"The language of dreams begins and ends with the word impossible."

Excerpt from the writings of Captain Bard Lucy

ON THE DECKS OF THE GOING MERRY

The Straw Hats were drooping from Princess Vivi's decision to remain behind and help her nation's recovery. Zoro had gotten thoroughly insulted for suggesting they should've kidnapped Vivi if they wanted her to come along so badly.

"Do you think Penny-san is hiding up there?" commented Sanji, flopping to the ground and staring up at the Crow's nest. "I miss her beauty already."

"Huh? Penny's not here?" Luffy spun around, marking off every face he saw. Penny was missing. "Where'd she go?"

Nami's jaw dropped, "You don't know?"

"I thought she was being quiet! Or sleeping!"

Sanji grabbed Luffy's vest, shaking him hard. "A woman of her beauty leaves, and you don't even realize it?! What kind of man are you?!"

"She left after the party." Zoro leaned against the railing and inhaled deeply. "Or maybe during it. Whenever it was, she didn't seem all that interested in saying goodbye."

"That's it!" snapped Luffy, balling his fist against the palm of his hand. "We're going to find her right now."

Usopp threw himself forward, wrestling Luffy away from the railing. "Wait a second, we can't just go after Phantom Penny! Don't you know what she's done?! Hawkeye Mihawk's been looking for her for months because she burned his flag. They said she attacked the Red Port too! I get that she's your friend—"

"This isn't about being friends! ARGH! ZORO, WE'RE GONNA GET HER!"

Zoro nodded. He knew, without words, what it was that annoyed Luffy.

"I hope you're not getting all worked up over me," said a new voice. A figure appeared in the doorway of Chopper's office, walking forward into the light.

"No way," dismissed Zoro with a wave of his hand. He froze. Luffy peeked over the railing.

The Straw Hats inhaled all at once.

A chorus of surprised shouts cut the air as Nico Robin came in full view. Zoro moved first, sword unsheathed as he stood protectively in front of the others. There was no time for their shock to turn into a sensible compromise after she had fought against them in Alabasta.

"Here to avenge your comrades?" Zoro asked darkly, blood singing. "Bring it on!"

Nami's hands weaved in her hair, a look of terror on her face, "Why are you here?"

"ENEMY RAID! ENEMY RAID!" shouted Usopp, pulling a megaphone from thin air.

"She's beautiful," sighed Sanji, hugging the railing.

Chopper shook and quaked next to him, head hidden, body out. "Who is she?"

"Huh? It's you." Luffy shot down onto the lower deck. "You're still alive."

Robin was unbothered by the chaos and voices speaking over one other. She strolled casually out of Zoro's reach. Activating her Devil Fruit, Robin sheathed his swords as a pair of hands grew from his wrist and clamped down. "How rude," she commented, a sly smile on her lips. "I shouldn't have to warn you about pointing those things at me."

Nami reached the bottom step, angling herself behind all the strongest fighters. She wasn't dumb enough to charge at an enemy like Luffy. "How long have you been on board?"

"A while now. I was below deck reading a bit, and I took a shower. I borrowed some clothes too. I hope that's alright with you."

"It's not, you Baroque Works witch!"

"Monkey D. Luffy…" Robin dusted off a beach chair, unfolding it as she cast a look over her shoulder. "…I hope you haven't forgotten what you did to me."

The words took a short moment to register in everyone's mind, and then Sanji pounced. "What's she mean? What'd you do to her?!"

Usopp wiggled out from behind the mast with another announcement. "We don't want any trouble. Just get off the ship."

Robin lounged, chin resting in her hand. "It's not just you, Monkey-san. I couldn't help but overhear that a certain pirate's gone missing. For the right price, I could take care of her."

Chopper tugged on Zoro's pants, demanding once more, "Who is she?"

Usopp became more desperate at the news of Robin's career. "Please leave! Or I'll call the Navy!"

Luffy grit his teeth. "What do you want?"

Robin smiled, hair drifting in the wind. An easy look crossed her face, pleasant and kind, revealing the kind of person she was beneath the darkness of Baroque Works. "I want to join your crew."

