Within the Grand Line, a single island was the cradle of surreal beauties. Impossible to reach, impossible to dream of.

Amazon Lily had given birth to hundreds of ethereal women, only to hide them from the rest of the world. An island inhabited solely by female beings, harassed by malicious tongues that professed the growing envy that could overwhelm that place.

Malicious tongues deprived of confirmation of their beliefs.

On the island of women, envy was a foreign concept. Far removed from their daily lives. Perfect bodies could be everything outside, where they would be valued as trophies. Worthy of pirates, nobles, princes, kings or celestial dragons. Dolls ready to be displayed before hungry eyes. And when their useful time was up, they would be devoured by eternal darkness.

Only in that rebellious land, bodies were nothing more than empty shells. A woman's beauty was dependent on her strength. An unbreakable synonym.

And Nika learned to admire them.

Her father's request was emphatic a week after the events at Marineford. They needed to become stronger. They needed to grow up, so that their hearts wouldn't cry out when helping became impossible. And to achieve this, separating for two years was the most difficult decision to make.

Luffy cherished Boa Hancock as a good friend, handing his precious daughter over to her warm embrace. He noticed the way she stirred in her arms, looking at him lost, seeking to return to him. Who would take care of him during the nights? Who would look after his well-being when the nightmare became his worst torment? Her father would wake up, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His screams would pierce the skies until they subsided into soft sobs. If he managed to calm down, he would go back to sleep, unconcerned by the sweat that stuck his clothes to his body. If he couldn't, he would get up to start his day, training aimlessly, destroying the trees of the Amazon Lily jungle.

The arrival of Silvers Rayleigh motivated him, inspiring him to create an ideal plan. The news must have reached the Straw Hat pirates scattered around the world.

And that news included Nika.

It took the pirate empress two weeks to convince her to live in the palace, in an old room that no one had used in a long time. Her words were patient, trying everything.

"Don't you want to be a swordswoman and compete with that green-haired man?"

"Don't you want to protect someone?"

"Wasn't it your dream to be the pirate queen alongside your father?"

All her questions were ignored.

Nika rejected them all in her mind. The swordsman who served as first mate and right-hand man to the captain was impressive, the best in her eyes. Protecting someone was never a task assigned to her. She had been left in the care of different people, friends along the way, because her father hid her as if her existence should be, in essence, a secret. And the position of pirate queen... That was never hers. She knew from stories told by Dadan and the bandits about a woman who stole her father's heart. Her mother joined in on the dream, agreeing to sail with the future pirate king.

If Nika had to accept a title, she would undoubtedly ask to be a princess.

A princess without lands. Free.

A princess of the sea.

The princess of pirates.

Hancock did not give up. She kept asking questions. Joining the kujas. Being a navigator. Maybe a sniper. Fighting with kicks. Even fists. All she got was silence.

Until a whisper reached her memories. A whisper heard the night she wrapped her in her arms and took her away from her father, when the memories hit him as he woke up for the first time.

"Nika, don't you want to set sail for Wano?"

For the first time in two weeks, the kuja could admire her brown eyes. The reddish irritation around their edges caused by wiping away so many tears did not hide the distance in her gaze. And the soft, curious gleam that brought back memories.

"Wano?"

"Isn't that where your uncle Ace got you a friend?"

Nika's heart tightened. It was true. There was a girl in Wano, a girl who had met her uncle and wanted to be her friend.

A girl who, by fate and by some beautiful freckles gifted by the sun, was connected to her.

"Yes, yes. In Wano…"

A warmth lulled Hancock, bringing a reassuring smile to her face.

"Then train. Train with us and become strong, so you can meet her."

Keeping her in Amazon Lily for the next few months proved fruitful. Visits to Rusukaina were forbidden by grandma Nyon, who was in charge of giving specific orders to the new visitor. Men were not allowed to enter the country. But they could not refuse entry to a foreign woman or girl.

Soon, the two years of training for the straw hats were marked by a routine for father and daughter. Their meetings took place once a week, when Hancock and other women brought food to the outskirts of Rusukaina for Rayleigh and Luffy. They spoke little about what they were learning, more interested in creating new games and outdoing each other in scores.

Nika found it difficult to leave her father alone at night. Everyone could see how attached she was to him. Looking closely would not reveal who needed the other's comfort more. But when she succeeded, no one could stop the whirlwind of problems trapped in the body of a three-year-old girl.

The women on the island had grown accustomed to seeing her running across the roofs of different houses, ignoring grandma Nyon's calls, following a scent that the wind dared to carry to her nostrils when she was busy. Nika would skip training to go eat with someone. Aphelandra was the one who spoiled her the most, inviting her to eat meat, salads, fruit and desserts.

Finding a weapon for her became an odyssey when her status as a foreigner did not allow her to own a snake like the other kujas. Devoting themselves exclusively to the search for an object suitable for a minor, suitable to be held in her hands with the ideal weight, exhausted their strength. Trying to get Nika to hold a bow resulted in arrows flying in all directions. Wooden doors were pierced, glass windows were broken, clothes were torn, and rocks had new holes in them. Fighting like any other inhabitant was not her forte.

After seven months, with Nika about to turn four, the inhabitants of Amazon Lily began to vehemently accept the duels requested between pleas and pouting. She fought with all her might, imitating the kicks she had seen Sanji perform or the punches thrown by her father. Although none of them resulted in victory, she did not give up.

She needed a weapon that would give her distance when close-range attacks didn't work. There had to be something in the world, in that country, that was ideal for her. Something that would give her an advantage to flee if situations became dangerous.

It was on one of her days off, playing in the island's jungle, that she found a strange place. She had heard from grandma Nyon that a rubbish dump was filling up and that they would soon have to get rid of it. They were constantly looking for solutions to the small mountain of rubbish dragged in by sea beasts and thrown away by the women of Amazon Lily.

But one woman's trash was another woman's treasure.

Nika rummaged through the mountain. Old clothes, seaweed everywhere, glass and plastic bottles, plastic bags. None of it was any use to her. The girl pressed a finger to her temple, pursing her lips as she thought.

That night, Hancock narrowed her eyes, sniffing the air in the palace. The stench of damp rubbish permeated even the highest pillar of her favourite place. Had someone dared to let a beast in? And those stains on her once immaculate carpets. Had she not been heard? Had she not given the order not to accept mud statues from the children of the island?

She followed the trail of footprints, delving into every corridor and room, guiding her own steps towards the kitchen. Inside, her younger sisters Sandersonia and Marigold were chatting and laughing with the daughter of her handsome Luffy, studiously ignoring the scent emanating from the little girl.

"What's that smell?" Hancock growled as she entered the room.

Nika turned to look at her with a smile. Sandersonia crossed her arms happily.

"Hancock-san, I have a weapon!"

The empress raised an eyebrow. Was that thing she was holding in her hands what she called a weapon? Did that make her feel safe?

An old metal pipe damaged by time.

She couldn't imagine what she could do with it. A pipe would be heavier in her hands than a katana. It would slip and hurt her small body. She would have no excuse for her lack of attention to the only request her beloved had made of her. She gave her all in her kicking lessons, only to receive weak and clumsy attacks in return. Moving Nika on to fist training had the same outcome. Her punches went limp before they made impact. At the end of the day, they had to bandage her knuckles and calm her sobs when she had hit something too hard.

Hancock was going to refuse. She wasn't going to let her get any more hurt.

And yet, Nika learned to defend herself with it.

Wearing the traditional Amazon Lily attire, a pink sash inherited from Hancock and waist-length black hair, she became the sensation of the island when she turned five.

Week after week, she fought duels with the pirates and the strongest women in the land. Dodging their arrows eagerly and using her height to give her an elusive advantage when they tried to hit her, countless times her body ended up embedded in the rocks on the floor of the fighting arena. She could name every texture on the walls throughout the country.

Marguerite, Sandersonia, Marigold, Ran, Daisy, Sweet Pea, Aphelandra, Gloriosa and Hancock. The tough women of that land so isolated from the world had trained her, helping to increase her ingenuity with the pipe, to the point where her attacks became fierce when she dared to try to hit heads.

Even without haki, Nika would be safe in the New World.

Especially with her father who never stopped spoiling her during their brief moments together over those two years.

The waves calmed as the ships approached Sabaody. The Perfume Yuda, carried by the two snakes, welcomed the small family with joy, happy to take them to their reunion with their destinies. Nika jumped up and down, trying to see more of the island that had taken away so much from her long ago. That land did not hold fond memories for her, but she knew it could redeem itself when she saw them in front of her.

Nami, Zoro, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Franky, and Brook.

The uncertainty was gnawing at her. She wanted to know everything. Where they had been, how they had been, how they had changed in different ways. She didn't think she could stand being without them any longer.

Nika had learned so much.

Nami would no longer need to ask her in a patient, tender tone to take a shower with her. She would no longer have to put up with her tantrums. Being with Hancock, the tough empress who wouldn't take no for an answer, taught her to soften up and grant requests when they were made without malice. She taught her to comb her own hair, looking away to laugh when the child got stressed and hit her head with the brush when she couldn't tie her long hair.

Robin would now have to lend her books about tarantulas. Teaching her to read was a dare that Sandersonia and Marigold took on with determination, taking turns during Nika's free time, playing different games with her so that she could master the art of reading and writing. It was the only way they found to focus her attention on her studies.

Zoro would be her undisputed duelling partner. Even if he defeated her, even if her body was thrown against every surface of the Thousand Sunny, Nika would never give up. Her father's first mate was the third strongest man she knew. Right behind her uncle Ace. And she missed seeing him with his katanas, sleeping on deck hugging them.

She would become so strong that she could protect everyone she loved, starting with Usopp. He was the best sniper, but he always defended himself by putting Nika in front of him, even though she knew he was capable of defeating anyone he wanted. She smiled, resting her cheek on her palm. Would Usopp need her? It had been two years. He must have become a brave warrior of the sea.

And Sanji. She missed his cooking so much. Hancock wasn't bad at it, but in the four seas and the Grand Line, no one could beat him, talented in everything he prepared. Nika's mouth watered as she fantasised about different dishes. Had he learned a new dessert? Or maybe a meat dish?

A chill suddenly ran through her body.

Would her tarantula complain to Chopper after two years of neglect? She wouldn't ask the doctor, she wasn't ready to face her dear friend yet. She would try not to hit herself as much as she did in Amazon Lily so as not to worry the reindeer. Although she couldn't guarantee she wouldn't do so if they visited the New World.

She missed the Thousand Sunny and the enormous lion's head created by the crew's carpenter. She missed him. Franky always treasured her drawings, and during their time apart, she drew each of her fights as little comic strips. The adventures of the little lion and his tarantula friend. Her father said they were great when he read them every week, noting which character was his daughter and which was each woman from Amazon Lily.

Ran and Daisy told her about a big surprise when she arrived in Sabaody. About a certain place she should visit, because there she would find Brook. They talked non-stop about how talented he was, but Nika already knew that. Her understanding didn't go that far. How did they know him and why did they talk about him the way Hancock usually talks about her father? As if it were devotion.

Luffy approached his daughter, tossing her hair.

"Excited?" he asked.

He lost himself in her smile, captivated for a few seconds, admiring how much his daughter had grown. Before, seeing her standing in the distance, her hair waving in the breeze as she held her infallible pipe, brought back memories of his childhood. Of a certain grumpy boy with freckles dotted by the sun who ran through Mount Colubo holding his own pipe, ready to attack.

"We mustn't draw attention to ourselves, we have to get to the Sunny Go carefully," said Luffy, adjusting his moustache.

"Nobody knows me."

Her shrug made him smile.

"Shishishi, it's true."

"You look like an old man like that," Nika laughed, pulling on his moustache.

Luffy moved his face, trying to catch her finger between his teeth, receiving screams and laughter in response.

People's objects of affection faded away when they fulfilled their established times. Times that ramified, making their way between the possibilities of growing or stagnating, waiting for the chosen ones to have what they most craved. The Kuja pirates saw those two years they spent together stagnate in the past, with buds and flowers of carefully tended hopes. Father and daughter had valued their futures, walking hand in hand towards the mangroves, praying that this time their bubbles would sing of a new beginning as they burst.

The imposing canopy of the mangroves rose above their heads. Nika filled her lungs with fresh air. Sabaody remained a bustling island, worthy of marking the end of paradise.

Amidst flyers scattered across the grass and floating in the air from a certain Soul King—who was performing at the Sabaody Dome—, a few blows to some strange individuals, and a meeting with the fake Sanji and Zoro, both Luffy and his daughter found themselves at a crossroads.

Fleeing from the marine and following the real cook and swordsman, the girl laughed.

"Nika-chan, you're taller!" said Sanji, lowering his voice so that no one else could hear.

"I jumped a lot!"

"Why a pipe?" asked Zoro, running alongside her, analysing her choice of weapon.

The child glanced sideways at him. When her speech became fluent, they couldn't find a way to silence her thoughts in Amazon Lily, which escaped her lips before she had a chance to think twice. They used to listen to her and let her express herself, scolding her when a thread didn't follow the right path, gently explaining why she shouldn't make certain comments or ask certain questions.

"What happened to your other eye?"

Sanji tensed slightly as he carried his bubble wrapped purchases. Luffy ran with his huge backpack, keeping an eye on the marines. Zoro looked down at the little girl with the pink sash. She looked much livelier than she did at three years old. Like a tornado about to get worse.

"It's a long story."

"I've got time!"

"Report to headquarters, the Straw Hat pirates have just kidnapped a child from Sabaody!" shouted a young marine through his den den mushi.

Zoro clicked his tongue, carrying her over his shoulder. With one arm wrapped around her tiny waist to keep her from falling and the other securing her pipe against his katanas, the three men began to run.

Fate had mapped out a path for this unusual crew. A path that could not be interrupted. A path decided before they were even born. The help they received for their departure was unprecedented. Perona, the ghost princess, reduced those who dared to stand in their way to tears. Rayleigh, the dark king, opened the earth in a clean line, challenging the marines to cross it. Heracles tormented part of Sabaody with beasts brought from the Boin Archipelago. Haredas and his companions controlled the weather from Weatheria, thwarting the plans of the World Government. The okamas frightened the young men, appearing friendly at first, only to torture them in the end.

The power to turn even enemies into allies was Luffy's most powerful weapon.

"I finally found you!"

The four looked up at the shadow flying above them. A huge bird was carrying the crew’s doctor, who was smiling with excitement.

Luffy let out a yelp, his smile widening. Zoro held Nika so she wouldn't fall when she moved to look at the reindeer.

"My best friend!" she squealed, reaching out her arms to him.

"Nika!"

The force with which her arms and legs wrapped around him forced the bird to balance itself. Flying over the mangroves with the wind whipping her face and ruffling her long hair soon became one of Nika’s favourite experiences. She wished she could do it. Especially on that phoenix friend she had yet to meet.

Luffy raised his hands when the Thousand Sunny appeared in his field of vision.

"Guys!"

The scream caught the attention of the remaining crew members, who were waiting anxiously. Their anxiety dissolved into a sea of sentimentality and love. A sea laden with afflictions that they had endured for days, months, and years, until they were finally reunited. They rushed to the railing, calling out to the four friends they had not seen in so long.

