Karmen takes a big swig of lizard venom. It sloshes around the half-empty bottle as she waves it around her head. "We got so much money!" she hoots, laughing loudly and leaning back against Parvati.

Pierce is sitting on Raja with his own bottle of cider, cheeks pink and chuckling. "Did selling one of Willow's gaudy necklaces really make you that happy?"

"Helping people makes me happy!" She cheers. "And now we can help so~ many! Kudra, I want to dance."

She pushes herself unsteadily to her bare feet, spinning in wild, wobbly circles and flailing around with her arms and legs. Somehow her dance is still graceful, if wild and unpaced. Parvati tries to keep Karmen on her back using her tail, but her rider's unpredictable movements allow her to dance around the appendage easily and leaves her dangerously close to open ocean. Other rays rise up to put a solid surface beneath their charge. Parvati lets out a small call of relief as Karmen's living dance floor expands.

Eventually, as Karmen is draining the last dregs from the bottle, she trips on a fin and falls face-first against a young ray's back. She lets out a small grunt. "I scratched my arm on a back-spike," she pouts, voice muffled by the smooth flesh beneath her face.

Pierce sits up, shocked and looking paler than usual. "Mistress, you're hurt?" his cider splashes over Raja's back as he tries to push to his feet, but Raja's tail raps him across the forehead, effectively knocking him into the ocean. Another ray lifts him out as a bat, soaked and limp. His stunned form is rolled back onto Raja where he lies groaning and holding his head between his wings.

"You hit him a little hard, don't you think?" Karmen asks, rolling onto her back so she can talk clearer. Raja just looks at her in response. "Much more of that and I'll have to take him back to Law." She sits up and wobbles slightly from her swimming head. "I should call him and let him know things worked out."

With some difficulty, she fishes her transponder snail out of her pocket and inputs Law's number.

"What?"

"Hi, Dr. Spots~!"

"Are you drunk?"

She chuckles. "Wouldn't you~ like to know?"

"You're drunk."

"You were right. I did want to stab that flirt Rioux. I kind of still do, but he bought the necklace so I won't," she tells him. "The other two didn't work out. Castellanos had been assassinated before we arrived. I guess she didn't sell the seal right and got caught. Bleekle was a nice man, but he didn't have the spine for the job. Rioux likes to gamble, so he ended up taking it."

"If he ends up dead, I'm charging you a fee."

"You worry too much, dear," she mutters. "I had to use a lot of haki to keep him from detecting us as we left. Kudra is really big. I was out of sorts and couldn't start celebrating for a long time."

"Whatever you're drinking must be good."

"It is. It came from a lizard. A giant one. I think they're all extinct now, but I'm better with fish. I haven't seen any drawings of it in any of the books I've been using for research, so I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be extinct," she rambles. "Can something really be extinct if it still exists in a remote part of the world? Wouldn't that just make them endangered? What kind of secretion does venom count as anyway? Saliva? Mucus? Bile?"

"Is this going somewhere?"

"Not really."

"Where are you?"

"In the middle of the ocean. I'm going to see my uncle's friends."

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say that you don't mean acid-for-brains-ya."

"Why would I visit a meanie like him?" Karmen asks with a snort. "No, I'm talking about my real uncles. The ones I adopted."

"I don't think you know how adoption works."

"I barely know how families work. Did you see the people I grew up with?" she asks. "I mean, I have family and I'd do anything for them, and maybe I'll find my biological family at some point, but I don't know much about how real families function. If I hadn't of joined the Straw Hats I'd have been a real mess, y'know?"

"Don't get all weepy on me." Law is quiet for a moment. "But you're right. People like us would have a hard time without our crews."

Karmen watches the clouds pass overhead for a moment. "I want to ask your advice, but in the condition I'm in, I'm not sure I would remember if you answered seriously."

There is a curious silence on the other line. "It never hurts to ask."

"How do you move on when you can't save the person you want to protect most?"

He gives a small laugh. "If you figure that one out, you let me know. Eh, Secretary-ya?"

"If I do, you'll be the first person I call," she tells him with a smile. "Luffy wants us to train and get stronger. I'll work hard so I can try and make sure I never have to worry about that again. Of course, that doesn't count towards the people I can't reach. I have to spread my influence so that I can save as many as I can- especially those I care about."

