#i wonder if she found the island they'd been surviving on

[chapinii]

I wonder how bagi felt arriving at alcatraz, finally having a lead pan out after so long, only to find out that the man whose very name brings fear to half the prisoners inside, somebody who sounds so far from the gentle brother she remembers, was just 5 minutes out of her reach.

[becca4leafclover]

Thinking about the ending of Purgatory again, how the two people with wings saving people were Philza and Fit.

Phil, everyone knows had the wings. HAS the wings, now, in this miracle of this place, where nothing good grows and yet it's given Phil the chance to regain his lost limbs. Even after they were pushed to their fragile limits and broken again to save Tubbo, Phil's wings still exist on his back after they'd been gone for far too long.

But what about the other person who miraculously had wings? Who never had any sort of phantom pains of lost limbs in all of his life, who touched the sky only through mechanical marvels and the husks of void insects and never craved the feeling of flight as a wingfolk does.

Unlike Phil, who returned from the End challenge nearly sobbing for his children and the healing of his wings, Fit had no such thing when he went through those portals. He went through and grinned at the sight of a pair of elytra, a trusty tool back on 2b2t. He raced through the course and jumped through the other side and physically looked no different.

But who knows how long it's been since the last time Fit touched the void? Since he went to go solve the mystery of his airship's ghost voyage? That was years ago. It was nice to feel- free. Of Purgatory, of Quesadilla, of his mission and all the complications of the past few months. It was just him and the empty infinity below him for a few minutes.

When Fit left the End, he didn't miss the elytra. No, he was no Philza. But his body felt abuzz in a way he couldn't explain. It came and went, a slight background noise or strangely absent. Fit didn't pay much attention to it- his focus was on surviving. Grinding. Winning, for Ramon. But he found himself idly noticing it when he was helping Tubbo, or wandering with Pac, or defending Tina.

Days past, and the end of the world seemed to come from one of their own. Fit saw the writing on the wall of the fate of their kids and knew that he didn't have time to look for a lost cause. He pushed his limits to get to the escape boat. It was intense, but he didn't think for a moment that he wouldn't make it. He knew that not all of his friends would be so lucky. But it was survival of the fittest, and Fit knew it better than almost anyone else.

When Phil and Tubbo made it to the boat on Phil's broken wings, something stirred inside Fit. It was the two leaders of the surviving teams, the two that had just dueled to the death, holding each other like lifelines. These weren't more survivors in a wasteland, they were his FRIENDS. Could Fit really stand here on this boat, knowing if he didn't do something he'd never see them again?

"Give me the lasso, I can save people," Fit offered once Phil collapsed when trying to get up.

The old crow and his young adversary looked at him with wonder. That buzzing feeling was back, stronger than it'd been before. Fit held out his hand for the fraying rope. Fit backed up on the boat's deck and sprinted, planning on jumping over the edge and diving into the water-

But he never fell once he went up.

Fit used all of his willpower to keep going. Find someone- ANYONE, to save one more life so it wasn't just him, the unconscious people he'd managed to get to the boat, and those other two going home. Anyone else.

One minute. Bagi.

Fit screamed her name through the air. She shouted in surprise when she spotted him.

"Fit! You have wings?"

Fit took the second to glance over his shoulder. Wings, on his back, glowing against the hazy red light that covered the island.

"I'm getting you out of here," was all Fit said as he tied the rope around Bagi. He hefted her up, and then took off again.

They made it to the boat with twenty seconds left on the timer. Tubbo had gotten the engine revving and he heard Charlie screaming somewhere inside. He pulled Bagi out of the water, and then everyone's MDA's went off violently with notifications. Their time was up.

The buzzing in Fit's body faded as the boat sped away from the island- and their remaining friends, and the little buddies, and the corpses of their children, and the black dot rising in the sky that spelled total destruction. And the next time Fit noticed, the magic wings that had allowed him to be the hero of the hour were gone too.

It wasn't until they were back on Quesadilla Island that anyone mentioned the miracle Fit had pulled. Phil showed Fit so much trust, in revealing to him his mangled wings that he was able to keep coming back home. And he gently asked- what happened to Fit's? Why did Fit never tell that he had lost his wings too?

"I'm not like you, Phil. I've never had wings to lose."

"...But we all saw them, mate. Were you at least born with them?"

Fit shook his head. "Not that I ever knew. But I don't remember much about where I came from before 2b anyway."

Phil had frowned at that, but left it.

The next person to bring it up was Tubbo, along with Bagi and Pac while they were waiting for their somehow-alive kids to wake up from their comas.

"Hey Fit, what happened to your wings?"

"Oh yeahh! You were my hero, Fit! I don't think I'll ever be able to make it up to you," Bagi said. Fit waved them off.

"Don't worry about it, Bagi, we're all good."

"You have wings?" Pac questioned, his voice filled with such pure wonder. Fit shook his head.

"I... I really don't know what that was. I just knew I had the chance to save one more person, so I did. I wouldn't be surprised if that fucking Eye did something just to try to get under my skin! Good thing I'm tougher than that," Fit said with a smile. For the first time since the boat, that strange feeling prickled along his back.

Bagi frowned, while Pac looked at his whole being with his observant eyes, and Tubbo tilted his head.

"I would have loved to see you with wings... How cool you would look!" Pac breathed. Fit chuckled at that, but couldn't find the words to quite reply.

"What if you did have wings before?" Tubbo said, "Like how Phil had his healed back there?"

"I already talked to him about it. I've never had wings in my whole life. Or if I did, I lost them before I ended up in 2b2t, but that was when I was still a kid. If I ever came from anywhere before 2b anyway."

"They weren't really like Philza's either, when I saw them. They seemed- magical? They weren't really- I don't know the word- they weren't really real. They were all glowy," Bagi added.

Pac hummed thoughtfully. "You sound like a guardian angel that only got his wings in a time of need..."

That struck a chord with Fit. The feeling in him settled pleasantly, like he'd gotten an answer he didn't know the question to. "Maybe, maybe. Maybe you're closer than you think, I don't know. guess we'll never really know unless we end up in hell fighting each other again and have to escape another nuke!"

"Do NOT even joke about that!!"

"I don't know, I kind of want to see my guardian angel fly me to safety..." Pac said, a tease in his voice and cheeks flushed pink. Fit, admittedly, balked at this, and couldn't come up with a response. Tubbo, meanwhile, gagged.

The last clue Fit had to the strange event in Purgatory, was when he was stretching in the new yoga room of Fit's Fitness.

He was alone in the calming space, the tinkling of the water feature an easy background noise. He was doing some final stretches after a workout, to relax his muscles before he called it a day. His sweaty shirt was in the corner by the shoe rack- he really needed to change out of his Purgatory clothes, now that the islanders were slowly starting to be able to put that behind him.

In the mirror as he was just doing a shoulder stretch with his mechanical arm, for the first time Fit noticed a pair of scars on his back.

Now, Fit was familiar with his plethora of scars that covered his whole body. He knew the major ones- the ones that were closer calls with permanent death than he'd like to admit. His scar tissue had layers, with the way that explosions left their marks on the same spots over and over again. But despite the size of these scars, Fit couldn't remember where he got them from off the top of his head. Two long slashes- fairly clean. One was partially covered by the metallic plating that was embedded into his shoulder- maybe that was why he'd forgotten about them before?

It was still weird though. Nothing on 2b2t left such clean slashes. Especially not so symmetrical, or in what really was a vital place... strange indeed...

Fit looked back at himself in the mirror, examining the scars with mild curiosity.

For a moment, pale glowing wings were aligned with those slits. Fit blinked, and they were gone. That fuzzy feeling returned, and lingered as Fit's mind raced.

He had a feeling there was something he didn't know about himself.

[the-bar-sinister]

Not Needed, But Desired (3954 words) by thesavagesabretooth Chapters: 1/2 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Baby 5/Komurasaki | Kozuki Hiyori

Additional Tags: Femslash, Rare Pairings, Getting Together, Developing Relationship, First Kiss, genre: pirate slice of life, Background Slash, Third Corazon Trafalgar D. Water Law, Minor Donquixote Doflamingo/Trafalgar D. Water Law, Fluff and Angst, Romantic Fluff Summary: Baby 5 finds herself head over heals for the newest member of the Donquixote pirates, Komurasaki, the runaway princess of Wano. In the aftermath of a minor scuffle with the marines the two women grow closer despite their wildly different backgrounds.

-

The beaches of the small island still smelt like blood and gunpowder when the Donquixote Family started splitting up and fanning out over the small landmass on their various tasks. Some were tasked with collecting marine heads and identifications, others with gathering weapons and any scattered intelligence, and others still to investigate exactly why the marines took an interest in such a small and out of the way little island.

Baby 5 was glad to be in the latter, and even gladder when she and Komurasaki fell in together as they wandered deeper into the island's brush. They'd been fighting side by side! Blood pumping, Baby's power flowing into different weapons as the two of them killed any marine stupid enough to come close to what she knew made an amazing pair. She glanced sidelong at Saki, noticing the spray of cooling blood still lingered on the smooth skin of her cheek.

It looked really fucking hot. Baby 5 flushed and turned her eyes back to the island before she got caught staring. She hoped. 

Too late! 

Saki turned her head, lifting her chin toward her with a thin smile that showed just a slice of teeth– one of the few times that Baby had seen her smile so widely yet. Baby 5 flushed deeper as she allowed herself to walk closer with a flustered grin of her own.

"You were amazing out there, Saki. Like, hooooly shit. I haven't seen bladework like that in a long time, except from like, Dia." 

"Wano is famous for its blademasters," she said, walking shoulder to shoulder with her. "I'm not the best that there is, but I'm proud of my capabilities. Especially as supplemented by my other techniques."

"That ninja stuff, right?" Baby 5's shoulder lightly brushed hers as they walked, scanning the blood trails for anything amiss. She bit her lip, honestly watching Komurasaki fight had been thrilling in a very particular…less than appropriate kind of way. The kind of post-battle excitement that was common in the Donquixote family was not lost with Baby 5.

She wondered if Saki ever got the same way after a fight.

"At least I'm guessing that was ninja stuff." 

