just wait in that room for the time being. I wouldn't want to cause undue stress for the pirate captain. Although, if he didn't offer me food soon, I might decide to change my mind.

Chapter 11: The Doc Is In

Law POV

“Captain, the girl woke up.” Penguin's voice sounded through the intercom.

“I'm on my way.” I gathered my errant thoughts and shoved them deep within the confines of my head. I didn't need distractions at the moment. I needed answers, and perhaps this Astra could provide them.

I strode down the hall, the clicks of my boot heels echoing down the metal corridor. It was such a satisfying sound, and I smiled slightly at the simple pleasure that was mine alone. Reaching the infirmary, I took a deep breath before grabbing the handle and turning it.

Penguin greeted me at the door. “Her vitals are all normal, and she doesn't appear to be suffering any ill effects from the anaesthesia, Captain.”

“Thank you, Penguin,” I said. He left the room, taking my words as the dismissal they were. I walked over to the bed, where Astra was laying, watching me with bright, teal eyes. Those eyes held an intelligence not often seen in children, much less a four-year-old. “Do you know your name?” I asked her.

“Astra,” she replied promptly, then she frowned. “And Hoshiko. I technically have two names, but that could get confusing, so let's just stick with Astra for now.”

“Right," I said dryly. "So, Astra-ya, how are you feeling?”

She tilted her head to the side as she contemplated my question. “Well, my heart doesn't feel like it's auditioning for Riverdance anymore, so that's a good sign. I don’t feel lethargic anymore either.” She brought her small hand up to her chest. “The incision site is a bit tender to the touch, but not itchy or hot. And, I'm also hungry.”

A grin rose unbidden to my lips. She has at least some level of medical training. “You're a fascinating child,” I found myself commenting.

Astra shrugged. “So I've been told. You're a fascinating pirate.”

“Which brings me to my next question. Why did you tell Fire-Fist-ya to seek me out?”

She held up a finger. “First, you're one of the best surgeons in the world. Second, I trust you over a complete stranger. And third, I wanted to meet Ace's brother, who should be on a somewhat nearby island.”

My brow furrowed in suspicion. “You trust me? But, I am a complete stranger to you.”

Astra's eyes widened in panic. “Shit! I shouldn't've said that! I'm such an idiot! Of course you don't know me! How do I even begin to explain?! Um… In my old home, an oracle shared stories with me about the Grand Line, and you were in some of them, but they haven't happened yet, and-Oh God, you probably think I'm insane or something! How do I prove it? Uhhh…”

My eyes flicked to the heart monitor. Her heart rate was spiking dangerously high. I needed to calm her down before she hurt herself. I placed a hand on her shoulder. “Astra-ya, can you take a deep breath for me?”

She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. When she reopened her eyes, they were sad. “I'm sorry,” she murmured.

“You don't need to apologize for having a panic attack.”

She shook her head. “I'm sorry,” she repeated. “Your past sucks.”

I stiffened. “My past?” What does she know? How does she know?

“The oracle from my home. He drew things about the future, but he also drew things from the past. I saw-” Her chin trembled, and she continued in a quiet voice, staring down at her hands. “I saw the destruction of your home. I saw Cora-san's murder. I saw you suffer so much, and I hated it.” Her fists clenched. “I hated it because it was familiar. I was born with a condition that would likely kill me before I reached adulthood. My parents were murdered. I saw them die in the stories, though I didn't realize it was them at the time. Even Ace is fated to die an untimely death.” She looked up at me with tears in her eyes. “Why?” she asked brokenly. “Why does everything wonderful get taken away from us?”

I didn't have an answer for her. I was still trying to process the fact that she knew about my past. She knew about Cora-san. She knew about Flevance. After a few minutes, I sighed. “I wish I knew the answer to that question.”

Astra sniffled a bit. “Law-san? I need to tell you something, but I don't want you to panic.”

That sounds ominous. “Okay.”

“Penguin's sick,” she said carefully.

I raised an eyebrow. “And how do you know that?”

“My Devil Fruit ability allows me to see an aura of vitality around people,” she explained. “Penguin’s is fully green, which indicates an illness of some kind. I wish it would tell me what illness, but it doesn't.”

I called Penguin back to the room. When he arrived, he was chewing. He was probably finishing his lunch. He finally swallowed and asked, “Did you need something, Captain?” 

“What did you just eat?” Astra asked quickly.

Penguin grinned at her. “I had some carrots and hummus. I think there's still some left if you'd like some. Uni makes the best spicy hummus.”

I looked at him sharply. “Spicy?”

Penguin nodded emphatically. “Yeah. It makes my whole mouth go numb! I love it!”

I pinched the bridge of my nose with a heavy sigh. “So, Uni's hummus makes your mouth go numb, and you didn't think to mention that to anyone?”

Penguin shrugged. “I told Shachi, and he said that was normal.”

“What are your favorite spicy foods?” Astra asked.

“We don't-” Astra shot me a look, so I closed my mouth and sat back to watch. What I was going to say was that we don't really eat spicy foods because Uni doesn't like spice.

Penguin turned to her. “Well, my favorites are garlic-lemon fish filets, spaghetti, and sesame chicken.” 

It finally clicked in my head what Astra was doing. By getting him to list the meals he thought were spicy, we could find the common denominator. “Penguin,” I said sternly. “None of those dishes are spicy. However, they all contain garlic, which I'm beginning to suspect you might be allergic to.”

Penguin's mouth dropped open in disbelief. “But, Shachi also says they're spicy,” he argued.

“Then he likely has a garlic allergy as well,” I stated. Walking over to the medicine cabinet, I retrieved an orally disintegrating antihistamine tablet and handed it to him. “Take this.”

He pouted but listened. I looked at Astra, who smiled. “It's clearing up already,” she said.

Penguin frowned. “What's clearing up? What are you talking about?”

“Astra can detect health issues,” I explained.

“Amongst other things,” Astra mumbled.

Penguin whistled. “Dang! That's useful! Can we keep her?”

Before I could respond, Astra giggled. “Sorry, but I've already got a crew, and I have a feeling Pops wouldn't give me up too easily.”

“You're actually a member of the Whitebeard Pirates?!” I exclaimed. I had just assumed she belonged to one of the islands within their territory. “Why didn't you tell me?”

She raised an eyebrow. “You didn't ask.” 

She had me there. “Fair enough. Penguin, take an antihistamine tablet to Shachi.” Once he left, I returned my full attention to Astra. “What else can you detect with your Devil Fruit?” I asked curiously.

Astra thought for a moment. “Well, if people are marked for death, their aura turns red.”

I stared at her in confusion. “Marked for death? What does that mean?”

“I'll give you an example. One of my crewmates had a tinge of red on his aura. I also knew that a different crewmate was going to murder him in the near future. We took out the traitor, and the red disappeared from the aura.”

“Fascinating. I would be interested to discover what other colors might entail,” I mused. “Is the mark on your arm connected to your abilities? It was smaller last evening.”

She looked down at her arm and blinked. “Oh! That kinda makes sense! Can I try something?” She held out a hand toward me. When I hesitated, she added, “I think I can track a certain amount of auras here on my arm. If my theory's correct, this mark correlates with Ace's aura. I want to see if I can track multiple, or if yours would overwrite his.”

If that mark belongs to Fire-Fist, based on what she just told me, his death is practically set in stone. She's going to lose him. I took her hand. We both watched as a white line, equal in size to the first, appeared on her arm beside the red one. Good to know that I'm healthy and unlikely to die anytime soon.

Astra grinned. “It worked! Do you have a pen or a marker? I should probably label them, so if I get more, I won't mix them up.”

I handed her an RP marker from my pocket. I always kept one on hand, just in case. She wrote a 1 beneath Fire-Fist's line, and drew a circle beneath mine. “There!” She handed the marker back to me. 

I frowned. Her labeling didn't make sense to me, but perhaps that was the point. It would make it difficult for others to figure out whose marks they were. Clever. 

“Do you have a newspaper?” Astra asked suddenly. 

I blinked at the change of subject. “Not on me, but I could go grab one. Is there anything else you need? I'd like to keep you on bed rest for at least twenty-four hours.”

“I'm rather hungry. And I hope you've been feeding Ace. He gets moody without food.”

Right. Food. I forgot she mentioned she was hungry earlier. I got sidetracked by everything else. “Got it. I'll be back soon.”

Chapter 12: A Quick Recovery

Ace POV

I sniffed the air. Was that… tuna I smelled? My mouth started to salivate, and my stomach growled loudly. I stood up, ready to break down the door, if necessary. I was getting food, one way or another. As I stepped forward, the door opened, and the polar bear I saw the other evening entered, carrying a tray of tuna onigiri. “Captain told me to bring these to you,” he said nervously.

I had enough restraint to say a quick ‘thank you’ before scarfing them all down. I grabbed the glass of water and poured it into my mouth, swallowing the onigiri in one lump. Then, I sat back down with a sigh of satisfaction. “Is Astra awake yet? How is she doing?” I asked.

“I don't know,” he replied. My shoulders slumped, and he quickly added, “I'm sorry! Uh, I can go check!” He hurried out of the room.

After a few minutes, the door opened again, but this time it was Law. He motioned for me to follow him and said, “Astra wishes to see you, but she's on bed rest for the next twenty-two hours.”

As I walked behind him, I thought about the onigiri I was given. “Has she eaten?” 

“I gave her a plate of onigiri just before retrieving you,” Law responded curtly. “Just in here.” He stood beside an open door, allowing me to enter first.

Astra was lying on a cot, with wires connected to her. The machine beside her looked like the one she was hooked up to on the Moby Dick, but the lines on the screen didn't look random anymore. I assumed that was good. I noted the empty plate on the tray beside her.

Her eyes brightened when she saw me. “Ace!” she exclaimed. She held out her arms for a hug, and I obliged, as gently as I could.

I pulled away with a smile. “How are you feeling, Astra?”

She grinned at me. “A lot better.”

“That's good to hear.” I sat in the chair beside her bed. “Law says you only have to stay in bed for the next day, right?”

Astra nodded. “As long as nothing happens during that time. Why do you ask? Is there something you want to do after I'm discharged?”

I scratched the back of my neck. “Well, my little brother, Luffy, will have entered the Grand Line by now, and I was hoping you'd be okay with taking a small detour so I can go see him.”

Astra smiled. “That sounds like fun! I don't mind at all!”

I beamed at her. “Thank you! I think you'll really like him! I remember this one time…”

Astra POV

Ace's face lit up as he told me story after story about Luffy. I already knew most of it, but I enjoyed seeing how excited Ace got just talking about his brother. After a few hours, Law cleared his throat. “I need to check on my patient, Fire-Fist-ya.”

“Oh. right. Sorry!” Ace leapt to his feet. “Do you want me to go back to that other room?” He hooked a thumb towards the doorway.

“You can sit in one of the chairs by the wall. This won't take very long,” Law said, stepping closer to my bed. He placed a stethoscope to my chest and listened to my heart for a few minutes. He checked my lungs next. Then, he hung the stethoscope around his neck and took a look at the incision site. “You're already mostly healed,” he commented, surprised.

“My Devil Fruit also grants me enhanced vitality, which means I heal faster than most people,” I explained. 

Law raised an eyebrow. “Interesting. You may be able to leave sooner than expected, then.” He blinked, like he just remembered something. “Oh.” He reached into the pocket of his hoodie and extracted a newspaper. “Here's the most recent paper we've received. I'll send Bepo with dinner in a bit.”

I beamed at him. “Thank you, Law.” 

He tugged his hat low and left the room as I glanced through the paper. It was from a little over a week ago. The Revolutionary Army had orchestrated a Coup d'État in Vira. When I got to the bounty posters, I grinned. There was Luffy's face grinning back at me. “Hey, Ace!” I called him over and showed him the poster.

His grin was so wide it looked like it hurt his cheeks. “It's Luffy!” he exclaimed. “Whoa! His first bounty is super high! I wonder what he did! Knowing him, it was probably something crazy. My kid brother never does anything quietly.”

He launched into another story about Luffy. Partway through, he said, “And then, Luffy's fist bounced off S-” He trailed off and gripped his left arm, staring at the wall behind me. He continued in a quieter voice. “Our other brother's face.”

“Sabo's alive,” I blurted.

Ace stared at me for a good ten minutes. “Wh-What?!”

“Sabo's alive,” I repeated. “The Celestial Dragon's attack, ten years ago, left him with scars and amnesia. He was rescued by the Revolutionary Army. He doesn't remember you or Luffy, or even Dadan. That's why he hasn't tried to find you.”

Ace's gaze was far away. “I-I have to find him then. I have to make him remember us. Oh, God, what if he doesn't want to be our brother any more?”

I grabbed Ace's hand, and he blinked, focusing on my face. “Ace,” I said seriously. “Once he remembers, he will never stop wanting to be your brother. I need you to trust me on that.”

He nodded slowly. “Okay. I trust you.”

I could tell he remained uncertain, but at least he was no longer on the verge of a panic attack. “We should still go see Luffy first, since I know where he’s going to be.”

“Where?”

“Alabasta. Nanohana, specifically,” I told him.

He smiled. “That's lucky. I have an eternal pose for Alabasta. I have eternal poses for all of my favorite restaurants. In Nanohana, for example, there's this place called Spice Bean. Hands down the best curry I have ever eaten.”

“I love curry!” I exclaimed.

“Then we'll stop by while we're there,” Ace said, nodding to himself.

<><><><><>

The next morning, Law determined that I was well enough to leave his care. As payment for his services, he requested that I give his crew a ‘vitality check’. Basically, he wanted to know if anybody on his crew had any issues that needed to be addressed.

Most of the crew had white auras. Hakugan's aura was green, but Law said that was due to Type 1 Diabetes. 

“Alright, everyone's good, then,” I concluded.

“That's good to hear,” Law remarked. “Hopefully we'll cross paths again in the future, Astra.”

“That would be nice,” I replied with a smile. Then I leaned toward him and whispered, “Next time, I want to hear about Sora, okay?”

A small glimmer of excitement appeared in his eyes, and he grinned. “Okay.”

I quickly hugged his leg and turned to leave, but his hand shot out to stop me. I looked at him. “Do you need something else?” I asked.

Law looked nervous. “Uh, here,” he said quietly. He handed me a mini transponder snail and a slip of paper with a number written on it. “If something happens to Fire-Fist, give me a call. I'll try to help you, if I can.”

I hugged him again. “Thanks, Law.”

He patted me awkwardly on the head and cleared his throat. “Alright, Astra. You can go now. Travel safe.”

Exiting the Polar Tang, I jumped down onto the beach, and Ace caught me in his arms. “Ready to go someplace warmer?” he asked. He had retrieved his coat from the striker and was wearing it.

I nodded emphatically. “Absolutely.”

Chapter 13: Nanohana

Astra POV

It only took us three days to reach Alabasta. Since I was basically cured, I could stay awake for much longer stretches, so I was finally able to appreciate the freedom of gliding across the sea like we were. It was amazing! Plus, I had so much more energy!

Ace carried me on his shoulders as we walked through the streets of Nanohana. “This way you can see everything!” he said. He showed Luffy's bounty poster to a few vendors, but they hadn't seen him.

I twisted around, scanning the crowd. Oh my gosh! It's actually them! Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper were standing nearby. I was half tempted to jump down and go say hi to them, but I knew I'd get to see the whole crew soon enough.

We also passed Tashigi, who was scolding a vendor for overcharging for crappy swords. I wouldn't find a good katana here, then. “Hey, Ace, I'm getting hungry. Could we head to that restaurant now?” I asked.

He tilted his head to the side and grinned up at me. “Sure!” He left the market behind and wove through the streets. Letting go of one of my feet, he pointed forward excitedly. “There it is! The Spice Bean!” I had to grab onto his hat to avoid falling off as he increased his pace.

He was right. Their curry was absolutely delicious. After I finished my plate, I watched his stack of empty plates grow higher and higher. Seriously, where did he put it all? He just kept shoveling food into his mouth, until his head suddenly dropped. 

I heard a startled scream, and a woman yanked me away from Ace. “He must've eaten a Desert Strawberry, poor thing. It's an extremely poisonous spider that looks like a strawberry. The toxin spreads from the deceased body as well, so stay back,” she warned me.

I rolled my eyes. “He's not dead. He's asleep. This happens every time he eats.” Wresting my arm out of the lady’s grip, I ran back over to Ace. How should I wake him up? A slow smile spread over my lips as I got an idea. I licked my finger and stuck it in his ear.

Ace shot upward with a yelp, and I collapsed in a fit of giggles. He flushed slightly. “I fell asleep again, didn't I?”

I returned to my seat and handed him a napkin with a grin. “Yup!”

He wiped the curry from his face. “Sorry.” He stuffed another bite into his mouth, and his head dropped once more.

I sighed and turned to the owner. “We're going to need more napkins, please.”

Ace sat up again, blinking slowly, and I handed him another napkin. He accepted it wordlessly. Then, he pulled out Luffy's bounty poster. “Have you seen this pirate around?” he asked the owner.

“Portgas D. Ace,” a loud voice behind us said. “What's the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates doing in Alabasta? And with a kidnapped child to boot.”

Kidnapped?! I spun around indignantly. “What the hell are you on about? I am a proud member of the Whitebeard Pirates! Not a kidnapped child!”

Smoker raised an eyebrow at me. “We received the report directly from the Sabaody Branch. A jailbreak and a kidnapping.”

I placed my hands on my hips. “Listen here, Smoky! I pretended to be a lost kid in order to break Ace out of prison!” I snapped. “I orchestrated the jailbreak, and I escaped with my crewmate! I wasn't kidnapped!”

He blinked, and one of his hands turned into smoke. “So, you're actually a pirate?”

I rolled my eyes. “Duh!”

His jaw clamped down on his cigars. “I'll arrest you both then,” he declared.

Before he could take a step toward us, however, Luffy crashed through the doors, sending Smoker and Ace flying through the wall, and the wall after that, and the wall after that, and… Okay, it was a lot of walls.

Luffy stood up with a laugh and took the seat beside me. “Food! Food! Food!” he chanted.

I couldn't keep the smile off my face. Luffy, the actual, living, breathing Luffy was sitting next to me! Strangely, his aura was gold, like Marco's. Maybe it's a mythical zoan thing. He noticed me staring, and tilted his head toward me as he ate. He seemed to be trying to decide something.

“Straw Hat!” Smoker emerged from the rubble, distracting Luffy. 

Luffy stared at him for a moment before spit-taking. “You're that smoke!” he exclaimed. He shoved the rest of his food into his mouth, threw me over his shoulder, and bolted.

“What are you doing?!” I screeched. He didn't respond.

Smoker was hot on our tail, and I felt a tendril of smoke wrap around my wrist. I quickly ripped it away, hearing Smoker grunt in surprise. Then, Luffy fell into an alley below. Landing on his feet, he kept running. There were a lot of marines after us. 

Smoker lunged forward again, but this time he was blocked by a pillar of fire. When it cleared, there stood Ace.

“Ace!” Luffy and I both shouted at the same time. 

Ace shot a grin over his shoulder. “Hey, Luffy. Hold onto Astra for now. I'll meet up with you guys once I finish dealing with this marine.”

“Shishishi! Okay! See you soon!” Luffy followed the rest of his crew as they ran toward the bay, but he spun around to watch Ace fight, running backwards down the street.

“Who was that?” Sanji asked.

“And why do you have a child with you?!” Nami exclaimed.

“That was Ace!” Luffy said proudly. “He's my older brother!”

“The same one that was in the paper for kidnapping a child?! Is this the child he kidnapped?!” Nami asked incredulously.

I lifted my head with a scowl. “I wasn't kidnapped! Ace is my crewmate!”

“You're a pirate, too?” Luffy laughed. “Awesome!”

The road split ahead, and Vivi shouted, “Everyone go left!”

Luffy went to his left, which was the right path, because he was running backwards. After a few minutes, we were lost, and Luffy stopped in the middle of a random alley, setting me down and scratching his head. “Where did everybody go?”

“You went the wrong way, dummy,” I said.

Luffy frowned. “Nuh-uh! I went left, just like Vivi said!” He held up his hands in front of him, folding down all of his fingers except for his thumbs and forefingers. “See!” He held up his left hand. “L, for left. I went left!”

I rubbed my forehead and sighed in resignation. “Yes, Luffy, you went left.” There was no point trying to argue with him.

“You didn't get very far!” Ace called down from the rooftop. He dropped, landing beside us with a thump. “Hey, Luffy.”

Luffy's face broke into a wide grin. “Ace!”

Ace and Luffy clasped hands, which soon turned into an arm wrestling match. It ended in a draw, and both brothers laughed.

“What are you doing here, Ace?” Luffy asked.

Ace knelt down and pulled me to his side. “I was nearby, getting medical treatment for Astra, my newest crewmate. I joined the Whitebeard Pirates. Hey, Luffy, do you want to join? Your friends could come, too!”

Luffy shook his head. “No way! I'm gonna become the King of the Pirates!”

Ace rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled. “I figured you'd say that. I'm gonna make Whitebeard the King, though.”

“Whitebeard doesn't want to be King of the Pirates, Ace,” I interjected. “He just wants a large family. He's already living his dream.”

Ace blinked. “Oh, really? I didn't know that. In that case, go for it, Luffy! Anyway, you should probably get back to your crew, right?”

“Yeah,” Luffy said, grinning sheepishly. “But, I don't remember where we docked the ship.”

Ace shook his head, and lifted me back onto his shoulders. “You haven't changed a bit, Luffy.”

Chapter 14: Swords

Astra POV

I screamed as Luffy and I sped toward the Going Merry at breakneck speed. Once Ace joins us on the ship, I'm going to strangle him for handing me over to this lunatic! 

Luffy landed on Usopp, and I landed on Luffy, bouncing off his body, and coming to rest on the wooden deck. Vivi, Nami, and Chopper all rushed over to me with worried expressions on their faces. “Are you alright?” Vivi asked.

I glowered at the sky. “I'll be fine once I punch that idiot in the face,” I muttered.

“Shishishishi! That was great!” Luffy exclaimed, and my mood darkened.

“Great?” I hissed, getting to my feet. “Great?! I could've died, you numbskull!” I clocked him upside the head, adding just enough haki for him to feel it.

“Ow!” Luffy pouted, rubbing the welt that rose from his head. “What was that for?”

“I had heart surgery only a week ago! High-impact activities could literally kill me!” I shouted. 

Behind me, Chopper's eyes widened, and he immediately pulled me over to a chair, extracting a stethoscope from his medical bag. Sitting down, I forced myself to relax. Getting overly worked up wouldn't help anyone. Chopper listened to my heart for several minutes, before taking my hand in his hooves. “Your heart sounds okay for now, but let me know right away if you start experiencing any pain or numbness,” he said, his blue nose twitching from concern.

“I will. Thank you,” I mumbled. He was too cute!

“Wasn't your brother back there, Luffy?” Sanji asked suddenly, and my heart clenched with anxiety. “Is it alright to just leave him behind?”

Luffy shrugged. “Ace is strong. I'm not worried about him. I was never able to beat him, even as a kid, though I could probably take him now.”

“Oh, really?” Ace leapt up onto the railing behind Luffy, a smirk upon his face. “You think you can take me?” I smiled. He's alright. 

Luffy spun around. “Ace! This is my crew! Aren't they neat?”

Ace bowed his head. “Thank you all for keeping my brother safe. He may be a handful, but please look after him.”

The Straw Hats instinctively bowed back. “It's no trouble at all.”

Ace grinned at me. “How was your trip to the ship, Astra?”

My smile dropped, and I pointed an accusatory finger toward him. “You! You left me in the hands of a certified chaos gremlin!” I exclaimed, and Ace laughed.

Usopp let out a small squawk of fear, and pointed toward a handful of ships that had appeared in front of us. “Those are Baroque Works ships! They've spotted us! What are we going to do?” he panicked.

“I'll handle it for you,” Ace said, leaping back down to his striker. I watched in awe as he carved through the water, flipping through the air and destroying all five of the boats with a single blow. He's so cool!

Ace returned to the Going Merry, and Sanji brought drinks out for everybody. He handed me a glass of orange juice, which I cheerfully sipped through a twisty straw. While Ace laughed and drank with the Straw Hats, I leaned back in my chair, a content smile on my face. I like it when Ace is happy. He deserves all the happiness in the world.

“Hey, Astra!” Nami called. 

“Wassup?” 

“Are you really a member of the Whitebeard Pirates?” she inquired.

I gave her a toothy grin. “Yup!”

“So, Ace didn't kidnap you?” she asked quietly. “You don't have to lie if he did.”

I glared at her. “Oh my goodness! Not this again! Don't believe everything you read in the papers, Nami!” I snapped. “If Ace had actually kidnapped me, he wouldn't be walking around because I would've cut him down!”

Her mouth dropped open in surprise. From where he was resting against the railing, Zoro cracked an interested eye open. “You know how to use a sword?” he asked.

I scoffed. “Of course I do! My father was a proud samurai! It would be an insult to my heritage if I didn't know how to properly wield a katana!”

Zoro grinned and got to his feet. “I'd like to see what you're capable of, then.” Walking over to a crate on the deck, he removed a couple of carved wooden swords and offered one to me.

I excitedly stood up and grabbed the practice sword. It was well balanced, though the handle was a bit wide for my small hands. We moved toward the center of the deck, and we both dropped into our stances. Zoro nodded in approval. “Begin.”

I quickly fell into the familiar rhythm of attacking and blocking, but after a few minutes, Zoro paused. “You're holding back,” he said sternly. “Don't.”

I grinned. “Alright.” I stepped up my speed, unleashing an onslaught of blows, slightly infused with haki to compensate for my size. 

Zoro's eyes widened when he blocked the first hit, then a grin slowly stretched across his face. “That's more like it.”

We sparred for another hour before I began to tire. I beamed at the green-haired man. “Thanks, Zoro! That was really fun!”

“You're quite talented for your age,” Zoro remarked, putting the swords away.

I shrugged. “I've put in a lot of work to become so. I'm not aiming for the top. I just want to be able to defend myself, if need be.” I nibbled on my lower lip. “Would you let me look at your blades?” I asked him nervously. I couldn't remember exactly which swords he got in Loguetown.

He nodded. “You can see them, but one of them is cursed, so I'd recommend not drawing it.” He brought his three swords over to where I was seated on the deck. He passed me the white katana. “This one is called the Wado Ichimonji. It's very special to me.”

My fingers gently traced over the smooth wood of the scabbard. I knew how important this sword was to Zoro. The fact that he was even letting me hold it meant a lot. I handed it back to him reverently. He placed it close to his side and picked up the black katana. “This one is Yubashiri. It was gifted to me by a store owner in Loguetown. It's extremely lightweight and easy to wield,” he explained.

I examined it with a practiced eye. It wasn't an overly special blade, but it was well crafted. I handed it back, and eyed the third sword carefully. I knew that was the cursed one. I could feel it. “That's Sandai Kitetsu,” I said, before Zoro even reached for it.

He raised an eyebrow. “It is. How do you know its name?”

“That sword was created by my grandfather,” I told him casually.

Chapter 15: Merry Times

Zoro POV

My eyes nearly bugged out of my skull. “What?! Your grandfather made Sandai Kitetsu?!” 

Astra shrugged. “Yeah. He, and by extension I, are descended from Kotetsu.”

If possible, my eyes got even wider. “The legendary swordsmith, Kotetsu?! That Kotetsu?!” Holy crap! Who is this girl?!

She nodded solemnly. “The very same.”

“Wow.” I blinked a few times before grinning. “Awesome! You can't have it, though. It's mine,” I said firmly.

“I don't want it,” she stated. Then, she tilted her head and smiled. “Besides, it seems to like you.”

“You can tell things like that?” I asked curiously. That's kinda cool.

“Sometimes,” she replied. “It just so happens that Sandai Kitetsu is loud.” She yawned. “I think it's nap time.”

I grinned. “I was thinking the same thing. Do you want to sleep in a bed or-” Her head dropped abruptly, and I reached out a hand to catch her before she smacked into the deck. Cradling her in one arm, I called out to Luffy’s brother. “Hey, Ace! Astra just passed out! Is she okay?”

