"That's a SUPAAAAR wind!" Franky shouted to himself as he struggled to keep the helm in his control. The sky was pitch black, lightning occasionally lighting it up. The wind tore at the sails and the flag snapped loudly. Water streamed down Franky's face and arms, pooled around the deck, making it slick. Rain lashed mercilessly at his face, forcing him to squint. He would have used his sunglasses as a shield, but the wind tore them away before the brunt of the storm had even hit.

A wave crashed into the side of the ship, the deck teetering on a dangerous angle. Franky's bare feet slipped on the wood, but he held on to the helm with a strong grip, refusing to let go. The wave passed, and Franky balanced himself again before lifting his head to the sky and laughing.

"Are you trying to stop me?!" He shouted at the sky. "You can't stop me! I am the great SUPAR FRANKY!" He let go of the helm and slammed his forearms together. Just in time for another wave to hit. His eyes widened as he began slipping backwards and crashed into the cabin.

"That wasn't so super," He muttered, struggling out of the wood pieces surrounding him and crawled back to the helm.

The storm passed quickly. The weather on the Grand Line varied from place to place. Storms were sudden, and could be extremely violent. As soon as the waters calmed down he set himself on the task of fixing the wall of the cabin.

They had never had this much trouble with the weather before, but that was because of Nami and her ability to predict the weather. He wiped his brow and stared out over the horizon. There was no sign of the ravaging storm that had vanished less than an hour ago. As far as the eye could see was blue sky, a few puffy clouds here and there.

And… Marine ships? He grabbed a spyglass and focused on them. They were, but they looked ravaged. The storm must have gotten them too. He looked closer, noticing that many of the crewmembers looked extremely young.

He finished with the last board and put his tools away before dropping the sail and moving closer to the two Marine ships. As he got closer, one of the Marines shouted a warning, and immediately most of the people aboard dropped what they were doing and readied rifles.

"Guns won't work on me!" Franky shouted over, scaring a few of the recruits. "Are you guys alright?!"

"We-" One of them started, her hand trembling and the barrel of her rifle shaking wildly, "Don't need help from pirates!"

There was a murmur of agreement from the people behind her, and Franky sighed. "Well then it's a good thing it's just me. Not a pirate anymore."

"You can't just quit being a pirate," The girl said sharply. "You have a black flag!" She pointed up at the flag, slack with the lack of wind.

"It's just out of respect for the deceased Captain," Franky said. "Your ship looks like it's taking on water. I don't see any other ships in sight. If you don't take my help you're going to die."

"Leave us!" Someone behind the girl who had taken charge shouted. "We're Marines! We'd rather die with pride than work with filthy pirates!"

The girl looked hesitant, and she gripped her rifle tightly. Her knuckles started turning white as she bit her lip. "Are you telling me the truth? You're not a pirate anymore?"

"How old are you, girl?" Franky asked.

"Eleven," She answered. She started trembling as Franky jumped off the Thousand Sunny and landed on the Marine ship.

"Don't talk to him!" The same opposing voice shouted, and a boy, not looking much older than the girl, pushed his way through the group. "Get the hell away from here. We can kill you if we wanted."

Franky crossed his arms, looking amused. "I'd like to see you try, squirt."

The teenager turned red and he narrowed his eyes angrily. "Give me that," He said harshly, grabbing the rifle from the girl and shoving her aside. She fell hard, and the boy aimed the gun at Franky and fired a few shots. Franky didn't flinch as they hit him and ricocheted away with a metallic clang. Franky took a step forward and grabbed the back of his shirt, lifting him off his feet.

"Hey! Let me down stupid pirate!" He flailed, waving his arms and legs uselessly. The gun clattered to the deck.

Franky narrowed his eyes. "You brats have had the opportunity to grow up in a peaceful era. You don't know what it's like to have pirates crawling the seas. Not many of the pirates from the Great Pirate Era are left in the world. You've only had to deal with the newbies who want to take advantage of this peace."

"What do you mean?" The girl asked.

"You said you're eleven, right girl? That means you were just a baby when Strawhat Luffy became King of the Pirates. He's the one who brought this peace."

"That's not true," The boy shouted, still flailing around. "It was the Marines who brought the peace."

Franky snorted, "I don't believe that. Now, I'm offering my help. Do you really want to die for the Marines?"

"I do!" The boy shouted. Franky shook is head and tossed him to the back of the crowd.

"I don't," The girl whispered, and Franky knelt down beside her.

She shied away quickly, looking scared. "Then don't. It's as simple as that." He stood to his full height again. "If you don't want to go down with the ship, come with me." He pointed up at the Thousand Sunny. "I can take you to the next island. You don't have to admit that you were helped if you don't want to. I just don't want to see kids as young as you die."

