A/N: I've changed the update estimate to every other week for now. I forgot how much October was going to mess with me emotionally, combined with how wrecked writing the sad canon parts of Kyoudai. Thank you everyone for your patience.

And a HUGE thank you to the wonderful reviewers/faves/follows/tumblr messages. Omg. You guys/gals/pals have no idea how much you helped cheer me up these past few weeks. I legit cried. You're all too sweet TT~TT

So two quick things:

1. Lots of great guesses on Snow White, but the events of this story are set in the canon timeline (which puts the current chapter at 11-12 years before the Dressrosa arc) and happening alongside the main plot.

2. Parts of this chapter (and next LOL) were inspired by Akogare Zephyr's emoji request art on tumblr (there is basically no possible way to try and link it on ff but I'll put a link on the chapter announcement on my tumblr)

Dedicated to my wonderful beta (thanks again for always beta-reading for me on such short notice!), Beyond Kailani.

Bonds of Sea and Fire

Chapter 15: Nothing Is Guaranteed

"What a mess, yoi," Marco sighed, pushing a hand through his hair and looking around. The deck of the Moby Dick was littered with the unconscious bodies of his brothers and sisters, a few of which were in various states of undress.

Haruta was the least problematic of the bunch, snoring away without a care in the world and draped over one of Whitebeard's broad shoulders. It seemed like Whitebeard was just as inebriated and unaware as the rest of the crew, but he was deliberately sleeping at an angle that allowed Haruta a comfortable amount of space. Near the foot of the chair, Namur was lying on his back, an oddly angelic look on his toothy face.

"Oyaji, do you want me to take him?" Marco asked, stepping over another one of his brothers and inclining his head towards Whitebeard.

At first there was no answer, but after only a few moments of silence, Whitebeard chuckled, cracking one eye open. "He's fine where he is."

"Did he have alcohol, yoi?" Marco raised an eyebrow, aware that his expression was judgmental.

"Only a little," Whitebeard promised with another good-natured laugh. "Izo already scolded me."

Marco swept the crowd of sleeping pirates, smiling when he caught sight of Izo. He was draped over Bay's side at one of the tables, Thatch asleep with his head in Izo's lap - and his hair in Bay's. Vista was on Bay's other side, his hat missing and fried onion rings hanging off his mustache.

"The most fearsome crew sailing the seas, yoi," Marco remarked sarcastically. He shook his head. "I'll start kicking them back to their rooms. We don't need those three seeing this and thinking it's normal." He didn't wait for an answer as he started nudging the drunken pirates - maybe not as gently as he could have - awake. Several grumbled in annoyance, but most simply struggled to their feet and sluggishly made their way inside. A few took the time to hug Marco and tell him what a great brother he was. He accepted their slurred words and displays of affection, taking their antics in stride before sending them on their way.

He left the commanders to their own devices; moving Thatch in his drunken state would likely result in someone's personal space being invaded, followed by the severing of Thatch's trademark pompadour. It had only happened once, but Thatch hadn't spoken to Kingdew until his hair had grown back - and he'd added Rakuyo to his list of enemies after the other man had gotten him a poorly crafted wig as a joke.

It took a little less than an hour to finish cleaning up, but once the crewmates were safely tucked into their own beds - or in some cases, comfortable spaces out of the way in the halls and on the deck - Marco made his way back to Whitebeard. He easily leapt onto the armrest of the captain's chair, studying his face before coming to the conclusion that he wasn't asleep.

"Are you taking Haruta inside, or do you want me to do it, yoi?"

The snoring stopped. Whitebeard cracked one eye open again to regard Marco before closing it again and yawning. "I can do it," he said. "You don't have to keep watch, you know. No one's going to bother us tonight."

"Then it'll be easy, and maybe I'll sleep through it," Marco answered, even though they both knew he'd never fallen asleep on watch before.

Whitebeard laughed at the obvious defiance. The sound was comforting, loosening tension in Marco's shoulders that he hadn't even been aware of. "So, tell me, Marco," Whitebeard said, leaning forward and placing one hand on Haruta's back to keep him from sliding off his shoulder. "What do you make of the boy's relation to Red Hair?"

Marco paused at the question, tilting his head slightly. "Do you think it's significant, yoi?"

"A man like him doesn't lose an arm so easily. Especially not in a sea like East Blue."

Marco pondered those words for a few moments. "Even unarmed, it doesn't seem likely a sea king could injure him so gravely, yoi." He crossed his arms over his chest. "From the way Luffy talks about him, they were probably close. Luffy's a devil fruit user, and this happened in water."

Whitebeard nodded for him to continue, curious to know what sort of theory Marco was coming up with.

"Red Hair could have just used haki to scare the sea king off, yoi. He could have cut it down in one shot and likely still have had time to rescue Luffy from drowning, assuming Luffy had only just fallen into the water." Marco paused then, understanding dawning on his face. "Or he wasn't around at all when any of that happened, and he only reached Luffy at the last possible second. Either because they were close or because he saw potential in the kid, he didn't risk Luffy's safety, yoi."

"You think he traded his arm to guarantee the boy would come out of it unharmed?" Whitebeard asked, interest glimmering in his dark eyes.

"I remembered what Luffy said about the hat," Marco answered. "And I think that's exactly what happened. From everything I know about Red Hair, he's not the type to take danger lightly. If there had been a way to really guarantee Luffy's safety without compromising himself, he would have done it. He wasn't taking chances, no matter how slim, yoi."

