Chapter 15: Stockpile
"Reporting in, sir," Sabo spoke into a snail a ways inland, all three ships (the Merry, the Foxy, and Lucas's unnamed boat) in view.
"Proceed," came Dragon's voice.
"Admiral Aokiji offered Lucas the vacant Warlord position, offering to look the other way if anything befell Saint Rhode. Lucas accepted, and he sparred with Aokiji as a condition. He used only half of his team, but that was enough for a possibility of winning."
"And?"
"It was a bit delayed, but I did tell him that submitting his name for consideration was our doing. And he accepted the reasoning that we wouldn't want to pressure his choice; he'll be relying on us when he makes his move against Rhode."
"Perfect," Dragon grinned.
"As for Nico Robin, she has no interest in leaving the Straw Hats, especially not now. But she's aware that she can rely on us if she needs to."
Dragon smiled wryly. "I see. Anything else?"
"No, other than that, it's pretty mundane," Sabo said, looking over at the ships and not flinching at some of the shockwaves stemming from nearby. "The Straw Hats won a favor from the Foxy Pirates and decided to cash in by having their shipwrights fix their ship as much as they could. While that's going on, they and Ace are taking turns sparring with some of Lucas's team. Pretty good matches. All in all, no bad news that I can find."
"Very good. Keep me posted on the situation with Rhode; you'll be in charge when the time comes."
"Of course…I'll just have to hope Ace doesn't find Teach in the meantime."
"The name has been passed on to all agents in Paradise, with instructions to contact you."
Sabo nodded gratefully. "Thank you, sir."
"Take care. KA-LICK!"
-o-
"How are leaves this sharp?" Zoro snapped as he spun his blades every which way to fend off Torterra's attack. Luffy and Sanji didn't answer, too busy dodging around the leaves themselves until the attack finally relented. They wasted no time, charging closer to the massive tortoise Pokémon standing across the field.
I watched them approach with a critical eye. They were fighting three against two, but they were squandering that advantage by all charging from the same direction. Torterra hadn't made it easy with the pillars of stone and spots of disturbed earth littering the battlefield, but still, it was a mistake, and one we were going to punish mercilessly.
"Sinkhole. Set up the ring around it."
Combination moves were uncommon back home. To be able to understand a Pokémon's capabilities and move sets well enough to alter and combine those moves into something new was often considered a prerequisite for an Elite-level trainer. Thankfully, we had some very Elite-level teachers. Sinkhole was one of Torterra's best combinations, taking advantage of his control over the earth to devastating effect.
The three Straw Hats stopped their charge as large stone pillars rose around them, wary of an attack from around them (which we, of course, had done before). That left them caught completely by surprise when the ground beneath them, weakened by Torterra's shifting of the earth to create those pillars, gave way.
To his credit, Luffy reacted quickly, one arm winding out to wrap around both Zoro and Sanji and the other shooting out to grab onto one of the stone pillars. It was unfortunate, then, that we'd expected just that response. "Collapse it."
A precision Earthquake did just that, toppling the pillars rounding the small sinkhole and burying the three Straw Hats under the rubble. The hole wasn't too deep, and the stones were relatively hollow, so I wasn't overly concerned for their well-being. Instead, I turned my attention to another part of the field, where two completely different battles raged.
Ace was going one-on-one against Crobat and struggling. His fiery defenses couldn't protect him from Shadow Ball, and Haki could only go so far against the senses-rattling combination of Screech and Supersonic. We also realized that, unlike Aokiji, his focus was shakeable. It would take something ridiculously fast to exploit that, but when Crobat was using his Agility and Double Team in tandem, 'ridiculously fast' was the perfect descriptor. Every time Ace slipped up, another bite mark or gash appeared on his body. And all of that was compounded by the fact that he was expending so much focus using his powers to stay airborne so that Crobat couldn't just bombard him for free.
…I said one-on-one, but they still had contenders trying to make things as difficult as possible down below. Nami and Usopp were the weakest Straw Hats regarding muscle, but they had skill and trickery in spades to make up for it. Nami's strange staff was allowing her to bend the temperature and weather in the area, managing an imitation Rain Dance, Double Team, Hail, and even Thunderbolt to keep both Ace and Crobat under pressure. And Usopp, wielding a strange combination of a slingshot and a staff, was firing shot after shot to try to peg the ones in the air. Metal balls, eggs, oil, fire, caltrops, smoke bombs, and even bird-shaped masses of fire or jagged lightning serpents. Neither airborne combatant was unscathed from the constant barrage, and both were at less than full cylinders after several minutes of sparring. But they kept going strong, occasionally even firing an attack or two at the two Straw Hats to keep them on their toes.
Less frantic was Lucario's spar with Chopper nearby, which had only been going for a minute. The reindeer had taken a form he called Arm Point, and Lucario was evaluating it with a critical eye. From what I could tell, his muscles were nothing to scoff at, but he could only take the form with a special drug, which had a strict time limit and cooldown period. Because of that, he had only developed a handful of techniques, all powerful enough to break through Lucario's Iron Defense but all designed to be one-hit KOs. So Lucario's focus was on having him use his power more continuously. It was slow going, since it was a tall order to extend the time limit through training, and overdosing on any drug was a really bad idea, but I could already see the improvements in the Stantler-human's form.
And then the pile of rubble exploded outwards, revealing three panting Straw Hat Pirates clambering out of the pit we'd dropped them into. I looked back at them neutrally.
"I can already see how much you've improved since we last met. But where's your synergy?" I called. "Your enemy isn't going to wait for you to fight them one-on-one, and fighting together is more than just all charging the same opponent."
Zoro scoffed. "I would, but I doubt that Swirly-Brow over there would be able to keep up."
Sanji's response was equally swift and just as infuriating. "Like Mosshead could understand the idea of a plan beyond mindlessly hacking away at something."
"What was that, shit-cook!?"
"You heard me, marimo!"
Arceus preserve me. I sighed and grabbed a ball from my belt, and I tossed it without them seeing what was going on. I gave in to the urge to facepalm.
"You know what, never mind. Here, I'll give you a demonstration instead!"
Houndoom materialized on Torterra's back, cutting off Zoro and Sanji's protests with a howl.
"Blaze Maze," I intoned, prompting menacing grins from my teammates, and the Straw Hats tensed as Torterra reared back on his hind legs, jumping away as his Earthquake shook the surrounding land apart, crags rising and pits giving way into a labyrinthine network of small valleys. And Houndoom followed up immediately, sending a stream of fire into the nearest pit, where a helpfully provided plant lining let it spread along the corridors with alarming quickness. She darted inside while Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji tried climbing, jumping, or smashing through the walls, each splitting off in a different direction. But Torterra was already ahead of them, slamming down again and causing dozens of spiky stalks to explode out of the maze. Houndoom avoided them deftly while Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji redoubled their attempts to escape.
