A/N: Writer's block is amazingly hard to conquer. And I keep trying to write more and more scenes of the Greatest Sexual Deviant in all of Wano for some strange reason. He's almost beginning to look like 'Jiraiya' from Naruto.
Amaspa: You'll find your answer here. :_/ Too bad, huh?
Black' Victor Cachat: LOL indeed. Poor Law. Doflamingo's speech would have further implications in the Dressarosa Arc, but we'll come to that later. Law thinks Merry is very scary, and his crew agrees. Human porcupines shall be seen soon! As for Marco-ball, I tried to make it humorous and uplifting.
ScarletRoofs: Doffy's speech was one of the most notable of the series, so I had to put that in somehow, even if it wasn't mention during the Marineford Arc of this story. I am looking forward to writing Doflamingo soon. More revelations to occur! Also: note the interesting part about how Smoker was never given a POV, even if his opinion was needed for balance. I wonder why? :)
Demonic Whispers & Lunaxel: Thanks so much!
Spritely: There would definitely be things a'changing. For one, status quo's boring, and after seeing One Piece 740, I want to write Sengoku so much more than before. I mean, the man's practically a second coming of Garp when he's off duty. Rice cracker man indeed. Straw Hat Pirates are really overpowered. Luffy doesn't give anyone any say, just ask Law and smoker. (Tee-Hee)
Jacob has his reasons for acting so. From what we can tell, he's fairly responsible as a character, willing to give his subordinates some leash. Yet he was in charge of the Marine's policy of encouraging cultural homogenization, which isn't the same as integration, much at the expense of places like Kuja Island. That doesn't give him an excuse for betraying the Straw Hat Crew, who aren't anything like the Blackbeard Pirates. We'll see more of his thought process later on. However, suffice to say, he's about to become more of an asshole in readers' eyes in the next two chapters.
"So your alias is...Merry?" She was Merry now. Merry Merry quite contrary...It suited her. And she could remember her old friend that way.
Kaya's parents were alive. Kaya was happily living in Syrup Village. Kaya would have wanted to save her parents.
Merry could not. Because Kaya's parents were not Merry's. And there were greater things at stake than the lives of two adults and the happiness of one girl. Because if Kaya's parents had not died, then Usopp would not have approached Kaya. If Usopp had no one to turn to after his mother Banchina had died, then Usopp would be alone.
Even when Usopp had left her waiting on the wedding altar, he was still her friend. And Kaya needed Usopp as much as Usopp needed Kaya. There was no need for Merry to be there, even if in the deepest corners of her heart, she wanted to save her parents. But how could she stop that accident? Usopp's crew mate had still died, despite Captain Luffy's efforts to rescue his nakama at the cost of losing him. And Kaya could not bear the thought of being partially responsible for causing Usopp's mother to die in rescuing her from her illness, let alone being unable to save her parents.
There was no role for Merry to play on Syrup Village. On the other hand, there was a need for both a caretaker and guardian here on this ship.
"Yes, Captain...Saru." The captain was also going by another alias, but unlike hers, it was slippery. It was his name. But it was not, because they had sacrificed their names and their identities for this chance to emerge in the past in order to save their future.
Just as there was no need for two Kayas of Syrup Village, there was no need for two of Monkey D. Luffy to exist. And there was no chance that her captain would deny his younger self of an adventure he rightfully deserved.
"Shishishi!" Her captain ruffles her hair, knocking her fringe askew. "That's a great name!" He hurriedly puts his hand down as he was given a frigid glare...and something digging into his neck.
"Do. Not. Intrude. Into. This. Area." She warned, putting her scalpel back where it belonged. Saru winces as the metal instrument glints in the sunlight. They both know that it would not hurt him; it did not stop Kaya—Merry, her name now was, from pointing it at him.
"...Sorry. My bad." She nervously backs away, but Saru wears a grin of forgiveness.
"It's okay, Merry. I understand." When she was Kaya, she had a habit of taking sharp metallic instruments wherever she went. Her paranoia has been built over years of constant attack, it was no wonder that she had retained her reflexes.
