"Naia, what is this?" Shanks spun her around. "This isn't haki nor does it look like a devil fruit."
"It is an Isukumi (paralyzing terror) technique known as Shin no Ippō*," Naia explained, turning back to the dying bandit. "It is an ancient technique far older than haki."
"Older than haki?" Shanks breathed. Naia nodded but didn't move to explain more. Higuma slowly passed out from the loss of blood and lack of oxygen. Luffy glared up at her but relented when Ace gripped his shoulder.
"She was protecting us."
"She went too far and it could've ruined everything." Naia flinched at the disappointment in his voice.
"Love makes people do crazy things when the people they care about are threatened," Sabo explained.
"That it does," Naia agreed, "Which is why I'm giving you to the count of three to explain to me why you thought it was a good idea to provoke bandits!"
"Uhhh, I have a good reason!" Luffy exclaimed, his eyes darting to his brothers who shrugged. "They were threatening Makino and I had to do something!"
"You are seven, Lu! You could've come to me!" Naia said, her expression darkening.
"Eep!" Luffy jumped and began to race toward Makino's bar, Ace and Sabo hot on his heels. Naia rolled her shoulders back as she walked toward the pirate crew.
"It seems I lost my temper there," Naia said sheepishly.
"You think!" The pirate crew exclaimed. Naia blushed, ashamed at her actions.
"But we understand why," Shanks finished, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. Naia gazed up at him in surprise. "It happens to the best of us. Men, let's help them clean this mess up."
The pirate crew went about helping Makino fix up her bar and took care of the bodies. No one even thought about turning them in for a bounty as everyone was still processing what had happened. Naia watched from afar, helping where she could but she couldn't help but feel out of place. No one had displayed any outward distrust of her but the power she had shown made them wary. A tug on her sleeve had Naia dropping to her knees. The three boys were looking at her with varying degrees of awe and something Naia couldn't place.
"I'm sorry, Lu," Naia whispered as she drew him in for a hug.
"It's okay. I know it is fresh in your mind," Luffy said softly, gripping her into a tight hug. His hand patted her head as she buried her nose in his air, the scent of sea salt and meat wafting through her nose. "We should have a reading lesson tomorrow. I want to hear your voice again."
"You are hearing my voice," Naia chuckled.
"Your voice sings when you read or sing or swim or are with Shanks!" Naia blushed as the boy winked. Sabo and Ace stifled giggles behind their hands as Naia blushed harder.
"I'm being teased by my own sons who don't even know what love is yet. What is this world coming to?" Naia put a hand on her heart, pretending to feel faint.
"Sons?" Ace echoed softly. Naia blinked. Oops.
"Yes, I think of all three of you as my sons, but if that makes you-"
"NO!" They shouted, pilling on top of her. "We want that!"
Naia smiled gently at them, placing a kiss on top of their heads.
"Then shall we plan our lesson for tomorrow?" The boys nodded frantically. Naia laughed as they ran in front of her spouting idea after idea of what she could read to them. Naia could hardly believe her ears. The three boys who didn't even know what quiet was wanted her to read to them? What an unlikely occurrence.
The sunset and the boys had finally worn themselves out. Placing a few worn books on the kitchen table, Naia began to mark the few passages she could read to the boys.
"Naia?" Naia jumped as a shadowed figure stood in the doorway. "I've been knocking but no one was answering."
"Shanks, sorry. I was getting lost reading." Naia made to stand but the man gestured for her to remain where she was.
"You all kind of disappeared. Makino was starting to fret."
"I didn't think it was wise to keep the boys so close to so many dead bodies. They are still young."
"Hmmm, probably not," Shanks mused, picking up a book. "You're doing a reading lesson?"
"Yeah, the boys were thinking poetry this time around. Apparently, fairy tales are no longer cool." Naia shrugged.
"Then you best expect all of us," Shanks said, a small smile on his face.
"It wouldn't be a lesson without you." Naia blushed. "Is there something you needed or did you come all the way out here to know my lesson plans?"
"The technique you did earlier, you said it was older than haki?" Naia grimaced at his stern tone. "Luffy seemed upset that you used it in front of us."
"It is a very old technique that has long since been forgotten by the world." Naia got up and set a small bottle of saki in front of them. She poured it into twin cups as she explained. "I was taught when I was a child with no concept of how dangerous it was. It was taught to those who could not master haki but were in need of some type of way to protect themselves."
"If it was forgotten, how did you come to know it?" Shanks pressed, his hand ghosting over hers as she reached for a cup.
"I've been around for a long time, Red. Far longer than I care to admit. I've met a great number of people and have seen many things in my life." Naia smiled wistfully into her cup. "I happened to stumble upon a master when a boat I was on shipwrecked because of a devil fruit user but no matter how hard I tried, haki just wouldn't work."
"It is incredibly difficult to master. It took me years to even begin to understand it," Shanks hummed.
"It is and I had all but given up. The master told me it wasn't uncommon and that he knew of a technique that was similar. It was just as hard to learn but for those who couldn't grasp haki, it worked well for them," Naia continued, leaning back in the chair as memories flashed in her mind. "I managed to grasp it better than haki but if I'm not careful, it is lethal."
"Naia, how old is that technique?" Shanks narrowed his eyes at her. "You're jumping around the actual question."
"You asked how I know it and I have told you." Naia glared at the man, bringing the saki to her lips. The drink sent a pleasant sting down her throat and a warmth spread throughout her body. Dead Sea Saki was known to the Gods and no one else. It could bring a human to their knees with only a couple of sips. "If I had to guess, the temple I studied at would put the birth of this technique at about 1000 years ago."
