Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The God of Life was beautiful – black silky hair that shimmered and fell like the end waterfalls of Sky Island on a warm, sunny day. Black eyes that were prettier than the forest canopy, a color so beautiful and fascinating and vibrating that no matter how scary the God of Life looked when he was angry at Enel-sama or them, his eyes shone and captured their thoughts.

It was no wonder why Enel-sama, normally at the center of their attention and angry when he was not, was content this time to linger at the edges of the stage, watching in the shadows with the same fascination as the God of Life moved with a grace that even Enel-sama with all his presence and power could not ever hope to emulate.

The God of Life was quiet, a lot more quiet than Enel-sama who laughed loudly, ordered loudly, struck and killed with lightning loudly, but the God of Life was captivating and no one could look away from his delicate movements, his grace that was as unobtrusive and yet prevalent and refreshing and pleasant as the wind.

And so, the whole camp settled around him in the forest clearing near the beautiful garden pond of golden flowers that none of them have ever seen before, Enel-sama having brought them along to set up a place for Enel-sama to watch him.

The God of Life’s every movement as the God of Life weaved golden flower roots from the tranquil pond into stunning thread and then as the God of Life began forming wings as beautiful and delicate as the most beautiful birds of the air made her believe in Enel-sama’s story of how the beautiful man was the God of Life. It was if watching the origin of their own wings, how the God of Life formed mankind and attached the prettiest wings of the sky onto them, mythical stories of creation that her mother used to tell her when she was little in action.

Enel-sama said it many times, boasting over and over again of how the heavens gave him the God of Life and the God of Life was going to be his wife, recounting over and over again of how feisty and strong his wife was, how stunning and beautiful, of how his wife could control everything of nature and had made ponds and golden flowers blossom into life and made him even stronger with energy-filled cooked lotus roots.

But she never quite believed it until the God of Life built the most beautiful pair of wings from scratch and like magic, they were fused into the delicate arch of his back like they had always been there.

The God of Life collapsed and Enel-sama caught the God of Life in his arms in an instant, laughing when he realized that the God of Life was finally in his arms.

As Enel-sama touched the beautiful God of Life’s face with his palm, Enel-sama’s large hand engulfing the God of Life’s delicate face before Enel-sama’s hand trailed down the God of Life’s neck and towards the prone god’s clothed chest, the youngest concubine suddenly felt uneasy.

Although Enel-sama had been boasting and saying many things to both them and the God of Life while the God of Life was working, she never felt like the God of Life ever understood any of the words that Enel-sama had said. Nor did she think that the God of Life with his angry glares ever liked Enel-sama’s presence, much less attention.

(Rather, like her, like many of them, the God of Life didn’t seem to like…)

The oldest of the harem moved forward despite having not been ordered to, guising her movement as concern and a movement to help the unconscious God of Life into a tent to rest, but Enel-sama glared, stopping them all in their movements.

It was the kind of glare that threatened to kill them in a flash if they dared move.

And none of them dared to move as Enel-sama laughed victoriously, pawing the God of Life even more with his hands, hugging the unconscious god to himself.

“My Lesser Half, finally you are in my hands, how wonderful you would look in clothes that would fit you-” Enel-sama crooned, his breath all over the sleeping god’s beautiful face, “Prepare the bed – everything, but I’ll dress him myself. Only I’m allowed to touch my Lesser Half.”

Only God was allowed to touch God. And how Enel-sama really wanted to, after being denied so many times.

The youngest concubine swallowed the uneasy, horrible feelings inside of her before scurrying away to carry out his orders like the others when Enel-sama showed his impatience in a lighting strike near their feet.

She held her abdomen as she went.

-

-

“Please! Please spare me, I have a child-” She begged in horror and fear as Enel-sama walked up to her with bloodied hands and a wide grin on his lips. Already, everyone around her was dead, charred lumps of flesh and torn fabric.

She wailed, pleading and crying, having seen many die since the day Enel-sama took her from her family, but not wanting to die.

“Please-”

But it was of no hope and even before Enel-sama said anything, she knew it.

Although Enel-sama didn’t care for children, although the God of Life was a man, Enel-sama called the god that because he believed it and she, in part, did too. That the God of Life could give him children. And though Enel-sama didn’t care for it, Enel-sama obsessed over that God and everything that the God, his blessing, his Lesser Half could give him.

A hand, still sizzling from the last execution, touched her wet cheek and she clamped down her horrified, resigned eyes.

As she screamed from the flash of pain before all turned numb and white, she begged that the lofty but beautiful God of Life would have mercy on her and her child.

-

-

There was a beautiful song in the void.

It soothed and sedated, it calmed and comforted, it answered all their feelings, acknowledged them and gave them meaning and laid them to rest.

It brought them to a beautiful place on a smooth sailing that no mortal boat could ever offer.

She stared at the bright light before her, a small weight in her arms, before moving forward with the encouragement of that gentle push.

She never remembered anything of the life behind her. Nor did she have any anxiety for the life before her.

She walked forward, her child in her arms, ready for the future.

Thank you-

In another place, an infant woke up with their first cry.

Chapter Text

She smelled like home.

Like first snow settling gently on the ground, blanketing the world in a pure beautiful soft white.

Her skin, outside of those marks that glittered and glowed like crushed pearls and gold, was white like snow too.

Although Luffy’s sunny smile and hands were always nice and warm, the woman(?)’s hands were even more nice, especially after so long from being away from home, especially after Alabasta, and Chopper couldn’t help but feel like a little fawn once again in her examining hands, surrounded and enveloped by those beautiful cold wings that brought him memories of spending winters in the snow with Doctor Hiriluk. Like the rumored desert mirage oases of Alabasta that Vivi once told them about, Chopper thought he could even see illusions of Drum Island winters in the stranger’s vicinity.

Chopper appreciated it. Although it was the first time Chopper found himself being examined closely like this after Doctor Hiriluk and Doctorine, the woman reminded him a lot of home.

She was even going to help him repair his new home too!

Chopper hoped that she knew how to fix Merry because outside of the few things Usopp had told him to do, Chopper had no idea how to make the Merry better. He was a living being doctor, not a ship doctor!

Even though the woman didn't seem like a ship doctor either, Chopper had faith though.

She really did remind him of home and Doctorine – and those two things were always good things that made everything - made Chopper feel better.