"Even when you're drunk, all this is still running through your head," he says with a critical sigh, though his tone softens significantly. "Be sure to drink lots of water and don't fall asleep in the sun."

"Spots?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for everything you've done for us. We couldn't have gotten this far without you."

"You're welcome, Ghost-ya."

When the effects of the venom wear off, Karmen finds herself underwater with her aspirator in her mouth. The reigns of Parvati's harness are lightly looped around her wrists and one of Pierce's claws isn't tied to her shoulder.

After letting the cool water run over her skin for a while longer, she gives the reigns a slight pull, requesting that Parvati surface. Her head is still swimming some, but she's not as gone as she had been. When her head breaks the surface, she pulls off her apparatus and fishes a different snail out of her pocket. This one is pale with a small jacket on the shell, smoking a tiny cigarette that's been extinguished by the water.

The other line begins ringing as soon as she puts in the call.

"Hey. How did the latest one go?"

"Shaks, have I told you how amazing you are lately?" Karmen asks as she picks at the knots tying Pierce to her. "Seriously, deary. I'm going to send you a gift."

Shakky laughs. "I'm happy to help. I enjoy reading about you. They're trying to keep things quiet but word spreads, especially in our line of work."

"As long as the only name popping is the Gallowcomb Ghost, I don't mind. If they think the name is cursed, things will go better for us."

"Just don't let it get to your head. Things can go badly very quickly," she responds. "Are you thinking of following through with your next step?"

"We're on our way now, actually."

There is a brief moment of silence as papers shuffle. "Then there's something that you should know. They've become affiliated with old acquaintances of yours."

Parvati approaches the ship slowly on the surface and Karmen notes the life signs of the twelve fishmen in the water below. Someone nudges Aladine, directing his attention to the ocean. "Look who it is."

Karmen waves. "Permission to come aboard?"

He waves her up with a webbed hand. One of the fishmen moves to drop the rope ladder but Karmen holds up a hand to stop him. "No need for that, dearie." Pierce unwraps his wings from around her and flies her up to land on the bulwark. Some of the crew look surprised, but most grin a wide greeting. When she lands, he tucks his wings against her back, showing her sleeveless diving suit.

Aladine's eyes fall to the red, round bite-mark tattoos on her bare shoulders. "You're bonded?"

"I am," she responds reverently, affection heavy in her voice. "And because of that fact, I apologize for my entourage. Granny doesn't like leaving me alone with an entire crew of strapping young Fishmen, even if they are all gentlemen like yourselves."

"Granny?"

Karmen gives a signal with her haki and the waters around them boil, rocking the ship harshly. The fishmen in the water quickly dart to get out of the way. The sea king's powerful back raises out of the water until her large eyes, as large as the ship itself, are visible. She lets out a reverberating call as she examines the beings around Karmen.

A confused Fishman is seated on her back and quickly slides off into the water. He's met by the hundred or so of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren that had found this meeting entertaining and interesting. Though they had come out of curiosity, they created quite the opposing force.

Karmen gives them a wave of dismissal and all but Kudra sink back into the water. "Granny Kudra is very protective and the others just love an excuse to leave the island. After we heard of your marriage to Charlotte Praline, well, they refused to let Parvati bring us alone. Don't get me wrong, she's a wonderful girl and I'm sure an even better wife. We got along quite well on the brief occasions when we were together, but I'm afraid her family and I are at odds."

"You've some quarrel with Big Mom?" he asks.

She'd never met the empress in person, but she'd been "offered" a business proposal when she still believed herself a Gallowcomb. Refusal hadn't come lightly. Luckily back then she still had the protection of the world government and half the Warlords. Now she has to start fighting her own battles. She watches Aladine consider.

"Will that be a problem?" Karmen asks, unsure of how much to tell him. "I'm not here because of Linlin. I'm here because our captains have an alliance."

His eyes focus back on her. "You said that last time too," he says. Recollection flashes across his face and his features soften. "That man you were caring for- the one that was all cut up- what happened to him?"

Karmen smiles and pats Pierce's claw, signaling for him to dismount. "See for yourself." His claws tighten slightly for a fraction of a second and she wonders briefly if it's in acknowledgment or disagreement.

