Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ten warships surrounded the island, their bright white sails taut in the wind and taller than the trees. Someone fired first, and the fleet began a chorus of booming cannon-fire. Black smoke spewed from the lower decks, creating a gunsmoke haze obscuring the island. The island's forests crumbled, ancient trees splintering as if they were made of paper. 

The small coastal town fared no better. Each cannonball split through an entire street, toppling houses and leaving craters where they fell. Cobblestone streets transformed into twisted paths of rubble and rock. Panicked townsfolk flooded the docks, whereupon the Buster Call fired on the docks and sunk the mob. People attempted to move carriages through the broken streets, while others abandoned their horses and wagons to run for their lives.  Orange gas swept through the city like a virus.

Screams went out, and the bodies of animals and men caught in the crossfire piled in the streets.  The cannon fire chorus never slowed.  Blood and grime coated the streets, making it impossible to maneuver among the bodies and rubble. A single escaping passenger ship exploded into thousands of wooden splinters.

Trees fell. Houses crumbled. Men died. The cannons didn't stop. 

Mothers cried. Horses shrieked. Fires roared. The cannons didn't stop.

Smoke spewed. The island broke. All was silent. The cannons stopped.

Watching from a small boat, Valentine's heart sank through his body. His eyes were glued to the smoldering rock that had been his home. He could only watch, helpless before the raw destruction of the Marines. No structure nor life remained of the place he had known for the first years of his life. 

What can be done against such evil?  The thought tormented him. Valentine had been warned of the Buster Call, but he'd taken a risk for his freedom. In a way, it was him that had exterminated the island, brought an end to what was once his home.

He felt cold tears on his cheeks. His body was frozen in place. And cold, he felt so very cold. Niramor’s words haunted him, and sang through his mind like a requiem for the island.

If you ever leave me, you’ll destroy everything you’ve ever known, Valentine.

I have the Buster Call, don’t force me to use it, Valentine.

You’ll stay with me, won’t you, Valentine?

Don’t try to escape, Valentine.

Valentine clutched the bow holding himself upright The sweat of his palms felt more like blood. His vision blurred and his stomach retched. His mind phased between painful memories and the painful present.

“Son? Son, are you okay?” He heard a voice ask.

“I’m fine,” Valentine said. He tried to focus on the speaker, but saw only a blur. By the age of his voice,  and the authority it spoke with, he was talking to the captain of the small fishing vessel.

“Well, then hold onto something. Whatever the hell just happened, we are getting out of here. Whatever the Marine’s business here is, we want nothing to do with it. Pray they don’t notice us, lad.”

Chapter Text

The fishing boat knocked against the old wooden harbor. Valentine was off in a rush, he didn’t want to be stuck behind the workers as they unloaded their haul of fish. He felt more comfortable when his feet hit solid ground. He never spent much time at sea and hadn’t quite gotten his sea legs, or sea stomach.

“Two hours, son,” the captain said, “We will unload this, get a bite at the lodge, then be sailing off in two hours. Be here on time, we won’t wait for you.” 

“I understand,” Valentine said. He watched as crewmen unloaded barrels and crates and was grateful that he had paid his way onto the ship as a passenger, and needn’t work for his bunk. He leaned on the railing, studying the dozens of different ships in the harbor. His minds eye painted them with cannon fire flashes and smoke, laying waste to another island.

Cannon fire split the air. Valentine's heart leapt into his throat. Time seemed to grind to a halt. A second cannon fired, and his vision floated out of his body. He watched from a distance as his body dove into a coil of rope. He was curled into a ball and shaking when the third cannon split the air.

His body shook with aftershocks of the Buster Call. The image of his barren island plagued his thoughts. Every time he closed his eyes, it was painted on the inside of his eyelids. He used his practiced technique, to push the image down into the depths of his mind where he could forget it. 

“Relax, it's only the 4'clock fire." He was ripped him back into his body, and he shoot onto his feet. Save for the stranger, he was alone. The stranger had long hair, wet from the ocean, and intense golden eyes. He wore an open coat, and a necklace with thick pendants. "You're Valentine, Niramor's runaway. I recognize you."

The name Niramor lit fire in his veins. Inside his jacket, Valentine gripped the handle of his knife. It had a nasty forward curve and an edge honed to a razor.

“Am I correct?” the stranger said.

“How do you know those names? Who are you?” he asked.

“I can explain later, you need to come with me. Now.”  The stranger grabbed onto Valentine’s wrist, erupting a wave of anxiety in him. Hot adrenaline fired through his veins and his eyes grew wild.

“Don’t touch me!” Valentine snapped, ripping his hand back. It took everything he had to avoid a scene, and not slice into the aggressive stranger. 

“Stubborn…” the stranger cursed, “You know you have a bounty, right? I found your poster, and so did the sailors that brought you in." Valentine eyed him suspiciously, his knife hand twitching. "They could be back any minute now. I’m not here to turn you in, I couldn’t even if i wanted to.” The man passed him two bounty posters from within the folds of his jacket. The left was an unmistakable drawing of the stranger, though his beard had been shaved. 

WANTED

DEAD ONLY

Asada Redwin

Before he could read more, Redwin folded it up and returned it to his jacket. The right poster held a familiar face.

WANTED

ALIVE ONLY

Valentine

10,000,000 Berries

Valentine is an escaped Marine fugitive, if seen do not offer him assistance. He is not to be harmed.
Bring information or his safe return to Niramor, standing Marine Captain of Navy Base S-8 .

The picture of him was startlingly accurate, and drawn with great attention to even the smallest details of his appearance. The artist matched his sunken cheeks, sharp cheekbones, and mop of dark hair perfectly. It seemed Niramor had spared no details, and no expense. 

Valentine assessed his options. If Red really was telling the truth, and none of the bounties were fake, it didn’t create any trust in Valentine. It was common for pirates and criminals to seek underhanded deals with marine officials, trading bounty targets for a clean wipe of their record. 

If Red was lying however-

“I’m telling the truth,” He answered, as if reading his mind. “I know what Niramor's done to you, which means she's after both of us. I’m here to get you to safety, I’m not your enemy”

Valentine relaxed his grip on his knife, but didn’t release it. 

“Where would we go?” Valentine risked a question.

“Ishport, I have family there that will keep us safe.” Red said, and Valentine sensed no deceit in his words. He didn't have another way off the island, and he couldn't just stay here and wait for the sailors to return. He had to abandon them. At the very least Red was pretending to be helping him, which still made him a better choice. If all else failed, he still had his knife.

“Alright.” Valentine let go of the knife and relaxed his stance. “I’ll go with you for now, Red. When are we leaving?” Sailing away from the island was an attractive prospect, no matter what Red’s true allegiance was. 

“I'm afraid our boat is actually sailing past now.”

Valentine whirled around, where a passenger vessel was passing beside the docks, aiming to leave the harbor. It was tantalizingly close, a mere 20 yards from the docks.

Before Valentine could ask ‘What now?’, Red wrapped his arms around him and leapt into the air, dragging Valentine along with him. Within the space of a heartbeat, he leapt off three times off air, as if it were solid ground. Valentine felt a great lurch, and his stomach rattled around his body. His vision filled with red, and spun off into cold blackness.

Chapter Text

Waves rocked the boat, Valentine's hammock started to swing. He was thankful that Red had spoken to the captain and secured them the hammocks. Other passengers huddled further above deck like livestock. A four hour boat ride was ahead of them, and Valentine intended to sleep through as much as he could, though the rocking made it difficult. 

When he'd first woken up, he was already in the hammock with Red waiting patiently nearby.

“Sorry,” He had explained, “I didn’t mean to knock you out. Some people don't have the constitution for Soru. We made it on board though, didn’t we?”

At the time, the comfortable quarters had calmed Valentine enough for him to resist the urge to wallop Red upside the head. 

“Where do we go once we land, Red?” Valentine asked.

“I told you, friends in the city. We'll be safe there.”

Valentine chewed his lip. Redwin never seemed to answer questions in full. “Who are these friends? How can we trust them?” said Valentine.

“Perhaps I make a hobby of saving helpless strangers from Marines.” Redwin said. 

“Perhaps.” Valentine rolled Redwin’s retort around in his brain, trying to break apart their meaning. Eventually, he gathered a bullet of suspicion and fired at him. “Strange hobby, for a former marine.” 

“I’ve never been a marine. Make no mistake of it.” Redwin responded firmly. “I’m here to protect you, Valentine. But accuse me like that again, and you’ll get a black eye. Understand?”

Valentine only frowned, the threats barely registering. He had been confident in his deduction that Red was a former marine. He had the battle skills of a marine, flashed a small token--something like a badge--to gain hammocks on the boat, and he even knew Soru. Valentine had overheard the word during his time with Niramor. 

Why anyone, marine or otherwise, would appear without warning with the mission to keep him alive was beyond Valentine. 

He was pulled out of his thoughts when the boat abruptly shook. Stomping came from above deck, sending trails of dust drifting from the ceiling. Muffled shouting and noises of conflict leaking through the planks.  

“We’re being boarded, aren’t we?” Valentine whispered.

“Yeah, likely…” Red whispered back, capping it with a sigh.

“And we both have bounties.” Valentine said. Muscle memory brought his palm to his knife. 

What could they do now? His mind raced, drawing up different plans. The only entrance or exit was a pair of hatches in the ceiling, both leading to topdeck. Climbing the ladders and leaving via the hatches wasn’t an option, it was a death sentence. Valentine was much more comfortable with the safe strategy of hiding here and making as little noise as possible, and waiting for the pirates to leave. 

“Let’s hide,” Valentine insisted. “maybe can fit in these trunks.”

“No. I’m not hiding.” Red said. 

“What? Why not?”

“I’d rather they leave, but if they don’t I trust my chances against a few pirates more than the odds of them passing me over, like a game of Hide and Seek. Don’t worry, we can take ‘em.”

“Speak for yourself-”

The hatch flew open. Red’s hand moved immediately, as if tied to the hatch, and flung a small knife. An ugly face appeared in the opening, only for the knife to sink into his nose.

“Stay down here!” Red ordered, “Don’t come up unless you hear me yell your name!” He leapt onto the ladder, scaling it with practiced skill. He disappeared above deck and closed the hatch behind him. A few moments later, Valentine heard something heavy drop into the ocean.

The ceiling was only a few feet above Valentine’s hammock, close enough to reach. He went about carefully standing up on the wobbling hammock and pressed his ear to the dusty wood.

“-see if he’s on board. If he’s not, you all can go on our way. If he is, and you don’t tell us, the Cobra Pirates will blast a hole in your ship and leave you here to sink !” The voice spoke with confidence, a captain. Pirate likely--he didn’t talk like a marine, and Valentine didn’t know who else would board a passenger ship. They were looking for someone--who was he kidding, they were likely looking for them . They were the Top Two Most Eligible Bounties in the area, and avoiding it thus far was a stroke of luck in of itself. 

He checked his surroundings; stacks of hammocks, crates and barrels piled against the walls--nothing big enough for him to hide in, and no way out other than the ladders. More frantic footsteps hurried his thoughts. Valentine grabbed a spool of wire from an open crate and pressed himself against the back wall, so any descender would have their back to him.

The door flapped open, and a figure slid down the ladder. He tightened the wire and leapt. 

“It’s me, Red.” Valentine came to a teetering stop. He still gripped the wire tightly, only letting go when Red pushed it away. “Now, what were you gonna do with that?”

“Be glad you stopped me.” Valentine tossed the wire aside. “What did you see up there?”

“A small pirate crew on a big boat, all bandaged up and ragged. Must have had a run in with the local Marine base. They are asking all the passengers about us, saying they’ll leave once they find Redwin and Valentine. Eventually, they’ll find us.” Red paused to tie the hatches shut. “Any bright ideas?”

“One, in fact.” Valentine walked over to the room’s porthole and opened it. The Cobra Pirate Ship's hull stood only a few feet away, another porthole within reach. “Can you buy me some time?"

Valentine had skipped enough meals that when he sucked in, he could barely fit through the porthole on the Cobra Pirate’s ship. After he his mid section was through, he had to push against the hull from the inside to pull the rest of his body through. He landed in a pile, hoping he didn’t make too much noise.

The gun deck seemed empty, thankfully. Shining black cannons stood ready along the walls with polished metal balls sitting in neat piles, ready for use.

Valentine wasted no time dragging the cannons out of their place and tilting them down, pointing into the floorboards. His fingers worked frantically, tying all the fuses into a long braid running the length of the ship. Valentine relieved the ship of a lamp, and poured its oil over his handiwork. The cannonballs were almost too heavy for him to lift as he loaded them one by one. 

“Is someone down here?” Boots pounded on wooden stairs as a pirate stomped down. “Wish it wasn’t so bloody dark…” The pirate squinted, scanning the ship for movement. He took a swig of his rum bottle and wiped sweat with his bandana. He turned to leave, when he saw the discarded lamp. One step towards it, and a sharp impact caved in his skull. He slunk to the ground, as if made of paper. Valentine dropped a bloody cannonball, letting it roll away while he dragged the pirate out of sight. There wasn’t much place to hide him, but it wouldn’t matter soon. He could hear Red engage the pirates above deck, he had to hurry.

With great difficulty, Valentine loaded the final cannon. Unlike Red, Valentine never managed to build much muscle mass. With tired, shaking hands, he sparked a flame on his lighter, then let it fall out of his hand. Moving with new haste, Valentine squirmed through the pirate’s porthole and back into the passenger ship. For once, he was grateful he was so thin.

On the other side, he landed more gracefully. Valentine wasted no time in climbing up the ladder, untying the knot, and lifting the panel just enough to peek onto the deck. Most everyone was watching the commotion Red was causing on the pirate ship. Valentine scanned the deck, but couldn’t see a single pirate. With a sigh of relief, he pulled himself above deck and waited for the show. 

Red was doing well, all things considered. 

He stood on the deck of the pirate ship, a stinking mess that was barely floating, and engaged the majority of their crew so Valentine could do his job below deck. 

Pirates were nothing new for him, and his initial assumption that the crew lacked a devil fruit user proved correct. Blades and pistols were much preferred to devil fruits. He used the crew's disorganization to his advantage, slipping through the chaos to deny them a proper shot. He amplified the disorder whenever possible, tossing crewmates into each other, knocking crates, barrels, and other clutter onto the deck. All the more things for clumsy pirates to trip over.

A cutlass came too close, and his breath hitched. He pulled the arm of a nearby pirate into the sword’s path, blocking it with a sickly noise. He kicked the both of them into another pirate aiming his pistol and slipped back into the crowd.

A chorus of cannons began, sending shockwaves through the deck. Pirates fell over each other as their ship began to lean. 

Red leapt out of the crowd, landing on a stack of barrels. Before any pirates could notice him, he began to jump in place. In no time, Red was little more than a blur, then he disappeared altogether. 

A thousand sounds of impact played in a heartbeat. Every pirate on the ship toppled over, groaning and clutching their new bruises. Red appeared again in the centre of the deck, clutching to the mast for balance. Each bout of Soru lasted only a heartbeat, but left his muscles burning with pain. 

Unfortunately, the ship wouldn’t wait for him. The deck was tilting at a dangerous rate. Heavy barrels and cannons began to roll to the low side, tilting it further. Red peeked over the rail towards the passenger ship. He was at least one hundred feet away from it now. He cursed, and began to jump in place.

Valentine watched as Red leapt out of the sinking ship, sailing through the air at an incredible pace. Though fantastic, he could tell by his arc that Red wouldn’t make it even half the distance. As Valentine made mental funeral preparations for Red, he abruptly stepped off the air as if it was solid. Valentine and the other passengers watched him climb an invisible slope and race across the air towards them. The further he ran, he more he lost altitude, stumbling and rising less with each stride. When he was near the boat he’d fallen so low, the waves licked his shoes. Red summoned his strength and leapt off with both feet.

His hands slapped against the railing, barely getting a grip it before he slid back down. With great difficulty, Red lifted himself over the side and flopped down the other side. He lay on his back, his chest heaving.

“I can’t say I expected that,” Valentine said, and he couldn’t stop a small smile from taking form. "That was impressive."

“Thanks…” Red could slip the word between gasps of breath. “I just… my body,” he paused to cough, then gasp for more air, “After I do that… I need to rest.” In fact, he couldn’t move a muscle if he wanted to. His entire body was burning up after that much exertion.

“Yeah, take it easy.” Valentine awkwardly clapped him on the shoulder.

A shot rang through the air. Valentine didn’t see the shooter, but he felt the bullet. Like being skewered by a runaway train, a resounding amount of force slammed into Valentine’s chest. He crumpled against the railing, gasping for breath. Valentine had survived many things, but this was the first time he had ever been shot. Ribbons of blood dripped from a dark hole in his sternum.

The burning sensation that followed was amongst the worst Valentine had felt in his entire life, like being cut open by a white-hot knife. Valentine’s face twisted with pain, and shock spread through his system. It was all he could do to focus his vision and not pass out.

Though his muscles screamed with pain, Red pushed through and rushed to Valentine, applying pressure to the wound with trained skill. Before he could help him further, a man materialized on the deck before them. A pirate with a captain’s hat, sporting a cobra-flag design. In his hand, he held a smoking pistol.

“That’s for my ship, and my crew.” The man spat. “That bullet was laced with Dagger Snake venom. You’ll die slowly, and painfully.”

Red threw a knife at the pirate, who swatted it aside with his pistol barrel. He pulled the hammer and moved it onto Red, who already had another knife in his hand. The pirate pulled the trigger and the hammer struck, but nothing came from the gun. The pirate smiled, showing rows of tombstone teeth.

“I’ll be back for you, Asada. Captain Alistair always gets his due.” With that promise, his image blotted away, until he was gone entirely. 

Red returned his attention to Valentine, who was still clinging to consciousness. Despite being shot, his look showed only mild inconvenience. 

Without warning, Red stuck his fingers in Valentine’s wound and ripped out the poisonous bullet. Valentine let out a scream that could curdle milk, and chomped down on his lip until it bled.  

“Sorry,” Red added, tucking the bullet into a coat pocket. He turned his attention to rest of the ship, locating the captain immediately. “Captain, take us to the closest island. He needs a doctor.”

The captain paused to think, seemingly unaware of the urgency. “I’m sorry, but he can’t be helped. Dagger Snake venom is always lethal, and there’s no way to stop it once it enters your system. Even if you had a doctor, there’s nothing they could do.”

“I’ll take my chances.” Red ground his teeth. “Just take us to the nearest port, now.”

The captain huffed at Red, unimpressed with being ordered around. “My job is to take this ship to Ishport, and that’s where its going. It’s another three hours, your friend won’t last one. My advice, take him out of his misery now. Save him the pain.”

Red stood to his full height, a foot taller than the man, and pulled a badge from one of his many jacket pockets. The badge was worn, but Valentine could still read CP-4 .

The captain took a long moment to reconsider. He licked his lips, then bowed his head in submission towards Red. “I’ll take you to the closest island, then get off my ship. Understand?”

“Then get sailing,” Red responded. When he turned back to Valentine, he was sitting up and taking water from a passenger. "I'll get you help, even if have to carry you over the Red Line to do it. 

Chapter Text

By the time they were dropped off at the nearest backwater island, a certain “Elder Falls”, Valentine was a wreck. He was sweating through his clothes, yet wracked with shivers. Pain lanced through his wound whenever he moved, and if his focus slipped, his vision would blur. Red kept a close eye on him as they entered the island, asking him incessantly about his condition, which Valentine shrugged off each time. 

The settlement they docked at was entirely unimpressive. The houses were small and seemed to be made entirely of local material, mostly wood and thatch. It was a humble town, no more than a hundred buildings in total, one of which they prayed was a hospital.

The oddest thing about the island was the snakes. Snakes basked in piles on street corners and swam in barrels of drinking water, all to the apparent disinterest of the town’s few citizens. The few people present stopped what they were doing to stare strangely at the pair, especially at the sickly Valentine. They didn’t approach yet, but seemed to exude halted aggression.

A low hissing startled Valentine. He jumped back, only nearly avoiding stepping on a snake. A grass coloured viper slithered by, uncaring. A throwing knife appeared in Red’s hand, which he raised in preparation to kill the snake.

“Don’t even think about it!” A voice shouted. Valentine and Red looked to see an older man, previously gawking, now scolding them. “Harm that creature and you’ll be hanging by the neck!”

“I’d like to see you try…” Red growled, gripping his knife tighter.

“Please,” Valentine placed a hand on Red to dampen his aggression. He turned to the older man with a much more amicable, though forced, expression. “We are newcomers here; we beg your pardon. Is it illegal to kill snakes in this town?”

The old man snarled at the pair, looking them up and down to check their intentions. Valentine worked to keep his composure while being scanned by the villager, however difficult it was with burning pain and venom coursing through his body. While the old man took his time, Valentine studied his appearance. He was wearing a strange dress of sorts, and had hoop earrings the size of saucers. Years of frowning had imprinted onto a permanent scowl on his face.

After what seemed like an eternity, the old man spoke.

"Snakes are holy things here, you'll do well to remember that. They were sent here to protect us.” The man lowered his arm, and the same snake that Red nearly killed slithered up his arm, coiling like a trained pet. “Understand? Now, finish your business and be off. We don't need any strangers here." 

The old man gently returned the snake to the ground, and continued in a lower voice. “And if a snake bites you, it means you’re a wretched man, and you won't be welcome here.”

The pair watched the expression of the other citizens as the old man left. They watched Valentine and Red with careful eyes, waiting to see their reaction. The message was clear. They gotten their warning, the next incident wouldn't end so peacefully. In the silence, another snake slithered across the path.

“I think we should move along,” Valentine whispered. Red nodded, best not linger and draw even more suspicion. They left the town center and walked far from prying eyes, into a sparsely populated area. By the condition the houses were in, it was possible that they were entirely alone. It was a place they could talk openly.

“How are you holding up?” Red asked.

“Feels like I’m being roasted over a fire, and I can’t feel my feet,” Valentine said.

“Makes sense, you were supposed to be dead-” Red paused to check his pocket watch. “Four hours ago.”

“I don’t think it’ll make much of a difference.” Despite the humid jungle that surrounded the town, Valentine shivered in his coat. “You heard how he spoke about snakes, I doubt they would treat snake venom here.”

“We have to try the hospital no matter the odds,” Red said, “Even if they won’t help you, it’s the best place to find someone who can.”

“We can split up to find it, it shouldn’t take long in this town,” Valentine said. Red nodded, checking his surroundings before walking off. Valentine walked off in the opposite direction, albeit a lot more painfully.

Valentine paused in front of a notice board. He scanned the layers of overlapping parchment, looking for anything about a hospital. Two familiar papers were amongst the newest on the board. Bounties, for a certain Red and Valentine. His bounty was the same as it had been at the last town, 10 million berries for his unharmed capture. Red’s was there too, but Valentine had only gotten a glance at it before. Now he took the time to read the paper in full.

WANTED

DEAD ONLY
Redwin Asada
15,000,000 Berries

Known to go by ‘Red’. If spotted, do not engage lightly. He is a known user of the Six Powers, or Rokushiki. Wanted for the crimes of treason, assault, and desertion in the line of duty. Report any information on Redwin to your nearest Cipher Pol associate.

Cipher Pol? Valentine had heard the name, but knew little of the group. All he knew was they worked under the World Government directly, weren’t to be taken lightly, and Red had managed to piss them off somehow. Another addition to the list of people chasing us, Valentine supposed. Since seeing the bounty, he was sure that Red wasn’t working for the Marines, but that didn’t mean he trusted the man further than he could throw him. Despite his frustrations, he did Red the favor of ripping down his poster along with his own.

With both posters gone, a new space on the board was revealed. It was also a bounty poster, but much older than their own. The sketch was of a young woman with extensive tribal jewelry, an armful of tattoos, and long braided hair. The bounty was hand drawn, and of much lower quality than theirs.

WANTED

Dead or Alive
“Snake Demon” Aria
5,000,000 Berries

Wanted for the crimes of theft and heresy on the island of Elder Falls. Known to reside deep in the jungle. Report any information on this dangerous heretic to Shaman Soren. Do NOT accept any services from her under any circumstances.

The information seemed particularly useful, so Valentine folded it up and added it to his growing pocket of stolen posters.

“I think we are out of luck…” Red called out from down the street.

Valentine rose and crossed the street, headed towards a boarded up building. Red picked up a fallen sign and turned it over. It said “Community Hospital”.

“Let’s check inside, maybe we can find something.” Red pried off the board covering the open doorway and lead Valentine inside. 

The former hospital was in ruin. From the furniture in the waiting area, to glass vials behind the desk, everything had been shattered to pieces. From the looks of it, they were the first ones to disturb the thick layer of dust that had settled. 

“This hospital didn’t break itself,” Valentine said. “We should leave. Whatever is happening in this town, I don’t want to get involved.”

“I don’t think we are going to find any clues here, anyways. This place is abandoned,” Red said. As he spoke, he wiped the dust from a name plate atop the front desk, which was split in two. The name said “Doctor Aria”, with the last name scratched and barely legible.

“Maybe there’s one doctor left here…” When Valentine’s eyes landed on the nameplate, he fished the bounty out of his pocket and showed it to Red. “Snake Demon” and “Doctor” were two titles Red never thought he’d see together, but he saw Valentine’s intention.

“Residing in the jungle, is that so?” Red was already tying his shoes. He laced both of them up properly, and started making his way outside. “Come on, there’s no time to waste. If we leave now, we might find her before nightfall.”

“What if they aren’t the same people? What if we go looking for a Doctor, and find a Snake Demon?” Valentine asked. Red didn't respond. 

Chapter Text

Left.

Right.

Left.

Right.

Valentine hung his head and focused on putting one foot forward at a time. He tried not to look into the endless jungle that made him fear they were lost. He tried not to pay attention to the burning pain down his whole body, that flared with every beat of his heart. He tried to ignore the fatigue that crept into his limbs and made him slower and clumsier with every passing minute. 

He tried. 

Left.

Right.

Left.

Right.

“Don’t fall too far behind,” Red called out. Valentine looked up, disheartened to see he had lagged behind Red, so far that he could only faintly see him through the thick greenery. During his pause, he'd already sunk ankle deep into the ever-present mud.

“I’m trying,” Valentine groaned. He jerked his foot free of the wet dirt and struggled over a fallen trunk.

