* Still The Second Day After The Seasonal Storm.*
Turning back time, morning on Spring Island.
Dawn broke with golden light piercing through the forest canopy. Birds chirped, petals fell like drifting snow, and the warm air carried a quiet urgency.
Binko patted the final plank into place. "She's done," he said, exhaling. "This Ardent Gale is ready."
Freed Kruz stood beside the vessel, eyes shining with something he hadn't felt in years—hope. "She's more than ready. She's freedom."
Zoro stretched and cracked his neck. "Let's just hope this floating box doesn't sink in the first wave."
Nami stepped up, holding the handmade compass and a map made from bark and ink. "I've marked the wind direction and tide flow. We follow the petals and steer through the center of the Narrows. That's our only path."
Kruz nodded. "Aye. Once we enter, there's no turning back."
The four of them pushed the ship into the water. It creaked, bobbed, then floated steady.
They climbed aboard. The sails caught the wind instantly. Nami stood at the helm, focused. "Here we go!"
The ship surged forward, gliding through the crystal water. Petals danced in the breeze — the sign had come. The Spring Zenith was beginning.
As they neared the cliffs, the once tranquil current turned vicious. Waves slammed against the rocks. A thunderous roar echoed from the canyon ahead — the Whispering Narrows.
"There!" Kruz pointed. "Through the middle — between the two stone towers!"
Zoro grabbed the ropes. "I'll handle the sail shifts!"
Binko ran below deck to brace the joints. "This hull better hold!"
The ship shot into the Narrows. Water churned like a whirlpool. The cliffs on either side screamed with howling wind, and jagged coral reefs waited to tear the ship apart.
"Hard to starboard!" Nami shouted, eyes sharp. "Ride the left current, then cut across!"
Zoro pulled the sail ropes with force. Kruz took the rudder alongside Nami, sweat dripping from his brow.
"Almost… almost there!"
The hull groaned as it scraped a coral ridge — sparks flew.
"Hold on!" Binko yelled from below. "She's cracking!"
"Now, sharp turn!" Nami screamed.
The Ardent Gale spun, catching the final burst of wind — and shot out of the canyon like an arrow, flying past the edge of the magnetic field.
A flash of light burst overhead. Then silence.
And calm water.
The ship rocked gently under a clear blue sky.
Nami slumped over the wheel, breathless. "We made it…"
Kruz stood in stunned silence, eyes brimming with tears. "After ten years… I'm finally free."
Zoro grinned. "Told you. We don't leave crew behind… or anyone willing to sail forward."
Kruz smiled. "Then count me in."
...
Summer Island.
The gentle breeze rolled in from the sea, rustling the sails of the freshly repaired *Silent Orca*. The ship now rested quietly at the edge of Summer Island's bay, anchored and ready. Aboard, the remaining crew—Miria, Gin, Usopp, Vivi, and Hibari—stood waiting, scanning the treeline that separated the dense forest from the shore.
"Are they coming?" Usopp asked, glancing nervously toward the forest path.
"I'm not sure," Vivi replied, shading her eyes with her hand as she looked into the distance.
"They said they'd meet us," Miria said calmly. "Let's wait a little longer."
A few minutes passed in silence. Then—
"There!" Gin pointed. Two green figures emerged from the treeline, running at a brisk pace toward the dock. Chloris and Moris, the Dryads, had finally arrived.
"Sorry for the delay," Chloris called out as they approached. "We had to retrieve something important—and I wanted to say goodbye to the birds."
"Must've been a heartfelt farewell," Hibari muttered, glancing at the two.
"It was," Chloris said with a soft smile. "They've been with us since the drifting days."
Miria stepped forward, giving a nod. "Alright. Come aboard."
Chloris and Moris climbed up the rope ladder with ease, their leafy forms moving gracefully. As they stepped onto the deck, their eyes took in the sea vessel with curiosity—its sturdy wood, the polished rails, the fluttering sails. It was a different world from the one they were used to.
With the crew assembled, Miria gave the word. "Let's set sail."
Gin and Hibari moved into action, helping untie the ropes while Usopp manned the rudder. The sails caught the wind, and the Silent Orca slowly began to pull away from the island's dock, the hull slicing gently through the turquoise waters.