Pierce lifts his head over her shoulder and slides his feet down to the deck. Once he's standing on his own, he steps to the side and begins transforming back into human form. A set of wings around him before anyone can get a good look at his scars.

He adjusts his visor and sweeps off his hat in a low bow. "I am the Lady's bodyguard, Pierce," he says. "She told me of how you aided us before. Thank you for your assistance."

Instantly whispers about his horns spread across the deck but Aladine silences them with a wave as Pierce straightens. "No, we have no affiliation with Kaido," Karmen growls to all the shifting eyes as Pierce puts his hat back on.

"I am Aladine, vice-captain of the Sun Pirates. I'm glad to see that you survived your ordeal," Aladine says to Pierce. He looks back at Karmen, seeming to distrust her more than before. Pierce steps closer to her and she notes that his hands are on his tonfa blades. "So tell me who your captain is."

Karmen grins. "Monkey D. Luffy, she declares. "I am Valentine W. Karmen, the Straw Hat secretary."

The names spread across the deck as fast as talk of Pierce's horns had and once again Aladine has to silence his crew. "After what he did, a lot of people want to use his name to take advantage of others," he says. "How do I know you are who you say you are?"

"Will this do?" Karmen asks, pulling out her veil and quills. "They only got one picture of me and my connection to the crew was covered significantly, but they couldn't keep it out of the papers that I was at Enies Lobby with them. I turned the rest of my dress into bandages for Pierce just before we met last time."

Aladine considers this but doesn't look entirely convinced. She's usually proud that she was able to stay so hidden, but at times like this it comes back to bite her. "They say Luffy is a giant. Is this true?"

Karmen laughs. "Please. The only thing giant about Luffy is his appetite. Poor Sanji kept having to trap the fridge to keep food on the ship. That man can eat a person out of house and home in his sleep. In fact, he has on several occasions.

"His favorite food is meat, he doesn't go anywhere without the hat that Shanks gave him, and before his brother died, he always had a cheesy grin on his face that made you feel like all the bad things in the world were fleeting," she continues. "When he's celebrating, he puts chopsticks in his nose and dances on the table with a basket. He can't sneak to save his life and doesn't want to. He's direct, honest to a fault, and has an uncanny ability to see into a person's soul despite being entirely too trusting. One day he'll be King of the Pirates."

Aladine seems mostly convinced but still asks, "Is there someone else that we could contact who can verify that you're who you say you are?"

"Hachi, if you're in contact with him. We helped him rescue Camie from the slavers before she was sold. I was taking care of other things while all that went down and joined up with them back at Shakky's bar after," Karmen tells him. "And if he's not a reliable source, there's always Uncle Be."

"By 'Uncle Be,' you mean..." Aladine stares at her incredulously.

"Jinbe and I go way back," Karmen responds.

Aladine sighs. "Either you're hedging on a major bluff or you're genuine, though it would take a special kind of person to try to make up half of this," he says. "I need to make a few calls, but I can hear you out first. I suppose you'd like to know that Luffy is currently-"

Karmen puts her fingers in her ears. "Nooope! Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope!"

Pierce cocks his head at her, forgetting to be suspicious for a moment. "You don't want to know where he is?"

She plucks her fingers out. "Of course I want to know where he is!" she says. "But if I know where he is then it'll be that much harder not to go rushing to him and he clearly mandated that we're to stay gone for the two full years! If I disobey his order now then both of our training periods will be disrupted."

"Would he be mad?" Pierce asks.

"No," Karmen says with a sigh, tone softening significantly. "I just don't want to get in his way. Training is important and we have things to do." Her eyes lift back to Aladine. "Did Jinbe say how he is after...?" After he'd lost his brother.

Aladine gives her a soft smile. "The last he saw of your captain, he was doing well."

"I'm glad." Karmen closes her eyes and lets the words sink in. She'd hoped he would be, and she knows he's resilient, but he'd loved his brother dearly. That pain would drive him forward so that he could protect those he cares for. She needs to do the same.

She opens her mouth to continue, but a ringing in her pocket causes her to pause. Pierce stiffens. "Is that the island's tone?" he asks, concern breaking through his composure.

"Yes. Excuse me for a moment," she says, quickly plucking it out and picking up the receiver. "Go for Ghost." Her tone is serious and her face stiffly unemotional.

