Extra Chapter: Ocean's Dream Filler

Sanji wakes up on the Going Merry, and everything is wrong. aka Ocean's Dream, but the world doesn't make sense anymore, so neither do the memories they lose (and get).

AN: Welcome to another extra chapter. This chapter is something of a writing exercise, which is technically not canon to the fic events, so you can skip this if you dont wanna read.

The Premise of this chapter is as such: memory shenanigans. Usopp and Nami revert to Canon Timeline, the rest of the original crew are back in the Worst Timeline, and the newcomers are Confused as Fuck.

The amnesia logic isn't supposed to make sense, don't think too hard on it.


It's a nightmare. It's definitely a nightmare.

Sanji hasn't had awareness in a long time. He's never been asleep, no, just awake, but never alive, never breathing, never needing to. At some point, he'd stopped struggling, stopped trying to live, because he realized he didn't have the privilege of dying either.

He just was, suspended in a single watery cell, nothing but haziness around him.

All he could do was count the seconds. He did that all the time, knowing exactly how long the vegetables needed to fry, how far the cake was in the oven, and how long until the first nakama would wake up.

He's always been counting, because it was the only thing that kept moving onward when life was slow and dull and locked behind a jail cell. He knows how many seconds it's been. He knows the exact number, but he never dares to round up the numbers to minutes, because he knows he'll have to continue rounding it up to years before he can make sense of the scale of what he's counting.

Sanji just was, in that world of nothingness. A little laboratory specimen in an oversized test tube, just like he was born to be.

And then suddenly it wasn't, and Sanji woke up gasping for air.

He hasn't breathed in five years.

Sanji is alive again and he trips and he gets tangled in the hammock and he flips, loud and disgraceful, smacking into the floor right onto his face.

Someone kicks him, "shut up, Sanji," and Sanji spins around in horror.

He doesn't immediately recognize the man that's reading a book in the hammock. But something about him was familiar. He looks around at the foreign, but somehow nostalgic wooden deck.

And then he finds Luffy, and he lurches to his feet, eyes blown wide. Usopp's on the other hammock, a strange bird asleep on his chest. Chopper is here too, little and his hat missing its usual protective covers. Then there's a large man with wings and tattoos, also awake, working on a metal contraption— a Shandian? Hey, isn't this guy the…?

Sanji finally spins back to the first man and realises who he is.

"...Gin?"

The Man-Demon, the man who is supposed to be dead, the man who returned barely alive years later only to smile and die for real— he's here, and he's irritated.

"What?" he groans, lifting his head from his book in annoyance. "Sanji, what the fuck? If this is about the sake we wasted, I filled out the new rules and left them on the fucking dinner table so leave me alone."

Sanji has no idea what is happening.

In a frantic mess, he lets his Haki explode and half the entire ship bolts awake at the horridly palpable force. Sanji finds way too many people, he finds way too many wrong people, and he doesn't know what to do with any of this information.

"What the fuck is going on?!" he yells.


Luffy jumps to attention first, only to straighten immediately at the sight of Sanji and leap in. "Sanji!" he glomps, arms covering Sanji's head where his hands were digging into his arm, and he holds on tight and warm and comforting. "What's wrong? I missed ya! Wait…"

He looks around and gapes. Gin and Wyper have straightened sharply from their spots, frazzled and confused.

"Who are… oh, you two!" Luffy says. "Kin and Guerilla guy! What're you doing here?"

Their jaws dropped.

"Luffy? LUFFY!" Chopper squeals, leaping out of his hammock to jump, and Luffy easily stretches out an arm to bind Chopper into the hug formation like a hook tucked under a knot. "I missed youuu! You idioooot! I thought you—" sniffle, "I thought you diiiied!"

Luffy laughs. "Well, I honestly thought I did, too. Weird!"

"You did," Sanji says, his voice soft, buried in the crook of Luffy's neck, only partially by choice. They're not getting out of that tangle of arms anytime soon and they all know it. "And since Chopper's hooves are digging into the side of my head and that hurts, I'm going to guess something's really fucking wrong."

"Wait, I am? Sorry!" Chopper yelps, "Luffy let me go, I'm hurting Sanji!"

"Don't wanna!" Luffy declares. "Also, well then, that's weirder!"

"This is fucking terrible," Sanji mutters.

Luffy grins, "no, we're the Worst Generation, get it right, Sanji!"

Gin lifts his head very suddenly, catching their attention. Wyper blinks, still very confused, but neither of them even knew where to begin.

Usopp murmurs something incomprehensible in his breath, probably something along the lines of 'shut up I'm trying to sleep'. Kinoko is awake and also frantically looking around, confused.

Gin and Wyper exchange looks. They both stare at Kinoko.

Then, simultaneously, at the top of their lungs, two adult men and a single bird start hollering and shrieking. "FAMILY MEETING, FAMILY MEETING!" the entire ship shakes and Usopp bolts awake with an unholy cry of surprise.

Gin scrambles for the steps as Wyper knocks on the connecting hatch to the women's room, raising a brow when he gets no response.

"Everyone, get your asses on deck!"


Robin jerks awake to a bed that she doesn't recognize, by the side of Nami, who she hasn't been beside in years— and instantly realises something is horribly wrong.

"Oh dear," the other woman, someone Robin doesn't recognize— her hair's nearly platinum blonde, she has wings… a Skypiean? It's the Skypiean little lady from so long ago— Conis comes over to Robin's side, worry clear in her expressions. "Miss Robin, did you wake from a nightmare? Are you alright? Shall I fix some tea for you to calm down?"

Robin stares, surprised.

"Ah… I suppose coffee would suit your tastes better?" Conis asks, sitting down by their bedside. She chuckles, "now that I think about it, you've only drunk coffee in all the time I've been on the crew. I suppose that makes sense."

In the crew?

"I'm not sure if Sanji-san is awake yet, but I'll brew something up," Conis says. "Hold on, alright?" And then she runs off before Robin is able to stop her and ask her any questions.

But Robin stays in bed, silent and confused, grasping all the knowledge she's gotten so far.

This is a crew— she recalls joining no crew with Conis of all people. But Nami is here, Sanji is here… and most of all, this creaky, old ship that's seen better days. There was something familiar about this run-down ship, though…

Most of all, Robin still vividly remembers being bound to a stake and burning to death.

She turns to Nami, and what she finds stuns her. Nami's sleeping on her side, and she's missing an arm. There's a proper metal socket of sorts at her shoulder, and a bit of looking found Robin with what seemed like a wooden prosthetic by the bedside.

She doesn't wake up this Nami. She doesn't dare, not yet. She needs to figure out what's happening right now.


Zoro wakes up in the crow's nest of a small ship. The sun's barely up yet, his Haki is dull, his vision is a little wider, and most of all…

…he looks at his hands and realizes both of them are there.

