—Broadcast—
The Big Mom Pirates absolutely could not afford losing Charlotte Katakuri. His absence from the organizational hierarchy represented far more than merely missing one powerful combatant—it would signal fundamental weakness to every competing power structure monitoring Cake Island's strength.
The loss of a Sweet Commander—particularly the strongest Sweet Commander, the external pillar whose invincible reputation had protected countless territories through sheer deterrent effect—would allow the other Four Emperors sensing vulnerability like sharks scenting blood in water. If those ambitious leaders launched coordinated invasion during this period of weakness, this massive extended family would most likely fracture completely under external pressure.
The Charlotte siblings understood this calculus with brutal clarity. Their organizational strength derived not merely from their mother's personal power—Charlotte Linlin's deteriorating mental condition made her increasingly unreliable as institutional foundation—but from the competent commanders maintaining day-to-day operations. Lose Katakuri, and the carefully balanced power structure risked catastrophic collapse.
Charlotte Hikaru assured her brothers and sisters with absolute conviction—the fierce certainty only five-year-old prodigies bearing Mangekyō Sharingan could project—that she could control her younger brother's Devil Fruit ability safely. She promised avoiding endangering other Big Mom Pirates members while restoring Charlotte Katakuri to his original physical state at the lowest possible cost.
"I understand the risks better than anyone," Hikaru stated flatly, her crimson Sharingan eyes sweeping across assembled siblings with intensity that made several flinch unconsciously. "I've studied every controlled experiment's results. I've analyzed the pattern of equivalent exchange. And I believe I can direct the cost—ensure the price falls on me rather than random victims."
The mathematical confidence in her childish voice generated profound cognitive dissonance. This was kindergarten-aged girl calmly discussing sacrificing herself to fuel miraculous healing, calculating acceptable casualties with precision that would horrify most adults.
This radical proposal also received agreement from the seriously injured person himself. Charlotte Katakuri—floating in nutrient solution, limbless torso covered with shark bite scars—had made his position absolutely clear through written communication (lacking vocal cords' full functionality after the trauma). He refused remaining in nutrient solution indefinitely, existing as helpless invalid dependent on family's charity for continued survival.
If he became permanently useless—unable to fight, unable to protect his siblings, unable to fulfill the responsibilities that defined his entire identity—the proud warrior would honestly rather die. He'd explicitly stated his preference: attempt the wish-based healing regardless of risks, because existence without purpose represented fate worse than death.
Charlotte Katakuri placed all his hopes on his youngest sister and hoped that through the Nega Nega no Mi (Wish-Wish Fruit), their mother's youngest son could completely cure him—restore everything exactly as it had been before Admiral Kisame's catastrophic assault.
After extensive negotiation among the Charlotte siblings—debates lasting hours, contingency planning for various failure modes, establishing protocols for immediate evacuation if the wish backfired catastrophically—the final decision was made.
Tien Shinhan of the Three-Eyed Clan would accompany Charlotte Hikaru as bodyguard and tactical assistant. The two would descend together into the imprisonment facility deep beneath Cake Island, retrieving Charlotte Linlin's youngest son from the darkness where he'd been confined for their family's safety.
The imprisonment facility's entrance lay hidden in Cake Island's deepest basement levels—regions where even most Charlotte family members never ventured. The location's secrecy wasn't merely for Alluka's containment but also to protect other valuable assets stored in these secure depths.
The detention area featured more than a dozen reinforced steel gates, each incorporating gravity-manipulation technology that would crush any unauthorized person attempting to breach them through physical force. The security system required specific rolling password inputs—complex mathematical sequences that changed daily—to open all barriers simultaneously in proper sequence.
The process took considerable time—approximately ten minutes of careful input verification before the security protocols accepted the authorization codes. During this extended waiting period while massive mechanisms ground into motion, Tien Shinhan's three eyes wandered across the underground chamber's features with professional curiosity.
Then something caught his attention—something that made all three eyes widen simultaneously with genuine shock.
