Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Shanks pov

One stupid mistake.

One unacceptable, inexcusable, barely-there split second of distraction that should never have happened in the first place because Shanks was better than that.

But it had happened, and now his first mate was on his knees with a hand on his right shoulder and his jaw clenched in pain, while the other Captain was laughing and claiming the poison would kill him by the time the next full moon rose.

The next instant, Shanks let his Haki crash over the rest of their opponents at the full extent of its might fueled with incandescent rage, a surge of asphyxiating power strong enough to kill the entire crew in a single second.

Only the Captain was spared, and the sudden fear in his eyes told Shanks he was seeing a monster walking up to him.

"The antidote," the Emperor stated darkly. "And I might kill you quickly."

"HA ! I'll never tell ! Even if I die, everyone will know I-ARRRRGH !!"

"The. Antidote," Shanks repeated after slowly impaling his sword in the guy's ankle.

"You're wasting your time," he seethed. "Not even you can get it !"

Shanks remained silent this time, his expression dark, and took Gryphon out of the ankle to pierce through the knee, cutting through skin, bone, tendon, and then turning the blade inside, making the piece of trash howl in pain.

"Wonderland !" he screamed with snot running from his nose. "The poison's from Wonderland !"

Shanks stopped the movement of his sword, but his dark glare and aura did not diminish.

"I don't have the antidote, don't know what it is, the poison's made wi- with sungrip roots !"

The Emperor took the blade out of the wound.

And then swiftly decapitated the man before turning around.

"Get whatever you can from that ship, then we're off to Wonderland," he ordered sternly.

"Captain," Hongo said from where he was kneeling near Beckman. "Wonderland is a labyrinth, brute force won't cut it. The only ships that come back from that crazy place are the ones who dock at the port and never venture within the land, and even then-"

"They don't always make it out," Beckman completed while sweating. "Heard it too. Goin' in blind will kill us all."

"I'm not letting you die," Shanks stated darkly.

"He said we had until the next full moon, that means we got almost a month since the last one was two days ago," Hongo countered. "I'll see if I can find something to mitigate the symtpoms until then. But if we're going to Wonderland…"

"We're gonna need a guide," the Emperor completed, and willed himself to get a grip on his emotions. "Hongo, do what you can. I'll call Shakky."

Shanks ignored the shocked looks of his friends and walked to his quarters, both to calm himself, down a bottle, and call Ray's wife. Shakky was one of the best informants in the world. One of the most exclusive, expensive, and secretive too, but if anyone knew where to find a guide to the madhouse made island that was Wonderland, it would be her.

The Emperor slammed the door behind him, his Haki barely kept in check while he was still furious at himself for letting his first mate and close friend get shot.

Should've been me.

The red-head picked the bottle of rum near his bed, and emptied half of it in one go, the harsh burn of alcohol just barely chasing the bitter feeling of failure for a moment.

Then he put it back, and picked his personal den-den mushi to compose Rayleigh's number.

Purupurupuru.

Purupurupuru.

Gatcha.

"Rayleigh."

"Ray, it's me. I need to talk to Shakky," Shanks said without bothering with chitchat for once.

"Well hello to you too, brat, I'm doing well-"

"Beck's been shot. Poisoned bullet. I need intel and I need it now," the red-head cut him off through gritted teeth.

There was absolute silence for a moment, then the voice of his father figure's wife echoed through the snail.

"Shakky speaking. What do you need ?"

"Beckman's been poisoned with sungrip roots from Wonderland, what do you have on that ?"

Another heavy silence answered him for a moment, which was not what the Emperor wanted to hear.

"I'm sorry, Shanks. There's no antidote for that, not to my knowledge at least. Wonderland is its own world, there's almost nothing known about it, much less about the kind of plants you can find there," she sighed. "Even if the people and things living there don't kill you, they'll make sure you'll never find your way out."

"Some crews trade with the island often enough to get poison," the red-head countered.

"Yes, but none of them dare to go further than the docks, and even then, not all of them manage to leave alive. It's a risky business, but the products they get out of it are so rare that some smugglers try their luck a couple times a year," Shakky replied. "They wouldn't be able to guide you on the island anymore than they could negotiate an antidote on your behalf."

Shanks felt his heart clench at the explanation. Shakky would not lie to him about something so important, but it basically meant the situation was hopeless.

"Shakky, it's Beck we're talking about," Shanks pressed, his stubborness refusing to give up, not when his friend's life was at stake. "There has to be a way, something, anything."

The snail gave another long sigh, then what sounded like a lighter clicking and a long exhale, which meant the info broker had lit up a cigarette. Shanks waited with baited breath, aware that it was Shakky's way to buy time when she hesitated to speak.

"I… might have something. Nothing sure, though, it's flimsy at best, more of a rumour than anything else, and I can't guarantee its veracity."

"I'll take it," the Emperor replied instantly, his whole body alert at the prospect of a solution.

"Only someone born and raised in Wonderland can navigate it," the former Kuja Empress told him. "I've heard faint whispers of a woman who's made a name for herself in the past six years or so. Not a big bounty, she's more of a chaotic nuisance than a threat by Marine standards, but she's got the reputation of being uncatchable. Some people pretend she's from Wonderland and left by sneaking on one of the few ships leaving the island. Like I said, nothing certain."

"I'll take her name and current location," Shanks said immediately.

Even a flimsy possibility was better than nothing. If there was a chance than this woman could save his first mate, then the Emperor was ready to do whatever it took to convince her to help him.

"Give me a moment," Shakky said.

The red-head nodded, knowing the snail would mimick his movement, and waited the couple minutes it took for the former Empress to find the specific intel she needed.

"You know it's a shot in the dark at best, right ?" Ray told him bluntly after a little while. "If Shakky tells you there's no guarantee, it means you might as well consider it a baseless rumour."

"I'll investigate anyway. I'm not letting Beck die, Ray. Not without doing every-fucking-thing I can to save him first," Shanks retorted grimly.

"Just as stubborn as your dad," Ray snorted.

The compliment made Shanks relax the tiniest bit and a small smile even spread his lips.

"Like you're any different. I take after both of you for that and you know it."

There was some noise after that, and the snail's appearance changed again to take Shakky's features.

"She was spotted in the kingdom of Kukania last week, she usually spends between one and four months in the same place, so that might be your best shot," she informed him. "By the way, I'm not charging you for all that, since it's intel I can't guarantee the truth of."

"I don't really care about costs at the moment, but thanks," Shanks snorted, but felt relieved it was an island not that far away from their current location. "What's her name ?"

"Y/N, better known as her moniker, the Queen of Illusions. User of a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit, model Kitsune. Good luck."

Gatcha.

Shanks stared at the snail for a moment. So his only hope to save one of his closest friend relied on his ability to find a woman no one had been able to catch so far, and who could create illusions to disappear at will.

