Friends, Meet Family

AU. When news got back to Tottoland that battleship of a certain Charlotte daughter was spotted within the mysterious Florian Triangle, Katakuri was tasked with the mission to retrieve his runaway little sister, with Panna and Nougat tagging along. They arrived on Thriller Bark the same night a certain rookie pirate crew made their entrance.

Reference to background events in As a Charlotte Child Ch5 Corn on the Cob and As a Charlotte Child/Family Album Ch9 Spine Lettering (Katakuri). in this chapter. I absolutely refused to let Luffy give Katakuri any nickname, since he notably didn't in canon.

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Parting Promise

"DON'T KILL HIM...!" Nougat shouted, sitting up in a makeshift mochi bed. He blinked, feeling foolish and confused.

Panna looked over from the next cot. "Oh, you're awake," Panna said, she had her blouse removed and chest bandaged in gauze. Brother Katakuri was helping her into his black leather vest, too small on himself but a suitable size on his little sister. He tugged up the zipper, covering her upper torso from view, and then pinned the collars together with her ruby brooch.

Nougat was concerned. "Sister Panna, you're hurt," Nougat said. He reached for his scarf, as was his habit whenever he was anxious, then remembered it had been ripped apart during his duel.

Panna winced. "Yeah. Mama is going to be unhappy if it leaves a scar," she said, touching her breast. "On the bright side, I won't have to wear anything that exposes my cleavage ever again."

Katakuri unwrapped the corner of his own scarf, shearing off a third of the length, and handed it over to his little brother. Nougat blushed, giving his older brother a quick flustered thanks, before once again swathing himself behind the comfort of fabric. Brother Katakuri always had a faint scent of sweet flour and safety.

"You didn't kill Zoro, did you?" Nougat asked softly.

Katakuri gazed at his little brother curiously. "Are you worried?"

Nougat's blush turned a shade deeper. "No, yes, I don't know," he murmured sheepishly. "He's kind of nice, I guess?"

Katakuri hummed. "Lie down before you pull your stitches," Katakuri said instead. He gestured to the woman with magenta curls preparing a silver tray across the gray bricked room, doctor from their own ship, so she could change the IV drip.

Nougat paled when he saw the label on those liquid bottles. "Hey wait, what are you doing!" Nougat struggled out of bed, before ducking beneath his older brother's bare arm to figuratively hide under Katakuri's protective tattoo wing. Nougat pointed an accusing finger at the contents on the medical tray. "I know saline solution means salt water, so get that thing away from me!" The young Charlotte son shied away pitifully from the doctor, mumbling in dismay, "I thought we told you to replace them all with sugar water equivalents, called... er, dex... dextrose solution?"

The woman doctor pinched her brows in long-suffering impatience. "I did, but an earlier attack on our ship resulted in seven casualties. They used up our medical provision, and then of course it would be you to immediately take a life-threatening injury," she shook her head, wondering what was wrong in the head with the royal house she served. "Apologies for my insolence, but from what I've gathered this is completely your own fault, Lord Nougat. Beggars can't be choosers, so please get back here. I am changing your IV."

Nougat complied with much whining, getting goosebumps at the thought of salt being dripped directly into his veins.

"I promise you won't feel any different, Nougat," Katakuri consoled.

Nougat pouted, but then something else occurred to him. "If we don't have any medical supply left, then where did these come from?" Nougat asked, pulling at the clear line connected to his wrist.

Katakuri turned to the doorway leading outside, as his answer.

Lola entered the room precisely at that moment, a lot more relaxed now that her friends and family weren't about to murder each other, and in her hands carried a bag indicated with the universal healthcare white cross. "Strawhat Pirates' reindeer doctor gave us these, as per our agreement, in exchange for everyone's life."

Katakuri nodded, motioning to a desk off to the side. Nougat tried to get up again. "Sister Lola, is Zoro still alive?"

"Don't worry, dear, that handsome man is resting in the next room right now," Lola replied cheerfully. "He was pushing his physical limit even before you shredded him through the stomach, but he'll live."

Nougat let out an indiscernible sigh of relief.

Lola put down the delivery, before coming to sit next to her older brother, on a rice cake stool. She seemed somewhat apprehensive now, with her hands twitching uneasily. "Brother Katakuri," Lola said, chewing on her plump lower lip. "Why did you agree to trade? I know you are fully capable of reaving anything you need from them."

"Is this not what you wished to happen, for me to spare your friends."

"It is, but," Lola sighed. "I know there is always a catch when dealing with us, Brother Katakuri. I am a Charlotte as well, in case you've forgotten."

