27 Chapter – 27 Experiencing a Fairy Tale

'Promise me, Zoro-kun… the world's greatest swordsman, it must be one of us. Even if something were to happen to one of us, the other person would achieve the dream for both of us!'

'It's a promise, right?'

'It's a promise!'

'I am sorry, Zoro-kun, I am really sorry!'

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In the chilly glow of the Waning Gibbous Moon, Kuina's face was illuminated as she walked toward the cliff. With each step, fragments of her life played out before her eyes.

The initial moment she grasped a Shinai.

Her premiere execution of a slashing maneuver.

The inaugural triumph against a fellow disciple at the Dōjō was accompanied by praise from Otou-sama, Okaa-sama, and Ojii-sama.

The day her Okaa-sama passed away, and the solemn vow to become the World's Greatest Swordsman made at her grave, a tribute to her memory.

The day Otou-sama shattered her dream, questioning its feasibility because of her gender. His troubled and saddened expression lingered as he conveyed this, sparking a heated argument between them.

The day Zoro entered the Dōjō marked the initiation of their first duel, followed by countless others. Noteworthy is how she emerged victorious in every one of those encounters.

The day Ryuma and Rio entered the Dōjō, signifying her initial clash with Ryuma. Subsequently, they engaged in ninety-nine duels, each ending with her in defeat.

As she reached the cliff, all joyful and sorrowful memories had already played out. With nothing remaining, only the brisk wind caressed her face. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths.

A ponderous question surfaced in her mind: "Is it true that, when facing death, one's entire life unfolds before them?" This inquiry, often contemplated by many, lingered as she stood at the precipice.

Though Kuina didn't initiate the question, she acknowledged it with an agreeable nod. "It seems that's the case," she responded.

"It seems like you've given up, huh? Are you absolutely sure about going through with this, Kuina-chan?" A familiar voice interjected, questioning her resolve. 

Kuina turned, realizing the voice originated not from her thoughts but from the person standing behind her. It was Ryuma, wearing a troubled expression. Startled by his unexpected presence, Kuina exclaimed, "Ryuma-kun, wh-what are you doing here at a time like this?"

…

Whistle, with a sharp whistle Ryuma called for Rio, then promptly leaped out of Kuina's room window, swiftly departing from the Isshin Dōjō.

Responding to the call, Rio soared beside Ryuma, inquiring, "What's up, Ryuma? Did something happen?"

Ryuma nodded, "Yes," and after a brief explanation of the situation, he added, "I must find her before she ends up doing anything stupid. I'll need your help, Rio."

Rio comprehended the urgency and exclaimed, "I got it! What are we waiting for? Let's go!" 

'More More: Thirtyfold Size!'

With a light nod, Ryuma touched Rio with his hands, and using the power of Moa Moa no Mi, he increased the size of Rio's body by a factor of thirty; making the parrot large enough for him to be able to ride on Rio's back with ease. With its enlarged body, Rio spread his wings and took to the sky in search of Kuina.

They were uncertain about how much time had elapsed since Kuina left her room, leaving Ryuma unsure of the distance she might have covered or the direction she had taken. While he can use the Observation Haki to search and locate her exact position, the search area is too vast, and his current mastery limits its coverage to the entire village, including the mountains and forest on the backside of the island. Opting for a skyward search seemed the most viable choice as he would be able to get clear of almost the entire village from the sky.

In a matter of seconds, they ascended into the sky. Standing on Rio's back, Ryuma once again harnessed the power of the Moa Moa no Mi. This time, he applied it to his eyes, increasing his 'Visual Acuity' by a factor of fifty. This enhancement allowed him to see clearly from a high altitude, enabling him to identify everything on the ground with precision.

Ryuma and Rio scoured the skies above Shimotsuki Village, and within a few minutes, they pinpointed Kuina, steadily progressing toward the cliff. "There she is!" Ryuma exclaimed, instructing Rio to descend. "Take me to her."

"You got it!" Rio responded, descending toward the ground. As Rio approached the ground, Ryuma leaped from its back, landing deftly on the cliff just behind Kuina.

"It seems like you've given up, huh? Are you absolutely sure about going through with this, Kuina-chan?"

…

"Ryuma-kun, wh-what are you doing here at a time like this?" Kuina inquired with surprise.

Ryuma sighed in response, "Really? You want to know what I am doing here at a time like this?" He fixed his gaze on her and sharply countered, "What about you? What are YOU doing here at a time like this?"

"Well…" Kuina hesitated, unsure how to answer. Revealing her intention to jump off the cliff and end her life was out of the question. After a moment of silence, she retorted, "Wait, I was the one who asked the question first, so you must answer first. What are you doing here at a time like this?"

Ryuma fixed her with a 'so that's how you wanna play' expression and spoke, "Is that so? Alright then, I will speak first, I was out for a little stroll, and this cliff with nice wind seems to be a good place to clear my mind."

"Oh," Kuina nodded lightly.

