DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THIS ANIME OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS.
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Saturday. Density Bay. Republic of Padokia.
Shades of red, pink and orange tainted the sky as the golden sun sank on the seemingly boundless horizon. Heavens illuminated the smooth calm sea with its bloodied light. Waves came up and swept some of the fine white sand and pulled them back as if forcing them to join the abode of the cool yet hot-looking waters.
It was all calm and silent. The winds seemed not to have penetrated the seashore. A pair of rounded, black eyes looked around. "Our mission on York Shin's auctions last year proved unsuccessful," a soft baritone voice said breaking the silence which once ruled. "One member became a traitor and the other two died as a result. We need to lie low for now. But it doesn't mean that we won't continue pursuing the aims of the organization."
Another pair of eyes, dark brown ones this time, narrowed impatiently. "What shall we do now, Danchou?"
Kuroro's lips curved into a soft, gentle smile. "As I have said earlier, we needed to lie low to evade possible adversaries. But I called you today to find this thing I heard about."
Other figures, some sitting, others standing by the shore got alarmed. "We will do everything you command," said a big Frankensteinian man with a large pair of earrings. "Tell us more about it."
"It is called tenderly," the leader continued.
"EEH?!" the Spiders shouted in chorus.
"Tenderly what?" asked the ronin still grabbing his sword.
"We need to find tenderly."
"Yes, we will find it tenderly if you want. What is it, Danchou?" asked the youth with orange hair and green irises.
"No, I mean, we need to get tenderly."
"Get tenderly the what?" Phinx asked. His narrow eyes narrowed even more.
"Tenderly," Kuroro said trying to rephrase. "The thing is called tenderly."
The Spiders looked at each other still confused.
"I apologize for interfering, but let me speak for a while, Danchou," Boronerufu said. "I think tenderly is not a noun."
"Yes," said Korutopi nodding in agreement. "It's an adverb."
The leader smiled wider. "I think you are all confused but this thing is really called tenderly. I do not know what it is but the name struck me deeply."
"If that is the case, then we would really have a hard time finding it. Don't you have any clue at least?" said the golden-eyed fellow beside Phinx.
"I have a clue," Kuroro replied. "I heard these lines. Listen to it very carefully. It's short. You can easily memorize it."
"We will," the Spiders replied.
"Here it goes." Kuroro cleared his throat. "Loves without contempt, cares without limit. Tenderly."
Everything became quiet once more. The leader blinked at the sudden silence. "Why aren't you talking now? Questions? Clarifications? Violent reactions?" The silence grew deeper. "Aren't you going to react a bit?"
"Well," Machi said finally. "That's the clue, ne?"
"Yes, yes," Kuroro replied.
"Don't you have any other clues, yo?" Feitan asked.
Kuroro shook his head. "Nope. That's all."
"N-ne…" Nobunaga muttered quietly. "A-aren't we gonna find things other than that? I mean, other things, you know. Well, if you'd allow us, of course."
"I wanted to tell you about that Greed Island Game, yo, but we're over it now," Feitan said. "It's gone, Danchou."
"I heard about that Black Tiara of Good Luck," Machi recommended. "But it was for the next week's auctions here in Padokia which means we can't have it, right? This republic is protected by the Zaoldyeck clan. It would be difficult to challenge them."
"Lady Godiva's Hair's on the auctions too," Shizuku said adjusting her eyeglasses. "Were not going to get it still."
"The Cross of Shimabara would be there too," Korutopi said.
"So does the Body of Lorelei," Boronerufu said.
"I've heard about Freedom. It's a rare type of diamond and it was not advertised on the auctions. But it was on the hands of the Hunter Association," Franklin said.
Silence ruled once more. "Well," Kuroro said, "any other suggestions?" Nobody dared to speak first. "Right. We would find tenderly then."
"Is it a tenderly with a capital T?" Shalnark asked.
"I don't know," the Kuroro replied. "The one and only clue I can give you is the line."
"The line, yes," Phinx said out loud. "Ne, Fei, have you memorized it?" he whispered.
"Yeah," Nobunaga said still trying to absorb the content of the conversation.
"Then how do we find that tenderly thing, eh?" Phinx asked with a yawn.
"Research," Kuroro said. "Let the clue guide you. I'll do research myself. Phinx and Feitan would go together, Franklin and Shizuku, Machi and Nobunaga, Korutopi and Boronerufu, Shalnark and me. We will meet after a week, same place and time. I guess that's all. Disperse."
Minutes passed. The shore was quiet once more. The sun was now sunken, buried beneath the indigo clouds and the dark seas. The figures that once stayed on the sandy soil were no more. Only the fair brunet and the green-eyed youth were left standing by the beach.
"Ne, Danchou," Shalnark said. "Aren't we going now?" he asked.
"Ah, yes, I'm sorry," Kuroro said in surprise.
"My! I guess that tenderly thing sounded like something precious, ne?" he asked the leader once more.
"I think so," Kuroro replied.
And they disappeared.