"I'm nineteen," The teenager from before shouted, shoving his way to the front again. "And I've been with the Marines since I was a kid. I'm not going with a pirate."

"Suit yourself," Franky sighed. He helped the girl to her feet and jumped up onto the deck of the Thousand Sunny. After placing her on her feet, he tossed a rope ladder over the edge. Over the next couple hours several more of the Marines from the ship climbed aboard. Looking over the railing, he noted that the Marine who had opposed him had been tied to the mast, and most of the crew were climbing aboard.

"Are all of you just kids?" Franky asked.

"Keith is the oldest," The girl said, pointing down to the restrained boy.

"And he's only nineteen," Franky sighed. "Only a year younger than… Never mind. It's alright. OI! Bring him aboard too, but keep him tied up! I don't want him causing a ruckus on my ship!" He turned back to the eleven year old. "What's your name?"

"Mary," She said.

"It's good to have you aboard. I've been the only one sailing the Thousand Sunny for the past ten years."

"That sounds lonely," She said.

"It is," Franky agreed, walking to the side and catching the struggling Keith as he was tossed aboard. He vanished into the main cabin with the boy slung over his shoulder, and exited empty handed a few minutes later. "Don't worry," He said, noticing a few odd looks. "He's locked in the old infirmary. How many of you know how to ready a ship to sail?"

He was met with blank stares. "Really? None of you? No wonder that storm did you in. Come on, I'm going to teach you how to sail!"

Mary was the only one who jumped at the opportunity. The others sat around, looking confused and dejected as they watched the remains of their two ships vanish into the waves.

"How come you didn't leave Keith to die?" Mary asked, as Franky inspected her knot.

"Because I had no reason to leave him," Franky said. "You said he was nineteen. That's still really young. I may not be a pirate anymore, but I was once one. I gave it up after my Captain died. He was only twenty."

"I see," Mary said quietly, as Franky told her the knot was SUPAAAAR and that she had natural talent. She smiled at the compliment. "I never wanted to be a Marine. I was recruited."

"Why don't you leave?"

"Because I have nowhere else to go," She said. "All of the street brats on my home island were taken and forced to learn. I stay because it gives me a full stomach and a roof over my head."

"You know," Franky said. "If you stay with me I can also assure you food and a home."

Her head shot up, "Would you really?"

Franky grinned, pressing a finger to his nose. Wild blue hair sprouted from his head, falling over his shoulders. This brought a few laughs from the other people aboard as he started braiding it. "Of course. Anyone here who wants to travel with me can stay. It gets lonely talking to birds."

Mary giggled, tying another knot and letting the sails down. They were blank, lacking any pirate mark. "What crew were you a part of?"

"Take a look at the flag," Franky answered, pointing up. The wind was picking up now, filling the sails and revealing the flag. Those in earshot looked up.

"That looks familiar," Someone commented.

"It should," Franky said. "Anyway, we're picking up a good wind. I need all able hands on deck."

Most of the children were good at taking orders, and there were no complaints. Franky found this strange, asking Mary about it. "I never knew kids could be so agreeable."

"We have to listen, or we don't get any food," She explained.

Franky frowned at that, wondering what those kids had gone through. That evening he inspected the work the kids had done on the ship, and was surprised by the quality of it. They were much better than they should have been. He chalked it up to the brutal training the Marines put them through. But he made sure to cook a large meal that night, making sure everyone was fed. He even brought a plate to the boy in the infirmary. He spat on it, but Franky left it there anyway. If he got hungry, he would eat it.

The log pose stationed above the helm pointed northwest, and the island they arrived at was bustling. Franky docked on the other side of the city, not wanting to draw attention to himself or cause a stir in the city. The port was seedy, so he made sure to keep a careful eye on the ship as he tossed a rope ladder over and told the Marine recruits that they could leave if they wanted.

Asking one of the workers, he learned there was a small Marine Base stationed in the better part of town. Franky bribed him to take the Marines to the base, and he readily agreed.

Keith was released, not looking too happy. He snapped at several of the others before Franky shut him up with a threat.

Mary seemed reluctant to leave the ship. "What's wrong?" Franky asked. "You don't look super."

"Can I stay with you?" She asked, looking hesitant. "I don't want to go back with them. The Marines are mean."

"You want to stay?" Franky repeated, looking surprised, but at the same time, feeling excitement. It would be nice to sail with another person. "Of course. That would be SUPAAAAAR! Welcome aboard the Thousand Sunny, Mary."

Her smile made Franky happy. Keith seethed at her when he heard she was staying, but Mary seemed to be more confident, now that she knew she wasn't going back. "Shut up. You're a terrible person, and I never want to see you again!"

Keith brought a hand back, intending to slap her, but Franky got in his way. He glared down, his oversized arms crossed threateningly. Keith backed up, promising to arrest him one day.

