The few sparse clouds painted the blue sky with an artist's flair, abstract in their arrangements, shaping differently to each beholder's eye. The wind was refreshing and gentle, cooling off the sweat on the Kujas as they worked transporting their haul from the Marine ships.
The brown-haired Sabine stood overseeing the process with Axe and a few other Kujas. Her hands would rise from time to time, and from her fingers, clouds would burst forth.
They'd go under the heavier crates and condense into a more dense form capable of lifting the giant crates, easing her crew's burden.
Axe did his fair share of work; under Alexander, there were no rules that dictated that only the lower-ranking had to do menial work. Everyone had a role to play, and help was expected from everyone except Hancock. Their captain and the Kujas would murder anyone who had these kinds of outrageous thoughts.
"Training never ends, Sabine!" Axe said while hoisting a big metallic crate containing a considerable weight of sea stone they had plundered from the battleships.
"And it will never end, I suppose. When at sunrise, I could hear the captain still training despite him being a monster," she replied, her gaze focused on the crew. Her fingers moved as if she were conducting a musical orchestra that were the clouds.
Axe put the crate down on the deck and looked at the woman. Before everything that had happened on Gin'iro Island, during his days at captaincy, Sabine was one of the few pirates he got to know alongside Andretta.
During some strange events that forced them to work together, a budding friendship formed, veiled by pirate rivalry.
He considered them both annoying and competitors, often clashing over minuscule stuff, but it never got out of hand because even if they didn't acknowledge it, they still treasured those who they could comfortably share a drink with.
Axe stretched his muscles; he sighed in pleasure as cracking sounds came from his tan muscular body.
"Don't compare me to the captain; he's someone I'm lost at how to describe."
"And yet, you chase his shadow..." She chuckled.
"Haha, indeed. Despite that, do you think Alarin would let us relax for a second?" he laughed. The green-eyed pirate had been paying more attention to them than their captain.
"He wouldn't, and even without his urging, it would be madness and sheer ignorance to remain weak when sailing with Alexander..." She shuddered at the thought; so far, everyone they had faced was above their league.
"As you said, if we don't train, one day we might die from an aftershock," he replied, his back leaning against the crates, enjoying the fresh sea air.
Sabine nodded while still coordinating with the rest of the crew.
"Andretta won't be coming back soon?" she asked.
"I took her share of work; I needed to warm my body a bit..." he replied.
Sabine paused for a second, then chuckled. "Impressive, Axie, finally you started making a move."
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, his face still, not showing any emotions.
"You know what I'm talking about. It might do you well to realize there are people beside you when your eyes brush past that girl," she said calmly.
"Complete nonsense..." he replied the same as before, but this time Sabine caught a hint of stiffness in his voice.
"Sure, sure..." Although she felt amused by his denial, she didn't laugh at him but looked in his direction, to his side profile where she could see how he nervously gulped down.
She turned back to her task. "Andretta won't understand the subtlety in your actions; next time try to be a little more open about it..."
Axe grunted without replying as he lifted his head to the sky, wondering how these feelings came to be when even before they joined Alexander, he had never harbored any thoughts or feelings toward the silver-haired woman.
He blamed it on distance. Before, everyone belonged to their respective groups; they would meet a few times on some islands or the open sea.
They shared drinks and fought together more than they had clashed heads.
And after joining Alexander, the distance was shortened to a few meters. The first few weeks under him had been uncomfortable for everyone, to say the least.
Leaving their ships and crew wasn't easy, but they were pirates and knew that there were rules every pirate had to abide by, such as the old convention and Davy Back fight; otherwise, they'd lose their reputation among pirates.
During this period, her presence and Sabine eased this feeling as they slowly accepted that they were now a part of the crew.
With time, he started discovering parts of her that drew him close to the silver Lioness. Although he always lost his temper due to her actions and provocations, he couldn't deny the feelings slowly growing within him.