He stares at it for all of two seconds before he moves on from it. Okay, not the weirdest thing that's happened in his life.

"I don't have Enma either," he sighs, inspecting his swords. Huh, why's Yubashiri here? "Alright, whatever this is, it's annoying."

He stands up. He's used to being lo— not lost, just forgetful— so he just has to figure out where he is.

There's a young girl he doesn't recognize sitting on the yard of the mast right over there, her legs dangling over the edge as she seems to be enjoying the morning breeze. They're shored on an island, and she turns to him when she notices he's awake, nodding subtly in a greeting.

Subdued, Zoro nods back.

Then, "wait, who?"

The girl blinks. "...uhhh? Who… as in me?" she tilts her head aside, baffled at the question. "I'm the watch?"


Nami wakes up to a knock and a loud, obnoxious call of 'family meeting, family meeting!' and she groans, pushing herself up from the slightly uncomfortable bedding.

"Oh dear. If Gin-san is asking for a family meeting…"

"What's a 'family meeting'?"

"Huh? Uh… Nami-san told us together, remember? It's our code word for emergency strategy planning… ah, Nami-san's awake."

Hm? How strange. One of those voices is Robin, but Robin's usually not at the bed when she awakens, distrustful as their newest member tends to be. Even then, after what happened with Aokiji recently, Nami was sure Chopper told her to stay in the galley bed, didn't he?

Also, who was that other voice?

Nami tries to reach up to brush her hair out of the way, but somehow, her hand doesn't come. Strange, she doesn't recall her hair being long enough to get in the way, either. Confused, she adjusts her position to slump over the bed so her other arm could do it instead.

Blinking hard a few times, she finds Robin.

"Good morning, Nami," Robin says, smiling.

Huh? Robin's never called her by name before.

"Robin…?" Nami tries to push herself up, staggering when her levity just doesn't work out and she tilts too far. She rolls— and falls flat on the bed instead, unable to be propped up by her other arm.

And then she realizes the problem.

Shoving herself upright on one arm, she spins to see that her right arm was gone.


Nami is screaming, and Conis is screaming back, and then suddenly Suu is scrambling into the boy's dorm asking for help, and among all the confused boys wondering why there was a fox onboard, Anne drops down onto deck, her clothes cut by the shoulder but her skin thankfully intact.

Her hat falls to the ground beside her, sliced in half.

"Scary," Anne says, standing up.

"You weren't giving me a straight answer," Zoro says, from the crow's nest.

"I said I was the watch," Anne grumbles, "I'm going to stop liking you, Zoro."

"The watch for what?" Zoro demands. He doesn't sleep, never sleeps when he's around people he doesn't trust. So the fact that he wasn't aware of someone like her, who reeks of death, being right beside him… she's much more a threat than she appears. "Who are you and why have you taken us? Answer me right now or I'll take an arm this time."

"Then try!" Anne huffs, fists tight and rather irritated. She's tired, too, she's had the night watch on her own. "What's with you, being prissy all morning? I didn't do anything!"

"Hey hey!" Gin snaps, bursting out of the lower deck. "No picking fights, Anne!"

"He started it!" Anne snaps, pointing vehemently upward.

"I didn't know Anne could get angry…" Wyper sighs, picking up the torn beret with a sigh before handing it to the girl in resignation. "So, what's the meaning of this, you ass? You know she likes this thing."

"Huh? You're the fucking guerilla from Sky Island, what the hell," Zoro says. Sheathing his swords, he drops onto deck, right on time for Luffy to pop his head out of the deck and beam . "Luffy?!"

"ZORO!" tackle hug.

"Oh, Mosshead's here too," Sanji comes up, and Chopper squeals, jumping onto Zoro too.

Gin, Wyper and Anne look between them with Suu, baffled. "Okay, we're not understanding anything that's happening right now," Gin says. "For now, Anne, go check on the girls. Anne?"

Anne's still glaring at Zoro.

"What's wrong?" Luffy asks, looking back. "I don't know what's happening, but looks like we're on you guys' ship or something."

Gin's brow raises, very put off. "Uh…"

Luffy inspects the scraps of Anne's beret when the girl angrily raises it in his direction. "Huh, what's this?" he looks toward where Anne was glaring— at the swordsman— and instantly connects the dots. "ZORO YOU ASS, WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"

"You destroyed my precious hat!" Anne accuses.

"You destroyed her precious hat!" Luffy gestures, making his point.

"What?! How dare you, you monster!" Chopper yells.

"Monster!" Sanji adds, for no real reason.

"You picking a fight, curly?!"

"Alright, enough," Wyper says, sick of this fucking comedy bit. He wants to fucking sleep. "I'm going to check on the girls myself."

"WHAT?!" Sanji whirls around, "No, you feral creature, don't you dare!"

"Seeing as no one is coming even after I called a family meeting, this must be happening to the girls as well," Gin sighs. "This is such a pain."

There's a loud crash and shatter under the deck, and all men on deck immediately turn to it. Kinoko is screeching and Usopp is yelling in a panic.

"Wha– what!? Why– what is this AAHHH go away don't! Who's there? What is that?!"

"Usopp?" Luffy reacts first, "hey, Usopp, what's wrong?"

"L- Luffy?!"

They clamber down quickly to see Usopp in a tangle of blankets, clothes, crates, and an arm stuck in his hammock. Kinoko, who he'd swatted away, landed hustled and offended by the couch, wary of coming closer.

Usopp had a hand on his face, furiously looking around, impatiently tugging his wrist away from the hammock string to no avail.

He squinted, blinking hard and effortfully.

"Luffy? Is that you?" Usopp asks, and Luffy quickly drops down, approaching him. "Geez! What's all the racket today? I can't even— can someone turn the lights on?"

"We're not falling for that shit again, Us–" Gin stops short when Kinoko flies to him, and Usopp flinches as the bird starts flying, startled by the sound of wings.

"What's that?! Why's there a bird under the deck? How did it get in?!" Usopp yells.

Gin pulls himself out of the hatch, a horrific realisation finally dawning on him.

"What do you mean, what is that," Wyper mutters, "you don't even remember your bird?" Kinoko flies over to Wyper, and seeing the situation, the Shandian doesn't chase her away. "This is getting ridiculous!"

"Usopp, calm down," Chopper says, hopping in. "What's wrong with your eyes? I'll go find a lamp, give me a second…"

Sanji looks toward Gin and Wyper, wary. Luffy slowly turns toward them as well, alarm fully lit in his senses.

"...Anne," Gin calls. "Go to the girl's room right now. And at all cost… calm Nami down."

Anne's eyes widened.

She bolts for it, and Wyper curses, coming to the same conclusion. He makes a break for the storage, but Zoro's sword is drawn, held up threateningly at neck height. Gin stands up, alarmed, but Sanji is on the other side, similarly hostile.

