The midday sun beat down warmly on the stone docks of Amazon Lily. The pristine waters of the Calm Belt lapped gently against the hull of the Thousand Sunny, which was currently sitting low in the water, heavily laden with fresh provisions, exotic fruits, and enough prime Sea King meat to keep the ship's captain satisfied for at least a week.
It was early afternoon, and the time for the Straw Hat Crew to depart had finally arrived.
The entire village had gathered at the harbor to see them off. The Kuja warriors, who just yesterday had been ready to fill the pirates with arrows, were now waving enthusiastically, shedding tears as they said their goodbyes. The chaotic, joyous energy of the banquet the night before had completely shattered the island's strict, isolationist traditions.
Sanji was currently leaning over the ship's railing, weeping a waterfall of tears as he waved a white handkerchief at the crowd of beautiful women. "Farewell, my fierce jungle blossoms! I shall never forget your beauty! Please, wait for my return!"
"Get a grip, curly-brows," Zoro grunted, hauling the final barrel of fresh water up the gangplank. "You were running away from them not even twenty-four hours ago."
"That was a different island, you directionless moss-head!" Sanji snapped back, though he didn't stop waving.
Near the base of the gangplank, a much more intimate farewell was taking place.
Monkey D. Luffy stood on the stone dock, grinning from ear to ear. Standing directly in front of him, surrounded by her loyal guards and her two massive sisters, Marigold and Sandersonia, was the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock.
Luffy didn't understand the complex political implications of befriending a Warlord of the Sea, nor did he grasp the sheer magnitude of the Empress's reputation. To him, she was just someone who had given him a lot of really good food.
Without a second thought, Luffy stepped forward and wrapped his rubbery arms tightly around Hancock in a massive, affectionate hug.
"Thanks for everything!" Luffy laughed, squeezing her tightly. "The banquet last night was awesome! And the meat was the best I've had in weeks! You're really great, Hancock!"
He didn't say Hamcock. He didn't mumble it. He pronounced her name perfectly, clearly, and with absolute, genuine warmth.
Hancock froze.
Her entire body went rigid as stone. Her breath hitched in her throat. The feeling of his arms around her, combined with the sudden, flawless pronunciation of her name, dealt a critical, fatal blow to her cardiovascular system.
A shade of red so intense it rivaled a blooming rose rushed to her cheeks, spreading down her neck. Steam practically whistled from her ears.
In her mind, the dock and the pirate crew vanished. The scenery instantly shifted into a beautiful, sunlit church. Luffy was standing there, wearing a pristine white tuxedo, holding a bouquet of flowers, smiling handsomely as he said, "Hancock, your meat is the best. Let us be married and eat meat together forever."
"He... he said my name correctly," Hancock whispered to herself, her eyes swirling with lovestruck dizziness. "He called me Hancock... This is a proposal. He wants me to be his bride!"
"Are you okay?" Luffy asked, pulling back from the hug and tilting his head. "Your face is really red. Do you have a fever?"
"I-I am perfectly fine, my beloved!" Hancock squeaked, desperately trying to maintain her footing as her knees threatened to buckle. She clasped her hands together, looking at him with eyes full of pure, shimmering adoration. "I wish you the utmost luck on your journey! Please, be safe! And... and whenever you are hungry, or if you need anything at all, please return to Amazon Lily! I will have the entire island prepare a feast for you!"
"Really?!" Luffy's eyes turned into giant stars. "Awesome! I'll definitely come again! Thanks, Hancock!"
With a final, bright grin, Luffy turned around and bounded up the gangplank, joining his crew on the deck.
As Luffy boarded, Ben stepped off the ship, walking down the gangplank to stand before the Empress.
"Empress Hancock," Ben said smoothly, offering a polite, perfectly executed bow. "On behalf of the Straw Hat crew, I want to formally thank you for your hospitality. Your island's generosity will not be forgotten."
With Luffy out of immediate earshot, the lovestruck, blushing maiden instantly vanished.
The cold, haughty, and untouchable Pirate Empress returned. Hancock straightened her posture, looking down at Ben with an expression of supreme arrogance. She tilted her head back so far she was practically looking at the sky, pointing a dismissive finger at him.
"Do not mistake my generosity for warmth toward you, Magician," Hancock spoke, her voice dripping with royal disdain. She spoke to him exactly how she spoke to the rest of the world. "The feast was solely for Luffy. The rest of you merely benefited from his presence. Be gone from my island before I change my mind and turn you all to stone."
Ben didn't flinch. He didn't look offended. In fact, a slow, highly amused smirk spread across his face.
"I see," Ben chuckled softly. "How very cold."
