Chapter 1
“You’ve got to be kidding me...” I whined as my senses faded. When they were returned, I was dumped in a small grassy area. Seconds later there were several more thumps that were accompanied with varying pitches of whines, moans and groans. I rolled over and pushed myself into a seated position and was pleasantly surprised to see my entire family was with me not just my four youngest.
“Thank you for riding the Traveler express. Sorry for the rough landing.” I said cheekily. Steve and Bucky just replied with pained whines from the bottom of the child pile.
“Mama, I din like tat twip.” Marta whined. Katya mumbled her agreement as the girls came over to cuddle with me. Owen and Edmund gave identical whoops of excitement and made to run off and explore the area we landed in.
“Boys! No running around. This is someone else’s ship! We need to be respectful and introduce ourselves before you can explore.” Bucky said sharply. That caught my attention, I had been so focused on my daughters that I had yet to see where we were. Well... that’s different... I thought that visiting my parents or Hel and Wraith would be the only times I would visit a world more than once... apparently not?
“Well, I know who’s ship we are on... and we should be okay... but I don’t know where we are...” I said before trailing off into a stunned silence as I took more of my surroundings in. We had landed on the main deck of the ThousandSunny but off to our left was the Moby Dick. The Straw Hats had never met the Whitebeard crew only individuals and that was after the crew had been disbanded.
“Kandi? Love is everything alright?” Steve asked coming to help me to my feet as I continued to stare at the Moby Dick in shock. The beating of wings brought me out of my shock and back to my surroundings.
“Mum look! A blue fire Phoenix! Those are almost extinct!” Remus said in excitement behind me. I turned around slowly to see Marco the Phoenix perched in full Zoan form on the railing across from where my family had landed.
“Yoi!” It croaked in surprise before flashing a bright blue as Marco shifted jumping onto the Sunny’s grass deck.
“Thought I was wrong about sensing you, little sister. Apparently not.” Marco said. I blinked at him again, trying to keep tears from pooling in my eyes. He was dressed just like he had in the series when Nekomamushi had visited him on Sphinx during the Wano arc.
“Hey Marco-nii.” I said quietly slightly choked with my emotions. Marco quirked an eyebrow before his face returned to its mask of boredom.
“I’m gonna guess you found your Home world finally. And got yourself some men.” He said drolly. Steve and Bucky looked at him sharply not as on edge as they had been when Marco had first appeared but still prepared to defend the children and I. I snorted lightly.
“Yes I did. These are my husbands, Steve and Bucky. My adopted sons, Harry and Remus. Then there’s the twins Owen and Edmund. And lastly my little girls, Marta and Katya.” I said brighter than I had been, happy to introduce my family to one of the many Whitebeards I had come to consider my brothers and sisters during my first stay. Marco’s eyes softened, before he said, “Well why don’t you bring your family and introduce them to everyone. There’s a few people who will be happy to see you. Especially because of what today is.”
“What today is, Marco? I don’t understand...” I said picking up Katya and holding on to Marta’s hand to follow him.
“It’s May 5th. You did say that your birthday was on May 5th, did you not?” He answered. I had. But I didn’t know that it was today for them.
“Come on, Straw Hat’s birthday is today too. That’s why we’re here.” He said before jumping down. There was a small splash and I raced to the edge of the ship only to find that Marco was in barely ankle deep water.
“Come on Little Sister!” Marco called his eyes were twinkling brightly.
“We got the Twins, Rem can you get Marta?” Steve told me as he swung Owen onto his back. Bucky was doing the same for Edmund even though both boys were complaining about being able to jump down themselves. Remus was quick to pick up Marta and settle her on his back before jumping down with Harry at his side. Steve and Bucky followed close behind and I followed after. I stumbled a little on the landing but Steve and Bucky kept Katya and I upright.
“You ready to meet the most insane crew I have ever met?” Marco asked me.
“Insane doesn’t even cover half of it, Marco. Don’t forget that I have seen a lot of their adventures.” I replied teasingly. Marco snorted out a small laugh, “Ain’t that the truth.” He grinned at me before setting off down the beach towards the Moby Dick and the party that seemed to be in front of it.