...She had to cut back on that. A bartender did not kill as often as a pirate.
"So...this is your new bar?" Saru surveys the dining area. A thick mahogany slab served as the counter top, with beer taps for the traditional rum and mead. Seats that were situated close to the table meant that people could choose to seat cross-legged or upright. Different kinds of cocktail glasses were slotted behind the bar at Merry's eye level, while the alcohol wholesaler's wares are left behind thick shatterproof glass. Bourbon from North Blue; Old Parr; Maker's Mark; even Red-haired Shanks' loved sake from West Blue.
"This is quite a selection." The Sabaody wholesaler had been impressed; Merry still felt a tinge of pride in that.
"Thank you. I had Kuma help me carry them back." At this, Saru jolts in his place. His head jerkily moving to face her, jaw dropped closer to the floor than could be humanly possible, and his eyes wider than a goldfish.
"Kuma? You mean Bartholomew Kuma?" Saru exclaims. "Why? How?"
"It was a coincidence." Not. She had intentionally planned their trajectories to intersect. Because Kuma was not only a Warlord, but a member of the Revolutionary Army, one of the three groups that had survived to become a Power. She needed a way to gather intelligence, and Kuma was one way to get some information from Marineford. If she could hear things from Baltigo, then even better.
"Beginning a fishing expedition, huh?" Saru sighs, but his lips curl up into a smile.
"I hope for big 'nes, Captain." Merry says, cat smile prominently displayed. "I am your soundboard. I listen for intelligence, and relay it to you." Merry has mastered the art of walking into a crowd, differentiating between voices, ears open for any important source of information that could be of use to her captain. She can go to a city, and her senses automatically tune into any conversation within hearing distance.
Merry's observation skills are useful even in such a noisy place in the bar. Two Marines with neater ties than the norm—people from Marineford. North Blue accents attuned to Grand Line speak—Strange, but their cuffs show that they are old timers that have retired to Sabaody. Members of Paradise dwellers who have retired before taking their chances in the New World.
"How about that guy?" Saru gnaws on a chicken drumstick even as he talks; he has never lost his taste for talking while eating and Merry is sorely tempted to fill his next bite with ghost peppers. She might just do so the next time they meet. But Usopp had once told the story of how he had tossed chili peppers into the captain's meal at Arabasta, and the captain had continued to eat anyway. Effectiveness of spicy things is suspect.
"Which?"
"Traffy's...friend?" Saru tries to imitate her employee by putting his hands on both sides of his face, pointer finger sticking down in a poor imitation of the tassels from that strange hat that Ro wore.
"Oh, Ro." Merry huffs. "He's so troublesome!"
"Huh?"
"He falls every few feet! He always drops the glasses! He can fund Lady's Night with the tips he gets from customers because he has to pay up every time he breaks something! He can't even cook to save his life as he keeps on catching on fire!" Merry shakes her head. "I have never seen anyone so prone to catching fire in my entire life, even when I met San—sorry, Black Leg, for the first time!"
"Oh really?" Saru places his chin on top of his fist, lips twitching. "Is that why you like him?"
"Like him?" Merry huffs exasperatedly, "Who says?" She brushes against her nose, freezing at the tell.
"You do ~" Saru sings, before dodging her attempt to box his ears. Merry hisses as he leaps away, vanishing with a calling of Geppo as he soars out of the bar.
Merry leans back against the cupboard of her bar. Saru was teasing her, except he was the densest creature known to mankind. She, liking Ro? Far from it! He was clumsy and sometimes quiet and there was no expression on his face and he always tries to look cool but fails to do so and he kept Law off the psychopathic path and...and...
"Calm down." She says to herself. Urgh. Calm, one of Ro's favourite spells. Merry, stop thinking of him.
The smell of smoke was wafting through her nostrils. Ignore it, it was just the wind...
She was overthinking this, was she? Anyway, she was probably too old for him.
