#full post

You sat next to Law on the bench of the Thousand Sunny, a gigantic smile plastered across your face as your crew surrounded him with an endless barrage of questions. Luffy sat on the other side of the bench with a blissfully ignorant grin, completely unbothered by the chaos erupting around him.

The first part of the plan had been a success—albeit with considerably more complications than Law would have preferred. But it had worked. Luffy had happily agreed to the alliance. Caesar had been properly kidnapped. And now you were on your way to Dressrosa.

Everything was falling into place, and you couldn't resist savoring Law's growing irritation.

He was explaining something about his strategy, something important, no doubt, when his eye began twitching. The telltale pinch appeared between his brows, deepening with each question your crew threw at him. You bit the inside of your cheek to suppress your laughter, but it bubbled up anyway.

Law's head snapped toward you at the noise in annoyance. "Y/N, did you not inform them of anything?"

You smiled, that particular smile that said you'd done exactly what he suspected. "No. That would ruin the surprise.”

The entire crew erupted in shouts of outrage and confusion, and suddenly all eyes shifted to you instead of your much-harassed ally captain.

Sanji stepped forward first, his expression hardening slightly. "Hold on. You know this creep?"

You shrugged with exaggerated casualness. "Well, duh. I joined his crew for the two years we were separated."

More shocked shouts tang through the air, and you snickered at the chorus of "What?!"

"I thought you were hanging out with that polar bear guy?" Usopp asked, his brow furrowed as he tried to place the memory. "At Sabaody? Didn't he help you carry your treasure from that island?"

"That would be Bepo," you confirmed.

"My first mate," Law added with a gruff tone that somehow managed to sound both annoyed and proud.

"Right, I thought you would've recognized him from Traffy's wanted poster. And he was at Sabaody with Traffy."

Law's nose twitched involuntarily. "I told you to stop calling me that."

You grabbed your bottom eyelids and pulled it down while sticking your tongue out at him, "That deal was only for when you were my captain."

Luffy jumped up suddenly, apparently catching onto the implication. "Hey—wait! I thought I was your captain!"

You laughed, the sound bright and unbothered. "Yes, Luffy. You'll always be my captain first."

Law's eye twitched slightly at that.

Sanji's protective instinct flared to life immediately, his eyes narrowing as he looked between you and the grumpy pirate captain. "So for the past two years you've been running around with another crew? With this creep?" His voice carried an edge of genuine concern beneath the aggression. "His crew is all men. Tell me they didn't—"

"Chill, Sanji," you interrupted. "I didn't join any public fights so the Marines wouldn't find out. And the Heart Pirates aren't pervs. Unlike you.” You muttered the last part under your breath.

Sanji still glared at Law, and Law matched the intensity with an equally protective glare of his own.

Zoro laughed from his corner, breaking the tension slightly. "So is this the bozo who taught you that crappy swordsman form?"

“Crappy?” Law repeated with a grumble as his hand moved to his sword with obvious irritation, but you quickly grabbed his arm. You felt him relax under your touch—muscle memory from two years of you being the only one who could talk him down from unnecessary conflict.

"So this plan of Traffy's," Robin said thoughtfully, "you support it entirely?"

"It's more my plan than his at this point," you said with a smirk.

Law's nose twitched again, and an irritated rumble escaped his throat as he shot you a glare. The glare said we planned this together, but you just smiled innocently back at him.

Robin nodded, clearly pleased by the answer in a way that went deeper than your words. "That's reassuring."

Nami crossed her arms, a stubborn set to her jaw. "Well, if Y/N vouches for him, then I'm on board."

"Are you kidding me?!" Usopp threw his hands up at Nami, clearly exasperated. "He wants us to fight a Warlord! That's insane! And now you're on board just because Y/N likes him?"

"Actually, the final target is Kaido," Law corrected flatly.

Usopp's hands dropped. His eyes went wide. Very, very wide. "Kaido. The King of the Beasts."

"What?!" The shout came from multiple crew members simultaneously.

"Okay, I take it back," Nami said immediately, her eyes equally wide as she waved her hands in x positions, "I'm not on board. Y/N has clearly lost their mind. That creep must have manipulated them somehow!"

Law's teeth audibly ground together at the accusation, a low growl rumbling in his chest that would have been threatening if it hadn't been so defensive over the accusation.

Luffy, oblivious to the tension, started slapping Law on the back with his characteristic enthusiasm. "Aw, come on, guys! Traffy ain't bad! He's a friend! And we're gonna kick some butt together."

You leaned back, deciding the moment had come to deploy the heavy artillery. "You all should be a little kinder to him," you said carefully, watching brows pinch in confusion. "He's the only reason Luffy is alive right now."

The words hit like a punch. The crew stilled.

Luffy grinned wider, apparently finding this a perfect moment to demonstrate. "Yeah! Traffy was the one who gave me this cool scar." He puffed out his chest, showing the giant X scar—the wound that should have killed him, the one Law had sutured back together with impossible precision.

The crew froze, staring at the scar, then back at Law, then at you. Something shifted in their expressions; recognition, maybe, of just how much this captain had done to keep Luffy alive.

Usopp, Nami, and Chopper huddled together, muttering to each other in tones too low to hear. After a moment, Usopp turned back around and clapped his hands together. "Okay. We're in."

You let out a sharp laugh. "As if that was going to change anything."

The rest of the crew nodded in agreement, and Sanji let out a breath of smoke. "You all should know better than to think once Luffy decides on something there's any turning back." He gestured toward the stairs. "Now, who wants lunch?"

Everyone jumped up in excitement, rushing toward the kitchen with the kind of energy that only the promise of Sanji's cooking could inspire.

Law's jaw dropped in absolute horror. "But we haven't finished discussing the plan.”

You laughed at his shocked expression, the sound bright enough to cut through the noise of the departing crew.

"Why did you let me go through with this?" he grumbled, leaning slightly closer. "You could have warned me they'd be this chaotic then I would never done this stupid alliance."

"It was your idea to form the alliance," you shrugged, though your smile held a knowing look. "I just supported it. Besides, I did warn you about how they are. You just didn't listen."

He frowned slightly. "I thought they would at least be sensible. Like you."

You shoved your shoulder into his gently, feeling the familiar warmth of being close to him after a month apart. "Aw, that sounded like a compliment, Traffy."

His lips twitched upward, almost forming a smile before he caught himself and forced his expression back into disapproval. "Will you stop calling me that?"

"Nope," you said cheerfully. "You need to get used to it because Luffy isn't going to stop, and neither is the rest of this crew."

He hung his head, defeated. "Only you would come from this insufferable crew."

You got up, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward the stairs. "You'll learn to love them. Now let's go eat. You're going to love Sanji's cooking."

Law allowed himself to be dragged along as you held him by the elbow.

You opened the kitchen door with a large smile, and the crew immediately noticed the contrast between your obvious joy and Law's forced pout. Though Law couldn't quite hide the slight smirk he was fighting, the one that crept up when he thought no one was looking.

It had been a month since he'd last seen you. A month of your infectious energy being absent from his life. He'd missed it more than he wanted to admit.

You shoved Law onto the bench next to Robin before bouncing off toward Sanji.

Robin gave Law a knowing smirk as he watched you move with that particular lightness.

"Y/N is sure happy to see you," Robin observed quietly.

"Well, It's been over a month since we saw each other." Law replied, though his eyes never left you as you enthusiastically told something to Sanji. The cook's expression softened as he listened, and he nodded, already mentally adjusting his cooking plans.

You bounced back, sliding onto the bench beside Law—perhaps a touch closer than strictly necessary. "I told Sanji about your gluten allergy, so you don't have to worry about that."

"Thanks, Y/N," he said, and the warmth in his voice was genuine.

"So how did you two meet anyway?" Usopp asked, his tone carrying a slightly sharper edge than usual.