All that once every member of the Straw Hats shouted the same question: "WHAT?!"

"Your friend took something precious from me. Until you get it back, I want you to take full responsibility for my life and what was stolen from me. I was ready to give up after failing, but you didn't let me. That's your crime."

BATTLE OF ALUBARNA

MOMENTS AFTER CROCODILE'S DEFEAT

Luffy lay on the ground, breathing heavily. He laughed slightly, looking to see if Penny or Robin had awoken. He caught the gleam of a knife held high over Robin's torso.

"Will you do it?" he asked, lifting his head slightly.

Robin breathed heavily, shaking around the knife gripped tightly in her palm. It would be as easy as blinking to shove the blade down and end it at last. She had failed to find the Poneglyph. The True History was no closer to her than it had been when she left the West Blue.

Four years of her life were wasted on a man who trusted no one. It could've been worse, whispered a voice in her mind. Crocodile was unyielding and ambitious, but he had been fair. Rewarding them for work done well and cutting out those who failed him. Under those terms, Robin thrived.

Young as she was, she never felt threatened by the fact that he was a powerful man. Under his employment, the only thing she had to fear was betrayal.

"I have nothing to live for…I might as well die here."

Luffy lifted his head to stare at her. His eyes were dark as a storm and heavy.

Robin felt the tears in her eyes but did nothing to quell them. "Too many obstacles stood between me and my dreams."

Something hard hit her hand, tossing the dagger aside. Luffy clenched his fist, pressing his hand into the wound on his torso. "You can't die. I don't know what you were looking for here, but—a dream only dies if you kill it!"

He swayed.

Penny let out a quiet sob, curling away from the debris in her sleep. Robin unveiled a bottle and handed it off to Luffy. "Take this…for the poison."

He drank eagerly, without a hint of care. Too trusting. Too trusting…why had they fought Crocodile?

"Okay, let's get out of here."

"Go without me."

"Why should I listen to you?!" He picked her up roughly and then tossed Penny on his shoulder. Robin coughed weakly, head throbbing with pain from where Penny had kicked her. Her vision blurred, and the next thing she knew, she was resting on a stone outside, with nothing in sight but a clear blue sky and the sun.

Her hands rose wearily, circling around the sun as if to cup it.

It was over, and nothing was waiting for her.

Life, whispered a voice in her head, there was still life.

ON THE DECKS OF THE GOING MERRY

Robin sighed, "I have nowhere to go and nowhere to return to, so let me join your crew."

"Well, I guess it can't be helped. Okay."

"LUFFY!" roared the Straw Hats at once!

He turned to them, smile carefree and bright. "Don't worry! She's not a bad person!"

Robin could tell that he believed it. In his heart, there was no trace of fraud or betrayal. He was frighteningly trustworthy, making her almost regretful that she was wandering into his life like this. Perhaps, the expectation had been set in Alabasta that her next stop would be among this group of dream-like fools who saw no danger in the things they did so long as it helped their friends.

Usopp sat across from her, a firm look on his face that made Robin want to giggle. She owed them something, even if it wasn't the whole story. Though Penny wasn't here, the woman clearly told them nothing.

"I was an archeologist by the time I was eight. Then I had a bounty on my head."

Zoro sat by the mast, swords cradled by his chest. Out of all of them, he was the one Robin knew would be the hardest to win over. The rest she had sorted out with a bit of help from Bon Clay, who exclaimed it was wonderful that she was going with the Straw Hats and wished her luck.

What did it say about Crocodile that all of his employees were beyond competent? And loyal—she had no doubt they would break out together when given a chance. For a man who trusted no one, he had assembled a crew that could do the impossible together.

"An archeologist?!" exclaimed Usopp.

"For the next 20 years, I hid from the World Government. But a child can't live on the high seas alone, so I joined various organizations. As a result, I became an expert at operating in the shadows. I can be a big help to you."

Usopp hummed, nodding his head. "Alright, you seem confident. What's your specialty?"

A sweet smile crossed Robin's face as she leaned in close. "Assassination."

