Koala stared at the chess board, pondering her next move. Spying an opening, she captured one of Sabo's bishops, and couldn't help grinning at his irritated expression.
Sabo and Koala had just completed a mission, and were heading back to Baltigo. It was a long journey, so they had to find ways to pass the time together on the ship. On this particularly boring afternoon, they decided to play chess in Koala's quarters.
Koala was winning, a fact she was very pleased about since it was difficult to beat Sabo at chess. She had to be careful though, because Sabo had a habit of snatching victory from her when she least expected it.
They sat quietly, focused on the game, until Sabo broke the silence.
"Did you hear the news? We're going to be making a quick stop at the Sabaody Archipelago before returning home. We received a signal that one of our members stationed there has a message for us, so we're going to rendezvous with them there."
Koala turned pale when she heard the name of that place. Vivid flashbacks entered her mind from a time in her life that she wished she could forget. The thought of returning there caused a panicky feeling in her chest.
"I've heard that there's an amusement park there!" Sabo continued. "With a ferris wheel and everything! Maybe we can have a little fun while we're there too."
Sabo suddenly noticed the change in Koala's demeanor. She was extremely pale, her eyes were glazed over, and she was clutching her stomach as if she were sick.
"Hey, uh, is everything okay Koala?"
Koala didn't answer for a few seconds, but then finally spoke in a low voice. "I hate that place. I never want to go back there again."
"Why not?" Sabo asked. "You've been there before? Had a bad experience?"
Koala laughed bitterly. "You could say that."
They sat in silence for a moment, but Sabo's curiosity got the better of him.
"What happened?"
Sabo knew very little about Koala's past. He told her all about his childhood after he regained his memories, but whenever he asked about what hers was like, she would say she didn't want to talk about it and quickly change the subject. He had a feeling that her past was something that was painful for her to talk about, and wondered if he had pushed her too far by asking about it.
To his surprise, Koala answered him, in a slow and quiet voice. "When I was seven, my family traveled to Sabaody Archipelago for a vacation. I remember it like it was yesterday."
She paused, and then continued, her voice a little shakier than before. "While we were at the amusement park, I was separated from my parents. Before I was lost long enough to even be scared, a stranger snatched me up. He took me to the human shop, and I was sold there."
Her voice cracked, and tears began streaming down her face. Sabo was stunned at the words he was hearing.
"Koala, do you mean… You can't possibly mean…"
"It's true, Sabo. I was sold into slavery, and I was a slave for a year of my life."
Sabo had no idea what to say. What could he possibly say in response to that? He had no idea that she had been through something so horrific.
Koala began sobbing, so Sabo walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. Koala gripped the front of his shirt and sobbed louder.
"Koala I'm so sorry that happened to you… I'm so sorry..." Sabo repeated over and over again as Koala bawled loudly.
"That's why I can't go back there. My memories are so clear from that day, and I've heard that Celestial Dragons are known to be sighted there. I don't know what I would do if I saw one in person, or if I saw one leading their slaves around..."
"That's okay, I understand. You can just pretend to be sick that day so that you can stay on the ship. I'll cover for you."
"Thank you."
Koala's crying began to calm down, but Sabo didn't release his hold around her. The longer he thought about what she told him, the angrier he became. Subconsciously, his grip on her became tighter.
"Um, Sabo? You're hugging me kind of tightly," Koala squeaked.
"Oh, sorry." Sabo released her, embarrassed.
"I didn't mean to bring up bad memories for you. I'm sorry if I pushed too far," he said.
"That's okay. I'm glad that I told you. The only other person who knows is Dragon. I told him when I first joined."
Sabo nodded. "I won't tell anyone else, I promise."
"Thank you."
Koala told him that she would like to be alone for a while, so Sabo returned to his quarters. As he lay in his hammock, his mind couldn't stop replaying the earlier conversation. He hated the World Nobles before this, but his hatred had doubled now that he knew what they had done to his best friend.
