Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The daytime breeze, as always, was refreshing, and the sun warmed the skin. But something was off that day: an eerie silence spread through the forest, as if the world was holding its breath in anticipation of something

Ace, sensing something unusual, decided to take a walk along the beach, hoping to shake off the feeling

"Waiting for me, Ace?"

A feminine—no, girlish—voice, unstable due to puberty, called out from the forest. Ace turned toward the disturbingly familiar voice and saw her

"Not a chance. We’ve barely known each other. Why would I wait for you?"

He snorted, crossing his arms over his chest and turning away from her, a faint, almost invisible blush coloring his cheeks

"Oh, come on, a week is enough time to know each other, isn’t it~?"

The girl, around seventeen, sang teasingly as she approached the shorter boy, who looked about ten

Ace said nothing, but he flinched slightly when he realized how much closer she was now

"...So, what do you want?"

With a gloomy look, he finally glanced at her

"Come on, Icy. Can’t I just meet up with you without any reason~?"

She pouted, giving him hopeful, exaggerated puppy-dog eyes

He turned away again, silent, but clearly flustered by the nickname. In an instant, his mood shifted. With seriousness and a hint of hesitation, he lowered his arms and looked at her, as if afraid to say something

Sensing his change, her expression became more serious too, as if she understood the shift in the air

"...Can I...ask you a question?"

He started hesitantly, barely looking at her, his eyes instead fixed on the sand beneath his feet

"Of course."

======================================

It was midday, and a small village thrummed with its usual rhythm. A light breeze rustled the leaves, carrying the scent of freshly cut grass, while children roamed the streets, chattering brightly with each other

Life flowed at its own pace: women washed clothes by the water, and men busied themselves with work in their yards

Everything breathed calm, as if nature itself was protecting this place from the chaos of the wider world

Among it all stood out a young girl running headlong across the village

"Damn it!!! I overslept again!! This time they’re definitely going to kill me!!"

Her white, slightly gray, tangled hair—decorated with small twigs and leaves she clearly had no intention of ever brushing out—fluttered in the wind as she ran

She was racing toward the bar, unconcerned about the looks from the people around her, cursing herself the entire way for her carelessness.

Her sister had warned her not to stay up late coming up with her future plans, knowing that she’d be like a limp tomato the next day, impossible to wake up

It didn’t help that the bar opened at four, and she had only woken up at four

And so, as mentioned earlier, she was sprinting full speed, wearing her strap shoes and mismatched socks, toward the bar where she worked to make a living

The townsfolk had long grown used to the mischievous and loud girl who was once again late for her shift at the local bar

It had all started seven months ago, when she seemed to appear out of nowhere on this island

And no one even wonders where her older sister disappeared to two months ago...

To be continued....

Chapter Text

It was the sunniest day in her dark and gray life. She lived as she never had before, as if she had awakened from a long slumber. The warm sunlight touched her skin, and the world seemed brighter than ever. She had never felt so alive. She smiled, savoring the moment. She… she…

She felt like she was drowning

Her heart stopped. A feeling of heaviness enveloped her. Panic gripped her mind, and her chest tightened. It seemed as though everything around her disappeared, leaving only the cold water and a strange sense of helplessness

A sudden splash pulled her out of her stupor

“What? Where am I? Am I drowning?!”

Her thoughts raced in panic as she flailed in the water. She couldn’t remember how she ended up here, in this cold depth. Water surrounded her from all sides, restricting her movements and making it hard to breathe. She tried desperately to reach the surface, but her chaotic movements only worsened her situation

Panic consumed her more and more. Attempts to recall anything about what was happening ended in failure. Her mind seemed flooded with fear. All she could do was continue fighting for every breath

Finally, after a desperate struggle, she broke free from the water’s grip. She gasped for air, breathing heavily, while her feet found support on solid ground. As soon as she felt the sand beneath her, she collapsed onto it, utterly exhausted

Her wet hair clung to her face, and her body trembled from the cold and fatigue. She closed her eyes, trying to compose herself. The sound of waves behind her reminded her of the nightmare she had just endured, but she focused on calming her breathing

Several minutes passed before her mind began to return to reality. She needed to figure out where she was and how to get back home.

Her family must be worried about her. Right?

She wearily turned her head to the side to survey her surroundings. Her gaze fell on the sandy shore and, further away, a thick line of trees. The sound of birds and the rustling of leaves unsettled her

The sunlight no longer felt so warm and comforting. The forest… Where was she?

Her heart started racing again. A forest that couldn’t possibly be near her city, let alone her apartment building in the center

“How did I end up here…?”

She whispered, feeling a new wave of anxiety creeping in

She tried to calm down. Sitting on the sand and resting her head on her arms, she began trying to recall the events that preceded her arrival here. But suddenly, a sharp, piercing pain shot through her head, forcing her to grit her teeth. However, the pain wasn’t the only thing alarming her

Her hair… Once straight and dark, it was now white and curly. Although the moisture darkened its shade slightly, it didn’t change the fact—this was not her hair. Or even her body

She frantically examined herself, trying to find something familiar. But everything she saw only confirmed her worst suspicions. This body did not belong to her

Could she have become a transmigrant, like in some novel or fanfic?

The thought itself was unhealthy, but nothing else came to mind. Could someone have possibly brought her to some island as a prank? Ridiculous

She collapsed back onto the sand, trying not to dwell on useless thoughts at the moment. She needed to figure out what to do next, at least until she understood where she was

After lying on the sand for another thirty minutes, she finally stood on slightly shaky legs. She now realized just how long her hair was and how tangled it had become

But at that moment, she didn’t care about her appearance. Wobbling slightly, she took one step, then another, until she finally managed to walk steadily

Surveying the area again, this time in search of possible civilization, she noticed a path. Carefully stepping on it with her bare feet to avoid injuring them—she didn’t want to risk an infection—she walked along the path for about 15 minutes

Eventually, she came across a small settlement, where peace and tranquility seemed to reign

Not far from her, she noticed people, and for the first time, she breathed a sigh of relief. Realizing she had no other choice, she headed toward them, hoping they could help her, at least with some water or food

As she got closer, she saw two women working in a garden and a man chopping wood near a house

“Excuse me…”

She croaked, but her voice immediately broke, and she clutched her throat in pain

The women, noticing her condition, quickly set down their tools, their faces filled with concern. The man tensed, gripping his axe tighter, as if expecting something suspicious

One of the women hurried to her side, gently touching her cheek

“Oh dear, you need help! What happened to you?”

The woman’s voice was full of care. Unable to respond right away, she simply nodded, showing with her entire demeanor that she needed help

She hadn’t realized how exhausted she was from the entire ordeal and, unable to hold out, fainted. Fortunately, the man managed to catch her before the ground did

All three adults looked at her in concern. In the end, they decided to take care of her until she fully recovered

To be continued.....

Chapter Text

The Weight of a Dream

When she opened her eyes, everything around her seemed blurry. A dim light filtered through heavy curtains, and a faint smell of medicine and freshly brewed tea hung in the air

Her head was pounding, her body aching as if she’d been running from stray dogs in the dead of night, only to spend the rest of it lying on cold asphalt

"Finally awake"

A quiet but firm voice broke through the chaos of her thoughts. Sitting on a chair by the window was an unfamiliar woman with a book in her hands. Her gaze was cautious but not hostile

She looked at the woman. The woman was petite, with blonde hair and honey-brown eyes. She wore a lavender sweater and a brown skirt that reached her calves. A white scarf adorned her hair

She didn’t even realize how long she had been staring at the woman. After what seemed like an eternity of silence, though it was no more than a minute, the woman continued:

"You were unconscious for so long we started to worry"

The girl tried to sit up but immediately felt a sharp weakness, as if all her strength had been drained

"Where... am I?"

She asked weakly, her throat dry and scratchy

"Don’t worry, dear. You’re in my home. Don’t try to get up; you’re hypothermic and need rest"

The woman’s tone was serious as she approached, placing her hands gently on the girl’s shoulders to keep her from moving

"Stay down; I’ll bring you some warm water and a few medicines"

Softening her tone, the woman smiled faintly before heading toward the door. Moments later, she disappeared, and the sound of her footsteps gradually faded

Left alone, she looked around again. The room was small but cozy: a bed neatly made, a small nightstand nearby, and a wardrobe in the corner. At the window, with deep violet curtains, stood the bed she was now lying on. Her gaze drifted over the room once more, finding nothing new

Without sitting up, she lazily stretched her arms upward and began examining them. Only now did she notice how much smaller they had become. This strange realization unsettled her, and the lingering panic began creeping back into her consciousness

But after taking a deep breath and looking around once more, she decided there was no point in dwelling on strange situations until she fully recovered

After a while, the woman returned with a tray. On it were a glass of water and a couple of tablets

The woman sat at the edge of the bed and helped her sit up, arranging pillows behind her back to make her comfortable in a vertical positio

With slightly trembling hands, she took the tablets in one hand and the glass of water in the other. She had nothing to lose, and it was unlikely the woman would try to poison her. It would be easier to strangle her than waste poison on someone in her condition

So, without suspicion, she took the pills and washed them down with water in one gulp

The woman laid her back down again, covering her with a warm blanket. She wished her a speedy recovery and left the room, leaving her alone once more

This time, unable to resist the overwhelming exhaustion, she drifted into sleep

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Over the following days, her condition seemed to worsen before gradually improving. All the while, the two women cared for her, and the man occasionally checked in to ensure her safety

Two weeks passed like this

During that time, her health had significantly improved. She was almost fully recovered and could now stand up without feeling dizzy or weak

One day, as she usually did, she wandered around the room and stared out the window, though she hadn’t ventured outside except for necessities

At that moment, all three adults entered the room together—a rare occurrence. Determination burned in their eyes, though there was a faint hint of uncertainty

"Dear, could you sit on the bed? We need to have a serious talk"

She obediently sat on the edge of the bed, her body tensing in anticipation. However, over the past two weeks, she had come to trust these people somewhat

"Let’s start with something simple. We’ve known you for over two weeks and still don’t know each other’s names"

Said the petite woman with a soft smile

After a moment of silence, she continued, clearing her throat:

"Ahem... My name is Mariko, and this is Aiko"

She gestured toward the other woman in the room. Aiko was taller than Mariko, with indigo-colored hair tied back in a low ponytail and dark eyes. She wore a white T-shirt and a long dark skirt that brushed the floor

"And I’m Nao"

Said the man with a grin, pointing a thumb at his chest. He had fiery red hair and bright blue eyes

"And what’s your name?"

Aiko asked bluntly and almost emotionlessly, though her dark eyes held a glimmer of curiosity

"A... My name is £%#₽$..."

She muttered softly before falling into a daze. She couldn’t seem to say her name; only air came out instead of words

"Is something wrong, dear?"

Mariko asked worriedly, noticing the troubled expression on her face

"£%#₽$..."

She tried again, but nothing changed. Only empty sounds escaped her lips

"Can’t remember?"

Aiko asked with slight concern. She flinched and quickly shook her head

"No, no! I just... got lost in thought. Sorry. You can call me..."

Her thoughts raced, bouncing around in her mind. If this was real, then she could become someone new. Someone else. Someone she had always wanted to be

Yes, she would start this life anew. And even if it was all a prank or an unusually long dream, she didn’t care at this moment

She took a deep breath and smiled, revealing the sharp teeth she had discovered recently. The three adults exchanged concerned, puzzled glances

"Call me Azazel."

She said with a broad smile, spreading her arms wide

"Alright, nice to meet you, Azazel. Welcome to Village N,"

Nao said with a playful grin as he approached to offer a handshake

Still smiling, Azazel shook his hand. Mariko beamed at them, while Aiko managed a faint, reluctant smile

"Welcome, Azazel. It’s nice to meet you"

Mariko said warmly, hugging her after Nao stepped back

"Welcome... Azazel"

Aiko said softly, laying a hand on her shoulder

"Please, call me Azi. It’s easier"

Azazel replied, a faint blush on her cheeks. Determination burned in her eyes—a determination to change everything

From this moment on, her past was cast aside and forgotten. No one knew £%#₽$, and no one ever would

Now, there was only Azazel. Or Azi

She smiled like never before. This was the sunniest day in her dark and gray life. She was living as never before, as if awakened from a long slumber

The warm sunlight touched her skin through the curtains, and the world seemed brighter than ever. She had never felt so alive. She smiled, savoring the moment

The moment of her new life’s beginning

Azazel stood from the bed and suddenly hugged the three adults, tears streaming down her face

"Thank you..."