"Yes, the ninja stuff," Saki agreed, laughing musically. "If you're wondering, no, it's not considered appropriate samurai etiquette to use smoke bombs, or palmed knives."

Komurasaki casually slipped her arm around Baby 5's waist.

Baby 5's heartbeat picked up in her chest as she looped an arm around her shoulders with a chuckle. 

"I didn't think so. Samurai kinda seem a little stuffy to me. A little too 'decorum' focused, ya know? But smoke bombs and hidden knives give you an edge. That's assassin work."

Komurasaki had only just joined the crew proper, and before that had been in a strange sort of limbo on the Donquixote ship after Doffy picked Law and his two surviving crewmates up out of the drink. One of those two was Komurasaki, the beautiful and mysterious 'oiran' from Wano and the other Bepo, the mink navigator and Law's oldest buddy outside the family.

While Law angested his way through his inevitable return to the family as their lost Corazon, Baby 5 had taken to keeping Komurasaki company. What started as casual conversation over the comatose Law turned into a growing attachment, and Baby 5 found herself making every excuse to spend time with Saki as she showed her around the ship.

Performing chores together, dinners, sharing stories of their incredibly different pasts and circumstances, and playing with her power and seeing the delight on Komurasaki's face—Baby had found herself charmed more than she'd been with even the most palatable of her 'fiances'

And she was pretty sure it wasn't just her. Probably, hopefully. Saki seemed to like her too, especially with the occasional intimate touch they'd shared in the ocean wind, and the fact that not even once did Saki ever tell her she 'needed her' for something. She just…

Made her feel wanted, really. Even Doffy approved.

"It's cool, too." 

Saki smiled, shoulder to shoulder with her. "You think so? Well, your fighting was very 'cool' too, Baby 5. Very impressive. I've never seen someone fight quite the same way that you do."

Baby 5's arm squeezed her shoulders as her smile took on a note of pride. "Aww! Dia said I had a style all my own. Being able to turn into any weapon kinda means I had to find my own way to take advantage of it—you really liked it? You saw that I used the kama, right?" 

"I did. And it was a well timed use. That marine went down hard." Saki's smile hitched into a rather wicked smirk that suited the deadly combatant Baby 5 had seen her to be on the battlefield, more than it suited her carefully poised exterior.

That deadly combatant was gorgeous, too. The way her blade cut through marines in a graceful if brutal arc, the men who fell in the shroud of smoke to hidden blades and tricks, and the wicked smirk that curved below arcs of splattered blood against doll-like skin.

Baby 5 shivered, flushing again at the memory. "Aww…fl-flatterer. I mean. I was just usin' it how you told me how to!" 

"You're a quick learner," Saki paused beside a copse of brush that had been singed by the battle. "May I make another observation?"

Baby 5 lightly rustled it with her foot as she looked up at Saki, her eyes lingering on her smirk for a long moment before flicking up to her eyes. "Sure, whatever you wanna make, Saki!" 

She reached up with her free hand, and cupped Baby 5's face, turning it gently— appraisingly. "You seem flushed."

Baby 5 felt her face heat up even more under her fingers as she quietly sputtered. Very suddenly she wished she'd lit another one of her smokes for its nicotine to still her racing heart. 

"Flushed? Me? R-really?" She looked into her eyes with a lopsided smile. "Just thinking of the fight is all!" 

"So fighting excites you?" Komurasaki asked curiously, her smirk twisting.

Saki was teasing her, she had to be. That smirk crawling across her face said it all. She swallowed thickly and tried to laugh it off. "I mean, doesn't it excite everyone?" 

"Not everyone, admittedly." She leaned in toward her, until they were nearly nose to nose. "But it does excite me."

Baby 5 could feel her breath against his face, and could practically hear her own heartbeat as it hammered in her chest. "...well, it excites me too. T-there's nothing like a fight to get the blood pumping, Saki." 

"And what shall we do with all that blood?" She raised an eyebrow, but didn't wait for Baby 5 to answer– instead she pressed a kiss against her lips.

Baby 5's attempt at an answer, brief as it was, was smothered under Komurasaki's soft lips. She shivered, excitement thrumming through her in the wake of the battle-fever, and practically melted into it with a happy murmur. She kissed back, her lips sucking tentatively against Saki's. 

Saki was an expert kisser. Like– a literal, actual expert, that much was clear. She had had training, and she used it well, artfully. Her lips were as deft and commanding as they were soft, and they teased eagerly at hers, sucking and grasping. She pressed her tongue into Baby 5's mouth like lacing the ribbon of a gift.

Baby 5 had thought she was practiced, practiced around the Donquixote Family as she fooled around and romanced her fellow pirates for years and years now. But Saki was on another level. The command and artful skill worked together to make Baby 5 putty in Komurasaki's hands as she leaned in and eagerly followed her lead.

Her tongue met Saki's, brushing up against it as her whole body shivered and grew warm. Saki gathered her close to her, and her lips lingered on hers, sucking softly on her lower lip. She nuzzled her cheek against Baby 5's as the kiss parted—

But then before Baby 5 could do more than breathe, Saki seemed to change her mind, and kissed her again— harder, rougher, with less practice and more simple desire.

Baby 5 was once again surprised! And once again she was utterly intoxicated in the kiss. She pressed her limber body against Saki's, meeting the hard and rough kiss with equal passionate desire. That was the sort of kiss she had practice with. Hard, rough, drenched in the passion of the moment. She could kiss back with everything she had. Her teeth lightly brushed Saki's lips, nibbling them before deepening the kiss. 

She heard a huff of breath for Komursaki that was almost a growl, and then she bit Baby 5's tongue and lips in rough, hungry little bites. She felt her chest expand against her as she shuddered.

Finally she broke the kiss again, and stared into Baby 5's eyes with her own sea green gaze.

Baby 5 caught her breath in soft little gasps as she met her eyes. She felt dizzy, maybe from the lack of oxygen or maybe from the way her mind spun around in joyful circles as she kept her hands against Saki's side.

She could get lost in the woman's eyes— they were like the ocean, deep and magnetic. Her own dark eyes blinked once before she smiled with reddened lips. "W-wow. You get real excited after a punch up…" 

"Not exactly something I've been able to act on until now, admittedly." Saki's own cheeks were flushed now, and she shifted her legs visibly under the skirt of her borrowed dress.

Baby 5's eyes glanced briefly down, well aware of her own reaction to the passionate kiss. They quickly returned to Komurasaki's eyes as she leaned a little closer. 

"Wano's too buttoned up for that kinda thing?" she asked with a small smile. "The Donquixote's aren't—y-you can act on it any time if ya want. With me, even. That was a hell of a kiss!" 

"I liked it." Saki brushed her hand against Baby 5's face, glancing away from her. "It's nice to just kiss someone I enjoy the company and beauty of."

Baby 5 nuzzled her hand with a deepening flush, her eyes averting down towards her shoes as she leaned into her touch. 

"It is, isn't it? I ah—I really feel the same way, Saki. You really enjoy my company? You think I'm beautiful? 'Cause I sure as hell think you're probably the most gorgeous woman I've ever met. And—w-well, I've been really enjoying all our time together." 

She tucked a lock of Baby 5's hair behind her ear and nodded. "I do enjoy your company. I'm glad you've been enjoying mine. I feel like I must seem odd, and… stiff, perhaps."

Baby 5 shook her head vehemently for a moment, the strand of hair almost falling free as she grabbed Saki's hands with a broad grin. 

"I mean, Saki— you're different from pretty much anyone I've ever met, but that doesn't mean you're 'odd'. Not in a bad way. And anyone who calls ya stiff hasn't seen that smile you make when you're fighting." 

"Then I'm glad that you can see that." She laughed softly, and played with her own hair. "I'm working on leaving my restraint behind, but I fear it's slow going."

Baby 5 chewed her lip, and reached out to lightly brush her fingers against the ends of Komurasaki's hair. "I mean, it's hard to inch away from the way you grew up. But nobody here's gonna rush or judge ya. I won't—" she flushed a bit deeper before she murmured. "I'd like to help however I can, if that's alright." 

"I appreciate the help." She smiled at her, and leaned close. "Ah— but had we better get back to what we were doing, and have this conversation later? I feel I've been more of a distraction than I meant to."do

The fact that they were on a mission to figure out what the hell the Navy wanted on this island—while completely surrounded by massacred corpses— has pretty much fled Baby 5's mind until Saki mentioned it.

"Shit, you're right! But—as soon as we're back on the ship, I'd love to talk more about it, alright?" She leaned close and offered her hand. "till then, we've got a mystery to solve together." 

Komarusaki took her hand, her delicate nails brushing the skin of Baby 5's fingers. "Until then."

-

The resolution of the mystery was not what Baby 5 had expected. Not what anyone had expected. The whole family had converged on the center of the island, where, hidden just past the brush and trees and the marine fortifications, was evidence that the island had once been inhabited for a little while.

Inhabited by pirates, if the jolly roger flag that had been left among the simple, rudely built structures was any indication.

There were some weapons, and some clothes, and a couple of cases of booze. Pica and Diamante were off to the side, discussing whether or not it would be prudent to dig around for treasure.

"I really thought it'd be somethin' else. Like, I dunno," Baby 5 mused as she looked up at the Jolly Roger with a squint, sussing out whose it might be. "One of those big square bastards full of codes, or maybe a hint to one of those superweapons people used to talk about."

"A poneglyph?" Saki asked curiously. She too was peering at the Jolly Roger.

It was a distinctive one. The skull bore a flaming insignia– or perhaps a flaming hat– over a red spade.

"Yeah, the Pony cliffs." Baby 5 nodded with a bounce of her dark ringlets. By now she'd lit herself a new cigarette, and was smoking intently as she squinted at the flag "...I know this one. I think I know it, anyway." 

"To my great surprise it's actually familiar to me as well," Saki said. "This was the insignia of the pirates who arrived on Wano's shores only a couple of years ago."

Baby 5 turned to look at Komurasaki with wide eyes. 

"Wait, for real? The…" The Spade Pirates. They'd caused a stir a while back after burning Whitebeard's flag on Fishman Island, and tearing their way through the New World until they abruptly stopped—when their captain got absorbed into Whitebeard's massive crew, and then later when that very same captain was executed at Marineford. "The Spade Pirates landed on Wano??" 

