The Embercloud floated effortlessly above the frozen waters, its massive form casting a shadow over the icy waves. Snowflakes swirled through the air, catching the light as they descended onto the cloud fortress. At the front of the aerial stronghold, Yamato stood with a rare look of wonder in her eyes.
Despite the biting cold, she wore nothing to shield herself from the elements. Instead, she basked in the snowfall, her lips curling into a soft smile. Snow was nothing new to her—she had grown up in the harsh winters of Wano's Mountain—but it felt different here, on the open sea, surrounded by the boundless sky. It felt… peaceful.
Behind her, Nojiko, Nami, Kaya, and Carina immediately devolved into a chaotic snowball fight, their laughter echoing through the air as they pelted each other with hastily formed projectiles. Kaya was the most aggressive, launching a rapid assault on Carina, who shrieked and hid behind Nojiko. Nami took the chance to bury all of them in a miniature avalanche with a well-placed kick to a pile of snow.
Kuina stood with her arms crossed, observing the falling snow with mild interest. Though she didn't join in, a rare smirk tugged at her lips as she sidestepped an incoming snowball with effortless grace.
Desire used her Devil Fruit to store the snow inside her cards, testing to see if she could use it for combat later. Alvida smiled, watching the others with nostalgia in her eyes.
Porche leaned against the railing smugly, watching the East Blue girls act like children. "You guys have seriously never seen snow before?" she teased. "It's just frozen water, you guys act like children."
Her words were met with a flurry of snowballs flying directly at her. Squealing, Porche ducked, but she wasn't fast enough to avoid all of them. Nojiko's well-aimed shot smacked her right in the face.
Reiju remained unbothered. She sipped a steaming cup of tea, watching the chaos unfold with a small smile but making no move to participate.
Despite coming from a world where clouds were their terrain, Conis found the earthbound snow utterly fascinating. She giggled as she scooped up handfuls of it, eagerly joining the battle. Raki stood quietly beside Yamato, simply taking in the breathtaking view.
Suu pranced through the snow, her white fur blending into the surroundings as she playfully pounced on falling flakes.
And at the heart of it all, Jacob stood with his hands in his coat pockets, watching with a soft, content smile.
There were no battles, enemy forces, or ambitions to chase momentarily.
Just the warmth of his crew enjoying the fleeting beauty of the snowfall.
***
The ship with the elegant swan figurehead glided out of the narrow channel of Whiskey Peak, its sails billowing as it caught the wind. Onboard, the atmosphere was tense but determined.
Nefertari Vivi stood near the ship's railing, her light blue hair swaying in the salty breeze as she addressed the crew. Beside her, Igaram adjusted his coat with a worried frown, his ever-watchful gaze scanning their surroundings.
Across from them, Luffy lounged with his usual carefree grin while Zoro leaned against the mast, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Borodo sat nearby, listening intently, and Honey Queen idly played with her golden locks. Sanji was caught between sipping his drink and sneaking glances at Vivi and Honey Queen.
Vivi took a deep breath before speaking. "Arabasta has been taken over," she said, her voice steady despite the weight of her words. "The one responsible is Mr. 0… or Crocodile."
Zoro's eyes narrowed slightly at the name while Borodo blew a low whistle.
"One of the Seven Warlords, huh?" Zoro muttered. "But shouldn't Warlords protect Royalty?"
Vivi nodded, gripping the eternal pose in her hand. "On paper, yes. That's why he uses underhanded methods. We have to stop him before my country falls apart completely. This external pose will take us straight to Arabasta."
Luffy, still chewing on a piece of meat, grinned. "Then let's go kick his ass!"
Sanji exhaled a long stream of smoke, glancing between Vivi and Honey Queen with a smirk. "Saving a beautiful princess from a tyrant? That's exactly my kind of mission."
Honey Queen rolled her eyes, but there was amusement in them.
The ship picked up speed, the crew braced themselves for the challenges ahead.
***
The two intruders moved with precision inside Drum Castle's dimly lit chambers. The grand mirror in the corner rippled like water as the female figure stepped out first, her dark attire blending into the shadows. She raised a hand, forming a shimmering bubble barrier around the opulent four-poster bed, where a large, rotund man snored loudly, oblivious to their presence.
The male figure followed, his eyes locked onto their target. Taking a steady breath, he exhaled a focused stream of hot plasma onto the sleeping man's chest. The heat pulsed and shimmered, yet it didn't burn flesh—instead, something far stranger happened. A deep purple fruit, shaped like a plum and covered in swirling patterns, materialized on the sleeping man's chest.
He inspected it briefly before moving on.
Their next destination lay just down the hall. They entered another lavish room occupied by a thinner man with an upturned nose. The male intruder repeated the process, this time extracting a different fruit—a mushroom-shaped Devil Fruit, its surface ridged with spiraling grooves.
With their mission complete, the female figure nodded at her partner. Without a word, they both stepped back into the grand mirror, their forms vanishing into the shimmering surface. The room fell silent once more, leaving no trace of their presence—except for the missing Devil Fruits.
***
Carina and Jacob stepped out of the mirror in the Embercloud's navigation room, their reflections rippling and solidifying into reality. Carina adjusted her gloves while Jacob clenched his fists.
Nami, seated at the helm while talking to Nojiko, turned at the sound of their arrival. "Done with your little errand?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Jacob smirked. "Yeah. Change of course—we're heading to Arabasta."
"Arabasta?" Nojiko echoed from the corner, arms crossed. "Why the sudden detour? You said that we will plan the heist of Punk Hazard?"
Jacob leaned against the navigation table, glancing at the maps across it. "Because there's a Warlord I want to visit."
That got everyone's attention. Nami's expression hardened slightly, but they adjusted the Eternal Pose, setting their course. "Crocodile, huh? You sure this is a good idea?"
Carina chuckled, stretching lazily. "When have we ever stuck to good ideas?"
The ship's engines thrummed as the Embercloud shifted direction, sailing through the wintry sky and leaving the Drum Kingdom behind.