-

-

"Ah! Wait-"

Chopper panicked upon seeing her enter into Sanji's sacred land - the kitchen - and even pick up Sanji's cooking pots and knives.

Sanji didn't like it when people touched his stuff!! Even Luffy, the Captain, was barred from the kitchen!

Chopper panicked until she touched his head, making him then blush at the reassuring head pat. (Normally, people liked warm hands, but her cold hands - like Drum Island snow - and gentle touches - like Doctorine in those rare moments she would praise him or comfort him - were some of the best reassuring pats he had ever felt.)

Calming down a little, Chopper finally noticed how careful she was with the kitchen utensils - it was as if she knew how important they were to Sanji. Like how her hands were featherlight, careful when she was examining his antlers, she also was careful with Sanji's treasure as she carried everything she needed in the kitchen out.

...Well, if Sanji's tools were necessary for fixing the Merry, Chopper didn't think Sanji would mind too much that she was using his things.

Especially because she was a girl!

Reassuring himself that it was alright and trusting the woman even though she was technically a stranger who just murdered someone because of her gentle hands, Chopper hurried after her to the deck to see what she would do and need help with next.

Sail cloth? Chopper was pretty sure that he saw sail cloth in the cabin! As Chopper ran down to retrieve it, he giggled in memory of the other phrases the woman had used. Maybe she really was a bird-human like how he was a reindeer-human. After all, although the other Sky Island humans didn't seem able to fly with their wings, she could with her beautiful icy pair!

Still, Chopper wondered what 'sticky wood', 'sticky water fish', and 'dirt wood' referred to. If it helped Merry, he was excited to find out. And to teach his possible fellow animal-human the common language like Doctor Hiriluk once had for him. Oh! Robin could help him teach her too - Robin seemed like she would be a really good language teacher!

More than anything, Chopper was just glad that he wasn't alone anymore. After having been nearly attacked and killed by the scary villain-like guy on his pet bird, he didn't think he would want to be left alone on the ship in the middle of a forest filled with all sorts of scary things anymore.

At least the new person seemed very nice.

-

-

She was and Chopper happily ate some of the shark that she smoked and salted (just the way he liked it; how did she know?!) as he watched her turn scrap metal into metal brackets to fix onto Merry's hull. So cool! Did she eat a metal Devil Fruit too?! Wait... But if she was a bird-human, then wouldn't that mean that she ate some kind of human-model Zoan Devil Fruit?

And now that he realized it, what about the earthen kiln?! The ice?! Did she really eat multiple Devil Fruits?! But wait, didn't she go into the water when she threw the guy she killed earlier (who had tried to kill both Chopper and her) in?!

"Ah!" Chopper snapped out of his thoughts and shoved the rest of his smoked shark into his mouth to trot up to her when he saw her begin to peel off the barnacle from Merry's hull. "I can help you with that!"

Although it was their ship, the woman looked surprised to see him run up to help. Seeing her blink like that and remembering how she had been doing a lot on her own - hunting, dismantling, and smoking sharks, making glue and gathering lacquer from the forest, moving Merry (an big ship!) to a better position and making metal necessities - while he ate the food she gave him, Chopper reaffirmed his resolve to help her as much as he could for the rest. 

Although Chopper was the only ship doctor, he had always liked working with Doctor Hiriluk and Doctorine back when he could. Some things had to be done alone and sometimes it was nice to have alone time, but it was always fun and better to do things like this once in a while together.

"Thank you," Chopper smiled up at her, to her widening eyes, "but it's also my job so let me help when I can too."

She swallowed before turning away, but not before telling him that they needed to remove the barnacle, sand off the damage, and use the paste of sawdust and fish-glue to fill in the cracks. 

Well, not in those terms, but Chopper happily helped her learn the common language words for the funny phrases she used.

Bird-human or not, Devil Fruit user or not, she really was a nice person to be with!

Chapter Text

"She made it," Chopper reported when everyone returned to the ship and noticed the stranger fixing Merry and also the ice surrounding their ship. “She uses 'atashi'. She's got long hair, and she wears a dress. Does that not make her a human woman?” Chopper asked innocently.

And although Robin had been mildly alarmed by the ice because ice was Aokiji's ability (and Robin would never forget Ohara and Saul and the ice-), Robin laughed merrily at the little reindeer's question.

"Indeed, that would be the expected norm, wouldn't it? Robin asked mirthfully, "Perhaps she merely has the heart of a maiden. There are many such people on the Grand Line,” she informed the others, especially the ones who would be most wary of the stranger, especially after all the other encounters with people they had met on the island so far.

But Robin, having read many books and learned about many cultures, also knew of men who kept long hair and wore dresses for other reasons.

Upon hearing that the stranger didn't speak their language, Robin wondered even more so if the stranger had just not known that there were many different words for "I" and "me" in the common language and how one referred to themselves also depended a lot on the situation and context, not just gender.

(Later, when the stranger identified the tyrant Robin was informing the stranger about amongst many other details of the island that they were on as 'Enelsama' as if 'Enelsama' was the tyrant's full name rather than 'Enel-sama' as in the tyrant's name and a rather respectable title, Robin knew and confirmed her theory in her mind. The stranger definitely didn't know much about the nuances of the first person pronouns and honorifics in the Red Line Standard. 

After all, there was no way the stranger who had just a look of utter disgust and anger when thinking of 'Enel-sama' actually thought of Enel as someone worthy of '-sama'. 

And if Robin was reading that expression and the way the stranger held himself while describing Enel as a pig who couldn't keep his hands to himself right, then Robin wouldn't either.

Robin had done many horrible things in her life to survive, but even she had standards and didn't agree or like bastards who would dare...)

(Robin almost offered her own spare clothing to the stranger to change into, but she stopped herself, knowing that the stranger possibly didn't actually think of themself as a girl and also that the stranger wouldn't agree to it. Even if it wasn't for the stranger's pride and the distant way they held themselves away from her and the crew, although the stranger had helped them repair their ship and even caught even more fish just to be able to fill their captain's endless stomach, the stranger didn't trust them any more than their Swordman did them.

Still, Robin wanted to offer something, now realizing that although the stranger was one of the most beautiful people Robin had ever seen in her life, the stranger was probably not comfortable in clothing as revealing as theirs. Or decorative as the pearls, gold, and ornaments still braided in their long black hair.