"Not many know it to be so, but indeed they did. They must have happened upon this island either on their way to or from Wano's shores, by chance I would guess."

Baby 5 rubbed her neck. "By chance is right, Saki" navigation through the Grand Line, especially in the New World was tricky. Special poses were needed to even survive a trip, and uncharged and unmarked islands littered the place. It was common, likely even, to find an island by chance and never encounter it again.

Which left her wondering. "Navigation out here is–insane. I can't even think about how they expected to get back to an island that doesn't register on the pose." 

"Now that's a mystery by itself, isn't it?" Komurasaki tapped her lip. "I wonder."

She turned to look at the small encampment. The rough structures, the old crates. All of it was situated around a hole full of water, circled by stones. It was too shallow to be a well– it looked more like some kind of artificial tidepool.

Baby 5 walked over to it, and dipped down to look into the 'tidepool' with a tilt of her head. "Huuuh…Saki, look at this. They made this, it looks like." 

"It looks like a koi pond," Saki said, kneeling beside it. "A kind of water garden. An odd thing to make in what seems like such a temporary dwelling."

Indeed, there were a lot of small fish in it, and little plants, and sea snails and the like.

Baby 5 squinted for a long moment at it with a tilt of her head. "Maybe they were just really into, I dunno—fishtanks? Maybe they were like 'we're stuck on shitsplat island, might as well make something relaxing until we ship off'?" 

"Mmm… perhaps?" Saki put a hand on a large flat stone that was positioned carefully in front of the little pond. "Does 'Fred' mean anything to you?"

"I think I shot a Fred in the head once behind the pub?" Baby 5 tilted her head to the side. 

"A name, then?" she cocked her head. Baby watched her lift the rock, which she say had 'Fred' scratched deeply into its surface. "There's a piece of paper under here. But it seems to be blank."

"........." Baby 5's eyes shot open wide "OH!!! FUCK!" She ducked down to grab the paper with a grin. "I know what that is! That's how these guys were gonna try to get back!" 

The paper was torn at the edges. It was obvious to her what it was– a vivre card.

Komuasaki startled, and lifted her chin curiously as Baby 5 scooped up the paper. "Oh? What's your insight?"

"It's a vivre card, Saki…it's a special paper that always attracts itself to the person who's fingernail helped make it if you've got a piece. It's a way of keeping track of folks, and a lot of people use it to track difficult to follow islands and the like by following the card."

"Ah! I know of these," she nodded. "But— wouldn't they have needed a person to stay alive on this island? I don't see 'Fred' around anywhere."

"Oh yeah—they would, huh?" Baby 5 frowned. "...unless—"

She peered down at the pool again. 

The crab was missing the tip of one of its claws.

"Yer kiddin' me." she muttered. "They made their own fucking map marker by giving a crab a vivre card and a little fuckin' tide pool paradise to be happy in? That's how they were planning on coming back??? That crab's Fred!" 

Komurasaki stood, and peered at the crab, and then back to Baby 5. "The crab is Fred?"

"The crab is Fred!" Baby 5 laughed as she pointed down to its claw. "...see, they took a snippet of claw, made it into the vivre card and made sure he'd be long lived and happy in his little well stocked tidepool ecosystem. So they could follow the vivre card back HERE." 

Saki paused. "Well. That's actually a very clever plan I think. I wonder why more people don't do something like that?"

"Because it's kinda risky probably. I mean, if that crab wanders off or is eaten by a bird then bam. You're fucked. No way back." Baby 5 mused, "on the other hand, it's just kind of a wild idea." 

"Did I overhear you two talking about something?" Doffy's voice cooed from nearby as he stepped over toward them with Law, from where they had been looking through the crates. "You didn't figure this out, did you?"

Baby 5 looked up with a grin. "We did, pretty much right away thanks to Saki an' me putin' our heads together!"

She saw Law, Corazon, standing with his hand on his hip. "Took you longer than it shoulda, Baby."

"Fuck you Corazon." Baby 5 stuck out her tongue. 

Doffy chuckled at the two of them. "Well done. It's a pretty clever trick, don't you think? Not one that would work in most circumstances, but…"

"But clever enough," Komurasaki nodded. "I wonder why they never seem to have returned."

"Well…" Baby 5 grimaced as she rubbed her neck. "The captain's dead, two years dead now—and I'm pretty sure his whole crew was assimilated with him when he got taken into Whitebeard's crew before his execution."

Law nodded with a low sigh. "Yeah that's about the size of it. Poor bastard." 

"Ah," Komurasaki nodded. "That would do it. Well, I suppose that means no one will be disappointed when they come back and find it empty."

Baby 5 perked up a little. "Huh, that's true—and I mean I think they'd be happy if it got used by another bunch of pirates in need, huh? Instead of it all going to waste."

Law tilted his head. "Yeah, Luffy's brother would probably be fairly happy with that, thinkin' about it." 

"Luffy's brother?" Saki perked up curiously. "Interesting. Are many pirates connected like that?"

Doffy wiggled his hand back and forth. "Ehh…"

Baby 5 blinked. "...Luffy's that psychotic rubber kid, right? He had a brother?"

"Yeah, Ace." Law huffed softly. "Some are, I think the more prolific you get the more little connections like that you start to find," gently, he leaned his shoulder against Doflamingo. 

Doffy chuckled and wrapped his arm around Law's shoulder. "There's lots of connections, but most pirates try to pretend they're purely enemies. It isn't true though."

"Interesting," Saki chuckled. "I shall keep this in mind going forward."

Law flushed with a sharp huff. "It's a good lesson, Saki. I mean, I've got that connection with the Straw Hats, who's got a connection to the Queen of Amazon Lily Hancock Boa, Doffy's got his connection to Crocodile, who has his own connections, and so on."

Baby 5 looped her arm around Saki's shoulders "Pretty neat, ain't it?" 

"It is," Saki nodded. "Connections between pirates. Hah. Such things were forbidden between the different criminal groups on Wano."

"Really??" Baby 5 blinked curiously. "What, you all had to pretend you loathed one another? You couldn't make alliances or connections to, I dunno consolidate power?" 

"There was very little contact allowed at all between the rank and file. And Wano was a crowded criminal ecosystem. Most of what went on between the leadership was backstabbing and stealing territory, rather than divvying power."

Doffy shook his head. "That's what you get for living on such a small fucking island. It was a bit like that in the old days of the North Blue, too. This town ain't big enough for the both of us, and all that."

Law chuckled softly under his breath. "Small fucking island problems. Hell, even when you were pirates you still ran into that kinda shit with local gangs. I remember attending a few of the 'meetings' with you guys as a kid. Putting them back in their place."

Baby 5 smiled nostalgically. "Yeah…those were the days, alright! But—yeah, it's small island problems. Problems it looks like Wano was full of, huh? The high seas are a LOT more interestin'. That or big islands, big cities like Dressrosa." 

"I'm very excited to see new problems instead," Saki said with a smile. She leaned on Baby 5's shoulder. "And new solutions."

Doffy clapped his hands together. "Alright. Now that the mystery's solved, let's get all of this stuff to the ship so that Pica can dig for treasure."

"Yessir, Doffy," Law pointed. "Baby 5, Saki, I'm putting you in charge of gathering up this campsite. Take anything useful, unusual, or scrappable and give it to the grunts to box and haul." 

Komursaki saluted him. "Understood."

As Doffy and Corazon walked away, Baby 5 got to work side by side with Saki. They fell into the same easy rhythm that they'd grown into the last few weeks. As they shifted and sorted through the campsite, she found her gaze lingering on the other woman with the memory of the kiss fresh in her mind.

She wondered if they'd get to continue that conversation soon, once the boxes were packed and the marines supplies hauled to the icebox.

[ratkingdad]

You 👉 know what I’ve always hated 😡💢 about you 👉, Amethar 👑🍬? You 👉 were so damn 👿 lucky 🍀.

I mean 😪, fifth 5️⃣ in line 📉 for the throne 🪑 and the crown 👑 rests 🛏️ on your head 🙆‍♂️. And each of your sisters 👯‍♀️ better 🥇 and more clever 👩‍🏫 than you. It really makes the unfortunate 🍀🚫 minor lord 🤵 of a less ↘️ than wealthy 💵 barony feel… well, a little underwhelming 😑😴.

Oh, I’ll say 📢, your sisters 👯‍♀️ were a little less lucky 🍀. The least 🥉 lucky 🍀 thing that ever happened to Rococoa 🍫 was when she found out 🕵️‍♀️ that I was selling 💰 weapons 🔫⚔️ to the Ceresians 🍞🥯. That… that had to be dealt with ☠️. And I think 🤔 you’ll remember how odd 🤪 it was that she was found riddles with arrows 🏹 so far behind our own lines 〰️. But that’s war 💣, and strange things happen in war 💣🧨 all the time ⏰.

The Ceresians 🥖🍞, I find are very reasonable, very reasonable and you can see 👓🔎some of their tents 🏕️ out here in the field 🌾.

You know, I don't have luck 🍀 so I have to work 💪. I have to work 💪a lot. First, I had to put the little cheese 🧀 boy 🧒🏼 onto the scent of the Duchess 👸 Coldbottle 🍼, and I had to ferry ⛴️ his idiot sailors ⛵️all the way the Sucrosi road 🚗 to that little farmhouse 🏠 - I mean, had to get them there somehow, they couldn't sail ⛵️ there, could they? And they'd be so suspicious 🤨 walking 🚶‍♂️ up the road, and yet - you miraculously ⛪️ survived 🖖, when you should have died 💀. Amethar 👑 🍬 the Unfallen ❤️.

You uncharacteristically 😮 leave a fight 👊 , you jump 🐰 out of the ring 💍 rather than trying to behead that carrot 🥕- and they call the tournament 🏟️, even with all the work 🏋️ that me and Alfredi 🍝 put in to getting those watersteel 💦 daggers 🗡️ into her hands 🙌 . I - I thought 💭 I was going to fail 0️⃣.

