Finally introducing new character POVs!

POVs will vary from chapter to chapter and include Lucian and his crewmembers as they continue their journey!

We are beginning to approach the climax of this arc. I am excited for you guys to read the next couple of chapters!

Until then, enjoy and let me know your thoughts!

Chapter 15: Updated News: Roll out to Shugoshina!

Renee`s POV...

Renee was worried about Lucian.

It had been an hour since he left, and she could still hear the crowd`s cheers echoing throughout the capital. Most of the stores and streets were empty, and all the citizens were probably excited to see the fight that had just happened.

Renee followed Jory and Koala, who led the way. They were going to meet this Sabo guy. He was the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionaries, and Koala spoke so highly of him that you would believe they were a couple(she was good at reading people, especially since she could tell Koala was into him).

The citizens' cheers and roars began to intensify. "Please, Lucian, be careful."

She had complete faith in her captain. He was the most amazing guy she had ever met besides Mateo. He looked at them and decided they were valuable enough to join his crew.

However, Renee was surprised at how powerful Lucian was when he led her to the Germa 66 command tower. He was able to dispatch all those genetically-engineered soldiers with such ease.

Lucian moved like a god before her eyes.

At that moment, she realized that he was the person they had been waiting for, a symbol of hope. Lucian seemed to be that light at the end of the tunnel, even if he didn`t know it.

Looking back on her childhood, her only friend was Mateo. The young prince took an interest in her at a young age, which was unlikely since her father was a blacksmith. Royalty and commoners never interacted. However, this was different.

He had quite a reputation, good and bad, but Renee was too young to understand the situation's complexities at the time. He was the most notorious man in the kingdom. Most stayed away, but others who were brave enough to seek his services were rewarded greatly.

His father hated most people and taught her that they were all evil at heart. Convinced they were trying to take advantage of him, he taught Renee his ideals and beliefs through tough love, but she had much admiration for him.

He always bought her new clothes and the newest books, and in return, Renee would cook the best meals for her father. To relieve the stress of his hard work, Renee realised that her father`s love for food made him happy.

So Renee began to take up cooking, to make her father proud. Even though Lulusia had a scarcity of imported goods, Renee read every recipe book, often experimented with ingredients, and created her own style of cooking.

Perhaps that was the beginning of her relationship with cooking, the best relationship she had.

This helped her build a better relationship with her father; he became more grateful. Even though her father always wanted a son, Renee believed that her cooking won him over. She was finally the child that he wanted.

Was this a healthy relationship? Looking back on it, perhaps not. But in Lulusia, being known as the blacksmith`s daughter didn`t do much to boost her social standing—that was until she met Mateo.

Mateo was treated amazingly in Lulusia.

Every citizen bowed before their prince. But Renee didn`t. She was too young to understand courtesy and how to treat her superiors. That was the moment Mateo looked at her, and he smiled.

From there on out, Mateo would come to her shop every day, asking to hang out. Renee was finally excited to have a new friend, and she didn`t understand how the monarchy would view such friendships that Mateo engaged in. She just felt happy to be with him.

Her father viewed it as a step closer to a professional relationship with the Valois Family; he was able to forge the greatest weapons they desired and was handsomely paid for it.

For a while, both of them lived in harmony, but nothing lasts forever. Until it happened, the rage of the Valois family.

The Dark Night Raid of Lulusia killed eighty percent of the population, including her father. Yet how could Renee process her emotions? She was still a very young girl. She couldn`t even lean towards Mateo for support.

That night was a blur of confusion and pain; she often thought about it. But it just didn`t make sense to her how it happened. So she ignored it.

Not healthy, Renee knew. And for Mateo`s experience.

He was well...preoccupied with family matters.

The moral of the story, suck it up. The world fucking sucks and always will. And the moment her father died was the event that thrust her into adulthood.

It was quite traumatizing because she understood how the world operated: cruel and unrelenting. Since that day, Renee has learned to endure more. It feels like it has been building up for a long time.

"Hey Renee, you good?" Jory said. Renee snapped out of her daydreaming and looked around to see a confused Jory and Koala.

"Oh, uh, yeah, I`m fine," Renee responded flustered.

"Cool, because Sabo should be here any minute now," Koala said. Renee was interested in meeting this Sabo character. He heard a couple of stories about the Revolutionaries, but they never mentioned his name.

