Chapter Text
After the Timeskip and Escape from the Sabaody Archipelago
On one of the islands of the New World.
Following the chaos that erupted in the Sabaody Archipelago, the news spread across the world like wildfire...
The Devil Twins had returned.
A pair of trembling hands held the newspaper as tears of happiness streamed down her face. At the same time, she continued stuffing food into her mouth without pause.
"You're finally back, Luffia...!!" she whispered to herself, wiping away her tears before taking another enormous bite. "Now we'll see who becomes Pirate Queen."
"Aren't you ever going to stop eating, woman?"
The voice belonged to a red-haired man surrounded by his crew. She swallowed her food, stood up straight, and glanced toward her own crew to make sure they were prepared for the chaos that was inevitably about to follow.
"Is there really nowhere I can go without seeing your face, Eustass?!" she replied with obvious boredom.
The other pirate glanced at the newspaper in her hands.
"So your crazy friend finally came back from her vacation... Jewelry," Eustass Kid said, pointing at the front page, where the twins were pictured bowing dramatically toward the cameras as they announced their return.
"That weird girl..." he muttered to himself. "I've never seen anyone like her."
"What exactly do you want, Eustass? Still throwing a tantrum after that humiliating defeat against Red-Hair?" she shot back.
Kid immediately clenched his teeth in anger and raised a hand, signaling his crew to attack.
"Well, that's our cue to continue our journey. Back to the ship, everyone," Bonney said casually.
Some of her crew moved to intercept Kid's men while the others rushed toward their vessel.
"I'll defeat every Yonko and become Pirate King! You'll all see!!" Kid shouted after her.
Bonney burst out laughing.
"Only in your dreams!"
In the New World
On the Secret Island of the Strongest Man in the World
"Oyaji, we're happy too, but you can't drink this much just to celebrate!!"
The nurse shouted at the giant she considered her father.
Whitebeard only laughed.
In one hand was the newspaper.
In the other, an enormous bottle of saki.
"I've been waiting for their return for a long time," Oyaji declared. "Tell everyone to prepare a celebration. Let this old man celebrate his grandchildren for a little while! Gurararara!"
He took another massive drink.
The nurse sighed and went to carry out his orders.
"Live freely, my children... we're all children of the sea."
Whitebeard raised the bottle toward the sky in a silent toast to his grandchildren.
On a Revolutionary Island
"No, Sabo. I already told you. You have assignments you cannot abandon just to go see Luffia and Dark."
The leader of the Revolutionary Army looked at his subordinate.
Or rather, at his daughter's sworn brother.
Sabo stood clutching the newspaper that had put him into his current emotional state while trying—and failing—to imitate puppy-dog eyes.
"But Dragon-san... aren't you proud of them too? I can't just sit here! I need to make sure they're okay!!"
Dragon's response was a dark stare that clearly promised consequences if Sabo didn't leave the office immediately.
Sabo instantly closed his mouth.
Pouting dramatically, he walked out of the office while hugging the newspaper tightly as silent tears streamed down his face.
"Live freely... don't let anything stop you, Luffia. Dark."
Dragon turned toward the window with a small smile.
In the East Blue
Dawn Island
Foosha Village
"She's alive!!"
"They came back!!"
"Dadan-san, did you see this?!"
"Makino, that brat has come back to cause trouble again!"
The sounds of crying, laughter, and celebration echoed throughout the village.
Especially inside the famous tavern.
In the New World
Aboard the Phoenix Pirates' Ship
"We're having a huge banquet today! Get moving! Those are Thatch-san's orders!"
One of the crew members ran around the ship waving a newspaper in one hand.
"What's going on, yoi? Why's everyone causing such a commotion?"
The captain jumped down from where he had been sitting atop one of the masts, watching the sea, only to be interrupted by his unusually excited crew.
"Captain, the newspaper arrived! You have to read it!"
One of the pirates enthusiastically tossed him a copy.
"Please don't tell me Ace did something reckless again without warning me first, yoi," Marco sighed.
He unfolded the newspaper.
Then his eyes stopped on the front page.
On the headline.
And tears immediately began gathering in his eyes.
He felt many things.
But above all else...
Pride.
Before he could say anything, however, two familiar troublemakers launched themselves at him, screaming as they wrapped him in crushing hugs while waving their own copies of the paper.
"Our little girl grew up, Mother Hen! We need a banquet!!" the cook shouted through his tears.
"My little sister and her Devil are sailing again!!" the other cried happily.
Then he heard another scream and quickly leapt away when he saw someone literally burst into flames from excitement.
In every sense of the phrase.
"We need a huge banquet, yoi!!"
Marco finally spoke, a bright smile spreading across his face.
The entire ship erupted into cheers as the crew rushed off to prepare the celebration.
Thatch glanced back toward him.
Marco had returned to staring at the newspaper, smiling softly.
Then Thatch noticed the faint sound of sniffles.
His eyebrow rose.
"Marco... are you crying?"
Marco nodded.
"They grow up so fast, Thatch..." he said quietly.
Thatch stared at him for several seconds.
Then he exploded into laughter.
"You really are a mother hen! Hahahaha!"
The moment the words left his mouth, he immediately ran for his life as Marco transformed and began chasing him across the ship.