Ben casually raised his left wrist. He pressed a small button on the sleek, black Kimoyo Bead bracelet strapped there.
A soft beep chimed in the air.
Instantly, a highly advanced, three-dimensional holographic projection flared to life between Ben and the Empress. It hovered in the air, crisp and crystal clear.
"Let's see what we have here," Ben murmured, casually swiping a finger through the air.
The hologram shifted, displaying a high-definition, perfectly lit photograph of Luffy. In this particular image, Luffy was wearing his classic red vest, grinning widely with a piece of meat in his hand.
Ben swiped again. The image changed. Now it was a picture of Luffy from Alabasta, wearing the desert robes. Swipe. Luffy in the Water 7 jacket. Swipe. Luffy in the dapper, tailored black suit Ben had fabricated for him during their infiltration of Enies Lobby.
Hancock stopped looking at the sky.
Her haughty persona didn't just crack; it shattered into a million invisible pieces.
Her dark blue eyes locked onto the floating holograms. The intense, arrogant glare melted away instantly, replaced by a massive, glittering twinkle. She took a step forward, completely mesmerized by the high-resolution images of the boy she loved wearing dozens of different, handsome outfits.
"That... that device," Hancock stammered, entirely dropping her arrogant tone. She coughed into her hand, desperately trying to sound casual, though her eyes never left the hologram of Luffy in a suit. "What... what exactly is that contraption, Magician?"
"This?" Ben tapped his wrist, the smirk on his face growing wider. "It's a Kimoyo Bead. It's a piece of advanced technology I created. It acts as a communication device, a medical scanner, and a massive data storage unit. It holds millions of high-definition photos."
Hancock's breath hitched. Millions. She looked at the beads, then back to Ben, trying to maintain her regal composure while her heart pounded furiously against her ribs.
"I see," Hancock said, feigning mild disinterest, though she took another step closer. "It is... a mildly amusing trinket. Tell me, how much does a set of those beads cost? I will purchase them from you. Name your price. A hundred million berries? A billion? I have the funds."
Ben looked at Hancock. Then he looked at his beads. He looked back at Hancock, letting the silence stretch for a few agonizing seconds.
"Nah," Ben said casually, lowering his arm and shutting the hologram off.
Hancock gasped, physically reaching out toward the vanishing image of Luffy.
"These aren't for sale," Ben shrugged, placing his hands in his pockets. "They are exclusive technology. I only give them to friends and family of the crew. They aren't for haughty Warlords who want to turn us to stone."
Hancock's facade completely crumbled. The threat of losing access to the ultimate treasure trove of Luffy pictures was too much for her maidenly heart to bear.
"A-Aren't we friends?!" Hancock blurted out, her voice pitching up an octave. She placed a hand on her chest, looking at him with wide, desperate eyes.
Ben raised an elegant silver eyebrow. "Are we? A minute ago, you were looking at the sky and telling me to get off your island."
"That was a misunderstanding!" Hancock insisted, waving her hands frantically. "I was merely... clearing my throat! Of course we are friends! Why else would I put on such a grand, extravagant banquet for you people?!"
"I don't know," Ben rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his golden eyes gleaming with pure mischief. "Maybe you love our Captain."
Hancock froze. Her face turned a shade of red that defied natural biology. Steam shot out of the top of her head.
"W-W-What are you talking about?!" Hancock stammered wildly, her hands flying to her cheeks. She looked left and right to ensure her sisters couldn't hear. "There is no such thing! I do not harbor such feelings! I am the Empress! I do not... I do not love..."
She couldn't even finish the sentence without her voice breaking.
"That's a shame," Ben sighed, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "Because if you had agreed to it, I would have given you the videos as well."
Hancock stopped stammering. She went completely still.
"Videos?" Hancock whispered, the word escaping her lips like a sacred prayer.
Ben nodded. He tapped the Kimoyo Bead again.
The hologram flared to life. This time, it wasn't a static image. It was a high-definition video recording with crystal-clear audio.
It showed the scene from the throne room yesterday. Luffy was eating meat. He swallowed, pointed at Hancock, and his voice rang out from the bead's speakers: "Hamcock! These are my crewmates I told you about!"
The video swiped seamlessly to the banquet last night. It showed Luffy laughing, his arm stretching out to pull Hancock off her throne. It showed the two of them jumping and dancing to the Mambo, Hancock's face flushed with pure joy.
Hancock stared at the moving images. She saw herself dancing with him. She heard his voice.
Her internal struggle was brief, violent, and entirely one-sided. The Empress of Amazon Lily, the woman who hated all men, looked at the Magician with absolute, desperate defeat.