“I offered to carry you. You told me you were well enough for the trip.” Red appeared, offering a hand over the obstacle.

“Well, I haven’t dropped dead yet.” Valentine took the hand, letting Red pull him the rest of the way over the trunk.

“It’s been half a day since you were poisoned, and you were supposed to die in hours. Forget walking, how are you even alive?” Red said. 

“Good question,” Valentine said, though he provided no answer. “Can we continue?”

The forest managed to be staggeringly isolating, yet alive with life at the same time. Endless trees in every direction made the pair aware of just how small they were, but constant bird calls, insect buzzing, and wildlife at every corner reminded them it was made of thousands of diverse moving parts. to the forest, they were small as the ground bugs that they crushed underfoot, not worthy of note in the slightest.

The pair trudged onwards through the jungle. Light barely crept through the canopy, putting the forest in a state of eternal twilight that made time impossible to track. All Valentine knew was that it wasn't quite night yet. He almost yearned for a cool night; the jungle was thick with humidity and he had sweat through his clothes. They had avoided rain thus far, luckily. He didn't know what they would do for cover if it began to pour.

Though he hid it well, Valentine's condition was worsening. His nerves were lit with a burning sensation that stole the feeling from his feet and hands. His vision blurred when his focus slipped, even slightly. His brain felt like clay constantly molded by an angry sculptor. A great pressure pushed on his mind that made clear thought impossible, and he was plagued by splitting headaches. 

Finally, when the last remnants of light left the jungle, he could walk no longer. Valentine fell to his hands and knees, sinking up to his wrists in the mud. His breaths were slow and ragged; he was struggling to even breathe properly. His muscles were no longer under his control, no matter how solid his determination.

“Are you alright back there?” Red called from afar.

“No,” Valentine croaked. He gave up. His body couldn’t move. His limbs burned so hot he couldn’t feel them at all. A vice had been tightening over his windpipe until it became too small to breathe through. 

Red appeared beside him. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

Tears dripped into the mud. Valentine shook, all confidence and ego forgotten. He had never felt like this before. Even Niramor had never hurt him like this. When the pirate shot him, he had no fear of death. Flesh wounds had never fazed him. But now, his fragile mortality weighed heavy upon him. Cuts and breaks were easy once you got over the pain, he had learned, but he was helpless against this invisible enemy that killed him from the inside.

He was going to fail. He would lie down and die in the forest mud and never be found. After surviving countless unspeakable trials, and a long list of setbacks, this was finally it. He would be forgotten.

As if summoned by the tears, rain began to drip from the canopy. It slapped against a thousand leaves, creating a chorus of pattering. The pair were soaked in short time. Wet hair curtained Valentine’s face. Tears were only a memory, something he thought he had forgotten how to do years ago.

“Red,” Valentine sniffled, “I don’t want to die… ”

An arm looped around his chest and Red lifted him over his shoulder. Valentine’s body was slack like a corpse, but he still sobbed quietly into Red’s shirt.

“Hold onto me, I’ll keep you safe. We’re going to make it, I promise.”

Valentine hadn’t moved for an hour. His breathing had slowed and quieted, to where Red could only hear it when he stopped moving and keened his ear. When he moved at full pace and he could hear it no longer, his worries spiked. He didn’t dare stop walking though; he feared if he stopped then he wouldn’t have the energy to start again. He mentally encouraged Valentine to stay alive, though he received no response. 

He trudged onwards, ignoring the pain of his muscles. Cipher Pol training was the last time he was this physically drained. He was in peak physical fitness, having followed a strict diet and exercise routine for the past six years, but the jungle was unforgiving. Wet ground, uneven terrain, thick humidity, low visibility, and unclear directions made it a ruthless journey. He wondered how long ago on his trek the average citizen would have collapsed from exhaustion, or suffered a medical attack and dropped dead.

Red stopped inches before the shore of a river. The wet dirt, held together with only thin roots, bent dangerously under the weight of the two, threatening to break and drop them in. In the dark and the rain, he hadn’t seen or heard the river until he was nearly swimming in it. Red carefully stepped back and set Valentine down against a tree. He didn’t stir.

In the meek moonlight that fell through the canopy, the river glowed silver. It was wide and shallow, too far to throw a stone over but low enough to see the riverbed through the water. Red plucked a large mushroom from the ground, barely able to wrap his hand around the stem. After he tested the weight, he tossed it into the water.

The water immediately churned and thrashed. Spray flew and scales flashed just under the surface. Bits of the mushroom floated to the surface until, as rapidly as it started, it stopped.

“Butcherfish,” Red said with a groan. They were well known for their intense aggression and ability to tear apart a man in moments, leaving the clean bones to float up on shore days later. It was impossible to tell how far the river went on for, and he didn’t have the time to find a place to cross. He walked to where he laid Valentine and picked him up gently, holding him across both shoulders. 

“I’m sorry about this,” Red said to his unconscious friend.

Red sprinted towards the shore and leapt for the other side. The air formed together under his feet, and he flew. He walked an invisible bridge, far above the surface. It wasn’t halfway across the river when he started falling more than he rose. His Geppo couldn’t handle the extra weight of Valentine and his feet sunk through the footholds he created. Every stride dropped him further down, and his safe arrival at the other side was looking unlikely. He heard the splash of his foot breaking the water, and he was sure the Butcherfish did too. 

With a determined roar, he created firmness under his feet and tried to gain distance between him and the river. Even after he was a few inches above the water, he could hear water breaking and snapping jaws behind him. He didn’t dare look back, channeling his fear into determination and putting everything on the quality of his Geppo. 

The other shore of the river loomed ahead, though it was far steeper and higher than he'd expected. Taking Valentine in his arms, he heaved him on shore where he landed safely, if roughly. With Valentine safe, Red slammed into the vertical face of the shore, sending his vision spinning. He grasped frantically, managing to wrap a hand around a firm root. He pulled on that, using the last of his strength to get a leg up on shore and pull himself up to safety.

He lay on his back, chest heaving. A Butcherfish dangled from his pant leg, chewing furiously on the hem. With a scowl,  Red ended the flopping with the heel of his boot.

A quiet groan from Valentine made him forget all worries about his own condition. Valentine was dying. No matter how sore he was, Valentine was worse. There was no time for rest. He lifted Valentine onto his shoulders and continued on his Sisyphean task.

Now, a large snake followed in his wake. An exotic jungle species with blue scales, turned milky in the moonlight, and glaring yellow eyes. It was clearly better suited to the terrain, slithering with ease past obstacles that hampered him greatly. A jungle vulture that daringly stalking him. It moved no closer, but made sure not to fall behind. It made itself tantalizingly vulnerable, as if it knew Red didn’t have the time to deal with it.

A low rumble from the brush froze Red mid-step. In response, the snake shot back into the jungle. The growl continued, growing in volume and intensity. Branches snapped and bushes rattled, but Red couldn't pinpoint the source. Yellow feline eyes flicked open in front of him, followed by another nearby. Panthers, black as death and barely visible in the night, stepped towards him. Their paws were almost mockingly quiet with every fall, showing how they came so close without being noticed. Their jaws hung open, tongues swaying with every step. Yellowed fangs dripped in anticipation.

Red made careful steps as they began to circle him. He had Valentine on his shoulders, which limited him greatly He figured he could handle them if he wasn’t hindered--not that he would ever welcome a fight against two cats heavier than him--but while carrying Valentine he didn’t like his odds. If Red set the injured man down he’d be welcome prey for the hungry cats, so that wasn’t an option.

Red shaved, hoping to catch them off guard. One heartbeat passed, and he flickered back into sight a hundred meters ahead in a full sprint. Cries of frustration sounded behind him. Beads of sweat already decorated his face, for Soru wasn’t easy with an extra passenger. The panthers' screams came closer as they crashed through the brush towards him. His headstart was all he had, and it wasn’t getting any larger.

Red bounded over fallen trees and ducked under massive roots. He used his mobility to his advantage, jumping off the air to make sharp turns and using Soru to travel to hard-to-reach locations. He could only hope that it confused the predators enough, he didn’t dare stop to see if he had lost them.

His hopes were dashed when a panther screamed only just behind him. With a grunt, he spun around. His foot lashed out and connected with the panther’s solid skull, nearly snapping his ankle. It fell in a heap at the foot of a tree, dazed but not dead. Red landed on his good ankle, his other throbbing in pain and not in any shape to take the full weight of him and Valentine.

Another scream brought his attention to the other cat. The ground shuddered as its long, powerful legs sent it sailing towards him. He hugged Valentine to his chest, fell onto his back, and sent his good foot into the panther’s ribcage, pushing it off towards its partner. Red flipped back onto his feet, returned Valentine to his back, and sprinted; though it was more of a determined limp with his bad ankle. He'd lost all sense of direction, trying only to escape with their lives intact. Sooner than last time, he heard their fast approach.

The bushes beside him exploded and a panther soared towards him. Laden with Valentine and caught off guard, he hadn’t the time to defend himself. The panther cried in triumph.

A flash of blue scales in the moonlight, and the beast never struck. The snake from before was wrapped around its neck, grappling furiously with the beast. Up close he appreciated its true size, the width of man's thigh and longer than he could see in the dark. It wrapped around the panthers neck twice, and twice more further down its body. The snake’s jaw opened wide, so wide they nearly formed a straight line, and Red watched it bite  down on the panther’s head, from behind its ear to its nose. A curved fang pierced an eye, emitting a shriek from the predator-turned-prey. It tried to run off, making it only ten paces before tripping over itself and falling to the ground. It convulsed weakly, before settling in eternal peace.

The snake locked eyes with Red. He gulped. His beast savior unraveled himself from the panther's neck and slithered off. It stopped to look back at Red expectantly.

Red searched for any sign of the other panther, but found none. It was either fleeing or hiding excellently. If it did come back, it wouldn’t hurt to be near that snake, and it wasn’t like he knew where he was going anymore. Hesitantly, he began to follow the snake’s path.

It kept a polite pace, enough that Red could keep up. His muscles burned as if his clothes were filled hot coals, and he feared collapsing with every step. Exhaustion robbed him of his sense of time. Perhaps hours past, perhaps minutes. All he knew was pain with every step. The jungle blended into an endless blur of trees and mud, and it seemed to swallow him. 

Then it was gone. Under his feet was firm and dry ground, something he had forgotten. There was a clearing, and a bright spot… a fire? A structure, a hut, and a woman! Her features were lost to him as he took difficult steps towards her.

“You there!” Red’s strength was waning, each step shorter than the last. His voice was weak and ragged. “Are you Aria? The healer?”

The woman looked between him and the body he carried, but answered with a hesitant, “Yes.”

“Thank the heavens,” Red said. His strength failed him and he fell. His mind left his body and the world disappeared.

Chapter Text

Valentine woke without pain. 

The last thing he remembered was the long trial of the jungle, and falling into the mud before Red. The boy must have found help, because Valentine found himself in a simple, yet comfortable house. It was made from stone, weathered round and smooth from wear, and a freshly thatched roof that filled the house with hay smell.

Valentine sat up, and the pain returned. His eyes drawn to his gunshot wound, Valentine saw it was covered with fresh bandages. Through the pain, he pulled the bandages away from his body, finding the wound cleaned and neatly stitched closed. The handiwork of a doctor, no doubt.

Valentine didn't know how, but Red had done it. He couldn't guess how far Red had dragged his unconscious body through the jungle, or how on earth Red found Doctor Aria in that endless wood. 

Valentine swung his legs off the cot--more pain--and made to stand, but was cut off by two people bursting in the room. Red was here, looking more relieved than Valentine had ever seen him, and he was with someone that could only be Aria. She wore clothes similar to the townspeople and blue hair, with sharp eyes that skewered him to the cot.

"You're up, how do you feel?" She stepped to his side, and placed two fingers against his pulse point. The sudden contact made Valentine wince and draw a sharp breath, but he didn’t withdraw. Aria regarded his reaction with a raised eyebrow, but quickly returned her focus to his pulse. As Red began to speak, she studied him up and down.

"Valentine, this is Doctor Aria." Red introduced. She had dark skin dotted with tattoos and piercings, and she wore a vest and wrap made of light fabric. She had blue hair and striking yellow eyes with uncanny slit pupils. 

"Just Aria now, thank you. Valentine, do you feel any discomfort? Symptoms of the poison, such as headaches, burning, or paralysis?"

Valentine felt himself choking, the light pressure from Aria's fingers felt strong enough to squeeze his windpipe. When she asked about discomfort, he couldn't stop his eyes from drifting to her hand. The discomfort from a touch was far greater than that of a gunshot wound. 

"I..." 

Whether she noticed his unease or simply finished reading his pulse, she took her hands off his skin and it felt like a hot poker had been lifted off of him. 

"Do you?" Red prodded.

"I'm fine now, thank you." Valentine breathed in relief. 

Red and Aria both looked upon him with some great expectation. In their eyes, Valentine had escaped Death's grasp, and they waited for his undying thanks for his saviors, or at the very least a sarcastic remark, which Valentine was usually very good at. But Valentine said nothing, and didn't even gracious or surprised at his own survival. 

His mouth seemed glued shut. He’d thank them if he could, but he couldn't find the words for two people that saved his life.

“I should give you some time,” Aria said, dismissing herself

“Why… Why did you help us?” Valentine asked.  

“Helping people is my way of giving back.” Aria said. “You don’t owe me anything, seeing you alive  is it’s own reward.”

Val could only blink as she left the room. Her answer only left him with more questions. Why would she ever help him? He had no berries after buying his way aboard the fishing vessel, and she stood to gain nothing. 

He peeled himself out of bed, wondering how long he’d been laid down for. He stretched--more pain--and stood to his feet. He'd been relieved of his coat and belt, which left him without his knife, but Aria had at least left him in the simple clothes he wore underneath. The thought of her undressing his unconscious body sent shivers down his skin. 

"I swore you were a goner. I lost track of how many times I thought you were dead" Red said with his usual lack of grace, "it’s unbelievable you're standing right now."

"What happened after I passed out?" Valentine asked.

"I carried you as long as I could, until I found Aria in the forest." Red said. “When I passed out, Aria carried us inside. She makes her own antivenom, no wonder they busted up her hospital.”

Val wobbled his way to the door, waving off Red’s help, and stepped outside into  a massive cavern. It was more than a stone's throw high, and more wide than tall. The cavern was dominated by a dark pool, fed by small streams trickling down a mossy slope. Beams of light poked through cracks in the cavern wall. The water was a shining silver in the dim light, clear enough to see pale fish dart away at the sound of Valentine’s feet crunching gravel. Along the water stood ruined foundations, the broken skeleton of dozens of buildings. 

Strangest of all, a ship lay beached on the shore, with its sails removed. 

"What is this place?" Valentine asked.

"I haven't the faintest clue." Aria said. She sat around a fire, where their wet clothes dried.  "It looked about the same when I found the place, years ago. I took up the least broken building for myself. I wish I knew how old they were.”

“Have you excavated any of the ruins?” Red asked. 

“I’m a doctor, not an archaeologist.” Aria shrugged. “Other than scavenging for any useful tools, I try to leave the ruins undisturbed.” 

“And what exactly brought you here?” Valentine’s eyes scanned the area. He’d already seen her bounty poster, he was mostly asking to see how she’d answer the question. The information people left out was often more valuable than what they said. 

Aria swallowed. “I assume you went to the hospital in Elder Falls first, .” That’s where I used to work. But, well you saw what happened to it, I had to flee for my safety. I was able to reach this place, there’s no better place to hide.”

“Everyone has to hide sometimes,” Valentine said. His mind drifted to her wanted poster: Wanted for the crimes of theft and heresy.

“Judging by these ruins, I’m not the first one who has hidden here. So far, I’ve found a better fate than my forebears.”

“You said you carried us in here?” Red scanned the cavern. Valentine saw his point, the only entrances were broken sections of cave hundreds of feet in the air, where light poured in.

“Yes, why?” Aria said.

“It’s nothing… Let’s walk, if Valentine doesn’t use his muscles soon he looks like he might fade away."

Red insisted on seeing the ship, so Aria led them there along the shoreline. It sat on its side like a beached whale, waves lapping at its hull. It was free of barnacles, and seemed in perfect condition.

“This ship was put here very recently.” Red said. “It looks like it just left the yards.”

“It’s been here longer than me, and I’ve been staying here nearly four years.”

“That’s impossible…” Red paced around the ship to the deck, tilted towards them at a steep angle. “There’s no mast either. It wasn’t removed, it was built without one. Built here, likely. There’s no way to bring it inside."

“There’s the sea gate.” Aria pointed at the far wall of the cavern, behind the dark pool. The cavern wall was in fact a huge man made stone gate, tightly sealed. “You can hear the ocean on the other side. This side is pooled fresh water, so it hasn’t been opened in many years.”

“It doesn’t make any sense…” Red muttered. “Have you gone inside the boat?”

“The deck below is locked up tight, and I don’t have the heart or tools to bust her apart. Live and let live, I say.”

Red continued to marvel and curse the ship. He showed no signs of stopping, and Aria could only drag him away with the promise of lunch. Val was at the limit of his constitution, and eager to sit down. 

Aria brought out fruits Val had never seen, in strange colors and shapes. They ate voraciously, their bodies starving for sustenance after their ordeals. A wash of fruit juice poured down Val’s chin and hands. 

“I need to make a trip to town--Valentine, don’t eat the rind.” Aria said. “I won’t be gone long, you two should rest until I get back.”

“You’re a wanted woman, is it safe for you to go back?” Red said.

“Every week, I deliver antivenom.” Aria slung a satchel over her shoulder.

“And they accept it? I thought antivenom was heresy?” Valentine asked.

“I leave it outside town, and it’s always gone when I return. I don’t know if they use it, they could be destroying it for all I know. But the people deserve a chance at survival, they deserve more than the snake-cult gives them.”

She slipped between the ruins, and was gone. They didn’t see how she left the cavern. 

For the first time in awhile, Red and Valentine were left alone. The only noise in the cavern was the bubbling streams and Val tearing apart fruit. They sat in the few blissful moments of nothing . Val’s mind wandered to things he hadn’t yet the time or peace to consider. 

Niramor was searching for him, likely across the whole South Blue. He couldn’t trust a soul, other than Red or Aria. There was no way to know how many soldiers and undercover agents would be out looking for him.

He felt gratitude for Red, for carrying him through the jungle. How many miles did Red carry him through the night, while he lingered near death? He would trust him implicitly now, if it weren’t for those two words from the bounty poster: Cipher Pol .

“What’s Cipher Pol?”

Red froze. His gold eyes seemed to glow with fury. “The less you speak that name, the safer we are.”

“You were a part of them, weren’t you? Don’t be coy, the ruins don’t have ears.”

“I’m not joking. You don’t understand, Valentine.” Red shoved his thumbs in a melon, and split it apart in a swift motion. “I don’t associate with them anymore, but back then I was the least of them. They’re monsters. They can be anywhere, disguised as anyone. They hear things from across the seas. Our leader could sink a Ship of the Line with one hand. If even one of them finds us, it would be over before you could blink. I’d be dead, they’d capture you and drag you back to Niramor."

Valentine swallowed a stone.

“I regret asking.”

“I’m doing everything I can to keep them off our trail. Just keep their name out of your mouth, and I’ll keep us safe.”

“Thank you for that. Keeping me safe.” Red’s mind seemed elsewhere, but Val continued. “I wouldn’t have made it here without you. I don’t know why you’re helping me, but I owe you everything.”

“Listen, do you hear voices?”

Valentine bit back a response, straining his ear to listen. Faintly between heartbeats he could catch the sound of voices. He stood up to listen, and the voices disappeared behind crunching gravel.

“Shh! ” Red hissed. Valentine held his breath, and slowed his heart. Slowly, the noise shaped into broken words.

“If you hadn’t been on the rum-”

“-nothing to do with it!”

“-fuck is the harbor?”

Val whispered to Red, only as loud as he dared. “Where?” Red pointed to the sea gate, and the gaping cave mouth that lead to the sea. It was too far to hear normally, but the cave seemed to bend and amplify the echoes of their words. 

“Captain Alistair please--”

“--Cat-o-nine you wretched lot.”

The voices drifted off, until they could hear nothing.

Captain Alistair, hearing the name again made his bullet wound ache with pain. How had the Cobra Pirates followed them? Their ship was underwater last he saw it.

“That voice was the guy that shot you.”

“Yes, I know !”

“I don’t know how they survived, but we’re safe here. They don’t know where we are, and if they came looking the jungle would consume them first.”

“And Aria?”

Red checked his pocket watch. “Back soon, I hope. Aria’s made of tougher stuff, I’m sure she will be fine.”

Chapter Text

“Keep rowing!” Alistair cracked his cat-o-nail-tails in the air. His crew paddled with new vigor. 

It was supposed to be an easy pair of bounties. A fisherman had told him they’d both be on a passenger ship sailing for Ishport. They’d stick up the lot of them, find the stowaways, and sail away with one prisoner and a corpse, soon to be 25 million berries richer. Enough to buy a new boat, after that Navy Captain made short work of the Theseus . Instead he had no bounties, no boat, no treasure, four lifeboats, and few dozen grumbling men left of his crew. He ordered them to row to the nearest island, hoping to find the harbor before their rations ran dry. 

He saw the shared looks of scorn between the men, felt their burning gaze on him when his back was turned. Stomach’s growled, and many men tended wounds. An unspoken word hung heavy in the air: mutiny .

His whip sailed, nine cracks split the air. They had a streak of bad luck he’d admit. It started when Captain Cobra died, and their ship capsized. He’d stepped up from First Mate and held the crew together, fixing the ship and sailing for the Grand Line. En route, they’d been ambushed by a Navy Captain with fiery red hair. She sunk their ship, and shortly afterwards those two runaways had sunk it again. 

“Not far now boys.” He cracked his whip, but it stirred nothing from the men. 

“Keep rowing!” His First Mate echoed, a scarred man named Bit. 

“If you hadn’t been on the rum, we’d be sailing instead of rowing.” A powder monkey grumbled.

“That had nothing to do with it!” said Bit. 

Captain Alistair’s attention was drawn to the shore. A hollow hill carved out by a cave, closed away by a man-made stone wall. His vision narrowed on a small plume of smoke drifting from the cave.

“Captain Alistair, please…” his navigator Beetle brought him from his thoughts. “We’ve been rowing through the night, we need a break.

“You’ll row as long as I tell you to! I’ll cat-o-nine you wretched lot until you run out of screams!” He brought down the nine knots of the whip across Beetle’s back, shredding his shirt and cutting nine deep lines into his skin. Beetle cried, and sped up his rowing.

Alistair’s lifeboat was the first ashore. His men collapsed onto the beach, weeping and kissing the ground.

“Useless landlubbers…”

Bit appeared at his side, out of earshot of the crew. “What are we doing here, captain? We don’t have the men or the weapons for a raiding party.”

“We don’t need to raid, we just need a few parts for the ship.”

“In this backwater?” Bit rubbed a grapevine scar that cut across his chin. “Besides, we lost all our treasure.”

“The ship will sail again, I swear it.” Alistair called out to the other three rowboats. Each lifeboat disembarked, and hauled in the massive ropes tied to their sterns. It took Alistair’s entire crew, save him, to haul the broken pieces of their ship on shore. 

They’d saved the keel and ribbing of the ship, but scarcely anything else. The bow bore a rusted nameplate. 

Theseus.

“Have the bosun salvage what he can. Take the men with swords, and start felling trees for spales. Do it out of sight, would ya? And keep an eye on the men.”

Bit saluted, and left to organize the men. Alistair straightened his hat, adjusted his clothes, and sauntered into town.

He went first to the notice board. An old man in fancy robes and a long beard sorted through the papers.

“You!” The old man cried. “Your a bounty hunter, aren’t you?”

“Of a certain variety.”

“You carry bounties, do you not? I need to copy two of yours, someone has vandalized the notice board!”

Alistair pulled out two bounties from his captain’s coat. “By chance, are these the bounties you’re missing?” The old man’s face lit up. “You can take mine.” Alaric flashed a smile of yellow teeth. His eyes were drawn to the man’s gold saucer earrings, ruby rings and golden rings. 

“Very kind of you, very kind. I’m the Serpasha of this town, Soren.”

“Mister Serpasha, have you seen anyone like this, without the beard?” Alistair’s knife tapped the bounty labeled Redwin Asada.  The old man frowned, studied the papers with jewel-encrusted glasses. “Yes, thats him! He landed on our island yesterday, with another boy, pale as death.”

“There was two ?” 

“Yes, though the skinny one looked worse for wear.” Alistair his his fury behind a crooked smile. His only consolation while rowing here tirelessly was that he had at least killed the one who sunk his ship. How had that rat survived the Dagger Snake venom?  The old man looked him up and down, stopping on his firearms, and captain’s hat. “What's your name, stranger?”

“Alistair, Captain of the Cobra Pirates.” He took off his tricorn hat with a spin, placing it against his breast. “Pleasure to have your acquaintance.”

“Cobra, you say?”

His title Serpasha meant some kind of priest or shaman, Alistair hadn’t been listening. The temple he ran was just as lavish as the rest of the man. Bowls of incense along the walls filled the air with putrid smell. Snakes were everywhere. Snakes in the coat racks, snakes in the pools, carved into the pillars were stone snakes, down to the snake-carved arms of their chairs. Alistair picked his nose with a dirty finger, wiping it on the underside of the gold-leaf table

“Captain Alistair, judging by the shape of your ship, your crew was no match for these two yesterday. If we were to continue with your… proposal , what makes you think this time would be different?”

“They caught us off guard, when Theseus was undergoing repairs.” A half-truth, Theseus was always in a state of repair. “If properly supplied, the Cobras can root them out and kill them like rats. We’ll have the jump on them, and it’ll be over before they know it.

“Supplies you seek from me, I presume?” Soren rubbed a lounging snake under the chin. It rattled its tail like a cat’s purr. 

“You’ve enough trees here to build a hundred ships. If we had the help of a few labourer, any carpenters, the Theseus could be sailing again in a day. We’d set sail for pest control, we can even split the reward.”.”

Soren studied him carefully. “That skinny one--Valentine, you called him. I saw the poison in him the moment they arrived. Was that your handiwork?”

Alistair sunk his dagger into the Serpasha’s desk. Slick purple venom dripped down its edge, eating away at the fine lace tablecloth. Alistair noticed his face perked up, almost with glee . 

