Chapter Text
He’d gone all over it in his head again and again. How they had finally stood, face to face, nothing mattering but their fight, in the mirror world. It had been a long time since he fought, and to be honest, he didn’t expect much. But Strawhat kept and kept surprising him.
It was supposed to be just another rookie, just another nobody to forget quickly. In contrary, Strawhat gave him a vibe of… Was it danger? No. It was fun. The little rookie, looking like nothing more than just a boy, had fun He was dwarfing him, dominating him, being superior in every aspect, but the stupid Strawhat had fun.
The glint in his eyes, as if it was a challenge, a challenge he could win, never dimming once. Katakuri was amazed. Most of his opponents were either throwing useless temper tantrums or faltering under his gaze when their roles became clear, yet Strawhat embraced victory without a thought, despite knowing he was the weaker one.
They got locked in another bout of testing the enemy, testing each other with a flurry of blows. And suddenly Strawhat flinched. Without any obvious reason, taking a blow from his trident. His heart dropped. This could’ve been fun. It was the best fight he ever had until now, the first real opponent he didn’t hopelessly outclass. Well, at least according to the shine in Strawhats eyes all the time.
He remembers their training. Trust your enemy, he knows you better than yourself. Now, he looks up to Mama, stopping himself from zoning out. Napoleon is in her hand, being wildly swung around, while Prometheus is set aflame, angrily spewing fire everywhere. An inferno grande is brewing over Tottoland, the weather affected by her ire.
Still, it is different than anything it used to look like. The dark, smoky clouds and dry air including incredible heat are still there, but it misses the friction, the electrical tension of the atmosphere, the typical thunderbolts. Katakuri is overcome by a weird feeling of incomplete nostalgia. He notices Perosperos unnatural silence by his side.
They can’t interfere. But they know she’ll lose. At least he does. Strawhat is wearing the exact same expression. It seems time for him to go. It has only been a few weeks, but with the high tension it felt like forever to him. All the stupid tasks they made him do and he couldn’t recline because of his slip up with Pudding.
But he admits, that in a weird way all of those tasks seemed to keep him at a certain distance from Mama, so he is sure his idiot siblings just tried to care for him in their own way.
He remembers all of them.
Pudding. Why don’t you just go with them?
Daifuku. I’m glad that you found something that makes you happy.
Brulee. I can’t believe you’re happy about this brat escaping.
Oven. I don’t get you. But I can’t stop you for your own good.
Flampe. This little Strawhat cretin made you hurt so bad.
Perospero. Do you really think I can?
It’s time to say goodbye for him.
On a small island, protected by the red-haired pirates, a new resident and bakery owner opens her newspaper. “Big Mom defeated! Charlotte Katakuri joins the Strawhats” She can’t help but smile to herself. I’m glad you found a new home, big brother. Just like I did. Underneath the headline, there is a photo printed, the very same decorating his new bounty poster. It shows sharp teeth glinting in the sunlight.