The first dinner with the rescued slaves is interesting. While Karmen had promised to tell her story, within reason, and answer questions, she found herself bombarded with so many questions that she could hardly take a bite. It gets to the point that Camilla slams her fork down and yells, "Do you know how few hot meals Karmen gets?!" Everyone is shocked by her outburst, especially the new arrivals, since none of them heard her speak before and thought her incapable.

"T-thank you, Camilla," Karmen says in response, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder to guide her back into her chair. She only pulls her hood lower over her face and continues eating with a frustrated fever.

Her outburst had the desired effect and the room quiets. Karmen eats her food quickly and refills her drink. When she's ready she starts talking. She isn't sure how much is safe to tell them. They'll be returning to the outside world eventually and they'll want to tell their loved ones how they were saved. She starts out by simply saying, "I was stolen from my parents when I was very young and was raised as a prisoner in the house of a World Noble family." She says that she was able to make powerful allies, compete in fish riding races, and trained her haki to help her hide. She talks about the wedding, of how Pierce was shot, and how she'd been hidden where she would be safe. She talks about meeting Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Usopp and how they'd developed the crew traveling the Grand Line, and how that had eventually put her back in the position to rescue Pierce. She glazes over the details of finding him, but no matter how much he tried to cover up, he still had several scars showing. They could use their imagination. She talks about how she plans to take down the DavenGallow empire and her plans to rescue as many as she can.

"I know you're all eager to get home," she tells them. "There are a few things we'll need to ensure first." She holds up her fingers as she lists them off. "First of all, I want to make sure that everyone heals from their wounds and can travel comfortably. Second, I want to make sure you all can defend yourselves, at least a little. Training begins in the morning. Third, I want to make sure you're mentally stable enough to return to a normal life. We all have our struggles, but we want to give you all the aid we can. And finally," her voice grows grave on this one. "Many of you have the hoof print of the Celestial Dragon branded on your backs. If we do nothing about this, you will eventually be found and returned to the lives you have just left." There is a round of grave silence. They all know it's true. "There are methods of hiding it. The Fishman pirates brand over this mark with a sun symbol. I was thinking of something similar. If you want, I'll tattoo a stingray over the mark. It will be a long and painful process, but it will help protect you for the rest of your life. The only problem is that in order to return you to your homes and complete what I need, I will often be off the island for several days at a time. I will tattoo as many people as I can outside of my regular training and responsibilities."

She then opens the floor up to questions, knowing they'll probably have several. "What if we choose to stay here?" someone asks.

"Then you are free to do so," she responds. "You can choose if you would like to assist us, as Camilla has in the gardens, or you can focus solely on your recovery. If you show a gift for battle, you may eventually have the opportunity to assist us on further rescue missions."

"You expect us to fight them?" Iona, the red-headed woman from before, asks.

"I expect you to survive," she answers firmly. "How you choose to do so is up to you. I will give you every resource possible, but you have to be willing to fight for yourself, or it will all go to waste."

"You said you'll be leaving the island often," Bhoden, the bearded old man, says. "What will you be doing?"

Karmen nods. "I'll be scouting out the places where I will eventually take you when you leave Batoidea to make sure you're safe. I'll be meeting with allies who will help get you home when I cannot. I will be stealing from marines and nobles to get what we require, and I will be making sure each and every one of you has enough money to start a new life," she says. "Afterward, I'll go and find more like you, people I can help, and bring them here." She takes a slow sip of her drink. "I admit, I also have a personal agenda, but I will not let that get in the way of your safety."

What do you have to do?" one of the children asks.

Karmen puts her drink down and looks into it. "There are people who helped my crew escape the marines and there is information I need to gather for when I reunite with my friends."

"Are you really going to fight the world government?" another asks.

Karmen gives them a steady look. "I rescued you from a facility owned by a Celestial Dragon and my captain won't let anything get in his way. Not again. When I've finished my work here I will be at his side, no matter the enemy."

"How can you say that so calmly?"

She shrugs. "I grew up around Celestial Dragons and know how they function. The only frightening thing about that sniveling lot is their protection detail. They would watch the world burn to protect what's in the heads of those people. I've no doubt we'll be the ones to start a few of those fires."