"Thank you for giving me a chance to live"

The thought echoed in her mind. She was deeply grateful to whoever had given her this chance. She would make the most of it, fulfilling every dream and desire in this life, in this second chance

But... who had granted her this chance?

To be continued.....

Chapter Text

Azazel got up from the bed and abruptly hugged the three adults, tears welling up in her eyes

"Thank you..."

"Don't mention it. Anytime"

Nao said with a smirk, patting her upper back

"Yeah, if you need help, you've got us"

Mariko added with a soft smile, gently stroking her unruly white curls

"We’re always happy to help..."

Aiko said shyly, placing her hand on the small of Azazel's back

Azazel nodded at them with a smile full of gratitude. Letting go of the embrace, she rubbed her eyes lightly, wiping away the tears that stubbornly tried to escape

"Anyway, let's get back to our serious conversation"

Nao said, stretching a little before settling into the only chair in the room. Two women in the room gave him a sharp look, but he skillfully ignored it

"...Hmm... Alright, Azzy dear, could you tell us how you ended up in the state we found you in?"

Mariko asked with a resigned sigh, her kind smile promising she'd help no matter what

"...I'm not entirely sure... I think I was out shopping for groceries, but I don’t remember much after that. I just... ended up here"

Azazel explained hesitantly, fidgeting with her hands and starting to peel the skin off her fingers

"...Do you know how far your home is from here?"

Aiko asked softly, her shy voice barely audible. Without the others noticing, she took Azazel’s hands in her own to stop her from hurting herself further

Azazel shook her head

"...I’m not sure how I got here. It’s possible my home... doesn’t exist anymore"

She said quietly, lowering her head, which made the three adults even more worried

"Don't worry; we'll take you in! We'll introduce you to others—they’re sure to love you, I promise!" Mariko said with an encouraging smile. Nao and Aiko nodded in agreement

Azazel nodded back, smiling faintly but gratefully

"Thank you so much. You’re too kind... I don’t want to be a burden"

At her words, the three adults only smiled wider

––––––––––––––––––––––

A month and a half passed since then

During that time, Azazel had been recovering, as Mariko and Aiko were adamant about her getting proper rest

Later, Azazel began venturing outside. Though cautious, she started getting to know the other villagers

One thing Azazel realized was how much shorter she’d become. She was now about 20 centimeters shorter and looked about two years younger

Despite now being a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old standing at only 1.5 meters, she didn’t feel uncomfortable with her new appearance. Internally, she was also changing gradually

She began smiling more, flashing her toothy grin. She grew more confident, more open, and less reserved overall

Azazel now lived on the outskirts of the village. While the village was small, it was still fairly expansive

Today, she decided to take a bold step and head to the village center on her own to look around. She was given a small pouch of money, which she learned was called "berries." She had mixed feelings about this currency; it felt familiar yet distant

Taking her time, Azazel reached the center, where her attention was immediately drawn to the market stalls filled with all kinds of goods

She wandered, genuinely interested in everything she saw. She was particularly drawn to a pair of matching bracelets. According to the vendor, they were made of white quartz and were often given to loved ones

Azazel looked at the bracelets with a glimmer of hope and gave in, buying them. They cost half the money she had been given, even with the vendor’s discount for being new to the village, but she didn’t regret the purchase

She held one bracelet in her hand, inspecting it. The stones were smooth and round, a transparent white

To Azazel, the meaning behind the object mattered more than its actual value

As she continued exploring, she overheard other vendors talking and learned that the island she was on was a trading hub—less popular than others, but still bustling with buyers

It made sense, considering she had first ended up in the village’s quieter area, far from where outsiders usually ventured. Mariko's house, nearly at the island’s edge, was a long way from the central market

She spent another thirty minutes wandering through the stalls, buying trinkets and some interesting-looking food

At one point, Azazel stopped by a wall covered in wanted posters

The sight felt eerily familiar, and a strange unease crept over her. She began examining them one by one

Her bright yellow eyes widened with each poster until they froze on one in particular—a man with a bounty of 550,000,000 berries

He had jet-black hair sticking out from under an orange hat. His profile bore freckles across his face, and his bare back displayed a large tattoo of a jolly roger with a white mustache. Around his neck were red beads

She knew him—too well

It wasn’t for nothing that she’d cried for two weeks over his death and every subsequent flashback that mentioned him

Staring at the poster for a few moments, realization hit her like a wave. The endless water, the islands, and, finally, the currency...

A wanted poster for Portgas D. Ace

Looking through the other posters, she spotted other characters from the anime she’d binge-watched endlessly

Her grades had plummeted to rock bottom during those times, but she hadn’t cared. No one had reprimanded her, not even her teachers, who understood her family circumstances

She’d deeply admired Ace, seeing parts of herself in him. At the same time, she envied him

Azazel took the poster of Ace, emotionless, rolled it up, and tucked it into her thick, tangled hair—a feature she’d recently discovered had some strange, convenient properties

She decided not to take other posters to avoid drawing attention and getting caught. For now, Ace’s was enough

––––––––––––––––––––––

This was how Azazel realized she was in the world of One Piece

Her feelings were mixed

On one hand, it was exciting to be isekai’d into her favorite anime, much like the fanfics and novels she’d read

On the other, Azazel felt a deep sense of despair. Knowing the dirt of this world and its grim events, she couldn’t help but feel hollow

In many stories she’d read, protagonists changed the plot and dealt with the consequences

Azazel feared those consequences. While she wanted to change things, her old, introverted, and scared self dreaded the fallout

Two fires burned within her—"resolve" and "fear"

Azazel sighed and shook her head. She decided that, at the very least, she would change the fate of her favorite character’s crew

The Whitebeards. Nearly everyone in this crew had died, including the captain, Edward Newgate

He was also one of her favorite characters. Like Ace, she saw him as a father figure. She didn’t care that he wasn’t real

She had cried rivers during his death scene

But here, they were alive and real. With no poster of Luffy in sight, it seemed the plot hadn’t begun yet—or was just starting

That meant Azazel still had time to change what she wanted. As for the consequences... she’d deal with them somehow

It was risky, knowing how Ace’s death propelled the main character forward

But she didn’t care. If given a chance, she’d seize it

––––––––––––––––––––––

Azazel’s thoughts were interrupted when she realized she was far from the village, standing near the shore

She was about to head back when she faintly heard someone’s voice

"Damn it... they’re so annoying. How did they even get my face...?"

As Azazel moved closer, the voice grew clearer. A woman’s voice, perhaps?

Peeking through the bushes, Azazel spotted a woman, judging by the faint wrinkles, examining a wanted poster. It was hard to make out from afar, but Azazel felt inexplicably drawn to her

"At least the photographers in this world aren’t half-bad..."

Azazel hadn’t realized how close she’d gotten until she suddenly stopped, unsure of what to say. Her train of thought was interrupted when she accidentally stepped on a twig that cracked loudly

The woman cursed the ones who had taken her hood off for the poster. Hearing the noise, she ran her hand through her hair and looked in Azazel’s direction

"I know you’re there. It’s no use hiding"

the woman said with indifference, though Azazel sensed a hint of amusement. From her aura, she exuded a chilling presence, but instead of being repelled, Azazel felt intrigued

"...Hello," Azazel said hesitantly, stepping out of the bushes

To be continued.....

Chapter Text

Somewhere in the boundless ocean sailed a large ship packed with people, all bustling about, each busy with their own tasks across the vessel

Amid this chaos stood a tall man with blond hair styled to mimic a famous fruit

The commander of the first division directed and issued orders to the crew. Suddenly, a messenger seagull carrying a newspaper in a pouch on its belly landed near him

He took the newspaper, tossed a coin into the small pouch, and watched the seagull fly away

The blond man walked to the ship's railing, unfolding the newspaper as he went. Leaning against the rail with his back, he opened it and began reading the latest world news

At the same time, a freckled man with a famous tattoo of his name, with the 'S' crossed out, arrived on board from his Striker

"Yo, Marco! Long time no see!"

With a bright, fiery smile, the shirtless, muscular man called out as he approached the blond

Marco merely nodded, not lifting his eyes from the newspaper, clearly engrossed in its content

"What’re you reading? Anything interesting going on in the world?"

The brunet tried to peek over Marco’s shoulder, to which the blond merely smirked and handed him the paper

"They finally revealed the face of the 'Ice Butcher' with the strange Hie Hie no Mi fruit. Yoi. Didn’t expect it to be a woman all this time"

Leaning his full weight on the railing, Marco spoke with a relaxed smile, closing his eyes and tilting his head back

The freckled man suddenly fell silent, staring at the photograph in disbelief. All his attention was drawn to the image of the person

Although the photograph was taken at night, it captured the face of a middle-aged woman in the midst of a battle

She wore a winter cloak trimmed with fur and a hood pulled back, revealing her face to the world for the first time

Her short, unevenly cut hair blew wildly in the wind, partially covering her eyes. On her face was a wild grin, as if she relished the fight—or, more accurately, the one-sided slaughter

Given her known abilities, it was unlikely her opponents could even scratch her

In her hands was a long, strangely elegant ice axe, which she wielded to fend off the Marines

Under the cloak, a disturbingly familiar double pendant glittered in the moonlight. Upon closer inspection, a small horizontal scar could be seen on the side of her neck

It was definitely her

"Why’re you always so grumpy, huh, Icy?"

Suddenly, a girl’s voice echoed in Ace’s mind. He hadn’t heard it since he was ten years old. It had been almost as long since their last meeting on the shore…

Marco, noticing Ace's unusual silence, turned to the brunet in confusion. Ace, still clutching the newspaper tightly, stared at the photo

"Ace? Something wrong, yoi?"

Marco asked with slight concern, tilting his head. Ace didn’t respond, only curling in on himself a little before lowering his head and muttering in a quiet, trembling voice:

"...Auntie Holly..?."

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The woman looked at Azazel with mild curiosity

"Well, hello there. Now, what was a young lady like you doing on the shore of an uninhabited island?"

She spoke with a faint smirk, tucking a wanted poster into the pouch at her waist. She, too, felt a strange pull toward Azazel

"I... just got lost…"

Azazel felt a slight unease, awkwardly avoiding the woman's gaze. A brief silence fell between them before the woman sighed and finally broke it

"M...may I ask you a question?"

The woman tilted her head, remaining silent as a sense of déjà vu brushed over her. A slight smile appeared as she took a step closer to Azazel

"Go on"

She replied with mild indifference, scanning their surroundings—from the forest to the path leading to the village

"Are you… not from this world?"

Azazel began cautiously, ready to change the subject or run back to the village at any moment

The woman froze for a moment, her expression growing more serious as she looked at Azazel, sending chills down her spine

"Why do you ask?"

The woman’s tone was soft but firm, as though towering over the younger girl

"I-I didn’t mean to eavesdrop… really, it was an accident!"

Azazel stammered, beginning to panic

"Get to the point"

The woman said firmly, her eyes never leaving Azazel

"Well… you mentioned something about 'photographers in this world.' So I thought… maybe you’re like me?"

Azazel muttered nervously, clearly unaccustomed to such a bold guess. Her anxiety was evident, and she seemed ready to flee at any moment

"So you're saying you're not from this world either?"

The woman raised an eyebrow, slightly relaxing after Azazel’s words

Azazel could only nod, a glimmer of hope sparking in her chest, desperate to find someone who could understand her situation

"And what’s this world called?"

The woman’s question might have seemed strange, but she didn’t care

Azazel’s eyes lit up, and a faint hope began to bloom in her heart

"...anime or manga… 'One Piece'…"

She spoke with some hesitation, fearing she’d made a mistake and would be dismissed as crazy. Azazel barely managed to meet the woman’s gaze, who thoughtfully rubbed her chin

"Hmm… and how long have you been here?"

