#As a bit of context this “story” takes place right after Wano and before the current events of the manga

[trafalgar-law-ask]

After remembering that he has powers, Law was able to detect that there is a living person inside that chest somehow! and he thinks he knows whose Haki he detects…

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[basedkikuenjoyer]

Still just kinda clearing the drafts because the series has slowed. Is what it is, good time to let some thoughts coalesce. This is about the gaps. Gaps are important to understanding Kiku's story in Wano, spelling it out in Academy is the sort of thing that clarifies it's a bit with the unassuming lady. And Egghead has handed us a big one. The idea to me is that these gaps leave you with enough hints and context to plug in eventually, a theory that has proven right when one had canon Wano go ahead and square off towards the Raid's end:

It's always a little weird you don't see Kiku in the leap ahead scene despite knowing she's a part of it. But the last time we see it and see the full weight of the conversation from what feels like Momo's perspective, Kiku was just simply with Toki. The intuitive idea the former would admire the latter wasn't hard to pick up before, here's your more obvious nudge. But that difference of perspective on the times we saw it...that is Rashomon-style storytelling. So let's have a little fun pondering the other big ones.

Bottom left of the collage. End of Act 1, said plenty about this. Kiku doubles back, pulls this same technique for a gag about getting people out of the sinkhole, then we never see what she actually says here. The implication being the messenger that Luffy was imprisoned and we've already had an idea for a fitting extra admission. They were ragging on Luffy when Kiku had a hand in starting trouble, someone so earnest would likely want to take their fair share of the blame. Which might make some of those East Blue crew start to see the writing on the wall. I'd also add...what if she got like, uncomfortably apologetic? It's not a bad place for that tragic undertone to leak. Do note, this is one of those "whiteout" panels. Even gets the dramatic wind rustling.

Bottom right, the big flashback one and one that pulls the indirect storytelling trick in a big, obvious way through tying in Izo. Where was Kiku for the trip to rob Yasu? I still like the idea she was too moral and told him. Which could be a cool twist, right? The idea her doing that made him want to help them. Still, there is the possibility of showing a side of leaving her behind, dumping her off with Tsuru, any number of fun things. It's also just cool the idea also extends to flashbacks.

Playing around with the armor. Now remember after we get this it leads to pondering Neko/Jinbei's arrivals then Tsuru casually revealing she knew it was Kiku all along. Then the rest of the chapter speeds through into setting up the flashback. She's the one that had armor as well, she wouldn't change in front of the guys, there's a reason we see this after that reveal. Don't miss a big aspect either, look how Luffy's acting. His idea of samurai is someone who says cool quips before slashing something...you know, just like Kiku did in Bakura. Between this and Torao-san from her side, feels like the hint a lot of real bonding happened. What we do see them talking about makes the conversation a natural fit for her mentioning Izo before it.

Ryokugyu. We've said all there is to say about that absence. Robin/Law tease you with the idea, by the end the missing pair in those chapters unaccounted for is Kiku & Marco.