The upper deck of the Moby Dick was pure chaos.
For a crew of hardened New World pirates, taking down an enemy battle fleet was a matter of muscle memory. Managing a young child who possessed the unyielding pride of a Kozuki and zero fear of giant men was entirely out of their depth.
By midday, Jozu was sitting motionless near the mainmast, transformed into a human climbing wall. Hiyori scrambled up his massive, diamond-coated arm, using his shoulder stud as a foothold to reach the top of his head. Jozu remained rigid, barely daring to breathe, staring straight ahead with wide eyes, afraid that one careless movement might send her tumbling.
"Hold still, heavy-man," Hiyori commanded, her small voice sharp and clear above the sea breeze. "I'm looking for the horizon."
Nearby, Vista stepped forward with a dramatic bow, removing his top hat to reveal a finely polished, child-sized wooden katana. "A young lady of Wano must never be without a blade, Lady Hiyori! Allow me to present—"
"Her hands are full of rice cakes, Vista, let the kid breathe," Thatch interrupted, striding over with a tray of candied plums and steaming buns. "Eat up, little princess! If you don't like the sea rations, I'll cook through the whole pantry until we find what suits a Kozuki."
Hiyori paused atop Jozu's shoulder, looking down at the crowd of eager, towering pirates vying for her attention.
She climbed down long enough to accept Vista's wooden katana, examining its polished hilt with grave Kozuki seriousness before fastening it beside her sash. She wasn't safe in Wano anymore, but standing on the deck of this giant ship, surrounded by loud, ridiculous men who moved like a wall between her and the world, she was beginning to feel safe somewhere else.
Hours later, with the sun sinking beyond the mastheads, Marco stepped into the center of the deck with his arms crossed. "Your mother said you need your rest, yoi. Bedtime was an hour ago."
Hiyori crossed her arms, having reclaimed her favorite perch on Jozu's head. "I am the daughter of Kozuki Oden. I do not take orders from birds."
The deck erupted into roaring laughter. Marco pinched the bridge of his nose, glaring at the snickering commanders. "I'm a phoenix, not a bird, yoi. And your mother's word is law on this ship."
"She said I could watch the ocean," Hiyori countered instantly.
Marco opened his mouth, closed it, and sighed in utter defeat. "Fine. Half an hour. But if Pops catches you awake after that, I'm telling him Vista gave you sugar."
Away from the noise of the main deck, near the quiet stern rail, Toki stood watching the sea. The evening wind pulled at her kimono, carrying the salt scent of the open sea.
Giovanni stepped up beside her, his dark coat wrapped around his shoulders. He kept a short distance between them, watching Hiyori finally allow Thatch to carry her toward the quarters.
"She's smiling," Giovanni said softly. "I wasn't sure if she would."
"She is strong," Toki replied. She turned her pale, quiet eyes onto him. "And she is safe. I have you to thank for that, Giovanni."
"You don't need to thank me," Giovanni said, looking down at the deck. "I came to Wano to stop a tragedy. I failed Oden. The least I could do was pull you and Hiyori out."
"You did pull us out," Toki said. Her voice remained gentle, but the edge within it grew firm. "You risked your life, left your crew, and carried us through the flames. But do not expect me to idealize what you did, young man."
Giovanni blinked, glancing at her.
"Fear can sound a great deal like protection, Giovanni," Toki said directly, looking into his eyes. "You saw danger and began arranging our lives. You told me where Hiyori would be safest and treated the road ahead as though it were already settled. I chose Whitebeard's protection. Do not forget that choice was mine. Protecting someone becomes control when you stop allowing them to answer for themselves."
The words hung between them.
He looked at Toki, seeing not just a mother he had rescued, but a woman who had crossed centuries, lost her husband, and made her own agonizing choices for her children.
"You're right," Giovanni said quietly, bowing his head toward her. "I'm sorry, Toki."
Toki watched him for a long beat, the tension softening from her face. "I accept your apology," Toki said. "Hiyori and I will remain here."
She reached into her sleeve and pulled out a small, carved wooden charm bearing the Kozuki crest. She pressed it into his palm. "Hiyori knows this carving. When you bring it back to her, she will understand that you always intended to return."
Giovanni closed his fingers around the small piece of wood. "I will."
Footsteps sounded from the aft corridor. Izo stopped at the edge of the lantern light, giving Toki a respectful bow before facing Giovanni.
"I couldn't protect Lord Oden," Izo said, his voice thick with unyielding resolve as he looked Giovanni in the eye. "I won't fail his family twice. I give you my word, Giovanni. I will defend Lady Toki and Lady Hiyori with my life. Even if the threat ever comes from a decision made by Pops himself, I will stand between them and harm."
Giovanni looked at Izo, feeling the final knot of anxiety in his chest uncoil.
At the starboard rail, Marco waited. His arms were transformed into brilliant wings of blue phoenix flame, illuminating the dark ocean waves below.
"Shanks was last reported seen three days northeast of us," Marco said, pointing out toward the dark horizon where the open sea stretched into the night. "Shanks will be looking for you, yoi."
Giovanni stood on the wooden gunwale, adjusting his dark coat over his sling. He looked back one last time at the lights of the Moby Dick, where the faint sound of Thatch arguing with Vista over bedtime snacks carried through the night air.
"Thanks, Marco," Giovanni said.
"Don't thank me yet," Marco drawled with a lazy smirk. "Pops said to make sure you get back to your captain in one piece, but he didn't say I had to make the drop comfortable."
Before Giovanni could reply, Marco planted one taloned foot against the center of his back, safely below the injured shoulder. Blue phoenix fire erupted around them.
The physical force launched Giovanni off the rail like a cannon shot. He tore across the night sky toward the northeastern horizon, a trail of blue flame streaming behind him as the dark sea opened below.
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