The Emperor took a deep breath, then his face set into determination. It would not be the first time he did something no one had ever done before, and when it came to protecting his own, there was no length he would not go. If this woman truly was from Wonderland and could save Beck, then Shanks would do whatever it took to convince her to do it.

He stepped out of his quarters, and looked at his crew, who were almost done transferring everything worth looting from the other ship to the Red Force. They all stopped what they were doing to look at him, Hongo and Beck included, and Shanks squared his shoulders.

"Set course for Kukania, lads. We're going to find the Queen of Illusions."

-o-oOo-o-

Beckman pov

Had it been a stupid move and a terrible life decision ? Yes.

Would Beckman do it again to avoid his Captain taking the shot instead ? Probably yes too.

Even if that damn poison was a right pain in the ass. The light burning feeling constantly present in his right shoulder had dimmed after the first hour to become little more than a bother at all time, but after the two days of sailing it took them to reach Kukania, it was obvious the sensation was slowly intensifying and spreading through his body.

Beckman had not needed Hongo doing research or making calls to other doctors to guess what was going to happen to him. The burning would keep getting worse, until his entire body felt like it was on fire by the time of the next full moon, and he would die.

Not a particularly pleasant prospect.

But Shanks' idea was almost worse, and that was saying something. Going to Wonderland on the off-chance there would be an antidote, and relying on the Queen of Illusions to guide them, was nothing short of insane. They had gathered every scrap of information they could on that woman during the past two days as well, and the result did not bode well.

She was said to be chaotic, unpredictable, mischievous, to only work for herself, to have more than earned her uncatchable reputation among Marines and bounty hunters, and the reason her bounty was only at thirty million berries despite roaming in the New World was because her actual crimes were on the lower end of Marine standards.

Light theft, insults to Marines and nobles, resisting arrest, partial destruction of public property, public disorder, this kind of things. Even the few accounted murders could almost be attributed to self-defense. Her bounty poster did not even show her face clearly, since green flames were hiding the area around her eyes like a mask.

In short, this woman was an unreliable wild card.

Yet Shanks was adamant he was going to find her and convince her to help them.

A fool's errand, based on a fool's hope.

Beckman had not vowed to follow Shanks to see him sacrifice everything they had built on a fool's hope. Unfortunately, he had also vowed to obey his Captain, and the first mate did not intend to break this promise. Not further than voicing his objection, at least, which he had done and Shanks had heard and dismissed.

The red-head came to him right before they docked.

"I'll go find her. You're in charge until I come back. Make sure to resupply enough for us to go straight to Wonderland after that."

What Beckman wanted to do was asking when his friend would simply accept that he would die in less than a month and that was that.

Instead, he lit up a smoke and nodded.

"Aye Captain."

Shanks put a black cloak around himself and the hood over his head, a half-baked disguise at best, but good enough to fool random civilians, half-witted pirates, and most Marines. He made his way to the docks, and quickly lost himself in the crowd and alleys in search of an elusive woman who was probably unable or unwilling to assist them.

"You think he can find her ?" Yasopp asked him as he stretched his arms.

"If someone can find her, it's probably him," the first mate shrugged. "But even if she's from Wonderland, she left it for a reason. I doubt she'd agree to go back."

Yasopp sighed loudly, then stretched his hands over his head.

"And since that island's a madhouse, we can't force her to be our guide anyway, she'd just lose us in a heartbeat and we'd be trapped forever," the sniper completed the reasoning, then looked at him with sadness. "We've still got time to figure out something else."

Beckman stayed silent at that. The reason Wonderland poisons were so sought-after was precisely because they were so uniquely weird that no one could create an antidote to them. Even Shanks' luck and stubborness had limits.

Chapter Text

Reader pov

Your laugh echoed through five streets at the same time as copies of you ran, a bag of stolen pastries in hand and Marines running after you with shouted orders to stop at once. One of your copies made a sudden turn and vanished, leading five Marines to run straight into a wall and fall on top of each other, properly knocked out.

You led the others on a wild goose chase, running after illusions created with your flames, while you giggled from your watching spot on one of the highest buildings in the city. There was nothing like starting your day with a little shoplifting and watching Marines go crazy after the illusions you created while you enjoyed your breakfast from afar.

You had just finished a croissant and sent the fourth and fifth group of Marines run into each other when a voice echoed behind you.

"The Queen of Illusions, I presume ?"

You jumped and turned on yourself in an instant, your nine tails ensuring your balance as you crouched on the railing of the building's roof you had been sitting on. Your eyes immediately found the man hidden under a black cloak who had managed to sneak up on you.

However, you tilted your head in curiousity. Along the years, you had become good at reading a person's intentions in a glance, and this one did not seem hostile. Tense, but not hostile. A strange combination that intrigued you enough to not flee right away.

"Myself," you confirmed. "And who would you be ?"

The man removed his hood, and your eyes widened as you identified one of the four Emperors of the Sea before he even introduced himself.

"Akagami no Shanks."

"Oh. Pleasure," you said with a blink, then extended your arm with the paper bag opened. "Pastry ?" you offered.

He stepped forward and picked a sweet bun from the bag, which made you smile. Sharing food was always a nice way to start a conversation, after all.

"I've got a few questions for you," he said after taking a bite.

"Oh, how wonderful ! I happen to have a lot of answers !" you smiled brightly. "Want to exchange ?"

That seemed to throw him off, and you giggled at his adorable confused expression. Who would have thought such a powerful man with such a frightful reputation could look so cute.

"What ?"

"Mmmh…" you pondered seriously, your free pointing finger tapping on your chin at the vague start, then replied. "Blue. Only on Tuesdays. Forty-two. Third row on the left. A duck. Not unless you have a roll of bubble wrap and three paper clips. Raspberry smoothie. Last-"

"Wait, no !" he cut you off. "I have very specific questions !"

You stopped talking, sighed, but gestured him to go ahead. You had hoped the red-haired Emperor would be less boring than everyone else, but his serious expression seemed to indicate otherwise.

"Are you from Wonderland ?"

Your entire body froze, but you hid it by nodding confidently the next second.

"Yup, born and raised," you admitted, then threw the almost empty paper bag to him before stretching your arms above your head, your tails following the movement and your ears flickering. "Well, I've got places to-"

"I need to go to Wonderland," he cut you off again, and you rolled your eyes.

"Then go, o great Emperor," you grinned with a mock curtsy, and started walking on the edge of the roof. "No one's stopping you."

"I need a guide who knows the island. If you can get me in and out safely, your price will be mine," he pushed.

"Not interested," you hummed, and twirled on yourself, wondering which building to jump down to next. "Hate that place, never going back."

"Then a favour of your choice ?" he offered instead. "If you help me, I'll do something for you too, no questions asked. But I really need a guide."

"Sounds like a you problem," you yawned, and crouched once you found a decent-looking roof to jump on.

"Please !" the Emperor begged. "My first mate's been poisoned with sungrip roots."