Koala led them to an empty coffee shop. They took a seat, and Jory had to grab a large stone right next to the water fountain. Too bad he couldn`t fit into a human-sized chair. Renee and Koala chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah, so funny. I`ll manage, guys," Jory said as he dragged the large stone and sat beside them. The waitress came and took their orders. Renee began to space out as Jory and Koala began to catch up.

Renee turned her head towards the arena, which was quite far away. But the noise started to fluctuate depending on the crowd's reaction. She turned back to the two of them talking. They were so excited and full of life that they did not even notice her sadness.

She didn`t want to display her emotions now; enemies surrounded them wherever they went. Out of desperation, she asked Lucian to get her that devil fruit.

Why did she always refer to her friends to protect her? Maybe if she ate devil fruit and gained superpowers, she would finally not be a nuisance, like always. That`s why she asked for the Kado-Kado no mi.

Because the last report of the man who had it was quite intriguing. It felt like a power that required more brains than brawn.

What could be better than that?

"Cheer up, Renee; I`m sure Lucian will pull through for you," Koala said. Renee did not doubt that, but she did have doubts about the events to come. Everyone was talking, and rescuing Mateo would have been harder than we had thought.

Jory inspected her, even though Renee had just met her. Just by looking at him, you would think he seemed angry and ready to attack you, but he was the gentlest soul anytime he was around her. He felt safe around Jory, and he always complimented her cooking.

"Truth be told, I am more worried for Mateo than anyone else. Who knows what`s happening to him now?" Renee said.

Koala took Renee`s hand and squeezed it, "Trust me. We will not let that happen. Not on our watch."

Renee smiled at Koala, and Jory grinned whilst drinking his beer. "Speak of the devil," Jory said as he pointed to Sabo.

Sabo stood with an air of calm confidence, his signature top hat slightly tilted on his blond, messy hair. His eyes, a striking shade of blue, gleamed with determination, framed by a light scar that ran across his left eye—a reminder of past battles. His lean yet muscular frame was cloaked in a dark coat that flared with each step, and a pair of worn, fingerless gloves covered his hands, hinting at his skill in combat. Despite his rough exterior, there was a warmth in his smile that made him both approachable and dangerous at the same time.

Koala got up and ran to him, tackling him with a hug. Sabo laughed, "Nice to see you at Koala. Been a long time." Koala became serious as she pulled away, "Too long."

Sabo ordered a coffee and took off his hat. This was the Chief of Staff? He looked around their age. She expected Sabo to look older by the way they talked about him.

"JORY, I didn`t know you ran off to play pirate. I`m happy to see you again, man," Sabo said. Jory chuckled and slammed his beer on the table, "Sabo, you stud! Moving up the ranks, I see."

They both laughed until Sabo redirected his attention to Renee. "And who is this lovely girl?" Renee smiled and shook his head.

"I am Renee De La Roche. I am pleased to meet you," she said, trying to stop blushing at his compliment.

"Pleasure is all mine. I see that you have quite a pirate crew here, although small. I assume Lucian is still battling it out," Sabo said. Koala nodded. Renee was interested in how Sabo would help them, but she was confused about how they would proceed after they left the Prodence Kingdom.

Koala then began explaining the last couple of days to Sabo, keeping him up to date with current events. Sabo sat and listened, pondering his thoughts.

"I`ve been scouting the route the Donquixote Family used to take from the Bayou Isles to Shugoshina-" Sabo said.

Koala's eyes widened as she cut him off. "Shugoshina, you must be joking." Her tone changed. She was scared. Renee put her hands on the table and looked at Sabo, who was still thinking.

"Why did you clam up, Koala? What is this place?" Renee asked.

"Shugoshina is a marine base, but it is rumored that whoever enters the base never comes out. This is bad news," Jory said. Renee had never heard about this Shugoshina.

"If you hadn`t noticed, Donquixote Doflamingo is desperate. He chose this path because he has close ties to these kingdoms," Sabo said.

"Why," they all asked Sabo in unison.

Sabo sighed and crossed his arms, "Because... Doflamingo needed to get back in favor with the World Government. Retaining a warlord title isn`t easy. He had to make a move in order to maintain his empire.

Doflamingo uses his status as a warlord better than the rest. In my opinion, it allows him to control the black market without repercussions. I was sent to investigate why he made this attempt at capturing Mateo Valois. All I could find out was that he needed to please a certain person. By doing this, he could prove his loyalty to the World Government. You see...