I watched with a frown as Houndoom started actively contributing, her fire immunity letting her slip in and out of the burning areas to harass the three pirates. They were handling things surprisingly well, all things considered. Sanji, in particular, seemed strangely resistant to the heat and flame, sometimes even using the force behind his kicks to direct errant streams of flame away from him.
Eventually, finally, Luffy was able to physically wrangle his crewmates together, and after a quick discussion, the three of them had something resembling a combination ready. Luffy grabbed Sanji by the arms, swinging him around feet-first like a bizarre human flail and clearing away all the fire around them. His other arm, wrapped around Zoro's waist, launched him towards one part of the maze, letting him slice through several walls with one of his sword techniques.
I called Houndoom back with a whistle and waited for them to finish breaking out of the Blaze Maze before calling out, "There you go, like that!" The three of them took the break as a chance to collapse to the floor, chests heaving in exhaustion as I stepped over to look down at them.
"Why the hell did we agree to do this, again?" Sanji wheezed.
"Because we can," Luffy grunted, shoving himself into a sitting position heedless of the cuts and burns littering his torso. His hat was, miraculously, undamaged.
I sat next to them, pulling some Fresh Water bottles out of my bag to hand over. "Look, no matter what you guys might think of each other, you're on the same crew, right? Ideally, you'd be able to take your enemies on in a bunch of one-versus-one battles, and all this teamwork stuff won't be as necessary, but real life isn't always that polite."
If only Team Galactic were willing to handle everything with League-regulated battle rules, they would've been cleaned up that much more easily. "Torterra and Houndoom are, theoretically, complete opposites in Type matchup. Her Fire and his Grass-Ground typing shouldn't work together, but as you can see, we can work around type differences thanks to our training." It used to be that Torterra wouldn't let Houndoom within several feet of his tree, and now she was lounging on his shell, panting happily as he lumbered over.
"Though I've gotta say, you figured it out pretty well once you took a moment to think about it. You've got some good tricks in your back pockets, too." Zoro's Air Slash-type sword attacks (so similar to Gion's, and apparently a must for a strong sword wielder) and Sanji's affinity for fire were tricks that could tip the scales on an unsuspecting opponent. Combining them, though…
I stood back up abruptly, calling out to the other training groups around. "Hey, everyone! Break time! Come on over!"
I saw the tension in the area melt away as Ace practically plummeted to the ground. Crobat glided over to Torterra and landed in the shadow of his tree while everyone else approached slowly, visibly tired. I took the chance to let out Vaporeon to douse the maze before the fire spread, and he draped over my shoulders as everyone arrived.
"The last time I had this much trouble with anyone in an even fight was before I joined Whitebeard," Ace huffed, shaking his head in awe. "I knew you were strong, but I never thought you were 'only Pops would be able to beat you' strong."
"You're exaggerating, right?" I asked with a raised brow.
"I've had to struggle just going up against one of your team," Ace scoffed. "Going up against all six of them alone? No, I wouldn't put money on anyone on the crew but Pops pulling that off."
"Not like you didn't make Crobat work for it," I replied, tossing Crobat a Sitrus Berry to tide him over until I could give him a closer look. "Not to mention," I added, giving Usopp and Nami an appreciative look, "That it wasn't exactly a safe airspace for either of you." Seriously, both of the weaker Straw Hats had some potential behind them. The entire crew did.
"So, I'm sure you guys know already," I continued, addressing the Straw Hats as Robin and Gardevoir teleported over from the Merry. "But I've got a couple suggestions."
"Go ahead and say it in your terms. We'll figure it out from there," Zoro replied gruffly.
"All right, then," I said, beckoning Lucario over. "Starting with you: Fighting and Steel-type, like Lucario. Prioritizing power over defense and speed, but no slouch in either category and versatile enough in your techniques to handle all kinds of opponents."
Zoro nodded slowly, accepting my diagnosis.
"And based on how you dealt with the Blaze Maze, it seems like you've got the weaknesses pretty well covered. And you've got enough raw strength to handle a fight even if you lost your swords. Honestly, I think you've got the best grasp on your abilities," I admitted.
Do you believe yourself to be lacking in any way? Lucario asked.
"Nothing that more training can't fix," Zoro said, locking eyes with Lucario. "But I'd like to know more about this 'aura' stuff."
I see. I will teach you what I can. While actual Aura use didn't seem to be possible for the people in this world, maybe the Haki stuff Gion mentioned before functioned similarly. Either way, what Zoro really needed was more time against high-level opponents, and working with Lucario would give him exactly that.
He nodded, and Lucario's gaze turned back to Chopper.
You behave largely like a Normal-type, but you have untapped potential.
"Normal?" Chopper asked, seeming a bit hurt.
"Don't take that as a bad thing," I chuckled, shaking my head. "Underestimating Normal-types is a common mistake in my world: what they don't have in blatant ability, they make up for in versatility. And with your best asset being shifting between those forms—"
Second-best, Lucario interrupted.
"Huh?" I asked.
The most valuable asset you have that I can see is your intelligence, he said, speaking to Chopper. When I said you had untapped potential, I meant that your mental abilities are comparable to those of a Psychic-type.
My eyes widened slightly. That wasn't a small boast, not in the slightest. Even the stereotypically dimmer Psychic-types, like Slowbro or Exceggutor, had their moments of brilliance from time to time. And on the higher end… I judiciously ignored how a Psychic hive-mind was responsible for sending us here in the first place.
"Wh-what? B-but I can't do anything like Gardevoir can," Chopper protested.
"No, I see what he means," I said, looking at Chopper with a frown. "You're a doctor, right? You've got all kinds of knowledge about the human body and how to fix it when it's broken. You could pretty easily flip that around to find the best way to break someone." It was one of the reasons why Nurse Joys and their Pokémon Centers were almost never targeted, even by Team Galactic at their peak. The other reason, of course, was that even trying to do so led to the League coming down on the offender like a Hammer Arm from the Legendary Titan.
Chopper's eyes went wide, but it was more in horror than realization. I frowned, an expression matched by many around me as he started stammering denials.
"I-I-I couldn't do that! I'm a doctor, I'm supposed to be helping fix people, not using that knowledge to hurt people! I—"
"There's a deeper issue here," Zoro said, moving over to Chopper, who looked on the verge of tears. But Zoro's tone was gentle. "I don't know why I never put it together myself: you're smart enough to turn your knowledge the other way. You've even considered it before. You're a pirate and a doctor, so what's holding you back, Chopper?"
As he started crying, I hesitated, uncomfortable with the sudden change in atmosphere. "Uh, if this is a matter for the crew, we can give you some space, Chopper."
He rubbed his hooves against his eyes but shook his head.
"N-No…you're fine," he managed. "It's…it's just…"
We waited patiently for him to get himself together. When he spoke again, it was barely above a whisper.
"…Nobody else could ever accept a monster."