You stopped moving at that, your body going perfectly still right before your jump.

The red-haired Emperor was not the first one to approach you with the intention to go to Wonderland and use you as a safety net.

But he was the first one to do so in order to save someone instead of financial interest. Of course, there was a chance he was a better liar than you gave him credit for, but the sincere pain and despair in his voice sounded too raw to be faked, and you found yourself hesitating.

When you had gotten out of this hellhole, you had promised yourself that you would never go back. Yet, the thought of someone whose feelings were so deep and profound they would risk it all to save the ones they cared for was enough to thaw your heart and make you reconsider your decision.

Especially since you knew exactly what kind of remedy was required to escape the rather violent fate sungrip roots condemned a living being to.

You slowly turned around, and carefully assessed the man who had gone through the trouble of tracking you on the fleeting hope that you could do something for his first mate. Then you remembered what you knew about this specific Emperor, and smirked as an idea popped in your mind.

Maybe you could get something out of this too.

-o-oOo-o-

Shanks pov

Shanks waited with baited breath as the woman slowly turned around and stared at him for a moment with a calculating gaze, before giving him a slow once-over and smirking knowingly. In other circumstances, such a gorgeous woman checking him out would make him offer her a drink at the very least.

But right now, when she was his first and last hope to save Beck, the only thing he could feel was his stomach churning with nervousity.

"If I were to help you," she said slowly, and Shanks felt hope bloom at her words, "I would need proof you're not inventing this poisoned friend story."

"I'll introduce you to Beck, you can check his symptoms for yourself," Shanks offered at once.

She nodded and jumped back on the roof, which was encouraging, so Shanks clung to the idea that he had said the right thing.

"And," she said next while stepping closer to him with a confident smirk, "my help will not come for free."

Shanks braced himself for what might be the most extravagant number he had ever heard, or the most outlandish favour. Invading a kingdom, an amount in the billions, killing a member of the Council of Elders, that kind of impossible demand that he would grant without thinking twice if it meant his friend had a chance to live.

There was nothing Shanks would not do to save those he loved.

"Name your price."

A green sparkle flashed in her eyes, something gone in an instant, but before he could even try to analyse it, she was in front of him and her index was under his chin.

"My price… is your lust."

"Very w- wait what ?"

Shanks' brain crashed at her words, just as her smirk widened.

"You heard me, hot stuff," she repeated, her lips coming dangerously close to his, their faces and bodies only separated by inches. "My price is your lust."

"What does that mean ?" the Emperor asked after a gulp, his desire threatening to take over at the unfairly tempting body almost touching his.

"Well, you see, a kitsune's powers grow by feeding off the lust of the people they have sex with. Right now, I can only replicate visuals and sounds, but with enough intercourse, I should be able to awaken my Devil Fruit and fool all the senses or even decide who is trapped in my illusions and who can see through them," she grinned. "With the way you react right now, I can tell you find me attractive. And since you're an Emperor, your stamina must be greater than random men I can seduce at an inn."

Shanks felt his dick jerk in his pants, obviously very interested by the implied offer she was putting on the table.

"So," she purred, "what I want in exchange for my help is for you to fuck me every single night I will spend on your ship until we reach Wonderland. I'm talking wild, bone-melting, brain-wracking, making-me-forget-my-own-name kind of sex."

Shanks blinked several times before his brain managed to properly process what he had just heard, and even then, he had to repeat it to be sure he had not imagined the words.

"Your price to guide us in the most insane island in the New World and help us find an antidote is that I fuck you every night you'll sail with us !?"

"Pretty much, yeah, but you should keep in mind it's because I want to become more powerful and I like sex, which you are rumoured to be pretty damn good at on top of being very easy on the eyes," she smirked.

The red-head's jaw dropped.

Then the dirtiest part of his mind took control as he racked his eyes all over her curves, and the only thing he could think of was something coming from a kink he was not even aware he had before that morning.

"Are your tails included in the offer ?"

"They absolutely are," she purred happily, her lips still a hair's breath away from his. "So, do we have a deal ?"

"Fuck yeah we do," Shanks agreed instantly.

"Wonderful. I'll take a first payment now if you don't mind."

Her lips crashed on his before Shanks could even answer, but the soft and pliant warm mouth plastered on his own made every thought vanish from his mind. He instantly licked her bottom lip, and she opened readily, her tongue coming to play with his own as their mouths learned to work with each other.

He sneaked his hand around her waist, then instantly moved to reach the spot where her tails started. The second he wrapped his fingers around the soft and fluffy appendages, she made the sweetest moan, almost a demanding whine that he drank greedily from her lips, and his fingers mingled among the base of her tails as she melted against him.

Her own fingers were lost in his hair and – wait when had she opened his shirt – roaming the expanse of his chest greedily to get a feel of his skin and muscles. When she pinched his nipple, Shanks growled hungrily at the little sting, desire building heavily in him. Then her tails started roaming all over his body, a soft and insistent caress sending sparks of desire and sensual pleasure everywhere they went.

It took him a while to realise they were grinding against each other, her clothed pussy rolling on his clothed dick, their respective arousal made more than obvious by their frantic movements. Shanks used the grasp he had on her ass to press her further against his crotch, and she moaned at that, a delightful sound he caught just as it passed her lips.

Their orgasm built with the urgency of teenagers, which neither of them were anymore, but the desire and absolute need to cum and reach his climax were overpowering Shanks in a way he had not felt since he was sixteen, so he bit her lower lip, making her whine sound sweeter than any of his partners' ever did.

"You close ?" he panted.

"Yeah, gonna feed off- of- ooooh yessssss !"

He went back to kiss her fiercely and felt her climax wash over her, only a few seconds before the friction on his dick sent him above the edge as well, and he came in his pants with a groan and stars bursting behind his eyelids.

They fell to their knees together, Shanks feeling a little dizzy all of a sudden, which confused him until she moaned again and completely fell on the concrete with her tails cushioning her body and a more-than-blissed expression as she started mumbling incoherently.

"Oh fuck- mmmh- this is soooo… fuck," she panted, then raised on her elbows and stared at him.

Her eyes were wild, crackling with green lightnings, looking half-crazed, and she suddenly dashed to kiss him again, hard and intense with her hands holding his cheeks, and Shanks let it happen happily, let her devour his lips with her own and lick or bite all she liked, his brain still failing to compute what had happened beside overwhelming pleasure.

Then she drew back, her eyes dark with intent as she stared at him.

"I'll be at the docks in three hours. Bring whoever is poisoned with you in the alley behind the pub called the Merry Shrimp," she instructed. "And don't tell anyone what I asked for as payment for my help."

Before Shanks could utter more than a dazed uh sure, she had left and jumped away from the roof, leaving him alone with an almost empty pastry bag, a light tiredness, and feeling somehow still horny.

Holy sweet and sacred seas, what even was that lady.