Her beauty was another factor, but the strong personality she had, coupled with her penchant for mischief, were what drew him even closer.
He had been wrestling with his feelings for some time; their spar and physical contact only added fuel to the fire.
Until one day, when they were sitting cross-legged with eyes closed, undergoing Haki training from Alarin. Without opening his eyes, her presence was etched into his senses—how her hair ruffled against his cheek and her smell that sent shivers down his spine.
He realized how good it'd be if she always sat this close to him.
"Indeed, how good it'd be," he murmured, breaking from his reverie.
His ears picked up a faint noise he didn't know where it was coming from. Turning to the side, he found Sabine wide-eyed, looking behind their back to the sky where it stretched endlessly with the sea.
"What's wrong?" he said while approaching Sabine.
She didn't reply; instead, she pointed with her finger to the faraway clouds.
"What?" Bewildered, he followed where she pointed. At first, he noticed nothing, then when he looked closely at the clouds, he found that one of them suddenly broke out of the cluster and was descending slowly toward them.
His eyes narrowed as he tried to discern the type of this phenomenon; a second later, realization flashed through his eyes.
"Cloud? Sky Island?" He remembered Alexander and Alarin mentioning them once.
"Not just any Sky Island," Sabine replied while fidgeting nervously, rubbing her hands.
"Your home?" Axe lifted an eyebrow. She told them before about where she came from, a Sky Island that drifted among the clouds.
"Yes, yes, look at the bubble beneath the cloud," she replied, her feet couldn't sit still, shuffling nervously and casting furtive glances to the sky from time to time.
Axe put a hand over his eyes, shielding them from the sun's glare, and looked closer.
A few seconds later, he discerned that the bottom part of the clouds was round; it seemed to reflect a plethora of colors.
"You're right," he nodded and turned to Sabine, noticing her strange behavior.
"Why are you nervous?" he asked.
"I hadn't returned home in years... ever since I became a pirate... I sent messages, but my father will certainly be pissed when he sees me..." she replied without looking in his direction.
"You're an adult, Sabine," Axe said, his face impassive.
"Why don't you go ahead and tell him that to his face!" she yelled in frustration.
"No, no, I have to be calm..." A second later she stopped in place, began patting her clothes, then took a mirror out of nowhere and checked her appearance.
"All good, all good..." she said then turned to Axe.
"Send someone for the captain."
"Okay!" Leaving the weird girl behind, he went to Rindo and passed the news to her.
Twenty minutes later.
Everyone had gathered on the rocky cliff tens of meters away from the low cliff's edge, where the ships were anchored.
Alexander cast his gaze upward, toward the Sky Island that covered the majority of the sky while floating several hundred meters above sea level.
"Remind me again, you were born on this island?" Alexander asked.
Sabine, who had changed into a presentable lady dress, wearing a blue sleeveless floral dress that stopped just below her knees, nodded and answered absentmindedly.
"Yes!"
Alexander turned his head to look at her, his Haki reading the nervous emotions she tried hard not to show.
"Why are you nervous then?"
"It's been a long time since I went back, and my father wasn't happy the last time I talked with him..." she replied.
"Hmmm, I see... but don't overthink it. If you're his daughter, I'm sure he deeply misses you," he replied, patting her on the shoulder.
"I share the same sentiment," Kuma, standing seven meters tall behind the group, said.
Sabine fell silent. She knew she was overthinking, leaving space for nervousness and anxiety to take the place of the joy she should be feeling when she gets to see her father after a long time.
"You're right..." she let out a breath and straightened her back.
"I should be feeling joy instead..."
"Good." Alexander nodded and turned back to the Sky Island, in time to witness one small boat float down from the island.
The small boat had the capacity to carry five to six people. It fell down slowly like a feather, relying on a bubble encapsulating a smaller bubble containing a burning flame. The biggest bubble was tied to the boat with a thick rope.
"What a fascinating small boat," Hancock's sight stretched further than most of the crew, enabling her to spot the innovative technology used by the people of Weatheria.