"Miss Karmen?" comes a tiny voice on the other side. "Is this a bad time?"

Karmen and Pierce's tension melts with the melodic voice on the other side. "Goldilocks," Karmen says affectionately. "Hello, dearie. I'm talking with my friend's crew, but I can talk for a minute or two. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah. Mr. Winston said that I could be the one to tell you that he took care of those chests like you wanted and we got all those barrels of fruit you sent us. It's really nice to be allowed to eat all the good food we want again. The bad men at the winery never gave us good food." Her voice drops conspiratorially. "Don't tell her that I told you, but Iona is helping us make drinks out of the fruit so it'll be ready when you get back," Anayah says. "Dr. Saaresto is letting me help take care of Tuna and Mr. Winston made me more hijabs. I like the one that you put my name on the best though."

Karmen grins. "I'm glad to hear it," she replies. "Camilla's not being too grumpy, is she?"

"She misses you, and sometimes she yells at the adults, but she's nice to all us kids. She even let us help her in the vegetable garden," she tells her. "Are you coming back soon?"

"Soon, dearie," Karmen promises. "I've got a few more things to take care of, but I'll come back as soon as I can."

"Can we go swimming together when you do?"

Karmen chuckles. "Of course. We'll go up to the beach and play with the rays," she responds. "Work on your classes and be sure to go to your sessions with Dr. Saaresto and I'll be home before you know it."

"Ok. See you soon, Miss Ghost," Anayah says. "Goldilocks signing off." There's a brief pause. "That is what I'm supposed to say, right?"

Karmen giggles again. "That was perfect, dear. Ghost signing off."

During the call, her environment had melted away around her and now she finds that many of the Fishmen seem to have warmed some to her presence on the ship.

She tucks the snail back into her pocket and gives Aladine a friendly smile. "Right, where were we? Ah, yes. We have business to discuss, if you're willing to hear me out."

Aladine nods his head towards the galley. "Let's talk inside."

He looks at her curiously as they walk. "You have kids?"

"About twenty," she says fondly. "None of them mine of course, but we're taking care of them until it's safe to take them home."

They follow him to the interior of the ship to a long table and take a stool. "What business did you want to discuss?" Aladine asks.

"Tell me this first," she responds, leaning forward, gaze intense. "Which is stronger, your loyalty to Jinbe or your alliance with Big Mom?"

Aladine crossed his arms. "Jinbe only had us align ourselves with Big Mom to keep Fishman Island under her protection after he lost his status as a Warlord, which your captain played a part of, but by no means caused," he starts. "Jinbe is an honorable man that I would follow to Hell and back. By serving under him I help to protect our people. I serve Jinbe and my king and work to further our standing in the world."

"Well said," she responds. "How do you feel about Celestial Dragons?"

He exhales slowly, considering his answer carefully. "They're hostile and violent, but our queen proved they could be reasoned with before she died. I would like to find common ground in time."

"And you're saying all this despite your history?" she asks. It's not easy for a slave to forgive those who'd held them captive and made one's life miserable.

The Fishman stiffens uncomfortably. "How do you know about that?" The identities of the members of the Sun Pirates who had been slaves is supposed to be a secret, hidden behind the sun brands that they placed over the hoofprint of the Celestial Dragons. The crew who have never been held in captivity still brand themselves to protect their brothers and sisters in arms.

"I make it my business to gather information," she says softly. "I promise that I will never use what I know against you unless you act against my crew or my island. I give you my word on my bond with Parvati."

To some that might not mean much, but as someone who lives in the water, he knows the significance and the unbreakable union involved in it.

Though he still looks tense, he relaxes some. "I am willing to put aside my own reservations and anger for the good of my people. I will not jeopardize peace and equality for my own revenge or satisfaction."

Pierce gives her a nod, indicating- as she herself had perceived- that he is being sincere. "Would you like some tea?" she asks softly.

He seems to be taken back by her question. "You are a guest aboard our ship. I should be the one offering you refreshments."

Pierce holds up a hand and shakes his head. "There's no stopping her," he explains. "It's easier to simply allow it." In the time it takes for him to deliver this statement, Karmen had already laid out tea for them all with rice crackers. "She also excels when it comes to tea."