"I wish there was something I could do to stop them right now. Dragon has a plan to overthrow them, but there's still a lot of preparation that needs to be done before we start putting it into action. If only I could stop them myself…"
It wasn't the first time that Sabo felt helpless against the unfair cruelness of the world, but he was more frustrated than he had ever been before. He had a personal grudge against the World Nobles for stealing his memories, but what they had done to Koala was even more unforgivable. He wanted more than anything to bring justice to everyone who was responsible for the traumatic experience from her past. For now, all he could do was lay in his room and imagine the violent things he wanted to do to any Celestial Dragon he came across.
A few days later, the revolutionaries docked at Sabaody Archipelago late in the afternoon. Just as they had planned, Koala feigned illness, and Sabo asked Hack to stay behind on the ship to look after her. Hack agreed, stating that as a Fish-Man he felt unsafe at Sabaody Archipelago and would have wanted to stay behind regardless.
Sabo met with Koala before he left the ship. "Are you sure you're okay with this? I can stay behind too if you want."
"No, you don't have to do that. You sounded so excited about visiting Sabaody Park before, I don't want you to miss out because of me."
"Well, obviously I care more about your safety than riding a silly ferris wheel," Sabo insisted.
Koala smiled. "You should go have fun in my place, and you can tell me all about it when you get back. That would be the next best thing."
"Ok, if that's what you want."
Sabo left with the other revolutionaries to meet up with their contact. Once they finished taking care of business, the group spent the rest of the day at Sabaody Park. They rode rides and enjoyed attractions that the park had to offer. It had been a while since Sabo had had any real relaxation time, and he found himself enjoying the park greatly. Even so, he wished that Koala was there to enjoy it with him. Everything was more fun when she was around.
Sabo described the theme park in great detail to Koala when he returned. "I wish you could have been there, it was so much fun."
"Yeah, sounds like it was a blast," Koala said.
"It was. The best part was definitely the ferris wheel. It had a truly breathtaking view, you could see so far across the ocean from the top."
Koala nodded, listening to his excited words. She was sad that she had missed out on exploring the park with him. It sounded like he had a great time, and she would have loved to spend the day having fun with him.
The ship they were on needed some minor repairs, so it was decided that they would set sail tomorrow afternoon. Koala spent most of the night lost in thought, thinking about her past and present.
The next morning Koala stood at the bow of the ship, looking towards the island. The giant trees and iridescent bubbles made it a magnificent sight. One of the bubbles floated near where Koala was standing, and she reached out her hand to touch it. She was surprised when it landed gently on her outstretched hand without popping. She couldn't help laughing out loud.
Sabo walked over to where she was standing. "Amazing, isn't it? People use those bubbles for transportation around here, floating around in them."
"Sounds magical," Koala said. She bounced her bubble up and down on her hand. "I wish I could try it."
"Oh, sorry. I shouldn't talk about it anymore, it would only make you envious."
"Actually, I've been thinking…" Koala stopped playing with the bubble and looked up at him. "The Celestial Dragons have taken so much from me. They've taken my childhood, my peace of mind, my chance at a normal life… and now they've prevented me from having a fun day at an amusement park with my friends. I hate that they still have this power over me."
"Well, what do you want to do about it?"
"You know what I want? I want to ride the ferris wheel. I know it's silly, but I think doing that would prove that they no longer have any power over me. I'm not a slave anymore. I'm free to do whatever I want, and what I want to do is to ride the ferris wheel."
Sabo was stunned. "Are you sure you want to do that? You said yesterday that you might not be able to handle the sight of one of them. What if it triggers one of your anxiety attacks?" Sabo had witnessed a few of Koala's anxiety attacks in the past, though he never knew the source of her anxiety until their conversation yesterday.
"Yes, I'm sure. I've thought a lot about it. Seeing one of them might upset me, but I think if I can just avoid encountering them at the park, I'll be okay. I've been in much more dangerous situations than this, I think I can handle it."
Sabo thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, as long as you can avoid seeing one of them, I'm sure you'd be fine. Sabaody isn't a place without danger, but it would be a piece of cake compared to the dangerous missions you've been on."
"Yes, I think so too," Koala said. She shifted awkwardly. "Um, you'll go with me, right?"