The dock worker tapped the boy's shoulder, "You do realize that's the Thousand Sunny, right?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Keith snapped.

The dock worker didn't look fazed. "That's the vessel that belongs to the Pirate King."

Keith opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He snapped it shut and stormed away. Mary looked relieved, "I never want to see him again."

"Let's get going then," Franky said. "You don't have to worry about the Marines anymore. Those who know who this flag belongs to tend to avoid it. We're not going to be bothered by many people."

"Is that why you're so lonely?" Mary asked. Franky held out his hand and she grabbed it with both of hers. Franky jumped up, set down his new charge, and rolled up the ladder.

"No. This is my own doing. If I wanted more people to approach the ship I'd take down the flag."

"Why do you have it up then?"

"Because a flag is a pirate's pride." Franky answered. "And I don't want my Captain to be disrespected."

Mary nodded in understanding, staring up at the black cloth waving lazily in the wind. "Am I a pirate now?"

"If you want to be," Franky said.

"You said you're not a pirate anymore."

"And you said you can't quit being a pirate," Franky responded. "Maybe you're right. So then that means you are a pirate now, if you sail under that flag there."

"As long as I can do what I want and not be told what to do."

"Well, you're going to have to listen to me when I teach you about the ship," Franky laughed, "But after that, you can do what you want."

She proved to be a fast learner, and after two years she was able to move through the riggings blindfolded. During that time she also learned how to read and write. She eagerly took up that skill and waited eagerly every morning for the News Coo to arrive and drop off that day's paper. That's when he heard about Usopp's execution.

"Hey," Mary said one evening, the newspaper spread out over her empty dinner plate. "It looks like the Marines caught an Emperor."

Franky looked up from his own plate, "Really? Which one?"

Mary squinted at the paper as Franky lifted another bite to his mouth, "Says here he was caught trying to climb into Mariejois. Emperor Usopp."

Franky's fork clattered to the table, his mouth hanging open in shock. "What?"

"Usopp, Captain of the Usopp Pirates was apprehended a month ago, and is currently being transported to Loguetown to be executed." Mary read off the page. "What's wrong?"

Franky laughed, "Glad to see he lived out his dream!"

"You knew him?"

Franky nodded, "He was the sharpshooter aboard this ship," Franky explained. "Sogeking. I'm sure you've heard of him."

Mary nodded, listening intently. Her savior barely talked about his past. With a bit more prompting, she managed to get a bit more about Usopp out of him. She learned he was a lying coward, but was loyal and when he was needed he would step up and help. He was dependable when you needed him the most.

"Why does he wear a mask?"

"Because… You know, I never asked for the full story. I think it had something to do with him leaving the crew." He laughed, "When me and Strawhat first met, it wasn't on the best of terms. I stole money from them, and he came to get it back. We beat the crap out of him."

"Why?"

Franky shrugged, "Because they had money and I wanted it."

"No, I mean, why did you beat him up?"

Franky sighed, "I don't know. Maybe because when I first saw him and realized he was part of the Strawhat Pirates, I overestimated him. I got scared that he would be able to take the money back."

"Oh. What happened to the money?"

Franky patted the table, "It went into buying the wood for this ship."

"So it worked out in the end?"

"Yup," Franky leaned back in his chair with a smile on his face. "I joined the crew as their official shipwright. It's my dream to see this ship travel the world. I built it myself."

Mary looked impressed, as she placed the newspaper aside and began gathering up the dishes. She dumped them in the sink with the words, "It's your turn to wash," And vanished outside with the newspaper to continue reading.

Franky reluctantly began to clean up from dinner, but felt proud of his charge's building confidence. He finished washing the dishes and joined her outside, leaning against the railing while she sat in an old lounge chair.

She finished reading as the sun began to vanish behind the horizon, and she tucked it under her arm. She asked Franky more about his past as a pirate, and Franky seemed more willing to talk. He folded his arms behind his head and began telling her of his adventures with his friends. He talked long into the night, and stopped just after midnight.

They both slept late the next day, but Franky seemed a lot cheerier than he had been. He asked her to keep a close eye on the newspapers for any updates on Usopp's execution.

"Why don't we go save him?" She asked.

Franky shook his head, "He's too far for us to help him. His execution is in a couple of weeks, and since we have to avoid the currents the Marines use, it would take us more than five months to get back to Reverse Mountain. Besides," Franky smiled sadly, "He's a big shot now. I doubt he would want a weakling like me to save him."

"But you're not weak!" Mary insisted.

"I know. But Usopp chose the path he wanted, and that's where it took him. He wouldn't want it to change." Franky explained.

"Oh," Mary looked out over the water and bit her lip in thought. What was her dream going to be?

The News Coo came early the day of the execution, and when she handed the page to Franky he thanked her for informing him and vanished into his room. She didn't seem him again until the next day. His eyes were red, but he greeted her with a smile. He taped up Sogeking's wanted poster to the kitchen wall.