Ace quickly glanced in our direction. “Is she breathing?”

I watched her shoulders rise and fall. “Yeah!”

“Then she should be fine!” he replied, waving a hand. “That just happens sometimes!”

Okay, then. I shifted to lay Astra on the deck, but her small hands gripped my shirt tightly. “No,” she mumbled in her sleep. “Don't leave me.” I sighed quietly and leaned back against the mast, holding her to my chest. I guess we're taking a nap together. 

Astra POV

The surface beneath me rose and fell rhythmically, and I heard a steady heartbeat close to my ear. My arms and face were pressed up against fabric, so I wasn't sleeping on Ace. I opened my eyes and attempted to lift my head without waking whoever was under me, but that was an impossible task. 

Zoro smiled sleepily down at me. “Did you have a good nap?”

I nodded and glanced around the deck. It was late in the afternoon. Luffy and Usopp were rolling around on the deck, wrestling. Chopper was hovering around them in case one of them got injured. Nami and Vivi were giggling about something. And Sanji had just disappeared through the galley door.

My brow furrowed. “Where's Ace?”

Luffy's head popped out from under one of Usopp's arms. “He said there was someone tailing us, so he went to check it out.”

I glanced at my arm. His mark had shrunk a bit. I leapt to my feet, panicking. “That effing idiot! Which way did he go?!” I directed that question toward Nami. She wordlessly pointed west, taken aback by my abrupt mood change.

I ran toward the railing and anxiously scanned the sea. Where are you, Ace? Why did you go off on your own again?

There was a thump behind me. “Told you it wouldn't take long!” I heard the cocky grin in his voice.

Spinning around, I charged toward Ace, pounding my fists repeatedly on his leg. “You, stupid, idiotic, dummy-head!” I yelled.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” He caught my wrists and held them away from his body. Then, noticing the tears in my eyes, he knelt down and pulled me into a hug. “Crap! I'm sorry, Astra,” he mumbled. “I didn't think about that.”

I sniffled, taking another look at my arm. His line was still shorter than the others. “You got hurt,” I muttered.

“He was a haki user, and he got in a lucky hit,” Ace told me quietly, showing me the edge of bandages under his shorts. “I don't want to worry Luffy, though, so please don't let him know.”

Letting out a small sigh, I nodded. “I’m just afraid that every time you leave, it'll be the last,” I admitted.

Ace smiled. “Don't worry, Astra. I won't d-”

“Don't you dare finish that sentence, Ace,” I said sternly, eyes flashing. “Don't make me a promise I know you can't keep.”

His face dropped. “Right.”

“Hey! What are you two whispering about?” Luffy asked, his neck stretching over Ace's shoulder to peer at us both.

“Taxes,” I lied.

Luffy frowned. “That's boring.” A second later, however, a large grin appeared on his face. “Let's play a game!” 

“What game do you want to play?” I asked warily. 

“I don't know, but I want to play something,” came his reply.

I thought for a moment. “How about Pirate Factory?”

Luffy's eyes lit up. “Ooh! That sounds fun! How do you play?”

I called out to the navigator. “Nami? Do you have some dice we could use for a game?” 

Nami smiled over at me. “Sure, Astra! That'll be 500 beri per die!”

My smile faltered, and my shoulders drooped. “Oh. Nevermind. We'll just try to play it without dice.” 

“I was just joking, Astra,” Nami said quickly. “Of course you can use some dice! No charge!”

My face brightened. “Really, Nami? Thank you! You're the best!” 

Nami retrieved a bag of dice from her room. “How many dice do you need?”

“Three per player,” I replied. “I don't know how many people want to play, though.”

In the end, everyone on the ship decided to participate in my game. I explained the rules to them. “There are twelve rounds total, divided into two stages. The first stage of six rounds will build your pirate's body. Each round, everyone rolls their dice at the same time. Your goal is to roll the number of the round, so round 1, you're trying to roll a 1, round 2, a 2, and so on. Only one of your dice needs to match to gain that piece, but if at least two dice match, that part of the body is reinforced. The second stage is accessorizing. Same rules, but you'll dress your pirate and possibly give them a weapon. At the end, we'll vote on whose pirate we think would win in a battle.”

“How do we keep track of what we've built?” Vivi asked.

I furrowed my brow. I didn't think about that. Nami leapt to her feet. “I'll grab some paper!”

As we played, the few who didn't quite understand my explanation caught on pretty quickly. Usopp and Nami got really into the accessory part, once they realized they could add literally anything to their pirate, as long as they rolled well. We ended up playing five times before we reached our destination. Not bad for a game I made up on the spot.

Chapter 16: Sand

Astra POV

“So, why are we following your brother and his crew into the desert?” I asked Ace, laying my head down upon his shoulder. He was carrying me piggyback style as he trudged through the sand.

He twisted his head to grin at me. “I just want to! It sounds fun!” 

I felt like there was more to it than that, but I was too hot to inquire further. “Okay,” I murmured. I just wasn't made for that type of climate, but there was no way in hell I was letting Ace go without me. My gaze roved over the Straw Hats. Chopper was about to collapse from the heat, and his aura had taken on a greenish hue as a result. Everyone else was still healthy for the time being, so I closed my eyes against the glare of the sun.

Luffy complained about the heat, the sun, the sand, basically everything. He was loud. “Luffy's a lot,” I muttered.

Ace chuckled. “Yeah, he is. He hasn't changed much from when we were kids.”

Sanji, Nami, and Usopp started fighting with Luffy, and I smiled. “He's got a good crew, though.”

Ace nodded. “That he does.”

As the sun dropped, so did the temperature, and I was grateful for the walking heater I was currently draped over. The group found a cluster of rocks that would offer shelter for our small camp, and Ace lowered me to the ground so he could help set up the campfire. I shivered. It got cold fast. 

“Hey, Astra, would you like to join us in the tent?” Nami asked. “It'll just be us girls. And it'll be warmer than sleeping out in the open.”

“Umm…” I mulled it over for a moment. It could be fun, but also, the last time I fell asleep away from Ace, he was gone when I woke up. I glanced anxiously in his direction. 

Ace seemed to sense my trepidation, because he looked up from the tumbleweeds he had piled together and gave me a small smile. “I promise I won't go anywhere,” he said, just loud enough for me to hear.

I beamed at Nami. “I'd love to!”

Nami was right. The inside of the tent was a lot warmer than the air outside. As soon as the flaps closed, Nami grinned. “Shall we play 20 questions?”

Vivi and I both nodded. “Sure.”

“Alright,” Nami said. “I'll start us off. Astra, how old are you?”

“Four this year. My birthday’s next week,” I replied.

Nami blinked. “Only four?! You seem much older than that!”

I shrugged. “My turn to ask a question. Vivi, What's your favorite shape?”

“Oh, um, I guess I like triangles,” Vivi said. “Astra, You and Luffy's brother seem close. How long have you known each other?”

“I met Ace about two weeks ago. He carried me across the sea to find a doctor who could perform heart surgery on me. I owe my life to him,” I said quietly.

“Where are you from?” Nami asked. 

I guess it's turning into an interrogation. Oh, well. “I was born on a pirate ship on the Grand Line.”

“Are your parents pirates then?” Nami inquired curiously.

“My father was."

Nami noticed the shift in my mood and decided to pivot the conversation. “Astra, your turn to ask a question.”

I wracked my brain for a good question to ask. “Nami, how did you join Luffy's crew?”

Nami launched into a tale about meeting two numbskulls on an island in the East Blue. It was interesting to hear it from her perspective. She definitely skipped over some of the details, but I enjoyed listening to her speak. Her voice was rather calming, and before I knew it, I found myself drifting off to sleep.

“I found a shrimp!”

Luffy's shouting woke me up and I groaned. “He probably found a scorpion.”

Vivi shot up and bolted out of the tent. “Luffy! Throw that away now!”

As they started arguing, I groaned again. “It's too early for this.” I finally pushed myself to my feet and stepped out of the tent, just in time to hear Vivi shout, “Take cover! A sandstorm is coming!”

I pulled my shirt collar up over my face and curled up inside of the tent. Hopefully, it would provide enough cover. The wind howled fiercely, and the tent collapsed on top of me. I felt the sand piling up, pressing me down, and I started to panic. I shouldn't have stayed in the tent!

Eventually, the sound of the wind faded away, but I couldn't move beneath the weight of the sand. Ace's muffled voice shouted, “Astra!”

It took effort, but I tried to breathe in as much as I could. “Ace!” I yelled.

“Astra!” His voice was closer. “Where are you?”

Once more. “Ace!” The oppressive weight of the sand shifted and lifted, and the canvas of the tent was peeled away from my body. I blinked in the sudden light, and moments later, Ace's arms scooped me up, holding me close. 

A rush of words tumbled from Ace's lips. “Astra! Are you alright? Were you hurt?” 

I shook my head and curled even closer to him. “It was really scary,” I said quietly.

Ace had Chopper give me a checkup anyway, just in case. Physically, I was fine and a couple hours later, we were trudging through the sand again. At least I didn't have to walk, but seriously, the heat was nigh unbearable.

Luffy started complaining about food shortly into the trek, and I mostly ignored him, but when he mentioned rock, paper, scissors, I lifted my head. “Don't!” I said quickly.

Most of the Straw Hats looked at me with confused expressions. “Why not?” Luffy asked.

“Uhh, I've heard that there are birds in the desert that steal supplies, so it might be wise not to pile all of them up together,” I explained.

Vivi nodded. “That's right, Astra. I forgot to warn you guys about the Warusagi birds. They pretend to be injured so they can steal supplies from unwitting travelers.”

“Alright,” Nami said resolutely. “We'll keep our packs protected.” 

I released a relieved sigh. They weren't going to lose all of their stuff. “Hey! I see rocks ahead!” Usopp announced.

“Rocks!” Luffy shouted, sprinting toward the distant outcropping. Minutes later, he came sprinting back. “Chopper, there are some injured birds that need help!”

At least half of the group facepalmed.

Chapter 17: Missing

Astra POV

Sandstorms, thieving birds, giant sand lizards, carnivorous plants. I was done with the desert. It sucked big time. “Hey, Ace?”

Lounging on a nearby rock, Ace twisted around to face me with an easy grin. “What's up?”

“Do you know the transponder snail number for the Moby Dick?” I asked.

He rested his head on his arms. “Sure. It's 352775. Why do you ask?”

I need a way to contact them in case something happens. I picked at the crust of my sandwich. “I just figured, if we happen to come across a transponder snail, I want to call them and let Marco know that my surgery was successful,” I explained. I still hadn't told him about the snail Law gave me.

Ace nodded thoughtfully. “That makes sense. We'll keep an eye out, okay?”

I grinned at him. “Sounds good, Ace. Thanks.” 352775. I can remember that. Glancing below, I noticed the Straw Hats had a camel with them. Lovely. There's another one for Desert BINGO.

I accepted a ride on the camel, sitting on Nami's lap. I trusted Ace to stay with the group. I mean, we were in the middle of the desert. Where would he even go?

Around midday, I glanced over everyone again. Chopper was still green, Usopp was getting a green tinge, but everyone else was still good. However, Ace was gone. I frantically cast my eyes across the sand. He was nowhere in sight. “Where the hell did Ace go?!” I cried.

Nami and Vivi tried to console me, reasoning that Ace was pretty strong, so he should be fine. Despite their words, however, my anxiety was through the roof. My stomach twisted in knots as my mind produced worst-case scenarios that all resulted in Ace's death. I kept my eyes glued to the red line on my arm. Please don't get hurt, Ace. My heart can't handle it.

I wasn't hungry when we stopped to eat, but I forced myself to put something in my stomach, if only just to avoid disappointing Sanji. 

By the time night fell, Ace was still missing, and I was internally freaking out. His line hadn't budged, so that gave me a little hope, but… where was he?

I grabbed a blanket and stepped away from the others, keeping them in sight. I felt Zoro's eyes on me, and Nami's. Once I was out of earshot, I withdrew the transponder snail from my pocket. I looked at the paper Law had handed me. His number was on one side, but there was writing on the other side, too. I flipped it over.

‘Ikkaku modified this, so it's encrypted, and it has extended range. Even if nothing happens to your benefactor, you're welcome to call me just to chat. -Law’

I might take him up on that later, but at the moment, I really needed to check in with Marco. I turned the number pad towards me. Luckily, the moon and stars provided enough light to see by. 352775. I punched in the number and waited as it rang. Please pick up. 

Click! “Hello?”

I almost started crying. “Birdie!”

“Astra?! We've all been extremely worried about you! Are you in a safe place?”

“I'm with the Straw Hat crew right now,” I told him. “Oh, and this call's encrypted, so we don't have to worry about anyone listening in.”

“Hang on a moment.” I heard a door open, then Marco shouted, “Izou! Izou! Astra contacted us!” His voice sounded further away. Then, he seemed to walk back over to the snail. “Like I said, everyone's been super worried. About a week after you left, a group of people snuck onto our ship looking for Teach. A few of our brothers were killed in the attack.” I opened my mouth. “Before you ask, Thatch is fine.” I closed my mouth. “One of them had the ability to teleport, and that's how they managed to escape. I was afraid they'd target you guys next.”

My stomach dropped. Ace fought someone with strong haki and got injured, and then he suddenly went missing in the middle of the desert? The teleporting guy had to be Van Augur, so that meant Teach's crew was hunting us down. I glanced down at my arm. Ace's bar had dropped by half while we were talking. I found it rather hard to breathe all of a sudden.

My distress must've translated over, because Marco's voice filled with concern. “Astra? Are you okay? Astra? Please answer me!” 

“What's wrong?” Izou asked, equally concerned. “Can you put Ace on?” 

“I c-can't,” I stammered, teetering on the verge of a panic attack. “I-I don't know where Ace is.”

Marco's voice took on a softer tone. “Astra, I need you to take a deep breath for me, okay? In… and out. In… and out.” I did my best to listen to him. “That's it. Now, tell us what happened.”

I took one more deep breath. “We were crossing the Sandora Desert with Luffy's crew,” I explained. “Ace was with us this morning, but by noon, he had disappeared. And just now, his vitality dropped significantly. Do you have a piece of his vivre card?”

I heard some rustling and a couple of drawers being opened, then Marco said, “Shit. Yeah, it's burning alright. Listen, Astra. Stick close to Luffy's crew for now. We'll send someone to pick you up. I want you to check in daily, if you can, but call me immediately if something else happens.”

“I will,” I said.

“Promise?”

“Promise. On a happier note, my heart surgery was successful,” I added with a forced smile. “I figured you might want to know.”

“I'm glad to hear that,” Marco smiled. It seemed slightly forced as well.

“Hey, Birdie? Could I talk to Bou alone for a moment?” I asked.

He frowned. “Bou? Who-”

Izou sighed. “She's referring to me, Marco.”

“Oh. Okay, then.” I heard the door close.

A chair creaked. “How much have you remembered?” Izou asked quietly.

“I remember everything. Mother and Father and Momo and Hihi. I miss them a lot, Bou,” I confessed.

The snail relayed his pinched up face, and I held back a giggle. “Why would you choose such an unrefined nickname for me?” he lamented.

“You're tall and skinny, like a stick, Bou,” I teased.

“I'll have you know I put on a decent amount of muscle in the past twenty-four years!” he exclaimed.

I stuck out my tongue. “You'll always be a stick to me.” It was fun getting under Izou's skin.

Izou sighed again, but then he smiled. “It's honestly good to hear your voice again, Hoshiko-sama. You always were quick-witted when it came to verbal spars.” He paused before quietly adding, “Make it back home safely to us, okay?”

“Okay. I should probably head to bed before the Straw Hats start to worry about me.” Zoro's eyes were still boring into my back. “Good night, Bou. Tell Marco I said, ‘Good night, Birdie.’.” 

His lips twitched as he tried not to laugh. “...I will.”

“Promise?”

“Promise. Good night, Hoshiko-sama.” Click!

Returning the snail to my pocket, I shivered and drew my thin blanket closer around my body. I didn't notice how frigid the night air had become. I could practically see my breath. My stiff joints protested as I rose to my feet, and I staggered a bit before steadying myself. Then, I made my way back to the camp.

Zoro eyed me carefully as I approached. He made no comments, but he opened his arms toward me, and I curled up within them. He rested one hand on my back and one on my head, tucking it beneath his chin, and I fell asleep quickly to the sound of his steady heartbeat.

Chapter 18: A Real Dilemma

Astra POV

I checked my arm as soon as I woke up. Ace's mark was down to a quarter of its original length, and what I hadn't noticed in the low light last night was that it had turned brown. That meant he was sick or poisoned or something. I was pretty sure one of the Blackbeard Pirates had the Sick-Sick Fruit, so that tracked, but it was worrying.

I wasn't sure whether to tell Luffy about it or not. If he shifted his focus off of Crocodile, Alabasta would be in real danger, but if I didn't tell him, Ace could die. I was dealing with a trolley dilemma.

I walked over to Luffy. “Hey Luffy, could I ask you something?” I wanted to talk before the heat of the day fried our brains. 

He grinned at me. “Sure!”

“Pretend there are two paths ahead. If you go left, you can save five people, but one person dies. If you go right, you save one person, but the other five die. Which path would you take?”

As Luffy's brow furrowed, Nami muttered, “Don't bother asking him stuff like that, Astra-chan. He doesn't usually do well with thinking.”

I ignored Nami, just staring at Luffy expectantly. It took about ten minutes, but Luffy finally nodded to himself. “I'd go left.”

I had anticipated his response, but my heart still broke. “Okay.”

“Was that the right answer?” Luffy asked.

“Only time will tell,” I murmured.

“Breakfast is ready!” Sanji shouted, drawing Luffy away before he could ask me what I meant.

I had let Luffy decide. I wouldn't tell him about Ace. Marco was on his way. We would take the other path, so Luffy could focus on stopping Crocodile. I certainly hoped it was the right decision.

I was placed on Nami's lap again, and as we set off across the sand once more, she leaned in close to me and muttered, “That wasn't hypothetical, was it?” I didn't respond. I didn't need to. My silence was an answer unto itself. 

The day passed by mostly in a haze. I definitely wasn't drinking enough water, but I couldn't find the energy to care. I was hot and tired and stressed. Why did Ace decide to drag us through the desert with Luffy? He must've had a reason. If he knew that someone was following Luffy…

My stomach twisted as everything fell into place. Ace knew we were being hunted. He faced one individual and got injured, but he managed to escape and return to the ship. He made sure I was safely traveling with Luffy's crew before heading off alone to draw the Blackbeard Pirates away from us.

Damn that self-sacrificing idiot! I needed Marco to help me track Ace down, just so I could knock some freaking sense into his stupid head! I specifically told him not to go off on his own! My fingers clenched into fists. If he isn't dead when I find him, I'll kill him!

All of a sudden, I had to grab onto Nami's arm as Eyelash, the camel, collapsed to the ground, as did Usopp. Nami and Vivi looked woozy, and even Sanji and Zoro stumbled slightly. Luffy, seemingly unaffected, stared at me, tilting his head curiously. “That felt like what Shanks did to the Sea King,” he murmured aloud to himself. Then, he raised his voice. “Astra, did you do that?”

I tried to reign it in. “Uh, maybe? I'm not entirely sure. I definitely didn't do it on purpose.” Oops.

Usopp and Eyelash regained consciousness quickly, and we resumed our travels. I tried to keep my thoughts away from Ace, for the safety of the group.

Just before nightfall, Vivi spotted Yuba in the distance. “It looks like it's being hit by a sandstorm,” she said worriedly.

The city was still as we rode up upon it, and sand swept high on several buildings. Somewhere within, however, came the crunching sound of someone digging. It was Toto, the father of Vivi's childhood friend, steadfastly working to restore the well of the oasis town.

Once he recognized Vivi, Toto explained that the rebels had moved to Katorea, which was on the opposite side of the country, near Nanohana. We decided to stay the night in one of the abandoned inns, you know, with actual beds, and set out first thing in the morning.

I walked a distance away to check in with Marco again, and I felt Zoro tailing me. Sitting down on a broken wall, I pulled out my snail and dialed.

Click! “Hello?”

“Hi, Birdie. I'm checking in.”

“Good. You're still safe?” Marco's response was a lot more clipped than the previous night. 

“I am.” I glanced at my arm. Ace's mark was getting dangerously small. “Ace is either sick or poisoned,” I added. 

I heard a sharp inhale on the other end. “You can tell that remotely?”

“Yes. I have vital marks on my arm corresponding to different people,” I told him.

“We're still two days out,” Marco said. “Stay with Luffy's crew and try not to do anything reckless, alright?”

Those were contradicting orders. “Alright.”

“Promise?”

I smiled. “Promise.” I would certainly try.

Click! Marco ended the call there, and I sat back with a sigh, leaning against the crumbling edge of the wall. I stared sadly up at the stars overhead in the clear sky. None of this would've happened if I hadn't asked to go see Law. 

I felt Zoro settle on the wall beside me. “Is Luffy's brother in danger?” he asked quietly.

“He is,” I replied.

“Why haven't you told Luffy?”

I scrunched up my face. “I really want to, but Luffy's the only one who can stop Crocodile. If Luffy goes after Ace right now, Vivi's country will be destroyed.” Frustrated at the world, I punched the wall beside me, and it shattered.

“Destroyed seems like an exaggeration,” Zoro replied. “I mean, it's just a civil war, right? There's no way to tell how it will turn out.”

I shook my head angrily. “It's not just a civil war, Zoro. Crocodile is going to blow up the capital while everyone is fighting. Hundreds of thousands of people or more will be killed if Luffy doesn't stop him.”

Zoro nearly fell off the wall in shock. “What?! How do you know that?”

Hesitantly, I said, “I've seen prophecies of the future.”

A scoff came from the green-haired man. “Prophecies? What a load of bunk!”

I glared at him. “You wanna bet? Luffy will punch Vivi tomorrow, and then we'll head toward Rainbase. If that doesn't happen, I'll tell Luffy about Ace, deal? I'll even stay beside you so you'll know I'm not affecting things.” 

Zoro's eyes narrowed. He didn't look convinced, but he nodded. “If all of that happens, I'll believe you.”

<><><><><>

In the morning, Toto gave Luffy a small cup of water that he had gathered due to Luffy's efforts the night before. True to my word, I stuck by Zoro's side as we departed Yuba, and barely ten minutes in, Luffy sat down against a lone, scraggly tree. “I quit,” he declared.

“Luffy, what are you doing?!” Sanji snapped. “We need to hurry up and get to Katorea to help Vivi-chan!”

Luffy frowned. “I don't wanna.”

All of the Straw Hats bugged out. “What?! Luffy, you can't be serious!”

Luffy ignored them all and looked toward the blue-haired princess. “Vivi, I wanna kick Crocodile's ass! We're pirates. We won't be able to do much to convince the rebels to stop. You want it so that nobody dies in this fight, right?”

“Of course!” Vivi replied angrily. “What's wrong with that?”

“People die,” Luffy said bluntly, and Vivi slapped him.

“Shut up!” she shouted. “That's what I'm trying to prevent here! None of my people have done anything wrong! It's all Crocodile's fault, so why do they have to die because of it?!”

Luffy pushed himself to his feet with a snarl and swung a haymaker at Vivi, knocking her to the ground. Zoro immediately turned to me with wide eyes, and I gave him a ‘told you so’ look. “Why are you putting your life on the line?!” Luffy shouted.

Vivi tackled Luffy and began hitting him over and over while tears streamed down her face. Luffy kept talking through the punches. “I've only been in this country for a few days, but I know what it needs most. Your life can't be the only thing on the line!”

“What else is there?!” Vivi sobbed as Luffy caught both of her arms. “I don't have anything else to give!”

Releasing her, Luffy sat up. “Why can't you put all of our lives on the line, then?! Aren't we your friends?!” he exclaimed, and Vivi's eyes widened. Luffy continued in a low tone. “I know you're the angriest at him, so tell me where Crocodile is.”

Vivi wiped the tears from her eyes and stood with resolve. “We'll head toward Rainbase. That's where his casino is located.”

I gave Zoro a smirk. “Well?”

“Alright,” he muttered reluctantly. “I believe you.

Chapter 19: Trapped!

The oppressive heat of the desert lessened as we entered Rainbase proper. It may have been unethically maintained, but it was still an oasis, and I welcomed the slight reprieve. “Shade! Glorious shade!” I exclaimed dramatically, flopping starfished on the ground. Okay, the heat had really gotten to me, and I might have been a bit loopy. Nami took one look at my overly flushed face and frowned. She threw a handful of beri at Usopp. “Take Luffy, and go buy some water,” she said quickly. “Astra isn't looking too good.”

As the two guys hurried off, Chopper lifted his head to look at me, his little eyes filled with concern. “Astra, are you feeling alright?”

I giggled. “Nope! I feel like absolute crap, on the verge of passing out, but also high off my rocker! Last time I felt like this was when I died! Now that was something!” My words cut off suddenly as something fluttered across my vision. “Ooh! Butterflies!” I exclaimed, giggling again.

“She's delirious from the heat,” Chopper said, but his voice sounded far away, and my eyelids were getting heavy. Water suddenly splashed across my face and I blinked in confusion. Zoro was running while carrying me, blotting the droplets from my face with his bandana, which felt cool against my skin.

“What happened?” I asked thickly.

“Chopper said you had heat sickness,” Zoro said stiffly, continuing to run the damp cloth across my forehead and cheeks. “You passed out.”

“And now we're running?” My brain was still catching up.

“Usopp and Luffy managed to catch the attention of the marines,” Zoro explained. 

I sighed. “Of course they did.”

“We're meeting up with the others at Crocodile's casino,” he told me.

I nodded. “And by casino, do you mean that large pyramid-shaped building behind us?”

Zoro turned on his heel with a curse. “The stupid streets keep moving,” he muttered. Suuure. Zoro ran up the steps to the casino entrance. It looked like Luffy, Usopp, and Nami had arrived just before us. 

“Hey, Zoro, did you see Smokey outside?” Luffy asked.

Zoro frowned. “Who?”

I looked over his shoulder, spotting Smoker approaching us from behind. “There he is!” I yelled. “Run!”

Smoker's eyes narrowed when he saw me, and he redoubled his efforts, racing after us as we took off across the casino. I knew we were running into a trap, but I also knew everything would end up fine, so I just went along with it. It wasn't like I had much of a choice anyway, with how tight Zoro's hold on me was.

I heard Luffy say, “Look! It says ‘pirates, this way’!”, and I braced myself as the ground dropped out from beneath us.

Zoro took the brunt of the fall, clutching me to his chest, and a small grunt escaped his throat. “Are you okay?” I asked.

“I'm alright, but thanks for asking!” Usopp exclaimed, giving me a thumbs up.

Nami clocked him in the head. “Only because you landed on me!” she screeched.

“Zoro?” I asked, ignoring the two. His silence was worrying me.

“I'm okay,” he said finally. “But what is this place?”

“By the looks of things, we're under the moat,” Smoker supplied.

Nami and Usopp hid behind Zoro. “Crap! The marine's in here with us!” they shouted.

I stood up and walked over to the bars of the cage, being careful not to touch them. “We're trapped,” I said flatly. “Luffy, how could you fall for such a stupid sign?”

As Luffy pouted, a deep chuckle emanated from a chair beyond the cage. Crocodile leaned forward slightly, light glinting off his golden hook as he shifted. Standing, he walked slowly toward the cage. 

“Crocodile,” Smoker growled. “You may be a Warlord, but you're still a pirate in the end.”

Luffy ground his teeth together. “So you're Crocodile! Let me out of here so I can kick your ass!”

Paying them no mind, Crocodile looked at me with an eyebrow raised in curiosity. “Are you part of this Strawhat's crew?” he asked.

I glared at him. “Of course not!” I snapped. “I'm a Whitebeard Pirate!” 

His eyes widened almost imperceptibly, before narrowing in anger. “What is a Whitebeard Pirate doing in Alabasta?” he demanded.

“I was dealing with Nunya,” I said.

He frowned. “Nunya?” he repeated blankly.

“Yeah, Nunya business!” I told him with a smirk, flipping him off.

