The East Blue morning was quiet, the kind of calm that could only exist far from the chaos of the Grand Line.
A lone figure rowed through the mist, her small boat gliding toward the familiar coastline of Dawn Island.
Ada wore a dark hooded cloak, the hem brushing against the wood as the gentle waves carried her to shore. Beneath the hood, her eyes glowed faintly crimson in the dim light — the same eyes that had terrified admirals and defied gods.
But today, they were soft. Thoughtful.
As her boat scraped against the dock, she rose, pulling the hood lower over her face. The scent of salt and earth filled her lungs — a smell she hadn't breathed in years.
"Dawn Island," she murmured. "So this is where he's been growing up."
The port town was quiet, filled with fishermen and shopkeepers opening for the day. Few paid her any mind as she walked through the narrow streets, though a few heads turned — something about her stride, calm yet commanding, made people instinctively move aside.
She stopped outside Party's Bar, a small wooden sign swinging above the door. Faint laughter and the clinking of glasses came from within.
Ada pushed the door open.
The cozy bar smelled of ale and wood polish. Behind the counter stood Makino, polishing a glass, while Mayor Woop Slap sat near the end of the counter reading the morning paper.
Both looked up as the stranger entered.
"Good morning," Makino said warmly, though her eyes flicked toward the cloak. "You're not from around here, are you?"
Ada smiled faintly beneath the hood. "No. I'm just passing through. I was hoping you could help me find someone."
Makino tilted her head, still friendly but cautious. "Who are you looking for?"
Ada's voice was soft — almost hesitant. "A boy named Monkey D. Luffy."
The sound of that name made the mayor lower his newspaper instantly. Makino's hands paused mid-motion.
"Luffy?" Woop Slap repeated carefully. "And what business do you have with him, miss?"
Ada looked at them both for a long moment before sighing. With a slow motion, she lowered her hood.
Makino's breath caught. The glass slipped from her hands and shattered.
Woop Slap rose halfway from his seat, his eyes wide. "You— you're—!"
Ada's dark hair caught the morning light as she smiled faintly. "Nyx D. Ada," she said quietly. "Yes. But you don't need to shout. I'm not here to cause trouble."
Makino's voice trembled. "That Ada? The one with the bounty that—"
Ada raised a hand gently. "Please. No titles today. Just… Ada."
The mayor's brow furrowed. "What would a pirate like you want with that boy? The Marines would burn this island to the ground if they knew you were here."
Ada met his gaze calmly. "Shanks mentioned once that you both could be trusted. He said you cared for Luffy like your own."
Makino's eyes softened slightly at the mention of Shanks. "You… know Shanks?"
A ghost of a smile touched Ada's lips. "He was there when the world began to move again."
Makino then took a cautious step forward, her voice trembling. "Why are you looking for Luffy?"
Silence fell between them for a heartbeat — then Ada's voice grew softer.
"I'm here because Luffy is my son."
The words landed like thunder.
Makino's eyes widened, her lips parting in shock. The mayor stared as if the air had been knocked from him.
"Y-your son?" Makino whispered.
Makino's lips trembled. "You're saying… you're Luffy's mother?"
Ada nodded once.
Ada then smiled faintly, almost sadly. "I left him with Dragon. I never saw him again. But I've never stopped thinking of him."
The mayor's face went pale. "Then that means… that you and Dragon—"
"Yes," Ada said softly. "His father is Monkey D. Dragon."
The room went dead silent.
Makino's hand went to her mouth. The mayor staggered back a step, gripping his cane. "Dragon? You mean to tell me the most wanted man in the world and the woman who burned Marie Geoise—" He gestured helplessly. "—you two had a child?!"
Ada gave a faint, wistful smile. "The world calls him dangerous. But he was once just a man who believed people could be free."
Makino stared at her — not with fear, but with something close to understanding.
The mayor, however, was still sputtering. "Does—does Garp know?!"
Ada's gaze turned distant, the weight of old memories flickering in her eyes.
"No," she said softly. "He doesn't."
Woop Slap blinked. "You mean Luffy's own grandfather—one of the most famous Marines alive—has no idea you're his mother?"
Ada shook her head slowly. "Garp has his own burdens to bear. He thinks Luffy is Dragon's son alone. It's better that way."
"Better?" the mayor echoed, incredulous. "You'd rather he not know his own family?"
Ada looked down, her hands tightening slightly on the bar counter. "If the Marines ever learned the truth, they wouldn't stop at me. They'd use him — a child — to reach us both. Let Garp think what he must. It keeps Luffy safe."
Makino's expression softened. "You're protecting him."
Ada smiled faintly. "I always have been. Just… from far away."
The mayor finally sank onto a stool, still shaking his head. "This island doesn't need more secrets. But… I suppose some are worth keeping."
Ada inclined her head slightly. "Thank you. For keeping him safe until now."
For a moment, neither spoke. Then Makino exhaled slowly, eyes glistening. "He's… up in the mountains. With a few friends. They call themselves brothers. He comes down sometimes to visit."
Ada smiled faintly. "Brothers, huh?"
Makino nodded. "A boy named Ace… and another called Sabo. They're a handful, but good-hearted."