-o-oOo-o-

Reader pov

Later in the day, you pranced on the Red Force's deck with a duffel bag over your shoulder and innocent smile on your face, none of your kitsune features visible but a swing in your hips. You followed Shanks to put your stuff in his quarters, not that you travelled with much. Since your deal implied you would fuck at least once a night, it was the most convenient arrangement.

The meeting with his first mate had confirmed what you suspected, which was the Emperor telling the truth. His first mate truly had been poisoned by sungrip roots, and you knew exactly what remedy would work and where to get it, which unfortunately meant going back to Wonderland.

Very unfortunately.

But the single sample of Shanks' genuine and powerful lust you had felt on that roof had purely and simply blown your brain away. His desire and sincere love of sex had given you a boost unlike anything you had ever known, while you both had your clothes on to boot.

Even having sex only once a night would be more than enough for you to unlock the ability to fool the sense of smell before you reached Wonderland, perhaps even touch as well.

"Out of curiousity," the Emperor asked when you were alone in his quarters, "why do you want to keep the nature of your payment between us ? To protect the secret of your Devil Fruit ?"

You turned around with a mischievous smirk.

"To mess with your crew."

His eyes went wide for a second, and then the red-head burst out laughing, wild and free, and your opinion of him changed the tiniest bit. It seemed he was not as serious and boring as his first impression had led you to believe.

"Oh, you're going to fit right in," the Emperor chuckled when he calmed down.

You grinned proudly at that, then the two of you made your way back on deck, where you could see the rest of his crew preparing for depart. As long as you succeeded in making your mind ignore the destination, you could even fool yourself into thinking this was going to be a nice fun cruise.

-o-oOo-o-

Hongo pov

They left Kukania with the tide, an eternal log pose set to Wonderland, and a woman who turned into her partial Zoan form as soon as they were away from the island, with the only explanation that she felt more comfortable that way. The Queen of Illusions – or Y/N, as she had insisted everyone called her – seemed to have fun exploring the ship without giving any thoughts about safety.

Watching a kitsune make cartwheels on the railings or backflips on the top masts was undeniably weird, but since it did not prevent anyone from doing their job and Shanks only waved it off with a smile, no one said anything.

So Hongo joined all the officers for a quick meeting on deck after they reached the high sea, and they started to talk about the kind of antidote they needed to find in Wonderland.

"I'll do my best," Hongo sighed tiredly, "but there's a reason no one knows how to cure Wonderland poisons. I'll have to test several plants to see which one might be the best counter to sungrip roo-"

The doctor was interrupted by the fox-like woman jumping from the masts and landing on the table in a sitting position, her tails cushioning the shock. She smiled brightly, and a burst of green flames poofed above the palm of her open hand to create the shape of a flower with a black center and silver-white crescent-shaped petals.

"Oh, easy, you just need to make him drink an infusion of moonloose. Wonderland's all about opposites, you know ? To counter the roots of sungrip, you need the petals of moonloose. It grows in the metaphorical heart of the island and only blooms at night," she explained casually, then used her tails to push herself away from their table and sauntered away toward the stern.

Hongo's jaw dropped, Beckman lost his grip on his cigarette, and everyone stared speechless at the fluffy tails leaving their sight.

"Uh, guess that's one problem solved ?" Yasopp asked awkwardly after a moment.

"Holy shit that's one hell of a guide that you found, Captain," Bonk stated with his eyes still wide open and his monkey nodding on his shoulders.

"Shanks," Beckman said seriously. "What the fuck did you agree to pay for her help ?"

That was the question everyone was wondering about, since their Captain had not said anything on the matter and she had not mentioned it either. None of them believed such a chaotic woman would agree to help their crew to that extent without a massive compensation.

"Don't worry about it," Shanks grinned. "I'm handling it personally, it won't affect the crew."

"What did she ask for ?" Lucky asked curiously.

"Nothing I wasn't ready to give," the red-head replied with an even wider grin. "Trust me, lads, I've got this."

They all sighed loudly, since it seemed their Captain was not going to tell them the truth any time soon. Hongo only hoped it was not another situation where Shanks was way in over his head and trying to solve a problem by taking the weight of the consequences on his shoulders alone.

It did not help that she had rushed the medical check-up Hongo had insisted to give her, only to realise she was in perfect health and up to date on all her shots. She had taken a clear delight in confusing him with random questions and answers, then left with a laugh.

Their informal meeting was dismissed quickly, and everyone went back to their usual tasks, though Beckman followed him to the infirmary, and Hongo had an inkling as to why that was, since it was about time he needed his next dose. And indeed, as soon as the door was closed, the first mate went to sit on a cot with a heavy sigh and a hand running on his face.

"Until we know what her price was, I'm not trusting her," he said out of the blue.

"Captain seems sure she's legit," the doctor shrugged half-heartedly.

"He's also sleeping with her," Beckman snorted. "Not sure when it happened, but I bet they already fucked at least once."

"Already ? Dang, I thought they'd wait a few days before going at it," Hongo laughed, then went to pick light painkillers from a cupboard.

"With the way he looks at her ? It'll be a miracle if they wait until tonight," his friend said with a shake of his head.

"Maybe that's how he's paying her," the blond pirate smirked as he put some water into a cup and diluted a teaspoon of brown paste inside. "Would explain why he's so confident about it."

"Right. The most elusive woman this side of the New World agreed to lead us to the island she escaped years ago for the mighty price of sex with Shanks," Beckman deadpanned.

Hongo snickered at that, and handed the cup to his first mate. Even with their Captain's reputation, that was simply too ridiculous. Fun to suggest, and weirder things had happened on the Grand Line, but still ridiculous.

Chapter Text

Reader pov

As soon as the door closed behind Shanks, you turned around and plastered your body on his, your lips hungrily pressed on his mouth while he kissed you back with just as much desire.

"Thought you'd never call it a night," you mumbled between kisses.

"Got a ship to sail, babe," the red-head countered with his hand already pulling your top upward. "And you've been a fucking tease all day."

"Me ? I would never," you purred after tracing his bottom lip with your tongue and caressing his legs with the soft yet insistent presence of your tails.

He groaned at that, and you used two tails to swiftly push his pants down before dropping on your knees, three more tails ensuring you would be comfortable when your prize was revealed.

"Any objection ?" you asked with the tip of your fingers already in his underwear.

"No teeth, anything else goes," he told you in a heated voice.

"Awesome," you hummed, and licked your lips when you slid the annoying garnment down and his cock sprung out, already filled with blood and leaking precum, big and thick and everything you had hoped it would be. "Give me a few minutes to adjust, and then you can fuck my mouth if you want."

"Wait wha- oooh shhhiiiiit yes, just like that," he moaned with his head thrown back when you lapped the little bead of precum at the top before swirling your tongue around the head.

