When Arthur came back home, he immediately noticed the atmosphere inside was different. Gloriossa and Empress Tritoma were sitting together, comforting the three sisters who were still quietly crying, while Shakky and Rayleigh stood a short distance away, silently watching.
The expressions on both of his parents' faces were calm but weary, as if they understood the pain those children carried yet knew better than to interfere too much.
Arthur's arrival drew their attention almost instantly. Shakky's sharp eyes caught sight of what her son was carrying — a heavy barrel strapped to his shoulder and two small, well-crafted chests in his hands.
Rayleigh followed her gaze and smiled faintly. It wasn't exactly a secret between them that Arthur would often disappear at night and return with goods that clearly didn't belong to him.
Both his parents knew the truth — Arthur had made a habit of hunting down pirates that docked in Sabaody, robbing and eliminating them before they could harm anyone.
Whenever Shakky asked him why he did it, Arthur's answer was always the same: they couldn't blame anyone but fate.
Without saying a word, Arthur walked over and set the items on the table. The soft thud of the chests landing caught everyone's attention, especially Rayleigh and Shakky, who exchanged a curious glance.
"What's that, Arthur?" Shakky finally asked as she and Rayleigh approached.
Arthur didn't answer immediately. Instead, he quietly unlatched the locks of the two treasure chests and opened them side by side.
Both parents leaned in, and what they saw made their eyes widen slightly — inside each chest rested a Devil Fruit, their surfaces marked with the unmistakable swirling patterns of power.
One had a vibrant crimson-red hue with streaks of gold that looked alive under the light, while the other was a darker tone, almost like moving silver mist.
Rayleigh let out a low whistle. "Well, you don't find things like that lying around every day."
Arthur just shrugged slightly, his tone calm and straightforward. "Do you have a book that could help identify these two, Mother?"
Shakky nodded, immediately walking toward her study. After a few minutes, she returned carrying a slightly worn but thick book , the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, something she'd kept from her time as an information broker.
Setting it down on the table, she opened the pages with practiced hands.
"Alright," Shakky said as she began scanning the index. "Let's see what kind of surprises these fruits are hiding."
The room was quiet except for the sound of pages turning. Then Shakky stopped, her brows lifting in surprise.
"Ah, here's one," she said, tapping the illustration. "Looks like you lucked out, Art-kun. This one is called the Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Suzaku — a Mythical Zoan-class fruit. According to this, the user can transform into a Vermilion Bird and manipulate flames and heat from its feathers. The fire doesn't extinguish unless the user wills it, and it can reach temperatures comparable to magma. But," she added, reading further, "those same flames can also heal the user and others, though with limitations."
Rayleigh crossed his arms, clearly impressed. "That's a powerful one. So, are you planning to eat it, Arthur?"
Arthur looked at the fruit for a moment before shaking his head slightly. "I'm not sure yet. Let's hear about the other one first."
Shakky nodded again and began turning the pages once more. After a few more moments, she found another entry that matched the second fruit's description.
"Here it is. This one's called the Soku Soku no Mi — a Paramecia-type fruit. It grants the user the ability to move at extreme speeds, beyond what normal human perception can follow. Essentially, you could run and move faster than almost anyone alive."
Arthur leaned forward slightly, his interest mild but genuine. "That's quite useful," he muttered.
"So," Shakky said, looking up at her son with a small smile. "What's your decision, then? Are you going to eat one of them, or let them sit here and rot?"
Arthur thought about it for a moment, glancing at the two fruits before shaking his head once again. "You know what, I'm fine as I am. I'll keep training underwater. I like being able to breathe and move freely in the sea."
Shakky raised a brow. "Are you sure? Once you pass up a Devil Fruit like this, you might not get another chance."
"I'm sure, Mother," Arthur replied calmly. "You can eat it if you want. Consider it a gift."
Shakky blinked, surprised by his casual tone, then laughed quietly. "Well, if my son insists."
Before anyone could stop her, she picked up the Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Suzaku, and without hesitation, took a bite , swallowing the strange fruit completely despite its notoriously awful taste.