In fact, did this 'Enel' paint gold and crushed pearls and seashells in those still rather fresh burns-)

But that was later.

For now, upon hearing that the stranger couldn't understand them in the slightest from their dear Doctor, Robin smiled, half in wonder because she had read many books and heard many accounts from Oharans who explored the world and never had she met someone who didn't have some knowledge of the Red Line Standard. 

A new language! Possibly an entirely unheard of land, community, history, and culture that no one (not even her mother who had left one day to travel the world or Professor Clover or the many historians of the past) ever heard of. Perhaps it was connected to Void Century. Perhaps-

Robin eagerly approached the stranger with a new book in hand to take notes.

Although Robin was momentarily interrupted by her Captain's appearance, the stranger having suddenly left to clean the pots and knives they used when Captain and the rest appeared, Robin was pleasantly surprised and satisfied to have a fascinating conversation with the stranger while Sanji cooked and Nami distracted the others (especially Luffy) from interrupting Robin and the stranger's conversation.

Very pleasantly surprised and satisfied, almost so much so that she felt herself relaxing her guard in the conversation much more than she anticipated because she felt like she was at home (something she never felt for years).

Crocodile may have wanted her for her knowledge, but Crocodile never cared for the details or the pursuit or anything other than what was on the Poneglyph - but the stranger - Although Robin and the stranger spoke different languages, she had never felt so similar to a person in years as they both shared and passed on information, asked questions and answered them in depth, tried to learn each other's language and nuances quickly with all the little details that others wouldn't care about, wouldn't even think about, but (Robin's inner historian - the side of her that loved to learn and would even read the most boring and obscure books on the shelves as a child - beamed) she and the stranger did. 

(She felt like she was back in Ohara where all the historians would argue and debate, discuss and hypothesize, talk and ask questions, teach and learn and learn-)

Robin didn't think she could have understood another language faster from another person.

Judging by how much better the stranger got at using the Red Line Standard throughout their conversation, Robin didn't think another person could understand another language faster either.

Still, there were many more things to cover and discover, and unfortunately, the little time before Cook-san shouted that dinner was ready was just that - little. 

Robin sighed as she let their dear Doctor steal the stranger away, but it couldn't be helped.

Robin smiled as she continued writing in her book while joining them at the dining table. 

This was what her Devil Fruit was for.

Robin summoned two more hands to hold her bowl and feed herself as she continued jotting down all her observations and notes.

To her smile, the stranger only gave the new hands sprouted on the table an intrigued look before turning to receive the large bowl of shark stew that their Doctor had given him in surprise.

Her smile softened even more so as she watched the stranger hold the bowl of stew carefully, so preciously after the stranger got over his surprise, obviously enjoying the warmth of it (and savoring (what must be) the odd and touching thought of being given it (despite how much the stranger deserved it) and perhaps because of that reaction to a simple bowl of stew given to them that Robin knew so well because she herself had once felt it, Robin knew that the stranger was not going to eat it.)

(And the stranger didn't.)

(There was an odd feeling within Robin that she couldn't describe because she too was still currently holding the Straw Hats at a distance.

She distracted herself from it by focusing on writing all her notes on the stranger, the stranger's language and things she understood from the stranger, writing everything down rapidly, faster and faster before she could forget any detail. She wouldn't, not when the stranger was so fascinating, but she liked the distraction.)

Later, after the rest of the Straw Hats asked questions about their guest, after the wolves came and Captain-san dragged the stranger to dance with him around the fire under the starry night, the odd feeling went away.

Robin smiled as the stranger returned to her side after the night grew long and the rest of the crew began to stumble from their party-drinking and sleep. 

They continued talking, speaking even very late into the night about the island, their theories and observations, even things outside the stranger's different language.

It was a pleasant conversation and a beautiful night.

Chapter Text

Luffy didn't know why Zoro was so wary of the mystery man (woman?), but Zoro was sometimes silly like that because the mystery man was really a great person! He saved Chopper and Merry! Luffy couldn't stop smiling because Merry felt different, felt so much happier and better than she had before he had gone on a miniature adventure earlier!

Luffy wanted to hug the mystery man in thanks, but something told him that it wasn't a good idea even though Chopper got to sit with the mystery man and even pat the mystery man's leg when the mystery man had tensed at one of Sanji's funny heart eyes.

Luffy wanted to sit close to the mystery man too - maybe even touch one of those cool feathers that shimmered blue and green under the light. Mystery feathers! Luffy knew he had saw ice on them earlier!

But Luffy forced himself to not get too close - Makino once told him that when he was older, he had to be more considerate of girls when they really didn't like boys looking or touching them and Chopper said that the mystery man used 'atashi' so he might be a she (?) - It was hard because Luffy wanted to hug the mystery man in thanks for making Merry so happy and make the mystery man with mystery wings join the crew, but Luffy remembered Makino's serious expression and words when she taught Ace and him manners.

Well, he did, but later when he saw the mystery man sitting so alone while everyone else was partying and singing and dancing with the wolves around the bonfire, Luffy had to get the mystery man to join them! He couldn't let the mystery man remain sad as the mystery man watched afar in the dark while everyone else was so happy and free and partying! 

Rushing over, Luffy grabbed the mystery man's hands and dragged the mystery man out of the darkness and towards the warm bright fire that now reminded Luffy of Ace, his older brother. Although the mystery man was surprised and tried to pull away, Luffy felt a change - something different, something not quite rejection and not like the exception Makino once told him - and Luffy happily pulled the mystery man into the light all the more insistent, his instinct telling him not to let go of the mystery man's hands even if the mystery man was trying to make him. 

"Nishishishi, come on! Let's dance and party together! Join us!" Luffy yelled as he threw their connected hands up and down, as he stomped in wide nonsensical gestures and had them dance around the bonfire, them having gotten so close to the light of the fire that Luffy could see the reflection of his smile in the mystery man's wide eyes. 

The mystery man's hands shook before the mystery man abruptly tried pulling away again, but instead, the movement caused the both of them to spin and Luffy laughed as they orbited one another, their hands interlocked as they spun in wild circles around the fire.

In all that time they were spinning, although the mystery man's hands would intermittently tremble, the mystery man didn't pull away again.

And they were dancing.