The woman asked with interest, snapping her fingers in front of Azazel, keeping her in her line of sight

"Uh… about two months…?"

Azazel replied uncertainly, her hope of finding someone like her still burning bright

"I’ve been here over twenty years…"

The woman murmured, clicking her tongue and frowning slightly. She couldn’t help but feel a tinge of jealousy toward the girl before her

Azazel’s eyes widened at the woman’s words

"MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS?!"

The blonde girl shouted in shock, to which the woman simply exhaled and nodded

"Yes… a long story… too long"

The woman said with a slight squint at the word 'too'. Her expression softened, and she managed a light smile

"Ahem… anyway, my name’s Al. And you?"

The woman introduced herself with a smile, extending her hand for a handshake. The younger girl took her hand and shook it

"I’m Azazel. You can just call me Azi. And… I guess that’s not your original name?"

Al looked at her in confusion before realizing what Azazel meant and nodded

"Yep. Originally, I was '#%@'. And I suppose yours isn’t either?"

Al said with a grin, to which Azazel nodded, sighing in relief

"Yeah, my name was '£%#₽$'. I was so scared when I couldn’t say it"

Al nodded in understanding, her softer smile easing Azazel’s nerves. Azazel began opening up to her, feeling like she’d finally found someone she couldn’t let go of

"By the way, Miss Al, what was that poster you were looking at earlier?"

Azazel asked curiously, recalling that Al had been examining what was likely a wanted poster. Could it have been hers?

"Oh, Azi dear, just call me Al… or sister, if you don’t mind, of course"

Al replied shyly, covering her smile with her fist. Azazel’s eyes sparkled even brighter

"Of course I don’t mind, sis! But you still haven’t answered my question"

Azazel replied with a bright, toothy grin, hugging Al tightly. Azazel had always wanted an older sister, and now her dream had come true

"Ah, yes. It was… my wanted poster"

Al answered awkwardly, hugging her back with a satisfied smile

"Your wanted poster? Why would you have one? Are you a pirate?"

Azazel asked with intrigue, still clinging to Al. She had grown attached to her far too quickly—something she’d need to reflect on later

"Well… not exactly. Let’s just say I’m wanted as an illegal fruit user and for… other reasons. I’ll tell you more about it later, okay?"

"Okay!"

Azazel agreed with an unyielding smile, still refusing to let go of Al. The blonde couldn’t contain her joy at finally having an older sister in this cruel world

"So… I see you live here. I hate to trouble you, but could you show me to the village?"

Azazel eagerly nodded, letting go of the hug, taking Al by the hand, and leading her down the path to the village. Al followed without resistance

And so they met—and grew attached to each other far too quickly. Strange, wasn’t it?

To be continued.....

Chapter Text

This is how Azazel and Al became sisters, though not by blood. But neither of them cared about that

The entire village welcomed Al with open arms, seeing her as a potential new resident

After all, no one yet realized the danger she might harbor

By the way, before meeting what was now her elder sister, Azazel already had a small house. The villagers had built it for her, and it stood near, almost within, the forest's edge

That was where Azazel led Al after a walk around the village, holding her hand

"Welcome to my humble abode! It’s small, but unimaginably cozy!"

Azazel said proudly, spreading her arms wide as if showcasing her home to the older girl. Taking a key out of her pocket, she unlocked the door, and they both entered

Inside, there was only one room and a small kitchen area

"So… could you tell me more about why you're being hunted?"

Azazel asked timidly, sitting at a low table in the middle of the room and inviting Al to sit across from her

Al accepted the invitation, sat down, and sighed before starting:

"Well, as I said, one of the reasons I’m wanted is that I’m an illegal Devil Fruit user—specifically, the wielder of the Hie Hie no Mi."

Al explained, rummaging through her bag, seemingly searching for her wanted poster as though it were lost in a black hole

"Hie Hie no Mi? Isn’t that the power of Admiral Aokiji?"

Al exhaled in relief as she finally pulled out her wanted poster and placed it in front of Azazel. Azazel took one look at the bounty amount and nearly choked for the second time since meeting her sister

"Six hundred million berries?! How?!"

Azazel shouted, grabbing the poster in front of her. Al sighed again, this time with weariness

"It’s not that complicated to explain. I’ve been wanted since I was ten, and over time, the bounty increased for my ability to evade capture"

Resting her elbows on the table and leaning her cheek on her hand, Al spoke with a tired tone. Azazel, still stunned, continued to gape at the poster with wide eyes and her jaw practically on the floor

"And about the supposedly nonexistent second Hie Hie no Mi... That’s a more complicated story. Are you ready to hear it?"

Al asked hesitantly, tilting her head upward as her hand slipped from her temple to her cheek

"Of course…"

Still dazed by the massive bounty amount, Azazel slowly nodded in response

"Then listen closely. I’d rather not relive this again…"

Azazel nodded more confidently now, settling into her seat with determination to catch every detail

"This began when I was just a little ice cube….

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

It was an ordinary sunny day, and the ocean breeze brushed against everyone in the open air. Meanwhile, in this endless ocean, a large ship was leisurely sailing as usual, its interior filled with the warm, bustling noise of people working earnestly

But the calm couldn’t last forever

The commander of the first division watched as a tall, muscular man with a chef’s uniform and an elaborate hairstyle approached him with a serious expression

"Is something wrong, Thatch, yoi?"

The commander asked, his demeanor shifting to seriousness as soon as he saw his brother’s expression

"There’s been word of possible pirate slavers wandering near our territory"

Thatch replied with a tired and annoyed sigh, stopping beside Marco

"What did Pops say about it, yoi?"

Marco asked, crossing his arms over his tattooed chest and tilting his head slightly

"Pops said he’d send three commanders on a scouting mission in case they dared step into our territory"

Thatch responded, crossing his arms as well

"And who’s going, yoi?"

Marco inquired, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the bustling deck, where sailors and deckhands hurried about

"I volunteered, and Ace signed up without hesitation too"

Thatch said with a soft chuckle, his tone gentle when mentioning the youngest commander

Marco nodded in understanding, a faint smile forming

"Count me in, yoi. It’s been a while since I’ve been off the Moby Dick"

Thatch snorted and nodded in acknowledgment

"Alright, I’ll inform Pops and Ace, then prepare supplies for the trip"

Waving with a wide grin, Thatch headed toward the captain’s cabin

Marco smirked and sauntered off in the opposite direction to gather other necessities for the journey, such as maps and a Log Pose

Ever since then, Marco couldn’t shake the memory of Ace’s peculiar expression when he looked at the wanted poster for the ‘Icy Butcher.’ It was as if Ace recognized her—or claimed he did. Judging by his reaction, they were either acquaintances or had been and hadn’t seen each other in a long time

If Marco’s connections were correct, her first wanted poster had been issued almost twenty years ago. At the time, she had a different nickname given to her by the Marines

He recalled Ace’s final words that day—or rather, the possible name of the Butcher. According to the freckled commander, it was 'Aunt Holly'

Oddly enough, Marco had never heard that name before

"I’ll have to ask Jozu to look into it"

Marco thought as he continued on his way

The amusing part of the situation was that Ace never returned the newspaper. Later, Marco found it with the photo cut out

"I’ll have to tease him about that someday"

Marco thought with a sly smile, though he quickly dismissed it to focus on more serious matters

"Aunt Holly, yoi…"

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

"And that’s how I’ve managed to remain uncaptured for nearly twenty years—or rather, I’ve never been successfully taken to prison, and I don’t plan on testing that out anytime soon"

Al concluded her two-hour-long story, sipping tea and munching on cookies that Azazel had prepared for them

"That’s… impressive. I doubt I could endure all of that…"

Azazel admitted, her eyes wide as she stared at what was now her only family in this vast ocean

"I’m used to it by now. It’s not my first time surviving… But what about you, Azy? Will you share with this lady how you came into this world?"

Al teased with a small grin, amused by the range of expressions Azazel had shown throughout their conversation

"Ah, well, I guess it’s my turn. But my story isn’t as long or exciting as yours, sis"

Azazel said somewhat childishly, laying her head on the table and letting her unruly hair spread across its surface

"I’ll still find it interesting to hear"

Al said warmly, taking a lock of Azazel’s white hair and twirling it around her finger

Azazel began recounting how she had awakened in this world, sharing her experiences with the people who had taken her in and helped her settle

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The tale took just over half an hour

Azazel sighed when she finished, by which time Al had moved closer to her

Suddenly, a troubling thought crossed Azazel’s mind, and she decided to voice it

"Do you remember how you got here?"

Al froze at the question. The smile she had been wearing disappeared from her face. The air grew tense

"I do… but I’d rather not remember it"

Al replied with a carefree smile, and the tension in the room dissipated as if it had never been

"I see… I guess I just don’t remember"

Azazel muttered uncertainly, crossing her arms and pouting in frustration

"Don’t rush yourself. When you do remember, be sure to tell me, alright?"

Al said gently, stroking Azazel’s head. Azazel leaned into her hand affectionately

"But you haven’t shared your story! That’s not fair!"

The elder sister snorted at her younger sibling’s childish behavior and sighed before replying:

"Then let’s do this: as soon as you tell me yours, I’ll tell you mine. Deal?"

"Okay"

Azazel mumbled, pressing herself against Al for warmth. Al chuckled and hugged her in return

And so, the two sisters began living together, though they both knew it wasn’t safe to stay in one place for long, especially with the bounty on the older sister’s head

For now, they enjoyed each other’s company and got to know each other better, unaware of the approaching trouble…

To be continued.....

Chapter Text

The day turned out to be quite pleasant. A gentle breeze caressed the leaves of the trees, and the sun generously shared its rays, warming everything around. Flowers were singing, birds exuded fragrance—oops, wrong fandom…

The village, as always, was in idyllic harmony with everyone and everything. Children played outside, their childish laughter echoing from every corner of the houses, which, while somewhat annoying, was oddly soothing

Everything was so perfect that paranoia quietly crept in, unnoticed. It all seemed unreal

She thought so too

She had always been a paranoid person and would remain so until her existence was completely erased from the face of the earth—twice over, just to be sure. She wondered, if that happened, would the eternal feeling of paranoia ever go away? What if it never did?

Paranoia was a terrifying thing, like an endless wait for something terrible that never came on time. And that only made everything worse

But it had its advantages... She hoped it did. Surely, they existed, didn’t they? For instance, when you expect the worst, and it finally happens, you can breathe a sigh of relief. That’s a plus, right?

.  .  .

Of course not, that wasn’t normal. And she knew it, but she couldn’t just let it go. Paranoia was already a part of her life, and she was unlikely to give it up. Even if given the chance

It was all so complicated…

It was like walking through an old, long-forgotten house, wandering endlessly. No beginning, no end. Everything blending into one big infinite loop of unmet expectations and despair

Had there ever been a time when this paranoia didn’t exist? As far as she could remember, it had always been there. Never once betraying her, even in the calmest days

Had there ever been a time when she...

Had there ever been a time...

Had there...

It was time to wake up

Al suddenly opened her eyes, her breath heavy, as if something was pressing on her chest. She sat up, shifting from lying to sitting. Taking a deep breath, she slowly steadied her breathing and looked around

The small house where she currently lived with her younger sister was quite cozy—too cozy, in her opinion

The blanket covering her slipped down to her knees. Al glanced at her hands, one of which was adorned with a fingerless black glove to conceal the mark. The mark of…

Suddenly, something stirred beside her—or rather, someone. It was Azazel, who kept tossing and turning despite being sound asleep

There was only one bed in the house, but it was spacious enough for two people, so neither of them complained

Al had known this little girl for a month now, and somehow, she had grown very attached to her. It was strange, considering she had never felt this way about anyone else before. It was both a little and significantly unsettling

Her tanned hand gently stroked Azazel’s snowy cheek. It was amusing to call themselves sisters, despite their stark differences in appearance, which were immediately noticeable

Azazel’s hair was as white as pure, innocent snow—hair that seemed ready to devour everything in this world. It was both funny and convenient, knowing the advantage of such hair, capable of hiding numerous things

Al even pondered for a moment: could Azazel’s hair hide a person? Perhaps she’d test this theory later—with Azazel’s permission, of course

As Al stared at Azazel’s long, perpetually tangled white hair, she noted how her own hair was the opposite: dark and short, carelessly cut

Feel the contrast between them, don’t you?