You started to take more of his shaft in your mouth, and relished in the heavy and hot weight of it pushing past your lips, even reaching your throat before you could take it fully in, which made you moan in delight. If it could go that far in your mouth, you could not even begin to imagine how deep it would go in your pussy. Both your hands were holding his thighs for now, giving you the anchor you needed to start moving back and forth on his thick dick and coat it in saliva. Shanks was just as loud and expressive in his desire than he had been the first time, and you eagerly drank it all as your nose and lips finally reached a mess of pubic hair.

You opened your eyes and looked up, only to be faced by a most enthralling view. Tanned skin and taunt muscles were moving with every breath, the powerful Emperor reduced to a lustful man in the dim light of the moon glowing through the window of his quarters. Your throat worked around his dick just as you ran your tongue flat along the erect member while it was still inside your mouth, and the red-head gasped a strangled breath, his eyes meeting yours the next instant.

"Fuck, you're-"

His next words were cut off by a curse when you went back to sucking him off in earnest, wanting to feel his pleasure build even more because of you. To add to it, one of your tails went to caress his sack, which earned you another surprised gasp followed this time by a moan.

Figuring he was getting closer to his orgasm, your left hand grabbed his right one, that he had kept in your hair but was not properly using yet. Your fingers applied more pressure on it to convey what you wanted him to do, and thankfully, he seemed to take the hint in a second.

"Sure, yeah, totally, can do," he blabbered hotly. "Fuck, your mouth is a work of art, baby," he chuckled breathlessly.

His fingers gripped a fistful of your hair and held you there, which made you moan in delighted anticipation. Then his cock moved a little back, then in, slowly at first, then faster as he could tell you took it easily, until he was properly fucking your mouth and your eyes turned half-lidded at the way his dick slid through your lips again and again, making drool fall at the corner of your lips.

"Close," he panted at some point, "in or-"

You decided for him and took his hips to bring them closer to you, making you take his entire member in your mouth right before you moaned and swallowed at the same time your tails massaged his sack more thoroughly.

"FUCK !"

You felt thick ropes of slightly bitter liquid spurt in your mouth and throat, just as your Devil Fruit activated and started to feed off the heady pleasure the Emperor was radiating in waves. Between his cum and his lust, you were feeling a little sex-drunk yourself, in a way you usually were after several rounds or with more than one partner.

Stars, what a man, and what a lover.

You let his cock leave your mouth with a soft pop, and made a show of wiping the corner of your lips with your thumb before licking it.

The red-head was staring at you, pupils blown wide and breath short, looking entirely debauched as he laid against the door, and you adored the sight more than you could ever tell.

"That… that might be the best blowjob I've ever received," he blurted out.

Pride and smugness filled your chest, and you stood back up slowly, your fingers running on the skin revealed by his open shirt, your hunger nowhere near sated and your pussy positively drenched by now.

"A gentleman would return the favour," you grinned wildly. "Rumour has it you're really good with your tongue, care to prove it ?"

A growl answered you, and next thing you knew, you were laying on a bed, your pants and panties discarded to the side and your legs spread wide, with one of the most dangerous men at sea eating you out like it was his life's mission to pleasure you.

-o-oOo-o-

Shanks pov

Shanks woke up feeling perfectly rested. No nightmare, no soreness, not even the slightest symptom of hangover, just emerging from a deep slumber that ensured he was at his best.

And to top it off, there was a female body spooned against his own, with a nice round ass against his dick and a breast in his palm.

Best wake-up he had known in ages.

When his brain fully came on and he remembered what had led to that, it somehow got better, and Shanks felt himself smile before he even opened his eyes. He had already been more than on board to pay for this gorgeous fox's help with sex, doubly so when she was so good at it, but to now have the confirmation that her feeding off his lust meant he would get the best sleep ever afterwards ?

Shanks almost felt like he was ripping her off with that deal.

She stirred in her sleep, then moved around and turned into her half-transformed form to snuggle against him, her pointy ears tickling his throat, and the red-head chuckled.

"Morning, babe."

An incoherent grumble answered him, along with several fluffy tails reaching for his body under the sheets and pressing him further against her in a tight hug.

Seas, you're so freaking cute.

So Shanks decided there was no rush to get up, and started to run his fingers through her hair, along her ears, the length of her tails, and on her back, to gently rouse her from sleep. It earned him a soft rumbling sound, almost like a purr, and the Emperor smiled.

They only made their way to the galley one hour later. Y/N still looked more asleep than awake when she sat next to him at a table, and instantly crossed her arms on the wood to lay her head in.

"Long night ?" Bonk asked with a knowing smirk.

"Great night," Shanks grinned back.

Two mugs of coffee were put in front of them, which the red-head appreciated and figured his lover was in dire need of, but to his surprise, when she raised her head and caught a sniff of the drink, the atmosphere changed brutally.

Her eyes opened fully at once and she threw herself away from the table with a snarl, jumping back until she was crouching with a wall at her back. A threatening growl passed her lips and green flames started flowing from her tails and now clawed hands to invade every nook and cranny of the space around her.

Everyone froze, Shanks included.

In a fraction of second, it was as if the mischievous woman and sensual lover had disappeared to reveal a dangerous fighter.

The Emperor stood up slowly, hand held in front of him to defuse the situation.

"Y/N ?" he asked cautiously.

"I wasn't expecting a murder attempt so soon in the journey," she hissed with a glare. "I guess I shouldn't have trusted a pirate's sob story after all."

Her words felt like a slap, but Shanks tried to focus on the first part of her reply and the absurdity of it.

"No one tried to murder you."

"You gave me coffee while I was tired enough to not question what I would have been drinking, how do you call that !?" she snarled.

A beat passed in the galley.

Shanks blinked. Beck blinked. Yasopp blinked. Every member of his crew currently present probaly blinked.

"Uh. Good breakfast manners ?" Lucky tried.

"Wait," Shanks said suddenly as understanding dawned on him. "Coffee's toxic to you ?"

"Coffee, chocolate, avocado, grapes," she listed with a glare. "That's basically poison to foxes, as you very well know. Right ?" she finished with a more doubtful expression.

"Oh seas, sorry Y/N, I had no idea !" Lucky exclaimed. "I'll keep all that out of your meals !"

"You didn't mention that during your check-up," Hongo accused with a frown. "Otherwise I'd have told Lucky at the very least."

"Oh please, that's common knowledge !" she retorted with a snort. "How do you think people tried to kill me in Wonderland when I was a kid ?"

Her words sent a chill through the Red-Haired Pirates. Shanks himself went still for a moment. Among everything that had been going on, he had not once wondered what her life had been like on that island or why she had chosen to leave. Growing up on the Oro Jackson meant he knew what it was like to fight for his life before even reaching the double digits, which was not something Shanks wished on anyone no matter how much experience he had accumulated thanks to it.

"People on your island tried to kill you ?" Beckman asked cautiously.

Her flames disappeared, and she stood back up with one last hard look before she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, her face had turned back to her cheerful and mischievous expression.