A warlord's position is a give-and-take relationship in exchange for helping out the world government. They are free to roam the seas without consequences, and who better to abuse that power than Doflamingo? So now you understand," Sabo said, finishing his explanation.

"Makes sense. I`ve spent the better couple of years of my life hiding with Mateo," Renee told Sabo.

"There is another problem: the former Fleet Admiral Kong is advancing to support Shugoshina, and they are passing through here. Given Lucian Xebel has amassed a hefty bounty recently, we need to regroup and set sail with the forces we have. Though I fear it will not be enough to take Shugoshina," Sabo said.

"Well, how many forces do you have on standby?" Jory asked.

Koala immediately responded, "At least 2000 soldiers, but it may not be enough. Shugoshina is massive. We will be expecting Doflamingo and other marine officials there. They know we are coming."

Renee stood up from her chair. "Then we need more numbers. Agree." Sabo laughed, "I do, but it will be hard to find. I suppose we could employ mercenaries, but..."

"Mercenaries won`t go to Shugoshina. They don`t have the desire to risk their lives for a fight as crazy as that," Jory said.

"It`s right in front of you guys," Renee said. All three of them turned their attention to her. Renee smiled and pointed to the arena, "We have all the warriors we could ever have right here."

"Yeah, but how are you going to convince all of them to fight beside us without a cause?" Koala asked. Renee knew they were running short on time, but they had the solution to their problem right in front of them. There had to be a way to convince them.

A voice from afar intruded on their conversation. "Perhaps I can help with that."

Renee turned her head and saw a Fishman. He stood tall and was muscular. His skin tone was red-orange. He was wearing long black pants and a blue button-up shirt, revealing a sun tattoo on his left pec.

"You must be Konzaru," Jory said from afar. Jory got up and shook the man`s hand.

"I heard you need numbers," Konzaru said. Renee was then bewildered at the sight before her: a group of nearly a hundred fish-man warriors all standing by.

Sabo jumped up, "AWESOME, thanks, Konzaru. The more, the better."

"But why, who are you?" Renee asked.

Konzaru smiled and addressed her, "I am here to help my captain Lucian Xebel; I will never forget the debt that I owe him. This is the least I could do."

Lucian certainly had the influence, huh? She loved that about him. "We saw Marines on the way here. We have little time, so quickly. Indulge us; we can be of service," Konzaru said.

Sabo and Koala laid out the plan to everyone until Sabo said. "They are going to kill him in a couple of days. I don`t know how accurate that intel is. But we must take it with a grain of salt."

The rest of the fishman looked over to each other and began to get riled up. "I like this. We hate the World Government. If Konzaru leads us, we will follow him anywhere," the fishman began to chant.

Renee loved their energy, but then it happened. The beautiful blue sky turned red with hints of black. Her head began to pound, and she felt her consciousness beginning to falter. She looked over at the arena until a shockwave flew out.

It knocked over all the chairs and tables, and the winds began picking up. "Could this be?" Sabo roared over the winds. Renee fell onto her knees, struggling to stay awake. In the distance, she saw a large golden light fall towards the arena.

Then... BOOM! The golden light in the sky faded into the blast of red and black lightning that emerged from the sky. The noise and winds intensified as the blast was unleashed. Was this an attack?

Then it died down, and the sky became blue again. Renee gasped in relief, but her head was still throbbing. Jory ran over and picked her up. "Hey, Renee, you're good!"

Renee nodded as she got back on her feet. What was that?

"That was Conqueror`s Haki; it must be him," Konzaru said, smiling, as the fishmen behind him rubbed their heads.

Renee immediately looked at the arena. The crowd began to disperse quickly from the stands, I mean, whatever was left. They looked injured and scared. Was this Lucian`s doing? Renee saw a glimpse of his power, but it couldn`t be this powerful.

She was naive to the strength of others. This was a lesson for what was to come.

The crowd began to advance towards them as smoke from the arena emerged and the debris of the impact scattered in the wind. "We need to find Lucian now!" Koala yelled.

She pointed to a faint image of marine ships.

Renee followed Sabo, Koala, Jory Konzaru, and his Fishman throughout the city, avoiding detection. After what seemed like forever, they all huddled at the corner of a large building, waiting for a plan.