A massive red stone cube stood in the chamber's far corner, its distinctive coloring and strange geometric patterns immediately recognizable to anyone familiar with ancient history. Strange inscriptions covered every visible surface—language that predated modern writing systems, characters that seemed to shift and flow when observed peripherally.
"This is a Road Poneglyph," Tien Shinhan stated quietly, his voice carrying mixture of awe and concern. "I didn't expect finding one stored in a place like this—treated as mere decoration for a prison entrance."
Charlotte Hikaru glanced at the red stone cube with only mild curiosity, her young mind not fully grasping the historical significance. "Can you understand what's written on it?" she asked innocently, tilting her head as she studied the incomprehensible symbols.
Tien Shinhan didn't avoid the topic—such evasion would insult the girl's intelligence and their developing trust. He simply nodded slightly in her direction, acknowledging the uncomfortable truth. "Yes. The Three-Eyed Tribe possesses inherent ability to interpret the ancient language inscribed on these Poneglyphs. But this capability isn't a gift from the divine—it represents a natural curse that has nearly destroyed my people."
His weathered face displayed profound bitterness as he explained the tragic history few outsiders knew.
"Ninety-nine percent of the reason why the Three-Eyed Tribe has become so extraordinarily rare across all seas stems from disasters caused by our connection to these historical texts. Any faction discovering that Three-Eyed individuals can read Poneglyphs will never allow such talents wandering freely—we represent too valuable a resource, too dangerous to leave uncontrolled."
The Three-Eyed warrior's hands clenched unconsciously, old anger resurfacing. "The Celestial Dragons behind the World Government adopted systematically discriminatory policy toward my people. After being captured, Three-Eyed Tribe members become lowly slaves—collared, branded, stripped of all human dignity. Even if we know the secrets inscribed in Poneglyphs' historical text, we can never turn that knowledge toward liberation while standing before the 'Gods' who control life and death through absolute authority."
The explanation cast Charlotte Pudding's childhood suffering in darker context. Her ostracism hadn't merely been aesthetic prejudice against her third eye—it represented instinctive fear that her distinctive feature would attract World Government attention, potentially dooming the entire family to Celestial Dragon scrutiny.
"Do you want the One Piece too?" Charlotte Hikaru asked directly, her Sharingan eyes studying Tien Shinhan's micro-expressions for deception. The question carried weight—if he sought the Pirate King's legendary treasure, his motivations for joining the family might be exploitative rather than protective.
Faced with the girl's blunt interrogation, Tien Shinhan gave straightforward negative response. "I have zero interest in whatever wealth Roger left behind. The family members living beside me—particularly Charlotte Pudding, the only other Three-Eyed person I've found in decades of searching—represent the most precious treasure this world contains. Gold and jewels cannot replace having a community, having people who understand your cursed existence."
Charlotte Hikaru nodded with satisfaction at his answer, her Sharingan confirming he spoke truthfully. The response pleased her—demonstrated Tien Shinhan valued people over power, loyalty over ambition.
The bald warrior allowed faint smile touching his normally stoic features. His thoughts turned toward the Big Mom Pirates' future trajectory. Charlotte Linlin was a person who'd grown up in the previous era, achieving Yonko status through raw power and strategic marriages producing dozens of children. But she would leave this world eventually—whether through age, battle, or her deteriorating mental condition finally destroying her completely.
At that point, Tien Shinhan mused privately, who could possibly raise the Four Emperors' flag in her place? Who possesses sufficient strength, charisma, and strategic vision maintaining this organization's cohesion?
His three eyes studied Charlotte Hikaru as she waited impatiently for the security gates finishing their unlocking sequence. If the girl before me continues developing—if she survives to adulthood and her Mangekyō Sharingan doesn't consume her vision completely—perhaps there will come a day when she ascends to Yonko status. A five-year-old who already thinks in terms of acceptable casualties and strategic sacrifice... what will she become at twenty? At thirty?
The thought generated both hope and profound unease. The world might need leaders willing to make ruthless pragmatic calculations. But did it need leaders who'd learned such ruthlessness before even reaching teen years?