"That's what I thought too," Whitebeard said. It was both frustrating and flattering that he'd already reached a conclusion, and that his prodding of Marco had likely been out of curiosity to see if their theories were similar. "Perhaps Red Hair is already thinking of the new era."

"It's a bit early for that," Marco sighed. "And it's getting cold. Haruta's going to get sick."

Whitebeard laughed again, reaching out to tousle Marco's hair like he was still a child. Marco endured with the patience of someone who had accepted he would always be regarded as a son first and a pirate second. Once he was sure Whitebeard was taking Haruta back to the infirmary - Bay had insisted he sleep there for at least two more nights - he let his arms transform.

Blue fire flared from the tips of his fingers to the nape of his neck, one leg immediately kicking off of the armrest to give him a boost. The feeling of his arms going entirely weightless during the transition was always exhilarating and accompanied by a small boost of adrenaline. He supposed it was the phoenix's way of urging him to take flight at any opportunity.

Rather than give in to the urge to soar into the night sky for a few hours and let his thoughts drift away, he flew to the highest of the crow's nests and allowed his arms to change back. Not that he'd ever admit it out loud, but he could relate to Shanks. It was the same reason he opted to take watch when the possibility of danger was incredibly slim, and the likelihood of anyone getting hurt even if they were taken by surprise was even less. It wasn't a guarantee - and to him, it wasn't worth the risk.

...

Everything was burning.

No matter which way he turned, flames leapt towards him, licking at his skin and leaving a trail of scars. His mind tried to argue that it should hurt, that the fire should burn him before leaving scars, but he couldn't think rationally. Instead he jerked away from the fire and tried to find a safe spot, wood splintering under his boots and smoke obscuring his vision.

He started to choke. More than the heat, more than the memory of burning flesh, it was the acrid smoke filling his lungs that caused him to panic. His body refused to listen to him as he thrashed and stumbled. Ace's voice screamed at him to jump but he couldn't. His body remained panicked and unresponsive until the second explosion hit his boat and the fire finally began to burn him.

Sabo clawed at his face and throat in a futile attempt to smother the flames. Even as he hit the water, the fire wouldn't go out. The pain continued to spread along his skin and down his throat as he choked on water. He tried screaming for help but his voice found no purchase in the vast, unforgiving sea.

"Ace," he choked on the name, yet it echoed around him as if he'd clearly shouted it. He tried Luffy's name next and the two cries mixed in a torrent of his own voice crashing all around him until it was deafening.

One hand began to claw towards the surface as he desperately tried to swim, but apart from spasms brought on by the pain, he could hardly even move. He was sinking. The vibrant colors of the fire and the sky were swallowed up until he was sinking all alone in the void with nothing but screams of his brothers' names to keep him company.

Then, all at once, it went silent and still. Even the burning stopped. His body floated in a sea of darkness with a blackened sky looming overhead and he had to wonder if he'd ever make it out. If he was dreaming, how long would it be before one of his brothers woke him up?

Soft laughter pierced the stillness, causing Sabo's eyes to widen. He didn't have to search for the source. Luffy was running towards him, entire body illuminated and radiating light. A wide smile stretched across his face when he caught sight of Sabo, and with another joyful laugh, he reached out a hand.

Before Sabo could take it - his limbs still heavy and body still sluggish - another hand intercepted. It was the pure embodiment of darkness, barely bigger than Luffy himself with a sinister expression of hatred on its face, and Sabo felt a rush of panic as Luffy happily turned away to go with it.

"Luffy, wait!" Sabo cried, struggling to free himself and protect his little brother. He didn't know why the darkness wanted Luffy, or who this stranger was, but he had to do something. Ace would never forgive him if-

Ace.

Sabo's struggles died immediately as he realized the figure in the darkness was becoming visible due to Luffy's light. It wasn't a spiteful creature who meant Luffy harm. It wasn't even dark. It was Ace, and as the light slid over his skin and finally illuminated his face, the hateful expression transformed into something softer.

There was no time for Sabo to truly process what he was seeing. Ace smiled down at Luffy, then led him away from Sabo as if neither one of them could see him anymore. The panic came back full force as he realized they were leaving him in the darkness, and no amount of calling their names made them turn around again.

...

Sabo jerked awake with a strangled gasp. His heart raced inside his chest, and for several moments, that was the only sound registering with him. Before he could voice his panic or act irrationally, the faint buzz of Luffy's snoring caught his attention and his heart rate began to slow. He looked to his brothers, both of whom were blissfully unaware of his distress, and a relieved smile touched his lips. Even if he couldn't stop shaking, the familiar sight of their sleeping faces soothed his nerves and set him at ease. His muscles slowly relaxed until he was able to lean against the wall - Ace had taken the outer spot on the bed again - and calm himself down.

He spent over an hour sitting with his back to the wall, silently watching his brothers sleep. His expression softened the first time he caught Luffy mumbling one of their names; especially because Ace automatically tucked Luffy closer in his sleep and mumbled incoherently into the younger boy's hair.

Sabo always savored the rare moments when Ace's guard was completely down. They were few and far between - usually directed at Luffy - and he knew he was the only other person Ace could be that way around. He hoped someday Ace began to trust and rely on others a little more, but for the time being he simply appreciated their closeness.

He reached out to brush Ace's hair from his face, idly counting the freckles on his exposed cheek. He only had a few moments to admire the sight before Ace was shifting, grumbling sleepily and pulling Luffy closer. The freckled face disappeared against a tuft of unruly dark hair.

Chuckling softly, Sabo pulled his hand back and shoved it through his own hair. It was starting to grow out from the last time Makino had trimmed it. He supposed it would be safest to ask Izo to cut it for him from now on…

If they stayed.

