The Lunarian's Guide to the Blue World

Phase 6: 'No one' is lost

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Chapter includes comic pages! Read the chapter to see them and get the full context ~

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Cold, chilly, sometimes too hot, violent and often random. The weather-circumstances and last few days marked the beginning of an unspoken contest to see who would violate personal space first. The crew, of course, was understanding—no one was pushy, and everyone respected each other's needs and boundaries. However, when those boundaries started to blur into something dangerously close to self-harm, it became increasingly difficult to turn a blind eye.

After a sleepless night and yet another marathon discussion about future goals—each one as productive as a ship without a rudder—the young commander decided it was time to blow off some steam. He headed to the workout area, where Marco was already waiting, looking as patient as a saint who'd run out of miracles. A heated training session, peppered with grunts and the occasional colourful curse, managed to punch a few holes in the pressure cooker that had become Ace's mind.

Every time Blackbeard clawed his way into the Fire Fist's thoughts, his anger boiled and his concern for his kid brother's future grew like unwanted weed in a neglected garden—annoying, persistent, and impossible to ignore. The latest news didn't help either; apparently, Blackbeard was collecting pirate crews like some people collect stamps. What was that bastard planning?

Pops, ever the voice of gruff reason, insisted they return to Sphinx first and keep an eye on further developments. Sure, Ace understood the old man's worries, and Luffy was in a safe place, somewhere he could get stronger without having to look over his shoulder every five seconds. However, everyone who acquainted the young, freckled commander also knew that he couldn't just "not worry" especially not when it concerned his little brother.

Luffy had a teacher who could show him the ropes—literally, if necessary—and Pops' gut feeling about the brewing storm didn't seem to be improving. For now, keeping the crew and their turf safe was the top priority, even if it meant sitting on his hands for a while longer.

"We are a family, and we sail as a family. For now, we concentrate on our smaller goals, our allies, our turfs, and our journey, keeping ourselves a little under the radar. Alright?" The Blue Phoenix had a way of delivering wisdom that could make even the most stubborn of fire-chads see reason. Reluctantly placing his weights aside, Ace stood up, trying to shake off the worries clinging to his mind like barnacles on a hull. Unfortunately, where there was one worry, another was usually waiting in the wings, eager to take its place. He had thought that Nemo was beginning to trust them, as she seemed to be slowly opening up, sharing tales of the moon and their resource-scarce ventures through the universe—stories of survival, exploration, and improving life on distant colonies.

He genuinely cherished the evenings when they sat together, swapping tales of their respective adventures. Both were curiously excited, each story seeming as alien to one as it was familiar to the other. The worlds they described might as well have been from different genres of the same book.

"There's the Grand Line and the New World, of course. We usually coat our ships to dive down to Fishman Island, crossing the barrier of the Red Line," Ace would say, with all the nonchalance of someone describing their daily commute. To which Nemo might respond, equally matter-of-fact, "There's a planet just 10 lightyears away that has a ring you can walk on. It's so smooth you can slide right across it!"