"Yes," Hancock whispered in a tiny, barely audible squeak, looking at the ground. "I love Luffy."
Ben cupped a hand around his ear, leaning forward slightly. "I'm sorry, Empress. I couldn't quite catch that. The ocean breeze is rather loud today."
Hancock's eye twitched. She knew he was baiting her. She knew he was playing her like a fiddle. But the prize was too great.
She leaned forward, her face burning, and spoke just loud enough for only Ben to hear.
"I love Luffy!" Hancock admitted, her voice fierce but embarrassed. "I am completely in love with him!"
Ben didn't say a word. He just smiled.
He tapped his Kimoyo Bead one more time.
"I love Luffy! I am completely in love with him!"
Hancock's own voice, perfectly recorded and amplified, played back from the small speaker on Ben's wrist.
Hancock's jaw dropped. She stared at the bead. She stared at Ben.
The realization that the Magician had just recorded her confession hit her like a physical blow. The embarrassment instantly transmuted into pure, unadulterated, world-ending rage.
Her dark hair began to float wildly around her head. The air pressure in the harbor plummeted. The stone docks began to crack beneath her high heels.
THROOOOM.
A massive, terrifying wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from the Pirate Empress.
The sheer spiritual pressure washed over the docks. Several of the weaker Kuja warriors standing in the background rolled their eyes into their heads and collapsed, foaming at the mouth. The water in the harbor roiled and churned.
"You trickster!" Hancock hissed, her eyes narrowing into deadly slits. "I will shatter you into a million pieces for this insolence!"
"Easy, Empress," Ben chuckled.
Before Hancock could launch a petrifying kick, Ben reached into his pocket. He pulled out a sleek, beautifully crafted Kimoyo Bead bracelet, woven into a band of soft, dark crimson leather.
He casually tossed it through the air.
Hancock's reflexes caught it automatically. She paused, looking down at the device in her hand. The Conqueror's Haki wavered and faded.
"That bracelet is yours."
Hancock stared at the band. "Mine?"
"It contains the entire Straw Hat media archive," Ben explained, adjusting his glasses. "Every photo, every video of Luffy and his adventures up until now. From the Conomi Islands to Momoiro Island. And, because it's synced to the ship's mainframe, it will be updated constantly. You will always know what he is doing."
Hancock's anger completely evaporated.
"Furthermore," Ben added, leaning in slightly, "that specific band has a live-feed function. When Luffy is on the deck of the ship, you can activate it and watch him in real-time."
Hancock stopped breathing.
She looked at the bracelet. She looked at Ben. The terrifying, man-hating Warlord of the Sea vanished entirely. She snatched the Kimoyo band, clutching it tightly to her chest, and let out a high-pitched, ecstatic squeal that sounded exactly like a lovestruck schoolgirl.
"Ahhhh! A live feed!" Hancock giggled, spinning around in a circle, completely ignoring her collapsed guards. "I can watch my beloved every day! Thank you, Magician! You are a true friend!"
Ben chuckled, turning around to walk back up the gangplank.
"Oh, and Hancock," Ben paused at the base of the ramp. He didn't turn around.
He raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.
SNAP.
"This is the actual gift for the banquet you threw yesterday," Ben said quietly.
Hancock blinked, breaking out of her romantic daze. She looked around the dock. She looked at the sky. She didn't see anything.
"What gift?" Hancock asked, her brow furrowing in confusion. "I don't see anything."
Ben gave a mysterious, knowing smile over his shoulder.
"I have already given it to you," Ben said smoothly. "You just have to find out what it is."
He walked up the ramp. "By the way, those Kimoyo Beads also function as a long-range communication device. You can call us anytime you want."
Hancock gasped, her hands flying to her cheeks. "I can call him?! I can hear his voice every day?!"
She instantly began imagining the scenario. Ring, ring! 'Hello, Luffy? It's Hancock. I miss you.' 'I miss you too, Hancock. Please come marry me.'
"WEIGH THE ANCHOR!" Nami's voice yelled from the deck, snapping Hancock out of her fantasy.
The Thousand Sunny's paddle wheels engaged. The massive ship slowly pulled away from the docks of Amazon Lily, catching the wind in its sails.
Hancock stood at the edge of the dock, waving her hand frantically. "GOODBYE, MY BELOVED! I SHALL CALL YOU SOON!"
"BYE HANCOCK!" Luffy yelled back, waving his straw hat.
The ship sailed out of the harbor, breaking through the Calm Belt and heading back out into the open waters of the Grand Line.
