Suzu-chan came to this island more than eight years ago.
Like she said, she doesn't remember much from back then… but what's clear is that she wasn't originally from this island—or even from this country. She was born in a place called Wano Country.
At least I'd heard the name. It surfaced dimly, the way half-forgotten details do when you've read the original One Piece.
If I remembered right, Wano is a closed nation protected by warriors called samurai—fighters so formidable that even the World Government doesn't casually interfere.
Given the name and the word "samurai," it's probably a Japan-inspired country… but that's about the extent of what I knew.
Back to Suzu-chan.
She was born in Wano, but for reasons unknown, she left more than eight years ago and drifted the seas with her grandfather and grandmother.
Eventually, their wandering brought them here—Poison Island, also known as Uubasuten Island.
It was simply rotten luck that the land they washed up on was this extreme. Their ship had been wrecked beyond repair, and with nowhere else to go, Suzu-chan and her grandparents made this island their home.
Not long after, the island's tainted food took them. Poisoned by what they ate, both grandparents died.
Suzu-chan was left alone—and she was still far too young to survive by herself. It should have been hopeless.
But the elders of the island reached out.
To them, Suzu-chan was the age of their own grandchildren. Her presence stirred memories of children and grandchildren they'd left behind in their homeland.
No one could bear to watch a child that small starve… or die of poison.
So the relatively spry elders—those who could still move—took turns climbing the mountain to gather safe, untainted wild plants and fish, feeding Suzu-chan what they could.
The others tended to her daily needs.
Raised on that kind of care, Suzu-chan grew up strong and healthy.
But they were old. Frail by nature, and worn down by years of poison. Their efforts couldn't last forever.
Eventually, weakened by age and the lingering effects of toxins, they could no longer climb the mountain—couldn't even keep up with their own chores.
By then, Suzu-chan had grown into a capable young girl, able to manage many things on her own. And that's when she began repaying what she'd been given.
She didn't just learn to take care of herself. To make sure the elders had access to as much safe food as possible, she cleared land near the summit and established a farm, cultivating all kinds of crops.
She runs it by herself, every single day. When she harvests vegetables, fruits, or grains, she carries them down the mountain—like we saw earlier—and distributes them to everyone.
And it isn't only crops. She fetches water, and if she catches fish or finds anything fresh, she brings that too—giving it to the elders and keeping almost nothing for herself. When she does eat, it's usually the bruised or overripe scraps—the things too tough for old teeth.
She's been living like that for years.
"…To tell you the truth," Suzu-chan said, voice quieter now, "when I was little, I lived here without understanding anything. I didn't realize what kind of place this was, what Grandpa and Granny went through, how much they suffered… I didn't even understand that their sacrifices were the foundation of my life. I just took it for granted that someone would provide for me. I lived selfishly—soft, spoiled, not thinking at all."
"Well," Leona said, frowning like she couldn't quite accept that kind of self-blame, "what else were you supposed to do? You were tiny back then."
Wait… she's only twelve?
She's still just a kid. She should be allowed to be spoiled. Allowed to cling to people.
And if it was several years before that, she was definitely still in single digits.
A normal ten-year-old couldn't survive alone in a place like this. Not unless they were a true monster candidate—someone like the protagonist of this world… or maybe one of the older siblings around him.
"Even so," Suzu-chan said, eyes steady, "I owe them. If Grandpa and Granny hadn't protected me, I wouldn't even be alive. This life… it's undeniably a gift they gave me. So what's there to hesitate about? Working myself to the bone to repay that kind of debt is only natural."
…No. Maybe Suzu-chan really does have that kind of potential.
That wasn't something a normal twelve-year-old said. Not with that calm certainty. How much resolve had she already forged?
While we talked, the rain eased. The air shifted—lighter, calmer.
"The rain's cleared up. The wind too." Suzu-chan stood. "Hey, you two. Leave the island while you can. There's no food here anymore—staying will only drain what little we have, or you'll end up hungry. …The food earlier was delicious. Truly. Thank you."