“I believe I know where these two slipped off to. They sought shelter from a heretic, who hides deep in the jungle. She’s a threat we’ve ignored too long, we can’t stand by while she terrorizes innocents and harbors criminals. I can have your ship fixed in three days, on the promise that all three of them will be disposed of.”

“Not three days, today .”

Soren barely contained his rage. 

“Your ship is a ruin! It will be impossible to fix in a day!”

“It’s today, or nothing. Redwin and Valentine took many of my men’s lives and left us to drown. There’s a blood debt that must be paid, and if I wasn’t focusing all my efforts towards hunting them down, my men would mutiny and replace me with a captain who would. The bounty money for Red will be welcome, I’m sure, but it’s blood we want. If they don’t get it soon, then even with all my strength I may not be able to stop them from looking towards your town, and all of your shiny things.”

Soren’s face turned red, and nearly burst with anger. “Keep in line, and I’ll send carpenters as soon as I can. Remember, we’re friends of snakes here.”

When night fell, the Cobra Pirates had built a system of spales to lift the ship off the ground. The air was filled with the smell of sawdust, and the sounds of sawing and chopping. The town had hung lanterns for them, casting their work in a warm glow. 

Alistair worked tirelessly, drinking village wine from a snake-carved chalice, supervising his men from his captains desk. The desk had been saved, by the grace of god and the lives of 3 powder monkeys. A white fluid splashed the carved mahogany, after which a seagull landed upon it. His tongue shot from his mouth like a bullet, slamming into the bird and pulling it back into his mouth. He swallowed, and dusted feathers from his lips.

“ Creeps me out when he does that… ” A powder monkey grumbled.

‘What did you say?!”

“N-nothing Captain!”

A small blue snake with yellow eyes weaved through their makeshift lumber yard. Men cried and leapt from it. First Mate Bit aimed at it down the sights of his pistol.

“Hold, Bit!” Alistair cried. “These snakes are tame. Village will raise a fuss if we kill one.”

Bit grumbled, but stowed his pistol. The snake flicked its tongue at him, as if blowing a raspberry, then slithered away, disappearing into the shade of a warehouse.

Long logs were laid on their side, and cut with massive saws by teams of two men. As they sawed, they sang to the tune of their labor.

Red-win, slice him thin

Val-en-tine, break his spine

Red-win, peel his skin

Val-en-tine, killed like swine

Red-win, break his shins

Val-en-tine, blood flowing like wine

Blood debt owed, kill those two

We won’t rest until they’re through!

Alistair wandered off to piss, humming the murder song of his crew. Before the first drops could fall, he heard voices coming from the building.

“I have medicine for you, but you can’t tell anyone. Not even your parents.”

Alistair spied around the corner, and saw a blue-haired woman knelt next to a child. 

Tears poured from the child’s eyes. “I’m scared… They told me I’m gonna die, that I got bit because I’ve been real bad. I just wanted to play with the snake.”

“Rosie, sweetie.” The woman wiped a tear from the child’s face. “You’ll be okay, I promise.”

The click of a flintlock’s hammer made them look to the open door.

“Don’t move, both of you.” 

The woman turned white. She lifted her palms in the air, showing the vial she held. “Please, this child is going to die if I don’t-”

“Don’t speak!” Alistair snapped. His eyes traveled down to the child’s arm, and a swollen purple snakebite. “Treating a snakebite is heresy on Elder Falls, the Serpasha should know about this.”

The child began to wail, despite the woman’s attempts to soothe her. 

“Listen to me, the girl is not your enemy. I can tell you’re not from this island. This child did nothing wrong, I’m begging you. I just need to administer the antivenom.”

“It’s not the kid’s fault you’re worth five million berries, Snake Demon Aria .”

Aria’s expression changed. Her uncanny yellow eyes narrowed on Alistair. Despite himself, his hackles rose and his skin began to tingle. 

“Let me give her the antivenom, then I’ll come with you, no fuss. ”

“The Serpasha would be livid with me. Although, he’ll be pleased when I bring him your head.”

A blue snake’s tail whipped out from the shadows, knocking the gun from his hand. Aria passed the vial to the child. 

“Drink this! Don’t leave a drop!”

The child lifted the vial to drink, but Alistair’s tongue whipped out and plucked it from her grasp. The glass vial went to Alistair’s hand, which he crushed in a fist.

“You monster .” Aria cursed.

“Miss, I’m immune to flattery, but the name is Alistair.” 

From behind him, a knife sailed past. It curved, trailing towards the child. Aria wrapped herself around the child, and the knife sunk into her back.

“Rosie, take this…” Aria’s mouth opened, and another vial sat on her tongue. She tucked it into the girl’s dress pocket. “Show me how fast you can run, then drink it when no one is around.”

“W-who are those men?” The child was frozen in terror. Aria ripped the knife from her back, and cleanly cut through the warehouse wall. A section fell away, opening an escape for the child.

“Run, then drink!” Aria cried. Rosie ran out the warehouse, tears streaming from her eyes. 

“Sorry about that, Captain.” Bit reached for another knife, running a poison-soaked sponge across the blade. “Was aiming for the woman, usually I’m a better throw.”

Alistair eyed the poison, and a smile tugged at his lips. “Attaboy, Bit. No matter, it’s Dead or Alive for the ‘Snake Demon’. You just poisoned 5 million berries.”

Bit smiled, showing he had less than half his teeth. “Our luck has come around. She should be feeling it already.”

“ You…” Yellow eyes glowed in the dim. She cried out, and fangs stabbed out from her gums, larger than daggers. 

“C-captain?” Bit’s knife hand shook. 

In the dark, her size began to grow. Polished scales glittered in the moonlight, casting the warehouse in blue glow. 

“Ohhh… Snake Demon . I get it now.” He patted Bit on the back. “Good luck, pirate.”

“Good luck? Wait, don’t you go chameleon on me!”

Smiling, Alistair skin began to blot away until he disappeared in the dark. Without a sound, he was gone.

The barrel head of the Snake Demon slammed into Bit. He flew, breaking through the warehouse and two fences to land in the harbor with a resounding splash.

Chapter Text

“So, you think there’s any treasure in these ruins?”

Redwin rolled his eyes at him. “Do you have a shred of honor? These ruins could be hundreds, thousands of years old. There could be bodies laid to rest.”

“So they won’t be needing their trinkets any time soon. We don’t have a berry to our name, how else are we going to support ourselves?”

“When we finally get to Ishport, I have a nest egg in a secure location and friends that will host us.”

“I’m not keen on suckling the teat of your generosity all my life. To get ahead in this world, we need treasure. Berries, to bribe and trade with as we please. If you know Niramor, and half of what you say about CP4 is true, we need every advantage we can get.”

Red rubbed his necklace, polishing the amber stone. “I dunno, doesn’t sit right with me. Our luck is already bad enough, the last thing we need is to get cursed, or some shit. Don't tempt fate.”

“They don't feel anything, and they certainly don't stick around to curse the living. They're dead. Which is what we will be if you don't have money to buy food."

“There's things in this world we will never understand, Valentine. Let the place rest. I thought you of all people would know not to go looking for trouble.”

“Oh, eat shit .” Val scowled at him. He slipped on his coat, warm from the fireside, and tucked his knife in the sleeve. Red could have his morals and superstition, with any luck Val would be rich . Berries were power, and their enemies severely outmatched them. Val would even the odds, while Red drank tea and jumped at shadows. He took a shovel over his shoulder and made for the ruins on the other side of the lake. 

The cavern was large enough to fit the entirety of the town, but was quiet as a mouse. As Valentine’s feet crunched gravel and it echoed off the walls, he wondered how long it had been since people lived here. How long had it sat in wait before Aria found it? And was she the first to find shelter in the ruins, or the latest in a long line of runaways? 

The ruins were collapsing in on themselves, and swallowed by rubble. Val sifted through the stones and broken wood. He hauled heavy rocks with great difficulty, and switched to using his shovel as a lever. Minutes dragged into hours, as he picked through endless rubbage piles. There was nothing to be found but rock and stone. The cave was thick with humidity during the day, and he was sweating through his clothes. He slipped off his purple coat, folded it carefully, and set it on the rocky shoreline.

He returned to work, but soon found the dust stuck to his sweaty skin. It gathered in the recesses of his scars, adding a dark shade that them all the more noticeable. He took a handful of dirt, and rubbed it over the rest of his skin. It stuck easily, and soon he was covered in dirt, all blemishes hidden. 

Whatever treasure is up here better be worth it . Valentine thought, levering a heavy rock. It was thoughts of greed alone that pushed him on. Maybe I’ll buy a ship. Or a manor. Hell, I could pay off someone higher rank than Niramor, like a Commodore, and make my bounty disappear. Yeah, I think I’ll do that.

Soon his shovel rang like a bell against something hard. Val dove to his knees and sifted through the debris. Pushing aside the dirt, he uncovered a large porcelain horseshoe, about a foot across. With a groan he threw the toilet seat aside, where it shattered to pieces. 

He looked back to the pond, and groaned again. His jacket had floated away to the middle of the water.  He abandoned his treasure hunting and made for the shore. Kicking off his shoes and his socks, he waded into the cave pool. 

The water was even colder than he'd anticipated. The chill gripped his bones and he fought to keep his coordination. He swam without grace, across the water into the shadow of the sea wall. He grew even colder. 

He'd never been up close to the wall, and for the first time he appreciated its size. The gates looked large enough to sail two ships abreast, if opened. A sun was depicted on both gates, though eroded and faded. How it was meant to be opened was a mystery, as Valentine saw no mechanism for them to move. 

His jacket floated further away, and he swam after it.  With his head underwater, a strange sensation came over him. His eyes burned, and his blurry vision bloomed with clarity. A glint appeared from the waterbed. Something was half buried and glowing, among the kaleidoscope light patterns cast on the pool's floor. 

Treasure fever sparked in him. He didn't consider himself a good swimmer, but he was already diving below and swimming for the bottom. 

Cold water gripped his skull, and his chest tightened around his lungs. The pool was deeper than he'd judged, and carved round like the bottom of a cauldron. His eyes never left the shine coming from the sand, his determination bringing him deep down, to the waterbed. 

He gripped the sand around the light and ripped it out of the ground. It was metal, small enough to fit in his hand and carved into a strange shape. Sand drifted out of the nooks and cracks, revealing fine design and engravings. His lungs ached, and he rushed back to the surface for air. 

Cleaning the treasure and inspecting it in the sunlight brought more questions than answers. It was a golden key of peculiar design, but the end opposite the handle had four fins, unlike the usual single. The golden handle was shaped like a heart, encircling a green gem. The craftsmanship was obvious even to Valentine’s untrained eye. 

A piece of treasure in the bottom of a pool in the middle of the jungle? Valentine pondered, You weren’t buried deep, so you haven’t been here long. Where did you come from?

The key was stubbornly silent. 

A glass candle lit Aria’s home, it’s flame licking the bottom of a glass filled with bubbling reagent. 

Red combed through Aria’s library. She had treatises on medicine, surgery manuals, and encyclopedias of herbs and their applications. Most of all, she had books on snakes, and their venom. If a book or scroll on snakes existed anywhere in the world, Aria had gathered it, from all four seas and the Grand Line. Judging by her collection, and the array of alchemical equipment littering her home, she must have spent most of her solitude on research, and mastering her Devil Fruit.

Red had been trained to detect Devil Fruit users on sight, and immediately knew Aria had consumed a Snake Model Zoan fruit. It made sense of things: her unusual eyes, her vast supply of antivenom, and the strange snake that had helped him in the jungle. She was a powerful ally, and a skilled healer. Not for the first time, Red was thankful they'd found her. Idly, Red lifted a book on Cobra mating habits, and a scrap of paper slipped to the floor.

It was old and dry, and nearly fell apart in his fingers. The writing was a rushed scrawl at an odd angle, faded and barely legible.

How long was I out for? I was lucky to even wake up after a fall like that. Several of my limbs seem to be broken. How ironic, that after all this time my efforts would be crippled so close to the prize. I’ve searched for these ruins for years, researching until I became the foremost scholar in the field (Eat SHIT Professor Sinkerton). If I succeed, I'll be remembered for publishing the first documentation on their civilization! Much is unknown to us, all traces of them have simply disappeared, save the stones-

The paper broke off. He flipped it over; the reverse was smeared and few words were legible. 

--even a fragment of a powerstone contains within it not just energy, but space—vast dimensions trapped in fragile crystal--

--invented ships that could sail under any conditions, without relying upon wind--

--only known on the lost island of--

--point to the war as the principal cause for their downfall, though their disappearance--

The words were fantasy gibberish, and entirely out of place among her academic books. He had to wonder why Aria kept the paper, and how she came across it. It seemed a page from her favorite fairy tale. He decided to question her about it later, and tucked the paper into his jacket.

He heard splashing, and rushed outside. 

Valentine was swimming in the middle of the pond, in the shadow of the sea gate. With a quizzical expression, Red walked out to him. When he reached water, his feet didn't sink. He walked on firm air, his footfalls causing only the lightest ripple on the water. 

“I didn’t know you could swim.”

Val whirled around, and Red saw him stow something in his pants pocket. He seemed furious to be speaking with him, with Red towering over him. With his coat off, Red saw ugly scars decorating Val’s skin. 

“I’m not sinking, at least. My jacket floated off.”

Red scooped his waterlogged jacket from the water and wrung it out. He felt the lump in the sleeve where he knew Valentine hid his knife. He reached into the fabric and pulled out Val’s knife, curved like a claw. 

“This sheath isn’t waterproof, make sure you dry it properly or the knife will rust.”

“Thanks Warrior Jesus.” He stole back his coat and knife. "Can you fuck off now?"

With a crash, Aria appeared in the cave. Red was so startled, his Geppo fell through and he crashed into the water. He shook his hair from his face and swam to shore with Valentine.

“You’re hurt! What happened?”

“I’m fine, it’s shallow.” Aria settled into a chair, craning her neck to inspect a wound on her back. “Val, get the alcohol from the hut. The little cask.”

Red circled around to see the cut on her back. It was from a throwing knife, by the look of it. “I was wondering where you were. Villagers chase you out of town?”

“Had a run in with pirates, not sure when they showed up in town.” She took the cask from Valentine and wet a thin cloth, dabbing it at on her wound. “I didn’t see a Jolly Roger, so I don't which ones. I heard the name Captain Alistair, though.”

Val dropped the cask. “Alistair? That’s impossible.”

“He’s the guy that shot him,” said Red. 

“And nearly killed me. Aria, they coat all their weapons in venom. That wound is-”

“I’m fine , trust me Valentine.”

“Val put a dozen holes in their ship, I watched it sink. I took out half their crew. How did they get here, in a day and a half?"

“That explains why they’re building a new ship. Red, hold this mirror there. No, there.” Aria took up a needle, and stitched herself through the mirror’s sight.

“They followed us.” Val paced on the beach. “They boarded us with bounties in hand. Somehow they tracked us here, and now they’re coming to collect.”

“They were too busy drowning to follow us,” Red said. 

“But they’re here now! The villagers saw us, they’ve already told the pirates where we are. They could be here any minute.”

“Slow down, Valentine.” Aria showed only the smallest signs of pain as she tied off the stitch. “If that stinking, scurvy-ridden excuse for a crew takes one step into the jungle, it’ll consume them a thousand different ways.”

“No, no we need to leave. All three of us, they’ll be coming for you too Aria.”

“I’m not leaving,” said Aria firmly. “The villagers need me, and I’ve almost reached a breakthrough with my research. No one knows about this cave, and it’s well hidden from every side. This is the safest place for us to be.”

“and the ship they're building?”

“Will sail off to richer waters, once it's complete, Red said. "Besides, it will take them weeks to build a new ship.”

The setting sun cast a shadow against the cave wall, shaped like a pirate ship. 

“REDWIN ASADA!” A familiar voice called, amplified by a transponder snail. “VALENTINE! SNAKE DEMON ARIA! THIS IS CAPTAIN ALISTAIR SPEAKING! I REGRET TO INFORM YOU, WE ARE UNABLE TO ACCEPT SURRENDER AT THIS TIME! PLEASE DIE PEACEFULLY!”

A chorus of cannon fire boomed in the cavern. The volleys landed with deafening cracks; the cave burst and sent down showers of debris. The waters of the pool were rough from falling rocks crashing into the water. 

Val was locked in a waking nightmare. All of his senses were stuck in the past, watching the Buster Call play out again. The salty spray stung his sinuses. Gunpowder haze filled the air. Flashes of noise and light broke through, though he had no way to tell from where, or when. It was happening again, he was back in this wretched memory that haunted him. 

A great crack split the air, and someone cried out. Above them, a galleon-sized rock plummeted down towards them. 

Just a dream… 

More screams. Someone was touching him, couldn't tell who. Aria was moving, and in a flash of blue light she was replaced by a huge blue snake, racing towards them. 

Just a dream… 

A flash of fang and blue scale, and darkness swallowed him. He was surrounded by a warm, wet pressure, yet was somehow still moving. The cannonfire was a muted symphony now, and his dream-haze began to fade. 

The snake opened its mouth and regurgitated Red and Val on the shore. When Val opened his eyes, there was only Aria and Red standing near. 

“What were you thinking?” Red shook him with all his strength, rattling Val like a ragdoll. “You froze! If Aria hadn't-”

“Aria--what--snake?” Val sputtered. 

“She has a Devil Fruit, I thought you knew.”

“No!” 

“Boys! This cave is falling in on us, we need to go!”

“How do we get out of here?” said Red. 

“There's an opening, a lava tube.” Aria pointed near her house and Val saw a hole bored through the rock, only big enough to crawl through. “It's an easy path when I'm a snake, I can swallow you two again and-”

A cannonball slammed into the cave, and a landslide of rubble swept over their escape route with a blinding puff of dust. 

“Is there another way out?” said Val. 

“No…” Aria turned white. “No, the cave is sealed.”

“There has to be a way. We need to run .” 

“What about the sea gate?” asked Red. “If we bait them inside the cave, I can take them all at once. I sunk their ship before, I'll do it again.*

“And if they don't take the bait?” Val asked. 

“We could swim out, I can carry Aria. Better than getting crushed in here.”

A boulder fell into the pond, spraying them with water. 

“The gate doesn't open. There's not some lever or button, it's solid stone.” said Aria. 

“The ship got inside somehow, it has to open,” said Red. 

Val's hand came to rest over his pocket. He grew silent, and Red feared he was in another bout of cowardice. He took his face in both hands, forced him to look him in the eyes. 

“Look at me Valentine! Look! I know the hell you've survived. You're alive, and it's not by luck. Somewhere in there, I know you're brewing a plan to get out of here in one piece." Red’s golden eyes pierced through him. “Show me, how great is your will to survive?”

.

..

...

“We must move quickly, we don't have much time.” Val pushed his hands away, and a change seemed to come over him. He took Aria’s bloody cloth and tied his hair back. His eyes flicked around the cave, taking inventory of every detail. “You two, get rid of that gate. I bet it opens somehow, but demolish it if you have to. Don't stop moving, and scatter if they spot you. I'll prepare a counter. When we're done, the Cobra Pirates will have wished they stayed dead.”

Chapter Text

Red slammed a fist into the sea wall, and pain lanced up his arm. If he could only use Iron Body, he could protect his fists and tear down the wall. The sun inscriptions bore faces that seemed to watch him, mocking his frustration with their faded expressions. 

In five airsteps, Red stood upon the sea gate. He pulled out Aria’s spyglass, and locked onto the Cobra Pirates with ease. Their ship was a patchwork of new and decrepit planks. The mast was made of pieces, stuck end on end. 

“What do you see?” Aria asked from the ground. 

“Their ship is held together with chewing gum, and spite. Three good Tempest Kicks is all it would take, if they weren’t so far away.”

A volley of cannons flashed. In the space of a heartbeat, Red sensed he was under fire. Within the same heartbeat he sliced his heel in an arc in front of him, a frantic Tempest Kick. It collided with a cannonball that had marked him for death, shattering it and showering him with shrapnel. A thousand tiny cuts sliced him open all over. 

The next heartbeats felt cold. Red gasped for breath, ringing drowned out his hearing. One heartbeat, that's how close he'd been to dismemberment. 

“Red! Are you okay?” A snake tail wrapped around his torso and pulled him down, safely behind the wall. 

“Fine…” Red shook the ringing from his ears. There was no time to lose. He’d have to find a way to move the massive stone doors, which hadn’t budged in centuries, before the cave collapsed on them. Judging by the increasing debris raining down around them, that would be only a few minutes at best. He couldn't find any hinges, gears, or other mechanism that seemed to open it.

“Maybe it isn’t a gate,” said Aria. “Maybe it’s a prison. Someone could have built it to seal away the ship, with no intention of opening it.”

“No, that’s impossible…” Red muttered, running his hands along the stone. “The ship hasn’t been here long, and these gates were built centuries ago. No, someone got the gates open to leave the ship here.”

“Why?” Aria asked. “Why would anyone ever leave a ship on a nowhere island like this?”

“A question for the scholars. We have to figure out how they got the gates open last time,” Red said.

Another quake shook the cavern. Rocks fell through Aria's hut, collapsing the roof. She ran out, but he caught her by the arm.

"Aria you'll be flattened, its safer behind the sea gate."

"But--my research... Years of my life..." 

A larger rock fell onto Aria's house, kicking up a cloud of dust that obstructed their vision. The impact shook the ground, and Red heard something rattle in the wall behind him.

His head snapped back, like a dog picking up a scent. He grabbed a rock and beat it against the surface, knocking until a hollow noise echoed. The old stones moved with a great grinding. It revealed a small chamber with strange prongs, holding a polished black pearl. Red plucked the ball from the prongs, stowing it in his pocket. 

The cavern shook. Water churned and more rocks fell from the ceiling. The sea gates groaned as they slowly sunk. The twin suns eyed him as they dipped into the ocean and disappeared. 

With the sea gate gone, a tidal wave of salt water rushed into the cave. There was no hope of escape; the flood slammed into them and carried them off. 

Val approached the ship. It was careened on its side, and leaned at a steep angle. He eyed the line of gunports, which pointed at the sea gate. If he could get the cannons working, they might stand a chance against the Cobra Pirates. 

He hauled himself over the railing, pressed himself flat against the sloped deck, and inched over to the hatch leading below. It had no rope or handle to lift it. He tried to pry it open with his fingers, then he bashed it with his fist, then his foot. The hatch remained sealed, the gundeck locked tighter than a bank vault. 

He inched to the Quarterdeck, near the ship’s wheel. He leapt off the deck, catching two spokes on the wheel. He dangled from the wheel in mid air, pulling on it with all his might, but the wheel refused to move. He climbed the spokes, pulling himself up so he faced the control panel. 

He'd never seen a ship with so many controls. A staggering number of buttons, switches, and dials had been crammed into the space. Most had no labels at all, some bore strange runes he didn't understand. The wheel had a cross-shaped hole in the center, a missing piece. 

Valentine pressed every button he could see. He flicked the switches back and forth, adjusted the dials, and absolutely nothing happened. 

A cannonball broke through the cave wall, soaring through the air and slamming into the opposite wall. Rock sprayed from the wound. If they didn't find success soon, they'd be buried in here alongside the ship. 

A grinding sound filled the cave. Val looked past the ship, to see the sea wall sinking into the water. Red and Aria had done it, somehow. Ocean water rushed into the pool. He saw it swallow Red and Aria, then sweep across the cave towards him. 

The wave slammed into the ship. His white-knuckle grip on the wheel’s spokes was the only thing that kept him from flying overboard. The ship rocked, shook, spun around, then settled upright, floating in the water. 

Val gasped for breath, purging the salt water that had filled his nose. He was finally on flat uneven ground. Pushing wet hair out of his face, he pulled himself up on the railing. The sea gate had disappeared, and the ocean had rushed in to fill the cave. The gap between the cave and ocean was filled with churning brackish water. 

.

..

...

Valentine's eyes burned, then his vision sharpened. Every hair on his body stood on end. A cold breeze ran through him. Something was in the water… it was massive, ancient, and it could see him. He knew it to be true, though not where his confidence came from. A sixth danger sense that told him something was here, and he needed to be far away from it. 

If he ever dreamt of using the cannons, he'd have to turn the ship around. He tried the wheel again, locked. The cross-shaped hole at the center taunted him. He took his knife and jammed the edge in the cross-shaped hole, wiggling it around to try and pick the lock. Nothing. 

He longed for a proper lockpick, anything that could fit in the hole. 

A cross lock, with four sides… 

He fumbled for the four-finned key he found in the pool. Finding it luckily still in his pocket, he jammed it in the wheel. It slid perfectly into the keyhole, settling inside and locking in place with a click. 

The ship leapt into the air. Valentine was knocked off his feet and thrown into the railing. The ship sunk down just as fast, leaving Valentine clinging to the railing so he wasn’t flung overboard. The ship landed with an explosion of water, sending up sheets of icy spray that cloaked it. Valentine landed in a heap on the floorboards, wondering what he just unleashed.

The pipes screamed and steam puffed from the cracks. Vibrations overtook the Antelope. It sent rhythmic ripples out on the cavern water. Noises came from the ship, starting below deck and working their way closer in tune with the vibrations. Something within the vessel was moving on its own.  

All of the inner workings, the steam, the vibrations, the noises, all started to slowly coalesce together. Each was a different instrument, offbeat at first but coming together to form different parts of one song. Once they had become a single smooth rhythm, the ship lurched forward. 

It moved! Entirely on its own accord, without wind or sails or current. The Antelope decided to move, so it moved. Valentine scrambled for holds on the wheel and spun it to port to avoid beaching on the shore. What a funny tale that would be, a fantastical ship moving magically amidst heated battle, only to beach again.

“It’s MOVING! And I don’t think it’s stopping!” Valentine shouted from the wheel, too afraid to let go. 

Hard boots thumped on the deck. Red landed with a crash, carrying Aria over a shoulder. He set her down against a railing, a deep green color taking over her skin. 

“Salt water… I think I'm gonna be sick…”

“I don't know how you got this thing sailing. Can you steer?” Red asked.

“I think so,” Valentine said.

“‘I think so’ isn’t going to get us through that sea gate,” Red said.

Valentine tightened his white knuckle grip on the wheel. Aria and Red had given him this opportunity, he wouldn’t let them down. He sent the wheel spinning to the left, and the ship responded in turn. He worked controls that he had no experience with, strange levers and buttons with no clues for their purpose. Valentine imagined where the control he needed might be, and then reached for the controls that seemed to call out to him. Before long he had increased the ship’s speed and had it pointed squarely between the gates. 

