Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Uta knows this wasn’t a New Genesis, this wasn’t freedom nor was its salvation. Ironic, all her songs have ‘salvation’ in them. Or some sort of theme of salvation, but the young woman can’t turn her back now. Not when she knows she’ll be hated and blamed once more for this madness.  

The madness she willingly brought.  

Why was she so naïve? Why did she do this? What was the real reason behind it?  

It was her who destroyed Elegia, she was the one to have killed everyone off the island, she was the reason why Gordon had no people left. Not Shanks, never Shanks. Yet, she still chose to pin the blame on her father, because of the pain and guilt- the curses to her name.  

It was all too much.  

And now, with Luffy in the picture, will he blame her too?  

May there always be angels, to watch over you...  

Uta flinches at that familiar song. The same song she had fallen asleep listening to, it was that one song again, that lullaby-!  

To guide you each step of the way.  

Next thing she knew, Luffy was dodging the laser beams from Tot Musica; taking notice of her blue sleeves design. It was his drawing, their symbol. “That’s- that’s mine...”  

Uta can feel Tot Musica reaching up from her feet, the darkened mist finally taking her. It was time, her purple eyes took one last look at her friend- her brother.  

And Luffy’s face held nothing but pure determination . The young captain reaches forward and grabs her wrist, yanking her away from the Tot Musica’s hold. “Luffy!” The rubberman gave her one final hug, squeezing her quickly before throwing her off the gigantic Demon King of Songs.   

“LUFFY!!” Brown eyes sparkled with unshedded tears, ‘Be free, be free with your family again, Uta.’ He links a conversation with Uta using his Observation haki and smiling at her. “Princess Uta!!” Usopp was the first to catch after Luffy had suddenly pulled her away from the Demon King.  

“Wh-what are you do-” Uta freezes up, no, nonono!  

“DON’T! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!” She screams ferally, the effects of the wake-shrooms ever present. The other pirates didn’t make a move to attack her, instead; they were now protecting her.  

“He’s got something in mind...” Zoro mutters, his brows furrowing. He has a feeling he wouldn’t like this ‘thing’ that his captain has thought of. Sanji could see how much Uta was shaking from grief and helplessness, he couldn’t bear seeing a lady in such distress anymore.  

“Uta-chan, once we defeat this demon. You can go back to singing, don’t worry!” Sanji’s reassurance doesn’t help her one bit.  

“Yeah, Luffy’s strong!” Nami, Luffy’s navigator, winks at her. You don’t have to tell her twice.  

“He can beat that thing for you-”  

“THAT’S NOT WHAT HE’S DOING!!” Uta lets her tears flow from her face, the same voice that had become a source of comfort for her, the same voice that sang her that wonderful lullaby that guarded her from hellish nightmares of trauma on sea.  The voice of Loo-li Lai-lay...-  

“ ᚷᚨᚺ ᛉᚨᚾ ᛏᚨᚲ ᚷᚨᚺ !!!”  

Shanks couldn’t move when Tot Musica suddenly moved towards anchor’s body, grabbing it with one of its long and thick piano key limbs and leaving behind a staggering Uta. Who looks like she’s seen some things worse than the destruction of Elegia.  

Everyone was suddenly aware and awake, the civillians that had come to the concert were now awake and backed away from all the marines and pirates. However, most of them were staring at the singer who had done all this.  

“ᛉᚨᚾ ᛏᚨᛏ ᛏᚨᛏ ᛒᚱᚨᚲ!” Someone else was singing the cursed music sheet, but who- 

Then, Yasopp had made the mistake of staring at the Tot Musica too long and exposed himself to some extremely condensed Conqueror’s haki that was ready to blow like a bomb.  