"Now that I have answered your question, you have to answer mine," Ryuma declared, then inquired, "What were you doing here Kuina-chan?"

"I… I was… I was… I was also out for a walk," Kuina answered, stammering and avoiding eye contact. "Yes, I was also out for a walk, and my feet automatically brought me here." This time, she tried her best to sound more convincing.

"Really?" muttered Ryuma, looking at her with a skeptical gaze. 

Her palms and forehead had become sweaty due to nervousness despite the cold wind brushing their skin, but she still nodded, saying, "Yes."

"Alright," nodded Ryuma, accepting her answer. Despite the evident signs of nervousness–increased heart rate and her panicked emotional state–he chose not to press her for the truth and acknowledged her excuse. 

He smiled lightly and put forth a proposal, "Since both of us are here at this cliff for a walk, and to clear up our minds, why don't we accompany each other?" Ryuma was attempting to deliberately shift her focus from a distressing and negative one to something by introducing a new activity for her to temporarily redirect her attention.

He didn't know how effective this approach would be, but it was the best thing he could think of at the spur of the moment. After all, the most crucial thing at this moment is to divert her attention. If another thought intrudes her mind at such a time, no matter how big or small, her focus will likely temporarily shift from 'Suicide.'

If something or someone were to interrupt a suicide attempt and distract you temporarily, then there's a good chance you might not want to attempt it again, at least not on the same day.

"Well…" she hesitated, but looking at Ryuma's expression, she knew for a fact that he wasn't going to take 'No' for an answer, so she accepted helplessly, "Suit yourself." What else can she do except accept the proposal?

…

Ryuma was lying on the grass, both hands resting at the back of his neck, gazing at the star-filled sky illuminated by moonlight, his golden iris reflecting the celestial beauty. Beside him, Kuina sat, legs bent, arms wrapped around them, chin touching her knees.

The duo remained silent, and the Chirring Cicadas echoed on the cliff. Although the silence wasn't peaceful, it didn't feel too awkward either, though Kuina did feel a little embarrassed, her earlier intentions were clearly seen through by Ryuma, but she was also grateful that he did not ask her any questions or confront her.

After a while, Ryuma suddenly turned to Kuina and asked a bizarre question, "Kuina-chan, have you ever wondered what it's like to fly?"

Kuina looked at Ryuma with a confused expression, "Fly? Are humans even meant to fly?"

Ryuma answered, "Well, if we are talking about whether humans have wings or not, that is from a biological perspective, then obviously, no. But I am asking a general question. Have you ever pondered over such a topic? Has the thought, 'I wonder what it feels like to fly?' ever crossed your mind?"

"I guess I do think about it sometimes," nodded Kuina. Just the other day, she wanted to become a bird and go far away from this land, and with a sigh, she added, "But such a thought, it's just wishful thinking. How can humans fly?"

Ryuma curiously asked, "And what if there was a way?"

Kuina looked at him in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Ryuma answered, "I am asking, what if there was a way for humans to fly, would you want to?" 

"Maybe," who doesn't want to fly? The sky is so free, there is no one to tell you anything, no one to stop you, no one to bother you. If she could, she would definitely want to fly, but alas, such a thing, it's just wishful thinking. After all, humans aren't meant to soar the skies like birds; if they were, God would have gifted them wings.

Ryuma hopped up and looked at her with a grin, saying, "In that case, how about I make you experience what it's like to fly?"

"Huh?" Hearing Ryuma's words, Kuina looked at him with a stupid expression. She didn't understand what he meant when he said, 'How about I make you experience what it's like to fly?'

Ryuma didn't explain; instead, he turned toward the sky and whistled. As the sharp sound echoed through the cliff, suddenly, a giant shadow appeared above their heads and landed beside them.

Taken aback, "What… what is this thing?" Kuina stood up and backed away a few steps. It was a giant bird, and Kuina could swear that never in her life had she seen a bird as large as the one in front of her.

Noting the shock and fear in Kuina's eyes, the bird said in a pitiful tone, "You wound my fragile heart, Kuina, and here I thought that we were already good friends!"

Recognizing the familiar voice and the unique colored feathers of the bird, Kuina asked, "Rio?"

The parrot winked playfully, "Don't I look amazing and strong!" and proudly puffed its feathered chest.

Kuina pointed at Rio, "How is this possible?" She turned to Ryuma, "Wasn't Rio small until morning? How did he become so big in just half a day?"

Ryuma said mysteriously, "It's magic," and without further explaining the details, he hopped on the parrot's back. Then, he looked at Kuina and said, "Come on," and added after a pause, "Although it's not the same as flying with your own wings, it is still something, and I promise you will love the experience!"

With a bit of hesitation, Kuina nodded, "Alright," and with Ryuma's help, she too got on Rio's back. Kuina was sitting in front, and Ryuma was sitting behind her. 

After the two people were comfortably seated, Rio tilted its head and questioned, "Shall we?"