And with that, she took off toward the mountains.
…Toward the mountains?
Wait—shouldn't she be heading back to the village?
Did she… go to the farm? With rain coming down that hard, maybe she wanted to check on it. Make sure nothing was damaged.
"Hey, you two."
A voice called from behind us. When we turned, the old woman from the port was standing there.
Her gaze flicked between the path Suzu-chan had vanished down and the two of us.
"You were having quite a lively chat with Suzu-chan. I could hear you all the way from my house next door."
"Oh—sorry," Leona said quickly. "Were we too loud?"
"No, no." The old woman smiled, warm and gentle. "Hearing young people having fun always makes me happy. …More importantly, did you become friends with Suzu-chan?"
"Hm…" Leona tilted her head. "I don't know. It felt like we were just talking normally. Killing time."
To be fair, it did feel like we'd gotten a little closer… but calling it friendship might be too soon.
When I said as much, the old woman's expression softened into something faintly disappointed.
"Oh… I see."
"…Are you leaving the island already?" she asked. "The weather's calmed down for now, at least…"
"I'm not sure," I admitted. "It is calmer, but it doesn't feel finished. More like a lull."
That was true. The air and wind had that uneasy pause to them—like the storm was only catching its breath.
Even if we went out to sea now, it might not be long before the weather turned again.
Given that… we might need to stay a little longer.
If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I wanted to ask.
"Trouble? Not at all. Actually…" The old woman's smile deepened. "I was hoping you'd stay."
"Hoping?" Leona blinked. "Why?"
"As you can see, this island is only old men and women," the old woman said. "Except for Suzu-chan, of course. Which means she has no friends her age—no one even close. Not that we want other children living here."
Then her voice grew quieter.
"A girl like that, at the height of her playfulness, working herself to the bone for us… eating poisonous fish and wild plants… It warms my heart, yes. But for us, with so little time left, it's painful to watch. I can't help wishing she had at least one friend."
Ah. So that was it.
That was why she'd been looking at Leona with that pleased expression all along.
Leona was close to Suzu-chan in age, and people like her almost never came to this island.
And earlier, they'd been chatting so animatedly… maybe the old woman thought they'd formed the kind of bond only children can.
Even if they hadn't yet, maybe they could. That was her hope.
"If you want to stay on this island—though there's not much to see—you may stay as long as you like. There are plenty of empty houses. Choose one, make yourself at home." She hesitated, then added softly, "But… if you don't mind… could I ask you a favor?"
"…What is it?"
Well. I should've seen that coming.
"Could you… be friends with Suzu-chan?"
---
"So what are you two doing up here?!" Suzu-chan snapped, eyes wide with disbelief. "I thought you were leaving now that the rain stopped!"
We were high up the mountain now, standing before the "farm" Suzu-chan had built.
"Wow," Leona breathed, staring at the fields. "This is huge… Did you really do all this yourself? Seriously, this is amazing!"
"E-eh?" Suzu-chan looked almost flustered for a second—then caught herself. "That's not the point! Why are you here?! Let me be clear again: everything here is for the grandpas and grandmas. I won't tolerate any stealing!"
"I swear, I didn't come to do anything!" Leona said quickly. "I just wanted to see what kind of farm it was. I'm only looking—no touching."
"…You're telling the truth, right?" Suzu-chan narrowed her eyes. "Because that kid of yours is looking around like she's about to pounce."
I glanced over.
Sure enough, Leona was staring at the vegetables and fruit with a dangerous kind of longing.
…She practically has I want to eat that written on her face, you glutton.
"No," I said flatly. "Leona."
"Eeeh~… Just a little…" Her eyes lit up. "Oh! I know! I'll help! I'll help with the farm work! Can I get a little something as payment?"
"Absolutely not!" Suzu-chan barked. "I don't need extra hands. Stand there and look if you must. But try to steal anything, and I'll blast you into next week."