-o-
From there, with Chopper's consent, Nami went into details about his past. He was ostracized from the day he was born, which only got worse when he got his powers. His herd rejected him, and so did the local humans. Only one man ever showed him kindness: Doctor Hiruluk, who became his foster father. And when he died of an incurable illness, his friend Doctor Kureha, or Doctorine, took him in and taught him everything she knew.
Everyone he ever knew had called him a monster at some point. And his de facto parents and the Straw Hats were the only ones who ever meant it in a good way. The desire for others to accept him and his father's mindset that everyone deserved to be saved, even their tyrant king, instilled in Chopper an instinctual reluctance to hurt people.
The story wasn't long, but it left Chopper sobbing again, and we gave it some time to let him work out his emotions in a Straw Hat group hug. When we came back, Chopper's eyes were still shining with unshed tears, but he was sitting in Robin's lap with a frankly impressive look of determination.
I see, Gardevoir said, frowning. 'Doctor' resonates with 'acceptance' while 'monster' resonates with 'rejection.' You would never even consider attempting to combine two polar opposites like that. Her tone was still gentle, but I saw the tension in her shoulders and the look in her eyes. Only Arceus could help those Stantlers if she ever got the chance to hunt them down.
Chopper nodded slowly, but his eyes were wide with realization. I guess he'd never thought about it that deeply before.
You can be a guardian and healer and still be a warrior, Lucario picked up. You weren't aiming randomly when we sparred; why were you focusing on my chest and shoulders?
"…Because that was your weak spot?" Chopper answered hesitantly.
Lucario folded his arms. You're skipping the reasoning to get to your answer. You were aiming for pressure points that would have disabled my arms and others that would have hindered my movements or disrupted my breathing. Have you never considered actively aiming for such pressure points before?
Chopper's eyes went even wider; I couldn't tell if he was more interested or exasperated by how he had never thought of that before. No, wait, that was one of his hooves hitting his face. Definitely exasperation.
There's one focus for you, then: practice disabling your opponents without killing them.
Chopper nodded, smiling and rubbing the back of his head Mareepishly. Honestly, that sounded like quite a lot. Moves like Acupressure were rare enough because using it to any effectiveness required extensive knowledge of the target's pressure point layouts. But if Chopper was observant enough to spot and aim for Lucario's pressure points without thinking about it…
"One other idea for what you can focus on: you grew up in a snowy climate, right?" I asked. And at his nod, I looked back at Nami. "Any chance you could create another staff like yours for him?"
Everyone blinked in surprise, but Nami was quick to shake her head.
"He made it, not me," she said, pointing at Usopp. "But I don't know if Chopper could use one."
"The Clima-Tact only works for Nami because she's just that good at meteorology," Usopp continued, rubbing his chin. "But if we're focusing on cold and snow, maybe…what do you think, Chopper? No point making a weapon if you won't use it."
Chopper shrugged. "I've never tried using a weapon before. I've never needed one besides these," he said, showing off his hooves as he pointed at his antlers.
"If it doesn't work, it doesn't work," I shrugged.
"You've given me enough to think about already," he agreed, smiling. I turned my attention to Nami, who sighed.
"I'm kind of glad I brought up Arlong earlier if this is going to be a time for uncomfortable speeches about our pasts."
"Well, I'm more interested in what Usopp said about meteorology. How far does that go?"
"Unnaturally far," Robin answered before Nami could. "Cyclones in the Grand Line are normally impossible to predict, but her sense for the weather is strong enough to detect the changes in air pressure within seconds."
"I call her a witch for a reason," Zoro agreed. "She's greedy and underhanded, but when it comes to the weather, she's never wrong."
"No navigator in the world comes close to our Nami-swan~" Sanji sang.
Nami was blushing and smiling sheepishly at this point. But based on what I'd seen, I could tell they weren't exaggerating.
"I see. Probably Normal and Electric, then: versatile with a focus on lightning," I said, looking over her. "And made more for agility than strength. How did you fight before you had that staff?"
Her smile faded some. "I've used a staff for years, but it was usually a last resort. Like I said, I was a thief before Luffy saved me: I tried outsmarting anyone I had to get past, and if that didn't work, I used sneak attacks and cheap shots."
I heard a bark from Houndoom's direction, and saw her making her way toward Nami with a broad grin. I chuckled as I looked back at Nami, now a bit nervous.
"Don't worry, I just need to change my estimate: That kind of thinking is more like a Dark-type, like Houndoom."
She licked Nami's hand, pressing against her, and a small smile came on Nami's face as she started petting her.
"It's the cloud wolves all over again," Usopp said, pressing a hand to his face. "Maybe what Nami needs is an attack dog."
"Hmmm, not a bad idea," Nami murmured, looking between Houndoom and me. "Do you have any Pokémon like this that are good with lightning?"
Our faces fell a bit, and Nami blinked in surprise.
"A full team of Pokémon is six at a time," I explained slowly. "But I have two others back home, Luxray and Togekiss. They're probably worried sick and missing me as much as we're missing them." And hopefully, not driving Mom and my friends mad in the process. "But yeah, Luxray is one of the best Electric-types in Sinnoh."
I think a Shinx could suit her, Gardevoir said. Once we find a way back…well, we'll see how things go.
"For now," I said, refocusing on the present. "Dark-type attacks focus on psyching the opponent out, using tricks and feints to manipulate them and strike where they don't expect it. How good are you at getting in your opponent's head?"
Nami frowned. "I've never focused much on that. Whenever I have to fight, I try to end it as fast as I can."
"Fair enough. Probably should have had you working with Houndoom instead," I muttered. "Let's see…definitely can't go for biting attacks, Snarl and Dark Pulse are out, Pursuit is too straightforward…Okay, another question: how good are you at reading moves in the moment? Like, dodging attacks?"
"I wouldn't say I'm an expert, but I'm pretty good at it," Nami said.
"All right, that's a good starting point," I said. "I'd say focus on getting a good read on your opponents, physically and emotionally. If you can be that sensitive to changes in the weather, it seems like it's up your alley."
Nami nodded thoughtfully.
"I should be able to help with that," Robin said with a soft smile that nonetheless made Nami shiver a bit. Houndoom and I both chuckled as I looked at Robin, but Gardevoir beat me to the punch.
I would compare you to both Dark- and Ghost-type Pokémon. The two together are a potent combination only weak to Fairy attacks, which focus on the insubstantial: light, wind, mist, and other things that can be perceived but not touched.
Robin nodded in acceptance.
"Fairies only have two weaknesses: Poison and Steel. I'm kind of surprised I have to mention that: you seem like you'd be skilled with a knife."
"Oh, I am," Robin responded neutrally. "But when you can hardly trust your well-being to people you share sleeping space with, the last thing you want to do is make their job easier."
Everybody winced, and Robin sighed.
"More to the point, a simple knife wouldn't be enough to strike something insubstantial unless it was made of sea prism stone. And the Navy and World Government have a practical monopoly of that outside the black market."
"Well…" I began, looking at the recently returned Sabo, "We do happen to have someone here with some pretty serious connections. I'm sure he wouldn't mind doing you a favor." I looked back at her.
