"LEO LEO WAKE UP!"
"Huhh" it was the only response Leo could conjure before he sluggishly turned in his hammock. Nothing could disturb his in his sleep, nothing. It's been waves after waves, storm after storm in his journey to another Sea and he'd kill to have a few more hours of sleep. He swore whoever it was has the guts to wake him up like this he'd kill him.
"Come on, you've got to see this!" it's Danny, well…I guess I could make an exception
"Go away Danny, I earn this" Leo said half-awake
"I don't think you'll want to miss this Leo" Leo felt Danny's hand lifting his ankle then he began to put Leo's shoes back on.
"Is it a Pirate attack again…? I'll pass thanks" damn him and his endless supply of energy, I'm still a human! I need rest
"Do you want a bucket of cold water on your face Leo?"
"Alright alright I'll get up!"
"That's my boy, meet me on the deck once you're all dressed up alright" Dress up? Is he joking or what
Leo reluctantly got up from his hammock and yawned as he looked around him. The quarter was damp and dark as usual but from the smell and loud overlapping snores he could tell there were hundreds of people sleeping, huddled together in this damned room. He wondered why these people hadn't gone crazy with this kind of living, he knows he will if he stays in here any longer. One day into the journey with his newfound sea sickness Leo already despised traveling the sea. One week forward he despised it even more. He can barely sleep with all the snoring, the acidic smell of the crews' all days' work and the sound of footsteps and creaking that never seemed to cease. At least on land the 'ground' doesn't rock and wake you up every few seconds.
Leo put on his still wet shirt and trousers and cursed when he found his socks wet. "Dammit, is this too much to ask?" Leo lazily hobbled outside and met Danny on the upper deck. Because of the closed nature of the quarter telling time was difficult for Leo but as he climbed up into the upper deck he realized it was still early in the morning which means he's only slept for no more than three hours. He better have a good reason for this!
"Danny tell me something, what do you feel when you feel really sleepy and suddenly some bastard woke you up and tell you to get up?"
Danny rolled his eyes "Sssshh…just follow me" Danny walked toward the front of the ship and having no energy to do anything else Leo followed obediently. Walking with face facing the ground, the wet, moldy wooden deck has never looked so tempting for the exhausted Leo but he knew Danny would throw him overboard if he didn't do as he said.
He then almost unconsciously climbed the stairs leading to the forecastle deck (the foremost deck) and saw Danny at the edge of the deck, hands gripping the railing. What is this?
Leo joined Danny near the railing and he looked down on Leo, his wide enthusiastic smile extended from one end of his ear to the other. He looked comically like what he had imagined a goofy character in the book that he reads would look like real life, "What do you see?"
Leo looked up and searched for an island, like what he's been doing for the last few days because he couldn't stand the wild waves that seemed to love to toy with the ship, playing it as if it was a yoyo or something "I see water, more water and a boring mist ahead"
"Look more closely Leo!"
"Did you see an iceberg? You should go see the Captain"
Danny tapped his head from the back and told him to look more closely, so Leo squinted his sleepy and watery eyes to catch the thing that Danny had wanted him to see so badly so he could go back to sleep. Then he saw it, a dark shadow behind the mist, a mountain? No, mountains don't look like that, it looks like a cliff, a gigantic red one and this ship's going to crash into it if it doesn't…wait a second, there's no way to go…it extends all the way, we can't go forward!
"We should go tell the Captain, how come the lookout doesn't see this!?" Now Leo was widely awake and was about to make a dash into the bridge to warn people.
"Relax Leo, it's just the Red Line" Leo turned his head, his looks quizzical, "what did you say?"
"the Red Line" then Leo remembered, this was the famed 'wall' that separates the World's Seas into six Seas that Danny talked about in one of his adventures story. He thought it was just a political term since he's never seen it and the thought of such natural barrier was imaginary at best. Being a son of a genius scientist Leo grew up with logics, things that make sense so he didn't believe 'mystical stuff' that many sailors recounted in their books until it's been proven otherwise. 'All Blue', 'Floating island', 'Cursed Sea', 'Dragons', 'Life in Moon' or 'Sky Island', those books are just as credible as those bedtime story tales. But recent events in his life, namely the introduction of haki and now this 'sea wall' made him wonder whether some things are just not meant to be explained by logic alone.
As the ship got nearer Leo now could see vertical line cutting the walls in half, a line as narrow as a piece of upright hair. It was so narrow he couldn't have possibly noticed it a minute ago. Leo didn't know why but he felt a rush in his head, he just couldn't believe that he was going to exit his home Sea for the first time and enter a completely new and foreign Sea. He felt like he was a Pirate or some explorers.
He felt the current getting faster and faster as the ship got nearer to the small canal. He gripped the railing as he looked up and realized for the first time that the narrow passage wasn't entirely on the sea level, in fact it was ascending up into the foggy top of the mountain and the current flowed upward too, denying everything he's learned about gravity.
