One year and eleven months until Straw hat reunion

A scream ripped through the air, wide green eyes stared across the battlefield, catching onto a yellow vest, a magma fist was aimed right for his chest. The fist was gonna kill him, kill him, kill, die, dead, gone forever. Tani couldn't have that. No matter what, Luffy needed to survive.

How many times would she have to relive this day? This dream that ripped her in two. She knew this was a dream, she knew it but that didn't stop it from feeling any less real. It never stopped her from running in and taking the blow without fail.

It never stopped her from waking up, screaming in pain as the phantom burns tore through her body. Hands clawing away at her bandages as she tried to breath with her burned lungs. Tears streaming from her face as she choked on her breath.

This had happened every night for the last month. Tani dreaded falling asleep, but the weakness in her body made it hard to stay awake for any longer than 12 hours at a time.

"Miss Tani?" A soft, frantic voice called out from the door. Tani turned to find Chopper standing there, only to blink and find a tall white bear standing in his place. The tears burst out of her eyes, her heart aching to see her nakama again.

Bepo came running to her side, her howling cries rang out through the cabin. The bear was careful to wrap his arms around the sobbing girl, avoiding the chest area as best he could. Tani shoved her face into the bears shoulder. Wishing for this nightmare to be over.

She missed her nakama, she missed waking up to the sound of Robin and Nami softly snoring away. She missed late night watches with Zoro, while Brook played haunting tunes. She missed fighting over breakfast with her crew, fighting off Luffy only to receive a full meal afterwards because Sanji was an absolute saint. She missed watching Franky and Usopp working on machines that reminded her of home... Most of all... She missed her family.

Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Franky and Brook... Tani sobbed harder into Bepo's shoulder. His large paw was gently rubbing up and down her back. Softly bringing her back from hysterical to a calm state of mind. By the time she managed to stop crying, the room was filled with four more people. Penguin and Shachi held out a tray with a hot mug that smelled strongly of coco. Wolf was by the door, watching from afar, a look of pity in his eyes. Law stood close by, his face knotted together in concern. Tani wiped the trail of tears from her cheeks. Sniffling back anything that threatened to leak from her face.

"S-sorry..." She couldn't let herself look at any of them. Too embarrassed of the emotions that swirled in her gut, the ones that she was certain could be seen in her eyes. Homesickness, fear, loneliness... So many emotions that made her want to scream and cry.

"You don't have to apologise." Penguin supplied, shoving the tray closer to the girl.

"Yeah, you'll start acting like Bepo." Shachi snickered. The bear bowed his head in shame.

"Sorry..."

"See!" Shachi hooked an arm around Bepo's neck, his free hand planted itself into Bepo's head, ruffling the tuff of hair that poked out longer than the others. "We don't need another Bepo when our one is already good enough." Tani let her self huff a laugh, finally accepting the drink that Penguin patiently held out for her. Taking a sip, the drink wasn't very flavourful, but it hit the spot just fine. Warming the stress away, Tani let out a sigh. The tension fled from her muscles. Something tapped on her arm, she looked over to find Law holding his notepad up for her to read his message.

'Are you in any pain?' Tani shook her head.

"It's all night terrors. Don't worry... I guess going through something as..." She couldn't finish the sentence. Not if it meant speaking her dreams aloud. She couldn't burden these boys with her struggles, not after only knowing them for a month.

"Nightmares are still a form of pain. If you think about it," Shachi said, glancing around the room to see if anyone else agreed. Penguin gave a nod.

"Yeah. I remember reading this thing in a book once-"

"You can read?" Shachi earned a hard punch for that one. Penguin continued.

"In the book, it said that talking about things that bother you in the head can make you feel better," Shachi and Bepo both nodded. Tani gave a weak smile.

"Thanks... I'll think about it." and she would think about it. She knows that she can trust these boys, that they were gifted with bells at some point during her stay with them. She just didn't want to dump all of 'that' on them yet. Not when they barely knew her.

Bepo let out a big yawn. What time was it? It must be early in the morning, Tani couldn't help but feel guilty for keeping them awake. Wolf had already left them to go back to sleep, it was time that everyone else left too. Just like they did every other night. A solemn feeling bloomed in her chest.

If someone in the crew was suffering from ship waking nightmares, Tani could guarantee that the whole crew would have gathered their things and thrown a sleep over party. Keeping everyone close by, comforting and proving their love and devotion to one another. Like a family... Tani shouldn't be wishing for such things, not with these strangers.

Lifting her head, Tani found Law signing at his crew mates. All of them gave nods of affirmation, Bepo even saluted. All three of them rushed out of the room with large grins on their faces. Law took a seat on Tani's bed, scribbling on his notepad. The page was full of strange heart shaped designs, all of them featured what looked like a smiling face as the centre piece.

"Those would make pretty cool tattoos." Tani said aloud, Law looked at her with a sparkle in his eyes. The kid wasn't expressive of his emotions on the surface, but Tani had lived with a Mr Roronoa Zoro for almost a whole year. She could read the eyes better than an optometrist. The kid clung to praise like a life line, and him scooting closer to her, with his notepad slightly tilted towards her... Well she was more than happy to indulge.

"I like this one the most." She pointed to one of the smaller sketches, the heart curled at the ends, in the centre was that smiling face. Lining the outside of the heart were curled spikes. It was one of the more simple designs, but its simplistic and somewhat quiet design really spoke to her.

Law nodded with a quirk of the lip. He flipped to a new page and pressed the pencil into the page. Watching him draw was different from watching someone like Usopp or Franky, even Luffy and his weird creations. Law was mechanical, no stroke was done without purpose. He had a goal and stuck to it. A curl of the pencil here, a flick there. Tani found herself mesmerised with the recreation of the tiny sketch she'd pointed out. So focused in fact that she didn't look up from the page when Penguin, Shachi and Bepo returned with a forts worth of pillows and blankets, nor when they set up the fort. It was only after Law had added the final touches to his drawing, that Tani realized what was happening in the room around her.

"So you don't have to sleep alone." Bepo supplied innocently. Tani couldn't stop the swelling in her chest.

"Thank you," She felt herself truly smile for what felt like the first time in weeks. She misses her crew dearly, but this group of immature, knuckle headed boys came to catch her fall as best they could. They weren't perfect, but who is?

Tani was happy to admit that she slept like a baby for the rest of the night.

...

One year and nine months until Straw hat reunion

"It looks like you're arm's healed up," Bepo beamed, removing the near clean bandages from Tani's arm. The bullet wound was nothing more than a scar, barely noticeable if you aren't looking for it. Tani returned the grin.

"Finally! My skin can breath!" She flopped dramatically onto her bed, puffing out a wince when she landed awkwardly on her back. The entrance point of captain lava-fists magma punch was still a sensitive spot, much to Tani's disappointment.

"How much longer until I can start training, Doc?" Law looked up from his notepad, taking notes on her condition. He tapped his pencil on the tip of his chin, then lifted his hands up with seven fingers up. Tani let out a loud groan.

"You're worse than Chopper." Law gave a shrug and turned back to the notepad. At least Bepo looked sympathetic.

"It's alright Miss Tani. You'll be up and about before you know it." His encouraging words fell on ironically deaf ears.

"Can I at least get out of bed?" she directed at Law again. The little doctor gave her a disapproving shake of the head. Tani groaned even louder. "What am I supposed to do?" Law signed at Bepo, who gave a chuckle.

"He said 'heal'," Bepo translated helpfully. Tani sent Law a glare with no heat. She knows she needs to rest up properly so her body will heal completely. But her entire crew was already training their butts off, and they were way ahead of her before she joined the crew!

Law signed to Bepo again, this time forming a longer sentence. Bepo nodded with each addition, before letting out an affirming, "Got it." He looked back at Tani with a smile that lit up the room.

"He said if you take it easy for the next week. He'll let you walk around the house." Tani looked at Law, who looked back with a somewhat smug face. Though that could be her grumpy brain telling her that the offer was unfair.

"Tempting." She smiled back, not at all agreeing with the conditions, but it was better than nothing. "Sounds like a plan." Law nodded, satisfied with her answer.

Unfortunately for him, Tani had hung around the likes of Zoro and Luffy for too long.

...

If Law could shout, he would be screaming profanities at the idiot patient he'd so generously taken in. Said patient was laying on the floor with a shattered plate by her feet, in the middle of kitchen, which was three rooms away from her room. THE ROOM SHE WAS MEANT TO BE RESTING IN!

"Oops?" She sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. The look wasn't something he was unfamiliar with. That idiot Cora-san was always doing clumsy shit like this too. Law stormed over to her, crossing his arms and tapping his foot silently. She dropped the sheepish look for something more annoyed. "Alright, I get it. I should be resting, but nobody was home and I wanted to grab a water when I noticed the dishes were dry so-" Law cut her off by putting his hand over her mouth, still unamused. She rolled her eyes, but shut her mouth. Law removed his hand and grabbed his pocketed note pad.

Tani watched him scribble something down on the page. She could feel her guilt rising, despite not doing anything wrong. It was all with good intentions, and what's wrong with a little walk? Or putting away the dishes? That's right, nothing.

Law handed the paper over, Tani read over it.

"Three more days of bed rest?" She squawked. "But I didn't hurt myself." She huffed. Law levelled her with a look only mothers could pull off, Tani would know, her mother used it all the time. The 'I'm disappointed in you right now, and you should know why' look. Tani hated how this grumpy fourteen year old boy could pull the face off so well.

"Fine..." She sighed. Dropping the note pad on the counter and storming off to her room to rest up more. Law watched her leave with a huff, shaking his head at her childish attitude. Yep, just like Shachi and Penguin.

Which only meant trouble, if he didn't do something to provide her with entertainment.

Looking at the abandoned note pad, an idea formed in his head. Grabbing it, he followed Tani with a plan.

...

"You're really good at this game." Tani whined as Law drew up another game of noughts and crosses. He'd won 11 to 4 games, Tani was getting better though. Law was smart, as he should be if he wants to be a doctor, so Tani didn't feel too bad losing to him. Plus Law had called this "Training of the mind", Tani assumed he meant it as the games keeping her thinking. The only muscle in her body that wasn't burned or injured was her brain, might as well train it up while she's bed ridden.

Law drew an X in the top right corner. Tani drew an O in the centre.

"You know." Law drew an X in the top left corner, "I haven't had a quiet day like this in a long time." Tani drew an O in the top middle. "Being a pirate is busy work, especially with someone as crazy as my captain." Law drew an X in the bottom middle.