Rayleigh nearly dropped his drink. "Wait, you actually ate it?"
Shakky smirked at his reaction, wiping her mouth. "Of course. It's my son's gift. I'm not an ungrateful mother who'd refuse something given sincerely."
Rayleigh stared at her for a moment before chuckling softly, shaking his head. "You never stop surprising me."
The remaining fruit, the Soku Soku no Mi, was placed carefully on the shelf, beside other rare items that Shakky kept secured.
For now, they decided to leave it untouched until a proper purpose for it appeared.
As things settled down again, Arthur quietly sat near the window, listening to the faint sound of waves outside.
To him, the night felt calm — another ordinary evening in their strange, dangerous corner of the world.
----------------
After a little while, the Boa Sisters, together with Empress Tritoma and Gloriossa, had finally decided that it was time to leave Sabaody.
The decision wasn't made lightly — they all knew that staying any longer would invite unnecessary attention.
The Kuja Pirates were one of the most well-known crews sailing the seas, and their ship alone could draw the eyes of bounty hunters, Marines, and all sorts of opportunists. Leaving quietly was the only choice.
Before their departure, the sisters stood before Shakky and Rayleigh, their expressions mixed with gratitude and determination.
Their wounds had healed, their spirits steadied, and though their eyes still carried traces of what they had endured, there was now a faint light of resolve shining behind them.
"Thank you for everything," the Boa Sisters said together, bowing deeply in respect. Their voices were soft but filled with sincerity, echoing faintly through the quiet docks.
Arthur, meanwhile, stood a few paces behind everyone else, his posture relaxed but distant.
He wasn't comfortable with this kind of farewell — emotional goodbyes weren't something he was used to.
So instead of joining in, he just watched quietly, his eyes following the departing figures without a word.
Rayleigh, standing beside Shakky, gave a small, approving nod. "Take care of yourselves from now on," he said firmly, his tone calm but carrying weight. "And remember — if you want to make sure something like this never happens again, train hard. Become strong. Strength is the only thing that keeps your freedom safe."
He then handed them a thin leather-bound book — a training manual that he had written long ago.
Originally, it was meant for Arthur, but as Rayleigh later realized, Arthur's rapid development had already gone beyond the fundamentals contained in those pages.
He saw more value in passing it on to the sisters — especially to Hancock, whose eyes immediately lit up with curiosity as she accepted it.
"Thank you once again," the Boa Sisters said, bowing once more before turning toward their ship.
At the same time, Tritoma and Gloriossa approached Shakky, their expressions softer and tinged with nostalgia.
Having known each other for decades, their farewell carried the weight of both shared history and unspoken understanding.
"You're always welcome to return to Amazon Lily," Tritoma said warmly. "And if you ever decide to visit, you can bring your two males. It's not as strict of a rule as it used to be."
Shakky smiled at that, her expression fond and knowing. "No, it's fine. This has been my home for a long time now. It's where my son was born, and where too many memories are already tied. But don't worry — we'll come and visit every now and then."
"You better, alright?" Gloriossa said with a light chuckle, though her tone carried genuine affection. She then turned her gaze toward Arthur, who was still standing a bit farther away, watching in silence.
"You have an incredibly strong son," Gloriossa added, smiling knowingly at Shakky and Rayleigh. "Make sure you guide him right. He'll need it."
"Of course," Shakky and Rayleigh replied in unison, their timing so perfect that it caused all three women to laugh.
The brief laughter softened the weight of the moment, giving their goodbye a feeling of warmth rather than sadness.
After a few more words were exchanged — simple promises to meet again and stay safe — Tritoma, Gloriossa, and the Boa Sisters finally boarded their ship.
As the Kuja vessel drifted away from the mangrove shore, the twin serpents at its bow slithered through the waves with silent grace.
The ship slowly disappeared into the horizon, carrying with it both the pain of their recent past and the hope of returning home.
Arthur watched until the sails vanished completely from sight, then quietly turned his gaze back toward his parents.
In that moment, the wind carried the faint sound of the ocean — calm, steady, and endless — a reminder that no matter how far people went, the sea always connected them all.