Katakuri gazed at each of his precious younger siblings and thought back on a time in distant past, when twenty brothers and sisters were abandoned on an island to fend for themselves. Katakuri had been even smaller than Nougat at the time, yet was already forced into killing so many marine soldiers by circumstance to protect everything he cherished, again and again, while knowing deep down it was only a simple matter of time before he would fail.

First person to push Katakuri near death's door was a rear admiral that used two flamberge swords. Katakuri was pierced through the left shoulder and had his scapula destroyed by a hot blazing blade, resulting in the only visible battle scar on his body that he would later cover with tattoos, in return Katakuri hacked off that navy man's forearms and permanently ended his career. Brother Peros pulled him and Amande aside afterward, to tell him they might need to leave everyone they love behind forever, because their presence would only endanger their whole family...

... and then like a hopeless miracle, Mama came back for them all.

"That Strawhat boy's name is Monkey D Luffy, not a common surname," Katakuri eventually answered. "Warlord Kuma's suspicious action made me believe he could be related to Monkey D Garp of marine headquarters, perhaps his grandson."

Lola was confused. "What does that old navy soldier have to do with this? Do you even know him?"

"Not personally," Katakuri replied. He paused, as he carefully considered what he was going to say next, before continuing, "... but in a certain roundabout way, I owed him a life debt a long time ago."

Lola, Panna, and Nougat were all shocked by this revelation.

"... It was before any of you were born," Katakuri answered, he did not need to hear his younger siblings ask their questions. "Before Tottoland, before Big Mom Pirates. A very long time ago."

Katakuri knew, that if it hadn't been for Garp 'the Hero' killing ROCKS captain almost forty years in the past, their Mama would not have returned for them that day. Amande was nine, Brother Peros was twelve, and he was ten, ... the three of them had bounties declared on their heads like death sentence and were all stranded on an island with nowhere to escape. Their lives would likely have ended right then, their future nipped in the bud too young, if any marine headquarters vice admiral had arrived before their Mama did.

The younger Charlotte siblings were still curious, but Katakuri deemed it unnecessary to elaborate further. He just thought about how destiny worked to tie events in such poetic ways.

Katakuri tucked a loose strand of pink hair behind Lola's ear, fond, because he had missed his little sister as well. "... so you can consider my leniency, as repaying a bygone debt."

Lola nodded, accepting this explanation.

Elegant piano music drifted from outside, followed by singing and laughter and the clinking of plates. It was the beginning of a party.

"Ah, Binks' Sake," Panna said, perking up. "Can we join them, Brother Katakuri? It sounds like fun and I'm famished."

"Not sure if we would be welcomed at this point though," Katakuri said. "We were quite literally killing each other just yesterday."

Nougat wasn't listening, as he gathered mochi cushions into his arms. "I am taking these to Zoro, he'll feel much better once he has some sugar in his system."

Lola hurriedly chased after her little brother, trying to explain that normal people's body absolutely did not work that way. Nougat was already out the door though, dripping blood along the path, because his own injury apparently was doing nothing to quell his enthusiasm. Panna grinned, standing up as she took hold of her older brother's larger palm. "Let's go to the tea party."

Katakuri complied, following his younger siblings out the door. It was amazing in a way, how these people were capable of forgiving, despite never forgetting.

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Sanji twirled over when he saw Panna entering the hall, and held up a plate of delicate desserts. "I was told you have quite a sweet tooth, so I've made something special just for you," Sanji singsonged. "Slice of blackberry meringue pavlova, churros, and skyr yogurt."

"Thank you, Sanji," Panna replied earnestly, taking a cup of yogurt.

"Lola-chan also informed me the best way to bribe your brother is with doughnuts, so I've stockpiled a hundred over—hey, where did your brother go?"

Usopp hollered from across the room. "WHO ATE ALL THE DOUGHNUTS IT WAS HERE A SECOND AGO!" Usopp shook Luffy by the shoulders, pulling at his own stitches. "I bet it was you! Nobody else here can eat that fast!"

"Shishishi," Luffy laughed. "It wasn't me, Usopp! It wasn't me!"

Katakuri came back and sat down beside his little sister, a sprinkle of sugar powder on his scarf the only evidence of him having committed a gluttony crime. Panna chuckled, shaking her head.