You launched into the story; the island inside the Calm Belt, the overly kind villagers, the Marines trying to enslave them for gold. As you spoke, Law watched the crew's reactions shift. When you got to the part about putting on a show with berries and smoke to scare the Marines away, he saw Luffy's eyes light up with admiration.

"That's a very specific lie," Robin noted, tilting her head with interest.

Your breath hitched—just slightly, just enough for Law to notice. He'd spent two years learning to read the micro-expressions of your tells. "Yeah, well, it was all I could think of and it worked," you recovered smoothly. Then you pointed at Law. "This guy, however, heard the rumors of a plague and decided to lend his aid as a doctor."

Chopper sat up immediately, his eyes sparkling with childish admiration. "That's very kind of you!"

Law actually pouted at the compliment. "But there wasn't a plague. Just Y/N running amuck."

The crew laughed, but Sanji's gaze lingered on Law with that protective scrutiny. Law met it head-on, refusing to look away.

"So you just thought, 'Hey, let me join the surgeon of death and not think about how someone gets a moniker like that'?" Usopp asked, clearly still suspicious.

Law smirked dangerously. "If you'd like, I can show you how I earned that title." He held his hand up threateningly, and a Room flickered to life around his fingers.

Usopp yelped and jumped backward.

"He's joking," you insisted quickly, grabbing Law's wrist and lowering his hand. You felt him relax at your touch, the Room dissipating immediately.

But Law kept a playful glare on the sniper. "Sure. Joking," he said sarcastically, the corner of his mouth twitching with amusement he was barely suppressing.

Usopp yipped and ran to Luffy's side, who was busy laughing at the whole exchange. "You're a funny guy, Traffy."

Law scowled deeply. "That is not my name."

Luffy just continued laughing, completely unbothered by the correction.

Sanji appeared moments later with a large tray of sandwiches, setting it in the center of the table before placing a special plate in front of Law, perfectly prepared rice balls with none of the ingredients he couldn't have. Law gave a small nod of appreciation, but Sanji just scoffed looking at the small distance between you and him.

The crew erupted into chaos as they dived for food, each person trying to grab as much as possible before Luffy, the human vacuum, consumed everything. Law quickly pulled his plate away from the melee as you leaned over him, reaching for your own food.

Law looked in absolute horror at Luffy, who was shoving food into his mouth like a machine with no off switch. He leaned toward you, lowering his voice so only you could hear. "This is the captain you owe everything to?"

You smiled fondly, watching Luffy with obvious affection. "Yup."

Law sighed in disappointment. This wild child with no concept of structure or order. This man with rubber powers and the attention span of a goldfish. This was who you preferred. This was who you'd chosen.

You shoved him slightly, reading the disappointment in his expression. "Just wait. You'll see why soon enough."

Law looked around the table at the chaotic collection of misfits; the giant cyborg with neon blue hair, the literal skeleton who somehow still ate, the childish captain with his vast dreams, the cat burglar with the sharp eye for treasure, the stoic archaeologist with secrets in her gaze, the aggressive moss-head swordsman, the perverted chef with his protective streak, the raccoon doctor who was too innocent for this crew, and the guest samurai with his son.

Each of them carried a chaotic energy similar to yours but amplified to extremes he couldn't quite comprehend. While Law had grown—against his better judgment—to enjoy your energy, multiplying it by ten felt like standing in the eye of a hurricane.

The table quickly dissolved into laughter and overlapping conversations as the crew shared stories from the two years they'd been apart. They recounted their adventures with the kind of easy affection that came from genuine trust and love. And as the conversation continued, Law began to understand something he'd been resisting.

Your smile was brighter here. Your laughter came easier. Your energy matched theirs in a way that it never quite matched with his crew, no matter how hard you'd tried.

Law tried to ignore the ping of jealousy in his chest as he slouched in his seat, eating quietly, watching you be exactly where you belonged.

"Y/N?" Robin's voice cut through the noise, and your head snapped toward her with interest. "Do you and Traffy happen to be related?"

You froze mid-bite, and Law's eyes went wide.

"What? No," you said, recovering quickly. "Why would you think that?"

Robin gestured between you both, and Law realized with a sinking feeling that you were holding nearly identical poses, both carefully eating with your right hands, both leaning back slightly at the same angle.

"I've noticed quite a few similar mannerisms between the two of you. You also have similar accents, similar skin tones, and some of the same slang."

You slowly lowered your sandwich and straightened your form, creating deliberate distance from the pose. "No, Robin. We're not related," you said firmly, with no room for argument.

"Then do you think you're from the same island?" Robin pressed gently.

You put on a relaxed expression that didn't quite reach your eyes. "I mean, we're both from the North Blue."

"You're from the North Blue?" Sanji perked up, processing this new information. "Really?"

Robin tilted her head thoughtfully. "That's right. You're from the North Blue too, aren't you, Sanji?"

"I thought you were from the East," Sanji said, his brow furrowing as he tried to place the pieces.

"I moved to the East when I was eighteen." you said, shrugging as if it was inconsequential. But Law could see the tension in your shoulders, the way your jaw clenched slightly.

"Anyway, you don't seem to share mannerisms with Sanji, but you do with Trafalgar," Robin continued, her tone curious rather than accusatory. "I'm not judging just curious. Similar background, perhaps? Same region, at least?"

You slammed your hand on the table "Just drop it, Robin," you said, your voice sharper than you'd intended. Shame flushed across your face as everyone looked at you. "Sorry. I just... I don't want to talk about this."

Law felt something twist in his chest watching you retreat into yourself.

"Wait, Y/N," he called, but you were already standing, already moving away from the table.

"What was that about?" Luffy asked, his expression confused in that innocent way only he could manage.

Law sighed heavily, hanging his head before making a decision. "Yes, we're from the same island," he admitted quietly. The words felt heavy, weighted with all the history they carried.

All brows raised. The crew knew little of your past beyond finding you in the East Blue, performing magic shows and disappearing into the crowd. They knew you were skilled at sleight of hand and tricks, that you could vanish into thin air. But they didn't know why. Never cared to ask.

"What island is that?" Brook asked with genuine curiosity.

Law stood up slowly, "I'm not going to discuss Y/N's past without their permission," he said firmly. "But our home doesn't have the best memories. If they want to tell you, they will."

He walked toward the door without another word.

"That was odd," Zoro commented, and the others nodded in agreement.

"Who cares what island they're from," Luffy said through a mouthful of food. "They're with us now."

Sanji nodded, understanding in his eyes. "Agreed.” He knows what it's like to not want to share your past, they all do.

The rest of the crew also nodded, the past never mattered to them, all that matters is the future.

They all turned back to their meals, the moment already fading in the way that only happened with people who truly accepted each other.

Law stepped out into the salty air and scanned the deck. It took him only moments to spot you, you'd climbed up to the main mast, sitting on the beam where you could see the horizon stretching endlessly before you.

Law summoned a Room and blipped to stand beside you, appearing without warning.

You didn't startle. After two years, you'd learned to sense when he was using his powers. Your eyes opened slowly, taking in his presence with a tired expression.

"You alright?" he asked, lowering himself to sit beside you on the wooden beam. He was careful not to sit too close, giving you space while remaining present.

You nodded slowly. "Yeah. I'm fine. I just didn't realize how similar we are. Or at how much stronger my accent became after talking with someone from my home.”

Law snorted softly. "Neither did I, but I suppose it's obvious if you know what you're looking for."

"Robin is perceptive. Too perceptive, sometimes. But she means well." you said, "She's good about respecting boundaries once you set them, though. I just... I wasn't ready for those questions."

"I hope you don't mind that I told them we're from the same island," Law said carefully. "I didn't tell them it was Flevance."

You shrugged, "I don't mind. I trust them, and they should know. They will understand, especially Robin…” you curled inward pulling your knees to your chest, “she also lost her entire island when she was young due to a buster call.”

Law's eyes widened at the information glancing down at the kitchen door where she remained.

