Ningyohime, Shirahoshi.

Fishman Island, Ryugu Palace.

"Are you okay?"

"Thank you, my lord... but I don't think it was necessary to use this many bandages..."

The massive and beautiful girl was in her room with her parents and Veyron. However, at this moment, there was no beauty to be seen because the young man had levitated her body and wrapped bandages all over her like he was preparing her for an oven. What remained was not the beautiful mermaid princess, but instead, the beautiful mummy princess.

"What are you talking about? You received a discharge of twenty million volts! It was enough to fry any fish in the sea!" He worriedly checked her up, his astonishment only growing upon realizing that this girl was only twelve years old!

She certainly didn't look her age, but he had a lot of experience with that.

"Is that a lot?" She cutely leaned down, moving away the bandages that covered her mouth as it was uncomfortable to speak. Her body had been burned to the point that she had gained a tan on her skin, and her supple scales had been scorched as well. But he was reassured to learn that those scales naturally replaced themselves throughout the year, like nails.

"Twenty million volts is an enormous amount of electricity! I'm surprised you're even able to speak."

"My Shirahoshi is a strong little girl -jamon!" The gigantic, bulky man with a big beard approached his daughter to rub her head, but by then, the girl's eyes were fixed on the young man who had made her 'float' as if she didn't weigh anything.

In a corner of the room there was also a massive shark that went by the name of 'Megalo' and was the princess' pet, he didn't know who in their sane judge would allow her to have such a dangerous pet, but this was the One Piece world. 

Even now, Veyron was levitating, albeit unconsciously, as he needed to do so in order to reach her because she was so large. For a moment, it made him think of two people who were also quite large. When he tried to recall them, a void feeling returned, souring his mood.

"Thanks for helping us, Lord Veyron," the blonde mermaid noticed that something was not right with him, and they thought they had done something wrong.

"Please just call me Veyron... It is my fault that she got shocked anyway, and I should be the one apologizing." He bowed slightly, making them anxious.

"Please don't! We told Shirahoshi she shouldn't have gotten into the water, right, girl?"

"Uh-huh..." The mermaid princess pouted and nodded.

"Thankfully, she's a really strong girl -jamon. Nothing catastrophic happened, so let's forget this incident."

"Are you sure it's okay for us to call you that? To be honest, we already knew you were on the island, but we didn't know how to address you. Are you sure you'd not prefer if we address you as God?" Veyron was already sulking, and Otohime was making things even more awkward.

Her problem was that she didn't know how to behave around humans in general, and dealing with powerful individuals made her even more clueless. It was the same with Whitebeard, but due to the old man's age and experience, he was a lot easier to handle. Shanks, on the other hand, was always drunk. Then there was Veyron, who looked like the most 'rational' person among the three.

Overall, she didn't want to disrespect him in any way, and her anxiety was starting to affect Neptune as well.

"Please, no... Veyron is okay. It is my pleasure!" He stretched his hand, and Otohime grasped it as if expecting something. Veyron's eyebrows twitched, and he kissed the back of her palm, making Otohime smile brightly.

"The pleasure is ours, Veyron... I'm Otohime~ and this is my husband, the King of the Fishman Island."

"I go by Neptune -jamon~. You can release my wife's hand now -jamon." It was amazing how quickly his mood changed just from half a sentence!

!!!

"Sorry!" He realised by the time he tried to take his hand away, that it had been Queen keeping it in place much to his confusion. 

Otohime giggled and gestured to her other children. They introduced themselves one by one.

"Fukaboshi!" announced the oldest son.

"Manboshi, it is our pleasure, Akkamanbo!" chimed the youngest son.

"Ryuuboshi, hope you enjoy your stay on the island, la-si-do!" added the middle son.

By the end of their introductions, Veyron was more than a bit confused by their mannerisms. They truly seemed to take after their father. Then there was the last one, the biggest troublemaker but also the family treasure.

Shirahoshi was behind him, passing her arm underneath and above him as if to confirm that there was nothing holding him in place and there were no tricks to this 'magic'. When he noticed what she was doing, she flinched a bit before hiding her face.

'She's so cute it's dangerous! I have to stay away from her...'

"This is our little treasure, Shirahoshi, please take care of her in the future~."