"We can`t be seen here, Sabo; I`ll take my men and retreat. I still have to do the thing for Lucian," Konzaru said.

Sabo smiled, "Then go. And hurry. He will greatly help tipping the scales in our favor."

Renee wanted to ask what they were talking about, but quickly enough, all the Fishmen turned away and followed their leader.

Konzaru told them he would be taking his group down the hill to the port, waiting for Lucian to come back. They managed to discreetly make their way through the now crowded, frightened streets of the Prodence Kingdom. Renee then heard a transponder ring.

It was Sabo`s. He picked it up and began to listen in. "Hey, what`s up?" Sabo said. Awaiting a response, the three of them crowded the transponder. On the other end was Ivankov.

"Listen, Sabo, the Marines are arriving with Kong. You need to leave as soon as possible; he has gathered intel about you. You are being hunted," Ivankov said.

Sabo picked up the receiver, "We can work around that, but we have to wait for Lucian to rendezvous with us. Do you have the troops ready to set sail for Shugoshina? I fear the Marines may beat us there if they get clearance from King Elizabello."

"Sabo, they have him. On the Dreadnought, that is the rumor," Ivankov said with his voice quivering.

Renee, this time, took the transponder from Sabo, "What do you mean, what dreadnought?" Sabo and Koala looked shocked; this time, their faces flushed.

"The Dreadnought, it may as well be over," Koala said in her voice, full of fear and loss of hope. Renee was fuming. Why were they so down? What was this dreadnought?

"HEY, why the despairing faces? Explain to me... is Mateo... going to be OK!" Renee yelled.

"Hey Ivankov, knowing Lucian, he will not back down. Rendezvous with us five clicks east of the Prodence Kingdom. We will be on Lucian`s ship."

"Copy that, Sabo. Ivankov out!" the transponder clicked.

"Answer her question," Jory chimed in.

Sabo and Koala give each other saddened glances. Koala pointed at Sabo to tell her the news. But all Renee could do was worry about her best friend's life. Was Mateo on the verge of death?

"If Dragon confirmed it, it must be true. That is why they went through all this trouble," Koala said, panicking to Sabo.

"Then the legends could be true, as much as I would want them not to. This changes the tone of the mission."

Renee was visibly angry now, "HEY, LOVEBIRDS, what is going on?"

Both Sabo and Koala exchanged glances that looked more than worrisome. It seemed as if all their hope for this rescue mission disappeared the moment they picked up the transponder.

"There is a large chance Mateo Valois may be beyond saving," Sabo said. Renee walked up to his face and stuck her finger at his forehead, "I WILL NEVER ACCEPT THAT, and neither will our captain."

Koala then did something surprising and took Renee into her arms. The warm embrace felt good as she began to cry. Yet again, Renee fell prey to her emotions, but hearing about this fairytale made her vulnerable.

"I heard about it too, but only in myth under a pseudonym, but it sounds the same," Jory said.

He continued to speak as he grasped the attention of his friends. "The platform puts you through the test. It is designed to destroy your will. Even standing on it for a couple of seconds will leave a man mentally insane for life. If this platform is true, and Mateo is set on it."

Jory didn`t finish his thought as Renee`s tears began to fall down her cheeks. Mateo could be dead by the time they make it there. She refused to believe this story but could not bring herself to argue. Deep down, a part of her knew the truth, but she wouldn`t let it control her any longer.

Koala checked her watch. "We can explain more later, but Lucian is running a bit late. He should be here by now." Renee forgot that this was the agreed-upon rendezvous spot where Lucian needed to meet them.

The crowd was calming down and beginning to disperse. In the distance, he saw her captain running quickly... with a woman in his arms. Who was that?

Lucian finally made it back and gently put the girl down. "Gently next time," the girl said.

Sabo and Koala stuttered as they stared at the girl, "Why is she here?" Koala pointed at her.

"She`s going to help us guys, meet Kallista," Lucian proclaimed.

"You mean Sky Empress Kallista, the one who slayed the G-5. She is insane," Koala muttered.

Kallista looked beautiful but hurt. She had bandages around her head and arms. Her legs were bruised up and swollen, and she struggled to get up, but above all else. She looked like a killer, ruthless and unforgiving.

"You didn`t tell me your friends were fans," Kallista said, directing her attention to Lucian.

