Chapter 1: The Greatest Detective

Sabo served in the revolutionary army until he was taken out due to injury, now a scar across his face with ghosts of the fallen in it. Koala, his nurse, quickly became his assistant as 'the lights on upstairs are the brightest in her' was the older man's reasoning. She would be the best partner to have any his ventures beyond the war. He wanted work in the law, he wanted to help people, and so did she.

Now, here they are, sleuthing as if their talents for the great war never faded. The biggest investigations were completely solved at the drop of their hats like they picked apart the problem and put it back together like a simple puzzle. From returning artifacts to rightful owners to clearing the names of the wrongly accused across the vast oceans and seas birthed The Greatest Detective Alive.

However, one does grow weary after a while with more than enough reward money wedged in all pockets. After a recent investigation that ended with them both dodging bullets, Koala suggested a change of pace, of perspective, one vacation wouldn't kill him, but overwork will. "I saw advertisements for a winter cruise. I know how much you dread the heat." She offered, barely sparing him a glance from her desk as she read over a thick packet of closed investigations completed in the last month.

"'Winter cruise'?" The blonde man asks, his hand finding his chin to rub in thought as he gazed through the window in front of his assistant. He watched the snowfall from gray skies, adding to the thick blanket on the patches of grass right besides the concrete entrance. "Peculiar…" He trailed off to think – who goes on a cruise in the middle of winter?

"Don't think too much about it. It's legitimate cruise line, pretty popular in fact. Just say you'll go." The redhead presses, sliding the documents into a manila folder for filing.

"I never said I wouldn't." He says, glancing back at her.

She sighs. "Wonderful. I'll make the arrangements right away."

After locking up the folders in their rightful cabinet drawer, she sat back down at her small desk where she reached for the phone then sliding the dial with neatly filed fingertips.

Hearing her discuss the arrangements made Sabo feel slightly giddy which happens naturally when he goes to new places. However, it would be on his own accord, he wouldn't have to think or act – for a week, perhaps, he would just have to simply be. Exhaling shortly in determination, he threw on his cap and jacket to pack for tomorrow's newest journey.

The next morning's chill was forgettable with all the fuss with traveling to board on time. Koala's hurried heels clopped as they made their way to the ship along the dock. They would have been slower were it not for the Captain's assistant, the young lad with a strange scar under his eye that would bend when he grinned, who had taken their luggage to be delivered their suites.

"We are only two out of nine guests here." The redhead mentions. "Isn't that strange?"

"Really?" Sabo asks curiously. "This must be the smallest cruise I have ever been on."

His assistant makes a thoughtful noise in agreement. "But, I don't want to find out why, or how, or- just whatever." She huffs.

"Good thing we aren't working at the moment."

"Aye."

They meandered up the ramp and on to the smallish vessel as if to prove their point. They were greeted – by a guest as he wore no official uniforms. His black facial hair was short and as clean as his eyebrows, yet his sideburns were the opposite. His skin was as pale as could be like those gray irises, his eyelashes were so thick, he could be mistaken for wearing makeup. He did not smile under that white and black spotted cap – instead he looked a little surprised at unexpected company.

"Investigator Sabo." He breathed before stiffly holding out his hand. "It's an honor to meet you."

"A pleasure," The blonde responded. "You are...?"

"Lawrence Waters, a vacationing surgeon." The corners of his mouth raise slightly. "If you'll excuse me, I would like to get situated before this thing moves."

"Of course, of course."

"Fancy seeing 'The Greatest Detective of All Time' here!" A deeper voice boisterously bellows from behind them.

A large, middle-aged man, wearing a white downy coat that almost covered his entire body. His cat-eye sunglasses sharp, blonde hair messy but confident enough. His knowing smile, a toothy grin – a business man from what both Sabo and Koala could smell. With him, a short, lanky man with a pointy nose carrying two suitcases – his servant?

"Don Quixote." His last name said in a convincing French accent. "Sound familiar? I run all the major banks in Spain and parts of France. This is my secretary, Mr. Leo Tontatta."

Leo nodded in acknowledgment before he was roughly nudged by his boss to put their things away.

Sabo made his best courtesy smile as they firmly shook hands. "Well met! I knew I heard that name somewhere! Wonderful to make your acquaintance."

"I hope to hear any stories of yours at dinner. If you need me, I'll be at the bar."

"Right."

The two left looked at each other at the ridiculousness of their encounter before setting off to find their quarters. They resided in a warmly lit hallway inside a minuscule second floor that rested on the middle of the deck with cold metal stairs leading up to it. Their rooms were next to each other, right in the middle with four doors on either side, going in order from left to right. As Koala was about to slide her newly acquired brass key from the port that morning after Sabo disappeared inside his room to her left, but the door was already being pulled open.