"Other than that, though, I can't say I've seen a power like yours before, Robin. I can give some advice based on Grass-types I've met before since their seeds and vines are the closest things I can compare your abilities to, but I won't be much help in improving your more esoteric capabilities."
She smiled understandingly. "You all have done more than enough for me already. Though I might take you up on that offer."
I nodded and looked back at the crew. Usopp seemed the most eager, so I guess he was up next.
"As for you, Usopp, I actually think you're the one who needs my help the least."
He blinked, his jaw hanging open, looking almost hurt as I explained.
"Your aim's already something to behold, and you're already working on incorporating those Dial things into your arsenal. Really, the only advice I have is to work on your speed and reaction time, because you seem to have everything else figured out."
"I…but…" he stammered. I noticed his eyes dart to the so-called 'Monster Trio' of Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro, and then back to me. I sighed a little, and my expression firmed.
"Usopp, you're a sniper, right?"
"Y-yeah?" he asked.
"How often are snipers supposed to be in the middle of the battle?"
He blinked again. "I, ah, well—"
"If you're jealous of what others on your crew can do, you're not giving yourself enough credit. I'm not saying you can't or shouldn't work out until you can throw opponents around like Luffy and Zoro. I bet they'd train you if you wanted."
"You do not want that," Ace cut in, giving Usopp a flat look.
Usopp's eyes darted between Ace and Luffy and Zoro, a pallor slowly spreading across his face, and I nodded.
"You've got your own talents already. Crobat?" I called, looking over my shoulder. "How good was Usopp at keeping track of you?" Crobat hissed, his lower wings crossing over his middle while his upper wings waved from side to side.
"Whoa, you saw through that many doubles? That's amazing, Usopp!"
Everyone looked at Luffy, and while I was surprised, Gardevoir and Lucario were gaping.
How did you understand that? Lucario asked.
"What do you mean? It was pretty clear," Luffy said, frowning. Crobat flew over the next moment, hissing and calling as he hovered before Luffy, who tilted his head.
"What's Mount Clarinet?"
At that, Crobat's jaw dropped, too, along with Houndoom's, Torterra's, and mine.
"You can understand him almost perfectly," I gasped. "It took me years to get that much clarity." It was something I expected from Gym Leaders or people like Riley, experienced trainers who'd spent years around Pokémon! Not someone like Luffy!
"You said it's all about reading the intent in what someone's saying, right?" Ace asked, amused at our reactions. "Luffy's always been good at seeing to the heart of something."
The shock slowly dissipated, and I shook my head. "I'll… come back to that later," I said, refocusing on Usopp. "Where was I? Oh, right: Crobat is one of the fastest Pokémon species there is even without any training. At our level and with the boosts he got between a maxed-out Agility and Double Team, it should have been almost impossible to hit him, let alone with a precision attack instead of an AOE like Nami's thunderstorms. And Crobat still had to actively dodge every single projectile you shot."
"That is impressive," Ace said, looking at Usopp with a raised brow. "I was straining my Haki to predict his attacks and he was still too fast for me to keep up with, and I psyched myself out with some of those illusions. The only person I've ever met with that kind of skill is—" He stopped, then he smirked. "Oh, I get it. You're Yasopp's son, aren't you?"
Usopp jumped. "You know my dad?"
"I met Shanks and his crew in the New World once, before I joined Whitebeard," Ace explained. "A few of them showed off what they could do before we left." He tilted his hat over his head. "My crew's sniper, Mihar, set up a human-shaped target on the shore and shot it in the center of the face from 100 yards, in the middle of a snowstorm. And Yasopp decided to shoot from 300 yards. Not only did he hit all seven shots he took, not only did all of them hit the target in the head, but he used them to draw a smiley face!"
I should have been more focused on someone having that kind of precision, but that was too funny for me not to laugh, a sentiment everyone else shared, including Usopp. Ace shook his head ruefully.
"Mihar was steaming for days. But the point is, you've clearly got Yasopp's skills. Brawling isn't everything; being able to take out an opponent before they even see you coming is its own kind of impressive."
"Heh…I guess you're right," Usopp said eventually, a small but satisfied smile on his face. I nodded my thanks to Ace before finishing up.
"So, like I said: just work on your speed and reaction time. If you're good enough to match your father with a slingshot, you're bound to be even better than him someday."
Usopp grinned, all jealousy forgotten.
"Sanji," I continued, turning to the chef with a grin, "I've actually got some ideas based on what I saw. You're pretty resistant to fire, for some reason, and I'd like to take advantage of that." Seriously, he didn't seem even slightly burnt, compared to the singed looks of Luffy and Zoro.
Sanji scoffed. "As if any true chef would be afraid of fire," he boasted. "What did you have in mind?"
"Well, Blaze Kick comes to mind first. Channeling willpower or friction into your feet for ignition and then hitting the opponent where it hurts. It's a pretty rare attack, though." Lucario was theoretically capable of using it, but we hadn't had the chance to ask Flint about it before everything went sideways.
"Willpower and friction, huh?" Sanji said, looking down. He took a pull from his cigarette, then started spinning on his heel, even whipping up a little whirlwind.
"Rapid Spin?" I asked reflexively. Before anyone could ask more than that, Sanji stopped, shifting his weight to his other foot, and showing off a shoe shining with heat. Another quick motion, and the shoe caught ablaze, startling all of us with the sudden burst of flame.
…That was fast, Lucario remarked, wide-eyed and, I could see, a little bit envious.
"I should be used to this by now," I groaned, peering at Sanji between my fingers as Houndoom walked over and nosed his shoe. She tilted her head before looking back at me and sighing out a quiet growl that did nothing to ease my mind.
"How is a normal—Wait, no, let me rephrase: is it common for humans in this world to be 'basically fireproof?'" I couldn't exactly call any of the Straw Hats normal, after all. Not after what I'd seen of them in action.
"No," most of the Straw Hats and Ace said firmly.
"Usopp's got his eyes, Nami-swan has her skills, and Mosshead can talk with a sword in his mouth. Your point?" Sanji said with a raised brow.
I opened my mouth, then closed it in defeat. "Back to what I was thinking," I continued resignedly, inviting some chuckles and smirks. "How long do you think you can keep that going?"
"At least a couple of minutes, probably more once I get the hang of this," Sanji said, shifting his leg.
"Like a Focus Energy, then," I nodded. Well, a Focus Energy with Burn chance instead of increasing attack potency, but the point stood. "Alright, next question: can you shoot that fire?"
Sanji frowned. "Not sure about that."
"Houndoom, target practice," I said, prompting a grin as she bounded a short distance away. Sanji focused himself, reared back his leg, swung it forward—
And almost nothing happened. I saw some heat haze extend out a foot or so, but no flames. I winked at Houndoom, who promptly gave Sanji a deadpan look, yawned widely, and laid down to sleep.