"You'd cause anarchy to stop them?"

Karmen resists the urge to stab her fork into the table for emphasis. "I spent my entire childhood watching people like you suffer and die for the simple crime of existing. I have watched friends and allies suffer for no cause of their own. I have watched people who were powerless give everything to protect what they had. I hope to prevent these things from happening. I've no illusion that I can do it all by myself, but I'm not the only one fighting. I will do what I can and trust others to do the same. The world needs to change. I just happen to be starting here with you."

"You sound like a Revolutionary."

She dips her head to the side in consideration. "Perhaps I do. One of my closest allies was one. Pierce's parents were, and my captain is the son of their leader. We may not fight under the same flag, but we cannot doubt we are a product of our births."

"Were your real parents Revolutionaries too?"

Karmen gives the wood rings of the table a half-smile. "When I meet them, I'll be sure to ask."

Another child speaks in a soft, frightened voice. "Do you think your mommy and daddy will remember you?" Karmen can hear the unasked question in her voice: Do you think ours will remember us?

Her heart aches for the girl. "Of course. Parents never forget their children. That's part of their job. I know each and every one of them will be so happy to see you again." She leans across the table. "And if not, then they're trash not worthy of you, because you're all wonderful people. No matter what happens and where you go, you will always have a place here."

"If we can't leave until you say so, how is it any different from where we were?" Iona asks.

Karmen raises her eyebrow. "If you can cross the Calm Belt without my help, you're welcome to try. Would you like to go back?" She doesn't answer. "I understand that some of you may be impatient. All I can ask is that you trust that I have your best interests in mind."

Winston clears his throat. "You've had a long day. Why don't we all get some rest?"

Karmen stands and begins gathering empty plates. "That sounds like a good idea."

Bhoden cocks his head at her. "You do the dishes here?"

She shrugs. "Someone has to. It might as well be me."

He begins gathering empty cups. "I'll help."

"Me too." A woman down at the end of the table begins gathering silverware. In a few minutes, there are five people offering to wash and nearly everyone else carrying their plates into the kitchen. After a little traffic jam in the kitchen, they settled on three people washing, Karmen included, five people drying, and four people putting things away. A few others begin wiping tables and sweeping floors and in thirty minutes the entire dining area is spotless.

Winston leans against the kitchen entrance as they begin filing down to bed, led by Pierce and Saaresto. "I think we might actually be able to pull this off."

"It might be a month or longer before any of them leave the island," she says. "Do you think they'll be upset with me for it?"

He considers. "Maybe at first, but they won't stay that way," he answers. "What you've begun here is better than anything most of these people have ever known. You'll have people begging you to visit them."

She gives a soft laugh. "You and Saaresto included? It seems I may spend more time off island than on."

He puts a hand on her shoulder. "If missing you while you are away is the only thing I'll have to worry about, then I'll consider myself a lucky man," he says. "You should get some rest too." He takes his leave and she watches his back until he turns the corner and is out of sight.

Though she is tired, Karmen doesn't feel like sleeping once she's eye to eye with her bed. Instead, she ferries Sherryl into her hair and picks up Tuna's pot. "If you're a squid, why do you like to be planted?" she asks. He simply grins. She carries him outside to the beach. They watch the rays hunt and play in the shallows. "How has Camilla been?" she asks. The squid wobbles his head back and forth in a wishy-washy motion. "Has she improved in her fighting?" Wishy-washy. "And her mood?" Blatant shake of the head. "I figured as much." He dips his head down into the shallows. When he comes in contact with the sea water he turns a fishy pink color. Even in the tones that she would expect from a squid, he doesn't look like one. "You're extra special, you know that?" Grin.

She looks up at the stars, wondering where everyone else is, if they're alright, if they've gotten stronger yet. She wonders about Kuma and if any part of him remains beneath all the metal they've surely added to his body. She wonders if he'll ever be able to tell her about her real parents, who and where they are. Lastly, she thinks about everything she's set before herself and wonders if she has the strength to pull it off. Tuna leans down until his face is level with hers, watching her closely, then he moves forward and nuzzles Sherryl. The spider raises her front two legs and bats at him and he smiles back at her. He comes in contact with her again, then turns his face pointedly at Karmen.

