Trigger warning: violence, disturbing scenes (nothing too graphic)

*

«So it will be Punk Hazard, huh?»

Aokiji nodded in the penumbra of the office, his squared features outlined by the candlelight.

Sengoku sighed, letting his back lean against the chair.

«You know Sakazuki won't hold back.»

«Then neither will I.»

The Fleet Admiral paused for a while before turning and picking something from the cabinet behind his desk. Then he placed an old bottle and two shot glasses on the mahogany surface.

«Would you like a drink? This is the second finest I have.»

The corners of Aokiji's mouth twitched upwards.

«What about the first finest?»

«I save it for when you'll be Fleet Admiral.»

The man let out a silent chuckle and grabbed one of the glasses, now filled with the pale liquid.

Sengoku brought his own drink to his lips and took a sip before his expression turned serious again.

«For what is worth, I recommended your name.»

Kuzan observed the flickering reflections on the liquid before gulping the shot in one quick motion.

«You know I was never interested in the position.»

«Yes. But you stepped up anyway.» Sengoku stood and walked to the wide window «I understand your situation better than you think.»

Aokiji observed him looking into the night, at the dark ocean resting placidly on the horizon.

«You know, sometimes...» Sengoku lingered, as if he was pondering the words in his mind «Sometimes I wonder, hadn't I been there at the time, if things could have gone better.»

«Why?»

The Fleet Admiral smiled.

«Because if I hadn't stepped up, maybe Garp would have.»

Aokiji remained silent as the other marine stared at the view for a while, then sighed and turned back to him.

«But you're not here to indulge in remote what if's. Why did you come to see me, Kuzan?»

Sengoku walked back to his seat and Aokiji emptied a second glass.

«The mission I was sent on when I returned with Y/n.» he said «If I don't come back from Punk Hazard, I would like for those files to be... lost.»

The Fleet Admiral smirked knowingly.

«Straight to the point, of course. Well, I shouldn't say this, but I inform you that those files were already lost years ago. I don't think anybody will be able to retrieve them, at this point.»

Kuzan blinked, surprised for a moment. Then a faint smile tugged at his lips.

«I see.»

He stood up and bowed his head in a quiet greet.

«I'll be taking my leave then. I've already wasted enough of your time. Thank you for the drink.»

He headed to the door but was stopped by Sengoku's call.

«Kuzan.»

The man waited for the other to glance at him before continuing, his face partially hidden behind his own intertwined fingers

«I won't be able to do much more to protect her, if you're not the one coming back from Punk Hazard.»

Aokiji closed his eyes, that faint smile still lingering on his features.

«I'll make sure it will be me then.»

Moving through hostile territory without any weapon but a dagger was difficult and nerve-wracking. Losing Stray was not only painful, it made you extremely vulnerable to enemy's attack. As you walked through the forest, memories from your childhood kept coming back to you. Well, not exactly full-formed memories, it was more about that familiar, hateful sensation of being so terribly small, weak, and defenceless in a shitty, shitty world.

Oh, get yourself together, Y/n! You're a trained soldier, you have powerful Observation haki, you are not some pitiful orphan anymore.

...but you were never a great soldier, without your rifle.

During your days in the Academia, you were often targeted as part of the weak bunch. Your muscles were not particularly strong, your reflexes not particularly fine, your legs not particularly fast. You tried, and you tried, and you were often left behind.

Except when there was a fireweapon in your hands.

And now my hands are empty.

You looked down at your pale palms before clenching them into fists.

Quit feeling sorry for yourself, Y/n! You chose to desert the Marines and come into Yonko territory, now don't you dare meet a quick end with a pathetic death! That would be laughable.

Plus you still had your haki. Your Observation allowed you to get through two encounters with the Beast Pirates undetected. You learnt there were patrols of guards moving through the forest, they were riding giant lizard-like creatures and were seemingly looking for something, or someone. As you felt them approaching, you quickly climbed up a tall tree and watched them disappear in the depths of the vegetation.

Right, even during your training days, there were two things you didn't suck at: climbing and swimming. Few could chase you up rocky slopes or stay underwater as much as you did, courtesy of your childhood days escaping the bullies.

You sighed heavily as you stepped back on the soil after the galloping of another patrol faded in the distance. You were hungry, thirsty, and tired.

It took another two hours to reach the first village, if you were daring enough to call it that. Muddy huts, dry land and pestilent stench.

Your haki didn't signal any enemy, so you walked through the entrance. As soon as they spotted you, the few locals hurried into their abodes.

«What a warm welcome, worthy of the fabled Wano openness to foreigners.»