"It's a balloon ship, a common sight on Weatheria," Sabine replied.
"Can you replicate it?" Hancock asked, seeing that this could help her people deal with a lot of things, including traversing the calm belt.
Sabine's face reddened as she lowered her head. "Unfortunately no. I may be a good navigator, but I rebelled against any training that involved burying myself in a laboratory."
"Alright then," Hancock said. Although feeling disappointed, she didn't show it on her face. She turned back, watching as the boat quickly descended.
Within tens of seconds, the boat landed lightly, stirring little dust.
From the blue boat hopped off a tall, old wizened man wearing yellow clothing, a wizard hat, and a long robe. He had a grey long beard and long straight hair.
Following the old man, a muscular man jumped off. He was bald with fair skin, a short trimmed greying beard, and wore black long robes. Tied around his waist was a thick large leather belt carrying all sorts of tools from hammers, screwdrivers, and other tools they couldn't recognize.
They approached quickly; despite the old man's age, he seemed to move with the stride of a man in his prime. A few meters from the group they stopped, and they cast scrutinizing gazes at the crew.
First, they looked at Kuma, their eyes widened slightly in recognition. After him was Hancock, whom they immediately evaded staring too long at; next was Alexander who, although looked unassuming at first, they knew that this man here was probably one of the strongest new pirate captains.
Finally, their gaze fell on Sabine, who had her head lowered, evading their eyes.
"Sabine," the bald man called with a rough voice.
Sabine visibly trembled, which was noticed by the man as he let out a silent sigh. He waited as she slowly lifted her head and walked, stopping once she was within arm's reach.
The young woman looked at the man who was her father, emotions bubbling within as she struggled to come up with something to say. Perhaps it was the guilt after not coming back for so long or the nervousness at what her father would say about her becoming a pirate.
It didn't take long for her to get her courage back as she called with a soft, low voice.
"Father!"
Arsen stood quiet for a second, seemingly pondering, then slowly opened his arms wide and looked at his daughter, who was two heads shorter than him.
Sabine's eyes widened slightly; all of a sudden, the worries that plagued her seemed to dissipate with the wind. A smile adorned her face as she jumped into her father's embrace.
Arsen hugged her back, feeling comforted at the safety of his daughter. He patted her back and spoke.
"Why didn't you come back, Sabine?"
Within his arms, he felt a tremble; she buried her head and spoke as if she was ashamed.
"I became a pirate, father... a wanted criminal. I didn't want to implicate any of you..."
Arsen stilled at her words and looked at the old man who had come with him. They exchanged a glance and smiled wryly.
"Daughter, it's not like we've never had any dealings with pirates before; all kinds of people seek our services. We trade with everyone alike..."
"I know..." she replied and gently broke off from her father's hug, who seemed a tad bit saddened by her act.
"But, I disappointed you in becoming one..." she continued.
Her father didn't speak at first. He stretched his hand and placed it on her head.
"Have you been eating well?" he asked.
"Yes, I have," she replied.
"And your studies, are you still reading the books I sent you?"
"I am, but I'm having some difficulties with Attalus treatise..."
"Being able to read that book is a feat; few would have the patience to go through dozens of books just to understand one page from the treatise..."
Sabine perked up at the praise, and a feeling of joy washed over her—something she had only experienced at a young age when her father would sit teaching and praising her for every clever answer she managed to come up with.
"Listen, child!" he said, looking her in the eyes. "As it is with anything in this world, everything has two faces: day and night, killers and victims, fools and savants..."
"Being a pirate doesn't necessarily mean I'm disappointed in you unless you started harming the undeserving."
Arsen smiled and shook his head. "But how could I ever think like this? When I was the one who shaped you into what you are today! Did my teachings go to waste, Sabi?"
She furiously shook her head. "Absolutely not; it'll never happen!"