A few days later Franky asked her what she thought Usopp had done while sailing on his own. She replied, saying she believed he stole an amazing ship and set sail with his head held high, meeting new friends along the way. That brought a smile to Franky's face, and it made Mary happy to know she was helping him through. It ended up turning into a game. Now that she knew the whole story, she and Franky constantly thought about what the other members of the crew were doing.

When they celebrated Mary's seventh year as Franky's apprentice, Franky decided to head back and sail the four seas. "She's only seen the Grand Line and the New World. Not any of the seas yet."

Mary smiled, "So it's a new adventure?"

"Ready the sails," Franky ordered, and Mary saluted happily before scrambling up the nets and untying the sails.

They stopped at Whiskey Peak to resupply, Franky making sure that the flag was tucked into itself so it wouldn't blow open and reveal whose ship it was. As they returned, their arms filled with food and rope, Mary spotted the outline of ships in the fog.

"We should hurry," Franky said, jumping up, dropping his load onto the deck and tossed over a ladder for Mary.

She climbed up and followed Franky's actions, dropping her armful onto the grass and grabbing a spyglass. Aiming it at the mist at the entrance to the bay and focused it. "Shit. Franky! It's a fleet of Marines!"

"What?!" Franky shouted back, jumping down from the net and rushing to her side. She handed him the spyglass before rushing to the other side of the deck and shouting down a warning to the workers. "We need to get out of here," Franky said, handing her spyglass back. "We'll use a Coup de Burst to escape them and keep going on to Reverse Mountain."

"But what about the people?" Mary exclaimed. "You're just going to leave them?"

"What do you want us to do?" Franky demanded.

"Help them!"

Franky frowned, running a hand over his head before sighing in defeat. "Ready the cannons then. We'll take them from the water."

Mary nodded, running below deck. Franky set the sails and they escaped the confines of the docks, which had emptied. "Are you ready?!" He shouted, and got an affirmative reply. "Fire!"

A round of cannon balls exploded from the side of the Thousand Sunny, several of them splashing into the water. But the rest of them crashed into the leading ship. The metal balls imbedded themselves into the bottom of the ship, and it immediately began taking on water.

But as soon as that one was taken down, another one took its place. The Marines split into two groups, the first group surrounding the Thousand Sunny while the second sailed close to shore and began firing off cannons. Franky and Mary tried to get through them and stop the attack on the island, but with just the two of them it was hard to defend just themselves.

Eventually, the cannon fire stopped and the Marines hastily retreated. Mary shouted after them, calling them cowards, murderers, bastards, and a variety of other words she had picked up from Franky. Eventually she sank to her knees and pressed her hands against her eyes. "I hate Marines," She growled.

Franky placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Let's go see the damage. Maybe we can help."

They sailed the ship back into the docks and climbed down. The damaged looked worse than it had been. People managed to evacuate the buildings before any homes were destroyed. There were craters dotting the roads, and a few piles of rubble where homes used to be. But people were emerging from behind stronger buildings and walls.

Mary noticed a small girl crying in front of a ruined house, and left Franky to find out what was wrong. As soon as she knelt in front of the crying child and asked what was wrong, the little girl latched onto Mary's shirt and buried her face into it.

It was then Mary noticed the rubble. There was a splash of orange, and Mary realized it was hair. There was a woman dead in the remains of the house. Mary guessed it was the little girl's mother. Franky came over to see what was going on and stopped in his tracks.

"Dadan?" He questioned, mostly to himself.

"You knew her?"

Franky knelt down and closed her eyes. "She helped raise my Captain," Franky told her, standing. He came over and knelt down beside the two girls. "Are you alright?"

"Why isn't Auntie Dadan moving?" She whimpered. She turned her head slightly, and Franky was startled by her eyes. Dark irises, surrounded by an icy blue. Identical to Robin's eyes.

"Because your Auntie Dadan has gone to sleep," Mary whispered. "She's going to sleep forever, and have nice dreams."

That caused the girl to start crying again. She stood, gathering her into her arms and murmuring softly. It seemed to calm her down, as she tightened her fists in Mary's shirt and closed her eyes. "We should go," Mary said.

"I thought you wanted to help," Franky said.

"I do, but… I don't like being here. I just want to get back to the ship. Besides, not many people seem to be hurt."

Franky nodded in understanding, following Mary back to the ship. The entire time she never let go of her charge, talking to her in a low and reassuring voice. She was asleep by the time they got back to the docks. Franky shooed away several curious onlookers before helping Mary board and they set off.

They abandoned the idea of heading to the four seas, heading to Fishman Island instead. It would be a safe place for the little girl.