"I miss all the noise. Everyone was always so loud and lively." Tani drew an O in the centre left. "There always a game being played, or someone cooking, or a song being sung." Law drew an X in the centre right. "I guess I'm a little home sick... Or a lot home sick." Tani drew an O in the bottom right. Law finished the game in a tie when filling in the final spot.

Law flipped the page over, only instead of a blank page there was a sketch. A full body with no features, except the sketched on tattoos that filled in the spaces of the mans body. One image caught Tani's eye.

"Hey, that's the heart design you made." She pointed to the perfect redrew of the heart that took up the mans chest. There were more images that Tani took notice of, strange circles with patterns in them on the forearms, the word DEATH in all caps on the knuckles. The model for his back side had a familiar design that Tani had seen adorning some of Law's coats. If she had to make a guess, that was his version of a jolly roger.

"These look amazing," She praised. Law pulled his spotty hat over his eyes to hide the pinking of his cheeks. "Do you plan to get these tattoos?" Law gave a nod. Tani elbowed him in the side, Law looked up from under his hat. "You're gonna look super! Cool with these." If she recalls... She's pretty sure she saw the hand and knuckle tattoos on future Law. Present Law looked satisfied with her response, flipping the page to a fresh one. Drawing up another game of noughts and crosses. Tani gave him a bright grin.

It's not the training she wants to do, but for now she'll happily indulge.

...

One year and seven months until Straw hat reunion

Wolf was the only resident of the cabin that Tani rarely got to see. It's not because they didn't like each other, in fact they held a mutual respect for one another. No, the reason she rarely saw him was because he lurked in the basement. A place that wasn't the room she was forced to rest in... Until today.

"You wanna help me out?" The old man questioned. Tani gave an enthusiastic nod.

"I used to help my crews ship wright and sniper with their inventions." Tani assured. Wolf gave her a sceptical look that lasted a moment, shrugging it off with his shoulders.

"Sure, why not. Its not like those brats are any help." Tani jumped at the invitation. Taking the spot beside Wolf, in front of his work bench.

Bits and bobs splayed across the bench, some pieces joined together in strange forms or incomplete creations that the inventor must have gotten bored with. In front of Wolf was a contraption that looked similar to a bear trap with a battery attached.

"What's that?" Tani hovered curiously. Wolf gave a humoured huff.

"This is an electrified trap," Tani was bang on the money. "With game this big looming about, an electric shock could be a matter of dinner or death."

"I thought the boys did just fine when hunting?" Wolf gave Tani a once over with his eyes.

"So you think you'd be able to take out a giant moose? All by yourself." Tani narrowed her brows.

"Of course not. I'm still healing." she crossed her arms, letting a smirk crawl up her cheeks. "Ask that question again when I'm fully healed, and I'm sure I'll give you another answer." Wolf chuckled deeply.

"Smug brat." His insult had no bite. He motioned for Tani to take a closer look at the device. "It's still got a view kinks I gotta work ou-" the bear trap snapped shut, letting out a small beeping noise.

Wolf ducked under the bench, grabbing Tani by the elbow and dragging her to the ground. The trap beeped for a second longer, then exploded into a flurry of electric sparks. Spitting and hissing for a solid minute before sputtering itself into an early grave. Tani was the first to lift her head over the bench to find the trap smoking from the melted battery. This looked like a job for Usopp, he'd probably go on some spiel about how he was top of his class in the bear catching and taming or something equally as absurd and loveable... Except he wasn't here, Tani was.

"I think Franky had an issue like this." She tried to recall as best she could. It was faint but there was a time when the cyborg had been working on the toaster? It was the toaster! He was trying to find a power source, but the electric dials that Usopp had were too strong, so the whole toaster would explode from being over-fuelled. "Do you have a weaker battery? I think you're giving the trap a little too much juice, so the whole thing is going ka-bluey." Tani watched as Wolf waddled across the room to a wall of shelves. Pulling out a handful of different power sources that could work as a replacement for the melted putty attached to the trap.

"Let's get testing. Shall we?" Wolf grinned. Tani returned the gesture.

...

Test one: Power source was not strong enough to power up the electric shock. Trap still functions as a trap, but does not fulfil intended purpose. Failed.

Test two: Power source does manage to generate sparks, but only lasts fourteen seconds before returning to a dormant state. Wolf plans on tinkering with the power source to see if he can make it last longer. Failed.

Test three: WOLF MANAGED TO MAKE EXPLOSIVES OUT OF THE AFFORMENTIONED POWER SOURCE. WE'RE CURRENTLY HIDING IN MY ROOM WHILE WE WAIT FOR LAW AND THE OTHERS TO COME HOME AND SAVE US! Failed.

"Test four," Tani jotted down, looking up from behind the protective barrier that she'd made from a couple of wooden boards and the ratty couch Wolf sleeps on when he doesn't leave the basement. "Ready when you are Wolf." Tani gave him a thumb up. The old man grunted back a reply, gloved hands carefully attaching the non-explosive power source onto the trap.

At first nothing happened. Tani was ready to note that down when suddenly the trap gave a shout, sparking to life with a jump. Wolf dived under the bench with both hands over his head, waiting for something to blow up. An explosion that never came. The trap remained still, purring with life. Tani peaked her head around the wooden barrier, her feet moving on their own. Standing before the experiment, she hesitantly dropped the pencil in her hand into the mouth of the trap.

SNAP!

A volt of light crackled through the pencil, charged with enough power to cause splitters in the wood. No explosions... Tani ducked her head under the bench, beaming a million watt smile at the inventor.

"Test four is a success!" She cheered. Wolf flew out from under the desk, investigating the contraption with elation. The pair of them stared at each other, back to their successful invention, back to each other. Bursting into laughter at the excitement that coursed through their veins.

Tani would have to tell Usopp and Franky all about her inventing endeavours when she came home.

...

One year and five months until Straw hat reunion

The first thing Tani realized when leaving the cabin for the first time in five months is that the island she was currently living on was-

"It's so freaking cold right now. I can feel my organs getting frost bite!" Her teeth clattered, clutching the bulk of her coat towards her body. The boys were slightly ahead of her, save for Law who wanted to keep a closer eye on his newly released patient. She was only just healed enough to be leaving the cabin, but the whining that came from the woman was enough to drive Law crazy.

"The town isn't too far away now Miss Tani." Bepo assured, slowing his much larger steps to match Tani's pace. He wasn't wrong, Tani could hear the fair sounds of hustling and bustling growing nearer.

"Hey! We should visit the salon first." Shachi said, turning his head back to face the stragglers. Tani tilted her head. "Tani's been in need of a fix up for ages." Tani's hair?

The girl lifted her hands to feel through her hair, knots and all. Living in a house with four human men and a bear, all of which had very short hair, meant she had no access to a hair comb for months. Not that she needed one, she was stuck in bed for most of that time anyway. Fingers caught on the knots and split ends of her... Huh? She could have sworn her hair took much longer to comb through. Combing through it again, and again, her fingers sliding though the much shorter mane of hair.

Why was it so much short than she remembers?

Tani's hair was her pride and joy. It took her years to grow it out until the ends hit her waist, now it felt as if it had stopped at the... Oh. Pinching the hair and holding it closer, she noticed the darker tips. Burned tips, barely noticeable if you weren't looking for it. A pained pit formed in her stomach. What else had that bastard admiral taken from her?

"We're here!" Penguin announced, pulling Tani out of her daze. Greeting her sights was a large sign. "Welcome to Pleasure town." Penguin and Shachi rushed forward, both boys clasping around Tani's hands and dragging her further into the town. Much to the protests of Law, who shouted silently at the boys to "Be careful of her injuries!" though they wouldn't notice.

The pair had pulled Tani along to the salon that Shachi had mentioned earlier. The door opened with a pleasant jingle, announcing their arrival to the middle aged man who was sweeping the floor.

"Mornin' Shachi, and you too Penguin." He greeted, eyes shifting to the new face. "And who's your lil' friend?" He put the broom down, striding closer to the trio to get a better look at the unfamiliar girls face.

"This is Tani. The girl who is living at the cabin with us." Shachi introduced. Tani gave a small wave. "She's been in need of a hair cut for ages, but the captain wouldn't let us take her out until today." The barber gave a hum, circling around her like a shark. Picking up her hair, dropping it, picking up some more hair, twirling it around his finger, tugging it gently. Tani almost let out a call of protest when he dropped her hair again and clapped.

"I have the perfect cut for the job!" He announced, grabbing Tani by the shoulders and swinging her towards one of the chairs. Tani sat there, struck with silence as the man zipped around the room, grabbing scissors, spray bottles, combs, brushes, bobby pins, hair clips, the works. He knew what he was doing, and he knew how to do so quickly because Tani blinked once and found herself staring at a whole new person. Gone was the fringe that covered her left eye, gone was the thick curly locks that cascaded down her shoulders, gone was the crisped burned ends that reminded her of a past moment she would much rather forget.

Staring back at her were two green eyes, framed by two strands of hair on either side of her face. Hair flowing to her shoulders in wavy curls, healthy and short... So very very short. It looked more like Nami's hair if Nami ever decided to curl it. A lot of emotions ran through her head in that moment. She thought the style was fine, but it wasn't her. It wasn't long enough to braid, or tie up, or mess around with. It wasn't her old hair style. The one that felt so rooted in how she presented herself. She felt lighter, much lighter than before, and her neck was cold from the easier exposure.

On the bright side, at least enemies won't be grabbing her hair anymore. She wouldn't have to tie it up anymore when she got too hot, and brushing it would be easier. Washing it too. That was a plus side right?

"Wow! Tani you look so different." Shachi commented. Swooping in with a thoughtful look, Penguin doing the same on her other side. "Not that it's a bad thing." He assured. Tani gave him a soft smile.

It was different, but that wasn't a bad thing... She could always grow it out again.

...

Law and Bepo had made their way to the salon, the former having a few choice words for the pair of boys that had dragged away his patient. Tani couldn't catch all of the aggressive hand gestures, but Shachi and Penguin had taught her all of the insults and swear words, and Law had used at least 50% of her sign swear vocabulary. Looking at Bepo's attempt to hide his amusement, she could tell the one sided conversation was hilarious.

