An Eternal Bond

Family

I sat at the top of the ship's mass with a solemn expression on my face as I watched the island I was just on get smaller and smaller. I never did get to ask how long people are in  stone for when I use Hancock's Devil Fruit, but I didn't care if they were encased in stone for the rest of time.

I poked the air, trying to use Oyaji's Devil Fruit power again, but to no avail. It was like a temporary adrenaline boost.

"Hey, what are you doing up there?!"

I looked down and saw Cavendish staring up at me, his hands on his hips and an unamused expression on his face.

With a sigh, I jumped down and landed in front of him. "Is my crew okay?"

"Yeah, they're fine... sorry we couldn't bring all of them."

"It doesn't matter. The ones we didn't bring were dead anyways." It felt bitter on my tongue to say those words. It didn't show on my face though, since Cavendish asked, "Why do you look so unbothered from saying that?"

I was bothered. Very bothered. Actually, no, I was devastated. But I didn't have the energy to show it. I didn't need to show it.

"I could've killed him."

He tilted his head. "W-What?"

"Blackbeard. I almost killed him." I held up my hand, holding my index finger and my thumb about half a centimetre apart. "I was this close... to ending his life. But I didn't."

Cavendish sighed and sat down. "I've seen you before in the newspaper. You always seem to take the spotlight, and to be honest, I was pretty close to refusing to help with your crew. But then I saw your eyes. In the newspaper, when described by the navy, even on your wanted poster, you're so filled with life and wonder. A grin was always on your face."

He leaned forward. "So where are they?"

I stared at him. He had the face of a person that would be... well, pretty annoying. The type that would bring a mirror in front of him, throw a tantrum when people didn't know him, and just... I don't know, something I wouldn't want to be associated with.

But he was a generally decent person, other than the fact that all conversations seem to circle back to him in some way.

"You're an interesting one." I grabbed the overhanging wood from his ship's mass and pulled up. "Drop us off at the nearest island. I'll make sure your name gets in the headlines."

Annoyed that he didn't get an answer, Cavendish turned around with his arms crossed like a child. "So rude! I was showing some concern and you didn't even acknowledge it."

I made eye contact with Izo, who was seated on the side of the ship next to one of Cavendish's crew, who looked like he could pee his pants at any moment. He was sitting next to the 16th Division Commander of the Whitebeard pirates. I don't blame him.

I jumped down and walked over, plopping myself next to him. "Is everyone else alright?"

"They're resting below deck. The ship's medic said they'd be fine."

I got up. "I'll go check on them." Izo ended up getting up and following me.

The two of us were seated below deck, the ship's doctor already having left the room.

I put my hand on the bandage covering his left eye. "Sorry I couldn't come sooner." He took my hand and lowered it. "We told you not to come for a reason. It was Marco's last resort to call you because he didn't want the rest of us to die."

I sighed and leaned back. "Why do you protect me so much...? I'm not that different from the other members of our crew."

He put his hand over mine and I looked over.

"We all treasure you. Ace loved you with all his heart and we knew it. Oyaji loved you like a father and we all knew it. And we loved you like our little sister, and we knew it. We wanted you to have the family you never had."

He inhaled and let go of my hand. "When he heard that you never really had a father, Oyaji filled in that place. When we learned that you never made friends and didn't have any siblings, we filled that in for you."

I took a shaky breath. Why was it always them jumping in front of me to protect me? Why can't I do it myself? I brought my knees to my chest and buried my face in them.

"You... don't have to do that. I don't want you to put yourself in danger to protect me. I don't know how a family works, but I feel like if they're going to do something, they should do it together."

My voice was cracking as I continued.

"I thought I was going to lose you... all of you. And so many of you are already gone, I don't know what I'd do if-"

Izo pulled me in. "I know... but Ace made us promise." I gasped quietly and I looked up. "W-What?"

"When Thatch died... that day, when you ran off to your room, we knew that Ace was planning on going after Blackbeard. He said he'd do so, but we didn't know he was serious. He didn't want you to come. He made us promise that you'd be safe in our care once he left. And that promise is still relevant."

I put my hand over my mouth. "Why... Why do you look out for me without looking out for yourselves?! All of you! I don't want you to do that! I was supposed to die a long time ago, so keep yourselves safe before you do so for me!!"

I heard the bed behind me shift and I turned, revealing that my crew was listening.

"Sorry..." I stood up and walked back to the deck, leaving my crew below deck.

"Was there a heated argument down there or something?" I heard one of the crew members ask but I flew up and sat at the top of the mass.

I overreacted, I thought. They were trying to protect me and I got mad. "Dammit..." I held up my finger and a little flame formed at my fingertip, slowly detaching and dancing around my hand like a fish.

"I learned how to do that for you!" Ace smiled and let the little flame fish disappear before it hit my nose.

The flame hissed and went out. And I learned it for you...