One by one, the Straw Hats fell over to her side. Robin wasn't attempting to bribe them or win them over, but they were a surprisingly pleasant bunch compared to the pirates she had been with in the past. Laughter warmed the air, and easy conversation passed between them with no hint of malice or deceit. Robin found herself nearly relaxing amongst it all, but the swordsman was still watching her.

"Is it always like this?" she asked as Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp rolled around on deck, entertained by her Devil Fruit. Robin wondered if they realized she could feel every touch of their hands against her limbs.

Zoro glared and answered curtly. "Pretty much."

They remained in silence until he asked his own question. "Luffy's friend wanted you. Why?"

"I suppose for the same reason as Crocodile. To read the Poneglyphs."

What other purpose could Robin serve? The woman had already admitted to having a fascination with the Poneglyphs, but Robin found it strange that she thought of them as a story…as a friend. What need was there to protect an indestructible stone?

Sanji perked up, listening in on them. "That precious thing you mentioned…."

"The Poneglyph is a stone that contains information about the True History," explained Robin. "Crocodile sought it out for a different reason, but I wanted to fill the void in our past."

"Is that…?" muttered Nami. She and Sanji shared a look. He pulled his cigarette from his mouth and then smiled widely.

"Just a second, Robin-chan. I have something that'll make your day!"

Sanji's feet thudded on the steps below deck as he ran. When he returned, he had a thick square of paper in his hands, folded almost like a quilt. One corner had a bit of ornate cursive, signed with a looping script. The other remained hidden from her.

Nami smiled, leaning toward Robin. "It's strange—almost like she knew you'd come here!"

Sanji began to unfold the large paper. "A copy, sweet angel, of the Poneglyph you sought. Penny-chan said we would need it if Luffy wants to be Pirate King."

Robin unfolded the large sheet of paper and stared at it for countless minutes. Her heart ran fast, echoing in her ears. There was no doubt regarding its authenticity. The ancient script was a rare but familiar sight. She read quickly, thirsty for the knowledge on the paper. The location of Pluton…

Again, her understanding of the world shifted. Why not keep it for herself? Why give this to the Straw Hats when the power and secrets contained in the stone could easily upset the balance in the world? Penny knew something about the stones. Robin wondered what it was.

Luffy's head bounced between Nami and Sanji. "Wait a second, how come you all knew she was gone, and I just found out? Did she say goodbye to you?!"

Nami clicked her tongue. "Because you're dumb and had your head stuck in a chicken."

"I didn't know," reassured Usopp.

Luffy glared at them darkly. "She's really going to get it," he muttered under his breath.

Robin turned the paper over, looking at the small note written in Penny's hand. Usopp leaned over to read it as well, brow furrowed. Robin held a hand to her mouth and laughed lightly. "She really is a funny woman. If we see her again, she'll give me another clue."

Nami shook her head, "Her ship's behind us, though! How could she have escaped?"

"Through hell," said Usopp with a fearful shudder.

SOMEWHERE ON THE GRAND LINE

SMOKER'S SHIP

(TASHIGI)

"Hey, little lady, how's the leg?"

One of the young officers playing with the rigging knots heard a soft, nearly soundless snort. Tashigi's eyes trailed over the officer's face, and then she flushed, turning back to Smoker. "Please don't call me that."

Neither Tashigi nor Smoker were content with the way things had gone down in Alabasta and the reveal of the new Straw Hat bounties put a damper on both of their moods, but as Smoker said, they would settle the matter next time.

Wendy Pan tapped the boy next to him on the back of the head, "I told you to watch your hands! We'll lose a whole hour because of you." The loose sail fluttered helplessly as the ropes holding it to the mast came undone.

The boy lowered his head, gaze stuck on his shoes as a deep flush crossed his face. The others snickered, muttering 'pretty Pan' under their breaths. Pan was a Lieutenant from the New World, on leave in Alabasta when he was called back. The other men seemed to have little patience for Pan's approach to the deck work. Oddly popular at dinner, he came alive with stories and jokes—some dirtier than others.

