Ace's question, "Now what?", echoed in the sudden, profound silence left by Garp's departure. The absence of the old man's booming voice and overwhelming presence felt like a physical weight lifted, leaving the crisp mountain air feeling thin and uncertain. We stood there in the muddy clearing – three kids, bruised, battered, armed with dangerous secrets and the fledgling techniques of superhuman assassins, suddenly free from our demanding, terrifying tutor.
Freedom felt… strange. Disorienting. For three months, our lives had revolved around Garp's brutal schedule. Survive the training. Hunt. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. Now, the path forward was an unmarked trail through the dense forest of possibilities.
My gaze drifted towards the distant sea, barely visible beyond the treetops. The sea meant escape, anonymity, the continuation of my solitary quest for vengeance. But it also meant isolation, constant running, the gnawing loneliness I'd endured for four years. Looking at Ace's intense, questioning face, at Luffy absently scratching his head, a confusing reluctance stirred within me. Could I just… leave?
Before the heavy implications of 'what next' could fully settle, Luffy, as always, shattered the tension with the blunt force of simple desire. "Ne, ne!" He bounced on the balls of his feet, his earlier confusion about Garp leaving already forgotten, replaced by boundless energy now that the threat of immediate training was gone. "Let's go see Makino-neechan! I wanna tell her we beat the giant bear! And Gramps left! And Akane knows weird light tricks! And—"
"Alright, alright, shut up, Luffy," Ace cut him off, though the hard line of his mouth softened almost imperceptibly. The idea clearly appealed to him too. Foosha Village. Makino's gentle smile. A real meal that wasn't questionable stew or hastily roasted boar. A brief respite from the harsh reality of the mountain and the looming questions about our futures. He glanced at me, a silent question in his eyes – You coming?
The thought of a village, of normalcy, however temporary, sent a jolt of anxiety through me. Crowds, strangers, potential Marines… But Makino? Luffy and Ace spoke of her with genuine affection. And the thought of hot food served on an actual plate, maybe even some clean clothes… It was tempting. Besides, where else would I go right now? Stealing another boat felt exhausting just thinking about it.
"Okay," I nodded, my voice quiet. "Let's go."
Luffy cheered. "Yosh! To Makino's! MEAT!" He started sprinting towards the path down the mountain immediately.
"Hold it, idiot!" Ace yelled after him. "We gotta tell Dadan!" He sighed, rubbing his temples, already weary of Luffy's impulsiveness. He turned towards the hut, squaring his shoulders. Dealing with Dadan was always an ordeal.
We trooped back to the hut. Dadan was inside, sweeping the dirt floor with a twig broom, muttering under her breath about lazy Marines who ate all her food and left messes.
"Dadan," Ace announced, stopping just inside the doorway. "We're going out."
Dadan stopped sweeping, leaning on her broom and eyeing us suspiciously. Her gaze lingered on me for a moment, probably recalculating the potential trouble versus the relief of having one less mouth (especially an eighty-million-beri mouth) to feed, even temporarily. "Out? Out where? Garp finally leave you brats alone?"
"We're going down to Foosha," Ace stated flatly.
"To see Makino!" Luffy added cheerfully from behind Ace.
Dadan sniffed disdainfully. "Tch. Going soft, runnin' down to the village every chance you get." She waved a dismissive hand, though her eyes held a flicker of something – relief? Or maybe just annoyance that we were interrupting her sweeping. "Fine! Go! Just don't come back crying when some villager recognizes Scarface here," she jerked her chin towards me, "and calls the Marines! And don't bring back any more strays!" She resumed her sweeping with renewed vigor, pointedly ignoring us. Typical Dadan.
Ace rolled his eyes, turned, and led the way out, Luffy bouncing excitedly behind him. I paused for a second at the doorway, looking back into the dim, smoky hut that had been my unlikely sanctuary. It was rough, dirty, ruled by a grumpy bandit queen, but… it had been safe, in its own strange way. With a final glance, I stepped out into the bright morning, following the brothers down the winding path.
The journey down Mt. Colubo was vastly different from the frantic dashes during training. We walked at a leisurely pace, the path familiar now after months of traversing it under duress. The towering trees seemed less menacing, the shadows less deep. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, warm on our skin. We could hear birdsong, the rustle of small animals in the undergrowth, the gurgle of hidden streams – sounds previously drowned out by Garp's yelling or our own ragged breathing.
Luffy chattered endlessly, recounting exaggerated versions of our training exploits ("And then Gramps threw me into a volcano! But I bounced right out!"), pointing out interesting bugs, and speculating loudly about what Makino might have for lunch. Ace walked mostly in silence, hands shoved in his pockets, but he seemed more relaxed than I'd ever seen him up the mountain, the constant tension eased from his shoulders. He occasionally corrected Luffy's more outrageous claims or pointed out actual dangers like venomous snakes coiled on low branches.
I walked between them, observing. The ease with which they navigated this wilderness, their ingrained knowledge of its dangers and resources, was impressive. They truly were children of the mountain. For me, it felt strange to be walking towards civilization instead of away from it. Part of me, the part honed by four years of flight, screamed caution. Villages meant people, people meant eyes, eyes meant recognition, recognition meant danger. The eighty million beri bounty felt like a tangible weight on my shoulders.