Still, she had an idea on how this would go with the young Law. Trafalgar, (she mentally referred to the older version by surname in order to keep things neater) would have stoically watched. On the other hand, Law would totally freak out if he even thought of 'Cora-san' in a romantic relationship.
Looks like she had a new toy to play with now. Tee-hee!
"ARGH!" Merry rolled her eyes as she whipped out the fire extinguisher and balanced it over her shoulder. Then, she marched into the backroom to rescue Ro from his burning clothes. Again. For the third time this month.
Sea gods give her patience.
Smoker claps his hands, calling his men to attention.
"Men, move out!" He orders, as though he is the director of this hastily put-together pantomime. His men quickly spread out toward the scattered Whitebeard Pirates, weapons in hand. Smoker is a natural at commanding; and the G-5, as unpredictable as they could be, understood the importance of following his directions. Like musicians in an orchestra, they follow the direction of his hands as they move into position, letting out cries of battle. Whitebeard's sons respond in kind.
Showtime.
Sakazuki surveyed the ongoing scene in front of him. The Marines were doing their duty in trying to arrest these scum, but they were evidently outclassed, judging from the pile of unconscious bodies near the poop.
They should have tried harder. Useless. Utterly useless for someone to wear the symbol of Justice on their backs. He would have to pull up their standards with extra training, even if these good-for-nothing creatures had no room for improvement.
Sakazuki extended his senses, searching for the commanding officer. Good, someone of Vice-Admiral caliber was fighting against Phoenix Marco, while another, roughly of Petty Officer level was fending off Vista of the Whitebeard Pirates. His eyes catch sight of a small burst of flame.
Gold Roger's son was here.
Sakazuki leaps at him, arm melting into magma. This time, he would not fail. The age of Pirates started by this man, no, this bastard's father had to end and Portgas D. Ace was at the heart of the problem. His demonic blood called for war and violence, both of which Sakazuki was determined to stop.
There was no room in this world for the never-ending strife and wars caused by the pirates. Sakazuki had tasted far too much of how these buccaneers had threatened the lives of innocent civilians for him to be convinced by those cowards of 'Moral Justice'. What morality could one practice when there was no Marines left to enforce it? These pirates were obsessed with bounties and being a threat, a constant reminder of the mortality of those who were innocent. How could they be allowed to continue?
Sakazuki had never forgotten what that man had done to him.
"Meigo!" Sakazuki felt his hand bubbling, and within the blink of an eye, transformed it into magma. Letting out a cry, he thrusts his claw at Fire Fist Ace. The boy dodges, but he takes a few steps back and growls.
When Fire Fist was defending Straw Hat at Marineford, he had done the same thing as well. Sakazuki had questioned Garp the Fist and Sengoku, and found that it was a familial trait.
Blood will out. Fire Fist curses, and screams Dai Entei as he blasts orange flames at Sakazuki. The admiral laughs, because the so-called hellish flames are but a cold breeze as compared to the burning heat of Sakazuki's own flesh and the wrath he feels towards these creatures of war.
"Did you forget what I told you at Marineford? Our powers are in a relationship of superiority." He shoots a few fists at Fire Fist Ace, and as he dodges, the blasts go over the edge into the distant landscape. No matter, Sakazuki thinks as he prepares another blow, he still had plenty to spare.
Huh? Sakazuki feels himself being catapulted off the ground by a collision with a flame-coated leg.
"Thanks for the save!" Fire Fist calls. A trill is heard as the Vice Admiral's opponent escapes the fracas momentarily to attack Sakazuki. The admiral growls, throwing a series of blows towards the First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.
"Cooking is a gift from the gods." Who was that speaking? There was no soul that corresponded to the direction of that voice!
"Spices are a gift from the devil." There was intense heat coming from near him, but Sakazuki. Could. Not. Move. Had Fire Fist managed to duplicate himself?
"Diable Jambe: Collier Strike!" The wind was knocked out of Sakazuki as a violent kick was driven through the back of his neck.