Pan pulled at the ascot tied around his neck. Behind his glasses, there was something familiar about Pan. He sighed, resting his hand on the other boy's shoulder, and whispered quietly. They set to work together, Pan's patient voice explaining once more how to best fortify the rigging.

"Wendy!" barked Smoker.

Pan tensed and then approached confidently, saluting in a way that Tashigi found charming. His eyes skimmed the bounty posters and rested a finger on the one that held Penny's. "Not real."

"How do you know?" asked Tashigi.

"Back on base, we had a whole pool on it. The first guy to bring back a real one got the whole pot, but it's been three—maybe four years now. No one's won."

Smoker picked the poster up once more, looking over it carefully, but his face gave nothing away. "Check on the other's work. Any more time wasted will give those bastards a chance to catch up and stick me with a medal."

Pan laughed, pressing his hand against his mouth. "Not a fan of medals, sir?"

"For a load of crap I didn't do? No."

"I'll make sure everything's set, but it's not my ship, so I might not win any favors for it."

"Until we get to Marineford, this is your ship, so you've got my permission to act when you see something done wrong. If you have to, pull rank."

"Thank you, sir!"

"Yeah, get outta here."

Pan went off with a light air to him. He had forgone his usual coat and had the shirt's cuffs rolled up, revealing his strong forearms littered with scars. A seasoned soldier, but that was to be expected of someone from the New World.

"I like him," said Tashigi. "He's reliable."

"Don't hold your breath on a transfer. New World cadets tend to stick to their roots."

Tashigi accepted the paper he held out and looked at the startling number at the bottom of the poster, which read: 850 Million Berries. Tashigi had no knowledge about how close the number might have been to the Phantom's real bounty. "What will they do?"

"They'll send in CP-9 now that she's got a Poneglyph."

"Do you think she actually took it?"

"It's safer for Alabasta to say she took it."

Tashigi brought the steaming cup to her mouth and inhaled deeply. The bitter chase coated her tongue. Straw Hat Luffy had defeated a warlord while the Navy sat back and watched. And then again, in a single night, what was left of Crocodile's domain collapsed at the hands of another pirate.

They had been lulled into a sense of calm in the East Blue, but the Grand Line was something else entirely.

Pan's voice cut through the air, "Who taught you how to hold a line steady? A dog?!"

Smoker let out a huff of air, signaling his amusement. Tashigi leaned back and closed her eyes. At least, here at sea, the world seemed somewhat familiar again.

(Penny)

Penny—forgive her—Pan was having the time of his life. When the time came to decide how to leave Alabasta, Penny decided to wait for her ship to arrive, but the Looking Glass would take days to make it to Nanohana. Penny didn't have days.

Instead, she stood at the harbor, looking at all the ships docked and made a gloriously foolish but brilliant decision to follow through with her idea to break into Marineford. Navy ships were bound to land there at some point.

All it took was the ability to act and clever costuming. A performance that needed to be flawless but straightforward. So, Penny became Pan. Wendy Pan, a Lieutenant from the G-10 base in the New World.

Forging her documents was light work. Getting her registration number and background required more effort and some underground contacts, but it was done too. Slipping onto Smoker's ship came down to luck and a big mouth.

"This is an E-Class warship. Twenty cannons. Ten cells in the brig, two equipped with sea stone. Ball-bearing hinges on all the doors—those are a bit tricky." At Smoker's surprised look, Penny saluted eagerly, smiling widely. Her voice came out a few octaves deeper than expected. "Wendy Pan, sir."

With the proper application of make-up, something Penny barely bothered with in the desert, she could look like an entirely different person. Her hair was a more complex challenge, the color and curls being what typically gave her away to the general public. Marines were a stupider sort, so Penny found herself a Navy-issued bandana to hide it.

A tightly woven binder flattened her breasts down, and the cut of her uniform was modified to give the illusion that her body was as straight as a board. An ascot tied around her neck hid what should've been an Adam's apple from view. A bit of contour was added to strengthen and sharpen her features. It was just masculine enough to settle into her role.

"What base and rank?"