You proceeded down the dusty path, accompanied only by the buzz of flies. You passed cattle bones and a dry well.

I love my luck.

Wary eyes followed your steps from the rudimental windows.

«Oi! Can someone give me indications at least? Then I'll be off!» you called around.

No one answered, but your haki tingled faintly and you moved aside to avoid a flying rock.

«That's rude.»

«GO AWAY!»

A kid jumped out from behind a shed and barred your road brandishing a stick.

You glanced down at his running nose and torn rags, unimpressed.

I'm so done with crazy kids.

Many audible gasps rose from the huts around you but nobody else showed their face.

You rolled your eyes.

«Can I help you?»

«GO AWAY, YOU MONSTER! WE WON'T HAVE YOU FREAKS HERE AGAIN!»

«I don't know who you're referring to, I--»

The child charged at you with a yell and you lazily avoided him again by stepping aside.

«What are you doing?»

«I'M GONNA KILL YOU!»

Fragments from the white beach flashed in your mind.

When the kid attacked you again, you quickly tore the stick from his hands and tripped him to the ground. He hit the dirt with a cough but rolled on his back with a rabid snarl, so you pressed your foot on his legs. Not hard enough to break anything, but effectively pinning him down.

«Let me go! I'm gonna kill you! Let me go!»

He curled on himself to bite your ankle, so you grasped the stick and brutally pounded it down onto him. The pointy end plunged into the ground inches from the kid's face and he froze.

His enormous eyes darted on yours, mouth wide to breathe heavily. You held his stare.

«You're gonna die if you keep this up.» you slowly said.

The little heart going crazy in his chest was almost audible.

Finally, he was able to close his mouth, biting at his lower lip as his eyes filled with tears.

You could still feel the foreign gazes on you.

Just like when it was you, lying helpless in the shadow of the huge pirate.

And you frantically looked around, and saw the other villagers staring in terror.

"Why is nobody doing anything?"

You gritted your teeth and turned your head around.

«I know you're out there, you pathetic excuse for human beings! Are you going to watch me slaughter one of your children?»

Some murmurs, a choked cry, but nothing more.

Maybe Kid was right. People are not worth saving. Does it make Akainu right too?

A door creaked open, and a small old lady walked out. She had a worn-out kimono and was way too thin. You watched her difficultly approach, then kneel beside you.

«You are right, young lady.» she croaked «Please forgive this kid. If you let him go, I will gladly offer my life in exchange.»

You frowned.

Or maybe I should wait and see.

You removed your foot from the sobbing child.

«I'm not here to kill anybody. I was looking for some water, food, maybe clothes that aren't drenched in salt, but I think I'll have to settle for some information.»

The child rolled away from you and sat on his knees, harshly rubbing his face with his fist.

«We got nothing for your kind!»

«My kind?»

«He means Kaido's men.» the old lady clarified, raising her face «But you don't look like one of them.»

«I'm not.»

«Then what are you?» the kid growled.

...

«A tourist.»

A few more people started peeking at the scene from their thresholds.

You were starting to form your idea on the situation. The people of Wano, or at least part of them, were under Kaido's thumb, and his men could oppress the population as they pleased. Those villagers were abused and terrified, certainly no warriors. But then what about the fierce samurai you'd heard about?

You looked at the old woman.

«I've only just arrived. Tell me about the situation in this country, the locations and stuff.»

«Why? Who are you?!» the kid yelled, jumping up.

«Noooo no no no no, I make the questions and you answer, not the other way around.»

«Why should we listen to you?»

«Because you're weak!» you snapped, making his face curl.

«Then why am I so strong, while you're so weak?»

You grimaced.

«You're right. I am so much weaker and there is no excuse for it. That's why I'm tied here, tortured, and not the other way around.»

«Look, I--»

Your haki alarm went off. You whipped your face toward the entrance of the village.

«Get inside, now.»

«What? Wha--»

«Inside!»

You grabbed the kid's kimono and the lady's arm and rushed into her hut.

«What are you doing?!» he hissed, wiggling out of your grasp.

You pressed your hand on his mouth. He was about to snarl at you but stopped when he saw the look on your face as you brought a finger to your lips. Then the heavy steps marching into the village became audible and you all flattened around the small window, holding your breath.

It was a squad of five men, except some were different from the ones you'd seen before. They seemed hybridized with animals.

Gifters.

The Beast Pirates stopped in the middle of the road, not far from your hiding place.

«Hey losers! Did you miss us?»

Obviously there was no reply, the few people that dared to open their doors before had already disappeared back inside, and the place looked dead. Of course it was just an illusion and everyone knew it. There was no escape, just the filthy hope that those freaks would knock to someone else's door.