As previously mentioned, their skin also differed. Azazel’s was like a baby’s, clean and untouched. In contrast, Al’s was slightly tanned and rough, a result of frequent use of her fruit powers, which allowed her to manipulate ice at will

Though this power came at a cost

Fortunately, thanks to her bounty, this island was small, albeit quite popular among sailors. News and new wanted posters often arrived months after their official release

So, Al could stay on this island a little longer, though her supplies were running low, and she’d need to replenish them soon. Preferably not here—she didn’t want to accidentally scare Azazel’s beloved villagers

Though it was sweet of them to believe they had survived a storm when Azazel had fallen off a ship and washed ashore

Still lazily seated on the bed, Al groaned before finally getting up. Later, she’d make breakfast for the little snow-haired one, though knowing how long she slept, it would likely be lunch rather than breakfast

Al glanced at the clock—it was seven in the morning, later than she usually woke up, but at least she’d had a good rest. This past month had been the most fun and eventful time in her life, aside from battles, of course

She, the almost emotionless creature she loved to call herself, had recently started smiling more often—a normal smile

Not a manic one...

At this thought, Al snorted as she fried eggs on the stove and simultaneously set the kettle on to boil

Ah, how long it had been since she’d woken up in the morning without chronic fatigue. Rather than in the middle of the night, clutching her stomach in hunger-induced pain...

Oops, the kettle seemed to be boiling. Quickly removing it from the stove, she placed it on the counter, then grabbed a plate from the top shelf and slid the eggs onto it. She also fetched a glass for tea and prepared the brew

Al sat at the table with her breakfast, reminiscing about the fun moments she’d shared with Azazel. She suspected she was developing a sisterly complex, wasn’t she?

The thought made her shrug it off, though not entirely

Al paused for a moment, recalling two or three mischievous kids from her teenage years in this world. She thought Azazel somehow combined elements of all three. Just as clumsy a fool, as level-headed a lady, but with an icy wall that needed to be melted first

Though in Al’s case, she strangely felt like part of that wall. As if she was meant to be there...

Continuing her musings on the differences between the sisters

It intrigued Al to learn that Azazel had been here for just three months, while she herself had been here far longer than her previous life

This led to a question creeping into Al’s mind. Did Azazel’s body have an owner before her arrival in this world?

If so... Al thought it would undoubtedly bring unnecessary trouble. Despite the bounty on her head, it amused her how the Marines still hadn’t caught her after all this time

She still kept her very first wanted poster, which depicted her at about ten years old. Since then, she’d stopped counting her age, having only vague guesses and numbers regarding it. But a girl’s age wasn’t something to be asked, right? Or was she a woman now?

Her age didn’t matter much to her—it only added to the mystery. Knowing that no one, except her parents, had ever seen her as a child

Al had always been curious how, in all her posters, she somehow managed to maintain confidentiality about her gender and appearance. Though, after that beach incident, it no longer mattered

Not only had her gender been revealed, but her face as well. Yet the enigma of her eyes remained a mystery even to her—no one had ever managed to describe them

Three hours passed

Al had spent all this time leisurely eating breakfast, not caring that her food and tea had long since grown cold

Then, like the snap of fingers, a lazy murmur came from the living room, followed by the shuffling sound of footsteps approaching the kitchen

“Morning, Azzie"

Al said warmly, standing up from the table and guiding Azazel to sit down.э

“Morning...”

Azazel mumbled drowsily, her eyes still tightly shut

“What do you want to eat?”

the elder sister asked, placing a glass of water in front of the snow-haired girl, who gratefully accepted it. In response, Azazel mumbled something about porridge and slumped onto the table, almost falling asleep again

Al sighed at this and began preparing breakfast for her younger sister

Fifteen minutes later, the porridge was ready

Al served it in a bowl and placed it in front of the sleepy Azazel, along with a newly refilled glass of water and a spoon

“Come on, eat, Sleeping Beauty"

Al teased, trying to wake Azazel. The younger girl grumbled but began eating in a semi-lying position

“By the way…”

Al started, prompting Azazel to look up with her bright yellow eyes, silently signaling that she was listening

“I’m running out of beri, and we can’t just take money from the villagers. So, we’ll need to get jobs"

Azazel raised an eyebrow as if asking what that had to do with her. Al smirked and continued:

“You’ll have to get a job, Snowy.”

"..."

“WHAT?!”

More awake than ever before, Azazel shot up from the table with an offended expression as the context of Al’s words sank in

“Well, you know~. I’m a pretty wanted criminal, and who knows? Some traveler might recognize me, and we’d have to flee the island, never to return, considering my reputation and the rumors…”

Al explained calmly, sitting next to the stunned Azazel

“Fine…”

Azazel grumbled after some thought, her cheeks puffing in frustration. Al chuckled and poked her finger into Azazel’s cheek, which immediately deflated

Azazel resumed eating her breakfast while Al recalled various job opportunities in the village for side work

The beginning of Azazel’s torment or the start of the inevitable?

To be continued.....

Chapter Text

The day was calm and clear. It seemed like nothing bad was going to happen today, but there was one small 'but'...

Azazel hated her sister..

Her suicidal tendencies and self-sacrifice

Al was selfish about the feelings of others, something she didn’t even deny. In fact, she constantly repeated how much of a 'selfish creature' she was. According to her, she actively aspired to be one

But that’s not the point right now

It irritated Azazel, especially now

Now, when this side of Al was showing itself with even greater intensity. Azazel didn’t want this, but... She couldn’t do anything except comply with her sister’s words....

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

“STOOOOP!!!”

A piercing, enraged girl’s scream echoed from the forest near the village

Azazel hated her sister..

As it turned out, Al’s love manifested not only in care but also in mockery

Among Al’s arsenal were all kinds of dark jokes

Very. Dark. Jokes.

Although, let’s be honest, Azazel secretly enjoyed that kind of humor. She scolded herself for laughing at it but had long realized that the two of them were definitely going to hell

And Al’s irony? It was as over-the-top as her jokes

“Come on~, you’ll still grow. You’re not even twenty yet, so there’s hope~”

Teasing and giggling, with a playful smirk, Al said as she wrapped an arm around Azazel’s shoulders and rested her head on her white-haired sister’s

Azazel just huffed, insisting that she was of normal height. But in a way, she felt warmth from this. So, this is what having an older sister is like?

Although Azazel didn’t actually care about her height, she’d explode like a kettle when someone pointed it out, becoming a walking bomb

“Say another word, and I’ll throw you into the water...”

Azazel threatened, narrowing her eyes. Honestly, she probably wouldn’t do it, but hey, there’s a first time for everything

“Alright, alright, sorry, shortie"

Al said with a slight grin, ruffling Azazel’s already messy white hair

Azazel kept grumbling but not as fiercely anymore

Al didn’t believe Azazel would actually throw her into the water—well, maybe only if she kept teasing nonstop

Despite her small stature, Azazel was surprisingly strong. Weighing just forty five kilograms, she could lift up to one hundred fifty kilograms, though you wouldn’t guess it by looking at her

“Well... since we have this moment, there’s something I’d like to ask you"

Al said casually, adjusting her short, choppy hair and brushing it back with her hand

Azazel looked at her older sister with interest, attentively listening to her words

“As I understand, you want to change the plot a bit… Well, not just a bit, but drastically, changing the fate of an entire crew"

Azazel nodded in agreement, encouraging Al to continue

“You know about my… needs, right? Well, you know. I’ll have to set sail soon. And news will probably reach this village soon enough...”

Azazel listened carefully, realizing what Al was getting at

“So, before I get too lost in my thoughts... Are you staying here, or are you coming with me? Keep in mind, the second option comes with trouble—Marines, bounty hunters... and probably other pirates”

“Of course, I’m coming with you! Don’t think you’ll get rid of me that easily!”

With a bright and confident grin, Azazel declared, almost interrupting Al. She clung tightly to her short-haired sister

“I also have to sneak onto their main ship!”

Azazel proclaimed confidently

“I don’t think it’ll be that easy. But yeah, you’re not getting rid of me either. Rest assured"

Al replied with a satisfied smile, tugging at one of Azazel’s pale cheeks. While Azazel frowned and complained, she smiled happily

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

To hell with them all

Pirates had shown up, and it was clear they weren’t here for a peaceful stopover. The cannonballs flying toward the village made that obvious

“Invaders...”

Azazel thought as she watched an icy hand catch the cannonballs. She quickly turned her gaze to Al, who didn’t look good, to say the least

“Damn"

Azazel almost cursed aloud as she recalled her conversation with Al about the grotesque side effects—or rather, the circumstances—of her devil fruit

“Do they not know this island is under Whitebeard’s protection?!”

Al hissed through her teeth, already feeling her insides burning. Azazel was startled by this revelation but quickly filed it away for later

Now wasn’t the time for interesting facts about their current home. The pirates had already docked and were disembarking, shouting fiercely

“Go warn the villagers about the hostile pirates!”

Al spoke firmly, her face deeply furrowed as she struggled to hold back the pirates’ advance. Her strength was failing her

“I can’t leave you alone!”

Azazel replied, panicked and hesitant, only to receive a stern, cold glare that made her fall silent

“Fine, but I’ll be back!!”

Without waiting for a response, Azazel darted into the forest, cutting through toward the village

Only the rustling of leaves and the scratching of branches accompanied her. She tried to suppress her fear, focusing on her current task

Suddenly, something—or someone—grabbed her wrist and yanked her upwards. Too scared to fully comprehend what had just happened, Azazel knew one thing for sure—this was bad

“Well, well, such a slippery little thing almost got away~. Your friend didn’t even notice me sneaking past her~"

A pirate sneered, holding her high off the ground

He began heading back to the shore, still gripping her wrist tightly. Azazel was sure a bruise would form, but she didn’t care right now. She struggled to break free, only to be struck in the stomach without hesitation

“Be calmer, doll. Or I can’t promise to hold myself back. After all, I like the feisty ones~"

He said with a disgusting tone, licking his lips as his eyes roamed her body

Fear filled Azazel’s eyes—the fear of a second time...

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Al felt a sharp, burning pain in her stomach as she struggled to fend off the pirates attacking the island

Still weakened from her last battle with the Marines, she hadn’t fully recovered. That’s why she’d stayed here for three months

The pirates tried to break through the ice to get to her, viewing her as an obstacle to be eliminated. Meanwhile, she could only hope Azazel had made it to the village to warn the residents

Al never believed in 'hope', but right now, she hoped Azazel was safe

Until a pirate’s voice shattered that hope into pieces

“HEY, ICE WITCH!! LOOK WHO I’VE GOT HERE~!”

A pirate called out behind her, confirming her worst fears

In one hand, he held Azazel’s limp body; in the other, he aimed a pistol at her head

Al began trembling—not from fear but from anger. She hadn’t felt this way in a long time and never wanted to feel it again

But fate had other plans for her life

Al said nothing, but her emotions were written all over her face. She couldn’t do anything. She wasn’t fast enough to attack him, not when she couldn’t fully use her devil fruit powers

“WANT HER TO LIVE? SURRENDER, AND WE’LL LEAVE THIS ISLAND ALONE~!”

The pirate yelled, staying at a safe distance from Al. Some of his crew froze, while others continued trying to break through the ice

“DON’T LISTEN TO HIM!!”

Azazel screamed desperately, only to be silenced by another punch to the stomach, causing her to cough

Al froze at the sight and lowered the ice, catching the pirates off guard. They quickly regrouped and surrounded her

“Smart lady, knows how to play her cards~"

the pirate captain sneered, approaching her as Azazel watched in fear

They shackled Al with sea-stone cuffs

“Why...”

