The Devil Returns
“My granddaughter!”
Atlantis jolted from her slouched position in Smoker’s office chair to stare at the closed door in shock. There was no way, but still, she stood and approached the door.
Creaking it open with a soft smile on her face as she found Money D. Garp harassing her fellow marines, “Gramps?”
The man in question turned with a large smile as she allowed the door to fall open, walking out the door towards the man in question with her arms open. Garp swept her up into a hug with an elated laugh as he squeezed her tightly before placing her back onto the ground.
“How is my favorite granddaughter?” Garp’s eyes crinkled as he leaned back to look her over.
Atlantis shook her head with a laugh, “I’m your only granddaughter.”
“Ah, tch.” Garp waved his hands with a laugh as he pulled a rice cracker from his jacket offering it to her. “I’m just stopping by before heading over to see Luffy for his seventeenth birthday.”
Atlantis paused as she glanced at the man from under her eyelashes with a concealed smile, “You’re late as usual. His birthday was almost two weeks ago.”
“He’ll be fine, I’m always late.” Garp mumbled as he bit into his own rice cracker.
Atlantis turned to Garp with a raised eyebrow, “You know the last time... You were late to Ace’s birthday. He was gone.”
Garp paused with a frown before pulling away to stare at her before turning to stare at his ship before calling out. “You’re right. I better hurry to get that brat before he gets any bright ideas.”
“Bye Gramps!” Atlantis called out with a wave before shaking her head as Smoker walked up behind her. “He's definitely gone by now.”
“It’s only a matter of time before I get his bounty across my desk,” Smoker grumbled as he shook his head in disappointment.”
Atlantis shook with excitement as she turned her smile towards the sun, “Ah. It’s such a good day, let’s go eat!”
Smoker chuffed a ring of smoke out towards her before tilting his head in consideration before nodding his head, “I heard the Baratie’s nearby.”
“Nice!” Atlantis squealed as she threw her hands up into the air, sprinting towards their ship. Smoker followed behind at a slower pace with an eye roll.
As they approached the Baratie, Atlantis could feel the disappointment rise with the distant smoke in the air. Mind you, the smoke wasn’t the light flavorful smoke from a kitchen, but instead the smoke from a massive bonfire of wood.
This was only further proved as Mihawk’s little ship appeared in between them and the Baratie.
“Nooo,” Atlantis at the sight of Mihawk causing him to arch an eyebrow as she deflated onto the deck dramatically.
Mihawk chuckled lightly as he apologized, “I’m afraid the Baratie is closed today.”
Smoker grumbled as he passed Altantis the newest bounty with a disappointed frown, “Guess we didn’t have to wait that long either.”
Atlantis jolted as she stared at Luffy’s face with pride building in her chest. Mihawk himself took the bounty with an interested hum before moving away towards his ship, “I’ll leave you to it then. I have an acquaintance to meet.”
Atlantis jolted from Luffy’s face to the folded bounty Mihawk stored in his jacket with a smile growing on her face, “Do you have room for a passenger?”
Mihawk paused before lightly lifting his shoulder with a small smile, “I do.”
Atlantis handed the bounty back to Smoker who was staring at her with narrowed eyes, “I’ll see you in a little bit. Have fun cleaning up the issue at the restaurant!”
Atlantis didn’t wait for his sigh as she joined Mihawk on his small raft, sitting with glee as she waited for the journey to reach its end at a little island out of the way. As the raft docked she watched the pirates scramble in shock following behind him quietly.
“...What a carefree man,” He muttered as he followed behind the sputtering fools. Atlantis lightly chuckled before following in his footsteps with an unstoppable grin.
“Hey there Hawkeye, to what do I owe the pleasure? Have you come to fight me because you know I’m not feeling so good at the moment.” Atlantis leaned slightly around Mihawk to catch her eyes on Shanks’ hunched form with a concerned frown forcing its way past her smile.
“...Seeing him reminded me of a story you used to tell…” Atlantis tuned the man out as he unraveled Luffy’s bounty to display it for Shanks to see, focusing instead on the crew's reaction to Luffy’s bounty.
“Luffy,” As Shanks called out his name Atlantis couldn’t help but turn her attention back to him to stare at his spreading smile. Atlantis snorted as they roped Mihawk into drinking with them with a smile.
The newer crewmates who had never met her approached her with curiosity, wondering who Mihawk’s companion was. Atlantis waited gently for any of the men she was familiar with to recognize her as she passed a mug.
With a smile she met Benn Beckman’s gaze from where he was staring at her, chuckling as he dropped his drink with a smile. His action gained everyone’s attention as he stood. “Atlantis? What are you doing here?”
This caused the older members to sit up straight as Atlantis finally allowed her laughter to escape unhindered. “Just thought I’d pay you a visit.”
“Princess!” Atlantis didn’t have long to react before she was lifted into a one-armed hug. Shanks’ smile rivaled the sun as he dropped Luffy’s bounty to run his hand across the top of her head with a fond smile. “You came to find me!”
Atlantis chuckled as she wrapped her arms around the man in question’s shoulders ignoring Mihawk’s hum of confusion. “Hi, Shanks.”
“Hi baby,” the man muttered into her hair as her feet hit the ground. Shanks did not relent in his hug even as the rest of the crew began to complain of how he was hogging her.
She felt a hand on her shoulder causing her to turn her face to see Benn’s fond smile as he patted her back, “It’s good to see you, angel.”
“It’s good to see you too.” She gave Benn a smushed smile as she tried to twist towards him in Shanks’ hold before giving up with a fond huff.
As the group calmed down into the night, Atlantis seated herself next to the emperor with a fond smile as she brought her mug up only for Benn to take it from her with a shake of his head, “Yeah. No.”
Atlantis pouted before her attention was pulled away by the stories the crew was regaling her with, her smile never relenting.
It was only as Mihawk stood did she as well causing Shanks to let out a groan, “No princess. Stay with us.”
“Sorry, no can do. I have dinner reservations,” She waved goodbye as she sprinted to follow behind Mihawk's retreating form. “I promise next time we see each other I’ll stay for however long you want!”
“It’s a promise then!” Shanks shouted back with a large grin. “Hope you’ll like being a pirate when I find you!”