"G-10 and Lieutenant, sir!" She saluted again, probably overdoing it sightly as Smoker's suspicion didn't shift off his face. "I'm on leave. Heard the call for backup and figured I could lend a hand."

"Leave in Alabasta? During a drought?"

Penny cleared her throat, cheeks red. "Between you and me…the dancers really do dance."

"That's too honest!" barked out Smoker.

"Yes, sir! Sorry, sir!"

"Division?"

"I'm a Sailmaker, sir! I served as a bosun aboard the—" Red Force.

"Quit talking. Tashigi, deal with this."

"Everyone's a bit tense because of Crocodile," explained Tashigi with a quick and easy smile. "I'm sure you'll fit right in."

Smoker rebounded, "Run a damn security check first!"

"I brought all my documents," said Penny, handing over the file tucked beneath her arm. These kinds of crimes made her miss the Underground.

"Oh, let me take them."

Smoker snatched them before Tashigi could and promptly tore at them. "You think those guys on top can send a spy on my team and get away with it?"

Penny shook her head, eyes wide. "No, sir!"

Tashigi winced and collected the scraps, looking through them curiously. "This is your first time in Paradise?"

"The guys back on base won't believe me when I tell them what happened," said Penny sheepishly. "They warned me against going so far, but I figured some adventure couldn't hurt, you know?"

And that was all it really took. They called to check in on her registration, finding that everything came back clean. Penny was promptly given a bunk and slightly reluctant welcome from the other men on board.

Penny became Pan, the perfect Navy officer with a no-nonsense attitude and a pretty-boy appearance that grated on the other Marines' nerves.

She discovered some things quickly, like Tashigi being a klutz and the men on board not knowing left from right, but as day settled into night, she was face with an issue. Smoker didn't sleep alone in the Captain's quarters but with the rest of his men. It sent a clear message that he thought himself no different or higher than the average soldier. Penny liked it. She liked it more than she should.

Tashigi had the same noble qualities hiding behind her clumsy approach to life. They were a good team and ran a tight ship, but some recruits didn't meet Penny's expectations.

It was getting irritating listening to them mock her for her mannerisms and 'girlish appearance.' Plenty of men didn't fit into the brute-hero role the Navy pushed. She was getting offended listening to the explicit way they talked about Tashigi. Smoker was too, by the tight annoyance on his face.

Leon wrapped an arm around Penny's neck, tugging her down. "You ever seen one of those fish-freaks?"

"Don't call them that," said Penny shortly. "I'm not gonna talk to you."

"Why not?!"

"You have a shitty attitude about people. I don't like it."

Leon bristled. "Oi, Pan, you wanna fuckin' fight?"

Penny rolled her eyes and drawled out, "Sure."

Smoker glanced over at them with a warning look in his eyes. Penny wasn't sure who it was for and couldn't afford to let her tongue give her identity away, so she shut up and maintained a chilly silence.

"Leave it, you two," snapped Fishstick, their resident gunner, throwing himself into his hammock. "Ain't no point wasting your breath on nonsense when the Captain's around." He laughed, nodding to Smoker.

Smoker let out a deep breath and said, "Next person to utter a word is sleeping in the brig."

That silenced them all. Penny stripped off her overshirt, careful to not expose herself, and pulled on a t-shirt. Once she was settled in her hammock, she fell asleep quickly without realizing it. She rarely had bad dreams. That night was no different.

The matter should've been settled there, but the following day, Smoker sought her once more. At his command, Penny climbed up the steps to the helm and stood at attention next to him. He and Tashigi were enjoying their usual morning coffee. Thanks to the shitting rationing the Navy enforced, their entire stock of sugar, tea, and coffee was under tight control.

Penny wept inside. Robbing one merchant ship would fix their supply problem. A few documents lay sprawled on the table between them. Penny's eyes skimmed quickly for anything of interest.

"Sir?"

Smoker looked up at her, jaw tight. "This bunch isn't my usual crew. Most of them were left to help with the clean-up and then return to base in Loguetown. I haven't cut these idiots into shape yet. Give it a few weeks, and it'll be out of their system."

