Aboard the Going Merry…
Tashigi stared blankly at Ace, who was grinning confidently, the aura of his Haki subtly radiating from his smile.
Her adorably clueless expression froze for a moment, as if her brain had completely short-circuited.
"See? Told you I didn't kidnap her, Nami," Ace said cheerfully, turning to the orange-haired navigator. "Tashigi agreed to help me of her own accord, so I brought her aboard."
"Hmph. You totally left out some important details and tricked her into it," Nami replied, huffing as she turned her pretty face to the side with mock indignation.
"Hehehe, you're not being honest at all, Nami," Nojiko teased, looking at her like she could see right through her tsundere act.
"Wh-What are you talking about?!" Nami's cheeks flushed a lovely red.
Ace chuckled, unfazed. He found her tsundere attitude surprisingly cute.
"Alright then! To welcome our new crewmate, Tashigi—let's have a party!" Ace declared with a hearty laugh.
"Eh?! W-Wait! I haven't even agreed—mmph!"
Before Tashigi could finish protesting, Ace stuffed a drumstick into her mouth.
"Today's a celebration! Eat! Drink! Hahahaha!" he roared with joy, downing a full mug of beer in one gulp.
"Hmph, totally pressured her into joining..." Nami pouted, lips pursed.
"No, I believe Ace used his superpower to discover that Tashigi is his fated swordswoman. That's why he brought her on board," Kaya chimed in with a gentle smile, cradling a thick medical textbook in her arms. Just like the time Ace had said she was destined to be his ship's doctor…
"…."
Nami didn't know how to respond. This girl was really taking Ace's every word to heart, huh?
Fated swordswoman? Then that would make her…
Nami's face turned a deeper shade of red as she grabbed a piece of bread and took a bite.
So… she was Ace's destined navigator?
Nojiko, watching silently, gave a soft, knowing smile.
Sometimes, even if something sounds ridiculous or far-fetched, once someone chooses to believe in it, the truth becomes irrelevant.
And she was willing to believe it too—she was Ace's destined helmswoman.
Nojiko raised her mug and downed it in one go, a delicate blush blooming across her cheeks.
The mood quickly began to heat up as the girls joined in the cheers.
Nami and Nojiko's faces were flushed, their laughter light and infectious.
Even Kaya, who hadn't had much to drink, was already a bit tipsy, clinging to Ace's arm with a sweet smile.
As for Tashigi?
Unexpectedly, the adorably clueless girl had the lowest alcohol tolerance of them all. After just a few drinks, her face was flushed and her eyes were unfocused.
"Hahahaha! Then, before we set sail for the Grand Line..."
Ace, now standing with one foot on top of a beer keg and a slightly wobbly Tashigi beside him, raised his voice.
"I'll bring an end to this era of great pirates… and become the King of the World!"
The sheer force of his declaration made the sea churn and the clouds twist in the sky—his Conqueror's Haki erupting around them with overwhelming presence.
Nami, Kaya, Nojiko, and even the half-drunk Tashigi were momentarily stunned.
So this… this was Ace's dream?
Even the sky and the sea themselves were stirred by his ambition.
Nami reached out a hand, clearly feeling the shift in the air.
"Then…"
With a soft laugh, she placed one foot on the beer keg beside Ace.
"I'll draw the most accurate map of the world!" she declared, her face glowing with anticipation.
"I'll sail across every ocean on that map, carrying Bellmère's mikans,"
Nojiko's voice rang out next, firm and proud.
She didn't hide it anymore.
Nami bit her lip, her heart stirred.
She had known… but hearing Nojiko say it aloud still hit differently.
"I want to be the best doctor I can be—to heal my crewmates, and… and Ace too!"
Kaya shouted, mustering every ounce of her courage.
"Hey now, don't be the odd one out," Ace called out to Tashigi, who was swaying, her flushed face clearly affected by the drinks.
"I-I…"
Fueled by alcohol and emotion, Tashigi clenched her eyes shut and shouted:
"I'll recover every Meito that's been stolen by evildoers! I won't let any of them stay tarnished!"
"….."
She waited, bracing herself for laughter or ridicule.
"That's a wonderful dream," Kaya said, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Tashigi.
"Eh?"
Tashigi blinked, stunned by the praise.
"It's a great goal," Nami said, smiling.
"It doesn't match your clumsy appearance at all—but it's impressive," Nojiko added with a soft laugh.
"Y-You guys…"
Tashigi looked around at everyone in a daze.
This was the first time her dream had ever been supported by so many people…
But… they were pirates.
Her heart was conflicted. Should she really be happy about this?
Even so, the small smile tugging at her lips betrayed her true feelings.
"Alright, now that you've shared your dream and drank with us, you're officially a member of the Flame Emperor Pirates!
Well, at least for the next year. After that, it's your choice. Hahahaha!"
Ace patted Tashigi's back and laughed heartily.
"I…"
Tashigi was momentarily speechless.
She might be a bit clueless, but she wasn't dumb—she knew she wasn't getting off this ship anytime soon.
"But I won't help you commit crimes! I'm still a Marine," she insisted firmly.
"Relax. No one's going to force you to do anything."
Ace didn't explain whether they'd be doing anything "bad." He had promised that Tashigi could judge with her own eyes—and he wasn't about to interfere. With a carefree wave, he smiled.
"Alright then—next stop, the Grand Line!"
Ace raised his mug high.
"Yeah!"
Kaya, Nami, and Nojiko lifted their hands with bright, eager smiles on their faces.
Tashigi bit her lip, her gaze turning toward the sea—complex emotions dancing in her eyes.
Use her own eyes to see, huh…?
Up ahead, the entrance to the Grand Line—Reverse Mountain—was just barely coming into view on the horizon.
---
TL/N:
Access 40 chapters in advance on my Patreon: p@treon.com/juanfiction (Replace @ with 'a')