The steel gravity gates finally lifted upward as unified system, their tremendous weight rising slowly through mechanical assistance. During the deliberate climb—safety protocols preventing rapid movement that might damage equipment or injure personnel—a deep tunnel opened gradually, permitting passage into the underground facility's innermost sanctum.
Charlotte Hikaru demonstrated no fear of the dark environment despite being only five years old. She took the lead immediately, running ahead with urgency that suggested desperation rather than mere enthusiasm. Her small form disappeared into the shadows, leaving Tien Shinhan following at more measured pace—professional bodyguard maintaining vigilant awareness of surroundings rather than rushing blindly.
The girl's anxious hurry stemmed from simple fact: she hadn't seen her biological brother for half a year. Six months of separation represented enormous duration for young children whose entire lives spanned fewer than six years. She could only observe her twin's existence in the confinement room through surveillance equipment—watching him on screens, never touching, never speaking directly, maintaining connection through one-way observation that felt increasingly like voyeurism rather than family bond.
If I could grow up faster, Hikaru's thoughts screamed with frustrated desperation, if I could gain more substantial influence within Totto Land's power structure, the timeline for Brother Alluka finally achieving freedom would be dramatically shortened. But I'm only five! Nobody takes five-year-olds seriously regardless of Sharingan or strategic thinking!
The confinement room's interior defied every expectation of "prison cell" that visitors might hold. Instead of cold stone walls and minimal furnishings, the space was covered in gentle warm colors—soft pinks, calming blues, cheerful yellows creating atmosphere more resembling bedroom than detention facility.
Mountains of various dolls filled nearly every corner, creating landscape of plush toys that would overwhelm most children with options. Stuffed animals, porcelain dolls, action figures, handmade creations—hundreds of playthings accumulated over years of imprisonment, gifts presumably from Charlotte Hikaru attempting to make her brother's isolation more bearable.
Judging from the decoration's layout and aesthetic choices, this genuinely didn't resemble a place where a boy had lived. Instead, it looked like princess room carefully prepared for beloved daughter—feminine colors, delicate furnishings, emphasis on soft textures and comforting atmosphere.
The cognitive dissonance generated immediate questions about the imprisoned child's actual gender identity or perhaps his sister's attempts projecting her own aesthetic preferences onto his living space.
Charlotte Hikaru's Sharingan eyes swept across the chamber systematically, searching for her brother among the doll mountains. But despite the room's relatively small size—perhaps twenty meters square—she couldn't locate him visually.
This is normal, Hikaru reminded herself, suppressing frustration. Alluka always plays this game when I visit. He's not hiding from me out of fear or rejection—he simply wants playing hide-and-seek because it's one of the few interactive activities available in his isolated existence.
"Alluka, come out quickly!" Hikaru called with theatrical exasperation, her voice carrying affectionate exasperation rather than genuine anger. "You want playing hide-and-seek with your sister again? Don't you know that your sister is a master at hide-and-seek? You can't possibly win!"
The girl's black pupils transformed instantly—shifting to blood red as three tomoe appeared in each eye, spinning slowly as her Sharingan activated fully. She employed her extremely illegal eye technique without hesitation, using Uchiha bloodline's signature ability to locate her brother hiding somewhere in the doll mountain landscape.
The Sharingan's enhanced perception allowed seeing through obstacles, detecting minute movements, perceiving chakra signatures that revealed living beings' locations even when physically concealed. Against normal targets, the technique represented absolutely overwhelming advantage—no hide-and-seek opponent could possibly evade detection.
But as Hikaru's empowered gaze carefully scanned every corner of the confinement room—examining each doll pile, each shadow, each potential hiding spot with methodical precision—she detected no living creatures whatsoever. The chamber appeared completely empty except for herself, as though her brother had somehow vanished entirely or never existed in the first place.
A puzzled expression crossed the girl's features, Sharingan spinning faster as she intensified her search. That's impossible. Alluka must be here. The security logs show nobody leaving, and he couldn't wish himself to another location without external trigger—someone would need to wish for his transportation.