Sabo beamed. "Of course! I'll keep a lookout for any of those bastards."
Koala smiled back. "Thanks, it will be easier with you there."
To stay as safe as possible, the two of them decided to go straight to the ferris wheel and then come straight back. Ideally, they would only be gone for half an hour.
They both changed into disguises so that they wouldn't stand out in the crowd. They wore t-shirts that said "Sabaody" in giant letters, black jackets, black hats, and sunglasses to hide their faces.
"Ready?" Sabo asked after they had finished preparing.
"As I'll ever be," Koala said, letting out a shaky breath.
"Hey," Sabo said, taking one of her hands in his gloved one. Koala had opted not to wear her gloves, but Sabo was wearing his.
"You know that I would never let anything happen to you, right? If one of them tries to take you away, I'll fight back."
"Sabo, don't say that! Not even you can defy them. They'll kill you."
"Koala, you know I couldn't just stand there and watch them do something like that! I'm strong, I can take them."
Koala groaned. "No you can't, you idiot." Even for someone as strong as Sabo, attacking one of the Celestial Dragons was basically suicide.
"Yes I could!"
Koala sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing with him. As much as she hated how easily he would throw his life away, his emphatic words were comforting to her. She believed him when he said he would protect her with all his might. They had gone on countless missions together, and she was used to trusting him to watch her back. Being with him made her feel much more safe.
"Remember, we agreed to avoid the World Nobles at all costs. We'll only be there for half an hour, so the chances of even seeing one are slim," she said.
"Well, still. On the extremely small chance that they notice you, you don't have to worry. I'll take care of it."
Koala felt her cheeks warm. "Ok, I get it. I trust you, but please don't go out of your way to risk your life for me, I hate it when you do that."
"Ok, I'll try." They left the ship together, and headed towards the amusement park.
The first thing Koala noticed was how sticky the ground was. It made walking a little more difficult, and she had to put a little more effort in her steps to keep up with Sabo's long legged pace. She could also smell a sweet, aromatic scent in the air, coming from the special resin that the mangrove trees produced. Sabo explained the special qualities of the resin bubbles to her as they walked. It was mind blowing to think that this island was actually a giant tree.
As they grew closer to the amusement park, Koala marveled at how whimsical it looked. People were flying around in bubbles, colorful shops sold a variety of exotic goods from all over the Grand Line, and the ferris wheel loomed in the distance, making it an unforgettable sight. For a moment, Koala forgot why she had been hesitant to come here in the first place.
And then, it hit her. Once they entered the crowd of people, an awful feeling of deja vu washed over her. Koala hated crowds because of what had happened to her in the past, and this crowd in particular gave her sudden flashbacks to one of the worst days of her life. The loud carnival sounds and smells started to overwhelm her, and she was soon filled with paralyzing anxiety. Her throat began to tighten up, making it hard to breathe.
All of a sudden, she felt someone take her hand. It was Sabo, who had noticed that something was wrong.
"Hey, are you doing okay? We can turn back if you want," he offered gently.
His touch helped ground Koala in the present. She took some deep breaths, and reminded herself that today was much different than 16 years ago. She wasn't a defenseless child anymore. She was strong, and she knew how to take care of herself. Not only that, but she wasn't alone. She had her most trusted friend to support her.
After taking a few moments to calm herself, she felt much better. She looked up at Sabo's face. "Thanks, I'm okay now. Let's do this, I'm ready."
They continued walking, still hand in hand. After a few moments, Koala realized that his hand felt different than it did earlier when she held it on the ship.
She looked down, and saw that his hand was bare, without any glove. She didn't know why this felt so weird, until she realized that she had never even seen him without his gloves. She was touching his hand for the first time.
Did he take his glove off just to hold her hand? He must have, since he was wearing them earlier. He must have done it to offer her a little extra comfort.
She could feel heat rising to her cheeks. What did it mean that they were holding hands like this in public? Did he just do it to make her feel better, or did it have another meaning too? The other members of the revolutionary army often teased them about how they acted like a couple, and she wondered what they would think if they saw them walking around like this.