Arsen nodded. "That's good; we'll leave it at that! But for the sake of all that is precious, don't ever think Weatheria wouldn't welcome my daughter. Isn't that right, Damo?"
"Sabine-chan is our precious child," Damo, the old man, said, smiling kindly at the girl who grew up inside their research halls.
"Grandpa Damo, it's nice to see you," she smiled while wiping the tears gathering at the edge of her eyes.
"We searched high and low for you; we chased you back to Dalness Island where we met a few of your crew," Damo said.
"Then they must be the ones who directed you here?" she asked.
Damo nodded, stroking his long beard like the old knowledgeable man that he was.
"Hmm, that's right! They were a nice bunch for pirates..."
"I heard you joined a new crew!" Arsen said, gesturing at the people behind her who had been watching in silence.
"Yes!" Sabine smiled and turned back. "Do you want me to introduce them to you?"
"That is what I've been planning!" He strode forward, followed by Damo and Sabine. Once they were closer, Arsen lifted an eyebrow as a young man with bright golden eyes walked toward him.
"Welcome, I'm the Captain Alexander!" Arsen shook the hand offered to him and felt the strength behind it, which made him ponder silently.
"I'm Arsen, Sabine's father, and this is Damo, one of the lead researchers on Weatheria."
Alexander smiled in acknowledgment and then looked at the sky. "Say, how much does a moving Sky Island like yours cost? Can you make them?"
"It is expensive, but this technology isn't in circulation yet..." Arsen replied, without commenting on the reasons behind it.
"Is there a way to acquire one?" Alexander wasn't one to be let down easily as he pushed for more information.
"Hmmm, I would tell you if you answered my questions about why you are docked on this island..." Arsen too wanted to have some answers, such as why two Shichibukai and a pirate with two billion berries bounty were casually stopping in Sorbet Island.
"Fair enough; there's nothing special about us being here. We were looking for a shipwright; your daughter said you knew..." he replied.
"Old Sonny?" Arsen said.
"Yes!"
The father turned around and looked at his daughter, who looked as if she would like to bury her head in the ground. He sighed.
"Didn't she tell you? That I'm a shipwright myself?" he said exasperated, but he understood his daughter's action. She had been avoiding coming back, let alone telling her father to make them a new ship.
"A shipwright?" Alexander looked surprised, the same as everyone behind him. They looked at Sabine, and she felt some gazes like daggers bear into her.
"Sorry! It's not like I didn't want to recommend my father... I had my difficulties!" She stammered from embarrassment.
"We understand, Sabine, but your training will be doubled for the next month!" Alexander patted the pale Sabine while smiling as if he didn't care about the matter.
Arsen felt amused and a bit worried for his daughter; however, before he could say anything, he was cut off by the young man's question.
"Can you make our ship?"
Arsen seemed to ponder for a moment, after which he looked at Damo, who shrugged back in response.
"Do you have money?" he asked.
"Enough to satisfy any of your demands!" Alexander replied.
"Good, and the materials—do you have any precious wood?" Arsen needed a strong and durable type of wood such as the fabled treasure tree Adam wood.
"Oh, we have something even better!" The young man grinned, which made Arsen doubt his words.
"What is it?" he asked.
Suddenly feeling mischievous, Alexander shook his head. "You saw it in the newspaper. I could even let you study it for a bit, but you have to give us an answer regarding Sky Islands..."
"You mean that beast!" Damo shouted, heart pounding at the chance to study an extraterrestrial creature.
"Exactly!"
Arsen pondered for a moment then looked at Alexander with narrowed eyes. "The information regarding Sky Islands isn't exactly that precious. I'm sure there are one or two recorded. Tell me, what are you after?"
Alexander looked at the bald man, his smile was gone, replaced by a serious look that belonged to a captain who bore the responsibility of his crew and the entire Amazon Lily on his back.
"I want to move an entire gigantic Sky Island!"
"Damn!" shouted Damo.
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Thanks for reading, everyone!