As they cleared the shoreline, Vivi asked, "Do we have a reliable direction to Alabasta?"
There was a pause. Then Hibari gave a confident smirk. "Technically, the eternal pose Miss All Sunday gave us is still with Nami…"
Everyone turned to him, brows raised.
"…But I have my own," he added smugly, pulling a small glass orb from his satchel. The needle inside spun slightly before locking in one direction.
"You had one this whole time?" Usopp said, surprised.
Hibari shrugged. "Can't trust only one source. Binko should've had one too… if he didn't lose it, that is."
"Well, that settles it," Miria said. "Set course for Alabasta."
As the ship gained speed and the coastline began to shrink behind them, Chloris and Moris stood at the stern, gazing silently at the disappearing forest.
"This place…" Chloris murmured, "we survived here, alone, for so long. It feels strange to leave it behind."
Moris nodded, his expression unreadable, but there was something somber in his eyes.
"You'll find your people," Vivi said gently from beside them. "And we'll help you."
Chloris gave a small smile. "Thank you. Truly."
As the Summer Island faded into the horizon, the Silent Orca sailed forward toward Alabasta.
...
Autumn Island.
"Goodbye, everyone!" Sanji called out, waving with a warm smile. "Thanks for the food—and the hospitality!"
Beside him, Nojiko also waved, her hair swaying gently in the sea breeze. Alvida gave a calm nod, her usual smirk softening slightly into a rare expression of gratitude.
"Quack! Quack!" Karoo flapped his wings excitedly, mimicking the waves of the humans.
A cheerful chorus of farewells echoed from the villagers lining the docks. Among them stood Harbin, the middle-aged farmer, who let them stay in his house. He raised a hand in farewell. "Take care out there! And Karoo—watch over them, alright?"
"Quack! Quack quack!" Karoo puffed out his chest proudly, as if accepting a great responsibility.
"We'll meet again someday," Nojiko called out.
As the ship slowly drifted from the shore, Sanji looked around the dock, scanning the faces one last time.
"Strange," he muttered. "I don't see Stev."
"Maybe he's too sad to say goodbye," Nojiko offered, frowning slightly.
"Could be," Sanji replied. "Either way, it's time to sail."
The crew moved into position. The sails caught the wind, and the ship pulled away from Autumn Island, heading back out to sea. The island grew smaller behind them, its autumn-colored trees swaying like a farewell banner.
For a while, all was calm.
Then—Sanji's brows twitched.
"Something's off…"
Nojiko glanced at him. "What is it?"
Sanji took a step to the ship's edge, peering down. "It feels like… something's tugging at us. Like we're dragging weight."
Alvida narrowed her eyes. "You mean like a sea current?"
"No… not that kind of pull," Sanji muttered, his brows furrowed as he strode toward the stern of the ship. Something was definitely wrong. The wind was good, the sails were full, but the ship felt... heavy. Like something was resisting.
He leaned over the railing and narrowed his eyes, scanning the churning waters below.
There—something was attached to the rudder.
A thick rope, nailed to the back of the hull, trailed into the sea. With a deep sigh, Sanji grabbed the rope and began hauling it in, expecting maybe tangled debris.
Instead, what surfaced left him—and the rest of the crew—completely stunned.
From beneath the waves, a large, capsule-like pod bobbed upward. It was metallic and round, like a mini submarine. As it surfaced, a latch on the capsule hissed open with a burst of steam.
Inside, grinning ear to ear, was none other than Jovus D. Stev.
"FINALLY! I escaped! Hahaha! I escaped my homeland!" he shouted triumphantly, flipping a switch to release the capsule's flotation device, causing it to stabilize on the water.
The entire crew stared in disbelief.
Sanji blinked. "You've got to be kidding me."
Without thinking, he grabbed the rope again, ready to untie it and let the capsule drift away. "Alright, show's over. Time to go back home."
"W-WAIT! Don't let go!" Stev yelped, gripping the edges of the pod. "I-I came to join you! Let me travel with you!"
"Why would we let you do that?" Sanji asked flatly. "Go back to your village, submarine boy."
"I can help you!" Stev shouted quickly. "I'm an inventor! I can build all sorts of cool stuff for your ship—weapons, tools, gadgets! You name it!"
