The Den Den Mushi blinked.
Its tiny face stretched wide, mimicking the loud, animated expression of the man on the other end.
"YOU BASTARD!!!"
Giovanni laughed, leaning back on one hand as he let Shanks's voice echo through the room.
"You're just jealous."
"OF COURSE I AM!"
Shanks barked back instantly.
"You went all the way to Fishman Island without me?!"
Giovanni was genuinely irritated.
"You came here before me!"
There was a brief pause.
"…I'm going to punch you when I see you."
"Right back at you."
Giovanni shot back casually.
From the other side of the Den Den Mushi, more voices started spilling in.
"Oi, Boss, let me talk!"
"That idiot better still be alive!"
"Move, you're blocking the snail!"
Giovanni raised an eyebrow.
"Sounds like chaos as usual."
The Den Den Mushi's face shifted again—
More composed now.
More grounded.
"Gio."
Giovanni smiled slightly.
"Hey, Beckman."
Benn Beckman exhaled slowly.
"You're causing problems even underwater now?"
Giovanni shrugged.
"I wouldn't call it problems."
A beat.
"More like… opportunities."
"Right."
Beckman didn't sound convinced.
Another voice burst in—
Loud.
Hungry.
"GIO! DID YOU EAT YET?!"
Giovanni grinned wider.
"Roo?"
"OF COURSE IT'S ME!"
Lucky Roo laughed.
"You better not be eating better than us down there!"
Giovanni glanced around at the luxurious room, the lingering scent of the food still hanging in the air.
"…I plead the fifth."
"YOU TRAITOR!"
Laughter echoed through the Den Den Mushi.
Another voice cut in, slightly more annoyed.
"Oi. Move."
"Hey, don't shove—"
"Shut up, I'm talking."
Giovanni smirked again.
"…Limejuice?"
"Yeah, yeah."
Limejuice sighed.
"You disappear for two years, come back, then disappear again. Real reliable."
Giovanni rolled his eyes.
"You're still here?"
"…I'm leaving soon."
"You've been saying that for years."
"Shut up."
More laughter.
Another voice, calmer, quieter slipped through.
"…Giovanni."
Giovanni straightened slightly.
"Hongo."
Hongo adjusted on the other end.
"I assume you're not injured."
Giovanni smirked.
"Nothing serious."
"…Good."
Then—
A new voice.
Loud. Energetic. Familiar.
"GIOOOO!"
Giovanni blinked.
Then grinned.
"…No way."
"IT'S ME!"
Yasopp laughed loudly.
"Long time no see, bastard!"
Giovanni let out a sharp laugh.
"You actually arrived?!"
"Of course I did!"
Yasopp replied proudly.
"Couldn't let Shanks have all the fun."
Shanks scoffed in the background.
"You joined because you had nowhere else to go."
"Lies."
Giovanni shook his head, still smiling.
"Man… this crew just keeps getting better."
From beside him—
Otohime leaned in slightly, curious.
"…May I?"
Giovanni glanced at her.
Then nodded.
"Go ahead."
She gently moved closer to the Den Den Mushi.
"Hello…"
She spoke softly.
"It is me. Otohime."
Silence.
Then—
"…Wait."
"…Queen Otohime?!"
"…THE Queen?!"
The entire crew seemed to freeze on the other side.
Shanks' voice came through, suddenly more composed.
"…You're… with her?"
Giovanni leaned back again.
"Yeah."
"…Of course you are."
Otohime smiled gently.
"Your friend is quite… lively."
"That's one way to put it."
Beckman muttered.
"He has helped us greatly."
She continued.
"And he is… a good person."
A pause.
Then—
Shanks laughed.
"Yeah."
A softer tone now.
"I know."
Giovanni blinked slightly.
"…Anyway."
Shanks suddenly shifted tone again.
"Enough of that."
Giovanni raised an eyebrow.
"…What now?"
A grin crept into Shanks' voice.
"Let's meet."
Giovanni sat up slightly.
"Where?"
"Dressrosa."
Giovanni's eyes lit up.
"…Dressrosa?"
"Yeah."
Shanks replied.
"We'll head there."
A pause.
"And…"
His tone turned mischievous.
"I've got a surprise waiting for you."
Giovanni grinned.
"Oh?"
"Something you'll like."
"That doesn't narrow it down at all."
"Exactly."
Giovanni chuckled.
"…Fine."
He stood up, stretching slightly.
"I'll meet you there."
"Don't be late."
"Me? Late?"
Giovanni scoffed.
"Impossible."
"Yeah, yeah."
A brief silence.
Then—
"…Take care, Gio."
"…You too."
Click.
The Den Den Mushi went still.
Silence filled the room again.
Giovanni stared at it for a moment.
Then smiled.
"…Dressrosa, huh."
Otohime watched him.
"You seem excited."
Giovanni smirked.
"Of course."
A pause.
"My crew's there."
---
Somewhere in a random island in the New World.
A noisy bar.
Filled with pirates.
Laughter.
Alcohol.
Chaos.
At the center—
Shanks slammed his mug onto the table.
"ALRIGHT!"
The entire bar quieted slightly.
"We're heading to Dressrosa!"
Cheers erupted instantly.
"Finally!"
"About time!"
"Let's go!"
Beckman exhaled smoke calmly.
"Try not to wreck the place when we get there."
"No promises!"
Shanks laughed.
Nearby—
Yasopp leaned back in his chair, a wide grin on his face.
"…Heh."
He looked toward the sea.
"Can't wait to see that bastard again."
Yasopp
Recently joined the Red-Haired Pirates
---
The palace gates stood open.