"Eh? Sure...?" He didn't know what Otohime meant, and Neptune was looking at him as if he were a corpse, but affirmation seemed to be the only answer.

Otohime giggled and invited Veyron into the main palace now that Shirahoshi had been treated. The girl was told to stay in her room and rest, but she still followed them around. The palace, unlike the rest of Fishman Island, was underwater. Each individual room had a bubble protecting it and making it waterproof, but all the halls were flooded with water. It was a bit odd, but Veyron still marvelled at the intricate patterns and colours of this palace. It was gorgeous.

He was taken to a table, and they gave him a device with which he could create his own bubble, but he waved his hand in refusal, using his own powers. His existence was a mystery to them. He clearly had a Devil Fruit power related to lightning, but that still didn't explain how he could perform all these seemingly fantastical feats.

All the princes took their places at the table. As for Shirahoshi, she lay on her back and picked him up with her tail before placing him on her stomach, smiling.

'Girl, I'm not your toy!' Even then, with how cute she looked, it was just impossible to decline. One would need to have the harshest stone heart to reject anything she did. Without saying anything, he just took a seat on her stomach and faced the King and Queen nonchalantly.

Once again, the family laughed, except Neptune. The fishman wasn't laughing at all.

"We had wanted to talk to you, Veyron. Would you allow us?" Otohime started, asking her subordinates to prepare some appetizers.

"There is no need to be polite. Your palace truly warms one's heart. I may try to create some underwater facilities in Rusukaina after coming to this island."

"Do you wish to create an artificial underwater island?~."

"I have a Sky Island, so I'd only be missing an underwater island," he declared as if it was nothing. But his proud declaration was met by a slight retort and suggestion by Otohime, who first gave her husband a furtive glance.

"Why create another one when there is already Fishman Island...? Why not join us in there?"

"Ho?" He wouldn't say he didn't expect it, but after spending a bit more than a week in Fishman Island, he couldn't understand why this woman was so adamant about taking them to the surface when peace reigned here.

"It is as she said -jamon. I believe you must be wondering why Whitebeard and Red Hair Shanks asked you to allocate some Fishmen on your island -jamon."

"Indeed..."

"That was my personal request -jamon."

Otohime blushed a bit, "My husband seems to be doubtful about whether I can accomplish my task or not, to take us to the surface."

"You know that's not it, Otohime..."

"Hmph!"

"Mom, don't be angry, la-si-do..."

They tried to appease her.

Veyron's forehead sweated a bit. These two were having a row in front of a guest.

"Context?"

Neptune coughed a bit before beginning his explanation.

"My wife has an ambition. She hopes we Fishmen can achieve our long dream of living on the surface together with humans. We receive sunlight but merely through the roots of the tree eve. As you may have noticed, we love water, but we also love spaces where there is plenty of air to breathe. It would be a dream for us to receive the sun directly!~."

"Why do you want this?" Veyron tilted his head in confusion.

"Eh? Because the surface is more spacious? Also... we want to receive the sun," he stated again as if Veyron hadn't understood that part correctly.

"You Fishmen are a race that thrives in water. I'd understand if you want this island to be located closer to the surface, but why would you want it to be on the surface at all? There are many ways to achieve this dream of yours without necessarily handicapping your natural habitat."

The king and queen were left speechless.

"You're truly like Whitebeard said -jamon."

"What did the old fart say?"

"... old fart".

They've never seen anyone speak like that about Whitebeard, except for Shanks. But even he wasn't that disrespectful.

"He said you're not one to keep your tongue in your mouth. If there is something that you have to say that could cause animosity in other people, you'd still say it," Otohime declared, "I've been fighting for the Fishmen to live on the surface for seven long years, and now you tell me that it is not necessary?~."

"Eh? But it is the truth, Otohime... you Fishmen are hated on the surface. The way humans see Sea Kings is the same way they see Fishmen," he declared without the slightest bit of tact.

"..." They soured, depressed just like their children.

"But this is not a bad thing... it is the natural process of things. Everyone is afraid of what's different from them. If anything, your heart that's capable of accepting humans despite their differences is the bigger one, the more condescending one, Otohime."

!!!

"I'm telling you not because I want to shatter your dreams; your dreams are honourable and beautiful," Veyron's voice carried sincerity. "I'm telling you because... it may not be as you expect up there, and your long fight to achieve this dream may leave you with a bitter taste once you realize that you were way better off staying here."