"They`ll come around, guys. Kallista is part of the crew now," Lucian said. Jory roared in excitement and clapped. Kallista`s face looked puzzled.

"I never SAID THAT," she roared. Lucian smiled and patted her back, "You`ll come around soon."

Sabo intervened, "It's nice to have someone of your reputation join us. We will need you. Lucian, it's nice to meet you. I am Sabo." He extended his hand to meet her captains.

Lucian took his hand and shook it. "I only heard great things about you, Sabo, so tell me what the plan is."

"First things first, we can talk, but we need to leave the Kingdom now. The Marines are here."

Lucian picked up Kallista, "Agreed. Lead the way." Renee followed as she looked around, and all the people seemed to keep their eyes on them.

"Run slower. My wounds hurt," Kallista said to Lucian. Lucian looked at her and shouted back, "Be grateful, geez."

They approached the hill and began to descend near the ships.

"That Haki, it was you, right?" Sabo asked. Lucian grinned, "Yeah, sorry if I caused some damage."

"Nah, keep that same energy for Shugoshina," Sabo relayed back. Lucian continued to smile as Kallista didn`t look to be feeling well. She looked badly hurt, and Lucian was running really quickly.

After a while, the Black Pearl was in the distance, and they began boarding their beloved ship. Lucian put Kallista down, and as Renee began to examine her wounds, Lucian shouted to Jory to get the ship ready for departure.

Renee began applying medicinal herbs and gave her whatever medicine Mateo used to recommend for wounded soldiers. She wasn`t a doctor, but she applied the best treatment to the best of her knowledge.

Kallista reached behind her and gave Renee something.

It was a devil fruit.

Renee gasped, and Kallista then spoke, "Lucian told me... to give this to you."

She was on the verge of collapsing, so Renee grabbed the fruit and put it to the side. She called over Koala for help and began to reapply new bandages and coat them with the healing herbs. After a while, she passed out.

"She`ll be fine, I think. Just needs to rest. I`ll ready some herbs from Mateo`s room that can heal her quicker," Renee said to Koala. She nodded at Renee, then picked up Kallista and departed down the deck to set her to rest.

The ship began to depart, but Konzaru stayed behind. He began to wave at them. Konzaru said he wanted to stay behind, gather more allies, and meet them there. As they strayed further from the island, she turned back, and Lucian and the rest of her friends laughed as he explained how he had won the event.

Renee studied the fruit. It looked disgusting to eat. If she decided to eat it, she could never swim again. Renee closed her eyes. She had never thought lower of herself in her life than now, needing a devil fruit to prove herself competent for what was to come.

Until she felt a hand on her shoulder, she turned to see Lucian smiling.

"You going to be okay?" Lucian asked.

Renee nodded and wiped a tear from her eye, "I just want to be useful, that`s all."

Lucian's expression changed, and he became serious. "Never say that again. You are so important to me and the rest of the crew, and Mateo needs you. This is no time for self-pity. We are about to enter a war."

He was right. She needed to get over herself. Without hesitation, she bit into the devil fruit. God, it tasted horrible. She chewed and swallowed the piece.

Lucian gasped, "Woah. Do you feel different?"

Renee shook her head; her body felt the same. She extended her arms and tried to use the fruit's power, but nothing happened. She felt defeated.

"HAHA, don`t expect to master it that quickly. Let me train you," Lucian said.

Sabo approached them, "Hey, I need to speak with you in private."

Lucian ordered Jory to take everyone downstairs. She wondered what was so important that they had to speak in private, but she didn`t argue, and Jory accompanied her downstairs.

In the meantime, Renee began trying to experiment with her power. But nothing was working. Maybe she had to eat the whole fruit?

Jory approached her, and he seemed to read her mind, "Oh, you have the powers all right. You just need to learn the trigger mechanisms."

"Oh, and how can I do that, Jory?" Renee asked.

"With practice, of course."

Renee sighed, "But Koala said we will reach Shugoshina tomorrow, and we haven`t much time. If I don`t at least master the basics of this fruit..."

Jory left without saying a word as he descended to his workshop; Renee sighed again and sat beside an unconscious Kallista, who was now sleeping. She was on a makeshift bed, and despite her reputation, she looked peaceful.

Jory rushed back with papers in his hand. "Your fruit is known as the Kado-Kado no mi Renee. It is classified as a Paramecia that allows the user to create playing cards that can be used for offense and defense.