When Nika set foot on the enormous bubble that served as a coating, the women stopped to look at her with teary eyes. Nami was the first to hug her, wrapping her arms around her and squeezing her close to her chest.

"It's been so long," she whispered.

"You've grown so much..." Robin continued, holding back her urge to call her cute.

"And I'm strong now! I can take care of you, Nami-san and Robin-san."

The archaeologist placed a hand over her heart upon hearing her.

A gasp went unnoticed when a certain boy found what he most wanted to see with his gaze.

"A robot!" Luffy jumped excitedly around Franky. His new abilities and appearance were mind-blowing to the three most energetic ones. "Look, Nika!"

"Aren't I super cool now?" asked the cyborg proudly.

Nika looked at him over Nami's shoulder. The appearance of her favourite crew member was now exotic. Ideal for a comic strip.

"Nami-swan, Robin-chan... Beautiful..."

"Oi, Chopper, he's bleeding to death." Zoro's displeasure was evident.

The doctor shouted in alarm, searching for everything he needed to give him a transfusion. No one understood the cook's reactions. They didn't know where he had trained, being so far away from the ship.

"Luffy-san, everyone, I have a new song I wrote when I missed you all. Please listen."

The joyful sound of Brook's guitar accompanied their journey to Fishman Island. The speed of the schools of fish surrounding the Thousand Sunny fascinated more than one of the crew members, who caught up on their adventures between snacks and laughter. Nami complained about not getting the clothes she wanted from a shop in Sabaody, claiming that the owner refused to give her a discount. Usopp replied that surely the fishmen had clothing shops. Zoro fought with Sanji from time to time, mocking his constant lack of blood. Luffy sat with Nika between his legs, fascinated by the changes in Franky's hair when he touched his nose. Chopper relayed the tarantula's complaints to the crew's favourite girl, who looked at her friend with pity. And Robin watched them with a smile that was laden with sweetness.

Continuing that journey alongside the people who had taught her the importance of life and the joy of freedom created whirlpools inside her. Whirlpools that carried with them an air of tranquility. The tranquility that one only felt when returning to where one belonged.

The captain who stood before them with a smile, his essence intact and his ideals strengthened, had overcome tribulations without rest. The straw hats were silently grateful. Grateful to have him by their side, grateful that he found strength when they were not near, unaware that they had been his motivation to continue. Grateful that his daughter had grown up healthy, finding a dream that she would keep inside, almost inside a chest, afraid that it would disappear.

"Dad!" Nika shouted, hugging her father.

Luffy sat down on the bed very carefully, breathing heavily. The entrance to Fishman Island had been dangerous. With an uncoated ship and forcing their way through the bubbles that kept the country safe, the entire crew was swallowed by the water, swept away by powerful currents that weakened those who had eaten devil fruits and disabled those who had intended to protect them.

"He's finally awake!" Usopp celebrated.

"Luffy!" Chopper joined in the embrace.

They drank Camie's cold soup after putting their dry clothes back on. The qualities a child could inherit from their parents varied constantly. Nika inherited the rubber boy's ability to make friends. That ease of having people around him, blindly trusting in his dreams and paths. That she got along well with the Medaka quintuplets—marvelling that one shared her name—, came as no surprise to anyone.

Being bright children, they showed her the place using the sea turtle elevator. Nika laughed when she saw the enormous aquatic animal using a whistle. Inside the bubble on its shell, Sanji, Chopper, Usopp, Luffy, and his daughter were escorted away from drowning.

The coral reefs hypnotised them. Their purple, blue, and pink hues became more vibrant as they ascended, the sunlight pampering their colours. Adjusting his straw hat on his head, Luffy turned to look at Camie as he grasped her explanation of why she lived in an almost hidden area.

"Are you poor?" he asked tactlessly.

Nika looked at the mermaid with curiosity. She wouldn't like living in darkness. The conversation turned to another topic, leaving the previous one forgotten. She paid no attention to what the adults were talking about, the district of the gyojin, the dangers of visiting it, or the wealth one had to have to live in Pezverly Hills. Her tiny hands clung to the bubble, smiling broadly as she watched different fish swim outside, surrounding the turtle.

"Oh?" Usopp pointed to something outside the bubble. "Oi, what's that weird tube?"

Camie smiled in enthusiasm.

"That's the aquatic tunnel..."

The turtle finished its journey, bringing them up to the surface. Nika blinked twice, adjusting to the brightness of the sun. Then she blinked again, confused. How could there be sky at the bottom of the sea?

"She's swimming in the sky!" Luffy exclaimed with amusement.

"Camie! Are those your pirate friends?"

Sanji turned quickly, looking for the female voice that had asked the question.

Sitting on coral reefs, chatting among themselves and playing with fish and seahorses, a group of mermaids watched them with enchantment. They did not remember other reckless pirates daring to enter Fishman Island illegally, bursting into their bubbles as if it were their territory. In their right mind, everyone would take a step back. First, it was Whitebeard's territory. Now Big Mom protected them. The Straw Hats were unmatched.

Sanji shed tears at the sight. Horror quickly spread across the faces of the crew members present.

"Sanji started crying!" Chopper pronounced.

"He didn't even cry like this when he left Baratie," Luffy stammered.

"I found it!" announced Sanji. "I finally found my All Blue!"

"No way!" screamed Nika.

"This is my last day alive..." His features clouded with sadness.

"How negative!" Usopp took him by the shoulders. Nika gently tugged at the fabric of his trousers.

Luffy's laughter echoed through the mermaid cove, appeased by those who did not find the situation funny. But the fun did not last forever.

The inhabitants of Fishman Island lived in the strangeness of the darkness that shook them from within. These neglected areas, thrown to the mercy of prejudice, rose up years after the deaths of the hero Fisher Tiger and the kind and beloved queen Otohime. Without Whitebeard's past protection and without strength in their troops, with misconceptions and problems in the way, the Straw Hats freed them from evil, allowing them to grow again as a country.

Princess Shirahoshi was no longer forced to hide from the world, splendorous in her gait. Those who followed Hody Jones had the opportunity to abandon their past lives in the gyojin district, the ones that tied them to the shadows. Uniting as a race without discriminating against each other was the first step towards the future. The decision to take part in the next Reverie was narrowed down by those present, dreaming of living on the surface, with the sunlight caressing their faces without fear of being seen as prizes or slaves.

"Heroes! Heroes!" cheered King Neptune's guards.

The banquet held at the palace was unprecedented. It had been a long time since they had done anything on such a grand scale, but the situation demanded it. Wanting to be a territory of the Straw Hat pirates required it.

"Shut up!" Luffy yelled, sticking to the bubble. "I don't want to be a hero! I want meat!"

"That's right!" Zoro agreed. "I want sake!"

"I want sake!" Nika repeated.

Nami hit Zoro on the back of the head, as if he were the bad influence.

"No sake for you!"

Between the rhythm of the jazz band and Sanji going crazy over the dancers at the Mermaid Cafe, everyone had a great time, enjoying the food and the atmosphere. Shirahoshi approached the boy in the straw hat, the good friend she had made. Luffy danced with her daughter, moving his feet awkwardly to the song. His mouth was stuffed with two pieces of meat, and his clean hands intertwined their fingers with the child's.

Zoro drank everything in his path with Franky and Hatchan sitting on either side of him. Brook jumped out of the bubble to be saved by the graceful mermaids. And the cook stole his idea, achieving the same result. Chopper decided to stop worrying about him and set about eating everything sweet they offered him. Robin debated the quality of the water and the production of sake with a polite smile, while Usopp was carried by Camie, swimming with a bubble protecting his head that allowed him to breathe. Nami finished her eleventh jug of sake when she surprised prince Fukaboshi, because she was just beginning her celebration.

Nika's unprecedented existence was welcomed with joy by the gyojin, who enjoyed the anecdotes of the hero's daughter, posing for her drawings like muses after the banquet. Travelling to their next destination, leaving that underwater island behind, she made another promise. When all their dreams came true, the notebooks with pages made of coral—which Camie had given her—would fly around the world, filled with stories about their travels, battles, and adventures. It was an idea from princess Shirahoshi, who could never leave her room, but her heart beat fiercely when she thought about the surface and what her new friends were experiencing.

Walking with a notebook in her hand and her pet on her shoulder, Nika came and went through the kitchen. The crew began to take their places at the table, waiting for their meal. The navigator and the cook were the most stubborn in avoiding her, frightened by the bond they had forged once again. They wondered if tarantulas didn't hold grudges. How could it have forgotten that the girl had abandoned it for two years? It behaved almost like a faithful dog.

The archaeologist caught up on the latest world news while enjoying a snack from the first course. If Luffy stole something from her plate, she let it slide.

"That's interesting. We're in the newspaper again," she said, tucking a strand of black hair behind her ear.

"Oh?" Franky smiled, adjusting a screw on his arm. "Well, our captain is famous."

"Does it say anything about me?" Sanji asked curiously, filling his arms with plates destined for the table.

"Why would it say anything about you, shitty cook?"

"Shut up, marimo."

"I'm sure there's a photo admiring my beauty," Nami pointed out.

"If they were talking about anyone's beauty, they'd be talking about mine," Usopp objected, putting his face in his hands.

His wink made Luffy spit out the crisps he stole from Robin's plate.

"Don't be disgusting!"

"Yes, Usopp," replied Luffy.

The three of them got caught up in their own world, laughing amid scoldings and retorts. Their carefree attitude was a breath of fresh air. The archaeologist folded the newspaper and left it on the table.

"The world is alerted that the Straw Hat pirates have returned and have already committed their first crime."

Robin's voice reached everyone, alarming them.

"How do they know Jinbe is joining the crew?" Luffy asked.

"Was anyone else on Fhisman Island?" Chopper sat down next to Zoro, biting into his cotton candy sandwich.

"Maybe one of Big Mom's informants told them we challenged her?" Brook lowered his teacup just a little to add his comment.

"That would have been a better scenario," Robin said. "But no. In any case, we are being blamed for the kidnapping of a girl from Sabaody."

The kitchen was filled with a quietness that could only be enjoyed when the Thousand Sunny was being built. Everyone looked at their captain's daughter, whom they had vehemently protected when their journey began. Sometimes doing everything possible was not enough. There were situations that were beyond their control. And hiding her at the age of five was one of them.

"Who stole a child!?" Luffy hollered.

The freezing weather was torture for their bodies. Punk Hazard had divided them when they developed a defence plan. Nika remained on the ship, deprived of being part of her father's group. They feared ending up involved with the marines, forced to hand over a girl who did not belong to them, forced to reveal her identity, whose truth had been respected and sealed in the hearts of their friends along the way. No one had had the guts, much less the need, to shout something of such immensity to the world.

She was neither the descendant nor the relative of criminals. She was the captain's support and sustenance, inspiring him to endure when his dream became blurred, distant, and unattainable.

The cold penetrated the bones of the children trapped in the laboratory, waves of shivers rising from their bare feet, navigating to their spines. They could not remember the last time they breathed fresh air or the feeling of the fierce blizzards lashing their bodies. Being rescued by pirates, noticing a little girl among them, changed their perspectives on the world. Many wanted to heal. They wanted to heal, return to their families and, when the time was right, set sail to follow in the footsteps of these good people.

Including the path of that serious and sinister-looking man. The one who took the time to cure their illnesses at their root.

They didn't know much about Trafalgar Law. But he seemed to know everything. Two, three, or four steps ahead. If anyone managed to beat him at being meticulous and devising perfect plans, he would spot it instantly. That little detail that didn't inspire confidence. The one that didn't sit well with him. The one that made him change direction drastically, until he found a feasible one.

He had noticed something strange two years ago in Sabaody, the first time he met Straw Hat and his crew. He thought, for a second, that a little girl had latched onto them. A little girl with shoulder-length hair, no more than three years old. She ran from one side to the other and when she got excited, she held onto the hem of the rubber boy's shorts. He had heard that he was troublesome, so it would not be surprising that he was good at making friends. Then, his brain deceived him.

If Trafalgar Law had stopped for a second longer to analyse their relationship, he would have noticed the familiarity between the two. The sickly resemblance. Those bright eyes, that dazzling giant smile. Everything was the same in them.

His mind completely erased that information. Carrying the straw hat boy to Amazon Lily unconscious obstructed all thought. He didn't notice Nika nearby. He never saw her, as Boa Hancock only let her leave the palace once the Heart pirates were no longer present.

Then came the news that set the seas abuzz. Monkey D. Luffy was back on his adventures. The Straw Hat pirates were back to continue the new era. And with them, they took a girl from the island.

Except that the little girl in the photo, with long hair and a pink sash similar to the yellow one worn by Luffy, was the same one he had seen two years earlier. She had grown, but he was sure it was her.

"How many tattoos do you have?" Nika inquired for the tenth time. "I forgot."

He didn't know if forming an alliance with that crew was his best idea, but giving him an answer to his uncertainty, an explanation for the existence of that girl, calmed something inside him. The straw hats were different. He sensed something in their captain, a whiff of freedom that no one else had. And the way he raised her from the age of thirteen, taking responsibility for her life, brought back fond memories. Memories of a painted face travelling from hospital to hospital to save his life.

"I have one on my back..."

Law wasn't a man of many words, and yet, on the short journey to Dressrosa, he talked to Nika like never before. She was interested in his devil fruit, adding it to her list of the best ones. It was at the bottom of the list, but he couldn't complain about the result. Children's minds and fascinations worked in different ways. A silly power like rubber was more appealing and fun for a five-year-old.

This sparked teasing and minor squabbles among the captains, who took the time to show Nika who was the most entertaining. Luffy stretched out his arm and shook hands with Usopp, making Nika jump while Brook sang an old song from his kingdom, the girls' favourite. Law made her disappear and reappear in different places, helped her win when they played hide and seek, and disarmed her when she became too irritable. The straw hats found his relaxed image amusing. The hint of immaturity that scratched at his insides and explored the outside when he had Luffy by his side.

But fortune was unpredictable.

Ignore the past or face it. Drag ghosts around or make them disappear. When the time came, the diversity of people's reactions was not something to be trifled with. Show courage, extol your worth, destroy the agony. These were easy concepts to hear or think about, but difficult to act upon.

Donquixote Doflamingo showed why he was one of the warriors of the sea. His strength, fearsome and abusive, overturned a reign of repression in the joyful land of Dressrosa. His crew had devil fruits, one stealing the memories of the inhabitants when they turned their relatives and lovers into toys. Unheard and unremembered, their only light was to win back their hearts, agonising as they left behind a whole life, watching as they formed new ones without them present.

The creatures mistaken for fairies, the tontatta, disappeared one by one, forced to work in an underground factory, creating fruits whose power they did not know. And the toys, unable to sleep, worked alongside them, enslaved.

A few minutes earlier, Nika, Robin, and Usopp had left king Riku's army headquarters, intending to help those who opposed Doflamingo in an operation called "SOP". Separating her from Luffy was no easy task, especially when her father was in the coliseum, fighting to obtain his uncle's devil fruit. Robin and Usopp did a good job together in convincing her that she was no match for those who were fighting.

Crawling through the subterranean passageway while being carried by the tontatta did not embarrass them. Nika, in her innocence, thought that helping her new friends was noble. She was oblivious to Usopp's terror and Robin's doubts about the mission's success.

