Morning light dispersed the island's thin mist. Deep within the jungle, a pitiful girl was surrounded by three young men.
Her clothes were tattered, and tears streaked her cheeks. She clutched a doll tightly, seeking comfort. The three men, having trained all night, bore dark circles under their eyes and looked exhausted.
…
Charles broke the silence first. "Cough. This girl, Leo, is actually the mastermind behind Doll Island. It took some effort, but Will and I have cornered her. Who would've thought the Ghost Princess would be so weak?" He smirked and gave Leo a teasing glance.
Leo shot him a displeased look. "Ha! You're completely wrong. She's not the real culprit." With that, he snatched the doll from the girl's hands and waved it in front of Charles.
"Hey, stop pretending to be dead. Come on, say hello to everyone."
The girl panicked as her doll was taken. She screamed and ran toward Leo. "Give Anna back! You're all bad people! Please don't hurt my sister anymore!"
The doll, realizing it could no longer pretend, spoke: "Talk to me if you have something to say. Scaring you was my idea. Please don't harm Gloria."
Leo, fuming as if he were the bad guy, grabbed the doll's face with both hands. "Stop talking nonsense. Explain how you've been disguising yourselves as ghosts to scare the islanders."
Seeing Leo treat the doll so roughly, the girl, Gloria, became even angrier. She opened her adorable mouth and bit Leo's arm. "Stop it, you meanie! You'll hurt my sister!"
Leo, frustrated, muttered, "Idiot, don't say things that give people the wrong idea. Who taught you to talk like that?"
Dodging her tiny teeth, he grabbed her by the scruff and claimed her fate. The girl could only sob in place, her large eyes fixed on him.
"Will, keep an eye on her. Why do girls always like to bite?" Leo seemed to see a reflection of Lina in this little girl named Gloria.
Will laughed and held Gloria gently, pulling out some candy from his pocket. "Here, some fruit candies from Shamb Town. They're really tasty. If you're upset, eating some will make you feel better."
Gloria sniffed the candy and, without even opening the wrapper, shoved it into her mouth. Will picked one for himself as well. The sweetness spread through her mouth, and she immediately smiled, cheeks puffed like a hamster, staring at Leo.
Will took a candy too, squinting in delight. Noticing Leo and Charles watching him, he awkwardly offered them each one. The scene turned absurd: everyone puffing their cheeks, waiting to see how Leo would "punish" him, while Anna's doll looked on enviously.
Leo returned Anna to Gloria. The ragged doll began to tell the whole story, dejectedly.
In the year 1489 of the Sea Calendar, the Count's eldest daughter turned sixteen. Lively, cheerful, and kind, she was loved by the people. Born noble and beautiful, she was regarded as the Pearl of Param, and many believed she would become the next Countess.
A legend circulated on Param Island: if a girl received the Sea God's blessing on her coming-of-age night at Moonlit Island, she would obtain perfect love.
Anna Belle longed for perfect love and believed in the legend. On her sixteenth birthday, she quietly ventured to Moonlit Island after her coming-of-age ceremony.
She knelt on the beach to pray. Eyes closed, she faced the sea: "Lord of the deep blue, god of the boundless ocean, you are the father of souls and the mother of life. Your mercy protects hope and guides us to the other shore. Please hear my prayer. Under the witness of the holy moon, grant your most faithful servant, Anna Belle, perfect love."
She prayed repeatedly. After a while, a fruit fell from a tree, striking her on the head.
"Ouch!" Anna cried. Regaining her senses, she saw it was a strangely pineapple-shaped fruit. Thinking it a gift from the Sea God, she took a small bite.
The taste was indescribable. She clutched her mouth, but could not spit it out. This must be the Sea God's test. Bravely, she swallowed the rest of the fruit, then fainted.
Half-conscious, Anna felt light as if she were floating. She opened her eyes to see her body lying on the sand, while her soul drifted freely in the air. Panicked, she flailed about, soaring through the air.
Fortunately, she calmed herself and realized she could always return to her body. Relieved, she explored as a spirit: soaring to treetops, flying through the woods, until she found an abandoned doll.
Attempting to enter its body, she succeeded. The doll came alive, hopping across rocks, climbing trees to frighten small animals, and swinging from vines. Giggling, Anna felt freedom for the first time, a stark contrast to her refined upbringing.
After a while, realizing she had been gone too long, she returned to the shore. But her body was gone. Desperate, she searched. Days or months may have passed—she could not tell. Her soul could not cross the sea to return to Param. She finally gave up, leaving a living doll on Moonlit Island.
"Wow… Anna-nee is so sad," Gloria whispered, hugging the doll tightly, tears in her eyes.
Charles looked at Leo disdainfully, as if to say, look at what you've done.
Leo's gaze softened. "What a good kid! She called me the father of all creatures in the sea. Anna, why don't you repeat your prayer?"
"Your question is clear. But where did you get her from?" Leo asked, pointing at Gloria.
The doll pouted. "You speak so crudely. When I found her, she was only about five, sitting on the beach clueless. If I hadn't rescued her, she would have drowned in the tide. I raised her and named her Gloria."
A grumble came from Gloria as she clutched her stomach. She had been active all night and eaten lots of candy, and was now starving.
"Let's eat while we talk. Will, catch some fish. Leo, get the kitchen tools from the ship. You two, go pick mushrooms from the forest," Charles instructed efficiently.
Soon, smoke rose from the kitchen. A big pot of fish and a pot of mushroom porridge were ready. The five of them sat in a circle, eating and drinking.
"Anna, we're not strangers. We'll take you back to Param Island later."
Lagdol looked frustrated. "No, Leo. I tried long ago, but my soul seems bound to this island. I can't leave." Leo and the others pondered this seriously.
Will suggested, "Why not find Anna's body and return her soul to it? Then we could leave Doll Island."
Charles was silent. "It's been seven years… maybe her body has turned to bones."
"No! Anna's body must be preserved somewhere. If she were dead, the Ghost Fruit wouldn't work. The fact she appears as a spirit means her real body is still alive."
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All the fanfiction is 30-chapter ahead but this "One Piece: Shadows of the Throne" is 30 chapters ahead there