I could see the veins pulsing on Sanji's temples as he fell for the Taunt. "Why, you…how about this?!" he barked, kicking forward again with his heated-up foot. This time a small fireball, about the side of his foot, flew forward, only to peter out halfway to Houndoom. She cracked an eye open from where she was feigning napping, and Sanji growled, shooting another fireball forward a second later with the same result.
"OK, that's enough," I said hastily, prompting Houndoom to get back to her feet and return over. Sanji, realizing what had happened, slowly simmered down, the heat on his foot receding as he turned back to us.
"Ace, any suggestions?" I asked. Since we were working with fire, getting advice from the guy who was basically a living Fire-type could only make sense.
"The key to a good fireball is putting enough energy into it that it won't burn out before you hit your target," Ace said, frowning at Sanji. "But you don't have a bottomless supply of fire like I do, so I'd focus on increasing how much heat you've got to work with at a time. If you're not going to use your hands, focus on everything else you can work with. Worry about projecting your fire once you've got enough to spare for it."
Sanji nodded, frowning thoughtfully at his fists and feet.
"And last but not least," I said, looking back at Luffy. "Pure Fighting-type: you've got strength and endurance in spades, and you're no slouch on speed, either. You probably don't have to worry too much about Flying enemies thanks to your powers, so that just leaves Psychic and Fairy."
Which makes me the most formidable opponent against you, Gardevoir said, staring Luffy in the eyes. You struggle against anyone who relies on brain more than brawn, and you have no recourse against opponents you cannot touch. You were lucky that Crocodile had a weakness you could exploit.
Luffy's eyes darkened at Crocodile's name, and his fists clenched. "I've beaten smart guys before. And you saw that I'm better at getting out of traps."
Fine. But what will you do if you can't even touch your opponent? she asked, projecting a Barrier between them. Luffy put a hand up against the wall of light, frowning hard as he felt it.
"If I can't get through, then I'll go around."
Immediately, the barrier changed to a sphere, guarding Gardevoir from every angle.
"Well, even if I can't hit you, you can't hit me either."
A pink aura immediately surrounded Luffy, and he was immobilized and lifted several feet in the air.
Any more ideas? Gardevoir asked dryly as the glow faded, dropping the rubber man gracelessly back to the ground. Gritting his teeth, Luffy looked at me.
"How do you get past those?!"
"You don't, normally," I answered. "I'd say non-physical attacks would be better, but she's got a barrier for that, too."
"So, what's the answer?" he demanded.
Like Zoro, there is no need for changing what you are doing. Only improving on it. I will pass what I can on to you as well, Lucario said.
"At worst, you'll pick up some good skills. Breaking through Psychic Barriers is tough. But breaking rock, ice, or steel with your bare hands? With a little training, even newborn Fighting-types can do that."
The ground splintered under Sanji's feet as he shot to a standing position. "I'm sorry, say that again? You make newborns fight?" he demanded, leaning forwards aggressively.
"Not usually," I reassured him quickly. "Most Pokémon are pretty gentle fresh out of their eggs. But Fighting-types are the quickest to crave growing stronger. I can speak from experience here: when I hatched Togekiss's egg, she just watched us train and battle for the longest time; I think by the time she was willing to battle, she was almost ready to evolve. Lucario, though, was picking fights with wild Onix and Steelix at less than a week old."
We don't need to talk about that, he grumbled, crossing his arms. Torterra, who remembered how those incidents had spawned Riolu Watching Duty, snickered in amusement, earning himself a glare.
"And how old are you now?" Chopper asked.
Lucario thought for a moment. I believe three months from now will be my fourth birthday.
The shock that came from that sentence was so potent that they forgot to gape. It took a solid minute before anyone else could break the silence.
"Wow," Sabo said, rubbing his face. "And I thought the three of us grew up fighting. You guys really are on another level." No, we weren't. I mean, from a technical standpoint we kind of were, but not for the reason he thought. I hurried to explain.
"Pokémon don't have a fixed rate of maturation like we do," I said. "In the wild, it's normal for it to take years between evolutions, which is the more-or-less the Pokémon equivalent of transitioning to adulthood. Evolution is generally strength- and experience-based, though, so training with a human is an easy way to accelerate that timeframe. Torterra, for example, would probably have only been a Grotle for a couple years now if he were wild, instead of being fully evolved for a few years."
I got mostly confusion back from my audience, unfortunately. Chopper and Robin were the exceptions, staring at my team in naked awe and suppressed interest respectively. And then Luffy slammed his fist into his palm and nodded.
"Got it, so it's a mystery growth method!"… Whatever works, I guess.
"Before we break, the reason I called you all together was to talk about combination attacks," I went on, refocusing on Zoro and Sanji. "The two of you have a ton of potential individually. But between your fire and your wind, you could be incredible." I frowned as they started frowning and tensing. "Ok, look. If you want to quarrel during downtime, that's fine, as long as you're not letting it get in the way when you're up against someone. The rest of your crew needs to be able to rely on you, not worry if you can stop fighting long enough to help them."
Their grimaces grew, and I saw their eyes running across the rest of the crew. Sanji was the first one to speak up.
"You've got a lot of guts, you know. Just pointing out all of our problems and expecting us to fix them right away."
"I'm a trainer," I countered calmly. "I make a living out of helping beings with amazing powers be all they can be. You need to let go of all kinds of things to become the Champion, and fear is at the top of the list. There's only one being I've ever faced that I'm still scared of, and that was a god."
I looked back at Luffy.
"You asked for my advice. You tell me if I'm going too far."
Luffy didn't hesitate to look at Zoro and Sanji.
"Can you work together when we need you to?" he asked.
They exchanged looks, but it wasn't even a second before they nodded.
"Then that's fine," Luffy said, looking back at me with a small smile. "I trust my crew. They'll do what they need to."
He said it with all the simple confidence that I would have if anyone asked about my team, and I sighed as well.
"Fair enough. I'll leave how you work together for you to work out."
Luffy nodded with a bigger smile, and I saw Ace and Sabo eyeing him approvingly.
"Excuse me."
Everyone's attention turned to where two other pirates were approaching: Foxy and one of his mask-wearing crewmates, a muscular man with black stains on his hands and outfit.
"My crew has finished going over your ship, and you may rest assured that no gold is out of place."
"Can we?" Nami asked, her tone both dry and dangerous. Foxy regarded her with an unimpressed stare.
"My specialty is exploiting the rules, not breaking them. I am a man of my word, and I'm not interested in you hunting me down for cheating you after what I just went through."
"And that's our cue to take a step away," I said, calling my team back to me with a short whistle. "This is a matter between captains, after all." Foxy wasn't likely to start something, and his crew wasn't stupid enough to disobey him in that regard. "Ace, would you like some help getting ready to go?"
-o-
Foxy waited until the newly crowned Warlord and his team had left earshot before nodding to the man next to him, who stepped forward. "Dulgher, head shipwright of the Foxy Pirates," the man said, giving a short bow before launching into his report.