And then, and then your friend Manta Ray Jack 🧀 mentioned a girl 👧 , at the banquet 🍱 , 'stashed somewhere in the Dairy 🥛 Islands 🏝️ ', and I thought 💭 , 'That's so interesting 🤔 . Amethar 👑 🍬 and I are best friends 👯‍♂️, war buddies 🤝 as far back as we can remember 🧐. Why 🤨would he never 👎 tell me?' And I got to thinking 🤔 , 'Amethar 👑 🍬 was never quiet 🤐 about his exploits 🏃 as a roving Prince 🫅 of Candia 🍭, so why didn't I hear 👂 about this girl 👧 ?' And I thought 💭 , 'I'd better talk 🎙️with Manta Ray Jack 🧀.'

He didn't wanna 🙊 talk, but a few fingers 👋 and pints 🍻 of blood 🩸 later we remembered your sister's book 📖 . Very useful, your sister 👩 . Very useful indeed - up until a young Belizabeth Brassica 🥦 ordered her run 🏃🏻‍♀️ down in the streets by Vegetanian 🥗 Knights ⚔️ . That - that hurt 😔 , because she had always been very sweet 🍭 to me. Well, after Manta Ray 🧀, I saw 👀 an opportunity. You know, it hurts 🤕 to have all of your plans 📒 fail, but they say that improvisation 🎭 is the better part of planning 📝 , so I was happy 😊 to take advantage 🔝 of that opportunity when 🕰️ it presented itself, Amethar 👑 🍭.

You know what happens to a man 🧍‍♂️ when he dies ☠️ ? He shits 💩 himself. So I'll be happy 😊 to watch 👁️ 👁️ you shit 💩 one last time 🕰️, Amethar 👑 🍭 .

I wonder 🧐 if they'll call ☎️ you 'Amethar 👑 🍭 the Unfallen ❤️ ' after this😤? Here's to a future 🔮 you can't ⛔️ ruin 😡.

[ikkaku-of-heart]

The massive hand on her shoulder was comforting. She needed comfort, opening up the old wound that was her family. It was a wound that never really healed, and she suspected never would, but perhaps talking to a father figure like Whitebeard would help, even a little. "He's not my family. The only family I've ever really had was Gramps and Grandma. The twins...maybe they gave a shit, but they knew better than to make it obvious. Not if they wanted to survive. And I don't hold any ill will towards them for it."

Survival was more important than happiness. At least, that's what she'd believed as a kid. Still did, to an extent, though sailing with Law had taught her both were possible. But Fukuro and Nausagi weren't meant for the sea. They'd survive best on land, and be happier there, just as she was happiest and thriving far away from Joras.

Still, Ikkaku knew dangers lurked, so she was grateful she had a new family to protect her. Though, she imagined Law and Whitebeard might end up fighting over who got dibs on a certain Marine.

"Fairly certain Hapushiru is a major part of why Ushi hates me, but not for the reason you think," she sighed. Her oldest brother put on a great show for most people, but she knew what hatred lay behind his handsome face. She and her other brothers saw it when the adults hadn't. "There are a lot of superstitions about twins on my island. In my case, I got the double whammy of being the girl in a set of opposite-sex twins and surviving when the boy didn't. That's a hell of a bad omen. If I'd been born a few decades before, I'd have been raised in isolation until I turned sixteen, then sacrificed to an Old One. That didn't happen, obviously, but I was still seen as a curse, and my parents hated that. "

Ikkaku shook her head. The island had changed in the last century, at least according to Gramps. Many of the Old Ways had been done away with, along with the island's original name, but as Tomasu had explained to her once, people liked to hold onto nonsense beliefs to make the random, awful things that happened in life make sense. Ushi was no different. It was easier to justify his failures and troubles on a cursed little sister who became a pirate rather than any of his own shortcomings.

"I'm grateful the Hearts found me, and now you," the engineer said, smiling up at Whitebeard. She was very lucky to have been found by such a wonderful new family. Which reminded her of how they started talking about hair in the first place. Ace's mother. Edward Newgate's love. "So, did your family here ever have a mom sailing with them? Maybe someone adding a woman's touch to the Moby Dick?" Ikkaku asked, feeling a bit lighter now that she'd gotten a few of her own family issues off her chest. And there weren't many women among the Whitebeard Pirates, so she was genuinely curious to hear about this woman who had earned such a special place in Pop's heart and a place of honor among his momentos.

Her hesitation didn’t go unnoticed. It seemed Ikkaku might have had some troubles back home. Newgate let Ikkaku go at her own pace though, share what she was ready to, when she was ready. He listened intently to what she had to say about her brothers. Most notably her older one. “Family shouldn’t fight… that said, this Ushi doesn’t sound like family to you. Blood or not.” He started, sharing his thoughts on what she shared. “Ikkaku, you just let o’ pops take care of him. Your life,… is a gift to all of us.” He finished clasping her shoulder in one of his large hands.

“Gurararara! Little brothers will do that. I suspect they actually liked you a lot.” He chuckled, though he knew part of that bullying likely was influenced by her older sibling it sounded like they did care a lot about their sister overall. “A man, even a young one, learns to stand up for what they believe in eventually. I doubt they regret protecting you.” He stated before nodding at the news about the carpentry work. “Life at sea isn’t for everyone.” Whitebeard added, thinking perhaps Law also saw them as not being suited to that lifestyle anyway.

“A twin, eh? Ghost or not it sounds as if he made some mark on your life. You say he haunted you? Is that why this older sibling hates you?” He asked, not so much to pry but rather to get a clearer look at the situation. He noticed the tears though and let it go. He reached out to dry her tears. “That’s right you got a whole family here and we won’t let anything happen to you.” Newgate smiled, his eyes softening a bit. The ghosts of the past could stay there as he gave her and the other Hearts a brighter future.

[scifimagpie]

help idk what I'm doing

well, okay, I may have attempted a fan fiction.

Chapter 1: The Coronation

Chapter Text

The Cut was formed not of light, but of darkness. Alina hadn't expected that.

But its results were less shocking. She'd seen the Cut's work before, slicing limbs from bodies and heads from shoulders. The enemy Grisha - or whatever the Fjerdans would have called her - slumped to the floor, her head and left shoulder sliding away from her right shoulder and the rest of her torso in a bloody pile.

Alina couldn't help a brief smile of satisfaction. So, this was what it felt like.

Aleksander - the Darkling - and Baghra had known the brutal efficiency of this, and she'd used light to cut Aleksander herself before, but wielding the darkness...this was something new.

Around her, the ballroom was a morass of crimson. So many fine dresses ruined. Alina had never been particularly fond of dresses, but her coronation gown was quite fine. She wondered, distantly, just how many Fabrikators would be kept busy with removing blood from all those gowns. So many nobles and foreign dignitaries were struggling to breathe, leaning on one another for support.

In the midst of it all, Alina felt like an island in the sea - waves lashing around her, but unmoved by the chaos. She wondered how many people had seen her wield that fatal cut.

Then the part of her mind - new, but developing - that had to focus on statecraft and alliances, chimed in. Since when did the Fjerdans make use of a Drusje? Surely that was deeply against their religion. Then again, principles rarely survived war, said another part of her.

She couldn't help thinking of the Darkling's eyes, the intensity in his face as he'd gazed at her. They will fear you, he'd warned her. Said they would love her until that love was used up, and it soured to hate like kefir gone off. 

Well, perhaps Fjerda would benefit from a little fear. 

Alina kept smiling. 

Next to her, Nikolai could barely speak or breathe. "Nikolai," she said, attending to her surroundings again. 

He reached for her, and Alina offered a shoulder. Her own lungs and chest felt scraped, ravaged by whatever the Heartrender had been doing - but using her gift had immediately fortified her. If anything, she felt luminous. Radiant. Powerful. 

"Are you all right?" Alina asked, reaching for him. Genya was already staggering forward, reflexively trying to clean Alina's gown. She nodded, reaching out to dab away blood from Alina's gown. On Genya's arm, Zoya appeared, a swirl of blue and silver, clutching her elbow protectively. 

As though ripping away a scab, Alina came back to herself. How could she think of politics at a time like this? They needed triage. Horror, fresh and human, washed over her senses. There was so much blood everywhere. Had they lost anyone? 

Well - he wasn't necessarily lost, but at least he was away from this. She hoped. Was Mal all right? 

Her heart clenched at the thought of him, and she found her fists tightened as well. Gradually, slowly, she uncoiled them. She had to try and let go. 

That was a pain she'd barely even begun to comprehend, and she certainly didn't have time for it now. 

"Zoya, get as many Heartrenders and Healers here as you can, quickly," ordered Alina. 

Zoya nodded, her pretty lips pressed firmly together. She looked outraged, and as she turned on a heel, Alina was glad to be on the right side of her. They hadn't always been friends. 

At least she could count on Zoya to ensure that whoever had orchestrated this would pay. Yes, they'd certainly pay. If she had to cut their throats with the Neshyenyer herself. 

Once again, Alina found herself appalled at her own thoughts. She was a mapmaker, not much of a warrior. True, they called her "Sankta Alina," and she was about to become queen - but that didn't mean she was any less of an orphan from Keramzin, a pathetic little girl playing dress up. 

Only I see you for who you truly are, whispered a voice in her mind. She batted it away. She could not think of the Darkling at a time like this. He was a raw wound in her side, unhealed and barely stitched. 

But Alina had to wonder - without Mal to turn to, or the Darkling to guide her (his hands on her neck, caressing the collar made of the Stag's horns) - how many pieces of her were still left?  

[pla-teau]

LOKI EPISODE FOUR : THE NEXUS EVENT

GIF CREDIT TO: @luke-skywalker SPOILERS AHEAD. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!

SYLVIE | there's a lot to process in the short time we get of young sylvie. it didn't seem like she was doing anything that caused a nexus event. when we see her, she's simply playing with her toys on asgard. sylvie asks about what her crime was later on with renslayer but it's never clear cut as to what she did. the only thing we know is that she escaped from renslayer which is why she's so hell bent on capturing and pruning sylvie. i have a certain thought on this later.