He really had a good heart. Penny wondered what it would take for him to lose hope in the Navy and come over to her side. "It's no trouble with me, but someone fighting for justice should do it blindly."

Smoker nodded. "I'll take care of it."

Penny turned to leave and return to her station, but Tashigi stopped her, holding out a cup of coffee.

"There's no need to waste—"

"Sit down and shut up," snapped Smoker. "We might as well use your brain if you've got one."

There was nowhere to sit, but Penny accepted the coffee, trying to hide the pleased relief in her expression. There was no better drug than caffeine…and the occasional smoke, but that was between her and the Devil.

"Are you sure you're not up to transfer?" asked Tashigi with a smile. "Might be useful to have you on our side."

"I've started to miss home." A half-truth.

"It must've been so exciting growing up in the New World."

"There was always a bit of adventure around. Pirates and the like—it was dangerous, but better to be prepared for the danger than caught by surprise."

"What about cursed swords? Do you have any at G-10?" Tashigi pulled out a field guide of the world's named swords and slapped it on the table. Smoker grunted in annoyance. Tashigi's excitement didn't wane. "Wado Ichimonji fell into the hands of Roronoa Zoro, but dozens more need to be recovered alongside it. I won't stop until each of them is back in justice's hands."

"That's a noble dream," commented Penny. "You'll have to take Yoru back from Hawkeye Mihawk and find Gold Roger's lost sword." Penny laughed a bit, "When it happens, I'll make sure I'm around to see it."

Smoker made good on his promise. Shortly after their course was set, he made all the deckhands and officers rotate through elaborate and tiring drills. Throughout it, he led each one. When someone failed to complete them properly or messed around, Smoker forced them into another round.

Though he didn't explicitly require them to join, it was clear that there was a sense of equality he was trying to instill in everyone alongside discipline. Smoker wasn't the type of man to dole out a punishment he couldn't handle.

"You're a Lieutenant?" asked Leon with a sweaty grimace. "Why didn't you say?"

"Wasn't worth the effort." And she felt dumb going with Lieutenant. It sounded cool, but now it placed her in a precarious position of being higher ranked than Tashigi.

"I'm not going to get in trouble, am I?"

"Keep talking the way you do, and someone will cut your tongue clean. Pirates don't have much patience."

"Sorry, sir."

Penny looked at Leon in surprise and then nodded. "Fishmen are the same as anyone else. They just live in the sea."

"Never seen one."

"You will. Giants, longheads, dwarves, and everything in between, so get used to it. Everyone bleeds the same at the end. Your job is to protect them from harm, not judge them for how they live."

"Right, okay. Like Sora the Sailor."

Penny sneered, "Seriously?"

And this role, despite wearing a uniform that made her skin crawl, was one that Penny was all too familiar with. On the Red Force, there were times when Beckman lay the command of the rookies onto her and Penny, fond of making herself overly important, took to it with an iron fist.

Penny's lips pulled at the edge, "I won't say it's alright because it's not, but learned behaviors can be unlearned like training a dog."

Leon's face turned a furious red, but the knowledge of 'Pan's' rank now made him hold his tongue. He remained there, completing the drills, desperately wanting to say something equally insulting back but unable to. Marines were so dumb with all their little rules about hierarchy and conduct. Penny had insulted far stronger people than her, with little strength to back up her words, but there was a thrill in playing the jester.

Kings were powerless to ridicule.

And thus, Wendy Pan was established as the sharpest tongue on Smoker's, a trait that would later come in handy at Marineford, but that was a story for a different time. For now, two things were certain, Wendy Pan was a good Marine with an ironclad sense of justice.

The irony was lost to all but Penny.

JAYA ISLAND

MOCKTOWN

The man speaking to Luffy didn't seem to mind the wound on his face as he spoke and laughed about dreams. Everyone around them had the same scornful looks as they ridiculed and taunted their loss to Bellamy. Nami's fists clenched at her side, her gaze burning as she glared at every person surrounding them.

"What's wrong with your face?" asked Nami, frowning at the man. "It's all cut up."