“I've been actually meaning to tell her just haven't found the right time. I don't know why I freaked out." You paused. "It just felt like acknowledging something I've been trying to avoid to admit to anyone else."

"That we're connected?" Law offered quietly.

"That there are only two of us left," you corrected, your voice barely above a whisper.

Law placed a hand on your shoulder, and you lifted your head to meet his gaze with a small smile. The touch was familiar, easy—two years of reaching out to each other had made it second nature.

"I'm glad to see you again," you said, your tone light and genuine.

And Law couldn't help but smile in return. "Same here."

He leaned back slightly and looking out at the vast sea stretching before you both. "How's the crew? My crew, I mean?"

You looked out at the water, your expression fond as you began to recount the past month. "They're great, we mostly kept out of trouble the past month just traveling to different islands while we waited, it's a lot easier to travel when your captain is a warlord.” You laughed slightly, “Bepo is beyond worried taking both Sachi and Penguin to keep him from turning back to punk hazard."

You looked longingly at the sea, "They should be at Zou by now. They dropped me off at Sabaody only last week. Since then I've fought a Army at Fishman Island, befriended a giant princess who holds the ancient weapon Poseidon, and..." You laughed, almost in disbelief at your own words. "Luffy declared war with Big Mom."

Law's eyes widened in alarm. "I'm sorry—did you say declare war with Big Mom?"

You chuckled at his reaction. "Yeah. Luffy ate all her candy and claimed Fishman Island as his territory."

Law grabbed his hair, looking genuinely distressed. "That idiot!"

"It'll be fine," you assured him. "Luffy will handle it."

"I don't understand how you trust him with anything," Law said, though the words lacked heat.

"It's best not to think too hard about it," you said with a smile. "He has a good heart and is insanely determined. When he sets his mind on something, there's no stopping him. It doesn't always make sense, but it works."

"You really love this crew," Law noted, and there was something vulnerable in his voice.

"I never made it a secret," you said gently. "I've been very vocal about how much I love them."

Law hung his head, and when he spoke, his voice was quiet and careful. "So my chances of getting you to officially join my crew are slim, then."

You sucked your teeth, listening to the sounds of your crew laughing as they left the kitchen below. The weight of the question settled over you both like fog.

"Law, this was always the plan," you said softly but refused to look at him. You could already hear this the disappointment in his breath.

"You knew this from the beginning."

You sighed and stood up, grabbing the rope that cascaded down to the ship.

You paused, your hand on the line, but still couldn't quite bring yourself to look at him. "I'm sorry, Law." And then, more quietly, "Looks like we have a new deadline."

Before he could respond, you descended quickly, using the rope with practiced ease.

Sanji greeted you at the bottom with the leftover sandwich you left behind, his expression warm and protective. You smiled brightly, accepting the sandwich.

The two of you descended into an easy conversation with new found knowledge of your shared history growing up in the North Blue, sharing stories that made him laugh.

Law watched from above, his hands gripping the mast. He watched the way Sanji's hand stayed on your shoulder. He watched the way you leaned into his presence. He watched the way your smile never wavered, bright and beautiful and belonging to someone else's crew.

Once again, his request for you to stay had been declined.

Law stayed on the mast long after you'd disappeared inside, watching the endless stretch of ocean and wondering how long it would take before he accepted that some things were never meant to be kept.

Night fell, and the Thousand Sunny transformed.

The crew had migrated to the deck, and the atmosphere had shifted from the structured chaos of dinner to something more genuinely celebratory. Lanterns had been strung up overhead, casting a warm glow across the grass that covered the deck. Someone had dragged out cushions and blankets. The energy was lighter, freer; the kind of ease that only came from people who truly belonged with each other.

Luffy bounded over to you with the brightest smile, his rubber arms already stretched out. "Y/N! Can you please do a magic show!"

You returned his smile without hesitation, your entire face lighting up. "Of course! Usopp made me some new smoke bombs and sparklers I want to try."

"Everyone! Y/N is doing a magic show!" Luffy announced at maximum volume, and the crew cheered at idea.

You disappeared for a moment while everyone settled comfortably on the grassy floor in a loose semi-circle in front the front wall. Law remained on the bench beneath the main mast, on the opposite side of the deck. It was a bit of a distance like his usual spot for your shows. He told himself it was the best vantage point. He told himself he preferred the distance.

The truth was more complicated.

With the crackle of sparklers and a cloud of smoke that seemed to come from nowhere, you appeared.

Everything about you had changed.

The top hat you'd somehow acquired sat perfectly on your head, cocked at an angle that screamed showmanship. Your outfit was a sparkly suit that clung to your form, all sequins and shine and theatrical flair. On the Polar Tang, you'd worn the same practical boiler suits as everyone else. Law had insisted on it. It kept you unremarkable to any Marines who might catch sight of the crew. Made sure no one suspected you to be a Straw Hat. It kept you safe.

But on the Thousand Sunny, you were allowed to be brilliant.

You snapped your fingers and a spotlight illuminated the deck, the rest of the world falling away into darkness beyond its radius. You stood in the center of it all, and Law felt something in his chest clench.

The show began, and you moved through your tricks with a fluidity that came from genuine joy. Your smile never wavered, it was the brightest thing on the entire ship, brighter than the lanterns, brighter than the spotlight.

Luffy kept jumping up, requesting particular tricks and begging to volunteer. But you never selected him, you typically chose Usopp, who was clearly in on all the tricks and wouldn't accidentally destroy the entire performance the way Luffy inevitably would. Of chopper who's childish wonder is easier to fool.

Law's brows pinched slightly. His crew loved your shows. They did. But they were respectful. They raised their hands to volunteer. They applauded politely at the end of each trick. They could be chaotic as well, particularly when Bepo got favored or when a particular tricks shocked them.

The Straw Hats were different.

They were practically part of the show themselves, jumping around, calling out encouragement, creating chaos that you somehow incorporated into your performance with ease. When you asked for a volunteer, they all practically fell over each other to be selected. Usopp would wrestle Luffy back, Chopper would squeak in excitement, even Robin's usual composure cracked into genuine delight.

And you adjusted to every single disruption with the brightest smile, incorporating their chaos into your act as if it had always been part of the plan.

Somehow, as the night deepened and drinks began flowing, the magic show transformed into something larger. The finale came and went, but instead of ending, the energy simply shifted. Someone brought out instruments. Brook appeared with his guitar and violin, launching into a melody that somehow managed to be both melancholy and joyful. Franky brought speakers out from inside the ship and added a steady bass that thrummed through the deck.

The deck became a dance floor.

You held Chopper's small paws as you swung around in lazy circles, the raccoon doctor laughing. Luffy and Usopp was attempting to teach the samurai's son Momo some ridiculous dance move that involved far too much flailing. Nami and Robin were trading sake between sips, their laughter musical and easy. Zoro and Sanji were bickering over something stupid.

Law watched from his bench, his distance suddenly feeling very intentional.

The ping of jealousy that had been present all evening sharpened into something more painful. Because it wasn't just envy of being left out—it was the full, crushing realization that he would never be part of this. That his ship, no matter how capable, could never offer you this. This freedom. This lightness. This belonging.

You bounced over to him suddenly, your energy almost tangible. Your smile was radiant, infectious, "Traffy! Come dance!"

You held your hand out to him, and Law felt the warmth and ecstatic energy radiating off you. It was as if you were your own ray of sunshine, lighting up everything around you. Everything in his body loosen and he couldn't help but catch your infectious smile. He reached to take your hand.

But then he stopped, his hand hovering halfway between you.

He looked over at the crew, at Sanji's easy confidence, at Zoro's drunken grin, at Luffy's obvious adoration. He looked back at you, at the way you fit into their world so perfectly that it made his chest hurt.

And he lowered his hand.

"No, I—" He tried to keep his voice steady, but he could see the exact moment your radiant face fell, could feel the shift in your expression like a physical blow. "I'm going to turn in for the night."