For a short while.

But Luffy beamed, knowing that the mystery man wasn't going to be alone and in that weird state in the dark again when Luffy went to dance with some more of the funny wolves.

And Luffy was right- Luffy beamed as he watched the mystery man join Robin and talk instead of that weird sitting alone in the dark in boring silence while watching everyone else have fun thing the mystery man was doing earlier while everyone was partying.

This was much better.

Luffy wanted all his friends to be happy together!

Chapter Text

They met briefly before they had to split up.

Of course, this time without Luffy, because they all already knew by now their Captain's thoughts on this.

Actually, this impromptu secret meeting was because they knew their Captain's thoughts on this.

"100 Beri that Luffy's going to make our 'temporary' honored guest a permanent crew member." Usopp began and Nami snorted, crossing her arms.

"No deal." That was a losing bet and everyone knew it. 

Robin chuckled. "I don't think it's so bad. As our honored guest had said, they can fix wood, make clothes, fight, play music, and I'm sure there were many other things before Captain interrupted Mister Scholar." Robin said, especially to the one who was most unhappy about the idea of their honored guest becoming a permanent member.

Zoro huffed, his narrowed eyes declaring that he was still a little suspicious of her. 

And Robin smiled at him, amused because she didn't blame him. (If they truly knew her or at least read the stories about her, then perhaps they all would be more wary of her than even the scholar.)

Ignorant of the little byplay between the swordsman and historian, Chopper raised his hoof. "I don't mind! I like Hakase!"

Although Usopp hadn't been that close to the admittedly beautiful but rather scary-looking scholar like Chopper was after the two spent an entire day fixing Merry together, Usopp conceded. "Hakase did save Chopper, fix the Merry, and did a good job of it despite having no reason to."

Nami nodded. "Free labor and we even got paid!" Nami beamed as she caressed the ball of gold and pearls that the scholar had given to her.

"Oi." Both Usopp and Chopper said.

"I don't mind either!" Sanji smiled as he shared his own thoughts on their honored guest.

And that was that.

Though all of them did have a question in their mind...

"Who stole from Hakase?" Usopp asked, still befuddled by that last thing the scholar had told them when they had invited the scholar to join them in raiding the Golden City of their gold. After having heard the story of how easily the scholar had killed the priest that was trying to kill Chopper and seen some of the supernatural things that the scholar could do (manipulate metal, create ice, possibly wield that scary black sword the scholar had), it was hard to imagine that the proud scholar got robbed by someone.

Even harder to imagine was that the scholar got robbed by someone and still didn't bother to go after them, instead staying to protect and help a talking reindeer fix a ship for an entire day, until now.

(Admittedly, it was that the scholar still chose to help Chopper and Merry instead of finding and getting his stolen belongings back that made Usopp warm a little more up to the cold scholar.)

Nami and Robin exchanged dark, quiet glances, Nami remembering Robin mentioning that the scholar might not be wearing their clothes by choice, meaning even the scholar's clothes might have gotten stolen and even forcefully changed...

And Nami growled. "I hope Hakase castrates whoever stole their things."

The boys in the room gave her wide-eyed looks.

Even if Nami, as a thief, was the most spiteful when anything that was remotely hers was stolen, that was...

But Nami didn't repent and sensing that there was something more, they all didn't say a word, instead leaving to prepare for a trip to the Golden City.

Chapter Text

"Wait."

The Scholar stopped snarling down at the befallen 'God' that was still laughing despite the situation, despite the God's defeat, despite the Scholar's foot trampling and pinning him down and the Scholar's sword that was at the fallen God's neck, even drawing blood.

Something about that just pissed Nami off, so much so that she was stomping towards the powerful Lightning Logia that she ordinarily wouldn't want to get close to even if he was defeated.

(Was this how Luffy felt when Arlong laughed in the face of her pain, in the face of all her suffering-)

"That bastard doesn't deserve to die by your hands." Especially when the perverted bastard God was so obviously still enjoying it - being defeated, being stepped on by the Scholar, being glared at and looked down upon by the Scholar that the 'God' claimed was his 'Lesser Half', his 'God of Life'.

This. Bastard. Was. Still. Enjoying. It.

Treating it as some kind of game, some kind of play, something not serious-

And Nami glared at the Scholar, startling the Scholar a little at her anger, her dark, wrathful expression.

"That sword. Can it hurt him?" Nami asked, pointing to the black sword in the Scholar's hand.

It once scared Nami a little because it felt like Zoro's cursed sword except worse, but now, all Nami wanted to do was use it to curse, to inflict as much pain as possible, to-

The Scholar faltered a little, still a little taken aback by her and then her question, but answered, following her finger to his sword as if double-checking that it was his black sword that she was pointing at. "...Yes?"

That was all Nami needed to know. With all the indifference she had to touching and stealing a swordsman's beloved sword (ask Zoro), Nami strode forward to demand, "Give it to me."

The Scholar looked even more baffled - an expression that didn't quite suit the scholar and would have made her laugh on any other day - but Nami was serious today and she wanted that sword.

"Wait-" The still baffled Scholar snapped out of his blank stare to try to stop her from grabbing his black sword. "To wield Xin Mo, you need a strong will-"

Nami laughed as she forcefully pulled Xin Mo from the Scholar's hand. "Then there's no need to worry." Nami smiled happily, demonically, "Because right now, I have a strong will to cut this person's dick off."

And so, Enel was not laughing anymore by the time Nami was done with him. 

Instead, he was screaming - and the Scholar might have gotten newfound respect for her at the end of the important procedure Nami had subjected her involuntary dick-headed patient to.

Chapter Text

Although the Scholar had swords (one as white as the one at his side, another with an ominous aura like Kitetsu, both with a presence that made him a little intrigued enough to want to see them closely), Zoro wasn't that interested in fighting a swordsman wearing a dress. 

After all, it wasn't like Zoro wanted to fight every person in the world who had a sword, which was quite frankly a lot considering how almost half the population of pirates, marines, bounty hunters, soldiers and guards, anyone who needed to protect themselves from all that went on in the world had one.

That the scholar was ornated with golden chains and pearls and pink seashells woven into his long braided hair and was wearing a beautiful, delicate robe of multiple floaty layers that looked like something no one would want to do any activity that might cause it to rip or stain because of its cost while wearing it also helped kill any of Zoro's interest.