With that, Suzu-chan turned on her heel and headed toward the fields.
But something bothered me.
She wasn't carrying any tools.
What could she do empty-handed? Planting seeds? But it didn't look like the right season.
As I puzzled over it, Suzu-chan pressed both hands to the ground.
In the next instant—
Her hands liquefied into thick, oozing mud, sinking into the earth and disappearing into the soil.
"What the—?!" Leona and I blurted in unison.
Before we could even process it, the mud pouring from Suzu-chan's arms burrowed beneath the surface, churning the earth from within. It spread fast—too fast—washing through the field like a living current.
Work that would normally take hours with a hoe or plow… was finished in the blink of an eye.
What remained was perfectly tilled soil—turned, softened, and damp to an ideal consistency.
Even the rows were neat, as if the field were ready for seeds or seedlings right now.
After confirming it, Suzu-chan pulled her hands free, and her body returned to normal.
"Wait… was that a Devil Fruit power?!"
"And probably Logia-type, too…!"
"It's the Mud-Mud Fruit," Suzu-chan said matter-of-factly. "I'm a Mud Human. I can freely turn my body into mud. Tilling soil is as easy as breathing for me… and this nutrient-rich mud becomes fertile earth, perfect for growing crops. Ideal for farming."
"So that's how you run the whole place by yourself…"
"That's right. I've been doing it alone all along. I don't need help. Just relax over there. I'm not asking you for anything."
She moved to another plot and repeated the process, cultivating the soil again.
As she worked, she picked out stones and debris, cleared weeds and old roots, removed every bit of leftover residue with meticulous care.
She's mastered it.
Even controlling a Logia takes years of training… and she uses it like it's second nature.
She must have done this countless times.
I was impressed—yet at the same time, I understood why the old women worried so much.
That child… Suzu-chan… was too devoted.
Instead of playing, laughing, living the carefree days a girl her age should have, she'd given herself entirely to the elders. Maybe she'd never even imagined having friends. Maybe the thought of a different life had never been allowed to take shape.
For her, this was routine.
And yet, it wasn't forced on her. It was a life she'd chosen with open eyes.
Well, anyway…
"Oi! What are you doing?!" Suzu-chan shouted.
"Isn't it obvious?" Leona was already moving, hauling the cleared stones into a pile. "I'm helping move the rocks! Tell me if there are tools or anything else you need carried—I'll do it!"
"I told you I don't need help! I can move rocks by myself, even without tools!" Suzu-chan snapped. "And I'm still not sharing food even if you help!"
"I know! But… just standing around watching feels wrong. It's like… like I lost! So I have to do something!"
"What kind of reason is that? You're such a weirdo… Wait, what is that form?!"
"I'm an Ability User too!" Leona puffed out her chest. "I ate the Cat-Cat Fruit, Model: Nemean Lion! It's a Zoan-type Devil Fruit! I'm stronger than anyone around here!"
"Neme… what now?" Suzu-chan squinted. "I know what a cat is, but I've never heard of that."
"Um… it's a Mythical Zoan, so it's a legendary animal… or, like, a monster, I guess? I don't really know the details. Mama just told me about it."
"Are you sure you've got the right idea about this…?" Suzu-chan clicked her tongue, then waved a hand like she was giving up. "Fine. Do whatever you want. Just don't get in the way, and don't steal anything. Got it?!"
"I know, I know!"
What are those kids even arguing about…?
Leona, transformed into her hybrid form, hauled massive stones and carried tools as if they weighed nothing. Suzu-chan, refusing to be outdone, drove her mud through the fields with fierce, relentless energy.
Leona was probably just being Leona.
She wasn't doing it because of the old woman's request to "be friends." She was doing it because she wanted to—and Suzu-chan was getting dragged into her pace.
Watching them bicker, compete, and work side by side with that much life in them…
It almost felt like Suzu-chan's loneliness was already starting to fade.
To be continued...