Chinjao was furious.

More precisely, it was the upper echelons of the Kano Country, who had contracted with Chinjao's Happo Navy, that raged.

One of the harbors had been devastated, a mountain collapsed leaving a large swath in ruins. An understandable reaction, all things considered.

With Celestial Dragons scheduled to arrive soon as well, the country urgently demanded money and resources to restore proper decorum. A sum, naturally, far beyond what Kanata's group could immediately afford to pay.

Thus...

"...A Devil Fruit, you say?" Chinjao’s brows furrowed.

Kanata responded, "Should fetch around 100 million berries on the market. We have three of them...consider this an advance payment for now."

"Hmm, most generous. Truth be told, I half-expected bloodshed over this debacle."

"An outcome I too hoped to avoid. While steep, this fee can be recouped through future dealings, or so I judged."

The Happo Navy was a mafia outfit, even if legitimized through their national contract. Still, the negotiated sum dwarfed previous transactions.

With the actual outlay being negligible, Kanata felt grateful they could settle matters this way. Her mercantile credibility remained intact, their alliance with the nationally-affiliated Happo Navy preserved. Under the circumstances, she could hardly complain.

"Hiyahohoh...We shall increase our business for the foreseeable future then."

"I would appreciate that greatly."

While the recent incident targeted Kanata's crew—Feiyun's group specifically—it proved no trivial matter even for Chinjao's side. Understanding this, he proposed the exorbitant deal as both recompense and gratitude.

Initially, he had schemed to fold George's family into his lower ranks should they prove unable to pay, hoping to secure their capable Ability users. But such considerations were now moot.

As the negotiations concluded, Kanata sipped her lukewarm tea before posing a query to Chinjao.

"I heard the Celestial Dragons will be arriving. When precisely?"

"Two months from now, give or take, once winter has passed its peak. The harbor and roads must be repaired by then."

"You entrust much to mere mercenaries regarding domestic affairs."

"Hiyahohoh...Manpower is scarce everywhere these days. With Celestial Dragons inbound, none can afford even small slipups lest they risk life itself."

"The 'Descendants of Gods', was it? Symbols of corruption and decadence, I'm told."

"Aye, commit even a minor transgression and they'll summon an Admiral to handle matters personally. Best you watch yourself too—with a pretty face like that, they might try dragging you off to Marineford as a new bride."

"How dreadful. I shall endeavor to stay aboard ship then." Kanata shrugged at the laughing Chinjao's remark.

In truth, it was no laughing matter. With her looks, such a scenario seemed plausible enough that Cipher Pol, the World Government's intelligence agency, might even deploy the Marines in response to any perceived resistance.

Best to avoid the Kano Country altogether during that period, she privately noted.

***

After several days coordinating logistics on Kano Country's docks, they set sail for another island.

Nearly everyone sustained injuries, with only Zen and Kanata emerging unscathed. Kuro too had recovered, though in his case it was more accurate to say he had 'consumed' his wounds...

"Lady Kanata, might I have a moment?" With the cargo unloaded and little else occupying her time, Zen visited Kanata's quarters.

At his behest, she emerged onto the frozen deck, where the snowflakes scattered across a raggedly-clad Feiyun awaited at the railing.

Her overlarge winter coat seemed hastily stitched together from various scrap fabrics—Chinjao had confirmed that even on the Grand Line, sourcing properly-sized garments for giants remained difficult. Perhaps something to consider once venturing there, Kanata mused.

"Kanata!"

Rousing from her drowsy state, Feiyun beamed and scampered over with a doglike energy upon noticing Kanata's arrival.

Returning her smile, Kanata fielded her query, "I heard you wished to discuss something? Is there some inconvenience I should address?"

"No, nothing like that. George is still rather skittish around me, but considerate nonetheless. Kuro's appearance is odd, but he's a wonderful person too. Junshi doesn't talk much, but strives to make me feel welcome...everyone has treated me so kindly."

"I see."

"So...um, what I mean is..." Fidgeting, her gaze wavered before resolutely meeting Kanata's own. "W-would you allow us to remain aboard your ship?"

"If you wish."

"You'll let us stay? Really?!"

"It was our proposition to begin with. If both of you desire to accompany us, you will be welcomed."

"Heehin. You see? I told you not to fret overmuch, Feiyun."

"Y-yes...you're right Zen..." Reassured to the point of tearing up, Feiyun's feet shuffled as Kanata patted her head with a wry smile.

"Stay as long as you need. If there's somewhere you wish to go, we shall take you. If you desire anything, merely ask. Do not hesitate due to any perceived 'difference' from us."

"...Rather maternal, wouldn't you say?"

"I'm only fifteen myself."

Fifteen?! Surely jesting! Zen's baffled look prompted Kanata to clarify her meaning, though he averted his gaze once realizing his unintended rudeness—an ultimately futile gesture, given a horse's lateral eye placement.

"You mean like...a mother to me?"

"...If that is how you wish to regard me, then so be it."

A tad young for maternal appellations, Kanata supposed.

Having never inquired about Feiyun's birth parents, this reaction hinted at their potential demise. While avoiding prying too deeply, gleaning some context might prove wise going forward.

Given Zen's history of caring for her, Kanata could hazard a few guesses at least. "Feiyun, what became of your real parents?"

"...Have you heard of the village of Elbaf?" Feiyun uttered the name of an especially renowned settlement among her kind. Eyes scrunched shut, the bitter reminiscence clearly pained her, but still she persisted.

"I...was born there. But when sailing with my parents...pirates attacked us." Searing memories resurface, recalling the terrors  of a female gourmand no giant could forget.