He stood up and walked past you without looking back.

He didn't know where he was actually going, but he needed to be anywhere else. Anywhere that wasn't here, watching you be happy in a way that had nothing to do with him.

"Law, wait. What's wrong?" Your voice came from behind him, confused and hurt. He felt your arm reaching toward him, felt you take a step to follow.

His jaw clenched. He didn't turn around. Instead, he summoned a Room with a sharp gesture and vanished.

You were left reaching out into empty air, your hand closing on nothing but the space where he'd been standing moments before.

Your chest tightened with a mixture of concern and rejection. You wanted to chase after him, to demand answers from the grumpy captain, but a rubbery arm wrapped around your waist.

Before you could protest, you were pulled back into the heart of the party. Zoro immediately materialized at your other side, tapping a fresh bottle of sake on your arm. You were surrounded by your crew's smiles, their easy affection, their obvious care.

"Where did you go?" Luffy asked, finally releasing his hold on you as he watched your expression.

You turned back toward the space Law had occupied, your gaze lingering. "I just wanted to see if Law would dance," you admitted quietly.

Sanji appeared at your other side, his expression shifting into something more flirtatious, more intentional. "You can always dance with me," he offered, extending his hand in a way that was far too smooth.

You rolled your eyes, "I would rather get Zoro to dance before I danced with you." shoved Zoro as you grabbed the bottle from his hold, who laughed at your obvious deflection.

Sanji's hand retreated in offense, his voice rising dramatically. "That moss head?!"

"Just accept it, curly brow. No one wants to dance with you," Zoro shot back, taking a swig from his own drink.

The playful argument escalated exactly as you'd predicted, and you used the opportunity to drift toward Nami and Robin, who were watching the interaction with knowing smirks.

"Where did Traffy go?" Robin asked carefully.

You shrugged, trying your best to hide the hurt that was sitting uncomfortably in your chest. "Said he was tired. Probably ended up in the lounge." You said it casually, as if your brief moment of rejection hadn't stung.

But the two women noticed. Of course they noticed.

Nami wrapped an arm around you and smoothly stole your bottle of sake, taking a deliberate sip. "Well, good riddance," she said playfully. "He's kind of a buzz kill anyway. Come on, let's dance. Don't worry about him."

You snatched your bottle back with a smile that took effort, watching the sake slosh slightly. "Alright. Let's dance." You laughed, chugging the rest of the bottle in one go before Nami could steal the rest. Before you could think too hard about the grumpy captain. Before you could dwell on what had made him pull away.

Before you could wonder if you'd done something wrong.

Law sat on the impossibly large couch in the ship's lounge, positioned directly beneath an enormous fish tank. The tank was filled with creatures of various sizes, some graceful, some strange, some far to large.

He stared up at them with a mixture of amazement and something that might have been envy.

The Thousand Sunny's lounge was nothing like the Polar Tang. His ship was small and cramped, with metal walls and utilitarian portholes. Everything served a function. Everything was compact, efficient, necessary.

This lounge was grand. The wood was warm and richly stained, crafted with the kind of care that spoke to actual artistry rather than mere construction. Natural light filtered through large windows during the day; something Law's submarine couldn't offer.

The entire ship was like this. The furniture was comfortable, lived-in. Books and maps were scattered in organized chaos. There were paintings on the walls and plants in corners and little touches of personality everywhere.

It was as bright as you. As colorful as the rest of your crew.

And suddenly, Law realized what had truly been bothering him all evening. It wasn't that his ship was inferior. It was that his ship was incapable of offering you what this one did.

You needed this. You needed the sunlight and the open air. You needed a crew that was so inherently chaotic that your own chaotic energy fit in perfectly rather than having to be tempered and controlled.

And he—

The sound of voices for outside cut through his spiral of thoughts. They grew louder, more jubilant.

And then they started singing.

"Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho—"

It was Bink's Brew. The crew was singing at full volume, the kind of unrestrained joy that only happened when people were truly together. He could pick out individual voices—Luffy's off-key but enthusiastic rendition, Robin's surprisingly melodic tone, Brook's theatrical performance.

And then he heard you.

He'd only ever heard you hum before. Your singing voice was something he'd caught in rare moments, humming while you did chores, a soft melody while you practiced your tricks on deck. But now, surrounded by your crew, your voice was loud and full of uncontainable joy. It soared above theirs, bright and genuine and so painfully alive.

Law felt something break in his chest.

His breath hitched. His hands gripped the edge of the couch. Because he understood, in that moment with absolute clarity, that even if you did choose him after all of this—even if somehow, impossibly, you decided to stay with the Heart Pirates instead of returning to the Straw Hats. He couldn't take you away from this. He couldn't ask it of you.

And more importantly: you wouldn't choose him.

Over the past two years Law found you to be the only person to fully understand him. The only person who could relate to his experiences and not judge. The only person who could make him smile even on the days where he thinks nothing can bring him joy. The only person who he feel comfortable enough to share everything with, even feeling he hides from everyone else.

But you… you didn't need him. If you needed someone to relate to watching your entire island burn you can turn to Robin. If you wanted to share stories about the North blue you can go to Sanji. If you find a day you can't smile you can go to Luffy. If you need protection you can go to Zoro. Even if you needed a doctor you have chopper here.

And then there was the things he couldn't provide; if you needed someone to relate to stealing to survive you can go to the cat burglar Nami. If you want to talk about your magic tricks you can go to Usopp. If you needed musical enjoyment you had Brook. If you needed something made with pure craftsmanship and care you had Franky.

He laid down on the couch, facing the back cushion, and let the singing wash over him. The sound of your joy was a thing he could never create. Your crew gave you something his never could, no matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he cared.

His thoughts roamed in circles. His chest felt tight. And somewhere in the darkness, he fought back tears he refused to acknowledge.

Morning came too soon.

The Thousand Sunny docked at Dressrosa, and Law emerged from the lounge with a hardened expression. Today was the day. Everything he'd worked toward, everything he'd sacrificed, came down to this.

Today he would take down Doflamingo.

Today he would get his revenge for the hero who'd tried to teach him to love. For the man he'd failed to save. For all the suffering that single person had caused.

Today, he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. Even if he didn't survive this plan, as long as Straw Hat destroyed the factory, as long as Caesar was neutralized, Law would have won. Even in death.

Because what reason did he have to fight for his own life. What reason did he have if the deal you made with him was never going to happen.

He followed the sound of cheerful noise toward the kitchen, his resolve hardening with each step.

When he opened the door, he was hit with the sweetest smell, butter, sugar, and vanilla.

Hootenannies.

His expression softened involuntarily.

You were at the stove, holding a pan with practiced ease while Sanji stood beside you, methodically cutting up fresh berries. The morning light caught your profile as you turned, sensing his presence before he'd even fully entered the kitchen.

You gave him that infectious smile, the same one you always gave, like his presence was something that genuinely delighted you. "Traffy! You're up!"

You set the pan down, which Sanji immediately shifted to take hold of, and grabbed a plate you'd clearly prepared in advance and set aside—far away from any gluten contamination. You held it over the bar for him to take.

Law moved slowly, accepting the plate from your hands. He looked down at the cakes, noting that they were crisper than the ones you'd made months ago on the Polar Tang. These were perfectly decorated with berries and fresh cream, each one arranged with obvious care.

"Sanji helped make them," you explained, leaning slightly closer as if sharing a secret. "So they're way better than the ones I made on my own. He also says he added something to help with stamina or something." You giggled, and the sound was so purely you that something in Law's chest shifted. "I think he's started getting into witchcraft or something, because his food really does give some kind of weird energy boost."

Law continued to stare at the cakes, his entire resolve from the morning—the hardened determination to potentially die for his vengeance—completely dissolving in the face of your simple kindness.