Soft currents drifted through the entrance, carrying with them the distant hum of the ocean above.
Giovanni stood at the edge of the royal courtyard, stretching his arms lazily as if he wasn't about to leave one of the most surreal places he had ever seen.
Behind him—
A small gathering had formed.
Rows of mermaids.
Bright smiles.
Shimmering tails.
And absolutely no sense of personal space.
"Giovanni-sama~!"
"Don't leave so soon!"
"You should stay a little longer~!"
Giovanni grinned so wide it looked like his face might split.
"Trust me, if I could, I would."
One mermaid leaned closer, tracing a finger lightly along his arm.
"We can always make room for you~"
Another wrapped her arms around his shoulder.
"You haven't even seen everything yet~"
Giovanni's brain short-circuited for a second.
"…Yeah, I might have to rethink my entire life plan."
A few steps back—
Queen Otohime watched the scene with a knowing smile.
"…Shanks was right."
She murmured softly.
Meanwhile—
The mermaids from before, those who had been part of the ambush stepped forward hesitantly.
Their expressions… different now.
Just guilt.
"…Giovanni-sama."
He turned slightly.
"…Yeah?"
One of them bowed her head.
"We're… sorry."
Another followed.
"We acted without understanding…"
"…We were wrong."
A brief silence.
Giovanni looked at them.
Then shrugged.
"It's fine."
They blinked.
"…What?"
He stretched his arms behind his head casually.
"You didn't really have a choice, did you?"
They froze.
Giovanni smirked.
"If anything, blame those two idiots."
A pause—
Then the tension broke.
"…Thank you."
Before they could say more—
Another mermaid tugged on Giovanni's sleeve.
"Giovanni-sama~ don't forgive them so easily, they should apologize properly~"
"Oh?"
Giovanni raised an eyebrow.
"And how do you suggest that?"
The mermaid smiled mischievously.
"…We can think of something."
"…I like where this is going."
Otohime sighed softly, shaking her head.
After a while—
The moment settled.
Giovanni stepped forward.
Stopping in front of Otohime.
"…Well."
He scratched the back of his head.
"Guess this is it."
Otohime nodded gently.
"…Yes."
A small pause.
"Will you come back?"
Giovanni didn't hesitate.
"Of course."
Her eyes softened.
"…I'll be waiting."
He grinned.
"Make sure the mermaids are here when I do."
"…Of course."
She replied smoothly.
Giovanni gave a small nod.
Then turned—
And walked.
Toward the outer edge of the island.
Where one figure already stood.
Tall.
Broad.
Silent.
Fisher Tiger.
The two stood across from each other.
For a moment—
Neither spoke.
Then—
Giovanni smirked slightly.
"…You're not gonna attack me again, right?"
Fisher Tiger snorted.
"…Not today."
A faint chuckle.
Giovanni nodded.
"Good."
Another pause.
Then—
His expression shifted slightly.
More serious now.
"…Hey."
Fisher Tiger looked at him.
Giovanni scratched his cheek.
"…This might sound rude."
"…Say it."
Giovanni met his eyes.
"…Keep an eye on the Queen."
Fisher Tiger didn't react immediately.
Giovanni continued.
"Hody Jones."
Fisher Tiger's gaze sharpened slightly.
"…I don't trust him."
A pause.
"…I think he'll try something one day."
Silence.
Fisher Tiger crossed his arms.
"…And you expect me to act on your suspicion?"
Giovanni shrugged.
"Not really."
He smirked.
"I just figured… if anyone's gonna notice something off, it'd be you."
Another pause.
Then—
Fisher Tiger nodded.
"…I'll keep watch."
Giovanni grinned.
"Good enough."
The tension eased.
"…You're strong."
Fisher Tiger said suddenly.
Giovanni blinked.
"…You too."
A faint smirk passed between them.
Then—
Giovanni turned.
At the edge—
His small coated vessel floated.
Wrapped in a shimmering bubble.
Supplies stacked neatly.
Ready.
He stepped onto it.
The mermaids gathered behind him.
Waving.
Calling out.
"Come back soon, Giovanni-sama!"
"Don't forget us!"
"We'll be waiting~!"
Giovanni raised a hand lazily.
"I won't."
Otohime watched silently.
A soft smile on her face.
Fisher Tiger stood still.
Arms crossed.
Eyes sharp.
Then—
The bubble shifted.
The boat began to rise.
Slowly.
Ascending.
Giovanni stood at the center.
Hands in his pockets.
Eyes looking upward—
Toward the distant light.
His thoughts drifted.
'As long as Fisher Tiger is here…'
'Otohime should be safe.'
A pause.
'For now… this is enough.'
His expression darkened slightly.
'But those two…'
'Arlong… Hody…'
His grip tightened just slightly.
'I'll deal with them myself one day.'
The ocean grew darker as he ascended.
Then lighter.
Then brighter.
Until—
He disappeared into the distance.
---
Somewhere near the Maubeugemour Sea—
A small Marine outpost stood on a rocky stretch of land.
Minimal.
Functional.
Quiet.
Inside—
A woman stood by the window.
Long hair flowing gently behind her.
A saber resting at her side.
Gion.
In her hand—
A worn newspaper.
Edges slightly torn.
Ink faded with time.
About two years old.
At the center—
A familiar face.
Giovanni.
She stared at it.
Quietly.
"…Where did you disappear to…"
Her fingers tightened slightly on the paper.
A faint smirk tugged at her lips.
"…Don't tell me you ran away."
The wind blew softly through the open window.
Her gaze remained fixed.
---
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