Unaware that above her head, her father had abandoned his fight in the coliseum. He was replaced by a man he had not seen in a long time. A man he believed to be dead, but who had returned to his side, crying and apologising as if the blame were solely and exclusively his. For not remembering them in time, for not being there when they needed him most. For not saving his first friend, his best friend. His brother, Portgas D. Ace.

The situation had exceeded their goals. The fight was beyond their capabilities. Robin's powers were useless when she couldn't reach her targets, when they made it impossible for her by turning her into a toy. All she could do was force Nika to stay still by her side, preventing Trebol from attacking her when the fierce urge to hit him with her pipe consumed her. She felt useless. Half of the tontatta were toys and the rest were seriously injured. But the worst injuries were to their hearts when hope began to fade.

Only the hero remained.

The fearful sniper Nika knew was gone. The man proudly and confidently shouted his name, his position, his crew, and his desire to protect those who trusted him blindly. With him, the unexpected worked better than a plan.

Sugar was knocked unconscious by the scare. The toys glowed, dissolving their old form into particles, until only the humans who had been forgotten remained. The memories, the stolen moments, the lives recovered and those that needed to be recovered. Dressrosa uncovered one of its biggest problems. Doflamingo's downfall began with that.

"Everything went just as I planned..." Usopp whispered, making an effort to raise a thumb, ignoring the pain that thundered through his body.

"Usoland!" exclaimed the tontatta ecstatically.

"Robin-san!" Nika cried, hugging the woman between sobs. "I'm sorry for forgetting you!"

"Nika-chan..." Murmured Robin, wrapping her arms around her. The touch of her fingers caressing her back softened her tears. "Everything turned out fine. Don't apologise."

Nika clenched her pipe as she broke the embrace, wiping her tears with her free hand.

"I promise I'll protect you! Nothing like this will ever happen to you again."

Robin covered her mouth. She was so sweet.

Amidst the celebrations and praise for Usopp, a crack opened in the ceiling. The archaeologist remained hidden from Trebol, with Nika crouching beside her, when she caught sight of some familiar faces jumping from above. She turned her gaze to the child, contemplating for a few seconds what she should do.

Sabo revealed his identity to Rebecca and Bartolomeo, with Hack and Koala standing beside him. Doflamingo's officers listened in secret. With Sugar defeated and the second-in-command of the revolutionary army present, their boss's reign was becoming complicated. Reporting the situation was of the utmost importance. But as oblivious as Sabo was to them, so were they to him, not noticing the girl behind them.

"You won't!" she vociferated, wielding her pipe.

The blow landed squarely on one of their heads in a practised movement. The impact knocked one unconscious, forcing his body to collide with his companion's. Both heads crashed together with a loud bang.

Sabo turned his head quickly, alert.

And suddenly, the world stopped.

He didn't notice Robin embracing Koala after so long without seeing her. He didn't hear Bartolomeo's questions or Hack's scolding. He could only see her and understand his younger brother's last words. Who that "take care of her for me" was referring to.

Emerging from among the boxes filled with weapons and fruit, a child with long hair walked confidently, carrying a pipe over her shoulder. A pipe, of all things.

His heart skipped a beat. What was happening? Who was she? She had huge, cheerful eyes and a smile so big it could outshine the sun. He had only seen that look on his little brother. Those features in him.

That girl was his spitting image. It was as if he had seven-year-old Luffy in front of him again.

"Robin-san!" she called out to his friend. "No one will attack you again. I defeated them."

"You're amazing, my beautiful Nika."

Nika? Her name was Nika. And she looked just like her brother. The child suddenly fixed her gaze on him.

"What's wrong with you? You look dumb."

She spoke just like her brother did when he was a child.

"Uhm... I..."

"Did Sabo-kun get nervous because of a little girl?" Koala teased.

"I didn't get nervous!"

"Sabo?"

He looked down. Nika was scrutinising him with her gaze, almost questioningly.

"That’s my name," his voice escaped as a barely audible murmur.

"My dad had a brother with that name."

Sabo didn't know how to respond. He couldn't doubt the thread of his ideas. He couldn't doubt his judgement and intuition. That girl, so full of tenacity, was his brother's daughter. Her appearance wrung his soul. The age her image revealed to him pulled his world down to his feet, agonising with regret.

He wasn't there.

He wasn't there to see Luffy fall in love for the first time, or to advise him or scold him. He wasn't there when life presented him with that bitter challenge, raising a daughter while still a minor. What had to happen? How much did he have to learn? Where was Nika's mother? Surely Ace was involved in her upbringing. Surely Ace saw her grow up more than he did.

He was a terrible brother. He didn't deserve to be back in their lives. He didn't deserve to be able to admire her when he abandoned her. He missed out on so much. A whole life. He wanted to scream, he wanted to lock himself in his room in Baltigo and cry, torment himself a little more because he deserved it.

If he had regained his memories in time, his niece would have her uncle alive. The uncle who watched her grow up. He failed them.

"Dad told me that my uncle Ace and my uncle Sabo used to fight with these pipes. That's why I learned how to use one."

Sabo blinked, quickly wiping away a stray tear.

"What do you think of your uncle Sabo?" Nika took a step forward to hear him better.

"Huh? What kind of question is that? Dad says he was cool, so I believe that too," she stated with a smile. "Uncle Ace once told me that uncle Sabo was the best navigator of the three. Nami teaches me how to navigate when she can. So I'll have that from him!"

Sabo pressed his lips together, bending down to her height.

"What if he had been alive all these years? Would you hate him?"

Nika crossed her arms, the pipe pressed tightly against her chest between them.

"Why would I hate him?" she didn't like this man's questions.

"Because he wasn't there... When things got tough."

"I wasn't there either." Sabo felt something inside him mend when she said those words. He could feel his eyes stinging, threatening to spill tears. "And I'd be happy to meet him."

The devaluation of their selves in the awareness of destiny was overwhelming. Deprived of the grace of seeing each other again, all they had left was the idea that they would exist forever. The bonds of blood created by kindness, trust, and love would exist forever. The past, present, and future belonged to the three of them, reigning over the eras they were allowed to witness.

Sabo sniffed, looking down at his gloved hands. Conflicting feelings swirled inside him. He wanted to talk to her, get to know her, be part of her future. Fill that space that belonged to him in her heart. Be her other favourite uncle. Would he have competed with Ace if everything had been as it was before? If everything had turned out well? Surely. He and his brothers competed for everything. His niece's affection and love would be no exception.

"So, you like pipes, then?" he dared to ask. He wouldn't reveal his identity. First, he wanted her to get to know him.

"Yes! They're a bit heavy, but I'm good with them. This one is from Amazon Lily, it's a bit old."

"How about I give you a better one than that?" Sabo suggested.

"How is one pipe better than another? They're all the same."

"Sabo-kun's are made of seastone. I think we brought one on the ship," added Koala, curious about the interaction.

It had been a long time since she had seen her best friend so dejected. Much less so charmed by a little girl.

Nika had never experienced a chase before. The rest of the crew ran as if it were an everyday occurrence. The enormous debris from the buildings, homes, and businesses destroyed by Doflamingo hung suspended in the air, warning that they would be victims of something catastrophic, similar to a Buster Call. Her short legs took slow steps. She knew she could hurry up and keep pace with Robin, Zoro, Usopp, Franky, and Kin'emon. But her gaze kept turning back, desperately searching for her father.

They had been separated. He had stroked her hair before saying he had to leave because he had something to do. She didn't understand what could be so urgent, what could need him so fervently.

Her body collided head-on with someone. Gravity dragged her harshly to the floor. She heard the dull thud of her seastone pipe hitting the ground beside her, a gift from that blond man whose peculiar tastes were all she knew about him. The edge of her pink sash was trampled by pirates running towards the harbour, hoping to escape Fujitora's attack.

"Are you all right?"

Nika picked up her pipe, looking at the man in front of her. A simple marine recruit with shaved hair, wearing his uniform neatly, like everyone who wanted to impress their superiors to rise in rank.

"Man, you won't believe what I heard." A group of three marines approached him, holding some pirates who had been unlucky. "Tsuru, Sengoku and Garp are here."

"Does Doflamingo need that much protection?" muttered the young man with shaved hair.

"Did you see what he did? He deserves it. We couldn't handle someone like that," said a red-haired marine.

Nika took a few steps back. She had to keep running. Pretend to be a girl from Dressrosa until she found her way to her crew. She had to keep going straight. No detours, no trouble.

"Anyway, isn't it strange that Garp is here?"

She hid behind a destroyed building when they lost sight of her, more interested in their conversation, proud of having captured some low-life pirates. They were the kind of people who took refuge in the power of others, with no desire to improve themselves.

"How could it be strange? His grandson is here and he captured the princess of Dressrosa! They have to send him to Impel Down before he causes any more trouble," a woman growled.

The redhead next to her let out a loud laugh, patting her on the shoulder as she fastened the seastone handcuffs on the pirate's wrists.

"Just like what happened to his brother!" he exclaimed as if it were funny.

Nika's eyes stung. How could they talk like that? Her uncle had been a pirate, but first and foremost, he was a human being. She took a deep breath, her mind tormenting her. No one had forgotten him, no one would let him rest in peace.

"Right, fire fist and straw hat were brothers," the woman recalled the fact.

"Garp was there," the marine she collided with blurted out. "Did he let his grandson die?"

"Who cares? It was the right thing to do. Filthy pirate, he’s better off dead."

Nika jumped, raising her pipe high. As she stepped on the huge rubble, the height she gained was ideal for delivering the blow she loved so much.

The sound of something breaking startled the group of marines. The speed of events left them stunned. Their red-haired comrade was lying on the floor, cursing as tears ran down his cheeks. He was holding his nose, applying pressure to stop the incessant bleeding. They noticed the little girl in front of their friend and recognised her immediately. She was the child who had been stolen by the straw hats. That girl, whom everyone believed to be innocent, had injured a marine.

The thick liquid accompanied her as she ran towards the dock, taking quick steps towards her safe place. Her breathing was ragged. Her side was starting to burn, and every step hurt. It hurt to feel the pressure urging her to give in, fall to her knees and let herself be carried away by her tears.

She missed her uncle.

When did one heal if they were constantly reminded of the past?

Her breathing became ragged and she stopped dead in her tracks. Her hands were covered in the blood of that marine, trembling at the memory. At the helplessness. The pipe was painted with red fingerprints, smudged by sweat around the edges.

"Nika-chan!"

She didn't want to turn around, unable to overthink the possibilities.

Her memories were an endless lagoon of good times. Of infectious laughter and bad jokes. Of nights enjoying the stars. Of days of hunting and good meals. Of afternoons of training and painful groans. They all included her father, her uncle, and her great-grandfather.

She couldn't comprehend the idea that he was there, watching as they took the life of the person she loved most, and he couldn't act accordingly. He couldn't rush in and stop it. Why not release him? Were his crimes so bad? Did he kill someone important? Her uncle had been her first friend, and then he promised to introduce her to two more. He was loved. He was cherished.

"Nika-chan, please listen to me." Garp approached her slowly. He hadn't seen her in two years. The last time was during his brief visit to Water 7.

"I don't want to..." She whispered.

"The world knows about you. Please listen to me and come with me. I can't protect you if you're far away."

"I don't need protection!" her voice broke. "I'm strong, and I have dad. I don't want to be separated from dad."

"What am I going to do with you?" Garp sighed. "Join the marine. Don't become a pirate."

"I'd rather die."

He looked at her in bewilderment. The concept of death should not be instilled in the mind of a child.

"What did you just say?" he asked quietly.

"I'd rather die!" she sobbed.

Luffy ran, overwhelmed. From a distance, he could see debris suspended in the air. That devil fruit was something that exceeded all limits. The kind blind man was crazy. He had to get to the dock and set sail with his crew, so he could reunite with the missing members. And with Torao's crew.

His eyes deceived him for a second, forcing him to take two steps back in his jog. What was his grandfather doing here? And was that his daughter?

The pressure in his chest as painful as the first time his scar became one with his flesh. The shiver that managed to whip his spine slowed his pace, his feet becoming clumsy, stumbling over his sandals. A few inches away from him, his little daughter, who always tried to brighten up her friends' lives, was crying inconsolably. Her shoulders shook as she murmured words he couldn't hear.

Approaching to find out the reason for her distress created an image he never wanted to see again in his life.

"You're talking nonsense, little one," Garp protested.

"Why?" Her sobs increased. "Why does everyone say you were with Uncle Ace and didn't help him?"

The vice admiral felt small again. He felt like he had gone back two years in time, to the moment he returned to Foosha to be beaten by Dadan.

"Would you also let me die for being a pirate?" The lump in her throat was impossible to swallow. "What’s wrong with wanting to be like dad and uncle Ace?"

"Pirates are a threat."

There was certainty in his words. An unshakeable belief held for years. Monkey D. Garp was a man of justice. The justice he believed to be right.

"Then kill me."

"What?"

"I'm a pirate too, kill me!"

Garp frowned. She didn't know what she was talking about. She was only five years old and knew nothing about the world.

"Nika! What are you doing here?"

Luffy wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Her trembling back relaxed against the warmth of his chest. The rubber boy smiled at her, putting his hat on her head.

It was the greatest act of love he could give her to calm her down.

"Let's go to the others, they're waiting for us!"

A single glance at his grandfather was his warning.

During their brief stay in Zou, the minks and the connected crews noticed the vibrant behaviour of the captain of the Straw Hats. His heightened energy retained hints of sensitivity and comfort. His actions, generally carefree, were permeated by the need to mend a heart he had not broken. With every joke and every new game with his devil fruit, Luffy moved forward on a shaky bridge, gathering the broken pieces in his calloused hands, trying to put them back together with red string.

He had heard little of what his grandfather had said. He had heard enough of what his daughter had said.

Both had hidden their suffering without speaking of it. Both had decided to carry on for him, for their friends, and for dreams both distant and near.

How long could a person go without facing their worst demon? The nightmares, the memories, the regrets. Luffy covered it all with smiles. With hope. With love. Promises of a better tomorrow.

Under the glow of the full moon covered by a mantle of clouds, father and daughter enjoyed the vigorous song of the crickets, who accelerated their verses as the heat refused to recede. Not even Zunesha's baths could appease it.

Luffy stirred on the wooden floor, leaning on his elbows. Both hands pressed against his cheeks, smiling amusedly as he swung his feet in the air.

"Robin told me you met Sabo."

"The guy with the funny hat?" said Nika. Lying on her back with her arms bent behind her head, she tried to catch a star, refusing to give up because of a cloud. "He gave me a cool pipe! It's better than the one I had."

"Shishishi, that's great. Did you talk a lot?"

"He told me he has his own ship. He also wants to write a book about all his adventures, so I told him I want to do that too. But comics! In those weird notebooks Camie gave me."

His daughter rambled on for several minutes. Luffy listened attentively to every word she said, feeling no need to add much to the conversation.

"Did you tell him about your spider?" he asked.

"I didn't have time. Did you know he's second in command of the revolutionary army? And he ate uncle Ace's fruit! He showed it to me before he left."

"It's in good hands, eh?" he tucked a strand of her long hair behind her ear.

"Huh? Why are his hands good?"

Luffy laughed out loud when she didn't understand.

"Who else could have it if not him? It stayed within the family and carries Ace's will."

