LadyMintLeaf

- Where Wax Meets Thread - [DEVIATION] The early afternoon sunlight spilled over the pier of a small, quiet island, casting a warm golden glow on the dark wooden planks. The sea, unusually calm for this part of the Grand Line, gently lapped against the posts of the old dock, as if even it were taking a brief respite. Then, without hurry, a small boat appeared beyond the shimmering horizon. There was no flag, no emblem painted on its hull. Just weathered wood and white sails. The boat glided across the water, until it brushed the dock with a dull thud as its side hit the worn wood. It rocked once… twice… before settling with a soft creak. For a moment, everything seemed frozen. Then, a white and blue shoe, surprisingly clean considering the recent journey across the sea, stepped onto the weathered planks of the pier. Another shoe followed, descending from the boat with careful precision, avoiding a small patch of saltwater as if with near-millimeter accuracy. The figure who