When she awoke they found out her name was Rio Olivia. Franky started calling her 'Little Robin'. Olivia took to the ship quickly, after discovering Franky knew who Dadan was, calling him Uncle Franky. She seemed to like Mary better though, and Franky chalked that up to the both of them being girls.

Mary liked the idea of having another person on the ship as well, and the two of them would have hours of 'girl time'. Franky made sure to avoid them during that time.

They made a pit stop a few weeks later, when Franky noticed the island they had docked at had a castle flying the Strawhat Flag.

"Oi!" He called down to several people milling about on the shore. "What's this island called?"

"It's the Kingdom of Alabasta!" Someone shouted back.

Franky frowned, "That sounds familiar. Mary, can you get the log book from your room? It should be in the dresser."

Mary complied, leaving Olivia to peer over the railing with curiosity. "There's so much sand," She said.

Mary returned a few moments later, handing a battered journal to Franky. He opened it, flipping to the beginning and flicking through pages. "I knew it. Luffy's been here before."

"So that's why your flag is there?" Mary asked.

"Probably. Hey! Why is that castle flying the Strawhat flag?"

"Because this is one of Strawhat's territories."

"When did it become one of those?" Franky asked.

The man frowned at him, "Are you a Marine?"

"Hell no," Franky said, and the man seemed to relax.

"That's good. Queen Vivi was a Strawhat herself, and she's the one who declared Alabasta one of theirs. I think it's done the country good, considering he's the one who took down Crocodile. She trusts him, and we trust her."

"Ah." Franky said, nodding to himself and flipping forward a few pages in the log book. He should have remembered being told that. Nami mentioned her a few times. "Is she at home?" Franky asked, pointing at the castle.

"Probably," The man said. "You want to visit her?"

"I just… I need to ask her something." He handed Mary the log book to return and left the ship, promising to return later. Mary sat down, and at Olivia's urging she read aloud from the log book. It was all a story to the child, but Mary knew better. This was the past of the Strawhat Pirates.

Franky was met with a swift greeting from a sandy haired man, who was introduced as King Kohza. "We're a bit busy right now," He said. "If you need anything, it's going to have to be quick."

"My name is Franky, of the Strawhat Pirates," Franky said. Kohza stared at him for a minute, freezing mid step. He then ordered a nearby servant to go get Vivi before turning to Franky and inviting him to have a meal with him and his wife.

Franky agreed, only of his daughters could join him. Kohza agreed readily, offering to go and fetch them as Vivi burst into the room. Kohza left, and Franky was greeted like an old friend despite never meeting the princess before.

"It's so good to finally meet you!" Vivi exclaimed. Her smile was bright, and Franky felt guilt pool into his stomach.

But despite that, he greeted her with a "SUPAR nice to meet you, Queen."

"Call me Vivi," Vivi insisted. "Are the rest of the crew with you? I saw Chopper a few years back, but no one else. I know your crew grew after you left Alabasta."

Franky paused. Didn't she know? "Did Chopper tell you what we were doing?" The guilty feeling in his gut intensified as Vivi shook her head with a confused smile.

"He didn't say much. Just that he was on his own for a while." She nodded towards the ceiling, "You saw the flag on your way in, right? He's the one who gave it to us."

"That's what caught my attention," Franky said. He scratched his head, wondering how he was going to explain it to the woman. "You sailed on the Going Merry?"

"That's right, although I heard they got a new ship." Vivi said, glancing out the window. "Is that one your new one? It looks amazing." Franky felt smug at the comment, but it faded when she asked, "Where's Luffy and the others?"

"I… I should probably tell you what happened after you left," Franky said quietly.

Vivi caught onto his tone, and her expression changed to worry. "What happened? Did someone get hurt?"

The explanation didn't go over well. When he first told her, Vivi declared that he was lying, and yelled for the guards. They burst through the door as Franky assured he wasn't lying, showing her the X on his arm. And only the Strawhat Pirates knew what that meant.

She fell to her knees, sobs racking her thin frame. Franky attempted to comfort her, but he didn't know what to do. Kohza ended up taking her to their rooms while Franky's two charges and a girl who looked similar to Vivi, but with sandy hair, peered in from the open door.

Franky tried to smile, but the princess had started crying, and Olivia had joined her in tears. Mary set about calming them down.

"You mean Strawhat is really gone?" A guard asked. Franky turned to him, and he continued. "My name is Pell. I fought alongside him and his crew during the rebellion. He was a brave man."

"He was very brave," Franky agreed. "He died for us."

"Why?" This question came from Olivia, who was sniffing and rubbing tears from her eyes.

Franky picked her up, "Because he was a great man. He saved us."

Olivia nodded silently. "Auntie Dadan said that I lived with her and not Mommy was because Mommy went on lots of brave adventures and didn't want me to get hurt."