"Geez! Can you chill out?" Shachi huffed. "Plus look at how pretty she looks now. Not that you weren't already pretty." Nice save there buddy. "Anyway, I'm hungry." He looked to Penguin, their shared brain cell lit up.

"I know just the place." Penguin grinned, both boys turned to Tani. The girl prepared for their grabby hands to hoist her away, when a sudden blue dome surrounded them all. Law held his hand up, fingers fanned out in the same way he did when Tani first encountered him as an adult. A bead of sweat formed on the boys patchwork skin, teeth grinding against one another has he concentrated on finding the stupid restaurant that Penguin works at. He was not having dumb and dumber, manhandling Tani again.

'Shambles'

Tani was no stranger to teleportation. She'd done it herself at least four times now with just her powers alone, and don't get her started on the hop, step, insert word here's that Trip performed. She could say that teleporting with Law's devil fruit, had to be one of the most pleasant uses of the ability she had ever had. No life or death attached! It was wonderful. Plus they were standing in front of a cozy looking diner, warm and inviting.

Penguin pushed through the front entrance, earning a choir of greetings from the staff. Shachi, Bepo, Law then Tani entered, earning an equally as pleasant welcome. Seating took no time at all, with the five of them being placed in a booth up the back.

"I've already told Paige to make us one of the family platters," Penguin announced. Bepo and Shachi cheered with delight, Law shot him a dirty look. "Don't worry captain, she's taking it outta my pay cheque." he swore, earning a pleased quirk of the lip from the captain.

"So... You enjoying the town so far?" Bepo asked, Tani tilted her head to look up at the much taller bear.

"It's nice to finally get out of the cabin. I understand why Zoro never stays put when recovering from an injury." Tani snickered to herself. Shachi leaned forward on the table, perched atop his palms.

"Who's that? One of your pirate buddies?"

"Yeah, he's our first mate. He's also the greatest swordsman I've ever personally met." Shachi's eyebrows lifted at that.

"Doesn't Law know how to use a sword?" Penguin chimed in. Tani almost let herself answer the question, but held her tongue. They don't know about her whole 'time traveller from another dimension' thing yet. She can't go freaking out the people who haven't known her for any longer than five months.

A large platter of assorted foods were placed in the centre of the table, cutting off all forms of communication as the group of teens dug into the meal. Tani clutched her fork tight, ready to stab any hands that drifted too close to her plate. Half expecting Luffy to spawn out of nowhere and steal the smoked chicken leg she managed to snatch before Bepo could get his paws on it.

"Tani, you're from a pirate crew right?" Shachi asked with his mouth full. Law kicked him under the table, signing the word 'choke'. Shachi rolled his eyes, but swallowed his mouthful anyway. "So why aren't you with them right now?" There it is. The big question.

"It's hard to explain." She rubbed the back of her head. "To be honest, I don't think any of you would believe a word I'm saying." The table exchanged a weird look, before turning back to stare at her.

"Don't you trust us?"

"It's not that I don't trust you," Tani waved her hands frantically. "This is just the kind of story that seems impossibly hard to believe."

"Try us." Penguin challenged. Tani felt herself sink into her seat. All eyes on her. She wasn't quite ready to reveal this information yet. Not yet.

"I can't." The disappointment on their faces wasn't a reaction she expected. "Another ti-"

"How about on your one year anniversary with us?" Shachi suggested. What?

"Yeah!" Penguin cheered. "We all shared our pasts and stuff on the one year anniversary of our crew being formed." He looked at Tani with a hopefully grin. "You're one of us, so you gotta do what we did." Tani wasn't sure if she had a say in this. Bepo and Law had yet to jump in to tell Penguin and Shachi to back off. Tani sighed.

"If you guys drop the subject now, I'll tell you then alright?" They nodded in agreement. The pair high fived excitedly.

"It's a deal!"

Now to figure out how to explain her situation to a group of teenage boys, without sounding like a lunatic...

...

One year and three months until Straw hat reunion

Snow cascaded through the wind, drifting through Tani's neatly trimmed hair. The cold didn't quite nip at her skin as harshly anymore (thank the universe for summer existing, even on winter islands). Tani remained still, eyes darting from tree to bush, stone to snow heap. Searching.

Today was the first day that she was allowed to start her physical training again. Law and his crew had volunteered to help her train, so here she is now. Ears straining for any signs of life.

A game of glorified hide and seek would be easy on her freshly recovered body. At least that's what Penguin claimed. The game was simple. Find and capture all four boys before sun down, Tani had access to both her bat and yo-yo's, wavers were also permitted. Tani also decided to give herself a handicap, and not hand the boys a bell each (not that it would help her in finding Law, that silent curse was gonna be a pain to deal with).

It's been an hour since the game begun, Tani still hasn't had any luck in finding anybody. Not even Shachi, and that guy never shuts his trap-

What was that? An odd rustle? Not caused by the wind, far too large for it to be a bunny, but potentially a bear if they roamed around. Bepo was roaming around, but he wouldn't be so close-

"Bepo?"

The bear mink yelped in surprise, looking up at Tani with wide, obsidian eyes. Tani smiled softly.

"10... 9... 8..."

Bepo jumped and sprinted away from his hiding spot. Tani slowly stalked forward, always just far away enough to give the bear a head start, but always within her sights.

"3... 2... 1..." She clicked her heels. The familiar purr of her wavers was a welcome sound to her ears. It's been such a long time since she'd felt adrenaline coursing through her veins, without the side effect of trauma.

Snow sprayed from behind her as she blasted through the icy forest with laughter bubbling in her throat. Bepo was fast for such a bulky unit, but nothing could compare to the speed that Tani exhibited when taking flight... Except maybe Brook when running on water.

Yo-yo's trailing behind her, Tani couldn't hold back, not after finally having a taste of freedom again. One burst of extra thrust from the wavers, Tani overtook Bepo, her face mere inches away from the polar bear mink. His face morphed into one of terror.

"Caught you!" Tani gave a wink, swiftly crossing her arms, yo-yo strings following her motion. The strings entangled around Bepo in a fashion similar to a Luffy hug, only not Luffy... Man Tani misses Luffy hugs... Wait! Focus you idiot! Bepo was still standing, if he wanted to run (which he would because Law had ordered all hiders to keep moving unless incapacitated) he would have no trouble breaking free. She knew this, and the look in Bepo's eyes made it clear that he knew this too.

Tani was faster to react, hands curling around the taut cords. She tugged towards herself, getting a feel for how heavy the bear would be. She hasn't faced an opponent with as much weight as Bepo, at least not on her own. This wouldn't be easy, especially right after recovering from a near death experience. Tani wasn't sure if she could pull this next move off, not yet. It was worth a shot though.

Flicking the wavers back to life, she propelled herself towards the bear mink. If she wanted to knock him over, she needed to aim for his shoulders. Looping the strings in real time to keep them wrapped around Bepo was much harder than expected, she could see the loops slackening around his chest. He'd have access to his arms soon. Tani needed to knock him over now.

Tani jumped off the snowy ground with both feet, tilting her top half backwards to aim both of her feet for Bepo's shoulders. She just needed to plant both feet on his shoulders and kick back as hard as she can. Fingers still curled around the yo-yo strings, she tugged towards herself, hoping with everything she had that Bepo would follow.

He didn't.

Bepo also didn't knock backwards when her feet connected with his shouders, he remained standing, solid as a brick wall. Shit... Well there goes that plan. Tani had to think fast or she'd lose-

"That was so cool!" A voice from the trees cried. Tani's eyes snapped upwards, hawk like perception as she spotted red and green contrasting against the darkness of the tree lines. Shachi's sunglasses couldn't hide the moment he registered how much he'd just messed up. Tani's face split into a manic grin, the kind you'd find on a slasher villain's face, when coming face to face with their first victim. She was having too much fun with this.

Shachi was on the move. Leaping from his hiding spot, further into the trees. Bepo could wait, Shachi was a much easier target for someone of her build. Loosened strings were quickly retracted, heels clicked, Tani disappeared into the tree lines, leaving Bepo with a mix of awestruck and concern.

Who would have thought Tani would be so feral.

...

"Two down," Tani sing-sung, beside her were two swaying bodies. Both boys struggling to break free from the tightly knotted strings that kept them held in place. Penguin swung a bit more, feet kicking wildly, while Shachi had given up putting in such an effort. The latter had been caught embarrassingly fast, and lead to Tani finding Penguin, because of course Shachi had hidden close to his twin by oath.

"You're a witch!" Penguin shouted, struggling harder. "There's no way you could be moving that fast without some weird magic powers!" Aw! Look at that pout.

"Are you saying that because you're upset I caught you so quickly?" Tani grinned, swinging her last remaining weapon around. The bat whooshed through the air, metal humming with buzzed energy. Tani hasn't felt so alive in months. Senses on edge, she felt the smirk on her face bloom.

There's a new arrival to the scene. Heavy footsteps in the snow, huffed breathing. It could only be one individual.

"Lovely to see you again, Bepo." Tani twirled on her heel to face the mink for the second time since this game had begun. "Ready for round two?" Her tone sounded a lot scarier that it should have. The Zoro influences had integrated into her fighting persona... Oh well!

Bepo didn't get a chance to respond before Tani launched into an attack. Bat already in position for her to swing it. He did have time to cross his arms over the place that Tani was aiming. Her bat slammed into his guard, Bepo didn't move back at all.

(Is this too violent? Fear not audience! The heart pirates specifically requested for Tani to go all out when training today. In order to gauge how powerful she already is, and what areas she still needs to improve on.)

The bear was made of thick layers of muscle and fat to keep him warm in winter climates, along with his tough coat. Bepo was built to be a force of nature that rivalled the agile, quick and weaker strikes of Tani. The girl let out a shaky huff of air, her bones rattling with all the recoil from the blow. Bepo kept an eye on her, but didn't make a move.

Tani had figured out what she needed to improve on, and it all involved taking Bepo down in a fight. A task she was almost certain she couldn't complete in her current state. Not with her body shaking harder with every passing moment, adrenaline rush fading away with every breath.

Tani's body raced against itself, charging at Bepo to swipe at him over and over. Each blow landing weaker than the last. She could feel her limbs crying in protest. Penguin and Shachi shouting at her in garbled sounds that her ringing ears wouldn't let her comprehend.

The sun's rays had changed a Nami shade of orange. Sunset was approaching faster than expected. She hadn't seen Law yet. Bepo was still standing there, looking at her with growing concern. Not that Tani noticed. The girl was far too busy formulating failed plan after half baked strategies to defeat the bear-

"Time's up! Tani stop!"