«C'mon guys! Come out and play, it was fun last time!»

You felt a tremor by your side and glanced at the kid. He was shaking in fury, his eyes vitreous.

«We're looking for someone! A little girl. She is a witch and can make dango out of her cheeks. Did anyone see her?»

«You know what happens if you're hiding her, right?»

«Get out here so we can talk!»

Damn, this is going to be ugly.

If only you had your rifle, you could have taken care of it in less than a minute. But taking up five gifters with just a dagger was a suicide. And even If you somehow managed to survive, Kaido's men would be aware of your presence on the island.

No, the smart thing to do was probably remaining hidden and slide away at the first chance.

«What, nobody's gonna greet us??»

You heard a crash and high-pitched screams. The brutes had broken into a house and dragged someone out.

«Please don't take my daughter! Help! Help!»

You gritted your teeth and shut your eyes.

Fuck.

The screams continued among the men's laughter.

«Take me! Take me, let her go, please!»

«You kidding, old hag? She's young and pretty, you're garbage now!»

The kid growled and darted for the door but you grabbed him in time and pressed him to the floor, then hastily turned to the old woman. She was covering her ears and rocking back and forth.

«Oi, lady!» you scream-whispered while tearing her wrist away from her face with your free hand «Do you have a weapon? Anything I can use?»

She frantically shook her head.

You heard the sound of ripped clothes.

«Fuck! Fine!» you grunted in frustration.

Letting go of them, you jumped to the door, kicked it open and bolted into the dusty road.

The young girl was on the ground, a weeping mess, desperately trying to hold her ripped kimono on her chest while the men circled her like vultures. An older woman was lying nearby, unconscious, bleeding from her forehead.

They didn't see you until you swooped down from behind on the first one, a warthog hybrid, and buried the dagger deep into his neck. The skin was harder than you expected, but you got the jugular. He screamed like a swine and dropped to the floor holding his haemorrhage.

One down, four to go.

Trying to hold onto the element of surprise, you threw the blade at the closest one. The knife bounced uselessly against the exoskeleton of a crustacean.

«Enemy, enemy!»

The general attention was diverted on you and the girl caught the opportunity to crawl away, closer to the unconscious woman.

«So they do have one with guts!» the big one laughed. You felt your blood freeze as you saw the enormous half gorilla in place of his right arm.

«Wow. You guys look gross.» you turned to another one «What are you, a cockroach?»

«I'm a beetle!»

You showed him a disgusted expression.

«Bleargh.»

«KILL THE BITCH!»

The gorilla attacked you and you darted to the side.

«If only I had a berii for every time I heard these words.»

Less sarcasm and more getting the dagger back, or this time will be the last.

You dived for the knife but one of the pirates, with crocodile heads instead of feet, stomped on it first. The crocodile swallowed the knife.

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDIG ME NOW.

You dodged another gorilla blow and a hut was destroyed. The villagers started screaming and fleeing around.

«Girl!»

You turned your head long enough to see the old lady throwing something. The object landed in the dust a few feet away.

The gorilla was still chasing you, while the shrimp and the beetle started to circle around you to cut escape routes. The crustacean jumped on you first, faster than the ape, and you rolled to the side. His claw caught onto your shirt and he pulled you back, trying to stab your face with his free limb. You hakied up your hands and grabbed his pincer, keeping it from opening your head up. But he was stronger, and your hold soon began shaking like crazy as a guttural snarl made it past your clenched jaws.

All of a sudden, the freak yelped in pain, flinching enough for you to slid out from below him. You blinked and saw the kid plunging the stick deep into the back of the gifter's knee with a yell.

The earth trembled as the gorilla landed beside you. Once again you dived away just in time, thank to your haki. Desperately, you ran toward the object the old lady threw.

A rudimental bow was lying on the ground, two contorted arrows nearby.

Your heart missed a beath. A sliver of hope.

You launched yourself on it just as the gorilla roared and did the same on you. You landed half a second before.

Again, the earth trembled as his human feet dropped on each side of you, the horrendous arms rising to smash you. You rolled over and shot.

The arrow pierced the skin between the lower jaws, penetrating up to the human head. You jumped away as the beast fell.

The kid was now on the ground, holding his bloodied arm. The shrimp had kicked him near crocodile-feet guy, dangerously close to his fangs. The noise of the falling gorilla distracted them, giving you the edge you needed to fire the second arrow right in between the eyes of the human reptile.

Three down, two left.

Shrimp-man cursed and turned to his last standing companion.