Usopp and Luffy burst out laughing, and Crocodile growled. I stared at him confidently from behind the sea stone bars. If we couldn't reach him, then he couldn't reach us either. I was safe.

Crocodile suddenly started chuckling, and my smile faltered. Why was he happy? That didn't bode well. My panic only grew as his chuckle devolved into unhinged laughter. He wasn't supposed to act like that. Did I break him? His laughter instantly cut off, filling the air with a ringing silence, and he drew closer to the cage, his unblinking eyes fixated on me, looking very much like the predator for which he was named. I hardly dared to move, or even breathe. “You have presented me with something so much better than my current pet project, little girl,” he said. 

His mannerisms unsettled me. “I-I have?”

The glowing end of his cigar flared bright, and he slowly breathed out a puff of smoke. “He took something from me, so I'll take something from him,” he murmured, speaking mostly to himself.

My blood chilled. I forgot he held a major grudge against Whitebeard. Was he going to kill me as revenge against Pops?

“Don't you dare hurt my friend!” Luffy shouted, grabbing onto the bars. As he dribbled limply to the floor, I looked at him in surprise. We're friends? When did that happen? 

Crocodile bared his teeth in a grin. “Oh, I don't plan on hurting her,” he purred. “Not yet at least.”

Despite the bars separating us, I took a step back. I didn't know what he wanted with me, but it was alarming to be the focus of his attention. This shouldn't be happening. I placed one hand on the hilt of my shortsword. If he tried anything, I'd hurt him. 

The grand doors at the top of the staircase opened, diverting Crocodile's gaze, and I felt like a weight was lifted off of me. I drew in a breath and released it slowly. Then, I stepped back from the bars until I was beside Zoro. It was an effort to keep my hands from shaking. I closed my eyes in an attempt to calm my racing heart.

“Peacock String Slasher!” My eyes snapped back open as Vivi's weapon sliced through Crocodile's head.

“It's no use,” Smoker grumbled unhelpfully.

The sand that comprised the Warlord's body scattered and reformed behind Vivi. “That's quite enough, Miss Wednesday,” Crocodile said firmly. “Attacking the host of a party is just rude,” he added as Miss All Sunday descended the stairs behind him.

“Maybe you should try hosting a party that's actually enjoyable,” I muttered before I could stop myself.

Crocodile glanced over at me with a raised brow. “Oh? Are you not enjoying this, little one?” He turned to his ‘partner’. “Miss All Sunday, if you would be so kind as to escort our youngest guest to VIP Suite #3.”

The woman frowned. “Sir?”

“Do not make me repeat myself,” Crocodile growled.

Miss All Sunday nodded and approached the cage. She crossed her arms in front of her body. “Veinte Fleur!” Multiple arms sprouted from the floor, restraining everyone except for me. Then, a chain of arms descended from the ceiling, grabbing onto my wrists and yanking me upward. It all happened within the space of a few seconds.

Far below me, Zoro and Luffy fought against the arms. “Astra!” Luffy stretched his arm towards me, but a stone panel rumbled closed beneath my feet, separating me from the cage. Miss All Sunday's arms dissipated in a flurry of petals, and I dropped onto the panel, my body immediately sagging with exhaustion. Of course it’s made of seastone. Stupid Gator.

Notes:

Friendly Tip: Don't antagonize the antagonist.

Chapter 20: Making A Friend

Astra POV

With my ear pressed against the seastone below, I could still hear Luffy yelling, but I wasn't able to pick out any words. I weakly lifted my fist and let it fall with a thud. I could barely move, and even if I could, I had nowhere to go. I was somewhere within the shute we fell through earlier, and the walls were steep. My only option was to wait for someone to come get me.

I didn't actually have to wait that long, and the ‘someone’ was Nico Robin. Sorry, I meant Miss All Sunday. Whatever. It was the same person either way, and she had come to get me. That was the important part. A hidden panel along the wall opened up, revealing the white cowboy hat of liberation. 

Alright, so maybe I hadn't fully recovered from my minor heat stroke, but that was neither here nor there. A string of hands extended toward me and I welcomed them gratefully, letting them pull me away from the seastone. Once my feet were back on regular, plain old stone, my energy came surging back. “Crocodile sucks,” I said bluntly, and Miss All Sunday's lips twitched.

“Are you going to come with me willingly, or do I need to carry you?” she asked, eying my sword.

“I don't feel like I have much choice in the matter right now, but I'd like to be carried either way, since you're offering,” I replied promptly. I didn't want to hurt her. 

Miss All Sunday lifted a hand up to cover her mouth, and a small, quiet laugh escaped her. “You're quite a fearless little girl,” she murmured.

I tilted my head and made a big show of looking around. “What's there to fear right now?” I asked honestly. “I know you're not a bad person.”

Robin's face turned stony. “But I am. I've done things…”

“I've killed people,” I confessed. “I've lied and stolen. Does that make me a bad person, too?” 

She shook her head. “You don't understand.”

“Don't I?” I gave her the most open expression I could. “It seems to me like you did those things out of necessity and desperation. That doesn't make you a bad person. That makes you scared and hurt.”

Her face flashed with fear for a moment before hardening once more. “Who are you?” she asked, her voice nothing more than a whisper.

“My name is Astra. I'm four years old, and I'm a Whitebeard Pirate,” I said proudly. 

Robin looked conflicted for a moment. Then, she seemed to come to a decision. “It's nice to meet you, Astra. My name is Nico Robin, and I'm getting you out of here.” She picked me up and hurried down the corridor. Her pace slowed when she reached the casino floor, walking purposefully toward the entrance. When she reached the doors, she set me down. “I'm sorry, little girl, but children aren't allowed in this establishment,” she said sternly. “Now run along home.” She turned on her heel and walked back inside without another word.

I carefully descended the outer steps of the casino and crossed the bridge over the moat. I spotted Sanji hiding in one of the alleys, so I went around the long way to avoid drawing attention to him. Sneaking down the alley, I slotted into position beside him. “You got a plan to rescue them?” I asked quietly.

He jumped slightly. Then, relief broke over his face, and he knelt down to give me a hug. “Astra! Are you alright? How did you escape?”

“A friend got me out of there,” I told him vaguely. “I'm okay. You have a plan, right?”

Sanji nodded. “Chopper and I have it all handled, so you don't need to worry. Just stay here.”

“Sounds good. Good luck, Sanji.”

Sanji grinned and pulled out a pair of amber-tinted sunglasses. “Call me Mr. Prince,” he said smoothly, donning them.

I rolled my eyes with a small smile. “Good luck, Mr. Prince.”

I watched from the shadows as he approached the guards in front of the casino. There was a small conversation before Mr. Prince's left leg shot toward the first guard's face. The other guard shouted, and dozens of men raced over from various positions around the casino. 

The smile on my face grew as Mr. Prince flawlessly subdued every single Baroque Works Million that came his way. He then grabbed one of the fallen guards by the lapel, and the man handed him something small. That's probably the transponder snail. After a bit of back and forth, Mr. Prince knocked the man out and strode purposefully toward the bridge. Pulling something from his pocket, he attached it to the underside before continuing up the steps and disappearing within the bustling casino.

Several minutes passed. Then, Crocodile appeared at the top of the stairs, with Miss All Sunday bringing up his rear. He stalked across to the scattered men and began questioning them. I shrank further into the shadows as he cast his gaze around the square. Thankfully, he didn't appear to spot me. 

The bridge connecting the streets to the casino suddenly exploded, dropping rubble and dust into the moat. I briefly saw Mr. Prince at the top of the stairs before he slipped back inside.

Even at a distance, the veins bulging on Crocodile's forehead were visible. He closed his eyes momentarily then scanned the crowd again. His low voice carried imperiously over the square. “Nothing to worry about. This was a planned demolition. Reconstruction of the bridge will commence soon,” he announced.

Several relieved murmurs emanated from the crowd, which slowly dispersed. Once the square was cleared, Crocodile put a hand to his forehead. “Clean this up,” he ordered.

I sensed a presence behind me, and I turned to see Chopper in his horn point. “Climb on, Astra,” he said quietly. I hastily climbed onto his back and held onto his fur as he stealthily clip-clopped back down the alley. It was slow going, but we eventually reached the outskirts of town, where Eyelash was waiting with a massive desert crab. “This is one of Eyelash's friends,” Chopper explained. “He's agreed to help us.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you,” I said politely, bowing to the crab. It scuttled back and forth happily and extended a large claw for us to climb on.

After circling the city three times, Chopper finally caught wind of Nami's perfume. “They're that way,” he exclaimed, pointing to the north side of the oasis town. Sure enough, the rest of the Straw Hats were just exiting town as we approached.

Luffy's grin extended from ear to ear when he saw me. “Astra! You're safe!” Zoro and Nami smiled, and even Usopp looked relieved. 

“Hurry up!” Chopper said, his nose twitching in the air. “We have to go!”

With everyone aboard, the enormous crab took off across the sand, throwing up a plume of sand behind us. I yelped as something yanked me backwards, and I realized with horror that Crocodile's golden hook was wrapped around me, reeling me back toward Rainbase. “Help!” I screamed.

In a flash, Luffy's rubbery arm shot out and grabbed onto the hook. He plucked me from Crocodile's grasp and chucked me toward Zoro, who caught me in his arms. “I'll meet back up you guys after I beat up Crocodile!” Luffy shouted. Then, we all watched as Luffy disappeared into the distance, the evening sun painting the sand with broad strokes of orange.

Chapter 21: Crab Ride

Zoro handed me off to Sanji so he could work out. I swear, that man never stops training. He was using Eyelash as a weight, which just seemed crazy to me, but he lifted him without issue.

As night descended fully upon the Sandora Desert, and the air nipped at my skin, I curled closer to Sanji, shivering beneath my thin robes. “I'm not a fan of deserts,” I mumbled. I couldn't imagine actually living in Alabasta. My gosh, that would suck! Desserts, on the other hand? I loved those. 

“I wish I had some apple pie,” I added sleepily. “My mom used to bake fresh apple pies. You know, the good kind where the crust is flaky, and the apple filling is perfectly balanced between sweet and tart.” I let out a small sigh, and my eyes closed for a moment. “I miss it,” I breathed.

“Maybe I could make you one after we save Vivi's country,” Sanji said gently.

“That would be nice, but my crewmates should be picking me up tomorrow night,” I told him.

“Oh, yeah!” Usopp exclaimed, leaning over to join our conversation. “You're on the same crew as Luffy's brother, right? Is he coming back to get you?”

My eyes immediately dropped to my left arm. Ace's mark had regained in size slightly. I hoped that was a good sign. I couldn't make out the color, though. “I don't know,” I answered truthfully. “That reminds me, I should probably contact my crewmates before they start to worry.” I retrieved the transponder snail from within the folds of my robes. I didn't want to talk to Marco while the Straw Hats were listening, but I didn't have much of a choice. I dialed the number, waiting as it rang once, twice. Halfway through the third ring, it picked up.

Click! “Hello?”

I smiled at the sound of Izou's voice. “Hi, Bou, it's me. I'm just checking in.”

Izou sighed at the nickname, but an answering smile showed on the snail's face. “Are you still with the Straw Hats, Hoshiko-sama?” he asked.

I glanced around at Luffy's crew, who were all pretending not to listen in. “Yeah. We're traveling from Rainbase, heading toward Alubarna. We haven't crossed the Sandora River yet.”

I heard rustling paper on the other end. “That's quite a trek. How are you holding up?” He asked worriedly.

“I'm okay. We have the assistance of a wonderful moving crab, so it shouldn't take as long as it looks on a map,” I informed him.

“That's good to hear.” More rustling. “We caught a favorable headwind, so we should reach Alubarna by tomorrow afternoon.”

“I'll make sure to watch for you, then. Just… proceed with caution when you arrive. The people will be a bit on edge.” I thought for a moment. “On second thought, it might be better if you guys wait to enter the city until after I contact you tomorrow.”

Izou's eyes narrowed. “Why?” he asked suspiciously. “Are you planning on doing something dangerous, Hoshiko-sama?”

I sighed. “First of all, I'm not planning anything. Secondly, don't ask what the Straw Hats are doing. Seriously. You don't want to know.” Usopp coughed awkwardly behind me. “Just know that I'm trying my best to stay alive, okay?”

Ruby red lips pinched together. “Okay.” Then, his face softened. “See you tomorrow, Hoshiko-sama,” he said softly.

I gave him a small smile. “See you tomorrow, Bou.” Click!

There were several beats of silence before the Straw Hats erupted into noise. 

“Why did he call you Hoshiko-sama?” Sanji asked. “I thought your name was Astra.”

“It is,” I replied. Then, I frowned. “Was? Is? They're both my name, technically.”

“That sounds confusing,” Chopper commented.

“It's not all that bad, to be honest. Bou knows me from my previous life, so he's one of the few who calls me by that name,” I explained. “It's safer for me to use the name ‘Astra’ in public circles, though.” Vivi, Nami, and Sanji all nodded in understanding.

“How many of your crewmates are coming?” Vivi asked with a frown.

“I only know of two so far,” I told her. “Birdie and Bou.”

“You said that people in the capital would be ‘on edge’ tomorrow afternoon,” Zoro said curiously. “You know what's going to happen in Alubarna, don't you, Astra?” 

“But, she wasn't even in the room when Crocodile told us!” Usopp exclaimed. “How would she know?”

Seriously, Zoro?! You're calling me out?! I sighed and nodded. I turned toward the blue-haired princess. “Vivi, your initial plan to stop the rebel troops won't work. Crocodile has Baroque Works members within the city, posing as castle guards, as well as scattered among the rebels. They will instigate the fighting on both sides.”

Vivi's eyes widened. “How do you know that?”

“I've seen prophecies of the future,” I replied.

Nami frowned. “That's not a reliable source.”

“I believe her,” Zoro stated, and half of the crew fell over in shock. That was Zoro, the man who didn't believe in Gods or even fate.

“You believe in prophecies?!” Nami screeched.

“Not all of them,” Zoro grinned. “Just Astra's.”

“There's also a time bomb in the clock tower,” I revealed. “Crocodile is planning to wipe the whole city off the map.”

Vivi's face drained of color, looking ghostly pale in the moonlight. “We can't let that happen!” she cried.

“If everything plays out correctly, it won't,” I assured her. “Luffy will defeat Crocodile. I can guarantee that.” I didn't mention that it would take him a few tries, however. 

“So, if you know future events, do you know where Ace is?” Nami inquired.

I folded in on myself, hugging my knees to my chest. “That's something I don't know,” I said quietly. “Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to try to get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be exhausting.” I curled against Sanji's chest and closed my eyes.

Chapter 22: Duck, Duck, Duck

Astra POV

I roused sluggishly as water seeped through my clothes. I at least had the presence of mind to take a deep breath before I bobbed beneath the inky waves. My fingers twitched, but I couldn't do much more than that. I felt something smooth grab onto my arm, and then I was propelled upward, gasping and coughing as I broke the surface of the river. Another smooth thing grabbed my other arm, and they both dragged me up onto a slimy surface. 

I blinked the stinging water from my eyes, sat up, and looked around. I was laying on a giant dead catfish, surrounded by Kung-Fu Dugongs. Vivi and most of the Straw Hats were treading water nearby. Zoro had Chopper on his shoulders. I couldn't spot Sanji, but I found out why a moment later, as he surfaced and shouted in panic, “I can't find Astra!”

Nami lifted a hand from the water and pointed in my direction. “She's over there.”

Sanji's gaze shifted over to me, a relieved smile spreading across his face. “Thank goodness.”

The dugongs helped us cross the remainder of the river, using the dead catfish as a raft to ferry us over the water. I was absolutely frozen to my core due to my soaked clothes clinging to my skin and leeching any semblance of warmth from my body.

Nami pulled a spare cloak from her backpack and wrapped it around my shoulders. “I'm glad I brought these,” she murmured.

I tugged the blessedly dry fabric up under my chin. “M-me t-t-too.” The sky was lightening, so I knew the sunrise wouldn't be too far off. Once the desert heated back up, I'd be fine, but until that happened, I needed to stay warm.

“I'm so sorry, Astra-chan,” Sanji said, bowing his head in penitence. “I needed a smoke, so I set you down, and then you nearly drowned, and I feel terrible about it. Can you ever forgive me?”

“L-let's just say you owe m-me t-two apple p-pies in the future,” I replied with a small pout.

“I'll bake you as many apple pies as you want, Astra-chan!” Sanji exclaimed.

We reached the opposite shore of the Sandora River in record time, and as we were waving farewell to the Kung-Fu Dugongs, Nami spotted a growing cloud of dust in the desert ahead.

When she pointed it out, Vivi's face lit up. “That must be the Supersonic Duck Squadron!” she exclaimed. “With their help, we'll be able to reach Alubarna on time!

Karoo and his family skidded to a stop before us, standing at attention, and I frowned. Weren't there only seven of them? Eight spot-billed ducks stood at the ready. One of them was a lot smaller than the rest, just my size, in fact.

Vivi still wanted to try to talk to Koza before the battle, to warn him about the planted Baroque Works members. I stayed silent on the matter, pretending I was too cold and tired to contribute to the plan. Things needed to go a certain way in order to pull everything off correctly, and I hoped my telling them wouldn't change the outcome. I actually was cold and tired, though. I didn't have to pretend too hard.

While the Straw Hats decided who was going to enter Alubarna in each direction, I glanced down at my arm. Ace was no longer sick or poisoned, but his mark was stagnant at half strength. So, he was still in danger, but he wasn't actively dying. That was a small relief.

“Are you alright with that, Astra?” Nami asked.

I lifted my head when I heard her say my name. Everyone was looking at me expectantly. “What? Sorry, I zoned out.”

“We're all in agreement that you shouldn't enter Alubarna, Astra-chan,” Sanji told me.

“Why not?!” I exclaimed. I didn't want to miss out on all of the fun.

“Crocodile seems intent on getting his hook on you,” Nami explained gently. “I know you've been traveling with us, but you're not part of our crew, so you have no obligation to see this through.”

“No ob-No obligation?!” I spluttered indignantly. “I thought we were friends! That's reason enough to want to help!”

Nami's face turned apologetic. “We are friends, but you're only a child, Astra.” She gave me a small smile, which I viewed as condescending.

My jaw ticked. “Screw you,” I said quietly. “Being a child doesn't make me useless.”

“That's not what I meant!” Nami said quickly, looking to the others for help. “We just don't want you to get hurt, and by the sounds of it, neither do your crewmates. I don't think Ace would want-”

“It doesn't matter what Ace would want!” I snapped bitterly, cutting her off. “He's not here! He left! Nobody wants me to get hurt, but it hurts even more having to watch everyone around me get hurt without being able to help! At the end of the day, safety is just a gilded cage! What's the point in being alive if nobody lets me live?!” Sorry Marco. I took a deep breath and set my jaw. “I refuse to duck and cover. I'm going to fight. Let me put my life on the line, too.”

Zoro grinned. “Well, I'm certainly not going to stop you.”

Nami sighed. “Alright, but you'll accompany Vivi, okay? We're not letting you be one of the decoys.”

I nodded, walking toward the ducks and climbing onto the smallest one. “Okay. Let's do this, then.”

Chapter 23: Goose

Astra POV

My clothes were bone dry after our zoom across the desert. Talk about blow drying. I didn't even want to know what state my hair was in. My duck, whom I've nicknamed Pipsqueak, followed Karoo behind a rock, and we waited while the others scattered to the four winds. “Are you scared, Vivi?” I asked quietly.

“Terrified,” she replied. “But I trust my friends.” She shot me a small smile. “I trust you, too, Astra. If you say that Luffy will defeat Crocodile, I believe you.” Her smile wobbled. “Because if he doesn't, I'll lose my entire country.”

I placed a small hand on her knee because it was the easiest thing I could reach. “I already lost mine,” I mumbled, poisonous sludge and dragon's breath filling my mind. I shook my head to clear it, and I looked up at her, determination brimming in my eyes. “I won't let you lose yours as well.”

Vivi tilted her head curiously. “Thank you.” She peered out from behind our rock, surveying the desert. “I think it's time,” she said softly. Karoo and Pipsqueak shot across the desert, heading to intercept the rebel forces.

Vivi dismounted between the rebels and Alubarna, throwing her arms wide. “Rebel Army! Stop! It's a set-up!” she shouted ineffectually.

I mentally apologized to Marco again. I was about to do something incredibly stupid and reckless. Urging Pipsqueak forward and ignoring Vivi's cry of alarm, I headed directly toward the approaching army. I knew where and when the cannonball would hit the ground. Balancing on Pipsqueak's back, I murmured, “As soon as I jump, run clear.” I heard an answering quack from the small duck, aandI took that as his acknowledgement. Coating my chest in haki, I kicked off and leapt into the air, wrapping my body around the cannonball, which exploded directly in my face. My vision whited out.

<><><><><>

Laying flat with the sand warming my back, I blinked dazedly up at the clear blue sky, surprised I wasn't dead. I slowly sat up and looked around. The rebel army had come to a complete standstill, and Koza was dismounting his camel, while Vivi was racing toward me. She was shouting something, but my ears were still ringing from the blast. It took a minute for my hearing to return.

“-t were you thinking, Astra?!” Vivi yelled angrily, tears streaming down her face as she dropped to her knees beside me. “Don't scare me like that! I thought you were about to die!”

“So did I,” I rasped. 

Koza stopped nearby, eyes wide at Vivi's appearance. “What's going on here?” he demanded.

Vivi stood up. “I came to stop you,” she explained to him. “This fight is pointless.”

“Pointless?!” Koza spat. “I watched your father order his guards to murder civilians right in front of my eyes!”

Pushing myself to my feet, I staggered over to him. “Frankly, Mr. Koza, sir, you're an idiot,” I said bluntly. “That wasn't the king. That was an individual with the clone-clone fruit. It was a frame job.”

Koza looked down at me with a frown. “Then where is the king?”

“He's being held captive by Crocodile,” I replied promptly. “Crocodile has been behind everything. He has even planted agents in both your army and the palace guards.” I sidestepped as a bullet zipped past my shoulder from the direction of the capital. “He also has a bomb in the clocktower rigged to destroy everything within a several mile radius.” I couldn't dodge the second bullet as quickly, and I dropped to my knees as it pierced my left arm.

“Astra!” Vivi exclaimed. “We need to get to cover!”

Wincing, I reached toward Koza's pants and yanked him to the side before a bullet could pierce his chest. It grazed his shoulder instead, but better than instant death. 

The army at our backs cried out in outrage, and began charging toward the city again. “No! Don't!” Koza shouted, but his cries were swallowed by the thundering hooves of the camels.

“Koza,” I said, as the rumbling faded away. “Go with Vivi toward the West Gate.”

“I'm not leaving you here, Astra!” Vivi yelled.

“You need to find the Straw Hats and stop the bomb,” I insisted. “Now go! Take Karoo and Pipsqueak! I'll be fine. I'm no use like this, anyway,” I added, clutching my arm. “I'll only slow you down.”

Vivi bit her lip, but she turned and hopped onto Karoo, and Koza followed suit with Pipsqueak. I watched their clouds of dust move off to the West and sighed. I wasn't strong enough yet, and I hated it. I turned my head at the sound of approaching hooves. Right on time.

‘Usopp’ rode up on a horse behind me. “Astra, you're hurt! Climb on! I'll take you to the others!”

I smiled up at him. “Hi, Bentham! I was hoping I'd get the chance to meet you.”

He blinked. “No, no. I think you're confused. It's me, Usopp!”

“You're Mr. 2 Bon Clay,” I said calmly. “Your real name is Bentham, and you're an okama with the clone-clone fruit who's working for Crocodile currently.”

He touched his hand to his cheek, switching back to himself. “How could you tell?” he pouted.

“I just know things,” I told him.

“That's a marvelously vague answer!” he exclaimed, striking a pose. “I like you, but I'm sorry; I still have to do my job.”

I nodded and got to my feet. “I understand. There's nothing personal involved here.” I let out a gasp. “Is that a flamingo?!” I pointed behind him, and as soon as he turned to look, I began to sprint toward Alubarna. I know, I know, it wasn't a brilliant plan, but in my defense, I was tired.

“Where's the flamingo?” he asked. “Hey, wait! Where are you going?!” My tiny legs were no match for his lithe, graceful leaps, and I soon felt his toe strike me in the back, my face plowing into the sand from the force of his kick. 

Standing up, I spat sand and blood out of my mouth and turned to face him, drawing my sword. “I didn't want to fight you,” I sighed. “But it appears I have no choice.”

Chapter 24: Not Dead Yet

My sword was lost somewhere among the sand, deflected by a strong kick almost immediately. In the end, though, it was two parts exhaustion and one part blood loss that did me in. I didn't lose the fight. I collapsed. There was a distinct difference.

Regardless of my stance on the matter, Bon Clay tied my hands to the horse's pommel before hopping into the saddle behind me and riding toward Alubarna. 

“I'm only four, you know,” I muttered as I slumped forward against Horsie's neck. 

“Like I told you, I'm just doing my job,” Bon Clay replied quietly, but I could hear the reluctance in his voice.

Horsie clattered up the stairs into the city, and I watched buildings and fights pass by in blurs of color. Suddenly, the weight behind me lifted, and I heard Sanji shout, “How dare you kidnap Astra-chan!” My prince came to rescue me!

Unfortunately, his sudden kick spooked Horsie, and my body was flung into the air as he bucked, the ropes around my wrists snapping taut with a painful crack. He bolted through the city, and I ragdolled against his side, desperately clinging onto my consciousness.

Eventually, Horsie calmed down and slowed to a stop in a quiet section of the city. “Good Horsie,” I mumbled. I knew it wasn't his fault. 

Movement in my peripheral vision caused me to turn my head slightly, and I saw a few men in white and blue crossing through a nearby intersection. “H-help!” I coughed weakly, hoping they could hear me.

One of them perked up and glanced in my direction, quickly alerting his companions. A sigh of relief wheezed out of my battered ribcage. The three marines approached Horsie carefully, two of them holding him steady as the third cut me loose. I dropped limply into the marine's arms, all of my physical stamina expended, and every part of my body aching.

“I'll take her to the medical tent. You guys keep searching for Roronoa Zoro,” my saviour told the other two.

“Check the oasis,” I mumbled. “Idjit's prolly lost…”

Next thing I knew, I was blinking up at a pale, cloth ceiling. My body felt like one massive bruise, but I still tried to sit up. I found it to be an extremely difficult task due to the fact that both of my wrists were splinted. I finally rolled onto my side and used my right elbow to push myself up, using the momentum to force myself to my feet. 

I staggered toward the tent flaps, ignoring the injured marines around me, some of whom attempted to dissuade me from leaving. A light mist sprayed my face as soon as I stepped outside, and I smiled. Luffy had already won. I glanced around, gathering my bearings. I needed to get to the palace. I couldn't see it from my location, but I could see the clock tower, so that's where I headed. Once there, I found my way to the long set of stairs that led up to the palace gates.

I stared at them for a while. Then, I sighed and began the arduous ascent up the steep steps. About halfway, a couple of palace guards stopped me, and I broke down, the pain and stress getting to be too much for me. “I just w-want to find my f-friends!” I cried. “I got s-separated from them d-during all the f-fighting, and I don't w-want them to w-worry about me!”

One of the guards knelt beside me. “Describe your friends to me and I'll see if I can help you find them,” he said gently.

“W-well, th-there's a nice chef named S-Sanji and a little r-reindeer named Chopper. His f-fur's really soft,” I took a shuddering breath, trying to ignore my throbbing wrists. “Th-there was also a n-nice lady with blue hair named V-Vivi. She let me p-pet her cute duckie.”

The guards exchanged a look. “What's your name, little girl?” the one next to me asked.

“A-Astra,” I hiccuped.

He smiled. “I can take you to your friends, Astra,” he told me.

“R-really? Th-thank you, mister!” I sobbed. 

He carefully lifted me into his arms, carrying me up the rest of the stairs, for which I was extremely grateful to him. I rested my head on his shoulder. Sometimes, it was nice to be a child. He brought me into a room in the palace and laid me on a soft bed before returning to his post.