Although Zoro was certain that one of the Scholar's swords was of a high grade, there were quite a number of people who had high quality weapons that they may not be deserving of (that shameless blond brat at Shells Town with two dogs he couldn't control and countless marines that listened to his beck and call because of his marine captain father, the sword collectors Wado Ichimonji once always attracted, though a good swordsman needed a good sword, good swords didn't make the good swordsman).

There was Chopper's story of how Chopper was saved by the scholar and the scholar had given Zoro a rather formidable glare in response to Zoro's own when they met, but eh. The priest riding on a bird and got taken out in a second didn't sound very strong and the scholar himself didn't seem like someone who lived by the sword and trained every day to get stronger ("I want to be the world's greatest swordsman!"). 

As the first mate, Zoro would keep an eye on the scholar because of the many people and things that threatened them on the island so far and because Luffy, his stubborn idiot captain, was already wanting to get the scholar to join, but other than that, Zoro wasn't that interested in the new person on the ship.

But then that - an angel of war descending, black eyes turning red, anger, so much anger and tension that it was palpable, and then the attempt to cut down a self-proclaimed god, lightning itself - happened and Zoro knew that he wanted to try fighting against the Scholar in a spar.

The high quality swords weren't decorative. The scholar was definitely a swordsman, and a rather good one too.

Zoro wanted to test himself against the Scholar at least once.

When Zoro asked one day while they were sailing back in the Blue Sea, however, the Scholar tensed, his guard instantly raising and dark eyes shuttering into a blank calm that revealed none of his thoughts.

Robin, who had been in the middle of a conversation with the Scholar before Zoro had approached, glanced between them before speaking to the scholar in the scholar's own language.

Hopefully, she was translating to their new member that Zoro only meant a friendly spar with no ill intentions (he heard of hazing in other crews and oppressing the upstart and things like that, but no, that was not what he meant; Zoro honestly just wanted to test himself against a new swordsman, that was all) because the Scholar was nakama now - Zoro heard that the scholar had saved Chopper and saw the scholar fixing Merry and being dragged into a dance by Luffy, but nothing spoke more of trustworthiness than seeing the scholar, even in his berserk rage, sacrificing himself without a second's hesitation to take on the bulk of a lightning strike for Robin. And from that moment on, it became more and more obvious that Zoro didn't have to keep his guard up and eye on the scholar Luffy wanted to recruit anymore.

Hakase didn't know it yet, but Hakase was already one with the crew - and Zoro mentally snorted at the scholar's reaction when the scholar realized in the future that their captain wasn't going to let him go next island.

Zoro patiently watched as Robin translated Zoro's intentions to the Scholar, though Zoro kept an attentive eye on the Scholar's body language and reactions.

Although they still didn't know much about the Scholar's past, and even if the Scholar wasn't a self-proclaimed swordsman (no, Hakase told them to call him Hakase because 'a scholar' was what he was), why did the Scholar react that way to a request to spar? No one got that good with the sword without training and sparring with others and at least some desire to fight with a sword outside of basic self-defense lessons.

Throughout whatever Robin was saying, Hakase's body language relaxed a little (thank goodness because he did not want to ruin their tentatively good relationship with Hakase and get everyone's, especially Chopper and his Captain's, look of disappointment if Hakase began distancing himself from them because of him), but Hakase's eyes were still blank and guarded as he looked down.

When Robin finished, Hakase was quiet. But both Robin and Zoro were patient, even Nami who had noticed the tension and subtly set her newspaper down to watch from afar, ready to provide a distraction to diffuse the tension if necessary, and after a few seconds, Hakase finally responded, speaking slowly in answer.

"I don't fight with just the sword."

As Zoro watched Hakase's hands subtly close into tight fists, Zoro thought back to how the scholar had launched some kicks at Enel in that fight. Also to how the scholar's wings always seemed to shimmer with ice and how the scholar himself could manipulate metal - even plants and other things if Enel's story was to believed.

Although Zoro did prefer a spar with just swords, many people on the Grand Line didn't fight with just swords and so he shrugged.

"That's fine."

"Even if I don't hold my swords to use them?"

Zoro did remember that too and it made sense that if Hakase could manipulate metal, then Hakase could also manipulate swords in mid-air, even fight with swords without physically holding them in his hands too. It didn't look like it had stopped Hakase's mastery over his sword techniques though so, after a second's thought, Zoro didn't mind that either as long as Hakase took the fight seriously. 

"Sure."

"...You won't ask for a rematch if I use some tricks."

And ah. Though Hakase was subtle about it, there was no hiding the emotion in that subtly spat out word. Or the way his fists tightened so much that his hands were turning white. 

"No." Zoro said resolutely, matching Hakase's gaze when Hakase finally turned those blank, calm, dark eyes towards him. "If I lost to some tricks, then that's on me. My dream is to be the greatest swordsman in the world and if tricks were enough to bother and defeat me, then that means that I still have a long way to go."

Especially in this world where many of the greatest swordsmen had Devil Fruit powers and although the strongest swordsman had no Devil Fruit power, the strongest person in the world could create earthquakes.

Rather than disparaging them, Zoro would actually welcome the tricks. It would be great practice for the future, especially because Hakase's tricks were many and versatile, helping him prepare against many different Devil Fruit users and tricky opponents he and the rest of the Straw Hats may face in the future.

Hakase stared at him for a long while, but Zoro never faltered.

And then...

"Alright." Hakase relented, the tension in his body releasing as he unclenched his hands and stood up. "However, the match will be in half an hour. I will have to set a barrier for Merry first."

It was the first time that Zoro had heard that Hakase could make barriers and Zoro wondered a little how Hakase could do that with the paper he pulled out of his pouch, but it didn't matter.

He got his spar.

Zoro smirked.

"Sounds good."

Hakase scoffed, especially at Zoro's happy smirk, but set to work on writing on his rectangular papers - Usopp joining Robin to curiously watch Hakase.

As Zoro walked past Nami to wait for the barrier to be set up, Nami smiled, calling out to him as she flipped a page, pretending that she had always been reading the newspaper and not watching the earlier confrontation.

"500 Beri on Hakase. You better not say that you don't owe me after the spar because you lost to some tricks."

