Hancock hesitated, and so did Bardock. He was internally debating whether he should smooth-talk her into joining his crew. Sure, he was currently a captain of a one-man crew, but he was absolutely going to build a formidable team in the future.
Navigating these seas solo was a massive disadvantage. Legend had it that even "Red Count" Patrick Redfield—a man strong enough to defeat Fleet Admiral Kong in a one-on-one duel—was eventually exhausted and mopped up by Garp, landing him straight in a cell in Impel Down. Then there was "Demon Heir" Douglas Bullet. The Marines literally called a Buster Call on his head alone. Even after he broke out of Impel Down years later, he tried to take on the world by himself and got jumped by a massive alliance. Solo players never won in the end.
Hancock had been kidnapped at twelve and spent three grueling years as a slave in Mary Geoise. Aside from being force-fed a Devil Fruit, she obviously hadn't had the luxury of training during that time. Yet, by the time she was eighteen, she would become the captain of the Kuja Pirates and the Empress of Amazon Lily. That meant in just three short years, she surpassed every single seasoned warrior on her island to become their absolute strongest. Even with a Devil Fruit carrying some of the weight, that kind of explosive growth was terrifying.
The catch was that this woman also possessed Conqueror's Haki. She wasn't the type to bow to anyone, and more importantly, she canonically despised men with a burning passion. If he recruited her, would he be barred from ever hiring other male crewmates?
'Wait, I'm a guy too,' he realized. 'Why isn't she glaring at me like she does in the manga? Actually, her personality seems way softer right now.'
'Ah, whatever. It doesn't hurt to try.'
"So..." "Um..." They spoke at the exact same time. Bardock gestured politely. "You first."
"I haven't asked yet... what's your name?" she asked softly.
"Oh, I'm Bardock! I'm from the West Blue, turning nine soon, currently unmarried, and my hobbies include—"
'You're nine... obviously you're unmarried,' Hancock thought, staring at him in utter speechlessness.
"Right. Bardock," she interrupted gently. "Could you take us to Grove 13 to find someone? My sisters still haven't woken up, and I'm really worried about them. We will definitely repay you for your help."
'Welp. The recruitment pitch died before it even began,' Bardock sighed internally.
Grove 13 meant Shakky, the former Empress of the Kuja Pirates. And hanging around her was "Old Man Ray," the legendary coating mechanic who loved selling himself into slavery for gambling money. If Hancock went straight into the arms of the Kuja's predecessors, there was a zero percent chance Bardock could poach her for his own crew. It was like throwing a meat bun at a stray dog—gone forever.
Still, he nodded. She was terrified for her sisters. If he made up excuses to keep them here, it would make him look like a complete creep with an ulterior motive.
"It's not completely dark yet, so I originally wanted to keep a low profile. But this is an emergency. We'll fly straight over and drop right onto Grove 13."
Bardock lowered the wind-blocking barrier of the Flying Nimbus, directing the boat through the sky toward their destination. A normal person would never be able to read the grove numbers painted on the mangrove trees from this altitude, but luckily, Bardock's eyesight was anything but normal.
"It's beautiful," Hancock breathed.
From high up, the Sabaody Archipelago looked like a breathtaking wonderland of floating bubbles and sprawling green canopies. It was only now that Hancock truly registered that they were sailing a wooden boat through the sky. They were skimming just above the treetops, completely hidden from the people below by the dense foliage.
"Do you just keep this boat hovering all the time?" she asked, her curiosity finally breaking through her panic.
"Yep! It's a test run. I want to see exactly how long my stamina can keep this thing airborne."
"Oh... are you planning a long journey?"
"Smart! Beautiful and perceptive," Bardock grinned, instantly spotting an opening. "I'm heading out to find the legendary Tontatta tribe. I heard a rumor that the princess of the dwarves possesses a power that can heal absolutely any injury or scar."
Princess Mansherry was genuinely on Bardock's recruitment wishlist. He had planned to go after her much later, but there was no rule saying he couldn't change the sequence of events. He just hoped she had actually eaten the Heal-Heal Fruit by now.
"Really? Anything?" Hancock's breath hitched. She instinctively reached around, her hand hovering over her back. Even through the fabric, she could feel the phantom burn of the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon—the ultimate mark of shame. She wanted nothing more than to carve that chunk of flesh right off her body.