The mention of the name Ace made Ada pause. Her gaze softened, distant — like she was looking into the past.
"Ace…" she murmured. "That name sounds familiar."
Makino tilted her head. "You know him?"
Ada's voice lowered, barely above a whisper. "No. But that name… it reminds me of someone."
She stepped back toward the door, pulling her hood up once more. "Thank you. For looking after him and please… don't tell Garp. Not yet."
Makino hesitated. "Will you tell him?"
Ada smiled sadly. "No. Not yet. He's not ready for that burden. He deserves to dream before the world finds him."
As the door closed behind her, the wind carried the faint jingle of the bell above the door — and then silence.
Makino exhaled shakily, turning to the mayor. "Do you think… she's telling the truth?"
The mayor rubbed his forehead, staring at the door she'd gone through. "About being Luffy's mother? With that look in her eyes? I've seen many liars, Makino… but not one who could fake that."
They both turned toward the sea — where somewhere out there, a woman who once shook the world now walked toward the mountains, chasing not power or glory… but the chance to see her son.
——————
Later, in the Mountains of Dawn Island
The forest was alive with laughter — young, wild laughter that belonged to boys who hadn't yet learned fear.
Ada stood at the edge of a clearing, half-hidden among the trees. Three boys sat around a makeshift campfire, sake cups raised in mock ceremony.
Luffy — tiny, bright-eyed, wearing his usual grin — held up a sake cup with both hands.
Ace, freckled and fiery, smirked beside him.
Sabo, neat blond hair under a worn top hat, watched them both with quiet amusement.
"Alright," Ace said proudly, lifting his mug. "Once we set sail, we'll make a toast every time we meet again! We're brothers now!"
Sabo nodded. "Brothers forever."
Luffy's grin widened. "Yeah! No matter what!"
They clinked their cups together, the hollow clack echoing through the trees. Ada's lips curved into a faint smile. She could almost hear Roger's laughter in Luffy's.
She smiled faintly, her eyes glistening. "So that's you, huh, Luffy…"
Then her gaze lingered on the freckled one — Ace.
Something about his spirit, his grin, the way he looked after the younger two — it reminded her so much of Roger that her heart ached.
"Ace…" she whispered. "So that's why."
And for the first time in decades, Ada didn't feel the weight of the world pressing on her shoulders.
The three boys leaned back by the fire, gazing at the stars breaking through the dusk.
"Someday," Ace began, his tone suddenly serious, "I'm gonna become someone the world remembers. Not because of who my father was… but because of who I am."
Ada's eyes softened — the faintest ache stirring in her chest.
Sabo chuckled quietly. "I don't care about fame. I just want to be free — to sail wherever I want, to live without nobles or rules holding me down."
Ada tilted her head, studying him — the firelight reflecting in her eyes. Free… like a true son of the sea.
Then came Luffy.
The smallest of the three leaned forward, eyes shining like sunlight through glass.
"I'm gonna—" he began, his voice full of conviction — but the wind rose, carrying his words away before Ada could hear them.
Ace froze mid-laugh, his eyes widening in disbelief. "What…? That's… that's insane!" he sputtered, a grin twitching at the corner of his mouth despite himself.
Sabo blinked, stunned, before bursting into a laugh. "You're serious!? You can't just— Luffy, that's impossible!"
But Luffy only puffed out his chest, his grin unshaken. "I don't care! I'll do it anyway!"
For a long second, Ace just stared at him. Then he started laughing — that loud, genuine laugh that shook his shoulders. "You really are crazy, little brother."
Sabo smiled too, though there was something softer in his expression — a kind of admiration hidden behind his teasing. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. But… you better not die before you even try."
Luffy threw his arms behind his head and laughed again, unbothered. "I won't die! I'm gonna live big! You'll see!"
The three of them burst out laughing, their voices overlapping with the crackling of the fire.
And from the shadows, Ada stood frozen.
The sound — his tone, that confidence — it was the same as another voice long ago, one that had once echoed across the deck of the Oro Jackson, under a sky full of stars.
Roger's voice.
Her heart clenched. For a moment, the world blurred — the firelight, the laughter, the trees — everything faded except that feeling.
It was impossible. Foolish. Beautiful.
"The same dream…" she whispered. "Just like him."
Ada's lips parted as the realization washed over her like the tide.
"Roger…" she whispered softly, her breath trembling. "He said the same thing."
The three boys burst into laughter again, throwing their cups in the air, shouting promises and swearing oaths to the sea and to each other.
Ada smiled — a real smile, warm and bright, though her eyes shimmered with tears she didn't let fall.
"So you inherited more than just our name, Luffy," she murmured. "You inherited the fire that started everything."
For a long while, she simply watched. Watched her son laugh, argue, and dream. Watched Ace and Sabo stand beside him, unaware of how their names would one day echo across the world.
And for the first time in decades, Nyx D. Ada felt no anger, no burden, no guilt.
Only pride.
Her hand clenched gently against her chest.
She wanted to run to him. To hold him. To tell him that the world would try to crush that dream — and that he should never let it.
But she didn't move.
Instead, she stayed still beneath the trees, letting the moment belong entirely to them.