Zoro snorted, but recognizing it as Nami's support for Hakase (and not just her coming up with new ways to get money), Zoro nodded to the bet.

"As if I will say that."

What sore losers had been accusing Hakase and demanding rematches from Hakase in the past?

Chapter Text

Although the hands were like a human's, they were fuzzy - furry like the reindeer's fur.

After all, they were the reindeer's hands, only somehow the reindeer had turned more human.

Still, he found that he didn't mind the human-like hands on him as much as he would for any other.

Maybe it was because he knew that the 'human' was a reindeer. Maybe it was because the reindeer was so visibly concerned over him, a stranger, and was making cute distraught noises as he spread burn salve over his wounds and bandaged him. Maybe it was because the reindeer knew nothing about qi and could not understand how much of a mess his meridians - his cultivation - were too.

If Mu Qingfang was a cute, innocent reindeer, would Shen Jiu allow Mu Qingfang to examine him too?

Probably not, because Mu Qingfang was still with Cang Qiong and he couldn't bring himself to trust any of them now or ever, even if they all were reindeers.

"Mister Scholar," The Historian began asking, being in the infirmary for the same reasons as he - lightning burns from the Pig. "For medical reasons, Mister Doctor wanted to know more about the wings you created. Ah. The... Pig told us that you created them."

He snorted in amusement, involuntarily a little happy that she called the Pig a Pig as the Pig deserved. Although he was a little miffed that the Pig talked about him, he thought about it and explained that they didn't need to worry about the wings. Although they were grafted in, they weren't like conventional biological wings so he could take care of it instead.

It was an explanation he would have never given Mu Qingfang, but Mu Qingfang wasn't a reindeer and Shen Jiu felt more generous towards worrying-their-antlers-off reindeers.

Chapter Text

Although Xin Mo was a sword that Shen Jiu couldn't really give away, Shen Jiu had honestly thought about it.

Because Mister Swordsman who kept getting lost truly did need a way to get back to them in a timely way.

If Mister Swordsman had Xin Mo, then at least if he found himself in a completely different place from everyone else, he could return to the ship in a second's slash.

But then again - and this was always the reason why Shen Jiu never went through with the idea - if Shen Jiu gave Xin Mo to Mister Swordsman to at least have a way to directly teleport back to the ship, would it still somehow backfire and Mister Swordsman would get lost in a completely different dimension?

From his experience in this world and with these people, Shen Jiu could confidently say: Yes. Mister Swordsman would still somehow get lost. And it was better that Mister Swordsman didn't get lost in another time and space while Mister Swordsman was at it.

Chapter Text

The other ship shot cannonballs at them while their Captain was distracted taking out their captain and pretty much everyone on the ship that their over-exuberant Captain had slingshotted himself and Zoro over to.

In the aftermath of the fight, everyone was silent as Nami quietly held what little was left of the orange trees that had been obliterated by the cannonballs.

"They were from her mother's orchard. Nami's late mother had a farm of orange trees." Merry explained to him, though even without the little explanation, the scholar had known that the orange trees were precious to Nami from the way she had always tended to sit next to it, from the way Sanji and the others would always ask for permission to pick its fruit.

Hakase was quiet before he asked, "Did you pick any of its fruit this morning, Mister Cook?"

Sanji was startled by the sudden question, especially when they all had been in a silent reverie, but nodded, sensing that there was more to Hakase's question than on the surface.

Hakase nodded and quietly slipped into the kitchen. In the pin silence and atmosphere of grief, his stealthy actions were more than conspicuous though and there was no hiding the orange he was peeling when he returned from the kitchen.

"You..." Usopp began, feeling a little iffy about Hakase taking one of the last, maybe even the last, orange and peeling it in front of Nami and the destroyed orange trees at this time.

But what words Usopp had wanted to say were abruptly lost when Hakase took the seeds out of the orange, planted them in the spilled soil on the deck, and began to sing in that language of his.

Instead, all of them stared as a green sapling appeared amidst the dirt. One, and then a multitude, and then they began growing and growing.

Hakase only stopped singing when the seeds were once again orange trees, vibrant with many green leaves and full of fruit. 

And then Hakase paused, looking a little unsure as he explained, "It might not be the same, but-"

Hakase didn't have to explain. Before he could even get through with a single excuse, Nami hugged him.

"Thank you."

And they all helped to bring out new pots to transplant the new trees.

Just in case, Nami gave Hakase some seeds from the new orange trees to keep in Hakase's qiankun pouches for storage.

Chapter Text

Hakase didn't think of himself as a bad teacher.

Strict, yes, but bad? Hmph. He had taught snotty, spoiled little brats calligraphy, painting, literature, all the arts before. Regardless of whether Yue Qingyuan favored him or not, Hakase wouldn't have become Peak Lord if the previous Qing Jing Peak Lord had not thought that he was the best for the position and Peak Lords were required to teach disciples, even have a successor by the end of their Peak Lord-ship.

And don't anyone dare use the little beast as an example.

Hakase didn't think of himself as a bad teacher.

And Hakase would continue to think so even after his latest failure.

Everyone - even Robin, Nami, and Zoro - didn't bother to hide their laughter as Hakase stared at his latest student's - Luffy's - painting.

"...It's... abstract art." Hakase decided after staring at the monstrosity that was his Captain's painting a little longer. 

"No, silly!" Luffy exclaimed, probably not knowing what 'abstract art' even meant. "It's an Atlas beetle!"

"Oh..." Hakase definitely did not see it. And Hakase had helped his Captain read through the entire illustrated encyclopedia of bugs that they got from the last island when Hakase had decided that his Captain was not going to be illiterate a second longer when they all realized while Robin was teaching him the Red Line Standard language that Captain also had never learned to read beyond the bare basics.

How did this happen in the first place? Hakase could have sworn that he had walked Luffy through the process of sketching and painting and yet somehow it turned out like this. Was this another law of this new world? Zoro was meant to always get lost, his Captain was meant to always paint abstract art? No! Hakase was not going to give up yet! 

Determined, Hakase decided to see where he went wrong (and if there was a law because some god forsaken them and created an invisible system or did something because of the karma of their past life, then what loophole he could make).

"I see." Hakase repeated with composure, ignoring the laughs of the other crewmates, "It's an Atlas beetle. Then let's try to draw it again. This time, I will also draw one."