Whoa, Renee, this fruit is quite interesting. The Devil Fruit Encyclopedia states that this fruit grants the user the ability to create cards out of thin air with any material. But there must be more to this for sure!"

Renee knew this already, she just stared at her hand and balled it into a fist.

Power, where did it reside?

She stared out the window into the vast blueness of the ocean. Now more than ever, she wanted power to protect her friends.

Renee made her way upstairs for a breath of fresh air. She turned her head to Lucian. He was talking with Koala and Sabo about something serious. She couldn`t hear them, but it looked serious.

Lucian looked scared; he rarely looked scared.

Renee couldn`t hear what they were talking about, but the truth was it didn`t matter. All that mattered was the present. In the present, she needed to master this power as quickly as possible to be useful to Mateo and her captain, Lucian Xebel!

She descended back downstairs and began experimenting. For a couple of hours, nothing happened. She tried every hand motion to make something happen, but she came up short. Jory was in the back of the room researching more to help her; she was thankful to him for that.

Without thinking, she reached out her hand and felt a pulse from her lower body travel all the way up her spine through her shoulders up her forearms. The pulse grew exponentially stronger as it traveled through her fingers, and it appeared.

A card appeared. It was a 3 of hearts.

Jory roared, "YEAH, RENEE!"

Renee stared at it, and the material seemed tough—a sort of metal alloy. She flicked it towards the wall, and it flew with such speed and precision that it split the wooden pillar in front of them.

"Cool, but don`t damage my ship," Jory said sternly.

She ignored his comment and thought of a card. Then, in between her fingers, five hearts appeared, just like she thought. There has to be more to this than offensive attacks; yes, it was a useful projectile, but what else?

Renee placed the card down and then summoned a 10 of diamonds.

She gasped, "I get it now."

Jory closed the book and rushed towards her, "What is it?"

The higher the card she summons, the more stamina she uses. She felt it the moment it appeared on her hand. Then she summoned the Joker, and boy, did that sap her energy. That was because the Joker is the most powerful card.

And then something weird happened. The card began to shake, and the room temperature dropped. An entity jumped out of the card, and it was the Joker. Your classical-looking Joker, but this one looked quite strange.

"OMG, no way, Renee," Jory said, fanboying.

The Joker stood tall and smiled mischievously as he was ready to attack, and Renee approached him. She barked commands at it: sit down, it sat. Jump, it jumped. One hand up, it obeyed. But each command slowly began to deprive her of her energy.

Until Renee commanded the Joker to disappear, and poof, it was gone.

Jory ran over to her, "I figured it out, Renee; each card plays a role.

Cards 2-10 act as supporting cards, and each suit represents an ability. For example, Renee, what would it give you if you summoned an 8 of spades?"

Renee, intrigued, did what he asked once she summoned the 8 of spades and activated it. There it was...

There was a visible barrier. Jory decided to punch it, and he fell backward, grasping his hand in pain but ultimately laughing. "Try four of hearts, please," he said.

She summoned it, and a yellow light began to emit and circulate across the room. Immediately, Jory`s hand healed, and he was astonished.

Jory couldn`t contain his excitement. "Listen to me, Renee. The possibilities with this fruit are endless. Each number represents a specific ability. Imagine how powerful the face cards will be."

It seems as if hearts and spades have different roles, meaning that diamonds and clubs also fulfill different purposes. This applies to the face cards, too, if you can develop a technique for each card.

You will be unstoppable."

She stopped and stared at her hands. Renee understood what Koala had told her before. It would take time to master, but she just needed to understand the basics.

Renee nodded but was tired after all that card conjuring, "I`ll make dinner. We need one last supper before a grueling war."

Some hours later...

They all gathered around a table, and Renee rushed into the kitchen to prepare some appetizers. She loved the kitchen Jory designed for their ship. It was magnificent and had all the tools she needed.

She quickly went to work, grabbing rice and fish. She began filleting the fish and grabbed the seaweed. Renee was going to prepare a sushi dish. She needed to expand her friends' palates, as they only ate meat.

She began wrapping the fish and rice in the seaweed and added avocado and some seasoning to freshen it up. Renee continued this until she made as many as she could. Once she finished, she garnished the plate with mango sauce to add more flavor.