She didn't stop. She couldn't stop. Her body wouldn't let her stop. Why can't she stop? Please let her stop!

Flashes of red, hot smoke blinded her vision. The quiet howls of the wind morphed into the blood curdling screams that haunted her dreams. Her chest burned! It burned! She could see his fist through her chest. Luffy was staring at her like she had already died. She was dying, dying, dying-

"Tani, wake up!"

Tani flew forward, holding her chest with both hands. The burning sensation vanished quicker with every encounter of the dream... It didn't make her feel any better. Sitting in her borrowed bed, in a borrowed room, wearing borrowed clothes in a borrowed time. She wasn't ready to go back home, she was still to weak. She couldn't defeat Bepo.

How could she survive with her crew if she couldn't take down every opponent she entered battle with?

...

Law entered Tani's room at around midnight, prepared to check up on her condition after passing out on the field. The hide and seek game must have been a lot harder on her body than Law anticipated. He was careless in his judgement, a mistake he doesn't plan on making again.

Tani was a special case patient after all.

"Ugh," Law lifted his gaze to find Tani sitting up right in her bed, both hands clutching at her chest tightly. A habit she'd developed from countless nights of trauma induced nightmares. Law would know. Gun shot wounds weren't a pleasant sight.

"Shit... Shit." Tani's fists released her shirt to slam into her bedding. "Weak... I'm too weak." She hissed through clenched teeth. Fists pounded into her mattress with frustration. She'd yet to notice Law.

"Do they even need me? Why would they need some shitty little weakling like you Tani?" She was talking to herself? "All you do is hold them back... Th-that's all yo-yo-you're goo-od for." Law had had enough of this pity party. Notepad already in hand, he charged forward and smacked her upside the head with the pad. Stunning her into silence, Tani lifted her head, realization dawning over her features. Giving way to an emotion that Law was all too familiar with.

"How much did you hear?"

Guilt. She was feeling guilty.

'Enough' he signed. It was a gesture she was familiar with. She broke eye contact with Law, looking down at her bed with... Something.

"Well... That's embarrassing huh?" She breathed a self-pitying laugh. "You'd think I would be over this after all the reassurance back home..." She turned her head to face the window, the moons glow illuminated her dark face in a halo of blue. Tears glistened like diamonds against her skin.

She looked surreal. Like a being that didn't belong here. Homesickness, alienation, isolation. Law wasn't sure, he wasn't a psychologist after all. Tani was a creature who kept her mouth shut, secrets held behind lock and key.

"You know..." Law found himself standing frozen under Tani's watchful gaze. The green within her eyes reflected an ethereal blue. "Sometimes I wonder why the God's decided to send someone like me, to a world like this one." Law couldn't look away. "A girl who came from almost nothing. Gave her everything she could ever want, friends, love, a family, adventure, meaning and purpose... Only to take it all away in one, foul, burning, punch." She threw her fist towards Law's chest, stopping before making contact. The boy didn't flinch. Tani hiccupped.

"Cherish those you hold dear..." She closed her eyes. "Because you never know when they'll be gone." Law felt a deep pain in his chest. An old wound reopening without his consent. The blood of his family, every resident from White town... Of Cora-san. There is blood on his hands alright, the blood of people close to Law who have fallen at the hands of more powerful beingings.

Tani knows the feeling. She's lost someone. Who? He isn't sure, but if he can ease the pain, even for a second. He will.

So he writes, and writes, and writes it all down. For the eyes of only a girl who understands the isolating feeling of survivors guilt. He tells her about the town he can no longer return to. He tells her about the family he lost, the pirate crew who scooped him up and trained him up to be a killing machine. He shares the story of a clumsy man who burned down hospitals for making Law cry, the man who apologised for not being able to save a boy that had less than a month to live, the man who risked his life to steal a fruit that could save the boy.

The silent curse that Cora-san had gifted Law with. A hope that he was still alive out there, waiting for Law to come find him.

Tani read through the story, tears were shed. She looked at Law, not with pity, but with gratefulness. She opened her arms, an invitation that Law found himself faltering to accept. He wasn't one who indulged in physical contact... But seeing Tani sitting there, offering her comfort in a time of need.

Law couldn't say no. Not when she had a smile on her face that felt so warm and welcoming.

"Thank you... For sharing all of that." She whispered, her voice going silent as the curses effects activated upon contact.

Tani made a promise to herself that day. Law had shared something with her that was private. He'd shown his trust in her... So it was time for her to show her trust in him. Pulling away from the embrace, looking Law in the eyes.

"I have something to tell you too."

...

One year until Straw hat reunion

Tani wandered into the pitch black kitchen sceptically. The cabin had been far too silent that morning, not even Wolf was making any exploding noises. It was abnormal and gave Tani a feeling that something really bad, or something really, really stupid was about to happen. In 3... 2... 1...

"SURPRISE!" Came a choir of shouts as curtains were lifted to reveal a fully decorated kitchen. "HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY TANI!" The boys all cheered. Tani stared at the all wide eyed, unable to process what was happening right now.

Bepo ushered her towards the table, while Penguin placed a well decorated pancake in front of her. Shachi placed a glass of water and the cutlery down, Law just stood back and watched with amusement as the girl finally processed the event. Her face shifting from confused to joyful in a matter of seconds.

"Oh you guys!" She lifted her arms to usher the boys in for a hug, which all of them (but Law) obliged in. Wolf came into the room with an empty mug in hand, rubbing at his eyes. He must have been sleeping. Whoops.

"What's got you brats all wacky in the morning?" The old man yawned, shoving his mug into the sink.

"Tani's been here for a whole year," Bepo answered happily. "We decided to throw her a party." Wolf gave an amused huff.

"Well, keep it down. Some of us wanna get some shut eye." With that, he was off to bed once again. Leaving the boys and their female companion to their celebrations.

"So," Shachi took a seat beside Tani, Penguin occupied the other side, Law remained seated at the front of the table with Bepo standing beside him. It felt like she was about to get interrogated.

"Spill it!" The red haired boy shouted. Tani felt her blood go cold, spill what? What had she done wrong? "We want pirate adventure stories!" Oh... Well that's something she was more than happy to share.

"Well... Whatcha wanna know?"

The short answer was "EVERYTHING!"

"What's your crew like?"

"Absolutely insane, and I wouldn't have them any other way."

"What's your captain like?"

"Literally the most idiotic maniac of us all. Yet somehow he manages to pull us all through any situation with little more than a scratch and a whole fleet of marines calling for our heads."

"Are there other ladies on your crew?"

"Two other women. Nami is our navigator and probably the greatest one alive, and Robin who is an archaeologist that loves to study the history of every island we land on. There's also an honorary crew member by the name of Vivi, who couldn't join the crew because she needed to fulfil her duties back on her home island... Oh wait, there's also Sanji. Though I'm not sure if she is still a she? I'll confirm that when meet with them again."

"Are they hot?"

"You bet your ass they are."

"What was the coolest island you've been to?"

"Temperature wise? Drum island, that's actually where we recruited our crew's doctor, Chopper. If we're talking about awesomeness? Then that would be Water 7, only during the moments when we weren't being hunted down by government spies that wanted to murder the mayor and steal the blue prints to an ancient weapon that could literally destroy islands."

"You were what?!"

"That's a story that would take at least six chapters to tell. I'll give you the details later."

"Do any of your crew mates have bounties?"

"We all do actually. Mine was the second highest on the whole crew, behind the captain of course."

"WHAT! HOW?"

"Ouch... What? I'm tough!"

"You couldn't even knock Bepo over."

"Yeah, that one time-"

"Two times."

"Fine. If you don't believe me, I'll prove it!" Tani jumped off her chair and marched back into her room. The boys exchanged looks when she returned with a sheet of paper in her hands, slamming it onto the table with a victorious grin. The boys snatched it up, looking over the bounty poster. It looked legit... Except for one detail.

"The year is wrong. This was issued 10 years into the future."

"Oh? I didn't know they dated them."

"So it's a fake."

"No, that's a real poster."

"How?"

"Because..." Here it goes. "I am from the future."

There was a beat of silence. Penguin breaking it with a laugh.

"You're kidding right?" Tani shook her head. "There's no way you could be from the future. Time travel is impossible."

"I could spoil what happens in 'Sora, warrior of the sea'? I can tell you all about how Stealth black is-"

Law jumped to his feet with a frantic expression, waving his hands around in an attempt to silence the girl. She let out a soft chuckle.

"If you're having a hard time accepting this, you guys are gonna have a field trip when I reveal that I'm not even from this world."

Another beat of silence. This time broken by Shachi.

"What does that mean? You saying you're an alien or something?"

"Yes... I think?"

"She came from outta space... She thinks?"

"That would make a pretty cool title for my auto biography."

"Oi! Back on topic. If you're an alien, how did you get here?"

Tani had prepared for this question. Her hand already pulling out the golden bell before Shachi finished his question.

"This bell." She gave it a couple shakes, pleased to hear it sing back. "If you noticed on my poster, my moniker is 'Silent bell'. These bells are what tie people like me, to this world... Hell if we think outside the box, there might be more worlds out there. Countless Tanisha Lowes having their own adventures."

"I think she's gone a little-" Penguin made that one whistle noise, you know the one. "Cuckoo."

It was at this point that Law smacked Penguin upside the head. The boy gave an annoyed groan.

"What was that for?"

Law held his hands up, quickly signing sentences that Tani could only catch a few words of.

'She... Truth... Crazy... Idiot.'

"What? She already told you?" Shachi looked almost offended at the knowledge. "Traitor." He mumbled childishly.

"Wait," Bepo spoke up, the room went quiet. "If you're from the future, then have you heard of us before?"

All eyes landed on her. Even Law looked curious to hear her answer.

"Heard of you guys? I've met all four of you as adults." She answered. The room went nuts with even more quick fire questions. All doubts of her identity died at the hands of excitement for what the future may hold.

"Did we look cool?"

"Yeah, you were all super! Cool."

"Do we have any bounties?"

"I've only seen Law's which was worth 200,000,000 berri."

"HOLY SHIT CAPTAIN! THAT'S SO COOL!" Law was shining under the praise.

"Did we have to fight each other?"

"Not each other, but the marine's showed up. Law, my captain and another captain I don't know very well, took them all out."

"So we weren't enemies? That's good."