WE SURVIVE | the words loki tells sylvie just when she’s given up and accepted that she’ll die on lamentis. that’s what makes loki a loki - yes, he fails over and over again but each and every time we’ve witnessed his ‘death’ he comes back or when things seem to possibly end for his story, loki still manages to survive.

LAMENTIS | based on the namesake of the episode, this is the nexus event that caused them to be found but what was it? personally, from watching the episode and keeping in mind that this is 2012!loki, i think that the nexus event was hope and acceptance between them. i think there’s genuine hope despite being stuck on a doomed planet about to become smaller flying rocks in space. in every apocalypse so far, we’ve seen that basically anticipating and accepting the end of the world doesn’t cause a breach in the timeline because what is there to hope for? it’s all going to be destroyed anyway no matter the little fake hope you have inside yourself telling you that everything is going to be alright. loki and sylvie up to this point haven’t had that kind of hope before ever in their lives. with the acceptance part, i think it's self-acceptance and acceptance of their roles in the universe. roll with me here, loki throughout the mcu has never accepted his fate or what's supposed to happen; he's always fighting it and trying to come out on top as a ruler of people whether it's earth, asgard and sakaar. he doesn't accept to not be a ruler or on the losing side of a battle against earth's mightiest heroes and at odds with the other marvel characters. he doesn't fully accept himself either because he didn't know he was adopted until at least one thousand years later and he couldn't accept that he wasn't destined for something other than a shadow or simply his title as the god of mischief. it made a lot more sense in my head tbh. a lot of people freaking out about this moment being loki falling in love with sylvie/himself but i don't think that's it. loki for once genuinely cares about someone else and i think it's platonic cause while i have little faith in the mouse house giving us more than confirmation that loki is bisexual, i don't think they'd make loki fall in love with himself.

LOKI'S TIME CELL | a nostalgic reveal we get is sif in this looped time cell plucked from loki's memory. apparently, he cut off a chunk of her hair because he thought it would be funny. in typical sif fashion, she proceeds to beat him up in retaliation as well of sharing some biting words. it's interesting how after a few loops and knees to the nuts, loki apologizes to sif about the prank and admits that he's afraid of being alone and acts narcissistic and like a pompous asshole if you will because of this fear. i think this is a bigger break through of his character than the one we saw in the first episode because he's admitting it to someone from his life that he highly respected but acted like a child to her to get her attention even if it was negative. i wish for more vulnerable loki moments because it continues to prove that loki isn't just the god of mischief, he can be more (as thor said in ragnarok).

MOBIUS VS LOKI | honestly, this whole interrogation scene screamed mobius being jealous of loki making pals with sylvie and i loved it. what i like is that mobius does air the sentiment that we all have in our heads after realizing that loki and sylvie did somehow click to create the nexus event. it's narcissism to the max. again, i think loki truly cares for sylvie in a platonic or even a familial sense since they both don't make connections too often with others (romantic or platonic).

HUNTER B-15 | i was wondering what happened with her after her run in with sylvie at the roxxcart supermarket. clearly, sylvie unlocked a memory within her subconscious as well and is starting to doubt herself. we don't see what memory of hers it was but it's enough to make her break protocol and go against the TVA later on in the episode. in conclusion, we have no choice but to stan this queen. also seems like she wasn't reset in that final battle so we'll hopefully see her in the next episode.

RAVONNA & MOBIUS | their friendship is put to the test in this episode. while being of a higher position than mobius, ravonna does seem to care deeply for mobius. she said so herself, she wants to protect mobius...but from the truth instead of the false danger about sylvie that she's filling his head with. ravonna clearly knows a lot more than she's letting on and that the TVA is an elaborate lie. i think she wants to protect mobius from the truth because she doesn't seem to have other close friendships like the one with him. it's also clear she cares for him when he's pruned (supposedly!) by another hunter. also, there's this other analyst/field agent mobius always brings up when we see them in her office so i wonder if it's someone who also knows about the grand lie the TVA is or is even some alternate variant of kang the conqueror who we know is supposed to be introduced in the third ant-man movie. it'd be interesting to see if kang is teased one way or another in the final two episodes.

DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU DESERVE TO BE ALONE? | the question mobius poses to loki when he starts to believe that they may be telling the truth. it's an interesting question to pose because we've been hearing it and have seen it throughout the mcu with loki. the time loop loki's stuck in, sif tells him that he'll always be alone. throughout the mcu, loki has been alone in his plans and mischief despite being surrounded by his family, his future enemies, and his people. loki has known nothing but being on his own, being his own island of chaos. as sylvie put it earlier, they're a product of the universe trying to break free, chaos. mobius knows that this nexus event has something to do with the two of them, for once, accepting that they're not alone or that they're not just a cosmic mistake, there's hope for them to be whatever they want and not just confined to their mischievous roles.

RAVONNA & SYLVIE | in the elevator, sylvie confronts ravonna about her crime as a child. it's something everyone wants to know, what does a young loki have to do to be charged and reset by the TVA? ravonna seems to know that this something she can leverage and torture sylvie with so she claims to not remember. sylvie says that it must've been important and severe enough to mess up the sacred timeline. maybe she wasn't supposed to know that she was adopted until later in her life like our loki. she's supposed to be causing trouble and be this terrible villain but what if with sylvie knowing her true parentage at such an early age, she learned to accept herself/identity and made peace with it. that's another thing that could've caused the nexus event between the two, they had found self-acceptance even at just the brink of death. maybe they're supposed to do so but later in their lives in their own timelines so that's why it's enough to destroy the TVA as mobius hinted at earlier. happy that sylvie decided to keep ravonna for information so i expect the next episode to have them in ravonna's office or still in the timekeeper chambers as ravonna tells us what is going on.

THE TIMEKEEPERS | when sylvie beheads the central timekeeper, we learn that they're mindless androids. it never ends, there's no throne to sit upon after killing them so it seems. it was all just a giant hoax but this further feeds into my personal theory that kang, one way or another, is behind all of this. what i find really interesting is how the other two timekeepers laugh when sylvie beheads one. whoever is behind controlling the fake androids, they have a way to see what is happening and communicate in real time with the TVA agents and variants. hopefully in the final two episodes we see what the hell is going on and how the TVA came to be and why.

LOKI POST CREDIT SCENE | so apparently, loki isn't reset or something of the sorts. he's actually sent to another world. i believe this is an alternate new york where we'll see president loki as you can see the remains of the old avengers tower. this makes me think about mobius' fate to be similar to loki's; possibly sent to either the same place or a similar world. we see three human new lokis here. from the credits, we have classic loki (richard e. grant), kid loki (jack veal), and boastful loki (deobia oparei). apparently there's also a crocodile!loki and i'm here for it. can't wait to see how our favorite variant gets out of it next week!

oh god, this was so rusty and unorganized but hope if whoever reads this can somewhat understand the points i'm trying to get across.

[frozenprocedural]

Fic version of the Elsarik Pregnancy + Desert Island AU? 👉👈

Outside the cave, a storm rages. Thunder echoes, and lightning lights the sky with an eerie brilliance.

Inside the cave, Elsa's body rages with deep, sharp pain. Her desperate cries fill the space between each roar of thunder as she bears down. Alarik speaks quiet words of encouragement, his face drawn and tight.

Another flash of lightning lights the cave's interior, illuminating the pounding waves below, and Elsa's mind drifts to a similar storm, the one that brought them to the island in the first place…

Waves like mountains roiled against the research boat, tossing it about with frightening ease. The crew fought for each foot, their faces set in grim determination. Radar had show the storm coming in, but its true ferocity was hidden until it was too late.

Elsa and Alarik, the only passengers, remained below deck and as out of the way as possible- they were experienced researchers, but would have only gotten in the way. They clung to one another, refusing to speak their fears, but at the same time refusing to let go.

But there was a tremendous noise, and water started rushing in. They were forced to go above deck, into the life raft that looked ridiculously tiny against the raging waters.

Their time in the raft was a blur. They clung to the sides, to one another, fighting to stay upright, to ride out the storm. The craft bucked and heaved, threatening to toos them to the merciless waves multiple times, but somehow, some way, they remained safe.

Remained alive.

"It hurts. Alarik, it hurts so much." Elsa leans against him, her arms around his shoulders, struggling to keep upright. He rubs her back, his hands almost feverishly warm against her skin.

"I'm so sorry, darling. You can do this. You are the strongest person I know."

Another contraction hits, and she groans, head hanging as she rides through it. Something gives, sending a warm rush down her legs. She gasps, clutching Alarik's shoulders.

For how long the storm held them, neither could say. But at some point in the endless rolling and heaving, the craft struck… something. It was pulled back, then struck again.

Elsa peered through the curtain of rain and realized they'd arrived at a shoreline. She and Alarik tumbled out, pulling the life raft free of the breakers and under a rock outcropping before ducking back inside to wait out the storm.

As the world raged around them, Elsa couldn't help but to wonder what happened to the rest of the crew. She hoped they'd made it out. Perhaps even they would find this island. And yet, looking out upon the massive waves, she felt a sinking in her stomach.

It could have been them.

Alarik wrapped an arm around her, and Elsa realized she was shaking.

"It will be alright, Elsa. We will be alright."

But his voice held an uncertain note.

"Shhhh, shhh darling. It's alright, you're going to be alright." Alarik kneels down, grabbing a scrap of cloth to wipe Elsa's legs clean. She's trembling, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I can't do this, oh God, it's too much, it's…" A contraction cuts off her voice, driving her to her knees. The impact they make against the stone is nothing compared to the twisting pain within, and Elsa opens her mouth in a silent scream, only faintly aware of Alarik reminding her to breathe…

They were lucky.

Lucky in that they had enough survival training, lucky in that the island allowed them to survive.

A small stream nearby provided water, and a shallow tide pool provided food. Within days, they found a cave located close enough to the two for easy access.

Despite the promising start, neither of them had a clue where they were. And while some wreckage from the boat eventually washed ashore, nothing provided them a way to contact the rest of the world.

S.O.S. and HELP were drawn in large letters, checked daily for wear, but the waters remained devoid of ships, the air empty of planes.

They were on their own.