Azazel whispered in disbelief and despair as she looked at Al, who, despite her disheveled state, gave a faint smile and whispered:

“...Just be a good girl until I come back...”

“THROW HER IN WITH THE OTHERS!!”

The captain barked, and a pirate slung Al over his shoulder, carrying her away

“NO! LET HER GO!!”

Azazel cried, tears streaming down her face as she was thrown onto the harsh sand, groaning in pain

“You’re pretty, but business is business. And your friend is worth more"

The captain said with a laugh as he boarded the ship

Al could only watch. The sea-stone cuffs sapped her strength, and she couldn’t do anything

All she could do was hope—hope that Azazel would be okay without her

But now, her mind was clouded with a different feeling....

To Be Continued.....

Chapter Text

It was a peculiar girl of short stature with long, curly, and tangled hair that obscured her face from their perspective

With a tired expression, the bartender approached her and began to scold her. Although most couldn’t hear over the low hum of chatter, the owner of the fiery phoenix fruit could distinctly catch every word

"Fifth time this month... Seems like without your sister, you’re completely falling behind schedule. Keep this up, and you're not far from being fired"

The man, presumably the bar owner, said in a stern tone, arms crossed over his chest

"Unlike me, she never sleeps. She used to wake me up..."

The girl replied with puffed cheeks, her eyes darting away in an almost childlike sulk

Watching her was oddly amusing. Marco thought she reminded him of Ace whenever he got scolded for his antics

The man in the apron sighed heavily before tossing her a set of keys

"Alright, this time, I won’t cut your pay. But make sure it’s the last time, understood?"

He gave her a stern look, and the girl immediately nodded, quickly stuffing the keys into the pockets of her shorts. The man sighed again, handing her an apron, ruffled her messy hair, and walked out of the bar

"Hey~, Earth to Marco, hellooo?"

Hearing his name, Marco turned his head, noticing Ace waving a hand in front of his face

"Marco, I’ve been calling you for ten minutes!"

The brunette exclaimed indignantly, hands resting on his hips

"Five"

The cook responded shortly with a light chuckle, observing the younger man in their group

"I was just thinking, yoi. Don’t even know what came over me"

Replied the holder of the Tori Tori no Mi fruit. He glanced back at where the girl had been, but she was now by the bar counter, taking orders from the patrons

Now, he could get a clear look at her appearance. She had snow-white hair, unusually bright and wild, and slightly squinted, sun-like yellow eyes. That toothy grin of hers... He felt as though he’d seen it somewhere before, but couldn’t quite place where

"I’ll have to ask about her around here"

Marco thought. It was a strange idea that flitted through his mind, so subtle yet persistent. He frowned slightly at the thought; it was odd that he was so intrigued by this kid. She seemed no older than fifteen, seventeen at most

Pushing the thought into the folder labeled "later," Marco decided to focus instead on discussing the drunken sailors’ chatter with the other commanders

Azazel was grateful to the bar owner for going easy on her and not cutting her pay  

After putting on the apron, she began taking orders from the patrons. It was a busy day with plenty of travelers, which meant a chance to earn a bit more  

She glanced at the bracelet on her wrist. It was her first purchase after she recovered and visited the village center for the first time. There had been two bracelets, and she had confidently given the other one to Al as a token of their bond as sisters

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud crash in the hall. Looking toward the source of the noise, she noticed two drunken men. One had slumped face-first onto a table, while the other had fallen to the floor, causing the commotion  

With a sigh, Azazel walked over to them. Part of her job was to haul drunken patrons out of the bar so they wouldn’t take up space unnecessarily  

Lifting one man and tossing him over one shoulder, she felt the familiar weight of gazes on her. But Azazel had long since grown used to such looks. Unfazed, she hoisted the second man onto her other shoulder and carried them both to the bar's exit

Leaving the unconscious men near the entrance, Azazel re-entered the bar when one of the patrons called for her. She approached with a toothy grin, only registering the man’s appearance when she heard his familiar way of speaking

"Can you bring us more drinks, yoi?"  

Azazel froze in place.

To be continued.....

Chapter Text

It was both surprising and amusing to watch as a short girl carried and dragged out two massive men, each weighing five times as much as her

This thought crossed the minds of the three division commanders, practically seated in front-row seats, observing the peculiar spectacle

Although, judging by the lack of reaction—or rather, the indifference—of the other bar patrons, it wasn’t as unusual here as one might think

Thatch glanced with curiosity at the unusually strong girl as she reentered the establishment, demonstratively brushing off her hands as if dusting them off, before resuming her work as if nothing had happened

“PWAHAHAHA, now that was quite the show! Don’t you agree?”

The brunette exclaimed, laughing so hard he had to smack the table with his fist to contain himself

“It was rather entertaining"

The redhead replied with a chuckle, finishing his fifth mug of liquor

The blond man merely smirked, a faintly amused smile playing on his lips. As he surveyed the table, he decided to order more drinks. Summoning the white-haired waitress, he said:

“Could you bring us some more drinks, yoi?”

She froze in place at the sound of his voice, recognition flashing in her eyes

This wasn’t surprising, given their fame as pirates—especially considering their Captain. But what caught their attention was the brief flicker of something else in her gaze: a spark

“Of course!”

With a toothy grin, she responded cheerfully and darted toward the bar

“She’s amusing, don’t you think?”

The commander leaned back slightly against the barrel he was using as a chair, his tone light with a hint of mirth

“Amusing? That’s putting it mildly. Who is she, anyway? The whole bar acts like this is normal, but I’ve never seen someone her size toss men around like rag dolls"

Ace commented, scratching his head with a sly grin

“Local legend? Or maybe just someone who’s had to deal with drunks a little too often,” Thatch speculated, running a hand through his messy, light-brown hair with a mischievous smile

“Hmm... she didn’t seem surprised to see us, yoi. Maybe she figured out who we are right away,” Marco mused, tapping the table with his fingers as his sharp gaze flicked toward the bar

“And her appearance feels oddly familiar. Not many people look like that, yoi...”

Before Marco could finish his thought, Ace smirked and spun his mug in his hand, rocking slightly on the barrel:

“Well, we’re hard to miss—especially with my not-so-humble status...”

He puffed out his chest with exaggerated pride, lifting his nose

At that moment, the white-haired girl returned, skillfully weaving through the crowd with a tray of six large mugs and various snacks. Flashing her toothy grin again, her eyes glimmering with amusement, she placed the drinks on their table

“Enjoy your evening!”

Her voice was cheerful but tinged with a hint of nervous excitement as she quickly moved on to serve other patrons

“You know...”

Ace’s grin turned mysterious as he looked at his older brothers after the girl left

“I have an idea. What do you think about asking her to join us?”

Thatch stroked his chin thoughtfully

“If Pops approves. But don’t you think she’s just a kid? And we don’t exactly have the safest mission on our hands"

Ace shrugged

“A kid who just tossed out two grown men like they were nothing? That’s something. Don’t worry about the mission"

Marco took a sip from his mug, squinting toward the bar

“Let’s keep an eye on her for a bit longer. But I admit, I’m curious too, yoi"

“Ace, make sure to pick up that drunkard who was rambling about cannonballs later, yoi"

Marco added, starting another mug of alcohol while giving Ace a sharp look. The brunette nodded confidently in agreement

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Azazel was ecstatic

Meeting her favorite characters in real life was far more thrilling than she had imagined. She wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. Oh, how she wished she could stay near them just a little longer, but work didn’t wait—and she didn’t want to risk them looking at her strangely

Oh, and when Azazel was pouring alcohol into the mugs, one of Al’s old jokes about slipping sleeping powder into drinks popped into her head. Azazel barely resisted the urge to do something so reckless. Although...

No, no, Al’s jokes—and Al in general—were a bad influence

For a brief moment, Azazel’s smile faltered as she thought of her sister, whom she hadn’t seen for two months now. When Al’s wanted poster had reached this island, it wasn’t easy to convince the locals that she knew nothing about it. Surprisingly, they accepted her explanation and even offered her advice

At the time, Azazel felt awkward discussing it, but now it was easier. So here she was, serving locals and travelers alike—including the three aforementioned pirates

Azazel was definitely going to brag to her sister that she met them first

“Yes, that’s what I’ll do"

Azazel nodded to herself mentally, her smile returning as she remained unaware of a few curious glances directed her way

Speaking of glances, the sisters had different opinions about meeting characters. One wanted to meet them all, while the other feared them and preferred to watch from a distance. Obviously, Azazel was the former, and Al was the latter

Thinking about Al now, Azazel wondered how she was doing. Those pirates—suspected slavers—had captured her, and Azazel was terrified for her sister, especially considering her condition

Azazel could only hope that Al would stay alive and well until they met again. She prayed everything would turn out fine, despite Al’s devil fruit weakness

If only she’d had the slightest bit of sense back then... How could the slaver captain’s words have influenced her so much?

.   .   .

Yes, this story would have to wait for another time. For now, she had work to do. She needed to survive and save up—maybe even enough to buy a ship and set sail with her sister. Unless the option to...

Her thoughts were cut short as another customer called her over to order more drinks and snacks

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

It was dark, damp, and cold

The stench of decay and moisture assaulted the senses, nauseating and oppressive. The walls of the basement seemed to have absorbed all the suffering of those trapped within

Heavy chains rattled as prisoners struggled against their bindings, their cries echoing against the stone walls. Beyond the iron bars, figures loomed—some pounding on the metal in desperate pleas for freedom, others sitting silently, resigned to their fate, and a few staring into nothingness, seemingly detached from reality

The flickering light of a single bulb cast a sinister glow, as though the darkness itself was watching, savoring the suffering around it

Footsteps echoed in the distance, breaking the chaos of whispers and sobs. The sound was deliberate, each step a reminder that they were being watched. A cold, indifferent gaze swept over the cells, as if viewing nothing more than just cargo

A door at the far end of the basement creaked open, allowing faint light to spill in. A tall, confident figure stood in the doorway, a ring of keys jangling in their hand

“Got some new additions for you lot~”

A disturbingly cheerful yet harsh voice called out as the figure passed the cells, carrying something—or someone—on their shoulder

Dead silence was the only reply. Yet in the eyes of the prisoners, a spark of fear flickered. Barely perceptible, but it was there. Everyone understood: whoever had just arrived would share the same fate. Caught, broken, tormented—this new 'cargo' hung limply over the slaver’s shoulder, lifeless and devoid of hope

The jingling of keys interrupted the stillness, accompanied by the heavy breathing of the slaver. Moments later, the screech of a cell door opening echoed through the basement, sending a shiver down the spine of every prisoner

Something heavy dropped to the ground with a dull thud, followed by a pained groan

But something was different this time. Alongside the usual clinking of shackles came the unmistakable clatter of massive chains—thick, heavy, and cumbersome. This was a rarity. Normally, slavers relied on their own strength, deeming such precautions unnecessary. Most prisoners were merely restrained with basic cuffs

This 'cargo' judging by the sounds, required a special touch. The chains rang out with every movement, a chilling reminder of just how dangerous this individual was

The screech of the cell door came again, this time more ominous, as it slammed shut. The clanking of the lock and the click of the key sealed the deal

The faint sound of retreating footsteps was all that remained, fading into the shadows of the basement. The prisoners remained frozen, their eyes fixed on the newcomer. A special cargo...

Who—or what—was it?

To be continued....

Chapter Text

A regular day. The wind blew stronger than usual, weaving through the empty streets, playing with scraps of paper and whistling in the cracks between the houses

The gray sky seemed to hang lower than usual, pressing down on the rooftops, while rare drops of rain fell on the asphalt, leaving chaotic spots that quickly disappeared under the flow of air

The trees along the road, bare of leaves, groaned under the pressure of the wind. Their branches creaked and knocked against each other, as if trying to communicate, but only found chaos

Belous's pirates had been on this island for two weeks now. They were still searching for more information

When they interrogated one of the men from the bar, of course, the next day when he could function normally

They learned that on that day by the shore, he had also caught a glimpse of a girl with curly white hair. You didn't need to be Sherlock to guess that it was about the barmaid

All three found it strangely odd

They tried to ask about her, but he only said that he was just a visitor. In the end, the drunkard could breathe easy when the three captains left him

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Finding several villagers at this small 'rest stop' for ships

They were all sent to certain people, with the words that they were the ones who brought her here almost a year ago

"Remind me why we started all this, yoi?"