You turned back to the stove and hip-checked Sanji out of the way with easy familiarity, clearly catching him trying to add something to the current batch. The two of you bickered in low tones, but your voices were barely audible over the chaos of the rest of the crew, their excited chatter, their obvious anticipation for breakfast, their joy.

Law decided to sit at the bar facing the kitchen, positioning himself away from the immediate noise. He cut a small piece of cake with careful precision and brought it to his mouth.

The moment it touched his tongue, he felt like he was in heaven.

The cake melted. The flavors were complex, exactly as he remembered them from his childhood in Flevance. Vanilla and something subtly spiced, the berries bright and tart against the sweetness. And beneath it all, something he couldn't quite identify but that made him feel inexplicably energized.

"If I had known you and Y/N were from the same island, I would have made these yesterday." Sanji's voice came from above him.

Law looked up. The cook was leaning on the other side of the bar, his expression lighter than it had been since Law arrived. He turned to look for you and found you engaged in what appeared to be a gentle wrestling match with Luffy, trying to hand him a fresh plate of cakes while he attempted to steal directly from the pan.

When Law turned back, Sanji was studying him with an expression that was less protective and more... curious. "Now that I have a second opinion, do you think the recipe is accurate to the original?"

Law blinked, genuinely surprised by the shift in tone. Sanji had been protective bordering on hostile since the moment Law had stepped aboard. But discussing food seemed to open something in the cook.

Law nodded slowly. "These are exactly how I remember them."

Sanji's smile widened, and he straightened with obvious satisfaction. "Glad to hear. Make sure to eat it all. You're going to need the strength."

Then he was gone, striding across the galley to deliver a strong hit to Luffy's head for trying to steal from you. You looked smugly satisfied as your captain recoiled, holding his throbbing skull, and you stuck your tongue out at him.

Law turned back to his plate and continued to eat carefully, savoring every bite. He took his time, letting each flavor settle on his tongue. If this was his last meal and given what today held, it very well might be, he was grateful it was something so close to home. Something that tasted like memory and care.

The crew gathered outside the ship as Law recounted the plan. The three teams were laid out with military precision: the Caesar trade-off team, the factory-destroying team, the Sunny security team.

You had your arms crossed in an obvious pout, frustration radiating from you in waves. "I don't understand why I have to be on the Sunny security team."

"Because if something goes wrong, you have Bepo's Vivre Card, which will lead you to Zou," Law explained for the third time, his patience wearing thin as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"It's not like I know how to use it anyway," you shot back. "And I already gave it to Nami to use. Why can't I just join your team?"

Law's eye twitched. Because he was deliberately placing you on the Sunny for your protection. Because the thought of you in direct combat with Doflamingo made his chest feel like it was being crushed into the ground. Because—

"Because that's not the plan," he said firmly.

Your arms threw up in exasperation. "Since when was that the plan? It's starting to feel like you don't even remember the plan. Since when did the plan involve you talking to Doflamingo alone. Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

"Will you just listen to me!" Law snapped, his voice carrying more aggression than he'd intended. He heard the sharp intake of breath from the crew around you. He watched protective postures shift, saw hands move to weapons, saw Sanji's expression harden.

You huffed and crossed your arms tighter, your expression shuttering. "Whatever."

Law felt a grumble building in his chest. He recognized that look. He'd learned over two years to read it perfectly. You were thinking of more arguments, more ways to push back, more reasons why his decision was wrong.

He huffed and turned around knowing if he started a argument he may have a entire crew of pirates after him and you may piece together his true reasoning. He starting speaking to Robin who had questions about her role.

You were trying to think through the reasons Law would have to change the plan, but then Sanji's head turned sharply toward the town in the distance. His body went rigid. Some internal mechanism had clearly activated, overriding his desire to stay.

Sanji started moving toward town with the kind of determination that suggested he had no control over it.

You immediately noticed. Your pout deepened as you realized he was part of Team Sunny too. "Where are you going?" you called.

Sanji didn't respond, already halfway down the path. You cursed under your breath and took off after him, your footsteps quick and frustrated.

And naturally, the factory-destroying team followed, clearly ready to explore the new island.

Law turned back around to find himself staring at an empty beach. The Sunny security team had been reduced to approximately three crew member and Momo, the factory destroying team vanished, and you were already gone, your frustration propelling you into whatever adventure Sanji was about to stumble into.

He let out a loud groan of annoyance, his carefully laid plans already crumbling before the actual operation had even begun.

<<First | Next>

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Deleted Scenes

A/N: Thank you for reading! if you enjoy post like this check out my Masterlist. and if you want to send me a request for my next post please send me a message! If you liked this and want to support me I have a tip jar on Ko-fi.

So remember that thing I said about being jobless well my husband suggested I make a Ko-fi and suggested I posted this there. However I'm not quite sure how that fully works yet so if you want to support me I have a tip jar on Ko-fi. And maybe one day I'll figure out how to use it past that.

Also as you can tell this story does have room for a part three and I may have started writing it but I don't know if anyone will want to read that. Seeing how 1. the following events are Dressrosa. 2. My third parts typically result in really bad ansgt, take my work pages of promise for example:

Pages of Promise

Part 1 | Part 2 | Sad Ending | Bittersweet Ending

But let me know anyways if you would like a part three and four as well and let me know what should be the choice should be in the end!

This a standalone story from the predecessors of the Zarma, the Sorko people, one of the peoples who was part of the Songhai Empire, known for their fishing ability on the Niger River. The Songhai empire was in West Africa and reached its peak in the 15th and 16th centuries. This story may take place, but it's not really connected to anything historical. All you need to know is a hippo has been terrorizing a village, and a young man was hired to take him down.

—

The young man crouched in the tall grass surrounding the Niger river, watching the hippopotamus - the river horse. It was larger than he expected. He had killed bigger. He had killed everything. Dragons, giant crocodiles, wizards, anything that brought pain, destruction and chaos to the land was what he was called on to fight.

He smirked.

The funny thing was he hadn't done anything special. Really? He was just brave enough to go into the dark after the monsters, only to discover that the monsters were nothing more than normal. The dragons were scared lizards, the giant crocodiles were regular crocodiles made massive in the mind by panic. The wizards were twisted old men who delighted in cruelty.

The young man rested his spear on the ground and unlooped the bow from his shoulder. Everything - no matter how big, powerful or otherworldly - everything died. His job was just to help it along. And this, this was just a hippo.

He placed his spear on the ground, and then climbed a tree overhanging the river, careful to stay out of sight. He crept out onto a branch, balanced himself on the wood and drew an arrow from the quiver. He steadied his hand, nocked the arrow, drew it back and let loose. At the one spot he knew would kill this thing quickly.

The hippo dropped, but not in the way the young man had expected. It rolled to the side.

The young man drew back the bow ducked and rolled as the earth seemed to rumble. He lowered his bow as he crouched, jaw agape, then a smile curled on his face.

“Well, you're a fast one,” the young man said, glancing down to where he left his spear. He looked back up at the beast, but noticed that the hippo was following his eyes. Did this hippo know what was going on? He didn't have time to think through the implications because the hippo now appeared to be three sizes larger than it was when the young man shot the bow. It roared and charged as the young man dove from the tree.

He had to get to a spear. He hit the ground, rolled and found himself before a wall of hippo. The creature had tripled in size since the young man had seen it triple in size. It was nine times its original size. And now wait, were those ovens on the creatures back? They flashed to life with flame.

The young man couldn't quite believe what he was seeing. There was wonder in the world after all. He narrowed his eyes. Too bad. It had to die.

—

Nana Miriam sat on the riverbank with her father. She had seen the hippo eating the rice fields as it did every day.

Her father hobbled over and took a seat by her. “Oh, Hey, there's that new hero type guy that they got to fight the hippo.” Fara Makan said as he grunted to a seat. “How's that going?”

Nana Miriam saw the hippo, the size of a convention center, light the fires on its back. 10 of them. This time she glanced down at the young man, the hero, just in time for him to become a silhouette and the flood of flame. When the fire stopped, the hero’s bones fell among his ashes.

