Cocoyasi Village.
"I'm back!"
Bell-mère's voice rang cheerfully across the orange grove as she walked up the path, a basket of ripe oranges balanced on her hip. Behind her trailed a dark-skinned girl with short blue hair and a simple sundress—Nojiko, her adopted daughter.
Makino looked up from where she was sitting under the shade of the tree, chatting with the younger of the two girls. "Welcome back," she said with a warm smile, standing to take the basket from Bell-mère's hands. "That's quite the haul."
Bell-mère grinned proudly, wiping sweat from her brow. "Yeah, this year's crop is the best I've seen in a while. Should fetch a decent price, if the merchants show up on time."
Nojiko dropped her small basket beside her mother's, while Nami—barefoot, with orange juice on her chin—ran up excitedly. "Mama, sis, you're back!"
Makino chuckled at the sight, handing the little girl a towel. "Don't shout with your mouth full, Nami."
Bell-mère crouched down, patting Nami's head affectionately before straightening up again. "Has Kuina gone off training again?" she asked.
Makino nodded softly. "Yes. She and Tina left early this morning."
"Those two really don't know what 'rest' means," Bell-mère said with a smirk, shaking her head.
"They both have dreams they're chasing," Makino replied, her voice calm and full of quiet pride. "And Jin… he's given them the best foundation to reach for them."
The two women talked easily while Nami and Nojiko sorted oranges into neat piles—large, small, perfect, and overripe. The fruit was the village's pride, its main trade good and lifeline to the outside world.
Bell-mère lit another cigarette, glancing up toward the hills. "So, your captain—Jin, right?—he's been holed up at the old forge for days now. What's he doing up there?"
Makino smiled knowingly. "He's a blade forger. He's… crafting something special for himself. When he's focused, he won't come down until it's finished."
"Wait, that guy's a smith?" Bell-mère blinked in surprise. "Didn't expect that from someone who looks like a pretty boy."
Makino couldn't help but laugh—though she quickly covered her mouth. "Bell-mère, please don't say that in front of him. He hates that word."
"Ah—seriously?" Bell-mère chuckled awkwardly, rubbing her neck. "Guess my mouth's too quick again."
Makino sighed, half amused and half exasperated. Calling Jin a pretty boy is the fastest way to start a fight.
To steer the conversation elsewhere, she asked, "Do you think the Arlong Pirates will return?"
Bell-mère's expression darkened. She took a long drag from her cigarette, exhaling a slow stream of smoke. "They will. They've already taken over several nearby islands. This side of the village is the only one still free… for now."
Her voice turned somber. "I just hope the Marines deal with them soon." She paused, then muttered bitterly, "Though I don't have much faith left in them."
Makino placed a gentle hand on her arm. "Don't worry. Cocoyasi will stay safe."
Before Bell-mère could answer, an excited voice rang from outside. "Kuina's back! And she caught a rabbit!"
Nami came running with glee as Kuina stepped into the yard, holding a rather scruffy-looking hare by its ears.
"You're back," Makino greeted. "Did you see Jin on the mountain?"
Kuina shook her head. "No. He's still busy with his work, so I didn't disturb him." She handed the rabbit to Nami with a faint smile before glancing around. "Where's Tina?"
"I saw her by the cliffside earlier," Bell-mère said, exhaling another puff of smoke. "She was training near the edge—looked serious."
Kuina nodded slightly in response.
"Is Miss Makino cooking again tonight?" Nami asked, eyes sparkling.
"Nami!" Nojiko scolded gently. "She's our guest, not your cook!"
Bell-mère laughed. "You two little brats, I can read you like a book. Both of you are just after her food."
Makino giggled softly. "It's alright. I'll make enough for everyone tonight."
Just then, the door opened again. "I'm back—and look what I found! Blue-shelled lobsters for dinner!" Tina called out proudly, holding two massive crustaceans tied with seaweed.
"Wow!" Nami and Nojiko shouted in delight, practically bouncing with joy.
The evening came alive with laughter and the smell of roasted meat and seafood. Around the small table sat five women—each from a different world, yet connected by warmth.
Nami and Nojiko giggled over every bite. Bell-mère smoked and laughed, a mug of beer in hand. Kuina sipped her wine in calm silence, while Tina dissected her lobster with a soldier's precision. Makino sat at the center of it all, smiling like a quiet sun.
Peace. Warmth. Family.
For one rare night, Cocoyasi Village was free of fear.
(Wait a second… where's the main character?)
"Finally noticed me, huh?"
Up in the forge on the hillside, Jin stood shirtless, sweat pouring down his arms as he brought his hammer down again and again on a block of molten metal. Sparks burst around him like fireworks, casting red light across his determined face.
Two days of constant forging. Two days of refining, folding, and shaping—channeling his inner force into every strike.
Each clang rang like thunder. Each swing pushed his body closer to exhaustion.
"Damn it… this is killing me," Jin muttered, his arms trembling from the vibration of the hammer. The dense black metal didn't yield easily—it was like trying to tame a beast.
He grit his teeth, muscles tensing, and brought the hammer down once more. The air rippled. The walls of the forge shuddered.
A faint grin tugged at his lips as he stared at the glowing metal. "But this—this is what makes it worth it."
Outside, the quiet hum of the village faded beneath the ringing rhythm of his work.
While laughter filled Bell-mère's home, and Nami dreamed of oceans and maps…
Jin, alone under the starlit sky, continued to forge the blade that would carve his destiny
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T/N :
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