But another part, the small, lonely ember of the seven-year-old girl I used to be, felt a flicker of cautious anticipation. Makino. A kind face, maybe? A moment of peace? After Garp's whirlwind departure and the intensity of the training, a quiet moment felt deeply appealing. I kept my hand near the Kaenken instinctively, scanning the trees, but allowed myself to breathe a little easier, letting the quiet sounds of the forest wash over me.
As we descended, the dense forest gradually thinned, replaced by rolling green hills dotted with grazing sheep. The air grew warmer, saltier, carrying the scent of the nearby ocean. In the distance, nestled beside a calm blue bay, Foosha Village came into view. It looked tiny from up here, peaceful, almost dreamlike. White-plastered houses with red-tiled roofs clustered around a small harbour where colourful fishing boats bobbed gently. A tall windmill stood sentinel on a nearby hill, its blades turning lazily in the sea breeze. It looked… idyllic. Untouched by the kind of fire and terror that had consumed Hi-no-Kuni. The contrast was a dull ache in my chest.
"Almost there!" Luffy announced unnecessarily, pointing towards the village. "Makino's bar is right by the docks! She makes the best juice!" He started running ahead, eager for civilization and promised snacks.
"Oi! Luffy! Wait up!" Ace yelled, shaking his head before breaking into an easy jog after him.
I followed, my steps hesitant as we left the wildness of the mountain behind and entered the outskirts of the village. Smooth cobblestone paths replaced the rough dirt trail. We passed neat little houses with colourful flower boxes in the windows. Villagers – fishermen mending nets, women hanging laundry, old men smoking pipes on benches – looked up as we passed. Their gazes lingered, mostly on Ace and Luffy, who seemed to be familiar, if slightly notorious, figures. Some smiled warmly, especially at Luffy; others looked wary, likely associating the boys with Dadan's mountain bandits or Garp's destructive visits.
A few eyes slid towards me, the unfamiliar face, the ragged cloak, the sword hilt peeking out. Curiosity, mostly. No overt recognition, thankfully. But the scrutiny made my skin prickle. I pulled my cloak tighter, keeping my head slightly bowed, staying close to Ace. He seemed to notice my discomfort, subtly positioning himself slightly between me and the more curious onlookers without drawing attention to it.
The village center was small but bustling with quiet energy. Children chased each other through the square, laughing. The smell of baking bread wafted from a nearby shop. It felt so… normal. Peaceful. A world away from Buster Calls and government conspiracies. For a moment, I let myself imagine living here, a simple life under the turning windmill. The thought was fleeting, impossible, but achingly sweet.
"There it is!" Luffy yelled, pointing towards a cheerful-looking building near the harbour front with a swinging sign that read "PARTYS BAR" in friendly letters. Smoke curled from its chimney, and the sound of faint chatter drifted from within.
Luffy didn't bother knocking; he shoved the door open with characteristic enthusiasm (BANG!) and bounded inside. "MAKINO-NEEECHAN! WE'RE BACK! AND WE'RE STARVING!"
Ace sighed at Luffy's lack of decorum but followed him in. I hesitated at the threshold, peering into the dim, welcoming interior. The bar was cozy, smelling of polished wood, ale, and cooking food. A few patrons – fishermen, mostly – sat at tables or the bar counter, nursing drinks. Behind the long, polished wooden counter stood a young woman with dark green hair tied back neatly, wiping down a mug with a cloth. She had a gentle face and a warm, patient smile that widened instantly at the sight of Luffy.
"Luffy! Ace! Welcome back!" Her voice was as warm as her smile. "My goodness, you both look like you've been wrestling giant bears again!" She chuckled softly, her eyes crinkling at the corners. She noticed their slightly bruised and scratched appearance, remnants of the Rokushiki training.
"We did!" Luffy declared proudly, puffing out his chest. "And Gramps left! And we learned super cool moves! And—"
"And," Ace interrupted smoothly, stepping aside slightly, "we brought someone with us."
Makino's gaze shifted from the familiar faces of the brothers to me, lingering uncertainly in the doorway. Her smile remained, warm and welcoming, but curiosity entered her kind eyes. She took in my ragged appearance, the wariness in my stance, the sword at my back.
Luffy bounced over, grabbing my arm and pulling me fully inside the bar, placing me squarely in front of Makino. "Makino-neechan!" he announced brightly, beaming from ear to ear, completely oblivious to any potential awkwardness or danger.
"This is Akane!" he declared, loud enough for the whole bar to hear. "Our new friend!"
Makino's gentle smile faltered for just a fraction of a second. Her eyes widened almost imperceptibly as they swept over me again, lingering for a heartbeat on my face, a flicker of something unreadable – shock? Recognition? Concern? – crossing her features before smoothing back into warm politeness. She tilted her head slightly, her gaze searching mine.
"Akane…?" she repeated softly, the name barely a whisper on her lips. She looked from me to Ace, then back to me, her smile strained now, a deep furrow appearing between her brows.
"My," she murmured, her voice suddenly quiet, her eyes holding an unexpected depth of worry. "You have... familiar eyes."