"Despite all the damage to the surface of the mast, most of the overall structure is fine. I'm guessing that you haven't been in too many naval battles?"
"…I don't think we've had any, actually?" Luffy said, tilting his head.
"Wapol was the closest, but it was never ship-to-ship combat," Sanji confirmed.
"Well, you're definitely some of the luckiest pirates that I've ever met. Any decent battle would have pushed her beyond help."
A tense silence fell, until it was broken by an unexpected member of the crew. "You're lying!" Usopp snapped, glaring intensely at the shipwright. "There's no way Merry's that hurt! She's one of us! She's stronger than you realize!"
"Usopp." Zoro cut off any further yelling with a sharp glare of his own. "Let him explain." He turned his gaze to the impassive Foxy pirate expectantly.
Dulgher sighed. "We've fixed all the damage that we can for your mast, bow, and body, but there's some serious wear and tear on your keel: Stone scrapes and acid burns lining most of the exterior, and some really bad stresses and micro-fractures near the center. Based on the 'repair' work I saw, I'm going to ask: do any of you know how serious that is?"
The silence from most of the crew and attentive glances from a few others spoke volumes. Dulgher sighed again, shaking his head sadly.
"Yeah, that's what I thought. In a nutshell, the keel is what supports everything else; one crack is enough to call a ship damaged beyond repair. And honestly, yours isn't far off. We're hesitant to try anything with damage this bad."
"The last thing I'm going to do is provoke you by crippling your ship, accidental or not," Foxy cut in. "There's no benefit to either of us there, and it would sully our agreement regardless. At this point, you're probably better off getting a new ship as soon as you can, before this one sinks out from under you."
Luffy's head was bowed, eyes shadowed by his hat as his fists clenched at his sides. "So… you're not going to try?" he asked dangerously, getting Foxy to quickly raise his hands.
"Hey, I'm not going to leave you hanging, either. Dulgher, get the Eternal Pose. You know the one."
The man double-took at his boss, but darted off almost immediately. Then Foxy's eyes looked between the people he was addressing, and his tone as he spoke again was careful and polite.
"I will not encourage you any further to retire this ship. But here is the truth: a caravel from the East Blue is built for placid waters, not the insane weather of the Grand Line. If you are adamant about using her the whole way down the Line, then you will need as many upgrades as you can afford."
"Fine," Luffy huffed. "That's what we've got all this gold for anyway."
Foxy shook his head sadly. "It's your choice. But as you've heard, she's one step from the point of no return; once the keel cracks, the ship is beyond help. This is the best that I can do for you," he finished as Dulgher returned. Foxy took the hourglass-like compass and held it out. Nami stepped forward to take it.
"Water 7?" she read.
"Home to the greatest shipwrights in the world, bar none; Gold Roger's own Oro Jackson came from Water 7, and that was before the mayor unified all of the island's companies. If Galley-La can't help you, nobody can."
"How far is it?" Nami asked.
"Not at all," Dulgher shrugged. "Heck, your Log Pose is probably already pointing to it."
"Just a bit of insurance on my part: I have done everything that I can to pay what I owe you, short of escorting you myself," Foxy said firmly. The fact that an Eternal Pose to an island of master shipwrights was worth several times its weight in gold on the Grand Line went unsaid, but was understood by all the Straw Hats present. Even Usopp, though still upset, visibly calmed down at the realization.
Luffy gazed at the Eternal Pose for a moment longer, and then he looked up and nodded, a small smile on his face. "We're even."
"Then we'll be going." Foxy stood up, heading back to his ship without another word, shipwrights right behind him.
-o-
As Sengoku picked up the call, he wasted no time before asking the most important question. "He accepted, then?"
Kuzan nodded, knowing that the motion would be transferred through the snail. "He had conditions, but none were wholly beyond our expectations."
"You had to make that offer?"
"He seemed more receptive afterwards."
Grumbling came in over the line. "To be forced to concede that much to one man, an outlaw at that…"
"If I may, Fleet Admiral," Kuzan interjected. "I recommend treating this less like dealing with one man and more like dealing with the leader of a foreign nation. He has introduced himself as such before, and his companions possess the strength to be acknowledged as such." He grimaced slightly. "The practice to keep the World Nobles occupied during Reverie is in place for a reason, after all; certain parents would sooner shield their children from certain death than save their own skins."
Sengoku grimaced, and was silent for a long while.
"And I believe that Doctor Vegapunk was formal in stating that the beings and technology he possesses do not exist anywhere else in the Grand Line, New World included," Kuzan eventually added, prompting a heavy sigh from Sengoku.
"Please don't remind me. Six entire reports, each one taller than my desk and all full of complaints…" he grumbled.
Kuzan stayed silent, and eventually Sengoku started speaking again. "What else did he request?"
"Just three other things. He won't accept any orders that put him against the Straw Hat Pirates, though otherwise, he's not protecting them. But I think it would be inadvisable to provoke him in that regard for the immediate future."
Another angry sigh. "That is frustrating…but fine. We have worse pirates to worry about for now. Next?"
"A meeting with you, in person, in neutral territory."
Another pause, longer.
"And you believe this is wise? What is your perspective of his character?"
"His final condition was to fight me," Aokiji said, and Sengoku tensed as he went on. "I fought Houndoom, Gardevoir, and Lucario, and while I managed to knock out the dog, they were stronger than I expected…and, while this is only a guess, I believe that Lucas has ample experience fighting against ice powers. When the fight stopped, it was because he had chosen not to push his companions or me any further; had we continued, I can't say who would have won. Then, while revitalizing his team, he gave me a berry and a bottle of milk that almost completely healed me."
Continued silence.
"The plan to force him into accepting the Warlord position was doomed from the start; whether he saw through it or not, the prospect of fighting someone of my power until they or I fell unconscious was their idea of fun. But to answer your question, Fleet Admiral Sengoku: I do not believe you need to fear for your well-being by meeting with him. He will reciprocate whatever treatment he receives: respect for respect and blood for blood. And I did inform him that you would be unlikely to fight him yourself."
After several more seconds, Sengoku sighed wearily.
"Very well. Return to HQ immediately to submit your report on our newest Warlord's capabilities." Well, there went the end of his break. "As for the meeting…I will need to schedule a date and time well in advance, but tell him that I will meet with him on Water 7. If anything goes wrong, the proximity to a city will reduce the chances for collateral, and the Sea Train route to Enies Lobby should enable reinforcements to arrive quickly. And in either case, I'd prefer to have him in one place for now, where we can keep an eye on him."
"Yes, sir." Though now that Sengoku had mentioned Enies Lobby, that stirred something in his memory… "Isn't Rob Lucci still leading a group of CP9 agents in the city?"
A pregnant pause fell between them, followed by the head of the Den-Den Mushi abruptly falling downwards. Judging by the low thump that came across the line, it sounded like his boss had decided to drop face-first onto the paperwork covering his desk.
"I'll get back to you later, Fleet Admiral," Kuzan sighed. How troublesome. "I need to make another call."