"Nah, my captain wouldn't have wanted to fight anyway. He thinks Bepo is too cool."

"What?"

"That's a tale for another time."

"So if you're from the future, how far ahead are you?"

"I'm not sure. I didn't pay attention the the dates of things, but you all looked to be in your mid twenties."

"Does that mean we're older than you?"

"In my present? Yes. Right now? No."

"What crew are you on? So we can keep track of you."

"The Straw hat pirates. You'll know us when you see us. Trust me."

The morning continued on like that. Tani answering questions until her voice went hoarse. The boys had so many questions, yet time didn't wish to slow down for any of them.

Not that Tani minded. She had a whole year to indulge in there unanswered queries.

...

Seven months until Straw hat reunion

It all started with Law tripping over a chair.

"Shit," He'd cursed aloud, thinking nothing of it. He curses often, a habit he learned while being a part of Doflamingo's crew. So why was everyone looking at him like he'd just dismembered them all and fused them together in some sort of amalgamation monstrosity.

"Did... Did you just say 'Shit'?" Shachi's sunglasses had fallen off the bridge of his nose, his jaw slack with shock. Law looked at him like he was an idiot.

"Maybe you shouldn't leave the chair pushed out like that. Moron," Law grumbled... Aloud... Wait a second. Law's eyes widened, his breath caught in his throat. He sucked in a breath and heard it! He took a step back and heard the creak of the floor boards underneath his weight. He... He was-

"Law!" Tani swooped in with wide eyes, "Yo-your curse," She curled her arms around him, holding him tightly. Why was she shaking so much? "It's broken... I'm so sorry," Her voice wobbled with an emotion she hadn't shown since those nights when she first arrived. When she had to relive the day she died. She was... Mourning.

Why was she crying?

"I knew how much he meant to you," Tani's wavering words didn't make sense. "You don't have to hold back. We understand if you want to cry-"

"Who are you talking about?" Tani pulled away from him with confusion in her eyes. Penguin and Shachi shared a look. "I don't understand... Who are you-"

"Corazon." Tani supplied, as if the name was something he should know. He raked his brain for anything, but all he could think of was that being the name of a rank in Doflamingo's crew. One that wasn't occupied. He shook his head.

"Law." Tani grabbed the boy by the shoulders, hearing his breath hitch at the contact. She looked into his eyes, searching for something that the boy couldn't figure out. More tears seemed to build up in her already swampy eyes. "Holy smokes you really don't remember." She released his shoulders and left the room in a hurry.

"That was... weird." Shachi commented. "What's her deal? Shouldn't she be happy you can talk now."

"Yeah! Quick, say something!"

"Something."

"Smartass," Penguin chuckled. "You know. Your voice is a lot deeper than I expected." Law grit his teeth at the comment.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he huffed.

"It means you're short!" Shachi shouted, snatching the captain into a headlock, and ruffling Law's hair through his mushroom hat. Law punched Shachi in the spleen, causing the boy to release, fall to the ground and groan. Penguin burst into laughter at the expense of his friend.

"I like your voice. It sounds very calming." Bepo smiled. Law would die for the polar bear mink.

"We didn't say it was a bad voice!" Shachi hissed, glaring at Penguin who was now rolling on the ground laughing. "A captain needs to have a cool voice." He muttered something along the lines of "Even if they're short," Which went noticed but ignored.

Tani shuffled back into the room, looking slightly less distressed than before. In her hand was one of Law's note pads already flipped to the page she needed. Crossing the distance of the room, she held it out to Law with her finger pointing to the top of the page.

"Try reading this. It might rejog your memories." She was still on that whole Corazon thing. Well... If it's making her this upset, Law could give it a shot. Plus there was something odd about that curse, something his normally perfect mind could piece together within seconds.

Law read his own handwriting, detailing a history that he couldn't remember. How he met a tall man who was Doflamingo's younger brother, how that man kidnapped him when he only had a year left to live from Amber lead poisoning, how he spent months dragging Law from hospital to hospital trying to find a cure, and burning them all to the ground when they treated Law poorly. Law couldn't believe his eyes. Cora-san as the page called him, was a clumsy idiot that happened to be a marine spy whose mission was to capture and lock up Doflamingo, but betrayed them... All for Law. A man who risked his life to grab the op-op fruit so Law could save himself from the disease that was moments from killing him... Only to be shot down by Doflamingo, leaving Law with nothing but the silent curse that Cora had placed on him, a small life line that let the younger boy know that Corazon wasn't dead yet... Which means...

"This is hard core..." Shachi whispered with amazement over Law's shoulder. Penguin was equally as awestruck. Bepo looked to be on the brink of tears.

"This man..." Law felt his heartache for a man he couldn't remember. Tani curled her arms around him as he shook. He didn't know how to feel, but this man was allegedly the reason he didn't draw his final breath. The words were written with love and affection, and he couldn't remember anything.

"You told me that he was like an older brother," Tani said. Law looked up at her with glassy eyes.

"Is this a brain thing?" Shachi questioned, the room drew their attention to the redhead. "Like when something really bad happens so your head just forgets the thing that makes you upset." He tapped his head in thought. Law rolled his eyes.

"Dissociative amnesia,"

"Yeah, whatever he said," Shachi waved a hand in Law's direction. "You must have forgotten about that Cora guy, because the curse being lifted means he's dead." Tani smacked him in the head.

"Is there a way to get the memories back?" Bepo's question was filled with hope. Law shrugged.

"Matters of the mind are much harder to cure. I wouldn't know the first place to look."

"I don't know a lot about amnesia or how trauma works," Tani's voice piped in. "But I know that deep down in your chest, you still have a strong love for Cora." She smiled softly. Law nodded, she was right.

He doesn't know who Cora is, but he did. Law owes this man for everything he'd done. Looking back through his recount, he found what he was looking for.

"I know what I'm going to do." He snapped the book shut, turning to face the many wide eyes of his crew mates and Tani. Tucking the note pad into his coat pocket, he gave them a determined smirk.

"We're going to take out the Donquixote pirates, as per Corazon's original mission." Plus the bastard apparently shot the guy, almost (and probably) killing him.

The crew looked at him with equal levels of determination, grinning from ear to ear at their crews first big objective. Tani let her arm hang over Law's shoulders.

"Don't be afraid to ask my crew for help. I'm sure Luffy and the others would love to kick that asshole's teeth in." Tani winked. Law snickered creepily, leaving the room struck silent.

"Is that... Is that really your laugh?" Shachi gawked.

Law kicked him in the spleen again. The room erupted into laughter as the boy howled in pain.

...

Four months until Straw hat reunion

Today was the 22nd of July, Tani didn't know what year it was but that's not important. What is important is the date, one that wouldn't mean much to most of the population...

"HAPPY 19TH BIRTHDAY TANI!"

The heart pirates were not of that population. If standing in a cramp little cabin room, at 6am with two poorly wrapped gifts and a lit birthday cake which they shoved into the barely conscious birthday girl's personal bubble.

"For me?" She accepted the closest gift. A long, thin box with a bit of weight to it. Making quick work of the patchy wrapping paper and the cardboard box they put the gift inside. Tani slid a silver bat out of the box. The bat didn't look extraordinary until Tani noticed the grip, more specifically the two buttons placed where one of her thumbs would be.

"It's a Wolf original model." Wolf stepped forward, puffing his chest out with pride. "I'll show you the special features after breakfast. Wouldn't want you smashing up the place." Tani gently placed the bat down on the bed, carefully removed herself from the bed, and wrapped her arms around Wolf in a bone crushing hug.

"Thank you!"

(When asked about this in the future, Wolf will refuse to accept that he may have shed a tear over this adorable display of affection)

"Tani you still haven't opened this one." Bepo handed the second gift over. Tani released Wolf, taking the gift into both of her hands. This one was floppy, she could tell it was made out of something soft. No time wasted, Tani tore away the wrapping. Her eyes landing on a white coat the length of her entire torso plus until her knees, it even had a hood! There were light blue accents, but most eye catching was a familiar jolly roger, embroidered into the bottom left side of the coat.

"You complain about how cold you are all the time. So I got the local coat maker to make a-"

"Did you add this part?" Tani cut Law off from his obvious deflection. She held the jolly roger closer to him. The same jolly roger that he put on everything that belonged to/meant a lot to him. Law's cheeks flushed a rosy pink. "You did!" She jump attacked him too, giving him a squishy hug that would crush the bones of a regular human being.

(When asked about this in the future, Law would deny enjoying the hug. Which he did indeed love quite a lot, and thinks about often.)

Tani released the boy from her iron grip, giving the room her biggest smile. The kind that rivalled the likes of Luffy's iconic sunshine grin.

"Well... In the wise words of Miss Marie Antoinette." Tani scooped the plated cake into her hands. twirling on her heel to face the company that decided to celebrate such a special occasion with her.

"Let us eat cake!"

...

Tani bounced her new bat from shoulder to shoulder. The weight was perfect, as was the length and width, the grip was easy on her skin. All she needed to do was test out whatever the hell those buttons do.

Which is why she was out here, in the snow with her new coat on, staring at the two training dummies that Bepo had set up for her. The boys and Wolf stood on the side lines, watching the girl warm up.

"I would recommend starting with the top button." Wolf suggested, so Tani did just that. Thumb pressing down on the top most button, the bat shifted forms within the blink of an eye. Gone was the smooth, bludgeoning form of the bat, instead the outer layer was coated in lines of barbed wire. It looked like the kinda weapon you'd find during a zombie apocalypse movie!

Sights set on the left dummy, Tani charged forward with her bat in full swing. Slamming the bat into the structres ribs, a satisfying tear sound followed by the pouring of the dummies ricey innards spilling. The barbs were sharp enough to pierce through a material thicker than skin... Look out New world, Tani's got a sharp object and she's not afraid to stab you with it.

Tani threw a few extra smacks at the dummy with barbed mode activated. Until Wolf called for her to try the other button, there was excitement in his voice. Tani pressed the other button, causing the bat to once again switch its forms. Gone were the barbs, now the base was thrumming with energy, sparkling with electricity.

Holy shit, Wolf gave her a taser.

The second dummy didn't know what hit it. It exploded upon impact, frying the sack instantly. 

"THIS IS THE BEST BIRTHDAY GIFT EVER!" 

...