"Your Mommy is right," Franky assured. "It isn't safe to go on adventures." He turned to the window, the Thousand Sunny in plain sight. "But that's a risk many people are willing to take. And I'm going to keep you safe, Little Robin. I promise."

Olivia reached over and placed her hand over his scar. "Like this promise?"

"That's right."

That made her smile.

Vivi emerged a few days later, looking disheveled. She apologized for overreacting and invited him for that meal. His girls and the princess had become fast friends in that time, so they were ecstatic when Franky said yes.

After the meal ended, Franky left the castle and retrieved the Mini Merry from the ship, carrying it over and placing it in the large fountain situated in the middle of the courtyard. Vivi was startled to see it, and thanked Franky immensely for it.

"It was your ship," Franky said. "I only stood on her deck once. And I have no use for it."

Vidia was the first one to try it out, pulling Olivia in with her. Franky gave her a quick explanation of the controls before setting her free. Vivi watched from the side with a strange expression on her face.

"Franky," She started, and the blue haired man looked over. "Why did you do that?" She traced her left arm.

Franky held out his left arm, the X in the middle of his star. "It was Zoro's idea," He said. "To leave a physical mark. It's to remember."

She laughed, "It was his idea the first time. Do you know?"

"I've heard the stories," Franky confirmed, looking up sharply when he heard a splash. Olivia was missing from the seat and was sitting in the shallow water, a shocked expression crossing her face and the princess laughing hard. The dark haired girl stood up and splashed her friend, who shrieked in laughter and tipped backwards into the water as well.

"Is she your daughter?" Vivi asked.

Franky went to shake his head, but stopped and nodded instead. "Her name is Rio Olivia. And my other daughter is Mary."

"Mary? Like the Going Merry?"

"I didn't name her," Franky said, "But I suppose she could be."

On the day Franky, Mary, and Olivia left, Vivi startled everyone by withdrawing a dagger from the folds of her dress and cutting a deep X into her arm. She held up the bleeding appendage as the ship sailed away, saying nothing, but had a knowing smile across her face.

They kept sailing, never staying in one place for too long. They continued on and reached Fishman Island, as their original plan had stated. They met with Rayleigh, who was on the arm of a woman named Gwen, and he agreed to coat their ship again. Shakky gave Olivia an odd look, but other than that was friendly with the girls.

They were amazed by the underwater kingdom, Mary being the first one of the two of them to spot the Strawhat flag flying proudly from the tallest building in the city. They were greeted warmly upon their arrival, and escorted to Neptune's castle.

The first person to meet them at the castle gates was Jimbei. It was Olivia who noticed he sported the same scar as Franky did. Neither girl said anything as Franky and Jimbei caught up with each other, and decided to explore instead.

"What have you been up to, Franky?" Jimbei rumbled, peering at him over a sake cup.

"Picked up a couple of SUPAR apprentices," Franky answered. "But not much. Have you heard about Usopp's execution?"

"I did. Quite a shame. But I believe Usopp died a proud man." He sighed, finishing his cup and filling it again. "So much has changed these years. I'm getting too old to be dealing with this anymore. And Shirahoshi is getting married next month."

"Is she?"

"You're invited to the wedding, if you want to stay."Jimbei invited. "The groom is a nice enough man. Treats her better than Van Decken anyway. She likes him."

Mary and Olivia were asked to be bridesmaids, and spent most of their time with the princess and other bridesmaids. The wedding was beautiful, Shirahoshi looked happy, and so did his girls. Franky couldn't help but feel happy when he saw them looking so joyful. For a few amazing moments he forgot the past, and felt truly happy.

The party that evening was huge, but Franky left early with Olivia when she fell asleep on a chair. Mary stayed most of the night, coming to their room in the early hours of the morning, drunk. Olivia was disappointed when her sister wouldn't wake up, but Franky told her to leave Mary alone.

They stayed longer than Franky originally planned, but he didn't seem to mind. His girls were enjoying themselves. He started a new project, since he had the time, and was nearly finished when they did leave.

Mary and Olivia promised to visit Shirahoshi again, and they ascended back to the Grand Line. Franky avoided the New World, not wanting his youngest to be exposed to that kind of danger just yet.

They stopped at an island to stock up on supplies, not having the foresight to ask King Neptune for anything. Olivia shyly asked if she could buy a book, and Mary took her into town while Franky shopped in the market place. They returned later than he did, bearing an armload of books.

"I said a few," Franky said. "Not this many."

"But they were on sale," Mary defended. "And I've read all the books we have aboard already."

"I wanna read this one first," Olivia stated, holding one up. It was titled 'Home'. Franky took it from her and opened the inside cover.

"It looks like an adventure story," Franky said. "By… Doesn't say." He turned to the front cover, the design simple. A hand holding a sakura petal. There was a small inscription on the inside of the front cover, which Franky didn't notice until Olivia read it out loud the next night.

"To… To th… What that say?"