She's gathered in Alarik's arms, clutching his shirt as he rocks her back and forth, rubbing her back and speaking in a low voice. She can't make out his words-the pain won't let her concentrate, and he had a tendency to fall back to Swedish when worried- but the sound of his voice provides a small measure of comfort.

She doesn't know how long they've been in the cave. Time on the island has always seemed different.

They marked the days on the cave wall. At first it was just tallies, then circles with an initial to indicate months as time went on,, with no rescue in sight. They'd landed near the end of August.

It was late October when Elsa noticed something different about herself. Subtle things- mostly her clothes no longer fitting quite right. She'd missed several periods, but the stress of trying to survive would have easily explained that away. The mild nausea and dizziness were also attributed to the stress as well.

But as her clothing grew tighter, Elsa's mind kept drifting to another possibility. While they weren't starving, they were eating less than they'd eaten in civilization. And she was physically active throughout each day. And her weight gain was centered around her middle.

A month later, she finally voiced her suspicion, as they prepared for another day, and her shirt grew more snug.

"Alarik," she whispered, tears gathering in her eyes. She couldn't look at him. "I think… I think I'm pregnant."

Alarik is terrified, and trying to hide it. Elsa knows- she can see it in his widened eyes, his clenched jaw. She knows he's trying to hide it for her sake, but she understands. She understands, because she shares his terror.

They're completely and utterly alone, in a raging storm, with no medical help available. Only the paltry supplies found in the first aid kit that came with the lifeboat- nearly empty now- and the desperate hope that something didn't go horribly wrong.

Elsa would reassure him-try to at any rate- if the contractions hadn't stolen her breath, narrowed her world to stabbing pain, that, even as the contractions ended, never quite left.

By what Elsa estimated to be her fifth month, her pregnancy was no longer a question. She was far too small, and her abdomen had the telltale swell.

And one day, as they collected food in a tide pool, she felt… something. At first she paid it little mind- she was too busy searching to heed what seemed to be little more than a twitching muscle. But when the feeling didn't stop, she straightened up, finally realizing what it must be. She let out a gasp, hands flying to her belly, nearly dropping the towel she'd been using to hold her finds. Alarik, not far from her, came running over.

"Elsa! What is it? Is something wrong?"

"The baby… I think I just felt the baby move."

Alarik's concerned face split into a wide grin, and, paying no mind to the water, he knelt before her. He reached his hands out, and, after her nod of permission, spread them over the swell, tears running down his face.

She knew he couldn't feel it at that point. But a month later, as they cuddled together for the night, he suddenly pulled away with a gasp. She sat upright, fear gripping her like a cold fist.

"Alarik, what is it? Are you hurt?"

But his face was a picture of pure joy, his eyes wide and teary.

"The baby. I felt it moving, Elsa! I could…" his voice choked up, and the tears rolled down his cheeks. "Our baby."

As if by instinct, he reached a hand out, pausing to get her permission. Overcome by tears of her own, Elsa took his hand and pressed it to her belly, watching the grin she loved so much cross his face.

She rested a hand on his, and let herself feel a hint of hope.

She's in their makeshift bed, curled about herself, wondering why she hasn't felt the baby move. She doesn't know if she's supposed to. She doesn't know anything, other than pain.

How long has this been happening? It feels like it's been a lifetime.

Another contraction hits, and she curls even tighter, clutching at the ragged towels beneath her, struggling to even breathe. Alarik rubs her back, his voice low and soothing despite the slight tremble in his hand.

But something's different now- through the pain, she feels something else. She turns to Alarik.

"Alarik… I think… I think I need to push." It's the only explanation she has for the sudden urge. He nods, his face pale but determined.

"What do you need from me?"

She opens her mouth, but can only manage a high-pitched moan as yet another contraction hits. Alarik moves behind her, helping her sit up with his chest against her back. He twines her fingers in his.

"I'm here. I'm here." He repeats it, a soft mantra in her ear, and she takes the brief moment her body isn't attacking her to lean against him, lacking the breath to thank him.

"I would guess that if your body is telling you to push, then it's time to push. Do what you need to. I'm right here for you."

Elsa nods, feeling the twinges of another contraction. But this time, when it hits, she bears down. Again, and again, howling and crying. Alarik is a bulwark, strong and sturdy, giving her something to press against as she pushes. He's murmuring words of encouragement, his hands no longer trembling, but steady as she clutches. She tries to concentrate on his voice, but it's hard, so hard, with her lower body tearing itself apart...

The pain grows to an impossible peak, and she wails into the storm, her last burst of energy. Something below gives, and instinct makes her tear her hands from Alarik's to catch the wet, warm bundle sliding from her. She lifts it to her chest, and the newborn lets out a cry.

Their baby- a baby girl. Covered in the mess of birth, wailing indignantly, and yet so unbelievably perfect.

Behind her, Alarik makes some strange, choked noise, and Elsa turns so he can better see. He's openly crying, one hand frantically patting around until he finds a spare shirt. He begins to wipe away the mess with a shaking hand, letting his tears flow freely.

"She's beautiful. God, Elsa, look at her! She's just…" His words are choked off by a sob, and Elsa can only nod in understanding.

"Do you think we picked the right name?"

Elsa stares into her daughter's blue eyes, smoothing back the fine red hairs on her head.

"Johanna Maria. Jenny. It's perfect."

……..

Elsa wakes to a strange sound, and it takes her several seconds to recognize it.

The baby. Their baby.

She tries to sit up, and falls back when pain lances across her abdomen. She's still recovering and her body is hell-bent on reminding her. Elsa grits her teeth, preparing to get up again, when a gentle hand on her arm stops her.

"I've got her, älskling. You need to recover."

"She might be hungry…"

"Then I'll bring her over to you. Please. You just gave birth." Alarik is up before she can make another protest, pulling Jenny from the rough-hewn cradle he'd made from a leftover storage container.

Elsa tries to tamp down the worry in her chest. Two days have passed since Jenny came into the world, and while most of Elsa's energy is spent caring for Jenny, she can't help but to wonder…

What next?

How would they raise a child on this island? They'd made it this far, true, but even now Alarik was cutting back on his shares of meals- he tried to hide it, but she knew- to ensure Elsa could feed Jenny. And what would happen if any of them- Jenny in particular- got injured or sick?

Elsa's thoughts are interrupted as Alarik returns with a fussing Jenny, his smile wide. He always smiles with her, and Elsa can relate. Despite everything that's happened so far, and the uncertainty of their future, Jenny is a bright spot in both their lives.

"She's hungry." Alarik bounces Jenny as Elsa pulls off the oversized shirt. She takes her daughter in one arm, cupping her breast with her free hand and brushing Jenny's cheek with the nipple until the baby latches on. Elsa sighs with contentment, pleased that Jenny seems to have no issue with feeding. Alarik settles beside her, as is his habit- watching with wide, delighted eyes, running a hand through Jenny's wispy hair.

The peaceful moment is broken by a low buzz, strange, yet familiar. Alarik and Elsa stare at one another, eyes wide, before Alarik leaps to his feet.

"A plane!" He's outside the cave in seconds, yelling and waving his arms frantically. Constrained by her nursing daughter and her own pain, Elsa can only watch with a madly beating heart as her husband tries to signal the growing silver dot in the sky.

Please see him! Please!

Closer and closer the plane grows, until it's directly overhead. Alarik's waving with all he has, yelling and screaming and...

The plane continues on.

She sinks back into the makeshift bed, murmuring a quick apology to Jenny when the movement disrupts her feeding. Tears track down Elsa's cheeks as she repositions her daughter, her hopes of rescue dashed. Out on the beach, she can see Alarik has fallen to his knees, his head in his hands.

Silence stretches out for several long minutes.

Then…

Another low buzz. This time from the opposite direction. Elsa sucks in a breath, wondering, hardly daring to hope. Alarik pushes himself back to his feet, shielding his eyes with a hand, before suddenly leaping into the air, waving his hands and whooping.

The plane is lower this time- much lower- and the wing closest to them dips and raises as if in acknowledgment. Again it passes them, but this time Alarik runs back to her, his face alight.

"I think they saw us."

Elsa allows herself to hope.

………

Hours pass, night falls. Elsa's hope fades with the failing light, and she tries to push back the desolate feeling in its wake. The pilot had acknowledged them- that had to be why they'd seen the wiggling wing, hadn't it?

She falls into uneasy sleep, waking to Jenny's cries- feeding, or a change of the makeshift diapers they'd created. Elsa's exhausted- they both are- and each time she wakes, the anxiety of raising Jenny- or just keeping her alive- returns, making it difficult to go back to fall back to sleep.

Alarik's doing no better. He too is awake with each of Jenny's cries, insisting on getting her, refusing to let Elsa do more than shift to an upright position.

"You're recovering from birth." He tells her.

But his eyes sport the same dark circles she's certain her own have, and she's caught him stumbling more than once.

Dawn breaks, illuminating the cave's interior. Elsa's finishing Jenny's feeding when she hears a low noise, growing closer. Both of them look up, then Alarik staggers out of the cave, looking to the sky.

"A helicopter! Elsa, it's a helicopter!"

He helps Elsa cover up and gets her to her feet. Holding Jenny close to her chest, she follows him outside to witness one of the most welcome sights- a helicopter hovering overhead, lowering a rescuer in a basket.

They are saved.

End Credits Scene

The last seven months have been hell for Anna and her family

When Elsa and Alarik, along with the crew, failed to check in, and continued to remain radio silent days later, a search and rescue team went out to their last known location, but found nothing. Anna was notified, of course, and she held a strong hope they'd be found as the search radius widened and more personnel were brought in.

By the end of the first month, with no sign, her hope began to fade. She tried, not willing to face the alternative, but with each passing day, she was forced to face what she believed to be the inevitable.

Her sister and brother-in-law were dead. And she would never be able to say goodbye to them.

How many nights had she spent curled up in Kristoff's arms, sobbing and screaming until exhaustion overtook her? Too many to count. She wasn't the only one- her shirt had often been suspiciously wet during those breakdowns, and Anna had seen tear tracks on her husband's face.

And Neta. Poor Neta, who tried to stay strong, but clearly missed her aunt. More than once, Anna had found her daughter curled up in her room, her body shaking as she tried to hide her crying. Anna would join her, pulling Neta into her arms. Even at twelve years old, Neta still curled into her mother’s arms, holding her shirt for comfort.