He immediately shoved that thought from his head, then carefully crawled over his sleeping brothers. It took Sabo more agility than he'd expected, but he managed to get out of bed without injuring or waking either of them. He winced automatically when his bare feet touched the cold floor; he really needed thicker socks if he wasn't allowed to sleep in his shoes anymore.

After straightening and tucking them back in - because of course, Ace had kicked the blankets off - he located his shoes and put them on, heading out of the room. The creak of the door shutting behind him made him freeze, but when the snoring continued undisturbed, he breathed a sigh of relief and made his way across the hall to knock on Marco's door.

Sabo waited several minutes and two more attempts at getting Marco's attention before deducing that Marco was either in a deep enough sleep that he couldn't be woken without causing a scene, or he wasn't in his room. The idea that Marco might have heard his knocking and then ignored it never once occurred to Sabo - it wasn't in Marco's nature. He wasn't sure where Marco might be since the party was over and it was actually pretty quiet, but he figured the deck was the safest bet. Then again, if the deck was still littered with drunken pirates, it might not be the best place for him to go.

He shrugged that possibility aside and headed down the hall, positive he'd remembered the way this time, only to nearly jump out of his skin when a hand landed on his shoulder.

"Sorry, did I scare you?" a deep voice chuckled from behind him.

Sabo whirled around, twisting to look at the speaker and grinning sheepishly. "Oh - Vista - hi," he said, voice pitching a little higher than usual. "I wasn't scared. I just didn't expect anyone else to be awake."

"Trying to sneak off into the night, are ya?" Vista asked. Before Sabo could answer, he laughed and put a hand on his back, guiding him to turn around and keep walking again. "I'm only teasing, kiddo. Marco's up top keeping watch. Only one sober - and paranoid - enough to do it."

"Paranoid for keeping watch?" Sabo's brow furrowed. "What if the rest of you are all just too complacent?"

"Quite the vocabulary on you. Bit of a contrast to your brothers," Vista commented.

Sabo immediately bristled, struggling not to let his irritation show. He was trying to be cordial, after all. "Ace and Luffy aren't stupid."

Vista paused, but only for a beat before he was flashing his wide grin again. "Don't misunderstand. I don't mean anything by it. I just know very little about you except for the part where Luffy is one reckless little hammer, and if anyone looks at either of you the wrong way, Ace will attack."

The tension that had started to build eased out of Sabo's shoulders. "Oh. Well… I suppose you don't know very much about us. You're right about Luffy and Ace, though. Luffy's always been full of energy. Ace has only been this… hostile, I guess, since we almost lost Luffy."

"We've heard the basics, but none of us know the full story," Vista stated. Sabo heard the gentle nudge in his tone and made a mental note to disclose a few more details once they reached their destination. "Izo told us you and Ace thought Thatch of all people killed Luffy."

Sabo winced, but hearing it didn't sting as much as it once had. "It was a big misunderstanding. Now that I know Thatch, I can't even imagine him raising his voice to Luffy."

Vista laughed, and rather boisterously at that. He clapped Sabo on the back, nearly toppling him over. "Right you are about that!"

"You're still drunk, aren't you?" Sabo asked, regaining his footing and shooting a wounded look over his shoulder.

"Buzzed, my young blond friend. Buzzed," Vista corrected.

"I'm not sure there's a difference," Sabo muttered, but he was grinning again. He hadn't met a single member of the crew he could claim to dislike, and Vista was no exception. Even if he was being a little abrasive and overly familiar.

"Ah, well, once you get a little older, grow some hair on your chest - you can join in the fun," Vista told him.

"Is a hairy chest a requirement? Izo doesn't have hair on his chest," Sabo commented.

"Don't even joke! If Izo thinks I'm telling you he has a hairy chest, he'll shoot me in the kneecaps," Vista swore.

"I don't think he'd really shoot you…" Sabo trailed off, then gave him a thoughtful look. "You're amusing when you're drunk."

"Buzzed," Vista said again, reaching up to remove his top hat and plop it on Sabo's head. "Here, you look good in a top hat, lad."

Sabo nearly tripped, reaching up to hold onto the rim before it slid over his eyes. The feeling of a hat settling into his hair was briefly staggering, but even if it wasn't his size or style, the familiarity filled him with nostalgia. He didn't speak again until they reached the deck. "I used to have a hat like this."

"Ah, you have good style, young man," Vista said. "You should tell Izo you want to look like me-"

"Similar, maybe," Sabo hastily interjected.

"-and he'll likely make you a hat of your own."

"Well… that thought does have merit," Sabo relented. "Do you suppose someone here could make me a new pair of goggles?"

"Goggles?" Vista echoed.

Sabo laughed at his quizzical tone. "Ah, nevermind." He tilted his head back to look at the numerous crow's nests, wondering which one Marco was in. "I thought the deck would be messier."

"Marco kicked most of the crew back to their rooms," Vista answered, making a grand sweeping gesture around them. "The rest of the cleanup will happen in the morning."

"Did he actually kick them, or was that a broad term?" Sabo asked. When Vista merely grinned in response and headed over to the railing, Sabo gave a low whistle. He followed Vista - because he couldn't find Marco and he wasn't ready to wander around alone.

There was a perfect view of the stars that night - a sight Sabo doubted he'd ever tire of. A few drunken crewmates had escaped Marco's apparent kicking spree, and their snores mixed with the relaxing sounds of the sea. Sabo didn't even realize how wide he was smiling until Vista pointed it out.

"An expression like that - very befitting of a pirate, lad."

