The Queen's Grace had settled into a quiet corner of the White Sea after their recent battle. Kaito intentionally guided the ship away from Enel's direct attention for now, giving the crew time to recover, to regroup—and most importantly, to grow.
The skirmish with the priests had been a sharp reminder.
They weren't ready yet.
They had potential, but it wasn't enough to cruise through the Grand Line, let alone Skypiea, without consequences.
If they wanted to continue sailing in this world, they had to sharpen their edges.
Everyone understood this without Kaito having to say it aloud.
And so, the training began.
Aisa's Growth – Sniper in the Making
Aisa's reckless bravery had saved lives, but her control over her Observation Haki was dangerously unstable. Kaito knew that if left unchecked, her uncontrolled haki would one day lead to disaster.
So, he called Kuina and Khalifa to personally oversee Aisa's training.
"No more wild bursts," Kuina said, tossing a small stone into Aisa's hands. "You'll learn to listen before you act."
Aisa groaned but caught the stone anyway. "Why can't we just fight already? I hate sitting still!"
"Because," Khalifa added, her tone sharp but not unkind, "a good sniper doesn't just shoot. They wait. They calculate. They predict."
Under the endless white skies, Aisa was drilled relentlessly.
Her mornings were spent running across the cloud plains, tracking Kuina's footsteps without relying on sight.
Her afternoons were filled with perception drills, learning to feel the faintest vibrations through the cloud surface.
At night, Khalifa tested her patience, forcing her to aim at moving targets while the rest of the crew created distractions around her.
At first, Aisa failed repeatedly.
Her haki would surge and collapse, her breathing unsteady, her frustration building.
But day after day, failure after failure, she adapted.
Her young body remembered.
Her instinct sharpened.
One evening, as the sun bled gold over the white sea, Aisa finally succeeded in hitting a floating shell from over three hundred meters, her haki steady, her aim true.
Kuina smirked. "Not bad."
Khalifa crossed her arms. "You're still rough. But you're getting there."
Aisa grinned, her hands trembling with excitement. "I can do better tomorrow!"
"You will," Kuina said simply.
Aisa's growth wasn't just in strength—it was in trust.
For the first time, she had people who didn't abandon her, who stayed, who trained her, who fought with her.
It changed her.
Slowly.
Steadily.
Conis's Recovery – A New Song
While Aisa's training was intense, Conis faced a quieter challenge.
Her harp had been cracked during the battle when she shielded Aisa, and though she pretended it didn't bother her, Kaito saw the way her hands lingered over its damaged frame when she thought no one was looking.
One afternoon, Kaito found her sitting alone by the ship's railing, carefully attempting to restring the broken instrument.
"Doesn't look like it'll play the same," he said, settling beside her.
Conis sighed. "It won't. The sound's changed. It's… different now."
"Maybe that's not a bad thing."
She looked at him, puzzled.
Kaito smiled. "You're not the same person who first played that harp, remember? Maybe the music's supposed to change with you."
Conis's eyes softened. "But I liked how it sounded before."
"Yeah, but you're writing a new song now. It won't be perfect, but it'll be yours."
For days, Kaya helped Conis carefully repair the harp, and Carmen even found special sky tree resin to seal the cracks.
When Conis finally played again, the music was deeper, richer.
A little broken, but beautiful.
The crew gathered on the deck as her song drifted over the sea.
Aisa leaned against the railing, humming along.
Khalifa closed her eyes, the faintest trace of approval on her usually guarded face.
Nojiko tapped her foot lightly to the rhythm.
Kuina's lips twitched in the barest hint of a smile.
Carmen grinned as she stirred the sky shrimp stew, pretending she wasn't listening.
Kaya clasped her hands together, fully absorbed by the melody.
And Kaito simply listened, knowing that Conis had finally found her place—not as a fighter, but as the heart that could keep them whole.
But peace rarely lasted.
One morning, Nojiko burst into the captain's quarters with news.
"We've picked up dial signals," she reported. "Another blue sea ship is sailing nearby—navigating toward Upper Yard."
Kaito's eyes flickered with interest. "Luffy?"
"Confirmed. Straw Hat crew."
Kaito's grin widened. "Perfect. Let's pay them a visit."