Is this Fire Fist's doing? Sakazuki could still see the Second Division Commander cupping his hands at the corner of his eye. No, the attack came from behind!
There was a litany of curses spewing from his mouth as Sakazuki swung backwards. It's that damn crew who invaded Marineford! Who the hell are they! Sakazuki swore as a few projectiles made their way towards him, and dodges the swinging set of handcuffs.
"Tch. Missed." The sniper from before yelps as he is caught by Sakazuki's grasp. But there is something wrong. Rather than the smell of burning flesh, it feels as though an unidentifiable liquid is escaping through his palm as the sniper whimpers in pain.
"Uso—" He hears another call out. Liar? Sakazuki tightens his grip, and sees the sniper lose consciousness. Good. He releases the man, and turns his attention back to Fire Fist.
"You should never turn your back on another, you know?" Something breathes in his ear. Sakazuki feels the back of his neck chilled, strands of...hair caressing his neck. He darts away, spinning round, but the one who had whispered vanished.
"Cien Fleur!" Hands surrounded him, grasping him with thin yet nimble fingers and there was hissing in his ear as he felt himself being twisted, bent, the rage of a thousand furies encapsulated in those pulsating nerves. Sakazuki scowls; he twists and turns, because dissolving into his base element did not work at all, but he feels weak.
There are sea stone cuffs around his wrist. When he had tried to strangle the sniper, those things must have gotten on him. Shit. Killing intent all around, anger driven by what he had done to their comrade, but they deserve it, they deserve everything that he had thrown out against them—
"Clutch!" Sakazuki roars his rage into the heavens. It does not stop him from falling, falling, falling—
"Did you kill him?" All movement on board the ship stops as the archaeologist releases the mad dog with a flurry of flower petals.
"...No." Robin answers, turning away from her newest victim. Her nerves are taut, strained as though the strings holding her together have been overstretched and about to snap. She has never felt this sadistic, wrathful and eager to kill. The Straw Hat Crew did not kill. They were symbols of hope; where the Marines crushed the dreams of others, they brought them back alive.
Yet she was on the verge of becoming as savage and ruthless as the one she held within her hands. As unforgiving as her former self, before she met Luffy and joined his crew.
"Robin." Usopp's fiance addresses her from the position she had taken besides their sniper. "It's okay. He's alive."
Usopp chokes out a "...How's that for the great Captain Usopp" in order to lighten up the situation but Robin could barely make out his words. It's hardly the occasion to laugh; they were in the middle of a battle even if it was hopelessly one-sided, yet others join in. They too are relieved that none of their comrades had died in the scuffle.
They are one crew. Even when their captain is gone, they still remain. Maybe that was what their captain had intended when he left them in order to surrender himself to the Marines.
Smoker's men start rolling themselves off the pile they had quickly created in those crucial few seconds between sensing Akainu's ascent and his arrival on their ship. It was the Vice Admiral's idea: to pretend to be fighting in order to throw off suspicion as to why he was co-operating with them; for Ace and Sanji to team up because they were fire users who had similar auras despite their different origins. Usopp had been their finisher, but he had been caught.
Robin's heart, if it still existed, had leaped out of her chest at that. After losing Luffy, she could not bear to lose another member of her crew again. Once, she could easily relinquish those whom she formerly called crew; now, she would not see another one die when she could help it.
Her devil fruit is too easy to recognize; it was not a tactically wise decision. Yet she had moved on instinct, crossing her arms in ready position as she grasped. Yet she felt something holding her back from crushing this man's spine, from twisting his neck. Were Robin more emotion-driven, she would have called it fate denying her this man's life. But Robin is far wiser than before, and she considers the last dredges of her conscience as being the key factor preventing her from taking a life.
"Robin!" She jerks out of her monologue, as her fellow crew mate snaps her fingers in front of her. Nami places her hand on her hip, but there is a knowing look in her eyes.
"It's fine. We're still here." She grasps Robin's own hands between her own, bending her face close to hers.