“ᚷᚨᚺ ᛉᚨᚾ ᛏᚨᚲ ᚷᚨᚺ ᛉᚨᚾ ᛏᚨᛏ ᛏᚨᛏ ᛒᚱᚨᚲ!!” There was no way of defeating it now-  

Now that it had someone stronger, someone much more physically powerful as its vessel. Tot Musica was in the real world, no longer having to use the Uta world as a medium. “Anchor?!” Benn choked on his own smoke, the other red hair pirates that had been with Shanks the longest were staring in horror at the turn of events.  

“No- no way.... Luffy...” Chopper had gotten up from his sleeping form, remembering the events in the Uta world. One line from the first verse of the song, the line coming not from Uta but from Luffy .  

“It’s her fault...!”   

“It’s you! Uta!!”  

“That girl is dangerous!”  

“She should never be allowed to sing again!”  

“She destroyed Elegia!”  

“She killed us!!”  

“SHUT UP!” Luffy yelled at the endless void, the emotions of the past swirling around him. Surrounding him with tornadoes of regret and anguish, targeted not at him but at Uta. If she had continued, not only would her life be done for but her heart too.  

“I already knew she did that...” The young captain bit his quivering lip, killing so many people in one night was scary. There was so much fire too, everyone was so scared. He could feel it, their fear and despair suffocating him. The people of the past, torturing him.  

“But- Uta is my friend... she’s Shanks daughter, the musician of the red-hair pirates! She didn’t deserve your hate! The Red-hair pirates didn’t deserve to feel the loss of a child!! You would never understand, they didn’t smile as usual, party as usual... They were all faking it! I hate it! I hate it when people lie to keep their pain to themselves! I hate that Shanks and the others were lying to me and to themselves!!” Luffy broke down, the emotions spilling from his mouth.  

“...I know now, Uta... I know what I have to do... But I needed you to realize that Tot Musica wasn’t the answer, I couldn’t get away... I AM MONKEY D. LUFFY, THE MAN WHO’LL BECOME THE PIRATE KING!! But- But I can’t do it... Without ANY of you...” Chains drag him down as he tries to surface from the void, seeing the light at the very top yet he couldn’t reach. He must-  

“Everyone... Help-”  

Usopp takes in a sharp breath, his fingers digging up the dirt as he clenches the damp grass. “EVERYONE!!” He calls out to the pirates, desperation and begging for their attention by now. His dark eyes shook as he realized what Luffy had done.  

“It’s- It’s Luffy! He-”  

“SHANKS!! SHANKS GET HIM OUT OF THE TOT MUSICA PLEASE!!” The Diva was on her knees, obviously weakened but had grabbed the ends of the black captain’s cloak of her father; Red-Hair Shanks.  

“I will-” “HURRY THEN! He can’t- The Tot Musica-” Uta was at loss for words, the memories of that one song that had let her slumber ever so peacefully. The wonderful warmth and safety she had been enveloped with after hearing that melody. The soft voice that was adamant in giving her the best melody to listen to as her entire body slept.  

“...Uta...” Shanks’ brows furrowed; the fighters of the Straw hat pirates were holding back the Tot Musica for as long as they could. Fire and wind, bullets shooting across the field as the civilians were evacuated by marines. He has never seen her daughter break down so badly (frankly, he had been away for a decade but still-), it seems anchor was the last remaining plank on the bridge that Uta tried so hard to burn.  

“If- If Gordon said... If you said that I can bring happiness with my voice... Then- Then...! Luffy can bring freedom with his!” She meets the emperor’s eyes, snapping her head up. Her purple eyes wide with frenzied emotions, “I can’t- I don’t want to hear him sing a song so cursed and so... So, hate filled as Tot Musica...!”  

“P-please... Just this once, Shanks...!” He pulls her into an embrace, a quick one before ruffling her hair and giving her a grin.  

“Of course, no one messes with any of our friends and gets away with it!”  