“Astra!” That was Vivi. 

I lifted my head to look at the Princess of Alabasta, and a tired grin spread across my face. “Vivi! Is Koza alright?”

“He's fine, thanks to you, but what happened after we left?” She took a better look at my injuries and her eyes widened. “You're hurt! I'll go grab Chopper!” she exclaimed, heading for the door, but I stopped her.

“Can you help me call my crewmates instead?” I asked quietly. “They should be close by, and Birdie's a good doctor. I just wanted to make sure you guys knew I was safe.”

Concern was written all over Vivi's face, but she nodded. 

“I have a transponder snail in my left pocket,” I told her, and once she retrieved it, I told her the number I had memorized, waiting as she punched it in. 

Purupu- Click! “Hello?” Damn, Marco was quick on that answer. He must've been staring at his transponder snail, waiting for my call.

“Hey, Birdie,” I said.

“Astra,” he sighed, smiling. The relief in his voice was evident. “We saw the massive explosion over Alubarna and feared for the worst.”

“Where are you guys?” I asked, shifting slightly. I let out an involuntary hiss of pain as I jostled my left wrist.

Unsurprisingly, Marco clocked it immediately. “Are you hurt, Astra?” 

I sighed. I couldn't lie to him. “Yes.”

“How badly?” he asked worriedly.

“I'm fairly certain both of my wrists are broken,” I replied quietly. “And I got shot in the arm. Also, I feel like my entire body is bruised, but I can still walk at least.” I offered a half-hearted smile.

“You shouldn't be walking around in that condition, Hoshiko-sama!” Izou snapped sharply, but I knew it was spoken out of concern, not anger.

“Astra, we're nearing the Alubarna Oasis,” Marco said calmly. “Can you have someone bring you there? I don't want you trying to walk there on your own, okay?”

“I can have one of my guards carry you there,” Vivi offered.

I smiled at her. “That would be great, Vivi. Thank you.”

“Vivi?” Marco asked incredulously. “As in Princess Vivi?!”

My smile turned sheepish. “Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you she was traveling with Luffy's crew too. Sorry.”

Marco sighed. “Well, Princess Vivi, on behalf of the Whitebeard Pirates, I'd like to thank you for helping our little sister.”

Vivi's eyes widened. “There's no need to thank me,” she said quickly. “Astra's my friend. Besides, it's the least I can do for what she and the others have done for my country.”

“Birdie, Bou, I'll see you guys soon, okay?” I indicated for Vivi to hang up. Click! I slumped against the pillow with a sigh, letting my eyes rest. 

“Do you want to leave right now?” Vivi asked.

“As soon as possible,” I replied, leaving my eyes closed. “I don't want the marines to discover that my crewmates are here.”

She nodded. “I'll have the kitchens throw together some food to take with you, then.” I opened my mouth to refuse, but she cut me off. “I insist,” she added with a smile. 

I huffed playfully. “Alright.” I cracked my eyes open. “I know we didn't know each other for very long, but I'm going to miss you, Vivi.”

Tears gathered in Vivi's eyes. “I'm going to miss you, too, Astra.”

A lump formed in my throat. “Tell Luffy and the others I enjoyed meeting them,” I said quietly.

“I will.”

“Promise?”

Vivi laughed damply. “Promise.”

Chapter 25: Oasis

Astra POV

The palace guard and I swayed back and forth on the hump of a camel. Not Eyelash, because he was still recovering, but one they happened to have on hand. I leaned forward in the guard's sturdy grip, anxious to see Marco and Izou again. My eyes scanned the approaching trees of the oasis. Have they arrived yet?

A flash of purple among the green, followed by blue. If I weren't so injured, I would've leapt from the camel to greet them, but, as it stood, I settled for a massive smile that hurt my cheeks. “Birdie! Bou!” I called out.

It gave me no small pleasure to see that they were noticeably irked by my nicknames, and my grin widened. I loved both of them dearly, but I loved messing with them just as much.

The guard gently handed me down to Marco, who carefully carried me over to a flat boulder to assess my numerous injuries. “I'm going to touch your wrists slightly,” he warned softly. “Let me know if it hurts, yoi.”

I nodded and took a deep breath. As I released it, Marco pressed lightly on the mottled skin of my right wrist, and I let out a small cry of pain. “Y-yeah. It hurts,” I whimpered. “More painful than when I broke my ankle,” I added.

Marco's hands lit up with blue flames and he brought them gently to both of my wrists. A comfortable warmth seeped into my bones, and the tension in my shoulders slowly dissipated. He then used the medical supplies that Izou brought over from the camel's saddlebags to wrap my wrists tightly. “I'm going to look at your gunshot wound next, yoi,” he said.

I nodded again, and he began to unwrap the bandages the marines had applied. He examined and cleaned the wound thoroughly before rewrapping it. “You got lucky, yoi. It missed your artery,” he remarked. Then, he administered more of his flames, covering my entire body with wisps of fire that flickered and settled beneath my skin, easing the aching muscles.

“I'm sorry for getting hurt, Birdie,” I murmured.

“It wasn't your fault, Astra,” Marco said softly. “You were caught in the middle of a civil war. I'm just glad your injuries weren't more severe, yoi.”

I decided not to tell him about the cannonball I took to the chest. That part was one hundred percent my fault. “How did your wrists get broken, Hoshiko-sama?” Izou asked quietly. “That bruising seemed odd.”

“Well, I was captured by one of Crocodile's agents,” I explained, launching into a condensed version of my equine experience.

“Do you know why Crocodile wanted you captured, yoi?” Marco inquired.

“When I mentioned Whitebeard, he got really angry and then creepily happy,” I told him. “He even prioritized my capture over Vivi's.”

“Is he still upset about that?” Marco muttered. “That was ages ago, yoi.” I frowned, so he explained. “He tried attacking Pops about twenty years ago. As you can imagine, it didn't go well for him. I guess he still holds a grudge, yoi. I'm sorry you had to go through that.”

I shrugged. “That's part of the risk I accepted when I became a pirate,” I stated. “At least I heal quickly.” I glanced at my forearm. It remained unchanged. “Which direction is Ace in?” I asked promptly, getting to my feet.

Izou swept me into his arms, holding onto me firmly. “You are not going after him,” he said sternly. “Marco is. I am taking you back to the Moby Dick.”

“But I need to save Ace!” I exclaimed, trying unsuccessfully to break out of his grip. “I can't let him die!”

“Hoshiko-sama, you are injured,” he said calmly. “I can't let you die.”

“Then at least give part of his vivre card to Luffy,” I argued, jutting out my chin stubbornly. “If the worst happens, he's going to need it.”

“Alright,” Marco pulled a torn piece of paper from his pocket, one of the edges of which was burning. He ripped half of it off, and placed it into a small pouch. 

“Can you attach a note to it?” I asked. “I'd do it myself, but…” I held up my broken wrists.

Marco nodded and put the rest of the vivre card away, pulling a different paper from his pocket, along with a pen. He looked at me expectantly.

“Address it to Nami,” I directed. “Then just write, ‘This paper leads to Ace. Make sure Luffy keeps it close.’ Signed, Astra. That's all.”

He placed it into the pouch with the vivre card and handed them off to the guard, who was still watching on the camel. Marco returned to Izou's side and stared at me. “Are we good, yoi?”

I nodded reluctantly. “If you find Ace, smack him upside the head for me,” I muttered.

A smile tugged at Marco's lips. “I will.”

“Promise?” I asked.

“Promise, yoi.”

“Can I have a hug before you leave?” I asked quietly.

“Of course, Astra,” he replied, pulling me from Izou's arms to give me a hug. Then, he passed me back, gave us both a small wave, and transformed into his hybrid form, gliding off across the desert.

I glanced up at Izou. “So, how are we getting back?”

“I have a camel,” Izou stated with slight disdain, walking through the trees and bushes to reveal our hooved transport. I got the distinct feeling that Izou wasn't overly fond of sand. He probably only came with Marco because of me.

As we set off over the hot sand, I leaned against Izou's chest. He still smelled of sakura petals, just like I remembered. The familiar floral scent filled my soul with a sense of nostalgia, and a pang of sadness shot through my chest. I curled up on his lap, pressing as near to him as I could, my eyes burning with tears. I miss my family.

Izou's arms tightened around me comfortingly. No words needed to be spoken. In the past, he always understood what I was thinking, and it seemed to still be the case, of which I was grateful. I sobbed into his kimono for a long time, and he just held me close, letting me express my emotions fully without judgment or pity.

Chapter 26: Down The River

Izou POV

Hoshiko-sama fell asleep about two hours into our journey, tears staining her dust covered cheeks. I stared sadly down at her scarred face. I still couldn't believe that Marco allowed her to do something so dangerous. She was only a child, after all. Using the edge of my sleeve, I gently wiped off her cheeks. A princess must always look presentable, under any circumstances. 

I would remedy her clothing situation once we returned to the Moby Dick. I was utterly appalled that her kimono was being worn improperly. I fingered the cut edges of cloth by her shoulders, internally cringing with the knowledge that such a fine garment had been mutilated thusly.

Hoshiko-sama let out a small whimper. “Mother… Father…” she mumbled. “Don't leave me…” My heart clenched.

I gently stroked her hair, trying to impart whatever comfort I could. As far as I was aware, Hoshiko-sama was the only remaining member of the Kouzuki clan, and as such, I was determined to keep her safe, no matter the cost.

A few hours later, the Sandora River came into view, along with the small ship Marco and I took to get here. Hoshiko-sama stirred as I hopped down from the camel. She smiled up at me before bursting into a fit of giggles. “Your hair’s all messy, Bou!” she teased, and I scowled. It was her fault it was messy anyways. I had to follow her into this godforsaken hell hole.

“So is yours,” I grumbled, making a mental note to comb her hair once we were on our way. I carried her to the ship and set her carefully upon a crate. Then, after unloading our supplies from the saddlebags, I set the camel loose. Hoshiko-sama looked at me questioningly. I shrugged and explained, “Marco and I stumbled across him on our way to the oasis. I don't know where he came from.”

She smiled, and in a weird voice, said, “If I had a nickel for every random camel found in the desert, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot, but it's strange that it happened twice.”

I have absolutely no idea what she's talking about. “Huh?”

Another bout of giggles erupted from her body. “Sorry!” she said, catching her breath. “I was referencing something weird. That'll happen sometimes.”

“Alright,” I said slowly. Marco had tried to explain her transported soul nonsense to me, but I didn't fully understand. I drew up the anchor and began to navigate down the wide river. “Once this ship is back on the open sea, I'd like to hear what happened to you twenty-four years ago, Hoshiko-sama,” I told her.

“I'll tell you what I can,” she replied. “There's still a lot for me to sort through.”

“Whatever you feel comfortable sharing is fine,” I added. I didn't want her to feel obligated to share every single detail with me, even though I really wanted to know every single detail.

We shared a companionable silence for about an hour before Hoshiko-sama abruptly sat up straight. “What's wrong?” I asked.

“I completely forgot!” she exclaimed worriedly. “The marines will probably be keeping a close eye on the mouth of the river because of the Straw Hats. We might run into issues trying to leave.”

I smiled. “Trust me, we won't have any problems.” I had hacked into the marines’ earlier communications. Their backup ships were still a day out from the island. We had plenty of time to get clear of Alabasta before they arrived. I noticed her glancing at her arm again. “Why do you keep doing that, Hoshiko-sama?” I asked.

She hopped down from her crate and walked over to the helm, holding her left forearm out for me to see two small lines on it, one white and one red. The red one was half the size of the white one, and both had a black mark beside them. “This one's Ace's vitality,” she said quietly, pointing to the red one. “I'm just keeping an eye on it, since that's all I can do right now.”

“And the other one?” I inquired.

She shook her head. “That's a secret.”

I frowned. Whose vitality was she tracking, and why wouldn't she tell me? The black marks seemed to have been added by her. I recognized the unique way she wrote the number 1. Obviously, 1 stood for Ace, but the other one was a circle, or an ‘o’ or a ‘0’. Without context, there was little chance of deciphering it. I had to admit, I was impressed that she had thought to encode the identities of her vitals. “How many can you have active at a time?” I asked curiously.

“I don't know,” she replied bluntly. “I only recently discovered the ability.” She looked out across the desert. “Besides, I don't want to accidentally overwrite Ace's,” she added quietly.

“Hoshiko-sama, how-”

Purupurupuru… Purupurupuru… Purupurupuru… 

I retrieved the transponder snail from my bag. Click! “Yes?”

“I found him, yoi,” Marco said quickly.

My eyes widened. That was quick. “Where?”

“About five kilometers north of Adraki, yoi,” he replied.

“That's on the western shore,” I muttered. What was he doing over there? “How is he?”

“He's unconscious, and there's a seastone cuff on his wrist that I can't remove, yoi. Other than that, he seems fine, physically at least.”

“Right. We're nearing the mouth of the Sandora River, and we'll head west along the shore,” I told him.

“I'll start flying in that direction, yoi.” Click!

I looked over at Hoshiko-sama, who had tears brimming in her eyes. “He found him,” she breathed. “I'm so glad.”

I smiled gently and steered the ship to the west. Two hours later, a blue and gold bird darted toward us from the shore, a familiar young man clutched in its talons.

We're bringing our brother back home.

Chapter 27: Ace's Adventure

Astra POV

Marco carefully set Ace's limp body onto the deck before dismissing his hybrid phoenix form and kneeling beside him. “Izou, get us back to the Moby Dick as quickly as possible. Astra, can you give me a hand, yoi?”

“Not really,” I replied pragmatically, holding up my broken wrists. 

Marco blinked. “Ah. Right. Sorry, yoi.”

“Let me just set our course, then I'll help you, Marco,” Izou said quickly, shifting our trajectory back toward the New World.

Marco nodded, returning his attention to Ace. “His breathing is normal, but he's completely unresponsive, yoi.”

“Is it possible he was drugged?” I asked thoughtfully. 

“Wouldn't that show up as poisoned on your vitals, yoi?” Marco replied. “It's more likely he's heavily dehydrated and got heat stroke.”

“Based on my experience with the Straw Hats, heat exhaustion and heat stroke fall under illnesses, too,” I explained. “His vitality is pure red, so that option's ruled out. Have you tried holding food under his nose?”

Marco frowned. “I doubt that would do anything, yoi.”

“Please, just try it,” I insisted. I would've done it myself, but I couldn't use my hands.

“Alright.” Marco rummaged through our supplies and pulled out a chicken leg, bringing it close to Ace's nose and mouth.

Ace eyelids fluttered open, and he weakly mumbled, “Meat,” before opening his mouth wide and snatching the chicken out of Marco's hand with his teeth.

Marco blinked in surprise. “How did you know that would work, yoi?”

I shrugged. “I didn't. It works for Luffy, and I just figured, since he and Luffy are so similar, it might work for him, too.”

Ace focused on me as I spoke, shock apparent on his face. Then, his eyes filled with tears, his mouth wobbly. “A-Astra!” he sobbed. “You're alive! Thank goodness!”

I frowned. “Of course I'm alive. Why wouldn't I be?”

“You were dead! I buried your corpse!” he exclaimed, attempting to sit up. Then, he winced and dropped back onto the deck with a thump and a groan. “Ugh. Why do I feel hungover? I haven't even had alcohol recently,” he muttered.

I was struck with a sudden thought. “Ace, did you drink cactus juice?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Dummy,” I muttered, shaking my head with a small smile. He was most likely fine. “The cactus juice is hallucinogenic,” I explained.

Ace's mouth dropped open. “Then, what did I bury?”

“Well, I assume that you buried your sack, seeing as you don't have it anymore,” I said.

“Oh.”

“That doesn't explain the cuff, though, yoi,” Marco said. “What happened to you, Ace?”

Ace's eyes widened. “Marco? What are you doing here?” He didn't answer the question.

“Rescuing your stupid ass!” Izou called over from the helm.

“Izou?! You’re here too?!” Ace exclaimed.

Okay, now he's just stalling. “Ace-kun, what happened?” I asked quietly.

Ace scratched his head, his eyes darting to the side. “Sorry, I don't really remember. Hey, Marco! You got any more of that meat?”

<><><><><>

Ace POV, a little over three days ago:

Astra seemed to be hitting it off with Luffy's crew. That was good. I trusted them to keep her safe. I subtly glanced around the surrounding desert, using the brim of my hat to shield my actions. He was still following me. The weird tap dancing guy who shot me in the thigh. I couldn't let him hurt Luffy or Astra. Stealing another look toward Astra, who was curled up in the redhead's lap, I mentally apologized to her. She wasn't going to approve of my decision.

Bringing up the rear of the group, it was easy for me to splinter off to the west, and the man followed me, as I suspected he would. Around mid afternoon, another three individuals joined him. I was just glad they were after me and not the others.

Once I deemed I was far enough away from the group, I found a cluster of rocks and crouched upon the highest one, waiting for my adversaries to arrive. My eyes constantly scanned the desert from my vantage point. They wouldn't take me by surprise.

The sun set and the temperature plummeted, but they still hadn't made their move. What are they waitin-. I suddenly doubled over in a coughing fit, nearly toppling from my perch as I hacked violently. My lungs burned with each cough, and I couldn't straighten back up. Shadows encroached on my vision as my body was slowly deprived of oxygen. Something dark splattered on the rock beneath me, and I tasted iron in my mouth. Am I dying? Just before I passed out, I thought I heard someone laugh. “Wehahaha!” I didn't recognize the voice.

<><><><><>

My body felt heavy and there was an ache deep within my chest. I groaned and slowly peeled my eyes open, blearily taking in my surroundings. I was tied with my back to a large rock, a seastone cuff around my wrist. That creepy tap dancer stood nearby, along with a sickly old man laying down on a horse, which also looked sickly, and a large burly man wearing a mask.

“Wh-who are you?” I croaked. My head snapped to the side as an open hand collided painfully with my left cheek. 

The tall, skinny performer loomed over me, an eerie smile upon his face. “I'd advise you not to speak out of turn,” he said in a soft tone that felt at odds with his actions. Concentrated beads of sweat gathered on my forehead. I didn't even see him move. It was obvious these people weren't messing around. “Our captain was unfortunately killed not too long ago,” he continued. “You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you? His name was Marshall D. Teach.”

My eyes widened. Teach had his own crew?! How much was he hiding?! Said crew was now investigating his death, which meant they might try to hunt down those responsible, namely Marco and Astra. “I don't know what happened to him,” I lied. 

Another slap, this time on the opposite side. “Come, now. I know you were his commanding officer, Portgas D. Ace. I'm certain you understand that I won't accept that response from you.”

So, he intended to torture the information out of me. Bold of him to assume that I valued my own life over my family's. I kept my mouth closed. He could hit me all he wished. I would sooner die than tell him what he wanted to know.

His cane whacked me in the stomach, hitting me just beneath the rib cage, and I bent over as much as the ropes would allow, gasping for air. I won't lie, that really hurt, but I was determined to remain strong. I can't let them kill Astra. I shook my head stubbornly, bracing myself for another blow. The man's smile widened into a nearly manic grin. “I'm going to enjoy this,” he stated calmly. The look in his wide, unblinking eyes was going to haunt me.

Two hours in, I noticed that some of my earlier injuries were healing, and my stomach dropped. They can prolong this for as long as they want. I was well and truly at their mercy.

His unrelenting assault continued throughout the day and long into the night, interspersed with incongruously polite questions. If they were this cruel, I shuddered to think what they'd do to a small child. I can't let them hurt her. One of my eyes was swollen shut, but I glared at the man with my other eye, spitting blood out of my mouth. I can't let them hurt her. 

“I would appreciate a name at the very least,” the man requested, delivering another harsh caning to the side of my ribcage. I heard something crack and sharp pain blossomed in my side. My vision swam.

“I won't… tell you… her name,” I mumbled weakly, on the verge of passing out. Then, something collided with my jaw and everything went dark.

<><><><><>

I blinked up at the midday sun and frowned in confusion. Why am I not dead? I slowly sat up. There was a large splattering of blood on the sand and rocks around me, and the seastone cuff was still in place, but all of my wounds had healed, and my assailants were gone. Why? 

I staggered to my feet and squinted at the sky. With the sun directly overhead, I couldn't tell which way was north, so I just picked a random direction and started walking. After a few hours, I determined I was heading west again. Hopefully, I could find a town or someplace with a snail I could use to contact Marco. I needed to warn him about Teach's crew.

As I trudged through the sand, my thoughts drifted to Astra. She was probably really worried and angry that I left. Given what I went through, however, I feared what would've happened to Luffy and Astra and the others if I had stayed with the group.

The heat of the desert was oppressive without my Devil Fruit, and I stumbled more than a few times. I understood now why Luffy was complaining so much. It was horrible. I pulled out my canteen and dribbled the last tiny bit of water into my mouth. I could still taste blood.

I kept going, even as the sun began to set ahead of me. If I wasn't exhausted beyond belief, I would've taken a moment to admire its beauty, but I was, so I didn't. As night fell over the desert, a pervasive chill seeped into my bones, reminding me of Candlewood, except I only had myself to look after now. At the very least, the skies were clear, so I could use the stars to stay on course.

The dawn arrived soon enough. My footfalls had grown heavy, and my breathing labored. I desperately needed food and water. I spotted a darker shape in the sand ahead, and my heart soared as I recognized it. A cactus! I remembered Marco mentioning something about cactuses having water inside of them. My hands shook as I sliced into the desert plant with my dagger. Sure enough, it was filled with liquid, so I greedily gulped it down.

“That's better,” I murmured to myself, resuming my journey with renewed vigor. I had to be getting close to the edge of the island, right? After another hour or two, I saw a familiar head of seafoam green hair. “Astra!” I shouted, racing toward her. Why was she all by herself? Did she try following me?

She turned at my call, a look of relief upon her face.  

As I got closer, however, I noticed a bloodstain growing on the front of her chest, and I ran even faster. “Astra! You're bleeding! What happened?!”

“Teach's crew… found me,” she said weakly, dropping to the ground.

I managed to catch her in my arms as she fell. Her face was pale, and her eyelids flickered. Her skin was cold. I yanked off my shirt, using it to try to staunch her wounds. “Astra! No! H-hold on! I'll get you to-to a town or something! I'll g-get you to Marco!” The world felt like it was crumbling around me. “No. No! P-please, no, Astra! D-don't die! Please!” She went limp in my arms, her pulse nonexistent, and I broke. 

I clutched her tiny body to mine, begging her to wake up. Over the next several hours, I begged and begged, over and over and over again, ultimately to no avail. With tears still streaming down my face, I set about digging a small grave for her. After burying her body, I took three steps before I collapsed, dropping face-first into the sand. I couldn't keep going. I just wanted to stay with Astra, even if that meant dying.

Chapter 28: Explanations

Ace POV

Astra is alive. She didn't die. I couldn't even begin to describe how happy that made me. I'd lose my bag over her any day. I didn't want to tell her about the torture I endured for her sake, though. I knew how much that would upset her. “Sorry, I don't really remember,” I said quickly, looking away. “Hey, Marco! You got any more of that meat?”

He did. I stuffed more meat into my mouth.

I was pretty sure Astra knew that I lied about not remembering, but she didn't press me further for answers. Marco gave me a look, but he also remained silent. He and Izou would probably confront me about it later.

“Alright, we should be clear of the marines now,” Izou announced, coming over to join us. “Let me see that cuff, Ace.”

I held out my arm, and he withdrew a lockpicking kit from within his kimono. It took him about twenty minutes before the cuff fell open with a click, and energy surged through my body. “Thanks,” I said quietly. I was grateful that they found me, but I hated the fact that I needed to be rescued in the first place. I was obviously still too weak.

Astra glanced at her left arm, most of which was bandaged. “You're back to normal,” she said, relief evident in her voice. “Still red, but full vitality.” 

I frowned. “You're hurt, Astra.”

“Yeah, I got shot during the Alabasta Civil War, and then a spooked horse broke my wrists because I was tied to his pommel,” she said with a shrug.

Civil War?! “Is Luffy alright?” I asked quickly.

She smiled. “Of course. He's Luffy.” Then, she looked at Marco expectantly. “Marco, you promised…”

Marco sighed, and as I turned to him questioningly, he smacked the back of my head. “There. That's from Astra, yoi,” he told me.

I hung my head. “Right. Astra, I'm sorry for leaving. I promise I won't- Ow!” She kicked me in the shin!

“I told you not to make me promises you can't keep,” she said quietly. 

I flinched. Right. Kneeling down, I gently pulled her into a hug, being mindful of her wrists. “I'm sorry, Astra. I really am.”

She looked up into my eyes, a glint of steel in her gaze. “Don't lie to me, Ace. Did Teach's crew attack you?” she asked.

My mouth dropped open, and I slowly nodded. “How did you…?”

“They hit the Moby Dick with a surprise attack last week, yoi,” Marco explained. “We had a feeling they might go after you and Astra. That's why we were so close by, yoi.”

“You almost died, Ace,” Astra added.

I sighed. “They wanted to know who was responsible for Teach's death, and I refused to tell them,” I admitted quietly. “I fully expected them to kill me.”

“So why didn't they?” Izou asked.

“I don't know.”

Astra POV

The faraway look in Ace's eyes worried me. I wish I knew more about the Blackbeard Pirates’ abilities. Did they torture him for information? If they did, why would they heal him afterward? “Can you describe the men you saw?” I asked.

Ace nodded. “There was a sick old man on a sick horse, a masked strongman, and-” His hand dropped to the side of his ribcage. “And a tall tap dancer with a cane.”

I closed my eyes, recalling everything I knew about them. “The sick old man is named Doc Q. He possesses the Sick-Sick Fruit. The horse is named Stronger. It has the Pegasus Zoan Fruit. The strongman would be Jesus Burgess. He has no fruit. The tap dancer is Lafitte. He can turn his arms into large white wings, and he has the ability to hypnotize people. There's also a sharpshooter, Van Augur. He has the Warp-Warp Fruit.” 

I opened my eyes back up. Izou and Ace were staring at me in surprise, while Marco nodded thoughtfully. “That matches the abilities they used during their attack,” Marco confirmed.

“Wait just a minute,” Izou interjected. “How do you know all of that, Hoshiko-sama?”

I gave him a half smile. “I'll tell you what happened to me twenty-four years ago, Bou. Marco already knows most of it, but I think you and Ace should hear it, too.”

Izou nodded once. “Alright.”

Ace nodded a second later.

I took a deep breath. “I was born twenty-eight years ago as Kouzuki Hoshiko, the daughter of Kouzuki Oden and Kouzuki Toki. Born with a congenital heart defect, I had a very low chance of reaching the age of five. Just before my fourth birthday, we moved onto Roger's ship, and my condition worsened. Despite Crocus-san's best efforts, I wasn't going to make it. My mother made the difficult decision to send me forward in time using her Devil Fruit powers, hoping that more advanced medical procedures in the future could save my life. As the shift occurred, however, I had a heart attack. I remember dying.”

“But you're obviously still alive!” Ace exclaimed. “Y-you are alive, right?” he added hesitantly.

I smiled. “Yes. I am alive, but I've technically died twice. After the heart attack, I woke up in a different body, the body of a girl named Astra. I was no longer in this world, either. It was a planet called Earth. There were no Devil Fruits, no widespread piracy, no World Government. But, there was a graphic novel series called One Piece that followed the adventures of a boy named Monkey D. Luffy.”

Ace's eyes widened. “Luffy?!”

“Yes. That's where my knowledge comes from. However, by getting rid of Teach, who was supposed to be a main antagonist, I have a feeling more things are going to start changing.” Like Crocodile targeting me. “Anyway, I spent twenty-four years as Astra before I died and returned to my body in this world. I studied genetic diseases and trained heavily in the use of a katana in case I was lucky enough to come back. I guess I was.”

“You didn't tell me it was a different world,” Marco accused.

“You already thought I was insane,” I pointed out. “I was trying to keep it more believable.”

“That's valid,” he conceded.

Izou's brow was furrowed in thought. “So, are you Hoshiko-sama or Astra?” he asked in confusion.

“Both,” I replied. “I'll answer to either name. You can think of Astra as my nickname, if it makes it easier.”