The first time 'she' went berserk, half of Elbaf was devastated and one of their greatest heroes perished.

The second time 'she' appeared as a pirate, spreading slaughter and plunder, Feiyun's parents fell among the victims.

"Ha¬ha mama mama! Leave the sweets and go! If you have no sweets, I'll destroy you all!"

An abnormally massive woman even among humans, commanding the sun deity Prometheus and thundercloud Zeus—the pirate "Big Mom" Charlotte Linlin, who scoured the seas.

Feiyun's parents were slain by her years ago, the traumatized child fleeing until Zen found and cared for her, eventually leading to their arrival here.

"...Charlotte Linlin, hmm?"

Reportedly carrying a bounty exceeding 500 million berries. Overwhelming in power, rampaging across the latter half of the Grand Line as one of the modern era's most infamous rookies. No wonder they were decimated upon encountering her.

"I wanted to return to Elbaf, but..." A melancholic sigh escaped Feiyun. "We were attacked everywhere we went."

Consuming a Devil Fruit garnered the attention of pirates under the Golden Lion Pirates' umbrella. Guarded by Zen, they fled across the Calm Belt to arrive in these seas.

An arduous and unimaginable journey, surely. Yet they had reached this point nonetheless.

"Elbaf Village, you say...From our current position, that would indeed prove quite distant. While traversing the Calm Belt remains possible for those formidable enough... It is still the nesting grounds of Sea Kings. Not an appealing prospect, I should think."

Feasible for sufficiently capable individuals, yes, but a route none would willingly choose if alternatives remained.

For all his experience, even Zen would likely find himself drained from such an undertaking.

Kanata asked, "Could you not simply repel the Sea Kings using Conqueror’s Haki?"

"Hmm, I cannot claim expertise in wielding the Color of Conquest myself..." Contemplating while stroking his chin, Zen conceded the uncertainty.  Overwhelming Sea Kings with Conqueror’s Haki might allow safe passage, perhaps. Consulting Chinjao could unearth other potential methods too.

Either way...

"Elbaf, is it? A place I would not mind visiting someday," said Kanata.

"It's wonderful there. Everyone is so kind..." A wistful smile crossed Feiyun’s face as she pondered old friends. "I wonder how Gerd-chan and Hajrudin-kun are doing..."

Homesick, her eyes drifted shut as Kanata mulled her own thoughts.

Devoid of such nostalgia herself, she could nonetheless empathize with Feiyun's longing for home. Unrealistic for now, but a future trip seemed a worthy aspiration.

***

With the Celestial Dragons' imminent arrival, frantic preparations consumed their days as supply ships continually traversed the harbor.

Kanata's group naturally found themselves conscripted into service as well. Ideally, they would depart for another island that fateful day, but were denied clearance—"Passing before Celestial Dragon vessels courts grave disrespect." Precedent existed of ships being sunk for such transgressions, leaving the Ability user-laden George Family little choice but to remain.

Especially Feiyun—should she fall into the sea, none could ensure her rescue.

"Under no circumstances are you to disembark," Junshi warned sternly. "The Celestial Dragons must not catch sight of you, else complications will most assuredly arise. Should anyone come aboard, leave them to us."

"Does that include Kanata and myself as well?" Feiyun queried meekly.

"Most definitely. Where that woman treads, trouble inevitably follows. Mark my words." Junshi's tone brooked no argument regarding Kanata's penchant for embroiling them in unanticipated debacles, however inadvertent.

The subject herself could only shrug at the indictment. "Unlike homebodies, my actions ensure encounters, for better or worse. Staying cooped up limits such occurrences by default."

"Grrahh!! Why I oughta—! It's not like I choose to squander my life away idle, y'know!"

While overseeing operations like accounting and logistics left George's team relatively stationary compared to Kanata's more mobile crew on the front lines, he took evident umbrage at the insinuation.

"I got way more life experience under my belt! 'Least I don't go stirring up crap at every turn like your impulsive ass!"

Departing with Junshi shortly after venting, George later contacted them via Transponder Snail around midday while their shipbound lunch break unfolded.

"...My apologies," he murmured contritely without preamble. "Word's leaked out somehow that the Celestial Dragons are demanding to see a giant even larger than a mountain."

"And you dare impose this on me after chiding me earlier?" Kanata's exasperated response proved far from conciliatory.

"Wait, now hold on—I didn't ask for this! It's for real this ti—"

Click.

The line disconnected before George could finish, only for another call to promptly ring through.

"Kanata here."

"It's me, Chinjao."

"...Celestial Dragon troubles, I presume?"

"Unfortunately so. I take it you just received word as well?"

"To flaunt Feiyun as some sideshow attraction, by the sound of it."

"My feelings exactly," Chinjao grumbled, sounding equally displeased. "Believe me, I aimed to avoid this entire fiasco. But an incident of that magnitude, with those towering figures clashing like ancient deities..." He trailed off with evident resignation. "Word inevitably spread, nullifying any hopes of containing it."

"A dilemma of your own making, not ours. Simply claiming our absence would suffice as an excuse."

"If only it were so simple...where Celestial Dragons are involved, outright refusal invites unfathomable retaliation..."

They both let out a sigh at the same time, thinking it was a troublesome story.

Avoidance proved optimal, defiance equally unpalatable given the catastrophic potential repercussions. Yet compliance seemed unavoidable in this instance.

Deeply unpleasant prospects all around—Feiyun would undoubtedly share their displeasure too. Some compensatory gesture seemed warranted, Kanata resolved, as she ended the call.

 

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