Law found Tani on the roof of the cabin that night. Sitting with her legs pulled to her chest, arms curled around them tightly. White coat blending in almost perfectly with the snow. She had her headphones on, eyes looking towards the sky. Lost in the stars-

"Are you just gonna stand there, staring at me like a weirdo? Or are you gonna come up here?"

Maybe she wasn't as lost as he's assumed...

Law sighed, fingers fanning outwards to summon a 'room' as he'd dubbed them. Encasing the cabin, he searched the rooftop for something he could shambles himself with. A pebble positioned beside Tani was his best option.

One moment he was on the ground.

"Shambles"

The next he was sat beside the alien girl from the future.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to you having a voice." Tani chuckled, pulling her headphones to rest around her neck. Law rolled his eyes, smirk hidden behind the scarf he conveniently bundled up with.

"I suggest you get used to it." He said, earning him another laugh from the girl. She looked back into the sky, the smile on her face took on a more... Melancholic form.

"My mum missed out on my 18th birthday." She started. "Turning 18 is considered your first step into adulthood. Back where I come from." Ah, she's having a moment. Law was never great with these little moments of weakness that happened far too often when getting involved with Miss Tanisha Lowe.

"I still remember the birthday when she gave me this." She held up the music device she always had in her bag. "We spent all afternoon looking for songs to add to my cassette tape. God, I can still hear the sound of her cheering when I agreed to add just one more Prince song to the line up." She was smiling. Looking down at the player in her hand, finger smoothing over the worn edges of the device. 

"I became an adult," She sighed, "And my mum wasn't there to experience it." Tani looked back at Law, the smile on her face had morphed into one of elation.

"She would be proud of the woman I've become. Don't you think?"

Law looked at the girl sat before him. A girl who magically appeared before him one day over a year ago, broken and traumatized by a world that wasn't built for people like her. A world that she fought tooth and nail to survive in, because she had people that were waiting for her on the other side. Someone he and his crew loved like an older sister. An honorary member of their crew, even if she had her own crew to get back to at the end of all this.

A girl that he would have to say goodbye to in less than four months, and wouldn't see again for at least a decade.

"Yeah... She would be proud."

He sure was.

...

Two months until Straw hat reunion

"Huh?" Tani paused in her tracks, basket of groceries hanging from the crook of her elbow as she perked up her ears. She could have sworn she'd heard something...

Taking a step-

There it is! A sound she hadn't heard in a long time. The tell tale chime of her bell chiming in a fashion that only meant one thing.

"IDCS" She grinned. Already digging into her pocket to find the bell she held so dear to her heart. Strange that it's appeared all of a sudden, the population of Pleasure town is less than 100, and nobody was expecting any visitors or babies at the moment... Tani kept her ears open as she approached the IDCS location.

There was only one alleyway in Pleasure town, the one connected to the clinic that Law volunteers at. Walking through there, she let herself smile at the familiar neon blue lights, cartoony posters littering the windows, electric doors, and that obnoxious sign that screamed IDCS to the world. No point just standing here, Tani stepped through the doors with a nostalgic sigh.

"Welcome back!" Came that welcoming voice that only Tani knew of. She looked at the counter to find a familiar mop of hair, customer service grade smile, striped uniform.

"Clerk! It's been so long!" Tani bolted to the counter, leaning on it with her stomach to encroach on the Clerk's space, not that the Clerk was any better. Floating so close to Tani's face that their noses touched. "I've missed buying snacks from you." The Clerk laughed like a bell.

"It's been so lonely without your visits." They gave a pout that didn't last long. "But you're back now!" They pulled away from Tani's face, holding both arms out with excitement. "So Miss Tani," They placed their elbow on the counter, face resting in their palm.

"What can I do for you?" Clerk chirped. Tani placed a finger to her cheek in mock thought.

"Hm... I haven't had artificial colours and flavours for almost two years. So we can start there." Clerk floated over the counter, leading the way. Tani hot on their trail.

"So... How has everyone else been? While I've been gone." Tani didn't have to specify who she was referring to. The Clerk tossed a bag of gummy bears from the top shelf to Tani, the girl catching it with ease.

"Trip's been recovering well. Her and Ace have been hiding out on the island of Baltigo with the Revolutionary army."

"Those are the guys who work with Luffy's dad right?" The Clerk bobbed their head in affirmation. "So they made it out alive." Thank god. Trip's sacrifices hadn't been for nothing. "What about Oscar?" Clerk held up two bags of candy, Tani pointed at the one she wanted.

"They were moved to the G5 division upon request." Clerk floated to Tani's level. "They're in good hands, so you need not fret about them." Tani sighed with relief. She hadn't seen Oscar during the war, and knowing the nature of war... She could only think up the worst case scenarios.

"And my crew?" Clerk motioned with their head for Tani to follow into the next isle.

"They've certainly been training hard. Harder than they did during the comic version of this tale." Clerk paused in their movement, floating on the spot. Turning to Tani with an enigmatic grin on their face. "It's amusing to see how much this world has changed with the addition of four outsiders."

"Butterfly effect? I think that's what it's called." Tani supplied, despite knowing that the Clerk was infinitely smarter than she was. The Clerk gave a soft chuckle.

"They were all quite shaken up at the news that you had passed away." Clerk reached into the front pocket of their apron, removing a newspaper and handing it to Tani. The girl looked around the front page, a painful spike hit her chest as memories of that day simmered into her mind again.

The front page focused on Whitebeard's death. She didn't know him well, but had only heard good things about the father of the sea. Scanning until she found a small article talking about her. A photo of Luffy, all bandaged up with his hat over his chest, standing before a bouquet of flowers that had been placed on the ground. If you paid close attention, there was something written on his arm. "3D2Y" with an X through the 3D... Oh! Three days, two years. You sneaky monkey.

Only two months to go until she could see him again.

"Shall I ring these up? Clerk pointed at the armful of colourfully packaged sweets in Tani's arms. "You can keep the paper. Free of charge." Tani smiled at the Clerk.

"Yeah, I don't think my arms can hold anymore packets of gummy bears." She got a bell like laugh in response.

...

Walking through the itty bitty town square of Pleasure town with her basket swinging by her side, bells ringing with each step the girl took. Tani never got much of a chance to look around the town on her own. Law and the others were constantly hovering around her, especially during her recovery period. Now that she's been in the all clear for well over 5 months, the boys gave her more space.

It gives her some peace of mind...

Is what she would be saying if there wasn't an explosion that just went off on the other side of town. Followed by the sound of screams, more explosions, manic laughter, and LASER BEAMS! Luffy and Franky would be having a field day with these guys.

At least Tani knew why the IDCS had suddenly popped into existence.

Sorry Clerk, but these assholes have gotta go.

Bat in hand. Tani raced towards the sound of property damage and screaming towns people, heart racing as she reminded herself that this was her first real battle since the war. Not just training with Bepo, Penguin and Shachi. The stakes are real, people can and will get hurt if she doesn't take this seriously.

That being said. When has she ever not taken a fight seriously? That's right! Never!

"Where is it?" A man's voice shouted from across the street. Tani steeled her expression, doing all she could to trick her heart into calming down. The man had a woman in his grasp, holding her by the collar of her thick winter jacket. "Where is the treasure?" So this is a case of pillage and dip? How classy.

Too bad Tani was here to throw a bat into those plans. Pressing down on the top button of her Wolf original bat, the weapon cackled to life with electricity. Rubber grip held tight, Tani sprinted across the street, bat mid swing. The man didn't know what hit him until his face was spasming from the concussion inducing smack to the head. Falling to the ground in a twitching heap. Looks like Wolf might have added a bit too much juice to the bat... Perfect for the New World.

"Tanisha?" Oh right, the lady. Tani crouched down to her height, offering a hand to assist her in standing up.

"Afternoon Miss Maria." Tani hoisted her back to her feet, offering nothing but as comforting a smile as she could muster. "I suggest you look for somewhere to lay low for a while. I'll hold them off for you." She grinned. The woman gave a nervous nod, turning away from Tani to run away. Tani's grin dropped, instead morphing into something more serious. Looking down at the still jittering pirate she'd knocked out, Tani kicked him.

"Asshole." She spat, walking away from the guy in search of more scum like him.

Luckily it didn't take too long to find a crowd of them harassing the towns people. Tani was quick to act. Even without wavers or skates, the girl was fast on her feet. They didn't see her or the sparking bat coming.

"Tani!" that was Bepo's voice. The fluffiest of the Heart pirates came running towards her with panic on his face.

"Have you seen the others?" Tani called to the mink. Bepo came to a halt in front of her, hands pressed to his knees as he caught his breath.

"No... I was... Gonna ask you... About... The others." he wheezed. How long was he running for? And what was he running-

"There it is!" a harpoon smashed into the space between Tani and Bepo, shattering the concrete path. Judging by how much damage the ground took, Tani swallowed the lump forming in her throat.

A towering figure appeared, shoulders the width of Tani herself and muscles to match. Every step he took rattled the earth.

He was everything that Tani considered her bane.

"Shit." Was all she could say to her mink companion.

The man threw another harpoon at the pair, missing as they both jumped out of the impact zone. Tani's brain ran a million miles a second, assessing every possibility her mind would let her. The body language and attention that Harpoon guy was giving Bepo, the size of the area, how much damage those harpoons managed to make with every toss, her own strength, any obvious weaknesses.

All of this mounted to one conclusion.

"Get away from Bepo!" Tani came charging at the man, bat switched from electrified to barbed. He paid her no mind. That would be his first mistake. Tani skid across the frosty concrete, twisting on her heel to build on the momentum of her swing. Putting the muscles she's spent months building to good use, the bat swung full force into the large man's ankle.

Tani had never heard a man emit a pitch so high.

Harpoon man dropped to the ground, hands cradling his bleeding ankle. Tani took this opportunity to continue her assault. Keeping the momentum going, she followed up with a swing to the man's head. The collision was met with some resistance, and by that she means he wasn't knocked out.

"Kiyah!" a blur of white came crashing down on Harp-goon's neck, a startling crack came from the bones, while he gasped. Eyes rolling into the back of his skull as his consciousness vanished. Tani looked at Bepo, the mink bowed his head with a quick "Sorry!" to the knocked out pirate. Tani gave the bear a pat on the shoulder.

"We should find the others before more guys like Harp-goon show up." Tani looked towards the direction that the loudest noise was coming from. She waved for Bepo to follow her lead.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the core of the battle. The towns people brave enough to fight back, were up in arms with anything considered a weapon. Coming in from the sides were Shachi and Penguin, while Law stood in the centre of a large blue dome with a sword in his hand. He must have stolen it from one of the man disembodied pirates that laid within the dome.