The Meeting in the White Sea
The Queen's Grace sailed smoothly across the white sea, following the path Nojiko had plotted based on the dials.
It didn't take long before they spotted the Going Merry gliding across the clouds.
Kaito's heart quickened—not from tension, but from excitement.
This was the moment he had envisioned when he first set sail.
The meeting of two crews—parallel paths intertwined, not by fate, but by choice.
As the ships drew closer, the Straw Hats were quick to react.
Luffy, perched at the bow, grinned broadly and waved energetically. "Oi! It's Kaito's crew!"
Zoro glanced over, a rare smirk on his face. "Took you long enough."
Nami, ever the sharp-eyed navigator, furrowed her brow. "Weren't they last seen in East Blue? How did they end up here so fast?"
Sanji, lighting a cigarette, gave a slow nod of acknowledgment. "That's the crew that Carmen mentioned in Lougetown, right?"
Usopp peered through his goggles, instantly spotting Kaya aboard the Queen's Grace. His face lit up. "Kaya! You're sailing with them now?!"
Kaya smiled warmly from their deck. "Usopp, it's good to see you again."
Across the water, Carmen gave a playful salute. "Sanji, your cooking still terrible?"
Sanji's eye twitched. "You wanna compare dishes, sky girl?"
Conis, standing beside Kaito, whispered nervously. "They seem… lively."
"They are," Kaito chuckled. "But don't be fooled. They're strong."
Luffy cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted across the distance. "Let's meet on that nearby island! We can eat together!"
Kaito grinned and shouted back, "Race you there!"
"You're on!"
Both ships surged forward, their crews laughing as they dashed toward the designated island.
The playful rivalry reignited, but beneath the surface, both captains knew the importance of this encounter.
The Queen's Grace docked moments after the Going Merry.
Luffy leaped ashore first, his infectious energy impossible to ignore. "It's been a while, Kaito!"
"Yeah," Kaito replied, extending his hand. "Good to see you again, Luffy."
Their handshake was firm—not as enemies, not as friends chasing the same treasure—but as rivals charting different skies.
Zoro approached Kuina, a quiet understanding passing between them.
"You've gotten stronger," he said simply.
"So have you," Kuina replied, her swords resting calmly at her side. "One day, we'll settle this."
"I'm counting on it," Zoro said.
Nearby, Sanji and Carmen immediately fell into another cooking debate, their friendly bickering drawing laughter from both crews.
Kaya and Usopp reunited briefly, sharing stories of their journeys since East Blue.
Nami and Nojiko exchanged navigational notes, half-competing, half-teaching each other about the unpredictable skies.
Chopper quickly bonded with Aisa, fascinated by her observation abilities and her independent spirit.
Even Robin, though distant, quietly observed Conis's harp, nodding in appreciation of the repaired instrument.
The two crews spent the afternoon sharing stories, food, and light training matches, neither side needing to prove superiority—just mutual growth.
When evening approached, Luffy stretched lazily. "We're heading to Upper Yard tomorrow."
Kaito's grin didn't fade. "So are we. But we're not here to take your adventure."
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "What's your plan, then?"
Kaito's gaze turned toward the horizon. "We're here to find our own song."
Nami gave him a curious look. "Not interested in the treasure?"
"Not interested in the title. Freedom's the only treasure I'm chasing."
Luffy's grin widened. "I like that."
They didn't need to say more.
Their rivalry wasn't about who would become king.
It was about who would live their adventure to the fullest.
When the two crews finally parted ways the next morning, there were no heavy goodbyes.
Just nods of respect.
Just promises to meet again.
And perhaps, one day, to clash for real.
As the Queen's Grace sailed forward, Conis looked back at the retreating silhouette of the Going Merry.
"You really don't want to be Pirate King?" she asked Kaito.
"Nah," Kaito replied, resting his arms behind his head. "I just want to enjoy the journey—with my crew, my family. That's enough for me."
Conis smiled, her fingers brushing the strings of her newly repaired harp.
"I think I finally understand the song I've been trying to play."
Kaito's grin widened. "Good. Because we've got a lot more of the world to see."
And the Queen's Grace sailed on, into skies filled with storms, with battles, with rivalries, and with freedom.
The real journey was just beginning.