"So you know Shanks, do you, little one?" I remarked.
Sabo let out a quiet sigh of relief, while Ace advanced on the kid with renewed ferocity.
"Ace, come on," I said calmly. "Picking a fight with a seven-year-old is a bit embarrassing, don't you think?"
Then I turned to the blond boy.
"Sabo, explain to me what's going on. You're the only one here with any common sense."
And that was the moment everything exploded.
"Because he's stupid, Pebble! He thinks he's going to—!"
"He's calling me names!"
"You started it!"
"I'll be the Pirate King because I decided so!"
"I'll beat him so hard he'll remember it forever!"
"Come on then! I'm strong now! I'm seven and I can beat you!"
"Well… actually," Sabo said carefully, glancing between them, "they're arguing about who's going to be the Pirate King. Ace says it's stupid, and Luffy says it isn't."
The situation slowly became clear.
Strangely enough, compared to the problem of the Golden Lion, this childish war of titles suddenly seemed like a grain of sand in the vast mill of everyday problems.
I decided to try diplomacy.
"I think you might have to wait a little longer before claiming the title of king, Luffy," I said as seriously as I could.
The seven-year-old reluctantly nodded.
"As for you, Ace," I continued, "I don't think becoming king is stupid. It's about freedom, tiger cub. That's something you don't quite understand yet."
"Still stupid," my nephew muttered, turning his head away with exaggerated disdain.
"You're stupid," Luffy shot back immediately, tugging his hat down over his head.
I watched the hat with a sentimental smile but said nothing.
"I suggest we head back to the treehouse and eat something," I announced. "We'll also need to make space in your room. Luffy will be staying with us."
The reactions appeared exactly as I expected.
Ace scowled.
Luffy beamed.
And Sabo…
"Well," I added with a smile, "I'm afraid you now have a second head to keep an eye on."
"I think I can manage," Sabo said thoughtfully. "Though I'd like to renegotiate my monthly salary."
"How much are we talking about?"
"Four."
"Robbery," I scoffed as we started walking back toward the treehouse.
Behind us Ace continued yelling at the seven-year-old I had already grown strangely fond of.
"Pebble, you're being unfair," Sabo continued calmly. "Do you have any idea how much work it takes to stop Ace from coming up with stupid ideas?"
"He comes up with them anyway," I replied. "You only have to make sure he doesn't actually carry them out."
"I'm risking my health. Possibly my life. No, I refuse to continue negotiations if you go below three."
"Hard bargain," I admitted. "Fine. Two—and I'll increase your holiday allowance by three books. That makes twenty-seven extra books a year. Add the twenty-four you already have, plus five birthday books and seven New Year books. That's more reading than you can possibly finish."
"Did I just hear a challenge?"
"Pebble! I'm hungry! What's for dinner?!" Luffy shouted from behind us.
He immediately began demanding the entire menu for the next week, apparently convinced we could eat seven full meals in one day.
Who could refuse a rich man like that?
Later that night, after the boys finally went to bed, Garp and I sat by the fire with a bottle of strong, sweet wine. The old sailor took a pinch of snuff, coughed, and stretched comfortably in his chair.
"He's already used to you," he said, glancing toward the dark outline of the house. "I'm glad he won't be alone anymore. Take good care of him, Pebble."
"He's in the best hands in the world," I replied.
At the same time a new thought crossed my mind.
I would have to go shopping again.
This time for the youngest addition to our little household.
"As for the Lion," Garp continued, "I doubt he'll come after you. In the New World there are still rumors that you're dead."
"Oh yes," I snorted, giving him a sideways look. "There are also rumors that I never existed. I'm amazed you still have the courage to look me in the eye."
I sighed, though without any real anger.
For a while we simply sat there in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts, digesting everything we had learned that day.
"You know, Ralagan," Garp said eventually, "I never imagined we'd meet like this. I always thought we'd remain enemies forever, and that the last thing I'd hear from you would be curses."
He looked toward the treehouse again.
"And yet here we are, sitting under the same tree, making sure at least two kids sleeping upstairs have a future."
He paused.
"That Sabo…"
"I know," I interrupted. "I'm not an idiot. He's from High Town and officially listed as missing. Nobility."
I leaned forward slightly.
"I don't know why nobody is looking for him. But even if they were…"
I looked at Garp with quiet determination.
"If he ran away, he had a reason. And until he tells me himself that he wants to go back, no one is taking him from me."
"I'm only a Vice Admiral," Garp shrugged. "How could I possibly challenge an Emperor?"
"Shouldn't you report it somewhere?" I asked dryly. "To some social office? An orphanage?"
Garp looked at me for a long moment.
"Would he be better off there?"