His forehead smoothed out, and he nodded. “It does, thank you, Hoshiko-sama.”

Ace had been silent for a while. “Astra,” he said quietly. “How did you die the second time?”

My ears filled with the sound of a dozen screams, and my nerves alit with the remembered pain of the impact. My jaw ticked, and I stared off toward the sea. “Don't ask me that.” You don't want to know.

“Why not?” Izou asked gently, setting a hand on my shoulder. “Was it a traumatic death, Hoshiko-sama?”

“It doesn't matter,” I said. 

“If it affected you that badly, then it does matter, Astra,” Marco commented.

I didn't belong there. “Please, stop asking me.”

“Hoshiko-sama-”

“I jumped off a tall building, okay?!” I snapped. “I didn't want to be there anymore!”

They all frowned, confusion filling their faces. “You died by… jumping off a building?” Ace asked in bewilderment. “How does that work?”

Of all the ridiculous… “Seriously?!” I asked with a slightly unhinged laugh. “I just told you guys that I committed suicide, and you're hung up on the method?! I told you, it doesn't matter how I died!” My eyes filled with tears, but I kept laughing. “I died twice, but I'm not dead! My parents are dead, but I'm still here. I don't even know if I can prevent Ace's death! If I could solve everything by dying again, I'd do it in a heartbeat! If Ace dies, I have no reason to live!” I sank down to my knees, unable to keep speaking through the sobs that overtook my small body.

Chapter 29: A Bath

Astra POV

A pair of arms wrapped around my body, pulling me into a gentle hug. My cheek pressed against soft cotton. My emotions formed a Gordian knot in my head, tangled and twisted as they were, and I clung to Izou's kimono, repeatedly failing to halt my sobs. Every time I started to catch my breath, a fresh wave of anxiety crashed over me, and I had to start all over again.

“Just let it all out, Hoshiko-sama,” Izou murmured, rubbing my back slightly. “I apologize for pressuring you.”

“Me, too,” Marco said quietly. “I'm sorry, Astra, yoi.”

Ace remained silent.

After several more minutes, I finally managed to regain a semblance of control over my body, and I wiped my tears and snot on Izou's kimono. I almost smiled as I imagined the disgust in his thoughts, but that's what he got for prying.

I lifted my head to look at Ace, who was sitting completely still, face ashen. I stood and walked over to him, placing a hand on his knee. His dark brown eyes gazed at me sadly. “Do you not have a dream beyond saving me, Astra?” he asked. “Nothing you want to accomplish or achieve?”

I want to cure Whitebeard. I want to see my brother and sister. I want to help free my country. I want to marry Ace. “I don't know,” I replied quietly. None of that felt like a priority at the moment. “What is your dream, Ace?”

He frowned in thought. “I just want my friends and family to be able to achieve their dreams.”

I turned to the others. “Marco, do you have a dream?”

“I want to protect my family, yoi,” he replied.

“And you, Bou?” I asked.

Izou's face held a solemn expression. “I, too, wish to protect my family, and I also wish to avenge Oden-sama someday.”

I nodded and scratched at my scalp, causing several grains of sand to tumble to the deck. A small scowl formed on my lips. “I don't like sand,” I muttered.

Izou placed a hand over his mouth concealing his smile. “Shall I draw you a bath, Hoshiko-sama?”

I raised a teasing eyebrow. “That depends, Bou, has your artistry improved?”

Confusion briefly crossed his features before he scowled at me. “You know very well I wasn't talking about sketching!” he snapped. “And for your information, yes, it has!”

A giggle escaped me, but I decided to show mercy. “Yes, I'd like a bath,” I told him. “Though, I need supervision because of my Devil Fruit.”

Ace nodded confirmation. He and I both remembered the last time I tried to take a bath alone. Izou got to his feet. “I'll go prepare a bath for you then,” he said. “Do you have a change of clothes?”

I made a point of looking around me, as if something would suddenly appear. “Uh, no,” I said bluntly. Obviously.

Ace suddenly let out a distressed sound. “The Striker!” he groaned. “It's still tied to Luffy's ship!”

“I'm sorry, Ace, but we can't go back for it right now, yoi,” Marco said practically.

While Ace pouted, Izou addressed me. “Luckily, I brought a handful of kimonos with me, Hoshiko-sama. I can easily alter one to fit you.” He nodded to himself and disappeared into the ship's main cabin, emerging several minutes later with a folded pink kimono. He then entered the bathroom, and I heard the sound of running water.

After a moment, the bathroom door opened. “It's ready, Hoshiko-sama,” Izou called. I joined him in the bathroom, where he had a stool, soap, and bucket waiting for me. “How are your wrists?” he asked.

I blinked. "Oh, yeah." I forgot I was injured. I rolled both of my wrists experimentally. They didn't hurt at all. “They're surprisingly fine,” I replied.

“Even with Marco's flames, that's remarkably quick healing,” he commented.

“My Devil Fruit seems to grant me enhanced healing,” I explained. “It's not as amazing as Marco's abilities, but I still heal faster than most.”

Izou helped me unwrap the bandages from my arms. The bullet wound was barely visible. “When did you eat your fruit?” he inquired. “Because I'm fairly certain you didn't have one when you were transferred to Roger's ship.”

“Roger's crew found it on an island a week after we parted ways with you guys," I said. "They fed it to me, hoping it would extend my survivability.” I stripped and sat on the stool.

Izou sat behind me, scooping up water from the bath, which he dumped onto my head, wetting my hair. Then, he carefully worked the cherry blossom-scented shampoo through my jade locks, using his fingers to gently untangle the knots. He rinsed my hair, and added more shampoo, scrubbing my scalp this time. After rinsing it again, he applied a small amount of conditioner to my hair. Then, he washed my back before handing me the soap so I could scrub down the rest of my body.

Once I thoroughly rinsed off, I carefully entered the bath, Izou keeping a firm grip on my arm. I was glad that he was there because my knees gave out on me as the water sapped my strength. Even though I trusted Izou, panic gripped my chest. “O-out,” I cried. “I want out!”

He immediately pulled me from the water and wrapped a towel around me, holding me close as I trembled in his arms. “It's alright, Hoshiko-sama. I'm here. You're safe.”

I tried to calm my racing heart. “It's terrifying,” I panted. “Feeling so helpless.”

Ace and Marco barged through the door. “Is everything okay?” Ace asked.

“We heard a shout, yoi,” Marco explained. 

“Everything's fine!” Izou snapped. “Now get out! She still needs to get dressed!”

“Sorry!” Both of them quickly ducked out of the room, closing the door behind them.

“I should have locked the door,” Izou muttered.

“But then they probably would've broken it down,” I remarked.

Izou smiled. “That's true. Alright.” He stood up and carried me over to a dry section of the floor, setting me on my feet. He wrapped my hair up with a smaller towel and gestured to the folded clothes. “Would you like help?”

I nodded. It was a proper kimono, and I didn't quite remember how to tie one correctly. And, knowing Izou, he'd fuss if it wasn't done right. Izou worked efficiently, his practiced hands smoothing the fabric and tying it in place with ease. After that, he sat me on a dry stool, taking the time to gently comb out my hair. Then, he braided the left side and fixed it in place with a sakura pin.

He offered me a hand and walked me over to the mirror. “You look beautiful, Hoshiko-sama,” he murmured.

I blinked at my reflection. I honestly looked so similar to Hiyori, except my hair was slightly lighter, and I had a large scar across my face. She was only a baby when I last saw her in person. I wonder what she's doing right now. “Thank you, Bou,” I said quietly. 

Chapter 30: Truth

Ace POV

“So, you and Izou both know Astra from before her time jump?” I asked Marco.

He nodded. “Yes. I was responsible for most of her medical care, and Izou used to be one of her father's vassals.” He eyed me sternly. “Just so you know, you'll be on toilet duty for a month once we return. You went behind my back to smuggle Astra from the ship, yoi.”

I made a face. “Everything ended up fine, though!” I protested.

“Regardless, you still contradicted my orders,” he stated.

I scowled. “Technically, she's not assigned to your division,” I muttered.

“By that logic, she's not in yours either,” he rebutted. “But she was my patient at the time, yoi.”

I heard Astra yell something. Her words were muffled by the bathroom door, but she sounded distressed. I immediately rushed for the door, and Marco was hot on my heels, having heard the same thing.

“Is everything okay?” I asked quickly, shoving the door open. Izou was sitting on the floor, holding a damp, towel-wrapped Astra in his arms. Her head was buried against his chest.

“We heard a shout, yoi,” Marco explained.

Izou glared at the both of us. “Everything's fine! Now get out! She still needs to get dressed!”

I sheepishly shrank back. “Sorry.” Marco closed the door as we retreated. I was still on edge after meeting Teach's crew. They could strike anywhere, at any time, and that fact terrified me. “I don't think I'll be able to sleep well for a while,” I mumbled.

“Me neither,” Marco admitted. “I'm technically the one who killed Teach, so if Astra ends up getting hurt by his crew because of that, I'd never be able to forgive myself, yoi. I already feel bad enough that you were attacked, Ace,” he added, looking at me apologetically.

I sent him a hopeful smile. “Bad enough that you'll let me off with just a warning?”

“No.”

Oh, well. It was worth a try. I looked up as the bathroom door opened, and my jaw dropped as Astra stepped out onto the deck. She looked like a noble. I had been traveling with Astra, but this was Kouzuki Hoshiko, the daughter of Oden.

A large grin split her face, and she did a cute little twirl. “Look, Ace! I'm all fancy-looking now!” she exclaimed.

I smiled widely, my entire spirit lifted by her unbridled happiness. “You look very pretty, Astra,” I told her truthfully. 

A faint blush dusted her cheeks. “Thanks.” She sat carefully on the edge of a crate. I suspected she was trying to keep the kimono as clean as possible.

About half an hour later, Izou emerged from the bathroom wearing a light blue kimono, his makeup and hair restored to their usual state. “Marco! Ace! It's your turn,” he announced, practically shoving us both into the bathroom.

I had to admit, a long soak sounded nice, even if it weakened me. I swiped the washcloth across my body and quickly rinsed off before lowering myself into the comfortably hot water. Sitting on the underwater bench, I leaned my head back against the edge of the bath and let all of my muscles relax. My eyes closed.

Wide, unblinking eyes stared back at me with an eerie smile beneath them. I sat upright with a gasp, my eyes flying open once more. I hated how scared I felt. I flinched as a hand settled on my shoulder.

“Ace? Are you alright, yoi?” I let out a relieved sigh. It was just Marco. My eyes slowly focused on his concerned face. “Ace?” he repeated.

I blinked. Oh, right. He asked me a question. Am I alright? “No,” I confessed hoarsely. “I'm not.”

His face grew even more concerned, and I knew exactly why. I wouldn't normally admit something like that. “Ace,” he asked carefully, “Last year, when the roast turkey went missing, was that you?”

“Yeah.” I frowned. Why did I tell him that? I got away with that. Not even Thatch suspected me. 

Marco's brow furrowed. “Who would win in an arm-wrestling match between me and you?” 

“You would,” I replied. Marco's eyes widened, and my face paled. “I don't know what's going on,” I whispered.

“Get out of the bath and get dressed,” he ordered, pulling on his clean clothes. “I'm giving you a full checkup.”

I was quick to obey. Something was very wrong with me, and I needed it fixed as soon as possible. Marco lent me some of his clothes, since I didn't have anything else to wear, and I followed him. Before he opened the door, though, he asked, “Did you tell Teach's crew about Astra?”

“No,” I said firmly.

Marco nodded. “Okay, good. I just wanted to make sure. Something is causing you to answer questions truthfully, so there was a chance you were compelled to tell them.”

That was a terrifying thought. “Can it be fixed?” I asked desperately. I didn't want to be forced to answer everything truthfully for the rest of my life.

“I don't know. It depends on what's causing it. It's possible one of Teach's men did something to you. Astra did mention that one of them has the ability to hypnotize people.”

“We should ask for Astra's help, then,” I said. “She knows more about them than we do. Maybe she'll know how to fix it.”

Astra POV

Marco and Ace exited the bathroom and made their way over to us, both looking grim. “We have a problem,” Marco said. 

“What's wrong?” I asked quickly. Is it about Ace? 

“I'm stuck answering everything truthfully,” Ace admitted. “And it scares me.” His jaw clenched.

“Astra, we were hoping you had some more insight into whether it was caused by Teach's men or not,” Marco explained.

I shook my head. “I'm sorry. I told you everything I know about them.” I looked closer at Ace. Something was off. I glanced down at my arm to confirm. “It's purple,” I stated. “Ace's aura is purple.”

“What does that mean?” Izou asked.

“I don't know,” I said quietly. “I've never seen blue show up before.”

Chapter 31: Mystery Mushroom

Astra POV

Over the next two days, we tried different things to solve Ace's predicament, but nothing seemed to work. The bags under Ace's eyes were also darkening, a sign that he wasn't sleeping at night. Everyone on the ship was anxious, but it seemed to be affecting him the worst. 

On our third day of travel, a heavily forested island came into view. “That's Clarity, yoi.” Marco said. “There's a small village on the north side of the island where we'll resupply.”

As our sloop pulled up to a dock, I glanced over the small town, noticing a path leading into the trees, and my eyes lit up. “Can I explore the forest?” I asked pleadingly.

“Yes, you can, but I'm going with you,” Marco said, much to my surprise. I didn't expect him to agree so readily. “Izou and Ace will get our supplies, yoi.”

I gave Ace a hug before we parted ways. “Don't disappear again,” I murmured.

“I won't,” he replied.

I hugged Izou too. “Be careful, Bou.”

He smiled. “I should be saying that to you, Hoshiko-sama.” He looked over at Marco. “Don't let anything happen to her. We'll meet back up in four hours.”

Marco nodded and took my hand. “Alright, Astra. Let's go, yoi.”

It was hard to contain my excitement as we entered the forest. I hadn't had a chance to really ‘explore’ an island before. It reminded me of the woods behind my house on Earth. The buzzing of insects, the damp earthy scent hanging in the air. I loved it!

Marco let me run around freely, with the caveat that I stay within his sight, and I took full advantage of it. I climbed over mossy logs, climbed a few trees, chased a squirrel, caught a stag beetle, and even found a raspberry bush, which snagged on my kimono (sorry, Izou). And I did all of it with a massive grin plastered upon my face.

Marco POV

I allowed myself a small smile as I walked leisurely along the trail behind Astra. It was nice to see her so energetic and genuinely happy. That was the main reason I was allowing her to explore. She had been sad for far too long. And it sounded like she had been sad in her other life, too. 

A warm breeze blew through the trees, and a red maple leaf caught my eye as it tumbled through the air, twisting and swooping down to the ground, where it lay still among its fallen comrades. I sighed. It was a peaceful forest, a quiet respite from the turmoil of our daily lives.

I heard a thump. My head snapped up, and my eyes scanned the forest around me. Astra was gone. “Astra!” I shouted in panic. Shit! I only looked away for a minute! I spread out my haki, and I heaved a sigh of relief. She was still nearby, at least. I rushed over to her haki signature, hoping she wasn't injured. I promised Izou I wouldn't let anything happen to her.

Astra's small body was sprawled on the ground, a half-eaten mushroom beside her hand. Her chest rose and fell evenly, but her cheeks were flushed. Shit!

Pocketing the mushroom, I scooped her up and sprinted back to the ship. I needed to figure out what she ate, and if it was poisonous, I needed to make an antidote before she died. Shit! Why did I look away?! 

Trying to remain calm, I gently laid Astra on the bed in the cabin. I quickly checked her over. She was running a low-grade fever, but the rest of her vitals were normal, which was a relief. If it was poisonous, it was very slow-acting. I retrieved the mushroom from my pocket and examined it. The outside was red, but the inside was white, and on top of the mushroom was a black triangle, the tip of which was cut off where she had eaten.

My heart sank. I didn't recognize it. It was bound to happen occasionally, especially with Grand Line flora and fauna being what they were, but what a terrible time for it to happen! Astra's life could be in mortal peril, and I couldn't even identify the culprit.

I felt Izou and Ace approaching the ship. They probably picked up on my distress and came to investigate the cause. A moment later, they both burst into the cabin. “What happened?” Izou demanded, taking immediate notice of Astra's unconscious form on the bed.

I held up the mushroom. “She ate this, yoi,” I said grimly. “I don't know what type of mushroom it is.”

Izou snatched it from my hand, peering at it closely. “I've never seen this type before either,” he muttered, handing it back. “Perhaps someone in town has heard of it. I'll let you know if I get any information,” he called behind him as he hurried from the cabin.

Ace sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed one of Astra's hands, his jaw clenching as he stared at her face. I wish I knew what thoughts were running through his head. Did he blame me for not keeping her safe? 

Unable to sit still, I moved over to the desk and began running tests on the mushroom. Maybe I could extract its secrets using science. Twenty-five minutes passed without change.

Purupurupuru…

I picked up my transponder snail. Click! “Yes?”

“There's an old woman in town who recognized the description,” Izou conveyed. “She said that it isn't poisonous, but that Astra needs uninterrupted sleep for the next few hours or so.”

“Did she mention any other effects, yoi?” I asked.

“She refused to say any more than that,” he said, frustration evident in his voice.

“Alright. Finish getting supplies for now, yoi.”

“Got it.” Click!

I looked at Ace, who had a relieved smile on his face. “She'll be okay, then?” he asked.

I nodded. “It would appear so. She got lucky, yoi.” Standing up, I walked over to the door. “Come on,” I told him. “Izou said uninterrupted sleep.”

He reluctantly released Astra's hand and followed me out of the room. I took one last glance at Astra resting peacefully on the bed. Here's trusting that old lady. I closed the cabin door.

Chapter 32: A Victim Of The Forest

Astra POV

I was cold. I shivered and pulled the blanket up to my chin, but in doing so, my feet were left uncovered. Why is this blanket so short? I curled my legs up, turning onto my side. As my arms pressed against my chest, however, my eyes shot open and I sat up quickly. I lifted the blanket, staring in shock at my naked, very adult, body. What the hell? What the hell? What the hell?! 

My hair was long, like fingertip-length long. I definitely needed a haircut. The kimono I had been wearing was split at the seams, the sleeves still dangling from my arms. I slid them off and shakily got to my feet, wrapping the blanket around my torso. I needed to find something to wear before any of my brothers barged in. Now that would be embarrassing.

I wasn't used to being adult-sized, so as I turned toward the closet, I accidently bumped into the desk and knocked a dish onto the floor. I winced as it shattered loudly. Shit! Keeping the blanket wrapped tightly around me, I crawled over the bed and hid behind it, leaving just the top of my head sticking out.

A minute later, Marco and Ace rushed into the room in panic. Marco's gaze scanned over the shattered dish and the bed covered in kimono scraps before landing on my face. “Astra? Are you okay?” he asked anxiously.

Ace followed Marco's eyeline to me, and he started forward. “Wait!” I blurted out, and he froze, a frown forming on his face. My voice sounded a lot different than usual.

“Astra?” Ace asked hesitantly. 

“Please don't freak out,” I said quietly. “I think the mushroom I ate made me older.” Slowly, I emerged from my hiding place, and Marco and Ace both gaped at me. Surprisingly, I was taller than even Marco. 

Marco recovered first, mostly. “You look like Toki,” he murmured.

Ace blinked a few times then cleared his throat and looked down at his feet, a faint blush dusting his cheeks. 

I shrank in on myself, feeling self-conscious about my height and the fact that I was only wearing a blanket. “Um, do you mind leaving so I can put some clothes on?” I asked in a strained tone.

Marco, who was still staring at me, shook his head slightly and blinked. “Oh. Right. Yeah. Sorry, yoi.” He grabbed Ace by the arm and dragged him out of the room, closing the door behind them.

I sighed and walked over to the closet, moving more carefully than before. I found Izou's kimonos and pulled out a lavender one with white lotus flowers on it. I realized I didn't have any underwear, but there wasn't much I could do about that at the moment. 

Dropping the blanket, I put on the kimono and tied it the best I could. It was far from perfect, but at least I didn't have to hold it up as I walked. The only issue I had was the fact that it barely contained my boobs. It was designed for Izou, after all, who usually let a decent amount of his chest show. 

After going back and forth on whether I felt comfortable wearing it, I finally decided that it was better than being naked. I folded the blanket and set it on the bed, taking a moment to gather the remains of my small kimono into a pile. Then, I stepped out onto the deck, shielding my eyes against the glare of the afternoon sun.

A strangled sound escaped Ace's throat when he saw me, and he quickly averted his gaze. Marco, on the other hand, I think I broke him. His jaw sat partially ajar as he blinked dumbly at me. I was pretty sure he even stopped breathing for a minute.

I puffed out my cheeks in a pout. “You guys are acting weird. I can't be the first woman you've seen,” I complained, taking a seat on one of the crates.

“Sorry, yoi,” Marco apologized again. “It's just a bit surreal.” Surreal? “So the mushroom, why did you eat it, yoi?” he asked curiously. “Did you recognize it or something?”

I shrugged. “I just ate it ‘cause it told me to.”

Marco frowned. “The mushroom… told you to eat it?”

“Yeah. It was kind of screaming at me,” I explained. “I mostly ate it just to get it to shut up. Oh! Before I forget, can you call Izou and tell him to pick up some underwear for me? I don't have any.”

Marco's face turned pink at that. “H-how about we go into town and you can pick out your own?” he suggested, his voice slightly higher than usual.

I nodded, doing my best to ignore his reaction. I had never seen Marco get so flustered before. “That's probably a better idea,” I admitted. “I'll need some shoes, too.”

The villagers gawked at me as I walked through the streets. I didn't like all of the attention, so I attempted to hide behind Marco, but that went about as well as you could expect. 

Luckily, the clothing store also sold shoes, so we only had to visit one shop. The owner took one look at me and shooed Marco and Ace from the store, telling them she'd handle it. As she took my measurements, the lady explained that, about once a year, one of the village children would return from the forest as an adult, so she was accustomed to providing clothing to those who weren't used to their bodies.

She gave me a few bras, a handful of panties, sandals, a dress, two pairs of pants and four blouses. I went to grab beri from Marco, but the woman waved me off. “I refuse to charge victims of the forest,” she insisted.

I bowed my head. “Thank you.” I exited the store with bags in hand, wearing jeans and a pink ruffled blouse.

Ace and Marco were struck speechless once more, and I gave an exasperated sigh. “Seriously! What is wrong with you two?!” I started back toward the ship without waiting for them to snap out of it, and I heard their footsteps behind me as they hurried to catch up.

When he reached my side, Ace wordlessly tugged the bags out of my hand, carrying them for me. “I think I'm in love,” he mumbled, before quickly slapping his free hand over his mouth. My heart skipped a beat. Excuse me, what?! To preserve both his dignity and mine, I pretended not to hear him.

Before we left town, Marco's transponder snail rang. Click! “Nobody's at the ship. Is everything okay?” It was Izou.

“We just had to go get some things for Astra,” Marco replied. “We'll be back soon with a surprise, yoi.”

“Alright.” Click!

“Why didn't you tell him about me?” I asked.

“It'll be more fun to see his reaction,” Marco said with a grin. Well, I couldn't really argue with that.

Chapter 33: Astra Says

Taking the lead, I watched Izou's face morph from confusion to shock as I stepped aboard. “H-Hoshiko-sama?” he breathed, as if he were uncertain I was real. 

“You look like you've seen a ghost, Bou,” I teased.

“I have,” he said quietly. “You look just like Toki-sama.”

Mother… I knew that Marco said the same thing earlier, but it hit differently hearing it from Izou. My chin quivered, but I managed to hold back my tears. “I think I got some of Father's height, though,” I joked. I was 7’2”, as I discovered from the kind seamstress.

Izou chuckled. “That you did, Hoshiko-sama. I will say, though, this works in our favor. I doubt most marines and bounty hunters would recognize you as the same person.” He held up a bounty poster with my four-year-old self on it.

I immediately snatched the paper out of his hand. “Five million?!” I exclaimed. “Seriously?! All I did was break Ace out of prison and antagonize Smokey! I suppose I am on the crew of an Emperor, but still!”

Marco gently took the sheet from me, studying it. “At least they don't seem to know your full identity,” he commented. It just had the name ‘Astra’ on it.

“Oh, that's true,” I said, placing a fist on my hand. “Orochi would want me dead if he knew I was part of the Kouzuki clan, and he'd probably send Kaido after me. Hmm, but I can't just deny my lineage. I guess I just need to be careful.”

While Marco and Izou both voiced their agreement, Ace was standing off to the side, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.

“Ace,” I said tentatively. “You don't look so good.” I purposefully phrased it in a way that he wouldn't be forced to answer if he didn't want to.

Ace's tired gaze swept across our concerned faces. “I'm scared,” he said finally. “This diverted my anxiety for a little bit, but I'm stressed and worried about my truth problem.” Ace started pacing around the deck. “I mean, what if I am hypnotized? How do you undo hypnosis? What if it makes me do other things? What if I hurt one of you guys?”

I could tell he was starting to spiral, so I grabbed one of his hands, and he looked up at me, panic evident in every aspect of his body. “Ace, calm down,” I said firmly. “We'll figure it out.”

His breathing slowed and he nodded, the tension immediately fading from his shoulders. “Okay.” 

I frowned. I didn't expect him to react so quickly. I got a sinking feeling in my stomach. “Marco, can you tell Ace to do something?” 

Marco raised an eyebrow at my request, but he humored me. “Ace, do a handstand, yoi,” he said.

Ace scowled. “I'm not a circus act, Marco.” 

“Ace, do a handstand,” I copied.

Ace smiled at me, and pulled his hand out of my grip. “Alright.” Then, he flipped up onto his hands.

Tears filled my eyes as my suspicion was confirmed. “No, no, no. I don't want this!” I fell to my knees and began scrubbing at the marks on my arm. “How do I undo it? I don't want this power!” How much of Ace's demeanor toward me was real and how much was compulsory? I didn't know. I clawed at my arm even harder, as if friction alone would remove the marks.

Three pairs of hands grabbed my arms at the same time, pulling them apart, and I looked up at the blurry faces of my three older brothers, my lower lip wobbling tremulously. “I'm sorry!” I sobbed. “I'm so sorry, Ace!”

The stinging in my arm lessened as blue flames ignited in my peripherals. Marco and Ace released me, but Izou pulled me into a hug, keeping one hand gently wrapped around my left arm. “I'm not sure what exactly is going on, Hoshiko-sama, but injuring yourself won't make the situation better,” he chided softly.

“I'm sorry,” I repeated in a small voice, using my right hand to wipe my eyes. My fingertips were stained with blood. “It seems like I can control Ace, and I don't know why, and I didn't do it intentionally, and I don't know how to undo it, a-and-”

“Astra, are you suggesting that your Devil Fruit is the reason why Ace is answering questions truthfully, yoi?” Marco interrupted.

“I-I think so?”

“Are you sure you ate the Vital-Vital Fruit, yoi?” he asked sharply.

My brow furrowed in thought. “I honestly don't know. I made an assumption based on my early abilities, but I could've been wrong,” I confessed.

Marco took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. “Alright. Here's what we're going to do: Our priority is still to get you two back to the Moby Dick as soon as possible, yoi,” he stated calmly. “Once there, we'll look it up in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia. Astra, rather than panicking, how about we try to figure out how to fix it, yoi.”

I nodded slowly. Thank goodness we have two logical thinkers on this ship. Ace and I need them. I glanced over at Ace, who was lost in thought again, and a pang of guilt struck me. I wanted him to be happy and free, not tied down by my fruit. I tried to picture a thread connecting me to him, and severed it mentally, feeling a twinge in my chest as I did so.

Ace immediately frowned, but his aura returned to red. I almost smiled in relief, until I saw the sadness etched into Ace's features. Even though it was unintentional, I felt absolutely horrible for what I did to him. “Ace, I-” I began.

Ace held up a hand. “Don't, Astra,” he said quietly, refusing to look at me. “It-It just hurts.”

Marco looked back and forth between me and Ace. “Did something happen, yoi?”

“He should be back to normal now,” I informed him hollowly.