Hakase decided to draw one for his captain to color in like the coloring books Hakase remembered in Shen Yuan's memories. Hakase was going to still keep an eye on his captain, but maybe everything started to go wrong during the coloring part and his captain could draw at the very least.

Yes, if Hakase could teach his captain how to make drums as he had when his captain wanted to make instruments with him when his captain saw Hakase making a qin, then Hakase could teach him how to paint.

For some reason, Hakase never minded trying to teach his captain things once in a while. It helped that his captain would always try to listen even if literal steam came out of his ears sometimes when his captain was thinking. It helped that his captain was always smiling and laughing, even more so after they succeeded together after many attempts and his captain would thank him for helping him with whatever it was that he needed help with. 

It helped that his captain always saw him when he was teaching. Hakase was never a bully, a lecher, a meanie, a former spoiled noble's child with privileges and no idea of hardships, the lofty Peak Lord, the despised disciple - many things - when he was with his captain. 

He was just himself.

And despite that, his captain still wanted to be with him (even coming up with ways to include him when the captain intuited that he felt too distant, shackled by his past, and lonely).

Chapter Text

At the end of the journey - one long, eventful journey that he never would have dreamed he'd embark on when he left Cang Qiong, but now would never give up on - he stared blankly at One Piece, the final goal (destination?) of their journey.

"What are you thinking of?" Robin asked with a smile, though her perceptive eyes seemed to have the same thoughts, if not a different degree of it, in them.

He thought about it for a while before slowly answering, "...It'll be over." Robin hummed and he continued as he tried to wrap around his next words, grasp for the future, but couldn't imagine what it was. "What will... we do now?"

And how odd it was to think in terms of 'we' instead of just 'himself' now, but after so many months, even years together, he couldn't help but want... He didn't want to... He couldn't imagine wandering alone again.

But will they disband now that they reached the end?

He felt odd at the idea of separating from this crew of people who forced themselves into his life and made themselves an addicting fixture, but after so long of coming to terms that he liked them, he couldn't bring himself to go against them and anything they want now. 

To them, he felt more than a desire to give them his loyalty. Unlike with Cang Qiong, he felt so much more.

But before he could voice all that, before he could even fully get together all his thoughts, his captain jumped him from behind, laughing into his ear as he hugged him full-bodily in the way only a rubber-man could.

"What are we going to do now? Isn't it obvious? We'll go on our next adventure! Most of us still haven't finished our dreams! And even when we travel this whole world, didn't you say that there are many others?! I want to go see another world!"

As he stared at his captain's wide grin and listened to that loud 'Nishishishi' in his ears, Robin smiled.

"It would be interesting to learn more languages and cultures, the histories of other worlds and compare it to our own."

"Do you think there are medicines in other worlds that could help with the still incurable diseases of this one?" Chopper asked innocently and with all the curiosity of a doctor genuinely interested in wanting to know.

"I will be the greatest swordsman in the universe." Zoro declared, his hand on that white sword he used to defeat Mihawk.

"The greatest warrior of the universe! Kaya would love to hear stories of the other worlds!"

Everyone said their piece, expanding their dreams, and he couldn't help but smile, settled and glad... Even if the next world was the original world that he had escaped from, he didn't think he would mind as long as he was with these people who taught him how to trust and live and love again.

He would like to go to more places. 

Xiu Ya and Xin Mo, its resentment and everything having been cleared over time because nothing negative could remain so in the presence of Luffy, also agreed.

And so, it was decided.

"Why would he write that?! Damn it, Airplane! How could you do that to Wife #-"

As a young man typed furiously an essay of a comment on his computer, the television in the background reported breaking news of a lion-headed galleon looking exactly like the iconic ship of a popular mainstream manga appearing out of nowhere in the open seas in between the coasts of China and Japan.

But it didn't matter because it wasn't his story and the former 'scum-villain' that it was the story of didn't care about him, the author, or the stupid story with all its stupid people-characters anymore either.

Shen Jiu, Shen Qingqiu, Hakase, [his name] was free.

And with his found family, he would always remain free and happy too.

Chapter Text

It was Nami who realized it first. 

Her eyes narrowed after one stray thought passed through her head, a careless observation that then became more harrowing and serious when she actually thought about it and then realized that her stray thought was true.

From beside her, Robin noticed and gave her a subtle questioning look. Across from her, Zoro also noticed and narrowed his eyes, asking wordless questions with his own eyes, but Nami gave a gesture that they should talk about it later.

And so, dinner continued... with Hakase sneaking all of his food to Luffy again.

-

Sanji felt his heart drop. Even if Hakase was a confirmed man (and damn did that (and Hakase's natural beauty) confuse him once in a while still), what did Nami-swan mean that Hakase had been sneaking all of his food to Luffy whenever he wasn't looking?

"That can't be right..." Sanji said in horror, quickly thinking back and trying to recall a time Hakase asked him for a snack or if any of the things in his kitchen had been missing recently.

But no, as Sanji had answered Nami's first question earlier, Hakase had not been asking for snacks. Neither had his refrigerator or pantry been disturbed since Sanji had locked it triply over to bar it from their gluttonous captain's hands.

"What about the oranges?" Usopp asked and Nami, always attentive over her mini orchard, shook her head.

"He doesn't touch any of my trees." Hakase was very perceptive and respectful of things that he observed were important to others. The only time Hakase had touched other people's things without permission was to fix Merry and even then that was probably only because Sanji wasn't there to stop him from taking the pots and knives.

"Hakase does have those weird pouches." Chopper suggested, desperate hope in his eyes though a hoof was still held against his mouth in horror at the thought of Hakase starving. Chopper had seen starved people and animals in abnormally long and cold winters on Drum Island. That Hakase could be the same right now...

"Right." Usopp nodded quickly. "He has those pouches. I mean, we should ask - just in case, you know - but it could be that he had just been feeding himself with those pouches of who knows what."

But all of them frowned, a little doubtful because none of them could recall a single memory of Hakase eating. Or drinking anything for that matter. Or-

...Actually, was Hakase sleeping?! Was that something they had to look out for too?!

All of them were shaken as they began trying to remember what had they seen Hakase do in all the time that Hakase had been on their ship.

Talk to everyone, especially Robin, once in a while, make a few wooden instruments because Luffy wanted a musician and was still trying to teach Hakase the song Bink's Sake, spar with Zoro, read books to catch up on the world's history and language...