"You want to help me with my toxins?" He nods vigorously. She chuckles. "I can't say I haven't been wanting to see what you're capable of, but I won't do anything you aren't comfortable with." He tucks his face beneath her chin and prods her shoulder. "Alright then. Just tell me if anything is too much for you, alright?" He prods impatiently. "Ok. We'll go now."

She picks him up and they return inside. It's a little more difficult carrying Tuna down the tunnels than it is up. He isn't quite as good at counterbalancing as Pierce is and she can only thank her dancing-acquired gracefulness for not slipping on the slick rocks. She manages to make it to her workroom and unlocks the door. She sets Tuna by her desk and lights a lantern, illuminating her sparse shelves. She sighs at the meager amounts and takes a few minutes to milk Sherryl.

She takes the venom, a rosy drop at the end of a pin, and spreads it inside Tuna's mouth, observing him closely with her haki. Instantly he turns red with black specks. She feels the toxin spread through his mouth. Tiny organs in his skin absorb and pass the venom into the needle-like spines along his mouth. His green spines fall out and are replaced by black ones. It is an effective way of expelling a contaminate from one's body. If she had hollow teeth herself, she would want to replicate it.

Karmen holds her hands out and he drops these into her palms and replaces them with green ones again. They are sharp against her skin and she handles them carefully as she conveys them to an empty sake glass on her worktable. "I could make these into some sort of blow dart, you know." He cocks his head at her. "Of course, I wouldn't use ones filled with Sherryl's toxin, but it could make quite the effective distance weapon." She puts one spine to her lips and bites into it. The toxin is greatly diluted, but it would still kill a person in exactly twelve hours. "You can separate a toxin between your spines, but can you separate them any further?" Shrug. "You see, dearie, if I can separate the toxin from the time delay component in it, then I can have twice the battle prowess with half the materials." He simply grins, listening to her explanation. "Right. I suppose it would be less fun if you found it for me, wouldn't it?" Nod. "Alright then. I'd best get to work." She doesn't know how long she spends leaning over chemicals, her microscope, and various slides, but several hours pass. She only realizes how late it's gotten when someone knocks on her door. She looks up to find Pierce standing there.

"Karmen, there's a lot to do tomorrow and you still haven't rested since we've returned."

"I meditated for three hours. That was very restful," she says, still begrudging the failed training.

He smirks at her. "Then at least let Tuna go to bed. He's dozing." It's true. Despite his still cheerful expression, his head is drooping sharply and his fins sag.

She sets her slides aside and pats the squid. "Thanks for your help tonight. You're spectacular, dear." He looks pleased with himself as he nuzzles her hand and curls down into his pot like some strange mix between a puppy and a snake. "Alright. I'll go to bed too."

Saaresto approaches Karmen after breakfast the next morning. "There is something I meant to speak with you about," he says, pointing to a blond haired girl. "She wouldn't let me inspect her head yesterday and today I've caught her itching. A lot."

"You suspect…"

"I do, and if it is, then it is the one condition I did not prepare for." Karmen looks at the girl. She's sitting near Tuna, running her spoon across her empty plate and giving him curious glances. She couldn't be more than six or seven years old. She'd been one of the children who'd lied about where they came from and what family they had. She has beautiful blond hair, but it's been wrapped around her head in almost a beehive style. It would look cute if it wasn't matted in place. Karmen develops an idea and goes down to the storeroom to retrieve a comb.

"Can I comb your hair for you?" Karmen asks the little girl when she returns. A look of worry crosses her face as she glances up, but when she sees who it is she relaxes a little. She gives a hesitant nod. Karmen gives her a gentle smile and sits behind her. "Your name is Aniyah, right?"

"Yes." Her voice is small and hesitant, her posture rigid and tight.

Karmen begins laying her wispy golden hair down around the girl's shoulders where she can and locates the ends where she can't. most of the hair is matted in a way that makes it hard to see the scalp. She starts at the ends she can find, running the comb gently through the tangles, stopping when a tangle sticks and makes sure not to pull. "Have you met Tuna?" she asks. "He's a squid that disguises himself as a plant. Isn't that funny?"