Holding hands with him filled her heart with unexpected warmth, so she held on tightly as they navigated the crowd. They stayed that way until they approached the ferris wheel.
The two of them boarded the ride, and sat next to each other on the bench. Yesterday Sabo had ridden it at night, but the sight during the day was equally beautiful. He could see much further out across the ocean.
"Look, Sabo!" Koala pointed out different islands that she could see when they were at the top.
Sabo felt relieved watching Koala marvel at the beautiful view. Before, he was afraid that coming here was a mistake, and that it would only bring back unpleasant memories from her childhood. He was still processing her horrific past, and he knew that it must have taken a lot of courage to come back to this place that reminded her of her trauma. What's more, he realized, it must have taken an immense amount of courage to join the Revolutionary Army and fight against those who abused her. For all the bravery and strength she put on all the time, Sabo was glad to watch her relax and have fun for a change.
For the first few rotations of the ferris wheel, Koala leaned forward towards the window, drinking in the view as much as possible. After that, she leaned back in her seat, and Sabo was surprised when she leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder.
Heat rose to his face, and his heart started beating faster. He was used to being close to her, but something felt different about this moment. He was touched by how much she trusted him. She was the kind of person who was very independent, and didn't want to burden other people with her problems. Yet, she confided in him about her past the day before, and let him accompany her to this dangerous place. He knew that she wouldn't accept help from just anyone, and he was glad that she let him get so close to her.
He looked down at her, and saw how peaceful and relaxed she looked. As he stared at her face, he couldn't help thinking about how strong, brave, and kind she was, and how lucky he was to have her in his life.
He was suddenly filled with the overwhelming urge to kiss her.
I'd better not, he thought. She's had a lot of mixed emotions today, and I might overwhelm her. And what if she doesn't feel the same, and gets mad at me? She might run off on her own, and could come face to face with danger.
Instead, he decided to simply savor the moment. He leaned against her too, and the two of them admired the beautiful view in peaceful silence.
"So, ready to head back?" Sabo asked after the ride.
Koala paused. They had agreed beforehand to make this trip as brief as possible, but she was having so much fun that she didn't want to return just yet. She spent a lot of time alone with Sabo on missions, but she was rarely able to spend leisure time with him when they traveled to different places. She didn't want the fun day she was having with him to be over so soon.
"Actually… Maybe we could explore the park a little bit more? We just need to watch out for any of… them. But there's more that I want to see."
Sabo grinned. "Sure! As long as that's what you want."
The two of them decided to walk around the midway some more. Koala did her best to stick to Sabo's side as they walked, but since she was so short, she found it a bit hard to fight against the crowd of people. After a while, the crowd started to separate the two of them.
Without much time to think, Koala reached through the crowd to grab Sabo's hand. He turned back, surprised that they had been separated so quickly.
Once they were side by side again, Koala suddenly felt awkward for initiating physical contact with him. But in such a busy crowd, especially in this particular place, she didn't want to be separated from him at any cost.
"Maybe it's better to stay like this, so that we don't get separated again?" She suggested.
He smiled kindly at her. "Sure, I don't mind."
When she reached for his hand through the crowd, Koala noticed something that she hadn't noticed before: his hand was covered with jagged burn scars. Did he wear the gloves to hide the scars on his hands? She had never considered that he might have more scars besides the one on his face. Maybe I don't know him as well as I thought, she realized.
Of course, he hadn't known about her past until the day before. They were still learning new things about each other, even though they had known each other for years. She wondered what else there was to learn about him.
She couldn't help noticing how much younger he looked in the casual clothes he was disguised in. He used to be much more carefree, but ever since he became Chief of Staff, his face was usually marked with worry lines. She could tell that the stress of his position weighed him down. She sometimes forgot that he was only twenty two. Today however, his excitement and easy smile made him actually look his age for once. It made her happy to see him relax and enjoy himself.
Sabo pointed out a food stall, and the two of them decided to order some of the famous grandline manju buns. The line was long, but Koala decided that the wait was worth it when she tasted the sweet confection. After finishing their treats, they decided to keep walking around the park.