"You're not going anywhere," Sanji says.

"What about that one that ran for the girls?" Zoro asks.

Sanji doesn't have to answer, because in the next moment, Anne yelps, arm twisted to her back via a pair of disembodied arms, and she's pinned against the wall.

Robin exits the room with a stern gaze.

"Thank you for your concern," she says. "But something is terribly wrong with Nami. I believe our hosts owe us an explanation."

Gin sighs.

Gin raises both arms, and Wyper, seeing that action, does the same. Kinoko sticks close to Gin's shoulder, and Suu curls into Wyper's foot.

Luffy stands before them now, his eyes uncharacteristically fierce.

"You see, shit angel," Gin says, trying his best to remain calm. "Down in the Blue Sea, we call this the inconvenient amnesia trope. It's pretty common in fiction."

Wyper twitches. "The Blue Sea's fucking weird. You guys enjoy this shit?"

"No," Gin says. "It's the trope I despise with all my mind and the fact that I'm stuck with you of all people is only making this so much worse. So please shut the fuck up."

"You're the one that started the conversation, asshat!"


It was taking a lot of effort to calm Nami and Usopp down, which was very fair.

"So let me get this straight," Gin says. He has to take charge now, no way around that. "None of us were sleeping?"

It was safe to say this happened because they were awake and the others weren't. For some reason, Nami and Usopp seem to have hit a factory reset all the way to before they lost their senses, while the rest of the crew hit the reset the other way around, and somehow, they have memories of the future instead?

"This isn't making sense," Gin says.

"Welcome to my world," Wyper says, sarcastic.

"Uh… isn't this bad?" Conis says, her hands working to mend Anne's beret. "According to what Nami-san and Usopp-san have said, they're also… we're the new ones of the group. We're the only ones they don't know of."

Kinoko curls into Anne's arms, and Suu is on Gin's head. The other group, specifically Robin, is looking through the logbook right now as Nami and Usopp try their best to register what's going on.

Meanwhile, Luffy and Chopper were cheering and hooting, taking in the fact that they were on the Going Merry. It wasn't hard to guess that they hadn't seen this ship for a while, and unfortunately, most of them could also guess why. Sanji and Zoro inspected the ship curiously, not quite in the belief that this was genuine yet.

"Regardless, we can't figure this out ourselves," Gin says, patting Anne on the head. She was still very miffed. "Look on the bright side. We're looking at veterans of the Grand Line now. They ought to be able to solve this better than us."


And that they did.

"So we've travelled back in time?!"

It sounded ridiculous, and that was how they were taking it. Usopp was clinging like a baby to Luffy, and all the boys were gathered around as Gin tried his best to explain things. Nami was also clinging very closely to Robin, shaking and tearful, while Conis watched her worriedly.

"I guess that makes sense," Zoro says. "Last thing I knew, I was being executed."

"Again?" Sanji says.

"Shut up, you've been missing for years," Zoro snarls.

Sanji recoils. "Not by choice."

"However, if we're back in the first half of the Grand Line, I suppose it makes sense that some of us aren't on board," Robin says. "Much more…"

Chopper sobs loudly. "Merryyy!!" he clings to the mast. "Guys! Guys, it's the Merry! It's really the Going Merry!"

"This is so cool!" Luffy beams, "So in this world, we got Kin and Guerilla guy and Conis with us? AND a cool fox and a super bird?!"

"It's Gin."

"I'm Anne," says Miss Goldenweek.

"Why did you only get Conis' name right?" Wyper asks.

"It means he likes you," Sanji says.

"Hold on, are you really trusting us just like that?" Conis asks, a little baffled. "Doesn't it… you know, sound absolutely ridiculous? Or is this normal down on the Blue Sea?"

"No Conis, it's not—"

"Yeah!" Luffy says, unhesitant. Turning to his crew, "we've seen weirder, right?"

And collectively, the crowd nods, leaving the newcomers flabbergasted.

"What do you mean, this is normal?!" Nami snaps. "Absolutely nothing about this is normal and you guys are all insane!" she whines, cradling her shoulder. "What is wrong with all of you?!" Even her foot was gone.

"T- t- that's right!" Usopp says, in the most unconvincingly confident voice ever, "this is not normal! I speak as a man who's conquered the sea, I know best! This is crazy!" and then, "so uh. Please don't judge us by the standards of these monsters and continue your explanation. Please. Thank you."

It was definitely jarring, to wake up and find that you're missing some parts and you're apparently already past the adaptation and rehabilitation point of it, all without you ever knowing.

The four newcomers have no idea how to tell them that their personality switch was the most unnerving part of the entire situation.

Luffy laughs as Sanji tries to shove Usopp off him to no avail. Man was desperate and blind and this was the least they could do for him. Zoro was still glaring at them all, but he'd stood aside, observing from afar as Robin continued to skim the logbook.

(They were very close, as a crew and a family.)

"Ah, I see now," Robin says, "this logbook's quality is inconsistent because of Nami's arm. The floorboards of the Merry are oddly-designed with a blind man's walkway for Usopp. There are channels under the deck for our new little ones, and there are bunks in the girl's room for our increase in numbers. The differences make sense."

"So the odd ones here aren't you guys, but us," Sanji deems. "Alright then, nothing new about that. It checks out."

"Originally, or according to Nami's story, the only ones to travel back in time were Nami and Usopp," Gin says. "They brought their last injuries with them."

"And now the situation's flipped around, where we have memories of the future, and Nami and Usopp don't," Zoro deems. "But it still doesn't make sense. We didn't bring back any injuries or scars."

"Which means that it's some other power at work," Robin says. "Whatever sent Usopp and Nami back in the beginning is different from what has altered our memories now."

"But that doesn't make sense either. We didn't travel back in time, we just never experienced those years to begin with," Sanji says. "If our memories were just taken, then we shouldn't remember anything from the other timeline, because we're not in it."

"That might be true, but consider that Usopp and Nami time travelled to begin with," Robin surmises, "perhaps, their travel here conjoined the worlds in some way."

"Well, whatever about that other thing," Zoro says. "We settle this right now."

Usopp and Nami's case, albeit much stranger, seems to be settled and confirmed in this timeline. They've had to deal with that problem for years and they've adapted. That meant it wasn't any sort of emergency.

They could put the issue aside, for now. If they solved this second issue, it would all come together again.

"You four," Robin turns to Gin. "Would it be alright to learn exactly what happened last night? We might be able to get a clue from there."


They settled down in the galley, deciding that it was better to get some food in their stomachs to calm themselves down. They ran around to investigate their beloved old ship, endeared by the places that were new.

"I was reading," Gin says, "Anne's on lookout, and Conis?"

