New World on the Oro Jackson
The sea breeze was gentle, but the tension on deck was anything but.
Mihawk stood with his arms crossed, expression unreadable but eyes sharp.
Bullet leaned on the rail, brow furrowed.
Perona hovered awkwardly, hugging Kumashi like a stress pillow.
Hiyori and Okiku exchanged wary glances.
Lilith tinkered with a small drone, pretending she wasn't eavesdropping even though she definitely was.
Ada stood in the center, Den Den Mushi in hand, Dragon's stern face reflected in its shell.
The Den Den Mushi rang only once before it shifted into Dragon's stern face.
Ada didn't bother with greetings.
"How close are we?"
Her tone held a rare quiet urgency.
Dragon leaned back in his chair, exhaling through his nose.
"Closer than we've ever been," he replied. "Pluton's hull is complete. Pluton's schematics were accurate, but the materials…"
He shook his head. "It took years to track each piece down. Years."
Ada's expression softened—not out of sentimentality, but respect.
"And now?" she asked.
Dragon's eyes narrowed. "We're missing a core component."
Ada leaned forward. "What component?"
"The heart," Dragon said. "An energy source. Something powerful enough to move a weapon large enough to rewrite oceans."
Ada froze.
Only one thing came to mind.
"…The Mother Flame."
Dragon gave her a long, knowing look. "I had a feeling you'd go to Vegapunk eventually."
Ada sighed. "I don't have a choice."
"We never do," Dragon muttered.
His tone, however, wasn't reproachful.
It was familiar.
It was… close.
"Be careful," Dragon added. "Vegapunk will give it to you—because he promised you—but he'll want answers."
Ada smirked. "He will get only what I allow."
Dragon huffed something almost like a laugh. "Of course."
Ada's eyes glowed with calm resolve. "I'll bring you the power source."
"And I'll have Pluton ready," Dragon answered.
The moment the line went dead—
—silence washed over the deck.
Only the waves dared to make a sound.
Then—
Bullet snorted. "So Pluton is almost finished. Great. Totally not terrifying."
Mihawk gave Ada a sidelong look. "You ask about world-ending weapons with remarkable casualness."
Ada ignored them both.
Lilith wiped grease off her cheek. "So we're going to Egghead, right? Mother Flame retrieval mission?"
Perona raised a hand. "Um—sorry but did anyone else hear the part where Pluton just needs a HEART? Isn't that… I dunno… bad??"
Hiyori hugged herself, shivering a little.
"Pluton is from the void century… a ship that could erase entire countries."
Okiku nodded gravely. "It is not spoken of lightly. For Dragon to complete such a thing…"
Bullet grinned with unsettling enthusiasm.
"It means he's serious this time. Real serious."
Mihawk's gaze drifted toward Ada. "You trust him with that?"
Ada didn't hesitate. "With my life."
The crew exchanged looks.
They understood something without needing her to say it.
Ada and Dragon… were close.
In ways none of them fully grasped.
But before the silence thickened too much, Ada slid the Den Den Mushi back into its satchel and turned toward the helm.
"Prepare to change course," she ordered.
"Set sail for Egghead."
Lilith cheered. "Home, here I come!"
Perona groaned. "Ugh, more shiny science death traps…"
Hiyori approached Ada quietly. "Is this… truly necessary?"
Ada placed a hand gently on her shoulder.
"To build a world that can survive what's coming?"
She nodded once.
"Yes."
Okiku bowed respectfully.
"Then we follow."
Mihawk sheathed Yoru with a soft click.
"This should be… enlightening."
Bullet cracked his knuckles, excitement burning in his eyes. "I'm ready for whatever that scientist throws at us."
Ada stepped toward the bow, wind brushing her hair back.
The Oro Jackson turned, sails catching the light as the ship angled toward the horizon.
Ada murmured—
"Dragon… Pluton… Joyboy's will…
Everything is moving again."
And behind her, the crew stood ready—
to follow her straight into the heart of history itself.
——————————
Egghead Island — Days Later
The Oro Jackson descended upon Egghead like a comet cutting across the sky.
The moment the crew stepped foot onto the island, they were swallowed by a world of neon lights, towering chrome structures, and robots weaving through the air like mechanical birds.
Lilith spread her arms wide with a proud grin.
