Jeanne sighed as she took a long puff from her hookah. She was glad the town was free, but most of all that she was able to help her friend. She groaned as she rubbed her shoulder. Her arm now in a sling. It hurt like hell. The doc who patched her up said it was a fracture in the clavicle. She was lucky the shoulder didn't dislocate in the fight, or she would have been unable to even lift her weapon. She let out a sigh as she looked to it.

Perhaps she should diversify her arsenal a bit? Architronito was good, but it was a bit of a one trick pony. As the town got to celebrating she got out one of her notebooks from her pack. She began sketching. First thing she needed to do was develop new ammunition. Steel shot was good against basic targets, but she needed more tricks up her sleeve...

Kále stood at the back of the crowd, near where Sujikiki was sitting. They weren't talking or anything, they were just on the outskirts of the party together. Kále had a drink in his hands and he was slowly sipping away at it, he wasn't a big drinker, but on occasions like this, he partook.

He was wearing some new clothes, the nice citizens had offered him some new clothes as a reward for his help. He was now wearing a pair of green-coloured trousers held up by a black leather belt and a pair of black boots. On top, he wore a tight dark undershirt with a light grey X on the chest and a red short-sleeved jacket. On his belt was his brand new sword that he... took from Sujikiki and, as always, wrapped around his arm was his white headband.

The village doctor had repatched his large wound from his fight with Wolfheart and cleaned his other small wound from his fight with Sujikiki. He wasn't really paying attention to the party, he was thinking about his fight. If he had two tanto's he would've wiped the floor with Sujikiki... 'Perhaps I should try Ittoryu more...' He thought to himself, thinking that if he was more adept with one sword then maybe that'd give him more versatility in battle.

But for now, The Standard Size Ungraded Katana, Sujihiki. Would be find. Sujikiki had his Tanto.

*

*

The party went on and on. Everyone was so happy. Everyone was free. Kirk couldn't help but smile. He wasn't around anymore. He had snuck out of the place while all eyes were off somewhere else. No, he wasn't about to run away and deliver some more stolen money to some random villain again. There was something much more important on his mind. It was the one thing he had to do before leaving, and it was one thing he was determined to do alone.

Slowly, his footsteps came to a stop at the ruined compound. The fresh memories of seeing the maps flying down overhead. Seeing the mansion crumble and fall. He still couldn't process it. The fact he was free. Kirk clenched his hands into fists, still staring at the rubble. He felt how his fingers were undivided by the missing webs between his fingers. There were numb spots where he once felt fins and whiskers, where he had cut them off just to fulfill a promise.

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A promise that was broken the moment he aligned himself with Barnum and forever scarred his back with black ink. A broken promise to his sister to free her. At least now, he hoped, he could make it up to Oliko. His body took him towards the small building where he was once chained, pushed open the door easily, and found his way to his sister. Before he knew it, Kirk had taken off the chains and cuffs, picked her frail and light body up, and was on the road again. He was spacing off as he did. Never did he think this was how he would have ever taken her away from that place like he said he would.

The thief blinked a few times, finding himself going still, and looked up. He had arrived at his house. His old, nearly decrepit home. Bittersweet memories of the place flashed by.

A mom trying to cook with what they had left.

Two kids fighting and bickering before suddenly becoming best friends again.

A daughter showing over her garden proudly to her brother.

A son getting mad that his sister was scattering his study books and maps about.

A mom crying at the dining table, scraps of money laid in front of her.

A pair of siblings playing in the river nearby.

A mom wrestling with her two kids in the living room after she beat them on game night (she 'lost' that fight, totally not trying to make them feel better)

A son coming home crying, dirt staining his clothes and owning a big scrape along his cheek and his maps all torn up.

A mom patching her son up, shushing him gently.

A mom showing her son a photo of his father. A mom telling her son something that would stick with him forever.

'Kirk, whatever life throws at you, just keep your head up. You can cry, you can boil over, you can feel like the world is ending, but just remember to keep your head up. You're the man of the house, you have to be strong for both me, Oliko, and yourself... ok? It may get tough, but you just gotta keep pushing, no matter what! Now, next time you see that bully, give him the finger and tell him to fuck off! Hahahaha!'

Kirk couldn't suppress a sniffle.

He was standing over the freshly buried grave. Six feet below him, now in the coffin where he held all of his earnings, was Kamiko Oliko The best damn sister ever alive.

Yeah, they may have bickered with Oliko was always so out there and sporadic while Kirk was closed in and a big, responsible nerd, but they still loved each other dearly. Kirk would do anything for that back. Just as he was finally about to turn a leave, something caught his eye.

A soft breeze passed by, gently swaying the once prosperous garden of Oliko. Kirk stared for a long moment... maybe there was a different way to take her away from here.

The Fishman was soon arriving at the docks where the Horizon's palm was anchored, sure that the party had ended by now. Behind him, he tugged along an old wheel barrel. Inside were what was left and usable from Oliko's garden. Pots, seeds, tools, all of it. Something to help the crew... and to help Kirk himself. Something to remember her by.

Leroy waved excitedly at his Crewmate, sitting on the stern of the horizon, watching as his Navigator came aboard. And not too soon after, the ship was seen off by the people of the island, gentle waves and solemn smiles at the goodbye.

And with that. The Horizons Palm gently bounced over the horizon. Headed to the Red Sash Pirates next destination-

The crew whole once again.