She has lost count of the passing years since she started this lifestyle.

"Mariana"

"Lila"

"Rachel"

"Bell"

Over time, people around the world have called her different names. But nowhere felt like home. For a long time, she thought she would never find people again who, like her former crew, could pull her out of her loneliness. That she wouldn't let herself be loved again. Or so she thought until she met those three children named Ace, Sabo, and Luffy.

"Palila"

For the first time, that false name she was using started to sound like love. It made her feel loved, to the point that the name became real.

Those children saved her from her loneliness. They gave her a reason to fight, something she thought she would never regain. In them, she saw the boy who rescued her so many years ago. She felt the need to protect them as she couldn't with him.

In Ace's eyes, she saw Prince's self-hatred. In Luffy's, his fear of loneliness, not only Prince's but also hers. Finally, in Sabo, she saw the hatred of social injustice.

Don't blame her if for once in a long time she feels she has to help them. She can't just stand by, not when she sees something so familiar and dear in them.

Fear was consuming her even as she ran at full speed. It was as if history was repeating itself, taking away everything she loved most, right in front of her.

"Don't die, I'm on my way..."

She ran desperately. The fear of failing again was too much for her. So much so that suddenly, Mount Corvo became her home island. The island of rebirth.

— RUN! THEY'RE PIRATES!.

Instead of dead animals, she saw her people being killed or taken to a fate worse than death. The tree in front of her transformed into her greatest fear. Jonathan Black, the man who haunted her worst nightmares. The man who took everything she ever knew, was approaching her.

She panicked and took a step back, only to see that one of the branches… "It's your fault I died, everything that happened was your fault. All you bring is pain!" had become Prince, her former captain, and the one she couldn't save.

"I tried to get there as fast as I could!" Palila responded.

"Even so, it wasn't enough. You're always too late!" Prince yelled at her with a dead, pale face full of hatred.

She covered her ears as she kept running. She couldn't let her hallucinations take over. Her children needed her.

Once she regained her senses, she reached the river. Her children were on the brink of death, so she transformed them into phoenixes to save them. Once done, she flew with them straight to the sky.

Some time after the children woke up in a house made of clouds, their mother explained the situation. At first, Ace didn't agree but concluded that it was much better than being dead. Over time, they got used to their situation. But also, over time, something else came, nightmares.

To help them with the nightmares, Palila told them bedtime stories.

"What happened? Why did they come?" Sabo asked. And she could only look at him with guilt. "I already know. The Celestial Dragons were the ones who sent that fleet, right? Or at least that's what I heard from the people at the terminal..." Sabo affirmed. To which Palila hugged him tightly.

"You are not like them and you never will be. You are Sabo, and that's all that matters," Palila told Sabo. He needed to understand that he wasn't like them. "If you're wondering why they did it, that's something we'll have to investigate..."

"We'll uncover the truth behind everything, but in the meantime, how about a bedtime story?" At Palila's suggestion, Luffy couldn't help but jump with excitement.

"Tell us about Prince's adventures again! You promised!" With that, the other two joined in the excitement.

"Well, there was a time when Jonathan Black was sure he had finally defeated his greatest enemy..." Palila started, only to take a small pause.

"Prince!" Luffy exclaimed.

"Don't be nosy!" Ace scolded him.

"Can you two shut up?!" Sabo complained. Quickly, Ace and Luffy fell silent. "As I was saying..." Palila resumed the narration.

"He was sure Prince couldn't withstand his attack. But great was his surprise when Prince used his secret weapon." Palila continued "That was none other than his newest attack..."

WATER FIST! — Prince shouted.

His fist was surrounded by water. At a fierce speed, his fist sent Jonathan flying. —Damn brat.— Using his dagger, Prince cut off Jonathan's hand without blinking.

—It's over, Jon…— Prince skin turned into green scales.

—You really are a monster, aren't you?— Jonathan was getting up when Prince pounced on him. —But do you know what monsters do? — Prince took the hand and devoured it in one bite. —They eat their prey.

"After that day, Jonathan developed a great fear of crocodiles. You see, Prince was half fishman, half crocodile," Palila explained.

"Didn't he get sick from eating the hand?" Sabo asked, a bit stunned. "Well, I wouldn't know about that. But what I do know is that if letting himself be driven by his instincts could save his friends, then he would do it a million times." Palila stated.

— I'll become a monster if it means saving you.

"Because he was that kind of person."

Over time, the nightmares were replaced by admiration for their new idol. The famous Captain Prince. The boy who never grew up and had countless adventures in Neverland.

"Are there comic books?!" Ace exclaimed.

Of course, there were. Years ago, Palila published a light novel titled, Neverland The Adventures of Captain Prince. The novel became so popular in the New World that it had been adapted over the years.

"I can get you some if you want," Palila offered. And indeed, she found herself buying all sorts of things. But if it made her children happy, it made her happy too. "You have admirers, I hope you're seeing this, wherever you are."

Even now, he continues to help her. Her children look so happy, all thanks to the stories of his adventures.