The Gate to Kisho
Chapter 18
Zato's Past
'Sure… I had to have grown up like everyone else. I was normal. Until the fruit came,' Zato thought to himself as the crew settled down. 'My past. I have always wanted to remind myself of the events that brought me here.'
Just the two of us… Dan and I. Our parents had perished years before. Miyin baa-sama took care of us, but she could only do so much. South Blue seemed a rough sea."
School – we went to a small tutoring session, the cheapest available. I learned the basics there, and the tutor managed to smuggle me a few textbooks. These I valued for the rest of my life.
Dan, being four years younger, was unable to grasp the subjects at my pace. The government facilities of Chiyo and Squid Islands were strict about the education systems – baa-sama had to suffer for several attempts to educate my two year old brother.
We were low on money. Eventually nothing was left, except those prized textbooks. And with those, I pursued further knowledge, severely violating the code set by the government. We had clearly dropped to a low social class – people like us didn't "deserve the right to learn".
And there came my first goal. I would show the world that we could succeed.
The threat of pirates was low in our perspectives… that was reverse for the government. Lieutenant Tsuntsun strictly enfored the principle of execution for all pirates. Even those suspected were taken to the local gallows and hung in front of crowds, 'a lesson from the government'.
They took Miyin baa-sama within a week. Dan and I cried our hearts out, and we tried to save her. Tsuntsun (who hid from us) sent a squad to deal with our home and take our belongings.
Enraged, I raced to the marine base and took out the guards only to be captured by Tsuntsun himself. "To be fair," he said, "I'll let you see your mother one last time."
Little had I known that I would be watching her execution. Before hanging her, she was given the privilege to speak to me. "Zato! Please, do not fear. You are a brave child. Take Dan and leave. This isn't unfair – I truly am a pirate. Our family has been a long chain of pirates! Zato D. Alba, you will learn everything. Grow up to be a strong pirate. Here we part, dear!"
Unfortunately, Tsuntsun arranged for Dan and I to be captured. To keep from violating "human rights", we were made as assistants, though the work seemed like slaves.
I planned for an escape, but my hunger and thirst led to the failure of that plan. Dan and I were one day cleaning the office room when we noticed a large fat fruit on the desk. A note attached said to leave untouched, but I couldn't resist…
After Dan's refusal to eat it and approval for me to consume the awkward fruit, I chomped it down, ignoring the disgusting taste it had.
The next moment, my body seemed as if it imploded, and Tsuntsun came in to find out what the ruckus was about. "The devil fruit!" he shouted. "Damn it! You can't be living if you have the powers of the Block Block Fruit!"
I asked, and he explained my newfound ability in terms that Dan too understood; following this, he drew his sword and nearly killed me.
Then, by instinct, the fruit's powers kicked in and sent the lieutenant back a bit, and destroyed the wall. Dan and I escaped and managed to catch a ship. We had no knowledge of sailing, and we eventually ended up on a foreign island.
To our fortune, it was a peaceful island. However, the government here restricted more than two children per family… Dan managed to slip into a family of one child. I left him with their care, and eventually the commodore there tried to capture me, despite not knowing my identity.
I promised Dan that we would meet once more, and I told him to become a pirate.. a good person. Like a noble pirate. And with that, I left and began my own journey, hoping I could show the world I could succeed as a strong pirate. From there I shot for the West Blue goal – the Grand Kingdom, said to have treasures and secrets. The pirate who could make it there was just about the strongest one could find.
That was my past.
\/\/-\/\/
A tear trickled down Zato's cheek as he lay rested in a corner of the ship. He quickly wiped it away and got up. At the end of the tunnel, he could see a light. "We're making it out of here. Now we're going for the Kisho Sea!"
Right outside of the mountain barrier, a larger ship collided straight into the rocks and tore up a piece of the hull. The captain of this crew sighed while resting in her large throne upon the deck. "Man, you guys sure know how to handle my ship."