Tani dived back into battle, Bepo hot on her heels. The grunts from this crew were to put it bluntly? About as useful as a winter coat in summer. Tani wasn't sure if it was the training talking, or if the guys were just that weak, but she was smashing her way through all of them. Shocking, bludgeoning, kicking and knocking out an army of faceless cannon fodder.

Either these guys were all easy, or there was a big boss just around the corner.

A burning white laser beam came bursting through a building, disintegrating the structure into nothing but white dust. A tall figure with an afternoon shadow and toothy grin (with what teeth he still had left). Most notable were his eyes, sparking with white heat, wisps of energy faded with the light wind.

We found our big boss.

"Derororo!" Oh come on! What kinda laugh was that? That sounds worse than Moria. Yeah he's definitely the big boss, having a weird laugh is a requirement. Exactly Lucci... Then again Tani never heard him laugh, so she's just gonna assume that creep has an even dumber laugh.

"Captain Artur Bacca!" a choir of pirates cheered at the man's arrival. The captain paid them no mind, his sights looking for something.

"Where's the old geezer?" scratch that, he's looking for someone. "I know the coward is hiding what's rightfully mine." he scowled in a tone that just screams daddy issues.

"We'll never tell you where Wolf is." An older man called from the crowd of townspeople still fighting against the pirate mob. "He owes you nothing after what you did to this town 20 years ago." Tani froze as the first sentence registered in her brain.

Did... Did he just say Wolf? Are they talking about the same Wolf who had housed her and the Heart pirates for god knows how long?

"That shitty bastard has a ship that can bypass the Calm belt." Geez, this sounds like lazy exposition that will foreshadow a big reveal later when the protagonist and their companions are having their darkest hour moment.

"Well, we aren't letting you near him!" the same man from earlier declared. More voices from the town let out a roar of solidarity.

Artur's body began to jitter, Tani lifted her bat in preparation. The jitters turned to sputters, as laughter jerked from his throat with every twitch. His eyes misted over with a thin layer of white smoke. Shit. They needed to get everyone out of here fast.

"Evacuate everyone!" Tani shouted to Law. Not waiting for a response, she charged at Artur. He wasn't nearly as tall as Harp-goon, but he gave off an air of danger. This guy wasn't nearly as dangerous as the foes that Luffy would verse, but one wrong step and Tani was as good as cremated.

Tani leapt into the air from Artur's left, bat held out to her right in the hopes of handlebarring the man's eyes. Unfortunately for her, the man had a fast reaction time. Hands catching the meat of her bat, barbs and all. Tani had stared death in the face before many times. Today his eyes were a misty white.

"Tani!"

She grinned, it's not the first time she's died. What's one more time if it means she can give her friends more time to escape?

"TANI!"

Giving Law and his crew a "final" glance. Law had a room forming while the rest of the crew let out shouts of panic. Their reactions almost made her regret her decision.

Almost.

"Bring it-"

"Scalpel!"

In an instant Tani felt her entire body run cold. Chest empty in the space where her heart should be. A space that had an empty square, lined in black.

"Shambles!" That was Law. Tani starred at the boy with shock. Sitting there in his hand was a clear cube, sitting inside it was a still beating heart, pulsing rapidly. The boy holding the heart looked as nervous as the heart he was holding, face broken out in a cold sweat, eyes blown wide with a primal fear. He held the organ with utmost care.

Holy shit... That was her heart. In his hands, that was her... Why did her head feel so muggy? Colours blurred in and out. Shit, shit shit sh-

The girl passed out in the grasp of her enemy. Her final view was her pulsing heart, resting in the care of someone she trusted.

...

When opening her eyes again, Tani expected one of two things.

Option one: The snow. What use would Artur have for her if she was passed out? He would have tossed her to the snow and gone straight for the kid who could remove organs.

Or

Option two: The cabin. Law and Co having saved her from the evil clutches of Artur and his pathetic pirate crew. She liked this option the most.

What she didn't expect was an option three. Complete darkness.

"Hello?" she called out, hearing an echo of her voice. Alright, she's dreaming, or in a dreamscape.

"You're back?" that voice.

"I am?" Tani called back, what was his name again? It started with an E? No... Wait yes definitely an E.

"Why?"

"Wouldn't I like to know." That earned her a huffed laugh in return. "Why are you here though?" She was met with a beat of silence.

"I need your help." There we go. Tani smiled into the darkness. "I don't know how much longer I'll last. They're already looking for your friend Oscar." Tani's smile dropped.

"What did you say?"

"Oscar. They're sending the G5 division to my location for an investigation on my captor, they know what Oscar is. Oscar's in great danger."

"Where the hell are you?"

"It's an island called Punk hazard. I don't know where it is on the map, but it's cold. So very, very cold." Tani took note of that.

"I'll tell Luffy when I get back." she assured the man. What was his name again?

"Thank you. I'll be waiting." The dreamscape grew noticeably brighter. "It appears you're waking up."

"I am?" the man laughed again.

"We'll meet again soon... I hope."

"We will. I promise!" Tani gave a wave to the darkness. It felt as if the darkness waved back.

"We'll see."

...

Tani's eyes burst open, only to be met with a blinding florescent light to the retina. Cursing aloud, she smacked her hands to cover her eyes. There was a shuffle to her side.

"You're an idiot... A stupid, reckless idiot." Rude.

"Good morning to you too, Law." Tani sat up with a heaviness in her chest. Her hand lifted to press against her heart, feeling the space that Law had cut out was now full again... Speaking of Law.

"You would have died." He looks at her with an expression that isn't entirely angry, his eyes look haunted.

"Technically yes, but I'm sure I've mentioned that I can't die before. I just respawn back home." Law didn't look any less upset. "I would've been fi-"

"What if you weren't?" he curled his arms around his shoulders, looking far smaller than his 5'8" body should. "We wouldn't have known. Hypothetically you would have gone home, but Bepo, Penguin and Shachi. We wouldn't have known. We would have watched you die." Tani didn't think about that.

Tani had never thought about that... Oh god. What was running through Luffy's head when he watched her dying only a couple feet away? How helpless did he feel as he watched her body explode from the heat of the lava evaporated her insides... Oh god what had she done? Yes she saved his life, but in the process she traumatised him! She almost did the same to a group of 16 year olds! Shit!

"Cora did the same thing. According to my recount." he held up the note pad in question. It had been on the bedside table of... Whatever room this was.

"When he died, I lost all my memories of him... I don't want the same thing happening to you." What the hell did you do to this kid Tani? He looks broken. You took breaking the law to a new level.

Tani kicked her feet over the side of the bed, legs wobbling hard as she used them to throw herself at Law. The boy didn't expect this level of movement from her, especially after just waking up. The impact caused both involved parties to knock onto the floor. Limbs tangled in a ball of hurt.

"What are you doing?! You're going to-"

"Shut up, I'm hugging you better." Tani clutched around the boy as best she could. "I promise I won't kamikaze myself like that again... Well I'll try, I can't make a guarantee. So I probably should make a promise but I'll do it anyway." Tani could feel Law shaking, followed by the sound of laughter.

An honest to god laugh from Trafalgar 'Grumpy pants' Law.

They sat there on the ground, in a ball of limbs. Laughing away the stress that's been building up since the attack-

Wait.

"What happened after I passed out?" Tani pulled away, looking around the mysterious room they were occupying. Law sat up.

"After you so foolishly threw yourself at the enemy."

"Rude." Law rolled his eyes, and continued.

"Artur used his devil fruit in the hearts of the towns people. The fruit causes everyone's hearts to disintegrate over a 24 hour period of time. I teleported us away before we could be hit." That doesn't explain where they are, but it's a start. 

"We met up with Wolf. This isn't the first time Artur has attacked the town looking for his father's secret weapon of a ship." Law explained, but Tani was slapped in the face at the mention of Wolf being Artur's father?! That's a twist she didn't expect. Wolf doesn't seem the type to- Oh Law is still talking.

"-currently on our way back to Pleasure town. Were you even listening?" Quick! Improvise.

"Yeah, we're going back to Pleasure town." Nailed it.

"To do what?" Uh...

"To beat up Artur?" Law sighed, not at all impressed with her totally correct response. 

The room suddenly jerked to the left, violently throwing anything not nailed to the ground into the left wall. Tani included. What the hell kinda room are they in?

"Sorry!" Bepo? A voice that sounded like Bepo apologized over an intercom. Tani looked at Law with confusion, which he ignored in favour of responding to Bepo with the den den mushi hanging off the wall. 

"DON'T APOLOGIZE!" Came the cries of three voices, Law's included. Look's like Shachi and Penguin are somewhere in this wherever they are. 

"We hit a rough current," Wolf? "The nav says we're almost at Pleasure town. You boys ready?" 

"READY!" Shachi and Penguin cheered. Law smiled with such fondness that Tani could feel her heart melting at the sight. Little emo brat can't hide his true feelings from her.

"Oi Law!" That was Penguin. "Has Tani woken up yet?"

"Yeah! Is she awake yet?" There's Shachi. 

"I don't know," Law looks at Tani with a smug grin, "Are you awake Tani?" He handed her the mic. Tani held it to her mouth.

"I feel like I'm conscious again, yeah." She grins into the mic as the boys express their joy through loud shouting and cheers of relief.

 "SHUT UP BRATS!" Wolf wasn't as keen to join in. All lines went down after his outburst, leaving Tani alone with Law. 

"So... What kinda ship is this?" Law gave her that grin again.

"How about a tour?"

...

Wolf is an inventor. Tani knows this. She's helped him make electric beartraps! He gave her a bat with a barbed wire and electric setting for her birthday! 

SHE DIDN'T EXPECT THE GUY TO HAVE MADE A FUNCTIONING SUBMARINE

"You've gotta share your blueprints. My shipwright would kill for a design like this." Tani jumped around the cockpit of the helm. Snapping photos with her camera, hopefully they won't come out blurry.

"I don't gotta share squat with you, brat." Wolf snapped, rubbing the back of his neck with a flustered pride blooming on his cheeks.

"Can I drive it?" Tani leaned over Wolf's shoulder, looking at the set up of the controls. She was sure she could drive it... Maybe... Probably... Yeah, she totally could. 

"Have you piloted a submarine before."

