Chopper was the first to receive his - a batch of chocolate-chip cookies shaped like little reindeer. The doctor's eyes immediately welled up with tears of joy as he clutched the treats to his chest.
"They're... they're so tasty, so perfect!" he wailed, his emotional response so overwhelming that he momentarily transformed into his brain point form from sheer happiness.
He took a tentative bite and his entire body trembled with delight. "So rich! The chocolate melts perfectly! And the texture is just crispy enough but still soft inside!"
His praise came between rapid, delighted nibbles, crumbs scattering across his furry cheeks, as his description sounded as if he was a master chef who tasted something good.
Usopp nearly fainted when presented with his - intricately decorated cookies shaped like various ammunition and tools, each one a miniature work of art.
"These... these are too beautiful to eat!" he declared dramatically, holding one up to inspect the craftsmanship. But the moment the first bite passed his lips, his expression transformed into one of pure bliss.
"Oh sweet mercy... the caramelized sugar crust with that hint of cinnamon... it's like eating a piece of the Going Merry herself!" His long nose wiggled with each ecstatic chew. Listening to which it felt as if going merry, the ship itself seemed shocked upon hearing Usopp's comment.
Vivi gasped softly when offered a delicate-looking cookie dusted with powdered sugar and edible flower petals. "These are almost too lovely," she murmured, turning the treat in her hands with reverence.
The first bite made her eyes flutter closed as a serene smile spread across her face. "The lavender and honey combination is exquisite... so delicate yet flavorful." Her refined palate appreciated the subtle sophistication of the flavors.
Sanji, who had been watching Vivi's reaction with his typical lovesick admiration, immediately straightened up when he saw her enjoyment. "If the princess approves, then I must insist on trying those as well," he declared, suddenly all suave charm as he brushed imaginary dust from his suit jacket.
The moment he tasted the floral cookie, his visible eye widened in genuine surprise. "Damn... the balance of flavors is actually impressive," he admitted begrudgingly, though he quickly added, "Not that I couldn't do better, of course." Still, he couldn't help taking another appreciative bite.
Zoro snatched his strawberry cookie with considerably less ceremony, but even his usual scowl softened slightly after the first bite. The cookie was surprisingly hearty - not overly sweet, with chunks of real strawberry and a hint of something tart that balanced the flavor perfectly. "Not bad," he muttered under his breath, though the speed with which he devoured the rest of it spoke louder than words.
Luffy, of course, had already crammed an entire handful of assorted cookies into his mouth before anyone could stop him. "Mmmph! Shoo goo!" he declared through the mouthful, crumbs spraying everywhere as he chewed with unrestrained enthusiasm. His stretchy arms already snaked toward the basket for more, eyes gleaming with cookie-fueled avarice.
Meanwhile, Nami sat alone in her map room, her knees drawn up to her chest as she sulked in uncharacteristic silence. The navigator didn't expect anyone not to notice her withdrawal - nor was she sure whether she wanted them to or not- until Mira appeared beside her with that quiet grace she always carried.
The soft rustle of fabric was the only warning before a small, neatly wrapped package entered Nami's field of vision. "Here," Mira said simply, her voice as gentle as the sea breeze. Nami blinked up at her, momentarily caught off guard. "Huh?"
A small smile played across Mira's lips as she carefully unfolded the package, revealing golden-orange cookies dusted with fine sugar. The unmistakable scent of tangerines wafted up, triggering an immediate flood of memories from Cocoyasi Village.
"Takuya knew you liked tangerines," Mira explained softly. "So he made these for you. This is a gift to celebrate your recovery from him. If you don't want them, then I'll take them."
Nami's cheeks flushed a deep pink, her fingers hovering uncertainly over the treats. "W-what?" she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "He remembered that?" The realization that the man she'd so thoroughly misjudged had paid such close attention sent an unexpected warmth through her chest.
Mira's quiet chuckle held no malice as she settled beside the flustered navigator. "He pays attention," she said simply, "even when he acts like a jerk." The affectionate exasperation in her voice suggested this was a long-standing dynamic between them.
Hesitantly, Nami picked up one of the cookies, her teeth sinking into the buttery shortbread with its perfect balance of sweetness and citrus tang. The familiar flavor transported her instantly to Belle-mère's orchard, to simpler times before maps and debts and pirate crews.