Ryuma nodded, "Of course, let's go, let's make our dear friend experience what it's like to soar the skies."

Kuina also nodded, "Ye-yes!" and tightly held Rio's feathers.

Rio grinned, "Alright then, hold tight, fellas, it's going to be one hell of a ride tonight!" then stepped forward and jumped down from the cliff, rapidly descending the height and threatening to fall into the ocean.

Kuina let out a surprised yelp, "Whaaaaaa!" and shut her eyes. She was a bit afraid, her heart pounding. It was ironic—just a while ago, she was ready to leap into the same ocean from a safe cliff without fear. Yet now, she felt nervous and excited.

Ryuma exclaimed, "Woohoo!" and shook Kuina's shoulders. "Open your eyes, Kuina-chan. Trust me, you won't want to miss this!"

Responding to Ryuma's encouragement, she opened her eyes and gazed at the rapidly approaching ocean. Just as they were about to plunge into the water, Rio spread his wings and soared parallel to the waves.

Ryuma covered his mouth, emitting a high-pitched sound that humans couldn't hear. In response, various fish appeared, swimming and leaping alongside the trio. The fish and dolphins playfully jumped, splashing water into the air that sprinkled over Rio, Ryuma, and Kuina, prompting laughter from all three. 

"Open your hands, Kuina-chan, feel the cold wind," Ryuma urged, encouraging her to release her grip on Rio's coat and stretch her hands wide open.

"But... I might fall!" Kuina hesitated.

Ryuma smiled reassuringly, saying, "Don't worry, I've got you. I won't let you fall. Trust me," as he gently pressed Kuina's shoulders, ensuring that she remained seated.

Putting her trust in Ryuma's words and feeling the support of his hands on her shoulders, Kuina gradually let go of Rio's feathers and spread her hands wide open. Sensing the air pressure and the cold wind brushing against her skin, she took a deep breath and joyfully exclaimed, "This... it feels amazing!" 

"Right?" Ryuma chuckled.

They continued flying parallel to the sea for a while until Rio abruptly ascended. "Hold on tight!" he instructed, soaring straight into the sky.

"Whaaaaa!" Kuina cried out, clutching Rio's feathers once again. Soon, they were thousands of meters into the sky, flying amidst the white clouds that resembled a sea of white cotton candy. This elevated realm was the 'White Sea,' situated at a height of seven thousand meters above the Blue Sea. Viewing it from Rio's back felt surreal.

Marveling at the beauty of the White Sea, Kuina couldn't help but express her amazement, saying, "It's beautiful."

"Isn't it?" Ryuma agreed and began to explain, "This place is called the White Sea, situated seven thousand meters above the Blue Sea. What's incredible is that ships and boats can actually sail on these clouds!"

"You're joking, right? This is impossible. Wouldn't they fall through?" Kuina questioned, expressing disbelief.

Ryuma chuckled, "I'm not joking. It's true that the density of the White Sea is less than the Blue Sea, and people like us would definitely fall through if we jumped in. However, ships can still navigate through this ocean."

"It sounds absurd and unbelievable," remarked Kuina, struggling to accept the idea that such a phenomenon could be possible.

Ryuma continued, "You know, this isn't even the best part. If we were to go three thousand meters above the White Sea, we'd reach the White White Sea. It's a different place, and the most amazing thing about the White White Sea is that there are Sky Islands at that level."

"Sky Islands?" Kuina asked, taken aback. "But aren't Sky Islands just legends?"

"They're not legends. They really do exist, and people live there," Ryuma clarified. "In fact, I even know the names of two Sky Islands: Skypiea and Birka."

"Skypiea and Birka?" Kuina mumbled, trying to absorb this surprising information.

Ryuma nodded, "Yes, but they're quite far away, and a round trip would take us months, I can't take you to a Sky Island tonight, maybe sometime in the future. But isn't it amazing that such a thing exists in this world? This world is truly a marvel of wonder and imagination."

Kuina nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, it's like a fairy tale." She couldn't deny the beauty of the White Sea; it was surreal, and for a moment Kuina even wondered whether everything before her was real or just a dream.

Reflecting on the experience, she added, "I never imagined that one day, I would get to experience something like this. I always thought humans were not meant to soar the skies; I believed that such an experience was only for birds and creatures with wings and that flying was impossible for humans since they do not have wings."

Ryuma stated, "Always remember Kuina, there is nothing impossible in this world." He paused and continued, "If you feel that something is impossible, then that means one of two things. The first possibility is that your vision is narrow, in which case you need to widen your horizon and gain more experience. The second possibility is that it hasn't been accomplished before, in which case you have to work hard and become the first person to accomplish it!"

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Author's Note:

I am not certain whether the White Sea exists everywhere in the World (in small patches), or it is exclusive to the Grand Line and the New World, I don't remember it being stated in the Manga, anyway, let it exist above the Blue Sea as well in this fanfic.

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