A gash across his face was closed with makeshift stitches, but they could see beneath it that the wound was still fresh. Any bleeding had stopped, but the flesh seemed to come apart even as it stuck together, as if the injury was constantly re-opening. It was unpleasant and lent his face an even more gruesome air despite the drunkard appearance he held. He looked like one of the pirates the Marines drew into their propaganda posters and stories.

He laughed heartedly. "Had a run-in with someone pretty scary. Looks like she got off lighter than I did—you got a doctor who can fix me up?"

Nami frowned and then scowled. Zoro, to her surprise, turned away first, gaze unmoving from the path in front of him.

Zoro called after her, "Nami, leave it. Let's go."

Nami's eyes were stuck on Luffy, who refused to move as the man kept staring at them. "Luffy…"

"Well, I won't keep you. You seem to be in a hurry." The man stood, towering over them with his height. He raised the bottle of liquor to his lips as he turned away. "I hope you make it to the sky island."

Luffy turned away only when he did. Though none of them knew it, this was their first encounter with Blackbeard.

Nami remained stuck, part of her wanting to ask more about the sky island, but part of her wanted to leave too, sensing that something was not right from Luffy's and Zoro's reactions to the man.

When the ship first dropped out of the sky, she was filled with wonder about traversing to a place few had navigated to. Being the first to draw a sky island on the world map was more fantastical than anything she could've dreamed of in the East Blue.

"Maybe he knows how to get to Skypeia," urged Nami, following after Luffy. "I wonder who he is!"

"Well, it's not just one guy…."

"Huh? Not one just guy…then what?"

Luffy wiped away some blood. Zoro's gaze darkened. "There's more than one…I think…"

Blackbeard continued down his path as they left, drinking without a care in the world until the alcohol spilled onto his face. He hissed and shouted, throwing the bottle to the ground where it shattered.

"The doctors in Drum did nothing," groaned Doc Q, stopping beside him.

It had been months since their run-in with Akahime, but the wound on Blackbeard's face was still unhealed. Were it not for Akahime's cursed blade and quickness, he might have avoided the attack entirely. There would be no surprise the next time they met; he was sure of that. Mistakes happened once with people like her and never again.

"What does it matter? I didn't go there for that anyway," snapped Teach back. "We can't rush it with her. We're not ready to go against Red Hair."

Van Augur sighed, "We'll be able to plan ahead once Laffitte returns."

All three came to a stop near an old building. Teach paused and then peeled away some paint to reveal a wanted poster. He tore it down and laughed, "There's an old face I never thought I'd see again!"

Van Augur leaned over, peering at it too. "You knew Bard?"

Teach tilted his head and stared at the woman's face before he tossed the poster over his shoulder without care. "Came to visit old Whitebeard once. Never saw her after that since she went and died, but even that man thought something of her."

They stepped into the abandoned theater, decaying from a time when Mock Town was more than a lawless corner in Paradise. A true Pirate Haven. Events like this happened all the time, all over the world.

The poster landed in a puddle, the ink bleeding. The name Bard Lucy faded to nothing but a smear across the bottom.

History moved on.

People forgot.

SOMEWHERE ON THE GRAND LINE

SMOKER'S SHIP

A week passed since she first joined the ship and Penny cemented herself as a well-liked Marine. Dinner had come and gone, and the beer broke out, passed down along the table until Penny had foolishly been pulled into a test of strength. Not foolishly. It was she who first suggested it and soundly defeated her first opponent sending a roll of eagerness throughout Smoker's crew.

"Captain?" asked Penny, voice cracking as if she was a teenage boy. Smoker pulled the chair out slowly, letting it drag on the floor. The crew broke out into chatter, nudging each other in excitement.

"Get 'im, Smoker-san!"

"Teach pretty boy a lesson!"

"Oi, Pan, now's the time to back out!"

Smoker sighed, shrugging his jacket off and taking a seat. Penny didn't know where to look or where not to look, so she kept her gaze focused on the tip of his ear. "I don't do stupid crap like this, but I can't have some greenhorn from the New World show us up."