“Then why do both of you look so glum about it?” Izou inquired.

Ace abruptly stood up and walked away without answering, shutting himself in the bathroom, and we all heard a click as he turned the lock.

I gently moved Izou's hand aside, so I could look at my arm. Ace's mark was no longer there. Should I sever my connection to Law, too? I decided to leave it for the time being. I wasn't likely to run into him for a little bit anyway. It would be better to get more information about my fruit before doing anything else.

Ace POV

I sank to the bathroom floor, clutching my heart as tears streamed down my face. “It hurts,” I whispered. What did Astra do? It hurt, like when I thought that Sabo was dead, or when I thought that Astra was dead. My heart was in pain. I didn't understand why. Something important had been torn away from me, and I felt… I didn't even know how I felt. I just knew I didn't like it.

I was happy to do whatever she asked me to do, but she was so upset when she realized that I listened to her. I didn't like seeing her upset. Was that why she pushed me away? Did I do something wrong? 

I curled in on myself. There was an aching, empty void in my chest. Whatever Astra took away, I wanted her to give it back. It hurt too much without it.

After who knows how long, a knock sounded on the door. “Ace, I'm making dinner, yoi.”

“I'm not hungry!” I shouted. I couldn't eat anything at the moment, even if I wanted to. Just the thought of food made my stomach turn.

“Ace, please unlock the door, yoi,” Marco said worriedly.

I didn't want him to see me like this. “No! Go away!”

A moment of silence followed by a sigh. “Do you need anything, yoi?”

“I need Astra!” I cried. I'm still telling the truth, I realized with surprise. So, whatever Astra did was unrelated to my issue. If I tell her that, maybe she'll put it back. My chest still hurt, but I had a glimmer of hope. “Please,” I added desperately.

“Ace?” I lifted my head at Astra's voice, a yearning tugging me toward her. “Can you unlock the door?” 

“Yeah.” I slowly pushed myself to my hands and knees and crawled over to the door, turning the lock. 

Astra slipped into the room, closing the door behind her. Then, she sat beside me and placed a hand on my back. Just being near her eased some of the ache in my chest, and I found myself leaning into her touch. “I caused this,” she said quietly.

It wasn't a question, but I nodded anyway. “I'm still answering questions truthfully, though,” I confessed.

Astra frowned. “So, the blue in your aura was separate from your problem? Then, why are you telling the truth?”

“You told me not to lie,” I replied promptly. I blinked. Was it really that simple?

She looked equally as shocked at my revelation before her brow furrowed in concentration. “Reset,” she commanded. "Did that work?" she asked anxiously.

I didn't feel any different. “Try asking me something, and I'll try to lie,” I suggested.

“Alright. How many fingers are on your hand?”

“Seven,” I stated. Then, I broke into a relieved grin. It worked! Her face lit up as well, which shot a fresh pang through my heart. Wincing slightly, I looked up at her with tears in my eyes. “Can you please undo the other thing you did earlier now?” I begged. “I need it back. My chest hurts without it.”

Astra's frown deepened. “That's extremely concerning.” Was she not going to do it? It became hard for me to breathe as panic crept up into my throat, and my heart clenched painfully. I doubled over in agony. 

All of a sudden, however, the pain vanished. She did it. “Thank you,” I breathed, leaning my head against her arm. "I hope I never have to experience that feeling again.” I honestly thought I was going to die.

Chapter 34: A Fruitful Day

Astra POV

As Ace's breathing slowly evened out, I came to the realization that he had fallen asleep against me. I gently carded my fingers through his hair. “I love you, Ace,” I murmured, finally able to voice my feelings without making it creepy.

Trying not to wake him, I carefully shifted positions to lift him into my arms. Standing up with difficulty, I made my way over to the door, fumbling with the knob for a moment before managing to pull it open without dropping Ace. Marco and Izou looked at me questioningly, but I shushed them, carrying Ace into the cabin and laying him on the bed I had vacated earlier.

I closed the cabin door and joined the other two on the deck. “He's alright for now,” I told them in a hushed tone. “But I need to figure out what my Devil Fruit is as soon as possible.”

“We're already traveling at top speed, yoi” Marco said. “I agree with you, though. Try to hold off on using it until we can do some research, yoi.”

Izou's sharp gaze was drawn to my arm. “Why is Ace's mark back?” he asked. “What happened in there?”

I quickly explained what Ace told me in the bathroom, and both Marco and Izou frowned in concern. “Definitely don't use your Fruit again until we figure it out, yoi,” Marco amended.

I drew my knees up to my chest. “I'll try not to,” I promised in a small voice. I didn't want to accidentally hurt anyone else. I was afraid to even touch either of them. 

<><><><><>

Ace slept for the next ten hours straight, only waking up because he was hungry. In fact, watching him haphazardly shovel food into his mouth, I wasn't entirely certain he was fully awake.

I turned to gaze at the sea ahead of us, wondering how much further we had to travel. The sun sparkled off the waves, dotting my vision. Feeling eyes on me, I glanced back at Ace, who hastily redirected his attention to the food before him, his cheeks flushing crimson. My heart fluttered. He was so damn cute.

<><><><><>

By evening, we were approaching Sabaody, and I insisted on visiting Aunt Shakky again, while we waited for our boat to be coated. I was fairly certain Uncle Ray wouldn't be there this time, but I wanted to at least let her know that I was cured.

Ace understandably lagged behind as I bounded up the stairs to Shakky's Rip-off Bar. With my long legs I could take them two steps at a time, and I reached the top without even getting out of breath. I grinned up at the sky before entering the establishment.

“I'll be with you in a minute!” Shakky called over her shoulder. She had a terrified, drunk pirate cornered against a wall, one of her hands gripping the collar of his shirt. “You still owe me 10,024 beri,” she told the man cheerfully, with an edge of steel behind her words.

Gulping, the poor pirate rooted around in his pockets, and shakily handed over a wad of cash. She released him, and he rushed out of the building, smacking into the doorframe in his haste to escape. 

Counting the notes in her hand, Shakky turned to face us, her eyes eventually lifting and scanning over our group. It's relevant to mention that Ace was hiding behind Marco. She smiled pleasantly. “How may I help you?” 

It was still weird being so much taller than everyone else, so I took a seat as soon as possible. “I just wanted to come see you again, Shakky-san,” I explained. “A lot has happened in the past couple of weeks.”

Returning to her usual spot behind the counter, Shakky studied my face closely before leaning back with a huff of laughter. “Is that you, Hoshiko-chan? You certainly grew up fast.” She glanced at the others again, noticing Ace this time. “Ah, there's your traveling companion,” she murmured. I silently thanked her for keeping her lips sealed about Ace's identity. “Marco the Phoenix, ‘Fire-Fist’ Ace, and Izou,” she said thoughtfully. “That's quite the entourage.”

Marco nodded his head toward the woman. “Shakky-san,” he said respectfully. “I assume your husband's off gambling again, yoi?”

“Most likely,” Shakky replied with a smile, reaching beneath the counter for a glass. “Would you like your usual, Marco-kun?”

“If you wouldn't mind, yoi.” He perched upon the stool directly to my left, accepting a wine glass from her which was filled with a pale yellow liquid. 

Honestly, I wasn't too surprised that they knew each other. I was more interested in trying to figure out what Marco's usual was. It was a deeper yellow than champagne, and it wasn't carbonated. 

Marco caught me peering at his glass and smiled. “It's pineapple wine, yoi,” he explained, swirling it around gently. Of course it is. He took a slow sip. Then, he tilted the glass toward me. “Want a taste?”

“Uh, sure,” I said, reaching for the glass. I took a small sip before handing it back. It was rather sweet, but it had a subtle tang on the tail end. I could also tell it was quite a bit stronger than the cheap wine I drank on Earth. Realizing that Marco was watching me expectantly, I cleared my throat. “It tastes pretty good, but I get the feeling I'd get drunk off a single glass,” I told him, and he laughed. 

“We could test that theory, yoi,” he said cheerfully.

“Marco,” Izou warned. “Don't you dare get the princess drunk. She's only been an adult for a day!”

Way to kill the mood, Izou! It had been a hot minute since anyone had referred to me as a princess. The title made me feel self-conscious again, and I ducked my head, trying unsuccessfully to make myself smaller. One glance toward Shakky let me know that she wouldn't be much help. She was leant against the wall, smoking, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

Hoping to pivot the conversation, I asked, “Shakky-san, did your husband ever mention which Devil Fruit I ate?”

She tilted her head in thought. “No, I don't believe he did.” Oh, well. “I do have an encyclopedia upstairs, though, if you remember what it looked like.”

I perked up. “Really?” Maybe I could figure it out sooner than expected!

Shakky's gaze swept over all four of our attentive faces, and she smiled again. “Marco-kun, how long do you have until your ship's coated?”

“Half a day, yoi,” he replied. “We were planning on-”

“Alright. I'm putting you four up for the night,” Shakky decided with a nod, leaving no room for debate. “Hoshiko-chan, you'll be in my room, and you three will sleep in the loft.”

<><><><><>

After dinner, I sat in a comfy armchair, flipping through page after page of the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, searching for the pale green raspberry-shaped fruit that I ate. Marco, Izou, and Ace sat anxiously on the sofa, waiting to find out why Ace and I are connected.

About two-thirds of the way through the book, I stopped flipping, and all three of them leaned forward at the same time. “Did you find it, yoi?” Marco asked.

There was a longer-than-usual entry for my fruit, and as I skimmed over the words, it wasn't hard to see why. “Y-yeah,” I replied uneasily. “I found it alright.” 

“Well?” Izou prompted after a moment. I wordlessly handed the book to him. I didn't want to read it aloud. He looked down at the page. “The Sync-Sync Fruit?” I nodded, and he began to read.

“The Sync-Sync Fruit, colloquially known as the Harem-Harem Fruit or the Cult-Cult Fruit. While making physical contact with an individual, the user can ‘sync’ with them, effectively sharing speed, strength, and stamina for a time. In addition, the user can ‘sync’ their will to an individual. In rare cases, an individual can ‘sync’ fully with the user, forming a special bond that strengthens both parties. Breaking that bond, however, will cause immense pain to the castoff, and in some instances, death, unless both parties agree to it. If the user dies, all those who are bonded to the user will also die.”

Several minutes of silence followed, and my anxiety grew the longer it went on. Someone please say something.

“Now we know how you were able to dodge Teach, yoi,” Marco said quietly. “You must've unintentionally synced with him.”

“Same with Ace,” Izou added. “It was just coincidental that you were in contact with him every time you told him to do something.”

“That would also explain why you heal quickly,” Marco said. “Ace's recovery time from injuries is almost inhuman, yoi.”

“What about the fact that Ace's life is currently tied to mine?!” I exclaimed. “That seems like the most important thing right now!”

“Well, it says that you can break it harmlessly if you both agree,” Izou stated calmly. “So that seems like a non-issue.”

“What if I don't agree?” Ace blurted out. “The bond makes her stronger, right?” He looked to Izou for confirmation, and Izou nodded slowly. “Also, if she doesn't want me to die, she'll be more careful with her own life,” Ace mumbled.

What?! It was made worse by the fact that both Marco and Izou nodded along to his statement, and I puffed out my cheeks in annoyance. “It's not like I'm actively trying to get killed,” I muttered defensively.

Marco raised an eyebrow at that. “Your actions would suggest otherwise, yoi.”

I wanted to change the subject. “The book doesn't explain why I can see auras around people,” I said quickly. “I wonder what that's about.”

“It could be an advanced form of observation haki,” Shakky commented, and I jumped. I forgot she was in the room with us.

“So the reason behind the marks on my arms is that I'm syncing their auras to me?” I wondered aloud. Could I theoretically sync other things? "Shakky-san, do you have a clock?”

“Of course.” She left the room for a moment before returning with an analog wall clock, which she handed to me.

I focused on the timepiece in my hands. “Download,” I said. A small copy of the clock face appeared on my outer wrist like a watch. “Cool.” The hands on the small clock moved in perfect synchronization with the larger clock. That opened up other applications in my mind. I grabbed a blank piece of paper. “Download.” A white rectangle about the size of a notecard appeared on my right forearm. I handed the paper to Izou. “Could you write something on that, Bou?”

I stared at my arm as the words, ‘This is fascinating,’ showed up one tiny, neat letter at a time. I displayed it to the others with an excited grin. “That's extremely useful, yoi,” Marco stated.

Another thought struck me and I leapt to my feet. “I wonder if I could-” The room suddenly spun around me and tilted sideways. Guess I did too much…

Marco POV

Izou, Ace, and I all leapt to our feet as Astra crumpled to the ground, but Shakky got to her first. “Poor girl wore herself out,” she said softly, straightening up. “I'll put her to bed.” She glanced back at me before entering her bedroom. “Marco-kun, I have some questions I'd like answered.” 

I nodded. Beside me, Ace tried to hide a yawn, but both Izou and I noticed. “You should probably go to sleep as well, Ace,” I instructed. “Izou, go with him, yoi.”

Ace and Izou left the room, one more reluctantly than the other. Sitting patiently on the sofa, waiting for Shakky to return, I glanced at some of the other titles she had on her bookshelves. I recognized Brag Men and The Whispered Wanderer, among others. 

Shakky slipped back into the living room, quietly closing the bedroom door behind her. Then, she took the armchair vacated by Astra, and fixed me with a serious look. “There are not many things in this world that can affect a person's age,” she said. “How did Hoshiko-chan gain twenty-four years in two weeks?”

I sighed. “She ate a mushroom. I don't fully understand it, yoi.”

“You visited Clarity.” It wasn't a question.

I blinked. “You've heard of it, Shakky-san, yoi?”

Taking a drag from her cigarette, she released a puff of smoke. “Just rumors. It's said that a person ages one year for every bite they take. Did she tell you why she ate it?”

“She said the mushroom told her to eat it, yoi.”

Shakky smiled. “So, she can hear the Voice of All Things, just like her father.”

I had heard Pops mention that term before. “I believe Roger had that ability, too, if I'm not mistaken, yoi.”

“He did.” She went quiet for a moment.

“Did you have any other questions for me, yoi?” I asked.

Her smile widened, but her eyes pierced my soul. “I have just one more question. Do you like her, Marco-kun, or were you just toying with her earlier?”

I laughed nervously, feeling my face heating up. I hoped Izou wasn't listening in. My eyes subconsciously flickered over to the door that Astra was sleeping behind.

Shakky's gaze softened. “I see.”

“I-I didn't even say anything, yoi,” I stammered.

“You don't have to.” She stood up and headed toward her bedroom, giving me a small wave. “Sleep well, Marco-kun.”

I stayed up most of the night, mulling over Shakky's words. Do I like Astra? She makes my heart race, but I don't know. I have mixed feelings, because in some regards, I still view her as a child, but she's obviously not a child anymore. Shakky also asked if I was toying with Astra earlier. I don't think I was flirting with her. Was I? She just looked so curious, I offered her a sip without really thinking about it. Did Astra view it as flirting? Did Ace and Izou make a similar assumption? I was glad nobody else was in the room with me.

 

Chapter 35: An Imprisoned Limb

Notes:

Fun Fact: Sync-Sync in Japanese is Dōki-Dōki, which happens to also be the sound of a beating heart.

Astra POV

Yawning, I rubbed my eyes and sat up. I was alone in the bedroom. Aunt Shakky must be up already. I didn't need a mirror to know that my hair was an absolute disaster. I attempted to untangle it with my fingers, but I regret to inform you that I only made it worse. On top of that, I got my fingers stuck. I desperately needed Izou's help.

With my left hand ensnared by my minty green locks, I slid off the bed and padded over to the door, opening it. The view that greeted my eyes was Marco, fast asleep on the couch, one arm draped across his chest and the other dangling off the cushions. I tried not to wake him as I crept across the floor toward the loft. I wasn't sure why he decided to sleep on the couch, but to each their own.

I ascended the ladder one-handed, peeking my head into the elevated space. Izou wasn't up there, but Ace was starfished on the floor, with only half of his body on the futon. The blanket beside him covered one of his feet. I smiled and climbed back down.

Well, Izou wasn't in the loft, and he wasn't in the central area, and I could see that nobody was in the bathroom, so I could only conclude that Izou was downstairs with Shakky. Slipping on my sandals, I stared at the buckles for a moment before leaving them open. I wasn't even going to try to attempt to do those with one hand.

My loose sandals made a slight slapping noise as I descended the stairs. Pushing open the swinging door that led to the bar, I saw that Izou was helping Shakky tidy the place up a bit. They both looked up as I entered, and Shakky covered her mouth with her hand, chuckling at my predicament.

A pained expression appeared on Izou's face. “Hoshiko-sama, how even…?”

I lowered my eyes in shame, rubbing a toe into the floor. “I need your help, Bou,” I admitted quietly.

He released a gentle sigh and took me by the hand, leading me over to one of the stools. “Sit here. I'll be right back.” He disappeared back upstairs, returning a moment later with a bag of beauty supplies. “Do you mind if I do this here, Shakky-san?” he asked politely.

“Go right ahead,” Shakky replied, busying herself with making breakfast. 

I sat as still as possible while Izou carefully extracted my fingers from their verdant jail. Then, he patiently untangled the rest of my hair, working one small section at a time until he could run a comb through it without any snags. “Would you like me to put your hair up, Hoshiko-sama?” he inquired softly. “It would keep it from tangling so quickly.” 

“Yes, please.”

Fifteen minutes later, my hair was contained inside a flawless braided spiral at the back of my head, with the sakura pin affixed to the side. “Thank you, Bou. It's beautiful!” 

He gave me a gentle smile through the mirror. “I may be a Whitebeard Pirate, but I am still loyal to the Kouzuki clan, Hoshiko-sama,” he murmured. “It is my honor to assist you.”

I bit my lower lip to keep from snapping at him. I hate it when he goes all proper on me. I settled for a small pout, which he chose to ignore.

As Izou packed up his tools and products, Shakky placed a plate on the counter in front of me. It had scrambled eggs, sausage links and toast with what looked like strawberry jam. My pout vanished almost instantaneously. “Thank you, Shakky-san!” I beamed, tucking into the meal.

I had just popped the last bite of toast into my mouth when Ace and Marco appeared in the doorway, the latter still looking tired, not that that was too different from his usual state. Ace had a small line of drool running out of the corner of his mouth, so I could easily guess what woke him up.

The two of them sat on either side of me, and Shakky placed two more plates down, one of which was piled with food. They both murmured their thanks and began to eat; Marco, slowly, and Ace, as if he had been starved for two weeks.

By the time he finished eating, Marco looked a lot more awake, and he turned to me abruptly as if he realized something. “Oh, by the way, Happy Birthday, Astra,” he said.

“Thanks,” I replied. I had been wondering whether I should bring it up or not, but thankfully, Marco saved me the trouble.

Ace's fork paused halfway to his mouth. “It's your birthday today?” 

I shrugged. “Yeah. It's alright, though. You don't have to do anythin-”

“Yes, we do,” he insisted. “Your life deserves to be celebrated.”

“I don't disagree,” Izou contributed. “However, it might be best to wait until we return to the Moby Dick.”

“That's true,” Marco added. “Thatch loves any excuse to bake a cake. He'd be upset if we deprived him of that opportunity.”

I felt ganged up on. I released a small sigh. “Okay,” I conceded. 

“We should probably get going, then.” Marco said, getting to his feet. “We appreciate your hospitality, Shakky-san.”

“You know you're always welcome here,” Shakky said with a smile. “Travel safe.” As the other three headed for the door, she held me back for a moment, giving me a hug. “Just a tip, never pass up an opportunity to get free stuff,” she murmured. 

Is she saying this because I tried to stop them from celebrating my birthday? “I'll try to remember that, Shakky-san,” I told her.

She nodded and nudged me out the door, where Marco, Izou, and Ace were waiting for me, and the four of us descended the stairs together. We traveled to the shipyard, where our coated ship lay waiting for us. 

“You guys start getting everything ready to leave, yoi,” Marco said. “I just need to grab a few more things before we can shove off, yoi.” He headed north, toward the shopping district, and I frowned as I watched him leave. I didn't like the idea of any of us splitting up after what happened with Ace. Thankfully, he returned safely only an hour later, but that was a stressful sixty minutes for me. 

Marco placed a few bags inside the cabin before joining the rest of us on the deck. “Alright. Is everyone ready to go, yoi?” He specifically looked at me. I nodded. Despite the fact that I really didn't want to go underwater, I knew it was the only viable route we could take. I would just have to suck it up.

As we submerged beneath the waves, I gripped the hem of my shirt to keep my hands from shaking. Slow, deep breaths. Don't think about the millions of dangerous sea creatures down here that would love to eat you, or the fact that if the bubble pops the pressure will kill you before you have the chance to drown. Definitely don't think about that. It wasn't working. A monster named Dread crept into my chest cavity, making its home between my lungs and heart.

The ocean was too dark, too deep, too loud. I clenched my eyes shut, but that seemed to make it worse. My imagination spawned sea kings lurking just beyond the bubble. I could hear them, so I knew they were there. I just couldn't actually see them. 

A warm hand suddenly enveloped one of mine, and led me somewhere, gently pulling me down to sit on the bed. I heard them plop down beside me, wrapping a blanket around my shoulders before pulling me into a hug. A hand rubbed my back in a soothing manner, and I let my head drop onto their shoulder, slowly relaxing into the comfort they were providing.

“You don't like being underwater,” Ace said softly. “I noticed when we went under the first time.” I started to sit up, but he held my head still with his other hand. “Don't worry, Astra,” he murmured. “I'll stay here for as long as you need.”

I let myself relax fully in his arms. “Thank you,” I breathed. I love him.

Chapter 36: Love

Ace POV

As soon as we began to submerge, I noticed the tension in Astra's body. It got worse the deeper we went, and she suddenly clenched her eyes shut, her face pale. My heart tugged. I looked at Marco and Izou, who had both observed the same thing, and I decided to act before they could. 

Taking Astra by the hand, I led her into the cabin, figuring it might be better than the open deck. She allowed herself to be pulled along but kept her eyes tightly closed. Since she was so much taller than I am, I got her to sit down on the bed. Then I grabbed a blanket to wrap around her shoulders and sat beside her, enveloping her in my body heat. I knew it would get chilly soon. 

Some of her tension faded, and her head dropped heavily onto my shoulder. “You don't like being underwater,” I stated softly, rubbing circles into her back. That usually helped me during panic attacks. “I noticed when we went under the first time.” Astra began to lift her head, but I settled my other hand upon it. “Don't worry, Astra,” I murmured. “I'll stay here for as long as you need.”

I felt her body fully relax. “Thank you,” she said in a small voice.

True to my word, I held her in my arms for the entire trip, offering additional comfort to her as needed. She flinched at seemingly random times, and at a certain point, she threw her hands over her ears, trembling. She obviously could hear something that I could not. Through it all, however, I stayed by her side, right where she needed me.

“We're approaching Fishman Island,” Marco announced.

I gently tapped Astra's back to get her attention, and she cracked her eyes open, lifting one of her hands from her ear. “We're almost to Fishman Island,” I relayed to her softly. 

The initial excitement in her eyes at the news was quickly doused by fear. “I really want to see the island,” she confessed in a strained voice. “B-but I don't know if I can do it.”

I hugged her a little tighter. “Whatever you decide, I'm here to support you. It's not dark, and there's dry land to walk on, if that helps.” I didn't know if the thing she could hear was still around, though, so I couldn't say anything with regards to that.

“I'll try,” she said. Then, she released a small sigh. “I'm sorry that I’m the way that I am. It probably makes everything more difficult than it needs to be.”

I frowned. “Don't say that!” I exclaimed. I love the way that you are! It's what makes you you!” Her eyes widened, and I slowly realized what I said. I felt my cheeks heat up. “Uh, w-what I mean is-”

“I love you, Ace.”

My brain stopped working for a moment. Time seemed to stand still as I processed her words. She loves… me? She doesn't even know… wait, but she does know who I am. And she loves me in spite of that? My vision misted. “What have I done to deserve that?” I choked out.

“Love just is, Ace,” she murmured. “It doesn't have to be earned.”

I stared at her, dumbfounded by the simplicity of that statement. Love just is. “I…I love you, too,” I mumbled hesitantly. As I looked into her teal eyes, my chest filled with a warmth wholly separate from my Devil Fruit powers. I love her, and she loves me. 

She looked at me with wide eyes, tucking her chin into the blanket. “Is-Is it alright if I kiss you?” she asked timidly. 

I nodded before she even finished asking. Like I could even think of saying no to her when she looked like that. My heart felt like it was trying to escape my chest as I quickly leaned toward her. I was too eager, however, and our faces smashed into each other with a bit too much force. I immediately pulled away, worried that I might've hurt her. “I'm sorry, Astra,” I blurted. “Are you okay?”

She giggled and wrapped a hand around the back of my neck, pulling me back towards her slowly. “I'm more than okay,” she said softly. Her lips gently connected with mine, and I momentarily forgot how to breathe. 

“Ace, Astra, we've arriv-”

I startled badly at the sound of Marco's voice, letting out a squawk as I nearly fell off the bed. My face felt like it was on fire, and honestly, it might've been. Marco stared at us in shock for a moment before clearing his throat awkwardly. “Uh, we've arrived at Fishman Island, yoi,” he announced. “We're now ten thousand meters below sealevel.” Then, he nodded to himself. “Yep, that's all, yoi.” He quickly stepped out of the room, leaving the door wide open.

I blinked. So, yeah… that just happened. I looked over at Astra, who had the blanket tugged up to her nose. Her eyes were fixated on the open doorway. “Y-you good?” I asked her shakily, still recovering from my earlier scare.

Her eyes, filled with a mixture of anxiety and fear, slowly swept over to me. “Did he have to remind me that we're underwater?” she asked in a hoarse whisper.

Oh. I opened up my arms toward her, and she collapsed back onto my shoulder. She was trembling again. “Look on the bright side, Astra. At least now I get to hold onto you for longer,” I remarked quietly, successfully bringing a small smile to her face.

Marco POV

Returning to the deck, I took a deep breath and slapped my cheeks a few times. Pull yourself together! 

“Is everything okay?” Izou asked, walking over from talking to the guards at the gate.

No. “Yes. I was just informing them that we've arrived, yoi.” He didn't need to know that they were kissing. I wished I didn't know that they were kissing. It made me feel… weird.

Chapter 37: Anxiety

Astra POV

I took a deep breath, lifting my head from Ace's shoulder. “Okay. I think I'm ready to try going out there.” I shrugged the blanket from my shoulders, but I didn't want to let go of Ace yet. 

He seemed to sense my hesitance. “Do you want me to hold your hand?” he asked softly. I nodded, and he took my left hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. 

I took another deep breath and stood, walking toward the open doorway with Ace by my side. At least I couldn't hear the sea kings anymore. Small blessings. I stepped out onto the deck, trying to avoid eye contact with Marco. Unfortunately, my eyes instead focused on the side of the bubble surrounding Fishman Island, more specifically, on the water that lay just outside that layer. Too much water around me! I need a distraction! I abruptly lowered my head, staring steadfastly at the deck's planks, hoping it would ease my anxiety. 

“Hoshiko-sama, are you alright?” Izou asked concernedly.

I kept my eyes trained on the wood beneath me. “I… don't like being underwater,” I confessed. “It makes me extremely anxious.”

“Is there anything I can do to help you?” he asked.

“I think I'll do better if I'm inside a building,” I replied, tightening my grip on Ace's hand. “Y-you know, a place where I can't see how much water is surrounding me.” Don't think about it. Don't think about it. “How long will the coating take?”

“About eight hours, yoi,” Marco told me gently. “We could go to the Mermaid Café for lunch, but we have to take a Fish Taxi to get there.”

I nodded slightly. “Okay.” Ace guided me forward, out onto a stone walkway, which dropped off into the water on either side. After catching a quick glimpse, I closed my eyes, putting my whole faith in Ace to get me to the right place. It was just far too deep and dark down there. It was better if I couldn't see.

A minute later, Ace halted, and I cracked my eyes open. We were in front of a giant fish with a ladder running up its side that led to a large bubble on its back. Ace looked between the ladder and our joined hands, seemingly trying to figure out how to climb it without letting go of my hand.