One Hour Later - The Open Sea
The Thousand Sunny was cruising smoothly. The crew was relaxing on the deck, enjoying the fresh breeze. Luffy was sitting on the figurehead, trying to catch a seagull.
Suddenly, a sharp, electronic ringing sound echoed from Luffy's wrist.
RING-RING!
RING-RING!
Luffy paused. He looked down at his Kimoyo Bead. "Huh? It's ringing."
He tapped the center bead, just like Ben had taught him.
A small holographic screen popped up. On the screen was Boa Hancock. Her face was bright red, she was sweating profusely, and she looked incredibly nervous, as if she were defusing a bomb.
"L-L-Luffy?!" Hancock's voice stammered through the speaker.
"Oh, hey Hancock!" Luffy grinned. "What's up? Did we forget something?"
"N-No!" Hancock squeaked quickly. She cleared her throat, trying desperately to sound casual and regal. "I am merely... I am simply testing this communication device! Yes! As an Empress, I must ensure all foreign technology on my island is functioning optimally! I am just checking the device!"
"Oh, okay!" Luffy laughed. "Well, it works great! I can see you perfectly!"
Hancock's face turned even redder, if physically possible. "Y-You can see me perfectly? Oh my... well... I must go now! Imperial duties require my attention! Goodbye, my beloved—I mean, Luffy!"
Click. The hologram vanished.
Luffy tilted his head, picking his nose. "She's weird. But she gave us good meat."
Ben, sitting nearby with a book, just smirked and turned the page.
That Night - Amazon Lily
The moon hung high over the Momoiro Kingdom, casting a silver glow over the silent, stone palace.
Deep within the royal quarters, the grand bathhouse was filled with steaming, scented water. The massive room was entirely empty save for the three Gorgon Sisters. As was the strict, unbreakable rule of the palace, everyone was forbidden from entering the bathhouse when the Empress and her sisters bathed, lest they be turned to stone for seeing the 'Gorgon Eyes' on their backs.
The truth, of course, was much darker. They were hiding the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon—the permanent, searing brand of the Celestial Dragons that marked them as former slaves.
Hancock sighed, sinking into the hot water, her long black hair floating around her shoulders. She felt a strange sense of peace tonight. The Straw Hats had left, but her heart felt full.
Sandersonia and Marigold stepped into the shallow end of the bath, their backs turned to their older sister as usual.
Marigold reached back with a soapy sponge to wash her shoulders.
She paused.
She dropped the sponge. It splashed into the water.
"Sonia..." Marigold whispered, her voice trembling violently.
"What is it, Mari?" Sandersonia asked, turning her head slightly.
Marigold pointed a shaking, massive finger at Sandersonia's back.
Sandersonia frowned. She looked over her shoulder, twisting her long neck to see her own back.
She stopped breathing.
Hancock, noticing the sudden, terrifying silence from her sisters, sat up in the water. "What is wrong? Is there an intruder?"
"Sister..." Sandersonia choked out, tears instantly welling in her eyes. She turned around fully, presenting her bare back to Hancock.
Hancock's eyes widened in absolute, paralyzing shock.
The brand was gone.
The ugly, charred, red scar of the Celestial Dragon's hoof—the mark that had haunted their nightmares for fifteen years, the mark that defined their deepest shame and terror—was completely, utterly erased. In its place was smooth, perfect, unblemished skin.
Hancock scrambled out of the water, ignoring her nakedness. She rushed to the large, floor-to-ceiling mirror set into the stone wall of the bathhouse.
She turned her back to the glass. She looked over her shoulder.
Her back was flawless. The Hoof of the Soaring Dragon had vanished without a single trace.
Hancock stared at her reflection. Her hands flew to her mouth to stifle a loud, heart-wrenching sob. The heavy, suffocating chains of her past, the physical reminder of her trauma, had been wiped from existence.
"I have already given it to you. You just have to find out what it is."
The Magician's voice echoed in her mind. The faint snap of his fingers on the docks. The fleeting warmth she had felt on her back.
He hadn't just given her photos. He hadn't just given her a communication device.
Ben had given her freedom. He had erased the one thing that kept her bound to the horrors of Mary Geoise.
Tears streamed down Hancock's face, splashing onto the stone floor. She fell to her knees, her sisters rushing over to embrace her, all three of them weeping openly in the grand bathhouse.
Hancock looked out the high window of the bathhouse, gazing at the distant, starry sky over the Calm Belt where the Thousand Sunny was currently sailing.
She clutched her Kimoyo Bead bracelet tightly against her chest.
"Thank you," Hancock whispered to the empty room, her voice trembling with a profound, eternal gratitude. "Thank you... Magician."