Chapter Text

“For the New Genesis!” Is what Uta could’ve seen herself saying, trying to steel the nerves that kept tangling up inside of her. She knew how wrong it was to sing the Tot Musica yet she still did it, not because she wanted to do something inherently horrible. It was the last line of defense she had, and even so, Luffy finds a way-  

Wand’ring heart, Clouds above  

Rain begins to fall down  

She’s never felt anymore powerless, if it was summoned in its first movement in the real world then maybe Shanks and the Red-haired crew could defeat it with some trouble. However, even with other pirate crews ready to fight alongside them, Tot Musica was just too strong. Especially when-  

My bitter tears flowing out, they never dry up!  

I let the words of a curse by my deliverance.  

“The marines! And the Charlottes! Their going limp quick!” Usopp feels the rest of their allies pass out, that got Uta worrying, did Luffy have control over her Sing Sing World too?! And he was merged with Tot Musica and Tot Musica had Luffy’s childlike imagination at its disposal. Every ability Luffy had, it had at its disposal!  

“Why is it only affecting them?!” Nami yelled at the other Straw hat crew member, the right-hand and left-hand man of Straw hat continuing to fight off against the Tot Musica. Ever delaying the inevitable, Uta can see how frustrated and angry Shanks was. Not at her, nor at Luffy, but at the monster that had swallowed his prince whole. (Sanji kicked the ground and the earth rose to the navigator’s protection, they were still fighting that huge thing.)  

ᛗᛁᛖ ᚾᛖᚷ ᛟᚾ ᚷᛁᛖᚲ ᚷᛁᛖᚲ   

ᚾᚨᚺ ᛈᚺᚨᛋ ᛏᛖᛉᛉᛖ ᛚᚨᚺ  

“Who the hell do you think ended up getting merged with that monster!?” Zoro removed Wado from his mouth to give a proper answer to the navigator that was losing her ever-loving shit. The first mate went back to trying to find ways to get his captain out of the Demon king. (It was hard, Zoro could barely see a weak spot.)  

“Our captain, duh!” Franky playfully grins, now understanding why the Conquerors’ haki wasn’t affecting them at all. It belonged to Luffy, and as far as they’re all concerned, the ones that weren’t being harmed by his kingly will were his friends, his allies, his family. (Luffy would never hurt them.)  

These ancient words like a hymn of reclamation.  

Not even death will escape it.  

“This is impossible!” Law grunted, landing near the Straw hat sharpshooter and the Diva. The Surgeon of Death turns to her, his golden eyes narrowing at the weakened singer; it was like Uta was being analyzed for her worth! What in the world!? (What could she honestly do, though? She had no fighting capabilities and her stamina seemed like a joke in this survival of the fittest.)  

“The only way to defeat this thing is if we both attack from the Sing Sing and the real world!” The older Worst Generation captain gritted his teeth, seeing the Demon King in its third movement; getting a clear view of it with his Observation haki. Gordon, the former King of Elegia regretted trying to see the demon for himself.  

How to center these troubled thoughts...?  

Instead of what he expected for what the third movement to look like, the hair was corrupted violet-black unlike the rest of the other movements; it floated upward, numerous swirls making its hair look like a cloud, it had deep black wings and a cloud-like scarf floating along down to his lower half that was also just deep black void fading to nothing. Its eyes were golden, and the lasers were now golden as well, the arms were multiplied even more, and they could barely get a good hit in as Luffy’s immense Armament Haki hardening the limb and refusing to let it break. (Uta hears the song coming closer and closer to the first chorus, if Luffy finishes that entire sheet music then they’re all doomed!)  

I pray...  

Tot Musica was using every bit of Luffy’s abilities to its favor, all to destroy and destroy and destroy.  

Can the future bring calm to the sea...?  

Uta felt something inside her snap .  

(She won’t sit back. Not anymore. Fuck her lifespan.)  

I BEG~!  

When Usopp opened his eyes again, he was back in the Uta world. But, the strange thing was, the Uta world was a complete void... He sees Uta, herself, then Nami, Robin, Zoro, Law... They were all back in the in the Uta world! What was the Princess planning now?  