"That word is those."

"To those who made me… what's the last word?"

"Smile."

"To those who made me smile. What does that mean?"

"It's the dedication," Mary explained. "She dedicated this book to the people who made her smile."

"How do you know it's a her?" Franky asked.

"I'm just guessing," Mary admitted, "But the main character is a girl."

Another few years passed, much in the same fashion as the previous ones. Olivia expressed an interest in drawing, so on her birthday Franky set up one of the empty rooms as an art studio.

They ran into Aokiji later that year, the ex-Marine riding his bike in the middle of the ocean. Franky held the man in high regards, having helped them with Zephyr. He didn't know the man before that. Mary was wary of him, not trusting him when Franky invited him onto the ship.

"It's quiet," Aokiji commented, leaning his bicycle against the main mast. "Where is everyone?"

"It's just us three," Franky said.

"Where's your Captain? He's the King of the Pirates, after all. Shouldn't he be out causing havoc?"

"I wish," Franky said. "But I suppose it's also a good sign that you don't know."

Aokiji raised a questioning eyebrow, but he was interrupted when Olivia started screaming bloody murder at a seagull trying to steal her sandwich.

He and Franky sat down later that night, sitting outside with mugs of steaming coffee in their hands. "Why were you out in the middle of the ocean?" Franky asked, starting out the conversation.

"I don't know," Aokiji said, setting his mug on the deck next to him and leaned against the wood of the main cabin. He rubbed his left knee absentmindedly as he stared up at the stars. "I suppose I was looking for Robin. But at the same time, I don't know what I would say to her."

"Why are you looking for Robin? She's not here."

"I know that now." Aokiji said. "Where is she?"

"I don't know," Franky admitted, "I haven't seen her in years. Not since Luffy died."

That brought Aokiji up short. "Luffy's dead?"

"We haven't told many people," Franky said. "We made him the King of the Pirates, and we're going to make sure he rules for a long time."

Aokiji chuckled, "I suppose I should have seen it when Usopp was executed. Luffy charged into the War of the Best to save his brother, I would have thought he'd save Usopp as well."

There was a comfortable silence as the two men watched the sky.

"So why were you looking for Robin?" Franky brought up his previous question.

"To apologize," Aokiji said. "I know what I did was wrong, and living life as an ordinary man and not a Marine has made me think. I betrayed my family. What would my life had looked like if I had left the Marines and stayed with my dear Olvia?" He shook his head, "But I don't like thinking about that. I could have died alongside her and my child, as a family. But instead I stayed with the Marines and watched as she was executed and my daughter chased across the world." He clenched his fists. "I couldn't do a damn thing. I could have protested, but then I would have been labeled a traitor."

"It's hard to think of what could have been," Franky said. "What would have happened if Luffy didn't die? He took Blackbeard with him. He saved our lives. But we would have stayed a crew. We would have stayed together instead of splitting apart like this. But at the same time, I wouldn't have met Mary or Olivia. I consider them my daughters. And nothing's going to change that now."

"You're lucky," Aokiji said. "To have had the chance to raise a family."

"Neither of them are mine," Franky said. "Who was your daughter?"

Aokiji didn't answer. Franky offered him a room for the night. He left the next day, and Franky asked him to pass on the news of Luffy's death to Garp.

"He deserves to know. It's been too many years. But…" He shook his head. "Don't think about the past. Think about the future."

"Thank you, Franky," Aokiji said, his voice sincere and is expression serious. He looked over at the two girls standing a distance away. "Take care of your father here. You're lucky to have him."

They were being chased by Marines, and Franky was getting desperate. Olivia was screaming, cowering beside the main mast. Mary was frantically filling the tanks with cola for their escape.

"How's it looking?!" Franky shouted as loudly as he could.

"Almost there!" Was the reply. Franky glanced at the lever beside the helm, his fingers itching to press it and escape. Hell, even if they ended up in the calm belt, which Franky knew was close, it would be better than this.

He heard the whistle of air as a cannon ball flew their way, and his eyes widened in terror as he realized it was headed straight for Olivia. He abandoned the helm and dove on top of her, knocking the girl to the ground and safety while the ball crashed into him and exploded.

He coughed up blood, and his vision went blurry. Faintly, he heard Olivia calling his name, but he couldn't move. He didn't have the energy. His body wouldn't respond to him. In the white noise he heard another voice. Mary. That was Mary. He tried to say her name, but he couldn't even form a coherent thought anymore. His sight went black, and the world went silent.

When he awoke, he knew he was going to die. His chest felt constricted, probably bandages, but with a quick internal scan he found several of his machine parts malfunctioning. He struggled to open his eyes, and when he did he saw the worried face of Olivia.

"We stopped the bleeding," She said, "So you're going to be alright. Right Daddy?"