"I was making a pillow," Conis says, "because we don't have enough of them, and I couldn't sleep, so…"

"And Wyper was working on Nami's stuff," Anne says.

"Nami's what?" Zoro asks. He's staring at the mutiny board.

Wyper makes his way up, the new limbs in his arms. "I brought them over, but…" it doesn't really look like they'll be able to put them on. "I suggest against it." Yeah, not with this Nami. She already looks intimidated.

"Ooh! Prosthetics!" Chopper beams.

"Wait a minute, why would a brute like you have my limbs?!" Nami snaps, clutching her shoulder protectively. "You better not have stolen it!"

"Wha–?" Wyper was baffled, "sto– why would I even?!"

"Clearly, they're the limbs of a young maiden! There's plenty of ways that could go wrong!" Nami insists.

"Ah yes, there is a whole degree of despicable things perverted men will do to get their hands on a young maidens' prosthetic limbs," Sanji nods sagely. "I would know, I'm one of them."

"Is it just me or do I really want to smack the shit out of this Sanji?" Wyper's brow twitched in annoyance.

"...what kind of despicable things?" Conis asks.

"A young maiden?" Gin asks. "Where?"

The swipe from a Clima Tact is much, much slower than usual, so Gin dodges very easily, leaving Nami to whine about how her Clima Tact is awful and heavy and someone messed with it and when she finds out who it was, she'll fine them.

"Usopp, fix this!"

"Ah yes, let me get my imaginary tools to fix this imaginary arm I'm imaginarily fixing, with my imagination."

"Take this seriously!"

"I'm seriously blind!"

Luffy laughs. "This is so weird!"


"I- I've got," Usopp stutters. "I've got I can't leave this ship or I'll die disease," he woefully admits. "Please don't make me go. I get really bad allergic reactions to socialisation with strangers and I will die in seconds."

"Don't worry, Usopp," Chopper says, brightly. "I, super doctor Chopper, will find the cure for that three years from now!"

Usopp balks.

"I am not going," Nami insists, very vehemently. "Absolutely not, never, ever, forever! Ever! Me and my gold are staying here on this ship! Let's just have all the ones that want to go, go fix this!"

"Are you sure?" Robin says, smiling warmly like she'd expected this turn of events.

Zoro, Sanji, and Luffy are at the bow, stretching, ready to go.

Nami turns, very horrified, toward Gin and Wyper, and honestly, they're a little offended that she's mortified at the aspect that she'd be stuck on a ship with them.

All things considered, the senior crew easily picked up the pace. There are straws for lots immediately, and with a giggle, they've split off into two teams with very little to actually imply that whatever team Luffy was on was going to explore the island.

Gin shrinks, uncomfortable.

The way they moved, systematic, knowing, and even little things like the way Luffy holds Usopp's very meek, nervous hand and Chopper clings to Zoro's back, and the way Sanji automatically produces a hair tie when it was clear Nami was frowning as her bangs fell around her face. The way they curl naturally around Robin as she inspects all their information, telling them about their new location as one would a bedtime story.

Their touch is gentle, firm, and trusting.

Their companionship is familiar and warm and solid and Gin steps back instinctively, knowing he had no place there. Conis hid behind Wyper as Anne stares in understanding, and Wyper scoffs.

(This was a crew that was complete and perfect as they were.)

"There was a horn in the middle of the night," Anne says. "A presence. It was very far, so I didn't react, but I remember it."

"Hmm, my haki's all muddled," Sanji sighs. "But oh well. We'll get there."

"Island, island! Adventure!" Luffy cheers in a song, before turning to Anne and urging her to copy him. She does, though in a more monotonous echo.

Robin and Wyper eye each other awkwardly, but they say nothing.

Sanji, Luffy, Anne, Robin, and Wyper are going. Everyone else stays on the ship, meaning Zoro who's still wary of Gin and Conis, and Chopper who stays to watch over Usopp and Nami.

Nami and Usopp were, predictably, curled into each other sobbing in relief.

"Kinoko, take care of Anne," Gin says, and to everyone's surprise, the bird that everyone forgot about, who was hiding somewhere far overhead, finally emerges to land on Anne's head.

"Woah! We have a bird!"

"It's too small to be emergency food, though."

"It's carrying quite a bit. I hope it doesn't get a heat stroke and fall into the sea."

Wyper stands a hand out before Anne when Luffy starts drooling at the bird. Anne wraps the bird in her arms, holding it away as well.

"Not Kinoko," Anne mutters softly.

"Yeah," Wyper adds, taking another wary step to be in front of Anne. "Don't. That's Usopp's bird. She's already pretty bummed that Usopp doesn't remember her."

Sure he knows that his crewmates would never genuinely target a bird that clearly belongs to someone, and they make that emergency food joke all the time. But somehow, with this altered, memory-fringed bunch of crewmates?

They weren't sure at all.

"Wait, my bird?" Usopp asks. "Why would I have a bird?"

"It's your seeing-eye bird," Conis helpfully supplies. "She aids you in precision and aiming. You are still our crew's prized sharpshooter."

"What? I'm— yeah, right…" Usopp gawks. "How do I even understand it?"

…it?

"Maybe I translate?" Chopper suggests. "Is that how it is?"

Kinoko scowls, somehow managing to look very visibly put off despite having all the emotional features of a bird. She shrinks, curling away, before tucking herself away into the crook of Anne's arms.

She says nothing. There's nothing for Chopper to translate.

Gin sighs. "We can understand her," he says, firm and his voice colder than he'd wanted it to be. But he was irritated. He couldn't deny that. "Forget it. Usopp's not going to need her now, so it's better off being Anne's guide."

"Eh? Is that so? I'm sorry," Chopper says.

"Ah, no, it's okay," Conis jumps in to rescue, noting the way Gin was clearly displeased, Anne was sulking, and Wyper was wary of them.

Unlike the future group, things were shaky on this ship, so no one even knew how to react anymore. None of the time travellers were here, none of the veterans knew of the argument that happened.

No one knew about the way things broke on this ship except the few that didn't quite have the right to address it.

Displaced. Everything was displaced and wrong and there was nothing they could do about it but reluctantly trudge along.

"It's fine," Conis finishes weakly. "It's no big deal."

Conis' shoulders sag, and she looks away as well. Suu hasn't come out of the deck, either. They were both upset.

Clearly, the veterans have offended their newcomers somehow, and they exchange glances, noticing the growing tensions as well.

"Don't worry! We'll go get our memories back real quick," Luffy says, a hand on his hat and a wide grin on his face. "Then, you guys will have your crew back, and everything will be fine again!"

The way he smiled, as if it was ever such a simple matter— it just didn't sit well with any of the newcomers. They didn't mean to sound like they were trying to chase them away.

