- The Promise.

Maya shot to her feet, her eyes never leaving mine.

"... Your eyes might fall out if you widen them anymore." I chuckled, relaxing back into my seat, ready for the barrage of questions. Her eyes relaxed but the sparkle of excitement inside of them never died down.

"P-Pirates!? Are you crazy?! I mean, how would we even go about being pirates? I don't know one thing about the sea, and I doubt you do either! I don't know how to defend myself either, and there'll be no point in being a pirate if I'm dead and my dreams come to an end!" Even though she listed every worry she had, her eyes said something completely different.

"First of all, there's not really a requirement in becoming pirates. Hell, we could be pirates right now, but I still need time and I'm sure you do too. Second, I know some things about the sea… But I need you for that. I know you like reading, so why dont you study up on maps and the weather? Become my navigator!" I encouraged to the best of my abilities. I'm not lying about her wild potential in learning. I'm pretty sure she has photographic memory… She could glance at one thing and then be able to recite what she saw perfectly a week later. It's kind of scary.

She might've actually remembered being born!

…Poor girl.

She stomped her foot and crossed her arms.

"You want me to become YOUR navigator?? What makes you think I have any interest in that? Plus, you still didn't say anything about my inability to fight! That's not going to just magically appear!" She complained. The light of excitement dying in her eyes.

"I can teach you. You'd be surprised at what I know… And for not being able to protect yourself… I can do that for you. Let me be your knight in shining armor until you can stand up for yourself with no worry in the world." I chided, smiling slightly while locking eyes with her. Maya blushed a bit but didn't retort it.

She seemed to fall into her own imagination too…

How fun…

Fake coughing, her fantasies came to an end as she was brought back to the real world. Inciting a glare of annoyance and confusion.

"Okay, so you can fight? I won't ask how, but what are you going to do against the really strong people!? What makes you think you can protect us from people with the power of the devils!?" I sighed. She's so loud… It's still night time too. If she keeps this up, we're going to be evicted!

Reaching out my palm, face up, I conjured a mini tornado within my very palm. Our hair began to flutter violently in the wind as the dust in the corners of the shack began to get kicked up as well.

Seeing that, I brought it to an early end, but it had the effect I needed. Maya's eyes widened once again, to a state that I'm sure they were about to fall out.

It was too funny not to laugh at.

"Haha! Y-you're doing it again!" I giggled, pointing at her. She came back to reality for what seemed like the millionth time. Ignoring her embarrassment, she got to the point.

"W-what the hell was that!? Y-you ate a devil fruit!? When? How!?" She seemed jealous more than concerned… I don't know how to take it.

'...If she's going to be my partner, I guess having no secrets would be better…' I mused, sighing whilst ignoring the frenzy of questions she spewed at me. Summoning Kenshikizo into my palm, her eyes widened more and her questions stopped.

The room was enveloped with an eerie silence.

'This type of silence always irks me… Makes me think I'm in trouble…' I joked mentally, but stayed stoic in person.

"...W-where'd that come from? How- You know what, nevermind… I think I'm going to pass out…" She muttered, her face draining of blood. My eyes widened in shock as she collapsed to the ground. After checking her breathing and heart, I didn't worry. She quite literally passed out.

"...I guess that was too much? Noted." I mumbled, laying her on the sack of pillows I was just laying on.

Looking at the sword that usually rests in my soul… I decided I'd waste some of this night away by training. I'll wait for her answer tomorrow morning or something.

…

The next morning, I walked down the stairs from the second floor of the shack and I was greeted with the site of a perfectly normal Maya. Hyper as always and carefree like a bird.

"Morning…" I muttered with a yawn, rubbing my eyes. My katana in my hand as I sat it down on the sack of pillows.

"Good Morning… So it was all real huh…" She asked, looking at the katana on the floor. I smirked.

"Yeah, it was. You gave me quite the scare. Passing out on me yesterday…" I added, causing her to cough and feign ignorance.

"I-I didn't pass out! I was just tired and I decided to nap!" She exclaimed, moreso trying to convince herself than me.

I chuckled but didn't say anything. Just from the tense atmosphere I'm sure she's wanting to tell me something, but is struggling with it.

"Ryu…" She finally mustered.

"Yes?" I responded.

Walking up to me, her head held low to hide her face. I stood taller than her and her head only reached my shoulders. And coincidentally, that's what she rested her head on.

Her affectionate action caught me off guard, causing me to tense up.

"Ryu." She muttered again.

"Hmm?"

"I-if, If we become pirates… If I become your navigator… You'll protect us, right? We won't die… Right?" I felt as if a weight was taken off my shoulders hearing her words. I thought that she was actually thinking of not wanting to be a pirate due to public opinion… But It seems it was because she was scared of death.

Resting my chin on her head, I felt her freeze and tense, but she soon relaxed and melted into the… Hug?

"I promise. We won't die." I said with conviction. A confidence that reminded me of my old self. The king of the Multiverse, the ruler of all…

The strongest mortal in existence.

Maya sighed, her shaking shoulders relaxing.

We stayed like this for a few more seconds before she shot backwards, her usual energetic self shining through whatever funk she was just in.

The change surprised me, but I'm getting used to it.

'She might actually be bipolar…' I wondered, but in the end. I didn't ponder on it anymore.

"Okay good! Then that means we can start my official training for Vice Captain!"

And once again… I was left stunned.