Then, in the next moment, a black shadow detached from the ceiling directly above her head.
The figure had calculated the angle perfectly from the beginning, accounting for Hikaru's Sharingan blind spots and the predictable scanning pattern she'd use searching at ground level. The descending form dropped straight into the girl's arms with enough momentum knocking her completely off balance, sending both siblings tumbling to the plush carpet in tangle of limbs.
The instigator lying atop Charlotte Hikaru—the person who'd executed this playful ambush with surprising tactical sophistication—was her younger twin brother Charlotte Alluka.
Although Charlotte Alluka's biological sex was definitively male, his appearance could easily deceive casual observers into assuming feminine gender. He wore an ornament similar to forehead protector positioned across his brow—decorative piece serving unknown purpose but adding to his distinctive aesthetic. His black hair fell in glossy cascade reaching his waist like waterfall, the carefully maintained locks suggesting someone (probably his sister during previous visits) devoted considerable effort to grooming despite his imprisonment.
His bangs were neatly arranged to cover his forehead completely, the hairstyle creating frame around his face that emphasized delicate features. The overall effect made him appear sweeter and more lovely than most girls his age—soft features, large expressive eyes, gentle facial structure that would mature into either striking beauty or persistent androgyny depending on how puberty affected his development.
But the most eye-catching aspect of Charlotte Alluka's appearance was the four ball-shaped hairpins decorating his braided hair. Each hairpin displayed different carved expression: joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. The accessories weren't merely decorative—they represented external manifestation of his emotional states, physical anchors for feelings that might otherwise remain hidden or suppressed during his isolated confinement.
These hairpins possessed almost supernatural quality—they seemed responding to Alluka's genuine emotions in real-time:
When he smiled, the hairpin representing joy would shine with subtle luminescence
When he concentrated, the hairpin representing contemplation would tremble slightly
When he became angry, the hairpin representing rage seemed expressing his dissatisfaction through darker coloring
When he cried, the hairpin representing sadness would remain perfectly still, quietly accompanying his grief
The accessories cleverly embellished his hairstyle while making it more lively and interesting—transforming what might have been merely pretty braids into something approaching supernatural artifact that broadcast his inner emotional landscape to anyone observing carefully.
"Sister Hikaru! Alluka missed you so much!" the boy exclaimed with genuine joy radiating from every feature, his arms wrapping around his twin sister in desperate embrace. "You finally came to play games with me again! It's been so long—I was starting to think maybe you'd forgotten about me!"
The last statement carried hurt beneath the cheerful tone—vulnerability that even imprisoned children couldn't entirely suppress when facing abandonment fears.
Character Profile: Charlotte Alluka
Nega Nega no Mi (Wish-Wish Fruit) User - Paramecia
Charlotte Linlin's Youngest Son
Charlotte Hikaru's Twin Brother
Age: 5 years old
Status: Imprisoned
Faced with this brother who'd suddenly scared her—dropping from ceiling she'd failed detecting despite Sharingan—Charlotte Hikaru reached out and gently pinched Alluka's tender cheeks as mild punishment for the fright. Her fingers squeezed the soft flesh with just enough pressure to be slightly uncomfortable without causing genuine pain.
Can it even be called bullying when an older sister disciplines her younger brother? Hikaru's internal justification suggested she'd inherited certain maternal attitudes from Charlotte Linlin regarding acceptable family dynamics.
Charlotte Alluka accepted the cheek-pinching without complaint, simply hugging his sister's body tighter. He was feeling the warmth and familiar scent of his most beloved person—the only individual in the entire world who genuinely cared about his wellbeing beyond merely containing his dangerous abilities.
Being locked in this confinement room wasn't pleasant despite the comfortable furnishings. The isolation proved cruel beyond what most people could comprehend—subjecting underage child to solitary imprisonment with only dolls for company, existing in artificial princess-room designed to make captivity slightly less psychologically devastating.