And yet, Usopp's shoulders ease, and Nami's posture straightens— and Gin knew that this man was a different Monkey D. Luffy than the one he knew.

But still it was a Luffy that he had never seen before. A single word of assurance, and Sanji's leaning comfortably along the rails, Robin who has never let her guard down is smiling gently, and Chopper snickers, enthused. Zoro leans against the mast, comforted— and this wasn't because of what he said, specifically. Hell— Nami and Usopp weren't even remembering the same Luffy at the moment, yet they both eased, seated patiently, full of genuine trust in their chest.

They were assured, simply because it was Luffy.

His appearance was unchanged, his personality hardly any different from the Luffy of a day ago, and yet, those were battle-hardened eyes. His posture was confident, his shoulders straight. He looked at his nakama when in doubt, and he didn't waver in his decisions.

The Luffy Gin knew was young and inexperienced.

This Luffy was a much more seasoned pirate. He was free, joyful, and unhindered.

This was the Luffy his Luffy aspired to be. The Luffy that their Nami and Usopp clung to and refused to, couldn't bear to forget.

This was just a glimpse into the majesty that was the Pirate King.

(And Gin was intimidated by the warmth that shrouded around him, the addictive, irresistible urge to follow, to place a hand on that little back and stride along the thorny path with him.)

(He snaps out of it.)

(The sensation of being ripped away from that indulging warmth— it was horrible. He wanted to go back into that light, even though he didn't belong there.)

(Immediately, he so vividly understands why Nami refuses to let this vision go.)


"This is temporary, right?" Usopp says, when Chopper finds sunglasses for him, granting him a bit of comfort with the loss of vision. "This is so… it's so weird. I can't see at all. Everything's a colourful blur."

"It'll be fine! Trust me!" Chopper beams, remembering a second later to jump into Usopp's lap as an indicator that he's there. He also moves the mortar so it's between them, so Chopper can work on his medicine while still being by his side.

"...sorry, Chopper," Usopp says, hesitantly wrapping his arms around Chopper's sides, getting a little in the way of movement, but Chopper didn't mind. "It's always me… getting injured, put on the back burner, dragging everyone down."

Chopper pauses.

It still wasn't clear how far back Usopp and Nami's memories had regressed, and what that truly meant for them. According to Usopp and Nami, the Davy Back Fight and the confrontation with Aokiji was just a few days ago.

That was an unbelievable amount of time, honestly.

This was before Water Seven, before that nightmare.

"Don't be stupid, you idiot!" Chopper is snapping before he even knows it, head thrown back so suddenly he nails Usopp right in the chin, earning a squawk.

Usopp makes a dying noise, crumpling to the ground in agony. In the distance, Conis yells out a horrified call for Usopp's soul as it rises out of its mortal cage.

"The Usopp I know is the bravest warrior in the world!" Chopper declares, huffing in pride, and yet, he spoke like he was trying to size Usopp up with… himself, apparently. "You've got a legion of eighty million men! Be proud of that, you're not a burden at all! You're the coolest in the world!"

Usopp lifts his head, blinking hard a few times before his lips just scrunch up instead.

"You already know those are lies I spin, Chopper," he says, woefully. "I— I'm not anything impressive. I'm barely strong enough to keep up. I couldn't do anything when Robin was being attacked by that Admiral guy, too."

"You shot down Kizaru!" Chopper immediately says.

Usopp freezes. Then, deflating almost in disappointment, "did I tell you that?"

Chopper's face scrunches up with frustration. "I saw it happen!" he insists. "I saw you become the hero of a tribe of giants. I saw you stand at the peak of Mariejois as you were declared a god in the eyes of the world. I was there."

Usopp's back straightens, just a little— but his shoulders sag, heart unbelieving.

"Well… that's the me in the future you come from," he says. "It's not the me now, and… well, it's not going to be. Didn't you hear? Me and Nami, we're the only ones that are very different."

Conis lingers, worried.

She's never seen Usopp like this– vulnerable, meek, and almost fragile to the touch. Chopper stands before him, little and lithe, and yet, he looked so much stronger.

"I'm blind now, Chopper," Usopp says. "My sniping skills, it's the only thing I ever had going for me… I can't fight, I can't fix the ship, I can't even be brave enough to face an enemy. If I can't be a sniper…" there's a croaky whisper of a sob as Usopp trails off, looking down. "...then there's nothing else I can do on this ship, right?"

"That goes for all of us!"

Instead of sounding furious, Chopper sounded bright.

"I can only be a doctor," he says. "No matter where I am, I'm never strong enough to fully protect what I want to. I've failed a few times, and well… I couldn't even become the best doctor in the world. There are people that I can't save. But that's why you guys are all here. Luffy's said it before, right?"

He can't use swords, navigate, cook, or even lie. But that's why he has nakama.

"You're blind and confused now, but Usopp, you were fighting, too," Chopper says. "You had a seeing-eye bird, you had accommodations built onto the Merry, and you were thriving as the master sharpshooter of this ship even with those limits. You can definitely do it again! You weren't the type to give up from just a roadblock or three hundred!"

Usopp bit his bottom lip, trying his hardest not to cry.

He fails.

"I'm sorry, Chopper," he sniffles, burying his face into the crook of his hat.

Chopper was resolved, confident, and sounded nothing like the naive little reindeer he'd known up until now. He'd grown up, into such an admirable young man.

And that, beyond anything else, filled Usopp with so much hope for himself.


Zoro wasn't surprised when Nami stuck to him, leaning against him, hugging her mechanical limbs nervously, not so sure what to do with them.

"Don't fall asleep," she warns.

Zoro cracks an eye open. "I know," he's annoyed, "I'm not stupid."

"Yes you are," she retorts. "I still hold a grudge from that time at the Red Line."

"Red Line?" he scoffs, "oh right, it still exists."

Nami's eye twitched. "What?"

Zoro yawns. "Maybe I should go do it this time," he mutters, "Torao stole my thunder last time, so people kept bringing my title into question."

"Do what?" she grabs at his shirt, trying to shake him, "do what, Zoro? What happened to the Red Line in the future? What did you do, do you have any idea how horribly that would ruin the natural ecosystem and oceanic biodiversity?!"

Zoro groans, "ugh, I didn't do anything."

"Liar!"

Zoro clicks his tongue, and Nami sneers, completely without fear.

In a way, Zoro was relieved. No matter when and no matter how they both were, Nami would never be afraid of him. She's never been stronger than him, and she fully acknowledges that, and yet, she never doubts her own trust in Zoro. Zoro was the first mate, the vice captain, her personal pack mule, and though that was questionable at best and mutiny at the worst, they've never let that intercept their relationship.

He'd never put it into words, but it was a good feeling.

"Speaking of, what's with this crew?" Zoro mutters, catching sight of Gin and Conis watching warily from afar. "Did you see that in the galley?"