«Call the headliner!»

Fuck! So they have Den Den Mushi here?!

The beetle indeed extracted a mini Den Den Mushi from his uniform, and he was about to speak into it, when a flying rock knocked it out of his hand.

«Ouch! What the fuck?!»

More rocks poured onto him, almost all deflected by his hard shell. He looked around to see the villagers throwing at him whatever they could get their hands on.

You didn't have much time to rejoice at the sight because Shrimp-man was onto you again. This one was way faster than the gorilla, so you had to rely on your already strained haki to dodge him.

I gotta get an arrow back.

The giant gorilla-arm had fallen on top of his human body, so your best bet was the crocodile dude. You ran forward but the shrimp cut your way.

«Where do you think you're going, bitch?»

You jumped back and stalled, taking the chance to catch your breath, seeing that the enemy was trying to slowly corner you now. He was also panting slightly, his evil snicker tense in anger as he studied you.

«You're not from here, I would've noticed you before.» his tongue passed on the dry lips, shadowed by the shrimp head hanging from his scalp. The rest of the crustacean body merged with his back, providing him with the hard exoskeleton.

But his front is human, an easy kill if I can reach the arrow.

«No matter. You're gonna tell me everything I want to know.» he grinned in sick joy «I'm sure you can imagine what I'll do to you after I rip off all your limbs.»

You grimaced in disgust as you carefully stepped back.

«Nice image. Except you're gonna die here, Mr. Shrimp-man.»

Your eyes darted behind him for an instant. He didn't pay attention, too engrossed in his own adrenalin.

«I am? Because I see you here in front of me, with no arrows, no weapons, and a soft, frail body.»

You clicked your tongue and forced a smirk on your face.

«You are. Because you're nothing but an extra.»

«What?»

The kid finally managed to rip the arrow off the croco-dude face and throw it.

You vaulted to the side, causing the shrimp to leap on you. His eyes went wide when he saw you catching the arrow, and he interrupted his attack mid-air, spinning around to offer you only his hard shell.

Well, fuck you.

Instead of nocking the arrow though, you ducked and thrust it deep into the wound of his leg.

He shrieked and fell on his knees.

Without ever stopping, you tore the arrow out, pirouetted in front of him and used both hands to drive it right into his mouth with a furious yell.

His pitiful screams filled your ringing ears as your snarl rumbled inches from his nose, rivers of blood now brimming out of his mouth, his horrified eyes locking on yours.

«And baby, I'm the star.»*

You stepped back. The body hit the ground in front of you.

You closed your eyes and inhaled deeply.

«Girl!»

Right, there's one asshole left.

But upon turning to the scene, you only saw the villagers swarming around the ruined road, desperately pointing at something in the sky.

«It got away! The winged one got away!»

Winged? He can fly?

You searched the sky with your eyes and yes, there he was, not a great flier but already far into the blue.

«What are we going to do?» an old man started weeping «He's going to tell the headliners! They are going to kill us all, or worse!»

Other people joined his lament.

«No he won't!» you exclaimed, exasperated, briefly waggling the arrow to shake the blood away.

You stepped in front of the little crowd and notched the strained dart into the bow, adjusting your line of fire to the silhouette of the beetle.

«What are you doing?! He's too far away.»

The kid limped by your side.

«Can you... can you really get him?»

Your brows furrowed.

A distance like that was unthinkable for that rudimental, worm-eaten bow and the uneven arrow.

Unless.

The child stared in awe as you enveloped your hands and the entirety of the weapon in Armament haki. Even if he couldn't see it, he felt the shift in the air.

The corner of your mouth rose in a crooked smile.

«Watch this, kid.»

You drew the bow to its limits, until a sinister creak vibrated through your fingers. You held it. You shot.

The bow broke in half with a dull crack, but the arrow was gone.

Everybody watched the sky in silence. The beetle was now just a black dot on the blue background. And then the dot fell.

A chorus of incredulous joy burst all around you, and you secretly sighed in relief.

It would have been real embarrassing to miss after that show cockiness.

The kid was bouncing up and down.

«You did it! You did it!»

You quietly chuckled and allowed them a few more moments of cheering before turning at the people.

«Oi, stop celebrating now!»

Most of them hesitated, their attention immediately gluing to you.

«Send a group to retrieve the beetle guy. Maul the bodies as if they were attacked by wild beasts and leave them in the forest. Mask their wounds. They're gonna look for them and they must think it was something bigger and stronger than us, so they won't turn their attention to villages.»

The crowd was visibly scared by your words, but a few nodded and started giving instructions to the rest. They divided into groups. A party was formed to go out for the missing corpse.