"...Thanks," she muttered, unable to stop the small, genuine smile that crept onto her lips despite her best efforts to maintain her annoyed facade.
Back near the center of the deck, chaos reigned as Luffy made increasingly creative attempts to steal cookies from Zoro, who held his strawberry-flavored prize just out of reach with the practiced ease of someone long accustomed to thwarting his captain's antics.
Sanji alternated between scolding them both and eyeing Takuya with wary curiosity, while Usopp and Chopper cheered each successful cookie acquisition like it was a sporting event. Vivi's musical laughter rang out above the din, her earlier reservations forgotten in the face of the crew's infectious energy.
And just like that, what could have been an awkward confrontation melted away into the warm camaraderie of shared food and the familiar, comforting chaos of the Straw Hat pirates. The scent of various cookies mingled with sea salt in the air, and for a moment, everything felt perfectly, wonderfully normal.
The warm afternoon light had begun to soften into golden hues as Nami sat with Mira, the last crumbs of her tangerine cookies dusting her fingertips. A comfortable silence had settled between them, broken only by the distant sounds of the crew's laughter and Luffy's boisterous demands for more cookies.
Nami's gaze drifted toward the main deck where Takuya stood, watching the chaos with an amused smirk. She hesitated for only a moment before standing, brushing stray crumbs from her skirt. Mira gave her a knowing look but said nothing, simply nodding in encouragement.
Nami took a deep breath and strode across the deck, her usual confidence tempered by an unfamiliar flutter of nerves. The moment Takuya noticed her approach, his smirk deepened, though there was something softer in his expression now—something that made her scowl instinctively before she caught herself.
"Takuya," she began, crossing her arms in a way that was more defensive than defiant. "...I owe you an apology."
His eyebrow arched, but he didn't interrupt, letting her gather her words.
"I was... rude," she admitted, her voice quieter than usual. "Jumping to conclusions about you being some shady drug dealer when you were actually helping us. And—" She paused, her fingers tightening slightly around her own arm. "Those cookies... they were really good. So... thanks."
Takuya studied her for a long moment before chuckling. "Damn, Navigator. Didn't think you had it in you to admit you were wrong."
Nami's eye twitched, but she resisted the urge to snap back. Instead, she huffed. "Just don't get used to it." Then, after a beat, she added, "...Would you make more of those tangerine ones for me?"
Before Takuya could respond, a whirlwind of outrage erupted behind them.
"WHAT?!" Sanji shrieked, materializing between them in a blur of righteous fury, his cigarette nearly falling from his lips. "Nami-swan! My beloved! Why would you ask him when I—your devoted chef—could make you a thousand tangerine cookies?! No, a million! Baked with love and adoration and—"
"Sanji," Nami cut in, unimpressed. "If you wanted to make them for me, you would've already."
The cook froze, his dramatic swoon interrupted mid-motion. "I—! That is—!"
"Exactly," Nami said, waving him off before turning back to Takuya. "So? Will you?"
Takuya's smirk returned, but there was something almost... pleased in it. "Sure. But next time, try asking before accusing me of being a criminal—also, ask a bit more nicely. You'd look cute like that."
Nami's cheeks flushed pink, and she flicked her hair over her shoulder with a huff, trying to mask the way her lips twitched. "In your dreams," she shot back, though there was no real bite to it. Then, quieter, she added, "...But fine. Maybe I will."
The admission slipped out before she could stop it, and she immediately regretted it when Takuya's smirk widened into a full grin.
"Looking forward to it, Navigator."
Nami rolled her eyes again, but this time, she didn't bother hiding her small smile. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't get too excited."
Behind them, Sanji let out a strangled noise of despair. "Nami-swaaaan! Why must you torment me like this?!"
Luffy, oblivious as ever, just laughed. "Shishishi! Nami's being weird again!"
"Shut up, Luffy!" Nami snapped, though her usual irritation was undercut by the lingering warmth in her expression.
Sanji, meanwhile, had collapsed to his knees, his hands clutching his chest as if mortally wounded. "Nami-swan... rejecting my cooking for his...!" He spun toward Takuya, his eye burning with competitive fire. "You! I challenge you to a baking duel! The winner earns the right to provide Nami-swan with all her future cookies!"
Takuya snorted. "Hard pass."
"COWARD!" Sanji howled.