"The mutiny board?" Nami asks, calming down from trying to peel Zoro's face away from him, "I don't get it, honestly."

She curls into herself, settling down partially on Zoro to offset her balance. She leans her head aside, ear touching her shoulder where her tattoo was.

When she was in Arlong's crew, anything of that sort was never ranked or judged or even labelled. It was just straight to the gallows, and people tore through every trace of you on the ship, making sure you were less significant than foam upon the sea.

Mutiny was subjected to exile at best.

She didn't understand how she could ever participate in anything like that joke of a ranking board. It almost seemed insensitive to the very nature of piracy.

"We do hit Luffy around, every once in a while," Zoro shrugs. "I don't know enough of this crew to make a decision, but I know myself. I wouldn't stand for anything stupid. Usopp wouldn't, either."

Nami frowns.

Zoro knew something she didn't. Which was true, Nami only remembered up to here, and Zoro saw the future in so many ways.

"It's stupid," Nami says. "I only care about staying alive, and then money, and then…"

She trails off, and Zoro understands why. She wasn't sure, either. Her ranking fumbled around from herself to her dreams, to Luffy and their savings— she fluctuated, back and forth a step forward twice back and three more forward. Like the waves.

"You'll come around," Zoro says. And the crew will always wait for her, no matter what. So she can take her time, as much time as she wanted.

That was what this ship was for, after all. To drift upon the waves, flattering but never stopping.

Nami scoffs. "Maybe."


"Island in the south aaare~ what, Enoko, you wanna sing too?" Luffy grins, turning back toward the bird that chirps like a percussion.

"So Luffy has decided that Kinoko is an enoki mushroom," Robin says, like it's an astute observation.

"They're best sauteed," Sanji says, "oil, or butter and soy sauce. Maybe in a hot pot…"

Anne is very silent, carrying Kinoko in her arms. She pauses in her steps, turning tentatively to Wyper.

"Can I…?"

"You'll lose, so no," Wyper immediately says.

She pouts.

Wyper sighs. The bird was also sulking, but she was more upset that everyone felt and sounded different, not for being treated as rations specifically. "What's got you so annoyed, anyways? We make similar jokes all the time."

"But that's us," she says. "Only we can make it."

Wyper pauses. And so does the rest of the crew, who turn to look at her.

"You… see these guys as different from our usual crew?" he asks.

Anne narrows her eyes. "Isn't that obvious?" she leans against Robin's side, and she smiles, hand reaching out to gently hold her by the shoulder. "I don't dislike this. But it's different."

She's right.

That guy isn't the same Luffy that taught him about eat n' runs, and dragged him down to the Blue Sea just to show him the wonders of their civilisation. It wasn't, and Wyper could tell.

Luffy kept his distance from the new crewmates, encouraging fun interaction just to make some noise, but never trespassing beyond boundaries or comfort zones. The reality of it was that he didn't quite care for the new members as much as he cared for his own. And he wasn't obliged to care for them, either.

These were all things that, by all accounts, they easily, instinctively notice. It goes without saying, almost stupidly obvious.

(And yet, Usopp was unable to— refused to— distinguish between them.)

That was a whole other problem, wasn't it?

"...you already know, don't you?" he says, solemn with realisation. "You guys aren't the same, so after you get your memories back, you'll be back to square one."

They'll be back to the version that Wyper and Anne knew.

Not the one that Usopp and Nami did.

They would barely miss each other, and as far as they'll ever know, this would be the first and final chance they'll ever come close to it again.

"...well, we kinda figured," Sanji admits. "Time is a strange thing, but we've seen time travel, and we know it's either a one-way street or a hallucination. This is a fever dream sort of situation for me, so a fever dream's how it will end."

"It's fine!" Luffy grins. "Our adventure ended a long time ago. This isn't our story anymore— it's a special, one of a kind journey that belongs to this Luffy," he points at himself. "I'm super jealous that he gets to be with my Nami and Usopp, but I can't take that away from myself! I'd hate me so much for it!"

Anne and Wyper blink in surprise. Even Kinoko lifts her head, stunned.

Anne knew, firsthand, how much Luffy craved for his future self. And yet, Luffy of the future…

"But, Nami and Usopp miss you," Anne says, anxious. "Our Nami and Usopp, the ones you knew. They miss you. Can't you… can't you be both, like Nami and Usopp?"

"There's no both," Robin corrects. "There can only be one will that drives you forward. And the will we are now is not the will that belongs here. So, we cannot stay."

Anne bites her bottom lip.

She couldn't deny it. She wanted her crew back, too. But this was a meeting that Nami and Usopp have been craving for ages.

Anne knows best how agonizing the wait can be. She doesn't want to imagine a world where she never reunited with Gin— but she knows it's happened before, in that other timeline.

And she knows, from Nami's stories, that she was doing just fine in that other timeline. She found new friends, new family, and thrived, even with the scar in her heart.

"They'll be sad that they missed you," she says.

Robin smiles. "But that's where you guys come in," she says. "And one day, they'll realize that it's enough."

Luffy and Sanji grin, resolved. They had no qualms about immediately leaving this world, and Wyper didn't know if he would've been able to make the same decision if he were in their place. Hell, did Zoro and Chopper agree with this, too? Were they find with staying back? Once they get their memories back, they'll fade. Forever. They won't even be able to tell each other goodbye.

Usopp and Nami, they probably didn't know. Because what they won't know won't hurt them, would it?

They all knew, and they were all ready to part. Because they've already parted before, this is just an uninvited, unorganised reunion.

"...you guys have really changed," Wyper says.

Sanji scoffs. "Yeah well, we kinda grew up."

"And I'm the Pirate King!" Luffy cheers, "of course I'm different! I'm unimaginably stronger now!"


From there, it was simple. They find some ruins, follow some legends, and then they follow instinct— Observation Haki, Sanji said once and Wyper and Anne proceed to stare in confusion because they still don't know what exactly it is— and finally find themselves looking at a comically pretentious seahorse.

(They also knocked a possessed kid around and sent him crying back to the village, but that was of no matter.)

Kinoko and the seahorse engage in conversation.

Kinoko turns her nose at him, and the seahorse honks in annoyance. Kinoko retorts with what lilted like sarcasm, and the seahorse squawks in fury.

"...what's she saying?" Sanji asks.

Wyper and Anne say at once, "we're better off not knowing."

"Darn, we should've brought Chopper."

"I do hope they're not scheming a retaliation against us," Robin says, drearily, "dear Enoko might have gotten tired of our emergency food threats."

"Hey, did you just laugh at me?!" Luffy yelps, spinning at the seahorse. "How dare you, you stupid fish!"

The seahorse honks pompously at him, clearly jibing right back.

"You're pissing me off! Are you picking a fight?! I'll get up there and you're going to regret this!"