The blond asked with slight irritation, not stopping his walk, clearly fed up with it all

"We had a lead from a witness about a strange ship that was approaching the island and intended, according to the words about cannonballs, to attack it..."

The russet-haired one began, scratching his chin while continuing to walk

"And he saw that curly girl from the bar before he ran away... Well, that's it, now we want to learn more about the girl herself, to ingratiate ourselves with her trust...?"

The brunette continued with an uncertain ending to his words

. . .

They stopped in the middle of the road, a brief silence fell between the three of them

"Wait, why are we doing all this when we could just ask her directly?"

Suddenly, Ace asked a rather logical question, frowning and crossing his arms over his chest

Another silence ensued, and a sigh was heard

"Well, since we started this crap, let's finish it quickly"

Tatch suggested with a slight nervous smile, to which the blond let out a heavier sigh

"To hell with it... Remind me where their house is?"

Outside, it was bright enough not to use artificial light for filling out papers

In our case, writing a plan, or rather a plan of how Azazel could join them

Judging by the fact that all three characters are from her favorite pirate crew, they are looking for something. And remembering the penultimate words of her older sister and rummaging through some sources for confidence, this is Whitebeard’s territory

And Azazel suspects why all three commanders are here

And what does Whitebeard’s crew despise most on their territory? Right, enemies, the government, and of course... slave traders.

Although Azazel was told to sit still and be a good girl, in short, 'a good girl'. Now, when a direct ticket to the quickest reunion with her sister is literally in front of her...

"I'm sorry, sis, but unfortunately, I will have to disobey you to find and save you from those bastards as soon as possible!"

The blonde declared internally, continuing to write the plan. Meanwhile, she was watching the clock, as she needed to leave for work at the bar in two hours

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

"How the hell did it come to this?!"

Azazel's inner voice was banging its head against the nearest wall with all the fury, anger, and despair.

Today, Azazel had only momentarily distracted herself by a cat that led her into an alley. Damn love for cats, this won't end well, I swear!

And so, some bounty hunters decided to follow her and cornered her. Azazel would have been glad to avoid such a situation, but that damn wall was in her way. Just like her conscience about the possible damage she might cause if she tried to break through it

Although at that moment, Azazel didn’t care, and she was indeed planning to break through the wall, hoping that no one was behind it

Oh no, Azazel wasn’t afraid to fight. She was afraid of accidentally killing them

During her sister's stay on the island, Azazel realized how strong she was. She even accidentally broke her sister's arm once, and she almost cried over it, apologizing profusely, while her sister seemed indifferent to it

So she was doing her best to avoid fights, so as not to accidentally kill someone in the worst-case scenario

But it seemed the situation wasn’t helping at all...

“Oh, we heard you’re the little sister of a rather expensive lady who was recently put up for sale~”

Azazel's heart skipped a beat when one of the thugs with a beard, who was slowly approaching her, said what she considered bullshit instead of words

At that moment, all of Azazel's moral compasses shut down. Without saying a word, she punched him squarely in the face, and due to her height compared to the thug's, she had to jump a little

The thug immediately flew into the wall, which cracked under the impact. Perhaps she felt sorry...

For the wall

“If you say anything about my sister again... I’ll personally feed you to h—”

Azazel began, approaching him, coldly looking into his eyes with her venomously yellow gaze, clearly forgetting about the second thug

“You bitch!”

The second thug with sunglasses shouted, swinging a saber right at her head

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We have to intervene!”

Ace hissed with a deeply furrowed brow while the two of them watched the scene unfold around the corner

“Later.”

Marco replied firmly, raising one hand as if to tell him to calm down

“But—”

The brunette was about to protest when he was rudely interrupted

“Shut up and watch, yo”

The freckled one fell silent, still deeply frowning. At least he felt a bit of satisfaction when they learned that Azazel had thrown the bearded thug into the wall

Now Ace was watching as the other thug with the saber tried to 'decapitate' her. He was about to stop this nonsense, but suddenly there was a sound of metal clashing against metal

“...Ha, you thought you could kill me so easily?..”

A smirk came from the blonde, and she barely flinched when the attack reached her

Ace watched her in undisguised shock, while Marco looked on with interest and slight surprise

But neither of them expected her to pull something out of her hair, which was, of course, an astonishing ability. Marco had a thought: was she a fruit user?

AN AXE... Well, it was more of a hatchet, but that didn’t change the fact that Azazel had been hiding an axe in her hair

Ace watched her with even more shock and excitement. It was as if he unconsciously was no longer ready to leave without her

The axe embedded itself right into the face of the bounty hunter, crashing deep into his skull

Although the two pirates had long been accustomed to slaughter and bloodbaths, they were clearly not prepared for such a scene:

A girl, about fifteen or sixteen, with seemingly fluffy, cloud-white hair, now stained with blood, of small stature, had taken down two grown men...

And it wasn’t just that which made them internally shudder...

Her eyes, eyes that usually sparkled with what seemed like solar energy, now looked at the half-dead body with venom, as if ready to burn them with acid

She casually pulled the axe from one of the thugs and tucked it back into her hair, further staining it a burgundy color

Standing up, she approached the miraculously alive first thug with the beard and squatted down in front of him

She was saying something to him, but due to the distance, neither Ace, nei.. No, Marco heard everything; it was no wonder he had a Zoan-type fruit....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I don’t even know what human flesh tastes like... But I definitely know you guys will taste like garbage from a dumpster”

Azazel said through gritted teeth, smiling widely at him with a toothy grin that promised nothing good...

For him, of course

The bearded thug could only watch her in horror, feeling that almost all his bones were broken, if not shattered. And his organs were irreparably damaged

“J-just kill me...”

The thug rasped, suffering in agony from all the pain in his broken body

“With pleasure~”

Azazel replied, standing up and mercilessly grinding the sole of her shoe into his face, thus taking his life

Everything was quite creepy and oppressive until Azazel, as if nothing had happened, looked at herself

“Damn, how am I going to clean all this up?? If this goes on, I’m definitely going to get fired! There are still ten minutes left; I hope I can clean myself up in time”

She lamented, like a ‘little child,’ as her sister usually liked to say in such moments, glancing at the watch on her wrist, and ran out of the alley, barely noticing the two figures in the shadows

“That was insane...”

The brunette said, unable to hold back, watching the blonde as her yellow shirt fluttered in the light breeze she created while running

“You’re not wrong, yoi...”

The pineapple-haired one replied, massaging his temples in response to his younger brother’s comment, clearly tired from all the day’s events

“She definitely has to join our crew!”

The future Mr. Donut exclaimed with excitement, raising his arms in both directions, with a wide smile full of determination

“Yeah, yeah... Wait, WHAT?! Hold on!”

The phoenix wanted to dissuade his younger brother, but it was already too late to reach the comboy

“Let’s go tell Tatch! He’ll definitely be happy about the addition!”

Already running to the place where they left Tatch, Ace bounced ahead. Marco could only sigh resignedly and follow the spark

To be continued....

Chapter Text

#####################################

The day was becoming gloomier; the sky was covered with gray clouds. It seemed like it would rain any moment, though they assured that in a couple of hours, the sun would appear, and the weather would clear up. One could only hope the rain would hold off

Three diverse personalities were nearing their intended destination. More specifically, the house of a woman—what was her name again? Makino? Mariko?

Mariko, yes

They stood at the porch of a bright but slightly worn house with a small plot and a rather abundant garden

Marco decided to take the lead in this situation. He knocked on the door, hoping the hostess would be home

"...Coming~!.."

A soft female voice and the sound of footsteps could be heard behind the door. The door opened to reveal a short woman with blonde hair tucked under a scarf and brown eyes

"Oh, hello, is there something you need?"

The woman seemed a little surprised by the people standing at her door. It took her a second to regain her composure, and she greeted them with a friendly smile

"Good day, sorry to bother you, but we’d like to ask you about someone who, as other residents say, is an acquaintance of yours"

Marco began with a casual smile, hoping not to scare her off. However, the air around her hinted that she could be a ‘tough woman'

"Depends on who you want to ask about"

The woman said cautiously, eyeing the trio with suspicion

"We’d like to know about a curly-haired girl with white hair"

The woman’s posture revealed her distrust, and her next words confirmed it:

"Why should I do that?"

Her tone carried a hint of disdain as she looked up at them. Even Ace instinctively hid behind Thatch, remembering the rare moments when Makino would get angry and chase the three boys with a broom

"Think fast, Marco, before she gets the broom out"

Was written all over the brunette’s face. The addressed blond sighed and ran a hand over his face

"Don’t misunderstand, yoi. We just thought she might be the long-lost daughter of a friend of one of my brothers"

Blurting out the first thing that came to mind, Marco frowned slightly, attempting to look ‘wistful'

The blonde woman gasped, covering her mouth with her hand as she recalled their first encounter with the curly-haired girl and the overall circumstances. The blond’s words could be close to the truth

"Come in, don’t be shy. It’s been a while since I’ve had guests"

The woman’s expression softened instantly as she kindly invited them into her home. Once all three men stepped inside, she headed to the kitchen

Five minutes later, she returned to the living room with a tray of tea and snacks, placing them on the coffee table

"You’re probably talking about Azazel"

The brown-eyed woman said with a friendly smile, taking a seat in one of the armchairs

"Something like that"

Marco replied, continuing the conversation as the other two remained as listeners

"Take a seat, and I’ll tell you everything I know"

he said, gesturing for them to sit on the sofa perpendicular to her armchair, as the three of them were still standing

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

As it turned out, Mariko briefly recounted how she and two others had found Azazel cold and wet in the middle of the road

The story struck the first and fourth division commanders as odd. She appeared as if out of thin air, suffered from complete memory loss (supposedly), and had a so-called elder sister surrounded by unpleasant rumors

"Could you tell us where she lives now? Perhaps we could speak to her"

Marco continued effortlessly, sipping his fifth cup of tea. Meanwhile, his younger brother had already fallen asleep due to narcolepsy while munching on cookies

"Oh, her house is near the forest, about a twenty-minute walk from here. But she’s probably not home at the moment—you know, work and all"

Marco nodded in acknowledgment, giving her a grateful and pleasant smile

"Thank you so much for your hospitality, but I think it’s time we head out"

Said the blond, standing up and bowing slightly. Slinging the still-sleeping Ace over his shoulder, the trio bid farewell and left Mariko’s house

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Fifteen minutes along a trail leading to the forest, closer to the shore, a small house nestled under the trees came into view

If one didn’t look closely, it could easily be missed. Judging by Observation Haki, the house was empty, but that didn’t stop them from checking to see if the owner had forgotten to lock the door

When they reached the door, Thatch tried the handle, and to their surprise, it opened

Suddenly, Marco felt uneasy, as though something important was about to happen and he needed to be there

"You go ahead. I need to check something, yoi"

He said seriously, attempting to pass the sleeping fire-user to the chef

"Nope, I’m coming with you"

Came a sudden reply from his shoulder, where Ace’s head had been resting, now protesting and refusing to go to Thatch

"So you weren’t asleep this whole time, yoi?!"

Marco shouted angrily, throwing Ace into a nearby bush in frustration

"Guess I’ll go alone, then"

Thatch said with a smirk, laughing at the scene, as he knew Ace hadn’t been sleeping

Marco merely huffed and began walking back towards the village, with Ace running after him, leaving the chef behind

Dressed in white chef’s attire, Thatch decided to enter the house and investigate for anything suspicious or hints about slave traders

Opening the door again, he stepped inside. The first thing he saw was a spacious room with a large bed against one wall, a small kitchen area, and a door leading to what he assumed was the bathroom

Thatch noticed a low table piled with various items in the center of the room. Approaching it, he picked up one of the papers, but the text was incomprehensible, written in a language he couldn’t decipher. However, he could make out cute drawings of a boat and some stick figures

Looking closely, he recognized one figure as Azazel, while the others vaguely resembled his brothers and himself. Another figure, likely her so-called sister, was also depicted

This made Thatch uneasy

Putting the papers back, he looked over the rest of the table’s contents—wanted posters, various books, and a framed photograph

The photograph piqued his interest, and he picked it up to examine it

It showed two figures, specifically two girls—or so he thought

One was Azazel, but the other’s face was burned, making her unrecognizable

‘Miss Faceless,’ Thatch mentally dubbed her, noting her taller stature compared to the curly-haired girl. She wore a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves and red trim, black trousers, and army boots. On her hands were black fingerless gloves, and her left wrist bore a bracelet identical to Azazel’s

"Matching bracelets, huh?"