"Within the family?" Nika pouted. "Uncle Ace's will? I don't understand."

"Didn't Sabo tell you he's your uncle?"

Nika choked on her breath, sitting up suddenly. She stared at her father, her eyes wide with the new information.

"That was uncle Sabo!?"

The questions and the desire for more information intensified with each new anecdote from her father. How Sabo had been born into a noble family, despising everything that position required. Everything that took away from those who had less. Laughter was carried away by the sea breeze, filling every corner of the Thousand Sunny when a new memory struck Luffy's mind, which he was quick to share with everyone. Sabo being the kindest of the three? The one who, thanks to his upbringing, had the best manners at first? The expert thief? The incredible navigator? The one who saved him from being eaten by a crocodile? From eating a poisonous mushroom?

It wasn't every day that the Straw Hats heard so much about the rubber boy. He carried his past with him like a beautiful, precious, and valuable memory, without feeling the need to share it with others. His mind was focused on the present. On those around him, eating, drinking, playing, studying, learning, creating. Knowing more about him as a child was no different from the magnet for disasters he was as a young adult.

Disasters were not long in coming when the ship entered Big Mom's territory.

The situation had worsened. Sticking to Trafalgar Law's plans had become impossible when, right before his eyes, an important member of the crew had been snatched from his hands against his will. Destroy the Punk Hazard laboratory, kidnap Caesar Clown, defeat Donquixote Doflamingo, and finally, destroy Kaido. Luffy had agreed to everything. But he would never agree to move forward without a friend.

He couldn't be the king of pirates if one was missing.

Totto Land regaled them with its delicacies. Chocolate, that eternal treat, melted on their tongues. Sweet, bitter, whether coating fruit or filling pastries, there was no surface on the first island that had not been devoured by the father and daughter duo, gluttons from birth. They were accompanied by Chopper, a lover of sweet things.

They were pleasantly surprised to discover the climate in the yonko's territory. The storms were not cruel downpours that disturbed the waves, amid rumbling thunder and destructive lightning. They were not flakes in quantities that would leave them stunned, struggling to clear the snow from the deck, quickly dodging sub-zero temperatures.

The storms here were sweet, soft, and fluffy. They were cotton candy of different colours falling from the sky.

"Nika!" Chopper approached her, waving paper bags between his hooves. "Fill these up!"

She took one in her hands, hoping a cloud would choose to land on her when she opened it. Carrot ran towards them excitedly.

"Chobro, try the blue ones!"

"Awesome!" Luffy stuck out his tongue, delighted by the sweetness that caressed it. "Nami, can we take one?"

‘"We won't steal from Big Mom!" she grumbled.

"Yohoho, it wouldn't be bad to have one of these, but with tea."

The pleas to Nami continued to increase. Everything their eyes could see was something new that they swore they needed on the Thousand Sunny. Chocolate trees to match Nami's tangerine trees, a fountain that spouted juice instead of water, like the flavoured rivers in the area, even some of those flowers that had a life of their own but were made of cake.

Totto Land was a land of dreamers, forged from its foundations to become the cradle of species. A refuge for all races, far from discrepancy. It seemed like the work of a child's imagination, a fantasy born of innocence.

But those ideals were no longer their foundation. The price for that life was paid with their souls.

And Sanji had succumbed to the longing for peace.

Having fought tooth and nail to escape that cursed forest that manipulated their minds and images, having defeated the cause of such a spectacle—with Nika calling her beautiful, unaware of her insecurity about her scar on her face—and having fought Cracker had been complicated. The strength and endurance of their bodies and abilities far outweighed some of those present.

But even so, it had been easier to do all that than to bear the burden on their hearts. The pain of those words. The suffering of seeing that it was fear speaking. Feelings and a past never revealed.

"Do you think you're funny, Sanji?" Nami shouted. "Nothing you say makes any sense!"

Her chest ached as she felt Nika's little hands tugging at her skirt, hiding behind her with fear haunting that smile that always came to her eyes. This wasn't the Sanji she knew. The cook who always spoiled her. The man who gave them the best just because they were his favourite women.

The one standing in front of them now, wearing a red cape indicating his noble lineage, under a crystal-clear sky that on a good day would promise a treat from him, was now giving them the worst of looks. His eyes bore nothing but hatred. But the child noticed it. The slight tremor in his hand, the way he puffed on his cigarette more quickly, as if he needed everything to happen faster. As if he wanted it all to end.

"So we were never friends?" Nika swallowed hard when she heard her father's words. "Have you been deceiving me all this time?"

Totto Land was a land of dreamers, but not everyone could dream.

Some had to stand still, unable to intervene. Some had to listen to the mocking laughter of others and tolerate it, because nothing more was expected of them. Some had to understand which battles to fight and which not to fight.

Nami squeezed Nika's arm, not wanting her to move closer.

One kick, and her father remained standing.

Nika sobbed loudly when she saw his knocked-out tooth and bleeding nose.

"I said get ready. If you don't use haki, you're going to die." Sanji spoke in a forceful tone.

"You're my friend. I won't fight you."

A knee to the face, and her father remained standing.

Friendships fading away due to lack of communication or false words were the kind of loss one never recovers from. One remembers and longs. One longs for a return to the past, the good times, the genuine smiles and innocent jokes. One longs for security, love, understanding. One longs for versions of another person and of oneself that changed, but deep down, still shone.

The duel was nothing more than a brutal beating from which Nami protected her. Her soft hands covered her eyes, pressing her face against her stomach, refusing between screams and tears to let the child witness her father in that state. To a friend so precious doing that to him. It seemed that even she could not stop him.

"Please, Sanji, stop!" Her pitiful cries pierced the air. "We'll leave! We'll leave! Please don't hurt him!"

"Sanji-san... My dad..." Nika sobbed without looking at them, clutching Nami's skirt as her tears wet it.

"I won't leave!"

One kick to the skull, and her father collapsed.

"Luffy!"

Nami rushed forward, hurrying towards her captain, desperation suffocating her good judgement. She called out, begging the unconscious boy to wake up. She hoped his injuries weren't too serious. She trusted in his physical strength, but even more so in his mental strength. She couldn't hear anything, she just wanted Luffy to be himself again.

Nika took shaky steps. Her memory took her back to Rusukaina, when she saw her father bandaged up.

This was the first time she had seen his open wounds.

The candy floss she had eaten a few hours earlier rose in her throat when she saw the blood on his unresponsive body. Going to check on him would be seen as a mockery of his effort and his position in the duel. Seeing the cuts up close, their depth and the bruises, would render her useless.

The grass beneath her sank as her sandals damaged it. Confident steps endowed with a willpower born of the desire to help were directed towards a magnificent carriage. The red silk crumpled in her fist as she pulled on the cape, demanding her friend's attention.

"Sanji-san..." She sniffed. A tremor shook his body as he recognised her. He didn't know she had landed on Whole Cake Island with the others. "You hate doing this, right? I'm sorry you have to protect us. If I were stronger, maybe I could..."

Anguish riddled his deceit.

Grateful smiles helped light up those dreamy eyes when he made her ice cream or chocolates, delivering them to the deck when she lay under the scorching sun. Pouting and tantrums danced through the air that entered the kitchen windows when he found her in the middle of the night, trying to steal something. Laughter, cheeks and hair stained with flour decorated her image when he invited her to bake cakes.

He never imagined a future where that sweet face would only offer him cheeks drenched in torrential tears.

Her short nails dug into her palms in a desperate attempt to stop her sobs. She thought the pain would distract her, that it would stop her lower lip from trembling and make her voice sound less broken as she apologised.

Sanji bit his cigarette, wondering why she was the one apologising when he had broken his promise. When he was the one who had painted that expression on her face, discarding every memory they had shared. He wondered why she was the one trying to be strong for him when he was the adult.

In the end, Nika and Luffy were no different.

Both saw his heart.

Both saw the wall he had put up to his dreams.

Internal suffering chained him to the past. The weight of the helmet on his head, pressing down and suffocating him, worsened with every decision he made. He believed it was for their good. Returning to his blood family and following the path laid out by greedy dreams was nothing if he could save those he loved.

Born noble and dragged into dungeons for falling short of expectations had shaped Sanji's personality. He endured the beatings, wishing he had been born like his brothers, a flawless killing machine. He endured the taunts, the hurtful words, the verbal abuse. He endured having his tastes broken and being forbidden from practising them.

He endured, until they gave him up for dead, driving him away from what he believed was his home.

Love, mutual respect, hope, devotion, and freedom. These were all concepts he discovered when Zeff adopted him.

And when his crew welcomed him.

He saw love when Zeff saved him from drowning, losing his leg so that he could eat. He saw it when he taught him to cook in that restaurant that was just beginning to take shape. He never gave him his recipes. He would push him out of the kitchen and away from his pans with a slap, until he was forced to guess them and improve them. He saw it when he kicked him and scolded him left and right, wanting him to grow up to be a good man.

He started to see it alongside freedom when his mornings began by waking up before everyone else on the Going Merry, rolling up his sleeves with the aim of putting smiles on their faces with breakfasts created for each of them. It was always something to their liking. Tea with biscuits for Robin and Brook, chopped fruit for Nami, bacon and eggs for Nika, Luffy, Zoro, Franky, and Usopp, chocolate cake with a glass of milk for Chopper. He was satisfied with a "it's delicious, Sanji" and even with the bulging cheeks of that stupid marimo who expressed neither pleasure nor displeasure. He said it all by holding out his bowl for more.

He saw mutual respect, hope and devotion when they helped someone on each island. When they could give them back the future that had been stolen from them.

And he wanted to see it again.

He wanted to sail. He wanted to be accepted. He wanted to remain free, to see Luffy become the Pirate King, to tease Zoro when he became the greatest swordsman, to congratulate Nami on drawing her world map, watch Usopp become a fierce warrior of the sea, accompany Franky and the Thousand Sunny as they sail around the Grand Line, admire Brook and Laboon's reunion, listen to Robin reveal the truth about the empty century, praise Chopper when he finds cures for all diseases, be part of Jinbe's addition to the crew, and contribute to Nika's upbringing.

He wanted to be with them and cook for them.

But he had to tolerate this new reality so that their past would not catch up with them.

The passing of the hours brought with it the imminent arrival of his wedding.

Sanji felt that stupidity was overcoming his true duty.

Who was he cooking for? He didn't know the tastes of the young woman who was his fiancée. He knew nothing about the family they wanted to tie him to. He had nothing to do with those who called themselves his blood.

Threatened by his father, threatened by Big Mom, there was only one place he belonged.

It was that basket full of his crew's favourite foods that put an end to his demons.

He confessed with a lump in his throat, trying to get the words out as he knelt before his captain. He opened his heart, shouting that he wanted to return to the Thousand Sunny, happy to have fed him, astonished that Luffy was truly, without hesitation, capable of starving to death just to have him by his side.

The rubber boy had been waiting for that, and so he was able to make a decision.

In the middle of their meeting place, crouching down and holding a piece of broken mirror, he smiled as if he had the solution to all the problems in the universe. Sanji shifted uneasily. He didn't know if they would forgive him. He didn't know if they would make it out of the yonko's territory alive. But at least he was with them. He was home.

"Luffy, did you come to an agreement?" Pedro asked.

Luffy smiled at Sanji.

"Yes! We'll destroy Big Mom's tea party and the wedding too. We'll save Sanji's family and come back."

A deathly silence fell on the other side of the mirror.

The situation they were about to face was more dangerous than anything they had ever encountered before. Sanji tried to make him reconsider his decision, too many lives were at stake. As much as his heart yearned for that glimmer of hope, guilt gnawed at him.

"Yes!"

The jubilant cry from his friends in unison made him step back.

"Idiot! I heard you got into a fight with Luffy and I was so worried!" Chopper sobbed.

"What a relief! You're an idiot!" Carrot wiped her tears with her fists.

"Idiot!" Brook followed them.

Jinbe took the mirror.

"Luffy-kun, now we know what to do. But you must add another priority."

Nami's fingers stopped midway, ceasing to adjust her high ponytail. Her inability to fulfil the one thing Luffy asked of her was something she had to communicate. Tense and heartbroken, she knew that regardless of the outcome of the relationship between her two friends, the fight against Big Mom was imminent.

They had to defeat her.

Arms covered in white fur surrounded Chopper's tiny body, holding their breath. At some point, their protection had faltered. Each of their attempts had ended in failure.

If their captain's rage fell upon them, they felt they deserved it.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

Luffy poked his nose, confused. Sanji sat down next to him, slapping his hand to stop him, ignoring the bodies lying unconscious in all directions after the previous fight. Each attack must have been fierce.

"Luffy-san, we..."

Nami silenced Brook, taking the mirror in her hands.

"Big Mom has Nika captive. I'm so sorry, Luffy... We couldn't get her back."

There were situations where restraining the rubber boy became impossible. A task for giants.

If he wanted to visit an island, he didn't ask for a second opinion. If he wanted to steal someone's food, he didn't listen to that person's complaints. If he wanted to fight someone who was more powerful than him just because they had offended a friend, he would do it.

Nothing could stop him. And so it was that, between Bege's threats and Jinbe's strong grip, they managed to get him to sit down on a sofa before he stormed into Big Mom's palace again.

Luffy was furious. He hated anyone he didn't know touching his daughter. He hated her being far away from him. He hated her being claimed as theirs. Sitting cross-legged with his hands resting on his ankles, he rocked his body with a frown, blowing on his rebellious locks to distract himself from the ferocity of his anger.

He had remained calm when he was told that Big Mom had captured Brook for being a rare species she did not yet have in Totto Land, and Nika because, for some strange reason, she had a soft spot for children under the age of five. He trusted his friends to get them back, but when the time came, they only found the musician sleeping next to the yonko.

Alarmed, they checked all the mirrors in the palace. Kitchens, bathrooms, the bedrooms of her more than twenty children, the servants' quarters, the indoor and outdoor gardens. The homes around and throughout Totto Land did not hide Nika either.

It was Chopper who threatened Brûlée until she confessed her whereabouts.

Nika was in a place they couldn't reach without being captured and facing the worst possible fate.

She was in a place without mirrors. The room of Big Mom's youngest children.

"Mama mama, what would you like to try, sweet Nika?"

The tea party was in full swing, with people milling around the various tables, tasting and praising the chef’s sweet specialities. The yonko walked excitedly, holding the hand of the little girl who was jumping beside her, both wondering what to devour first. Getting her to wear a polka dot dress to match hers was not the challenge she had expected. She discovered that Nika enjoyed matching with others.

And Big Mom was happy, because the delicacies she wanted were being served and the decorations, from garlands to tablecloths, were a feast for the eyes. The girl who brightened her day was by her side, accompanying her. Those she expected from the underworld had made an appearance. Her daughter would marry, and the power of the Vinsmokes would fall into her hands. With that, her dream of becoming the queen of pirates would be within reach, and most importantly, a large wedding cake would be her reward for such an extraordinary plan.

Her stomach growled in anticipation of eating it.

"Linlin-san, what are these chocolates?" Nika asked, tugging at the hem of Big Mom's dress. "I want to give the recipe to Sanji-san so my dad can try them!"

Big Mom's smile began to falter, holding back the tremor in her eye. For a second, she had forgotten the girl's father.