“Well, it's not going well,” Nana Miriam said as the hippo shrunk back to its normal size and shuffled back to the rice fields.

The men who hired the hero rushed to put the flames out before they spread. This hippo would destroy the village, not by carnage, but by starvation.

“Don't worry about it,” Fara Makan said to his daughter. “Everything has its time. We should get back to our lesson.”

Nana Miriam was Fara Makan’s only child. Her training had started one warm morning. Three years ago, she sat by the river with her father and he pointed at the fish. He would ask her what each fish was that swim by.

“And that one and that one,” she told him each time.

But he only shook his head with a grimaced. “Nope, not that type of fish.” He told his daughter she needed to learn to see the world as it truly was, even if it was muddy and uncertain at times. Only then would she have power.

And so Nana Miriam learned to see. It was difficult of course, but she was a quick study. Three years on, in her late teens, she rivaled her father.

About six months later, the hippo had arrived and the father and daughter knew it for what it was instantly, through a rare combination of magical forces.

A monster had been born, whether it was an actual hippo that had discovered the power or a demon that took the form of a hippo. They didn't know, but they saw its wrath. It devoured all the rice fields. Anyone who tried to stop it, was incinerated, trampled or devoured himself.

They had banded together one time and surprised the hippo with the whole village, making a stand against one of the monsters of the unknown.

But the thing turned into a mouse and darted into the reeds.

Their celebration was cut short by the seven more trampled fields the next morning.

That day, Fara Makan, Nana Miriam's father, had hunted the beast. The monster had caught his spears, melting them in bullets that popped out of his back like some fifth generation Pokemon. Fara Makan’s magic was the only reason he was able to walk away. But magic can only go so far when a hippo the size of a Mack truck is jumping on your body. So Fara Makan walked away with a permanent limp.

Now the village was looking at moving. It was a tragic and harrowing prospect. This had been their land for generations and the journey to find a new home would be a long one. The neighboring peoples were nice, but not like let-the-neighbors-live-in-their-home-permanently nice.

The last night in their home, Nana Miriam smelled the air and walked to where her father was cooking. “What was all this? That was a lot of rice and meat for the two of us.”

Her father sparked a grin. “Oh, it wasn't just for the two of us.”

Just then, outside, they heard a cacophony of barking.

Nana Miriam looked to her father. “You didn’t.”

Fara Makan rushed to the door.

“You did!” Nana Miriam followed with a groan.

Her father, despite criticizing the town for looking elsewhere for their salvation, was inviting a hero.

There stood Kara-Digi-Mao-Fosi-Fasi, and his 120 hounds.

As Nana Miriam walked up to the hounds she found she looked up to them. Not like they were role model dogs or anything. They were the size of horses.

“One hundred and twenty horse-sized dogs.” Nana Miriam said, nodding approvingly as she looked over the field of dogs.

Not only did they sound like a real threat, but they might actually have a chance.

“Thanks for coming,” Fara Makan said to Kara-Digi-Mao-Fosi-Fasi.

The dog handler asked the father if he had the fee ready.

With a grin, Fara Makan went in and got the first pot of rice. “Who's hungry?” He yelled out to the hounds.

They bayed and wagged their tails and jumped as he flung the rice and meat out to them.

“Your fee is feeding your dogs?” Nana Miriam asked the dog handler.

He shrugged. “Yeah, having a hundred and twenty horse-sized dogs is expensive.”

The next morning, the trio walked to confront the hippo with 120 horse-sized dogs.

“Why do you have them all on separate leashes?” Nana Miriam asked. “Wouldn't it make more sense to have one big leash, one that branches off into smaller leashes? That way you're not pulled in 120 different directions.”

The warrior said that this gave him more control this way. He could decide which dogs to loose.

“When does it usually take more than one dog to win a fight?” Nana Miriam asked, but she would soon learn the answer to that question.

They were in one of the far off rice fields, one of the few still remaining, and they found the hippo there bent down, munching on some rice. It looked up, barely registered the field of horse-hounds in front of it and continued eating.

“Hounds, attack!” Fara Makan said, pointing at the hippo.

The animal didn't even look up, and the hounds didn't move.

He smiled, embarrassed. “Oh yeah. Sorry. I guess that's your thing.” He said to the warrior.

Kara-Digi-Mao-Fosi-Fasi let the first hound go to attack the hippo. It charged for the hippo’s throat.

—

“Well, what did we learn?” Nana Miriam said to the two sheepish men, when the trio returned home.

The two men remained silent.

“You're going to make me run through this little post-mortem - oof.” She sighed. “This literal post-mortem-”

Kara-Digi-Mao-Fosi-Fasi exploded into tears. “They are dead. All of my dogs are dead.”

Fara Makan patted his friend on the back. “It wasn't your fault.”

Nana Miriam couldn’t hold back anymore. “Yes it was!” She had told him after he let the first ten go one-by-one. The hippo had crunched each lone dog with the same amount of effort that we would give to a piece of popcorn. She told Kara-Digi-Mao-Fosi-Fasi as he was loosing the eleventh dog that he needed to let all the dogs go at the same time so they could surround and overwhelm the hippo.

He told her to know her place and that he had this in the bag.

“Well congrats. All of your dogs are gone. I hope you have a Plan B.” Nana Miriam was not trying to be nasty, but her hope had faded fast as the hippo finished eating the dogs, and all that was left was irritation.

Kara-Digi-Mao-Fosi-Fasi left in tears to go update his resume from Dog Handler to Regular Guy.

And Nana Miriam and Fara Makan were left alone. The father and daughter went out to sit by the riverbank. They didn't have enough food for dinner. He used the last of it feeding the 120 horse-sized dogs.

Rice was exceedingly scarce in the village. They would need to find an alternate soon, or they would die.

Looking up at the clouds, Fara Makan said that they would need to leave soon if 120 dogs couldn't hurt the thing. In addition to all the heroes that had tried and died, maybe the hippo couldn't be killed.

Nana Miriam sat up. She said, “Yeah. I’m going for a walk.”

Fara Makan nodded. “Yeah, I kind of want to be alone too.”

They joked, but watching 120 dogs get chewed up by a giant hippo is the kind of thing that sticks with you.

Nana Miriam patted him on the shoulder and rose to her feet. She started walking to the north, toward the village. She looked back until she was out of sight of the river, where her father sat, processing all the death. And when he was out of sight, she moved west and looped back, past their house. She was going south. She was going to see it. She was going to see the hippo.

“Hey, what's up?” The hippo asked Nana Miriam when she walked up to him, chewing at the rice fields as per usual.

“You can talk?” Nana Miriam asked,

“Well, kind of,” the hippo clarified “You can hear me because of your magic. You do magic with your dad. I can kind of tell, you seem like the type. By the way, I am a shape-shifting hippo who can make oven jets on his back. You're kind of amazed about the wrong thing here.”

Nana Miriam thought that if she could talk to the hippo, she might be able to reason with it. She said that he was killing the village by eating all of their rice.

“Ah, bummer. Hey,” the hippo asked one question. “Did you ask to be born?”

Nana Miriam shook her head.

“No one does, right?” The hippo said through a mouthful of food. “Well, neither did I. I was born though. And do you know how much energy it takes to run ten ovens on your back to defend yourself from guys trying to kill you?”

Nana Miriam said, “No, but that didn't mean-”

“Oh, didn't mean what? That I, a hippo, can't defend myself? If someone attacks me eating the one food source that's both delicious and calorie dense enough to feed me, I can’t defend myself? That seems like a double standard. And it’s not like I’m going into the village eating people or something. No, I'm hanging out on the outskirts, eating rice. You all should let me be.”

Nana Miriam asked the hippo if they had any other choice.