"This is my home! …Well, the part I didn't accidentally blow up."
Perona hid behind Mihawk. "Everything here feels like it wants to dissect me."
Mihawk gave a quiet hum as a holographic cube floated past his shoulder.
"Egghead huh… I suppose this brings back memories ."
But then—
A massive shadow spilled over them.
THOOOOOM.
Bullet immediately raised his fists.
"What the—?!"
The entire crew froze as their eyes traveled upward.
A mountain of rusted steel—no, a giant—loomed above them.
Its ancient joints groaned, glowing faintly with weak, fading power.
It looked as though it had survived a war against time itself.
Lilith blinked rapidly. "That… wasn't here last time."
Hiyori pressed close to Okiku, who drew her blade instinctively.
Mihawk narrowed his eyes, measuring the giant with silent caution.
Then—
"Hoho! Welcome, Ada!"
Vegapunk popped out from behind the giant's massive leg, waving enthusiastically.
His head bobbed as he hurried forward.
"It's been a long time, hasn't it?"
Ada didn't waste breath. "Explain it."
Vegapunk patted the titan's foot as if greeting an old friend.
"This marvelous specimen invaded Mary Geoise two hundred years ago. An impossible feat even today."
He adjusted his coat.
"It dates back to the Void Century. And I believe, Ada… you already know its purpose."
Ada walked toward the giant, resting her hand on its cold metal.
"No," she whispered.
"This one was not built by Joyboy."
The crew perked up in confusion.
"…It was his ally."
Shocked silence hit the deck.
Okiku gasped. Bullet stiffened. Even Mihawk's eyes widened a fraction.
Vegapunk's jaw dropped.
"A—ally of Joyboy?! Then—"
A seismic hum shuddered through the air.
The iron giant's eyes flickered—weak blue flames struggling against centuries of sleep.
Then—
"…Jo…y…boy…?"
The voice was metallic, broken, but unmistakably alive.
Perona gasped.
Hiyori flinched backward.
Mihawk's hand twitched toward Yoru.
Ada didn't move.
The giant's massive head creaked downward.
"Joyboy…? You have… returned…?"
Ada inhaled slowly.
"I'm not Joyboy," she said gently.
"But I am his descendant."
The lights in the robot's eyes flared once—bright, hopeful.
"His… descendant…"
Its voice trembled like a fading heartbeat.
"You look… exactly like… her…"
Silence.
Heavy. Confusing.
Even Ada blinked in surprise.
"Her?" she repeated.
The giant's next words dropped like a divine hammer.
"Joyboy's… mother…
Nyx D. Aria."
Every crew member froze.
Mihawk's eyes sharpened instantly.
Bullet's jaw dropped.
Perona's ghost flickered into nothing from pure shock.
Hiyori covered her mouth in disbelief.
Okiku whispered in disbelief.
Even Ada—calm and unshakeable Ada—felt her heart spike.
"…Nyx D. Aria," she breathed.
The name…
The same name Toki had spoken.
The woman who had sent her through time.
The iron giant's voice grew faint.
"Her light… her voice… I remember them…
And you… carry both…"
Its chest groaned.
"I am… relieved…
Joyboy's line… survives…"
And with that—
CLICK.
The light died.
The giant fell still once more.
Vegapunk wiped a trembling hand across his forehead.
"T-This confirms theories older than the World Government itself…" he muttered.
Ada turned toward him, eyes steel again.
"Take me to your lab."
Vegapunk nodded rapidly and gestured for them to follow.
And behind her, the crew exchanged looks—not of fear…
…but the realization that they were no longer walking through history.
They were walking with it.
———————-
Vegapunk's Laboratory
The doors slid open with a hiss.
Inside, the remaining five satellites—Shaka, Pythagoras, Edison, Atlas, York—stood lined up like soldiers.
Lilith folded her arms smugly.
"Behold, the family I betrayed."
York rolled her eyes mid–snack. "You didn't 'betray' us. You just ran off after that woman."
She pointed her greasy finger at Ada.
"Proudly," Lilith said.
"My full set is complete now," Vegapunk said proudly.
"Six satellites total. Well… five and the one you stole."
He gave Lilith a pointed glare.
Lilith proudly puffed her chest. "I defected."
