Conomi Islands— Near the forest road of Cocoyasi Village
Afternoon light filtered through the dense greenery as the crew walked down a quiet dirt path. The air smelled of salt and distant tangerines—a strange mix that Fuwako wasn't there to smell.
Not anymore.
Sanji had a cigarette between his lips, hands in his pockets.
Zoro stood, arms crossed, bandages across his chest.
Usopp clutched his bag tight.
Luffy stared with a blank look.
And Nami was nowhere among them.
Instead—
There was someone else waiting.
A woman with blue hair, a calm demeanor, and tired eyes. Walked up to the crew as they spoke.
Nojiko.
The woman Nami called sister.
"So that's it, that's how Nami pretended to kill me and made sure I could escape Arlong Park. Looks to me like she has some sort of hidden motive to hang out with a bunch of renegade fishmen." Usopp finishes his retailing, sweating slightly.
"Obviously." Sanji says, eyes closed.
"Fine, what's next? Do we destroy Arlong Park?" Zoro states.
"Woah! Hang on just a second! Don't you think we better find out what's up with Nami first?!" Usopp freaks out.
"It's no use either way," Nojiko said harshly, standing a few feet away from the crew. "No matter what you guys do, Arlong's rule won't come to an end."
That made Sanji opens his eyes and look back.
Made Zoro narrow his eyes.
Made Usopp swallow hard.
"Nojiko!" Usopp says surprised, the only in the crew who knew the woman.
"Who's she?" Luffy finally speaks.
"Nami's big sister." Usopp states.
"What? Nami-san's sister?! No wonder she's so hot!" Sanji fanboys, hands on each side of his face and eyes shaped like hearts.
"What do you mean it's no use?" Zoro, one of the more reasonable member of the crew, questions.
"Just trust me, don't get yourselves involved on what's going on here and leave poor Nami alone. I'll explain the situation." Nojiko states, hand resting on her hip.
"The situation?"
"You mean to tells us you know why she joined Arlong's group?"
"Yes. And if that doesn't get you to leave J don't know what will."
"Okay. Tell us all about it, I gotta admit I'm curious."
Luffy…just stared, gaze empty.
"I'll pass," he said simply, staring to walk forward, past Nojiko and down the path.
Usopp sputtered. "H-Hey wait!"
"I don't care about her past." Luffy starts without looking back.
"Where you going Luffy?" Sanji steps forward once.
"A walk." Luffy says simply.
"A-A walk?! Do you mean you're not gonna listen to this?" Usopp rushed forward by two step, clearly freaking out at his friend's behavior.
"Nope." Luffy says and simply keeps walking away.
Nojiko studied him quietly. Her expression shifted—not anger, not annoyance… but confusion yet understanding. "Who's he?"
And that alone made her decide:
The story would be told anyway…
Even if one listener decided to wander off.
Luffy kept walking without looking back.
And with that—
he disappeared into the distance.
Zoro turns and walks up to a tree nearby, resting his back to it as he sits on the floor.
"Don't mind him, just how he is. We'll hear you out. Though I can tell you right now I don't think it's gonna change anything."
"Well, I'll listen too! It might help me make some sense out of everything that's going on around here." Usopp says confidently.
"Me, too! I want to know all about her!" Sanji smiles brightly.
Nojiko point at Zoro who's now snoring against the tree trunk arms behind his head. "Now he's asleep"
"Hey, you said you'd hear her out!" Usopp yells angrily.
Nojiko's gaze softens as she smiles slightly. "I see. This is why it was hard for her."
And the soon the story began.
Luffy didn't know where he was walking.
He didn't need to.
He followed something stronger than directions—
a feeling.
Suddenly three fishmen stood before Luffy as he passed by the area their temporary ship had crashed. Yet the boy simply kept walking. Completely ignoring them as he walked past.
"Hey! You there!" The octopus looking one yells.
"Huh? You mean me?" Luffy stops looking back at them.
"Who are you! And what are you doing in this island?!" The same fishmen continues.
"What does it matter to you?" Luffy replies without turning his whole body to faces them.
"Well it's just that…we don't get met visitors.." the octopus says unsurely.