Luffy personally dragged Hakase to the men's quarters to show him the hammock and blankets he could use to sleep, but had Hakase even touched it?

No, Usopp belatedly thought. Although Hakase could have taken the blankets to sneakily sleep somewhere more private and not filled with so many men, the blanket was still neatly folded on the hammock. 

"Right." Nami decided. "One of us should talk to him."

-

"Do you not need to sleep or eat, Hakase?" Merry asked, feeling a little guilty that she hadn't noticed. 

Hakase wasn't surprised honestly and Hakase pointed it out - that Merry shouldn't feel guilty because she ordinarily wouldn't have noticed since Merry also didn't need to eat and sleep.

Merry smiled, relieved and grateful for his assurance, but asked curiously why Hakase was different from the other humans.

Hakase explained some concepts about inedia and taking water and energy from the atmosphere and sun if necessary, to Merry's curiosity.

When Robin, who had been elected to subtly ask about him, prodded him with questions, Hakase realized from where Merry's concern originated and reluctantly felt a little happy that the crew he was currently with cared enough to notice. (Had Ming Fan not muttered anything, his fellow Peak Lords - even the little beast that forced himself into his side room - wouldn't know anything for a long time.)

"I'm fine." Hakase said and though Robin still looked concerned, she said nothing more after his response to her last question on the subject matter.

"Is it a practice from your culture...?" A leading question about whether he was fasting and abstaining to certain things because of religion or culture.

"No." A denial with a tone that asked for her to drop the topic... and also suggested that he was reflecting on it now that it was called to his attention.

A semi-unconscious decision. One that warranted self-reflection upon awareness. Not a cultural practice or tradition or self-rule.

Then it was a choice born from...

Robin quieted. Even as she allowed the topic to be dropped, her mind continued thinking about it, continued analyzing and then hoping that Hakase would trust them enough to eat their food, sleep in their presence, relax, accept, and even rely upon them.

Although Robin couldn't deny her basic needs for survival like Hakase apparently could (and how anyone could go without eating and drinking and sleeping for so many days and still look as Hakase did forever, Robin could not even fathom), Robin - as someone who had also been ostracized, betrayed, beaten many times - could understand how Hakase was still holding back despite everything. 

(And because of that, Robin could somewhat still hope and believe that one day, Luffy would be able to break Hakase's walls and bring the distant scholar into their pack.

After all, the Captain - everyone on this ship - was wearing down her own walls day by day.)

-

Being the one with a pouch that held virtually infinite space and stored things in such a way that the things stored would not rot, Nami reluctantly let go of her dreams to use Hakase as her shopping spree pack mule to get Hakase instead to help Sanji and Chopper restock their food and medical supplies.

Of course, everyone ignored Hakase's reminder that he was only a temporary member and now that they were on a decent island, their deal was concluded and it was time for him to leave.

Usopp laughed and lied about how they all knew, but it would be nice if Hakase could help them one last time to restock. 

Hakase huffed, but didn't argue - and everyone smiled, knowing that the shopping trip would turn into something else which would turn into something else and then another thing on and on until the Log Pose set and Luffy dragged the scholar with them onto another trip, Hakase kicking and screaming or not.

But for now, Hakase joined Sanji, Usopp, and Chopper in browsing the little stalls leading to the main market plaza.

Which led them to their current status.

"Hakase," Chopper began innocently when Chopper noticed Hakase stop for a fraction of a second. Turning his head to see what Hakase was looking at, Chopper beamed, already quickly digging out some Beri to buy some of it.

"Do you want some candy fruit skewers too?" Chopper asked happily, having been wanting to feed the scholar something for weeks even if Robin had reported back to them that Hakase could go without eating and Chopper's own medical examination of the scholar confirmed their words so.

Even if Hakase was somehow still healthy, Chopper still wanted Hakase to eat and if Hakase stopped at the sight of the food stall, even murmured something in his own language about it, then surely Hakase liked candy fruit skewers, right?

To Chopper's delight, Hakase paused with that frown of his, but eventually, slowly did take one of the skewers in Chopper's hooves to stick the beautifully candied fruit in his mouth.

Chopper could cry as he ate his own candied fruit skewer. Hakase was finally eating! Hakase was finally eating something even if candied fruit skewers weren't exactly healthy.

Even Usopp was tearing up like a mother watching her stubborn child finally eat.

Meanwhile, Sanji gaped and sputtered, looking so positively offended at the candy skewer in Hakase's hands.

"WHAT!! YOU'RE KIDDING ME!! AFTER EVERYTHING THAT I - DO YOU KNOW - I CAN'T BELIEVE IT - AND FOR CANDY?!"

As Sanji yelled and pulled at his own hair, Hakase half-obliviously, half-amusedly watched him while eating the food that reminded him a lot of tanghulu... something that reminded him a lot of Yue Qingyuan when they were little... but seeing the little reindeer's bright smile, Hakase decided to not even acknowledge that small memory and to just be content in the present.

Candied hawthorns were more nostalgic, the more traditional tanghulu fruit, but Hakase didn't mind too much that it was candied strawberries instead.

Upon realizing that Hakase wasn't even listening to him, Sanji growled and swore that Hakase was going to eat the next meal that Sanji cooked for him.

Hakase wondered about that as he followed the chef to the market, them continuing their course. 

-

-

-

But then Enies Lobby happened.

Hakase hesitated when Sanji slammed down a meal in front of him, wordlessly reminding Hakase of Sanji's self-proclaimed promise already so long ago. And although Hakase still had reservations... Hakase remembered all that had gone down the last few days ("Say you want to live!") and swallowed, slowly taking the fork and knife placed by the dish.

It wasn't chopsticks, but he had watched them eat (so happily, so freely, so lively) for a long time so he knew how to use them.

And use them, he did.

Sanji beamed when Hakase took his first bite.

Better than anything the little beast could concoct up, it tasted like freedom. It tasted like life.

('I also want to live' came the unworded cry in his heart as he watched Miss Historian cry.

It wasn't his world's flag that was burned, it wasn't his shackles that everyone fought to find the key of and unlock, it wasn't him that they were all fighting tooth and nail and every ounce of their being for, but Hakase imagined it was all the same.)

("Live!")