Anytime she was in the kitchen, it took her mind off things. Her hands were allowed to act freely without a thought; it was calming and relaxing. Renee carried the plate up to the deck. Once she swung open the door, the sky looked different. The once-blue sky became dark and cloudy. The thunder rumbled in the distance, but the wind was calm, and the humidity remained the same.

Her friends were arguing about something, and she set the plate down with a couple of cups of tea she brewed herself. It wasn`t even a second until the plate was set on the table; everyone grabbed the rolls and started chewing on them.

"Hmm, delicious!" they all said. Renee stared down at the plate; it was all gone.

"More, more," Lucian exclaimed, licking his fingers. Renee hit Lucian in the head, "Save some for the others next time."

Everyone laughed, which seemed to lift the mood. Renee went back to the kitchen and began to cook again until she heard the door swing open.

There stood Kallista, barely able to stand up.

Renee dropped the plate and ran to catch Kallista. "Why are you up?"

Kallista pulled a chair next to her and sat down. "Thanks for saving me, but I need to talk to you."

Renee pulled up another chair in the kitchen and sat across from her. Now, they weren`t exactly friends, but she wanted to hear what she had to say, especially if she had walked up all those stairs as hurt as she was.

"Lucian defeated me; no one has done that since... Well, not for many years. But just like him, I felt something that most people in this world lack.

Genuineness, he was truly trying to help me, so that must mean something. Well, you are his crewmate. How did he recruit you?" Kallista said.

Renee began to explain how she and Mateo met Lucian and how he tore apart the Bayou Isles. Kallista sat and listened to every detail, and once Renee finished her story, Kallista grinned.

"Before I traveled to the Prodence Kingdom for the games, I heard of a pirate who had taken down Germa 66. His name was Lucian Xebel, but I thought he was originally another power-hungry pirate.

I never expected that a pirate would go all this way... just to save a friend. He`s risking his life to save this Mateo guy. And he fought to the death to get that devil fruit for you, I just find it interesting, that`s all," Kallista said.

Renee took a moment to think. Lucian wasn`t your typical pirate; he cared a lot for his friends. Even for Kallista, he was able to convince her to join the cause. But from the stories that she heard about Kallista.

It was not pretty.

She is shrouded in mystery, and Renee can`t fully read her. But if Lucian brought her along for the mission, then she should have faith, correct? She was powerful, and Kallista's presence on the battlefield may be a game-changer.

But Renee had no doubts, "I trust Lucian more than anyone, and if you brought you along for the voyage... then he must like you.

He doesn`t like many people, but if he trusts you... Then I trust you as well."

For the first time today, Kallista managed a smile. "You have such faith in a man like him; it must mean you love him, huh?"

Renee`s face turned red. She began to stutter and swing her arms around. "Uh, not romantically or anything like that, but I love him as a friend." Kallista began to giggle, put one hand on her cheek, and tilted her head.

"I'm just teasing, but he is quite handsome," Kallista said.

Renee never saw Lucian like that. Sure, he was handsome, but he saw Lucian more as family as they grew closer. She had zero romantic interest in him(had to clarify that again) but still loved him enough to lay her life for him.

"Lucian kept his word, whatever he promised you. He will deliver. Our goal is simple: to get Mateo back."

Kallista studied Renee. She was very intimidating, but she was also very beautiful and had an amazing body. You`d think men would be chasing after her all the time, but in her presence, you could tell she commanded respect and wouldn`t be disrespected by anyone.

She was one of the strongest women Renee had ever seen, and a part of her wanted to be like Kallista.

"Hey, Kallista."

"Yes," Kallista said in a flirtatious tone.

"You have a devil fruit, right? I was wondering if you could help me with the basics. I mean, we practically go to war tomorrow, and I want to be as ready as possible."

Kallista got up; she seemed to regain her mobility. "Of course, girlfriend, we need to look out for each other on that battlefield after all."

Renee jumped up in excitement, clapping her hands.

Lucian and the rest of her friends adjourned to the kitchen. "It is pouring outside. Jory, you set the Pearl on autopilot."

"Duh," Jory responded as both of them fistbumped.

"Woah, Kallista, why are you up so suddenly?" Koala exclaimed. Kallista turned to them and said, "I`m fine, don`t worry. Now, if we are planning to succeed in Shugoshina, the key to victory is this girl right here."

She pointed to Renee. What was Kallista doing? All eyes were on her, and she felt embarrassed.