That tenderness that was Nika, following in her footsteps with endless questions, was also following in someone else's footsteps. Someone who, to her great misfortune, treaded heavily in her life. She was mortified to think that such a polite and kind existence came from the irreverent Monkey D. Luffy. A man who did not know his place among pirates, advancing with rebellion and stupidity into territories that did not belong to him.

Her territory.

But he was fortunate.

She would not take much in exchange for his life. A cook was replaceable, and a daughter being raised by her was a privilege.

Totto Land would welcome her as one of their own until she found a purpose. Perhaps, if she grew up to be beautiful enough, she would be worthy of being consecrated in marriage to someone of a species lacking in her country.

Hiding Pudding's deformity by enhancing her beauty, she promised the Vinsmokes. With hers, Praline bound her to the sun pirates, those gyojin that Whitebeard had denied her before his death, protecting their island with an iron fist against her.

Chiffon and Lola became exceptional cases, her greatest embarrassments. Lola had rejected the marriage she so longed for. A perfect arrangement with the giants, a life ahead of her with the prince by her side. Chiffon reminded her of her twin, but she had been more functional. She tied herself to a man of the worst generation, forcing him to bow his head and accept his fate, his lack of future in piracy.

Linlin licked her lips, smiling at Nika.

"Sanji can cook for you here."

"No. Sanji-san cooks better on the Sunny Go," she protested, stealing another chocolate. "How long until this party is over? You promised I could go back to dad after this, and promises aren't broken, Linlin-san."

She took a napkin from the table and wiped the chocolate from her cheeks. Deceiving a child, who was innocently entering society, gave her no pleasure. However, such an event, such circumstances, led her to sacrifice her ethics.

"After the wedding cake. You will return to your dad after tasting the wedding cake."

A incessant clinking gave a nod to the future. Glasses on each table clinked together, shattering into minute fragments that compelled everyone to tread carefully. Even holding onto the tables, crumpling the white and pink tablecloths that were subtle to the touch, compromised the safety of the guests, who stumbled and looked bewildered at the commotion.

The nightmare had unfolded in broad daylight, every moment captured by Morgans.

Luffy charged outside, destroying the wedding cake with the help of multiple clones.

"Big Mom!" he called, wiping the cream from his mouth with the back of his hand.

His movements became wild among the guests. Each copy of him broke the wedding decorations, chairs, and tables, letting out sounds that only they understood, and Chopper, if he were closer. The screams from the uproar disturbed the Charlotte family, who stood paralysed as these beasts pulled at suits, tore dresses, and dirtied tablecloths.

"What is all this?" Mont-d'Or dodged a transformed monkey.

Smoothie approached him, demanding answers that no one knew. They could only watch as, with each step taken by the clones, the cake began to crumble before their eyes.

"It's Straw Hat!" Morgans announced, focusing his den den mushi to take photographs from different angles.

"Straw Hat?" Smoothie frowned at one of his brothers. "Wasn't he dead?"

"He didn't come just for the groom..." Mont-d'Or licked his lips nervously.

"What are you talking about?" She insisted on an explanation.

Nika tilted her head to one side, watching the same creatures that had confused her in the forest with her father's face pass by. Linlin beside her seemed upset, letting go of her hand to stamp her feet loudly, muttering words that she couldn't hear from her height.

She turned her gaze back to the creatures. Was her father here? Did that mean they would soon be going to the Thousand Sunny, that ship they called home? Would she finally be able to stop having sleepovers with those annoying children? With an excited smile, she seized the moment and slipped away.

Tier after tier, the party turned into a bath of filling, strawberries and cream. Nika took careful steps, counting them, trying not to be seen by anyone. A princess sobbed, asking one of her dad's clones to stop pulling her hair, neglecting her purse. From its size and shape, it must have been to Nami's liking.

She took it surreptitiously in her hands, crawled under the table and, hidden among the tablecloths, turned the bag upside down and emptied its contents onto the floor.

In the midst of his flight through the air with Pudding in his arms, Sanji looked down, trying to identify a little girl in the sea of people. Nami, Chopper, and Carrot's part of the plan began with a signal from him. An indication of the whereabouts of their captain's daughter.

A hint of a smile graced his face when he found her, pointing his finger towards a table near Morgans. Nami ran disgustedly, trampling on the cream and dirtying her heels. She clutched the clima tact in her hand, advancing towards Nika with Chopper and Carrot close behind.

She shook her head when she saw her taking advantage of everyone's distraction to steal desserts, sweets, and chocolates.

The rapid unfolding of events required careful action on Nami's part. Picking up Nika and running away from Big Mom, avoiding being seen by her sons and without attracting the attention of the guests, would put her elusive thieving skills to the test, skills she had learned throughout her life in order to protect herself and others.

With Perospero capturing Germa 66, Jinbe abandoning the Yonko's crew—being one of the few to remain alive after Soul Pocus was executed—Brook destroying the portrait of Mother Carmel, the wedding cake smashed to pieces, and Luffy's clones spreading chaos throughout the place, there was nothing that could hold Nami back.

There was so much information to process that no one would notice the mysterious absence of the girl who had entered with Big Mom.

Everything was in her favour.

Nami was calm.

"Nika!" A voice shouted, echoing among those present. "Where are you!?"

Nika swallowed a cupcake, closing the stolen purse with difficulty. It was so full that several things were squashed.

"Dad, over here!"

"Nika!" Luffy smiled, waving his hand in greeting.

"Dad?" whispered someone close to Nami.

They said that words held an indomitable power, capable of changing the course of a person's life. But if there was anyone who could tame them, taking the baton to orchestrate the opinions of the world to his convenience, it was Morgans.

Islands, kingdoms, and villages scattered across the four seas and Grand Line awoke to a new edition of News Coo. Ordinary people, workers, and peasants froze, clutching the paper in their trembling hands. Their faces were tinged with uncertainty, despair and fear as they read the new information brought into their lives. The marines mobilised as never before, talking among themselves in shock, making calls and waiting for orders from higher-ups to take action. The pirates gasped, unable to believe the audacity of a mere rookie.

The cover of News Coo was simple. Decorated with a huge photograph, Luffy smiled ecstatically, hugging a little girl tightly.

Identical faces, identical smiles.

The headline? Monkey D. Nika, daughter of Monkey D. Luffy, the fifth emperor of the sea.

The reactions were replicated in different parts of the world.

On a small island in the East Blue, an entire village smiled with amusement, whispering to each other how they had watched the most reckless pirate of the new generation grow up, the one they described as the brains behind the assassination attempt on a Yonko, the mastermind behind the union of important figures.

The mayor of Foosha scolded them, saying it was a disgrace to their region, glancing surreptitiously at the photograph.

The crowded Partys Bar emptied with the arrival of the mountain bandits, who occupied every table, afraid to say too much as their leader shouted furiously, held back by her two trusted men. The newspaper that fell into her hands crumpled in her fist.

"Luffy! Damn brat!" Dadan looked at the photograph with tears in her eyes. "I'll kill him for this! How dare he reveal his daughter to everyone?"

Makino rocked her newborn son from her place at the counter, unable to get him to sleep as his energy overflowed with all the commotion and celebration. Serving so many drinks with the help of Dogra and Magra sped up her work.

"Nika-chan has grown up, eh?" she inquired with a sweet smile.

Magra took a sip from his wine bottle, holding another newspaper in the air. Hearing news about her after two years made his heart skip a beat.

"Her hair is long! To think that before she wouldn't let anyone comb it except Makino-san."

"She looks sweeter than before, she doesn't look like a barbarian." Dogra looked over his shoulder with a frown.

"Do you think someone combs her hair, or does she do it herself now? Ace was terrible with a brush!" The bandits' laughter followed Magra's words.

"Luffy was worse!" shouted one from the back of the bar.

"Idiots! Can't you see the problem?" Dadan's bang on the table startled the baby, making him cry. "I'm sorry, Makino."

She shrugged it off, tickling her son to stop his crying. The two doors opened, letting the mayor in.

"That's why we insisted on raising her here. What was that boy thinking when he set sail? Pirates bring nothing but trouble! How can he put Nika's life at risk in the territory of a Yonko?" He tapped the floor with his cane before sitting down at a table.

Makino, delighted to hear about the children she had watched grow up, looked at everyone with composure.

"Don't you think we're being a little hard on Luffy-kun? He knows what he's doing. He's fulfilling his dream," she murmured. The bandits and the mayor looked at her. "And he has his crew. I'm sure they take great care of her, just look at her face."

Dadan loosened her clenched fist, opening the newspaper to look at that photograph once more.

Nika appeared before her with a crystallised vitality in her eyes. She appeared before her with excitement, as if the background of that image was not an enraged Yonko or a strange individual about to attack. As if a woman she recognised as the cat burglar Nami was not immortalised shouting something, possibly to hurry up.

Luffy was holding her, her long hair dancing in the wind, wearing an impeccable dress, with rosy, chubby cheeks and a smile mirroring her father's emotion.

Her happiness was health. A sign that, despite the loss at Marineford, they managed to take steps into the future, caring for each other. They managed not to drown in melancholy, returning to a crew that valued them.

Dadan slumped into a chair, stubbing out her six cigarettes in an ashtray. Had those people taught Nika to read? Had they taught her to defend herself? She collected newspaper clippings in a notebook, admiring her boys' steps through life. When Ace set sail, she was thrilled to see how troublesome he still was. Defeating one warrior of the sea, challenging another, joining Whitebeard's crew. She pretended to hate what he did, how volatile he was, but how she loved to see him wearing a necklace just like hers, being free where he belonged.

It was Luffy's path that kept her on tenterhooks.

She wiped the sweat from her forehead as the bounty posters were updated. She wondered what kind of people he was gathering on his crew. Roronoa Zoro, the pirate hunter? A young man with three katanas near a three-year-old girl was dangerous. Nami, the cat burglar? If she taught her to steal, it would be no different from what the bandits had taught her. Nico Robin, the demon child? At least she could count on the woman being educated if she came from Ohara. Teaching her to read and write would come naturally.

Dadan knew everything about every member and every adventure.

And she was grateful that Nika's existence was not revealed to the world when she was three years old and defenceless.

Makino lifted some bottles of sake, smiling after putting her son down in his bassinet.

"We should celebrate because we have news about Nika," she exclaimed, passing the bottles to the bandits closest to the counter.

Dadan smiled, taking one in her hands. Could she ever relax? Feeling like a mother and grandmother, that concept would never exist. She snatched a clean newspaper from one of her subordinates.

She would cut out that clean, unwrinkled photograph for her notebook.

"Do you think she has a spider?" Magra asked curiously, opening a bottle with his teeth.

Dogra sat down next to him, laughing loudly at the unresolved trauma.

"That girl only causes trouble!" shouted the mayor.

"They were always like that," added Makino, closing her eyes with amusement.

Dadan rested her elbow on the table, looking out the window. In the distance, the solemn Mount Colubo rose up. If she listened closely, she could hear everything.

Three boys' laughter, returning from a successful hunt and asking for soup as a reward. Silence. A shrill cry, a voice trying to sound tough but threatening to break, and promises to set sail. Again, three laughs. Two boys' and one girl's, scaring the beasts that ruled the forest. Silence. A baby's cry, the whining of a boy just entering adolescence, and a teenager scolding him for being clumsy.

Let out a nasal chuckle, Dadan joined the others.

"They only know how to attract them."

With the Reverie just around the corner, the revolutionary army was preparing to mobilise its troops.

Momoiro Island was organised with practised precision. Everyone had an unwavering role to play. Some, such as cooks, teachers and doctors, could not be seen as the weakest link, as they were the pillars of the world they wanted to create and the missions they had to carry out. They were the ones who helped the people learn about independence, the rights to a dignified life and freedom.

Others, like Sabo, were the force. They were the ones tasked with freeing them from their oppressors. They were the ones who accepted being under the scrutiny of the public eye and the world government in order to live as they deserved. Their missions consisted of fighting entire armies or dictators. With the ideal position and the leader's trust, they would be sent to Mary Geoise.

Would Reverie's mission be the one to change history? Or was there still more to come? Sabo was not worried. Dragon knew about ideal times. He would always fight for the cause.

That's why he was lying on the pink grass, his blond locks scattered among flowers from the sakura trees that swayed in the breeze, falling from their branches in an attempt to hide Sabo under a mountain of petals. He snored easily, covering his eyes from the sun with his top hat tilted forward.

Koala finished stacking documents, glancing sideways at her best friend. He treated the hours before a mission as if they were trivial. Everyone had grown accustomed to his way of being, for they knew what he was capable of.

The smell of smoke reached her nostrils as she turned her head to watch Lindbergh flying towards them, lifting the flowers from the trees that had fallen onto the grass. His agitated appearance as he landed and ran to the meeting table in the centre of the meadow made Koala raise an eyebrow.

He was holding a News Coo in his hands.

"Sabo!" he shouted to wake him up, leaving the newspaper on the centre of the table for everyone to read.

Ivankov, curious by nature, moved closer to Koala and glanced at the contents. The expression on his face began to change. Surprise, horror, shock. He didn’t know how to feel.

"Sabo-boy, I need an explanation!"

Throwing his top hat back, Sabo looked at his friends from the grass, yawning.

"Huh? Is it something about me?"

"Something that involves you," he said, then pointed to his old friend. "And Dragon!"

Dragon looked up when he heard his name. At the head of the table, he was drawing a map of Mary Geoise. It was one that had taken him years to perfect on the outside to find possible entry and exit routes. He couldn't guarantee that it wouldn't change. The only place they had no information on was the palace of Pangaea, but the side missions for Reverie would remedy that gap.

"What's so important?" he asked, only to get an exaggerated reaction from Ivankov.

The queen of the okama threw himself onto the table with one hand on his forehead, pretending to faint. Belo Betty smiled slyly, not bothering to look at what the newspaper said, her long legs resting on the table. Morley let out an amused sound from above, sitting next to the table so as not to crush anyone. Karasu muttered something they couldn't hear as the speaker on his mask was turned off.

"Straw Hat-boy has a baby!"

The commanders whistled at the news, leaning in to read the News Coo. The photo was undoubtedly a milestone.

"When were you planning on telling us you were an uncle?" Lindbergh barked.

Sabo stood up anxiously, rushing to the table and holding onto the edge. Hadn't Luffy done everything he could to hide her for two years? And hadn't he told him that it was a promise with Ace to keep her hidden? But the information in that article explained everything. The situation was against him.

Being in Big Mom's territory, it was either reveal Nika's identity or lose her forever.

"Sabo is an uncle at this age?" Belo Betty licked her lollipop, crossing her legs again.

"Is young love cute or silly?" Morley leaned in to be heard.

Sabo smiled and Koala covered her face, preparing herself for an endless hour of listening to him talk about how beautiful, intelligent, and talented his niece was. Returning from Dressrosa hadn't been enough for him. Now he was also talking about how Nika fought with a pipe just like him.

Amidst so many questions, compliments, and tender sighs, they forgot their leader, who silently picked up the forgotten newspaper.

The girl in that photo looked just like his son. Just like the child he had left in Foosha in his father's care, fearing that the dangerous journey he had chosen to undertake would catch up with him. Just like the child for whom he had no choice but to be selfish, abandoning him for his ideal, because as a young man he had committed acts that, under current laws, deserved his death.