His words resonated with truth. On the surface, there were wars and anarchy perpetuated by a government that sought to control its subjects. The only reason places like Rusukaina, Amazon Lily, and Shandora were able to flourish as technological powerhouses in the world now was that they had a protector—a guardian, a deity, a god.

And he wasn't the only protector, he knew if he were to be absent Primrose and Mihawk would do the utmost to keep that place safe.  Otherwise, a Buster Call would have ended everything, just like they tried to do with Rusukaina.

Otohime gasped, her eyes moistening with unshed tears. No one had ever told her that wanting to live in peace with humans and respecting their existence was a noble endeavour. Similarly, no one had ever acknowledged that her dreams were indeed honourable and beautiful.

If anything, it had often felt like she was fighting this battle alone, as if everyone else was against her. While many Fishmen wished to go to the surface, few were willing to put in the work and effort required to achieve it.

"*sob* thank you!" Otohime lunged at Veyron, embracing him tightly as tears flowed freely, leaving everyone in the room utterly speechless.

"E-Eh..." Veyron, somewhat taken aback, embraced her back. He resisted the scornful look from Neptune, Otohime's husband, who sighed and let the moment be.

"That said, I understand what your desire is... so basically, Neptune... you no longer believe the World Government can make Otohime's dream come true." He then released the sobbing Queen who funnily enough took a seat on her daughter's stomach while Shirahoshi tried to comfort her. 

"That's right -jamon. Instead, I believe that you can, Veyron... that's why we'd like to form an alliance with you."

"Are you sure? Aligning yourself with me is the same as going against the World Government, Neptune, Otohime... I'm the enemy of this world. I don't know if I can shoulder this responsibility."

At first, he had become the guardian of Amazon Lily. At that time, he had been naive and thought an alliance was nothing more than an exchange of goods. Then, when he slaughtered Enel and Peter, the natural order of things was to become Skypea's God.

He had never deliberately 'conquered' any place. If there was such an example, it would be Rusukaina, but that was him and Mihawk just looking for a 'home'. A home in which many other races ended up converging.

It was one thing to become the 'guardian' in the name like Whitebeard had; it was a different matter to take a whole Island under his care and be responsible for their safety, even if they served him. He'd even have to move the Fishman Island away from the Red Line, which he didn't even know if it was possible. This island was just gargantuan. Way bigger than anything he had moved before with his Psychokinesis at least three times the size of Amazon Lily, and lifting up that island ten kilometres into the skies had been a nightmare. If he ever tried though, due to the island being underwater the task was bound to be easier.

"We understand -jamon. But if it is too much weight on your shoulders, please tell us. Whitebeard is the protector of the Fishman Island in name, and we are also allied with the Red Hair Pirates. But in reality... if any troubles were to arise, we'd have to deal with them on our own. That's how it has always been."

"All we wish is to see the sunlight one day, straight from the source." She took his palms and begged him to understand, it was like the childish dream of a little boy who once longed to see the skies and fly without the need for an aeroplane.

One dream he had ended up achieving in this world.

"I'll see what I can do... right now, I have other matters worrying me, but allowing you Fishmen to live in my islands is not an issue!"

"Is there anything we can help with -jamon?"

"Anything!" The children joined in. He was about to reassure them when a fishman came to the table where they were having their conversation. He was like a seahorse!

"Minister of the Right?"

"My king, it is just to announce to you that a massive fleet with eleven ships has arrived on the island. They're the Kuja Fleet!"

"Wonderful -jamon! Isn't that what you were waiting for, Veyron?" The man slapped his back, but Veyron held his head in apparent pain for a second. Whenever he tried to remember the girls, his mind felt like a fiddle to the point he was even getting worried at how unnatural all of this was.

"But that's not all, sir! Another single high-speed vessel has arrived. It is Admiral Shironeko!"

"Ugh." This one he remembered, and he knew she was about to give him some headaches.

***

Note: At this point in Cannon Shirahoshi is supposed to be way younger because there are still about seven or so years before Cannon starts, but I'm going to change that in this fic as there are not many remarkable events in those seven years that will affect my story. Hence why I'll rush it and make canon start in two years. That's why Shirahoshi is 12 y/o (She is supposed to be 16 after canon time skip).