Thatch muttered with an amused grin, placing the frame back

He decided to look around a bit more while waiting for his brothers to return. Knowing her approximate schedule, he wasn’t too worried about Azazel suddenly showing up

While Thatch tried to decipher the papers, the sound of keys jingling in the lock caught his attention

"...Damn, did I forget to lock the door again?.."

Came a muffled, irritated voice

Before Thatch could react, the door swung open

.  .  .

Silence fell between them

The light-haired chef found himself staring at a short girl covered in blood, her face as emotionless as if she were about to snap

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Shit! She’s heading home, and Thatch is still there!"

Ace panicked, clutching his head as he sprinted

"Don’t freak out, yoi. Maybe if we hurry, we can get there before her"

Marco assured, though there was a hint of nerves in his tone as he tried to recall the way to the house 

They refrained from using their Devil Fruit powers in the village, so they ran on foot, reaching Azazel’s house.

"Thatch!!"

Ace yelled, ensuring his voice carried as he burst through the door, hoping he hadn’t accidentally broken it. He froze at the sight before him

Marco, not wasting time, stood beside him and peeked inside, also stunned

To be continued....

Chapter Text

"Tatch!!"

Ace shouted to make sure he was heard and suddenly threw open the door, hoping he wouldn’t accidentally rip it off its hinges. But as soon as he saw what was inside, he froze

Marco quickly stepped beside the brunette, peeking into the house—and also stopped in his tracks

"What the hell…"

The blond muttered under his breath, skeptically watching the absurd scene before them. The brunette next to him was already trembling with barely restrained laughter, clearly enjoying the moment

"Welcome back, Marco… Ace"

Muttered the russet-haired man lying face-down on the floor, his arms twisted behind his back

Sitting on top of him, cross-legged, was the white-haired girl. Her face held a look of displeasure, and the once pristine cook's uniform she wore was now stained with a crimson substance—courtesy of the blonde above her

A heavy silence filled the air before the brunette, no longer able to hold it in, burst into laughter

"PFFT, A GIRL TOOK YOU DOWN!!!"

Ace collapsed at the doorstep, clutching his aching stomach as he laughed uncontrollably. Marco, meanwhile, was already regretting getting involved in this mess but still allowed himself a small chuckle

"Why are you just standing there?! Help… please"

Tatch spoke, almost resigned to his fate, and even a single tear could be seen rolling down his cheek

"Well, I hope you’ve learned your lesson about not touching other people’s stuff, right?"

The white-haired girl finally joined the conversation, casually rubbing her knuckles. Judging by the cook's expression, it wasn’t the first time he had received a flick on the forehead from her

"Yes, ma’am"

Tatch replied in defeat, sighing in relief as Azazel finally let him go and stood up

Azazel dusted off her clothes, as if they were merely covered in dirt rather than something far worse. Then, grabbing a change of clothes from a small cabinet, she hurried off to the bathroom

The only ones left in the room were the three men

Ace was still giggling on the floor, Tatch stood up, stretching his body—knowing full well he’d be covered in bruises soon. And Marco? He was seriously considering if dying would be an easier way out of this nonsense

Letting out yet another sigh, the blond stepped inside, sitting on the edge of the bed next to Tatch, who was trying to pop his shoulder back into place

"So, what exactly happened while we were gone?"

Marco asked, his voice tired and irritated as he leaned forward, looking at his brother from under furrowed brows

"Umm… Well, I looked around the house and decided to check out some paper on the table. And at that moment, she stormed in, saw me rummaging through her stuff, and immediately tackled and pinned me down…"

Tatch replied with a hint of guilt, scratching the back of his head as he adjusted his blood-stained uniform, hoping he could wash it out later

"Tha—"

Marco opened his mouth to speak, but was abruptly interrupted when a sudden weight pressed against his side

Turns out, it was Ace, who had casually leaned back against Marco’s shoulder

"So basically, you got wrecked"

Ace smirked, cutting him off and narrowly dodging Marco’s elbow to the ribs

"Alri—"

Marco tried to start again, only to be interrupted once more

The bathroom door slammed open so forcefully that the three men in the room could have sworn they heard the wood crack

"I’m off to work! Don’t you dare touch a single thing—you know the consequences!"

Azazel blurted out, nearly flying past them toward the exit, throwing an intimidating glare before dashing out the door

No one even had time to react before they were once again left alone in a stranger’s home

"Well, since she said not to touch anything, that doesn’t mean we can’t look~"

Ace sang playfully, getting up from the bed and heading toward the table, immediately grabbing an intriguing picture frame

"Oh, is this the famous older sister of our new little sis?"

He mused, squinting at the burnt section of the photo while two taller men approached from behind

" ‘New little sis’??"

Tatch repeated, confused, as Marco joined him in examining the picture, frowning at how conveniently the damage hid the identity of this so-called older sister

"You should’ve seen how she crushed those two thugs—literally! She has to join us!"

Ace declared with determined enthusiasm, handing the picture to Marco as he started recounting everything they had witnessed in that alleyway

Meanwhile, Marco studied the slightly charred photograph, searching for any clues about this ‘older sister’

Upon closer inspection, within the darkened section caused by fire, a double pendant could barely be seen

Something about it seemed familiar to the Phoenix… but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t remember where he had seen it before

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Azazel was annoyed.

First, she was late for work again—thanks to those bastards who dared insult her sister. That was unforgivable, so she had no regrets about taking their lives. As long as her big sis didn’t find out… otherwise, she’d probably get scolded.

Second, what the hell was Tatch doing in her house, snooping through her stuff?!

Maybe this was another thing she shared with her not-blood-related sister. Her older sister also hated when people touched her belongings. In fact, she might even kill for it—no joke

Heh, Azazel could only hope she wouldn’t get killed for borrowing her sister’s favorite hoodie. But she had no other choice—most of her clothes were either wrinkled or dirty

The hoodie was oversized, even for her sister. A black hoodie with white horizontal stripes. Azazel rolled up one of the sleeves, revealing her arm up to the elbow—and the bracelet that symbolized their connection

For now, she hadn’t yet realized the weight of what had just happened back at her home

Right now, her biggest worry was not getting fired for being late

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So, according to what we’ve gathered, this ‘older sister’ was kidnapped by slave traders, yoi. This could work in our favor if we want her to join our team, as Ace wants"

Marco spoke, casually lounging in a kitchen chair while sipping some tea he found in a cabinet

"Hey! I’m not the only one who wants her in the crew—Tatch does too! And deep down, I bet you do as well~"

Ace protested, slamming his palms on the table, grinning as he teased the blond

"think what you want…"

Marco mumbled indifferently, leaving a heavy silence in the room

"So… when are we setting sail?"

Tatch asked, trying to shift the atmosphere, now busy washing the accumulated dishes in the sink

"With this new intel, I’d say in about two days, yoi. The slavers were last spotted two islands away from here, so we need to leave as soon as possible"

Marco informed them, flipping open a small notebook he had tucked into his pants

"Then we’ll need extra supplies since we’re gaining a new crewmember"

Tatch mused aloud, now drying the clean dishes. Meanwhile, Ace sprawled across the table, snacking lazily

"I wonder what this ‘sister’ looks like… or as Tatch calls her—‘Miss Faceless’ "

Ace chuckled, feeling a strange sense of unease about this ‘Miss Faceless’

"Apparently, her name is ‘Al’—at least, that’s what the people we asked called her"

Tatch responded, taking a seat beside them

Marco remained silent, casually sipping his tea, munching on a snack

"‘Al,’ huh…?"

Ace muttered, as if testing the name

Something deep inside him screamed that this woman was not ordinary

But strangely enough… not in a bad way

It felt like something from the past

Something clawing its way out, wanting to roundhouse kick him with realization.

What the hell was this feeling?

"Are you really thinking THAT long, Rubber Band~?"

The girl smiled cheerfully, tousling the short, dark hair of the boy with the scar under his left eye

Wait, what?...... 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hunger…

Hunger, cold, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, fear, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, pain, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, cold, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, fear, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, pain, cold, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, fear, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, pain, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, cold, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, fear, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, pain, cold, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, fear, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, pain, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, cold, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, fear, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, hunger, pain........

Madness

No one will $#+v¡v£.

To Be Continued....

Chapter Text

#####################################

It was a quiet evening, the sun slowly sinking below the horizon, painting the sky in crimson and golden hues. The waves lazily rolled onto the shore, as if unwilling to disturb the tranquility

The sand, warmed throughout the day, was gradually cooling, releasing its stored heat. A light breeze carried the freshness of the approaching night, making the air noticeably cooler

A small figure was visible on the shore

A girl of short stature sat hunched over on a fallen log, lost in her thoughts. Her gaze was fixed on something she was carefully examining in her hands

"Mmmmmm… Damn it, the chain broke again.."

The girl's voice sounded somewhat offended as she held a broken chain in one hand and a double pendant in the other

The pendant was round in shape, with one larger circle and one smaller. The larger one was golden, as if simply gilded or made of metal resembling gold, while the smaller one was silver

The silver piece rested on top, creating something akin to an inverted golden moon

"Auntie Holly!!!"

Suddenly, an energetic child's cry echoed from the dense forest, followed by rustling and the patter of several small feet

"Don’t yell like that, Luffy!"

The taller brunette scolded the younger boy, leaving him with a lump on his head, while the third, a blond, tried to calm them both down

Seeing them, the girl could only smile. She had been on this island for only three weeks, yet she had already befriended these three peculiar boys

The youngest immediately dashed into her arms, and she chuckled, hugging him back before letting go

Once all three troublemakers were gathered around her, they noticed the broken chain she had mentioned earlier that day

"What brings you to me this time?"

The girl asked curiously, her relaxed smile remaining as she slouched, resting her right elbow on her knee, supporting her head so that her right cheek rested in her palm

At that moment, all three boys started getting a bit nervous

"..you do it.."

"..why me?!.."

"..don’t even look at me.."

Their not-so-quiet squabble continued until the blond pushed the elder of the brunettes. With some indignation and embarrassment, he finally stepped closer to her

The girl noticed he was holding something behind his back, and after shifting nervously in place, he extended a small box toward her. He watched her reaction with a mix of embarrassment and anticipation, as did the two boys behind him

"Th-this is for you, Holly.."

The freckled boy muttered gruffly, clearly trying to maintain a cool demeanor but failing miserably

She accepted the gift, straightening her back and carefully opening the lid of the small box. Seeing its contents, she was slightly surprised and took the item in her hands

"You didn’t steal this, did you?"

She teased with a playful, pleased smile, holding a fairly well-kept chain that closely resembled the one she had been wearing before

"O-of course not!"

The boy with the scar under his left eye puffed out his cheeks in defense. The two older ones also started protesting, insisting they hadn’t stolen anything

"Alright, alright, I’m joking. Even if you found it in the trash, I like it. Thank you"

She laughed, lightly patting her knee. All three boys smiled with a slight blush on their cheeks

"It even has our initials"

The blond pointed out, stepping closer and showing a small flat area near the clasp, where 'ASL' was written in somewhat crooked but legible letters

The girl simply nodded slightly, her smile widening as she threaded the chain through the pendant and finally put it on

"How do I look?"

She joked playfully, showing them how the pendant and chain hung around her neck, where a horizontal scar on the left side was partially hidden by her short hair

#####################################

"..I don’t mind sailing with you.."

