Mistake

The Final Farewell

One Month Later

Law sat on the window seat inside the Thousand Sunny, staring out through one of the small round portholes, watching the vast, endless sea of the New World beyond. But it wasn't the familiar view from his own ship. The Polar Tang, their submarine and home, was gone—sunk by Blackbeard in a brutal ambush that had left them all battered and displaced. The Heart Pirates had barely escaped with their lives, and for now, they were living as guests aboard the Straw Hats' ship.

Bepo sat beside him, his usually bright expression dimmed with sorrow. His paws fidgeted in his lap, and his white fur was matted in places, evidence of their narrow escape. He seemed reluctant to speak, and yet he stayed, keeping vigil by his captain's side.

Finally, Law broke the silence, his voice soft and strained. "If you all... want to live a normal life now, I won't stop you." The words came out heavy, like he was admitting defeat. He knew how much they'd all lost—how tired they must be of constantly running, constantly fighting. Especially now, with their ship gone, he couldn't blame them for wanting a way out.

Bepo looked up, his round eyes filling with a mix of sadness and fierce loyalty. "We'll miss you, Captain." His voice wavered, thick with the weight of goodbye he'd been holding back.The rest of the Heart Pirates—Penguin, Shachi, Clione, and the others—had been gathered around, listening in silence. Hearing Bepo's words broke the dam. They stepped forward one by one, surrounding Law in a rough, uneven embrace, each of them muttering their own reluctant farewells. "We'll miss you, Captain," they said, their voices overlapping, tinged with a bittersweet finality. They clung to him, unwilling to let go, as though prolonging the moment might somehow stop it from being real.

Law closed his eyes, taking in the warmth of their presence. How had it come to this? he wondered, feeling a dull ache settle in his chest. How had they ended up here, on someone else's ship, saying goodbye?

It all felt as sudden and inevitable as a storm breaking over the New World.

A Week Ago

The thought of leaving had started with Corazon. Seeing him alive—against all odds, a miracle in itself—had stirred something in everyone. Corazon had pulled Law aside one evening, his voice soft but resolute.

"I'm still a marine, Law," he said, with a look that suggested he'd been holding back these words for a long time. "I'm grateful for this second chance, but I just... I want a quiet life. Somewhere peaceful, far from the battlefield." He looked away, guilt flickering in his eyes. "I can't keep living this way."

The words struck Law like a punch. Corazon—his mentor, his miracle, his family—wanted to leave it all behind. After everything they'd been through, he wanted peace, not revenge, not endless battles. And for the first time, Law could see it—what it might mean for Corazon to finally rest.

That conversation had lingered in the back of Law's mind, and it didn't take long for the rest of the Heart Pirates to start voicing similar thoughts. Penguin and Shachi mused about finding a place to settle down, a quiet village where they could build something real, something that didn't involve risking their lives every day. Bepo spoke wistfully of seeing snow again, maybe finding a home somewhere calm and safe, where he wouldn't have to worry about battles lurking around every corner.

At first, Law dismissed it all as idle talk—a way for them to distract themselves from the pain of losing the Polar Tang. But as the days passed, he saw the look in their eyes change. They were exhausted, beaten down by the years of fighting and the recent loss of their ship. And as much as they loved him, they were staying only for his sake. They'd be ready to give up their dreams of peace and stability if he asked them to, but Law could never bring himself to do that.