The rain was gone by morning, leaving dew on the treehouse floor and a crisp chill in the air. Shafts of sunlight pierced through the canopy, casting golden light across the cluttered wooden boards—sketch pages, snack wrappers, pencil shavings, and two kids wrapped in hoodies, limbs tangled in sleep.
Gwen stirred first. Her back ached slightly, but her face softened the moment she saw the pages scattered across the floor.
"Episode One," she read softly, tracing the scrawl in the corner of the page. There were rough doodles in the margins and more ambitious frames inside—Luffy in the barrel, the sea king's silhouette rising.
She smiled. "We really started."
Luffy groaned beside her, hair wild and spiky in every direction. He sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Started what?"
Gwen handed him a juice pouch. "Being awesome."
Ava's soft voice came from the corner of the room, her small projector glow warming the air. "Thirty-six finalized frames. Twelve transitions. One crashed tablet and exactly five artistic disagreements."
Gwen raised a brow. "Only five?"
Ava paused. "...That I counted."
Luffy stretched, arms cracking as he yawned. "My hand hurts. But in a good way."
He flipped through a pile of rough sketches, pausing at one of Nami's early scenes. "It's still not good enough."
"It's a start," Gwen replied. "That's what matters."
Luffy hesitated. "Still… we're using cheap pencils and free software. The laptop lagged five times last night. And Ava nearly fried herself running the render."
"She did," Ava confirmed. "It was 84 degrees Celsius. I do not recommend repeating it."
The air grew quiet.
Gwen's smile faded as she glanced at Luffy. His hands trembled slightly, and his cheeks looked paler than usual. She nudged Ava with her toe.
"Already scanning," Ava whispered. A small digital panel floated beside her: caloric deficit detected. Nutrient load at 28%. Energy output 310% above baseline.
"You didn't eat dinner," Gwen said.
"I had chips," Luffy mumbled.
"That's not a meal." Gwen narrowed her eyes. "How are we supposed to animate a whole saga if you pass out halfway?"
Luffy didn't answer. He just looked down at the sketchpad in his lap and whispered, "I can't slow us down."
"You're not slowing us down," Gwen said. "But you are human. Kinda."
"I'm rubber," Luffy tried to joke.
"You're rubber and running on fumes." Gwen folded her arms. "From now on, eating comes before sketching."
Luffy groaned. "But time—"
"No buts," Ava interrupted. "I've already begun compiling research on high-efficiency nutrient delivery systems. Gwen and I are working on a formula."
"A formula?" Luffy blinked.
"Nutrient-rich, high calorie, digestible meals with supplemental pills if needed," Ava explained. "Your Devil Fruit metabolism is accelerating faster than predicted."
"We're pivoting," Gwen said. "Side job first, studio second. You come third—" she paused, "—no, wait. You come first."
Luffy looked at them both. His tired eyes softened. "Okay. But I still want to finish the barrel shot."
They stayed quiet for a few moments, the sounds of birds echoing through the trees. Gwen began sketching logos. Ava hovered nearby, assisting. Luffy pulled his blanket over his legs, sketchpad back in hand.
That afternoon, the treehouse transformed.
A corkboard was pinned up against one wall, filled with storyboard cards and red strings connecting scenes. Gwen labeled them in sharpie, her handwriting getting messier the more excited she got. Ava projected a holographic timeline over the wall, complete with timestamps, estimated voiceover durations, and even Ava's best guesses for background music.
Luffy taped a sheet to the front wall that read in bold, messy marker:
Studio Rules
No quitting.
No crunching.
Everyone eats.
"You really mean that last one?" Gwen asked, smirking.
"I mean it the most," Luffy replied, still chewing on a banana she had handed him.
Gwen stepped aside and pointed to Ava. "Nutrition lab update?"
Ava spun into the center of the treehouse and projected a new interface on the floor. "I've identified 36 potential food items that could be blended into effective support meals. Preliminary analysis favors a balance of fish oil, banana extract, and… peanut butter."
"Disgusting," Gwen muttered.
"Efficient," Ava corrected. "I'll be modifying texture and flavor. I've also been studying meal plans from Olympic athletes and marathon runners. Cross-referencing with shonen protagonists."
"You're seriously using anime character diets as a model?" Gwen asked.
"I'm using Luffy's energy profile," Ava said simply. "That's the closest match."
Luffy smiled faintly. "So I'm… a new species?"
"You're a new problem set," Ava replied, floating a soft red pulse near his head. "But one we're built to solve."
By sunset, they were deep into planning the Romance Dawn arc. Luffy was reworking fight transitions, Ava was refining audio sync tools, and Gwen was redrawing a key Nami moment. It took her five tries to get it right.
They paused to eat peanut butter sandwiches and cut apples.
"I used to doodle during recess," Gwen murmured. "I never thought I'd be building something like this."
"You're not helping," Luffy said. "You're building it with us."
"And with me," Ava added softly.
Later that night, Gwen and Ava sat in the corner while Luffy rested. He didn't realize it, but he had fallen asleep while sketching.
Gwen covered him with a blanket.
"I've been running long-term forecasts," Ava whispered. "If this gets worse, his energy collapse could turn dangerous. The pills will help, but we'll need more."
"I'll talk to my dad," Gwen said. "Maybe we can convince him to let us try some advanced supplements. Just say it's for a science fair or something."
Ava nodded. "I'll hack the ordering forms to make it look like it's school-approved."
They watched Luffy sleep, chest rising and falling slowly. His sketchpad was still clutched in his fingers.
"I don't think he realizes yet," Gwen whispered, "just how much we'd give up for him."
"We won't have to," Ava said. "We'll build a world where none of us have to give up anything."
They looked around at the scattered drawings, pinned scenes, and warm light glowing above them.
Luffy stirred, opening one eye. "Are we winning yet?"
Gwen smiled. "We will. One frame at a time."
Frame 007: The Dream That Follows