Sabo turned his attention to Vista, his smile turning sheepish. "This is where I belong. This is freedom, isn't it?"

Vista's expression changed just slightly, not enough to be alarming but enough to puzzle Sabo before the older man gave a lengthy sigh and shook his head.

"Words like that from a boy your age are never a good sign," Vista murmured. "Would you like to talk about it?"

Sabo mulled the question around in his head for a few minutes before shrugging and climbing up on the railing so he had a better view. "I was born a noble," he said. After the way Marco, Thatch, and Izo had handled the news, he doubted anyone else aboard the Moby Dick would react poorly.

Vista studied him at the admission, then gestured for him to continue with one gloved hand.

"I ran away when I was five," Sabo obliged. He felt a twinge in his chest at the memory, but he pushed it back. Vista was slightly intoxicated and endeavoring to learn more about the trio, but that didn't mean Sabo needed to open up and explain every abusive moment that had led to his departure. "We lived in the Goa Kingdom - have you heard of it?"

"Only that it's in East Blue," Vista admitted.

"They pride themselves on being the most beautiful kingdom in all of East Blue." The words left a bitter taste in his mouth. He would never be able to understand how anyone could look at the Goa Kingdom and see beauty. Not wanting to dwell on the thought, he quickly explained the existence of the Gray Terminal and all it implied.

"Ah, I heard something about you coming from a garbage heap and the lot of you being raised by bandits," Vista commented with a thoughtful glance in Sabo's direction. "You meant it literally, then?"

"Yeah, I think it was Rakuyo asking about that earlier?" Sabo recalled. "Compared to High Town, the Gray Terminal was like paradise. That's where I met Ace. I didn't come live with him and the bandits until after we met Luffy, but it doesn't matter how long I spent there. It was home. They're my family."

Vista chuckled. "It's odd you'd call such a terrible sounding place 'paradise'. Odd, but only because I doubt you knew that pirates have named this sea in a similar fashion."

"I've heard them calling this sea - the Grand Line, I mean - paradise before," Sabo said.

"Only pirates who've been to the New World call this sea 'Paradise'," Vista explained. "It's a comparison, much like yours."

"The New World?" Sabo echoed.

"The second half of the Grand Line." Vista tilted his head back and took a deep breath, savoring the salty sea air. "Under normal circumstances, that's the sea we all sail. You and your brothers will need some preparation before we head back."

"If we stay," Sabo mumbled.

Vista didn't push the subject, although a slight crinkling in the corners of his eyes like he was fighting back a smile had Sabo relaxing again. Somehow, he thought maybe Vista already understood that Sabo wanted to stay - had already found himself at home with the crew - and that it all hinged on whether or not Ace would be able to feel the same.

Sabo continued to explain the events leading up to the fire and Luffy's subsequent kidnapping, hesitating a few times and glossing over some of the details. When he got to the part about the village misunderstanding Thatch's actions, Vista actually winced.

"Thatch is a good kid," Vista said, reaching up to thoughtfully twirl the right side of his mustache on one finger. "He's one of the first. Marco was the actual first one to join Oyaji. Jozu, Thatch and I would be what you would consider the 'second' generation. We stopped keeping track of who came when after that, but I have known him for a very long time. Few things make him lose his temper that way."

"Izo said it was because Luffy was being… tortured," Sabo struggled with the word, trying to ignore the sharp jab he felt to his gut. Luffy was safe now, and no lasting damage had been done, so there was no use feeling guilty. That was what he'd been telling himself - and Ace for that matter - since finding out what Luffy had been subjected to. "That Thatch wouldn't have been so violent if Luffy had only been a hostage."

"Izo knows Thatch better than anyone," Vista nodded to him in agreement. "Except for maybe Marco. Anyway, Izo's right. If your little brother had only been a hostage, Thatch most likely wouldn't have killed him or burned down his boat. Whatever condition he was in when Thatch found him was the trigger for setting him off."

"It's hard to imagine him killing anyone," Sabo admitted, pushing the top hat back so the brim wouldn't cover his eyes as he leaned forward on the railing. "He's so friendly and cheerful all the time."

"Never forget that any pirate has the potential to be a killer, lad."

The solemn tone of Vista's voice had Sabo nodding in understanding. He was quiet for several moments, choosing his words carefully before he spoke again. "I guess what I mean is, I can't imagine him ever being a threat to me or my brothers."

Vista clapped him on the back - and in a flurry of motion managed to catch Sabo before he completely fell off the railing, hat and all.

"Sorry about that," Vista laughed, keeping an arm around Sabo once they'd steadied him again. Sabo tried to force a weak laugh, but his heart rate was just high enough to keep him from relaxing. He kept a sturdy grip on the railing this time. "Oh, relax! If you'd really fallen, Marco would have swooped in and caught you before you hit."

"Swooped?" Sabo echoed, his voice still a little higher than normal from the adrenaline rush.

"Oh, he hasn't shown you his ability yet? Well, I'll leave it for you to be surprised later," Vista said with a grin. "Luffy will probably like it better that way."

"He's a devil fruit user, then?" Sabo guessed. When Vista merely nodded in response, Sabo actually managed a smile. "I see. We had no idea. Does it have anything to do with his epithet being 'Marco the Phoenix'?"

"You're no fun," Vista replied. "It won't be a surprise if I outright tell you."

"Fair enough," Sabo agreed, holding his hands up as a sign of surrender. He quickly latched back onto the railing. "Can I ask you a favor, Vista?"

"You can't have my hat. It's mine," Vista answered automatically, though he made no move to snatch the accessory back.