"Leo come on, we've got to go inside" he felt Danny tugging on his shirt, realizing that he didn't want to be out here when the ship started to 'climb' the mountain Leo turned around and ran with Danny to the lower deck. Despite the strong wind there were still some crews climbing the rigging trying to adjust the sail with the wind speed. In the weeks that he's been staying here Leo has come to respect these guys in spite of their minimal care for hygiene, before he ever set foot on a ship like this he thought sailing a ship was only a matter of unfurling the sail when there's wind and stow it when there's nothing but these weeks have proven him that it was much more than that. It again, added up to Leo's confusion as to why anybody would choose this kind of occupation and risk their lives every single day for little to no pay.
"Hey, you're spacing out again"
"…ah no I was just wondering why these guys would choose this kind of life, it kind of sucks don't you think?" Leo said apparently forgetting the 'ex-Pirate' status of his traveling companion.
Danny just chuckled at that "The world is a tough place Leo…not many people…like them for example can survive in what you'd call as the 'normal and better' world. In here, they're all the same, free from the shackles of a hierarchy put in place long before their time. They have nothing to lose and they're free of what the so-called high society' dictates us what to do and how to go about our lives…it's the lives of the Pirates Leo. Liberty, Equality and Fraternity" Danny stared out into the space forlorningly, reminiscing days gone by. Leo still couldn't understand it, but he thought it was probably because he had it easy, and these guys probably didn't have the same upbringing and opportunity as he fortunately had.
2 days later
The ship, a ship sent by Danny's client to pick them up and carry the goods has finally arrived at the destination. The island was nice and warm, and the sand was perfect white as reflected from the shallow and clear water surrounding it. Nothing could be seen from the ship but a few sparse tall palm trees and some bushes. No villages or any structure visible.
"What the hell is this place?" Leo whispered to Danny who was walking beside him as they passed the woods and entered a very rural looking village. Some of the single story houses didn't have glass windows and a few didn't even have doors. The alleyways were narrow and maze-like. It was unsettling that just minutes ago he guessed this island was uninhabited. Now that he thought about it, the tidy beach and sleepy sparse forest could very well be a façade to fool the authorities.
"Typical East Blue squatter…it's good place to do some shady deals"
"Good place for ambush too, have you seen the Pirate ships anchored out there at the dock? This could be one of those Pirate villages reported in the news for Gylfen's sake"
"So? You don't think we can't take them on do you?" Leo rolled his eyes at that
Then suddenly they stopped in front of a small square house made out of clay and dirt, it looks just like any other houses only this one has several people guarding them. They looked like they mean business. "He's in?" Danny asked, still in his relaxed manner. The guard nodded, and after frisking the both of them he opened the door to reveal a very simple and small square main room painted with light blue, there were only a desk at the other side of the room, a little shelf with several books and a big map on the wall behind the desk. A man was writing something on the map, his back to them.
"How are you gentlemen?" said the dark-haired man as he turned around and greeted them from behind his desk. The man was a few inches taller than Leo, quite tall for East Blue standard. He couldn't be older than 30-something and he has a weird set of sideburns that go down to the corner of his jaws. Leo also noticed the man was quite burly even in that black, v-neck, long sleeved tee shirt of his that really showed his great pecs.
"Good, now let's get down to business shall we"
"You're in a hurry I see…" the man spoke in his distinct hoarse guttural voice. Leo didn't know if it was his natural voice or that he was trying to intimidate them.
"Yeah with that many ships in the dock it's only a matter of time before the Marines show up and I don't want to get caught in the little fiasco that'll surely ensue"
"You don't think we can handle them Mister Danny?"
Danny sighed "Well…I don't want to be rude but this is after all the weakest Sea of all Seas to be frank with you"
The man didn't seem to be at the slightest bit affected by it as his smile just got even wider "And I'd like to prove them wrong, making this Blackwood ship is a start"
"And forming all those armadas? I tell you as a man who've traveled and survived Grand Line Mister Krieg…that the size of your crew hardly matter in there"
"That so? Then we better be careful then"
"Alright, your crews have checked the stuff and I take it they've informed you?"
"Yes, but there's a slight problem to that"
Oh brother. Leo muttered under his breath, he knew these kind of things would happen
"Your price is too high" he growled. Danny smiled as he leaned back on his chair
Krieg motioned his goons to enter and in a second there were what seemed to be dozens of guns pointed at their heads from every direction, even from the open windows of the squalor of a house. Danny raised his hands in defeat, but still smiling "you're making a big mistake here...do you know who I am?"
"Oh I know you very well Mr. Danny, your full name is Daniel d'Olonnais, the only surviving lieutenant of the defunct Ironade Pirates, with 247 million beli bounty on your head I'm hoping your death at my hands will make my name mean something in Grand Line" it was the first time Leo heard Danny's full name and he wasn't surprised at the bounty, a man as powerful as him is bound to have a high bounty.