"1000!? Isn't that- that was during the Void Century!" Shanks' eyes went wide.
"It was, which is probably why not many people know about it anymore," Naia said, sheepishly, "The World Government never made an official statement on it but users have been known to disappear after a period of time."
"Which is why Luffy was so upset with you," Shanks surmised, taking a big sip of his saki.
"Yes, should one of the villagers talk about it or a bandit slips away and tells someone the story, I would be in a lot of trouble."
"Thass not good," Shanks slurred, his cheeks flushed red. "Waaish this?"
"Dead Sea Saki, the strongest saki you can get your hands on," Naia chuckled as she polished off her cup. "It's said that only the Gods can handle its strength."
Naia twirled the bottle around before pouring herself a second cup.
"How're younot…" Naia raised an eyebrow as Shanks tried to find the word.
"I grew up on it." Naia grinned. "The stuff you drink out here is so weak."
"Thassnot fair," Shanks whined, his body slumping forward. "I couldout drrink you annyday."
"I'm sure you could, Red. I believe you have also lost our bet officially now." Naia stood over the pirate captain chuckling as he pouted. Her chuckles grew into giggles as she tried to help him up. "Come on, let's get you up."
"You're bootiful." Shanks swayed while they made their way to the living room. "Come withme."
"Come with you?" They stumbled as Shanks lost track of his footing.
"I wan' you on my crew!" Shanks grinned sloppily at her. "Wan' learn alllll your sssecrets."
"We'll have to see about that, Captain," Naia said softly, letting the man fall into the plush couch.
"You called me captain! Is that a yes?" Shanks tugged on her hand, pulling her over him.
"Wait for me, ya?" Naia brushed her lips against his cheek, before pushing up. The man was passed out before she even turned away from him. "All I ask is that you wait until I'm able to."
She hoped the man would drop the subject in the morning.
The sun lazily made its way into the sky as Naia set about getting ready for the day. Sabo had shockingly joined her in a meditation session, giving Naia the chance to teach him a little observation haki. She kept her fingers crossed he would inspire Ace to join. Luffy was a lost cause. You would have to chain him down before he even thought about sitting still.
Shanks was already gone by the time she was up but the single flower on the kitchen table let Naia know he didn't hold any ill will toward her. A single string of Lily of the Valley. Naia couldn't stop her smile as she placed it in a small vase, gently caressing the buds that hadn't opened quite yet.
"Let's go boys, The weather is too lovely to do this inside!" Naia strung the bag of books over her shoulders as they headed out. The air was warm as a cool breeze caressed their faces. The ocean seemed to sing with happiness as its waves lapped lazily at the sandy beach. As they began to set up, setting up small portable desks and getting their books set to the right page. The pirate crew slowly made their way over to them; curious as to what she would be reading today. Shanks nonchalantly made his way over to her with a large grin over his face as he sat behind her, forcing her to lean back into him. She could feel his heartbeat against her back as her own sped up at his close proximity.
"Shishishi, see singing!" Luffy giggled while his brothers looked confused at the situation.
"Keep talking like that and I might just make you do math instead!" Naia threatened. Luffy clamped his lips shut quickly before turning back to his book. Naia let her voice carry in the wind as she softly recited the poem:
"I have loved hours at sea, gray cities,
The fragile secret of a flower,
Music, the making of a poem
That gave me heaven for an hour;
First stars above a snowy hill,
Voices of people kindly and wise,
And the great look of love, long hidden,
Found at last in meeting eyes.
I have loved much and been loved deeply -
Oh, when my spirit's fire burns low,
Leave me the darkness and the stillness,
I shall be tired and glad to go."
"It sounds like he's in love with the sea." Luffy wrinkled his nose at the notion. Naia giggled at his expression. The pirates who had joined the lesson snickered at the boy's obvious disgust at the idea.
"It's not that outrageous of a notion," Naia reprimanded, "Most sailors claim their first love was the sea."
"Who needs love when you have adventure though!" Ace whined.
"She's not wrong, boys," Benn chuckled, "Most of us here felt the call of the sea. Some stronger than others." The first mate glanced over at Yasopp who huffed in retaliation.
"It is a rather romantic ideal isn't it?" Sabo questioned.
"You can love the sea but you can't be in love with the sea," Ace reasoned, "It's not a person."
"No it most certainly is not," Naia reasoned, "However if you follow the tale of Davy Jones then the sea is very much something that someone can fall in love with."
"Davy Jones?" Luffy furrowed his brows at her. "Isn't that who the Davy Back fights are named after?"
"That they are, Anchor!" Shanks agreed, "How do you know about those?"
"Gramps likes to tell stories when he's here." Luffy shrugged.
"The legend of Davy Jones has two variations to it both are correct and both depict the love and hardships the captain had to face with his love of the sea," Naia explained, "The moral of the stories are more or less don't trust the sea as she is shifty and ever-changing. Always be on your toes!"
"Hard not to be when adventures are always on the horizon!" Luffy grinned at her, his brothers giving wide smiles as well as a look of wonderment in their eyes.
"This seems like a good place to stop for the day, boys. Go see if you can find us something fun for dinner! Maybe we'll cover the whole legend of Davy Jones next time."
A/N: *This is a technique that was used by one of the antagonists in Rurouni Kenshin.
Poem: Sara Teasdale: "I Have Loved Hours at Sea"