Ada didn't waste breath.
"Vegapunk," she said, voice steady, "I want the copy of the Mother Flame. The one you promised me."
Silence swept the lab.
Vegapunk sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose like he'd aged twenty years at once.
"I knew this day would come."
His voice softened. "But before I hand it over… tell me, Ada—what do you intend to do with it?"
Ada looked him straight in the eyes.
"To power Pluton."
Vegapunk froze.
His clipboard slipped through his fingers and clattered to the floor.
"PLUTON!?"
The satellites turned in unison.
York said quietly. "Impossible."
Shaka whispered. "That ship doesn't exist."
Atlas murmured softly. "Or if it does… no one should have access to it."
Vegapunk threw his hands in the air. "Ada! How did you even acquire Pluton!? Where is it?! How—"
"That," Ada interrupted calmly, "is a secret I will not share."
The room went dead still.
Vegapunk's lips twitched. "You are impossible."
"Correct," Mihawk murmured.
Vegapunk took a breath, thinking.
"…Then answer this instead."
He looked directly at her. "Do you also possess Poseidon?"
The entire crew whipped their heads toward Ada.
Ada smirked faintly. "Not directly."
Perona sputtered. "What do you mean not directly?!"
Ada crossed her arms. "Poseidon is not an object. She is a living being."
The crew blinked.
"A mermaid," Ada continued. "A mermaid princess born once every few centuries."
Mihawk narrowed his eyes. "So that prophecy was true."
Ada nodded.
"The mermaid princess back then—during my voyage with Roger—had not been born yet. That is why we were too early."
Her voice softened. "Poseidon… is Shirahoshi."
The room went silent.
Bullet looked stunned. "The quiet brat from Fishman Island… THAT kid?"
Ada nodded.
"Her voice can command Sea Kings. Just like the Poseidon of old."
Vegapunk exhaled shakily. "Incredible… yet terrifying."
Ada stepped closer, palm open. "The Mother Flame, Vegapunk. Time is running out."
Vegapunk hesitated only a moment—
then relented.
He opened a secure chamber and retrieved a sealed capsule containing blueprints glowing with shifting azure symbols, along with a compressed data orb pulsing gently.
He placed them in Ada's hands.
"Your copy," he said quietly. "Do not let it fall into the wrong hands."
Ada accepted it reverently.
As she turned to leave, Vegapunk spoke again.
"One last thing," he said. "What you told me years ago… that the world is sinking…"
He swallowed. "I found traces. Artifacts. Tectonic abnormalities. But I need more insight. What truly happened?"
Ada paused at the doorway.
"There was once a tribe," she said softly, "living atop the Red Line."
Vegapunk nodded. "The Lunarians. Extinct now."
Ada's expression hardened. "They didn't go extinct."
She looked at him over her shoulder. "They were hunted. Destroyed by the World Government."
Vegapunk's eyes widened.
"Why…?"
"To claim the highest land on the planet," Ada said flatly.
"If the seas rise, only the Lunarians would survive above the flood."
The crew inhaled sharply.
"And the Fishmen?" Vegapunk whispered.
Ada nodded.
"The Government persecuted them for the same reason. If the world sinks… Fishmen will become the dominant race."
The crew's blood ran cold.
Perona whispered, "So that's why…"
Hiyori covered her mouth. "That's… horrifying."
Shaka's voice was low. "That implies the Government has known about the sinking for centuries."
Ada nodded. "It does."
Silence swallowed the lab.
Vegapunk could only stare, shaken to his core.
Vegapunk then stared at Ada, horrified. "The World Government… eliminated any race that could outlive them."
Ada nodded once. "That is the truth."
With that—
She turned around towards the exit. "Goodbye, Vegapunk. And thank you."
Without another word, she and her crew stepped onto the departing platform, rising back into the light of Egghead's upper levels and leaving the world's greatest scientist speechless in the echoes of truth.
————————
After Leaving Egghead
The Oro Jackson cut across the clouds above Egghead's shimmering domes.
The moment the island shrank behind the horizon, Ada pulled out her Den Den Mushi.
It rang once.
Dragon's face appeared—stoic, but with the faintest flicker of anticipation in his eyes.
Ada lifted the capsule containing the Mother Flame copy.
"It's done," she said. "I have it."