A tall, shapely woman in a navy blue dress, with wavy dark brown hair, half-up, flowing down her back stared back at her "intruder". She fulls lips curved into a hypnotizing smile, almost as mesmerizing as her eyes. "I suppose they didn't tell you room six belongs to Violet Dold."

"N-No, they didn't. Pardon me."

"Oh, it was my fault. I made the request at the last minute." She pulled something out from her pocket – another brass key with a one engraved on it. "Let's make a trade, Miss Sun."

The fast exchange went quietly, ending on Violet's 'nice to meet you' as she closed her door with barely a sound. Koala opted not to think about her or the honest mistake for the rest of the trip.

When lunch time came around, with following the signs on the hallway walls as a straight shot to the left, all the guests were brave enough to show their faces in the dining room. It was brightly lit, small in size, and in warm lights with the windows adding to it along the right side. Four booths lined both walls, leaving a walkway of beige carpet on dark wood floors that matched the seats. Opposite of the entrance were the two doors that opened to the kitchen.

Don and Leo sat near the kitchen doors on the left side unlike everyone else, playing a round of poker with smoke wafting across the table from the older man's cigar. Lawrence preferred to read alone, sitting right besides a window with a steaming mug resting in front of him. Those who sat across from him carried their own conversation while they looked over the menu: a woman with coal black hair, as straight as a pin, with burgundy lipstick and sleeves the frilled out at the elbows. The man next to her looking like her polar opposite: large, stout, his mouth wide, looking like he was plotting something, but his hair was the same color as hers.

Violet sat across a very young woman with hair so light, it looked pastel pink. It was tucked neatly into a long braid down her back with a golden leaf pinning a tiny portion of her clean bangs. She wore a teal dress with long sleeves blousing at the wrists. She giggled at something before a large, burly waiter with a minor limp, tan skin, and black curly hair pulled back tightly into a ponytail, came to set a mug down in front of her. She nodded with smile, he leaves.

Sabo and Koala chose the table behind Viola by the window, at least that was where the redhead ran to first. Menus were already waiting for them, the cold from their lonesomeness shocking their fingertips when picking it up. All the choices looked so good, the unconscious action of licking their lips proved it.

This would be the same place Sabo would be given a request the very next evening from the bank president, his assistant without him. It was after dinner, everyone left to retire for the night, and dessert was offered but none taken. Don slapped an already opened envelope on the tablecloth, gesturing for the investigator to do his job. The blonde cleared his throat upon picking it up, taking out the contents and unfolding the letter that's writing was all in cut out newspaper.

DoNT geT COMFORTable

YouLL GET WHAT you DeSerVe

SOON

"I got it when I went to my room. My secretary said it was resting on the bed when he got there." He says, leaning back in his chair. "It great that you're here. I'll pay you to find out what's going on. Handsomely."

Sabo shook his head, handing the letter back. "I'm not working at the moment. As daring as the offer is, I must decline."

As if he was ignored, "This isn't the only letter I've received like this. Here's the first one, I got it this morning right before I left my house." Another enveloped was sat on the table, the younger man looked at it.

SaY you'RE PRAYERs

your TIME IS LIMITED

"Don't you think I want to relax too?" Don says, narrowing his eyes. "There is someone on this ship, I know it, there's a black sheep among us. You have just the mind I was looking for – the sooner we snag 'im, the sooner this is all over and we can go back to not even knowing each others names anymore. I'll pay you double."

"Again, I must decline," Sabo says very curtly through stiff lips as he gets up from his seat. "I was out of work right as I stepped on this ship, and I intend to be that way until the we reach our destination. You will have to find someone else. Good luck to you." He briskly walked down the hallway to his door, realizing just how tired he was.

He lazily changed into his pajamas before pulling the shade over the window. As he climbed under the covers of the twin bed wedged in a tight but cozy corner of the room, he sighed out through his nose as he bathed in the serene quiet. His body sunk further into the mattress, his eyes closed without the energy to open them.

Right on the cusp of sleep, his ears picked up some hurried rustling, a few careless knocks against the wall to his left. There was some strangled noise, but it was tightly muffled and almost couldn't be heard. When a louder thud was heard, Sabo's eyes slammed opened, his feet already at his door to peek out.

The noise is quieter.

He waited.

Shaking his head, he tried going back to sleep, but the noise continued. Something falls on the floor – the investigator is ready to give his neighbor a piece of his mind. Right as he pushes the door open a second time, he sees someone in a billowing red robe with a plain straw hat large enough to hide who was wearing it jogging down the hall towards the dining room. Chewing on his bottom lip slightly, he closes the door again.

The next thing he hears is some polite knocking and, "It's Captain Sengoku. My assistant, Luffy, received a noise complaint. Is everything alright?"

A rough voice, so quiet it could barely be distinguished says, "It's nothing."

"Alright. Sorry to bother."

"Just forget it," His brain tells him. "It's over now. Time to rest."

And rest he did.

Little did he know that tomorrow would be his greatest investigation yet.