"It's too big for me anyway. I was actually going to ask if you could go to Marco, Thatch, or Izo if you had more questions. You or any of the crew," Sabo admitted. "I don't mind if everyone knows, but…"

"But?" Vista prompted. He was studying Sabo, appearing to have sobered at the request.

"Do you remember how Luffy was acting earlier when everyone was talking about Shanks? It's kind of like that. It's a sore subject. Not for me or Luffy - I mean, not as much…" Sabo gave a frustrated huff. "Obviously it still bothers me a little. But-"

"But Ace will react poorly," Vista finished. "I get what you're trying to say."

"He wasn't the same Ace you all met when we thought Luffy was dead," Sabo murmured. "And that's saying something."

"Understood. They believed it was not their story to tell."

"Well, I guess it wasn't before, but it is now," Sabo said with a shrug. "Thatch saved Luffy's life. Marco could have tossed Ace off the ship when he attacked, without even bothering to find out why he was attacking. They could have just ditched us at the nearest island, but they looked after us and even offered us a home. It may not seem like it because Luffy's so carefree and Ace acts like he doesn't care, but it really meant a lot to us."

The sound of a delicate sniffle had Sabo tilting his head back, nearly losing the top hat. Vista was wiping a single tear away, the corners of his mouth turned down.

"Are you crying?" Sabo questioned, eyes widening in disbelief.

"Of course not, lad! I merely have salt in my eyes. And I'm drunk."

"Buzzed," Sabo corrected with a knowing grin. He removed the top hat, standing up on the railing to place it on Vista's head before he jumped down onto the deck. "Thanks for the chat. I think I'll go back to bed now."

"Don't you want to talk to Marco?" Vista asked, straightening his hat and turning to watch Sabo walk away.

"It wasn't urgent," Sabo answered. "And besides, I feel a lot better."

From his spot in the highest crow's nest, where a regular person would have felt cut off from the rest of the crew but a certain phoenix with excellent hearing had perched, Marco relaxed. He'd tensed the moment he'd heard Sabo's voice, figuring the younger blond might have suffered from a nightmare, but he'd refrained from interrupting once he'd realized Vista was with him. Any instinct driving him to 'swoop in' as Vista had put it, did not outweigh the importance of the boys forging connections on their own.

He smiled, closing his eyes as he thought back to the conversation he'd just heard - and a small chuckle escaped his lips when he heard Vista retching over the side of the ship, finally succumbing to all the rum he'd had in his competition with Bay.

"Oh sure, laugh because you can't get drunk… damn pigeon," Vista muttered, knowing Marco would hear it.

Marco's laughter only increased in volume.

...

It was irrational. She knew that. She understood it. She even silently repeated it to herself as the hot water began to sting the marks she was leaving.

But knowing it and understanding it didn't convince her to stop.

Even though the water was beginning to feel incredibly draining, a sure sign that she'd been submerged for too long, she remained in the bath, scrubbing her hands and wrists. The blood had long since washed away, but she swore she could still see the splotches of crimson on her tan skin.

She'd known it would happen eventually. As a child, the organizations had taken her in strictly to boast notoriety. Some had believed her capable of destruction, only to have their illusions shattered early on.

At eighteen, almost nineteen, no organization would take her on name alone anymore. Now, proving usefulness was the only way to ensure she had a place. Maybe if she proved to be useful enough, it would be a secure position.

Even though she'd expected it to happen sooner or later, it was still staggering now that she had real sins to her name. Now that Nico Robin was a killer.

A frustrated and dry sob escaped when she opened her eyes and saw the same stains on her skin, mixed in with the raw areas where she'd already scrubbed too hard. There was nothing special about it being her 'first kill' as one of the others had put it. Any lives she ended in the future would be just as significant as this one. It was a harsh reality she needed to accept. She could try to justify it by telling herself he had been a criminal, or that he would have killed her first had he seen her coming, but those excuses would eventually stop mattering.

Robin was a killer.

But she was also a survivor.

If killing was the only way to ensure her own survival, then Robin would kill.

The previous organization had taught her about stealth and espionage. Combined with her own life experiences of remaining in the shadows, it had only been a matter of time before someone had put her skills to use for assassination.

She would prove her worth as an assassin if that was what they required of her. If she could prove to be more valuable than her bounty and her history, maybe they wouldn't betray her.

At least, maybe they wouldn't betray her as quickly as the rest.

"Dereshishishishi…" she mumbled, forcing her lips to curve into a smile that reflected in the water as a grimace.

Robin shook her head, closing her eyes and sinking in the tub. The times where she'd been able to muster laughter and a smile were few and far between, and somehow the idea of hearing that laugh right after killing someone made her stomach twist. She didn't want to taint the memory.

...

"What happened to everyone?" Ace blurted out.

His question hadn't been overly loud or obnoxious, but half the galley still seemed to flinch and bury their heads in their arms at their tables.

"They're hungover," Sabo explained. "Lower your voice. They probably all have headaches."

"How come? What's hungover?" Luffy chirped, bouncing on his heels. "Is it a food? I want breakfast!"

Even Ace winced at the volume of Luffy's voice, grimacing when the rest of the room whined in faint protest. At one of the tables closest to the serving area, they caught sight of Izo, Vista, Haruta, and Namur. Haruta didn't seem as disoriented as the rest of the crew, but only Izo appeared to be completely normal. Upon closer inspection, Sabo realized he couldn't even see Vista's eyes; the man was wearing sunglasses with his usual attire, one elbow propped on the table with his cheek resting against his fist. He seemed to be in a good mood however, his grin showing several gleaming white teeth.