"Oh you know, it's Wonderland. Everything and everyone tries to either kill you or drive you insane, moreso when you've got a Devil Fruit like mine. Anyway, honest mistake, got it, do you have something else than coffee ?" she smiled and stepped back to the table like everything was right in the world.

Snake handed her a mug of tea, and soon enough, it was as if the incident had never even happened in the first place. But Shanks still spent most of the morning watching her, wondering what this woman had been through, and what else they might have in common.

-o-oOo-o-

Beckman pov

Days passed, with the entire crew adopting the Queen of Illusions as one of them without questions. She was still a bit strange even by their standards, and definitely mischievous enough to play pranks on various people, but she also proved to be funny and kind in her own way.

During the first party they had thrown, she had happily used her flames to illustrate Yasopp's stories and then started a drinking game based on their ability to identify increasingly blurred shapes she created. The melted blob of red and yellow liquid turning out to be Akainu had sent everyone laughing until they fell on their asses, Beckman included.

There had not been another coffee accident, or another time where she had shown anything else than her quirky personality, but that moment of absolute seriousness had stuck with the grey-haired pirate. Unfortunately, between the poison intensifying the pain in his body and how much time she spent playing in the strangest areas of the ship, he had not had an opportunity to talk to her alone yet.

Not to mention how his Captain looked utterly addicted to their foxy guide.

The first night, the screams and various noises of pleasure had kept everyone up for a while, which was a bit annoying yet nothing they were not used to.

But then, it seemed they were going at it every single night for at least two or three hours, and the entire crew learned how to create earplugs from scratch just to get those few hours of peace.

Then one morning, Shanks walked straight to where she was looking at the waves, put his hand on her ass, and whispered something about night and getting stronger and deal, which had ended up with both of them heading to his quarters for another few rounds of sex.

Which meant everyone got to hear how creative she could be with her tails in the bedroom, and how much Shanks enjoyed it.

In other words, way too much information no one needed to know.

"I swear it's like having a couple of rabbits aboard," Yasopp groaned when the noises finally stopped. "Thank fuck it's just for this mission."

Beckman huffed, the painkillers not enough anymore to hide the fact that most of his upper body was uncomfortably hot at all time.

"If it lasts any longer, I'll ask him to soundproof his quarters," he deadpanned.

"Should've done that years ago," Yasopp laughed, then got more serious. "How're you doing ?"

"As well as I can with poison burning me non-stop," the grey-haired man replied bluntly. "Still manageable."

"Good thing we know the antidote," his friend said encouragingly.

"Knowing what it is and getting it are two different things," Beckman reminded him.

"Come on, be a little more optimistic ! We've got a guide and all, you know we can totally do this, easy peasy."

The first mate raised an eyebrow, not fully convinced by that enthusiasm. They were still about a week away from Wonderland, and no one knew how long it would take to get the flower supposed to cure him.

-o-oOo-o-

Reader pov

To your surprise, you found yourself adoring life on the Red Force.

And not just because you were getting the best sex of your life multiple times a day with a very talented and very horny lover.

Though it certainly helped.

But the whole crew was merry and welcoming, and Shanks turned out to be a very laid-back and funny person, only getting serious when he was worried about his friends. Yasopp knew an insane amount of stories that at least half were clearly made up, and Lucky was surprisingly into helping you play light pranks on everyone else.

And behind his unfazed appearance, you could see how much Beckman cared about everyone on board. Which was probably why it was obvious he was still a bit suspicious of you, something you did not mind since it was frankly comprehensible.

And the Red Force herself was awesome, you could twirl and play and dance on every part of her while feeling the salty breeze on your skin, happily enjoying the wind and sea as your most precious companions. It felt like this ship was the freest and happiest place on earth, somewhere you could see yourself getting used to.

Which was pretty dangerous when the deal you had passed with the handsome red-haired Emperor was only temporary. You could already tell you would miss it once this whole adventure was done.

You frowned a bit and tried to push depressing thoughts of the future away from your mind.

"What's making you scrunch your pretty nose like that, baby ?" Shanks asked you.

You were both lying in bed and cuddling, and you turned your gaze back to your lover, amusement and respect mixing in your mind. It was more than a little impressive that he was still awake after you had already fed off of him three times that day.

"I'm wondering why a raven is like a writing desk," you lied easily.

Not a complete lie though, this riddle was one you had been stuck on for over two decades and still were not any closer to crack.

"Cause the writer made the desk be like a raven," Shanks grinned and kissed your forehead.

You froze in shock, then raised your head to look at your lover.

"What ?"

"Well, in a story, reality is what the storyteller says it is, right ?" the red-head chuckled. "So if the author says a raven is like a writing desk, it's because they wanted it to. A question that makes no sense means whoever asked it wanted to create chaos, that's its own answer."

You stared at Shanks in disbelief. In the span of a few seconds, the Emperor had solved the most ancient and unsolvable riddle of Wonderland, without realising the might of what he had just done. His carefree and playful eyes watched you with nothing but genuine contentment, and it was as if the beauty of his crimson gaze turned into an arrow swirling all over your skin until it pierced your chest and shot straight through your heart.

A unique feeling ran through you, warm and mushy and powerful, like a cloud of puffy goo directed by butterflies was invading every corner of your very being, from the top of your eyelashes to every fluffy hair on your tails.

And a very dangerous reality dawned on your mind.

Crap. I'm in love with you.

"Hey, you alright baby ?" the Emperor asked you with his hand brushing your hair.

"Huh ? Sure, totally. Great answer, hot stuff," you smiled brightly, and kissed him on the lips. "Nighty night, unless you want to go again ?"

His eyebrows shot up a second, then his expression turned sultry and his hand left your hair to cup your breast, which was answer enough even without his next words.

"Well, if you're asking…" he trailed with a hungry grin while the pad of his thumb teased your nipple. "I always hold up my end of a deal."

Right, you were sleeping together because that was what you had asked as payment for your help with his friend's life-threatening problem. The only required feeling between you was lust, so that you could feed off of it and become more powerful. Damn it, you were an idiot.

But an idiot with a hot lover ready and willing to ravish you again before you went to sleep.

So you did the only reasonable thing to do and pushed aside your newly realised feelings to straddle Shanks and impale your still wet pussy on his nice, hard, warm big dick to ride him till kingdom come.

Chapter Text

Shanks pov

Shanks would like it to be known that no matter what rumours said about him, he was a simple man.

His happiness relied on the sea, good booze, friends to sail and drink with, and sex – or at least pretty women in sight.

So even with Beckman's condition getting worse with every passing day, the promise of a solution was enough to keep his spirits high enough to enjoy life.

Or maybe it was the endorphins constantly flooding his body with great sleep and even greater sex every day, multiple times a day, with a woman who was driving him wild and making him feel like a perpetually horny teenager all over again.