It said, “Nope. I’m not saying that I am invincible, but I am kind of pretty much invincible. I mean, I just slayed 120 dogs - new record, by the way. And they’re not as filling as you’d think. No one can kill me and you humans obviously don't respect me. So I can and will continue to do whatever I want.” The hippo swallowed the rice and bent back down to eat.

“I can kill you,” Nana Miriam said.

The hippo looked at the girl and laughed, and started to light the fires on his back.

Unlike all the others, she didn't shirk away.

She kept looking right in his beady little hippo eyes.

“Sure you can, little girl,” The hippo said to the grown woman. “Maybe come back tomorrow though. I kind of had my fill today.” The fires on its back ignited shooting a ring of fire that expanded out from the hippo. It came to rest on the ground, not burning the rice, giving the hippo a comfortable space to eat without being disturbed. Or so he thought.

Within minutes his walls of flame flickered, smoked, and turned to water, which dropped to the earth.

Nana Miriam stood, tossing out bits of spices from her belt-bag and finishing up the last of her incantations. Her eyes snapped open and she looked directly at the hippo. “One of us is going to die today, and it isn’t going to be me.”

The hippo’s giant nostrils flared. He squinted his little pig eyes and charged in the absolute opposite direction. He didn't need any of this. There was something about that woman, something that filled him with a deep abiding terror.

After a short sprint, the hippo was far enough away to throw up some walls. The ground rumbled and Nana Miriam rocked back and forth as the rice field parted and iron walls grew from the dirt. They stretched high into the sky, secluding the hippo. Nana Miriam heard a low laugh echo around the chamber.

But Nana Miriam was just beginning. She waved her hands, said an incantation and transformed into a smith.

Nana Miriam, Smith Extraordinaire, made short work of the wall after she'd conjured a bellows, hammer and an anvil. She smashed her way through just as the hippo floated out underneath her feet. The hippo had transformed itself into a stream and was now making a break for the river.

Nana Miriam took off after it.

It was nearly to the river's edge when Nana Miriam waved her hands and the local river was gone.

The little creek that the hippo had turned into slid into the cracks of the Riverbed, but there was nowhere else for it to go.

Knowing that it could move faster as a hippo, the creature changed back and took off in a full run toward the Niger River.

Nana Miriam was able to dry up that tributary, but not even the hippo's magic could dry up the Niger. It could rest, reform, and come back and destroy this woman and her entire village.

The hippo was so busy congratulating himself that he didn't notice another wall until he slammed his head into it and started bleeding. The hippo staggered backward to see Nana Miriam finishing her incantation.

She said, “There is nowhere else for you to go. I should thank you for helping me realize my true power.” Nana Miriam laughed. “But for now? It was time for you to die!”

But before she could charge, however, they both heard, “Nana Miriam!”

The woman turned to see Fara Makan, his best spear pointed at the hippo.

“Did, did you do this?” Fara Makan asked, gesturing to the lack of a river, the wall, the bleeding hippo.

Nana Miriam nodded.

“My girl. I am so proud.” He smiled wide.

The hippo had a wry smile of his own. He turned not toward Nana Miriam, but toward Fara Makan. It charged.

Fara Makan stood up as straight as he could. He wouldn't die, shrinking and fearful. If he was going to be eaten, he wasn't going to be an easy meal. He gripped his spear, braced himself and gritted his teeth for the gaping maw that just this morning had gulped down 120 horse-sized dogs.

But the hippo froze inches away from his spear point. The hippo scraped at the dirt, but couldn't get to the man.

Nana Miriam was gripping its tail. She couldn't get in front of the beast, but she could get there fast enough to grab it and stop it.

She held it as it desperately scraped at the dry river bed, pulling uselessly away. As she hauled the hippo to herself and from her father, her hands and arms glowed with the otherworldly light of her incantations.

She started spinning the hippo.

He, who had destroyed lives, villages and hope, was at her mercy.

And it would find none.

It went around and around, over her head, Miriam spun and spun and spun the hippo.

With a cry, she released it, and it flew into the sky. Soon, neither Nana Miriam, nor her father could see it. In fact, when the creature crashed into the earth, all the way to the east, it was already dead. Nana Miriam had thrown it so hard, it had circled the earth three times, and died of thirst, before hitting the ground once again.

The creature that had plagued their village was gone and it was never coming back.

Nana Miriam flew to her father and hugged the man, weeping as she allowed the water to return to the river. She was so glad that he was safe.

Fara Makan patted her on the back. He could hardly believe it. The famine was over. Nana Miriam had done it. The fight was over.

But the fear had not left Nana Miriam’s heart.

—

“Hey, so I was in town just now,” Fara Makan said to Nana Miriam, as he knocked on the doorframe of her workshop. “Did you make an announcement in town telling everyone to come to the river?”

She shook her head slightly. “No, no. I made an announcement in every town.”

“Okay,” The father said, then he looked to her work bench. “My girl, you had been in here for 40 hours straight. What were you working on?”

Nana Miriam was wide-eyed. She was working on a solution. So that nobody would ever have a problem with magic hippos again.

“Again?” The father forced a smile. “Nothing like the hippo would happen again. He was dead. Nobody can't fall from low orbit and survive. Not even if you're a hippo with back ovens.”

It had been a few weeks since she had killed the monster and saved everyone living along the river. She even personally hunted any other, normal hippos that dared walk within her village lands. Fara Makan taught the people songs about his daughter. Her name would live on forever for this brave act alone. Like he said, it was over.

She stood, her fingers stained by the powder that she had been working on. She got up in his face until she was mere inches from him. “It isn't over.”

As someone blessed with such power, she was duty bound to serve her people. She could never let such a dangerous creature exist again. She showed her father an egg - her final solution to all their hippo problems.

There was a murmur from out front. The father emerged to see not only the members of the village, but all the neighboring ones too, assembling on both sides of the river.

Nana Miriam stepped out, and announced, “I hope you left your weapons at home, friends, because you won't be needing them today.”

The father jumped when he heard Nana Miriam yelling out behind him. Some of the people nodded that they did leave their weapons at home. Others set their spears and arrows down.

Nana Miriam walked to the water's edge and said that they never needed to worry about another hippo attack with her magic. She will be able to get rid of all of them. “With only this,” she held up the egg, your only responsibility will be to feast.”

She dropped the egg in the water and light shimmered out from it.

She stood, her eyes fixed on the ripples. Smiling.

The people looked at each other, faces reflecting the light. But when was this feast coming?

Then a lump, a small island surfaced in the river.

The crowd around it jumped back when they saw that the gray mass had eyes, but then relaxed when they saw that those eyes were dead. Some jumped in and started fighting over who would get to take this hippo home.

Nana Miriam told them to calm down. “This won’t be the only one.” She pointed back out to the river.

As far as the people could see, dead hippos were surfacing in the Niger.

Nana Miriam raised up her hands and told the people, “Hop to it!”

For hours people came to drag the bodies of the hippos from the water to render them, to smoke and sear the meat. To save it for the future. While their villages were still recovering from the famine, they could eat hippo.

And now she had saved them from every possible future hippo attack. All the people were grateful. None of them would ever threaten her father or her people again.

—

Weeks passed. And the river was clear. Only the hippos had been killed. The frogs, fish, birds, even the crocodiles, everything else flourished, but something, something strange was going on.

“Where have you been?” Farrah Maka nearly hit the ceiling while tiptoeing into his hut. He found Nana Miriam sitting up waiting for him.

He chuckled. “Nowhere, just out for a walk.”

“Tell me,” commanded Nana Miriam, not echoing her father’s chuckle.

“Since when does a father need to explain himself to his daughter?” Farrah Makkah asked. “I will tell you nothing.”

Nana Miriam rose and reached into a pouch at her side. “That's what I thought you would say.”

She went to the threshold and sprinkled powder from the pouch onto the dirt outside and muttered an incantation. The footsteps, the path that her father had walked, glowed in the night. It stretched off alongside the river. Beyond Nana Miriam’s sight. “Nowhere looks awfully far away.”