Tuna nuzzles the girl's cheek and she giggles, relaxing further. "That's silly," she says. "I like him."

"He's great," Karmen agrees. "We met when he saved me from falling into a volcano and he wanted to come back to Batoidea with me."

"Does he talk?" she asks.

"Not with words," Karmen says, "but he can communicate just fine. He likes 'yes' and 'no' questions best." Tuna nods in agreement. "He's talented too." Tuna opens his mouth and nibbles a strand of Aniyah's hair. Instantly he turns yellow and rounds around the edges, gaining an almost cartoonish cuteness to him. "He's a master of camouflage."

Aniyah gives a happy gasp. "That's so cool!" Tuna seems pleased with the praise and bounces around happily. The child plays with Tuna and Karmen works on her hair. It's a long process, but eventually she makes it to the girl's scalp. Her hair grows in clumpy, unnaturally shaped tufts and, when she pulls them aside, she sees why. Her scalp is crisscrossed with jagged scars that look strangely similar to the ones on Pierce. She'd been whipped several times at some point in her life. The scars are old and had long-since healed. The girl must have developed her matted-hive hairstyle as a way to hide it. Movement distracts Karmen. Something small and white in one of the hairless areas, crawling for cover.

Karmen runs her hands through the girl's hair one more time before placing them on her shoulders and leaning down so she can look her in the eye. "I'm going to let you play with Tuna for a minute while I go talk to Saaresto." She stands and walks over to the doctor. "It's head lice like you thought. I would have thought the trip over would have drowned them all. I have poisons that could take care of the problem but I'm not sure how they would affect the skin."

"And you don't want to experiment on a child," he concludes. "I understand." He watches the girl hug Tuna. "There is another way to get rid of them, but…"

Karmen presses her lips together. "I know."

She walks back over to Aniyah and kneels in front of her, taking both her hands gently in hers. "Aniyah, dear. You have bugs living in your hair," she explains in a low voice. "We can get rid of them, but to do it… we'll have to shave your head."

The girl begins to shake and one of her hands lifts to her head. Her lips quiver as they pull into a wide, unnatural grin and her eyes begin to fill. "Ok," she says in a choked voice. "I won't cry. I promise I won't cry, so please don't be angry with me."

Karmen's heart instantly breaks for the child. She wonders if she'd been old enough before she was taken to remember her mother washing and combing her hair, if they'd spent hours talking about hair accessories and trying different styles. All combed out, her hair is down to her waist. She'd spent most of her young life growing it out. On top of everything else, she'd worked so hard to hide the scars on her head, and now here's Karmen, telling the child that she has to take that sense of security away. She squeezes the girls hand gently. "I could never be angry with you. It's ok to say no. You are allowed to say no. We can find a different way."

The girl shakes her head. "But it's the best way. I saw them do it with the boys who had the bugs. They cut off all their hair and they went away. It'll grow back."

Karmen rubs her hand over the girl's hair. "I could never be angry with you. You're a very brave person. You know that, dear?" She draws her knife. "I'll make it quick." She lifts her blade to the girl's scalp and takes a deep breath, only to have Tuna lightly grasp her wrist. She realizes she'd been shaking as much as the girl. "You have a better idea?" she asks hopefully. He pulls back and nods. "Oh thank Kudra." She drops her knife and hugs Aniyah. The girl's grin seems frozen in place. "What did you have in mind?"

He leans over the girl, mouth open. He runs his spines through her hair. When he pulls back, he has dozens of lice trapped between them. With a sawing motion, he kills them all and drops them into his pot. He does this a few dozen times. When he's finished, Karmen can't sense any life signs coming from her hair. He'd even gotten the eggs.

Karmen kisses Tuna on the head. "Thank you for that. You did a wonderful job." She turns back to Aniyah. "All done."

Her eyes widen and her plastered grin falters. "You mean you don't have to shave my head?"

"Not unless you want to." The grin turns into a genuine smile.

Aniyah slams into her, almost knocking her off balance, and throws her arms around Karmen's waist. "Thank you." She pats Tuna on the head. "Thank you too."

Karmen strokes the girl's hair and smiles as she pulls back. "Now, I know you don't like showing your scars. Winston and I may have a better solution than hiding them behind your hair."