As they strolled around the midway, Sabo focused on being on the lookout for any Celestial Dragons. He wanted Koala to be at ease and have as much fun as possible, so he made it his priority to keep watch. Luckily he was tall, which made it easier to see over the crowd.
Sure enough, a few minutes later he spotted one just ahead. Seeing them immediately sparked his fury, and his first instinct was to run over and punch them in the face. However, he promised Koala he wouldn't cause any trouble, so he swallowed his anger. He needed to direct Koala away from the World Noble so that she wouldn't panic.
He saw a row of carnival games in the opposite direction. "Hey Koala, how about we go over there and play some games?"
"Huh? But I was hoping to ride some more rides," Koala said.
"No, let's do something else. Just trust me on this one," Sabo said quickly, tugging her hand towards the games.
"Well, okay, if you insist," Koala said, slightly annoyed at how pushy he was being but following his lead anyway.
The two of them walked toward the carnival game section of the park. Sabo was relieved to see that this area was less crowded, with no Celestial Dragons in sight.
"Do you really want to play one of these games? They're probably rigged anyway," Koala said.
"Sure I do! I just need to find one that I can win," Sabo said.
"Hmm I don't know, these look pretty hard," Koala said, eyeing a dart throwing game. "I'm not sure you have what it takes."
"What, you don't have any faith in me?" Sabo whined. Koala smiled teasingly. "Well, I'll just have to prove you wrong then."
Sabo stopped abruptly in front of a ring toss game. "Wait, let me try this one."
Koala groaned. "Sabo, these ones are notoriously rigged…"
"Just trust me! I've been on life threatening missions before, I think I can handle a dinky carnival game."
Unfortunately for Sabo, the dinky carnival game turned out to be a formidable opponent. When Sabo slapped down money for a 7th attempt at the game, Koala was laughing so hard she could barely breathe.
"Sabo, I'm begging you, just give up! This game is impossible to win. Why are you trying so hard?"
"I have my reasons," Sabo grumbled. He was growing more agitated with every loss, but he was still determined to try again. Sadly, his 7th attempt was also a failure. Koala was doubled over with laughter.
After 11 tries, Sabo finally landed a ring on one of the bottles. "Yes!" He cheered.
He turned to Koala. "Ha! I told you I could do it."
"Yeah, after 11 tries. What kind of person plays a carnival game 11 times?"
Sabo turned back to the game operator, who instructed him to pick out a prize. Sabo pointed at a gray teddy bear, and the operator gave it to him.
Sabo then held out the teddy bear to Koala. "I chose this game because I wanted to win this for you. It's not a stuffed koala bear, but it looks kind of close, doesn't it?"
Koala was speechless. He made a fool of himself playing the game over and over again just to win a prize for her? She suddenly felt guilty for laughing at him so hard.
She accepted the teddy bear from him. It was cute and fuzzy, and the soft gray color was reminiscent of her namesake. The thoughtfulness of the gift made Koala's heart swell.
"Oh, Sabo! You're so sweet." She stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on his cheek, right underneath his scar. "Thank you."
Sabo's face reddened. "You're welcome," he said bashfully.
The two of them decided to head back to the ship, since it was past noon and the revolutionary army would be heading out soon. Koala walked with her gift from Sabo in one hand and Sabo's hand in the other.
"You know, I think you're really brave for coming here today. It must take a lot of courage to fight your anxiety like this," Sabo said.
"Thanks Sabo. I couldn't have done it without you with me."
A few years ago, Koala never would have imagined that she would have been able to do what she did today. She had been plagued with nightmares and panic attacks for most of her life, and there were times that she thought that she would never be able to live her life without any fear. She still struggled with these afflictions, but they had lessened over time, in part thanks to the comfort and encouragement from her friends.
Though… was "friend" the right word to describe Sabo? Koala didn't think so anymore, he was so much more than that to her. After today, she had a feeling that their relationship was going in a new direction, and the thought excited her.
Feeling optimistic about the future, Koala gave Sabo's hand a small squeeze. She smiled when she felt a squeeze back. She looked forward to the day that the revolutionaries reached their goal and she would be able to come back here without any fear at all, and with Sabo by her side once more.