"Huh, well my name's Luffy. I'm just passing through."
"Passing through?! Well have a nice time!" The octopus yells in a much less hostile tone, pulling out six yellow tissues from nowhere as he waves, then crosses his four top arms and rest his lower two on his hips.
"Hey smartass, where are you going?" The one with long fins on his arms yells as Luffy walks away.
"Heck if I know!"
"Hahahahaha! He seems like he'd be a fun guy to have around!" The octopus laughs.
"Yeah sure, but who the hell is he?" The one with giant lips and blond hair says.
"He walked right by us and wasn't even intimidated. I've never seen that before." The one with long arm fins states.
The sun shun brightly in the sky, stretching long shadows across the grass. The cicadas chirped loudly in the silence. The forest dense on one side of the road, and long stretching plains on the other, the wind brushing the tall vegetation in waves. The scent of salt returned… familiar… distant.
Like it had followed them from another island.
He stopped walking.
His eyes narrowed—
not in thought. But in recognition.
The breeze was different.
Not normal. Not natural.
Heavy.
Uneasy.
Mourning.
"…Fuwako," Luffy muttered.
His feet moved again.
Step by step.
Faster.
The plains parted. A shoreline appeared. And at its edge…just barely visible behind a set of broken crates and long grass…
The Going Merry.
Luffy's eyes widened. Relief flooded through his veins—and confusion right behind it.
"Fuwako?! Hey!! It's me!!"
No response.
The ship was motionless. Even the sail hung low—not from windlessness, but exhaustion. As if the mast itself had been carrying someone's pain.
Luffy ran.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
He jumped over the railing—and landed on the deck with a heavy thump.
"FUWAKO!! I'm back!!"
His voice echoed.
But there was no chirping reply.
And then…
he saw it.
The small dino-bird lay on its side at the base of the mast—wings bound tightly against their body, feathers dull with exhaustion. Their eyes were open… but distant. Clouded. Red rims showed they hadn't slept properly for hours.
The rope dug into their feathers. Their chest rose quickly… too quickly…
Luffy froze.
"…Oi."
His voice dropped—quiet, careful.
"Hey."
He moved toward them slowly.
Fuwako didn't move.
Their eyes barely blinked. Their breathing was shallow. But something… lingered beneath it all.
The clouds.
Dark. Heavy.
Still hovering above this single ship.
Luffy looked up.
"…Did you make those?" he asked.
Fuwako didn't answer.
But the wind did.
It responded with a slow gust across the deck—softening when it hit the captain.
Acknowledging him.
Accepting him.
And then—
Fuwako's body trembled.
Their eyes widened—struggling to focus on him.
"P…pyu…"
—…you… came back?
Luffy knelt beside them—and without hesitation… began untying the rope.
"You're part of my crew," he said firmly. "Like hell I'd leave you behind."
The rope loosened.
Their wings shivered beneath it.
And when the last knot fell free…
Fuwako didn't move.
Instead—
They collapsed into Luffy's chest.
Not physically exhausted. Not just scared.
They had simply waited too long to feel safe.
And only now did their tiny trembling body accept the chance to rest.
Luffy held them gently, arms supporting every feather and scale.
"You were alone all this time… weren't you?"
Fuwako chirped weakly.
"Py…Pyu…"
—It hurt. But…Nami…she's hurting…
Luffy rubbed the back of their head.
"…Sorry I was late."
Overhead—
a patch of sky began to clear across the clouds.
Only a small one.
But it was enough.
The stir m above the Merry slowly eased.
Not gone.
Not defeated.
Just… calmer.
Like its purpose had been fulfilled.
Luffy sat against the mast, Fuwako curled in his lap—quiet, feathers warm, heartbeat slow. His hat tilted forward as he looked toward the island.
"…We're gonna get Nami back," he said simply.
Fuwako didn't reply with chirps or winds this time.
They only pressed closer into his chest.
And for the first time since Nami left…
…they finally felt safe enough to sleep.
The clouds overhead shifted once more—
not clearing away completely…not yet…but drifting slowly. Gently.
As if the sky was waiting for its next command.
TO BE CONTINUED…