"...why can he understand him?" Wyper asks, incredulous.

And at once, Robin and Sanji say, "you're better off not questioning it."

"So, what are we supposed to do, anyways?" Anne asks, "do I paint it yellow green?"

"Use non-toxic paint. It might make good sashimi," Sanji says.

"Are we ever going to find out what this dumb bird wants? Why it even did it to begin with?" Wyper asks. There's no response, so, "okay, I guess we're not going to care. Alright then."

"So I do this," Robin sprouts a few limbs, clamping the seahorse's mouth shut tightly, before winding around its belly and constricting it. "And… it's kind of like a pipette."

"Hold it there, Robin, I wanna punch it once!" Luffy winds up an arm.

"You'll kill it, Luffy. Don't."

"I wonder if I can use my moves in my young body. I mean, I can use Haki, but my gears are a different matter—"

"Luffy," Sanji warns, "I'll get mad."

"...okay, I'm sorry," Luffy says. "Anyways, seahorse, prepare to get punched!"

Seahorse shrieks bloody murder.


"What's that?"

Conis squeaks when Zoro steps up behind her. Suu is in her lap, sleeping.

"Oh! Zoro-san I uh," she fumbles, dropping the cotton out of her lap and giving up, ignoring the mess for a moment before turning up to Zoro. "I was sewing something."

He could tell that much just looking.

"It's… it's for Usopp-san," she admits, reaching around to pick up the pieces. There was a whole array of cut cloth, and her progress showed she was clearly sewing it into something that looked like clothes onto a chibified human plushie.

Upon closer inspection, the colours seemed right for a doll that would end up looking like Nami.

"For Usopp?" Zoro asks.

Conis eases, when Zoro crouches down to look at it from a polite distance away. She nods, lifting a plush pillow of the jolly roger. It was a little cruddily sewn, and quite dirty, but she was using it as a reference. "I'm making one of these for everyone in the crew," she says. "I'm just doing it for fun, but I think Usopp-san will really appreciate it."

Zoro watches her with one eye as he leans back, relaxing against the banister.

She happily explains it all— about how this was Nami's idea, because Usopp couldn't see the flag well anymore, and how Conis was eager to do all that Nami couldn't do. How Wyper and Anne were doing all Usopp couldn't, too, and how Gin rounded their edges, and how much she adored the way the crew came together, even for her who was much weaker.

There was love here, Zoro could tell. The same sort of love he felt for the crew, and though he knew for sure about himself, he saw it palpitating off Conis in waves.

"Huh," Zoro huffs, smirking slightly. "Looks like there's no need to worry, after all."

There were questionable elements all over this crew, but Nami and Usopp were in good hands.

"But, Nami-san and Usopp-san, they're really trying their best," Conis says. "We're doing all we can, every time… but it's just not working."

Zoro looks over, to where Nami was spending a quiet, melancholic moment by the bow, enjoying the sound of the waves. "Did I get mad?"

Conis cringes, looking away. "Yes. Yes, you did."

Zoro hums. It was probably pretty bad, then.

"Well then, get stronger," he says. Like it's easy. "You, Nami, and Usopp, all of you."

He says it so nonchalantly Conis almost felt irritated. It almost felt dismissive, that he shrugged this off as if it were so simple.

But to him, it certainly was.

Zoro always dealt with his troubles by striving for more strength. She's seen it many times, witnessed the many weights he added after every troubling tripwire in his path.

Zoro was harsher on himself than he ever was on anyone else.

"I'll get stronger," Conis says. A half-hearted resolve like I'll do my best or I'll try just wouldn't cut it. "So I can become a warrior, too."

A smile curls on the edge of Zoro's lips.

"Oh, but…" Conis leans over, "I saw this strange word in the logbook, but you wouldn't explain it to me when I asked. If I may— what's Bushido?"

Zoro raises a brow. He tended to avoid such conversation in the past, but that's a problem for the other him.

"Well…" this is going to be a long conversation. "You don't know what samurai are, do you?"


"I'm surprised you're alive, actually," Usopp says, "ah— I don't mean this as an insult, I'm so sorry, it's just— you know. Sanji told me you were caught up in some poisonous gas and all…"

"Poison gas, huh… that brings back memories," Chopper says. "So, did it not happen this time?"

"It happened," Gin says, Emerald City in his lap and Chopper's notebook of new medicine-making methods splayed out before them as the reindeer continues scribbling down in a handwriting only he can read. "Nami brought me to this other doctor, uh… Torao?"

Chopper squawks, "you met Torao already?!"

"Whu- wait, what?" Usopp sputters, "who's Torao?"

"This creepy doctor pirate guy," Gin says, flipping the page of his book. "Healed me up all freaky, and here I am, good as new."

"Torao's awesome, just like I remember!" Chopper beams.

"Who's Torao?" Usopp asks. "Is it someone dangerous?"

This conversation devolved into stories about Torao instead. How his Devil Fruit was the envy of all doctors in the world, and how the Strawhats allied with the Hearts to turn the world around its head.

Chopper inflated the story childishly, and honestly, Gin couldn't tell where the rosy-lenses ended and where the truth began, because it was all as absurd as Usopp's stories, and Usopp's stories have been proven to be true even in just this timeline alone.

Gin listened, and he realized that after all this, he would have to forget it.

All this was so awe-inspiring, so dangerous and so liberating, but it wasn't the world he lived in. If he ended up admiring the story, he would end up admiring it too much to let it go. And then, he would be faced with the same difficult decisions Usopp and Nami had to make, are still making, and fucked up in the process.

"Once this is over… it'll all be just a dream," Gin says.

And Chopper nods. "But I'd like it if someone remembered."

Ah, there was that, too.

Usopp sighs deeply, but he says nothing. Any moment now, their memories would return. And somehow, they knew that once that happened, nothing would remain.

That's why Chopper scribbled down all these notes so desperately, trying to get himself up a little more in skill, giving himself the edge he knows he'll need, even if it's just a small contribution.

"But speaking of things that are so cool I don't really understand them," Chopper says, "we found sniper island, but we still don't know where Sogeking is!"

Gin and Usopp both turn to the reindeer in confusion.

"Sogeking!" Chopper repeats, exasperated. "Your friend, Usopp! The king of sniper island, hero of heroes, always lives in my heart! Soooge-KING!"

Usopp covers his face in shame. He doesn't need to have lived through it to know that this was definitely a lie he made in the future.

Gin stares incredulously at Chopper. Looks like Chopper's still a child at heart after all.

He's glad some things never change.


They tormented that seahorse for about an hour before it finally released all the memories it held, begged to be released, and got punted across the ocean.

Wyper honestly felt a little bad for it, but Anne was nonchalantly waving, so well, maybe it was fine.