Ace suddenly woke up in the middle of some conversation, wiping drool off his face. He realized he had fallen asleep at the table, right on the photograph of Azazel and Al he had been looking at earlier

Perhaps it was one of his most memorable memories before Auntie Holly left and Sabo died. And perhaps, it was one of his favorites

He wanted to finish this mission as soon as possible and set off in search of the 'Ice Butcher'

Outside, it was pitch black. The room was lit only by a candle lamp, while the muffled conversation of two people could be heard from the kitchen

"..We’ll be setting sail in two days, in the morning, so you should pack everything you need tomorrow.."

A man's voice, belonging to a blond, came through the dim space

"..Mmm..Alright, you can stay here for the night if you want. It’s completely dark outside.."

A girl’s voice followed, tinged with a certain nervousness

The brunette finally got up and started stretching his stiff back after sleeping half-sitting at the table

"..I think I’ll take you up on that offer. I’m not carrying these two by myself.."

After stretching, he noticed a clock on a small nightstand next to the bed, where a cook was dozing on the floor, leaning against it

"..I can help with that if needed.."

Looking closer at the clock, Ace barely made out that it was two in the morning due to the darkness. At that moment, his stomach growled loudly, almost like a tiger’s roar

The conversation in the kitchen stopped, and silence filled the room, broken only by the chirping of crickets outside

". . ."

". . ."

"..Do I need to bring out my emergency food stash?.."

A girl's voice, sounding rather indifferent, as if she had already resigned herself to the imminent emptiness of her fridge, broke the silence

In response, there was only a weary sigh

"..Oops?.."

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Morning came, and the clock showed ten o’clock

Half of the people in the house were still sleeping—wherever they had ended up. The blonde, as usual, was asleep in bed, while the brunette slept on a mattress placed on the floor next to the bed

Two others sat in the kitchen, their now favorite spot. Understandably so, since the only other seating options were the bed and the kitchen chairs. The bathroom and toilet didn’t count

The blond watched the two sleeping figures, who were sprawled out in completely random positions. Honestly, they looked like they had come from the same factory

"Enjoy your meal

The red-haired man said with a gentle smile, placing a plate of breakfast in front of the blond

"Thanks, Thatch"

Marco responded with a grateful smile, picking up his fork and starting to eat. He was already calculating when the fireball would wake up from the smell of food

He didn’t have to wait long—within ten minutes, there was rustling from the bedroom, aka the main and only room in this house

Seconds later, a sleepy brunette appeared in the kitchen, scratching his head with one hand while yawning into the other

"…Good morning"

Still yawning, he greeted them and sat down in an empty chair

It was amusing that a house meant for at most two people had so many chairs. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that

"Morning, Ace"

The cook greeted him while already preparing a portion for him

"Mmm… Azi’s not up yet?"

The freckled boy sleepily observed the kitchen

"Azi?"

Marco asked with some curiosity, sipping a cup of coffee he had found in another cabinet

"What? It’s easier to say"

Ace responded, sprawling out on the table as if he might collapse with it

"Got it. I think she’ll sleep until noon unless she wakes up from the smell of food… like you"

Marco replied in a relaxed yet skeptical tone, mentally adding another point to the list of similarities between the two youngest in the group

"At least it proves we’re related. She’s definitely gonna be my little sis"

The brunette said proudly, attempting to fix his unruly hair that kept falling into his eyes.

"Speaking of sisters, do you know how old Al is?"

Thatch asked thoughtfully, sitting at the table with a cup of tea, having woken up first and already eaten

"Hmm… From what I’ve heard, she’s somewhere between twenty and thirty. Haven’t heard an exact number"

Marco mused, pushing the last of his food toward Ace’s growing pile

"Mmph, vell… ih she’s Avi’s olter sis, them thut meavs she’s my siswer too"

Ace declared with a mouthful of food, not bothering to chew before speaking

"Don’t talk with your mouth full"

The cook scolded him playfully, handing him a glass of water. Meanwhile, both older men pondered with mild interest about this sister

After all, none of them had met Al yet

Or had one of them?

But that wasn’t important right now

"Why are you all up so early…?"

A sleepy voice mumbled as a blonde girl rubbed her eyes

"Good morning to you too, yoi"

Marco smirked, mentally adding another point to the list of similarities

"Don’t forget to pack today. And get to bed early—we set sail tomorrow morning"

To be continued....

Chapter Text

Morning was filled with a chorus of voices: roosters announcing the arrival of dawn, birds singing in the branches, and the wind rustling through the leaves, running through the grass and swaying the tree branches. The sky slowly brightened, painting itself in soft pink and orange hues

The sun, rising above the horizon, gilded the rooftops, walls, and grass, illuminating the world with a gentle, warm light. The trees cast long shadows that gradually shortened, making way for the new day

In a small house on the outskirts of the village, hurried footsteps echoed. It was as if someone was frantically running from one room to another, searching for something

"God! Where could that thing be?!"

A furious cry rang out as a girl stomped her bare feet loudly on the wooden floor

Her name was Azazel

Blonde-haired, with a messy high ponytail, she looked irritated as she frantically searched through cabinets, under the table, and even inside the stove, as if the thing she was looking for could be anywhere

She was so caught up in her search that she didn’t notice three men walking through her once again unlocked door. They exchanged puzzled glances upon hearing her shout

"What’s going on, yoi?"

Marco finally spoke up, stepping closer and carefully placing a hand on her shoulder

However, the very next moment, he abruptly jerked back as the girl's fist almost hit him in the face

"Holy macaroni!"

Azazel exclaimed, clutching her chest as if her heart had just jumped out

"You scared me… And yes, that was just a reflex"

The three commanders of Whitebeard’s crew stood motionless, like statues, trying to process what had just happened. The first to snap out of it was none other than the victim of the situation himself

"It’s no big deal"

He tried to make his voice sound light, but there was still a flicker of tension in his eyes

"Woah, let’s have a spar later!"

Ace suddenly exclaimed enthusiastically, his eyes lighting up with excitement

Marco simply sighed and, without a word, smacked the brunette on the back of the head

"Ow! What was that for?!"

Ace shouted indignantly, rubbing his sore spot

"Anyway, are you ready?"

Thatch asked, glancing around the almost empty house. Only the furniture and a few kitchen utensils remained

Azazel sighed, looking around

"Almost… I just can’t find something"

"What exactly?"

Ace asked, still rubbing his head

But the girl was no longer listening. She had just felt something in her hair, quickly pulled it out, and triumphantly raised it up

It was a book. An old one, with a worn yet still elegant cover

Azazel immediately hid it back in her hair, as if that was its usual storage place

Ace frowned; the book seemed oddly familiar. He stared at it, trying to remember where he had seen it before, but his memory remained stubbornly silent

Meanwhile, Azazel grabbed her backpack, slung it over her shoulder, and flashed a toothy grin at the others

"We can move out!"

Catching her mood, Ace cheerfully grabbed the backpack off her shoulder

"Alright then, full speed ahead!"

However, the moment he took the backpack, he noticeably tensed

"How do you even carry something this heavy?!"

He asked in surprise, carefully handing the backpack to Thatch, who gladly took it

"You haven’t seen my sister’s bag yet! I bet it’s five times heavier!"

Azazel giggled, locking the house door behind her. Together, they walked along the path leading from the village to the sea

"So, where’s your fleet?"

Azazel asked as she walked beside Marco

"Just past the hill"

The blonde replied, nodding toward the east.

Ace yawned and stretched

"Hey, is your morning always this chaotic?"

"Only when I can’t find something"

"How interesting, yoi"

Marco smirked, leisurely walking down the path to the ship

Thatch simply shook his head, watching their conversation, while the sun climbed higher, promising a scorching day ahead

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Noon had long passed, and the sun blazed mercilessly, blinding the eyes

Waves crashed against the side of a small ship with relentless force, rocking it like a toy. The foamy crests broke noisily, leaving salty spray on the deck

Azazel had already unpacked all her belongings in the cabin she was given

The cabin, by the way, was neither big nor small—just right, and quite cozy. There wasn’t much furniture: a bed, a couple of nightstands, and a small desk

On that very desk, Azazel placed a framed photograph of herself and her older sister

"I will definitely save you, sis!"

The confident thought crossed Azazel’s mind once again. Joining the mission of Whitebeard’s division commanders only strengthened her determination

But one thing still troubled her—water

For some strange reason, she feared it. Yet, she wasn’t a Devil Fruit user; she could stay in a bathtub without any issues. But the ocean water awakened a primal fear in her

From what she remembered, she had never been afraid of it before, even though she didn’t know how to swim. It was as if something had triggered this fear deep in her subconscious

Her sister had said that she ended up here after dying... So that meant she—

"Azazel, it’s time for lunch!"

Thatch’s voice suddenly snapped her out of her endless thoughts. She looked at the clock—almost two in the afternoon. Time had flown by so fast

Forgetting all about her worries and rather eerie suspicions, Azazel decided to set them aside for later and headed toward the dining hall

"Coming~!"

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

More than a week had passed, and they finally arrived at the first island

They would still have to sail for at least two more weeks to reach their final destination

They docked at a designated port among other large and small fleets and stepped onto land

"Finally! Solid ground!"

Azazel cheered, stomping her feet on the ground for extra reassurance

"Your first long trip?"

Thatch chuckled, slinging a small grocery bag over his shoulder, preparing to stock up on supplies

"Probably"

Azazel smirked before immediately dashing into the market

"Wait for me!"

Ace shouted, running after her like a puppy. Who knew what kind of people she might run into? He didn’t want some bastard laying a finger on her

The two men left behind reminded themselves not to ask her questions about her past, especially the parts she didn’t remember. That could end badly

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

"Wow~! There’s so much here"

Azazel exclaimed with sparkling eyes as she looked over the food stalls, clothes, and all sorts of trinkets

"I like your energy, but try to be a little less hyper. Or you might get lost"

She nodded ambiguously and headed toward a stall with sweets. Her mouth watered just looking at them, but she didn’t get closer

"Do you want to buy some?"

Ace asked, bending down to look at the display over her head. She flinched slightly at the unexpected question

"Oh, no, no, I don’t have much money"

Her once cheerful mood instantly shifted into uncharacteristic shyness. Ace frowned, skeptical

"That’s the only reason? Then let me buy them for you"

He raised an eyebrow, already digging through his shorts pockets

"No, it’s really not necessary—"

Too late

Ace ignored her protests and asked the vendor for a lot. In the end, he bought nearly two buckets of sweets

"Oh, it’s definitely necessary. Take some—I bought way too much anyway. If I eat it all, I might get diabetes"

The freckled man smirked, finally turning to her and handing her a small bag for convenience

"Thanks"

She gratefully accepted the sweets and eagerly popped a few into her mouth

"So sweet!!"

With a new sparkle in her eyes, Azazel exclaimed joyfully. Ace even thought for a moment that she had a blush on her cheeks

Well, now he knows what he can bribe her with and/or lure her over to his side, if necessary, hehe 

"Let’s walk around a bit more and then head back to the ship"

The brunette said, adjusting the weight on his arms and looking down at her with a wide smile

"What about Marco and Thatch?"

Azazel looked at him questioningly, continuing to chew the sweets in her mouth

"Don’t worry, those old men will find us if they need to."

With a grin, without thinking, he stepped back, suddenly feeling someone’s rotting presence behind him

"He’s behind me, isn’t he?"

With a small hope for a negative answer, the little fire asked, to which the blonde, to his regret, nodded positively

"I can explain!"

The donut said as if automatically, barely moving

"‘Old men,’ huh? I don’t think you can, yoi"

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

All four were already on the ship, preparing to set sail once again

On the deck, the brunette lay face down, having been disciplined with several flicks to the forehead and a ton of lectures from the blond. Watching this scene, the cook and the 'one and a half' were trembling, trying not to burst into laughter

Tatch even thought that karma and the Almighty really did exist in this world, and he was almost ready to believe in them

Azazel, simply amused by the situation, was chewing on and holding the kilograms of sweets that had once belonged to Ace

Today was one of the few peaceful days—but would it stay that way?

To be continued....