Though both older boys were apprehensive about being around Namur - still suffering secondhand embarrassment from Luffy's questions - it was the most comfortable looking table in terms of people they knew. Marco was nowhere in sight.

"Keep your voice down," Sabo told Luffy, taking one of his hands. "Let's go sit down and find out how we're supposed to get food here."

Luffy grinned up at Sabo, reaching for Ace as well. The other boy had already started moving though, leaving Luffy grasping at air. Luffy didn't seem to mind it, but Sabo knew it would have been better for Ace if he'd realized Luffy's intention.

"Good morning," Sabo spoke quietly when they reached the table, not wanting to cause discomfort for any of them.

"Good morning," Izo echoed.

"Yo," Haruta greeted, flashing a grin. He still held one hand to the side of his head like he was stifling the pain somehow, but his expression was pleasant enough that the boys grinned in return.

"Good morning, Vista," Sabo spoke up again, since he was the only one who hadn't nodded or acknowledged in some way. Vista completely ignored him.

Bay came up behind them, plopping onto the bench with a wide grin. Her hair was in a casual side ponytail, and she flashed a wry smirk at Izo before looking to the boys. "Don't bother talking to Vista," she said when she noticed Sabo's confusion at the lack of response. "He's out cold. Oh, share that with me," she pleaded with Namur, who sighed and handed her the medicine he'd been about to take.

"Can't you go get your own?" Namur complained when she took half. They both tossed the pills into their mouths at the same time, with Namur quickly gulping from his glass of water. Bay settled for stealing Vista's.

"He doesn't look like he's out cold," Sabo said with hesitance, studying Vista's grin.

"Vista and Bay had another drinking match after the party," Izo explained. "Vista's incredibly hungover. Hence the sunglasses."

"It could be a fashion statement," Ace offered.

"Vista's fashionable," Sabo agreed. "I like his hat."

"Ace needs a hat," Luffy added.

"I do not need a hat," Ace complained, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Ah!" Luffy yelped, causing more winces around the room. "Sabo needs his hat back!" He twisted to look at Sabo in alarm, but the blond laughed in response, cheerfully tousling Luffy's hair.

"It's fine," Sabo said. "I planned on waiting til after breakfast to ask Izo for help with that, though."

"I'm hungry," Luffy whined, satisfied with the fact that Sabo had a plan for getting his hat back.

"Do we just… walk over there and take food?" Ace asked, shooting a hesitant glance at the serving area.

"You take a tray and point out what you want," Haruta said, swatting Luffy's hand before he could succeed in stealing the ham steak from his tray. "Thatch is over there right now. Want me to take you over there?"

"We can do it," Ace answered hastily, putting a hand on Luffy's back. "C'mon, let's go."

"Yay! Food!" Luffy cheered, latching onto Ace.

Both hesitated when Sabo remained in place, but he smiled at their quizzical looks. "I'll get food after you guys."

"Suit yourself," Ace said, shrugging.

Luffy couldn't seem to grasp the idea of anyone willingly waiting for food, turning and quickly tugging Ace over. He'd caught sight of Thatch, who was cheerfully spooning out dishes with flourish despite the fatigue of his fellow kitchen staff.

"I thought everyone had a lot to drink last night," Sabo pointed out, taking a seat.

"If you're trying to be subtle about it, there's no point," Namur muttered. "Thatch never has hangovers like the rest of us, Marco can't get drunk, and Izo never looks - in his words - less than perfect."

"Thank you," Izo quipped, as if Namur had just complimented him. The Fishman rolled his eyes.

"We're used to it," Bay told Sabo, ruffling his hair. "Izo probably feels like crap and just won't let the rest of us see it."

To accentuate that statement, Izo reached up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind his ear, smirking.

"They didn't drink this hard at the last party," Haruta added. He grinned sheepishly, somehow looking proud and embarrassed at the same time. "Oyaji let me have sake last night. They didn't let me last time."

"Oyaji's judgment was impaired; don't get used to it," Bay warned with a chilling smile.

"Yes ma'am," Haruta answered, ducking his head.

"So is Vista completely unconscious?" Sabo asked. He automatically began to lean towards Bay while she carded her fingers through his curls, unaware he was doing it.

"Old man just doesn't know when to quit," Bay said with a nod. "He's dead to the world."

"Can we do stuff to him?" Sabo asked.

Every single one of them froze, and for a moment Sabo was concerned he'd said the wrong thing. The worry slid away when Namur chuckled, Izo hid his smirk behind one delicate hand, and Haruta gave a wicked grin.

Bay resumed idly stroking his hair. "Oh, you fit right in," she chuckled. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well he looks good with those sunglasses. Why would he ever want to take them off?" Sabo questioned, the playful glint in his eyes betraying his innocent tone.

"I'm on it," Haruta said, jumping down from the bench and sprinting from the room.

"Looks like he might not need another night in the infirmary if he's moving like that," Bay joked. "I hope he remembers not to use the really strong glue."

"Vista will heal if he does," Izo reminded her.

"But remember, we had no part in this," Bay said, shooting Sabo a very stern look. "It was all you and Haruta."

Sabo nodded. "I accept half responsibility and credit." He smiled then, glancing over at his brothers and watching as Ace patiently helped Luffy load up a tray of food before getting his own. Even with his guard up in their unfamiliar new - and possibly temporary - home, he remained soft and attentive to Luffy.