"Really?"

She leads the girl to Winston's workshop and whispers a request in his ear. He nods, digs through several scarves, and pulls out a green one that compliments Aniyah's skin tone. "This is called a hijab. It's a kind of headscarf that women sometimes wear for cultural or religious reasons. You can wear it if you like."

She lets Winston show her how to wrap it around her head and examines herself in the full-length mirror. "I can really keep this?" she asks, eyes wide and mouth open.

Karmen leans down and grins at her. "Want me to embroider your name into it?" She takes it back from her for a few minutes and stitches a clean red "Aniyah" into the corner. She hands it back and watches her wrap it back around her head. It isn't as neat as Winston's handiwork, but she'd improve over time.

Aniyah gives her another hug. "You're the best." Karmen strokes her hijab in return. It's nice being the best every once in a while. "Dr. Saaresto is about to start the tour of the island's topside. Why don't you go join them? It's nice and sunny outside and you might even get to see Kudra from the upper cliffs." With a hasty goodbye, Aniyah rushes off, excited to show her hijab to the other girls. "Thanks, Winston."

"For a smile like that? Anytime," comes his content response.

Karmen returns to the dining chamber and finds everything cleaned up. Her head itches and she feels she's just being paranoid about a possible transfer. Her haki says otherwise. Some people would be grossed out by the situation, but the poison she puts into her shampoo would soon take care of the problem. However, she'd already been shown a faster solution.

Picking up his pot, Karmen carries Tuna out to the beach and sets him in the sand. She sits in front of him and he begins combing his spines through her hair. Pierce walks out beside her. "Don't tell me."

She nods and gives a thin smile. "My first case of head lice." She scratches her head. "This is a lot different from sea lice."

Sea lice are jellyfish larvae that tend to travel in swarms. It's very easy for swimmers to get them caught in their clothing. It's not the jellyfish's fault. They don't have a central brain, after all, but it still left most people with an uncomfortable sting rash. Karmen is no stranger to them. Training for fish riding competitions as a child had kept her in closer contact with several ocean creatures than she sometimes liked. Unfortunately, baby jellyfish don't leave scars. Still, Karmen had always preferred puncture wound scars to surface marks. If you're going to get hurt, you should have a cool story to back it up.

He shuffles his feet and fusses with the collar of his shirt. "Is there something you wanted to discuss?"

He squares his shoulders and turns his face in her direction. "I was wondering, when you have some spare time, if you would give me another tattoo to commemorate our first successful rescue mission."

A smile spreads across her face. "How about a wave? I could make it look like the traditional ones in paintings."

He cocks his head, trying to remember. "I haven't seen a painting in about a year. I might need you to describe your idea, but I like the sound of it." He shuffles his feet again. "And I know you like to work on your poisons in your spare time, but I was wondering if you'd have the time to read to me at some point?"

"Of course. Is there anything you'd prefer?"

"Anything, really. I wouldn't even mind one of those medical texts or wildlife guides you use for your research."

She gives a soft giggle. "I admit, my library is a bit lacking as far as entertainment value goes. Maybe I can pull out some of our old newspapers." He nods his agreement. He did mean anything. "When we leave the island again, I'll keep an eye out for new materials. I'm sure the patients will want something to read as well."

He makes some comment about books and the ocean not being very compatible that makes her laugh.

"Winston will be starting the morning workouts in about fifteen minutes. Do you want to join us?" Pierce asks when Tuna seems finished picking the bugs out of her hair.

She stretches as she stands. "I could use the exercise," she says. "We haven't sparred in a while."

He grins. "I do enjoy a challenge."

She slides him a sly look. "You're just happy there's no one to throw me off a building."

"As if Kudra wouldn't send you flying towards the cliff if you asked her nicely."

"Hmm. Kudra does do her best to ensure that I can cope for myself. She's a dear like that."

"That ray is going to get you killed one day and I won't be able to swim after you."

"You worry too much. Par wouldn't let me drown." She looks over at Tuna. "Do you want to come with us or stay here for a while?" He dips his head toward the ocean, indicating that he wants to talk with the rays. She rubs her hand across his head. "Alright. We'll come back by to collect you later."