"I have." She beamed. Wolf's eyes widened. "I was one of the only people on my crew who could pilot the mini submarine our ship had." Well, one of the only people that Franky trusted to sit in the drivers seat.

Wolf looked at her, then back at the controls. Repeat about three times before he shrugged his shoulders and motioned for Tani to sit in the co-pilots seat.

"Why the hell not. You'll be better than the bear at least." 

Tani laughed. Grabbing the wheel with vigour. 

It didn't take long for the submarine to surface and dock beside the only other ship on the pier of Pleasure town. The veil of night covering for the obnoxious yellow colour of the sub Tani was now dubbing "Beatle". The ships crew of six stood on the surfaced deck, four of which donned long cloaks. 

"You sure I can't come along?" Tani whispered. Law shook his head.

 "After the stunt you pulled. I'm not sure if you've fully recovered from the stress you put your body through." Tani looked at him with the most accusatory expression she could muster. He knew she was fit as a fiddle. She had a feeling he was still upset about her... Flimsy views on her own mortality.

"We also need to make sure the ship is ready to make a get away if things go south." Penguin chimed in. Shachi curled an arm around Penguins shoulder.

"Not that that will happen, but it's better to be safe than sorry." Shachi chimed in. Tani rolled her eyes.

"Just get this over with." She shooed them away, the boys vacated the ship to start their stealth mission into town. Tani looked at Wolf, who looked back at her. "So... Wanna steal all the treasure on your shitty spawns ship?"

"Thought you'd never ask." 

...

Law and his crew didn't return to the Beatle until the crack of dawn. All four of them looked as if they'd fought in the middle of a construction site after getting a delivery of cement mix. Grey dust coated their skin and clothes, making them look more like ghosts than humans (and Mink). 

"Welcome back boys!" Tani waved from the deck, beneath her was a huge pile of treasure that would make Nami jump for joy. "We grabbed a little something while you were out." The boys' jaws dropped at the sight. All of them sharing the same thought. 

That would be enough to buy a boat! We could head for the Grand-line now.

"I know that look." Wolf stepped towards the boys. He was covered in jewels and other stolen goods. "You boys didn't think I knew what you were saving all that money for." Tani slid down mountain of gold, landing beside Wolf with a smile on her face.

"This ship was made to be used. I just hadn't found the right crew for her." Wolf looks at them fondly. "My shit bag of a son didn't prove he was worthy of my creation, but you lot." He looked directly at the four boys he'd been housing for half a decade. 

"You damn brats have proven yourselves." Law looked at him with large eyes.

"What are you saying?" He knew exactly what Wolf was implying. He just needed it spoken aloud.

"What're you naming her?" Law felt his heart swell. Pulling his hat to cover his eyes. Fool! We can all see you're flushed cheeks and stupidly large grin.

"WE SHOULD CALL IT LEMONADE!" Penguin cheered. Ah! The most important moment of a ships creation. The name.

"That name sucks." Shachi shook his head in disapproval. "She looks more like Tali." Penguin huffed a laugh. 

"That's a shitty ass name!" 

"It's better than the name you picked!" 

"I think we should call it Ankle smasher." Bepo chimed in. Earning him some strange looks, he dipped his head. "Sorry."

"BEPO DON'T SAY SORRY!"

"I think the most fitting name would be Beatle." Tani suggested. This also earned her a strange look. Sorry John Lennon, these children are uncultured. 

"Polar tang."

All eyes turned to Law. "That's her name. Polar tang." Huh? That fit. She was bright yellow like a tangy lemon, and she was made on a winter island... It's just surprising that Law could come up with such a cute name.

"That's a shit name." Wolf commented. Law let out an indignant squawk, missing Wolf's amused quirk of the lips. "But it fits her perfectly. Polar tang it is." The crew all agreed to name her Polar tang. 

"Now then..." Wolf hopped off the side of the ship, landing in the snowy bank with a heavy thunk. "You boys better head off soon. Wouldn't want the marines to cross your hairs before you've made it to the Grand-line." He looked at the ship, then back at the small crew who manned her. "Don't forget to send a post card every so often." Wolf teased, waving from the bank. 

"THANK YOU WOLF!" Penguin and Shachi cried together. "WE'LL SEND YOU ALL THE POST CARDS!" Tani decided she'd ask about the post cards thing when returning to the future. 

"Hurry up and get outta here you shitty brats!" Alright, alright they're moving. It's almost like the author wants to get a move on.

"Before we go." Law grabbed a handful of the gold, tore his cloak off, wrapped the gold snuggly in the cloak and tossed it overboard. The sack landing at Wolf's feet.

"It's all the rent money we owe you." Law declared, earning a chuckle from Wolf. Tani took this moment to start packing away the rest of the treasure stash. Just while the boys do a bang up job of saying goodbye. 

They had a long journey ahead of them.

...

One day until Straw hat reunion

Tani was awake bright an early that day. 

The Polar tang docked on a small, remote island somewhere in the middle of Paradise upon Tani's request. The only reason being that she "Had a hunch that this was the place she needed to be.". The boys didn't ask any further questions. 

The island itself seemed familiar to Tani in a sort of "been there in a dream" sense. It was covered in plants, untouched by humanity until this moment. Tani ventured into the depths of the forest with nothing but her guts telling her which way to go.

Which leads her to now. Standing in front of an archway with strange runes printed on each stone. She may have taken some photos for Robin, the woman was a sucker for mystery history. If the otherworldly vibe, strange pulling sensation, and general energy this area was giving off was any indication that yep! This was the place she needed to be to get home. Well, Tani knew now that it was time.

Now she just had to say goodbye... 

...

Law and his fellow Heart pirates knew this day was coming. From the moment she appeared, to this moment now, he always knew there was a count down until Tani would be vanishing from their sides to pursue her own adventure.

He just didn't know how hard it would be to say goodbye.

"DON'T FORGET ABOUT US OK!"

"AND REMEMBER YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME WITH OUR CREW!"

"I'M SORRY FOR CRYING! I'M JUST GONNA MISS YOU SO MUCH!"

And it would appear that the rest of his crew wasn't in the same boat as him.

Tani stood by the rune covered archway she'd lead them to, bag strapped tightly to her back with her most important possessions. She looked at them with that sisterly love she'd always held for them. 

"Actually... Before I leave, I wanted to give you all something." She dug her hand into the pocket of her jacket. Removing four looped strings, a single golden bell attached to each string. "They're a gift I give to the many friends I've made along my journey." She handed each of them a bell, all four of them moved to shake it. Hearing nothing in return. "They ring at a frequency that only I can hear. I like to think that when you're feeling alone, you can shake it and know that somewhere in the world. I'm able to hear it." She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "It sounds lame, but I don't care." 

If that was lame, then Law's crew bursting into tears at the sentiment was pitiful. 

"I'LL NEVER STOP SHAKING IT!"

"TANI I'LL MISS YOU!"

"DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO LEAVE!"

Tani was suddenly swarmed by two boys and a bear ready to squeeze the daylights out of her. Arms looping around her small frame in a hopes that they won't have to let go of her. She looked at them with love, Law knew that the bandaid needed to be pulled now if she wanted any chance of getting back.

"Bepo, Shachi, Penguin." His crew mates turned to him with a look that had no dignity at all. Not that they needed it when bidding their beloved friend farewell. "Tani wouldn't want to be smothered to death before going home, now would she?" The boys knew this was his warning for them to release her.

Sliding away from her with snot, tears and ugly cries turned up to an eleven, Law looked at Tani to find her smiling so fondly it hurt. 

She was going to miss them as much as they would miss her. Who knows how long it would be until they saw each other again. Tani turned to look at Law, with all the love she could offer. Law had to turn away, least he turn into a blubbering mess like his idiot crew.

"Punk hazard." She grinned. Law met her gaze, seeing determination and certainty in those swampy green eyes. "Let's meet on the island of Punk hazard." She was giving him a location. All he needed to do was meet her there. "Don't forget that I'm helping you take down that pink monstrosity that is Doflamingo. Plus I've gotta introduce you guys to my crew." She grinned, hand moving to her pocket to retrieve another bell, this one much larger than the ones she handed to them.

"So... I guess this is it." Tani sighed softly, eyes glassing over with a thin layer of tears.

"So it would seem." Law responded. Clutching his fists, anything to keep him grounded. Tani turned away from them all, facing the archway. 

Tani took one step away from the group, then another, and another until she stood mere inches away from her goal.

Law couldn't take it anymore. 

The captain ran as fast as his patchy legs would carry him, sights set on the girl who had left an impact on his life. He launched himself into her back, shoving his misty eyes into the crook of her back so she wouldn't see the weakness in his face. He could hear her heartbeat, the sound of her breathing as she laughed softly. The feather light touch of her hands as she carded them through his hair, having turned in his grip to face him. She curled her arms around his head, pressing him closer to her chest. Tani felt safe, and warm, so very very warm.

Law didn't want to let her go yet.

"We'll meet again." She whispered sweetly. "Don't know where, don't know when." Law clutched tighter. "But I know we'll meet again some sunny day." She pulled away, Law wasn't ready yet!

"Keep smiling through." Law's arms loosened, staring as Tani's teary eyes met his for one final time. "Just like you always do." She turned away, taking the last step she needed to. Her body looked transparent.

"Until the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away!" 

And with those final words. Tanisha Lowe was gone.

...

Rubbing the tears from her eyes. Tani was greeted to bright green grass, tall white trunked mangrove trees, and a whole load of bubbles.

Her cheeks hurt from the smile that crawled its way onto them. Two years... It's really been two years.

"I'm almost there everyone." She whispered to nobody in particular.

It was time to find her crew, she'd been keeping them waiting for long enough.

...

(A/N: HELLO EVERYONE! OMFG ITS BEEN SO LONG SINCE IVE SEEN YOU ALL!!! How have we all been? Me? Oh I've been drowning in university and work duties, barely any free time. I'm glad I finally got something out, even if it's not the best. Lucky for me, this will get fixed up when my rewrites make it to this point (I've just made it to little garden at the time of writing this).

What would you have liked to see, but didn't make it into the chapter? I'd love to know! If I get any ideas that I really vibe with, I might add them when the rewrite hits. So suggest away if you wanna :3c

Updates will still be slow, but not as much of a hiatus? As this was. I know you're all very patient, so I appreciate you all very much! Lots of hugs and smooches for you!

Thank you again for waiting, the coming arcs hopefully knock your socks off!)