Itachi had faced gods, monsters, and legends. But he had never encountered anything as persistent—or as completely nonsensical—as the Straw Hat Pirates on a mission.
It started with Luffy, who had made it his personal goal to add "the Crow King" to the crew before sunset. Itachi couldn't take five steps through Orange Town without Luffy popping out of nowhere—sometimes from a barrel, once from a stack of cabbages, and once, disturbingly, from inside a mailbox.
"Join us!" Luffy pleaded, every time. "We need a bird-man! Chopper wants a friend! Plus, you're so cool and calm, even Zoro's jealous!"
Itachi, who would rather face a thousand Akatsuki than answer the same question a hundred times, replied every time with the same flat, exhausted:"No."
But Luffy never lost heart. "What's your dream? I bet it's awesome. You can tell me! Or you could tell us as our newest crew member—just sayin'."
Meanwhile, Nami was working her own angle. Now that Itachi's presence had tripled her daily profits, she'd quietly added a "Crow Tax" to every sale at the dango stand. Local gossips speculated she was running a protection racket with the world's most intimidating bodyguard.
"Just stay visible, okay?" Nami whispered, stuffing coins into a locked chest. "Look scary. You don't even have to talk."
Itachi nodded, already dreading the next round of rumors.
The other Straw Hats weren't far behind. Usopp, never one to be upstaged, saw Itachi's growing legend as a personal affront.
One afternoon, he intercepted Itachi by the harbor, slinging an arm around the stoic ninja's shoulders.
"So, Itachi," Usopp began, in his best tragic-hero voice, "you've got crows, red eyes, and a mysterious past. That's cool and all—but I once defended an entire island from a 50-foot goldfish using nothing but my wit and a frying pan. Did I ever tell you about the time I lost my family to a tsunami, a volcano, and an army of zombie marines? All in the same week?"
Itachi just stared at him.The silence was so deep even the crows looked uncomfortable.
Usopp wilted. "Okay, I made that last part up…"
Chopper, peeking from behind a barrel, tried to break the tension. "What's your favorite food, Itachi? I can cook mushrooms! Or medicine! Or mushroom medicine!"
Sanji, passing by, grinned. "Don't bother. Guy probably eats only air and existential dread."
The Straw Hats gathered, sensing a story moment. Robin, always quietly observing, finally spoke up:"You're not from here, are you?"
Itachi shook his head. "I don't think I'm from anywhere anymore."
Luffy's eyes sparkled with sympathy—and a little excitement. "That's okay! None of us really fit anywhere either. That's why we sail! Join us! Or at least have some meat?"
He shoved a drumstick at Itachi. The crows immediately attacked it, squabbling over scraps.
Zoro, still rubbing his head from his last defeat, tried to keep his distance. But curiosity (and hunger) got the best of him. "You're strong. You're weird. What's your goal?"
Itachi thought for a moment. "Peace. A nap. Whichever comes first."
Luffy threw his arms up. "That's a great dream! Let's nap together after we find the One Piece!"
Usopp, desperate for the spotlight, jumped back in. "I used to have the highest bounty on the crew, you know. Back when they thought I was a criminal mastermind. They called me Sogeking, the King of Snipers!"
Itachi tilted his head. "Is that why you keep hiding behind the barrels?"
The crew burst out laughing. Usopp pouted, but secretly, he felt a little honored to be noticed at all.
The day slipped by in a blur of antics:— Sanji tried to win Nami's heart with a "Crow King Special" pasta, which the crows devoured before Nami could try a bite.— Chopper ran "medical tests" on Itachi's crows, which just resulted in a lot of pecking and Chopper hiding in a pot.— Brook appeared, trying to serenade the group with his violin. Itachi stared him down until Brook's skull jaw literally rattled loose.— Franky built a "Crow Launcher" for emergencies, which fired the crows into a fruit stand. Usopp blamed it on pirates from another island.
But in the quiet of dusk, as Orange Town's lanterns flickered on and the crew lounged together on the dock, the mood shifted.
Nami, more serious now, looked at Itachi. "You really don't want to join us?"
He glanced at the horizon, where the sun dipped into the sea—a sight that belonged to no world he knew."I have things I need to fix," he answered, quietly. "Things only I can do."
Robin nodded, as if she understood all too well. "You'll find your way."
Luffy grinned, undaunted. "If you change your mind, we'll save you a seat! Every crew needs a legend."
As night deepened, Itachi wandered away from the laughter and the chaos, crows settling on his shoulders, seagulls circling above in admiration. He watched the lights of the Straw Hat ship—so full of warmth and madness—fade into the dark.
He almost envied them. Almost.
But as always, he sighed,"This world… is stranger than Tsukuyomi."
And, for the first time since he arrived, he realized he wasn't as alone as he thought.