Sabo's heart clenched as he thought back to his nightmare from the previous night. Even if it had gripped him with fear at the time, he had to admit the dreams had gotten one thing right. Ace had been shrouded in darkness until Luffy had shown up, and little by little, it was Luffy who chased that darkness away. Maybe given enough time, the darkness would be completely gone and Ace would finally start to understand how important he was to his family.

...

"That is so cool," the boy sighed, leaning forward on his elbows in the sandbox. His feet kicked idly behind him, chin resting in his hands. "He had six arms? And he used swords with all of them?"

Koala nodded, eyes bright. It was a particularly sunny day on Foolshout Island, and she'd finally gotten her mother's permission to try playing with the other children. Of course, her mother was hovering nearby and Koala couldn't blame her in the slightest. There were times when Koala herself felt the panicked response of letting her mother out of her sight and feeling like she might never see her again, so she never called attention to it when her mother acted that way.

"Were there mermaids?" one of the other girls asked.

"No," Koala answered, shaking her head and scooping up a handful of sand. "There were a few mermen though. I don't remember what kind… but Aladdin, the ship's doctor, he's a Merman."

"A Merman can be a doctor?" the first boy asked, eyes growing wide.

"Yes," Koala answered. "They're not very different from us. I thought they were really scary when I first met them, but after a while, I didn't even notice they were Fishmen anymore."

"I think it would be weird," another girl spoke up, delicately tucking her dark hair behind one ear. "What do they eat?"

"They eat the same food we do," Koala answered. She'd gotten used to comments like that very quickly. Rather than losing her patience, she calmly repeated herself, knowing the other kids would struggle with the knowledge because they had no firsthand experience.

"But do they eat fish? We don't eat people," a boy who hadn't quite joined the group but had obviously been listening to Koala's stories spoke up, trying not to look interested.

"They eat fish the same way we eat animals," Koala said. "But they wouldn't eat a fellow Fishman."

"Oh," the boy said with a frown, clearly struggling to process the information.

"So if you were a pirate," the girl with the dark hair spoke up again. "Do you have a mark like they did? My daddy says the sun mark we saw on the Fishman who brought you back was their Jolly Roger and they all had it."

"I was an honorary pirate,' Koala corrected. A blush dusted over her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. "Uncle Tiger gave me a mark."

"Uncle Tiger?" the other girl, whose hair was a light chestnut color like Koala's asked.

Koala felt a twinge of guilt that she'd already forgotten all of their names, but she didn't let it show. Instead, she smiled. "His name is Fisher Tiger. He was very kind to me. I never would have made it back without his help."

"Then why did he mark you?" The boy outside the sandbox asked. "If he was only taking you home."

Koala's smile faltered - and the urge to quickly plaster a fake smile over it to hide her emotions startled her. She took a moment to calm down before she spoke, allowing them to see the slight quiver of her lower lip and hear the tremor in her voice. She knew she had to get used to talking about it or it would start to haunt her again. "Because of my slave mark."

All four of the other children tensed, and Koala swore she saw several adults do so too. It was the girl with the dark hair who dared to speak in the tense silence, eyes bright with interest.

"Can we see it?"

Koala opened her mouth, then closed it, brow furrowing. She didn't have a good reason to deny them. Everyone on the island knew she'd been a slave, and while she wasn't supposed to talk about it around outsiders or marines, there wasn't really any harm in showing the children she was trying to befriend. She wasn't afraid to show it. Maybe if it had still been the brand given to her during her time as a slave… but even when the others had shown her brand to Tiger, she'd been far too broken to register fear of her mark being seen. Now she was proud to bear the same mark as the Sun Pirates.

"Okay," she answered, turning around. The boy who hadn't joined them scrambled to his feet and made his way over, all four leaning close as she grabbed the hem of her t-shirt and pulled it up, almost over her head. She heard their collective gasps, tensing when she felt a curious touch to the upraised edges of one of the sun's flames.

"Sorry - does it hurt?" the girl with the lighter hair asked, hand stilling.

"No, it just surprised me," Koala answered. "It doesn't hurt anymo-"

"Just what do you kids think you're doing?!"

Koala yanked her shirt back down, twisting to look at the woman who'd spoken. She was clearly the mother of the boy who'd been lounging in the sandbox, and she wasted no time in yanking him up and pulling him away from Koala. The look in her eyes was mistrustful - almost fearful.

"Koala was telling us stories, mom!" the boy protested, trying to tug himself free. "Did you know Fishmen eat other fish and it's not like people eating people?"

"Toji, that is enough. It's time to come home," the woman snapped, shuddering.

"We weren't hurting anything," one of the girls mumbled, dropping her gaze as if ashamed to talk back to the woman.

Parents were hurrying over and collecting their kids - even the ones who hadn't been paying attention to Koala - until at last, Koala's mother darted forward and took Koala's hand. She murmured apologies to the other parents, which only confused Koala as she was ushered back towards their home.

"Mommy?" Koala asked once they were inside. She watched as her mother checked the windows and locked the door with a deadbolt, as if worried someone might burst in at any moment and snatch one of them away.

"Koala," her mother knelt, placing firm hands on her daughter's shoulders and looking her in the eye. "You mustn't show that mark to anyone, do you understand?"

"But mommy, everyone here knows," Koala said in confusion, nervously twisting her hands together. "Why can't I show my friends?"

"You just… you just shouldn't," her mother answered, biting her lip.

Koala struggled with that answer. She was torn between wanting to be a good girl and wanting to understand. "Mommy… I don't know why I shouldn't."

"Please, just do as I say, Koala."

