I woke up with a pain in my head, I must have overindulged on West Blue rum again.

̔Fucking shitty hangover.' These were the first words to see the light of this new day.

I looked up from the floor and saw a man looking up and down at me. With his eyes wide open, he continued to look at me.

It was then that his translucent, green body made me remind myself that he wasn't really alive.

« -Oh... OH FUCKING SHIT! » I cried out in surprise at the arrival of one of the specters.

« -Who are you? » He asked me calmly. « -You know your body is weird, it produces a strange light that is reassuring, I don't know why. But when I died, I was heading somewhere and your light appeared in the distance, you were sleeping, but you were shining. That's weird... I've seen you somewhere... I ask you again, tell me who you are? »

I looked at him again, incredulous at his presence. Then I turned, before covering my half-naked body with a thin blanket, since I was on a tropical island. So, in a warm climate.

« -Let me get dressed first...» I answer calmly before I hear him sit down on my bed.

I dressed in a black tank top and short shorts. I slowly turned to him before looking at his face in more detail.

« -OH! Thatch? Thatch, is that you? What happened to you?!» I replied surprised at his appearance, smiling softly before sitting down next to him.

« -Well... You see, Teach, from the crew... Hum, he killed me...» He sighed disappointedly. Before squinting and opening his mouth, recognizing me.

« -Wait, the one I wanted to kick his ass every time he landed an eye on me? » I asked thoughtfully, looking at a vase on a piece of furniture in the bedroom.

« -Yes, yes, that one. » He laughed, before patting me on the back.

« -You know, I think you should come back to the boat, the crew is thinking of you, we miss you. You're one of the only girls on the boat. And you make us all laugh, so to see everyone's smile again, please come back. And I also have a favor to ask of you. » Thatch continued as his reassuring caresses continued along on my back.

« -Thatch... I must tell you something... » I sighed before lying down on my bed and placing my forearm over my eyes. « -I went back to East Blue. I saw our little brother again... You know, I'm cursed to the core. I'm just the representative of East Blue... I used a second wish to the ocean. My ocean sisters are far away, and they have far fewer limits than I do. I used a second wish, you realize... » I sighed frustrated. I could feel my tears forming.

« -Thatch... I'm scared, I've always loved the ocean and knowing that it will reject me as soon as all my wishes are used up is terrifying. I don't like that feeling. Thatch I'm sorry... I should have thought about it, I shouldn't have left the boat. I'm really sorry. »I let my tears run down my cheeks, their warmth spreading down my pale cheeks.

« -Hey... Eiya, it's all right, I know you're beating yourself up, but it's not your fault. Don't do it too much, but tell me, how did you use that second wish? » He asked me before turning completely to me.

« -If you only knew... I panicked, Luffy, our little brother, was fighting Arlong, a fish-man who had taken an entire island hostage and Luffy having a member of his crew taken on that island, he fought for her. But Arlong threw him into the water, he couldn't breathe or swim, so I asked for three minutes of air to survive, he almost died. But with the help he got, he got out of the water, and he started fighting this man, or fish again. I thought he was going to die. But he won against this bastard. He's powerful, but we already know that. » I smiled at my last sentence.

« -I think it would be cool if you 2 could meet... You have almost the same personality. » I told him.

« -Eiya, you're an amazing person, you have a huge heart, and you're very smart. I know your wish hasn't been wasted, so don't torture your mind for it. By the way, I have something to ask you. » He replied. «-But... Promise me that you're not going to rush like a madwoman to see if it's true. And above all, don't get upset. » He continued with a sigh.

« -Thatch, you know I can't promise you anything. » I sighed on my turn. « -You've faced me before in this kind of situation. » I moved my forearm before looking at him and seeing his serious gaze staring at me.

« -Eiya, I'm serious. » He replied.

« -And I am just as much as you are. » I replied in turn. « -Now. Spit. It. Out. » I said to him before staring at him in turn.

He sighed before saying, «-Eiya, I think Ace is going to go looking for Teach. » I jumped to my feet, cutting him off in his sentence.

« -But I want you to do me a favor. I know what you're capable of. But, please, agree to make a contract with me. And if you can make us, see Pops again... » He sniffed, feeling his nose run down and tears forming. « -I want to say things to him. The things I never got to tell him. Say my goodbye to... him properly. To Ace, to Pops, to Marco, to everybody... »

I looked at him, bowing my head.