"It's not our fault that place is as crazy as it is. Emperors and warlords run wild, so we have to do the same to keep up."

"Enough barking. Let's get this over with."

Penny's palm was probably pooling with sweat as she clasped hands with Smoker. His muscles flexed slightly to adjust his grip. She felt as if every little flutter rolled back down her arm.

Don't copy him. Don't copy him. Don't copy him.

"On three."

Someone counted it off, and then Penny's hand was shaking in Smoker's grip, trying to keep steady as he threw all his weight forward. He seemed surprised by how well she held and how much strength he needed to use. The shock faded, and he doubled down. Penny bit the inside of her cheek, jaw clenching tight.

She hated losing when there was a game involved.

Smoker clicked his tongue and grinned, "Balls of steel, huh?

"Why? You wanna see them?" she bit out.

"Fuck off, Wendy."

"I will after I win, sir."

Money exchanged hands, and a bit of gambling started as Penny held on. She could cheat and end it quickly with her Devil Fruit, but she was beginning to like this motley crew of Marines. Tashigi was squatted by the end of the table, watching their hands closely.

Ah, fuck it, she was a pirate.

Her hand flexed slightly, and then Smoker's slammed against the table.

Stunned silence followed.

A chorus of cheers exploded, and Penny was assaulted by numerous slaps on the back as Smoker leaned back to observe her.

A trail of smoke rose in the air. Smoker stood, holding his hand out to her with a calm expression. "You'll go high if you stick to your guts."

"Thank you, sir!" said Penny, accepting the handshake. If anyone heard the waver in her voice or recognized the glassy sheen to her eyes, they said nothing. All Penny knew was that she was gloriously fucked when it came time to make her disappearance.

Smoker rolled his eyes and moved to pull his hand back, but the ship jerked roughly to the side, sending the table skidding across the galley. Penny hit the nearest wall, regaining her bearings. She shared a look with Tashigi and then ran up onto the deck.

They could see nothing but inky blackness and shadow in the dark of night. The ship jerked left and right.

"Pin everything down!" shouted Smoker, catching the tail end of one of the sails unfurling. "Get the cannons ready! We're under attack!"

"SIR, THERE'S A MAN OVERBOARD!"

"CAPTAIN, IT'S MOVING AGAIN!" Gunshots sounded. A groan echoed through the air, louder and more terrifying than a giant's cry.

"GET HIM BACK!"

Penny climbed up, wrapping her legs around the ropes as she scurried toward the top of the mast. The ship tilted to the right altogether, suspended as everyone hung over the edge. She could make out Smoker, weaving in and out, catching the falling sailors and bringing them back toward the ship.

Water erupted everywhere, spraying them in a fine mist. Penny's grip on the rigging went loose, and she slipped off, sliding down the mast until she finally hit something firm.

"EVERYONE HOLD ON!" screamed Tashigi, gripping Penny tightly.

A flare went off, red and bright, and they could see what was causing the terror. Across the ocean spray, they could see something emerging from the watery depths. Sea-king, thought Penny.

Fingers wrapped around the ship, squeezing it until the stern cracked. Someone shouted and jumped overboard as the ship was lifted out of the water.

This was no Giant. No, these fingers were not flesh and bone, but wood and vine and flowers and moss and tree—these were the hands of a tree. The ship stopped moving, suspended in the palm of the beast, and then darkness shrouded them as the fist closed overhead.

Penny's eyes went wide, not with fear but awe.

"WE'RE GOING TO GO UNDER!"

"Everyone hold your breath!"

"I can't swim," said Penny dumbly. "Tashigi—"

The woman was already gone, fumbling toward Smoker. Come back, thought Penny desperately. He's not the only one with a Devil Fruit.

Water leaked in between the folded fingers and then all around them.

The hand plunged back into the ocean. Ripples exploded across the surface of the water and then faded out.

The ship holding Captain Smoker and his crew was gone.

END CHAPTER

A/N: Sorry for bombarding you with update notifications! This story was posted on my AO3, so I've just finished migrating it here.

Anyway, this is the most recent, up-to-date chapter