Shanks could simply not get enough of the sexy and sensual kitsune living on his ship. Her eyes, her smile, the sound of her giggles or the way she swayed her hips, the slightest thing she did turned him on and made him want to take her in every way she agreed to in the nearest semi-private space they could reach.

And so he was abusing the terms of their deal to sate his addiction to her. He had barely lasted five days before going to his foxy lover one morning and put his hand on her ass, along with a few words purred in her ear.

I know our deal said every night, but the stronger you get before the island, the better, so… my quarters ?

The excuse had been more than flimsy, but it seemed the prospect of more power had thankfully been enough to make her follow him with a grin and a hungry gaze.

The Emperor was not a complete fool, he was aware that no matter how much she enjoyed having sex with him, her real reason to indulge his desires was to get closer to awakening her Devil Fruit. This thing between them was purely contractual, a mutual arrangement that would end after this one adventure.

Shanks was used to relationships starting with an expiration date. As a pirate, a Captain, and an Emperor, temporary lust and superficial affection doomed to end after a few days, weeks, or months at best, was his lot in life and something he had accepted long ago. A price to pay in order to fulfill his dream of living at sea as an outlaw free of any and all rule.

But this one woman was somehow worming her way past his walls. She was not just the best fuck he had ever known, she was fun, a bit wild, mischievous, living life to the fullest, getting along with his crew, and the freest free spirit he had ever seen. Every second she was twirling and making acrobatics on the railings and masts with the wind making her hair and tails fly was like watching freedom and wilderness incarnate.

And Shanks knew there was more to her than that. The coffee incident had revealed the ruthless and darker part of her soul, even if it had only been for a single moment. It was proof that her cheerful chaotic personality was only the first layer of a much more complex individual, something that resonated deep within him.

This woman had something in her that Shanks was drawn to more and more with every passing day, every moment in bed, every scrap of conversation giving him a glimpse of her soul.

And then they ran into a storm on the way to Wonderland.

Shanks stayed at the helm, barking orders among the lightnings, massive waves, and howling winds. He had seen worse, so had his crew, but it was still a challenge he was not underestimating.

Dark clouds threw raindrops at them like bullets, the sea was testing his ship with every dip and crest, but they would beat this storm.

They had to.

When the worst was behind them, Shanks started to allow himself to release the tension in his muscles and lessen his iron grip on the helm. The rain had softened, the winds lowered, the waves were smaller. Things were back to manageable, which meant the non-stop stress had lessened.

Then a violent burst of wind slapped them out of nowhere, making the Red Force rock brutally for a second.

And Limejuice went flying overboard in the movement.

"LIME !"

"MAN OVERBOA-"

A flash of tails rushed to the railing faster than anyone could act.

Y/N jumped over the railing before Shanks could even blink, then a wood-shredding sound broke through the rain, and within two seconds, she flipped back on deck with Limejuice in her tails, landing on a crouching position with a clawed hand holding onto the deck.

"Get us out of here !" she yelled.

Shanks had no time to think about what had just happened and what it meant to him and his crew. His role was to ensure everyone sailing under his flag would make it out alive by following his orders, and so he did.

Once the weather was no longer threatening, Shanks let the helm to Snake and rushed to the deck with everyone else, only to watch Limejuice be released from Y/N's tails.

"For the record," she grinned, "that's not what I meant when I said you should all bathe more often."

Limejuice burst out laughing and the entire crew followed. The Emperor laughed along at the quip, but as others helped his friend back to his feet, his eyes were glued to the woman who had saved a member of his crew at the risk of falling into the sea as well. Shanks kept staring with his heart beating wildly in his chest, even when she grimaced apologetically and explained that the helm would probably need a few small repairs, and everyone assured her it was fine.

Later that day, once it was only the two of them in his quarters, not even on the bed but with her bent over the desk, with his dick sheathed in her to the hilt and her sweet moans filling the air, Shanks found the will to ask.

"Saving another member of my crew wa- ah !" he panted when her addictive pussy clenched around his cock, "was not part of our deal, baby," he panted.

"You- mmmh right here !" she moaned, and Shanks complied happily. "You hired me t- tooooo oh god yesssss ! To save your crewmate, I ju- YES ! Harder please !" she screamed when Shanks changed his angle slightly, and he followed her demand, "just thought it extended to your whole creeeeeeew fuck yes don't stop !"

The red-head did not even pause and kept fucking his lover the way she wanted him to, hard and fast with his hand holding her waist tightly. He let his lust take control so she could feed off of it all she wanted, since that was the only thing she valued from him.

Yet later on, when he closed his eyes in exhausted yet sated bliss, Shanks thought he heard a hushed whisper grazing his cheek after a featherlight kiss.

"I would do so much more for you, my love."

A few words conjured by his wishful mind, nothing more than his heart longing to hear he was more to her than a way to increase her power. An illusion created by his yearning, yet one Shanks chose to believe for a moment, and he drifted to sleep with the delusional thought that she wanted him the way he had realised he wanted her.

Someone to give his heart to. Someone who would give him her own heart in return. Someone who would defend the ragtag makeshift found family he had built. Someone who cared for them as much as he did, and maybe, hopefully, would care for him, protect him, love him just as fiercely as he loved her.

Someone to spend forever with.

-o-oOo-o-

Reader pov

Shanks had become more affectionate with you after the storm.

Not hornier, just more affectionate.

He touched you more often, in a way that was not sexual or teasing. His fingers caressed your shoulders or waist at every opportunity, his lips pressed kisses on your cheeks, hair, or hands whenever he could, he hugged you as soon as you were close enough for him to do so, and he brought you next to him at every meal, to the point you were basically sitting in his lap whenever you ate.

You could almost fool yourself into thinking you were in a real relationship with the handsome red-haired Emperor.

But then he would make a comment about your deal, or Beckman would wince in pain, and the illusion would vanish.

Not even the special ability of your Mythical Zoan could fool you forever, regardless of how often your inward fox tried to tell you it was real. Shanks counted on you to bring back the flower that would heal his first mate, even if it meant sleeping with you all the time to ensure you would guide him in and out of Wonderland safely.

You were a tool.

A pleasant tool sating his desires and making him see stars whenever you fucked.

But a tool.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

A pleasant experience that would be relegated to a nice memory once you brought back the remedy for his friend and were dropped at the next port.

A mean to an end.

No matter how much your heart begged and yearned and longed for more.

However, you had learned the hard way to enjoy whatever happiness you were given in life for as long as it lasted, and so you did.

Even if every orgasm felt more and more like a lie. Even if your heart clenched every time Shanks felt asleep in your arms. Even if a thousand words of undying love were just one tender look away from passing your lips.

You had been hired for a job, a very specific job you very much did not want to do, but had agreed to do in exchange for increasing your illusion powers through sex with a handsome red-head.

And a job you would now do out of love for a man who only valued you for what you could bring to his crew, because who cared what made a mischievous chaotic kitsune's heart beat or break, after all. Still, you wanted your time with Shanks to remain a good memory for you as well, and as such, you kept your love safely hidden behind your lust.