-o-
Smoker and Bentham stood on opposite sides of a table, the okama pointing out numerous islands as he explained what his contacts had shared with him.
"Between the known red herrings and the known true reports, Crocodile's plan is to make us think he's skirting along the border of the Calm Belt. But the way he's been island-hopping up until now, he's been draining most of the resources he has at every location, planning for something big. And with the direction he's going, the answer is clear."
Bentham's finger landed on one of the most well-known islands in the Grand Line, and Smoker was quiet as he processed the sound logic.
"You're sure of this?"
"Absolutely!" Bentham nodded sharply. "My sources wouldn't lie to me about this. It's their necks at risk, too, especially if Crocodile sniffs them out."
Smoker grunted. "Alright, then. Make sure you've got their names down so that we can recover them if necessary. If you and yours are getting a pardon, I refuse to be anything other than thorough about it."
Bentham grinned widely. "You truly are a shining example of a fine Marine."
This time, Smoker's response was more of a sigh than a show of irritation. "More's the pity," he muttered near-inaudibly, before raising his voice. "Ensign!"
"Yes, Commodore?" Tashigi asked, entering the room with a salute. After weeks under Bentham's tutelage, the amount of clumsiness incidents had taken a sharp nosedive, and she was now moving with the confidence and balance of a well-trained fighter. His influence had also helped her start smiling again, though she remained as serious as ever on the job. And thankfully, so did her wardrobe, which remained devoid of feathers and swans.
"Let the men know. We're heading to Water 7."
-o-
When Spandam had received a call from Admiral Aokiji, he was expecting a status request at worst. At best, it would be a sign of HQ recognizing his greatness and providing even more resources to complete CP9's mandate of ensuring the World Government's security. Realistically, it would be yet another mission to send the rest of his unit on, hopefully something suited to Jyabura's aggressive tendencies.
The last thing he had expected was for the Admiral to follow up his report on Nico Robin's current whereabouts with an order not to complete the Water 7 mission that had been going on for five years now.
"A-Admiral Aokiji, what is the meaning—?"
"'Pokémon Champion' Lucas has accepted the Warlord offer. And he has an invested interest in the well-being of the Straw Hat Pirates, including Nico Robin."
Spandam's eyes widened. He'd seen the bounty posters, of course, and contemplated the prestige that bringing in a criminal of that level could have brought him. But with the majority of his agents already in Water 7, it wasn't something he considered for too long. Seven relative unknowns, six of which were potentially able to contest a Vice-Admiral, was not something he wanted to face with anything less than the full might of his organization. Finding that a criminal of his caliber had taken Nico Robin under his protection…
"Let me make this perfectly clear, Chief Spandam: we want them on our side for as long as possible, and they are too powerful to coerce. Half of his team could potentially defeat me, and their medicines can heal an entire war's worth of injuries in seconds."
A cold pause as Spandam stared at the snail in stunned disbelief.
"I told you that this was a warning. Based on their positioning when I encountered them, the Straw Hat Pirates will be approaching Water 7 soon. If I had the authority, I would forbid CP9 from even attempting to target Nico Robin during her time there. But I'll tell you this: if anything happens that would cause Lucas to turn against us again, there will be hell to pay for whoever is responsible. If you value your well-being, don't do anything that has even the remotest chance of getting traced to the Navy or the World Government. And remember that covert ops are a lot harder when the other side has assets that can teleport and read minds." KA-LICK!
Spandam didn't quite sag in his chair, but the temptation existed. This was worse than a torpedo to his plans! Gripping his desk, he pulled himself to his feet and started pacing, talking himself through this new problem.
"Pluton's blueprints are still somewhere in Water 7, but access to the actual weapon would be even more valuable, and Nico Robin is the only link to that. Even if the Poneglyph that ex-Warlord Crocodile stole has the information, it's just a hunk of stone without her. No, Nico Robin is the key."
He clenched his fists as the Admiral's "advice" kept gnawing at him.
"Teleportation and mind reading are potentially fatal liabilities…and coupled with the power to not only face down an Admiral but have a chance at winning? Even CP9 would never defeat the likes of Aokiji. But this is my chance at Pluton, at glory! I didn't spend the better part of the last decade working towards it to let this golden opportunity pass me by! There has to be something I can do!"
Nobody answered him. With Funkfreed taking his daily nap, nobody else was there to hear him. His mind ran over the angles, considering all of the resources that he had at hand, considering every stratagem he could fathom.
And he raked his hands through his hair.
"One tiny mistake is all it would take to unravel everything and bring it down on my head," he groused, walking in a circle. "How am I supposed to be any more discreet?"
Then, all at once, he stopped as a realization shook him. A simple realization, but a dangerous one.
"If this operation cannot afford to be traced back to the Navy or Government, then I need to use agents that don't belong to the Navy or Government."
Slowly, grimacing, Spandam turned back to his desk, opened one of the drawers, and took out the Number. The Number that that pale-skinned man had left behind, after having infiltrated the Tower of Justice with none of the present CP9 agents being the wiser.
"If you have need of our services, I guarantee my Captain will answer, for a trivial fee," he had said.
"Associating with pirates…" Spandam murmured. It was the last thing he wanted to do, and nearly the last thing that he would want to be made public.
"…But I am the chief of CP9. The Government's hidden arm, their knife in the dark to ensure their power," he continued murmuring, flexing his fists and steeling himself. "Even if worse comes to worst, the only thing that will truly matter is whether it works…yes. I've simply put too much into this to turn back now. If that means taking extreme measures, then so be it."
He scowled as he picked up the snail's receiver and dialed the number. They picked up on the second ring, and the man on the other end had a wide smile with several missing teeth.
"Ah, Chief Spandam! What can the Blackbeard Pirates do for you?"
-o-
Hearing about the state of their precious ship, the Straw Hats had only waited as long as it took for Nami to make sure that all of their treasure and other belongings were undisturbed—and dang, they had lots of gold—before setting a course for Water 7 and getting ready to sail.
With a second Eternal Pose from Water 7 already onboard among what Dragon gave me, I decided to follow after them once my team had finished their shore leave; Lucario was off with Torterra to explore the island and take advantage of the increased legroom. Once we arrived, I was planning to sell Rhode's ship and browse our options for a new one. And, of course, that would be perfect bait to lure Rhode himself into the open where the Revolutionaries could spirit him away.
Now, though, we had a bit of a conflict of interest, as Sabo was assigned to head the mission against Rhode but also planned to help Ace find who he was looking for…
"Who is it you're after again, Ace?" I asked as the Straw Hats and I watched him load up his Striker. With Luffy's crew shipping off and their family reunion finished, Ace wanted to get a headstart on hunting down his quarry. With Gardevoir and Vaporeon helping in the greenhouse and Torterra and Lucario on the island, only Houndoom and Crobat were in earshot.