“It's alright,” I told him. “I think I can at least do this by myself.” I forced myself to let go of his hand, and started climbing before I could second-guess my decision. I felt Ace following me closely, and I concentrated on his presence to keep myself grounded.

I reached the end of the ladder, and Marco gave me a hand to help me climb up into the cabin. “Thank you, Marco,” I mumbled. I didn't catch his frown, since I closed my eyes again as soon as I was seated. Shortly thereafter, Ace settled in beside me, gently placing my hand back inside his, and I subconsciously leaned into him, trying to match his breathing.

Marco POV

She called me Marco… I had grown used to the nickname, so it was a slight shock to hear her use my actual name. I didn't like it. It didn't feel right. I was heavily concerned about her current mental state. From her body language, I could tell that she was actively staving off a panic attack, and at times, it seemed like she was attempting to dissociate. She didn't just dislike being underwater, she had a full-blown phobia.

I wondered if it was linked to trauma in her past. I knew better than to pry, though, especially after last time. The mind is a fragile thing, and it can only handle so much. I contemplated sitting on Astra's other side, to offer additional support and comfort, but I ultimately decided not to. She and Ace obviously had something between them, something that I didn't have. 

I sighed wistfully and turned to stare out the front of the taxi. ‘Do you like her, Marco-kun?’ Yes. Yes, I do. But someone else already holds her heart.

Ace POV

Marco was acting strange. He switched between staring unblinkingly at Astra and completely avoiding looking at either of us. He also let out several sighs, which I didn't think he was fully aware he was doing. Is it because he caught us kissing? Is he mad at me? Does he think I'm trying to take advantage of her? I always had a hard time reading him.

When Astra wasn't a step away from panicking, I would try to talk to him. I needed to clear up any misunderstandings that might have happened. But, for now, Astra needed me, and I was more than happy to be there for her. 

Izou POV

The atmosphere inside the taxi was tense. I understood why Hoshiko-sama was anxious, but Marco and Ace were both on edge as well. I felt like I had missed something important, and no one seemed willing to explain at the moment.

The entire trip to Mermaid Café was spent in silence. I wasn't sure if anyone else even realized how awkward it was. They all seemed to be lost in their own thoughts, and I tried my best to not let it bother me. It didn't work.

Astra POV

Breathe in… Breathe out… I thought back to the kiss Ace and I shared. It wasn't perfect, but that didn't matter. I got to kiss Ace! That was a dream come true for me. I wanted to do it again, but not with other people around. 

Ace's thumb brushed along the edge of my hand, pulling me back to the present. “We're here,” he told me with a smile. I didn't even realize the fish taxi had stopped moving. He stood up with me, leading me over to the ladder, and I climbed down. Izou was waiting below to assist me, placing a hand on my elbow to guide me gently to the ground.

Once Ace joined us, I retook his hand, lacing our fingers this time, and I caught a quick look of happy surprise that crossed his face at the simple act. Marco took point as we entered the Mermaid Café, requesting a table for four away from the windows. I thanked him mentally.

I felt a lot calmer just being inside the establishment, though I didn't release Ace's hand. I didn't want to. It was warm and sturdy and Ace's. I slowly unclenched my jaw and relaxed my shoulders, releasing a small sigh. “Thank you guys for doing this for me. I'm sure it's a pain for you to deal with.” 

Ace's fingers tightened around mine, his mouth opening to most likely refute my words, but Marco beat him to the punch. “It's not a pain at all, Astra, and I'm sorry if people have made you feel like a burden in the past. I assure you that none of us view you that way, yoi.” Izou and Ace voiced their agreement with Marco's statement.

I started to tear up. I love these guys so much. “Thank you,” I forced out, using the heel of my palm to wipe my eyes. “You guys are the best.” 

<><><><><>

Eight hours later, we made the trip back to the ship, in similar fashion. Ace didn't even bother with staying out on the deck, instead heading straight for the cabin. A couple of long hours after that, Izou knocked on the door. “We've surfaced.”

The tension immediately melted from my joints, and I excitedly stepped outside, staring up at the clear blue sky. I smiled at each of them in turn. “I know I sound like a broken record, but seriously, thank you.”

“I'm just-”

“Don't you dare say that you're just doing your duty, Bou!” I snapped, my smile vanishing. 

Izou slowly closed his mouth, and Marco chuckled. "You're easy to read, yoi” he murmured.

Izou scoffed. “Like you're one to talk.”

“What's that supposed to mean, yoi?” Marco asked with a frown.

“You've been moody ever since we arrived at Fishman Island, Marco.” Izou remarked. “And you won't even look at Ace. What's going on?”

I blinked. “Is it because you walked in on me and Ace kissing earlier?” I asked bluntly.

Marco stiffened, and Ace's face flushed.

Izou made a choking sound. “You… He… What?!”

Chapter 38: The Moby Dick

Astra POV

Izou sat down. “Alright. Could you repeat that? Because it sounded like you said that you and Ace were kissing.” His voice sounded strained.

I rolled my eyes. “Oh my seas, Bou! It was just a kiss! Stop acting like it's the end of the world! I love Ace, so I asked him if I could kiss him.”

“But-But, Hoshiko-sama,” Izou spluttered. “It's unbefitting of your station!”

I waved a hand dismissively. “Yeah, yeah. I'm a princess. So what?”

Izou looked personally affronted. “You're not just a princess, Hoshiko-sama! As the eldest child of Kouzuki Oden, you are the rightful heir to the Wano Shogunate!”

My jaw dropped. Say what now?! “But, I thought Momo…” I mumbled, trailing off. The story I read on Earth didn't have me in it. I've changed the entire timeline just by existing. If Momo isn't the heir, then what about Zou and the alliance and literally everything important that happens?!

“Nice going, Izou,” Ace muttered. “She finally has a chance to relax, and you give her something else to stress over.”

“I didn't do it on purpose! I thought she already knew!”

Marco's hand settled on my arm. “Astra, are you alright? You look pale, yoi.”

I blinked down at him. “Uh. I-I think I'm okay. It's just… a lot to process.” I closed my eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath as I focused on the warmth of the final rays of sunlight. I reopened my eyes, giving him a small smile. “I'm good now, Birdie. How much further until we reach the Moby Dick?”

Marco turned to stare out toward the horizon. He cleared his throat. “It should only be a few hours, yoi,” he said.

My face lit up with excitement, all other thoughts fleeing my mind. “That soon?” I couldn't wait to get back home and see Bomber and Thatch and Whitebeard. I ran to the bow, leaning over the railing slightly in anticipation.

All three of them cried out in concern for my safety, Ace and Izou rushing after me. “You're going to give me grey hairs,” Izou muttered as he hovered by my side. I ignored him.

Just after the sun dipped below the horizon, a large shape came into view in the distance. There it is! My cheeks hurt from how wide I was smiling. Marco sailed into a docking bay at the stern of the ship, and a wall swung back into place behind us. There were at least a dozen sloops inside, which I supposed made sense considering the sheer size of the crew.

Jozu greeted us, giving me a strange look before turning to Marco. “Pops is up on the deck. He stayed up to wait for you,” he told him.

Marco muttered something that sounded like, “Stubborn old man, yoi.”

Indeed, Whitebeard was waiting on the deck, sitting in his massive chair. He raised an eyebrow at my appearance, but didn't comment on it. “Welcome back, my sons,” he rumbled. Then, he smiled at me, lowering a hand for me to climb on. He lifted me up to eye level. “You've grown into a fine young woman, just like your mother. Do you still wish for me to become your father?” he asked softly. 

I shook my head, having come to the decision after my memories fully returned. I understood why he initially rejected my demand. “I think I'd prefer to remain your niece, Oji-chan,” I told him, ducking my head. “Though, I'd still like to join your crew, if that's alright.”

His smile widened. “Of course it's alright, Hoshiko-chan. You're part of my family after all.”

I broke down in tears. “I missed you, Oji-chan!” I wailed, and he pulled me to his chest in a large hug. He held onto me for a long time, letting my emotions run their course. 

Marco POV

I smiled fondly as Pops embraced Astra. I had wondered why he didn't want to be her father, but it made sense now, considering their relationship. I think he may have been the first to recognize her as Kouzuki Hoshiko back then.

After a while, Pops lowered Astra to the ground. She had fallen asleep. I stepped forward to take her in my arms, but Izou got there first, and I tried my best to hide my disappointment. 

Pops stood up with a stretch and a yawn. “I think I'll turn in for the night.” He started heading for his cabin.

“Did you take your medicine, yoi?” I asked him. He didn't respond, so I rushed after him. “You have to take your medicine, Pops!” 

Izou POV

I held back a chuckle as Marco chased Pops down. It was a very familiar sight. With Hoshiko-sama in my arms, I walked toward my bedroom.

“You're not putting her in your room, are you?” Ace asked suddenly.

“That was my intention,” I confessed. “Where else would I take her?”

He frowned. “I'd suggest my room, but I have a feeling you wouldn't allow that.”

“Absolutely not,” I said flatly.

“What if I bunk with Thatch?” Ace tried to compromise.

I pinched my lips together. That would put her in between Marco and Ace, but far from my room. I didn't like it, but it was the safest option. I sighed. “Fine.” I carried her to Ace's room, laying her on the bed while Ace quickly tidied up some of his mess. I internally balked at the state of his room, but I reminded myself that it was only for one night. Tucking the sheets around her, I removed her hairpin and gently brushed away a strand of hair that had come loose from her braid. I'll redo her hair tomorrow.

Closing the door, I waited to head to my own bed until after Ace had slipped into Thatch's room.

Astra POV

I was tired of waking up in random places. I groaned and flipped over in the bed, burying my face into the pillow. It smelled faintly of smoke. Like Ace. Am I in Ace's bed?! Giggling quietly, I hugged the pillow to my chest, giddy at the thought. 

Eventually, though, my stomach rumbled, and I forced myself to get up. Getting food meant seeing Thatch. Pushing open the bedroom door, I looked up and down the corridor, chewing on my bottom lip in contemplation. Which way is the dining hall? Ace and Marco were in the rooms beside the one I was in, but they were asleep, so that wasn't much help.

Hearing a large number of voices to the left, I headed in that direction. Behind one of the doors that I passed, I sensed Izou's presence. He was also asleep. My stomach growled again. “Shut up,” I muttered. “I'm working on it.”

After a few turns, I reached a dead-end. I could sense a number of people on the other side of the wall, but that wasn't the way to get there. Sighing, I turned around, trying to remember which path I took. I think I came from the left path? Maybe? 

I wandered the halls for at least half an hour, only succeeding in getting hopelessly lost. I was nearly on the verge of tears when a man with a graying beard and a fishing hat poked his head out from a doorway, looking at me curiously.

I quickly wiped my eyes. “Could you please help me?” I asked desperately. “I can't find the dining hall.”

He nodded, giving me a kind smile. “Follow me.” He walked confidently through the halls, and in less than five minutes, I was standing in a large room where dozens upon dozens of men were eating at wide tables.

“Thank you,” I told the man, bowing my head slightly. He tipped his hat, still smiling, and left the room, presumably heading back to where he was when I met him. Too late, I realized that I forgot to ask for his name.

As I turned to face the tables again, I noticed several of my new crewmates giving me strange looks. They probably weren't used to women on board who weren't nurses. 

Extremely conscious of the stares I was receiving, I made my way toward the back of the hall to grab some food. Thatch was just setting down a large plate of bacon when I got there. I gave him an excited hug. “Hi, Thatch! I've missed you!”

His face turned bright pink, and he blinked up at me with a dumbfounded smile. “Uh… H-Hi?” Then, he blinked a few times. “As-Astra?!” His jaw dropped open. “Wha- How- Why- You were-” He held his hands close together. “And now you're-” He gestured wildly towards me. “What the hell happened?!”

Haruta, who had just come up to grab some bacon, overheard him, and his eyes bugged out. “Wait, Astra? As in, that little girl that Marco brought on board about a month ago? The tiny, green-haired girl? That Astra?!”

I giggled at their reactions. “I ate a mushroom that made me older,” I told them. “I'm twenty-eight now.”

Thatch grabbed a nearby chair to collapse into. “Seas below and heavens above,” he expressed, rubbing a hand over his face. 

“It was a shock for me at first, too, yoi,” Marco said with a smirk, walking up behind Thatch. 

I beamed at him. “Good morning, Birdie!”

He chuckled slightly at my enthusiasm. “Good morning, Astra. I take it you slept well, yoi?” I nodded. He looked back at Thatch. “By the way, Thatch, did you know it was Astra's birthday yesterday, yoi?”

Thatch immediately got to his feet. “It was?! I have to make a cake! Astra, what's your favorite flavor of cake?”

I shrank back. “I don't really need-” ‘Never pass up an opportunity to get free stuff.’ I looked at Thatch's eager face, and I sighed. “Uh, lemon, I guess? With cream cheese frosting?”

Thatch nodded and hurried away. I stared after him until Marco pressed a plate full of food into my hands. “Come on, yoi,” he said. “Let's find a place to sit.”

Chapter 39: Bound To You

Marco POV

I led Astra over to the commander table, knowing she'd be more comfortable eating with us, though my main purpose was so that I could sit next to her. About five minutes after we started eating, Ace and Izou entered the hall, glancing across the tables in our direction. I caught their attention, sending them a smug grin behind Astra's back, and I watched as they played a quick match of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Ace's shoulders slumped.

Grabbing plates of food, Izou sat on Astra's other side, while Ace sat across from her, a small pout upon his lips. Astra smiled brightly at both of them. “Good morning, Bou! Good morning, Ace!” 

Ace's pout immediately disappeared. “Good morning, Astra! Did you sleep well?” he asked. 

She nodded, a slight blush dusting her cheeks, and a familiar pang shot through my chest. I wanted her to look at me like that. I mentally shook myself, forcing my attention back to my plate. She loves Ace, not me. That was just reality, and the sooner I accepted that, the easier it would be.

“Hey, Birdie?” 

I immediately lifted my head to look at her. “Yes?”

“Bomber's in your division, right? Do you know where I could find him?”

I froze. How do I tell her? I slowly turned to face her fully. “Astra,” I said gently. Do you remember a few weeks ago, when I told you that Teach's men attacked us? I told you there were casualties, yoi.”

I watched her face shift as I spoke. I wished I hadn't been the one to tell her. Tears gathered in her eyes. “No…” she whispered in shock, her voice muffled slightly by her hand. “Nonononono… He can't… It's all my fault…” She shrank in on herself with each subsequent word, her shoulders beginning to shake.

Izou and I both embraced her at the same time, and Ace rushed around the table to drape himself over her as well. “It's not your fault, yoi,” I said firmly.

“Yes, it is!” she insisted miserably. “If I didn't change things, Bomber would still be alive!”

“But, Thatch would be dead instead,” Izou said quietly.

Astra stilled. “I hate it,” she breathed. “I don't want anyone else to die.” Her jaw ticked, and her voice gained confidence. “I refuse to let anyone else die, especially the people I love.” She lifted her head to fix all three of us with a steely gaze. “Got it? You guys aren't allowed to die.”

My breath hitched. Love… She said love, referring to all three of us. I felt a warmth blossom in my chest, slowly spreading outward until it encompassed my entire being. I exhaled shakily, closing my eyes for just a moment. It was hard to describe the feeling of pure elation in my soul. It was unlike anything I had felt before. 

I quickly reopened my eyes as Astra let out a small groan of discomfort, her hand reaching up to clutch her forehead. “Are you alright, yoi?” I asked worriedly.

“I just got a really bad headache,” she grimaced, squinting at me through the pain. “I don't know why...” Her eyes widened, and she quickly turned her head to look at Izou. Then, she looked at me again. “Shit!” she exclaimed. Then, she fainted.

I leapt to my feet in panic. Gathering her in my arms, I quickly carried her to the infirmary, Ace and Izou on my heels. I ignored all of the curious glances from the rest of our brothers as we passed. 

I checked her heart first. It was beating steadily within her chest. Her lungs were okay, too. Physically, she seemed fine. So, why did she pass out? "Marco," Izou said softly. "I think she's just exhausted." I looked at him questioningly, and he sighed slowly, placing a hand to his chest. "You felt it, too, right?"

My eyes widened in realization. "That was the bond," I breathed. 

Ace smiled. "You guys love her, too."

I nodded, and Izou said, "Of course."

"Do either of you want her to rescind it?" Ace asked.

Just the thought made my heart clench. "Absolutely not," I told him. "I understand now why you refused that decision back at Shakky's."

"I've been willing to die for her since she was born," Izou confessed, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "If the bond strengthens her, then I see no reason to break it."

Astra POV

I had a strange dream about a unicorn riding a tricycle. There was also a mermaid there, but it was actually a dragon, and it exploded into confetti. My eyes fluttered open, my gaze focusing on a familiar ceiling above my head. I tried to sit up, but my arms were pinned, and it wasn't hard to see why. Izou was clutching my right arm, Ace was holding onto my left arm as if it were a teddy bear, and Marco's cheek was pressed up against my right hand. All three of them were seated around my infirmary cot, fast asleep.

Ace's aura was still purple, though now on the bluer end of the spectrum. Izou's was pure blue, and Marco's was a shimmery, glittery blue. I didn't mean to… and I can't undo it without hurting them. I stared up at the ceiling, angrily blinking away the tears that sprung to my eyes. I hate how easily I cry.

I felt Izou shift. “Hoshiko-sama? What's wrong?”

“Everything,” I replied with a sigh, closing my eyes. I didn't want to see his worried gaze.

His index finger gently brushed the tears from my cheek. “I assume your Devil Fruit powers activated subconsciously,” he said softly.

He knows what happened. I glanced at him. “What do I do, Bou?” I asked in distress. “It's dangerous for all of you to be bonded to me.”

“It's dangerous to be pirates, too, but you don't see that stopping any of us, yoi,” Marco pointed out, and I startled slightly at his voice. He chuckled. “Sorry, yoi.” He didn't sound very sorry, but he followed it up by pressing a kiss to the back of my hand.

Blushing, I tucked my head into my shoulder in an attempt to hide away from his attention, but that brought me face to face with Ace, who smiled up at me, his eyes still partially closed. “We love you,” he murmured drowsily.

It wasn't fair for them to team up on me like that! I was certain that my cheeks were the color of a freshly boiled lobster. “We should probably let Oji-chan and the other commanders know,” I mumbled.

“They have already been informed of the situation,” Izou replied.

I frowned. “When?”

“After you passed out, yoi,” Marco said. 

“You've been unconscious for three and a half days,” Ace added quietly.

That explains why they're so clingy. “What were Whitebeard's thoughts on the matter?” I asked hesitantly.

Ace scratched the back of his neck, fighting back a yawn. “We don't know.”

“He wished to speak with you privately after you awoke,” Izou explained.

“Then, I should probably go see him, don't you think?” I stared pointedly at all three of them, who were still preventing me from getting up.

Getting the hint, Ace and Marco slowly released me, not bothering to hide how reluctant they were to let me go. Izou's hand, however, remained on my arm. “I would ask that you, at the very least, allow me to fix your hair before you leave, Hoshiko-sama,” he implored. 

I had a sneaking suspicion that that was an order disguised as a request. I knew he wouldn't let me leave the room while my hair was in its current state, so I sighed again. “Very well, Bou.”

A pleased smile rose to his lips, and he produced his bag of supplies from somewhere unseen. He took his time to make my hair perfect, as per usual, finishing it off with the sakura pin once more. “Beautiful as always, Princess,” he murmured. “Alright. Off you go, then. Pops should be out on the deck.”

“Thank you, Bou,” I said with a smile, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before darting out of the room. I missed the look of gentle shock upon his face, and the ensuing scowls that Marco and Ace sent his way.

Chapter 40: Tried And Tested

Astra POV 

Whitebeard led me through the ship, to the conference room where I had first met him. He closed the door and sat in his chair, looking down at me. “My sons have informed me that your Devil Fruit abilities have linked their fates with yours,” he stated.

I nodded jerkily, twisting my hands in front of me. Is he angry? Disappointed? I can't tell! I focused on the planks beneath me, grounding myself in them.

“Could you tell me what happened from your perspective?” he inquired curiously.

“W-well, I was really upset because Bir-Marco told me that B-Bomber d-died.” My throat tightened, and I had to pause for several minutes to regain my composure. I took a deep breath before continuing. “I told them that I refuse to let any of them die because I love them. Then, I got a really bad headache and passed out.”

Whitebeard raised an eyebrow. “You didn't intend to bond with them?” 

I sighed. “No. I don't know why it happened. That part of my powers seems to be out of my control.” I wrapped my arms around myself. “I really don't want them to die,” I added in a forced whisper. “It scares me, having my life carry so much weight.”

“That's reassuring,” he said calmly.

I stared at him. Is he insane?! “Reassuring?! How the hell is that reassuring?!” I snapped.

Whitebeard was amused by my outburst. “Gurararara! The fact that you’re worried about that shows me that you genuinely care about my sons.”

“Of course I care about them!” I stated emphatically. “I love them! Ace, Marco, Izou, and Thatch too! If it weren't for them, I wouldn't want to be alive!” 

An extremely sad look crossed his face for a brief moment. “I see.”

“Oji-chan, I know this is a large ask, but would you try to convince them to let me break the bond? I just don't like the risk.” 

Whitebeard shook his head. “I will not.”

“But-”

“All three of them were quite adamant about their decision to remain bonded to you. Even if I ordered them to let you disconnect yourself from them, I don't believe their hearts would accept it.” His face softened. “They understand the risks involved, Hoshiko-chan. I know my sons well. It is not a decision they would make lightly.”

I mulled over his words. I'd only been considering my own feelings on the matter, but their feelings were important, too. “I suppose I should train and get stronger, then, so I'm not a liability,” I murmured.

Whitebeard smiled. “I could name a few people who I feel would be more than happy to assist you with that task.”

<><><><><>

I should ask Marco if there's a map of the ship, I thought to myself as I ran into another dead end. It was ridiculous how quickly I got lost. To be fair, though, I had someone either carrying me around or guiding me for the past month, so getting places on my own was still relatively new to me.

“Do you need help again?” a soft voice asked.

I turned around to face the old man who helped me the other day. I nodded. “I'm trying to get back to the deck. If you wouldn't mind.”

He smiled. “It's my pleasure.”

I followed him, and it only took a few minutes before we arrived on the deck. “Thank you, again,” I told him. “By the way, what's your name?”

“Moby.”

“Like the ship?”

His eyes crinkled in amusement. “Quite.” He walked back into the ship before I could ask him anything further.

“Astra!” Ace called to me from across the deck, and I pushed that strange interaction to the back of my mind.

Smiling, I made my way over to him. “Hey, Ace. Where are Birdie and Bou?”

“You didn't come back with Pops, so we split up to search for you,” he explained.

I raised an eyebrow. “Why wouldn't you guys just use your observation haki to find me?”

Ace frowned. “We did. Your haki signature is still in the meeting room.”

I remembered the moment I used the floor to ground myself. “Oh.” I thought for a moment. Then, I reached my hand out. “Reclamation.”

Ace blinked. “That was what you did on Sabaody, wasn't it? When you made it seem like we were both still in the cell.”

I ducked my head. “Yeah. I guess I did it earlier without thinking. Sorry.”

He reached up to caress my cheek. “I'm just glad you're safe.”

Sighing, I leaned into his touch, letting my eyes close. “I need to find a new sword,” I said quietly after a moment.

“You can grab one from the armory,” Ace said. He removed the hand from my cheek and laced his fingers through mine. “Come on. I'll show you.” He led me through the ship to a room filled with weapons, then he gently nudged me forward. “Go ahead and take a look around. There are plenty to choose from.” He leaned against the door jamb, watching as I examined the swords available to me.

I reached for one that looked promising, but it began swearing at me and insulting my appearance. “Rude,” I muttered under my breath. 

“What was that?” Ace asked.

“Oh, uh, nothing,” I said quickly, moving over to a different section. I needed to remember that he couldn't hear the sword's remarks.

I tried several swords out, but they didn't feel quite right in my hand. As I passed a locked cabinet, however, a soft-spoken voice came from within. “I've been waiting for you.”

“Ace, what's in here?” I asked, gesturing toward the cabinet.

He frowned. “I don't know. You should probably ask Marco.”

“Ask Marco what, yoi?” Marco asked, poking his head into the room.

I waved at him. “Hey, Birdie! Do you know what's in this cabinet?” 

“Various cursed weapons, yoi,” he said casually. “Why do you ask?”

“One of them called out to me,” I told him.

“What do you mean?” Ace asked in confusion. “Weapons don't talk.”

I winced as several weapons throughout the room slung insults at him. “Ace, please don't ever say that again,” I said in a strained tone.

“Astra can hear the Voice Of All Things, yoi,” Marco explained to him.

Ace's eyes widened. “Is that what you heard when we were underwater?” he asked.

I nodded. “The Sea Kings are really loud.”

“Anyway,” Marco said. “If you want to take a look inside the cabinet, you'll have to ask Vista, since he has the keys to it, yoi.”

“Alright.”

<><><><><> 

With Ace and Marco helping me, it didn't take long to track down Vista and ask him to unlock the cabinet. A concerned look appeared on his face. “Are you sure? Those are all very dangerous weapons,” he said hesitantly, glancing at Marco for his opinion.

“All weapons are dangerous in the hands of the wrong user,” I replied, slightly irked that he wasn't addressing me. “Cursed weapons aren't inherently bad, they often just have inexperienced wielders.”

“And you're claiming to be experienced?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “A month ago, you were four.”

Ace opened his mouth to rebut him, but I put out a hand to stop him. “Would you like me to prove myself? Put a katana in my hand and spar with me,” I challenged.

He shook his head. “No. I wouldn't want to hurt you.”

“Then pick someone from your division you think would be a fair match for me,” I countered stubbornly. I refused to back down until he let me into that cabinet.

He stared at me for a moment before sighing. “Very well. Simon!” 

A brown-haired teenager hurried over. He looked to be a cabin boy. “Yes, Mr. Vista, sir?”

“Astra here is going to be your sparring partner for today,” Vista told him.

Simon looked at him in confusion, but nodded anyway. “Y-yes, sir.”

We all moved to one of the training rooms on the third floor of the ship, and Vista provided us with wooden katanas. I gave it a few experimental swings to test out the weight. It was well balanced. I glanced at my opponent, who was going through some warm-up routines. His footwork was sloppy, and he looked like he wasn't used to holding a sword. How insulting.

I took a deep breath to calm myself down. Anger and haste cloud the mind. I would only win by proving myself, and I wanted to do it properly. “I'm ready when you are,” I told Simon respectfully. There was no need to be rude to Simon. It wasn't his fault Vista underestimated me.

He nodded and entered his ready stance, and I did the same, waiting for Vista to signal the start of our match. “Begin.” I immediately stepped forward, swinging my sword through the air. The practice blade stopped a centimeter from Simon's neck, and he gulped. He hadn't even moved yet. My brow furrowed. I was out of practice. My movements weren't as fluid as I'd like them to be.

I didn't need to look to know that Marco and Ace were both smirking. I stepped back and bowed slightly to Simon. He hastily reciprocated, a flush of embarrassment on his face. I faced Vista. “Is that enough, or do I need to work my way through your entire division?” I asked mildly.

Vista thought for a moment. “Simon, go fetch Haboro.” Simon hurried out of the room.

This time, Marco looked surprised. “Haboro, yoi? Are you sure, Vista?” 

Vista didn't reply. He just stared at me with a curious expression on his face. About five minutes passed in silence, before a tall, muscular, red-headed man slid the door open. “You called for me, Vista-san?”

“Yes, Haboro. I'd like you to have a practice match with Astra.” Vista gestured in my direction.

“Is this a joke?!” Haboro exclaimed.

Vista raised an eyebrow. “Do I look like I'm joking?”

“But she's a girl!”

Vista's face hardened. “So what? When you're on the sea, you don't get to choose your opponents. If you refuse to fight, you admit defeat.”

Haboro closed his mouth and silently walked over to grab a practice katana. As he turned to face me, he murmured, “I'll try not to hurt you.”