They passed under the cave mouth, and the two stone pillars that remained of the sea gate. Even on a strange ship without sails that moved on its own through water, they felt humbled by the massive stone pillars and walls that had stood for time immemorial. 

The dark cave slipped away, and beams of bright light blinded the three. Open sea stretched out before them, presenting itself to the newly christened sailors. It called out to them, sail me, I can take you anywhere .

A boom echoed from the island. The sea beside them erupted in a massive plume of water. 

Sailing towards them was a ragged ship flying the purple cobra flag. The Cobra Pirates were floating in the bay, their broadside facing them. Familiar faces hung off the rigging, and standing atop the bow was Captain Alistair.  

“They've crossed our T, we're sitting ducks like this. If you get us closer, I can run to the ship and sink them.” Red ordered. 

“Don’t be an idiot, we can all see you bleeding. You don't have to handle everything yourself.” Val said. “Give me a minute to figure this ship out, maybe we can outrun them. The solution isn't always a fight.”

Aria reached for Red with a bandage in hand, but he pulled away from her. “It doesn’t have a mast, Valentine, and you barely know how to steer it. I’ll handle them, we can’t trust the ship.”

“Then trust me!” Valentine shouted. His hands held the wheel in a white-knuckle grip. He had been as useful as a sack of flour since they arrived at the island, needing to be carried along, retrieved, healed, and saved. It was time to show them the best of him. “You’ve both proven yourself and done your part. Now, let me make it up to you.” It was time for Valentine to earn their faith in him. He would save the day and return triumphantly, and he would relish the look of surprise on their face when they saw him succeed. 

He was beginning to decipher the control language of the ship. It seemed vaguely familiar, like something from a forgotten dream. He had figured out that specific sections of controls affected similar functions, like acceleration or turning. His hand hovered over a row of switches that he was mostly confident were for combat. His hand froze in indecision. 

A cannonball plowed through the air beside him, blowing his clothes about and sending a mighty shiver down his spine. It landed in the water beyond, exploding in a burst of salty spray. A few feet closer and that could have been the end of his life. 

“Valentine!” Red boomed. “Escaping on this ship was your plan! If you’ve been holding anything back, then we need it now! If you don’t, all of this will have been for nothing.”

“Closer…” Valentine muttered. He watched the Cobra Pirate’s path, circling and drawing them nearer to the Antelope. Soon he could make out individual faces. He waited for the inevitable boom of their cannons. 

He spun the wheel and his hand flew upwards, knocking three switches on its way. Metal shutters sprang from the portside hull, turning in unison to form a slanted shield. Cannonballs bounced off harmlessly, barely denting the metal. Every impact still shook the Antelope, even though none did any damage. When the impacts stopped, Valentine retracted the shutters and counterattacked.

One by one, openings appeared in the hull of the Antelope. All along the portside, ten cannons poked out from below deck. Though all the crew was above deck, he could hear heavy scraping as the cannons were positioned and, seemingly, loaded. Valentine waited for the perfect angle, and fired.

With ten cannons to hit his targets, his margin of success was high. Just as planned, a cannonball struck the main mast, splitting it apart to its original pieces. The Cobra crew scrambled as more cannons found their mark. Railings blew apart, and the capstan was shredded. He barely missed Alistair. 

Aria hollered in excitement, running to the railing. “They’re hit! Without their mast, they can’t catch up to us!”

“And with that armor, they won’t be able to sink us.” Red said. 

They were close enough now to see them clearly, and hear their howls and taunts. 

“We're gonna slice off your fingers and toes!” a peg-leg pirate called. 

“The Snake Demon is ours!” a group in island garb yelled. 

“Is that… Isiah?” Aria looked crestfallen. “Tina? And Rhett, I saved his son from a snakebite…”

“They've come to kill you, Aria,” Red said. “There's no turning back now.”

A trail of cold needles struck Valentine's spine. The terrible foreboding returned.

.

..

...

His eyes burned like he was staring into the sun, and dark shapes began to appear in the water. 

“We need to leave!” Val spun the wheel, aiming for the open ocean. 

“What?” Red caught the wheel. “We have them on the ropes! One more broadside and we never have to worry about them again!”

“Look!” Val pointed at the dark shapes. “Look at the shadows! We aren't alone!”

Red and Aria ran to the railing and peered into the water. 

“I don't see anything,” said Aria. 

“There's nothing in the water, Val. Give me the wheel, it'll be over in a moment.”

A wooden thunk sounded from port, quieter than the cannonball impacts. It was followed by several more. Valentine ran to port to see a volley of harpoons stuck in the side of the Antelope, fired quietly before Valentine could activate the shutters. Hanging from each harpoon was a chain that lead back to the Cobra ship. Already, pirates and villagers were crawling along the rope, weapons tucked into their belts or held in their teeth.

“No! We have to go! Aria, can you knock those chains off?”

“I can't use my snake form on the ship, it's too small. I'm just as likely to fall in and drown.” Aria chewed her lip, her eyes still on the traitorous villagers.

“Aria, steer! Red, keep them off the ship! I'll free those harpoons.” Val bounded off for the hatch leading below deck.

“Steer?” Aria turned red as both of them disappeared at the bow. 

With the Antelope continuing at the same speed, the slower Cobra ship was dragged along by its harpoons. The chains snapped tight and the Antelope lurched to port. The wheel began to spin dangerously to the left.

“Oh no you don’t!” Aria shoved her palms into the pegs of the spinning wheel, stopping it in its tracks. It strained against her grip, the wood creaking dangerously. The entire weight of the Cobra ship was pulling them further around, to point back at the island. 

“I’m not going back!” She stomped her feet down, taking a wide stance. Aria’s muscles tightened from foot to fist, gathering force as the force passed through her leg and midsection. Finally it reached her hands, and she forced the wheel right, turning against the weight of the Cobra Pirates and pointing the ship safely back out to sea. 

Red stood atop the railing, firing Tempest Kicks and sending pirate after pirate to the Seas. Pirates and harpoons came faster than Red could knock them down. The water between the ships began to churn and bubble around the flailing pirates. 

A massive white shape breached the water. It was a head, like an eel but bigger than the Antelope with rubbery pale skin and black pits for eyes. An alien intent emanated from the beast, a dominating presence that denied comprehension. 

Its mouth opened, water and pirates rushed in past rows of teeth longer than swords. Its mouth ballooned until it was nearly translucent and pressed against both ships. Then the creature dove, revealing sharp spines and a long, thin body before it disappeared. 

The sounds of battle had ceased. Every man and woman had stopped to watch the behemoth. The first one to break the silence was a rather mutinous Cobra Pirate. 

“Fuck this!"

Chapter Text

The two ships sailed at top speed, in two different directions. The harpoon chains went taught, and the ships locked in place. Aria strained at the wheel, fighting to keep the ship pointed West. 

“Stop pulling! We’re going East!” Alistair yelled over the waves.

“Let go of us!” Red was kicking at the chains fruitlessly. 

A spray of seawater exploded next to the Theseus , and the creature’s pale head rose from the ocean. It’s head ballooned, and a great rumbling sounded. From the beast’s maw a great torrent of steam flowed out and covered the deck of the Theseus . Mist blocked his view, but Val heard the screams. The air was filled with ear-splitting cries of dying men. The shouts were cut off by splashes when men leapt overboard. The mist blew away and the beast was gone, and the Thesius ’ deck was filled by dead men with cherry red skin. 

“West, west!” Alistair screamed, spinning the wheel. “Just sail!”

The Antelope plowed ahead, dragging the slower ship behind. Cobra Pirates were scrambling over the chains to the Antelope. She heard Captain Alistair cursing them as cowards, and realized they were fleeing from their doomed ship to safety. Red acted as gatekeeper, standing atop the harpoons and firing Tempest Kicks that swept the fleeing men into the water. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for them, knowing they’d be easy prey for the creature in the water.

We’ll all be its prey if we don’t get out of here soon, Aria reminded herself. The water was churning around them, and in every direction they saw the long, pale body of the creature under the surface. It was impossible to know the true size of it, but it dwarfed the two ships. She’d never seen anything like it, on land or sea. Its white blubbery skin was especially strange, the only thing she’d seen like it was a fish that a fishermen from Elder Falls had reeled in on their deepest lines. The creature was blind, and nearly turned inside out from the sudden change in pressure.

The deep! Aria swerved to avoid the beast’s swinging tail. This thing is from the deepest ocean trench, which means those black eyes are likely blind .

They might be able to fool the creature by stopping the ship and remaining silent, if it weren’t for the chorus of screams and combat. As it was, they were calling it towards them like a beacon.

We need to get loose of those harpoons… where the hell is Valentine??

Val fought with the harpoon points breaching the interior hull of the Antelope. He’d found a crowbar, but it was useless against the serrated steel tips of the harpoons. 

The lower decks of the ship were startlingly bright, lit by glass bulbs built into the ceiling. Above him he heard a great commotion of combat. Red’s work, most likely. He trusted him to handle the cobra grunts, but he wasn’t sure how Red would fare against that abomination from the water. Even though his vision was blocked inside the ship, Val could feel the creature around him in the water, its alien presence seeping through the boards like miasma. 

A knife sprung from the wood, inches from Val's hand. It was one of Red’s throwing knives, stained with blood and coated with purple fluid that sizzled atop the wood. 

“I see a dead man.” The voice of Alistair sent cold needles down his spine. Val turned slowly, gripping the crowbar tightly. A man blotted into view from thin air, and he found himself staring down the barrel of Alistair’s pistol. The captain stood between him and the hatch ladder. He looked the same as when he’d first boarded their ship, except for a new eyepatch.

“Surprised to see you here, Captain.” Val frowned. “I seem to remember Red putting a knife deep in your skull.”

“Not deep enough.” Alistair tapped his eyepatch with his free hand. His other eye glared at Valentine, like he was a bad omen. “I’m more surprised to see you alive, Valentine. I’ve never known a man to survive Dagger Snake Venom.” Val’s hand moved on its own, touching the bullet wound in the center of his chest. Under Aria’s bandages and salves, it itched in recognition. 

“First, I’m going to kill you. You’ll be food for that creature, along with your two friends. Then we’re going to take this fancy ship you’ve found, and sail off to collect our bounty money.” He cocked the pistol’s hammer. “Any last words, Valentine?”

A cold emptiness opened in Val's chest. Death was in the room with him, tightening his grasp on him. The feeling was all too familiar to him. 

.

..

...

Time moved slow, or perhaps it was Val’s mind moving quick. Every detail and object in the room stuck out to him, but none more than the gun pointing at his heart. A flintlock. After one shot it would be useless, though Alistair had a sword at his belt. Val’s crowbar seemed to weigh a ton, it was far too slow to be of any use. His fingers itched to reach for his knife in his sleeve, but he remained frozen still.

The odds were one in a million. If Alistair pulled the trigger, he was dead. But there was a tiny chance left, the hair's breadth between life and death that Val operated in, where Val might survive. 

“Would you let a doomed man pray to the Gods before his death, that his soul might be saved?” Val asked. 

“I doubt your soul is much worth saving, but make it quick, ” Alistair said. 

Val walked at a snail's pace, one foot after another to the center of the room. He closed his eyes and raised his face to the ceiling, basking in the glow of the artificial lamp light. In one swift motion he grabbed his knife, and shattered the glass bulb. 

The light sparked and flashed a blinding light. Val hit the ground in darkness. Alistair cursed; his gun fired and wood splinters peppered Val. He swung a low blow with his crowbar, catching a piece of Alistair’s leg and toppling the captain. 

Val scrambled out of the room, feeling his way along in the dark. When he saw a glow he ran for it, finding himself in a mess hall filled with tables. 

“VALENTINE!” Alistair roared. He burst into the mess hall with his sword drawn, his good eye still blinking away stars. He came at Valentine like a cutlass hurricane. Armed with only his knife, Val dodged and dove. He crawled under tables, threw chairs in his path, and throwing anything he could lift at him, beginning with his crowbar. When Alistair pressed him to his limit, he used his knife to deflect the edge of Alistair’s blade. Every time he felt the wind of his slice against his skin, he felt like he'd dodged Death's scythe. When Alistair missed and his sword sunk into a wood table, Val turned and ran.

Alistair’s tongue roped out of his mouth, wrapping around Val’s ankle and knocking him to the ground. The tongue stuck like glue, lifting him into the air by the ankle and hanging him in front of Alistair’s face, close enough he could smell his putrid breath.

“You mabe a grabe mithtake crothing me.” Alistair said, speaking around his massive tongue. Val spat into his good eye, and while the pirate was cursing and blinking he slammed an elbow into his neck. Alistair dropped him and collapsed, choking and clutching his neck. 

Val ran into a room filled with strange engine components. He looked around for an escape path, or anything he could use as a weapon. The room was too alien to him, he couldn’t make heads or tails of it. A raised platform with a glass dome took up the center of the floor. Pipes criss-crossed the room, weaving around each other in strange configurations. A bucket of tar sat on the engine, bubbling with heat.

The hairs on his neck rose.

.

..

...

He dived forward, and felt the air from Alistair’s blade missing him by inches. He couldn’t see him anywhere, but heard his laughing echoing off the walls. Val crawled backwards, slipping between pipes and around metal chests. A pipe sliced in two nearby, then another. Steam hissed out from the gaping wounds. 

How is he turning invisible? Is it some kind of Devil Fruit? Val ducked around a wall, which cleaved open a moment later. Think! He can change his skin’s color, and has that freaky tongue-

“You can’t run forever, Valentine!” Alistair’s disembodied voice cried. He heard creaking wood, and it seemed he pulled his sword free from the wood.

“I thought running is what the Cobra Pirates were famous for?”

“What!?” Alistair’s appeared, skin red like crimson. Val grabbed the pail of tar and flung it at him. The bucket crashed into him, knocking him down and covering him in sticky black tar. Val leapt over him and made for the deck hatch. He ran through the engine room and the mess hall, but took a wrong turn and found himself in a crew dormitory, lined with neatly made beds with fluffy feather pillows.

Tongue. Something spoke in his mind. Val ducked, and Alistair’s tongue shot past him and snagged a pillow. He pulled it back to his mouth and bit down, making it explode in a puff of feathers. Amidst the feathery smokescreen, Val slipped away.

Red stood above the harpoons sunk into the Antelope. He’d knocked dozens of pirates into the water, but an endless supply of them continued to crawl across the chains towards them. His legs were throbbing from using Tempest Kick, and he was sure he wouldn’t be able to stand if he did it once more. 

He curled his right hand like a fist and raised it above his head. He pointed his finger, brandishing it like a weapon.

Every inch of your body is a weapon, even a single finger. The words of Red’s mentor echoed in his head. Strike true, and without hesitation. Hesitate for a moment, and you’ll break every bone in your arm.

His finger shook. It had been months since he’d attempted Shigan, and that was in a Cipher Pol training facility. He kept his sight on a single link, the weak point that would bring down the chain and free them of their dead weight.

Red drove his finger down with all the force he could muster. The ship lurched, and he missed by a hair. His finger snapped into a horrible angle, and pain lanced up his arm. 

The hatch flipped open and Valentine scrambled onto the deck. He ran to Red, who was cradling his swollen purple hand.

“Alistair is after me!” He cried.

“Bastard must have slipped by us…” Red said through gritted teeth.

“You bilge-sucking CUNT !” Alistair crawled out of the hatch, using his sword as a cane. He was covered in tar and feathers, and boiling with rage.Tar dripped off him, and feather flew from his mouth when he spoke.  “I’m gonna rip out your eyes… Then I’ll flay you, and rape your fucking corpses!”

“Time to finish what we started.” Val pulled his hand from his sleeve, bearing his curved knife.

“Aria, focus on keeping the ship straight and far from that beast.” Red cracked every bone in his left hand, his right hanging limp at his side. “We’ll handle him.”

Red shaved. He blinked behind Alistair, driving his knee deep into his spine. Val dodged a flying tongue and Alistair’s cutlass, landing an elbow into his jaw. Rotten teeth hit the deck.

A tail sprouted from Alistair’s cloak, sweeping them away. They skipped like stones, crashing into the railing and landing in a heap. 

“He’s got a Chameleon Devil Fruit, watch out for that tongue and tail,” Val said.

“Explains his disappearing trick…” Red struggled to his feet, his knees shaking from exertion. “Nice work with the tar, by the way. The feathers are an excellent touch.” 

Alistair’s tongue lashed out, but Red caught it with his left hand. Val knife flashed, and severed the tongue in two. Blood flowed from the wound, and Alistair let out a blood-curdling scream. He charged them, blood and tar spraying off him. His coiled tail slammed into Val, sending him into the railing and his knife flying into the ocean. He swung down with his cutlass to cut them in two, but missed and sunk into the railing. Red’s boot snapped his sword in two, sending the lower half sliding towards Val. Alistair’s bloody tongue whipped out and wrapped around Red’s neck. He tried to rip it off, but with only his left hand he was helpless as Alistair tightened his grip around his neck. Blackness crept into his vision.

Alistair gasped. His grip on Red’s neck loosened, he looked down at the broken sword sprouting from his sternum.

“Now!” Val said. Together, he and Red heaved the man overboard. He fell onto the chain bridge, the sticky tar tangling him in its links. Not a moment later the beast breached the waves, snapping up Alistair and shattering the chains in one bite. 

The Antelope freed itself of the weight, and lurched to the right. After a brief correction by Aria, the ship pointed to sea and began to speed up. Val looking behind them, at the shrinking Theseus . With a single blow from it’s mighty tail, the beast shattered it into splinters. 

They were relieved, and for the moment, they were free.

Chapter Text

The crone’s tent is lit by flickering glass candles. Heavy velvet curtains backdrop a covered table, where the crone herself sits. 

She is short and broad, with stunted frog legs. Her hair resembles seaweed and is laden with amber and seashells. Her long gnarled fingers wrap around a deck of cards, shuffling it with uncanny skill.

“Three souls, bound by destiny and doomed to die.” she laughs, like a toad’s croak.  “I call upon thee, The Weavers, The Wheel, and The Fates… show us a glimpse of these doomed souls three.”

The first card hits the table. It depicts a weeping man strung up by his ankle, filled with arrows.

“The Hanged Man sees the world from a unique perspective. But insight always comes at a cost. He is shackled by his past torments, and knows only how to flee.”

A second card flies from the deck, landing atop the first. A man stands proud, his hand stroking the mane of a collared lion. Atop his head he wears a crown of flowers.

“Sheltering him is Strength, known for his ferocity and passion. His folly lies in shirking his crown, and foregoing his nature. If he does not temper his Strength with what lies within, he is doomed to destroy all he holds dear.” 

A final card lifts from the deck, landing beside the others. On its face, a woman points to the sky with a lit glass candle, with the other hand directed at the earth. She wears an ouroboros belt, and stands before a table filled with tools of alchemy, and a strange blue fruit. 

“The Magician is resourceful, and uses her knowledge to manifest her will. She can save them all if she masters her talents, but if she fails she will bring calamity to the Four Seas.”

The cards return to the deck neatly. The hut fills with the crone’s laughter once more. 

“It's a cruel world, and they'll need more than fortune to survive. Until we see each other again, eh?”

The glass candle goes out, and the tent disappears. 

Chapter Text

“I hate it.” Red inspected his new cast in the light of the infirmary. The “infirmary” was a crew’s quarters that Aria had converted as best she could, storing what supplies she could scavenge among the cabinets and drawers made for a crewman’s belongings.

“The words you’re looking for are thank you .” Aria chided. 

“Yes, thank you , but,” Red tested his grip, not even able to make a fist before he was obstructed by the cast. “How am I supposed to use Shigan with this?” 

“That finger bullet trick? You don’t use it, that's how. In fact, if you don’t let that hand heal properly, you’ll never fight with it again. So until the cast comes off, no fighting.”

Red snorted. When Aria’s gaze didn’t lift off of him, he realized she was serious. “What? Why not? I still have one arm and both legs. Hell, I’m still a better throw than most with my left hand.”

“You said we are going to Ishport to see your friends, right?” Aria knocked him on the back, motioning him off the bed. “Who do you plan on fighting?”

“Nobody, hopefully.” Red got up, fitting his long sleeve shirt back on. The sleeve stubbornly scrunched up before his cast, too small to fit around. Red let out a groan. “Trouble seems to follow us, you know that. I always need to be prepared, we always need to be prepared, for someone brave or stupid enough to go after us. We’re worth 30 million berries, after all.”

“You’d think you two would take better care of yourself if you’re worth that much.” Aria snorted. “Here, don’t forget your amulet.” Red slipped on the orange stone, tied with a leather cord. “You don’t seem like a jewelry person to me, why do you where that?”

“It was given to me by someone dear to me.” Red rubbed the smooth, polished stone. As he turned it in his fingers, a bubble danced inside the amber.

“The same someone we’re meeting in Ishport?” Aria asked.

“You’re too clever for your own good, you know that?”

Aria only laughed.  “Don’t worry, I’m done with you. Go find Valentine for me and send him this way, his stitches need to come out.”

Valentine held onto his breath tightly. Ari hovered over his sternum with a pair of tweezers. He could feel the stitches slowly pull out from under his skin. Not very painful for him, but an unpleasant feeling nonetheless.

“I’ve never had a patient as quiet as you, Valentine.” Aria chuckled. “Sometimes I forget you aren’t on anesthetic.” 

“I’ve… been stitched up a lot.” Valentine said. The air darkened between them. Aria averted her eyes, tried not to look at the mottled scars dotting his chest, his missing fingernail, or the dark bruises that never healed.

“Whatever happened to you isn’t my business, but your wounds are . I have to ask is there any injuries or conditions I should know about? Does anything that still hurts?”

Val felt startlingly naked with his shirt off, and Aria so close to his skin he could feel her breath.

“It hurts a lot, but there’s nothing you can do to help me,” Val said. “Please… no more questions.”

Aria pursed her lips, finished removing his stitches in silence. Only once she’d cleaned him and her instruments did she speak again.

“About what happened on Elder Falls… it happened so fast I didn’t get a chance to say thank you.”

“Thank you?” Val sat up and slipped on his purple jacket, buttoning it closed. “We brought pirates to your doorstep and made you flee from your home, and you’re thanking us?”

“You did nothing of the sort. Shadows from our past caught up to us, things outside our control None of us would have survived if we were alone, but we made it out together.”

“Likewise. I suppose I owe you double now, for saving my life twice”

Aria rolled her eyes at him, motioning him off the bed. Val buckled on his belt and his new scabbard. After losing his knife in the battle with Alistair, he’d taken the pirates broken sword as a trophy. It had a swept guard and a blade longer than his knife, but the scabbard was full length and seemed to knock into everything. 

“Aria, what are you going to do when we arrive?”

“With my home under a ton of rocks, I don’t think I’ll be going back to Elder Falls any time soon. I’ll try to find work in Ishport when we get there, Red said he has connections who have need of a doctor. What about you?”

“I don’t know…” Val chewed his lip. “Red says we’ll be safe under his friend’s roof, but we can’t hide forever. Not with Marines, pirates, and Cipher Pol chasing us. Problem is, I don’t have a better plan than this.”

“Hiding it is. If you ever run until trouble while you’re staying in Ishport, and with how reckless you two are that’s inevitable,  I’ll always be there to make you feel better. It’ll come with an earful, though.”

That word, always . Valentine hadn’t known permanence in a long time, since he was Niramor’s prisoner. Horrible as it was, it was safe. In the weeks since he’d escaped he’d been on the run, eating from the garbage and laying awake at night for fear of a knife in the dark. Running away and hiding was a matter of survival. Even when Red had forced his way into Val’s life, he’d taken comfort in the fact that at any time he could have slipped away without looking back.

After everything he’d been though, The idea of settling in a new city with Red and Aria was unnerving; sleeping in the same bed, with regular meals and routine. Despite his attempts to thwart them, he’d found his heart invaded by others. 

Once the crew had escaped the Cobra Pirates, the three of them finally had a chance to properly explore their new home.

The Antelope was hard to categorize because of its lack of sails, but Red said that if it had sails it was about the size of a Brigantine, or Brig. It had two decks: a main deck, and a quarter deck that made up the rear of the ship, consisting of all the ship controls. 

Whoever last occupied the ship put meticulous effort into leaving absolutely nothing behind. In the entire ship they only found a single remnant, and left in such a way that it couldn’t have been accidental. In the perfect center of the captain’s desk sat a fine tricorne hat. Valentine had left it where it sat.

Below deck was where most of the rooms were found. Ten sizable living areas filled most of the deck, each big enough to house one person luxuriously, or up to ten hammocks if necessary.  At  the bow seemed to be a common area, and at the stern sat the kitchen. 

Another floor below saw the cargo hold, the lowest area of the ship. It was dark and musty, and seemed to be mostly dedicated to storage, with indentations made to easily store rows of barrels. 

Below the quarter deck was the Captain’s Quarters, the only locked door on the ship. It unlocked with the same four finned key that Valentine used to activate the ship. Inside was nearly abandoned. Shelves and mounts around the room suggested it was once well decorated, and a less-worn square on the floor represented the area a rug once sat. A startlingly large wooden desk stood in the center of the room, and closer inspection revealed the desk was built into the ship. Attached was a personal bathing room and a bedroom, complete with four poster bed. Since it sat at the rear of the ship, a small balcony jutted out the back.  

Night had fallen, and Val moved into in the dark captains quarters, though it was still as empty as he found it. He didn’t have any belongings to move in anyways, everything he owned was on his person. When he escaped imprisonment by the Marines, he stole a long purple jacket and tall leather boots from Niramor’s closet (only slightly unnerved by how tremendously they fit him) to blend in with the crowd. When he passed through the market, he stole a curious curved knife from under the notice of its vendor, though now it was replaced by a pirate’s broken sword. Save his underclothes, those three things were all he had kept with him since his imprisonment, a time when he wasn’t allowed belongings. 

Belongings, Valentine had learned, only weighed you down. Several times before meeting Red he had to flee an island in a rush, leaving behind what few things he had gathered. It wasn’t worth it to have anything he couldn’t keep on his person in a full sprint. 