And even with such a similar life, Luffy had decided to do the opposite of what he had done.

He had taken Nika in, introducing her to his pirate life without remorse. Protecting her for two years from the marines, pirates, and ordinary people. He had kept her hidden, but she was always there.

Only a situation bigger than he could afford to avoid caught him.

Ivankov sat down next to him, smiling slyly.

"Congratulations on becoming a grandfather!"

The commanders looked at him, gasping in surprise.

"I wish I had a Den Den Mushi right now!" Belo Betty shouted, spitting out her lollipop and standing up.

Karasu tapped Koala on the shoulder, and she blinked out of her astonishment.

"I have one!"

"Dragon! Are you crying?" Ivankov squealed, laughing loudly.

"Sabo too!" Lindbergh announced.

"Someone capture this day!"

Three-day banquets were a common sight on the Red Force. Suddenly, the ship would fill with the mouth-watering aroma of roasted meat, inviting everyone to dig in. Sake was served in every corner, catering to every taste and quality. And the women paraded around in their finest clothes, with clear intentions of spending some intimate time with these pirates they knew to be feared.

What remained after they left was a group of hungover men who had trouble standing up or even getting up from the surfaces on which they were resting. Some were not good with alcohol, no matter how many years they had been sailing.

Yasopp was one of them. Sitting in a chair by the railing, he rubbed his temple, vowing never to drink again. A vile lie that no one would believe. Hongo, as the crew's doctor, took care of everyone to ensure a safe journey. He approached Yasopp, leaving a glass with a contents that many hated on the table next to him. An egg yolk.

Shanks laughed loudly, leaning against the opposite railing, waiting for his friend to drink the egg yolk in one gulp.

It was Benn Beckman who, with a cup of coffee in hand, received the News Coo. Sudden deliveries only brought problems. Changes in the course of events that had to do with them or involved them indirectly would become something else to deal with.

Limejuice had gathered enough information to know that the Reverie had not yet begun. If that wasn't what it was about, this news had to reach the world urgently. He took a sip of his bitter coffee, letting go of the jute string holding the newspaper open.

The front page burned his tongue.

"Oi, Benn, are you okay?" Shanks joked beside him, resting his forearm on the railing. "Looks like you saw something you shouldn't have."

"It's as if someone has publicly declared war on us!" Yasopp continued, gulping down the egg yolk.

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his face contorted with disgust. Limejuice crossed his arms, sitting down in an empty chair next to Lucky Roux and Hongo.

"No one is foolish enough to confront us."

"Any interesting news?" Lucky Roux asked, his mouth full of leftover meat from the banquet.

The crew's eyes were fixed on Beckman, feeling uneasy as the minutes passed and the first mate remained standing next to his captain, his mind absorbed in that front page. Shanks' mocking smile faded away as he leaned in slightly to see the newspaper.

A desperate cough startled every corner of the Red Force.

"Luffy..." Beckman whispered.

"Luffy? What about Luffy?" Yasopp muttered, grimacing as he saw that Shanks' coughing wouldn't stop.

Hongo stood up, trying to help him, but it seemed like he was trying to make a scene, sitting on the floor defeated without stopping his coughing.

"Are we going to see him? I've wanted to do that for so long!" Lucky Roux celebrated.

"I don't think that's it. Here, give me that newspaper." Yasopp snatched the paper from Shanks, raising it to his eyes to read. "I'm sure he did something like challenging someone. Who could it be this time? Let me see... Luffy is a dad!?"

Lucky Roux choked on his food, following his captain in a coughing fit. Limejuice approached them, looking disturbed.

"Luffy is a dad? What are you talking about?"

"Luffy is a dad!" Yasopp showed him the News Coo with a twisted expression on his face. "Luffy is a dad!"

"What’s going on? Is he really a dad? And the girl’s mother?" Hongo asked, seeing no further information about the little girl on the paper.

The four of them pored over the photograph, shouting their opinions, reading and rereading the article in search of some hidden detail that no one without sufficient intelligence would understand. There was nothing out of the ordinary. It didn't seem to have been put together by Morgans.

Beckman's coffee was getting cold, but he couldn't drink it. His captain's cough had stopped a few minutes ago, sitting on the wooden floor next to him with one leg bent against his chest. His gaze was lost in the newspaper his crew held up in the air, debating the existence of a girl who must have been born just a few years after they left Luffy behind, with a promise to keep and a path to cross.

"You're very quiet," Beckman whispered, swirling the contents of his cup without spilling it.

"Oi, Benn..." he murmured under his breath. "How do you think it was for him to raise another child while being a child himself? Was it difficult?"

"Well, we know he had Ace. And Makino was there too." His answer relaxed Shanks' shoulders. "They wouldn't leave him alone."

Several memories flooded both their minds.

Some involved a small child. He would insistently come to Partys Bar every day, begging with different arguments to join the journey they were going to take. He said he wasn't afraid of getting hurt, opening a scar under his eye. He said his fists were like guns, not knowing how to throw a good punch. He said he could swim, only to eat a Devil Fruit when everyone was distracted. He said he would go with them, only to say goodbye, claiming he would have a much stronger crew than theirs.

Others remembered a disbanded crew. One that had sailed the seas and the skies, discovering the truth of the world and creating the dream of thousands to obtain a treasure they only knew by hearsay. In the Oro Jackson, they had raised two children amid dangerous adventures, deadly combat and raucous laughter.

"You know, Benn, I'm a little bit offended," he complained with a pout.

Beckman looked down. Shanks' open shirt and red locks swayed in the sea breeze under a cloudless sky.

"Why?"

"Rayleigh-san knew about Nika before I did."

"How did you expect Luffy to tell you? You're the one who doesn't want to see him."

"It's not time yet!"

Shanks stood up calmly, taking the cold cup from Beckman's hands. He spoke, but the trance he was in prevented him from doing anything else. The news was huge.

"Monkey D. Nika... I wonder who his mother is." Beckman held onto the railing, trying to keep his hands busy. "She doesn't look anything like her."

"Right? She's just like Luffy. Luffy with long hair." Shanks laughed.

"Do you think raising a girl in Grand Line is the best thing?"

The concern in his voice amused him. He patted his shoulder with a genuine smile.

"It'll be the best thing ever."

Lucky Roux put a hand up in front of everyone, silencing the shouting. Nika's photograph was still held aloft for all to see.

"We have to decide who her favourite uncle is!" he shouted, groping for a piece of meat on a nearby table.

"That's stupid, that position must already be taken," grumbled Limejuice. Hongo nodded in agreement.

"When we meet her, she'll decide," Lucky Roux countered his theory.

"Could it be me?" Yasopp commented confidently. As a child, Luffy adored him.

"You? Your son has a better chance, he's with her all day." Hongo hit him on the head.

Raising his hand, the captain of the red hair pirates called out to his entire crew.

"The position of Nika's favourite uncle is already taken."

Lucky Roux pressed his lips together, Yasopp raised an eyebrow, Limejuice rolled his eyes, and Hongo sighed.

"How do you know that Nika-chan's favourite uncle's position is taken?" Beckman shook her head when Lucky Roux fell for his captain's game.

Shanks stuck his tongue out at everyone.

"It's because that uncle is me!"

"No way!" Limejuice denied. "You could never replace the commander of Whitebeard's second division or the second-in-command of the revolutionary army."

"Benn, say something!" Shanks tugged at his arm with another pout.

"You're no better than a child. You deserve it."

The solitude of the sea would be evoked by travellers who ventured their lives on the borders of Wano.

Unattended enigmas were left adrift when the waves changed their course, breaking fiercely against the walls that protected the country, prohibiting the entry of foreigners by intimidation alone.

The current of the water and the height of these waves were something never before seen by navigators. The bold ones were encouraged, and the cautious ones waited for an opportunity without success, fleeing to the next destination.

Nami was not indecisive when it came to facing the weather.

Being in the area around Wano, meeting up with the other members of the ninja-pirate-mink-samurai alliance was beginning to look complicated. She had noticed the wrath of the sea that was viciously trying to expel them. The change in the wind that ruffled her hair and the storm that was about to catch up with them were warnings.

Warnings given by Kin'emon.

The weather outside this isolated country had always been bad.

Nami didn't understand how finding out that the four seas and Grand Line knew about Nika's existence because of Morgans, or getting upset because the marine put a price on her head, became a minor problem. These things took a back seat when, holding onto the railings and masts, they screamed in fear as the Thousand Sunny was dragged into the turbulent waters of Wano.

"Oi, something's coming!" Chopper announced.

"Cool!"

Nika ran to his side to look, jumping excitedly when she glimpsed shadows of immense proportions swimming under the ship. Sanji approached from behind, lifting her in his arms for fear that she would stumble in the current.

"Careful, Nika-chan."

"What is that!?" Nami asked.

Chopper swallowed hard as he imagined the worst-case scenario. It could be sharks that wanted to eat him, ending his dream without him having had the chance to do anything else. Or it could be some unknown sea beast, a devourer of ships. Spurred on by the flow of water pressing them to follow, the creatures leapt, revealing their appearance.

Every area in Grand Line was measured by its own microclimate. They had accustomed their bodies to it, but they never ceased to be amazed by what each stretch of sea had to offer. Seeing a school of carp, native to fresh water, where they were not supposed to be was something to study.

Stunned by the clarity of the water that revealed green, red and brown algae, they forgot to keep an eye on two people. When they found them, they were riding a carp with the intention of fishing it so that Sanji could cook it. They were not interested in its strength or whether it resisted.

Luffy laughed loudly, wrapping his right arm twice around his daughter's waist so he could stretch it out and grab hold of the carp's whiskers. The splashing water soaked them, much to their amusement.

"I want to climb on another one and have a carp race!"

"With your short arms you couldn't beat me!" Luffy's teasing made Nika pout.

From the Thousand Sunny, Brook, Carrot, and Chopper watched them in disbelief.

"Sanji!" Nami ordered furiously. "Bring them back, it was your idea!"

"Calm down, Nami-san. They'll be fine." He held onto the railing, looking ahead with a frown. "I think it's more important to deal with that."

Few things could frighten the straw hat pirates. Fighting for a friend's right to live, facing death with honour, standing in the way of the marines or the Celestial Dragons in defence of an innocent, confronting warriors or emperors of the sea for their ideals; none of that was as terrifying as their captain's whims.

Nothing made them cry and scream like climbing a huge waterfall, their bodies suffering from losing their balance, falling to the floor when the Thousand Sunny rose into the air pulled by two carp, bound for what they believed was Wano.

How could Kin'emon not have given Nami more instructions? Instructions that would have prevented them from being battered and absorbed by a huge whirlpool.

Luffy lost consciousness after being dragged with the octopus, his daughter, and the ship into the depths of the sea.

Drowning in punishment for going against nature, he rested on a beach for hours that seemed like an eternity to Nika after she woke up. The scene was desolate. The Thousand Sunny had capsized, there was no sign of the crew, and the silence of a dead or exiled village hung over her, making her afraid to venture into the forest to investigate.

She didn't want to make a mistake that would distance her from her father. Sitting beside him, she moved the damp strands of hair from Luffy's forehead, exposing his closed eyes and long eyelashes. Her short fingers rested on his right cheek, wiping away the sand that had stuck to it when he was wet. Unable to clean the other cheek due to his sleeping position, Nika let herself be kissed by the sun's rays. While her clothes dried in the sun, she pressed her legs to her chest, drawing figures in the sand with a branch the size of her arm.

A boy with a scar over his eye wearing a top hat and another with a black-spotted hat, showing off his tattoos (she had forgotten how many there were, again). A mermaid who couldn't stop crying and a woman with a serious face, sitting cross-legged on a snake.

She was halfway through drawing a cowboy hat when a scream made her look to her side.

"It hurts!"

Luffy jumped to his feet, removing the crab that was pinching his nose with its claws. He looked down, smiling when he saw that his daughter was fine.

"What is this place?" he asked, adjusting his straw hat on his head.

"Have we arrived in Wano?" she replied with another question.

"I don't know."

"Me neither."

Luffy cleaned his clothes, bending down slightly to lift his daughter from the sand and sit her on his shoulder.

"Let's go exploring then!"

A thunderous roar from the forest caused the branch Nika was holding in her hands to fall. They both turned just in time to step aside, letting a dog or yellow lion fall onto the sand, growling softly. It dug its furry paws into it, dragging it with its claws as it got back up, refusing to be defeated by its opponent.

Luffy's eyes seemed to sparkle with stars when he saw a mandrill emerge from the trees with a katana. That was his confirmation.

"We're in Wano!" he celebrated.

"Is everyone here like Zoro-san?" Nika marvelled, holding onto her father's hat.

"He's missing a bandana, don't you think?" he chirped, watching the fight in front of them.

The blows came and went, punches and shoves alike. Luffy tightened his grip on his daughter's knees, taking a few steps back as the fight continued. He had shouted a couple of times for them to move away from the Thousand Sunny so they wouldn't crash into it and break it, but they weren't listening. He opened his mouth once more, wanting to ask them to stop, when a vision came to his mind.

His hair stood on end at that future. One where his daughter fell from her place on his shoulder, getting shot from behind, unable to do anything because she hadn't heard those people riding lizards ravaging the forest, advancing at a rapid pace to get to where they were. Eager to find out what was going on. Waiting for praise from whoever sent them when they finished their task.

He wasn't going to let anything happen to Nika.

He stroked her hair, leaving her on the sand once more. With a twist of his body and a stomp that buried his sandal, Luffy threw a punch. His arm stretched several metres and, as one of those people came out of the forest, he hit them squarely with his fist, knocking them to the ground.

"Nika, go behind that rock," he said without taking his eyes off the newcomers.

"You bastard!" growled the remaining one, aiming his rifle to shoot.

Nika ran, covering her head when the shots started. Her father could handle them, she knew she would only get in his way without her pipe. So she hid, waiting for it all to end.

She stood frozen in place, staring in dumbfounded surprise at the thing that had crawled up beside her. The thing did the same thing she did, covering its mouth to keep from screaming in fright.

"Who are you? I'm Monkey D. Nika."

Her whisper was lost amid the occasional gunshots and the dog's growls. The man barked orders at the mandrill wielding a katana, but neither of them paid any attention. Sitting on their knees, feeling the microscopic grains of sand scraping their skin, they stared at each other, sizing one another up from head to toe.

Nika had never seen such a beautiful girl.

The mermaids of Fishman Island hypnotized her with their colorful tails as they swam in circles around her, begging her to stop eating and come out to play with them. She would sulk when they counted down and reached one. Her legs weren't made for that, and they didn't give her any advantage. Ichika, Nika, Sanka, Yonka, and Yonka Two saw her as an equal, only to tease her in the end because she wasn't a naturally fast swimmer. Each of her crushing losses resulted in requests to Franky for a swimming pool on the ship so she could practise her skills, a pool he refused to build.

The children of Punk Hazard, on the other hand, wore dull, sad, off-white robes. Their ailments did not prevent them from playing tag with her, running between the adults and using them as shields to escape. They shouted indignantly when she cheated, asking Law to use his Devil Fruit to transport her when they came close to touching her. Every blue sparkle that surrounded her was a new complaint, but Nika insisted that this was the way of a pirate.