Luffy, who had been watching the exchange while shoveling cookies into his mouth, suddenly perked up. "Ooooh! A cooking fight! That sounds fun!"
"It's not a fight, idiot!" Usopp groaned.
"But if Sanji's gonna make a bunch of cookies for it, I wanna judge!" Luffy declared, already drooling.
Zoro sighed. "You'd eat anything. You're not a judge, you're a garbage disposal."
As the crew dissolved into their usual bickering, Vivi giggled behind her hand while Chopper tried (and failed) to mediate. Nami shook her head, but for the first time since Takuya had joined them, she didn't feel annoyed. Just... content.
The Going Merry cut smoothly through the calm waters as the outline of an island gradually appeared on the horizon. The golden hues of sunset painted the sky, casting a warm glow over the approaching landmass. Nami stood at the helm, her sharp eyes scanning the coastline as she adjusted their course slightly.
"Nonohana Island," she announced, her voice carrying across the deck. "According to the log pose, this should be our next stop."
Luffy, who had been lounging on the figurehead, immediately perked up, his sandals slapping against the wood as he scrambled to his feet. "An island?! MEAT! ADVENTURE! EXPLODING THINGS!" His arms flailed wildly, nearly smacking Usopp in the face as the sniper ducked just in time.
"Oi, watch it!" Usopp yelped, clutching his precious bag of snacks protectively. "And exploding things?! Why does it always have to be exploding things?!"
Zoro, leaning against the mast with his arms crossed, cracked his eyes open. "Looks like a desert," he muttered, unimpressed. "Hot, dry, and probably full of sand in places sand shouldn't be." His nose wrinkled as if already anticipating the annoyance.
Sanji exhaled a stream of smoke, his visible eye scanning the approaching land with professional interest. "Desert climate means we'll need to preserve our fresh ingredients carefully... but I'll make sure we eat well." His gaze softened as it landed on Vivi, who stood gripping the railing with white-knuckled intensity.
"Princess?" Sanji asked gently, noticing her unusual tension. "This is one of your kingdom's outer islands, isn't it?"
Vivi's breath hitched slightly before she answered. "Yes... this is Sandy Island or Nonohana Island, one of Alabasta's western territories." Her voice carried the weight of royal knowledge, though her fingers trembled slightly against the wood. "The fishing villages here supply half our kingdom's salt trade. Or... they did, before the drought started."
Her blue eyes clouded with painful recognition as familiar landmarks came into view. "That crescent-shaped bay... I came here once as a child with my father. The entire shoreline was bustling with merchant ships back then." The vibrant memory contrasted sharply with the eerily quiet docks now visible in the distance.
Sanji's cigarette paused midway to his lips as he caught the sorrow in her voice. He opened his mouth to speak, but Vivi straightened suddenly. "We should be careful," she warned, her tone shifting to strategic clarity.
The unspoken implication hung heavy in the air - their enemies might be closer than they thought.
"Don't worry, we'll face whatever comes our way," said Sanji as he took a long suck of the cigarette that was in his mouth.
Chopper, meanwhile, was already panicking. "A desert?! Do you know how dangerous heatstroke is?! And dehydration?! And sand fleas?! And—" His rant was cut short as Luffy suddenly stretched an arm around his tiny frame, dragging him into a crushing hug.
"Don't worry, Chopper! We'll protect you!" Luffy declared, grinning widely.
"That's not the point—GACK! TOO TIGHT!"
Nami sighed, rubbing her temple. "Just… try not to get heatstroke, all of you. Especially you, Luffy."
"Shishishi! No promises!"
Takuya, who had been quietly observing from the sidelines, said nothing—but his sharp gaze remained fixed on the island, his expression unreadable.
There were two things waiting for him here, a certain archaeologist and another a shichibukai, as he kept his thoughts to himself.
As the Going Merry finally docked, the crew gathered their supplies, each lost in their own expectations—Luffy vibrating with excitement, Zoro mentally preparing for the inevitable sand-in-sandals misery, Sanji already brainstorming desert-friendly recipes, Usopp listing off all the ways they could die, Chopper fretting over medical preparations, and Vivi lost in quiet contemplation.
Nami, however, found herself glancing at Takuya.
He's hiding something.
But for now, she pushed the suspicion aside.
After all, trouble had a way of finding them no matter what.
And if there was one thing the Straw Hats were good at, it was diving headfirst into it.
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