To him, the empty shelves and cabinets looked like gaping wounds, laughing at his few petty things. He wondered how many treasures the last captain of the Antelope displayed here, and how much it all must have been worth. Millions of berries? Hundreds of millions? Billions? He wasn’t even sure if the room was his, and staring at the empty shelves in an empty room made him wonder if the room could ever properly belong to him, just a runaway prisoner who hadn’t had a proper shower in weeks. 

The Antelope jostled abruptly, making Valentine gasp and jump. His heartbeat skyrocketed and his throat tightened. It took him a few seconds to realize a wave had struck the hull of the ship. He’d always been jumpy, but the Buster Call had made it much worse. Now, a simple wave had him panting to catch his breathe with eyes stinging red and hot.

Something knocked on the balcony door, and Val’s hand went to his sword. The shadow of a seagull was pecking at the glass door. With a relieved sigh Val opened the door. The bird flew into the room, dropped a small paper on the desk, and flew off again. 

The envelope bore no seal or markings, but something was oddly familiar about it. He lifted it to his nose, rose perfume. It was from her. With shaky hands, Val opened the letter.

To My Valentine,

My heart never knew loneliness until you were taken from me. Not a minute goes by that you aren’t in my thoughts. I can’t stop thinking about the moments we shared, and the memories we made together.

I pray that you are safe and my letter finds you well. Treasure this time you spend alone, as you spread your wings and fly. I hope only that one day your trail will lead you back to me, and I’ll see your lovely eyes again. 

We’ll be seeing each other soon.

Yours truly,

Niramor

The letter had been stamped with a red lipstick kiss, Cold dread crept over Val. The door swung open, and Red burst in.

“That gull, what was it carrying?” Red asked. Valentine instinctively tucked the paper away. 

“It’s nothing,” he insisted. Red raised an unconvinced eyebrow. 

Valentine sighed in defeat. He reached into his coat and pulled out Red’s bounty poster he took from Elder Falls. “It dropped your bounty poster, Red.” Valentine lied. Red snatched it from him, reading it over as Valentine continued. “After what happened on Elder Falls, the World Government must be sending gulls to deliver these. The gull must have mistaken us as a pirate, or a government warship.”

“Strange that they wouldn’t increase the bounty,” Red frowned. “They didn’t sketch a new poster at all, and there’s no mention of you or Aria. Something isn’t right about this.”

“Guess we will never know,” Valentine said. The letter he hid in his coat felt more like a stone tablet than parchment, pulling him down towards the deck.

“Guess not…” Red muttered, watching Valentine closely. 

Another wave struck the Antelope , and Val grabbed the desk for dear life. Red didn’t seem to notice the wave, and was looking around at the empty room. 

“Why are you sitting in the dark?

Valentine didn’t answer. Actually, he didn’t know if he could answer right now. His heart was still beating far too fast and his throat felt tight enough to shut entirely. 

Even Red could sense something was off--Valentine never gave up an opportunity to answer with a snark. Still, he remained standing in the doorway while Val sunk on the floor against the desk. He had a few guesses about what was on Valentine’s mind, but no clues on how to make him feel better. He turned to leave, but Val spoke while his hand was on the doorknob. 

“Red, have you ever seen a Buster Call?”

“No, Buster Calls leave no prisoners and end as soon as they begin.” Red gulped. A metallic rattle began to sound. “I’ve only seen the aftermath, like what happened to your home island. 

“Whitecliff.” Valentine said. “My home, it’s--well, it was --called Whitecliff.” 

The rattling became even more audible. Only now did  Valentine notice the source. Red was still holding the doorknob, and despite his calm demeanor, his hand shook uncontrollably. 

“I can’t get it out of my head, you know that?” Valentine said. Red slowly nodded. “Every time I close my eyes, it’s there, like it’s burned into my eyes forever. I hate it…”

Unsure what to say and suddenly remembering his purpose, Red spoke, deaf to the tone of the room, “Aria wants us on the deck, by the way. Said she found something.”

Valentine cursed, feeling much the fool. “Forget I said anything, tell her I’ll be right there.” 

“Look what I found!” Aria slammed a small cask down on the main deck. “Left behind a staircase, I think it’s full of ale!” Her eyes were fill with a glow Valentine would never have expected. 

“Do you even know what kind of ale it is?” Valentine wiped a line of dust off of it. “I wonder how long it’s been down there…”

“Hopefully a long time. I like my ale aged.” Red grinned devilishly. The things they had been through the past day would bring any man to drink. Until now, they hadn’t known it was an option. 

Aria procured three tankards. Red stabbed the cask with a knife, providing each tankard with a sample before shoving a cork in the hole he had made.

Valentine swilled it under his nose. “You’re sure this is grog?”

“Look!” Aria pointed out to the dark sea, where a small cloud of lights glowed on the horizon. “It’s Ishport!”

“We made it safe.” Red let out a breath of relief. “First time for everything, right?”

“I’ll drink to that.”  Valentine tilted his glass towards the others. With glee, they toasted in the center and shot back their drinks.

.

..

…

Valentine ran to the railing of the ship and spit out his drink. Whatever it was, it was thicker than gravy and bitter as tar. 

“What was that?” Aria asked. Red was heaving over the railing.

“Who knows,” Red said, “the people that owned this ship last were probably loaded, they wouldn’t keep cheap booze on board. Bad as it may be, this might be worth millions of berries.”

“If it’s expensive and tastes like rubber why the fuck are we drinking it ?” Valentine asked. 

“For ceremony. As a toast, to our safe journey.” Aria held a hand over her mouth, taking a shuddering breath. “It’s not a bad trade for getting out alive, y’know.”

“She’s right, traditions are the lifeblood of any crew.”

Their positive words lowered Val’s guard, enough that he took another idle sip. It was worse than the first, and he dumped his tankard overboard.

With their new home in sight, they were in high spirits as Red guided them into port. From his lips came a song Valentine had never heard. 

Gather up all of the crew, it’s time to ship out Bink’s Brew…”

Chapter Text

It was well past midnight when the Antelope finally reached Ishport. Red guided Valentine around the island, which seemed to be much larger than Whitecliff. They rounded a cape, and a  collection of houses huddled against the shore. It had a harbor with a collection of small fishing boats, though Red explained it was too shallow for the Antelope to dock, and they’d have to dock at the King’s Manor. 

“You’re taking us to the governor? Are you dense?” Valentine said, “We have bounties, if you’ve forgotten.”

“Ishport doesn’t recognize the authority of the World Government. Their bounties mean nothing here.” Red said.

They circled past the town, around the island. Only a few miles from the town’s outskirts sat a large manor on the sea. It had a sprawling layout that was larger than any house Valentine had ever seen, with a white wall bordering the grounds, keeping in a cluster of outbuildings and sprawling gardens. 

“Some fortifications…” Aria whistled. 

Red took the helm from Valentine, easing the ship into the harbor. They passed by an open sea gate--smaller than Elder Fall’s and made of cables instead of stone--and pulled into the small harbour. Red slowed the ship down expertly and guided them to rest alongside the dock. 

Before Red could tie the ship, the water beside them erupted, sending a wave of spray across the Antelope . A massive figure landed on the deck, creaking the boards dangerously. It took a moment for Valentine to perceive him in the dim lantern light. 

He was over seven feet tall, with strange proportions and biology that could only have make him a fishman. Rows of foot-long scales covered his pear-shaped body, and robbed him of any semblance of a neck. He was pudgy and green, and smelled of seaweed.

“Puff .” Red’s throat grinded out the name like a millstone. 

When he spoke, nostrils appeared between his eyes and he puffed out a stream of warm air over Red. 

“Asada Redwin, in my harbour again.” 

“Just Redwin, actually.” He corrected.

“I thought we’d seen the last of you. Why you here? Sneaking in to see Lady Everett?”

“Risette is expecting me.” Red lied. “There’s no need to disturb Leon at this hour.”

“We’ve been too soft on you, that’s what I tell Crab. Asada be damned. If it were up to me, I’d have sunk you a mile from harbour.” He puffed out his chest. Puff’s mirror-coat eyes reflected the lantern light, creating twin rings of orange studying Aria and him. “Who are these other two, anyway?”

“This is Aria and Valentine, my crew.” Red said.

“Crew?” Puff’s body inflated and his scales turned, making him a giant cactus balloon. He let out a grating, honking laugh that used all of his stored air.  A pufferfish, Valentine noted. “Thought you were a lone gun, Asada?”

“Just Redwin,” he corrected again.

Puff took steps towards him on his short thick legs, not unlike an elephants. He towered over Val, easily twice his size. 

“You’re Valentine, eh? I heard the Marines are looking for someone named Valentine.”” 

Valentine lifted his chin and stared down his glowing-eye gaze. He methodically hid his fear, washing it away until he could stare the fishman down with deadly calm. He wouldn't give this fish the satisfaction of intimidating him. 

“You suck Marine cock now?”

“I vouch for both of them, Puff.” Red took a step between them. “You know it’s not an issue. Think about what happens in the morning, when Risette finds out you turned me away? She’ll tell Crab, and Crab will fillet you for griefing her.”

Puff scowled. He flared his nostrils again and showered Valentine in a stinking cloud that smelled like a dried lakebed. “You may dock in the harbour tonight. But you are too late, the grounds are closed for the night. Wait in the guest house until morning.”

“Fine.” 

With one last scowl, Puff leapt off the deck and slipped back underwater.

“What in the flying-fish fuck was that?” Valentine asked.

“Don’t worry about Puff, he doesn’t know his mouth from his blowhole. Of the three brothers, he’s the least of your concern. Make yourself comfortable in the guest house, we’re safe here.”

A minnow fishman butler waddled down the dock and onto the Antelope. He started packing up their meager personal belongings and carrying them away.

“Shiner will take care of your things, I’ll show you the house.” Red said. He clearly familiar with the place, and brought them to the large stone building.

The candles were already lit and a fire roared in the hearth. A common area basked in the orange glow, with fur rugs laid across the floor and bookshelves lining the walls. Valentine made for a lounger by the fire. While he reclined and warmed his feet by the fire, layers upon layers of fatigue washed off him. Aria sat opposite him and fingered through the libraries. 

The butler Shiner carried their things to their respective rooms, and prepared the beds. Upon returning he procured a butcher knife, and diced vegetables on the hefty kitchen table with his scales shining in the firelight, true to his name. In minutes, a bubbling stew sat upon the fire and filled the room with fragrance.

“You two sit tight, I’m going to bring Risette here,” Red said, “You’ll love her.”

Valentine could read it on his face. “She’s your girlfriend, isn’t she?”

“Guilty.” Red said. “How’d you know?”

“Just a hunch.” The truth was, this was the first time Val had seen Red smile. “Didn’t Puff say everything was locked?”

“He did, yes.” Red donned his coat, and a pair of leather gloves. “I’ll be gone for a few hours, getting in isn’t easy.”

In a few minutes, Red made it to Risette’s balcony. He snuck to the doorway and executed a practiced pattern of knocks.

In a few moments, the door flung open and Risette stood in the doorway, beaming. The minnow fish-woman looked the same as when he saw her last, nearly a year ago. Her wide eyes seemed to glow in the moonlight. The fin on her head hung like a ponytail.

She kissed him, and hugged him fiercely. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, darling. Are you on leave? What happened to your hand?”

“May I come inside, Princess?”

She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him inside her room . “Get in here." It was lit by a hanging candelabra and a roaring fireplace.  It was a large comfortable room, unchanged from when he saw it last. The four-poster bed called out to him, after sleeping in hammocks for weeks.

“I’m sorry I haven’t written, a lot has happened,” Red said.

“Shiner just finished drawing a bath. Why don’t you tell me all about it while you soak?”

She gestured to a large bronze tub filled with steaming water. The hot water was laden with rose petals, and a plate of perfumes and ointments sat nearby.

“Rose petals?” Red raised an eyebrow.

“It was for me. You aren’t supposed to be here with me, you know.” She teased. “Just get in the water.”

“Do I have to bathe now?" Red groaned. "Let's lay down together.” 

“My dear, you’re overdue for a bath.” He relented, and shook off his clothes. When she saw him struggling with his injured hand, she stepped in to help with the rest. “Red, you’re filthy. Where did you get these cuts? And all of these bruises?”

“I’m fine, I made it here safe and sound.”

“Barely!” She pulled on Red’s eyelid, letting it snap back into place. “You’re exhausted. When was the last time you had proper rest?”

“Too long,” Red admitted. Risette encouraged Red into the tub. He settled in amongst the rose petals. Risette poured matching cups of tea, handing one to Red in the tub.

“Then rest .” 

Hours later, Red and Risette lay in the tub together. Her hair-fin wrapped around his chest, and she hung off his neck with silver-scaled arms.

“I left CP4.” Red said.

“What? What happened?”

“I also brought two friends, they’re staying in the guest house.”

“What? And you’ve been making them wait?”

“It’s been a year since I saw you last.”

“And in all the time I’ve known you, you’ve never brought someone with you to see me. We should return to them, but first Cipher Pol. Why did you leave?"

"It wasn't on good terms. I learned something that filled me with so much shame, I couldn't stay a moment longer." Red squeezed her hand. "Please, I don't want to speak of it now."

"I won't pry, dear. But we should get back to your friends before they're asleep."

Red groaned. “But I don’t want this moment to end.”

"There will be more where that came from. Come, lets dry off."

Val and Aria were dining on stew when they heard the soft padding of Red’s Geppo footsteps.

In moments the door was open, and Red walked in with a fish-woman.

“Aria, Valentine, this is Risette. These two are my traveling companions. My charges, if you will.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you all.” Risette executed a perfect curtsy. “Any friend of Red’s is welcome in our home.”

“She’s the Princess of Ishport, and she plays a thousand instruments.”

“Thanks for having us, Risette,” Val said, “do you want some stew?”

“I would love some!” Risette sat herself at the table. Together, they broke bread and ate their fill. They told Risette of their journey together. From Red and Val’s trip on the passenger ferry to their boarding, Val’s poisoning, and their search for a doctor that lead them to Aria. 

“You saved his life! That’s incredible !” Risette said. 

“Oh, it was nothing.” Aria blushed, fiddling with one of her gold rings. 

They told the rest, how the Cobra Pirates and villagers joined forces to attack them. She hung on every word of their unlocking of the Sea Gate, the revival of the Antelope , and their daring escape.

“What did you do with that black pearl?” Val asked. “The one that held up the seawall.”

Red reached into his left pocket and placed the black peal on the table. It was the size of a walnut and perfectly round, but the firelight never gleamed on the polished surface. Val took it in his hand, and it was startlingly cold to the touch. It was colder than ice fresh from the freezer, colder than anything Val had felt before. Deep in the jewel’s dark reaches, Val saw a faint green glimmer.

Something about the pearl upset him, in a way he couldn’t quite place. When he handed it back to Red, he was eager to be rid of it.

“Best to sell it,” Val said. 

“So the ship you sailed on doesn’t have sails?” Risette asked, flinging her spoon around. “How is that possible?”

“We have no idea,” Val said, “it’s as if the ship has a life of its own.”

“I’ve never heard of anything like that before! I wonder if there’s anything about it in the library…”

“Risette is the fastest reader I’ve ever seen,” Red said. Val rolled his eyes. 

“I’m heading to my room for the night.” Val sat up.

“Risette just got here, can’t you stay awhile?” Red asked.

“After what we just went through? I’m exhausted .”

“Whatever, I’ll wake you up for breakfast.” 

Valentine sat cross-legged on the fur rug before the fire. His face was blanketed by heat, and the smoke had started to sting his eyes. Three quiet knocks came from his door.

“Who is it?” He asked.

“It’s Risette, can I come in?”

“What do you need?”

“Oh, I was just checking on you, to make sure you were comfortable. If I’m bothering you, I can go…”

Valentine cursed. “Come in.”

Risette opened up the door and entered in her night clothes. Valentine was still wearing his usual gear, even his coat, despite the late hour. Wordlessly, she sat beside him before the fire.

“How do you like the room? I’m sorry we couldn’t do more on such short notice. Tomorrow, we should have better lodgings for you!”

“The room is fine, thank you. However Red intends to pay you, I’ll ensure we see it paid. I understand that we are asking a lot of you without any warning.”

“Pay me?” Risette tilted an eyebrow. “Red isn’t paying me anything. I’ve known him since he was just a kid, I’d never take money from him.” She beamed, her disc-shaped eyes gleamed with firelight. “A friend of Red’s is a friend of mine, so I won’t accept a single berry from you either.”

Valentine chuckled. “You’re far too kind to trust me like that.”

“Don’t worry, Red told me that you all had bounties.” Risette’s eyes joined his in the fire. 

Valentine watched a ruby coal roll from the fire, coming to a rest and slowly cooling gray. His mind ran in circles. He didn’t know how much Red knew of Niramor, and his imprisonment by her. Would a pretty face be enough for Red to expose his secrets? 

“And what did he tell you?”

“Just that you and Aria had bounties. He said I’d have to ask you anything else myself. So, here I am.” So Red kept his promise , Valentine thought. 

Valentine laughed. “I could have a bounty for murder and rape, and you still came to ask me yourself?”

“I don’t think you’re a murderer, or a rapist.” Risette’s eyes turned to his. When he met her gaze, she smiled. “Your eyes are too kind.”

Against his will, Valentine felt his face get hot. His lungs struggled to work properly, and he only managed a stiff response. “Too... kind?”

“You just seem like a nice guy, that’s all. Lots of people have bounties that aren’t their faults. I’m sure you have a good reason.”

Never in Valentine’s entire life had anyone called him kind. Compliments, he learned, were venomous things laced with pain and lies. When Risette smiled at him like that and gave him the benefit of the doubt, she reached past his walls and played his heart like an instrument, telling it to flutter and swell. 

No, impossible. She couldn’t be trusted. She was only being kind to trick him. He couldn’t let his guard down. She didn’t care about him. Valentine’s mind ran like a wild animal. 

Risette must have seen the change in him. Her face grew long with concern, her beaming smile disappeared. She lifted a hand to reach out to him. A fatal error, though she didn’t know it at the time.

Her hand brushed against Valentine’s skin and he gasped. He darted a few feet away from her on the floor. It was an instinctual response, like a hand pulling away from a hot stove. 

The only times Valentine had ever known such kindness was after sessions with Niramor. It was a reward of sorts, for enduring the pain. The promise of it was enough, he had grit his teeth and survived it every time. It was the only time he had to truly relax and connect with her, despite its painful association.

The flood of positive memories tangled with recent traumatic memories of the Buster Call. The two thoughts contradicted each other, and the resulting confusion gave him a splitting headache. His vision blurred and nausea rose in his gut. The discomfort clouded his judgment. 

His life had been a constant cycle of long periods of pain, broken by brief reprieves of peace and comfort.  Now he had a warm bed and a safe place. He was feeling so warm and calm, after so much pain. Was this his reward, a time he could be safe and comfortable? His thoughts inflated until they were too big for his own head. He found his mouth opening to release the built-up pressure.

“I’m a prisoner. Well, an escaped one.” Valentine spoke. When he finally answered her question, Risette looked up at him with a glint of hope in her eyes. “I got caught up with the marines, from no fault of my own. The warden was a Marine Captain, Captain Niramor.” when the name echoed off the stone, Valentine shuddered. “She…” Valentine’s eyes fell to the floor, suddenly overwhelmed with shame. He turned his face from Risette, mouth frozen shut.

She placed her hand atop his. Val’s nerves went cold, but he didn’t move away.

“That’s horrible, you didn’t deserve that treatment.” She looked down at the hand under hers. “Is… is that what happened to your fingernail?”

Val looked down at the ring finger of his left hand. The nail was gone, replaced by scarred flesh. He saw no reason to lie to her.

“Yes, Niramor pulled out her sword, and the next moment it was gone. I shouldn't have tried to run.” Risette’s fingers began to shake, and she gripped his hand tightly. “Is it true, that there’s no marines on Ishport?”

“No! No, of course not.” Risette waved her hands. “The World Government has no sway here. You’re safe with us Valentine, I promise.”

“That is a relief…” Val sighed. Niramor’s letter was a lie then, another strand in her web of manipulation. Somehow she knew he was here, and was toying with him.

“Val… May I sing for you?” 

Valentine was so taken aback, he couldn’t think of a reason to say no.

“I… don’t see why not.”

Risette carefully took his hands in her own, and lifted her voice into a haunting song. At first Val didn’t recognize the tune. He paid close attention to the melody, and the angelic words that soon followed. He soon realized the song was made just for him. She weaved a song out of the stories he’d told her, with melancholic beginnings and climactic highs. He felt every note in his soul, and could feel every beat before it came. 

Hearing it all out loud was like a weight off his shoulder. As Risette continued to sing, Val’s eyelids began to feel heavy.

When Risette eventually left, Val fell asleep in minutes to his first restful sleep in what felt like ages.

Chapter Text

“When you first meet the king, refer to him as ‘Your Majesty’.” Red walked them to the dining hall. “Afterwards, you refer to him as ‘Sir’. Don’t get it twisted.”

“Understood.” Val studied a tapestry as they walked. 

“This is serious, Valentine.” Red whirled on him, poking a finger into his chest.

“Careful where you point that.” Val pushed the finger aside. 

“The length of our welcome here rides on the king’s first impression of you. That means best behaviour . When you step through those doors, you’re a saint . Understand?”

“Crystal clear.”

“That goes for you too, Aria. You will curtsy upon meeting the king, while Val and will bow our heads.” Red put his hand on the door, and paused. He lowered his voice, “one last thing, the Queen isn’t all there. Don’t stare, and be as polite as possible. Now come on, they’ll be expecting us.” 

Val had never been in a place as extravagant as the grand dining room. A table the size of a swimming pool took up most of the space, laden with lavish table dressings and elaborate bouquets. Red velvet curtains covered the walls, and a grand piano stood in the corner.

Eight table settings had been laid out. At the head of the table sat the king, an aged man with a jolly figure. A gold circlet sat on his powdered wig. Next to him at the head of the table was a fishwoman with a silver-scale crown. Her lips were muttering, but no noise came out. 

“Your Majesty.” Red stepped forward and bowed his head. “Thank you for your hospitality. These are my crewmates, Valentine and Aria.”

“Come here, so I can get a good look at you.” The king waved them forward.

Val walked slowly, entirely unsure what to say. He stiffly bowed his neck, and said, “Um… Thanks, Your Majesty.”

“Never met a king before, son?” The King had an uproar of laughter. “At my table, everybody calls me Leon. This is my wife, Pearl. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” His hand was much larger than Val’s when he shook it with vigor. The Queen didn’t acknowledge him, only flitting her eyes in his direction briefly, in amongst her scattered gazes. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well.” Aria lifted the edges of her skirt in a simple curtsy. 

“Please sit.” Leon waved at the table. “On to breakfast already, I’m famished.”

Val made to sit in the chair nearest the Queen, and she erupted.

“Not there! You can’t sit there, the boys are sitting there!”

The King let out a great sigh, and tapped the seat next to him. “Sit here, boy.”

Val sat down, with Aria and Red taking seats with him on the King’s side of the table. Servants began to pour into the room. They laid trays of steaming bread with butter, and pastries of every size and shape. They served honeyed bacon and deer sausage, with buttermilk pancakes and eggs of every possible make. Fruit trays were laid out, stacked into art pieces of patterned colors. Risette entered amongst the food, barely awake  and weighed down by her deep eye bags. She sat next to Aria, leaving the empty spaces by her mother. 

Val’s mouth began to water. His recent periods of malnutrition were catching up to him, and he yearned to fill his mouth with delicious food. He was unsure when he was supposed to serve himself, until he saw the king shoveling food into his mouth. Val ate voraciously, devouring sausages and fruit with his hands until Red kicked him under the table. Val nearly choked, and had to hide his expression behind a napkin.

“Tell me Redwin, how fares the marines?” Leon asked between strips of bacon. “You must be on leave?”

“Oh, it’s been good.” Red said, struggling to eat with his left hand. A lie from Redwin was a rare thing, and it stuck out easily to Val. It was painfully dull, and entirely unconvincing. It irked Valentine until he could no longer resist the urge to chime in.

“Don’t be modest, Red has applied for promotion to Captain.”

Something hard came down on Val’s toe, though he hid it on his face.

“That’s excellent! Your father would be proud, Redwin.” The king said with a beaming smile. Red went stiff and cold as a corpse. A sausage fell from his fork. “I wish I had good news for you, but our investigation into his disappearance has come up empty again and again. I’ve known known your father for twenty-five years. I know we haven't always agreed, but I respect him more than anyone. I swear, I won’t rest until your father is found.”

“It doesn’t concern me,” Red said stiffly. 

“Father,” Risette cut in. “Did you know Aria is a doctor?” Food fell from Red’s fork, but Risette swiftly moved his plate to catch it.  

“That’s wonderful, dear. Ishport is in need of more doctors.”

“I’m going to check on the boys.” The Queen rose, leaving her plate untouched. Val glanced at Red, who shook his head subtly. 

Valentine ate until he couldn’t stomach another crumb of food. The servants replaced the leftovers with coffee and tea, and musicians began to file in and play calm music. Risette joined them with her flute for the first song. Afterwards, Risette excused herself, and whispered to the crew as she passed.

“Meet me in the library, I have a surprise for you all.”

The Royal Library was a long room lined with books from floor to ceiling. A mezzanine wrapped around the room, with spiral staircases connecting the two floors. A candelabra sat on the table, it’s candles burned low. 

“I was up all night thinking about your stories, of ships without sails and ancient ruins.” Risette sorted through a table covered with books. “I’ve been at the library all night, trying to find any references I can.”

“Did you sleep at all?” Red said, running his good hand across her eye bags. Her eyes, usually wide and shining as silver coins, were dull and lidded. 

“That’s not important, I found something !”

“What did you find?” Val asked, his curiosity piqued. 

Risette took them to a book laid open on a stand, where they gathered around. “This is a recent book documenting the pirates from the age of Gold Roger. This is a passage on the Pirate Hero Gerard . In his biography, it said he sailed against the wind to a secret island, because his ship could move without sails!”

“Does it mention the name of the ship?” Red asked.

“No, there’s almost nothing written on his page. Other than that,all that’s known about him is he was active on the Grand Line and fought with Gold Roger. Most people assume he lost, because he disappeared shortly after.”

“I’ve heard the name Hero Gerard before,” Aria said, “It was a treasure tale, on Elder Falls. The barman always said he left a treasure on a hidden island. Some ships left to find it, but they always came back empty handed.”