“...You said it yourselves; you need to attack it from the real world and the Song world! What are you all standing there for?!” Uta yells at them, of course, she still consumed the wake-shrooms. She’d still be aggressive to them, Law, Oven and Zoro take this chance.  

“Thank you, Uta!” Coby charges forward, taking the lead. “Coby, you know what to do, right?!” Nami raises her clima-tact, prepping to create clouds.  

“Defensive formation! Now, our main priority is protecting the audience that are still stuck here!” The random colorful object began to float towards the set of arms that were arranged like a tunnel, Robin in front of it with her arms crossed in an ‘x’. “Nami, Robin. Help organize the evacuation!” Meanwhile, Nami finally completely her own evacuation tunnel made of clouds.  

“Ladies and gentlemen, calmly proceed into the mirror!” They were all slowly entering the small mirror one by one.  

“Brulee is key to the rescue operation, Blueno, take your team and protect her! Franky, Jimbei, guard our flanks. Chopper, pronvide aid to Uta and Gordon. No matter if this is the real world or Song world, we should not let the injured stay injured! Helmeppo and I will watch your perimeter.” Uta was shocked when she was suddenly included into the make-shift plan, and her wide eyes met her surrogate father’s. Right, he was still stabbed in the stomach in the Song world.  

“Usopp will provide fire support from the rear. Brook and Sanji will be our frontline defense! Zoro, lead the assault. Law, Oven, you're on the offensive too!” Coby finished, walking back and glancing at how the fast-working reindeer doctor got to work on bandaging the former King of Elegia.  

“Here, Uta... Drink this now, Hongo gave it to me since he knew what you were planning.” Chopper gave the singer the medicine she needed, Uta snatches it away from the reindeer’s hoof and drinks it all in one motion. Her face holding nothing but determination, she can’t afford to get tired now, not when Luffy’s freedom on the line.  

“Uta?!” Chopper exclaimed at how she just drank it all like how Zoro drank his sake, something must have happened to have made her act so differently from now. To reluctantly singing a song of death, to facing off against the very same demon she summoned. But Uta wasn’t scared nor hesitant, no, it seemed like she had more confidence. She looked like the Uta they all saw her at first, the Uta that Luffy believed in with his whole heart.  

“Luffy. I can hear you...” The singer stood up and marched on. Finally standing side by side with the other offense fighters, her eyes were puffy with her tears, but she could cry later. When Luffy is back with them safely. Zoro takes notice of her comment, the whole Straw Hat crew does.  

“I can hear your pain. I’m sorry, I left you all those years ago. I’m sorry I forgot about you. I’m sorry I left you alone.” She ranted, but she needs Luffy to hear this, to hear the new promise she’s going to make to him. Musical notes start to form around her hand and out appeared the Straw hat that she once tore in half.  

“I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME IN THERE, SO YOU BETTER LISTEN!” Her mic forms out of her headset again, her voice loud and clear. They all know Luffy’s heard them, because the attacks stopped, Usopp took notice that Tot Musica halted in the real world too.  

Luffy was listening.  

“I PROMISE, I’LL PROTECT YOU THIS TIME! I WON’T STOP UNTIL I SEE YOU SMILE AGAIN!”  

The Red-haired pirates listened as well. They heard the apologies she made to anchor, and quite frankly? They should’ve known Luffy knew something was up. They should’ve comforted him too, they should’ve told him that Uta was fine, maybe gave him proof by sending him some of the songs she’s broadcasted.  

They should’ve been better.  

Shanks sees how the Tot Musica shook, and with some Observation haki, Shanks could see anchor deep within Tot Musica. Already smiling, his tears ever present, yet that cathartic pride that he shows for Uta.  

“I PROMISE. I’LL MAKE A WORLD WHERE EVERYONE WILL BE HAPPY, AND THAT INCLUDES YOU!”  

“Uta... I’m already happy.”