Mimi Reishouteki – the captain of the Commanders of Cynicism (AKA Sarcastic Pirate Crew)! One of the men aboard kneeled before her and responded, "Thank you, your majesty. You are too kind to point out my extraordinary navigation skills…"
He was immediately smacked across the floor by a second figure, this one much smaller but carrying a large wooden stick. "Retard, that's sarcasm! Why in the world are you even on this ship if you can't recognize it?!"
Her name was Ika, and she was Captain Mimi's trusty partner. "Ah, yes, Ika. Mhm, she brings up a great point. We are indeed the Commanders of Cynicism."
Tohru cried out loud when she was flung to the side by the shaking cavern. "Something's going on outside that's cause the inside to rumble!"
Luckily, they made it out before an astonishing rockfall that sealed up the exit. Zato shot up and took a glance at the nearby ship that was currently being fixed. Ika snatched her binoculars to look at the Star Crew's ship. "Company, Mimi."
"Company? Oh jolly, we all love company don't we."
The whole crew responded, "Yes, Mimi-sama!"
"Retards!! How do you not understand sarcasm?!" Ika roared back.
"Ahh, yes. But not just sarcasm. There is something called rhetorical questions!"
Tohru put up a puzzled look, and when asked for an account of the happenings on the next ship, she said, "Er… they seem to be… I don't know!"
Soon, the ships were parallel and only a few feet apart. Zato, Mike, and Tohru leapt over the gap and into the foreign ship, approaching the new captain who lay lazily upon her throne. "I welcome you, young travelers. You must've journeyed very long to get here. You look very exhausted. You look very strong. Very noble…"
Ika cut her off, saying, "Forgive my captain. At times, she ends up ranting on about pointless details."
"If you were someone else, I'd blow you to ashes," Mimi muttered. "Oh how great. So I guess we should continue with introductions. Since you came out of the tunnel, you must be pirates journeying through the seas. I welcome you to the Kisho Sea, my homeland. We are the Commanders of Cynicism, and I am Captain Mimi Reishouteki, along with my companion Ika and the rest of my amazing crew!"
Mike looked up at their massive flag depicting a skull with twisted figures coming out. Zato grinned and nodded. "Cynicism is sarcasm. So I see, ya'll are a fun type of crew."
Mimi yawned and looked to the north, where the sky had a sudden dark coloring. "Unfortunately, you won't find your visit here in Kisho Sea very appealing. Storms have been brewing all over this region. You may as well just head straight for the next gate and enter the Helmhammer Sea, or turn back. But I warn you here and now – the Kisho Sea isn't like the Lightblue Sea. You will be doomed if you go too far north. There is a Calm Belt in that direction, and if you get caught there, you're done for."
Ika put up a cute smile and laughed, "That's only the negative parts of this sea. There is a snowy island up at the northern corner, and that's where Mimi's heading!"
The captain slapped herself on the head, giving Ika a Idiot!-Why'd-you-tell-them??
Zato grinned once more.. and nodded once more. "Then we'll be there as well! Don't worry, we can split paths for now, but in the end, I assure you that we'll both meet up at this snowy island!"
Ika tossed Tohru a map of the Kisho Sea and stepped back to her captain's side. "Well, now that our ship is fixed up, I guess we can set out again… hopefully without crashing."
Mimi gave Ika a quick glare and faced Zato once more. "By the way, I never caught your name."
Zato gave a quick introduction before the two crews split paths. The Shooting Star went ahead of Mimi's ship, Yoyma. Ika remained at Mimi's side while their ship glided through the waters of Kisho. "Well, Ika. You sure did ruin a lot. I'm not wanting them for my visit to the Kingdom."
"What's wrong? They seem good and innocent!"
Mimi sighed and closed her eyes as the next day slowly came to a close. "They definetly won't even make it there. A series of obstacles lie in their path."
And while Ika wasn't looking, Mimi put up a treacherous look and whispered in a new evil voice – "There's always Akaiso to be afraid of!"