The call in the middle of the night had changed everything. She couldn't remember a lot of it, only the most important words.

"They are alive. And your sister had a baby."

"Mr and Mrs. Bjorgman? They're ready to take visitors now."

Anna almost knocks over her chair in her rush to stand up. Kristoff wraps an arm about her waist, and she leans into him, grateful for his solid warmth. Neta takes her other hand, squeezing tightly, and Anna squeezes back just as much.

They follow the nurse to a mother and baby room, and Anna has to take a deep breath before looking up. When she does, the tears well up immediately.

They're here. They're alive.

Alarik sits on a recliner chair next to the hospital bed that Elsa is lying in. The first thing Anna notices is just how thin they are. True, Elsa had always been petite and Alarik always lanky. But now, Anna can see the prominence of their wrist bones, the hollowness of their cheeks.

But none of it matters, because they are alive. They are alive.

Anna makes some strange, choked noise, perhaps an attempt at their names, before rushing in and enveloping both of them in her arms. Their arms encircle her, and she isn't ashamed to hear her own sobbing.

"We're here, we're here," Elsa keeps murmuring, one hand stroking Anna's hair. Alarik nods against her shoulder- she suspects he's crying harder than her. Eventually they're able to pull apart, and Anna steps aside to let Kristoff and Neta greet them. No one has dry eyes.

Before much else can be said, a reedy wail interrupts them, and all eyes look at the bassinet beside the bed. With a practiced movement, Elsa leans over and lifts up the swaddled infant, settling her against her breast, angling the baby so they can all see.

"Everyone, meet Jenny."

[ikkaku-of-heart]

"Oh? I remind you of your friend? I'll take that as hella high praise from you. Though, you're also tempting me to find this friend of yours and see if I can turn him into a drunken bear buddy for you," Ikkaku teased. Her cheeks were pink with how flattered she was at Mihawk's compliments. Especially being told the world could use more people like her.

Despite being fairly extroverted, Ikkaku had grown up isolated, both due to her island's unfair superstitions ostracizing her and her grandfather keeping people away for her protection. So when she'd finally gotten the chance to leave the fog of Joras and actually meet people, she'd learned fairly quickly that not everyone socialized in the same way, or even wanted to.

Some were outgoing and talkative like Penguin and Shachiwho could turn any meeting into a party. Others were shy like Bepo but warmed up quickly to those who were kind to them. Then some, like Law, were highly selective with who they considered friends but were fiercely protective of the ones they grew attached to. And Ikkaku loved them all because she was a woman who had so much love to give and was grateful to be accepted for who she was, so of course she accepted the people who caught her eye as they were.

"Heh. Yeah, I do end up adopting people that I take a liking to when I'm not the one getting adopted." Law was once again her prime example, having basically decided she'd be his engineer before she'd even agreed to his job offer. Not that she would have refused him, considering how he'd been the first person outside of her grandfather who'd shown admiration for her engineering skills, and he'd sailed in on her dream ship. How could she say no?

Still, the difficulty she had fully living up to the darker aspects of the pirate life made her wonder if she was a disappointment to him. Though, to her surprise, Mihawk seemed to be rather sympathetic. The World's Greatest Swordsman undoubtedly must have killed hundreds, if not thousands, in his quest and retention of the title, yet he hadn't found it as easy as she'd assumed. And he found her brave, despite probably having seen and fought some of the greatest warriors of the generation?

Well. Ikkaku was definitely blushing now.

"You're braver than most Marines too," she said, ducking her head a bit to hide the redness behind thick curls, fidgeting with the ends of her hair bashfully. "I mean, for the obvious reasons, duh, but also because it takes colossal guts to pursue your dream. Even more when your own mind starts giving you nightmares for the trouble." As surprising as it was to hear Mihawk had been so haunted, she supposed it made sense. He wasn't a monster, and they'd all been innocent once.

Peeking up at him through the curtain of hair, she said sympathetically, "It sucks you felt you needed to live up to others' expectations, though. Like I said, people are phenomenally stupid. You don't owe them anything, including living up to some image they've come up with in their heads for you. You've survived what's been thrown at you, so now you should get to live the life you want for yourself. Fuck anyone who tells you otherwise."

Finding somebody so understanding of how he was feeling most of the time when around lots of people was incredibly refreshing. Ikkaku not only lent him an ear and allowed him to get certain things off his chest without judging him, she also just let him be who he was, taking an interest in him that way rather than go on what she might have heard about him from others. People like her, he found, were quite rare. The fact that she was on Law's crew, and that the younger Warlord and himself held quite similar characteristics was also something he liked to think added to her incredibly friendly and sunny nature around him.

❝ Said friend's far from a talking bear, though I wouldn't be surprised if he could be persuaded to pretend to be one once sufficiently drunk. ❞ The smallest smirk spread on his face just from imagining Shanks doing just that. ❝ You actually remind me a lot of him. Both of you are easy-going, non judgemental, I'd even dare say you have a penchant of just adopting people into your found family and making sure they know of it every single time you meet. The world could use more people like you. ❞

As it was, however, every such cheerful and friendly soul he met had one or the other not so nice story to tell about their past, Mihawk noted. Being blamed for your own brother's death and having that hang above you any time you'd interact with your family, now that was something that even chilled him to the core. People were cruel in more ways than just one, but at least Ikkaku managed to flee such a toxic environment. The swordsman, of course, couldn't really judge as he didn't have the full story, though he also wouldn't pry. Just looking at the young woman in front of him and he could tell that those were memories best left in the past. Reopening such wounds could never end well.

❝ It takes a lot of killing to actually become numb to it, ❞ he spoke again, heaving somewhat of a sigh. ❝ It would be so much easier if there was a switch of sorts you could just turn on and off as you wish. When I first started my journey of becoming the world's greatest swordsman, I was aware of what I had to do, but no amount of mental preparation could ever ready me for the onslaught of nightmares I had, not until a couple of years later. By then people thought I was a man ready to kill without remorse and without any emotion, so I played into that. ❞ Truth be told, he didn't wish such a thing upon anybody.

❝ Just because you choose to use none-lethal gadgets in fights doesn't make you weak or a liability. Trust me, it takes a lot more courage to stand in front of an enemy, and you have more of it than most Marines I know. ❞

[snicketstrange]

Lemony is the biological father of Violet, Klaus and Sunny hypothesis.

Since I started publishing my theories, from time to time someone comes up with this question: "Do you think Violet is Lemony's daughter?" I seriously had not stopped to think about it until about 9 months ago. And I did not stop to think about it because @snicketsleuth has a very well-founded theory on the subject. And I'm too egocentric to walk on paths already made by other people. But while I was investigating Beatrice's survival, I came up against an extremely controversial hypothesis, involving not only an advanced premarital relationship, but also an extramarital relationship. A hypothesis exclusively mine, so I am free to let my mind free to work on it. I will try to write in a difficult way so that children who happen to be reading this blog do not understand what I'm talking about and end up having a very bad impression about Lemony and Beatrice. The first question is: To what extent has the chastity of the Lemony and Beatrice couple been preserved before marriage? Well, I think the answer to this question lies in TBL.

LS to BB#3 - "We will have to be more careful during our evenings together. We should stay away from open windows, even if we are outdoors, and check carefully under the bed, even if no one is sleeping in it."

Unfortunately my mind can only think of two young people spending the night together. This really supports the hypothesis that Violet may be Lemony's daughter. This along with all of @snicketsleuth 's other arguments.

Oh, right ... There are people who disregard this possibility just because Beatrice and Bertrand were on the island while Beatrice was pregnant with Violet. Everyone knows that the day of the decision happens annually, and so some people think that Beatrice necessarily spent a year on the island. But it is only a matter of re-reading a passage and observing that Beatrice and Bertrand spent only a few months on the island. They could have reached the island when Beatrice was already pregnant and they could leave the island with her still pregnant.

 Note TE chapter 10:

"That's  just  what  your  parents told  me,"  he  said.  "When  I  arrived  here  they'd  been  on  the  island  a  FEW MONTHS,  but  they'd  become  the  colony's  facilitators,  and  had  suggested some  new  customs... Your  parents  wanted  to  carry  all  of  the  documents  that  had washed  up  here  to  Anwhistle  Aquatics,  ... Others  wanted  to  keep  the island  safe,  far  from  the  treachery  of  the  world.  By  the  time  I  arrived, some  islanders  wanted  to  mutiny,  and  abandon  your  parents  on  the coastal  shelf."  ...  "I  walked  into  the  middle  of  this  story,"  ...Some  of  the  islanders  had  found weapons  in  the  detritus,  and  the  situation  might  have  become  violent  if  I hadn't  convinced  the  colony  to  simply  abandon  your  parents.  We  allowed them  to  pack  a  few  books  into  a  fishing  boat  your  father  had  built,  and  in the  morning  they  left  with  a  few  of  their  comrades  as  the  coastal  shelf flooded.  ... "You  drove  our  parents  away?"  Violet  asked  in  amazement. "They  were  very  sad  to  go,"  Ishmael  said.  "Your  mother  was  pregnant with  you,  Violet."

But what about Klaus and Sunny? Well, I'll describe here what first drew my attention to the possibility that Lemony might be Sunny's father.

TPP chapter 1: Klaus said:

"Our  parents  took  a  taxi  to  the  opera  one  evening when their car wouldn't start." "I remember that evening well," Kit replied with a faint smile.  "It was a performance of  La Forza del  Destino .  Your  mother  was  wearing  a  red  shawl,  with  long  feathers  along  the edges.... The  poster,"  Klaus  said,  as  his  sister's  voice  trailed  off.  "I  remember  it,  too.  Mother  said she  purchased  it  during  intermission,  as  a  souvenir.  She  said  it  was  the  most  interesting  time she'd ever had at the opera, and she never wanted to forget it." "The  poster  had  a  picture  of  a  gun,"  Violet  remembered,  "with  a  trail  of  smoke  forming the words of the title." Sunny nodded her head. "La Forza del Destino," she said. 