"Bring them outside and execute them immediately, I don't want their brains messing my shirt!"
With hands still in the air both men stood up from their chairs and let themselves be pulled roughly outside. Once outside the goons released their hold and pushed them into a corner, back facing a wall. It was obvious that Danny would just let his haki deflect the bullets and use it as an element of surprise to pounce on these poor bastards but Leo didn't know whether his haki was strong enough to do such incredible thing. Did he not know this?
"Looks like it's the end for you bro" a sound from somewhere inside Leo's head suddenly said
"Not now"
"I don't mean to be wise or anything but judging from the situation…it looks like it's now or never, I'll give you a deal, you take off the stupid bracelet and let me roam free for a good half an hour or so and I'll put the bracelet back on"
"…and let you cause rampage on this island?"
"These guys aren't exactly the best gentlemen in the world you know, besides there's your friend Danny who's going to keep everything in check, looks like he's hoping for you too" Danny cast a side glance at his friend beside him, still with that flat calculating face.
"Fine! This is only because I have no choice alright!" Leo said and put her hands back to take off the bracelet, pretending to scratch his arms.
"Prepare to die!" everybody cocked their guns and Leo could see their fingers itching to pull the triggers, this had better work! Wait, what's that sound?
Leo turned his head toward some weird whooshing sound from the direction of the shore, and it's getting louder and louder and it sounded like it was coming toward them and looked like the Pirates realized that too.
"Cannons!" one guy shouted
Before anybody could make a move a cannonball had already found its way inside the house that they just came from through the glassless window and blew everything inside. Black smoke came out from the windows, whether Krieg survived the blast or not was a mystery but not for long as Leo heard a coughing sound from inside the burning house.
The door was kicked open and it flew off its hinges to reveal a blackened Krieg, eyes full of rage while more smokes were coming from the doorway. It looked like he took cover just in time judging from his unscathed condition. "Who…"
There were footsteps coming from one of the narrow alleys leading to the dock and one of his goons showed up and pointed toward the dock while informing them in between his gasps that the Marines have managed to surround the pier and already seized several of Krieg's armadas.
"How did we let that happen!"
"I don't know…several of the Marines infiltrated our ships and messed with our gun powders, we're left defenseless!"
"All right call every men and tell them to go to the shore now while you all go to your posts and you keep these gentlemen here and my money safe"
"What? You actually brought the money?" Danny suddenly spoke in the midst of the sudden rush of Krieg's goons' advance toward the shore
"Insurance, but now that I know you're a weakling, I feel like I don't need that" Krieg said while motioning some of his men to cuff the both of them as he figured out that they could be used as hostage or bargaining chip, 247 million beli Pirate, that'd make for a sensational news.
"One word of caution, If you can't even defeat a single Marine division like this then don't expect you can survive in Grand Line"
Minutes later after Krieg has presumably joined his goons in the shore the fights seemed to have ceased. Danny still acted like a helpless hostage in the corner while Leo was struggling to keep his sanity as his 'other self' tried to push through.
"Can't hold it…" Leo muttered
"What's that kid?"
"GHAAAHAHHHHH!" Leo stood up, trembling, hands balled up into fists.
"Shoot him!"
Without giving any second thought the guards assigned to secure them emptied their guns and rifles at Leo but then was taken completely by surprise when they saw Leo still standing healthy as ever, but not completely intact as there were now bullet holes all over his body. If one would look closely he'd see the white wall behind him through the bullet hole, but they didn't have enough mental capacity to even process what just happened. That a guy they assumed to be ordinary turned out to be not so ordinary after all.
In horror they watched as the cuffs started to dissolve even when Leo apparently did nothing, not even a single movement on his arm to warrant such result. Danny too seemed to be surprised, he knew Leo was a fruit user but he didn't know he was a logia.
"Wh…what are you?" one guy said while the others reloaded their guns in hurry and shot Leo again and again, refusing to believe what their eyes conveyed.
Without saying anything he raised his leg in an instant and kicked the unsuspecting guy in the guts, the already unconscious guy flew backward carrying with him the other goons who were unfortunate enough to be standing right behind him. While the others just stood there, they looked like they were about to piss their pants but ironically their shock prevented them from doing anything, even from doing that. Seconds later they were all taken care of. Deciding that the jig was up, Danny stood up and effortlessly broke the cuff with his brute strength. If Leo was still 'Leo' he would have been impressed by that but now as his own haki got overpowered by his fruit power, his influence over his body and mind got even weaker, and Leo felt 'his' own consciousness slipping away, being replaced by a more sinister one. It was just like the night in the forest with the doctor before.
"Good job Leo! I'd never have guessed you were a logia but that can wait, now we must find out where Krieg store his money" Danny scrambled into the bombed house while Leo only did so much as to give him a side glance before he ran for the shore to where the party was.