Big Mom's children were unbearable. The profanities that left their lips were weaker than the blows they dealt each other. They made no distinction between genders, not believing that a girl was weaker than a boy. Whoever made the other cry first, won. In her hours sharing space with them, Nika did not participate in their games. She found it strange to feel distant from their ways, assuming that they were all pirates. Linlin's younger children were violent, only to feign innocence when she came to tuck them in and cuddle them. The only thing that almost made her give in to her rage and lunge at them to pull their hair was that they ate her portion of chocolate cake, smiling mockingly and showing her their brown-stained tongues.

She had met several personalities. None caught her attention as much as she did.

With her hands on her knees, she looked at Nika as if she were something peculiar in Wano, and she certainly was. The differences began with their styles of dress. She wore her hair pulled back without a single strand out of place, decorating it with two objects: a yellow comb that sparkled in the sun and a pendant she had never seen before. It was a far cry from the bird's nest Nami let her run around with or the high, crooked ponytail she wore if she woke up in the mood to do her hair.

She, in her green kimono patched with a variety of fabrics, from yellow to white and light blue stripes, admired the new dress worn by Nika, without a single hole or loose thread. Not a patch or stain on the orange fabric.

"I'm Otama!" A cheerful tone greeted her in a whisper.

The eyes with which she assumed her duty to face life were filled with instilled beliefs, a sum of values shared by those who raised her. They blossomed with each passing day, understanding more and more how she should be. Supportive like Nami, wise like Robin, devoted to charity like Sanji, willing to sacrifice herself like Zoro, optimistic like Brook, empathetic like Chopper, persevering like Usopp, sensitive like Franky, respectful like Jinbe.

And free like her father.

Otama's reality lacked what her reality possessed.

Inside the shack she called home, Nika sniffed the air. Traces of dampness carried over the years permeated the corners of those four cracked walls. She did not know if it was the passage of time or some attack that had led them to survive like this, but with the mud covering them fallen away, the framework of bamboo canes held together with straw ropes was visible. Wrinkling her nose, she stifled a sneeze, distracted by the possibility of her being cold at night with the washi paper on the doors and windows torn.

Timidly, she looked up at the girl with her back to them, washing rice in a wooden bowl.

"It's small, dirty, and it stinks," Luffy said aloud, laughing without malice.

"Dad!"

"Aniki, how rude," she scolded, blowing through a bamboo tube to stoke the fire.

"I'm sorry," he apologised, leaning back against the wooden floor.

"Can I help you?" asked Nika.

"No need, Nika-chan!" Otama smiled at her, waiting for the rice to be ready. "You're my guests, leave it to me."

She remembered having people looking after her ever since her earliest memories. Her table was always full, and she was never denied a plate of hot food. Even her sudden cravings were satisfied before she had to insist, and if she ate so much that her stomach cried out for help, they would treat her with the best herbal teas and medicines.

If she had known that Otama hadn't eaten for days, surviving on grass in order to save that rice for her birthday, she wouldn't have insisted that she was hungry, nor would she have enjoyed that bowl. Nika felt guilty, Luffy felt responsible. The illness she had contracted from drinking river water contaminated by waste from Kaido's factories was like putting one foot in a grave.

Hitetsu Tenguyama held her body in his enormous hands. She kept clutching her stomach, whimpering softly in pain. Nika approached slowly, tearing her dress to wipe the sweat that drenched her forehead and stuck her purple locks to her skin.

"Nika-chan..." she whispered.

"You'll be fine, I'll take care of you, Tama."

Luffy looked away from the destroyed village. The sight made his jaw tighten.

"Why don't you leave? There's nothing left here," he asked.

"There's no place to go. Every village in Wano faces the same fate," he muttered, looking at the girls holding hands. "The only place that flourishes is where the Shogun lives. The Flower Capital."

"Then let's go there! Surely someone can give Tama medicine, right?" Nika stammered hopefully.

"It's not that easy, little one." Hitetsu ran his fingers through her hair. "No one can get close to the Flower Capital. Besides, Otama doesn't want to leave this place."

Luffy frowned. He could break in, he could steal, he could do anything to restore her health after she put herself at risk for the two of them.

"Why doesn't she want to leave?"

"Why don't you want to leave?" Nika repeated in a whisper, rubbing her thumb against the other's palm. Her cries continued unabated.

"Otama made a promise four years ago. She's waiting for someone to return." With a deep sigh, Hitetsu stood up. "A pirate named Ace."

Her skin prickled.

As if time had stopped and voices had decided to fall silent, a conversation from two years ago and a sardonic smile appeared before her. Who had she trained for? Who had she decided to seek Hancock's help for? Who was she still fighting for? Her dad's lips were moving, but she couldn't hear his tone. His gaze was neither hostile nor evasive. What he was saying did not reach her ears. Otama's shoulders trembled as she got to her feet. Her steps became clumsy as she ran, her fists lacked the strength she wanted them to have as she pounded on his chest. Sick as she was, she could only shout at him, her voice fluctuating between sobs and coughs.

Because Luffy was lying, none of it could be true. Ace had promised he would return. She had survived all this time with her fingers bleeding, making hats to sell, regulating how much water she drank so it wouldn't run out, eating grass to fool her stomach, and saving up enough for a bowl of rice. Ace would return. He said he would.

She was going to be a bewitching kunoichi for him.

Nika caught her in her arms when she fainted, her heart aching as she caressed her face, flushed from fever.

"I think I met someone who would like to be your friend."

"Really? Who? Is she as nice as Nami and Vivi?"

"She's a good girl. I'll take you to meet her. She lives in Wano."

"Where is that?"

"I'll take you there someday, don't be impatient."

Both fled with Otama and a borrowed katana, riding on Komachiyo's back. Nika's thoughts replayed that conversation as she looked at Otama, who had fainted again after waking up to confront her father about his lies. Could she be the one her uncle Ace was talking about? The way she spoke about him and cried herself to pieces made her want to bombard her with questions, but in the end she decided to be patient. They had to save her as payment for the delicious rice, sneaking into the city in kimonos given to them by Hitetsu.

The journey revealed more of Wano's history. Arid, dead land, incapable of sustaining life. Polluted water, poison for the weak, punishment for the strong. Animals within reach, impossible to eat. Subordinates who obeyed the orders of the Shogun and Kaido, eager to attack those who disagreed with their reign of death.

As the person responsible for caring for Otama, she did not remember what Chopper had taught her in the infirmary or the casual comments Law had made when they were sailing together. She could only hold her close to her chest, checking her temperature and letting out soft gasps when her hand burned as it touched her forehead. She wiped the sweat from her face with the sleeve of her purple kimono, but it was not enough.

It wasn't, until Tsuru and Okiku appeared. The decoction of medicinal herbs and its bitter taste relieved the poisoning in her stomach; however, the pain from lack of food and the rumbling in her stomach were only silenced when they gave her something immense. Something that made that day the best birthday ever.

The people of Okobore wept and laughed as they grabbed meat, fruit, vegetables and fish from the treasure ship that had come from Paradise Farm. It had been years since they had tasted anything that wasn't contaminated or leftovers, which they had been forced to ration to make them last a week. It had been years since mothers could give their children a cup of water, or the elderly could wet their lips. Many had closed their eyes in the silence of sleep, asking as a last hope that the lives of those left behind would change.

Nika jumped out of the ship, holding two bunches of grapes.

"Tama! Try these," she shouted, running to sit next to her on the floor.

"Huh? What are those?"

"Grapes. Zoro-san told me I can make wine with these."

"Wine? We're too young to drink it." She laughed, biting into a red apple.

"When we're older, we'll drink it!" insisted Nika, stuffing the whole bunch of grapes into her mouth as Law walked past them, looking at her with narrowed eyes. "Did he hear me?"

"I didn't hear you say anything," lied Otama, taking a grape from the other bunch. "Nika-chan, do you promise?"

"Promise what?" she said with her mouth full.

"That we'll drink it when we grow up. Do you promise?"

Tilting her head to one side, the cherry blossom hana kanzashi in her hair jingled. Otama noticed Nika's appearance in the bright sunlight: her purple kimono with pink patches and her black hair tied up in a messy bun, one that gave her a wilder rather than more polished look, unlike those worn by the girls, teenagers and adults of Wano. Popping another grape into her mouth, she stood up, taking short steps until she crouched behind Nika to fix her hair. Being taller gave her an advantage.

"Hey! That's my first bun, why are you undoing it?" she complained, crossing her arms.

"Because it's ugly."

"You're mean!"

"But it's ugly!"

"You're still cruel!"

"Answer my question," Otama scolded, running her fingers through Nika's soft strands.

"I promise to drink wine with you when we’re grown up."

Combing with her fingers created more imperfection than perfection, so Otama took her yellow comb out of her own hair and used it to smooth Nika's strands, not a single hair out of place.

"Okay," she whispered. "Nika-chan, don't die."

Nika let out a nasal chuckle, eating the last of the grapes. She twirled the fragile branch between her fingers, relaxing as Otama combed it gently, almost as carefully as Nami, Robin, or Hancock would.

"Why would I die? I'm strong."

"Ace didn't keep his promise."

Her thumbnail dug into the branch, opening it up in a cut that revealed its green interior. She waited for Otama's energy to replenish and her shock at being kidnapped to pass, but now she could consult. She could confirm in order to conceal.

"What promise did he make?"

"Ace said he would come back." She began to relate, adjusting the last strands of Nika's tight bun. "When he did, I would already be a bewitching kunoichi and he would take me on his adventures. He said he would bring his niece with him, but I don't think that's possible anymore."

With her lower lip trembling, Nika concentrated on twirling the broken branch between her fingers, trying to distract her racing heart, which promised to break if she delved any deeper. She had been smiling for two years, looking for her uncle in places and people to keep him alive in her memory. She feared the day when his voice would no longer echo in her mind and his smile would no longer appear in her dreams, because little by little, time would also take him away.

"Did he tell you about a niece?" she murmured, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Yes! He said she was little, one year old the last time he saw her. I still remember him describing her as..." Otama put a finger to her lips, thinking. "Ah! Obsessed with spiders and wild."

A blush spread across her neck and the tips of her ears as the hana kanzashi was repositioned in her now pristine bun. Wild? Her uncle described her as wild? He always called her the sweetest girl in the world! What was this image he was painting of her?

"I'll come back when we're grown up and we'll drink wine!" she protested sulkily, standing up.

Otama took a few steps back with an incredulous smile, looking down at Nika. With a different kimono, she could be a girl from the Flower Capital. Someone from a wealthy family or who accompanied the oiran Komurasaki.

"But why are you angry? You're not the wild one!"

"Shut up! The last person to steal dad's meat is a marine!"

"Hey, wait!" She squealed as her friend cheated, running after her. "What's a marine!?"

Preparations for the great assault on Onigashima took weeks. They had to track down the plans for the island, infiltrate the banquet among the geishas to acquire useful information from Orochi, train as kunoichis to steal as much information as possible about the weapons at the disposal of Kaido's and the Shogun's troops, travel to the eternal resting place of thousands of samurai to take their katanas with the agreement to return them, gather those who wanted to oppose their oppressors, and repair old ships to begin the crossing.

The Flower Capital was intoxicated with freedom for one day of the year, when wishes for the future and respects for those who were no longer there were sent to the sky, written with ink and brush on paper lanterns. The word that was repeated most often was "miracle".

On the night of the Fire Festival, one happened.

Onigashima celebrated with secret objectives, decadent plans that disregarded the people. Amidst red lanterns that repeated every four steps, illuminating the lake and wisteria trees, Nika ran along the wooden walkway with her pipe on her back after hitting a beast pirate on the head. The blow had not knocked him unconscious and, in the turmoil of allies and opponents attacking each other to the death, she lost track of the crew, who had split into groups or advanced alone, with rivals in mind.

She had been stubborn in insisting on accompanying them, claiming that, as part of the straw hat pirates, she would not wait in the Flower Capital for the assault to end, distraught as she suspected the true reason for their opposition.

With the sea stone pipe given to her by her uncle Sabo and Hancock's fighting moves engraved in her system, she would not kill anyone, but she could help someone else escape. Promising not to put herself at risk and to stick with an acquaintance as soon as she found one, they consented her whim and made their way.

She gripped her weapon tightly, snorting as she heard footsteps following her. Rotating her hips, Nika raised her leg backwards, creating distance between herself and the man with a kick.

"Whoa, whoa," he exclaimed, raising his hands. The little girl placed her pipe between them, blocking his path. "I've never seen anyone use a pipe as a weapon-yoi."

"Are you friend or enemy?"

"Depends on who's asking." She didn't seem to like his answer, and he found that entertaining.

Anyone who would let a child wander around in the middle of a war had lost their mind.

"I'm Monkey D. Nika!"

Monkey D.

His stomach churned and a sour taste rose in his throat. Was he standing in front of Ace's niece, the one he talked about non-stop?

A trail of blood painting the wood with long threads and fat drops led him to a beast pirate. Enraged, his face bathed in thick red liquid, he staggered forward behind girl. He tried to stop the bleeding with one hand, but it gushed between his fingers. His free hand was outstretched, unable to grab her. She was fast, slipping away without looking back, searching for an entrance with an impassive face.

Thinking that she was not part of the enemy troops, Marco helped her, sending the man in the opposite direction by pulling him by the shoulders with his claws.

He did not realise that he had to remain still because that same girl was holding him back just by touching his wrist. Sea stone, her pipe was made of sea stone and it weakened him. It was good to confirm that the straw hats weren't so crazy as to leave their captain's daughter defenceless in battle. Also, in her haughty attitude, there was something of that stubborn little brother who lived by his own rules, the one he couldn't save.

Marco's chest vibrated with loud laughter, impressed by the situation. The wrinkle between Nika's eyebrows deepened. That laughing man with strange hair would not distract her. It wasn't as if her gaze was analysing that head.

It looked like a pineapple. A pineapple? She had heard something about a pineapple two years ago, her gaze shifted to the water, making an effort to think. Pineapple head, pineapple, Whitebeard... Marco!

"I know who you are!" she shouted, removing the pipe from his wrist.

Marco’s body regained its strength after voluntarily exposing himself to sea stone in order not to scare her.

"I know who you are too-yoi."

Nika jumped around him, examining his body in search of something.

"Where are your wings? And the fire? Do you have claws? Uncle Ace told me about you!"

"You have a lot of energy." Scratching the back of his neck, Marco crouched down in front of her. "How about I walk you to where you're going and you can see it on the way?"

"Really?"

"Sure. But in return, when we get out of here you'll tell me more about yourself."

"Deal!"

As long as people prayed for miracles, dreams would not be lost.

Freedom, the only concept that motivated the Straw Hats and inspired them to act accordingly, was once again up for debate that night, when every area of Onigashima was shaken by them, bringing an end to their fights.

The Ice Oni, which had stormily attempted to deliver allies and enemies to their deaths, was defeated by Chopper, who, after an hour, managed to spread a cloud of pink gas through the air, an antidote capable of warming their bodies. The extinction of the Tobiroppo was the result of the struggle perpetrated by Robin, Brook, Franky, Jinbe, Nami, and Usopp.

The situation had changed. Those who had previously stood against them switched sides when disloyalty exposed what they really were: pawns on a board, lives to be sacrificed, blood to be spilled.