Brook played on the piano, with everybody singing along. Franky pulled the sable antelope mink from Big Mom Pirates onto the table, and together they performed this weird dance with chopsticks up the noses and bamboo baskets in their hands. Robin chatted amiably with the cheetah mink woman, the archaeologist had her left arm in a sling. Nami and Lola finally got their chance to talk, and the Risky Brothers reconnected with that crewman from the longleg tribe, good acquaintances from years ago. At the quieter corner of the room, Zoro was awake and attempting to chug down a tankard of beer, with Chopper freaking out and Nougat laughing beside him, and together they shared a bowl of marshmallows. Panna giggled when Sanji asked her to dance, and she accepted the offer, leading that gentleman chef onto the floor.

Katakuri discreetly hummed to himself in his good mood, following the lyrics of the song, content to watch his younger siblings play. From the center of this spacious chamber, 'Strawhat' Luffy caught the Sweet Commander's eyes from his position atop the piano lid, and grinned.

Next time they met, they would not be friends, but perhaps it was for the best that they wouldn't part on hostile terms this day.

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Big Mom Pirates were ready to set sail once the party concluded in the afternoon, while Strawhats decided to recoup on the island barque for another night. Franky the carpenter and diligent shipwright helped Brook set up a respectable gravesite, and then he fixed the Rumbar Pirates ship rudder, so that Victim's Association group and Rolling Pirates had an option to leave. It was eventually agreed upon that they would accompany the smaller Big Mom Pirates commander battleship to Fishman Island, and then the New World beyond.

Lola was depressed.

Katakuri approached his little sister. "You should get on the ship," he said gently. "We'll be leaving soon."

"Yeah, but..."

Katakuri chose his next words carefully. "Weather is harsh on the Grand Line and following another ship is especially difficult during unpredictable storms," Katakuri said. "Nobody will fault you for accidentally diverging off course."

Lola blinked in surprise.

"Get on that bigger ship, Lola. Your crew needs you," Katakuri said, his fingers caressing tenderly through his little sister's silky hair. "I will report to Mama that we did not locate your ship anywhere in the Florian Triangle. It is technically, the truth."

Lola hugged her brother's thigh tightly, her voice quivered in gratitude. "Thank you so much, Brother Katakuri. You are the best."

It was not easy at all, being who they were, bearing the weight of a surname that could choke like iron chains. More often than not, freedom was a luxury hard to come by, but sometimes there would be a way to bring a little more happiness into his family. Katakuri watched his sister walk away on lighter steps, and knew he made the right decision.

Panna understood what had happened the moment she saw her older brother board their ship, alone and without her older sister by his side. "So you're really letting Sister Lola go, scot-free?" Panna asked, pursing her lips. "It will mean we have to lie to Mama. Good thing we still have that cerberus gift prepared at least."

"Does that bother you?" Katakuri asked.

Panna stuck out her tongue. "Of course not. It won't be the first time we lied for each other," she said. "I don't like it, but I'd rather not get you in trouble. Nougat, what about you?"

"Same here," Nougat replied, sitting on the ship railing and swinging his legs. "I want to get a new sword before we head home though, or Brother Newji is going to have a field day."

"We will be taking a detour, stop by a place called Sabaody Archipelago to get our ship coated. It is a popular merchant depot, we'll find a decent sword for you there," Katakuri said. He raised a hand and the mochi web anchoring their ship dissolved into the water at his silent command. Their crewmen unfurled the majestic sails, the battleship gradually carried away on the ocean currents, exiting the open mouth-gate.

Inexplicably, Katakuri chuckled. "I look forward to it," he said. Panna and Nougat gave their older brother a questioning glance.

That was when Luffy and the rest of the Strawhat Pirates suddenly showed up on the shore. "I'll find you in the New World, Katakuri!" Luffy called. "I will get stronger and stronger. Next time we meet, I AM GOING TO SURPASS YOU!"

"That guy is delusional," Nougat said, but without any hint of animosity. Panna laughed, waving at that rookie crew gathered on the coast.

Katakuri smiled. "We shall see."

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(epilogue)

For their return trip back home to Tottoland through Fishman Island, it was absolutely crucial to find an adequate ship coating mechanic in Sabaody Archipelago. Magpies chirped cheerfully among verdant foliage overhead, and Katakuri read the location written on the recommendation note in his hand.

Shakky's Ripoff Bar.

That didn't sound very promising all things considered, but if the best resin craftsman were truly there, Katakuri was sure he could come up with some offer they wouldn't refuse—

—Katakuri paused, paralyzing on the spot. The chime of a bell as the wooden door swung open from inside, an aged man walked out. Flowing silvery hair and circular glasses, vertical scar over one eye, quivering fingertips and an alcohol flask falling to the ground.

What cruel joke was this? Two and half decades of regret, or maybe...

... an unexpected second chance.

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fin.