"We're still alive." And their pulses beat in time, glad at being here as a group.
There is a gaping hole in her chest. It was formed at Luffy's execution, but time and experience had muted the sharp pain.
Robin does not know if she was being ungrateful in thinking that maybe, maybe it was time for them to move on.
"Oi, what shall we do with this guy?" Franky calls out, crossing his arms.
"Toss him over the railing! Aokiji's sleeping, and we might as well make use of that!" One of the Whitebeard Commanders reply.
"We still have the problem of them knowing that Robin-chwan and Smoker were here." Sanji comments, as Smoker lets out an confirmatory grunt.
Robin thinks of the fact that they are on experimental ground. With a known gas logia conducting illegal experiments. On Punk Hazard.
A brilliant, impossibly vicious idea blooms from the fertile compost heaps of her mind. As if he could hear her thoughts, Robin spots Franky visibly shivering.
"I have an idea."
"Four of the most terrifying words in existence." Franky winces, "You did a number on the family jewels the last time you smiled like that, sis."
"Robin-chwaaaaan! Even if you're smiling like the devil, you're still as lovely as ever~"
"Good grief, target brow." Zoro sighs, before giving one of his familiar slasher grins.
"Well, Robin? Share with us what you've just thought of."
"I somehow feel that we've become the bad guys." Nami cannily comments as she starts wrecking the place, courtesy of a few weather eggs.
"Doesn't matter, Mellorine!" Sanji had resumed his usual attitude of praising the fairer members of his crew while shooting off fiery shots in between phrases.
"Your crewmate did tell us to destroy as much of this crap as we can!" Ace snarks as he continues to set off explosions in the surrounding area.
"I mean like making everything that happened on this island appear to be a dream? That seems pretty harsh on them." Nami shrugs her shoulders. On the lazy admiral's side, icicles are already forming. Ace on the other hand appeared to be taking notes from Sanji about different temperatures in a gas light.
"The red part's actually the coldest, at 1070 degrees Fahrenheit or 800 degrees Centigrade." Sanji motions to the flame. "But on the other hand, it's easier to set things on fire with it. The part of the flame with the hottest temperature is actually here, on the inside because that is where you get the most complete combustion, and temperatures can go up to 1670 degrees Fahrenheit or 1400 degrees Centigrade."
"I see." Ace nodded, a smirk blooming across his face.
One pyrotechnic teaching another...Nami sighs, turning away from a situation that appeared to be turning even more wrong by the second. Now I really don't want to know what Sanji is talking about, if I ever wanted to before. There were practically flames in the background as the two shouted tips about increasing combustion rate and the flammability of different materials. Piles of mysterious objects were tossed into the growing campfire, eerily reminescent of the bonfire of Shandora.
Nami nearly choked. It was so peaceful in the past. They had thrown a campfire a few stories high despite the crazy lightning logia with the god complex, and had danced with sky wolves merrily while singing songs and telling stories as though it was a camping trip, rather than a means of getting warm and cooking meat outside the Going Merry. Gods, had they been so carefree? Where had that easygoing atmosphere gone?
"Everyone done?" At their nods, Nami drops the canister that Ka—Merry offered reluctantly. Still cruel, still prone to error, but they could not afford to be pinpointed as potential threats to the world. Even if they have to mislead two admirals into thinking that everything was a dream of Marineford, rather than the actual presence of Whitebeard Pirates.
Then again, would the Marines be interested in telling others? After all, they would be embarrassed if they had revealed the whereabouts of the kidnapped children. Not to mention that there was experimentation going right under the snouts of two people having a pissing contest.
"Yohohoho, yohohoho~ Going off to deliver Binks' Sake..." Brook sang. Skies were clear (as much as they could be with the ongoing firestorm that were the battle of the two admirals.) and things were going peacefully.