"It should be true. I'm guessing it's a Devil Fruit ability, and I want to recruit her as my crewmate," Bardock said casually. "Anyway, we're here. Do you know the exact address?"
Bardock obviously knew it was Shakky's Rip-off Bar, but he had never actually been to Grove 13 to know the precise coordinates.
"I'm not sure," Hancock admitted, scanning the roots below. "I was just told it's a solitary bar built on its own mangrove root."
"Got it. Let me look." Bardock engaged his microscopic vision, quickly sweeping the area. He spotted it almost instantly. "Shakky's Rip-off Bar. Is that the one?"
"Yes! Shakky—that has to be it!"
"Hold on tight. The Monkey King is coming in for a landing! Biu~"
Hancock rolled her eyes gracefully, unwittingly providing Bardock with a brand-new piece of premium blackmail material. The Video Transponder Snail was currently perched on his shoulder, securely fastened by a tiny wisp of the Flying Nimbus, recording everything in high definition. Once these kids grew up to be terrifying warlords and empresses of the sea, he was absolutely going to mail them these embarrassing home videos. Missing out on recording Hawkeye singing sea shanties was a regret he would carry to his grave; he wasn't making that mistake twice.
The Flying Nimbus had just unlocked its newest function as a camera mount. What an incredibly reliable, overworked cloud.
The small boat touched down softly on the massive root. Bardock hopped off to push the tavern doors open, and Hancock quickly followed, carrying one unconscious sister under each arm.
The bar was dead quiet. Rayleigh was nowhere to be seen; only Shakky stood behind the counter, casually drying a glass with a rag.
"Welcome. What can I get—oh my," Shakky stopped wiping the glass, her eyes widening slightly. "You must be Hancock. Where in the world have you girls been these past few years? There hasn't been a single word from you."
"Shakky! We can talk about that later," Hancock pleaded, her voice cracking with panic as she gently laid Sandersonia and Marigold on the wooden floor. "My sisters have been unconscious for hours. They still haven't woken up!"
"Oh? And is the young man with you?" Shakky asked smoothly as she walked around the counter to inspect the two girls.
"I'm Bardock. I just found them passed out on the road and picked them up," he replied.
If it was a disease, Shakky would have been useless—she'd have had to call a doctor. Thankfully, a single practiced glance was enough for her to diagnose the problem.
"Severe, long-term malnutrition," she said, her voice dropping into a serious register. "Combined with severe sleep deprivation and a recent, intense battle. They've completely overdrawn their physical limits. But it's nothing life-threatening. A good, long rest and proper meals will fix them right up."
Shakky stood up and looked at the boy. "Bardock, you said? I've actually heard a lot about you. Shanks sang your praises quite highly."
"Really?" Bardock groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Please tell me he didn't tell you about my embarrassing moments."
"Embarrassing? Not at all. Fufufu," Shakky chuckled softly, covering her mouth with her hand. "He just mentioned your grand ambitions. Are you really planning to beat up Sengoku? You know he's the leading candidate for the next Fleet Admiral, right?"
"Hahaha! That red-haired bastard has such a big mouth. I'm going to kick his ass next time I see him," Bardock laughed, completely unfazed.
Shakky's eyes glinted with amusement. He hadn't denied it. Was this kid genuinely that confident, or did he just not understand how high the heavens were?
"Shakky, you know him?" Hancock asked, looking back and forth between them.
"This is our first time meeting, actually. But yes, I've heard the stories." Shakky lit a cigarette, exhaling a thin stream of smoke. "Rayleigh's junior praised him quite a bit. Seeing him in person today, I have to admit, he really is quite unique."
Hancock had no idea who "Rayleigh" was, but if a former Kuja Empress like Shakky vouched for Bardock, then the boy's words had to be reliable.
"Shakky... do you know anything about the Tontatta Princess?" Hancock asked, her voice laced with desperate hope.
"Oh? Why do you ask? I know the Tontatta tribe exists, but as for their princess? I can't say I've heard anything specific."
Hancock turned back to the boy. "Bardock. There are some things I need to discuss privately with Shakky. Could you please give us some space?"
"No problem. I was just about to run some errands anyway."
Bardock easily guessed that Hancock was about to confess the horrific details of their three-year enslavement. It definitely wasn't a conversation meant for outsiders. Besides, since he was already thinking about Princess Mansherry, he might as well hit the shops and buy an Eternal Pose to Dressrosa.