"..." Koala shut her mouth, staring down at the floor and fixing her gaze on her mother's knees. She couldn't lift her gaze when she spoke again. "Mommy, you said to tell you if anything made me uncomfortable. That you wanted to help me feel safe, right?"

"Of course, Koala…! Of course!" Her mother pulled her into a tight hug, but Koala didn't lift her arms to return it. Her mother pulled back once she realized it, her tone wounded. "Koala?"

"I'll do what you say if you really want me too, but… doing what someone says when I can't understand why I should makes me uncomfortable," Koala answered. She lifted her gaze, chewing softly on her lower lip.

"Oh Koala," her mother looked as though she could barely hold back her tears, understanding that even if she had her daughter's best interests at heart, asking her to obey for the sake of obeying would only remind her of her days as a slave. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"It's okay, mommy," Koala said, though she continued to fidget. "Can you tell me?"

Her mother took a deep breath, forcing a shaky smile. "Even though the other villagers know about what happened to you, it would be best if everyone could just forget. You can start fresh. We can't do anything about the mark on your back, but you can't tell anyone you were a pirate. You were marked against your will, and no one has to associate it with slavery unless you remind them. It's better this way."

Koala stared at her, desperately searching for some sign that her mother didn't mean it, but she only found sincerity reflected in her mother's warm eyes. A shudder wracked her body and she took a slow step backwards. "You think I should forget it? Which part…? Being a slave, or being with Uncle Tiger and the others?"

Sensing Koala's discomfort, her mother quickly shook her head. "You don't have to forget about the… the pirates," she said carefully. "But the rest-"

"I can't forget it," Koala interrupted, startling them both. She hadn't raised her voice or argued with her mother since coming home. She quickly pushed her shock aside to continue before she lost her nerve. It needed to be said. "No one should forget it, mommy. What happened to me was wrong. If I try to forget it, it's not fair to everyone who helped me come home. If I try to forget it, that's the same as running or hiding."

"I don't understand… why wouldn't you want to forget it? There's no shame in wanting to forget something as horrible as what you went through!"

"I'm not ashamed," Koala answered, lowering her gaze and her tone. "And even if I wanted to forget it, I still wouldn't be ashamed." She squared her shoulders, lifting her head to look her mother in the eye. "I don't want to forget it because I accept it."

"You… accept it?" her mother echoed.

Koala nodded. "I'm not ashamed I was a slave, mommy. I'm still scared sometimes, but I'm strong. I won't always be scared when I remember it."

"You are strong," her mother murmured, drawing Koala into another hug. This time, Koala reciprocated. "I just thought… I thought you would want to forget."

Koala gripped the fabric of her mother's dress tightly. "I understand." When she pulled back, her eyes searched her mother's. "So I can show them my mark?"

"Koala, sweetie…"

Just like that, the tone of her mother's voice had her stomach sinking and her shoulders sagging.

"I know you want to be brave and strong, but the villagers just won't understand. It makes them nervous and worried that the government might not keep their word or that someone might come looking for you and take all of the children away."

Koala opened her mouth, then closed it, frowning. "Keep their word?" she echoed. "About what?"

The color drained from her mother's face, and there was no way to mistake her smile as anything but fake and panicked. "You can show your mark as much as you want inside our home, but please, don't show it to anyone else. I'm going to go start lunch. Are you hungry?"

She was gone before Koala could answer.

Koala remained in the hall for quite some time, listening to the sound of her mother bustling about the kitchen, cooking lunch for the second time that day. As the hall started to feel large and empty, she hurried back to her room, taking solace in the enclosed space. She made her way over to the window, placing both hands on the sill. It seemed like everyone had gone back inside when the parents had rounded up the children. The stillness was unnerving.

Turning away from the window - and pulling the curtain shut for good measure - Koala looked to the mirror on the wall near her bed. An odd thought struck her then. She stepped closer to the mirror, pulling her shirt over her head and turning, struggling to look over her shoulder so she could see the mark.

She'd seen it on countless members of the Sun Pirates, but this was the first time she'd ever seen it on herself. Her left arm twisted so she could reach the mark, fingers brushing over it. The marks she'd seen on the Fishmen had all seemed smooth and uniform to their unique skin, but her mark was upraised and slightly rough around the edges. The skin felt softer to the touch, and the fact that some parts were completely numb while others had heightened sensitivity were fascinating to her.

No matter how much she felt around, how hard she tried to stare, she couldn't see the original mark beneath the sun. It wasn't darker than the rest of the mark and the outline couldn't be felt independently from the sun, either.

For a brief moment, the flash of searing pain and the smell of burning flesh assaulted her senses. The urge to close her eyes and curl up to protect herself was almost overwhelming, but she refused to give in. Her eyes remained focused on the mark as she endured the memory, only looking away once it had passed.

"I'm not ashamed," Koala mumbled to herself, leaning down to pick up her discarded shirt and pull it back on. "I don't want to be afraid… and no one else should be afraid either."

Her mother wouldn't like it, but she refused to back down. She couldn't back down. The mark was a part of her and if anyone asked to see it, she would show them. If it was too hot to completely cover her back, she wouldn't. If the adults wanted to forget the most difficult time in her life because it scared them, they were welcome to try, but it wasn't her job or intention to set aside her own needs for their comfort.

...

A/N: Thank you all for reading! Hope you enjoyed the antics of the Whitebeard Pirates. And yes, the sunglasses are sticking around on Vista for quite some time. I'm in love with that art and it gives me joy xD

Until October goes away (long story, very stressful) I'm gonna try to keep it to a chapter every other week unless I happen to get them done sooner. Thanks again!

~Mithril