“I’ve never heard this treasure tale,” Red said, “And if I had a berry for every story about buried pirate gold, I’d be rich enough to bury my own treasure.”

“No, this could be important,” Val said, “Aria, what happened to the sailors that tried to sail for the island?”

“They all took different routes, but eventually the wind got so strong it turned them back. They only ever called the island ‘ Dollhouse ’.”

“Val, you can’t possibly be thinking of going…” Red said.

“We have the Antelope , this proves the tale is true!”

“We don’t know for certain.” Red said. 

“How many magic ships have you seen before?” Val said.

Red pinched his brow. “Ladies, could Val and I have the room?”

“No.” Aria crossed her arms. “I’m as much a part of this as you, I’m staying.”

Red groaned, pushing his hair up out of his face. “Well Val, what’s your plan?”

Val pulled the Antelope ’s key from his shirt and placed it on the table. “I’m gonna sail for the island and find the treasure.”

“This is reckless, even for you.” Red slammed a fist on the table, knocking down a stack of books. “You could be ambushed, caught off guard and die. Don’t forget how dangerous the seas are.” 

“Have some faith, Red.” Val said. “Think of all we’ve survived to get here. This is our reward .”

“What happens when your lucky finally runs out?” Red said. “When your wit fails you and I’m not there to save you? 

“Then come with me.” Val insisted. 

Red was leaning on the table, hanging his head. “We risked everything to get here, why do you want to leave so soon?”

“A secret island is the best place for us to lay low after the disaster on Elder Falls. We don’t know what might be coming, and treasure could make us rich for the rest of our lives.”

“Ishport is safe, Val. What are you afraid of?”

The letter from Niramor in his pocket weighed heavy, as if it was made of stone. 

“Our journey is done, Red. Ishport is our home, for now. Now it’s time to start a new adventure. We’ll be there and back before you know it.”

“We don’t even have any supplies for a long voyage,” Red said.

“I’ll ask the king to fund the expedition,” Val said, “Wealthy patrons fund voyages all the time.”

“No, I’m not going anywhere. I’m not leaving Risette,” Red said. 

“Take me Val, I want to come on the adventure!” Risette waved her hands. Val grinned, though Red seemed pained at her volunteering. 

“Aria, what about you?” Val said. “We need our doctor.”

“You two are my responsibility while you heal. I’m not letting you go alone. I wouldn’t mind a break, all this grandeur is making me stuffy.” 

“It’s settled then,” Val said, “I’ll ask the king myself.”

“This is a fool’s errand… but I’m coming with you to see the king,” Red said. 

When Val and Red reached the door to the King’s audience chamber, a massive crab fishman blocked the door. He was twice as tall as Val, with a single oversized claw the size of a refrigerator. 

“Asada Redwin.”

“Just Redwin,” he corrected. 

“You must be lost, this is the Audience Chamber.” Crab pointed his claw the way they came. “Remove yourselves.” 

“We’re here to bring a business opportunity to the king.” Val said.

“Asada? A businessman?” Crab laughed so hard, his scaly tail slapped on the ground. “What’s your business, huh?”

“Southern Surveys.” The lie flew of Val’s tongue with ease. 

Crab studied him with unnerving solid-black eyes that made it impossible to tell where he was looking. 

“You must be Valentine, Puff warned me about you.”

“What did he say?” Val said.

“That you had a smart mouth.” Crab snapped his claw shut, sending quakes through the floor. “I trust you’ll mind it while speaking to the king.”

“Why, of course.” Val said. 

Crab turned his attention to Red. His scaly armor clicked as he leaned in to tower overtop of him. Red returned the gesture, and Val could sense the familiar hatred between them.

“Asada--”

“ Redwin .” He muttered. 

“You have to stay behind. Lady Everett is inside, your presence would be a conflict of interest.”

Red balled a fist, but Val placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Wait for me, I’ll be fine.”

With great reluctance, Red stood by while Crab lead him into the audience chamber.

The king was sitting on a cushioned throne, while his wife lounged in a golden bathtub. She seemed only half awake, with Risette at her side singing a soft melody. Val stopped before the King, and bowed his head like Red has shown him.

“Your majesty.”

“Back so soon Valentine? Don’t tell me, you didn’t get enough breakfast?” The king jested.

“The opposite, Sir. I’m here representing an investment opportunity for the crown.”

The king raised a bushy white eyebrow. “Go on…”

“This morning, Princess Risette uncovered the location of a buried pirate treasure, the hoard of Hero Gerard . The island was only accessible by Gerard’s ship, the Antelope . A ship we have inherited, and floats at your harbour now.” They weren’t lies, as much as embellishments. “I once captained ships for the Southern Survey company, and I propose an expedition to this island.” 

The old king scratched at his stubble. “I’ve heard many treasure tales in my day, son. But I saw your ship in the harbor, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen.” The king looked to his daughter. “Is what he says true, Risette?”

Risette nodded, her headfin bobbing. “It’s true, Papa. The island is known as Dollhouse . The wind flows away from the island in every direction, only the Antelope can sail there.”

 “And what are your terms?” The king asked.

“Our stores are empty, all we require is provisions and supplies for the trip. Upon our successful return, we will give the crown half the treasure we find. The return on your investment would be fruitful . A gift of pirate gold, for every member of the royal family.” Val’s eyes fell on the queen. 

“A gift for the boys…” The Queen muttered. 

“And your crew?” The king asked.

“I would captain the expedition, joined by Redwin and Aria.” 

“It’s a longshot, son. But you three came a long ways on that strange ship of yours. I trust you have what it takes to see this through. I’ll instruct my quartermaster to start stocking your ship immediately.”

Victory. Val wanted to burst with joy, but his eyes fell on Risette, and the sorrow in her face.

“Lady Risette has requested to join the expedition, as well.” Val said.

“Absolutely not!” The Queen erupted from her bathtub, sending water spraying everywhere. “It’s not safe for Risette to leave the castle!”

“I agree with her Majesty,” Crab said, “We can’t guarantee Lady Everett’s safety on a voyage of this length.

“Risette would act as your representative, to safeguard your investment as see the deal completed.” Val said.

“She’s not SAFE!” The Queen shook her head, making her fins flap about. 

“Peace.” The king held up a hand, and the room fell silent. “Tell me Valentine, why is Risette so essential to your expedition?”

“It’s her that studied the legends, and only her can guide us to the treasure. With a representative of the crown of Ishport, we will have the authority to bypass any Marines patrols. The experience would be a valuable one for the princess.”

“Papa, please.” Risette said, clinging to his arm.

“Alright, you’ve worn me down. Risette will accompany you on the expedition. I personally entrust you and Mr. Asada with her safe return.”

“Thank you, sir. I’ll start preparing immediately.” Val turned and left the room as quick as he could. He could see the Queen bubbling with rage, and didn’t want to be there for another outburst. He had made it through the door and was halfway down the hall when he heard the door open again, and someone slammed into him. Risette pulled him into a tight hug.

“Thank you!” Risette said, holding him tightly as Val tried to squirm out. “I saw what you did there, thank you !”

“Yes, yes--just let me go! Risette, stop hugging me!” 

Chapter Text

Day 4

The Antelope had sailed 300 miles, by Val’s dead reckoning, and all of them pointed directly into the wind. It had started out a gentle breeze, but grown stronger with every mile. If they followed every wind to it’s source, they’d eventually reach the island. 

Over the days of the journey, the crew settled into a new routine. Valentine offered the captains quarters to Red and Risette, since it had the only bed larger than a cot or hammock. He only had to move his sword, coat, and boots to his new room. The King’s men had filled each closet and stocked every room with essential supplies. 

Val ate better than he had in years . They brought with them crates of citrus fruits and a pantry full of cured meats and cheese. The kitchen had a smokeless oven, built into a black stone slab. They brought flour and yeast, for fresh bread every morning. 

With the help of Leon’s men, Aria had a brand new infirmary. She’d given them a list of tools and ingredients, a scroll that reached the floor. The King’s men had pulled through in short order, and outfit her with six stocked med bays and an entire wall of ingredients in labeled jars. Her first task in the new infirmary was to renew Red’s cast. The hand underneath was still broken, much to Red’s chagrin. The no fighting rule was extended.

With Risette around, Red was a different person. He smiled and made jokes, and always found an excuse to be near her. Val found he was less often the target of Red’s teasing with Risette around. Red remained vigilant however, often taking the role of the lookout with a spyglass Leon had given him. His cast gave him trouble often, but he went to great lengths to hide it. 

One of the first things Val learned about Risette was that she had never left the castle ground before, not even once. Every aspect of the ship was a wonder to her, and she took great joy in even the most mundane aspects of their journey, like crew meals and card games. Like a child in a theme park, she paid reverence to every hour of their journey together. 

Day 5

“I can’t believe how far I can see! Look at the islands!” Risette giggled, hanging her body over the prow railing. 

“Careful now. You don’t have your sea legs yet.” Red appeared behind her, hooking an arm around her waist. 

As if on cue, a gust of wind abruptly turned the ship and threw the pair sideways. Instantly Red clutched tightly to Risette and held onto the railing. “What the hell, Valentine?! You trying to send us overboard?” Red barked at the rear deck, where Valentine was behind the wheel. 

“Sorry, still learning this thing.” Valentine was awkward behind the wheel, looking like a child given far too much responsibility but too scared to speak up. 

“It’s okay!” Risette whipped a finger towards the horizon. “Just focus on getting us there, there’s treasure to be found!”

Val had been making a crude map of their journey, with help from the book Risette had found in her family’s library. With using the  Antelope’s instruments, he marked their bearing and distance. With a pencil, he filled in the final leg of their journey. It nearly touched the island labelled “Dollhouse”.

“Almost there!” Valentine called. A gust of wind ballooned his coat, and he had to duck behind the wheel.

“The wind is too strong!” Red was leading Risette by the hand. He had to shout to be heard above the wind. “I’m taking Risette belowdeck!”

Val only nodded, tightening his white knuckle grip on the wheel. He increased the speed to its maximum, and hunkered down.

The wind began to scream, piercing his ears as it blew past. He could feel the Antelope straining to move forward against the wind. 

A little further…

A crate leapt off the deck and shattered against the railing. The wind pulled at his hair and clothes. He could barely open his eyes in the gale. 

Almost there…

A true hurricane gale slammed into him. His grip remained locked on the ship’s wheel even as his feet flew out towards the ocean. He felt something tear in his shoulder, and hot pain spread through his arm. With a defiant scream, Val pulled himself back onboard.

The wind was gone in an instant. Val crashed down onto the deck. He was leaning on the wheel with shaky arms when the crew returned.

“Great sailing.” Red clapped him on the back with his good hand. “We’re here.”

The Antelope was drifting into a great harbour. They steered around rocky outcrops bordering the harbour, the remains of an ancient seawall. The island of Dollhouse was dominated by a hollow mountain that had collapsed inwards. Thick jungle hugged the coast.

“Do you see that?” Valentine got Red’s attention, pointing him to a rock in the distance. Though faint, a light seemed to be flashing from it.

“Someone on the island is trying to signal us.” Red squinted, observing the flashing. “But they aren’t using any kind of Naval Code, they just want our attention.”

“I thought the island was uninhabited,” Aria said.

“That’s what was written in the book.” Valentine said. “With these winds, I don’t know how they got here. You can’t even fly to this place.”

On a small island in a vast ocean lived the girl without a name. She’d been there for as long as she could remember, which wasn't long. The reason for her stay had been lost to the mental fog long ago. The isolation and weather created a sun-daze that obscured all but her most recent memories. 

It wasn’t just the when and why that she didn’t know, but also who brought her here, and where this island was. 

She awoke from a dreamless sleep in the shelter she’d built. It was built into a cave, and shaped like a ship. It was dry and spacious, and protected her from the elements well. 

Strangest about the shelter was the odd markings covering the walls. There were thousands of tally marks taking up every inch of the shelter. Had she put them there for some specific purpose? Or was someone else here even before her?

Once awake, she began her daily schedule. The schedule had saved what remained of her mind, though it felt more like medical life support, keeping her barely alive and waiting for a miracle. The schedule was her religion, and today was no exception. 

“Good morning treasure.” She tapped the wooden chest. It’s intricate carvings and bright colors still looked new. 

“Good morning rake.” Wielding a rake-shaped stick, she combed the ground evenly around her home. She dusted her belongings, and was finished after the chest. 

Next, she needed to bathe. The ocean wasn’t an option, limiting her to wiping herself off a wet rag. Her clothes had been reduced to rags ages ago, but she washed them anyway. 

Next, her routine took her atop the rock at the highest point of an outcrop. There, she'd stretch and keep an eye out for-

“A ship?” She said aloud, unexpectedly. Her voice came out dry and barely audible. 

There was a ship on the horizon. She blinked, yet it remained. She wiped off her glass eyes with her sleeves, yet it remained. 

A ship… A smile formed on her face as fond memories bubbled to the surface of her mind. Yet, she couldn't peer into them. Like looking through rippling waves, she could only see the faintest shapes and colors of her memories. There was a ship and… a man. Was he the captain? The water parted for a moment, and a memory slipped through.

”Captain Gerard Capashen, at your service milady.” The dashing pirate had bowed low, taking her hand and planting a gentle kiss upon it. Even in her memory, she could still feel the heat that rushed to her cheeks. “To whom do I owe the pleasure?” 

“My name is…” The memory cut short, and her voice trailed off.

Abruptly, she slapped herself on the cheeks. It was just like her to get lost in thought and miss this opportunity. 

She began to waved her arms frantically, hoping the ship could see her. She gave up almost immediately, recognizing the ship was still far away. She needed something else…

With a pop, her left eye came loose into her palm. It was smooth and reflective, made of glass. She held it up and rotated it back and forth, hoping to flash light towards the ship. 

Every time the sun shone in her removed eye, the rest of her body winced at the bright light. She could still see through the eye, and the sunlight was blinding. After one too many flashbangs, she yelped out loud, and dropped it.

The vision from her left eye went spinning as it fell down, bouncing along rocks and brush as it made its way down from the highest point on the island. The girl’s stomach heaved with nausea from the disorientation. In one eye, she was perfectly still, gazing at the ocean from a high place. The other eye saw only a grey-green spinning blur. She fell to her hands and knees, grasping at the ground for stability. 

Finally, her lost eye came to a rest. The world stopped moving, and she finally recovered her senses. If she could puke, she was sure that she would have.

She rose from her hands and knees and found her balance. Losing her depth perception took some time to get used to, but nothing that hadn't happened before. Lost body parts were  a common occurrence. It took her months to find her left ear, once. Damn seagull… 

Covering her right eye, she did her best to peer through her left eye. She saw little, only a dusty haze filled with light. Wherever it had landed, it had gotten too dirty to see through. She dismissed the eye, she could always find it later. A ship was rare, a lost body part was not. She closed her left eye and focused on her right, scanning the coastline for the ship. 

There! The ship was here! Far below her, the ship had sailed through the harbour and beached on the shore. Four figures were stepping off the boat. Finally, she had a chance to leave. 

"HEY! HEY! UP HERE!" She screamed, waving her arms and leaping up and down. Her voice was drowned out by the surf and the jungle. Her rocky peak was far above the beach, making it unlikely she'd be spotted either. 

If she made her way down to the beach, there was no way to be sure that the sailors would still be on the island by then. She needed their attention, now. And she could only think of one way to do it.

With a characteristic pop, her mouth was removed from her face. She took her best pitcher's pose, and hurled her mouth. It sailed through the air with true aim, falling for a while before landing on the sand nearby the newcomers.

The Antelope beached itself on the white sand beach. They found one of the benefits of the ship was it could unbeach itself with ease, making for easy parking. The four of them departed and made landfall on the island.

“This place is beautiful!” Risette said. “It’s straight out of a storybook!”

“Eyes up, something headed our way.” Red pointed to a speck sailing through the sky. It beamed down towards them and landed in the sand, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Owie!" The voice came from the impact. They crept towards it, until they saw it was a mouth , separated from the body and moving on its own. The mouth wiggled its lips to shake off the pain from the impact. It spat out grit and blew off sand around its lips. "Hello?! HELLO!? Can you hear me?”

Red poked it with a stick. “What in the goddamn?”

The mouth yelped. “Stop that! That’s my mouth, stop touching it!”

Red poked it again, and the mouth bit down on the stick. 

“Leave it alone!” Risette stole the stick. “Yes, we hear you!”

“It’s a mouth, not an ear. It can’t hear you.” Val said. 

“I can't hear you!” The mouth repeated. “Walk towards my voice, but don't step on me!” Gingerly, Risette picked up the mouth and cleared off any sand. “ Thank you! That feels so much better! Can you see the rest of me? Up on the rock?”

The crew searched among the rocks. It was Red who pointed out a human figure on an outcrop.

“Stay where you are, I’m coming down there.” The mouth said. Abruptly, it began to scream. The figure slipped and toppled over the side of a cliff. She freefalled for a worrying amount of time, until she bounced off boulders and trees. The mouth signaled to them every time she hit an obstacle with an “oof!” or “ouch!”. 

The grunts of pain stopped as the figure slipped into the green carpet of trees. The mouth panted and winced for awhile, catching its breath before speaking sheepishly.

“Hey people… Could you please come help me? I need to be put back together. Please, pretty please, lend me a hand?”

“Stay where you are, we’ll come help you!” Aria said.

“It can’t hear you !” Val insisted.

They found the girl quite literally in pieces. She’d landed in a clearing, and the impact had thrown her body parts amongst the grass and trees.

“I can see you!” The mouth proclaimed.

“We found your pieces, how do we put you back together?” Risette asked.

“They should just pop into place!”

Val gingerly took an arm out of a tree. It wiggled, alive in his grip. Red held the torso, and they pressed them together with a pop . The torso and arm connected, and moved as one again. A look of horror overtook Val, and he reared back like a scared cat.

“Incredible…” Risette said.

Piece by piece, they fit the girl back together. It reminded Val of the dolls often sold in marketplaces, with removable limbs. The pop they made when connected send shivers down his spine. They eventually got her back in one piece, save for her left eye. The girl stood and tested her joints. She turned to Risette and bowed deeply.

“Thank you for helping me!’

“I’m Risette!” The fishwoman returned the bow. “These are my friends, Red, Val, and Aria!” The crew bowed. “What’s your name?”

“That is part of my present predicament, actually.” She gulped, playing with a strand of her hair. It was bleached white, and dry as straw.  “I’ve resided here so long, I don’t remember what I was once called…”

“Can I give you a name?” Risette asked. The girl’s eyes gleamed. “How about… Brooklyn?”

"Brooklyn!" Joy overflowed from Brooklyn--as she had now been named. Her face twisted into euphoric joy. Risette had broken countless days of being nameless and without identity. "Brooklyn! Brooklyn!!" she repeated her name endlessly, dancing around in joy. She giggled like a child, endlessly excited at her new identity. “Nice to meet you all, I’m Brooklyn! ”

“We’re on an adventure! what about you Brooklyn?” Risette said. 

“I’m…” She thought long on her answer. “Waiting for someone.”

“Brooklyn, we’re here looking for Gerard’s treasure,” Val said, “Would you know anything about that?”

She knew, it was written on her face. He watched her expression go through phases of denial, anger, and bargaining.

“Val, don’t be rude!” Aria scolded.

“I might know something about the treasure.” She rubbed the spot on her face, where her eye was missing. “If you help me find my eye, I might tell you something.”

“Deal.” Val extended his hand to shake.

“What’s it like seeing two different things at once?” Risette asked.

“It’s a bit like rubbing your belly and patting your head all the time .” Brooklyn answered. 

Risette shuddered.

Chapter Text

Val stood atop the high point, where Brooklyn had first dropped the eye. The entire island stretched out underneath him. From here, the beached Antelope was the size of a toy. 

He sat down on the ledge, letting his feet dangle over the drop. A familiar fire roared inside him. Fear.

Now was the time. He had done it before, perhaps several times. On Elder Falls, there were moments of such fear and adrenaline that time had seemed to slow. He had spotted things before he saw them, even if they were far away or behind cover. He let his fear of heights take over his body, and gave himself to the sensation. 

.

..

…

In his mind, he pictured Brooklyn’s missing eye. He imagined her dropping it, and followed its imaginary fall. It bounced along rocks and into the jungle. Somewhere in the trees, a light gleamed.

“Found it!” Valentine called. He gathered the crew and led them down the slope and through the trees. They eventually found it in the sand, at the foot of the hill. Brooklyn wiped the eye clean and popped it back in place. 

“I can see!” She threw her hands to the sky.

“You can see!” Risette wrapped her in a hug. 

“It landed near my house! You guys should come over!” Brooklyn pointed overhead.

“You’re kidding me…” Val muttered.

A wooden ship stuck out from the hill, ploughing out of the hillside and pointed at the sea. Its prow rested on an outcrop, and a staggering system of ropes suspended the ship.

Brooklyn held onto a rope and kicked a lever. A counterweight fell, and she rushed upwards into the air.

While Val and Red exchanged confused looks, Aria pushed past them and grabbed her own rope, taking the express trip to the shelter.

“Fuck it, I’m not climbing.” Val grabbed a rope and kicked a switch. He skyrocketed upwards, his stomach sinking as he flew. His vision was reduced to a blur. The counterweight struck the ground, ending his ascent, and Val leapt onto the wooden deck before he could fall. 

His head was spinning. Aria reached for him, but he waved her off. Moments later, Red arrived on a geppo staircase, carrying Risette in his arms.

This ship was made of driftwood and sawn logs, tied with white cord. To her architectural credit, the house bore a striking image of a proper vessel. There was no mast, but vine railings, coconut lanterns, and a woven grass flag. 

“Please, come in!” Brooklyn flipped open the deck hatch.

Brooklyn brought them “belowdeck”. The inside of the shelter was partitioned into rough rooms, but was entirely unfurnished. Driftwood shelves lay abandoned. Save for a small wooden trunk, the place was empty. 

The tally marks were impossible to ignore. Someone had put marks on every inch of the wall until there was no room left. Red shot him a knowing look.

“I don’t have any food or water to serve you, I’m afraid,” Brooklyn said, “but make yourselves comfortable!”

Red took a coconut from a wall and settled on a homemade stool, which creaked dangerously. He frowned at the face crudely painted onto it, then drove his finger inside and split it open. He offered half to Risette, and drank the rest himself. 

“Today has been the best day ever!” Brooklyn settled into a piece of furniture Val wouldn't have guessed was a chair. “I got my eye back, I got a new name, and I had visitors to the island!”

“Do you know what the island is called?” Val asked. 

“Hmmm…” Brooklyn put a finger to her cheek. “Nope!”

He didn't have the heart to tell her it was nicknamed ‘Dollhouse’, now that he knew where the name came from. 

“And how did you get to this island?” Red asked. 

“A good friend of mine brought me here, I’m waiting for his return.”

“Gerard?” Val guessed.

“How did you know?” Brooklyn asked. “Are you friends of his?”

“Just a hunch, we’ve never met.” Val said. Brooklyn deflated. “This… Gerard. Did he leave anything with you to safeguard?”

“Of course! Two things, actually. I’ve kept them safe all this time!” She beamed, proud of herself.

The treasure. Val's eyes fell on the small wooden chest. He considered stealing it and running for the Antelope, but Brooklyn had promised to tell him about it in exchange for helping her. His patience could last a little longer. 

Brooklyn was squirming in her seat. She was keeping something inside, and it was about to burst out. As if on cue, she stood up and yelled:

“Please let me join your crew!” Val and Red exchanged glances. Risette begged him with her eyes. “I’ve been here so long, I can’t wait around any longer. I want to leave.”

“Brooklyn, we aren’t exactly a pirate crew.”

“I don’t care! I want to go on adventures with you guys, it doesn’t matter where we go.”

Val was torn. He had no desire to pick up every hermit and destitute that they found on their journey. They were on the run, with Marines and Cipher Pol sniffing them out across the South Blue. Their survival depended on stealth and a low profile; things that became exponentially more complicated when other people were involved. Brooklyn's ditzy manner could be the death of them. 

Yet Val couldn’t deny that the girl played his heartstrings like a trained bard. She was a prisoner, just like he had been, and they were unquestionably her only ticket off the island. It wouldn’t sit right with him if he left her.

“I have a proposition for you, Brooklyn.” Val stood and dusted off his coat. “Everyone on my crew has paid their way on board. Some with their skills, some with their blood. There are no freeloaders on my ship. We’ll take you with us, but you’ll have to pay your way on board.”

“Val!” Aria hissed. “That’s cold, even for you.”

“It’s okay.” Brooklyn spoke up. “I don’t want to be a burden, and I’m not asking you for charity. I want to feel just as much a member of the crew as every one of you.”

With great reluctance, Brooklyn rose and retrieved the chest. She placed it down in front of Val with red on her cheeks.

“This is the treasure Gerard entrusted me with. These are the only things I own, I can’t expect you to understand the intimacy...” She swallowed. “I’ve guarded this for-- months? Years?--as long as I can remember. Please, take care of them…”

She opened the lid, revealing two treasures.

The first was a flintlock pistol, of the highest quality Val had ever seen. Years of island life had failed to diminish the beauty of the intricate carvings and filigree. 

The other treasure was an unmarked bottle, the label having disintegrated off years ago, filled with maroon fluid. 

“It’s alcohol. I don’t remember what kind, forgive me. I was saving it to share with my crew when they returned, but…” Brooklyn trailed off, but the rest of the sentence was obvious. 

but they never came back.

She cleared her throat, wiping the dust from her glass eyes. Red snatched up the gun.

“Adam’s Wood…” he muttered in awe. He emptied the barrel into his hand. The bullet that came out was white.

Seastone. Red mouthed to him.

Val took the liquor, finding it’s label entirely illegible. 

“It’s expensive spirits, I promise. He traded it for an entire bag of gold coins, I remember that. These should more than cover my fare. If it doesn’t… I’ll work my way aboard. I’ll cook, clean- I don’t care. Just please, don’t leave me here.” By the end, her words were quiet and fragile as falling snow. 

Risette and Aria shot daggers at him. Before he could speak, Red pulled him aside. 

“We can't take her on board, it's not safe.” Red said. “Notice anything familiar about this place?”

Val studied the ship. It hit him, and he couldn't believe how he didn't realize it before. The boat-house had no mast. The crude ship was made in the shape of the Antelope. The rooms around them were in the same orientation as the Antelope’s; they were sitting in the ‘kitchen’ now. 