She swung her pack onto her back. And without a goodbye left her father standing in the doorway.

He hesitated for only a moment before rushing off after her. It took a little over three hours following the glowing footsteps until Nana Miriam arrived at a second larger hut.

She said another incantation and a hovering light glowed above her. She unhooked the gate and entered the darkness there.

She saw two beady eyes staring back at her. Hippo eyes.

Fara Makan arrived, winded from jogging the whole way, just as his daughter drew the dagger from her pack. “Now wait,” he said.

Nana Miriam turned. “What were you doing? Are you harboring it? Are you caring for it?”

Fara Makan nodded. “The hippo has a child, and is pregnant.”

Nana Miriam couldn't believe it. After everything she had done, he went and did this?

Fara Makan stopped her. “I did it for your fear!” She closed her mouth and he took a breath, and then continued. “I don't know what it was. If it was when the magical hippo charged me or from something that happened in the fight. But you've taken things too far. People who are fine, don't wipe out entire species.”

Nana Miriam lowered her dagger. “But what if another hippo monster came? What if it came after you again?”

“Then we'll handle it the way we handle everything: together.” The father said. “But these hippos weren't the ones that deserved to die.”

Nana Miriam sheathed her dagger. He was right.

She'd been scared. She'd been scared for him. And she had taken things too far.

Nana Miriam opened the door and took it by the chin. “You’re free to go.”

The pregnant hippo and calf trotted out.

Nana Miriam and her father began the long walk back home in the dark, side by side. And Nana, Miriam would forever be known as the destructor and the source of all the hippos in the world.

And so ends the happier version of Nana Miriam.

—

But in some versions, that is not the end.

Apparently after everything was finished, the hippos returned and the land was at peace, Nana Miriam met someone. Fono was a good kid and they were happy. But Fara Maka was worried. All that magic. He taught Nana Miriam. That was his old family secret.

If it got out, that would be it. So he sat Nana Miriam down and made her promise to never reveal the family magic to anyone except her own descendants. Since her father was her father and her betrothed was just that, she agreed. After all they had been through, she would honor his request.

Well, things changed. Nana Miriam married the man and he became her family too. It also didn't help that Fara Makan was showboating. Literally. When the father and son-in-law went out fishing, Farrah Maka would return with a full boat, laughing and berating his son-in-law's empty boat, telling Fono “Don’t worry! I will take care of your family for you.”

Then one day, a year or so later, Fono returned with a catch bigger than Fara Makan. Soon, all of his catches were bigger than Fara Makan’s.

Nana Miriam had consulted with a holy man and asked to whom she owed a greater duty. Her husband, who was honest with his feelings, or her father, whose fame by association had gone to his head.

The holy man replied with the former.

So Nana Miriam taught her husband the magic.

One morning, Fara Makan was in bed with a fever. Fono told him not to worry. He could fish for the both of them. He knew that it was a bit of a stinging blow, but he was also being genuine. He knew his father-in-law was getting older.

Fara Mako winced and waved Fono away with a sneer.

As the man left for the day, Nana Miriam remained behind to care for her father.

When Fono was gone, Fara Makan rose from the bed, his fever having disappeared like magic.

He asked Nana Miriam, “Why did you do this to me, your family.”

She replied that Fono was her family too. He was Fara Makan’s family. It wasn't fair to shame him each day when Fara Makan was over there, cheat-fishing. So yeah, she told her father that she taught Fono the family magic. But once again, there was nothing to fear because he was family.

Fara Makan did not see it that way. And he attacked.

Whether Nana Miriam was unable or unwilling to fight back, it was never said. Nana Miriam’s might was considerable, and she loved her father dearly, so she may have been holding back.

But when Fono came back from fishing, Nana Miriam was dead and her father was gone.

Enraged and sorrowful, Fono found his father-in-law and challenged him to a duel.

At sunrise, the pair rode their boats out on the Niger and had a final battle. They unleashed all of their magical powers.

And both died.

And so ends the sadder version of Nana Miriam.

Nana Miriam Explanation

This was another story I had in the works for several years. I based it off the transcript of a Myths & Legends podcast by Jason Weiser. If you’ve seen my story ‘The Eyrie’, it’s the same podcast. This episode came out in 2021. The show does not release its transcripts or sources for free, so I found a site that recorded an iffy transcription. Then I fixed it up and adapted it to be more obviously dialogue and cut some details that sound good by ear and in context, but were distracting on-page.

But I actually drew the pictures first. Due to how long it took me to get to writing things, and because I knew how the story went, I drew the pictures for this one early.

The first one is my crappy attempt at making Nana Miriam (NM) throw the hippo. His tail is supposed to spell Nana Miriam, but I accidentally added another cloud tittle (the dot over the letters ‘i’ and ‘j’) so oh well. It’s the most famous part of the story, and I wanted to include it in a special way. Also I originally was only going to draw four pictures total for this story, and had a lot of ideas on what to draw.

My sources for the Sorko people’s wear was inconsistent, especially in terms of how the women wore their hair. So NM has various different hairstyles, some based off Zarma hairstyles and practices. But the most fun part was drawing her dresses! Again, I used Zarma patterns for the drawings, and it was quite fun. They’re complicated, but I personally am looking forward to coloring them in.

For the second picture, I wanted to draw the giant hippo (occasionally called Mali in some sources) but at the time I was using a small page. So I just drew his face! I wish I could’ve included his ‘ovens’ but oh well.

Third, I wanted to put the scene of NM killing the ring of fire to paper. I thought that was pretty cool, and easier to draw than the iron wall event or the river nonsense. In some versions, her bag holds magic spices that are huge amplifiers to her power, so of course I had to include it. I was pretty proud of her hand position, so here’s a closer-up sketch of it.

The fourth picture is where I feel like I lost her face. But anyway, that’s her being triumphant and mean over the other hippos.

Hippos are a genuine danger to river-dwelling peoples. They’re fast and like to literally break boats open and destroy fields. Even zookeepers who know their hippos for decades avoid interaction whenever possible. They can and will eat you, if they’re hungry enough. But they’re also very important to the ecosystem.

The last picture is NM ‘freeing’ the hippos after terrorizing them for so long.

Like many people, she had gone through a lot of trauma. And like many people, she had to realize that her trauma did not give her license to hurt others. It’s a tough lesson, but one that was especially inspiring to see from a lady character.

I’m not sure how common was the ending with Fono, Fara Makan and the death of NM. As far as I know, it only appears in the ‘African Myths of Legend’ book collected by Stephen Belcher - at least as far as I found.

The parts of the tale that are definitely from Sorko culture, largely the beginning, hint at a view where heroines were maybe not the most common thing in the world, but weren’t outlandish within the culture.

But the Zarma are pretty different from the Sorko. The Zarma are largely Muslim, lived quite recently under foreign rulers far away with a tendency to enforce their own gender roles, and their women’s rights are stifled. Again, due to the effects of colonization in the countries the Zarma inhabit in modern day. Plus, the story was collected by an outsider - they may have left out details or changed things to keep bits of the myth private.

In any case, in the Belcher book I found, the tale is about Fono and Fara Makan. Fono is drawn to legends of NM and despite her father’s bad feelings, they happily marry. NM’s accomplishments are not mentioned in detail, and are only stated as equal to Fono’s own.

So from this newer, more conservative mindset, we get a quieter NM who is less willing to do violence or use magic, and lets her husband be the main character. And lets herself be killed by a weaker man, a man she loved and trusted, in the name of another man she loved. She even sought advice! When did NM seek advice in the ‘happier’ story? Never. She just did what she wished. And Fara Makan never wielded such dominance over his daughter. It’s just weird.

So in my opinion, that was a new addition tacked on to appease conservative listeners. But I decided to include it because sometimes, even the strongest people have trouble keeping up their boundaries and defending themselves from family. And that’s normal, and nothing of which to be ashamed.

In any case, I hope you enjoyed Nana Miriam!