Charlotte Alluka cherished every moment with his sister desperately, each second of physical contact representing precious treasure he'd mentally revisit during the lonely months between her visits. He absolutely didn't want causing his beloved sister additional trouble by complaining about his treatment or demanding freedom that might endanger the family.
I'll endure this, Alluka's thoughts maintained with the peculiar mature resignation that imprisoned children sometimes developed. As long as Sister Hikaru stays safe, as long as the family doesn't suffer because of my existence, I can tolerate being in here. The dolls are nice. The room is comfortable. And eventually, maybe someday, Sister Hikaru will be strong enough that she can free me without anyone daring to object.
While the brother and sister embraced intimately—whispering to each other face-to-face, Hikaru explaining the plan to heal Charlotte Katakuri, Alluka asking detailed questions about their injured older brother's condition—Tien Shinhan had deliberately remained hidden in the entrance's shadows.
The Three-Eyed warrior was observing Charlotte Alluka carefully with all three of his eyes, utilizing the enhanced perception his unusual anatomy provided. As outsider who'd joined the Big Mom Pirates relatively recently, he hadn't known initially that Charlotte Hikaru possessed a twin brother—the information had been deliberately concealed from him.
Even Charlotte Pudding had kept Alluka's existence secret from Tien Shinhan despite their close tribal relationship. Nobody within the organization wanted mentioning the name "Alluka" casually—the boy represented simultaneously precious family member and existential threat, someone whose very existence generated profound ambivalence among his siblings.
Although this experienced warrior didn't yet know the Nega Nega no Mi's complete specifications—Charlotte Pudding had explained only that it was "wish-granting fruit with catastrophic costs"—he could deduce that Charlotte Alluka represented something fundamentally wrong from observational evidence alone.
A child less than ten years old, imprisoned in comfortable princess room behind dozen gravity gates, feared by his entire extended family, capable of hiding from both Sharingan and my Qi-based detection...
That final detail generated the most profound concern.
"The Wish-Wish Fruit—can it grant any wish regardless of scope?" Tien Shinhan wondered aloud, his voice barely audible but carrying genuine curiosity mixed with dread.
As master of Ki—ancient martial art manipulating life energy for combat and perception—Tien Shinhan possessed abilities that should have detected Charlotte Alluka's presence immediately upon entering the confinement room. Qi perception revealed living creatures through their bioelectric signatures and spiritual emanations, techniques that worked on humans, animals, even supernatural beings in most cases.
But Charlotte Alluka had been completely invisible to Qi detection.
Similarly, Charlotte Hikaru's Sharingan—legendary Uchiha bloodline technique granting enhanced vision and supernatural perception—had failed locating the boy despite systematic scanning. Two completely different detection methodologies, both representing extremely reliable techniques for finding hidden targets, and both simultaneously failing when attempting to locate single child.
The failure of two excellent methods on identical problem explained many disturbing possibilities:
Possibility One: Charlotte Alluka himself didn't register as "living creature" to supernatural perception—suggesting the Wish-Wish Fruit had fundamentally altered his existence at metaphysical level.
Possibility Two: The Wish-Wish Fruit actively protected its host from detection, generating concealment effect that bypassed conventional awareness entirely.
Possibility Three: Charlotte Alluka possessed sufficient control over the Wish-Wish Fruit's reality-warping capabilities that he could wish himself undetectable, retroactively altering causality so that searchers simply couldn't perceive him regardless of methodology.
All three possibilities represented variations on the same horrifying theme: The imprisoned child commanded powers that transcended normal physical laws, making him potentially impossible to contain if he ever genuinely desired freedom.
The only thing keeping Charlotte Alluka imprisoned, Tien Shinhan realized with cold certainty, is his own love for his sister and unwillingness causing her additional suffering. Those gravity gates, those security protocols, the surveillance systems—all merely theater designed to make the family feel safer. If this boy wanted escaping, nothing could actually stop him.
Which means the moment Charlotte Hikaru makes her wish to heal Charlotte Katakuri... we'll all be at the mercy of what price the Wish-Wish Fruit demands.