“It's the Antelope… But how could Brooklyn have sailed with Gerard? She's too young.”

“She's a Devil Fruit user, that's why the bullet was Seastone. If she's some kind of doll, she wouldn't age. Val, liquor and a gun is what sailors give to those they maroon.”

“So if that’s not the treasure… Brooklyn is the treasure?” Val asked.

“Forget about the treasure!” Red hissed. “She was marooned by a pirate who sailed alongside Gold Roger. She must have done something terrible.”

“I’ll remind you, we both have bounties, Red.”

“Getting marooned isn’t the same as a Marine bounty. Gerard’s crew was her family, and she betrayed them so horribly that he handed out the worst possible punishment.”

“I’ve made my decision.” Val pushed him away. He walked to Brooklyn and tucked the flintlock into his belt next to his new broken cutlass. He felt very much like a pirate. 

Brooklyn pleaded with her eyes. Behind those glass eyes he saw years of isolation and loneliness. He knew what it meant to be held against your will, and to spend years dreaming of escape. Even if it was only to take her to Ishport, he couldn't leave her behind. It would haunt him to the rest of his days. 

“We accept your gift, Brooklyn. Welcome aboard.”

“Yay yay yay yay!” Brooklyn slammed into him with a hug.  She was incredibly light, feeling like a child had walked into him. “Thank you, Valentine!”

“Off!” With one hand, he easily pushed her away.

“Everybody, on board! We're leaving!” Val said from the wheel of the Antelope. 

Brooklyn was carrying her empty wooden chest. With the gun and liquor gone, she had no possessions left to speak of. 

“Just a moment!” Brooklyn looked down the beach until she found a shell. Picking it up, she placed it in her box. “Ready!”

Red helped her up the side of the ship. She boarded at the rear, stepping onto the quarterdeck. Next to the ship's wheel was a nameplate that read Antelope. 

Brooklyn dropped her box. Ecstatic joy took over her face. 

“You're here…” She wiped her glass eyes, though no tears flowed. “Antelope, you finally came back for me! Where is the crew? Where's Gerard? I can't wait to see them again!”

“They aren't here. We told you, we don't know him,” Val said. 

“You're lying!” Brooklyn frowned. She tapped the ship's nameplate emphatically. “The Antelope is Gerard’s ship! Only Gerard knew how to get to this island!”

“We found this ship abandoned, and gave it a new life,”  Aria explained. “We don't know Gerard, truly.”

“That's impossible. They didn't abandon the ship, they couldn't have. They were supposed to come back and pick me up...”

“Brooklyn…” Risette hooked her arm in the doll's. “How about I show you your new room?” That distracted her enough to get Brooklyn below deck and far away. 

“I hope we don't regret bringing her along,” Red said, “keep an eye on Brooklyn. I have no idea what to expect from her, especially after the sun fried her brain. Don't forget what I told you, about what she did to her last crew.”

“I think she was a victim of circumstance, nothing more.” Val said. Just like me… 

Val inserted the four-finned key, and the Antelope roared to life. 

Commander Telesto hated Ishport. The lawless South Blue island had stubbornly escaped Marine control for decades. The island was uninspiring, and boasted nothing other than a small town and a handful of trees. 

At first, he'd only known the backwater island through reports. Rebellion was a perennial problem on Ishport, coming to a head when rebels stormed the castle years ago and murdered two young princes. Ishport had come up again recently when King Leon had sent a secret letter to Marijoa, requesting a Marine Advisor to help him quell rising unrest. 

Unfortunately, it had been his Captain that had volunteered for the advisory mission. Yesterday they arrived, and they'd be stuck here for the foreseeable future. Worst of all, his commanding officer had him running errands like a chore boy. The errand brought him to the industrial harbour, standing before a factory. The sign read Asada Arms. 

Telesto pulled a transponder snail from his pocket. “Niramor, you sure this is the place? Looks like a dump to me.”

The snail opened its mouth, and the razor sharp voice of Captain Niramor came through. 

“Of course it is. Asada Arms has been abandoned since Blake Asada’s ‘mysterious’ disappearance. It makes no difference.”

Telesto sliced his hand through the air. An arc of water shot out at high pressure, cutting the wrought iron gate like it was grass. The twisted metal pieces fell open, and Telesto entered the arms factory. 

Rubble filled the courtyard, which hadn't been cleaned in quite some time. Sand and dust swept over the cobblestone and piled in the corners. 

The door to the main building hung open for him, no Devil Fruit needed. Once inside, he lifted his lantern. The fire’s glow was cast on dozens of gunpowder barrels, and stacks of cannonballs taller than him. 

“I take back what I said.” He told the snail. “There's good navy supplies here. Are you sure we can't requisition this?”

“You imbecile, we're only here on an advisory role, for now. The royals are still jumpy around us, don't do anything to spook them. Stick to the mission, and return to the Weatherlight."

“Yeah, yeah. Just one gun, I remember.” With another jet of water, Telesto split open a crate. Flintlock rifles spilled onto the ground. Telesto took one and scuffed it with a rock to make it look old and weathered. He hefted it over his shoulder. 

“You're coming home with me.” Telesto slapped the gun’s stock. “Time to prepare Redwin’s welcome party.”

Chapter Text

“You're back so soon.”

The glass candle lights, and the crone’s tent is revealed. The crone pushes aside a crystal ball and clears her table.

“Another doomed soul? This one’s from an older deck, I’m charging you extra.” The crone waddles to a wall of shelves and digs out an old, faded tarot deck. She pulls the deck from its case, only for one card to stay behind.

“It reveals itself…” The crone plucks the card left behind and lays it on the table. A smiling woman with white hair stands on the edge of a cliff, with a knapsack over her shoulder. 

“How fitting.” The crone croaks. “Now this, this is a special card. You see, The Fool has no past, and no place among the other souls. She is a free spirit, taking the first steps on a journey that could lead her anywhere. The tragedy is, she’s forgotten her previous journeys through time, and the other souls she’s met.”

The crone throws the card. It rolls around for awhile, then comes to rest on top of the other three.

“Good luck to that one, she’ll need it.”

The glass candle goes out, and the tent disappears. 

Chapter Text

“What’s in the package, Marine?” Crab asked.

Telesto lifted his chin. “It’s marine property, and for the eyes of the king alone. Let me in.”

“You’re not going another step until you open that box.”

“You’re going to let me in.” Telesto said with a sneer. “You’re gonna do it because I have new evidence in the murder of the two princes. When the Queen finds out you turned me away, you’ll be served for supper. Crab.”

Crab gripped his claws into fists. Reluctantly, he opened the door and announced him.

“Commander Telesto of the Marines, right hand to Captain Niramor, advisor to the crown.”

Telesto pressed a tiny transponder snail, on the hem of his suit. Now, Niramor would hear everything from the safety of the harbour. Telesto strode into the hall, and placed himself before the twin thrones of the king and queen. He placed the long package before them, and bowed. “Your Majesty, your Majesty. I come on behalf of Captain Niramor, your humble servant. I carry with me a message, and a gift. Both of great importance.”

The King was cleaning his nails with a small knife. His eyes never met Telesto’s gaze. He took no offence at this; Leon’s hatred for the World Government was common knowledge.

“Where’s the captain?” Leon wiped his knife on the arm of his throne. “Must not be very important if she sent you as her courier.”

“The captain is on a very important mission.” 

The King grunted, focused on his manicure. 

“My message, it’s about your sons murders.”

The Queen seemed to startle awake from sleep. “Murder…” She muttered. “What about those brigands, who broke in and--and--”

The King quieted her with a steady hand. “What are you on about, Telesto?”

“I’ll say it plainly. Redwin Asada is a fraud, and his family is responsible for your son’s deaths. He told you he’s a marine, but it’s a lie. He’s actually part of Cipher Pol, an agency famous for assassination, sabotage, and espionage.”

“Do you have any proof of this claim?” The King asked. 

Telesto tore off his coat and held it before them. “Every commissioned officer in the Marines is given a coat of justice. We must always wear it, even when we’re on leave or vacation. Tell me, how long has it been since you’ve seen Asada in a coat?”

“It’s been years,” said the Queen.

“What I’ve brought with me was found on a group of armed rebels dispatched by Captain Niramor.” Telesto kicked off the lid of the box. Inside was the rifle he’d acquired. The King came off his throne and inspected the gun. His face fell when he read the nameplate.

“Asada Arms…”

The Queen flew from her throne and struck the gun aside. “How many times has that bastard eaten our food and drank our wine? And to repay us, he puts guns in the hands of those that would have our heads? That killed my boys? How many hours has he stolen from our only daughter, dear Risette? Oh sweet Risette... I shouldn’t have let her leave with him!”

“This doesn’t prove anything," Crab said. “I’m anything but a friend of Asada, but your evidence is shite. You expect us to take you at your word?”

“Quiet!” The Queen snapped. “Risette is in danger, and you lay accusations? She is your’s to protect, Crab. You failed .”

Crab tucked his claws behind his back, and went quiet. Telesto noted a look of dejection on his face, and the marine hid a grin.

“Your majesty, Risette’s safe return is our top priority. I advise intercepting Redwin and his crew of criminals before they disappear forever. Captain Niramor and her fleet stand ready. If you would have our protection, the full force of the Navy will bring about your daughter’s immediate return.”

“Yes, kill him!” The Queen said. “Kill him, and bring me his head!”

“No!” Crab seemed to find his courage. “Your military doesn’t hold any power here. You’re an advisor, you can’t scare us into renouncing Ishport’s sovereignty.”

“Crab is right.” The King decided. “We don’t need to involve the Navy. Redwin should be back any day now, and he has no idea that his deceit has been revealed, thanks to our friend Niramor. Crab, double the household guard. I want you and the Royal Guards to ambush Redwin on his return…”

“… Rescue Risette, no matter the cost.”

In the infirmary, Aria and Risette sat Brooklyn in a chair, with her head leaned back into a barrel of water. They ran their fingers through her sun-bleached hair, catching knots with every inch.

“It’s like straw.” Risette marveled at its texture, her hairfin bristling.

“So, Brooklyn… How do you usually wash your hair? What kind of soap do you use?” Aria asked.

Brooklyn looked at her upside down, and raised an eyebrow. “What’s soap?”

Aria let out the longest sigh Risette had ever heard. She retrieved some components from her new ingredient wall, and slipped on chemical gloves. 

“Get comfortable Brooklyn. We’re gonna be here awhile.” With startlingly fast mortar-work, Aria prepared a tincture that filled the room with a potent lavender smell. She forced it through Brooklyn’s hair like it owed her money. It began to foam, blooming into a purple helmet atop her scalp.

Brooklyn caught sight of her own hair in a mirror, and gasped. “My hair, it’s purple!”

“It’s just shampoo !”

Brooklyn looked horrified. 

“What’s a sham?”

Aria slapped a palm against her forehead, leaving a purple handprint.

“Risette, dear, can you get some clothes for Brooklyn? I’m gonna be here awhile.”

Risette’s heart fluttered. She’d spent countless days locked  in her room, honing her fashion skills with her vast closet. She’d always dreamed of the day she would be tasked with picking outfits for her friends.

“I’d love nothing more!” Risette saluted and ran through the ship to Brooklyn’s room. She threw open the closet; her father’s men had filled it with clothing of various layers and sizes. Risette began to rifle through it, inspecting and throwing aside clothes until a mountain formed behind her. 

The closet was nearly empty when Risette found an outfit that met her standards. She returned to the infirmary and found Brooklyn looking disgruntled, with her hair wrapped in a towel beehive. 

“These are for me?” Brooklyn brightened. 

“You can change in the--” Brooklyn stripped off her rags and stood totally nude before them.

Their jaws dropped. Brooklyn was entirely smooth, from her chin to her toes. Her skin glistened in the light, like porcelain. On her back was a pull cord, with a twelve-inch ring. 

“Like a doll…” Aria muttered. 

“Can you pull it?” Risette asked, poking the pull cord. 

“Of course!” Brooklyn said. “I'm a doll, after all. Though, it really hurts when I pull out too much.”

Risette slipped Brooklyn into a pair of leather breeches and boots. After a small adjustment to accommodate her pull cord, Brooklyn put on the loose white shirt and a black corset.

“I love it!” She cried, and hugged Risette tightly. To her surprise, Brooklyn seemed to weigh nothing in her arms. 

“They suit you so well…” Risette sniffed, wiping away a proud tear. 

Brooklyn’s towel fell away. Her hair was brought back from the dead, full of volume and lustre. Its brilliant white color seemed to glow in the light. 

The door opened, revealing Val. His grim expression broke their embrace.

“Sorry to interrupt, but we’re almost at Ishport. All hands on deck.”

Val could feel something was wrong. The sensation had only gotten stronger as they neared Ishport. Red was behind the helm, managing the wheel with one hand. The sun was setting as the harbour came into view. Lanterns hung low on the docks, illuminating men in armour filling the docks. Each man shouldered a rifle. 

“Something’s not right…” Red said. “There's castle guards in the harbour.”

The sea around them erupted in three places, spraying them with salt water. Three hulking Fishman hit the deck. The Antelope's deck creaked under the sudden weight.

Towering over Val was a seven foot tall Fishman; fins stuck out from his elbows like blades. In a blink, a tail whipped out from behind him and slashed through the air. Val's chest felt the sting. Excruciating pain bloomed out from the wound, like his muscles were on fire. Val crumbled to his hands and knees. 

The pufferfish blasted Brooklyn and Aria with a torrent of seawater from his mouth. They hit the railing, limp. 

Each breath came with great pain. His arms shook as the burning spread to his limbs. He tried to stand, but the Stingray Fishman threw him aside with one hand.

“Red!” Risette was screaming. “Crab, let him go!”

Crab’s massive claw was clamped down on Red’s neck. He lifted him up off the ground as if he was a child. Red’s face turned blue, his feet kicking helplessly. 

“Crab! Listen to me!” Risette beat her hands on his shell to no avail. “Put him down! You're killing him!”

“Good! Asada will finally pay for his sins.” Crab said, and tightened his claw. Red opened his mouth, but nothing came out but spittle. “Ray, take Lady Everett to her room.”

The Stingray Fishman left Val, approaching the princess with open arms. 

“Let's go, your highness. Close your eyes, spare yourself the view.”

“I'm not going!” Ray picked her up, but she squirmed out of his grip. She hugged Crab’s shell as tightly as she could. “Please Crab, let him go! If you've ever loved me, do this for me! I'll go with you, please, just spare them!”

Crab squinted at Red with his eye stalks. Red’s face was purple and splotchy, with swollen lips and eyes filled with blood. His fingers scraped against the massive claw choking him. 

“The things I do for you…” Crab muttered. Red hit the floor. “Royal Guard, clear out. And Asada…” Crab pointed his massive claw at him. 

“If I ever see your face again, I won't hesitate to kill you.”

Val rolled onto his side. Pain pulsed through his body with every heartbeat. Aria and Brooklyn lay in a wet heap, unresponsive. Red was gasping for breath on the ground. Risette was being hauled over Crab’s shoulder, crying and screaming about how she wanted to stay. Val reached for her and opened his mouth to speak, but could only croak through the pain. Nothing could be done. 

The Fishmen slipped underwater, and disappeared as quickly as they'd come.

Aria was the first to stir. She stumbled drunkenly towards Val, but he waved her off. 

“Leave me, help Red, he's dying!”

While Aria tended to Red, Valentine writhed in pain. He swore every curse he could think of, and invented a few new ones. He fought the venom for control of his body. When he finally had managed to rise to his feet, Brooklyn was waking up. 

“I feel sick… What happened?”

“We got our asses kicked, and Risette’s been kidnapped.” Val gripped the rail with white knuckles. 

“We have to save her!” Brooklyn said. 

“No, we don't.” Val stumbled to the wheel. With shaking hands, he got the Antelope moving and steered them out of the harbour. 

“What are you saying? We can still fight!” Brooklyn shook him by the shoulders, which caused such an eruption of pain that his eyes rolled back and he collapsed on the ground. “Val? Val!”

“He's right, Brooklyn.” Red was sitting against the railing while Aria worked over him. He looked eerie with his red-for-white eyes. “We lost… We need to escape. And there's only one other harbour on the island deep enough for the Antelope.”

Chapter Text

The Antelope and its somber crew limped away in defeat. 

Val guided the ship around the island, following Red’s direction. His chest was swollen and screaming with pain. He fought the urge to rip off his shirt and tear off his skin until the dreadful pain subsided. 

They circled away from the Manor, to the far side of the island. Factories came into view, with crumbling smokestacks and squat warehouses. Red brought them to anchor in the dockyard of the largest factory. The signage was faded, but legible. Asada Arms.

The family business… Val thought. Aria helped him off the ship and Red led them inside the warehouse, a dusty forgotten place brimming with crates, barrels, and burlap bags. Val slumped down onto a crate. Brooklyn sat beside him, wrapping herself in canvas like a blanket. Red was sniffing out the place like a bloodhound, checking cargo and looking for footprints in the dust. 

“I didn't know your family made weapons,” Val said. 

“Only Risette knew. I hoped to never come back.”

“Is it safe here?” Val asked.

“Perfectly safe. To any onlooker, this place looks abandoned. There’s a gate to keep out anyone curious enough to try trespassing.”

“Why is it abandoned?” Val asked.

Red ignored him.

“The King said your dad disappeared, is that why?”

Red ignored him.

“Is that why they attacked us?”

 Red ignored him. 

Another bout of pain came like a lance to the heart, and Val doubled over in agony. Aria’s steady hands were on him in seconds, placing a steaming cloth on the wound. 

“I'm so sorry Val, but there's no antivenom for Stingray venom. You'll have to suffer through it for now?”

“How long?” he croaked. Aria chewed her lip. 

“A week--” Val groaned “--at least.”

The pain in his chest was squeezing his lungs, making each breath smaller and more painful than the last. 

“You can start talking any time now, Red,” Val said, “You said Ishport was safe, were you lying or are you just stupid? What the fuck happened back there?” Red was quiet a moment more, and Val erupted. “What happened back there, Redwin?!”

“I don’t fucking know!” Red roared. Steam rose from his cherry-red brow. Val immediately knew he had never seen Red this angry before. “When we left, everything was fine! That’s how its been for years. Something changed while we were gone, I don’t know !”

“Why does the Crab want you dead? What sins was he talking about?”

“No, this isn’t about Crab. He’s dumb as rocks, but he’s always been loyal to the Queen, since they all left Fishman Island. No, this has to be one of the Queen’s tantrums. Leon has always favored me.”

“Stop beating around the bush!” Val took a step too close, and Red grabbed a fistful of his jacket.

“Step off.”

“Don’t touch me.”

A jerk on Val’s coat ripped open a pocket, and a letter slipped out. It was sealed with a red lipstick kiss.

“What the fuck is that?” Red asked.

“It’s private.” Val grabbed for it, but Red snagged it first. It only took a moment for him to read. Red’s eyes grew to saucers.

“Niramor?! You’re pen pals with fucking Niramor ? And you say I’m keeping secrets?”

“It’s not like that!” Val grabbed at the letter, but Red was faster. 

“This says she’s in Ishport, you lead us into a trap!” Val saw Red move, then hit vision went white. 

When he opened his eyes, his face was pressed against the floorboards. His right side stung painfully, and his jaw sat at a wrong angle. The buzzing in his ears slowly dulled, and he heard people shouting, and someone crying. It was then Val realized why he was on the floor. Red had slapped him, harder than Niramor or anyone else ever had. 

Someone helped him up with a faceful of blue hair--Aria. 

“You could have killed him! Cool your temper, or I’ll cool it for you.”

“He's lucky it was with my left then.” 

Aria stood him in front of Red, but Val couldn’t get his vision to focus on him. Even in the blur, he could tell Red was roaring angry.  

“She lied.” His jaw popped painfully when he spoke. “She lies like the devil, easy as breathing to her. So often it’s hard to remember the truth. You heard Risette, and her parents. There’s no Marines posted here. Niramor’s trying to scare us, divide us, and it worked.”

“When’d you get this?” Red crushed the letter, and a small piece of Val died with it. “Why’d you keep it a secret?”

“Doesn’t matter now.” Val’s heart and face burned. He fell onto his ass, leaning back on a barrel. 

“Are you with us Valentine, or against us? You wanna crawl back to her, be my guest. I’m the only thing between you back in her cell, chewing on scraps and beaten like a dog.”

“Stop it! Stop it!” Val only noticed Brooklyn now. She was a bawling mess, with streams of tears wetting her face. “Stop fighting! First Risette, now you two! The crew is falling apart.” She wailed.

Aria stepped between them, and yanked on both their ears.

“Red, I know you're angry because Risette is gone. But there's five people on this island who care about you, and four of them are in this room. Do you think this is the time to be laying accusations?”

“Val, Red risked his life to save you on multiple occasions. We're not your enemies, put some trust in us.”

“Don't you remember the drink we shared together? That means you're brothers now, whether you like it or not. Start acting like it. We have enough enemies. Those three Fishman could come swimming up at any time and we can't stop arguing. Risette needs us, all of us.”

Red wrenched himself free of her grasp. He spit the ground before Valentine, and swiftly stormed off.

Red scouted the grounds. It had been a year since he last checked on the factory.

Asada arms was made up of two main buildings: the workshop, and the warehouse on the shore. The warehouse was full of the arms that Red hadn’t destroyed. Barrels and crates full of gunpowder, rifles, pistols, and cannonballs. 

Connected to the warehouse was the workshop, covered in a thicker layer of dust. Everything was exactly where he had left it, still frozen in time. His fathers workbench, with all of his tools and materials put away meticulously. His father had always puts great effort into cleaning and tidying his area, and putting everything in its place. Red remembered once when he had borrowed his fathers plane and forgot to put it back. His bruises had taken a week to heal.

Next to his father’s workbench was a smaller cramped workbench in the corner. A carved wooden sign hung overhead, Red’s Workshop , made by his mother. An apron hung on the bench, too small for him now. Wiping dust from the seat, Red sat down. He’d wasted day after day in this very spot, carving stocks and hammering steel. Red could still smell the burnt gunpowder and sawdust, and the sound of his father cursing as he worked. The old grandfather clock lay quiet. He wound it and set the time, starting the pendulum again.

Thinking about his formative years only made him miss Risette more. While he had slaved away making weapons, she had always been on his mind. He’d always watched the old clock, counting down the minutes until he could throw away his apron and go visit her.

He left the workshop, and its painful memories, for the courtyard. He noticed immediately that the gate hung open. He inspected it, and found the steel was cut cleanly. The cut was too clean to be made by any blade. 

The sign before the gate had been vandalized. “War Dog” and “Baby Killers” had been painted, along with a blast star symbol. The symbol was a known icon for the People’s Army, a long standing rebel group set on tearing down the Monarchy. They peaked twenty years ago, when they breached the castle and killed the King’s two sons, and nearly the entire royal family. It had been years since he last saw it displayed so openly. 

He saw the footprints next. The print was that of a standard issue marine boot, and he followed it from the gate straight to the warehouse. Stepping carefully to not ruin the tracks, Red followed them through the warehouse to a stack of crates. One had been split open, with the same clean finesse as the gate. Red sorted through the rifles inside, checking each serial number. 

One rifle was missing.

“Whatcha doing?” Brooklyn’s voice startled him. He hadn’t noticed her, wrapped in a canvas blanket and curled up on a crate.

“Just… doing inventory,” Red said. “I think I know why the King turned against us, and why Risette was captured.”

Brooklyn curled up tighter in her blanket. “I miss Risette…”

“Me too.” Red sat beside her on the crates.

“Do you think we will see her again, Red?”

“Don’t worry, we haven’t seen the last of her.”

“But how? Her mom and dad hate us, and those angry fishmen are guarding her.”

“Brooklyn, I’ve snuck into that manor hundreds of time over the years. Now is the time to lay low, but they can’t keep her from me forever.”

Brooklyn shifted uncomfortably. 

“What were you so mad about? I never seen you that angry before, it was scary.”

“I’m sorry I startled you. I shouldn’t have hit him, that was foolhardy of me. Val lied about a letter from one of our enemies.”

“Who?”

“Niramor, a Navy Captain. I know her from bootcamp. She’s the nastiest bully I ever met, who wants our heads on a platter.”

“Why would Val be getting letters from the one you fear most?”

“Ever since she met him, Niramor has been obsessed with Valentine. But make no mistake, it’s not her I fear most. The Marines have much meaner dogs than Niramor to send after our scent.”

“Is she coming, this Captain?” 

“She’s already here.”

Twenty four hours passed, and the two men hadn’t looked at each other once. Red coped by playing the soldier, shoring up the defenses of the property. He repaired the gate and reinforced the fences and walls. He boarded over the windows, and barricaded the gate with crates and barrels full of sand. 

Val confined himself to the Antelope, and never stepped ashore. His stingray wound caused him great agony, until Aria brought him a brown tincture that smelled foul.

“Antivenom, drink it.”

“I thought you said it didn’t exist?”

“It didn’t, I just invented it.”

He felt better immediately. Aria stitched up the wound, taking time to clean and inspect it.

“He missed your heart, barely. Didn’t sever either artery, thank goodness.” With a steady hand and the lightest of touch, Aria pulled the stitches together and tied it off in a swift motion. 

“I’m done here. I’ll be onshore, whenever you’re done moping.”

“Thanks for the stitch-up.” Val pulled his shirt together, and turned away while she left. 

He blew out the candles Aria had brought in, casting the Captain’s Quarters in darkness. The room felt more suited to the dark, somehow. The room’s many shelves had been filled by the king’s men with navigational tools and books on maps, sailing, and shipbuilding. It did nothing for the emptiness that permeated the place. The captain’s hat lay untouched on the desk.

Three sharp knocks came on the balcony door, followed by the flap of wings. When Val opened the door the seagull was gone, but it had dropped off a letter. 

The envelope bore no seal or markings.  He lifted it to his nose, rose perfume. Upon opening it, it began with a lipstick stamp. 

To My Valentine,

You and your friends are in grave danger. We must meet, tonight, under the white flag of parley. You will be my guest, and I swear that no harm will come to you. You’ll be free to leave as you please.

While you read this letter, I will be waiting on the broken pier in the Warehouse District. 

I pray I will see you soon.