 So ... Beatrice came home radiant, and very happy after killing one or two people. I can believe Beatrice is a killer, but I do not think she's sadistic. Lemony would not like a sadistic woman. Beatrice may have killed Count Olaf's parents, but this was part of a larger plan, involving even Kit Sinicket. Those murders were part of a mission of Lemony's supporters. But either way, it's weird that Beatrice has gotten so happy at home. This is a psychological discrepancy, which can not be disregarded. So, I can only conclude that something else happened that night for her to be so unforgettable to Beatrice. I seriously mistrust what it was.

 Note this passage in TPP chapter 1-

“The  Baudelaire  orphans  did  not  know  what  perils  lay ahead  of  them,  as  they  followed  Kit  Snicket  down  the  lawn,  but  they  wondered-just  as  I wondered,  on  that  fateful  evening  long  ago,  AS  I  HURRIED  OUT  OF  THE  OPERA  HOUSE  BEFORE  A CERTAIN  WOMAN  COULD  SPOT  ME-IF  IT  WAS  THE  FORCE  OF  DESTINY  THAT  WAS  GUIDING  THEIR  STORY,  OR SOMETHING EVEN MORE MYSTERIOUS, EVEN MORE DANGEROUS, AND EVEN MORE UNFORTUNATE.”

 I believe the woman Lemony met was Beatrice. Lemony was very poetic in describing the encounter as something created by the force of destiny. And  believe the result of that meeting was Sunny. "But sunny already existed during opera night." Well, not necessarily. She may have been conceived on the night of opera, and have seen the poster at home when she was born and taken home. And the poster must have been somewhere prominent in that house, for it always reminded Beatrice of the wonderful night she had.

But what puzzles me the most is none of this. What puzzles me the most is Jacques Snicket would speak for the Baudelaire siblings on TVV Chapter 6:

 "Oh, Baudelaires," he said, "I am relieved to see that you are alive. Your parents -" 

"Your parents" what? 

As much as I think, the only phrase that seems to make sense in this context is "Your parents are alive." What else could Jacques have said about the Baudelaires' parents so urgently? "Your parents left you a fortune" ... Well they already knew that. "Your parents were murdered ..." No, Beatrice survived and Jacques was investigating just that. "Your parents killed each other" ... Well, I would not be so excited to tell this to their children. As much as I think, only one sentence makes sense: "Your parents are alive."

Jacques had told this secret to Charles. Charles said the following in TPP chapter 5:

"I care about you, Sir, and I care about the Baudelaires." If what J. S. wrote true, then their parents- "

"Their parents" what? 

What could worry Charles? Something that could affect the life of the Baudelaires, of course. Something that could affect differently than they were already being affected. Is this secret something about the past of the Baudelaire siblings' parents? I do not think so ... That would not change their situation in any way. But their parents were alive, it would affect a lot! After all, the parents would be alive and they did not know that. That is worrisome.

 Well, I know that Beatrice was alive at the time. (And if you do not know why I think so you need to read several of my previous texts). But I also know that at that moment Bertrand was dead. So the only way this phrase made sense was that Bertrand was not the biological father of any of the three Baudelaires. 

Well, you must know that I am an advocate of the evidence that Beatrice was alive at the time. But I'm also a supporter that Bertrand was dead at the time. Jacques had already discovered that there was the possibility that only one of the Baudelaire fathers had survived the fire, indicating that he knew one of his “parents” had died. Why did he start his sentence with "Your parents"? If he wanted to speak only of the mother of the Baudelaires he would begin the sentence with "Your mother." Was it because he had little time and was nervous? No ... Jacques wrote a letter to Charles, and again Charles said something about their parents ... So the phrase that Jacques really meant was, "Your parents are alive." (Remember that it's all a great hypothesis).

Well, when Jacques was about to say "his parents are alive," he was talking about Beatrice and Lemony, who were alive. Look ... Am I imagining this? No ... Jacques was investigating not just Beatrice's survival, but he was also investigating whether Lemony was alive.

See chapter 7 of TCC:

"My motto is 'give people what they want.'That's why I'm here at the carnival. I pretend to be a fortune-teller, and tell people whatever it is they want to hear. If Count Olaf or one of his henchmen steps inside and asks me where the Baudelaires are, I tell them. If Jacques Snicket or another volunteer steps inside and asks me if his brother is alive, I tell them."

I can say that if anyone else knew about the true parenting of children, that someone was Jacques Snicket. Besides being a carnal brother to Lemony, Jacques was an excellent investigator. And he knew that Lemony was the father of the Baudelaire siblings, and so he could say that the Baudelaires' parents were alive, even though Bertrand was dead.

But of course ... A question arises involving chronology ... Lemony was abroad when Beatrice was pregnant with Violet. She may have impregnated him before he left for the outside. But what about Klaus? Is there any chance that Lemony came back from abroad in time for him to be Klaus's father? Well, the answer is also yes.

Watch the passage from TGG chapter 5:

"V.F.D. isn't just a fire department," the captain said, but his voice was very quiet, as if he were talking more to himself than to his crew. "Aye – it started that way. But the volunteers were interested in every such thing! I was one of the first to sign up for Voluntary Fish Domestication. That was one of the missions of Anwhistle Aquatics. Aye! I spent four long years training salmon to swim upstream and search for forest fires. That was when you were very young, Fiona, but your brother worked right alongside me. You should have seen him sneaking extra worms to his favorites! Aye! The program was a modest success! Aye! But then Café Salmonella came along, and took our entire fleet away. The Snicket siblings fought as best they could. Aye! Historians call it the Snicket Snickersnee! Aye! But as the poet wrote, 'Too many waiters turn out to be traitors.' "

Note that since the creation of Anwhistle Aquatics until the salmon were caught, only 4 years have passed. When Beatrice was pregnant Violet Anwhistle Aquatics already existed because while she was on the island she planned to build a tunnel to Anwhistle Aquatics. When the salmon were caught, Lemony had already returned to the mainland region because he fought along with his siblings in the Snicket Snickersnee. This makes Lemony come to the area where the Baudelaire mansion was at the time of Klaus's conception most likely. But of course ... There is yet another question ... Has Lemony ever visited Beatrice at home after her marriage? And the answer is also yes. Lemony wrote something interesting in his notes in TBB the Rare Edition: 

“The Baudelaire table was not used exclusively for dinner. Its surface was handy for unrolling maps, completing jigsaw puzzles, and tracing the faces of people from photographs. One thing I remember from my time at the table was that it was always necessary to use to use a coaster underneath one’s beverage so as not to leave an unsightly ring on the wood.” 

That means Lemony was at Beatrice's house ... Probably he's been there at least a few times.

What can we conclude? Lemony's interest in the Baudelaire siblings is not only because they are the children of the woman he loved. His interest in Klaus, Sunny and Violet is because they are his biological children. And that explains a lot ... Actually, I suspect Bertrand and Beatrice have never had a normal marital relationship. Bertrand was an excellent stepfather. He created and taught his stepsons as if they were his biological children. Bertrand loved his stepchildren more than Beatrice her biologial children. And it's really a shame that he died in such a tragic way.

[catboyebooks]

after hinata leaves the last area, kuzuryuu approaches and suggests they all regroup at the vendor street to discuss their findings. (he took it upon himself to gather everyone for this, which really speaks to his character development, lmao.)

everyone minus komaeda (no one's seen him) turns up, and they start discussing their situation. there were clues to be found on this island, sure, but all of it seems like it might be deliberately misleading if not outright made up. general consensus is that the future foundation is behind the killing game, but kuzuryuu counterargues that monomi pretty much admitted to working for the future foundation and she doesn't seem to be on the same side as monokuma. souda's take is that monomi is just pretending not to be on monokuma's side, but nanami says no, they seem to genuinely hate each other. so if monomi is against monokuma, does that mean she's their ally? or is she another enemy?

souda accuses kuzuryuu of being the traitor at this point, since he argued in favor of monomi being their potential ally and therefore appears to be "siding with" the future foundation. before this can turn into a full-blown argument, though, sonia tells him to shut up and proclaims that there is no traitor, monokuma just made that up so they'd distrust each other. of course, komaeda picks this precise moment to show up.

hinata asks komaeda where he's been and komaeda, predictably, responds in an insulting and cryptic fashion. in particular he says they're going in circles, like hamsters, and then wonders aloud if that joke will get him yelled at "by that weakling who dropped out" — interesting phrasing, does he already know they're in VR? i don't remember. then he says he's been looking for someone, but it seems that person isn't here yet. or maybe they're hiding and watching? when asked who he's talking about, he says it's probably a survivor of the previous killing game. hinata thinks maybe this is about twogami, but komaeda's dismissive reaction confirms it isn't. he tells the others that if they think about it, maybe they can figure it out too. isn't it strange that someone who had already survived a killing game would die so early on?

the rest of the group is clearly getting fed up with this attitude from him, and sonia in particular tells komaeda off saying she doesn't like the version of him they've been seeing lately. komaeda laments that everybody hates him but says that it's understandable as there's no way they can even comprehend his suffering. knowing the truth is painful, he says. but he isn't going to tell the others until after they find out who the traitor is. he still hasn't figured it out himself, but he says it won't take him long. he'll "weed out the traitor, even if it costs [him] [his] life," he says. then he asks (in a rather overly enthusiastic way) if wiping out all the despair on the island will make him "shsl hope." everyone's like "okay, now you've for real lost it" and komaeda's like anyway g2g but pass a message to monokuma for me. tell him he doesn't need to provide a motive anymore. komaeda says he's planning to "go all out" and "the next one will probably be the last." then he leaves.

everyone seems to have gotten the pretty clear implication that komaeda is planning on identifying and murdering the traitor. they're worried, but sonia still insists the traitor thing has to be made up. hinata wants to agree with this, but he also worries that maybe komaeda is the traitor, or that someone else here might be the traitor and not remember it thanks to the memory wipe. souda suggests they tie up komaeda again so he can't try any murders and owari volunteers to help. hinata doesn't disagree with this plan, but he is feeling a profound anxiousness he can't shake and which he hopes is just from overthinking the situation.

they wrap up on the final island and head back to the hotel. it's already dark. no free time but we might be able to wander around and chat, i presume