«E-Excuse me?»

You looked at the person approaching you. It was the girl assaulted by the Beast Pirates.

Your eyes travelled up and down her skinny figure. She was holding a dirty cape around her torn kimono.

Despite being slightly taller than you, she shivered under your gaze, her own eyes dropping to the ground, but she collected her courage and talked again.

«I-I wanted to say thank you. You are Makami.** Thank you for saving my village.»

«Oh. Uh, you're welcome.»

«May I ask you... ask you for your name?»

No.

The kid looked up at you curiously. Even the old lady from before lingered nearby.

You snorted.

«I'm... Kotori.»***

«O-Kotori-san! I see. You're not Makami, you're a bird spirit. A good Seirei.»****

«Sure, whatever you want.»

She bowed deeply then walked back to the injured woman, probably her mother, and helped her tending to her wound.

«Kotori, huh?»

The old lady smiled at you knowingly and you puckered your lips.

«That's what I said.»

«I see. Come with me, O-Kotori-san. I don't have much, but I can fix your hair, perhaps offer you a mended kimono. And I can tell you about Wano.»

You frowned and ran your fingers through your hair. Cool, they were a stringy mass of salt and dirt.

«Do you also have other weapons you claimed you didn't have?»

«Maybe one. Come, please.»

You were about to follow her when you noticed the child dragging himself to the ruins of the destroyed house.

«I'll be right there.»

The youngster was busy tying a cloth around his bleeding arm when your shadow fell over him.

«You're an orphan, aren't you?»

He raised his gaze. There was anger again.

«So what?»

You hinted at the gifters' bodies being dragged away by the villagers.

«Did they kill your parents?»

«Them, other like them, what's the difference?»

You sat down beside him. He scoffed and went back to his improvised bandage, avoiding your eyes.

«You helped me out, back there. I don't think I would have made it without you.»

He shook his head, his teeth grinding briefly.

«No, I couldn't do anything. You were right before, I am weak. That's why my parents died, that's why everybody always dies.»

You pressed your lips together and he went back to his work, more harshly now.

«I am an orphan too.»

His irises flicked on you.

«And I was angry too. Maybe I still am.» your eyes finally met «I was held to the ground and almost killed. I got lucky, so I'm no one to tell you this, but I know you will get killed if you don't get a hold of yourself.»

He grimaced.

«Who cares! You saw it before! Nobody would care if I died!»

Despite his effort to restrain them, tears rolled down his cheeks. You leaned back against the ruins and looked at the sun, gradually sliding to the horizon.

«Maybe right now it's true. But the sea is very vast. You will meet other people.»

«We're not allowed to take the sea.» he sniffed.

You rolled your eyes.

Damn, I suck at this.

«All I'm trying to say is, if you die now, nothing will change. If you live, something may change.»

He didn't say anything for a while. Then he wiped the tears away.

«But what... what do I do with all the anger?»

His voice was thinner now.

You thought back at your younger days.

«You... find a place to put it. You survive, find something you're good at, and become strong so you can do shit about it. Then you find people willing to fight by your side.»

«Is that what you did?»

You chuckled.

«Nah, I'm not strong. You can probably become much stronger than me.»

«Stronger than you?»

The kid looked impressed.

«Yeah, if you eat something.»

«We have no food here.»

God, I can't catch a break!

You stood up and stretched your back.

«What's your name, kid?»

«Yusuke.»

«Cool. Don't throw away your life, Yusuke.»

You moved toward the old lady's hut, but he called you back one last time.

«O-Koto!»

«It's Kotori.»

«You come from the vast sea, right?»

«Maybe.»

«But you're still alone.»

Wow, right in the feels.

A sad smile lingered on your lips for a moment before you shook your head.

«Yeah, well, I'm a bitch.»

«Oh. Yes, I see that.»

Little shit.

«Now shut up and come, I'll get the old lady to adopt you.»

«But I don't what that!»

«I don't care, I'm the strongest here so I call the shots. Hurry up.»

«You're a bitter old woman too, O-Koto.»

«It's Kotori-san for you.»

*

Notes:

1. "You're nothing but an extra, and baby, I'm the star" is a quote from the 2008 song by P!nk "This is how it goes down"

2. Makami: the guardian wolf deity of Japan

3. "Kotori" can be written with the kanji for "small" and "bird"

4. Seirei: general Japanese term for "spirit"

Personal notes: It's always a bet to write a chapter with mostly OCs. So I can only hope that you all missed birdie as much as I missed writing her. I think I never made her this raw.