It was the first time she called him that. He tried to force a smile, but it came out as a grimace. Olivia started crying, the eight year old pressing her face to his chest. Franky raised his arm and placed an oversized hand on her head. "I can't answer that."

"We promised that old Marine guy that we would take care of you," She sobbed. "But… But…"

"I saved you," Franky said quietly. His throat hurt, and his voice sounded hollow. "I don't regret that."

He was telling her the truth. He didn't regret it. He would never regret it. He smiled internally as he thought of Luffy. Was this what he felt when he realized he was going to die? There was no panic. Luffy had smiled at them when he hit the water and faded from sight. A smile, that said everything was going to be alright.

He heard a door open, and he turned his head to see Mary walk in. "We're in the calm belt," She informed him. Her eyes were red, but her voice was calm. She was probably putting on an act for Olivia. "I activated the Coup de Burst. There's an island in sight, but we can't get there. I was going to send up a flare to get their attention, see if they could help us."

"Is it inhabited?" Franky wheezed out.

"I think so." Mary said. "There's carvings on the side of the cliff."

Franky looked down at Olivia. His Little Robin. And then at Mary. "I'm not going to make it," He said honestly. Mary lost her composure, running to his side and grabbing his unoccupied hand.

"You can't die! Please! You have to keep living with us!"

"Please Daddy!" Olivia cried out. "It's because of me," She shouted. "I'm sorry!"

"It's not your fault," Franky said sternly. "It will never be your fault. Never. I chose to save you, and I don't regret it. I will never ever regret it."

"But you're going to die," Olivia whispered.

"I'll see my Captain again," Franky smiled. "And one day I'll see you again too. But until then, I don't want you to ever think it was your fault."

"What do we do?" Mary whispered.

"Live. Don't look back. Get help from the island. Go back to the Grand Line. Live." He was finding it hard to breathe now. "But, I have a favour to ask."

"Anything," Mary said.

"Remember on Fishman Island, that carving?"

"Yeah…"

"Bring it to the Goa Kingdom for me. Give it to Luffy. I need to show him I kept my promise."

"We will," Olivia promised, sounding more solemn than an eight year old should.

"You two made me believe life was worth living again," Franky said, his voice barely audible. "Thank you."

Those were his last words. Mary pulled a sheet over his body, struggling to stand and keep her hands from trembling. Olivia wasn't holding back, her cries echoing through the ship. Mary hugged her, bringing her little sister up to the galley and began making hot chocolate.

While Olivia sat at the counter, Mary went down to Franky's work room and grabbed a flare gun, stopping at his bench and pulling a dusty cloth off of the carving he had made during his stay on Fishman Island.

An exact replica of the Thousand Sunny. There was even a tiny flag bearing the Strawhat symbol on the top of the lookout tower.

She covered it again, silently repeating her promise to deliver it.

She fired the flare at the sky when she was on the deck, Olivia sitting hunched over with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

An hour later Mary spotted a ship approaching, and she wondered how it moved when there were no currents or wind to guide it. She got her answer when it pulled up next to her ship. Two massive sea monsters were pulling it.

A beautiful woman stepped onto one of the monsters' heads, and it lowered her to the grassy deck. "Who are you?"

"My name is Mary," Mary said quietly. "And this is my sister, Olivia."

"Are there any men aboard?" She demanded, almost accusingly.

"He just died," Mary's voice trembled, and the woman's expression turned sympathetic for a moment before retaining her previous hard expression.

"I am Boa Hancock. The Pirate Empress."

"Can we come to the island?" Mary asked.

"Since there are no men, I will allow it," Hancock sniffed, before stepping away. The Thousand Sunny was tied to the back of their ship and towed to shore.

Hancock was surprised to learn that the ship belonged to Strawhat, and Mary was startled to learn that the Pirate Empress was aware of Luffy's death. She allowed them to stay on the island.

As soon as they buried Franky, Mary left the island and travelled to East Blue. Olivia chose to stay on the Maiden Island, not wanting to sail on the ship her father had died on. She found Goa, and asked the kind barkeep where to find his grave after she explained the situation.

The grave was ordinary. Mary knelt down in front of it and placed the Thousand Sunny replica in front of it. Standing back, she smiled. It looked natural surrounded by all the trinkets.

"I don't know what kind of man you were," She started, "But thank you for saving Franky. He was an amazing father. I know I sound selfish, but if you hadn't died, I wouldn't have met him. He saved me from a life being a Marine grunt."

She noticed a glimmering amulet on top of the grave, and reached for it. It opened when she held it in her palm. She read the inscription, and then smiled, replacing it. "I think he's right. I wouldn't trade anything for my father or Olivia. They're family. I hope you and Dad are happy right now."

When she returned to the Maiden Island she was surprised at the relationship Olivia and Hancock had developed. Years later, Rio Olivia was named her heir.