Always Yours,

Niramor

Ice gripped his heart. He’d been wrong. Niramor was here, and knew where he was. He’d received an invitation to walk into her open maw. 

“You okay?” Brooklyn’s voice made him jump. She stood in the doorway, wrapped up in her blanket like a canvas burrito. Val put away the letter with a sigh.

“No, not at all.” 

Brooklyn walked around the desk, eyeing the hat, and slumped down in the Captain’s Chair. A puff of dust flew from the seat. Val sat on the corner of the desk.

“Brooklyn, I want to ask you a question. You don’t have to answer.”

“Of course, anything!” Her ears quirked in anticipation. Her glass eyes seemed to glow in the dim light.

“This Gerard- he… hurt you. He never came back to that island. Why do you still want to see him?”

“It’s hard to describe… I don’t remember a single thing about my childhood, or my life before that island.” She retreated into a ball, resting her chin on her knees. “Sometimes I’ll catch a memory, but it always fades like a dream in the morning. I sailed the Grand Line on his crew, of that I’m certain… and he was very dear to me.”

“Would you still see him right now, if you had the chance?”

“In a heartbeat.” 

“But he never came back. He abandoned you.” Val said with little grace.

“I don’t know the truth, maybe I never will. The not knowing feels like a piece of my heart is missing. I hate him, but I loved him once, and I still might.”

Val felt something in him being pulled by Brooklyn. He had never considered the heartbreak and agony that came with missing memories.

“I have memories I wish I could forget. I’d be happier, at peace for once.” Old scars from all over his body began to ache. He felt Brooklyn’s cold hand rest on his.

“Those memories hurt, but they made who you are today. You’re the ones who came to rescue me, of course I wouldn’t want you any other way.”

Her touch felt uneasy on his hand. Soon he could take it no longer, and yanked his hand away. The letter in his pocket once again felt heavy as stone. 

“I have someone like Gerard too. She hurt me in so many ways… but I miss her. I feel so gross for missing her. We were together so long, and there was some good too.”

“You’re not gross Val.” Her glassy eyes held sparkling tears. “We’re only human.”

“Thank you, Brooklyn. You’re very kind.” Slowly, and with the bravery of a fawn, Val placed his hand on Brooklyn’s shoulder. “I think there’s somewhere I have to go.”

Chapter Text

Val saw her from the shore.

Niramor was small in his vision, but she stood on the broken pier exactly as promised, with a white flag waving nearby. She was facing out to sea, with her Coat of Justice facing him.

As he walked closer, his heart began to race. The last time he saw Niramor was the night he ran away. He’d broken his bonds and hurled his body through a ship window, nearly bleeding out swimming to shore, all to escape her. For months he hopped from island to island as a wanted man, with rarely a chance to rest his head thanks to her.

He stepped onto the wooden pier, and Niramor whirled around. When she saw him, she smiled warmly.

“Do my eyes deceive me? Val?”

She looked the same as he last saw her, except her Coat of Justice was emblazoned with new medals. She wore her blonde hair down, in soft curls. Her lipstick matched his letters perfectly. Her warm smiled tugged at equally warm memories together. With a physical effort, he corked the emotions.

“I got your letter, Captain, I’m here to talk .” Val said stiffly.

“ Captain? ” Niramor’s sharp eyebrow peaked. “What’s with the formalities? I missed you, Val.” Niramor’s hand brushed against Valentine’s. His nerves screamed out from head to toe. He whipped his hand back, holding it to his chest and stepping away from her. Her golden eyes filled with hurt. 

“Come with me, let’s meet on the Weatherlight . There’s a feast prepared, and the cook made your favorite butter tarts.”

He remembered the grand feasts Niramor held, the sound of drunk sailors singing and the smell of fresh bread. Val could taste the butter tarts. He swallowed a stone, and shook his head.

“No, I can’t be gone long. Say what you came to say, here.” 

Niramor looked him up and down, eyeing his purple coat and leather boots. “They fit you nicely.”

“Sorry for stealing them, didn’t much for options.” 

“Please, keep them. I’m glad they’ve served you well.”

Val wet his lips, and spoke through a choked throat. “What are you doing here Niramor?”

“I’m here at the King’s request, in an advisory position to the crown, a passive position.”

“And my bounty?”

“Damn brass put that out, nothing I could do to stop them. Ease your fears, I’m under orders not to use any military force. In short, your bounty means nothing here.” 

If it was true, it was a massive relief. But there was no way to know with Niramor. 

“Val, this island is a powder keg about to explode. The People’s Army have armed themselves and are plotting a violent uprising, tonight . That’s why the King called for me. It’s war. ”

“War? Who are the People’s Army?” 

“A popular rebel group. The people of Ishport have been resisting the Crown for decades. The King is their great enemy, but they despise the Asada family.”

“The people hate Red?”

“Of course. Red’s father Blake was old military buddies with the King, and the princess is Redwin’s paramour. Since Leon took the throne, Asada Arms has fashioned every cutlass, cannon, and rifle for the military. The Crown’s biggest supporters, by a fathom.” Niramor tilted her head. “Red never told you any of this?”

“No…” Val lowered his gaze. “He said it was safe, actually.”

Her fingers brushed aside his hair with the lightest touch. It revealed the bruise Red had given him.

“What happened, Val?”

“Just a fight.” He pulled his head away. 

“Val… Come here Val.” Her hands snatched his before he could pull away. Her slim, delicate hands, that had done him so much hurt pulled his hand to her breast and held it like a most prized possession. “Why do you shy from me? Did Red hurt you?”

“No, I’m… I’m fine.”

 Her other hand found its way to his face, tracing the darkness around his eye. 

“Darling, if Red hurt you… You must tell me.” She sniffled, tears dripping down her cheeks. “I swear, if he laid a hand on you I’ll make him pay.”

It wasn’t a bluff. A Marine turnkey had once whipped Val in his cell, and disappeared afterwards. 

He tried to pull his hand back, but her grip refused him utterly. “Red’s been helping me, he saved my life. I owe him a great debt.”

Niramor squeezed his hand with an iron grip. “It’s alright, you don’t have to tell me. I suppose it’s none of my business anymore.” 

Valentine’s mind was filled with shouts that she was the reason he flinched, that everywhere he went, he carried all the hurt she inflicted on him. His heart silenced his mind, and begged to give into the touch he hadn’t felt in ages. 

She was clearly hurt at his silence. She stepped away, relinquishing her warm touch. Once again, Valentine was cold and empty. He said nothing, and held nothing.

“Val, I know we had our issues in the past, and I pray you can forgive me one day. But darling, you hurt me dearly when you left, every day it tears me apart. My bed is so cold without you. But I forgive you, Valentine. You’ve taken time to spread your wings and fly. I just hope when you find your path, it leads back to me.” She chuckled, shaking tears from her eyes. “Perhaps that’s selfish to ask, I apologize. Look at me Val, crying like a babe. Don’t tell my men you saw me cry, alright?”

A small smile spread across his lips. “I won’t.” 

She dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. Soon, they fell to his waist. 

“You carry a gun and a blade, now. You’re a proper pirate.”

“Half a blade.” Val unsheathed the broken saber. Halfway up the length, it broke off with a jagged edge. “I need a smaller sheath, it keeps slipping out.”

“Ishport isn’t safe for an unarmed man. I have an entire room of swords on the Weatherlight, allow me to give you one..”

“I’m fine, I prefer it. A full sized sword would only slow me down.”

The wind gusted, and Val realized how cold he was. The wind was strong, and the night’s air held little warmth. 

“Are you cold, darling?” She shrugged off her Coat of Justice and wrapped it around Valentine’s shoulders. It was surprisingly heavy, and felt strange and alien on his skin. It was saturated with the smell of rose perfume. Her hands lingered on his shoulders, spreading warmth on his cold skin. 

“I missed you, darling.”

“Me as well,” Valentine said. It wasn’t very convincing, with his spine stiff as a board and her touch freezing his body in place.

“Don’t be so formal. There were days when I didn’t have to ask for you to call me baby.” She stepped closer, her hands curling behind his back like claws. He felt his worries melt into her warm grasp. In the moonlit night, she was an angel. Her white hair shone silver and her golden eyes glittered in the night . She taller and looked down at him, soft lips parted expectantly.

“ I’m sorry, baby .” Valentine whispered.

Niramor clutched him tightly, and he returned the embrace. He felt her silent tears wet his shirt, which made him hold her tighter. In all his fear and thoughts of her, he had never considered she’d been crying for him. The tears were his fault, he thought. How could he have hurt her like this? The debt laid with him to make things right with her.

Sharp fingernails dug into his scalp and cut off his thoughts. His eyes shot open to see Niramor’s face rushing towards him. He tried to gasp, but she pulled the breath from his lips. She kissed with fervor, paying no attention to the subtleties of Valentine’s reactions. He was lost in a confusing whirlwind of lust and pain, frozen and unable to reciprocate.

They broke apart, and Valentine felt something leaving with her. She panted, just long enough to catch her breath before planting a shameless kiss on his cheek, a touch he could feel long after it was gone. His jaw hung open, yet to process what had happened.

“Pardon me, I couldn’t hold back any longer.” She placed a palm against his cheek and beamed, seemingly proud of herself. Valentine remained as off balance as he had always been, unable to form a response or react, while still processing the last thing that had happened. 

“Come with me, Val. To the Weatherlight, to butter tarts and a warm bed. When the sun rises, a storm will swallow this island. You can’t fight it, and there’s no escaping it. I can keep you safe ”

“What about my friends?” Val said. “I’m not sailing alone.”

Niramor bit her lip. 

“I can’t house four wanted criminals, and the People’s Army will want Red’s head. You’re my concern, Val.”

“I can’t abandon my friends to the storm. I’m sorry, Niramor. They need me.”

Niramor closed her eyes, and seemed to deflate. 

“I was afraid you’d say that. Very well. I’ve brought a gift for you, a late birthday present.” She reached behind, and produced a leather whip. It was finely crafted, with a scale pattern running down the length. “You’ll need it for the path you’ve chosen. It’s name is Bitterheart, and she will protect you.”

On her ship, Captain Niramor had dished out discipline with a cat-o-nine, which Val had often tasted. Taking the whip felt perverse, but he took it anyway.

“Thank you, that’s very kind.”

“If you change your mind, the Weatherlight will be docked in the Manor Harbor. My men are under orders not to harm you.”

“I have to go.” Val said. With every moment he stayed, he felt his desire to leave with her increase. He needed to go back, before he made a terrible decision. “I have to get back to the ship, and the crew.”

“Very well, darling.” Niramor took his face, and planted a kiss on his forehead. “I wish you all the luck of the Four Seas. Stay safe for me, Valentine.”

“You take care, Niramor.” He squeezed her hand gently, then let go. 

Val entered Asada Arms through the back, and met Brooklyn on the docks.

“Brooklyn, I need to talk to everyone.”

“Val, your…” Her face turned cherry red, and the pointed at different points of his face. Confused, Val hung his head over the dock and looked for his reflection. His face was covered in red lipstick. He sunk his head underwater and rubbed off the marks. When he spoke to Brooklyn again, it was with soaking wet hair.

“Tell Aria and Red to meet me on the Antelope , please. It’s urgent , Brooklyn.”

“O-okay!” Brooklyn said. She scampered off. 

In a few minutes, Val was speaking to the lot of them on the Antelope’s  deck.

“There’s a storm coming.” It was the first words he’d said to Red in more than a day. 

“ That’s your opener? What the hell are you talking about?” Red asked. 

“I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to lose your temper.” Val chewed his lip. Red squinted at him, but nodded his head. Aria and Brooklyn gathered around to listen. 

Val told them what Niramor had said, though he spared them the more intimate details. Red was fuming as he spoke, but kept a lid on his anger. Aria looked like she smelled something foul, but Brooklyn faced him with a proud smile. 

“You… Met… Niramor! ?” Red said through clenched teeth. 

“I did.”

“That scheming BITCH !” Red let out his fury on a crate, shattering it into splinters. 

“You failed to mention any of this Red! Why did we come here?” Val said.

“It’s been over a year since I last visited, and I don’t stay long. I had no idea it had gotten this bad.” The ship was full of the sound from Red grinding his teeth. “What's her game, telling you all this? If it's true, she ought to leave us ignorant and vulnerable.”

“Niramor said I'd be safe with her.” Val swallowed a stone. “She offered me safety on her ship.”

Red golden gaze burned into him. 

“ And ? Are you going ?”

“Are you kidding me? You'd be hopeless without me.”

Everyone smiled at that, even Red. 

“That's heartening, and this confirms suspicions I had. We were set up, the Queen's paranoia turned against us to capture Risette. But none of this solves the rebel issue.” Red said. 

“We need to escape. Ishport isn't safe, and we aren't welcome any longer. We can't stand against an army ,” Val said. “The revolution starts at first light, we should take everything we can aboard the Antelope and get far away from here.”

“I agree we need to leave, tonight. But you're forgetting about Risette.” Red crossed his arms. “She has no idea what's happening, and she's in the most danger. These rebels are thirsty for royal blood, the last rebellion killed her little brothers in their cribs.”

Val chewed his lip. He'd been fearing this part, and he couldn't look Red in the eyes when he spoke. 

“She's locked in a fortress, guarded by hundreds of men, with a rebel army bearing down on her. Red, there's nothing we can do for Risette.”

“Have you thought for a second what she's going through right now?” Red fumed. “She gave herself up to save us, and now she's locked up again.”

“I want to see her safe too, but it's no use if we all die in the attempt. We need to run, with our lives.”

“Are you a man? Risette trusts you, she loves you. All of us. If it were you locked away, she'd do everything to save you.”

“She's in the safest place right now, behind thick walls with men ready to defend her. Her safety is guaranteed.”

“With Niramor involved, nothing is guaranteed. We need to get her out of that castle and far from Ishport.”

“I think we should rescue her.” Brooklyn spoke up. “Risette was so happy on the ship, she'd want to sail away with us. Right now she's crying out with all her heart, we can't just abandon her.”

“I agree,” Aria said. “She’s our friend, Val. We can’t do nothing.”

“I’m not going to force you to come,” Red said. “But I’m taking the Antelope to save her, now .”

“With what key?” Val pulled the four-fin key from a string under his shirt. 

“ Bastard ,” Red growled. “Don’t make me take it from you.”

“ Friends don’t lay hands on each other.” Val dropped the key back under his shirt. “Just listen , for once.”

Red flared his nostrils, barely containing his rage. Val quickly worked to sort out his thoughts, and make a decision that could put everyone in danger. He kept coming back to the first time he’d met Risette, when she took his hand and sang for him.

Risette seemed like someone who would cry real tears for him.

“I’ll do it, on one condition,” Val said. “If we’re taking this million-to-one gamble, we do it my way. We make a plan, and stick to it.”

“Deal.”

“Lucky for you, I already have a plan.”

Chapter Text

“Here’s the crate you requested, Commander.” 

The Marine set down a large box on the Weatherlight ’s deck, making the planks creak under the weight. Every side was emblazoned with the Marine Seagull. 

“Thank you Major, you’re dismissed.” Telesto said. The Major stayed where he was

“Uh… sir?” 

“Spit it out, Major.”

“Why are we doing this, sir? The ship has limited supplies, and every night we throw crates in the ocean.”

“We do it under Niramor’s orders. If you’d rather do it under her will , be my guest. But I stopped asking questions a long time ago.”

“Yes, sir. Forgive me for bringing it up.”

Telesto laid his hands on the crate. His fingers became translucent and flowed outwards as a stream of water pouring over the crate. The crate was quickly covered, and with a mighty two-hand throw he tossed it fifty yards into the ocean.

The water became his hands again, which he used to return the Major’s salute. Soon Telesto was alone on the ship railing. He began to wave his hand rhythmically, as if conducting a choir. Slowly, the currents began to dance to his tune. The crate was easily swept down the shore and out of sight.

I better get fucking promoted once this Ishport nonsense is over with. Then I can captain my own ship and get away from Niramor forever. I might die from gruntwork otherwise. 

On the night before the uprising, Pierre was restless. He stood outside a cave on the beach outside cave, using a nocturnal to check the hours until sunrise. He held the disc’s center at the North Star, and turned the hand until it reached the Dog Star. 

“Under an hour until sunrise.” As he spoke, the men and women put down their rifles and blades to listen. “Keep sharpening, everyone. We need sharp blades to sever the King’s neck.” 

“Yes, sir.” Dozens of voices replied in unison. 

They were his lieutenants, brought together in the waning hour of peace that remained.  While he fiddled with the stars, a bottle of wine had been opened and final toasts given. Behind them, the steady roar of 500 rebels came from the cave opening. The area was an abandoned salt mine, and the tunnels inside were extensive. 

“Pierre! Fearless Leader, a toast!” said Anissa, one of his lieutenants. Her sniper musket rest on a log, her hat hanging off the barrel.

“Save the wine for our victory, sister.”

“Toast! Speech!” The others echoed. 

“Something for the history books, Pierre!” said one, a man 8 foot tall whose voice rose above the rest. 

“Alright, alright. Shut up, will you? Get me a glass.” someone pushed a glass into his hand, filled with wine that smelled like vinegar. He raised the glass in the air, showing everyone the dirty metal shackles dangling from his wrist. “Like many of our brothers and sisters, I was imprisoned in this very mine. It’s been my greatest honor that the tunnels that the People’s Army lived and trained in were dug by my hands. But from now on, we won’t live like rats in the tunnels. Tomorrow will  be a red day, a day of victory and freedom for our people! I swear it, on I swear, on blood and wine… death will take the king today, or may it take me instead!”

He sliced open his palm with a knife, then lifted his cup with the bloody hand. Cheers erupted from his lieutenants, and they all drank together.

“Tomorrow, I will meet you all at the manor, with guns and ships to topple its walls.”

“Sir Pierre, Sir!” A young boy carried a bundle much larger than him. It was his squire Max, with his stunted leg and hobbled way of walking. “I found another one, sir!”

“A crate?” Pierre’s face lifted. “A blessing on this day, where is it?”

“I’ll show you!” Max took a lantern and walked him along the beach in the dark. Before long, they reached a large wooden crate that washed up on the beach. On it’s side was the blue seagull of the World Government. 

“Why does it say World Government ?” The word sounded dirty the way Max said it.

“Best not to dwell on these things, boy. Give me Guillotine .” Pierre held out his hand. Max unwrapped the bundle, revealing the hilt of a sword. Pierre pulled it free, a thick blade black as pitch with a rounded tip. 

With a swipe of his black sword, the crate split open and spilled rifles across the beach. A small keg of gunpowder rolled out.

“Sharp as a razor, excellent work, boy.” Pierre sheathed the sword and slung the heavy weapon over his shoulder. He knelt down to speak at Max’s level. “You’ve done the People’s Army a great honor, and spared many lives. We can put down our pickaxes and hammers for these rifles and bring the fight to the Bastard King.”

Max’s hands shook, and tears beaded his eyes. “Thank you--sir. I’m just happy to be useful, really.”

“Anissa! Come here, I have a gift for your vanguard!”

Risette sat upon the windowsill, looking out onto the island of Ishport through iron bars. The streets were alive with light and movement. From her high tower, the people were small as ants, and she couldn’t hear their words. A festival, perhaps?

Not for the first time, she longed to be free of her tower and join the people in the streets. After her brief taste of freedom with Red’s crew, she had been thrown back in her old prison, with Crab guarding the door outside.

Crab.

The thought of him made her snarl. For twenty five years he had been her bodyguard and confidant, only to betray her and nearly kill the light of her life. Now she was kept captive, and he refused to explain it all.  

After her brothers passed, her mother was senseless and her father endlessly busy. When Redwin had joined the marines at his father’s wish, Crab was left as her only friend in this entire house.

The lock sounded, and the door opened. Risette tensed, but relaxed when she saw it was not Crab but Shiner, the old minnow Butler.  He placed a plate of steaming food at her table and gestured to it

“Thank you Shiner, but I’m not hungry.” Risette looked back to the streets, wondering if Red was somewhere out there among the lights. 

Shiner didn’t move. He bowed his head, and twiddled his fins. He looked to be thinking of something to say, if he ever spoke. 

“Are you worried, Shiner?” A nod. “About Redwin, and my friends?” A shake. “About…me?” A nod.”

Risette had to smile at the kind old butler. She’d known him since childhood, and he always had looked out for her and acted in her interest.

“Oh, Shiner… I’m fine, really. It’s not the first time I’ve been locked up in this tower. I can only worry about my friends. They were badly injured in the fighting. There was nothing I could do but watch while Crab and his brothers hurt them.” When Risette closed her eyes she could only see Red’s swollen purple face, the panic in his eyes as he felt his life begin to slip away. 

Shiner’s saucer eyes seemed to mirror her expression. The old butler bowed his head in great sadness. He waddled past her to the window, and seemed to gesture urgently out the window. 

“What do you mean, Shiner? I don’t understand.”

Shiner pointed his fin towards the streets. Risette joined him at the window, trying to deduce what he was trying to show her. Was he pointing at the busy streets?

“Lady Everett, please step away from the window.” Crab said. “Shiner, you’re dismissed.”

The sound of his voice summoned a migraine into her skull. Since Crab and his brothers attacked the Antelope , he’d guarded her locked door. She’d hardly laid eyes on him since then.

“What does it matter?” She scowled at him. “You won’t let me leave, at least let me look outside. 

“I’m sorry you have to be locked up in here.” He clicked his smaller claw, a nervous tick of his.  “Please understand, it’s your mother’s orders.”

“I don’t care that I’m locked in this room, Crab. I care that you attacked my friends, you betrayed my trust.”

“But my Lady-”

“Don’t call me that!”

“My lady, since the moment of your birth I’ve kept you safe. You know you can trust me-”

“Trust you? You think I trust you? You know the love I have for Redwin, and you attacked him! You almost killed him! Don’t speak like you act for my interest.”

“Risette… Even if you don’t see it, your safety has always been my priority. Twenty years ago, when the Manor was breached by the People’s Army, you were only a child. It was a terrible night of fire and death, I protected you, carried you out of the flames in my arms.”

Risette clenched her jaw shut. When he mentioned that night, the night he’d saved her from the fate of her brothers, she found it hard to be angry with him.

He clicked his little claw again, crossing the room and sitting down on her bed. It creaked dangerously under his weight. 

“Lady Risette… do you remember that night of the Fireworks Festival?”

“Of course I do. It was the first night I left the castle. I was so happy.”

“That day I gave you that amber necklace. I think that was the happiest day of my life.”

“Mother forbade me from going, you snuck me out of the castle.” Risette found a hint of a smile growing on her face. 

“Risette, there’s something I’ve never told you.” Crab’s little claw clicked incessantly. His antenna were spinning in nervous circles. “It’s about-”

A loud boom shook the castle. The old stones rattled and mortar shook off the wall. 

“What was that?” Risette said.

“Stay here Risette! Keep the door locked!” Crab ran out the door.

“Crab, wait! What’s happening? Tell me!”

Val built a model of the island using whatever he had on hand. Ishport was roughly circular, and made of a broken sheet of wood. On one end of the island lay the King's Manor, a cartridge box, and Risette, a 1000 Berry coin. The Weatherlight was a cannonball, anchored in the harbor. 

“Wait, where are we?” Brooklyn asked. 

“This is Asada Arms, and the Antelope .” Val pointed with a ramrod to a second cartridge box and an origami swan. 

“I want to be the swan,” Brooklyn said. 

“It doesn't--whatever, you're the swan. Niramor is guarding the water, which means we have to travel by land.

“What am I ?” Aria asked. 

“It doesn't matter . What do you want to be?” Aria gave him a blue snake scale, and Red handed him a large caliber bullet. 

“ Fine .” Val put the pieces together on top of the Asada Arms cartridge box. “Now, using the Antelope isn't an option. It attracts too much attention. We can only use it to escape.”

“Wait!” Brooklyn dug around in her pocket, and passed something to Val. “ This is you.”

She'd given him a small cat figurine, carved from wood. 

“A cat ?”

“It reminds me of you.” Brooklyn shrugged. With a great sigh, Val added it to the rest of the crew. 

“Our greatest obstacle is the three Royal Guards.” Val scattered three lead slugs on the island map. “To win, we'll have to outmaneuver them.”

“Crab will be guarding Risette, there's no doubt.” Red placed a slug beside the coin. “He's the strongest of them, he'll be protecting their most valuable asset.”

“Red, you’re the only one who can rescue her. I trust you’ll be able to get in and out. If any of us stayed with you, we’d just slow you down.”

“I'll handle it.” Red said firmly. The bruise on his neck had only begun to heal. 

“What about your cast?” Aria asked. 

“I said I'll handle it.”

“We can count on at least one of them being stationed in the harbor, since they are strongest in the water. They'll be keeping an eye on Niramor, and watching for rebels.” Val put a slug next to the cannonball. “Brooklyn, you’re our most important asset since no one has seen your face yet. You’ll keep an eye on the harbor, report anything you see.”

“Yay!” Brooklyn placed her origami swan in the harbor. “If either of them try to intercept, I'll beat em up!”

“Can you fight?” Val raised an eyebrow. It was hard to imagine Brooklyn hurting a fly. 

“The Hero Pirates and I got into our fair share of scraps.” Val remembered then that Brooklyn was the only one of them that had sailed the Grand Line, with a captain that was peers with the Pirate King Gold Roger. Looking at her naive grin, it was a hard fact to swallow. 

“Aria, you'll be stationed in the town square to cover Red and Risette’s escape.” He placed the blue scale near the Manor. 

“That Stingray is mine. His venom won't affect me, but he doesn't know that.”

“Good, just stay far from the water. All of you. We don't stand a chance against them in the ocean.”

“And where will you be?” Red asked. The carved cat stood alone in Asada Arms. 

“I have the most important job, to guard the Antelope . All of this work will be for nothing if we can't escape.”

“It’s an impossible situation,” Red muttered. “We’re caught between Marines, Rebels, and the King’s soldiers, with only four of us to break into a heavily fortified castle to kidnap the King’s most precious treasure. But with a plan like this, we have a chance.”

“A slim chance.” Valentine admitted. “But it’s the best we got.”

“For Risette.” Red placed his fist in the center of them. 

“For Risette.” Aria mirrored him. 

“Let's do it!” Brooklyn slapped her hand atop the pile. 

“Here's to escaping with our heads.” Val put his hand tentatively on the others. 

The old grandfather clock began to chime, and the rescue mission was underway.