"Flying ship!" Brook casts his eye-sockets (because he had no eyes—Skull Joke!) towards the familiar sight of the ship of Punk Hazard. It was nostalgic, and would he say it, awe-inspiring to see the use of flight for a humanitarian mission. Too many a time had he seen things flying from the sky to deliver death from above! To think that something that used to inspire wonder, and for him, it was inspiring, because there was no such technology fifty years ago and it was still a new-fangled thing that had to be seen to believed, could be so dangerous! Well, Lion-chan was also exquisite in its flight capability, and as Franky would put it—SUPER efficient!
Was that a bird? Another flying ship, perhaps one of Franky's robots? Fireworks? Oh how he loved them! They used to shoot those things whenever there was a festival, and the Straw Hats loved festivals. Perhaps all had gone well.
A white Marine coat.
The deepest chill that could be felt through the underworld went through Brook's spine, and dare he say it, soul. No, it could not be. Nononono. His finger joints creaked as he clenched boney fists (Skull Joke! Yohohoho!）and a haunting tune in B Flat Minor with plenty of discordant chords resounded about his ear drums.
"YOU!" Brook clacked his jaw, "What are you doing here!" For this man should have stayed well away from him if he had known how unwanted he was.
"Missed me?" The Soul King narrowed his eye sockets, stood on the railing of Moby Dick. With a burst of strength, he leapt upward, staying in the sky, for he would not wished to hurt Whale-kun while he battled with this incessant foe who had betrayed the Straw Hats so terribly.
You are but your soul. And your soul is filthy and needs the cleansing of the underworld! "Aubade Coup Droit" With a single thrust, his sword blasted the air in front of him, straight towards the Fleet Admiral. With a flick, the admiral snickered, dodging the blow as he jumped with an application of Geppo, before sending the blow sideways towards Punk Hazard.
"There. That should pacify that lot at least." With that, the Fleet Admiral faced his opponent once more. "I really hoped that it wouldn't come to this. Ah well. Let me make it simple."
But Brook refused to listen. For what came from this man were but words, and Brook knew above all else that sticks and stones may break one's bones, but words, especially from one who had plotted his way to the top, had a more damaging effect than whatever this man was able to dish out. And thus he would not listen. He would not. "Gavotte Bond en Avant!"
Propelled by the force of his attack, Brook lunged at the Fleet Admiral.
"Boring. Soru." With that, Brook was flung aside, cut open as though the Fleet Admiral's foot was a pair of scissors and he was a simple piece of paper. But Brook was no ordinary man, and even if this man's blow was able to hurt him, he was still in the game.
"What keeps me alive in this world is neither bodily organs nor muscles. It's my SOUL! Hanauta Sancho: Yahazu Giri." His sword cane sang throughout the air with an unearthly pitch, screeching yet harmonizing with the wintery air that Admiral Aokiji's various attacks had produced. Coating his sword with his soul, he started slashing the man, no, monster, with elegant accuracy and deadly speed. Because he was just bones (and perhaps even less than that, for he was not quite clear on how their bodies had reformed), he proved his mettle by slicing across the man's stomach for extra pain.
Brook was a swordsman and a pirate. Never be it he to play fair. Nor he to miss his mark. The Fleet Admiral cried out as blood splattered across Brook's clothes.
"Guh!" The Fleet Admiral spat out. "It looks like you need some extra care and handling!" Then he plucked out his hair, and started to trace patterns.
"Oh no you don't!" Brook cried out, dashing straight at his opponent. Though he was not familiar with this particular attack, he could guess its murderous intentions. He would never let anyone do—
Brook froze.
"Well, that worked. Lucky~" The Fleet Admiral sang as he soared past Brook. Brook helplessly craned his neck, still stuck in the position of a run.
The thing is, he had been able to continue his ascent towards the air precisely because of his movement. Without moving his body, well...
"GYAAAH!" Brook screamed out, hands and feet stuck in a lunge as he plummeted towards the sea. "Not good! Not good!" Brook hastily pushed his soul out of his body. "What what what!" He panicked, because his body was going straight into open sea, and he was definitely going to drown. Nooooooo!
