The Pirate Ninja

Epilogue

A/N
Surprise!!

Hello! It's been a journey and I'm so thankful to all my pirate readers. When I first posted this I was so nervous, publishing my first story! But you all have been so sweet and I'm happy y'all enjoy it as much as I do.

Your support has pushed me to keep writing and to get all my ideas down, in case it turns into a story one day.

As thanks, I wrote a little epilogue for our favorite pirate crew and their beloved ninja. Maybe one day I'll write a prequel story on the pre-Marineford adventures.

Keep Dreaming Pirates!

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After taking down warlords and yonkos, having fun filled adventures as they did, they finally did it. The Straw Hats reached the end of the Grandline. Surrounded by families and friends, allies and comrades, they learned all there was in the world.

Luffy didn't care for the knowledge or whatever power the world gave him, he just wanted the title. He wanted the world to know he was the King of the Pirates.

And nothing was better than a big party on the beach of Raftle, music and laughter floating through the air. Food was cooked and eaten in record time by the several pirate crews lounging around, all acting like old friends.

It wasn't a surprise that the Straw Hats did it, with two yonko crews supporting them in the back and with more determination and willpower for adventure and freedom than any rookie crew.

In the middle was a large bonfire surrounded by Luffy and his crew, Shanks and his crew, Whitebeard with Marco, Ace and a few other commanders. Law and his crew were roped into joining, not exactly putting up much of a fight.

The Straw Hats fell silent as Luffy got that look in his eye, one that held so much emotion it could stop people in their tracks.

"Hana would have loved to see this." Even though his voice was soft for once, everyone heard it, heard the emotion held behind it.

The mood turned somber at the remembrance of the fiery redhead who was too lazy for her own good. "She would have loved the party, totally up her alley." Nami held her drink up for a toast.

Cups, tankards, mugs all lifted to the sky for a toast to their fallen friend. Held close in their hearts and never forgotten, always a Straw Hat pirate.

"To Uzumaki Hana, dancer of the Straw Hats."

A cheer went around as they drank to that, a few eyes lingered on the quiet Captain. Luffy had pulled out something from his pocket, his thumb running over a small pendant.

"Luffy, what's that?"

Ace leaned over to look at what he held, spotting a familiar mark on it. It spun between two calloused fingers, switching between the two symbols.

The fire logia let his brother gather his thoughts, doesn't happen much but damn when it does he could be pretty insightful. "It's Hana's. Her precious treasure she gave me for safe keeping." Even though Ace really wanted to hold it and see what it was, it had become something irreplaceable and so precious to his brother.

From the way the young captain held it and the emotions in his eyes when he looked at it. Ace could spot the dull spots, indicating that Luffy has rubbed the pendant a lot. Over and over and over again.

He stayed a comforting presence next to the straw hat wearer, offering no words of comfort but just being there for him. "What does it mean?" Ace kept his voice soft and low, but the others knew and a few looked curious. The Straw Hats just smiled softly at the pendant, they knew of it and what it meant to their crewmate.

"She said it was the only thing from her homeworld. The symbol of her clan." The swirling design Ace had seen before after she got it tattooed on her back. "This one is her village symbol." The other side held the mark of the Hidden Leaf.

An arm slung over the youngest body, a blonde appearing on his other side. The three brothers sat in silence, before Sabo spoke. "She's proud of you, just as we are."

The wind blew around them, warm and comforting, swirling through the group. It felt like sunshine and home all at once, it felt familiar.

A blur of blue appeared before them, taking form to someone they all knew and loved. She looked around the fire at the gathered people, taking in the stunned faces.

Uzumaki Hana always had something up her sleeve. One last card to play.

"Hana!"

Shouts of her name went around, causing her to grin. "Hello! Been awhile hasn't it." Hana took in their older looks, they looked well though. And happy.

Her attention turned to the one man who held her heart, his eyes blown wide in shock. "Hana..." He barely whispered her name as he registered she was here. "How?"

"Ah, an Uzumaki always has some trick laying around." Her grin was contagious, the warm breeze from before back. "I left a chakra imprint on my pendant, in case I didn't make it to see you accomplish your dream. I want to be able to be here, King Luffy."

Hana bowed a little to him, her gaze never leaving his. "This is an image of me, I'm here but not here." Always the cryptic one when it came to ninja stuff. "I'm very proud of you, you've done what no one else has done."

She went to flick his forehead, just like she always did, but he barely felt more than a light breeze where she touched him. Turning, Hana looked at her friends, "Ah I'm proud of you all, look how much you've grown." They had gotten so much stronger and grown up to be such fine people. She was proud to call herself a Straw Hat.

"Remember, I'll always be with you. Even when you can't see me," A finger tapped her chest, right above her heart, "Carry me in your hearts. Every adventure you have, every new island you find. Every government you topple and chaos you unleash. I'm with you through it all."

Hana didn't have long, the lack of chakra in this world made it hard to keep her imprint for long. Just long enough to see them all, see the dreams accomplished, checking in that they were all okay.

The blue surrounding her was fading, making her harder to see. She gave them a bright grin, "Time for me to go. I don't expect to see any of you for a very long time," Another soft look was sent to the teary eyed Captain squished between his older brothers. "Live free Captain. Always live freely."

Another warm breeze brushed past them all and the image of Uzumaki Hana disappeared with it. Carrying her far beyond where they could reach, but that warm breeze stayed to linger. Brushing along them all.

Hana was a wind user and some things are left unexplained when it came to chakra.

Luffy slowly grinned that infamous smile of his, reaching up to take his hat off so he could slip the necklace over his head. The pendant laid to rest in the middle of his chest, just next to his heart. Where he will always carry her.

Placing his hat back on and giggling, his crew lit up at the weight lifted from his shoulders, that carefree grin in place.

"Let's party!"

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A/N

Another author's note. I just...writing the epilogue hit me harder than I anticipated. And it ended up being longer than I thought it would be.

Our (second) favorite Uzumaki has made a reappearance. I got inspiration after watching the episode where Naruto sees his parents through their chakra imprint. No idea if it's possible the way I made it, but it's fanfiction and this book is so far from canon :)

Hana still watches over them, she wouldn't miss them completing each of their dreams for the world. Once a straw hat, always a straw hat.

Thanks for reading this book,it means the world to me that you all read the entire thing! Hope you stick around to the end of The Guardian, and any future books!