« -You know I'll never allow you to stay longer than my limits. You know, people close to me are not supposed to sign a contract with me... And that it would hurt me. » I said softly, whispering the last part of my sentence, not wishing to hurt him.

« -I know you want it, but this contract can't last long, I'm going to have to let you go. » I huffed, feeling sadness take over.

« -Eiya, I know. But I want to see them one last time, see them smile. You know more than anything else, people who can never say their goodbye will always blame themselves. So please understand me... » He replied.

« -I understand it... But you also need to know that it will affect me too. I'm old enough to understand that. » I said, clasping my hands and looking up at his.

I closed my eyes gently before imagining a blank sheet of paper.

« -Say, can I make a request? I know you can hear me... But tell me, can you make the contract on an old-fashioned piece of paper? Please... » He said softly.

I sighed and blew some of my air out of my lungs before imagining a brown sheet paper, and torns at the sides.

'Contract Sheet and Term':

- The spirit or soul signing this contract will be sent to the realm of the dead if it does not comply with the terms mentioned.

-The spirit/soul can fight on the side of the contract owner.

- The owner and the spirit/soul must protect each other unless ordered by the owner.

-The spirit/soul must be protected by its owner.

-The owner can show the world of the In-Between in a particular place.

-If the spirit/soul dies during the term of the contract, the owner of the contract will be punished with a sentence of reduced lifetime.

-When the established duration of the contract ends, the spirit/soul will be sent to the place where it needs to go.

Signatures of the owner and the spirit/soul: '

I opened my eyes again before I saw the paper in my hands. I took a small blade and cut open my wrist, which was covered in a scar that glowed and looked like diamonds, the scar of the Kai. Once opened, I lifted my right hand, before touching the pooling blood and placing my index finger on the paper, I looked up at Thatch, who looked disgusted.

« -Don't tell me I have to touch your wrist and sign with your blood... Please...? » He asked, unsure of himself.

I smiled a little, finding the scene hilarious. « -That's it, you're right... Don't worry about me, it doesn't hurt. » I told him.

He sighed before touching my wrist and placing his index finger on the paper. The paper caught fire, before it was nothing but ashes.

« -Uh... What about the paper? How do we deal with the contract? » He asked.

« -Inscribed on people's bodies and minds, basically it is anchored in the souls of the beneficiaries of the contract, once completed, the contract appears again, and leaves in tatters, and does not turn to ashes. It proves to us that the contract is complete. »

« -And when the contract goes to ashes? »

« -The contract is accepted. And that it has begun. » I answer before getting up from bed.

« -And what do I do now? » He looked at me before lowering his head.

« -You're entering my body, you're going to have to break the barrier of reality and hide in the In-Between. Don't worry, you won't be alone. We go search, we find Ace, we find Pops, and we stay alive. » I said as I picked up my belongings scattered on the floor.

He looked at me before sighing again, « -You know, I was really wondering how you managed to survive before. » He said with his head down. « -You really need to think about seeing your tidying up. It's pitiful, you're astonishing me that you couldn't find the maps when you were asked for them... » He sighed before disappearing after making a crack in the air and re-entering my body.

« -Hey! I don't allow you to tell me the truth so tactlessly. » I say before sighing and putting my satchel around my neck.

I turned before opening the window and letting my room get some air, I went out the door before going downstairs and handing the key back to the counter, with the change of course. I went outside, heading for the harbour and standing on my little boat. A voice in my head appeared, « -Well... We're going to go a long way with this, we don't even have oars. » Thatch said.

« -I see that you have retained nothing from me. » I answer before laughing softly.

I lifted my right leg, balancing on my left leg and bending my leg in the air, so that it touched the deck. I kicked it a little, for us to get a little further away.

I moved behind the small sail and got into position, one leg towards the sail the other leaning on the boat. I bent my leg, which was in the direction of the sail, and kicked it violently, without touching it.

It was then that a gust of wind caused the boat to move forward, and the sail swelled, at an incredible speed.

« -I forgot you were like that. And where, by whom, and how you were trained. » Thatch's voice was heard.

A few yards later, the wind seemed to be mild, making the little boat move faster.

« -It is there, now and today that we will go in search of them. » I say, before tying my black hair in a ponytail, so as not to swallow it with the wind.

I smiled before I sat down and pulled out a book from my satchel, which I opened and looked at two old photos, but the most important one was the one with 5 people on it, admittedly with bandages, but this photo will remain the most important. I smiled softly, «I will see you soon, I feel it, my brothers. »