-o-oOo-o-

When the sparkling blue fog surrounding Wonderland came into view in the last lights of the sunset, you lost your cheerfulness and slammed your foot on the wooden planks of the deck.

"Stop the ship now," you ordered. "Don't get closer to the island."

The Red Force steered to the side so she would stay at good distance, and all officers joined you on deck along most of the crew. Even Beckman was there, no matter how much pain you knew he had to be in at the moment. You were aware of the outrageousness of your next words, but you also knew they were necessary.

So you put one hand on your hip and stared at the Red-Haired pirates, your usual smile nowhere to be seen.

"I know Shanks is Captain, and I respect that. But the second we enter that fog, my word becomes law, or everyone dies."

For a second, no one said anything, then Shanks stepped forward.

"You know this land best. Until we leave again, you're in charge."

Your eyes widened for a single instant at his easy acceptance of such a mighty request, but then you nodded in determination.

"Limejuice," you said while turning to the man, "do you have what I asked for ?"

"Sure do," the blond pirate confirmed, and you relaxed slightly. "And I told you it's just Lime."

"Alright, Lime. Now listen to me, everyone," you said as sternly as you could.

In front of you, an entire pirate crew was looking back in silence, and you could only hope every single one of these merry dumbasses would do as you said.

"I will ignite a flame in every single sphere Lime prepared, and you will wear it around your neck until we leave that fog again. Everyone in Wonderland will know it means you're under my protection, but if they push, the only thing you are allowed to say is do you remember what the fox did ?"

"And what did you do ?" Gab asked, and you glared at him.

"None of your business. My turf, my rules," you stated harshly. "Don't trust anyone there, no matter what they look like or what they tell you."

"You're the expert," Shanks declared confidently. "Lads, you heard her instructions."

"Aye Captain !"

"Good," you nodded. "You stay at the dock, I'll go alone and get that flower. Then-"

"Absolutely not," the red-head interrupted you. "I hired you to be a guide on that island, you won't take all the risks alone. I'm coming with you."

You glared back, but you had learned how stubborn Shanks could be by then, so after a few seconds, you closed your eyes briefly in defeat.

"Fine, but keep your Observation Haki active at all time. It won't save you, but you will be able to see through most illusions that aren't mine," you stated seriously. "Even with that, don't trust anyone but me."

"Alright," the Emperor nodded, then looked around him. "Everyone else stay on the ship until we're back."

"Aye Captain !"

You stared at Shanks for a moment.

Did you want your lover to set foot in Wonderland ? Hell to the no.

But you had to admit it was a tiny bit reassuring to think he would have your back in this madhouse.

He looked straight back at you without a word, as if he was trying to convey any attempt to make him change his mind would be pointless. Then Limejuice brought a crate filled with transparent little spheres held on makeshift necklaces, and you moved to stand in front of it.

The next minutes consisted of filling those spheres with your special green fire, and ensuring every single person aboard was wearing one, plus a dozen more spread all over the ship just to be on the safe side.

Once the entire crew was blatantly under your protection, you jumped on the figurehead and took a deep breath. You did not want to go back into this mad hell, but you had agreed to. So you made a forward motion with your left arm, and the Red Force turned to enter the sparkling blue fog.

-o-oOo-o-

Shanks pov

His lover's sudden grim behaviour had been a bit unexpected, but after the two weeks she had spent with them, the abrupt change from her airy and cheerful attitude was all the more effective. Shanks could tell every single member of his crew had taken her warnings and instructions seriously even without his intervention.

That little tidbit about reminding Wonderland inhabitants what she had done also seemed to point out she could hold her own in a fight, possibly more than the Emperor had given her credit for.

But the second she had announced going alone, Shanks had snapped. He had not even thought it through, just plainly refused to let her go alone on this quest. The idea that she might be in danger or injured because he was not there to protect her was simply unbearable.

They made their way toward the weird glittery blue fog, and as soon as they were inside, the bonus effect of her flames became apparent. With every man on board wearing those around their neck, they could see pretty well and not bump into each other.

Then suddenly, the fog turned purple and then pink with even more sparkles, and feminine voices echoed from the sea.

"Oh, such pretty sailors !"

"Come play with us !"

"The water is perfect, join us !"

There was a weird ring to their voices, and Shanks and several of his men went to the railing to discover very pretty ladies swimming in the waves. Suddenly, a flurry of tails jumped to crouch on the railing in front of them, barring the view. The second his lover appeared between their group and the ladies calling them from the water, the sirens screamed and swam away from the ship, all thoughts of seduction vanishing at once.

"What's the matter ?" Y/N chuckled, something a little darker than her usual happy laugh. "I'm always happy to play !"

"Y- Y- You !! You're the fox !" a siren with white hair yelled before hiding behind another.

"Aww, you remember me," the kitsune cooed with both hands on her heart.

"We'll tell the Queen of Heart !" another siren shouted.

Y/N laughed freely at that and started walking and twirling on the railing, her white tails fluttering behind her with little flames bursting from them.

"Oh really ? So she's finally lost the habit of beheading the messengers bringing her bad news ?"

The group of sirens paled drastically at that, and after exchanging hushed whispers, they dived underwater without a word and Y/N hopped back on deck with a roll of her eyes. Because apparently, beheading messengers was a common enough practice in Wonderland that it warranted not bringing bad news to its leader.

"Keep going, we'll reach the port soon," their guide said before going back to the figurehead.

Shanks watched her jump on her chosen spot, and went closer to his first mate instead. Beckman was sitting on deck and focusing on his breathing, the way he seemed to be more and more these past days.

"Wonder what the fuck she did that was so bad it scared those off," his friend mumbled.

"As long as her reputation keeps us safe, I don't care," Shanks replied with a shrug. "Hold on a bit longer, Beck."

"Not like I can do anything else at the moment," Beck huffed with the beginning of a smile. "You're still sure about this madness ?"

"Yep," the Emperor grinned and patted his first mate's shoulder.

The docks came into view, though it looked more like a weird colourful mishmash of strangely shaped buildings with no particular coherence in front of the actual docking part. Once there, Y/N came back on deck and Shanks readied himself to go on land.

"Remember, don't leave the ship no matter what happens, don't trust anything or anyone, and in case they push, show my flames and ask them if they remember what the fox did," she instructed.

"Aye !" his crew replied.

Shanks put his hand on his sword and looked at the foxy woman his heart was dead set on keeping close to him.

"Any special instructions for me before we go ?" he asked her seriously.

"Pretty much everyone on this island either hates me, fears me, or both," she deadpanned. "And the few who don't aren't exactly what I would call reliable allies."

"So not trust anyone's words, stay close to you, follow your lead. Got it," Shanks grinned.

She smirked at that, a bit of playfulness back in her expression before she turned around and jumped on the railing.

"Well then, hot stuff, welcome to Wonderland."