Aladine stares at the steaming cup in front of him and out the galley door at the cups and awaiting pots of tea that had been prepared for the crew. Pierce picks up his cup, blows on it softly, and takes a sip only seconds after Karmen drinks from hers.

"How…?"

"I'm a secretary, dear," Karmen says as if that explains everything. "Tea making is an art and I strive for perfection." Her shoulders bob in a small shrug. "I do enjoy tea."

Aladine watches them for a few seconds before picking up his cup and drinking from it. He seems satisfied. "I've never heard of a secretary on a ship before, but I admire your dedication," he says. "Tell me, what do you think we can help you with?"

Karmen swirls the liquid in her cup before saying softly. "I need help getting people home and I can't trust normal channels," she says simply. "You'll be paid for your efforts and I'll make sure the trips aren't too far out of your way. I'll provide everything they need."

He considers this for a moment. "Why us?"

She gives him a warm smile. "Jinbe helped me a lot when I was younger and someone I trust emphatically spoke very highly of this crew," she says. "We can help a lot of people together."

"These people," he continues. "Who are they?"

"Slaves that we rescue and rehabilitate," she says. "Mostly from Gallowcomb ships, but we're helping who we can."

This surprises him and he leans forward, setting his cup on the table. "And when do you plan for this to happen, if we agree?"

"Not for another month or two at least, but once we start, it will be fairly consistent," she says. "You won't be doing all the home visits, but I want someone with them if things go south- someone who can handle themselves."

"I can understand that." Aladine strokes his beard thoughtfully. "I have a problem that we've been having trouble resolving and if it's at all possible, I'd like to not get Big Mom involved," he says. "If what you're saying is true, then maybe we can help each other."

Karmen leans back casually. "I'm listening, dear."

"There is a group of Gallowcomb slavers that we think they've taken two Fishmen who came up to the surface. We can't get close without significant backlash, but I can't leave them there with a clear conscience," he says.

"And us doing it in your stead will keep the Marines and World Government off your back while benefiting us both," she concludes.

He nods. "If you agree, then I'll confirm your claims in the time the rescue takes. If everything works out, we'll arrange how we'll work together."

Karmen sips her tea and nods. "I find your terms acceptable. Would you like us to bring the slaves on the boat to you or are we free to tend to their needs ourselves?" she asks, giving him a soft smile. "I can promise they will be well taken care of until we can transport them to their homes if we bring them back with us."

Aladine tugs on his beard as he contemplates, then nods. "Do what you think is best," he says. "But I will need proof that the Fishmen have been freed."

Karmen reaches into her coat pocket and pulls out a transponder snail. Its skin is a spectral blue color and it wears a red veil on half its face and half a gray leather visor over one eye on the other half. "I'll give you a ring as soon as we're a safe distance away. You can speak to them yourself."

Aladine moves to take the snail, but Karmen withdraws her hand momentarily.

"If Linlin even learns about this, finds out about this snail, or learns about me and my people, all transactions between us will be null and void and you will regret it."

He puts a fist across his chest in a salute and bows his head. "I swear on my life that this will remain a secret. I'll cut out my own tongue before I breathe a word of it."

She monitors his heart rate and makes sure that he's not lying. The pace of his heart never falters. "Alright." She extends her hand again.

Aladine takes the snail and stows it in a belt pouch as he studies her for a moment. "This is a large ship- heavily guarded. How many people are you taking with you to raid it?"

Karmen smiles over at Pierce. "The two of us will be sufficient," she assures him. Pierce's chest swells slightly in response.

The vice-captain blinks, not seeming to believe her. "Would you like for some of my men to assist you?"

She gives him a sly smile. "While your crew is strong and capable, they are not trained in our infiltration techniques," she says. "Your concern is appreciated, but it is unnecessary."

His eyebrows climb on his forehead. "You're going to take on a whole crew… by yourselves?"

Karmen grins. One moment she's sitting in her chair sipping tea, the next she's leaning over the back of Aladine's to whisper in his ear. "If they can catch a Ghost, then I will be greatly impressed."

Aladine doesn't jump outright, but he stiffens slightly and clears his throat to regain his composure. "I'll await your call."

Karmen moves around his chair and extends her hand. Aladine grasps her forearm firmly in return. "You'll hear from me before the week is out."