They stood in the middle of a fountain of shimmering green memory mist, waiting for their own to come back to them— and for a long moment, the view was all that they put their attention on.

Sanji takes a drag of his cigarette.

"Well then, this is goodbye," he says. "Back to my nightmare I go."

"How dreary," Robin says. "It is, however, nice to know that this one will be well."

Anne looks over. "Why do you think that?"

Their smiles were confident. "Because Nami and Usopp are here, of course. Even if the rest of us aren't, they're some of our most capable members."

"But…" Anne trails off. But they shattered just yesterday.

"We've gone through a lot together," Luffy says. "So we know! They'll be fine!"

How could they be so confident? Anne didn't understand.

Wyper briefly realizes that despite coming back, being all together, they've never divulged the details of their own deaths to each other. Whether they knew or not, they moved on from it, spending their little time here simply escaping from that old knowledge in a unanimous notion.

To them, none of this was ever real.

(That's what Usopp's going through, isn't it?)

They understood, better than anyone else, what Usopp and Nami are going through. And yet, they spoke with unrelenting confidence.

"Plus, they have you guys!" Luffy grins. "How could they not be fine?"

Luffy didn't wonder about the past or the future or fate or disaster. He only cared for the adventure, the fun, and the thrills of what came next. He didn't distinguish between the things that hurt and things that shone— he only saw one adventure, and an ever-expanding route toward a single goal.

Just do your best, and it'll be fun.

"A–" Wyper couldn't help but choke on his answer. "Are you sure they'll be fine?"

Because they were already crumbling to pieces. They didn't know, but the crew was already shattering to pieces. What could the newcomers ever do against something so precious, when they hardly had a right to fix it?

"Are you sure it's fine to leave this to us?"

We're not worth it, we're not capable enough.

"What are you saying, shithead?" it's Sanji that speaks. "In this world, you're part of the Strawhats. Who else is going to do it if not for you guys?"

"What, are you guys fighting or something?" Luffy says. "That's fine! We fight all the time, too!" he pumps a fist. "I beat Usopp half to death this one time."

"What?" Anne blurts, and Kinoko bristles, terrified.

Robin giggles.

"You should ask Nami what she did when she joined the crew," Robin says. "Not this time, but in the past, with us. And let me tell you, we've all done something like that before."

Wyper raises a brow. "It's something outrageous?"

"In our seas, there's one thing everyone knows about the Strawhats," Sanji says, grinning. "You don't touch a member of the Strawhat pirates, ever. It doesn't matter if you're the leader of an armada, a god, a king, an emperor of the seas, or a dragon."

Wyper balks. "How many enemies did you guys make?"

"It was for nakama!" Luffy declares, looping an arm around Robin and Sanji at once. "That's how the Pirate King lives!"

The Pirate King.

Wyper still isn't sure, exactly, what that word means… but for the first time, perhaps, he's managed to understand the alluring weight of that title, and just how much it meant to aim to be one who wears that metaphorical crown.

A green light engulfs the three before them— and they collapse onto each other in an unconscious heap, somehow managing to keep Robin on top of them.

Anne reaches up, tugging at Wyper's sleeve.

He looks down to see her near tears, Kinoko cradled within her hands.

"...I don't know why I'm crying," she says. "But I think I'm jealous."

Wyper sighs. "Same here."

He's jealous— of Nami and Usopp, who had such an austere captain. Of the rest of the crew, who knew such a prominent family, such a wonderful adventure. And most of all he was jealous of them, because they wouldn't remember any of this. They wouldn't feel this emptiness inside their chest, a craving to talk just a little longer, to learn more about them. It was a craving that won't ever be fulfilled.


Luffy, Sanji, and Robin all wake up in mere moments, and they're frantic and confused, though much louder and much more recognizable than before.

They remember nothing about it all.

"Something happened?" Robin asks.

"Why're we here? What island is this— oh! A city!" Luffy cheers.

"What the— I'm halfway through this cigarette I don't remember smoking what—" Sanji coughs, "what?"

Wyper and Anne meet eyes.

Then, "we were all sleepwalking."

"Liar!" Luffy and Sanji yell.

Robin frowns skeptically.

"Whatever. Let's go back to the ship," Wyper says, yawning. "I stayed up all night and I'm fucking exhausted."

"Me too," Anne says. "Let's go, Kinoko."

And then walked away nonchalantly, leaving the other three to follow them in their bewilderment.

None of them mention the fact that Anne held Wyper's sleeve the entire way back to the ship, but all three of them were staring very pointedly. They will be speculating on what's happened for a very, very long time.


They're chased back to the ship by pitchforks and yells and accusations, and Wyper is so sick of this shit he wants to fire his Eagle Launcher at them and teach them what it means to yell at a warrior that isn't trying to be hosti—

"ZORO! My arm! We need to go!" Nami's shouting, "why wasn't this put in earlier, you doofus?! Uh— Gin! Gin, take charge, we need to leave now, a storm's coming!"

"Wh— why didn't you say that earlier— hey, where's Luffy?!"

"I'm here, I'm here!" Luffy hollers from the distance, taking a lamp post and winding back. "Okay, grab on."

"Wait Luffy NO—!!"

He slingshots Sanji, Wyper, Anne, Robin, and Kinoko all the way back.

Conis yawns as the four of them plunge onto the deck. Chopper squawks in fright, Usopp balks, and Gin places his bookmark on the page, standing up and stretching tiredly. Everyone's running around, frantic about escaping as soon as they can.

Wyper lands on the deck, Anne using him as a cushion, and neither of them immediately get up. Robin sighs, dusting herself off. She's relieved she made herself a net to land on.

"Hey, you guys, up!" Nami snaps, seated down on the bow as Zoro fits her arm back in. "This isn't the time to be sleeping!"

Wyper grimaces. Anne curls in, getting comfortable on his chest. Kinoko is splayed out around his stomach. Conis calmly stands up as Sanji and Luffy get the sails down, and Gin opens the hatch to the boy's dorm.

"...oy," Sanji and Luffy say at the same time, exasperated.

"Oy, oy," Usopp echoes. "What's with you guys?"

Suu is cheerful, though, running excited circles around all of them, squeaking in delight. She'd been sleeping the whole time, so she probably woke up and realized it was all just a bad dream after all.

"Are you guys going to contribute to this ship?!" Nami yells, exasperated. "There's a storm coming! We're getting chased out of this island for no reason!"

"No, you guys handle it," Gin says, "I'm tired."

"Me too," Wyper says. He closes his eyes.

"Good night," Anne grumbles. Kinoko snores, drooling on Wyper's chest.

"I'll be taking a rest as well," Conis bows her head, before opening the door to the girls' room, calmly closing it on her way in.

The rest of the crew could only stare at the scene, completely flabbergasted.

"What on earth happened?!"