"Her new devil fruit power will be useful for dealing with the bulk of the forces," Kallista continued.

"Why, of course, we are counting on you, Renee," Sabo chimed in.

Why, why, why now, Kallista? She had such high confidence in Renee, but why? They just met, but perhaps she saw something in her. But she hated being the center of attention.

Lucian laughed, "Renee, you`ll knock 'em dead tomorrow. Leave the rest to me. I`ll rescue Mateo." Renee quickly picked up on Sabo and Koala's facial expressions, which went from joyful to concerned once Lucian spoke.

What were they talking about? Something was happening that she was in the dark about.

Lucian chimed in, "Well, I won`t get in the way of your training. But I suggest both of you rest before we reach Shugoshina. Tomorrow is no joke; it will be one of the most difficult missions we as a pirate crew have ever faced.

So whatever fears you have, stuff them deep in a bag, tie them off, and throw them overboard. We need every soul fighting to their best tomorrow, especially you, Kallista."

Kallista nodded as everyone exited the kitchen, "Time to get you as ready as possible."

Renee and Kallista went to the gym and began their training.

"Listen, Renee, each devil fruit user takes years to master their fruit. Some even fail to awaken their fruit's full power. But Lucian was right. Sadly for you, Shugoshina is not a place where a beginner should hone their skills.

Shugoshina is a place where no mistakes can be made, and one slip-up means your death."

Before Renee knew it, Kallista flicked a rock at her forehead, and it stung, "OW!"

"Bullets and soldiers will be coming in every direction; you need to learn how to use those cards of yours so that you can defend yourself. Keep up."

"Jory explained the basics of my fruit to me. I`ll try my best."

Despite still being injured, Kallista began to move quickly and flick multiple rocks in her direction. Renee barely knew her abilities, but she remembered one, which, with all the energy she could summon, was the King of Diamonds.

Then she activated the ability, and out of the card appeared a large, 10-foot bulky warrior in armor. He held a large shield.

Kallista looked with intrigue, "What the-"

Renee ordered the warrior to move, and it easily deflected all of Kallista`s rock attacks. It seemed as if the warrior was also linked to Renee's mind, so that whatever she thought would mimic the movements of her cards.

She understands it now.

"Queen of Spades and six of clubs," she commanded.

When both cards were activated, an archer and a small group of vicious-looking mini soldiers sprang out. They all attacked Kallista, and this time, not in a friendly sense.

"NO," Renee yelled.

The archer fired multiple projectiles toward a heavily injured Kallista, and the little mini soldiers moved so quickly to attack her new friend.

Kallista looked angry, conjured her sword, and, with one swing, easily killed the queen and mini soldiers. But afterward, she winced in pain.

Renee began to cry, "I am so sorry."

She sheathed her sword, "Not to worry. I am impressed you could summon that much power. Just don`t do it again."

Renee saw her limping away, the blood of the open wounds running down her leg. "Wait, stay there," she told Kallista as she turned around and stared at Renee.

"Ten of hearts," she said as a card appeared on her. Renee walked towards Kallista.

"Touch it," Renee said. Kallista looked at her and back, reluctant to trust her. But Kallista slowly touched the card, and then a glimmering light emitted from the card. And when it finally died down.

Kallista was healed, almost at least.

"No fucking way, Renee, did that card just heal my injuries," she said as she was running around the room. And jumping around like a ballerina.

"I figured out one thing: hearts can heal people, but it makes me very tired," Renee said.

Kallista then caught Renee right before she fell, "You have an interesting ability, alright, but the truth is you have no control over it."

"I know; I just got it like a couple of hours ago."

Kallista took some time and began examining her new body, not a wound in sight. She chuckled. Renee laughed with her, even though she`d only known Kallista for a short time. Renee was able to get another look at her and realize she had more to her than just an intimidating persona.

Renee believed they could be friends. Lucian sure knew how to pick them, that`s for sure. But even so, Renee knew that out there on the battlefield, no one would be able to save her.

She`d have to fend for herself, and that is what scared her the most.

Because Renee knew one truth: when Lucian told her, he`d get Mateo back. That he was serious about that.

Jory rushed in, "Hey ladies, we will be arriving in Shugoshina soon. Get ready."

Both Kallista and Renee exchanged a look, and they smiled.

For some reason, at that very moment.

Renee had hope.