𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 ➳ 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐚 (one piece fanfic)

Chapter 45 ✨✨

"What brought you in these shallow seas?" Shanks asked Garp as they settled down in a pub on land.

The Marine underlings sat warily in front of the uncaring pirates, observing them drink with a hand on their weapons.

Garp stared at the people gathered around, his eyes searching for a familiar figure, "I wanted to meet your newest addition," he hummed before wondering, "where is she?"

Shanks quickly connected the dots and called out to the woman concealing her presence in the shadows, "Konan!"

All heads turned to her as she appeared from a corner of the room, coat floating slightly behind her, its red clouds revealing the identity of its wearer.

She silently slid in a chair at their table, nodding toward Garp before sending a warning glance at Shanks. "And I'm not in anyone's crew, Shanks."

"Right, of course, but our crew will always welcome you, Konan," he extended yet another invitation while smiling charmingly.

Garp cut in when he sensed they had begun to forget his presence, "I've been wanting to meet my grandson's famed older sister." Ever since he had conceded to letting Dragon raise Luffy—after a gentle discussion with his son that lasted a whole week— he had been very much intrigued by this unknown woman who had managed to change all his plans and brainwash his precious grandson out of his Marine career. As he remembered all of that, he couldn't help but let out a burst of pressuring Haki.

Shanks' smile stiffened as he saw his crew be affected by the sudden outburst. "Garp," he warned coldly. But he saw that nothing would change his stubborn mind, while the person targeted was drinking tea calmly, staring at the old man dead in the eyes.

Konan was long used to the random bursts of pressure from the old man from her time as Nanko, so she wasn't bothered in the slightest. His Haki didn't have any killing intent.

"Luffy is a sweet child," she commented with a smile, remembering the teenager she hadn't seen in a long while. "He has a big ambition but his heart is overflowing with kindness and joy, he'll attract many people around him, and though he is reckless, his friends can easily cover for it. His bravery and determination will make up for his lack of strength." She paused, remembering the weak little child charging again and again at her to beat her. "He has that spark in him that make people want to believe in him." Including her.

Garp was silent for a moment before he released the pressure and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, bringing her closer to him, "You're a good person," he brought his glass up, replacing hers with alcohol, "I can see why that kid looks up to you." His voice was brimming with hidden emotion as he looked at her, a mix of bitterness and satisfaction.

He knew she was the reason Ace had opened up, he also knew she had helped train the three kids to prepare them to face the world. She was far better than him who had simply left them to fend for themselves because he didn't dare look at them too long in case his guilt showed its ugly rear. And at the same time, he wanted to let them grow up free of the world's prying eyes, free of the responsibility their lineage brought along. He knew Konan gave them everything he never could, freedom of choice and the strength to back it up.

"Alright, let's see how well you can hold your liquor!" It was an easy way to bond with people that normally would never speak together.

Shanks smiled silently, knowing she had successfully earned the old man's approval.

A few hours later, all the Marine officers were asleep while the Red-Hair pirates were fully awake and drinking. Shanks was calmly drinking his sake, while Garp was chatting with a perfectly sober Konan, "You sure you don't want to join the Marine?"

Konan smiled, a hint of mischief in her eyes, "Maybe in another life."

Garp sighed, staring at her, observing her behavior, "You know, you remind me of another young marine officer," he paused to gauge her reaction, "you might know him, curiously he has a name similar to yours."

She simply continued drinking, seemingly not affected by his declaration, plainly curious.

"He is a brilliant young man, a natural fighter and a fearless strategist," Garp fondly complimented his long-term protegee.

"What's his name?" Konan asked, inwardly already knowing the answer.

Garp smiled brightly. "Nanko," he shouted while lifting his glass up. "Remember his name."

Konan felt a surge of warmth in her stomach watching him innocently boast her name not knowing the truth. In that moment, she chose to bury the ineluctable disappointment the truth would cause to the old man. For the night, she would enshroud the truth and enjoy the lies.

"I look forward to his growth," she affirmed with a grin, enjoying the display of fondness and proudness in the old man. His speech was beginning to slur from the drinks yet he didn't forget to boast about Nanko's achievement as if it were his own.

"You've got me interested too now," Shanks commented with a hint of jealousy looking at the harmonious atmosphere between Garp and Konan, almost like they had known each other for a long while. It had taken him a whole month to get Konan to chat comfortably with him, yet in a few hours, he could see Konan was already warming up to Garp.

The rest of the night flew by, with neither of the three falling asleep nor unconscious.

"I didn't know you could hold your liquor that well," Shanks noticed how Konan was still standing straight, face pale as usual and speech fluid, unlike the two men who were beginning to get tipsy.

Konan merely smiled. As a shinobi, getting drunk on a mission was forbidden, so they had all developed their own techniques to master the art of drinking without getting drunk. If she really wanted to, she could act drunk, but she didn't really feel like it.

Finally, she was left alone with the bartender as the sun began to rise again. "Sorry for the mess," she apologized while helping him clean up.

Suddenly, she stopped moving, a frown on her face. She left a note on the table and headed outside before disappearing into the morning. A paper had been ripped. Ace's.

It was half-tipsy, with a headache from the previous drinking party and deep tiredness that she appeared on the other side of the ocean, in front of a dumbfounded pineapple man and a shocked flame user.

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i'm going to sleep now, *yawn* 😪