Wait a minute. Souls have almost negligible mass, compared to solid mass.
"Yohoho!" Brook whizzed past the Fleet Admiral, noticing an expression of dismay. Good. That would teach him to leave Brook hanging like that.
"You..." the Fleet Admiral pointed out, but Brook could no longer see him. Instead, within sight was Franky, who was busy helming their temporary ride.
"FRANKY! TROUBLE!" He shouted. "MYBODY'SINDANGERANDTHEFLEETADMIRAL'SHERE!"
"WHAT?" Franky shouted back.
"I said! FLEET ADMIRAL'S HERE!"
"Guys, we've got trouble! Freaking Fleet Admiral's coming at us!"
"We'll head over! His objective is probably Whitebeard, so I'll rush over while moss-head hastens the ship." Sanji answered, leg already on the railing of the ship.
"Wait a minute." Zoro snarled, dragging him back on deck. "Why do I have to stay here, pervert cook? I'm the faster of the two here!"
"Because you're more likely to get lost on the way there, sword-for-brains!"
"Swirly-eyebrow!"
The arguing duo found themselves under attack from a bo-staff, courtesy of an angry navigator.
"We're pressed for time here! Zoro, continue to blow the sails of this ship, we need to increase speed!" Nami ordered. "Sanji, quickly make it to Moby Dick, we're counting on you!"
"Of course Nami-swaaan!"
"GO!" The Pirate King's cook rushed towards the direction of the port, running through the air as though a horde of transvestites were chasing after him. Ah, nothing like the love of a woman to get one going~ Wait, that kind, not that kind! Sanji inwardly shivered. Never shall those people, those terrifying, and utterly ruthless creatures assimilate him into their culture.
"HELL MEMORIES!" Like a raging inferno, Sanji literally hurtled towards the Moby Dick like a comet, powered by the recall of his time spent fleeing from the residents of Kamabakka Kingdom. He. Would. Not. Be. CAUGHT!
Nami sighed, before frowning. That's odd. Her gifts for estimating money aside, Nami had the ability to instantly count the number of people onboard, as long term exposure to Straw Hat eccentricity had led to a better touch of numbers than what most accountants would have paid their appendages to obtain.
There were three missing from this ship.
"They're gone." They must have disappeared during our bout with Akainu. Nami's eyes narrowed. Now, where could they be?
Trafalgar Law hissed as he sat up, blinking rapidly. He almost had it! His eyes met the sight of his former guardian, who was scanning through the blood analysis rapidly. Good, someone who actually specialised in chemistry, rather than a surgeon who studied pharmacy only due to necessity.
"Hallucinatory drug's ...almost all out." He coughed out. Damn, he really had to control the output of his power, the invasion of one's mind was far too stressful on the body. It was as though he had run through the usage of four 'Rooms' while running a marathon.
"Good job." Law's eyes widened. Praise was rare from this woman. "Luckily, I am familiar with this cocktail."
"Huh?" Cora-san looked from her to the print-out. "Why would you be?" Cora-san! Law took care not to reveal his relief. It was not good to reveal one's cards, especially in front of this carnivore.
"Because she invented this particular combination. I have to say though, you really have an art with pharmacy and its many charms." Law quickly stood up despite the spinning in his head to find someone standing in the doorway. Who was wearing a Marine cap and coat. Law sucked in a breath. So much for conserving energy to protect Cora-san.
"How did you get here so fast?" Merry hissed, standing protectively in front of Whitebeard. With a nod, Law flattened himself against the wall, unsheathing his sword. Meanwhile, Cora-san edged towards Law, slipping an energy booster. It was something Law had designed in order to avoid tiring out mid-battle, at the expense of feeling completely shitty in two days time.
"I have to ask you that same question too. Turns out it's really easy to attack once you've got a will to surpass others." The other man tapped his foot against the door frame. "Add killing intent to Conquerer's Haki, and you manage to get rid of the rest of them."
"I suppose you would know." Merry snarled back. "Fleet Admiral Coby!"