One Piece: The Archangel's Guide

Chapter 19: Uta

The members of the Red Hair Pirates wanted to speak but hesitated. When they thought about the harsh environment of the plateau, they found her ignorance to be completely reasonable.

In the end, Louis sighed. "A song is a sound that can make people feel happy. A musician is a person responsible for delivering this wonderful pleasure."

Yelena listened, a thoughtful look on her face. She nodded gently and quietly waited for Uta to sing.

With the practiced movements of the Red Hair crew, the temporary stage was quickly assembled. Then, egged on by the others, Uta showed no shyness at all. She stepped forward confidently and spread her arms on the deck.

She gave a light cough and closed her eyes.

In the crowd, Shanks and Yasopp understood Uta's signal. Doting smiles appeared on their faces as they went forward and each took one of Uta's hands. Step by step, they lifted her up, helping her onto the stage.

The next moment, Uta slowly opened her eyes and gave Louis and Yelena a brilliant smile. At that moment, a warm sea breeze blew past, lifting her two-toned hair and the hem of her yellow dress.

Under the watchful eyes of all, Uta's figure swayed gently with the sea breeze. She raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sun, and rays of light shone on her face through the gaps between her fingers.

♫: "Though I keep asking the sky,"

♫: "Where this wind comes from, I'll get no reply."

A clear singing voice surrounded everyone, making them subconsciously ignore the other noises of the sea, completely entranced.

On the deck, the entire Red Hair crew was smiling. Even Lucky Roux, who never let go of his food, paused his chewing, afraid of disturbing Uta's performance.

Louis leaned against the railing, quietly listening to Uta's performance. He had to admit, even without the Sing-Sing Fruit, Uta's voice had world-class potential. Even someone like Louis, who in his past life had preferred electronic and rock music, found himself gradually immersed.

As Yelena listened to the voice that merged with the sea breeze, she was first taken aback, then the corners of her mouth turned up in a nostalgic smile.

"So, the sound I often heard as a child... that was a song..."

Enveloped by the singing, the world in Yelena's eyes began to change. She saw her younger self being lulled to sleep by a gentle figure.

"Yelena, you have to be strong, okay?"

"Once Momma sneaks onto the prison ship and breaks him out, everything about the Jacob Kingdom will be over..."

Yelena watched as the gentle figure stroked her horns, its face a mixture of guilt and regret. The figure, so familiar to Yelena, looked at her sleeping self and whispered, "This all should have ended long ago, but in the end, I didn't seize the chance."

"I am a sinner..."

"..."

♫: "Set sail in your heart, and head toward your wishes' chart."

The world changed again, and the figure singing on the stage reappeared before Yelena's eyes. She looked up at the bright, azure sky and whispered in her heart, "It's all over..."

♫: "At the end of the journey you believed in,"

♫: "May I meet you once again..."

"..."

The song, carried by the sea breeze, brought a smile to Beckman's face as he steered the other ship. Behind him, the Canaan survivors who had been diligently learning how to sail looked up in confusion, then quickly became captivated as well. Beckman turned his head and looked helplessly at the entranced group, at a loss for words.

Finally, he smiled and shook his head. "Forget it. For the sake of Uta's singing, I'll let you all relax for a bit."

♫: "No matter where I am, I will keep on singing,"

♫: "Sending my feelings into your heart."

♫: "Sailing the great sea, becoming a fresh new breeze..."

The song came to an end. Uta shed the quiet demeanor she had while singing and revealed a bright, radiant smile.

"Welcome Louis and Yelena to the Red Hair Pirates!!"

"..."

However, the air was met with dead silence.

Louis: "..."

Yelena: "..."

Everyone was giving her a strange look.

Uta's little face fell. She looked a bit embarrassed, and the butterfly-shaped bow in her hair drooped unconsciously. "Eh?"

"Why isn't anyone cheering?"

Then, Yasopp scratched his head, embarrassment written all over his face. "But... Louis and the others aren't joining us..."

"?" Uta didn't understand.

Just then, Shanks laughed awkwardly, went up, and patted Uta's head. "Little Louis and Yelena are just staying on our ship for a few years for her treatment. They're not joining us."

Uta looked at Shanks, then at Louis and Yelena, a confused look on her face. "But, isn't that the same thing?"

"Aren't pirates just people who adventure on the sea with their friends?"

"Staying here for two years, living and adventuring with us, doesn't that mean they've become our friends?"

"..."

The crew was stunned, looking at each other. For a moment, they didn't know how to answer that question.

Louis's eyes widened. For a moment, he couldn't find the words to refute Uta. He could only marvel at her amazing thought process, which even as a child was similar to Madara Uchiha's in his later years.

Finally, Louis shook his head and said, "It's not the same. We are ultimately just passersby. We have different beliefs and goals. There will always come a time when we part."

Shanks lifted Uta off the deck and said with a helpless smile, "You'll understand when you're a little older."

Uta crossed her arms and turned her head away. "Hmph..."

Then, the rest of the Red Hair Pirates all laughed.

Soon, Uta had put the whole incident behind her. She clapped her hands to get everyone's attention and announced loudly, "In that case, let's have a banquet!"

"YEAH!" The Red Hair crew responded immediately, giving Uta the emotional validation she sought.

Louis was silent. As he thought, this crew was too boisterous; he wasn't quite used to it.

Yelena, however, looked confused. "Didn't we just have a banquet last night?" In fact, she felt that having a banquet every day was a bit too wasteful.

Shanks seemed to see Yelena's concern and responded with a smile. "It's okay! The sea is very bountiful. As long as we don't waste food..."

Just then, Louis frowned and looked out at the distant sea. At the same time, Shanks also noticed the approaching ship. But he quickly turned his head and looked thoughtfully at Louis.

The pirates on that ship might be decent in the East Blue, but they were nothing in front of him. What he hadn't expected was that although Louis was young, his Observation Haki was almost on par with his own.

Soon, Yasopp and Beckman on the other ship also noticed the approaching vessel. Beckman thought for a moment, then turned to the Canaan survivors behind him. "Tell your people on deck to come back inside. They can go out again later."

Yasopp immediately raised his telescope and looked out at the distant sea.