"I'm after a former subordinate named Teach," he replied shortly, pulling some lines taut with more force than was probably necessary. The man was clearly still a sore spot for him, even after all this time. "The bastard murdered another of our crew and ran off, and he's been carving a path of destruction through Paradise ever since. Calling himself 'Blackbeard' of all things, too, like he wasn't insulting our flag enough just by existing."
I winced. That was a familiar tone, one that Cynthia used whenever Cyrus came up in conversation. Betrayal was a hard pill to swallow, one that I counted myself lucky to never have experienced myself. But I was confused when I saw that Chopper seemed angry, too.
Ace noticed, too, but he just shook his head. "Right, you said you were from Drum. Sorry about what happened there."
Chopper just shook his head. "It was bad, but at least it got rid of Wapol. The country's better off now." Huh. I guess Blackbeard had attacked the island before?
Ace nodded and looked at the rest of us.
"I doubt you're going to run into him at Water 7, but just in case, he's tall and fat with long black hair and missing teeth. He'd probably be pigging out on a slice of cherry pie, too, because the bastard downs the stuff like Luffy devours meat."
There was a gasp and the sound of something clattering to the ground. Ace and I turned around to see Nami, Clima-Tact forgotten at her feet as her hands flew to her mouth. "A big, fat pirate with black hair, missing teeth, and a taste for cherry pie?" she said slowly, horror shining in her eyes, a feeling that Ace quickly mirrored as he put the pieces together.
"When?" he asked slowly, and I flinched a bit as waves of heat and Pressure started emanating from him.
"A few weeks back," Zoro answered with a frown. "Mock Town on Jaya. Luffy almost got in a fight with him."
"He was pissing me off," Luffy grumbled. "And that pie was gross."
Part of me was surprised to realize that there was some type of food that Luffy actively disliked, but the rest was focused on Ace's reaction. His fists were clenched hard, so hard that flames were leaking out where his nails pierced the skin, and his eyes snapped to me.
"Gardevoir can see memories, right? Can she confirm whether or not it was him?" I frowned, whistling for Crobat to come over, and quickly pointing him in Gardevoir's direction. She warped over seconds after he took off, her own hands still dirty from the greenhouse, and stared at Nami as I filled her in.
I saw the navigator flinch when Gardevoir's eyes started to glow, and she stopped immediately, shaking her head and turning back to me and Ace.
I must clarify something: using my powers on others this much is very unusual. It is an uncomfortable thing to be near someone you do not fully trust and be aware that they can see through you.
She looked directly at Nami.
As I said in Alubarna, I cannot apologize for reacting as I did to someone attempting to steal us from our trainer. But under the circumstances, I do apologize for what I did to you. And you have my assurance: under mundane circumstances, I do not actively look into anyone's mind outside those of our team. You would feel it if I were doing anything more in-depth than verifying whether you were lying about something, and I would only be able to see beyond surface thoughts and recent memories if I was touching you.
"…That's all well and good, but it's not something I can control," Nami answered neutrally.
Hence my restraint. You may trust that, if the circumstances are any less urgent than an active battlefield, I will not look into your mind without your consent. And that goes for all of you.
"Get it from me, then," Luffy said, stepping in front of his navigator stoically. "I remember him fine."
Gardevoir inclined her head. Very well. Her eyes flashed again…and then faded with a frown. Odd. A bit too long ago, I suppose, she muttered as she glided over to Luffy and touched her hand to his head.
A few moments later, she pulled back, trying to suppress a shudder.
You are far too obsessed with meat, she practically growled at him.
Luffy just stuck his tongue out at her, and I darted over to grab Gardevoir's hand myself. She visibly composed herself before looking back at Ace, who seemed caught between impatience and trying not to laugh.
See for yourself, she said, flashing again and making Ace wince. But his eyes filled with fire a minute later.
"That's him," he confirmed. "I don't believe this…I've tried tracking him all over Paradise, and you run into him by accident! What else happened with him?!"
"Nothing!" Nami said. "When we left the bar, he gave me a speech about dreams, and that was the last time we saw him. Luffy, did you see him when you beat up Bellamy?"
"I don't think so. But I was focused on him," Luffy said darkly.
Ace sighed heavily, running his fingers through his hair, and Sabo stepped over to him and turned him away from the crew. A hushed conversation followed, Ace's tension growing before abruptly disappearing. "Looks like I was packing for nothing," he said ruefully. "I'll be sticking around at least until Water 7. If Teach has really taken an interest in you, Luffy, I can't exactly leave you to his less-than-tender mercies. Galley-La's usually pretty up to date on the world's goings-on, too, so either way, there's probably some more leads there."
"To Water 7, then?"
"To Water 7."
-o-
"There is a woman," Spandam began carefully. "A woman I need retrieved, with knowledge that the Government wants to disappear."
The snail's brow rose. "And you want us to do the lifting?" he asked. "You've got an entire secret division at your call, and you can't obtain one woman?"
Spandam scowled. "This woman is… protected," he spat, "By an individual among the Warlords. Deploying my agents would risk the Government's position for little reward."
Comprehension dawned on the snail's face, and the man started cackling. "Zehahahaha! You want us to grab Nico Robin from under your newest Warlord's nose, do you?"
Spandam froze. How did he… that news hadn't even broken yet!
"Zehahaha. I accept," the snail declared, either oblivious to or ignoring the panic seeping into the CP9 chief. "I've got a grudge against that little upstart anyways."
This was… This man was dangerous. But this kind of danger might be just the thing to handle the newest Warlord and his pets. But, just to be sure…
"Of course, I require assurance that you are capable of such a task," Spandam replied, casting his mind around for options before a pair of bounty posters caught his eye. He leaned forwards, folding his hands in front of his face in what he thought was an appropriately conniving manner. "The rogue Warlord, Sir Crocodile. I have reports of men from his organization being present around Water 7. Bring him and his to heel, and I will give you further details regarding your assignments."
"And in return," the snail grinned widely, showing off the other man's gap-toothed smile, "When an opening makes itself known, I'd appreciate support for my own candidature in the Warlords."
The nerve! Spandam scowled, but bit his tongue and held back a retort. Insulting the pirates would get him nowhere. "Subduing Crocodile should suffice on its own, but I'll do what's needed," he replied tersely. He made to hang the call up, but the snail spoke up one last time.
"Oh, and one more thing." Spandam paused, finger hovering over the disconnect button. "My navigator, Laffitte, has a particular talent in stealth and subterfuge. In a few days' time, he will be present to provide you with a gift from Navy HQ, free of charge and with no way to trace it back to you." The snail's grin was even wider now. "Consider it a show of good faith regarding our partnership."
Spandam didn't reply as the snail hung up, scowling at the pirate's last words. A gift from HQ? Regardless, the die was cast now. He could only stay the course, no matter what may come…
The Patient One: How does that old saying go, again? Out of the frying pan and into the fire?
Teammate: This is what I believe you would call the setup to a massive clusterfuck. The next few chapters are going to be fun to figure out. Water 7's gonna have an interesting time…