The instability of Kaido's clouds as he fought Luffy determined the future of the island. His weakness, lack of concentration and anger unleashed chaos. Bridges, platforms, lanterns, and rooms used for gambling or casual encounters fell victim to the fire started by Kanjuro. Everyone could hear the screams as the flames grew, trapping those who ran slowly. They lasted no more than twenty seconds, fading into the distance, never reaching the main hall.

But there was a fate worse than dying by fire or by the impact of Onigashima as it plummeted to the ground. There was a future where their efforts were mutilated.

Actions mocked.

Actions in vain.

Actions that gave rise to the rebirth of hope in Wano.

Seven days after the Fire Festival, Hiyori shared the true story with the inhabitants of the country.

The story included her father's entire life, his time in the Kuri region as a daimyo, what led him to be mocked and shamed, his sacrifice for the lives of his vassals, and her mother's prophecy that brought the Akazaya Nine to power.

At their request, she avoided mentioning the identity of their saviours, such as the fact that King was defeated by a foreign swordsman, one who had returned the Shusui katana, their national treasure, in exchange for one of Kozuki Oden's katanas. She kept the identity of Queen's victorious opponent a secret, as no one would imagine that the street soba vendor who used to make them line up for a bowl was a master with his legs. The doctor of "strange magic" who cared for the homeless by removing the contamination from their bodies had delivered the final blow to a Yonko, sending her into the depths of a crater filled with lava.

If someone asked children from any region, they would answer that their saviour was Joy Boy.

And not Monkey D. Luffy, the pirate who woke up with a frown and a rumbling stomach. When was the last time he had eaten anything? Turning his head, he noticed Zoro in a similar position to his own, staring at the door. They both took a deep breath.

"Meat!"

"Sake!"

Echoing through the walls of the Shogun's castle, the command was obeyed by the cooks, who had been preparing food by the bucketful for their ruler's guests for days and hours. It was rumoured that they ate for ten people. Risking being bad hosts was forbidden.

Two stomachs growled in unison above a ceiling where two people waited.

"Yamato-san." Nika complained, pulling her legs up to her chest. "I'm hungry!"

"Samurai don't get hungry, mini Ace!"

"But I'm a pirate."

"Well, they're not hungry either."

"That's a lie!"

"I'm the oldest, I'm right." He brushed it off, holding his stomach.

Out of the corner of his eye, Yamato noticed more similarities. Meeting his first friend's niece was something he dreamed of as much as meeting Luffy. Ace's anecdotes ranged from his brother's antics on Mount Colubo, chasing him through the trees, dodging rickety bridges, swinging between vines and jumping over crocodile heads; to arguments over which dress the new girl among the bandits would wear that day or who was better at changing her nappies.

Nika distrusted him when she heard he was Kaido's son, hugging her father who had fainted after the battle with tears rolling down her cheeks. Determined to join Luffy, knowing his dream, he did not consider the possibility that she was on Onigashima, contemplating an event that must have been traumatic.

They accompanied each other for days, vowing not to bathe or eat until the two missing straw hats woke up.

Yamato told her everything her uncle had done in Wano: the fight they had, the food they shared, the longings of their spirits and the burdens on their shoulders. Nika, in gratitude, told her about Mount Colubo, Foosha Village and Alabasta. She digressed, sharing more about the people she loved than about herself, and in that simple way, she earned the nickname "mini Ace."

"We just have to hold on a little longer." He nudged her.

The commotion inside caught both their attention. Multiple footsteps could be heard rushing forward, glass objects clattering together, followed by quick apologies that were lost in the air.

"Yamato-kun, Nika-chan! Where are you?" Hiyori called out with all her might from the hallway. "Luffy-dono and Zoro-dono have woken up!"

Yamato let out a cheerful cry, lifting Nika up to sit on his shoulder before leaping onto the lawn of the inner garden. Hurrying towards the room shared by the captain and the first mate, they stopped abruptly to let a cook carrying a tray of grilled fish pass. A rumbling in their stomachs as they smelled it drew them inside.

Everyone was gathered around them.

They formed a lively circle with Chopper pulling on the sake pot that Zoro was trying to finish, shouting that he couldn't drink because of his injuries. Sanji laughed as he sat near them. His gaze softened as he rested his elbow on his knee, grateful that everything was back to normal. Otama, sitting on his lap, stretched her body, wanting to get closer to Luffy, stopping herself when Miyagi carefully inserted a catheter into his arm, administering serum despite his constant movements.

Brook and Nekomamushi entertained them with their voices and instruments at a low volume, ideal for Nami, lying on her stomach in front of them, to read a book to Toko.

People continued to arrive as they heard the news, filling the spacious room.

Yamato brought Nika down, both of them running to hug Luffy.

"Dad!"

"Luffy!"

"Nika!" He spoke with his mouth full, laughing when his daughter bit into his piece of meat. "Hey, Yamao!"

"Dad, I was so worried," she whispered chewing, climbing down from his lap to avoid hurting him.

"It's true, she didn't eat or bathe for seven days," Yamato explained, hugging Luffy around the neck. His chest pressed against his back, but he wasn't uncomfortable.

Bending down slightly, he sniffed his daughter.

"You stink!" he laughed, bringing an onigiri to his mouth.

"Yamato-san smells bad too!"

"Why don't we all take a bath for tonight's festival?" Nami suggested, closing her book.

The high-quality fabrics were soft to the touch, with designs embroidered to the customer's preference. Hiyori's refined taste was evident as she entered the main street followed by three little girls wearing delicate kimonos that everyone knew would not stay clean for long. Robin wished she had a den den mushi to store a photograph of Nika with her long strands of hair loose and a hana kanzashi of red flowers decorating it. Her white kimono with flowers of the same shade as her ornament sparkled in the glow of the paper lanterns and the sparkles of the fireworks.

The girls left the adult behind, running to the game stalls.

Luffy smiled, etching that image into his memory. He liked that his daughter was interacting with girls her own age, unconcerned with the past or the future, intertwining her fingers with Otama and Toko as they discussed their next activity.

"She looks happy, eh, Luffy?" Usopp remarked, bringing a jug of sake to his lips.

His free arm wrapped around his captain's shoulders.

"She looks a lot like Y/N when I first met her."

Usopp stopped dead in his tracks, lowering his mug to look at him.

"Nika's mum? You don't talk about her much."

"What are you two talking about?" Yamato asked, his mouth full of dango, hugging them both.

"Luffy says Nika is like her mother," Usopp replied.

"To me, she’s like Ace!" Yamato disagreed.

"No, she’s just like Y/N," Luffy protested.

"Ace was stubborn, just like Nika."

"Y/N cheated at games just like Nika," he concluded.

Usopp patted them both on the back, puffing out his chest proudly.

"Oi, oi, calm down. It's obvious she's just like me."

The words dispersed among the scents and sounds, shifting between topics and comments about the festival.

Throwing rings at bottles was an easy option for Nika's skills, so letting her friends take turns and complain about the distance and size of the rings was more fun. The same thing happened with the toy rifle target shooting. Toko didn't aim at the shelf, wasting the berries given to her by Hiyori in her attempts. Otama, on the other hand, was good at it. She assumed it was her practice with kibi dango. Throwing them at beasts like Hihimaru without being bitten or devoured was a talent.

They passed by the gambling game, where Zoro and Nami were dominating. Sanji cheered them on, sitting on the armrest of the swordsman's chair, enjoying the ease with which they could guess which string to pull to win the biggest prizes. The long-time gamblers grumbled in frustration.

A lady who resembled a geisha in her youth was sitting in front of a stall. With her hands resting on her knees and a cane by her side, she smiled kindly at the three girls.

A wooden pond stood between them. Nika opened her eyes in surprise at the goldfish swimming inside. She had never played anything like this before.

She looked at Otama, receiving that cold treatment again.

She was still offended because Nika hadn't told her that she was Ace's niece, the girl she wanted to meet. Pouting, she tugged at Otama's kimono sleeve, doing her best to look cute.

"Come on, I apologised earlier," she whispered.

Toko raised her eyebrows curiously. They had been tense for a while, as if they were keeping an unsolved secret.

"You didn't tell me who you were even though you knew who I was."

The lady at the stall covered her mouth, stifling a giggle as she watched them fight.

"I forgot!" Nika whined, clinging to her side.

"Why are you fighting?" Toko asked.

"She won't forgive me."

A poi and a wooden bowl of water were brought to them by a wrinkled hand. The white paper looked as if it would tear with the slightest breeze, but the woman watched them with the wisdom of a lifetime. Otama took it, smiling amusedly.

"I'll forgive you if you win that goldfish with the black spot for me."

The poi was waved back and forth in front of her face, causing Nika to snatch it from her grasp.

"Give me that!" The white kimono she was wearing got dirty with dust when she knelt in front of the pond. "I’ll win ten for you!"

"I want another ten!" Toko squealed.

"I'll get the whole pond for you, just wait!"

Half an hour later, with many poi destroyed by the water, Toko and Otama walked in front of Nika laughing loudly, holding two wooden bowls with two fish each. Who would have guessed that Monkey D. Luffy's clever daughter was actually bad at festival games?

"Come on, Nika-chan, stop sulking," Otama teased.

Rolling her eyes, Nika crossed her arms.

"You're a cheat."

"You wanted to catch them with your hand!"

"Uncle Ace taught me that way."

Her words made the other two laugh even more, and Otama turned to pat her on the head.

"It's okay, Nika-chan. Ace was right, you're a wild one."

"I'm not!"

"Oi, girls, do you mind if I steal her for a second?"

The three looked up. Marco spread his shiny wings in a burst of blue and yellow fire. Toko and Otama gasped in awe at the phoenix.

"Marco-san!" Nika called, raising her arms to be lifted up in his claws.

"Nika-chan, you owe me a conversation-yoi."

"Would you take the three of us flying afterwards?" she asked with a smile.

The refusal never came, and he was once again the children's entertainment after years.

Filled with laughter, the night was confirmation of Wano's improvement. The relief that followed twenty years of slavery and loss. The joy they deserved.

Zoro competed with Eustass Kid in front of a long table. The inhabitants cheered and the owners of the establishment refilled the sake cups after they drank them. Their judge was Law, who drank quietly, sitting on a bench next to Killer, Bepo, and Sanji, shouting obscene taunts at Kid when the cup trembled in his hand, and Zoro, the always impassive Zoro, drank as if it were water that filled his throat.

Luffy held out a chopstick with takoyaki towards his daughter, who had just finished talking to Marco and returned to him. The sadness of saying goodbye and letting him leave to Whitebeard's homeland passed as she opened her mouth, pushing Yamato's face away as he approached to try to devour it before her, with Otama on her shoulders trying to do the same.

Nami, at a stall further away near the Shogun's palace, knelt in front of Toko and Chopper, handing them cotton candy. Hiyori blushed when Nami bought one for her too. The two women walked around the festival, showering the younger members of the group with sweets, occasionally flattering each other when no one was looking.

Brook's electric guitar echoed through the streets. His bony fingers danced across the strings, playing the perfect chords for the verses sung by Usopp and Franky. A crowd gathered around the stage, giving them the fame they deserved.

In front of a small restaurant, Jinbe and Robin shared a drink. The newest member of the crew liked their outrageous behaviour, laughing at their antics from afar.

He prayed to accompany them to the end of their journey, to witness more of the life that Luffy promised, that world where everyone was equal.

And they took the first step towards that reality by declaring Wano their territory.

The territory of the yonko Straw Hat Luffy.

The new bounty posters were delivered hours after the final battle. The numbers skyrocketed, making them one of the crews with the highest prices on their heads.

"Seriously, what are we going to do about this?" Sanji asked, showing a piece of paper to the few crew members who were in the kitchen.

The printed words were simple: Monkey D. Nika, 800,000,000 berries.

Zoro glanced at it, settling comfortably on the sofa. His katanas leaning against the wall were evidence of his relaxed state of mind.

"Why are you worried? She has us."

"Well, I agree with that," Robin conceded, taking a sip of warm mint tea. "As members of this crew, it is our duty to protect our captain's daughter. However, I can't help but think she's too young to be targeted by the World Government."

Franky looked out the circular window in the door. The view of the garden was heartwarming.

"I think she's super happy and healthy. Luffy won't let anyone lay a finger on her."

The grass tickled Nika's tummy. Lying on her stomach, her feet in the air kicking gently, she looked at her new friend fondly. A memory of the girl she had to return to.

The goldfish with a black spot swam around in the fish tank built by Franky, darting away when she approached with her huge eyes to get a closer look. She liked that Otama had given her her favourite. That she trusted her enough to take care of it until she returned to Wano. Her brow furrowed. How long did fish live? And what kind of fish was this? Was it just a goldfish?

She was about to stand up to find Robin and ask her when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her up to the upper deck at full speed.

Usopp laughed as Luffy set her down on the floor, coming over to ruffle her hair.

"Are you done looking at your fish, Nika-chan?" he asked. She leaned over the railing, noticing that Zoro was picking up her fish tank and carrying it to the kitchen.

She sighed with relief and turned to look at her friends. Nami was reading a piece of paper with instructions, enjoying the sea breeze on her face. Her father, meanwhile, was keeping an eye on the ship's progress.

"Okay, there's a port we can use to avoid danger," said Nami, closing the paper.

Usopp, Brook, and Chopper thanked her for the information. Entering Wano had been a terrifying adventure. If they could, they would ask not to see waterfalls for a long time. Or high places.

Two ships positioned themselves on either side of the Thousand Sunny. The pirates of the worst generation were leaving a land that had cost them sacrifices, but had brought them renown.

Eustass Kid marched across his deck, smiling smugly as he noticed the other captains in their worlds.

"Ah! Straw Hat and Trafalgar... So you’ll be using the official port," he shouted pedantically.

Luffy didn't look at him, but alarm bells went off in the heads of those present on the deck, cautiously approaching him. They had a plan. They had information. They could leave Wano without putting their lives at risk as they had upon arrival.

"That's what normal pirates like you should do, after all, it's the safe thing to do!"

Luffy gritted his teeth. Normal?

Law began to advance.

Brook clasped his hands together, tears in his eyes.

"That suits weaklings like you!"

Weaklings? The movement was swift.

"Please, no!" Nami, Chopper, Usopp, and Brook cried out in unison.

Taking his daughter in his arms, they usurped the position at the helm, sending Jinbe aside, and placed their hands on it. The three captains looked at each other from their places in irritation, and in a quick turn, the challenge was secured. The ships changed direction, putting the crew on edge.

If winning the race at the waterfall would determine who had the least fearful crew, they would do it.

"I've never been a helmsman!" Nika shouted, laughing.

"Let go of that! Jinbe, do something!" Nami sobbed.

"Please, someone, Zoro!" Chopper whimpered, clinging to the stair railings.

"I'm not ready to die!" Brook pleaded, with no time to go down to the kitchen. "Oh, wait, I'm already dead."

"This is no time for jokes!" Usopp scolded, clinging to Jinbe in an embrace.

Luffy took off his hat and placed it on his daughter's head. The waterfall was only a few meters away. The force of the wind would carry them there in an instant.

"Shishishi, there's always a first time for everything."

Nika nodded, touching the straw hat with a finger to move it away from her eyes. This was good practice.

"Let's go!"

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