"Dragon, why did you come out? This matter, I could've handled myself!"
Toritoma pressed her hands against her cheeks, her voice dripping with girlish coyness, her expression the very picture of a woman in love.
Dragon strode forward, eyes blazing as he carefully studied the Roger Pirates. Then, to everyone's surprise, beads of sweat formed at his brow. His voice trembled slightly as he asked:
"You… you all are…"
Before he could finish, three more figures emerged behind him.
The first was a towering man with a simple, honest look that radiated reliability.
The second—a purple-haired figure, neither distinctly male nor female, carrying an unmistakable, eccentric charisma.
And the third—a playful pink-haired girl with a lollipop tucked in the corner of her lips, her beauty softened by a mischievous charm.
The instant Shiro saw them, his eyes went wide.
"Brother Ivankov, Brother Kuma, Sister Ginny!"
"You're… little Shiro?!"
The three froze in surprise, then, recognizing him, broke into wide smiles. Without hesitation, they rushed forward.
The four embraced, laughter bubbling freely as the weight of the years melted away. Their reunion was filled with warmth, joy shining in their faces as old memories surged back.
Ginny rose on her tiptoes, gently ruffling Shiro's hair, her fingertips brushing through his locks with quiet affection. Her voice, softened with the passage of time, carried a note of awe:
"Little Shiro… it's been twelve years, hasn't it? You've grown so much."
Shiro's heart swelled as he met Ginny's gaze, his voice tinged with both surprise and gratitude.
"Yeah… and you've become even more beautiful, Ginny-sis!"
As he spoke, his eyes drifted toward the massive silhouette in the corner. Nearly seven meters tall, Kuma stood silently, his round frame taking up nearly half the space. His chubby hand scratched awkwardly at the back of his head, his face flushed red, even his ears betraying a bashful pink.
Ginny giggled, her eyes curving into crescents as she playfully scolded him. Then, with a teasing smile, she pulled out a neatly wrapped lollipop from her pocket and pressed it firmly into Shiro's palm.
"You cheeky brat—you've grown, and your mouth's gotten sweeter too! Take this, a treat from your big sister."
The candy wrapper shimmered with rainbow colors in the sunlight. Shiro thought to refuse, but seeing Ginny's expectant smile, he carefully tucked it away instead.
"Shiro-boy, it's been too long! Tell me—you missed me, didn't you?"
Ivankov twirled dramatically, his voice exaggerated, hips swaying as he fluttered his long, brightly painted nails dangerously close to Shiro's neck.
Reacting instinctively, Shiro planted a hand on Ivankov's forehead to hold him back, eyeing the flamboyant makeup and exaggerated movements with thinly veiled alarm.
Wait… this aura, this look… he's already eaten the Horm-Horm Fruit and turned into an okama!
T/N: Okama pretty much means drag queen.
A shiver ran down his spine, and he quickly deflected with a forced smile.
"Brother Ivankov, let's not do that. More importantly—why are you all here?"
Ivankov leaned casually against the wall, tapping his chin with one lacquered nail, his voice dropping into a conspiratorial whisper.
"Well, after our time in the Sorbet Kingdom, Dragon came to us. He was building a revolutionary army to stand against the World Government…"
His eyes flicked toward Dragon, admiration shining in them.
"We were moved by his ideals, his resolve. So we pledged ourselves to his cause! This place—" he spread his arms grandly, "—is our temporary command center!"
Shiro nodded slowly, his thoughts racing. But his gaze was soon drawn back to the woman with the bow.
Her aura was sharp, commanding—yet in fleeting moments, her eyes softened, betraying a girlish tenderness.
"And… who is she?" Shiro asked curiously, pointing at her.
"She's the current ruler of Amazon Lily—the empress, Toritoma!" Ivankov declared.
"Nani?!" Shiro's eyes nearly popped from his head.
The name slammed into his mind like a wave. He thought back to Hancock in the original story, hopelessly smitten by love. And Toritoma's lovestruck gaze at Dragon—could it be?
Don't tell me… Luffy's mother was the previous Pirate Empress?!
Before he could dwell on it further, a booming laugh shattered the silence.
Roger stormed forward, his hand slamming heavily onto Dragon's shoulder, the force making the air hum.
"So you're Garp's kid, huh? The spirit in you's no weaker than your old man's! Wahahaha!"
But Dragon's expression stayed solemn. His brows knitted, his tone edged with distance.
"Captain Roger… I stand opposed to my father now. And besides, this isn't the first time we've met."
Roger blinked, puzzled.
"Oh? We've met before?"
Dragon's gaze hardened, though a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he recalled.
"About a year ago. The battle between your crew and Golden Lion Shiki at Edd War… A hurricane swept through, crushing Shiki's fleet. Do you remember it?"
Roger's eyes widened, shock flashing through them.
"Wait… you mean that storm—was your doing?!"
Dragon inclined his head ever so slightly.
"Yes. Kuma, Ivankov, and Ginny often spoke of a boy who saved their lives. That day, when I saw the Paw-Paw Fruit used aboard your ship, I knew it was him. So I lent a hand—repaying the debt on their behalf."
Gasps rippled through the Roger Pirates.
To conjure a storm of such magnitude—what kind of power did this man wield?
Buggy, in particular, turned pale as a sheet.
So it wasn't my "Conqueror's luck" that won that battle after all?!
Shiro stood frozen, his earlier assumptions crumbling. Embarrassment gnawed at him.
In truth… even without me, Kuma eating the Paw-Paw Fruit would've saved them. I wasn't their savior at all.
Sensing the heavy mood, Toritoma quickly shifted gears, her skirt swishing as she clapped her hands. Her warmth spread like sunlight as she ordered Kuma and the others to bring out fine wine and Amazon Lily delicacies.
Soon, tables overflowed with food, barrels of wine were tapped, and a bonfire roared to life outside the command center.
The night lit up with celebration. Laughter and music filled the air as the great feast began.
In a quiet corner, Shiro sat with Ginny and Kuma, the firelight painting their faces with a golden glow. After a few cups of wine, Shiro leaned forward suddenly, his eyes intent, his tone earnest.
"Brother Kuma… have you married Sister Ginny yet?"
Kuma choked violently, his huge head ducking low, his cheeks puffed as he stammered incoherently.
Ginny folded her arms, feigning indignation—but the shy smile tugging at her lips betrayed her true feelings.
"Brother Kuma, what are you waiting for?!"
Shiro shot to his feet, his face flushed with drink, his voice rising in urgency.
The question hung in the night air, carried on the crackle of the bonfire.
T/N: If you would like to read up to 20 chapters ahead for all my works, check out my P@treon: patreon.com/GhidorahWriter
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