Dragon exhaled—a long, controlled breath of relief. "Kuma will retrieve it. I can't be seen interacting with you right now. Too many eyes are watching."
Ada nodded. "I figured. I'll hand it to him directly."
Dragon's gaze softened, only slightly. "Be careful, Ada."
Ada's eyes lowered, her voice a quiet breath—gentle in a way she seldom allowed herself to be.
"…You too."
The line clicked off.
——————
Days later, a massive shadow descended from the sky.
FWOOOM.
Kuma landed on the deck without a ripple, towering over the crew yet radiating the gentle warmth of a giant caregiver.
"Bartholomew Kuma," Mihawk said with a nod.
"Kuma!" Lilith waved eagerly.
"Ada," he said first, voice low but carrying the quiet familiarity of an old friend. "It's good to see you."
Ada gave a small nod, her expression softening slightly. "It's been a while, Kuma."
Kuma inclined his head respectfully. "Indeed. I was sent by Dragon. He asked me to retrieve the Mother Flame."
Ada handed the sealed capsule to him.
"Guard it. If anything happens to it, everything falls apart."
Kuma's massive hands accepted it carefully, cradling the glowing orb as if it were fragile glass. "I understand," he said. "Dragon will have what he needs… and Pluton will finally be complete."
Ada let out a slow breath, then tilted her head. "How's Bonney?"
A rare smile touched Kuma's lips.
"She is safe now. Truly." His voice softened.
"The treatment worked. The disease is gone."
The crew relaxed visibly.
Ada's expression warmed, but then darkened. "And the cost?"
Kuma's gaze lowered, his voice quiet but unwavering. "In exchange for her life… I joined the Warlords," he said.
The deck went silent.
Perona gasped, Hiyori covered her mouth, and Bullet muttered a curse under his breath.
Ada's jaw clenched, her eyes narrowing. "So we were right."
Kuma's massive shoulders sagged slightly, the weight of his choices visible in his posture. "It was worth it. Every step."
He hesitated, then added, "And… I agreed to Vegapunk's cloning project—the Pacifista."
A stunned murmur ran through the crew.
"They're… cloning you?" Lilith's voice wavered between awe and disbelief.
"Yes," Kuma said, his voice steady. "To create weapons for the Marines. But it was the only way to ensure Bonney's cure. Her life… demanded it."
The crew went quiet, absorbing the enormity of his sacrifice.
Bullet clenched his fists, but there was no anger—only reluctant understanding.
Perona whispered, "All for her…"
Hiyori's eyes glistened. "A father… would do anything."
Mihawk remained stoic, but even he gave a subtle nod. The truth of Kuma's devotion needed no words.
Ada stepped closer, placing a hand lightly on his arm. "You've carried more than anyone should… but Bonney is safe. She's alive, and strong."
Kuma gave a faint, almost imperceptible nod, the weight of relief and lingering sorrow pressing equally upon him.
Then he hesitated. "And… there is something else."
Ada raised a brow. "What is it?"
Kuma looked uncomfortable—something exceedingly rare for him. "I… know about your son."
The air went still.
Ada's eyes widened just barely. "…How?"
Kuma exhaled. "I saw him. In East Blue."
Ada felt her heartbeat drop to her stomach.
"What was he doing?" she whispered. Her voice was tight. Fragile.
Kuma smiled gently. "Training. Breaking boulders with a single strike. He's grown strong—strong enough to stand tall in the first half of the Grand Line."
Ada pressed a hand to her chest, looking away as the weight of years settled on her shoulders.
"That child…"
She swallowed.
"I can't protect him forever. I just hope he knows he's not alone."
Kuma nodded. "He doesn't need you to. He carries both your wills… yours and Dragon's."
Ada's breath hitched, but she forced composure back onto her face.
"Good," she said softly. "That's good."
Kuma thrn bowed, solemn and unwavering. "With mother flame… Pluton will finally be completed. The world will change."
Ada nodded once. "Go. Dragon is waiting."
Kuma gave a final, respectful bow to the crew—then launched into the sky in a burst of air, vanishing into the clouds like a fired cannonball.
The deck fell silent.
Ada stared at the horizon long after he was gone.
And for a fleeting moment, her mask of strength cracked—
revealing a mother's quiet hope.