“That's very kind of you,” I replied dryly.

“Begin!”

I started the match similar to the first, and Haboro's eyes widened as he hastily brought his sword up to block. I followed it up quickly with a slash to his unguarded side, and he managed to block that in time as well. As I pressed forward, I saw a shift in his face as he realized my capabilities. His blocks gained confidence, and he began going on the offensive. I grinned. Now we have a match.

We were fairly evenly matched, and the spar ran long. After ten minutes, my muscles were beginning to tire, so I reached inside myself for the string tethering me to Marco. “Symbiote.” My veins alit with a buzzing energy, and a surge of strength flooded my limbs. My next strike sent Haboro's sword flying across the room, and the match ended with my wooden blade to his throat.

Haboro blinked at me, his chest heaving from exertion. “I think I'm in love,” he murmured. 

“Sorry,” I said bluntly. “You're not my type.” I returned my sword to the barrel and turned to Vista again. His mouth was slightly agape, as were Ace and Marco's. “Well?” I asked him. “Have I passed your test?”

His mouth snapped closed, and he nodded. 

I beamed brightly at him, giving a little hop of excitement. “Yay!”

Chapter 41: Blade Of Destiny

Marco POV

She's amazing. That was the prevailing thought in my mind as I watched Astra's match with Haboro. I was worried when Vista first called him in. Haboro was one of his division's top fighters, but she actually matched him! 

As Astra spoke the word, “Symbiote”, I felt a warm tug on my heart. I was curious what ability she used. She suddenly disarmed Haboro, forcing him to yield as she placed her wooden blade to his throat. Again, she's amazing.

“I think I'm in love,” I heard Haboro murmur. I scowled. Ten minutes ago, he was being disrespectful toward her because she was a female, and now suddenly his mind changed? You're not good enough for her.

“Sorry. You're not my type,” Astra responded. Darn right! As she flounced over to the barrel to put her practice sword away, I marveled on the dichotomy of her personality. I had seen both her shy side and her confident side now. I didn't know that I could fall further in love with her, but I had. “Well? Have I passed your test?” she asked Vista.

I watched Vista nod, and pride swelled in my chest. Gaining Vista's respect was a feat unto itself. “Yay!” Astra cheered. Her smile lit up the entire room, and I couldn't help but smile as well. 

We ran into Izou on our way back to the armory, and Astra greeted him just as brightly as usual. “Hi, Bou!” 

Izou frowned when he noticed the sweat on Astra's neck and the fact that Vista was with us. “I feel like I missed out on something,” he said in a surly tone.

Ace and I exchanged a grin. “Just Astra being amazing as usual,” Ace told him, slinging an arm around Astra.

Astra's shoulders hunched, and I saw the tips of her ears turn pink. “Aaace, shut uup,” she whined quietly. 

“But, it's true,” I contributed. “You were extraordinary back there, Astra, yoi.”

Her ears darkened to red. “I wasn't, though,” she mumbled frustratedly. “I'm several months out of practice. I made multiple mistakes, and in the end, I had to depend on my Fruit to win. I'm just glad that Vista pitted me against someone close to my level, so I didn't end up embarrassing myself too badly.”

Does she not realize? I opened my mouth to correct her, but Vista spun toward her before I could speak up. “Haboro is the second strongest in my division, below me,” he told her firmly. “And you just bested him in a fair fight. Using a Devil Fruit to win doesn't make you weak. It's simply another tool you possess. You are the single strongest swordswoman I have ever met. Just accept the darn compliments!”

Astra's eyes widened. “Wait. Really? I just… What?!”

“I definitely missed out,” Izou muttered under his breath. He cleared his throat. “So, what are we doing next?”

“Astra wants to look at one of the cursed weapons in the armory, yoi,” I said. “And she needed Vista's permission.”

“Why in the world would you want a cursed weapon, Hoshiko-sama?!” Izou exclaimed. “There are plenty of good swords in there that aren't cursed!”

Astra puffed out her cheeks in a pout. “I can't just settle for a ‘good’ sword, Bou,” she said, crossing her arms. “Besides, she told me that she's been waiting for me.”

Izou sighed. “So, you inherited that from Oden-sama, too. I really shouldn't be that surprised. Fine. Can't argue with a sword I can't even hear.”

Astra smiled. “Let's not waste any more time, then!” She started forward into the ship, turning left instead of right.

“Uh, Astra?” I said.

She spun around. “Yeah?”

“The armory is this way, yoi.” I pointed to the hallway on the right, and Ace nodded in corroboration.

Astra's cheeks flushed. “Of course it is.” She slunk back over to the group. “I think someone else should lead,” she mumbled.

I took her by the hand as we followed Vista. “It's alright,” I murmured comfortingly. “You're still learning your way around the ship, yoi.”

For a moment, it looked like she wanted to refute my statement, but then she sighed and gave me a small smile instead. “Thanks, Birdie.” She held onto my hand all the way to the armory, a fact which made me very happy.

Astra POV

I could hardly contain my excitement as Vista unlocked the cabinet, the quiet presence within also brimming with anticipation. He stepped aside, allowing me my first glimpse inside. I immediately knew which one spoke to me. The light blue sheath was decorated with sakura petals, and its handle was wrapped in matching colors. The lights overhead glinted off its silver guard and pommel as I carefully withdrew it from the cabinet.

Moving out into the middle of the room, I unsheathed the blade in one fluid motion and gave it a few experimental swings. It was a very lightweight katana but perfectly balanced, and I could tell just by looking at it that its edge was razor sharp. “She's beautiful,” I murmured reverently, resheathing it smoothly. 

I lifted my gaze to find Vista staring at me in shock. “What?” I asked.

“That's Hanahime,” he said. “It's one of the twenty-one Great Grade Blades.”

I looked down at the sword in my hands. “It is? Sweet.”

“But, it's still cursed, right?” Izou asked anxiously. “What curse is attached to it?”

“The standard,” Vista said calmly. “Everyone who draws it dies a horrific death.”

“You should have started with that!” Izou shouted. “Hoshiko-sama, I forbid you from using that sword!”

My fingers tightened on the sheath. Does he think I'm too weak to use it? That thought stung, and I had to bite the edge of my tongue to keep my tears at bay.

Vista put his hands up. “Calm down, Izou. Astra is strong enough to counteract the curse. The fact that she's alive proves it. If she wasn't strong enough, she would've died as soon as it left the sheath.”

“So, you gambled with her life?!” Izou snapped. I had never seen him get so angry before. He really didn't believe in me, did he?

“I gambled nothing,” Vista replied steadily. “I assessed her skills and determined that she could safely wield any blade in that cabinet, if she wished.”

Izou's jaw ticked. “I still don't like it! She shouldn't have such a dangerous weapon!” ‘It was a dangerous weapon! You shouldn't have had something like that anyway!’ I clutched Hanahime to my chest, taking a step backward. I wouldn't let anyone take it from me.

“Izou!” Marco said sharply. “Stop it, yoi! Can't you see you're upsetting her?”

Everyone looked at me suddenly, and I panicked, bolting out the door without a second thought.

Chapter 42: Mistakes Were Made

Izou POV

My heart plummeted. I hurt her. I would never be able to forget the look of fear and pain on Hoshiko-sama's face as she fled the armory. What did I say? I mentally backtracked through my argument. I was afraid of the curse hurting her, but Vista said that strength and skill counteract curses. I blanched. I practically stated that I considered Hoshiko-sama to be weak! And on top of that, I had tried to forbid her from using the katana which she so evidently revered. I had grossly overstepped my bounds.

“Astra, yoi!” Marco and Ace gave chase, but I was frozen in place, horrified by what I had just done. I messed up so badly. How could I even begin to beg her forgiveness? 

“Vista, be honest,” I said quietly. “How badly did I just insult her skill as a swordswoman?”

He was silent for a moment as he thought. “Imagine if I told you that you weren't allowed to use your pistols because I was afraid you might shoot yourself in the foot. You shouldn't have such dangerous weapons, after all.” 

“So, extremely insulting,” I concluded in a mumble.

“Indeed.”

I sighed. “What should I do? How can I make it right?”

Vista patted me on the back. “No clue! Good luck!” He relocked the cabinet, and left the room.

Marco POV

I dashed down the hallway after Astra, but I couldn't catch up with her. She wasn't gaining on me either. We were both traveling at the same speed, almost exactly. She turned a corner ahead, and I felt her stop moving. As I rounded the bend, I halted. The hallway was empty. She had vanished again.

Ace stopped beside me, a frown on his face. He walked over to a nearby door, opening it and peering inside. Then, he shrugged and walked back over to me, his brow furrowed in thought. 

I recalled her directional mishap earlier, and I gained another concern. “Do you think she remembers how to get back to the deck, yoi?”

Ace shook his head, his frown deepening. I waited for him to follow it up with a suggestion or a comment, but he kept his mouth closed.

“Are you feeling alright, yoi?” I asked him. He was never this quiet for this long. He flattened his hand, rocking it back and forth. Then, he mimed putting an arm around someone, and after that, he pointed to his mouth, a look of frustration on his face. A smirk crept onto my lips as I realized what had happened to him. “Astra told you to shut up earlier, so now you can't talk, yoi,” I said with an amused chuckle. 

Ace nodded then scowled as I continued laughing. He crossed his arms. 

“S-sorry! It's just-ha-she's managed to do the impossible, yoi!” I teased.

A reluctant smile formed on Ace's face, and he slowly shook his head while rolling his eyes. 

“We should split up to look for her, yoi. I'll take the right side. You take the left, okay?” Ace nodded again, hurrying down the hallway and turning left at the ‘T’.

I followed suit, albeit at a slower pace. Izou was generally a level-headed individual, so it was rare to see him so worked up. Though, to be fair, all three of us were far more emotional when Astra was involved. For example, I was currently searching for Astra in lieu of doing the paperwork on my desk, and I wasn't bothered by that fact.

What he had said was uncalled for, however. It was like he wasn't even listening to Vista's words. And, the fact that he hurt Astra made me angry. He knew how fragile her emotional state was, but he obviously didn't think before he spoke.

“Birdie?” I blinked. I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings, and had walked into a dead end. Astra was sitting on the floor right in front of me, clutching her katana to her chest like she was afraid I'd take it away. “Can we go to your cabin?” she asked in a small, pleading voice.

“Of course,” I said gently. I held out a hand to help her up, and she took it, shifting her sword out of my reach. “I promise I'm not going to take your sword, yoi,” I assured her.

She smiled slightly, leaning against the wall for a moment. “Transfer.” I raised an eyebrow, but she didn't explain. I mentally shrugged, and led her through the halls to my room. Only after the door was closed and locked did her posture relax. She sighed and flopped backwards onto my bed, maintaining a firm grip on the katana. 

“How are you feeling, yoi?” I asked tentatively.

She slowly sat up and placed the sword on my pillow, letting her hand linger for a moment on the sheath. Then, she turned to me and lifted her arms up, her eyes wide and sad. I understood her silent plea and sat beside her on the bed, pulling her into a hug. She laid her head on my shoulder. “Birdie,” she murmured. “I'm going to tell you why I killed myself.”

Ace POV

Astra's presence shifted suddenly, appearing near Marco's. He found her! I hurried back in that direction, glad that she wasn't lost somewhere within the ship.

I blinked at the dead end in front of me. My haki told me they were there, but they very clearly were not. I released a silent sigh. At least Marco was with her. I didn't need to worry about her safety anymore. So, I headed toward the mess hall instead. I was hungry.

Marco POV

My body stiffened at Astra's words. “You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, yoi,” I said quickly, but she raised a finger to my lips. 

“I want to, Birdie,” she insisted. “But I'd appreciate it if you don't interrupt me until I'm finished.”

I hugged her a little tighter. “Alright.”

“I told you about learning the art of the sword and moving out to college, right?” I nodded, unsure if talking there would count as interrupting. “Well, shortly after entering college, I bought myself a proper katana. I had bought cheap ones in the past, but this one was, like, really nice. A custom work of art. I loved it, though I didn't get to use it as much as I would've liked. A week before I killed myself, my roommate pawned it off.” Astra's body began to shake, and her hands clenched into fists. “When I confronted her, she claimed that she did nothing wrong because I shouldn't have had a ‘dangerous weapon’ in the first place. And you know what the worse part was? Do you? She used the money from my sword to buy a new phone!”

I felt her haki spike as she got more worked up, and I started rubbing her back in an attempt to calm her down. It didn't seem to be working. “And on top of all of that,” she continued. “As if it couldn't get any worse, I discovered that she had reported me to the university for ‘threatening her’ with said weapon. I got kicked out of school a month before graduation, because of a lying, thieving bitch!” A surge of untamed haki burst forth from her body, and I gently kissed her on the top of the head. I needed to calm her down before she hurt somebody.

“Astra, yoi?” She didn't react, so I tried again, slightly louder. "Astra?" Still nothing. I had to repeat her name five times before her eyes finally focused on my face. 

She withdrew her haki quickly, attempting to pull away from me. “I'm so sorry, Birdie. I didn't mean to-”

I slowly pressed her head back down to my shoulder, not ready to let go of her yet. “I know you didn't,” I murmured. “It was understandable, given the circumstances. You simply need to learn how to better control your conqueror's haki, yoi.” I sensed at least fifty of my brothers that she had just knocked out. It might be best to lay low for a few hours.

Chapter 43: Improper Emotions

Astra POV

“Birdie, could you please go check to make sure I didn't hurt anybody?” I asked Marco anxiously. I felt terrible for losing control over my haki.

He sighed. “Alright.” He got to his feet, and made for the door. “Do you want me to relock it after I leave, yoi?” I nodded. He exited the room, and, once the door closed behind him, I heard the small click of the lock.

I flopped onto my back, lifting my arm above me to stare at the marks. Law was still healthy. That was good. I rolled onto my stomach, dropping my head onto my folded arms. I had no idea what my end goal was. I just wanted to prevent the deaths of my loved ones. 

If I didn't exist, only Marco would be alive after the Wano Arc. I had to keep the other three alive, no matter what. Yes, even Izou. Even if he didn't believe in me, I couldn't help caring about him. That was why his words hurt me so much. 

I caught motion in the corner of my eye, and I lifted my head to look fully at my right arm, where neat, little words were appearing on the paper I had synced. I frowned as I read them. Then, I walked over to Marco's desk and grabbed a pencil. I had no idea if it would work, but I was going to try anyway. Using the pencil, I drew a line through some of the words. It now read, 

‘I must apologize profusely, Hoshiko-sama. I have committed a grave transgression against you, and I would understand if you never wish to speak with me again. I don't deserve to be called your retainer. I didn't consider how my words might affect you, and I am truly sorry for hurting you. I don't think you're weak, and I swear I will never rob you of your weapon. I am sorry for ever suggesting such a thing. That was absolutely horrible of me.’

Then, I wrote, ‘It was horrible, but I don't hate you, Bou.’ My letters were sloppy, since I was writing with my left hand, but they were at least legible. Mostly.

Nothing happened for a while. Then, a circular smudge appeared over some of the words. Then a second smudge. Then a third. Izou was… crying. That was extremely shocking to me. Did he really think that I hated him? 

All of a sudden, my connection to the sheet of paper snapped, and my arm returned to normal. What happened?

Izou POV 

My hands shook as I stared down at the paper I had just ripped to shreds. Why am I crying? I don't cry. Not since Oden-sama…

I scrubbed at my traitorous eyes, glad that I was in the safety of my cabin. She forgave me. She doesn't hate me. I buried my face in one palm, letting out a laugh of disbelief. “She doesn't hate me,” I breathed. I was afraid to give a name to the feeling that had settled inside my chest. Joy? Relief? Gratitude? Those were definitely present, but they were overshadowed by something stronger. Something deeper. 

I loved my princess. I had already admitted as much to Marco and Ace, but that was a different kind of love than what I felt at the moment. That was simple devotion. This was affection, attraction, attachment. No. I am her retainer. I should not be having such impure thoughts about her. It’s unprofessional.

I heard a knock on my door, but I ignored it. There was no way I could let any of my brothers see me like this. They knocked again. “Bou?” My breath caught. Why is she outside my door?! I can't- “Bou, I know you're not asleep. Please let me in,” she called softly.

“It's… not… a good time,” I replied stiltedly. It took a tremendous amount of willpower not to go to her.

“Izou…” Her voice took on a serious tone, and I swallowed dryly. She rarely called me by my actual name. “Open the door,” she demanded.

I forced myself to my feet and strode over to my door, unlocking it and pulling it open. I looked up at my princess, who wore an air of authority I hadn't seen on her before. With her new katana clutched in one hand, she swept past me, and I quickly closed the door. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to act around this version of Hoshiko-sama, so I just bowed to her.

She sat on my bed, looking at me expectantly, and I froze. What does she want me to do? Did I forget something? Her stoic face cracked into a grin, and she started giggling. “I was wondering how you'd act if I suddenly started acting like royalty, Bou. You looked so flustered! It was hilarious!”

I tried to scowl at her, but my lips kept curling upward. She was still the Hoshiko-sama I knew. I was actually worried there for a moment. “That wasn't very nice, Hoshiko-sama,” I complained mildly.

She sent me an overexaggerated pout. “It worked, though. I got you to let me in.” Her gaze swept around my room, lingering on my desk, where the ripped paper still sat. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” she murmured, her playfulness dropping slightly. She locked eyes with me, and I found myself unable to look away from those pools of teal. She was absolutely stunning. 

“I-I'm fine,” I stammered. I mentally cursed my voice for betraying me. 

“You're not,” she replied.

She knows me so well. I sighed. But, she's also the reason for my inner turmoil. I couldn't tell her that, though. “What would you like me to tell you, Hoshiko-sama?” I asked with another sigh.

“I want to know why you ripped up the paper, Bou,” she said softly.

It was hard to stay composed around her. “I… panicked,” I admitted. I wondered if she could hear my heart pounding within my ribcage. “I didn't want you to see…”

“See what? Your tears?” she asked gently. “I already know that you have emotions, Bou. You don't need to hide them from me.”

I let out a shaky breath. It wasn't fair. She knew exactly how to whittle down my defenses. My fingers searched for the edge of my desk behind me, gripping it in an attempt to regain control over my swirling thoughts. 

“I do have one other thing I'd like to know, though,” she continued, seemingly oblivious to my internal struggle. “Why did you choose to remain bonded to me?”

I forced out a short, nervous laugh. “I'd have thought that was obvious, Hoshiko-sama.”

Her eyes bored into mine, laying bare my soul. “I want to hear you say it,” she said.

She was going to be the death of me. My tongue darted out to wet my lips. “Hoshiko-sama, please. Stop.” Or else I won't be able to hold myself back anymore.

An unreadable expression crossed her face. “Alright.” She stood up and left my room, closing the door softly behind her.

I felt cold from her absence, and my chest felt heavy. Why do I feel like I was just given a test, and I failed? 

Astra POV 

I pressed my forehead against his door, disappointment weighing me down. He's such a dummy. I know how much he loves me, but he just refuses to admit it. I won't force him until he's comfortable with it, though. I pushed off with a sigh and shuffled down the hallway, using the string of connection with Marco to guide me back toward his room. 

He looked up as I opened his door, a relieved look on his face. “Oh, good. I thought you might've gotten lost again, yoi. Where were you?”

“I went to talk to Bou,” I told him.

“Ah. And, how did that go, yoi?” he asked hesitantly.

“Why did you choose to remain bonded to me, Birdie?” I asked him quietly.

Marco blinked. “Didn't we already go over this, yoi?”

“Please, just humor me.”

He didn't answer right away, but he gently took my hand and caressed it before brushing his lips across my knuckles. I let out a barely-there sigh, and he looked up at me with a smirk. Then, his smile softened. “I love you, Astra, yoi,” he said.

I smiled. “I love you, too, Birdie.” See, Bou? It's not that hard.

Marco's gaze unfocused as he got lost in thought. “And Ace and Izou, yoi,” he murmured. “You love them, too.”

“Of course.” Does it bother him?

He absentmindedly stroked his thumb over the knuckles of the hand he just kissed. “I suppose I'll get used to it.” His eyes refocused, and a small frown appeared on his face. “You kissed Ace, yoi,” he stated.

My lips twitched. “I did.” Is he jealous? He didn't say anything for a while, though his eyes kept darting toward my lips. “Do… you want me to kiss you, Birdie?” I asked, slightly amused by his sudden bashfulness.

His fingers tightened on my hand, and he nodded. “Yes.”

I placed my other hand on his back and leaned down slowly, watching his eyes to make sure he wasn't going to back out. Apparently, I went too slowly for his liking. Marco let out a small huff of impatience and stood on his toes to close the distance, releasing my hand to wrap his arms around my neck instead. 

I brought that hand to the back of his head, deepening the kiss as I did so, and I thought I heard a small moan from him in response. I didn't have time to dwell on that, though, because a loud knock sounded on the door. We broke apart, both flushed, and Marco slapped his face a few times before calling out, “Who is it, yoi?”

The person just knocked again, and Marco let out a frustrated sigh, going to answer the door while I took a seat on his bed. The door swung open to reveal a very annoyed-looking Ace. He crossed his arms and stared accusatorily at Marco.

Marco gave him a guilty grin, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry, Ace. I, uh, got distracted, yoi.” His eyes slid over in my direction. 

Ace shook his head in silent admonishment, but he smiled at me. I smiled back, slightly confused by their interaction. “What's going on?” I asked.

Ace turned to Marco, raising an eyebrow expectantly. Marco sighed. “You told Ace to shut up earlier, yoi,” he explained.

Oh. My face dropped, and I leapt to my feet. “Shit! I'm so sorry, Ace!” I placed a hand on his arm. “Reset!” I scanned his face anxiously. “Are you okay?”

 Ace cleared his throat. “I think so,” he said.

“I'm so sorry,” I repeated, and he laughed.

“It's alright, Astra,” he assured me. “I'm not upset. You're still learning how to use your abilities. I won't even tell you how many pairs of pants I went through before I learned how to control my flames.”

Marco snorted. “I didn't hear about that, yoi!”

“That's because I didn't tell you,” Ace retorted.

My stomach growled, and I glanced at my watch. Then, I realized that it was stuck on Sabaody time, which wouldn't really help me in the New World. “Is there a clock on the ship I could copy?”

“I've got one, yoi,” Marco said. He grabbed a small silver alarm clock from his nightstand. “Here.”

I placed my hand on it. “Download.” I replaced Shakky's clock with this new one. “Thanks, Birdie.” I looked at the time. It was two in the afternoon. “I missed lunch,” I sighed. And dinner is still hours away. My stomach growled again.

Marco clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Let's go find Thatch. I have a strong feeling that he'll make an exception for you, yoi.”

Chapter 44: Duties

Astra POV

I beamed at the chef as he placed a plate of fish and rice in front of me. “Thanks, Thatch! This looks delicious!”

Thatch winked. “Anything for a pretty lady.”

I rolled my eyes playfully and tucked into my food. At least he wasn't as bad as Sanji. I had to slap Ace's hand away from my plate a few times, but I eventually popped the last grain of rice into my mouth and sat back with a satisfied sigh. “That was so yummy!”

“I'm glad you liked it,” Thatch said with a grin, carrying my dishes to the sink. “The secret ingredient was love!” he proclaimed over his shoulder. Marco scowled and Ace stuck his tongue out at Thatch's back. I raised an eyebrow at their reactions. Really, guys?! Are you children?! “So, Astra, are you excited about tomorrow?” Thatch asked, seemingly oblivious to the hostility radiating from his brothers.

I frowned. “Tomorrow? What's happening tomorrow?”

“We're throwing a party to officially welcome you onto the crew,” Thatch explained, grabbing a towel to dry the plate. “Didn't Marco tell you?”

I turned to Marco, who averted his eyes guiltily. “I… got distracted, yoi,” he mumbled.

That's twice now. “Is my presence really that distracting?” I asked.

“Yes.” The answer came quickly from all three of them.

I sighed. I had to confirm my suspicion. “Have you guys been neglecting your duties as division commanders?” Neither Marco nor Ace would meet my gaze. “Guys!” I exclaimed in frustration. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Thatch slip out of the kitchen.

Turning to face them fully, I forced myself to take a deep breath before speaking. I didn't want to yell at them. “Marco, you're supposed to be the responsible one,” I said sternly. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. “I love you guys, but things can't continue like this. Figure it out, or…” I cast around my mind for an adequate consequence. “...or no more kisses, for either of you. Got it?” They both nodded contritely. “Pass that on to Izou as well,” I added. Then, I grabbed Hanahina and left the kitchen.

Ace POV

No more kisses? “Shit,” I breathed. “That was worse than getting scolded by Pops.” She sounded so disappointed in us. I felt awful.

“Yeah,” Marco agreed quietly. “I don't know about you, but I have to go catch up on a lot of paperwork.”

“I'll swing by Izou's room first, and then I'll do the same,” I replied as we headed toward the door. I hope Astra doesn't get lost again.

“We'll only make it worse if we try to track her down now,” Marco muttered to himself. It seemed he had had a similar train of thought.

<><><><><>

Izou didn't answer when I first knocked on his door, so I knocked again. “Izou?”

“What?” he called out.

“I have to talk to you about something.” There was no response. “It's about Astra,” I added.

I heard a bit of scuffling and the jiggling of the knob. Then, the door cracked open an inch, with nothing but darkness beyond. “What about her?” Izou asked quietly.

“Well, she just chewed out me and Marco for putting her before our duties, so I wanted to let you know, in case you were doing the same.” I shivered as I remembered how cold her expression was. “She was not happy about it.”

“I'll bear that in mind,” he replied. “Was that all?”

“Yeah.”

His door clicked shut once more, leaving me standing in the hallway with a confused look on my face. That interaction was extremely out of character for Izou. Was he sick or something? I'll ask Marco to check on him later.

With my first task completed, I walked out onto the deck to chat with some of the guys in my division. I didn't really have a lot of paperwork, especially not Marco-level, but I also hadn't really checked in with any of my men since getting back. Teach had been a part of my division, so it probably affected them pretty badly. I felt guilty for putting it off.

Marco POV

I placed another paper on the growing stack beside me, and took another off the much larger stack beside that. By neglecting my responsibilities, I was letting my crewmates down. I was letting Pops down. ‘Marco, you're supposed to be the responsible one.’ That had stung, but she was right. I was the First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. I had duties and… Oh, shit! I skipped giving Pops his check-ups!

I dropped my pen on my desk with a clatter, and nearly knocked over my chair in my haste to leave my office. Hurrying out onto the deck, I caught Pops attempting to stash a bottle of sake behind his back, flashing me a mischievous grin as he did so. “Ah. Marco, my son. It's a fine evening, is it not?”

I let out an exasperated sigh. “Pops! You know you're not supposed to be drinking!”

“Gurararara! I should've known it wouldn't last,” he commented, shaking his head with fake sorrow.

I scowled. Knowing him, he probably took full advantage of my absence. “I had a momentary lapse in judgement. It won't happen again.”

“Reason seems to be swept away whenever love is involved,” Pops remarked, looking out across the waves. I waited for him to expound upon that statement, but it seemed that was all he wanted to share at the moment.

With a lot of whining and arguing, I eventually convinced Pops to relinquish his hold on the sake bottle. He sulked throughout his entire examination in the infirmary, but I had a job to do, so I ignored his huffs and pouts. I peeled my gloves off with a sigh. His condition had worsened. I predicted that he only had five years left, and that was being generous.

I clenched my jaw so my chin wouldn't tremble, but I should've known that Pops would notice. His hands scooped me up, and he enveloped me in a hug. “I know I'm not long for this world, Marco. I've already made peace with it.”

My eyes stung as hot tears streamed down my cheeks. “Well, I haven't, Pops!” I cried. “I'm not ready to lose you!” I couldn't even imagine what my life would look like without Pops in it.

His only response was a sigh as he held my hiccuping form against his chest. Logically, I knew that his illness was incurable. I knew that I was just prolonging the inevitable. But, as Pops said, reason is swept away when love is involved. Becoming an orphan shortly after birth, Pops was the only father I knew. I couldn't bring myself to accept reality. I just… couldn't.