“Straw Hat-yoi! I found who was on your ship! Look who you got to show up, yoi!” Marco called out to the large group as we got closer.
“Gomu Gomu—“
“Luffy NO!”
“Rocket!”
Then suddenly three people were approaching very quickly. I almost didn’t see the set of arms that had wrapped around me. Luckily I had and was able to shove Katya into a stunned Marco’s arms before a rubber body slammed into me, with two obviously unwilling riders. The four of us flew backwards several feet before landing in the water. Our landing caused all three to go lax on top of me but I was thankfully able to shove all three bodies off of me before hoisting one off the other two and dragged them out of the water before repeating the same thing for the two others. It wasn’t until I had dragged the last person out that I realized that I had gained a tiny audience. The two others were sitting up and watching me as I dragged the third out.
“Who are you?” One asked. I looked at him and blinked in slight surprise, this was Outlook Sabo, chief of staff of the revolutionary army.
“I’m Rogers-Barnes Kandace. But please call me Kandi. And who are you?” I replied even though I knew who both of them were.
“I’m Sabo and this is my little brother—“
“I’m Monkey D Luffy and I’m gonna be the King of the Pirates!” Luffy exclaimed. I smiled at him.
“Are you gonna put me down so I can give you a proper hug little sister or am I just gonna have to stay hanging over your shoulder like this?” The person I had been holding asked ruefully. I froze and dropped them in shock.
“Ow... I didn’t mean you had to drop me...” Ace complained. I stared at him in shock. Before tears began coursing down my face. Ace scrambled to his feet to wrap me in a bone crushing hug.
“But... I... Ace... scar... Bo... I don’t... nii-chan...” I babbled slowly wrapping my arms around this very real, very much alive Portgas D Ace.
“It’s okay imōto... shhhh... it’s okay. Come on let’s go to the others.” Ace murmured soothingly, rocking me slightly. I took a shuddering breath before moving out of the hug. As I stepped away from him, I noticed that he had a circular scar in his stomach.
“How’d you... niichan...” I said softly.
“I owe Trafalgar Law my life. He helped save me, Luffy too. Don’t know why he decided to go to Marineford but we’re all really glad he did.” Ace said, wrapping an arm around me gently. We began a longer trek along the beach back to my family who had reached the party area.
“Ne, how’d you get on my ship?” Luffy asked his head cocked to the side.
“Honestly don’t know how it works but I’m called a Traveler. This place is a story in my world and somehow I got the power to visit these story worlds.” I said.
“Oh it’s a mystery power! Shishishi!” Luffy said laughing.
“Quite!” I laughed with him.
“From the way that Ace acts around you, I’m gonna guess that you’ve been here before and were on the Moby Dick?” Sabo asked me.
“Yeah it’s been like... god... too long since I’ve last been here. I don’t usually Visit somewhere twice. But yeah I landed on the Moby when I was 15 and I was with them for like six or so months.” I answered.
“You left and three days later we got Luffy’s first bounty. Pops got really tense and worried after that. Said you hinted that something might happen.” Ace said. I nodded.
“Didn’t want it to happen but couldn’t tell him exactly what would happen... I guess it only made a little difference...” I said softly, not seeing that we had reached the group.
“Little Sister!” Was a joyful call before I was being swung around with my face buried in a white clothed shirt. I reacted on instinct wrapping my arms around whoever it was that was hugging me before my mind registered the smell of baking bread and spices.
“Thatch?” I whispered in shock.
“Hey little sister.” He said softly as he set me back on my feet.
“Gurararara!” Came booming laughter from some where further in the group. I froze, before I started to tremble again. I looked behind Thatch to see Whitebeard sitting in a chair talking with my husbands.
“Oya...” I whispered tearfully. Thatch let go of me and gave me a gentle push in Whitebeard’s direction. I took a few hesitant steps in his direction before I broke into a run, flinging myself towards him when I got close.
“Oyaji.” I whispered. Whitebeard had caught me with one hand to lift me closer to him.
“I am very glad to see you again my daughter.” His voice rumbled deep in the chest I was held against. I cried harder in pure relief; Marco may have been dressed like he had on Sphinx but that hadn’t meant the end of the Whitebeard Pirates.