Sanji didn't look impressed. "Not interested."
"W-Wait! I haven't shown you everything!" Stev frantically dug through the small compartment beside him. "I have something you'll definitely want!"
The crew glanced at each other, mildly curious despite themselves.
Stev emerged holding a wrapped object, carefully protected in cloth and wood casing. He unwrapped it with flair and revealed a fruit.
Not just any fruit, a Devil Fruit!
Gasps rippled through the group.
"That's…" Nojiko's eyes widened. "A Devil Fruit?"
"Yup!" Stev grinned. "I found it years ago. Never used it. I don't know what it does, but I figured if I ever met a pirate crew worth sailing with—this would be my ticket."
Sanji hesitated, eyes narrowing. "You're really willing to trade that, just to come along?"
Stev nodded eagerly. "It's yours. Just give me a chance."
Sanji glanced at the others. Nojiko gave a small shrug. Alvida crossed her arms but didn't object. Karoo quacked neutrally.
"…Fine," Sanji finally muttered, pulling Stev's pod closer. "But if you build anything that explodes on this ship, we're throwing you overboard."
"Yes! You won't regret this!" Stev beamed, grabbing the rope ladder.
As he climbed up, Devil Fruit tucked under his arm, the rest of the crew just stared—unsure whether they'd just gained a genius or a complete headache.
...
*The Third Day After The Seasonal Storm.*
Winter Island.
The morning sun rose gently over the snow-covered peaks of Drum Island, casting golden rays across the village below. The air was crisp, the snow glistening, and the villagers gathered near the harbor to see their guests off.
Standing atop a small mound of snow near the shore, Zino waved a white towel dramatically as if bidding farewell to a beloved companion.
"Goodbye, my snow treasure trove!" he cried, tears welling in his eyes—though everyone could tell they were fake. "This is not our final parting! One day, I shall return and eat you once more!"
Several villagers blinked in confusion. A few even chuckled, shaking their heads at the strange farewell.
Mikita rolled her eyes and yanked on his sleeve. "Alright, snow freak. Time to leave."
Zino let out a dramatic sigh, patting one final snow pile before turning away. "Goodbye, sweet frost…"
He then reached into his coat and activated his System Storage. In a sudden flash of light, a full-sized ship materialized in midair and crashed into the nearby sea with a loud splash.
*Thoom!*
Gasps erupted among the villagers.
"Did that just—?!"
"Where did that come from?!"
Even Dalton's jaw dropped slightly at the sudden appearance. "He just... summoned a ship?"
Kaya, used to Zino's oddities by now, was still taken aback for a second, but quickly composed herself. "It's part of his ability," she explained quietly. "Don't think too hard about it."
The three of them walked toward the edge of the dock, where the ship bobbed gently in the water. It wasn't huge—about half the size of the Silent Orca—but it was sturdy, with a sleek hull and simple sails. Enough to carry them across the seas.
Kaya and Mikita boarded first, thanking the villagers along the way. Zino turned once more to the crowd that had gathered.
"Thank you for your kindness!" he called out with a grin. "Take care of this country! We'll meet again someday!"
The villagers waved back, smiles on their faces.
"Safe travels!"
"Watch out for storms!"
"Don't summon anything weird in the middle of the ocean!"
Dalton stepped forward and gave them a firm nod. "Stay safe out there. And thank you again—for everything."
Zino gave a playful salute. "You got it, Chief!"
With that, the sails were hoisted, and the ship slowly pulled away from the dock, catching the morning breeze. Snowflakes drifted gently from the sky as the villagers watched the trio disappear into the distance.
For a while, everything was serene.
Until—
*Glub-glub-glub.*
"…Huh?" one of the villagers blinked.
Before their eyes, the ship suddenly tilted, wobbled—and began to sink.
"Wait, wait, WAIT!!" Mikita's voice echoed faintly across the water.
Kaya screamed, "ZINO! DO SOMETHING!"
From the shore, the villagers stared in horror—and amusement—as the ship bobbed wildly and dipped beneath the surface.
"…Are they going to be okay?" one of them finally asked.
Dalton just facepalmed. "They'll figure it out."
He wasn't sure if he believed that. But knowing that strange crew... maybe, just maybe, they would.